The Virgin Mary in the Book: I Decide My Life with Two Swords

Cangyue Country - Nanlai - County Government Office

Ye Ling took out two almost identical money bags and divided the silver equally. He looked very busy. When he finished, he looked up in surprise: "Why are you all looking at me? I'm trying a case!"

"Waiting for someone," Nangong Chen replied.

"Who is it? Did the murderer from last night run away?" Ye Ling was curious.

"That's not the case, wait for Shadow Blade"

"Oh!" Ye Ling thought for a moment and said, "You sent him to the mass grave?"

Nangong Chen turned around and asked with interest, "How did you know he went to the mass grave?"

"I'm well aware of the methods used by your Beichen Palace. You must have questioned the murderer last night and dug up the body!"

"When did you know the bodies were in the mass grave?" Xue Jingchuan asked.

"I found it yesterday when I went there with my little brother. We thought there were only two of us and it was getting dark, so we didn't dare to dig. He buried those women in front of Yuying's grave as a token of forgiveness, but..." Ye Ling deliberately hesitated to speak. She knew that everyone was listening to her now. Of course, the reason why Nangong Chen asked her so leisurely was also very meaningful, so she had to cooperate.

Nangong Chen understood immediately and smiled slightly: "But what?"

"In court, every word is testimony, so I'd better not say anything. If I say something wrong, I will offend people," said Ye Ling.

"The trial hasn't started yet, so what you said doesn't count as testimony. Besides, I asked you this question, so even if you're wrong, it doesn't matter. No one dares to say anything."

"Then I'll say it. However, if I were Yuying's relative, I wouldn't just kill the woman. I would kill the entire family of those beasts who killed Yuying, leaving no one alive. Moreover, I also hope that Yuying's words can come true and make this place barren for three years. As the saying goes, you reap what you sow. Three years is not enough. It should be ten or twenty years. This is retribution!" Ye Ling said easily.

Some officials present were already feeling extremely guilty. One of them said, "Miss, how do you know that the adulterous woman was wrongly accused? You can't make such statements without evidence."

"How does this lord know I have no evidence?" Ye Ling asked back, "You keep calling me a whore, but how do you know a man isn't a stud?"

Another official couldn't sit still any longer: "You are just a little girl, and you actually said such a ridiculous thing? Don't you have anyone to discipline you at home?"

"Yes!" Ye Ling admitted generously, then stood up. "There's no one to discipline me at home, but I know that people should behave like human beings and not like animals. Last year, Yuying was imprisoned in April for her crime and executed in September. She never left the prison during that time, and she was three months pregnant when she died. Tell me, is this child the product of an animal in prison?"

"You are a woman, what nonsense are you talking about? How do you know Yuying is pregnant? You are talking nonsense," the official who spoke first said angrily again.

Ye Ling smiled: "Whether she is pregnant or not, didn't the prince go to dig up the body? A three-month-old fetus already has bones, so it's obvious at a glance. Everyone involved, let's just wait and see what happens."

"Miss Ye is right," Zhao Hongan said, "My colleagues all have a clear conscience, so what are you afraid of? Just sit and wait."

Ye Ling thought for a moment, walked up to Nangong Chen, and whispered a few words in his ear.

Nangong Chen was slightly surprised, and then looked towards the host: "Master Zhao, since the murderer has been caught, let's try him first!"

"Yes." Zhao Hongan was a little confused. He didn't know what Ye Ling said that could make Nangong Chen listen to it.

Zhao Hongan slammed the gavel: "Bring the prisoner."

Last night's murderer was wearing heavy anklets and bracelets. He was escorted into the hall by two imperial guards and knelt in the middle.

Zhao Hongan said, "This is the new governor of Nanlai. Who are you kneeling for? Where are you from? Please state your name."

"Cao Susong, a native of Tongzhou," Susong said in a low voice.

"Why were you arrested? Tell the truth."

"He was captured last night by bounty hunter Ye Ling for raping and murdering seven women."

Zhao Hongan asked as a matter of routine: "Ye Ling, is this true?"

Ye Ling stood up and said, "Your Excellency, it is true."

The scene was in turmoil:

"What? A female, a female bounty hunter?"

"This big devil was actually caught by a woman?"

“That’s right, it’s incredible.”

"Silence!" Zhao Hongan slammed the gavel. "Susong, why are you so cruel? Why did you rape and kill several women? Tell the truth."

"Yes." Su Song offered no resistance. He had committed the crime solely to make it known. He glanced up at Ye Ling and then spoke, "I killed people for revenge. Eight years ago, Tongzhou suffered a severe drought for three years. The people were suffering and fled. Sister Yuying was my savior on the way. We traveled south and arrived at this prosperous Nanlai City, hoping to beg for a bowl of leftovers. Unfortunately, Sister Yuying fainted from hunger while begging. By some strange coincidence, she became Brother Tianqi's wife. As for me, Uncle Zhu introduced me to a temple and became a lay disciple. At least I wouldn't starve to death."

Su Song paused for a moment before continuing, "The good times didn't last. Last year, their family was destroyed overnight. By the time I got the news and rushed back, it was too late. Sister Yuying had been executed. Four such kind people were all gone. I spent six months investigating the whole story and finding out who harmed their family. Those beasts who gave false testimony, their daughters all deserved death. I raped them at first to attract attention, but you timid beasts, haha... guilty consciences, you dared not dig deeper. So I had to do something else, otherwise how could I let the prefect know?"

