TSWPF -Chapter 358 Sophistry

At the next day’s court session, as soon as Liu Zhimou took his seat, he ordered someone to bring He Dianshi up.

That’s right—He Dianshi.

The night before, when he returned home, Li Qingling hadn’t gone to bed. She waited especially for him and asked how things had gone.

He told her everything.

After hearing it, Li Qingling suggested that he post guards near the He residence, in case He Dianshi tried to flee in the night.

Thinking it over, he felt she was right, so he sent two family guards to keep watch over the He household.

Sure enough, just as Li Qingling predicted, He Dianshi attempted to escape under cover of night.

Thanks to Li Qingling’s advice—otherwise, He Dianshi would have slipped away again.

He Dianshi was dragged up by Wei Guo in a disheveled state. He collapsed onto the ground, his eyes fixed on Liu Zhimou sitting high above him.

Why was it that every single plan of his ended up being known by Liu Zhimou?

At this moment, he regretted it deeply—regretted not listening to Cui Cuicui’s advice and provoking Liu Zhimou.

Liu Zhimou was nothing like the previous county magistrates, whom he could bully at will.

He had powerful backing, feared neither the He family nor anyone else, and dared to confront them head-on.

It was his own arrogance that had led to today’s outcome.

Liu Zhimou lowered his gaze to He Dianshi, slammed the gavel hard, and asked whether he acknowledged his guilt.

He Dianshi shook his head. “May I ask, my lord—what crime have I committed?”

He couldn’t admit it. Absolutely couldn’t. Once he did, he was finished.

Knowing He Dianshi wouldn’t confess easily, Liu Zhimou’s expression remained unchanged. He handed the case files to Wei Guo and told him to bring them over for He Dianshi to see.

Seeing the thick stack of documents in Wei Guo’s hands, He Dianshi’s heart skipped a beat, an ominous feeling rising within him.

When he saw the signatures on the papers, his eyes nearly split with rage. Damn it—every single one of them had sold him out.

Bastards.

“He Dianshi, do you plead guilty or not?”

“Not guilty. I’ve done nothing wrong.”

“I see you won’t shed tears until you see the coffin.” Liu Zhimou gave a cold snort.

“Guards—bring up the witnesses.”

As soon as he said this, Cui Cuicui pushed through the crowd, crying like a pear blossom in the rain, and knelt beside He Dianshi. “My lord, may I ask what crime my husband has committed?”

When she learned that He Xin was at the yamen, her heart leapt in panic. Without even asking for details, she hurried over.

How did Liu Zhimou know He Xin would try to escape at night? Was he monitoring the He household?

If that were truly the case, then…

“County Magistrate, may I ask what mistake my nephew has made, that you treat him this way?”
Before Liu Zhimou could answer, Fourth Uncle He arrived as well.

He too had rushed over the moment he received the news.

Fourth Uncle is here—does that mean I’m saved?

He Dianshi turned toward him in excitement.

Fourth Uncle He merely cast him a cool glance, then looked up at Liu Zhimou, demanding an explanation.

“What crime He Dianshi committed—you’ll know shortly.” Liu Zhimou called out again, “Bring up the witnesses.”

Hearing this, Fourth Uncle He’s heart sank. This was going to be difficult.

Liu Zhimou was clearly prepared. He wouldn’t stop until his nephew was completely brought down.

If this idiot had listened to him in the first place, how would things have come to this?

Fourth Uncle He felt both angry and heartbroken toward He Dianshi.

When the guards brought up those men along with the black-clad assassins, He Dianshi’s heart plunged into an abyss. He knew—this time, he was done. Completely done.

Liu Zhimou slammed the gavel and ordered those men to recount what had happened the night before.

They pointed at He Dianshi and rattled everything off like pouring beans, describing the events in detail.

He Dianshi raised his head and glared at them viciously. If looks could kill, they would have died countless times already.

If he hadn’t tried to save them, would he have ended up like this?

Ungrateful wretches—they wouldn’t die a good death.

“Shut up! You’re trying to frame me!”

The men glanced at He Dianshi and insisted they were telling the truth.

Seeing them about to start arguing, Liu Zhimou coldly slammed the gavel again. After silence fell, he ordered the black-clad men to speak.

The leader of the black-clad men spoke in an orderly manner. After finishing, he lowered his head again.

If it weren’t for his brothers, he would never have revealed the identity of the client so casually.

From now on, no one would likely seek them out for work again.

Revealing a client was a killer’s greatest taboo.

Forget it—better to save his brothers’ lives first. If you’re dead, there’s no point thinking about anything else.

Liu Zhimou looked at He Dianshi. “What else do you have to say?”

He Dianshi threw himself to the ground, shouting that he had been wronged.

“My lord,” Cui Cuicui spoke calmly, brows slightly drawn, “after my husband returned home from the yamen yesterday, he was with me the entire time. How could he have gone out? I beg you to investigate carefully.”

Liu Zhimou glanced at her, then handed several sheets of paper to Magistrate Ma, instructing him to read them aloud.

After Magistrate Ma finished reading, Liu Zhimou asked again, “What else do you have to say?”

He Dianshi’s lips trembled; he couldn’t utter a word.

His earlier sophistry was now slapping him hard in the face.

“Madam Cui,” Liu Zhimou said coldly, “harboring a criminal is also a crime.”

