TSWPF -Chapter 337 Slander

“So many people want to see me? That makes me feel…”

Liu Zhimou’s voice came from inside the door, and his figure soon appeared at the entrance.

Hearing his familiar voice, Li Qingling’s heart relaxed suddenly. A smile blossomed across her face as she turned to look at him.

He’s back…

Liu Zhimou’s gaze lingered on Li Qingling. Seeing that she was unharmed, he finally shifted his eyes toward the excited crowd.

He raised an eyebrow. “Can someone tell me what exactly is going on here?” He glanced around at the slowly quieting crowd. “You don’t really all come just to see me, do you? Though I do have a decent face, surely none of you are… ‘lover boys,’ right?”

Some couldn’t help but snicker, and soon the laughter spread contagiously through the crowd.

Liu Zhimou’s lips curved slightly. He asked again, “So, who can tell me what happened?”

At that, a young man stepped forward. “Sir, I… I, a humble citizen, will explain.”

“Good, thank you.”

Hearing Liu Zhimou’s thanks, the young man blushed with excitement. He recounted the whole story from beginning to end, mimicking the events perfectly, drawing cheers from the onlookers.

Once he finished, Liu Zhimou thanked him again. After the young man stepped back, Liu Zhimou’s expression darkened, and his cold gaze fell on two women.

“You claim that I was with you last night? Hmm?” If he hadn’t returned in time, what kind of grievance would his wife have suffered? He shuddered at the thought.

The aura surrounding Liu Zhimou was even more imposing and sharp than Li Qingling’s. He faced the two women directly, making them tremble.

“M… Master, didn’t you… last night, say you would take me home?” The delicate woman raised her pretty face, looking pitifully at Liu Zhimou. “Did you forget?” Even just serving such a handsome county magistrate as a maid would be worth it.

If she could stay by the county magistrate’s side, she was confident she could make him fall for her.

“Yes, Master, you… you can’t abandon me!” The glamorous woman chimed in cleverly, supporting the delicate woman’s words.

Future matters could be settled later; for now, they presented a united front. Once inside the magistrate’s house, they could deal with things.

Liu Zhimou almost laughed in disbelief. This was unbelievable—someone was trying to frame him!

He clasped his hands behind his back, face frosted with cold. “Bring them here.” He wanted to see who had the nerve to plot against him.

“If I don’t see through this scheme, my career is over,” he thought.

A guard quickly stepped forward. “Master…”

“Take people to the Red House and bring that old woman of the Red House here. I want a face-to-face confrontation.”

“Yes, Master.”

Before the guard had left, the two women panicked and rushed to cling to Liu Zhimou’s legs. He deftly stepped back, avoiding their grasp.

“Don’t move!” Liu Zhimou shouted coldly. “Who gave you permission to grope me?” He had never seen such shameless behavior.

The women dared not lunge again. They pleaded, and the delicate woman choked out, “Master, I… I have something to say.”

She wasn’t from the Red House. Once the old woman arrived, her cover would be blown.

The plan had gone completely awry. What should she do now?

Liu Zhimou glanced at the delicate woman. “Speak…” He wanted to see what she had to say.

The delicate woman glanced around anxiously and said, “Master, can we go inside? This… this isn’t a good place to talk.” With so many onlookers, how could she speak?

Liu Zhimou looked at her with a mocking expression. “Don’t you think you’re saying this too late? Why didn’t you say this at the start—that this wasn’t a good place?” Did you think that just because I wasn’t home, you could bully my wife at will? “I must ensure fairness, justice, and transparency. Say what you need to say here, and let the crowd judge who is right and who is wrong.”

The delicate woman’s face went pale. She looked at the glamorous woman, hoping for guidance, but the glamorous woman avoided her gaze and lowered her head.

The delicate woman clenched her teeth in anger. If she ever got close to the magistrate, she would crush her.

“Speak…”

Liu Zhimou’s deep voice made the delicate woman shiver. She lowered her head and bit her lip before confessing that she had lied to the magistrate’s wife because she had been attracted to the magistrate himself.

