Noble Lady

There was an uproar in the hall again.

Many people began to discuss, "What the He family mother and son said is very convincing. Could it be that the daughter of the Marquis of Wu'an really had an affair with a man outside the family?"

"Who knows? Judging from their appearance, their relationship has been strained for a long time. If her husband can have an affair with his cousin, it's not impossible for her to be lonely and have an affair with a strange man."

"Yeah, isn't it true that wealthy families all have their own affairs. Especially the merchant families. I heard that the wife of Marquis Wu'an is the daughter of a merchant."

"She looks so pure and innocent, but I don't know if she's been influenced by the merchants, but she's also very playful in private."

The room was filled with foul language, which was really unbearable to listen to.

"Enough! If I hear anyone slandering the eldest daughter of the Marquis of Wu'an again, I will never be polite!" Madam Xue pushed aside the crowd with a sullen face and stepped forward. She could not tolerate these words at all.

Following her were several servants carrying a box, and Madam Qi, who was accompanied by Mama He.

She didn't look like someone who came to testify in court, but rather someone who was here to cause trouble. Lord Mei was so scared that he stood up from his chair.

"...Mrs. Xue, what are you doing? Let's talk nicely."

"Madam Xue, are you going to use the power of the Marquis of Wu'an's Mansion to interfere with Lord Mei's trial?" Before Madam Xue could finish her words, Liu started to mock her.

Hear the words.

Madam Xue said coldly, "I'm so powerful, but a mere third-rank imperial edict can actually influence the Jingzhao Yin's handling of a case? He Liu, this world doesn't allow anyone to be right just because they have the final say!"

"You spread rumors and severely injured my daughter. I will settle the score with you later, but you roared in court and disrupted Lord Mei's investigation. Where do you put the laws of Dasheng? Where do you put the face of the emperor?"

Liu, who was so aggressive just now, became obviously much weaker as soon as Madam Xue appeared.

Lord Mei stood there wiping his sweat and nodding repeatedly at Mrs. Xue's words.

"Master Mei, the mother and son of the He family have slandered my daughter's innocence with empty words. I am here to testify for them. As early as the evening of three days ago, my daughter returned to the Marquis' Mansion. Everyone in the Marquis' Mansion can testify to this."

As early as the evening three days ago, Xue Chenyu returned to the Wu'an Marquis Mansion.

And it was the Marquis’ wife who went to pick him up in person.

"My daughter came home that day and told me about He Minzhi being sued in Jingzhao Prefecture. After she left, I became more and more worried."

Master Mei asked cautiously, "What are you worried about?"

"I'm naturally worried about He Minzhi being imprisoned in Jingzhao Prefecture. Liu wants to get money to save her son, but my daughter's money has long been swindled by them, so how can she afford to give her anything? I'm worried that if she doesn't get what she wants from my daughter, she'll abuse her."

As he spoke, he took out a handkerchief and pressed it against the corners of his eyes, looking extremely sad and upset.

The people in the hall opened their eyes again.

Cheating his wife out of her dowry? And mistreating her? Are there really such outrageous husbands and mothers-in-law these days?

Master Mei gave a dry laugh. "Mrs. Xue, you're being too kind. How dare the He family mistreat a young lady from the Marquis of Wu'an's mansion? He Hanlin is, after all, a learned man."

The sadness on Mrs. Xue's face paused, and then she said bitterly, "I also thought He Minzhi was a well-educated man, so I married my daughter to him."

"The He family is poor, and I even renovated their entire home so that my daughter could have a better life after marrying in. Little did I know that some people may appear well-dressed on the surface, but in reality they are beasts in disguise."

He?7?4 Human-Faced Beast-Heart?7?4 Minzhi: "..."

I don’t know who couldn’t help laughing.

Mrs. Xue finally opened her mouth and couldn't stop, she spoke in a tearful voice, "The He family has tried every possible way to cheat my daughter out of her dowry, and this is not the first time or the second time."

"Last time, when the He family was marrying off their daughter, they said they didn't have money for the wedding and asked my daughter to borrow some money. She didn't have any cash on hand, so she went back to her parents' home to borrow from me. I still have the IOU."

As he said that, he took out the IOU written by Xue Chenyu.

Xue Chenyu also said, "Of the 30,000 taels I lent to He Minzhi, a large portion was indeed borrowed from my mother's business. I remember it was 26,400 taels. To reassure my mother, I even used my house as collateral and signed an IOU."

