Chapter 320: Li Family's Third Son Returns

The Village Chief wept with snot and tears, his acting skills in no way inferior to the Li family elders from just a moment ago.

Upon hearing this, Magistrate Du looked coldly at Wealthy Merchant Sun: "Your Sun family actually sent people to cause trouble and harm others in my Yong'an County's jurisdiction! Men, seize him!"

At his command, the bailiffs brought by Magistrate Du surged into the courtroom, intent on arresting Wealthy Merchant Sun.

Wealthy Merchant Sun was so frightened he plopped onto the ground: "Magistrate, save me—"

Magistrate Lu stood up abruptly: "Audacious! Du Haitang, how dare you arrest people of my Qingping County right before my eyes!"

"You dared to arrest people from my Yong'an County and interrogate them at will; what do I not dare to do!" Magistrate Du roared back without showing any weakness. "You, Lu Kun, don't think I'm afraid of you!"

The original trial had turned into a shouting match between two county magistrates, leaving everyone inside and outside the courtroom stunned.

Jiang Xiaoxiao was also hearing the name "Du Haitang" for the first time.

She silently looked at Magistrate Du, who was standing beside her engaged in a passionate shouting match, his slightly plump body trembling with rage.

Haitang, Haitang... no matter how one heard it, it sounded like a woman's name; how could Magistrate Du have such a name?

Just as her thoughts were wandering, Jiang Xiaoxiao suddenly felt her small hand being held.

She turned her head and met her mother's remorseful gaze.

"I'm sorry, Mother is late..."

Jiang Xiaoxiao shook her head repeatedly: "Not late, not late. Mother, you came at just the right time."

Having said that, a sweet smile appeared on her face.

Once her mother arrived, she was instantly afraid of nothing, and her heart settled securely back into place.

"... Du Haitang, I won't argue with you! This is my courtroom. If you continue to be unreasonable, I will charge you with the serious crime of interfering with the court!"

"Fine, I'm too lazy to argue with you anyway. I want to see how you intend to judge this case. If there is even a hint of injustice or bias toward one side, I will report this matter to the imperial court and charge you with perverting the law for personal gain!"

With that, Magistrate Du waved his hand, had a chair brought over, and sat down in the courtroom to observe the trial, refusing to leave.

Lu Kun, sitting on the high bench, was so angry that the veins on his forehead were throbbing, but there was nothing he could do, so he had to suppress his anger and continue the trial.

His eyes looked coldly at Jiang Wei: "So you are the Jiang woman who disregards the laws of the Great Yin and is unfilial and disloyal?"

Jiang Wei's gaze was cold: "Magistrate, please choose your words carefully. This commoner has neither broken the law nor done anything disloyal to the nation. Where does this talk of being unfilial and disloyal come from?"

Magistrate Lu was instantly speechless.

He had not expected that a mere farm woman could be so eloquent.

But he quickly reacted, seizing upon the bias in her words, and sternly questioned: "Then are you admitting that you are unfilial to the Li family elders?!"

"This is slander, this commoner does not admit it!" Jiang Wei said coldly. "As of more than half a year ago, this commoner was no longer the third daughter-in-law of the Li family and has had no further connection with the Li family. Where does this talk of being unfilial come from? If the Magistrate does not believe me, you may ask the villagers of Yuhe Village behind me."

As soon as Jiang Wei said this, before Magistrate Lu could speak, the villagers of Yuhe Village stepped forward to testify:

"That's right! Magistrate, our entire village of Yuhe can testify. It is the Li family who is lying to deceive you! They kicked the mother and daughter out of the house more than half a year ago, complaining that they were eating for free at home, and they beat and scolded the two of them... We watched with our own eyes as the Li family signed the kinship-breaking document!"

With the personal testimony of the Yuhe villagers, those who had previously been unaware and had cursed the Jiang family for being unfilial realized they had wronged the innocent and lowered their heads in shame.

Those who were dissatisfied even began to whisper their disdain: "Pah, the Li family is truly despicable. They dare to turn black into white; they should be punished for deceiving their superiors!"

"Exactly, exactly. I heard long ago that the Li family loves to torment their daughters-in-law, beating them to death. Once, they beat a young daughter-in-law until her head was broken and bleeding, and the child was also starved to the point of being on the verge of death... It's no wonder they ran away with the child."

Those in the know stood up one after another to speak, recounting how the Li family had once insanely treated their daughter-in-law, making the surrounding people clench their fists.

If it weren't for the fact that the Li family elders were kneeling in the courtroom, making it inappropriate for them to take action, they would have long since pelted them with rotten vegetables and stones.

The Li family elders in the courtroom were trembling with fear, not daring to say a single word.

Jiang Wei's voice sounded again: "The Li family's actions are known to all. Magistrate, do you still need me to hand over the kinship-breaking document for you to see?"

"Hmph, you farm woman are certainly good at arguing. How can I not suspect that these witnesses were specially invited by you?" Magistrate Lu sneered.

He had already completely given up; he would not accept these villagers' testimonies no matter what.

Jiang Wei said: "One person might lie, two people might lie, but would the entire village lie?"

"How is that impossible! Your Jiang family sells soap and makes a fortune; what's to stop you from bribing the entire village!?" Wealthy Merchant Sun spoke up from the side. "Magistrate, this woman is so cunning, you absolutely cannot listen to her words, unless she produces powerful evidence!"

He was certain that Jiang Wei could not produce the kinship-breaking document, which was why she had called so many people to testify for her.

"That's right, Jiang woman, if you say you have broken kinship with the Li family, then hand over the kinship-breaking document!" Magistrate Lu said in a deep voice. "Otherwise, this Magistrate will not listen to a word of these people's claims!"

Jiang Wei curled the corners of her lips: "Does the Magistrate truly want to see the kinship-breaking document?"

Magistrate Lu was stunned; a bad premonition suddenly arose.

But Wealthy Merchant Sun, beside him, could no longer hold back: "Jiang woman, if you want to prove yourself, hurry up and take out the kinship-breaking document!"

"Wealthy Merchant Sun, this is a place for a magistrate to judge cases and conduct interrogations. You are merely a wealthy merchant; what are you making a scene here for?" Magistrate Du said coldly from the side. "If you continue to be unable to distinguish your status and speak recklessly, this Magistrate does not mind charging you with the crime of obstructing official business."

Upon hearing this, Wealthy Merchant Sun choked, shut his mouth in embarrassment, and sat back down, not daring to speak again.

Without the sound of Wealthy Merchant Sun's clamoring, the courtroom suddenly became quiet.

Jiang Wei reached into her bosom and slowly pulled out that piece of paper: "This is the kinship-breaking document signed between me and the Li family back then."

Wealthy Merchant Sun, who had just quieted down, couldn't sit still again: "Impossible! This is fake! It must be fake!"

After saying this, he seemed to realize he had reacted too strongly and hurriedly whispered subserviently to Magistrate Lu beside him: "Magistrate Lu, the Li family's third son has already returned. As his third daughter-in-law, how could this Jiang woman take her daughter and leave her biological father? This kinship-breaking document must be forged by them."

As soon as these words were spoken, not only were the Yuhe villagers in the courtroom stunned, but even Jiang Xiaoxiao revealed a look of disbelief.

The Li family's third son has returned?

The father of this body of hers has returned?!