Chapter 662: Colluding with each other

"That glass of wine was indeed handed to him by me. However, I didn't drug it; he drugged it himself. This was all discussed beforehand. Once the incident happened, he would push the responsibility onto me, and in this way, he would become the innocent one, successfully marrying the Libationer's daughter and climbing a high branch. Who would have thought that the other party would rather ruin her reputation than have anything to do with him."

Pang Qiping explained, indicating that he was purely innocent.

"Why did you help him? Weren't you worried about the maternal cousin? Could it be that you and the maternal cousin really have mutual affection?"

"Nothing of the sort. I was also possessed. He seduced me, saying that after becoming the Libationer's son-in-law, my business in the capital would have a backer. As for the maternal cousin, he promised to find a way to break off the engagement without hurting either side and would give enough compensation. Seeing him determined to climb a high branch, I knew clearly that even if the maternal cousin married him, her life would be ruined. It would be better to help him. If he could really climb a high branch, it would be a good thing, and the whole family would bask in the glory."

"In other words, you two are colluding with each other!"

The book boy, on the other hand, insisted that Pang Qizhi was seduced and the mastermind was Pang Qiping.

Regardless of which version, at the Libationer's literary gathering, Pang Qizhi did indeed drink the drugged wine and took the opportunity to molest the Libationer's daughter. But the Libationer was very tough and didn't go along with the flow; instead, he reported it to the officials to arrest him, wanting to punish Pang Qizhi, this insidious villain.

Why wasn't Pang Qiping thrown into prison?

Of course, it was because the Libationer insisted on Pang Qizhi. Pang Qiping didn't molest his daughter.

Having collected statements from all sides, Meng Laoda had a judgment.

He took the statements to find Chen Guanlou and reported the work truthfully.

"Pretty boy Pang Qizhi definitely harbored the intention of climbing a high branch, looking down on the marriage in his hometown as not being a match for him. The only thing he could take out was the Juren title, which had no competitiveness in the capital. He couldn't climb a real high branch and couldn't reach it. So he settled for the next best thing and set his sights on the Libationer's daughter. Unfortunately, he didn't inquire clearly beforehand; the Libationer is famous for hating evil as much as he hates a foe, and it's absolutely impossible for him to sacrifice his daughter for the sake of so-called reputation."

"As for Pang Qiping, he was definitely an accomplice. Whether the drug was put in by him or Pang Qizhi actually doesn't matter. What matters is that these two worked together on this matter. If it were a family that valued rules and reputation, this matter might have succeeded. Unfortunately, they encountered the Libationer."

"Pang Qiping and the maternal cousin should have no private affection; this is a conclusion drawn from multiple verifications. Pang Qiping has been traveling for business all year round and rarely stays at home, and the number of times he has met the maternal cousin is not as many as Pang Qizhi. The talk of private affection was clearly fabricated by Pang Qizhi to escape punishment."

"The two brothers, Pang Qiping and Pang Qizhi, colluded with each other. One wanted to climb a high branch, the other wanted to broaden his connections in the capital, and they hit it off. As for the innocently implicated maternal cousin, these two actually didn't take the woman's reputation or life seriously at all. I'm afraid they both wished the maternal cousin would die of shame."

"The drug was bought by the book boy. Therefore, Pang Qiping saying Pang Qizhi drugged himself might be true."

"The Libationer's meaning is that Pang Qizhi's private morality is not cultivated and his character is insidious; such a person is not fit to be an official and should be stripped of his title, driven back to his ancestral home, and never allowed to step into the capital again. However, the law doesn't stipulate this, and the Libationer refuses to spend money to bribe. The Ministry of Justice actually has no conclusion on how to handle the pretty boy Pang Qizhi."

"In the market, some scholars who are on good terms with Pang Qizhi seem to be connecting, wanting to stand up for him. They even dream of using public opinion to force the Libationer to marry off his daughter. It's truly hateful."

"Pang Qiping has spent a lot of silver these days, wanting to overturn the case for Pang Qizhi. Pang Qiping even wants to use money to smash the Libationer, trying to use money to persuade the other party."

"Under the instigation of people with ulterior motives, this case vaguely shows signs of spreading. It is feared to be unfavorable to the Libationer's daughter."

Chen Guanlou listened to the case analysis and asked, "Did Pang Qizhi really molest the Libationer's daughter?"

"I asked carefully, and it should count as not. However, at the time, a man and a woman were locked in a room, and Pang Qizhi, relying on the drugged wine, tried to commit an improper act. When the door was opened, many people saw Pang Qizhi pressing on the Libationer's daughter; although their clothes were complete, after all... rumors hurt people."

Chen Guanlou was very curious: "What about the maid by the Libationer's daughter's side? How could she leave the young lady alone in the side room, almost letting Pang Qizhi succeed."

"This is the cooperation I mentioned earlier. Pang Qiping used money to open the way, secretly bribing the old woman in the Libationer's mansion. The old woman worked from the inside and outside, leading the maid away. Pang Qizhi took advantage of the loophole, intending to make raw rice into cooked rice. Fortunately, it was discovered early; otherwise, he would have really succeeded."

Chen Guanlou clicked his tongue in wonder after hearing this, "I looked at that pretty boy, weak and unable to truss a chicken, and thought he was wronged by someone. I didn't expect this kid to be full of bad water. I finally had a moment of compassion, but I didn't expect to encounter a guy who plays the pig to eat the tiger. The scholars of today are amazing; they have too many ideas. In the past, I only heard of women climbing high branches, using similar drugging methods, using reputation as a bargaining chip to marry into high families. I didn't expect that men these days have also started using this trick to climb high-family women. Tsk tsk, this enterprising spirit—many people have to bow down."

Meng Laoda:...

Was this sarcasm, sarcasm, or sarcasm?

He said nothing, just accompanied with a smile.

"Brother Chen, the Ministry of Justice has no conclusion on this matter. How to handle it depends entirely on your meaning."

"Depends on my meaning?" Chen Guanlou laughed.

Meng Laoda nodded repeatedly, "The Libationer refuses to spend money to bribe, but Pang Qiping is willing to spend money. The Ministry of Justice is dragging it out, with no conclusion. At this time, as long as Brother Chen is willing to stand up and say a fair word, this case can be concluded. We can't let those turtle grandsons of the Ministry of Justice eat alone."

"You mean, take the Pang family's silver and help Pang Qizhi escape."

"This is just one of the plans. Another plan is to let the Libationer get his wish and severely suppress these scholars who climb dragons and attach to phoenixes and use crooked ways to calculate women's reputation; this is our duty. Under the feet of the Son of Heaven, how can such villains be allowed to be arrogant. Their reading has all gone into the dog's belly."

"Makes sense. One matter doesn't bother two masters. Why don't you take the money, and you also handle the suppression. I believe you!"

With one sentence from Chen Guanlou, a huge workload was added to Meng Laoda.

Meng Laoda, however, was happy to do it and said loudly: Guarantee to complete the task! ===== CHAPTER 663 =====

"That makes sense. Don't bother two masters with one task. You take the money, and you handle the strike. I trust you!"

With a single sentence, Chen Guanlou added a massive workload to Meng Laoda.

Yet Meng Laoda accepted it gladly and said in a loud voice: "I guarantee the mission will be accomplished!"