Courtroom 20

Lin Yun spent nearly half an hour pacing on the boat before returning to Wuzhou Crossing. She planned to change clothes and then complete today’s task—pay respects to Grandmother Zheng. If she were allowed inside, she intended to mention the matter of the Jiuwai Method.

As Ruyi arranged Lin Yun’s hair into a bun, Madame Yuan discreetly dismissed the attendants and whispered to Lin Yun about the affairs of the Ningyuan Marquis’s residence.

Both Madam Zheng and Madam Song had been so cold that Madame Yuan found it strange. After some inquiries in the garden, she learned that Madam Song was always indifferent to everyone. Lin Xitang was well-educated and occasionally exchanged a few words with her, but that was all.

Madam Zheng, the matriarch, was different.

“Ever since the late Ningyuan Marquis passed away, Grandmother fell ill and her temperament changed drastically. She now spends her days in the Lin Garden, built for her by the late Marquis. Among the family, Grandmother is kindest to Lin Xitang, next to Madam Song. As for the Marquis and his children, she shows them no warmth.”

“At the time, there were rumors at court that the Marquis was unfilial. Madam Song left the Marquis’s residence to live in the Lin Garden, serving her mother-in-law. Only then did these whispers subside.”

Listening to this, Lin Yun felt the story aligned with what the boatman had told her.

In family dramas, the main conflict usually revolves around the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, but here, the matriarch despised her son and grandchildren—a rare twist.

“Did the Ningyuan Marquis offend the matriarch somehow?”

Madame Yuan shook her head. “No real reason was uncovered. The rumors say it was because during the rebellion of Lord Lu, your father returned, but the Marquis died in battle. Grandmother favored her eldest son and resented your father.”

A barely plausible explanation, Lin Yun thought, but she was more curious: “What about my mother? Why does Grandmother treat her so well?”

Lin Xitang was the Marquis’s orphaned heir, so the affection made sense. But Madam Song was known for her difficult temperament. Why did Grandmother favor her?

“That’s because your uncle was the one who defended Weicheng. He died first when the city fell. Then it was you and the eldest young lady who were exchanged and sent to Yangcheng as hostages. Your maternal grandparents left early, so the Song family was left with only your uncle and your mother.”

So Grandmother’s kindness to Madam Song was born of shared exile and hardship.

The Ningyuan Marquis’s residence was a complex place, full of intrigue and twists. Lin Yun hurriedly jotted down the information she had gathered today. When she reached Hongya Pavilion, she was predictably refused entry again. On her way back to Wuzhou Crossing, she spotted Lu Xuanhe from a distance and waved enthusiastically.

“Cousin!”

To Lu Xuanhe, she looked like a plump pink dumpling, waving her arms.

Despite the chill of the watery Lin Garden, second cousin shouldn’t be dressed so heavily. She hadn’t been this bundled up that morning on the boat.

If Lin Yun had known what puzzled Lu Xuanhe, she could explain: besides the cold outside, her heart was cold too. Every time she came to Hongya Pavilion, she had to stand outside the door for nearly fifteen minutes before someone told her Grandmother wouldn’t see her.

Standing in the cold wind, one had to dress warmly.

Lu Xuanhe approached the pink bundle with an amused smile. “Where have you come from?”

“Just came to visit my grandmother. Cousin, did you see Grandmother yesterday afternoon?”

Lu Xuanhe nodded. “Yes. She was ill but still spirited. With a few more days of rest, she should fully recover.”

Lin Yun bit her lip silently. Indeed, Grandmother harbored pure hatred for her and would see this unrelated junior relative but not her.

Walking together for a while, Lin Yun teased, “You’ve seen our cousin, right? I wasn’t wrong yesterday; she’s almost fully recovered. You seemed worried then, but today you must be relieved?”

“I am,” Lu Xuanhe said, smiling. The happiest moments these past days had been watching his cousin pole vault in the lake.

He watched from the shore for a long time, noting how hard she worked but remained in the same spot.

As they walked and laughed, a young servant hurried over. “Second Miss, bad news! Officials have come with a summons. Someone has accused you, and you must appear at the court!”