Afterward, she kowtowed to Li Qingling, pleading for forgiveness.

Li Qingling gave her a cold, expressionless glance. “Not every apology can earn someone else’s forgiveness.”

She said no more; this was Liu Zhimou’s moment, and she would stay out of it.

“You are lying,” Liu Zhimou said—not as a question, but as a statement. “Confess honestly, resist harshly. I’ll give you one last chance. Miss it, and don’t blame me for being merciless.”

The delicate woman froze. How did the magistrate know she was lying? Was he testing her?

“Master, master, I—I will speak…” The timid glamorous woman crawled in front of Liu Zhimou and rattled off the truth, swearing to heaven that every word was true.

The delicate woman seethed inwardly. How could someone so timid ruin everything by being scared?

Liu Zhimou glanced at her. “I believe you.” Then he looked at the delicate woman. “And you… do you have anything else to say?”

The delicate woman collapsed, saying nothing. What more could she say—everything had already been revealed.

“No, you’ve left out the most important point,” Liu Zhimou said, pursing his lips. “Who instructed you to frame me?”

The glamorous woman shook her head, saying she didn’t know. The person came at night with their face covered; she couldn’t see them.

The delicate woman said the same.

Liu Zhimou studied both faces carefully. Seeing nothing amiss, he knew they truly didn’t know who sent them.

“Death may be pardoned, but the living cannot escape punishment. Bring ten strikes each, as a warning.” The punishment was to intimidate the crowd, showing that the magistrate was not to be trifled with.

“Master, master, I was wrong! Don’t strike me!” The glamorous woman cried out. She had confessed and expected to escape, but punishment was still coming. “Master, I confessed! You said leniency for honesty! Why strike me?”

“Because your actions caused serious harm to me and my family, you must be punished,” Liu Zhimou said. “Since you confessed, reduce five strikes.”

Hearing the reduction, the glamorous woman breathed a sigh of relief and stopped resisting. She kowtowed to Liu Zhimou. “Thank you for your mercy, Master.” This lesson would ensure she would never repeat her mistakes.

“Master…” The delicate woman tried to plead but was interrupted.

“I gave you a chance. You failed to seize it. Blame yourself, not others.”

Hearing this, the delicate woman gasped twice, collapsed, and wept. She deeply regretted desiring something that wasn’t hers. Not only did she fail to win the magistrate’s favor, she would also endure the punishment.

Alas, there’s no cure for regret in this world. No second chances.

“Master, here they are.” The guards brought the long bench and sticks, placing them neatly at the door, awaiting Liu Zhimou’s order.

Liu Zhimou nodded and said, “Strike.”

The guards seated the two women on the bench and began the punishment.

Screams echoed from the entrance.

During this, a short middle-aged man in the crowd took advantage of the distraction and slipped away.

Unbeknownst to him, Li Qingling had already noticed and had the guards discreetly follow him to find out who he was.

Once the punishment ended, Liu Zhimou looked at the women. “From now on, behave yourselves. Don’t slander anyone. Next time, you won’t be so lucky.”

After warning them, he looked at the crowd, showing a faint smile. “Though saying this in front of everyone may be embarrassing, for the peace of our household, it must be said.”

He cleared his throat and looked at Li Qingling. “I only need my wife in this life. Nothing else. Those who desire me, spare yourselves the trouble and stop doing pointless things that harm others and yourselves.”

The crowd was silent for a moment, then murmured among themselves.

Everyone stared at Liu Zhimou, realizing the county magistrate was devoted only to his wife.

Someone asked curiously, “Master, are you willingly letting your wife control you?”

Liu Zhimou answered seriously, “Yes. A man who willingly lets his wife manage him is a man with prospects.” He glanced at the stunned crowd and added, “To devote your life to one person—what’s wrong with that? Not everyone can enjoy the fortune of loving only one person. Those with multiple wives at home can reflect on this.”

After hearing this, the crowd fell silent again, thoughtful expressions appearing on their faces.