"You lunatic, worse than an animal," cursed the official on the side.

"County Magistrate Liu, this is the court, the prince is here, how can you be so presumptuous?" Zhao Hongan said sternly.

"Your Highness, please forgive me. I couldn't help myself." County Magistrate Liu quickly bowed and admitted his mistake.

"Beast?" Su Song looked at everyone with bloodshot eyes. "I'm a beast? What about you? You're even more beastly. Yuying was raped by that beast Guang'an. Brother Tianqi went to the prefectural governor's office to argue and was beaten to death. Aunt Zhu and her husband went to ask for their son and were also beaten to death behind closed doors. Guangzongyuan is not a human being, and you are the same, putting all the blame on Sister Yuying. She was in prison for several months, and how many of you bullied her? Huh?"

"Criminal Su Song, do you have any evidence for what you said? Such a big case requires witnesses and physical evidence. If you have it, this government will overturn your case today and your case will be handled separately," said Zhao Hongan.

"Sir Zhao, how come today we are interrogating the missing woman case and...we are talking about overturning the verdict again?" asked one of the officials.

"This is the case handled by me," Nangong Chen said slowly. "Lord Zhao is investigating a missing person case. I took over Su Song's case last night and asked Lord Zhao to investigate it on my behalf. First come, first served."

"Yes, Your Highness is right," the official who spoke immediately backed down.

"I..." Susong was dumbfounded.

"Susong, are you slandering me here? Where is the evidence?" County Magistrate Liu asked.

"Susong, you have no evidence?" Zhao Hongan became anxious.

The scene was quiet, no one spoke, and several officials were getting carried away. Su Song clenched his fists. He only knew the information through open and secret investigations. Where was the substantial evidence?

At the critical moment, Ye Ling suddenly spoke: "He has evidence, both witnesses and physical evidence."

For a moment, everyone looked at Ye Ling, and Nangong Chen became a little curious.

"Miss Ye, since you have evidence, please bring it out. The trial has already begun. You will be punished if you just talk nonsense," said the official who had been targeting Ye Ling.

"My Lord, where is the person you were asked to protect?"

"Come here, bring the witness," Xuan Lei said.

The man whom Ye Ling had visited twice was brought up and knelt behind Su Song: "I am Li Er, a commoner, and I pay my respects to all the gentlemen."

County Magistrate Liu, who had just stepped down, was visibly nervous, looking at the person next to him in panic.

"Li Er, does this government remember that you are the victim?" Zhao Hongan asked.

"Yes, my daughter... was murdered. I... In early April last year, the county magistrate, Lord Liu, came to me and gave me five ingots of silver. He asked me to testify in court that I had witnessed Yuying colluding with an adulterer to kill her parents-in-law and husband. I forgot my humanity when I saw the money, and testified, which resulted in the death of Yuying. I..." Li Er was already crying uncontrollably.

"County Magistrate Liu" Zhao Hongan said sternly.

County Magistrate Liu knelt hurriedly and said, "Your Excellency, this is all nonsense from the people! I really didn't do such a thing."

"A troublemaker, County Magistrate Liu, his daughter was killed by Su Song, yet he still resolutely came to testify because he had a change of heart. At this time, how dare County Magistrate Liu call him a troublemaker?" Zhao Hongan questioned.

"Master Zhao" addressed Ye Ling's officials, "They all talk about witnesses and physical evidence. We can't just listen to Li Er's one-sided story, right?"

"This lord is right," Ye Ling stood up and said, "Here is the evidence."

Everyone looked at Ye Ling, and Xue Jingchuan was surprised: "Case file?"

"How dare you, Ye Ling, steal government files? What crime should you be punished for?" The official targeting Ye Ling immediately spoke up.

"Mr. Fu, you are so arrogant. Didn't you rinse your mouth this morning? How do you know that I stole the file? This thing should have been burned by you a long time ago, right?" Ye Ling asked.

“That’s nonsense…”

"Shut up!" Ye Ling interrupted him. "You slept with Lu Xun's cousin, didn't you? You think I got him in jail, and you've been trying to make things difficult for me today, pretending not to know me. I'm telling you, Lu Xun got arrested because of his own fault. He sent his personal soldiers out of the camp to kill me, and King Beichen caught him red-handed. He deserves it."

"you…"

"Shut up!" Ye Ling interrupted him again and handed the file to Zhao Hongan: "Sir, this file was secretly copied by the chief clerk of the yamen. He was Li Er's uncle. When he died of illness at the beginning of this year, he gave it to Li Er. I asked for it last night."

"My uncle gave it to me before he died. He said that he had been a chief clerk all his life, but he was still worried about this case and could not close his eyes until he died. He asked me to keep it well, hoping that it would be useful one day," said Li Er.

Xue Jingchuan whispered, "How do you know Li Er has the file?"

"I've been to his house several times in the past two days. Do you think I was just hanging out? Good things come to those who wait. Last night, while I was taking a break, I asked him for something. I was just in case that bastard found out and wanted to silence him and destroy the evidence."

“Tsk tsk tsk…Ye Ling, you…you are an extraordinary woman!”

“Thanks for the compliment”