Chapter 63

In the official residence of Zhang Shouan, the Prefect of the Zhen'an Prefecture.

Judge Liu Liu Binfang was reporting the progress of the interrogation of Ma Ma Daopo's witchcraft case to the Prefect.

"My Lord, Ma Ma Daopo has confessed to the witchcraft and extortion recorded in the small ledger, and the relevant victims have all been visited and verified without error."

"But this hag refuses to admit to the witchcraft against the couple of the Lady Rongguo mansion's Assistant Prefect and Jia Cong, insisting that she never did such a thing."

"But it is clearly written in black and white in her small ledger, and the handwriting has been verified without error; the hag claims that she didn't write those words, but she cannot explain why."

Zhang Shouan said: "The things she has already confessed to are enough to sentence her to death; why does she refuse to admit to this one thing?"

Liu Liu Binfang said: "My Lord is absolutely right; even though she knows she has no way to survive, she refuses to admit to this one thing. I observe that her expression does not seem to be faked, so there must be something suspicious about it."

"I also interrogated Wang Wang Zhangshi of the Jia mansion; at first, she also refused to admit that she colluded with Ma Ma Daopo to curse and harm the Assistant Prefect and others of the Jia mansion."

"Later, under torture, she finally changed her statement, saying that she was directed by Jia She and his wife to do this, and she also said she was willing to testify, just asking for a way to survive."

Zhang Shouan frowned: "Since you suspect it is a frame-up, are there any suspects, and is there any physical evidence?"

Zhang Shouan said: "But you found the paper figures and yellow talismans for witchcraft in her room, and they match the records in Ma Ma Daopo's ledger; this is physical evidence, so her denial is useless."

"But this Wang Wang Zhangshi is a wicked person; when she was in the Jia family, in order to escape, she had randomly implicated others in the hall, so she might just be repeating her old tricks."

Liu Liu Binfang was promoted by Zhang Shouan after he took office and was his trusted aide, so he didn't have many scruples when speaking.

"Now our Zhen'an Prefecture has interrogated the scandal of the heir of the Jia family harming his own brother; wouldn't that greatly offend them? If they use their connections, your and my official careers will be difficult!"

Liu Liu Binfang's expression was uncertain upon hearing this.

Liu Liu Binfang said hurriedly: "Your subordinate is dull; I only know how to judge cases but didn't think of this layer; it is truly deserving of death."

But he couldn't grasp the key point; this case seemed to be covered by a layer of unclear fog.

It was just a slave; if she died, she died; what was worth it?

Zhang Shouan saw Liu Liu Binfang's panicked expression and was slightly proud: "The matter of Ma Ma Daopo harming people with witchcraft is conclusive, and Wang Wang Zhangshi's obstruction of her masters also has complete physical evidence; report it to the Ministry of Justice to close the case as soon as possible!"

Zhang Shouan sighed: "Wang Wang Zhangshi was caught with the evidence of witchcraft on the spot; in front of everyone, it is impossible for her to clear her name."

"The Jia family has two Dukes in one family, and their power among the nobles is flourishing; although the two Dukes of Rong and Ning have been dead for many years, the remaining influence and connections in the court and the wild are not to be underestimated."

Zhang Shouan had been busy for half his life before climbing to the position of Prefect of the Zhen'an Prefecture; he valued this official position extremely highly, weighing the pros and cons in everything, afraid of making a mistake and ruining his official career, which was worthy of his name 'Shouan' (Protecting Peace).

Liu Liu Binfang said: "The two of them insisted on denying this matter; your subordinate suspects that the witchcraft case in the Lady Rongguo mansion might have been a frame-up!"

Liu Liu Binfang smiled bitterly: "Your subordinate investigated the case and found many suspicious points, which is why I inferred this; there is no physical evidence for the time being."

"Bin'an, you have really caused me a big trouble."

Liu Liu Binfang occasionally flashed in his mind the image of the Jia family youth who was calm and ruthless in the hall that day; he was somewhat amazed, but after a little thought, it had nothing to do with the case, so he skipped it.

Liu Liu Binfang was meticulous and had seen many difficult and strange cases over the years; his experience and knowledge were extraordinary. In the past few days, he had pondered the case and noticed that there seemed to be hidden secrets.

"The most troublesome thing now is that you actually asked her that using witchcraft to harm the Second Branch of the Jia family was directed by the eldest son of the victim, General Jia She and his wife."

He also said: "It is just that Jia She and his wife directing a servant to use witchcraft to harm his own brother is suspicious, but the physical evidence is still insufficient..."

Liu Liu Binfang suddenly realized that the Prefect was trying to let it slide.

Wang Wang Zhangshi was just a slave of the Jia family; the Prefect didn't take such people seriously at all. Since physical evidence had been found, he would use her life to settle the case.