Lord Mei asked someone to take it for comparison, and it turned out to be the day after He Minzhi's IOU was signed.

The amount of money also matches.

Twenty-six thousand four hundred taels.

"At the time, He Minzhi deceived my daughter into borrowing money for him by claiming to have signed an IOU in advance. I never expected that he had no intention of repaying the money."

"Now, in order to embezzle the thirty thousand taels, he is colluding with this conscienceless mother to frame my daughter."

"Here are the detailed accounts of how the He family used my daughter's dowry to purchase servants, as well as all other expenses. I don't ask for the He family to pay back all the money in one go, I only ask that Lord Mei give my daughter justice!"

As she spoke, she knelt and saluted Master Mei, who was so frightened that he waved his hands repeatedly, "I don't deserve it. Madam Xue, please stand up!"

Madam Xue had an imperial decree, and although she was not wearing the imperial decree clothes, her status was obvious.

There was an uproar in the hall, and people started to criticize the He family mother and son again.

Xue Chenyu lowered her eyes and knelt down in front of Madam Xue with a sad look on her face: "I am a useless daughter. I am already married, but I still make my mother worry and distress."

"Silly child, why are we as a family saying these things?" Mrs. Xue helped her up and wiped her tears carefully.

"You've been talking for a long time, but you haven't produced any evidence to prove your innocence." He Minzhi sneered.

Do they think that by producing some account books and IOUs, they can move on and erase the charge of adultery against this bitch?

"He Minzhi, I still say the same thing. I can prove my innocence, but I'm afraid that if I tell others, it will bring shame to you and the He family. Don't go too far."

He Minzhi became complacent, "Then you can't produce any evidence, Master Mei. She is just feeling guilty."

"Lord Mei, I can also testify for the girl from the Xue family." Madam Qi, who had been silent for a long time, spoke slowly.

When Lord Mei first saw her, he felt that she looked familiar, but he couldn't think of where he had seen her before.

"Who is this lady?"

"My husband's surname is Lu, my maiden surname is Qi, and everyone else calls me Madam Qi." Madam Qi was calm and composed.

Master Mei was still brainstorming, who was this Madam Qi? Why did she sound so familiar?

If only Master Chen were here, he would be able to recognize who the other person is at a glance.

"Lord Mei, this crazy old woman who popped out of nowhere can also come to court to testify? I'm afraid she is also from the Marquis of Wu'an's Mansion?" He Minzhi's eyes were full of arrogance.

Madam Qi's usually clear eyes narrowed, and her expression became cold and stern. "I don't know when I became a member of the Wu'an Marquis Mansion."

Lord Mei didn't know whether He Minzhi was afraid or not, but he was indeed frightened.

"Master Mei, my wife and I were at the Marquis's residence that day. Miss Xue was back home with her parents, and we had dinner together and talked until very late. Miss Xue has also been with me at the Marquis's residence these past few days. If Master Mei feels that I am not keeping my word and that Lu Shuwen must come here in person, then I will send someone to call him over right away."

Lu, Lu Shuwen?

The mechanism in Lord Mei's brain seemed to be pried open by something.

Lu Shuwen, Madam Qi, aren't they the famously virtuous couple, Mr. and Mrs. Lu?!

"I dare not!" Lord Mei stood up immediately.

He must be crazy to dare to question Mrs. Qi's testimony and even call Mr. Lu over in person.

Although Mr. Lu is now a retired official who has returned to his hometown, he was once the Prince's tutor and a Grand Secretary of the Hanlin Academy!

Lord Mei’s world is about to fall.

In the back court there is the prince of Cheng, and in this hall there are the wife of Marquis Xue and the wife of Mr. Lu.

He has been sitting and standing since early morning. He no longer wants to decide the case. He wants to drag He Minzhi away and beat him to death with sticks!

"Master Mei, are you going to bend the law for personal gain?" He Minzhi challenged recklessly. "Ms. Xue is a fickle slut who sleeps with anyone. It's obvious. Are you going to side with her just because she has the backing of the Marquis of Wu'an?"

"Pa!" The slap was extremely loud.

Xue Chenyu condescendingly slapped He Minzhi in the face, then rolled up her sleeves in public, revealing the bright red toad blood on her wrist.

"Master Mei, I wonder if this thing can prove my innocence?!"