***

An hour before Lin Yun received the accusation, Xie Jun and Xu Zhengqing had hurried to the Wanping County government office. After leaving the inner city, they switched from carriage to swift horses. Without riding, the round trip would have taken a whole day—Xie Jun had no time to waste.

The great Buddha they had desperately sought had to be obeyed. Poor Xu Zhengqing, who was no horseman, felt his legs trembling when dismounting.

Looking up at the Wanping County office’s signboard, Xu Zhengqing thought, “Pei Hejing, if you have any spirit in heaven, help us investigate smoothly. Otherwise, all this hardship is for nothing.”

But evidently, Pei Hejing’s wish was unfulfilled. The Wanping magistrate, Wei, was slippery and evasive, answering questions without mistakes but giving no meaningful answers.

When asked why no one had noticed a fugitive in the jurisdiction for so many days, he claimed, “Wanping is too large, and I’m stretched thin. Ever since hearing of an official’s death in the imperial city, I’ve sent all available constables out on patrol. With limited personnel, not finding him is regrettable but unavoidable.”

Xu Zhengqing didn’t even bother to summon the constables for questioning. The fat, smug officers wouldn’t dare contradict their superior; they parroted whatever was dictated from above.

Normally, suspects should be interrogated separately, but lacking an imperial edict, the magistrate, though an official, couldn’t conduct formal interrogations—only inquiries.

Thus, Magistrate Wei repeated the same circular answers: “We tried our best, but failed. The area is poor; even the Minister of Revenue has come. Perhaps more funding next year?”

Xu Zhengqing was frustrated but realized Wei was an old fox. Without an imperial edict, he was as unyielding as iron, revealing nothing.

Pulling Xie Jun aside, Xu whispered, “Vice Minister Xie, progress is slow. Please help.”

Xie Jun pulled his sleeve away, face stern. Officials could be as shameless as street ruffians.

“Do we need to continue investigating? Haven’t we already found the answer? We just haven’t found proof.”

Xu was stunned. How did Xie Jun already know the answer?

Sighing, Xie Jun asked, “Do you know where Magistrate Wei’s ancestral home is, Xu Yushi?”

“Jiaxing, Zhejiang.”

“The Right Deputy Censor Xiao Yien in the Censorate who showed a lukewarm attitude on Minister Pei’s assassination—do you know where he’s from?”

“He’s from Taizhou, Zhejiang,” Xu answered before Xie could ask.

The Zhejiang faction held significant power at court, led by Chief Minister Fan Guangbiao.

Xu’s face paled. The matter was escalating and far more serious than it seemed. Should they continue, or let the Dali Temple close the case quietly to maintain peace?

Xie Jun ignored Xu’s thoughts. “Let’s check the county affairs. If Xu Yushi hasn’t decided yet, consider this visit a routine inspection, a show. We’ll keep a low profile.”

Xu followed Xie half-absentmindedly. Today was the county’s petition day, with several commoners lined up to submit lawsuits. Submitting a petition didn’t guarantee acceptance.

A man with a shining face shouted, “I paid someone to write my petition. Every word is true. Why won’t you accept it?”

The clerk shook his head. “Look at whom you’re suing! Are you mad, seeking death by suing the Ningyuan Marquis’s young lady? I’m sparing your life; you should thank me.”

Xu didn’t linger over this minor dispute. A commoner suing a noblewoman was just a quarrel. If rejected, it was no big deal.

But Xie Jun stopped to examine the petition carefully. Wu Zhi, originally wanting to curse the man for using his name, saw the red official robe on Xie Jun and nearly burst into tears.

Wu Zhi pleaded, “Sir, Second Miss Lin is too much. I endured one punch, but she comes to our village to promote evil methods, misleading the people. If this continues, some in our village might be deceived. The consequences would be terrifying.”

This rogue’s performance was surprisingly good. The petition was ghostwritten by others, with charges devised by Xie Jun himself. Yet, from Wu Zhi’s lips, the complaint transformed into a heartfelt plea for the nation and people.

