Anyone else might have believed Li Sanâs explanation. However, Lord God Hunter Ji Youzhi was also present today! Moreover, with several members of the Ji Family present, no one missed the look in Li Sanâs eyes.
"You canât remember, is that it? Then allow me to help you recall your itinerary for today and how the bloodstains on your clothes appeared." A cold sneer touched the corners of Ji Youzhiâs lips.
"This robe youâre wearing, it looks newly made and recently put on, doesnât it?"
Li San was astonished. "How did you know?"
"If itâs newly made, then itâs impossible for the bloodstains on it to have been acquired before the end of the fifth watch this morning. Of course, since no chickens were killed or sheep slaughtered at your home today, the bloodstains also couldnât have come from there."
Li San was even more surprised, his temples throbbing.
"After you left home and came to the Government Office for work, you spent the entire morning busy sweeping and tidying the courtyard. Later, you helped Chief Constable Wang and the others maintain order, ensuring the nearby villagers lined up to register and claim their children, correct?"
Li San nodded vigorously.
"Yes, thatâs correct. So, in doing all this, did I do something wrong? Lord God Hunter, youâve arrested me and are holding me here for trial; what is the reasoning for this?"
"I heard you are quite well-liked in this Government Office because you have a keen eye and are very clever."
"You overpraise me, My Lord. This lowly one is merely doing his duty."
"Itâs precisely because you are too clever. So, at noon today, when a child accidentally bumped into a village womanâthat village woman who claimed to be the mother of some âLittle Lucky Charmâ and boasted she was about to strike it richâand demanded the child kneel and kowtow to her, the child refused. You thought the child was easy to bully, so you went to press her down and make her kneel, is that right?"
Li Sanâs body trembled, and he kowtowed, shaking. "Lord God Hunter, spare my life! This lowly one didnât know that child was the Princess! Donât people say that the ignorant are not to be blamed? Please, I beg you, spare this lowly one!"
"Spare you? Has anyone here said you were to be punished?" Ji Youzhi sneered, grabbed Li San by the collar, and stared intently into his eyes.
Looking at Ji Youzhiâs hawk-like eyes, Li San felt as if his very soul was being crushed. "If... if youâre not convicting me, then... then why did Your Lordship bring this lowly one here?" Li San stammered.
Ji Youzhi sneered and released him. "Naturally, itâs for another case. The Princess accidentally bumped into that village woman. Unexpectedly, that woman, being malicious-hearted, tried to throw her weight around, shouting that she would have the Princess beaten to death. She even proclaimed she would have the National Master throw the Princessâs family into the great jail. This matter came to His Majestyâs attention, who decided on a small punishment to serve as a large lesson, ordering the Princess to handle it herself. The Princess, being kind-hearted, decided to play a game of âhouseâ with the woman. She dug a small pit and buried the woman in it. As long as the woman could get out on her own, the matter would be considered settled."
The moment Ji Youzhi said this, the entire hall erupted in an uproar. Even the young Emperor, sitting behind the âMirror of Justice Hung Highâ plaque, couldnât help but let the corner of his mouth twitch.
When it came to doting on his niece, Youzhi was truly second to none. For Xiaosuisuiâs future reputation, he had actually gone to such great lengths to spin this tale.
If it were him, he would have just stated the facts. He was the Emperor; what was the big deal about killing someone? Especially such a venomous woman with a malicious heart!
As the young Emperor was thinking this, Ji Youzhiâs voice continued. "This matter was originally nothing serious. The person was buried, the Princess left, and all that venomous woman had to do was get herself out. After all, the Princess is young and her strength is limited. How well could she have buried someone? The dirt didnât even cover the top of the other personâs head!"
The moment Ji Youzhi said this, the few people present who had witnessed it were dumbfounded, especially County Magistrate Wu.
He desperately wanted to remind Ji Youzhi: Lord God Hunter, you are completely mistaken! The Princessâs strength is not small at all! The dirt on that woman wasnât just ânot covering her headâ; it was piled high above it! After the Princess finished covering her with dirt, she even deliberately stomped on it a couple of times!