TGCFNM -Chapter 18 The Court Convenes

Chu Ling never expected that the Wu Lianzhi case would take such an unexpected turn—the primary person involved had walked straight into her yamen, waiting for her to conduct the trial.

The curious townsfolk had long since gathered outside the prefectural office, craning their necks excitedly to peer inside. The juiciest scandals, after all, were those involving the prefect’s own household.

“Magistrate Chu.” Prefect Cheng called out heavily. As if making up his mind, he closed his eyes briefly and said, “Magistrate Chu, just try the case as you see fit. You need not hold back.”

Chu Ling responded solemnly. She instructed Qi Da to bring over a chair and have Prefect Cheng sit to one side. Then she struck the sounding block.

Bang—

“Who stands before this court? What crime have you committed? Speak the truth at once!”

“This humble woman is Feng Zhen, second daughter of the Feng family of Yunchuan, and wife of Lord Cheng, Prefect of Changzhou.”

After speaking, Feng Zhen suddenly knelt down. She lifted her eyes steadily to look at Chu Ling, her neck straight and unbending.

Even here in the yamen, under the scrutiny of so many onlookers, Feng Zhen maintained her dignity.

Meanwhile, Wu Lianzhi rushed forward in fury, her hands curved like claws as she tried to strangle the woman before her. But her intangible form passed through again and again. Her powerless resentment seemed especially pitiful at this moment.

“Bring forth the evidence,” Chu Ling ordered, glancing at Wan Sanjin, who had somehow come to stand nearby, signaling for him to present it.

Wan Sanjin froze for a moment before immediately complying.

Chu Ling took the two jade bi discs from the tray and fitted them together, then displayed them for all to see. “These are the betrothal tokens exchanged between the Feng and Cheng families years ago.”

After setting the jade aside, she continued, “I have also uncovered certain details. I will now lay out the facts of the case. If anything is incorrect, Prefect Cheng may correct me.”

Prefect Cheng stared absentmindedly at Feng Zhen and nodded.

“The fathers of the Cheng and Feng families were close friends. They agreed that if in the future one had a son and the other a daughter, the two children would be betrothed. Later, the Cheng family fell into decline and left Yunchuan, coming to Sishui County. The young master of the Cheng family lodged at the Confucian Temple and studied diligently. When he reached adulthood, he took the token from years past and went to the Feng family in Yunchuan to propose marriage.”

Chu Ling glanced at the household register on the desk. The records were fairly detailed, but itinerant scholars lodging at the Confucian Temple had not been registered, which explained why no trace of him had been found.

“At that time, the Feng family agreed to the marriage, giving their daughter to the Cheng family along with a generous dowry. Is this correct?” Chu Ling looked toward Prefect Cheng.

Prefect Cheng painfully recalled the past. “My father-in-law… did not truly favor me. But the Feng family was a prominent local clan. If they had broken their word and torn up the marriage agreement simply because I had fallen into poverty, it would have harmed their family’s reputation. So they consented to the match.”

As he spoke, he looked hesitantly at Feng Zhen. “There has always been something I wished to ask. When I first visited your residence, I met you once. You were wearing a peach-red dress embroidered with trailing floral patterns. You looked down at me from above and said you would absolutely never marry me.”

Feng Zhen closed her eyes briefly and nodded. “Yes.”

“But later, the Feng family suddenly sent word that you were willing to marry me. When I went to the Feng residence again, you kept your head lowered and refused to look at me. At the time, I thought your father had forced you, so I privately sought you out and said I was willing to dissolve the engagement. Yet you then agreed to the marriage. Why?”

With tears in her eyes, Feng Zhen cast a pained glance at Prefect Cheng before clenching her teeth and speaking. “Because the one who promised to marry you back then… wasn’t me. It was a maid my father bought—someone who looked very much like me. Her name was Wu Lianzhi!”

Outside the yamen, the crowd erupted in shock.

What did this mean? Two women who looked almost identical—and it was the maid who married Prefect Cheng?

After revealing the deepest secret in her heart, Feng Zhen collapsed weakly to the ground. Casting aside all pretense, she laid everything bare.

It turned out that Master Feng had considered the Cheng family to be in decline and wanted to break off the engagement. However, the Chengs still had some standing in Yunchuan. Acting rashly might damage the Feng family’s reputation. By coincidence, Master Feng found a young woman who bore a sevenfold resemblance to his daughter. He brought her into the household.

Wu Lianzhi had never been educated. To impersonate the legitimate young lady, she had to learn to read and write, so the Feng family hired a tutor for her.

After raising her for several years, the Cheng family’s son indeed came calling. Master Feng prepared to have Wu Lianzhi marry in Feng Zhen’s place. But that day, he happened to encounter the real Miss Feng—Feng Zhen herself. Upon seeing him, Feng Zhen openly humiliated him, and the Cheng son left in embarrassment.

Concerned for his reputation, Master Feng invited him back once more. This time, he introduced Wu Lianzhi as his daughter and promised them in marriage. He sent her off with only ten taels of silver as a dowry, then dismissed them.

“My father-in-law gave my wife ten taels of silver as her dowry. I thought she insisted on marrying me, and so the Feng family cast her out in that manner,” Prefect Cheng said quietly.

It was then that he swore he would study hard and bring honor back to his family.

Feng Zhen did not dare look at him anymore. Lowering her head, she sobbed, “Later, I too was married—by my father’s arrangement. The man held power and influence and would elevate the Feng family further. Once, when I returned to my natal home, I accidentally learned that he had written. He had passed the provincial examination and wished to bring his wife and daughter to pay respects. My father agreed. I secretly returned to see them.”

Her husband at the time indulged in wine and women, corpulent and repulsive. Every glance at him made her stomach churn. In contrast, Lord Cheng carried himself with elegance and scholarly grace. He showed such care toward the maid standing at his side—Wu Lianzhi. The harmonious image of that family of three stabbed at her eyes.

She hated. She resented. She believed that this maid had stolen the glory that rightfully belonged to her, the true young lady.

So she acted.

As the onlookers listened to Feng Zhen’s confession, goosebumps rose on their skin, chills running down their spines. How could someone in this world be so vicious and terrifying?

She had forced poison down her throat, broken her legs, slashed her face, and even buried her beneath another person’s coffin. Then she took Wu Lianzhi’s place—who had faithfully endured poverty and hardship—and became the prefect’s wife, enjoying all the wealth and honor.

Standing beneath the plaque that read “Justice Shines Like a Mirror,” Chu Ling gazed at Feng Zhen, who had already confessed. There was no need to ask further.

“Lord Cheng, I was vicious. I was blinded by evil thoughts. I was shameless. I killed Wu Lianzhi and made her suffer beyond measure… But Xiu Niang—she is Wu Lianzhi’s and your daughter. I raised her with care. Please… treat her well…”

Suddenly, Feng Zhen’s eyes bulged, blood seeping from the corner of her lips. She had taken poison and committed suicide on the spot.

Prefect Cheng staggered forward, catching her in his arms. In anguish, he cried, “We were husband and wife for over a decade—how could you deceive me for all those years? Zhen-niang, Zhen-niang…”

Wu Lianzhi, drained of strength, knelt there, watching her husband hold the woman who had tried to kill her. Two lines of blood-tinged tears slid down her cheeks.

Wan Sanjin muttered softly, “So… the case of the exchanged wife ends like this?”

Chu Ling’s face remained taut. Inside her sleeve, the other jade bi pressed painfully against her palm.