TGCFNM -Chapter 323 The Evidence Is Too Detailed

Chu Ling looked at Perfect Jiang, who was already “fainted” and slumped in his chair, and casually pointed to a few constables. “What are you all standing around for? Hurry and take Perfect Jiang back to rest!”

The constables finally snapped to attention and quickly stepped forward, carefully lifting Perfect Jiang to take him back to the Jiang residence.

Since there was no stretcher, Perfect Jiang had to be dragged by his limbs—much like carrying a piglet—toward the exit.

Chu Ling glanced at him amusedly and deliberately said in a leisurely tone, “Perfect Jiang is advanced in years and suffers from chest ailments. Being forced to drink so much wine is no wonder he fainted. You must take care in the future, or you might suffer a sudden death.”

Perfect Jiang’s back stiffened, but he didn’t dare move. Helplessly, he was dragged outside and stuffed back into his sedan chair.

Once Chu Ling and the others left, she no longer bothered with pretenses and turned to Lian Wu. “Since Perfect Jiang said this matter is to be investigated by me, then I shall judge it. General Lian, do you agree?”

Lian Wu stood. “I leave the judgment to you, Lord Chu.”

Chu Ling nodded, not bothering to change into her official robes. She walked up to the dais and looked at Lian Wu. “Since General Lian consents, I shall conduct the judgment.”

Lian Wu cupped his hands, a trace of awkwardness on his sun-darkened face. “Please allow me to return for a thorough investigation.”

Chu Ling waved him off. “No need. Everything that needed checking has been checked. The evidence is here.”

Lian Wu was momentarily stunned.

Chu Ling looked at him with a smile. “I don’t believe, General Lian, that you don’t know who is behind those soldiers.”

Lian Wu fell silent, the silence tinged with helplessness.

“General Lian, excessive indulgence is never a good thing. A single person versus the Lian family—consider which carries more weight. The General must make the right choice,” Chu Ling said.

Lian Wu realized that she had already traced everything back to Lian Ci, yet she intended to use this case to judge him.

“Does this count as an unforeseen disaster for me?” Lian Wu suddenly asked.

Chu Ling was surprised. “Aren’t you all family?”

“Does being family mean the relationship is good?” Lian Wu retorted.

Chu Ling leaned on the table. “If that’s the case, shall I summon someone immediately?”

Lian Wu looked at her seriously, thought for a moment, and chose to inform her in advance. “Regarding the matter of the lowly citizen, even if you intervene, your judgment would be ineffective.” Saying this, he stepped aside.

Ghost Scholar’s expression darkened as he looked at Lian Wu. “His meaning is that this tax matter is just your pretext. Even if you acted, he still has ways to protect his brother. He just thinks it’s proper for an outsider to step in, so Lian Ci will learn to restrain himself a little.”

Chu Ling raised her voice. “Summon the criminal, Lian Ci!”

She understood Lian Wu’s meaning and knew that if she missed this chance, the worst that would happen to Lian Ci would be thirty strikes with the military baton, and the matter would be considered over.

But thirty-eight lives… she could not let that pass!

The main hall fell silent. The constables bowed their heads; not a single one stepped forward to seize the criminal.

Outside, the commoners were anxious, some even looking at Chu Ling with uncertainty. They were nervous yet hopeful, though fear dominated.

Chu Ling remained composed, sitting calmly, waiting for someone to fetch the criminal.

Just as Lian Wu wondered whether he should lend a hand, muffled whimpering sounds came from outside. Soon, several burly men appeared, carrying a person tied up tightly—much like a captured piglet—and dropped him onto the ground.

“My lord, the criminal Lian Ci has been brought here.”

Chu Ling looked at the shocked Lian Wu and spoke, “Since I am the one presiding over this case, Lian Ci is just Lian Ci. His military duties must be suspended for the time being. General Lian, do you have any objections?”

Lian Wu replied straightforwardly, “None!”

Lian Ci, with his mouth gagged, suddenly heard this and struggled violently, but the bindings were too tight. He writhed on the ground like a worm.

Chu Ling let out a quiet sigh of relief in her heart, though her expression remained perfectly calm.

“Bang!”

Chu Ling struck the judge’s gavel and shouted angrily, “Lian Ci, do you know your crime?”

Wan Sanjin came in from outside and violently tore the cloth from Lian Ci’s mouth, then hurried out again.

Lian Ci glared at Chu Ling, his face turning dark with fury. “You little county magistrate! You dare have me bound? Do you want to die?”

Chu Ling ignored his shouting and said, “Lian Ci, in the six months you’ve been in Yuanzhou, by collecting tolls from the common people and receiving facilitation fees from local merchants, you’ve taken more than twenty thousand taels. For imperial officials, privately accepting bribes is a serious crime.

“Lian Ci, do you know your crime?”

Lian Ci clenched his teeth and cursed, “A tiny county magistrate dares to slander me? I’ll make you regret this!”

Chu Ling had Wan Sanjin bring out the evidence and placed it before Lian Wu.

“General Lian, please confirm for yourself,” Chu Ling said calmly.

Lian Ci suddenly flipped over and stared intently at Lian Wu. “Big brother, you can’t deliberately frame me just because Father and Mother favor me!”

Seeing Lian Ci’s threatening gaze, Lian Wu crouched slightly, took the evidence Chu Ling had collected from the box, and began examining it carefully, item by item.

It had to be said—the evidence was extraordinarily detailed. Where he went, what dishes he ate, what drinks he had, what conversations took place—all of it was meticulously recorded.

Moreover, how the money was given, how he avoided being observed, how he facilitated those merchants, and how he used the general’s name to make guarantees for others—it was all documented.

The evidence was truly fearsome.

“How did Lord Chu gather all this evidence?” Lian Wu asked.

Chu Ling feigned mystery. “General Lian, do you know Bai Xiaosheng? This person is unpredictable and difficult to locate. But as long as you find him and pay him a satisfactory price, he can uncover anything I want.”

Bai Su, standing nearby, asked in surprise, “Bai Xiaosheng investigated this?”

Ghost Scholar shook his head. “The Lord deliberately deceived him. All of this was actually investigated by Tianxia Zhi. But to avoid arousing Lian Wu’s suspicion, the credit was pushed onto Bai Xiaosheng.”

Bai Su said, “That makes sense. But wouldn’t Lian Wu investigate Bai Xiaosheng?”

“Bai Xiaosheng is everywhere. How could he know which one it was? And if he mobilized too much effort, wouldn’t that obviously cause conflicts with martial artists? He’s a general—training soldiers at the frontier is his duty. He won’t investigate,” Ghost Scholar said firmly.

Indeed, Lian Wu fell silent at the mention of Bai Xiaosheng.

At this moment, Chu Ling asked again, “General Lian, are you convinced? If not, you could summon everyone mentioned here, and I will interrogate them all before you, one by one. How about that?”

Lian Wu, wanting to teach Lian Ci a lesson, immediately opposed, “No need. These… are essentially the same as what I’ve already investigated. It is indeed Lian Ci’s doing.”

“General Lian, when a deputy general accepts bribes, how should this official adjudicate?” Chu Ling asked deliberately.

Lian Wu stood up and said, “Dismiss him from military duties, fifty lashes with a military rod, and never hold office again.”