As for Jia She directing a servant to use witchcraft, the Zhen'an Prefecture would likely try to shirk it to avoid causing trouble.

In this way, such a major witchcraft case would be handled cleanly by the Zhen'an Prefecture, and no one else would be able to find any faults.

Zhang Shouan stroked his beard leisurely, looking as if he had everything under control: "Our Zhen'an Prefecture only manages civil and criminal matters; the private morality of the nobles is the business of the Imperial Clan Court. Send a document to the Imperial Clan Court to decide accordingly."

Liu Liu Binfang showed a look of admiration: "My Lord has great insight; your subordinate will go and handle it."

Ever since the incident in the East Road Courtyard that day, Jia Cong had surprisingly gained a "fierce reputation" among the servants of the Jia mansion.

Many maids and matrons were spreading behind his back that it was this Cong Sanye Cong who had ordered Wang Wang Shanbao's wife's legs to be broken in the East Road Courtyard that day.

Wang Wang Shanbao's wife was usually a servant with face in the mansion, but that day, in front of this Cong Sanye Cong, she was like a mangy dog that had been skinned.

No matter if she cursed or begged bitterly, this Master didn't even blink, watching Wang Wang Shanbao's wife get her legs broken before stopping.

Who told Wang Wang Shanbao's wife to commit evil before, forcing Cong Sanye Cong's maid to her death? He was taking revenge.

He didn't expect that the bastard son of the Main Branch, who was born of humble origins and looked down upon by even cats and dogs on weekdays, would have such a venomous heart.

These servants of the Jia mansion were mostly monsters who flattered the high and trampled on the low; naturally, they looked down on Jia Cong when he was living in the East Road Courtyard.

Recently, although the Old Matriarch agreed to let him be raised in the West Mansion, she arranged for him to live in the isolated and lonely Qingzhi Study, clearly showing that the Old Matriarch still didn't like him.

So a few days ago, I don't know how many people were laughing behind his back that dog meat couldn't be served on the table.

Not to mention the far ones, just the matrons in the kitchen; originally, seeing Liu's daughter suddenly earn a second-class allowance, they were a bit jealous and envious in their hearts.

Later, seeing her move into the cold-palace-like Qingzhi Study with Jia Cong, they mocked her in the kitchen, saying that just because she was the goods of a prostitute, no matter how she jumped, she couldn't turn the sky.

They also said that Liu's family had really raised a daughter, and she had ascended to heaven so quickly, which made Liu's family so angry that she almost vomited blood.

But after the incident in the East Road Courtyard, it had already spread in the mansion that Wang Wang Shanbao's wife was not only beaten by Jia Cong and had her legs broken but was also sent to the Zhen'an Prefecture to be imprisoned, and would be executed after autumn.

Hearing such terrifying news, those matrons and wives who spoke strange words immediately didn't dare to let out even half a fart.

If they spoke out of turn again and it reached the ears of that evil star, and they were punished like Wang Wang Shanbao's wife, would they still have their lives?

In the past, when Wu'er went to the kitchen to get Jia Cong's meals, those matrons and wives would call her "Liu's girl" and order her around.

Now, seeing Wu'er, their faces would wrinkle into flowers, and they would respectfully call her "Miss Liu," saying how could they let the young lady come herself, and that they would send it over when the time came.

Wu'er was shrewd; although she felt disgusted by their previous arrogance and current humility, she didn't show it on her face, and she still came to get it herself, or let Juan'er and Si'er come, to avoid people saying that the people in Qingzhi Study were frivolous.

It was just that Qingwen didn't dare to let her come; with her explosive temper that couldn't tolerate sand in her eyes, she couldn't stand these filth, and if she came once, she would definitely quarrel once.

Ever since the Wang Wang Shanbao's wife incident, the East Road Courtyard had become quiet; Jia She didn't dare to drink and make merry every day, fearing that Wang Wang Shanbao's wife would talk nonsense in prison and the people from the Zhen'an Prefecture would come to the door.

The Old Matriarch made Lady Xing close the doors to reflect; she had never liked this eldest daughter-in-law, who was greedy and harsh, and had caused so many jokes.

Now that her personal maid had used witchcraft to harm the Second Branch, it had touched the Old Matriarch's reverse scale; this was clearly trying to frame the charge of directing Wang Wang Shanbao's wife on her, to preemptively shirk the blame for her own son.

At the moment, both of these couples were unable to protect themselves, so naturally, they had no energy to scheme against and abuse Jia Cong, allowing him to spend a rare, comfortable time in Qingzhi Study since arriving at the Jia mansion.

In addition, he was also waiting for the movement from the Zhen'an Prefecture; he expected that Wang Wang Shanbao's wife would cause trouble again, and it wasn't just him waiting, but the Old Matriarch, Jia She, and others were also waiting.

It was just that Jia Cong was watching coldly, while they were ants on a hot pan.

(End of chapter)