lcionline Chapter 151 Fighting
Chapter 151 Fighting
The gavel slammed shut with a thunderous roar. Liu Shan abruptly stood up, his dark official robe billowing in the candlelight like a night tide, exuding an aura of authority.
His gaze was like two sharp daggers, piercing straight at Song Zhongwen, and he shouted loudly: "I ask you, where were you three months ago, on the seventeenth day of the third quarter of the afternoon?"
Upon hearing this sudden question, Song Zhongwen was taken aback, and the folding fan he had been holding tightly fell to the ground with a "thud".
A flicker of panic crossed his eyes, but he quickly tried to conceal it. He
To his utter surprise, Liu Shan suddenly asked about this time, because in his memory, he clearly remembered drinking and chatting happily with Fang Mingli at Zuixianlou that day, and that scene was still vivid in his mind.
But now, in this courtroom, he doesn't know how to answer.
"Hmph, that day you rode wildly in the West Market, injuring three people in succession, and then got into a fight in the tavern, resulting in five people being crippled."
Seeing Song Zhongwen's flustered expression, Liu Shan became even more certain of his guess. He grabbed the case file on the desk and threw it down in the hall, the pages fluttering as blood-red words of complaint were revealed...
"Furthermore, there are witnesses who have testified that you colluded with the Canal Gang to smuggle weapons—Song Zhongwen. You have committed so many crimes, yet you still dare to be arrogant and domineering in front of me? Do you want me to meet the Empress and personally present all these crimes to her?"
Liu Shan's voice grew increasingly impassioned, each word like a cannonball striking Song Zhongwen's heart, turning his face ashen and causing fine beads of sweat to appear on his forehead.
The atmosphere in the courtroom instantly became extremely tense, as if the air itself had frozen, and everyone's eyes were fixed on Song Zhongwen, waiting for his response.
Sweat dripped from Song Zhongwen's forehead down his cheeks, staining the floor tiles of the courtroom with small wet patches.
His eyes darted around as he hurriedly bent down to pick up the fallen folding fan, trying to use this action to conceal his inner fear and unease.
However, her trembling hands wouldn't obey her commands, and she couldn't grasp the delicate fan handle several times.
"Lord Liu, this...this must be a deliberate frame-up!"
Song Zhongwen tried to appear calm, straightened his posture, and raised his voice, but the slight tremor in his voice betrayed his guilty conscience.
"As for the incident at the West Market, I was merely passing through. The accident was caused by my horse being startled. The brawl at the tavern had nothing to do with me, and as for the smuggling of weapons, that's utter nonsense!"
Liu Shan snorted coldly, his gaze sharp as he stared directly into Song Zhongwen's eyes, as if trying to see through his soul: "Intentional framing? Then how do you explain these witnesses and evidence? Do you think I'm a three-year-old child, so easily deceived by you?"
After saying this, Liu Shanchao gestured to the people below the hall, and two yamen runners escorted a thin, haggard-looking man forward.
"My lord, I witnessed with my own eyes Song Zhongwen secretly meeting with members of the Grand Canal Gang at the docks to exchange weapons. I was just a dockworker, and I accidentally stumbled upon it. They chased after me, and if I hadn't been lucky, I would probably be dead in the street by now. Please, my lord, do justice for me!"
The man knelt down with a thud and cried out in tears.
Song Zhongwen's expression changed drastically. He pointed at the man and cursed, "You lowly commoner, how dare you slander me! I have no grudge against you, why are you framing me?"
Liu Shan slammed his gavel again and roared, "How dare you roar so recklessly in the courtroom! Song Zhongwen, if you dare to argue again, don't blame me for being impolite!"
At that moment, a commotion suddenly broke out outside the courtroom.
Liu Shan frowned and looked towards the door, where Fang Mingli led a group of people in aggressively.
"Lord Liu, is this a trial? Why all the fuss?"
Fang Mingli said with a forced smile, his eyes darting back and forth between Liu Shan and Song Zhongwen.
"Minister Fang, you've come at the right time. Song Zhongwen is suspected of several serious crimes, and I am currently interrogating him."
Liu Shan did not back down, met Fang Mingli's gaze, and responded firmly.
Fang Mingli frowned slightly and looked at Song Zhongwen: "Lord Song, what exactly is going on?"
Song Zhongwen seemed to have seen a savior and hurriedly said, "Lord Fang, Liu Shan is deliberately causing trouble to frame me. These so-called pieces of evidence are all fabricated!"
Liu Shan sneered, "Minister Fang, right and wrong will be judged fairly. The evidence is conclusive, with witnesses and physical evidence. Song Zhongwen cannot escape his guilt. As the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, you should uphold justice and assist me in the trial, rather than favoring the criminal."
Fang Mingli's face was gloomy. After a moment of silence, he said, "Lord Liu, this case is of great importance. We cannot convict someone based on just one side's story. We need to investigate carefully and make a long-term plan."
Liu Shan understood Fang Mingli's intentions: he wanted to buy time so that Song Zhongwen could find a way to escape.
But Liu Shan would not give up easily. He was determined to take this opportunity to thoroughly expose Song Zhongwen's crimes and at the same time give Fang Mingli a warning.
"Minister Fang, I have been investigating for some time and the evidence is sufficient. If we delay any longer, I fear we will find it difficult to explain to the people, let alone report back to Her Majesty the Empress. Today, I will certainly get to the bottom of this case!"
Liu Shan spoke with conviction and his gaze was firm, showing no sign of backing down.
The atmosphere in the courtroom grew increasingly tense, with both sides locked in a stalemate.
The people kneeling on the ground had eyes full of expectation and worry. They hoped that Liu Shan could uphold justice for them, severely punish the murderers, and make the Dali Temple a true place of righteous trial.
Seeing Liu Shan's resolute attitude, Fang Mingli thought to himself, but remained outwardly calm and slowly said, "Since Lord Liu is so certain, he must be very confident. However, the Dali Temple always follows established procedures when handling cases, and we cannot be too hasty. In my opinion, we should temporarily detain the relevant persons and make a decision after re-verifying the evidence."
How could Liu Shan not know Fang Mingli's scheme? He narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze sharp: "Minister Fang, these pieces of evidence were obtained by me and my trusted subordinates through arduous investigations and verifications. How can they be easily overturned?"
"If the criminals are detained and the matter is delayed, and word gets out, giving the mastermind the opportunity to destroy crucial evidence, then this case will truly become an unsolved mystery, and how will the people's grievances be redressed?"
Fang Mingli's face darkened, and he was about to retort, but Liu Shan did not give him the chance. He turned to face the courtroom crowd and said loudly, "Gentlemen, today I, the judge, am here to seek the truth and give justice to the victims and their families. This Dali Temple is a place where the law of the land is upheld; how can we allow evil to be concealed and wickedness to run rampant!"
After speaking, Liu Shan looked at Song Zhongwen again, his gaze as cold as a glint in his eyes: "Song Zhongwen, if you confess the truth now, you may still receive a lighter sentence. Otherwise, once I have investigated and found out all your crimes, I will punish you severely and make you pay a heavy price for the evil deeds you have committed!"