CHAPTER 257: CHAPTER 257: HE SET FIRE AND COMMITTED VIOLENCE!

"Dong! Dong! Dong!"

The sound of a drum resonated through the entrance of the Capital Governor Mansion, prompting passersby to turn their heads.

To beat the drum so loudly so early in the morning, how great must the grievance be?

Word has it that today the Capital Governor is indeed set to investigate a significant case?

In fact, minor incidents like assaults don’t require reporting to the Capital Governor, nor do they intervene. This is Shengjing City’s highest government office, meant only for major cases or those involving members of the imperial family and important ministers.

But this time, the situation was too severe, with terrible implications!

Seeing a victim in tattered clothes with multiple fractures and abrasions on the bustling streets was shocking to the residents of Shengjing City.

As the local parental official of Shengjing City, he must uphold justice for this individual.

However, the court session hasn’t even commenced yet, so why come so early?

Zhao Mengran, the Capital Governor, walked to the courtroom while yawning, clearly annoyed by the person disturbing his peaceful dream.

"Pa!" He slammed the gavel impatiently, "Who is beneath the court? Accusing whom... huh? How dare you, why are you not kneeling before this official?"

Zhao Mengran initially felt groggy, but gradually woke up, seeing Long Yue still standing without kneeling, he suddenly became furious.

The dignified Capital Governor, such a high-ranking official, and yet you dare not kneel before him, is this contempt for this official?

Long Yue stood below the court, a gentle smile on her face, curtsied, and said, "Sir, I am carrying an imperial decree and cannot kneel!"

"Hmm? What imperial decree?" Zhao Mengran was slightly taken aback, then suddenly understood something, exclaiming, "Who are you anyway? Accusing of what? Why not report quickly?"

An imperial decree implies her husband holds an official position, and as colleagues, a bit of face should be given, Zhao Mengran’s attitude improved significantly.

Long Yue loudly declared, "I, Li Pangshi Long Yue, Sixth-rank Imperial Decree Lady Jiao, accuse village resident Wang Dazhi from West Suburb Ye Xia Village of arson, destroying farmland, a grievous crime! I earnestly request your judgment, sir!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Mengran was somewhat confused, stroked his beard, and said, "This matter is minor, since the perpetrator has been caught, a regular government office should suffice. Why come to the Capital Governor? This place handles thorny cases... um?"

Halfway through, Zhao Mengran was stuck.

The accuser and the accused... why do these names sound so familiar?

"Who did you say you are? Accusing whom?"

"I, Li Pangshi Long Yue, accuse village resident Wang Dazhi from West Suburb Ye Xia Village of arson and assault, destroying farmland, a heinous crime!"

Long Yue reiterated, this time Zhao Mengran heard it clearly.

Accuser: Li Pangshi, Pang Long Yue!

Accused: Village resident of West Suburb Ye Xia Village, Wang Dazhi!

Huh? This isn’t right!

Yesterday, a severely beaten victim also submitted a statement, in which Pang Long Yue was listed among the accused?

Dumbfounded, Zhao Mengran quickly retrieved yesterday’s statement.

Indeed, it clearly stated:

Accuser: Village resident of West Suburb Ye Xia Village, Wang Dazhi!

Accused: Li Qingmu, Li Pangshi Pang Long Yue!

Zhao Mengran twitched his lips fiercely, finding this matter somewhat headache-inducing.

How could this be? What exactly happened?

"Sir, why not summon the other accuser who is also the accused to the court? Let the two face each other, and wouldn’t that solve it?"

A Chief Clerk beside him suddenly suggested.

"Yes, that’s precisely my thought. Someone, summon the accuser-cum-accused, Wang Dazhi, to the court!"

"The trial, the trial is starting, yesterday’s case is being tried, come quickly!"

"Let’s go, let’s have a look!"

The Capital Governor Mansion, being the highest local government office, allows citizens to watch the trials for fairness and justice.

This way, unjust or false cases could be avoided, and the citizens feel involved in public trials, further admiring the Emperor’s wisdom.

Numerous citizens flocked to witness the spectacle.

"Make way, make some room!"

Two constables carried a stretcher, pushing through the crowd to enter.

A man wrapped like a cocoon lay on the stretcher, occasionally whimpering, clearly in pain.

Accompanying were a steward from the Inspection Department.

Furious, he wanted to see who dared to make trouble on his turf, causing his superior to reprimand him once again last night, a disaster out of nowhere!

Once inside the courtroom, the Little Leader was taken aback, then furiously exclaimed, "It’s you again?"

The last time at Tianxiang Pavilion, it was also her!

Long Yue was taken aback, "Do we know each other?"

As she spoke, she received an angry glare from the other party.

Long Yue then remembered who he was, chuckled dryly, "Sorry for causing trouble on your turf again, but last time at Tianxiang Pavilion, I was also a victim, right? We bear no grudge against each other, do we?"

No wonder Long Yue would ask, because this Little Leader had an obvious look of wanting to strangle her.

The Little Leader hummed coldly, knowing the Tianxiang Pavilion murder incident had nothing to do with Long Yue, but her involvement in both incidents was truly infuriating.

After paying respects to Zhao Mengran, he retreated to the side.

"Sir... Sir... I... accuse them, the Li Family, of bullying and breaking my legs, not to mention... trying to kill me..."

Wang Dazhi spewed nonsense, lying there babbling incoherently.

Zhao Mengran looked at Long Yue, then at Wang Dazhi lying on the stretcher in a pitiful state: "Are your words true? This Mrs. Li, after all, is the wife of a court official, a Sixth-rank Imperial Decree Lady, do you understand the severe consequences if you dare to falsely accuse?"

"Sir... everything I say is true... they did indeed attack... huff huff..."

Wang Dazhi, somewhat agitated, breathed heavily.

Zhao Mengran gestured for him to calm down, then looked at Long Yue: "Lady Jiao, do you have anything to say? By the way, where is your husband? Why is he not present in court?"

"My husband has more important matters to attend to, today’s case, I handle it entirely!"

"Uh, alright, may I ask, Lady Jiao, regarding Wang Dazhi’s accusation, what do you have to say?"

Long Yue glanced at Wang Dazhi, her eyes cold, and said, "Sir, this person was previously a steward on our manor, dismissed because he was pocketing tenants’ wages, which I discovered!

A few days ago, I went to the manor to check the crop yields when a farmer told me someone had been lurking around recently, suspiciously investigating something!

So with him, I searched and found this person! At that time, he was loitering near the manor. We remained vigilant and had people watch over the manor. Who knew, in the middle of the night, he would come with a kerosene can and flint, intending to set the fields on fire!"

At this point, Long Yue’s face was flushed with anger!

"Sir, you must know, we have over fifty tenants on our manor, over fifty families depend on that manor to survive, this man, ruthless and hostile, dared to commit arson! In a moment of anger, my husband ordered his leg to be broken!"