Cui Cuicui slowly knelt down, lifted her head, and looked at Liu Zhimou through tear-filled eyes.
“My lord, please forgive this woman’s good intentions. I… I didn’t want my children to lose their father.” She sobbed twice. “If the county magistrate’s wife were to make a mistake, surely you would—”

She didn’t finish, but everyone present understood her implication.

Liu Zhimou said coldly, “When the Son of Heaven breaks the law, he is punished the same as the common people. If one day my wife commits a crime, I will never shield her.”

“My lord, you shouldn’t speak so absolutely—careful you don’t bite your tongue.”

Li Qingling, who had been standing among the crowd, heard this and slowly stepped forward. She looked at Cui Cuicui with a solemn expression.

“If one day I commit a crime, there will be no need for my lord to speak—I will personally come to the yamen and confess.” She paused, then continued, “However, I will not allow myself to ever commit such a mistake. I will never bring shame upon my lord.”

As her words fell, the onlooking citizens erupted in loud cheers. “Well said!”

Only such a county magistrate’s wife was worthy of the magistrate himself.

Cui Cuicui clenched her skirt tightly. She never expected Li Qingling to be here, nor that she would so easily refute her words, leaving her speechless.

Li Qingling didn’t let her off. “Madam Cui, do you not know that harboring a criminal is itself a crime?”

She wasn’t the kind of person who smiled at someone who wronged her. Her heart was small—if someone dared to slander her, she dared to make them pay.

“I’m sorry,” Cui Cuicui said immediately, bending when she needed to bend. “I was just too afraid of losing my husband…”

“County Magistrate’s Wife, surely you can understand my feelings.”

“I’m sorry,” Li Qingling replied coolly. “I can’t understand them. My lord would never give me the chance to experience such feelings. I must apologize—I cannot agree with Madam Cui’s reasoning.”

Someone let out a snort of laughter. Then, as if contagious, the crowd began to chuckle softly.

Was the county magistrate’s wife showing off her affection?

She was, right? She totally was.

Cui Cuicui’s fingers turned pale as she clenched her skirt. She ground her teeth before letting out a faint sigh. “County Magistrate’s Wife, not everyone has a husband as outstanding as the county magistrate. Every family has its own difficulties. I hope you can show some understanding.”

Then she looked toward the crowd. “Fellow villagers—are all of you as outstanding as the county magistrate? Can you truly say you would never make mistakes?”

The crowd gradually fell silent.

Trying to incite the people?

Li Qingling wouldn’t give her that chance.

“It’s true that people make mistakes,” Li Qingling said, turning to face the crowd. “But it depends on what kind of mistake.”

“Fellow villagers, you all know what crime He Dianshi committed. Do you think he deserves forgiveness?”

The people exchanged glances, then shouted loudly, “No forgiveness!”

Those men had committed countless crimes when they were yamen runners—how could they be released?

And if they were released, would they take revenge on them?

The thought sent a chill through the crowd, and they shouted again, “Absolutely no forgiveness!”

She was clearly talking about herself—how did it turn back to He Xin again?

Li Qingling was switching concepts on purpose.

Cui Cuicui was so angry her teeth ground audibly.

Li Qingling raised her hand slightly, signaling for silence. Then she turned to Liu Zhimou and bowed. “My lord, I apologize for stealing your spotlight. Please forgive me.”

A trace of amusement flashed through Liu Zhimou’s eyes, though his face remained stern. He tapped the gavel and said, “Let it not happen again.”

“Yes, my lord.” Li Qingling bowed again, then returned to the crowd.

Liu Zhimou looked at her deeply before turning his gaze back to He Dianshi. “What punishment do you deserve?”

With the situation beyond saving, He Dianshi no longer dared to argue. He lowered his head and confessed.

Regret… overwhelming regret.

But there was no medicine for regret in this world.

Liu Zhimou slammed the gavel, picked up a bamboo slip, and cast it down, loudly sentencing He Dianshi to three years in prison.

If the other crimes he had committed hadn’t yet been fully investigated, the sentence wouldn’t have been this light.

Three years?

Three full years in prison?

Upon hearing this, He Dianshi’s eyes rolled back, and he fainted.

“Husband!” Cui Cuicui cried out, throwing herself onto him. She looked up at Liu Zhimou.
“My lord, didn’t those men fail to escape? Can’t my husband receive a lighter sentence?”

Hearing this, Liu Zhimou almost laughed in anger. “Madam Cui, by your logic, if someone tries to kill but doesn’t succeed, does that mean it isn’t murder?”

He narrowed his eyes sharply at her. “Have you considered what would happen if those men had escaped? Can you guarantee they wouldn’t seek revenge on the people of Ninghua County?”

Cui Cuicui’s lips moved, but no words came out. She… couldn’t guarantee that.

After dealing with Cui Cuicui, Liu Zhimou turned to Fourth Uncle He. “Do you have anything to say? Say it all at once.”

Fourth Uncle He wisely shook his head. “No.”

The outcome was already decided. Anything he said now would only be wasted breath.

Liu Zhimou nodded in satisfaction, slammed the gavel once more. “Guards—take them back to the prison and keep them under strict watch.”

After Wei Guo and the guards escorted He Dianshi and the others away, Liu Zhimou declared, “Court dismissed.”