Chapter 899: Young Master Lai

Squad Leader Zhang said: "He’s already been brought to the public court, kneeling there, with our brothers watching over him. Rest assured, my lord, nothing will happen."

Magistrate Gu nodded upon hearing this, while letting the servant dress him, he jerked and asked, "Granny Gu is still alive, right? She mustn’t die."

Granny Gu was old and had suffered a stroke, leaving her paralyzed. Magistrate Gu had always worried she wouldn’t last until the execution.

Squad Leader Zhang laughed: "Rest assured, my lord, the old woman is quite spirited; she won’t die anytime soon."

They had initially thought the blow was so great to Granny Gu she could meet Yama at any moment, but she was formidable, eating, drinking and sleeping well, getting her health back.

"She doesn’t want to die, she keeps demanding food and drink, and fusses if it’s even slightly late." The government officials had been harassed by her considerably, wishing they’d wake up one day to find she’d passed away.

Magistrate Gu was relieved to hear this, and uttered, "Evil men live long."

Not long after, Magistrate Gu was dressed in his official uniform, and after a hearty meal, followed Squad Leader Zhang to the court. He had been terrified of hunger last time, nearly starving to death at the public court. This time, he intended to eat well before proceeding.

Upon arriving, Magistrate Gu saw the entrance to the government was already surrounded by layers of people, asking towards the court: "Lord, when will the hearing start? Hurry up, we have work to do!"

Magistrate Gu’s face darkened completely, if you have work, go do it, why bother watching this spectacle? This is a court, not a storytelling venue, can’t you have some fear of the government office?

"My lord, please begin the proceedings," Judge Tang said as he saluted Magistrate Gu.

Originally, the hearing should have been his task, but ever since Magistrate Gu personally handled Granny Gu’s case, he had treated him very well these past two days, occasionally saying, "Lord Tang, you’ve worked hard. Our office just got some old ginseng. I’ll bring it to you someday to nourish yourself, you’ve been hearing cases and working too hard."

Judge Tang was grateful for this, hoping Magistrate Gu would substitute him to experience the hardship of hearing cases.

Magistrate Gu also wanted the merit, for merit could lead to a transfer to Jiangnan.

Jiangnan was a wealthy place, an excellent destination. But Great Chu had been struggling these past years, and the regions north of Central State had been experiencing frequent shortages, including food. He didn’t want to be transferred north next year; it was better to accumulate merit for a lateral transfer to Jiangnan.

With a bang, Magistrate Gu slammed the gavel and shouted to start the proceedings. He queried those below: "Who is present? What is your allegation? Speak quickly."

Inwardly, he sighed, the words for starting a court session sound much like those of a storyteller’s introduction.

Yuan Jiagui said: "Greetings, my lord, this humble citizen is from Yuan Family Village in Gaoshui County of Northwest Long’an Prefecture, a villager fleeing from famine, representing the entire Yuan clan to accuse Mrs. Gu Pan of conspiring to murder my brother Yuan Jiaman. Please seek justice for my brother, he was killed by Mrs. Gu Pan and her paramour!"

With that, he handed over the petition paper.

A government official immediately came over, picked up the petition paper, and handed it to Magistrate Gu for review.

After reading it, Magistrate Gu was taken aback and pointed at a paragraph written on the paper: "You claim the paramour who killed Yuan Jiaman years ago was surnamed Lai, the Young Master from Long’an Prefecture’s Lai Family?!"

The Lai Family from Long’an Prefecture, isn’t that Lord Lai’s family? The petition claims the paramour, could it be Lord Lai?

Could the rumors be true?

Are Gu Youwen and his kin really Lord Lai’s offspring?

Magistrate Gu was stunned. Granny Gu, it seems you’re impressive, with those fierce eyes you managed to enchant Lord Lai, even bearing him many children.

Magistrate Gu was almost convinced Granny Gu was an extraordinarily beautiful woman in her youth.

Yuan Jiagui said: "Indeed. This Young Master of the Lai Family has sought out Ms. Pan several times, people from Yuan Family Village have encountered him. My family lived near Brother Man’s family, and I bumped into him a few times. But the Lai Family holds powerful influence, the villagers dare not speak... Until Brother Man’s incident occurred, the village stirred up, wanting to drown Mrs. Gu Pan."

At that time, the village only wanted Mrs. Gu Pan to pay with her life, daring not challenge the Lai Family. The Lai Family was not only affluent, but the Young Master had also married an official’s daughter, which could not be offended.

"Why didn’t Mrs. Gu Pan die? She still dared to find another man and remarry?" Magistrate Gu asked, having presided over the poisoning case of Mrs. Fei by Granny Gu, knowing that although everyone in Yuan Family Village cursed Granny Gu, she audaciously continued to seek men and successfully remarried, leaving Yuan Family Village.

Yuan Jiagui said: "It was the Lai Family that helped. At the time, the village chief’s son, Brother Wen, who was a shopkeeper at a restaurant in the Prefecture, was framed by the Lai Family. If the Yuan clan wanted to drown Mrs. Gu Pan, Brother Wen would be sentenced, implicating the entire Yuan Family."

Great Chu practices collective punishment, where if one person in a clan breaks the law, the whole clan is punished. Everyone was afraid and had to let Yuan Jiaman die unjustly for the sake of the clan.

Magistrate Gu knew the drawbacks of collective punishment and did not question it upon hearing, instead he asked Yuan Jiagui: "Why do you accuse Mrs. Gu Pan now, were you instructed by someone?"

Otherwise, how could he have come all the way from Linhe Prefecture?

Yuan Jiagui shook his head, not admitting it, instead his eyes reddening as he said: "It’s because I’m getting old, afraid of facing my brother in the afterlife and being scolded by him for not seeking justice... That’s why I’ve come to file a lawsuit."

Then, Yuan Jiagui recounted the events of the past.

"Back then, everyone thought Brother Man got drunk and fell into the Gaoshui River outside the county and drowned, but they didn’t know Brother Man was fighting with the Young Master Lai, who pushed him into the pond behind the house and drowned him..."

Yuan Jiagui paused here, recalling the past, unable to resist bursting into tears: "I saw it, I truly saw it... Brother Man tried to climb to shore but was beaten into the water with a bamboo pole by Ms. Gu Pan. After several times, Brother Man sank into the pond; those two evil ones collaborated to kill Brother Man!"

"I was terribly frightened at the time, didn’t know what to do, and ran back inside after seeing this. That night, I fell ill, with a high fever, unconscious for a day and night. When I woke up, I heard Brother Man got drunk, fell into Gaoshui River, and drowned."

"But Brother Man died in the pond behind the house, killed by Ms. Gu Pan and Young Master Lai!"

"I failed Brother Man, I was scared and didn’t dare to reveal this... I failed Brother Man!"

Yuan Jiaman cried uncontrollably, speaking incoherently about the past... For so many years, he thought he had forgotten, if he didn’t think about it, he could live without burden.

When that Qin family boy came asking for his help, he was reluctant to accuse Ms. Gu Pan.

Yet, he was Brother Man’s kin, they shared the same grandfather, knowing he died tragically, how could he not seek justice for him?!

Magistrate Gu watched Yuan Jiagui cry miserably, with a touch of sympathy. After he cried for a while, venting his inner guilt, asked: "The Young Master of the Lai Family you speak of, is he named Lai Zhi?"

Yuan Jiagui nodded: "Yes, it is Lai Zhi; not many dare to call him by name, everyone calls him Young Master Lai or Miracle Child Lai."