Xie Jun motioned Xu over. “I oversee land in the Ministry of Revenue. This woman is inciting the populace, potentially disrupting farming. This year’s floods have already made life hard. I intend to monitor this case closely. Will you join me, Xu Yushi?”

Under their supervision, the case proceeded efficiently. Within an hour and a half, the accused—Ningyuan Marquis’s Second Miss—arrived.

Lin Yun and Lu Xuanhe came with several guards. After hearing the accusation, Lin Xitang had asked Lu to look after her. Even the aloof Madam Song scolded, “What a disgrace,” but sent guards to maintain order.

Madame Yuan had never witnessed such a thing—how could a young lady be summoned to court?

Though outwardly calm, she fretted inwardly, wondering how to summon the master to aid the young lady.

At first, Madame Yuan wanted to dissuade Lin Yun from going, but Lin Yun cheerfully insisted, “I walk upright and sit upright. I have a clear conscience; there’s no need to hide.”

She even wanted to see what tricks the accuser was hiding.

Besides, Lu Xuanhe was there—a junior official of the Dali Temple—so she wouldn’t be left at the mercy of anyone.

At the court, many townsfolk gathered to watch. Lin Yun recognized her accuser as Wu Zhi, the villager who had taken a punch. Hearing his tearful complaint, Lin Yun found it absurd.

“Miss Lin experimented with a strange method, soaking wheat seeds in cold water every nine days, claiming it could enable spring planting and summer harvest. What nonsense is this? At first, no one believed it. I stood up for her and got punched. I hoped she wouldn’t bother us again, but she returned a second time.”

“I feared that if I didn’t speak out, Miss Lin would keep troubling Wu Village and even bully us with her status. Farming is hard work, not a game for these noble ladies.”

Magistrate Wei sat at the head, with Xu Zhengqing beside him. Xie Jun stood behind a screen, unseen but listening intently.

Wei stopped Wu from continuing and asked Lin Yun, “Do you have evidence that your method works?”

Wei clearly wished to dismiss the case. If he could, he’d throw it out at the door.

He wanted to ask Wu, “Her father is the Ningyuan Marquis. Who is your father? Her cousin is a Dali Temple official. Who is your cousin? Neither your father nor your cousin matters—who gave you the courage to accuse her?”

Lin Yun shook her head. “I found this in ancient texts. The texts are lost, but anyone can test it.”

Magistrate Wei was a master at smoothing things over and immediately decided to close the case.

“There’s no need for a trial; settle privately. Wu Zhi’s accusations are threefold: disrupting farming, spreading heresy, and assault.”

“Regarding disrupting farming, you didn’t soak seeds either. Isn’t that interference?”

“As for spreading heresy, we’ll see next year if her method works. If it does, it’s not heresy.”

Though Wei didn’t believe Lin Yun’s method, dragging it out until it failed meant Wu Zhi’s next complaint would be ignored—no official like Xie Jun would be at the door to receive him.

“As for assault, you only have a slight bruise on your nose. Miss Lin can pay you a few coins as compensation.”

Lin Yun had no retort and almost felt grateful that Wei resolved this lightly. Yet she felt no respect for the magistrate, sensing something odd about him she couldn’t pinpoint.

Lu Xuanhe noticed Wei’s smoothing tactics but saw no harm to his cousin, so he did not intervene.

Just as everyone thought the case was closed, Xie Jun stepped out from behind the screen in his red robe.

“Closing the case now is improper. Second Miss Lin has indeed incited the populace. Though unsuccessful, she relied on the people’s enlightened minds.”

“Magistrate Wei, at minimum, she should apologize publicly in Wu Village for three days. Though no one there believes it openly, some may secretly practice it. Miss Lin must explain that her method is untested and without proof, so they should not trust it.”

Wu Zhi, encouraged by Xie Jun’s righteous words, quickly found a new angle. “Indeed, sir. I know Wu Erni secretly soaked half an acre of wheat seeds!”

Yan Ming behind the official stared wide-eyed.

The official’s dislike for Miss Lin went beyond dislike—it was hatred. Seeing her nearly escape unscathed, he had to step up and finish her off completely!