CHAPTER 405: CHAPTER 405: PUNISHMENT

Manager Zhang was extremely angry, then his eyes turned, and he hinted at something.

"Lv Ping, if it was really you who did it, just admit it. The County Magistrate and I have some connections, and as a neighbor, I can put in a good word for you. Maybe it’ll just be a false alarm."

Lv Ping’s tense and fearful emotions immediately calmed down.

"I... this matter has nothing to do with Manager Zhang, I’ll go with you to the County Government."

Pei Shu’er chuckled softly.

"Lv Ping, you probably forgot that Mrs. Hu and I are bosom friends."

"Since you’ve admitted to this crime, it’s naturally impossible for me to let you walk away scot-free. At the very least, Pei’s losses over the past few days and the crime of stealing the formula amount to a prison sentence of at least several years."

Lv Ping’s stance visibly wavered; he couldn’t possibly take all the blame for Manager Zhang.

"No, it was also Manager Zhang, he was the mastermind."

As soon as Lv Ping said this, Manager Zhang’s face looked even worse.

This idiot! Pei Shu’er might just be scaring him.

He’s been in Su County for so long and hasn’t heard that Mrs. Hu has any bosom friends.

Manager Zhang said, "I didn’t."

Pei Shu’er smiled, "Whether you did or not, we’ll find out at the County Government, won’t we?"

Manager Zhang looked at Pei Shu’er again, unable to hide the sneer in his eyes.

"Let’s go, am I supposed to be afraid of you? Manager Pei might think that having gained some fame with your shop, you can do as you please in Su County?"

Pei Shu’er’s lips curved slightly, "No, Manager Zhang, I only believe in justice and fairness."

At the County Government, Manager Zhang noticed that County Magistrate Hu appeared to be very impartial, yet he glanced at him.

This glance instantly reassured Manager Zhang.

He knew the County Magistrate would still stand by him.

What Pei Shu’er said about being bosom friends was indeed just a scare.

Didn’t you see that County Magistrate Hu didn’t even look at her directly?

County Magistrate Hu said, "Submit the evidence, please."

Manager Zhang was completely unafraid, having done things so discreetly before, how could he have left any evidence?

Lv Ping was already pale with fright, trembling and shaking.

Finally, it was Manager Zhang who gave him a stern glance, somewhat restoring his composure.

Pei Shu’er said, "Of course there’s evidence."

After saying this, Pei Shu’er looked at Lv Ping.

"I think he must have something to say."

Lv Ping was taken aback, glanced at Manager Zhang, then at Pei Shu’er, and finally shook his head firmly.

But Manager Zhang looked indignant, as if he had suffered a great grievance.

"Your Honor, Pei Shu’er is completely framing us because she can’t stand our Zhang’s business doing well, she’s falsely accusing us."

Pei Shu’er was not perturbed by Manager Zhang and looked at Lv Ping.

"As for whether it’s a false accusation, wouldn’t asking Lv Ping clear that up?"

"Of course, if Lv Ping doesn’t speak the truth, then deceiving the County Magistrate will only worsen his crime, won’t it?"

Lv Ping wanted to speak, but was tightly held by Manager Zhang.

Pei Shu’er looked regretful.

"Since you don’t want the chance given to you, why not let others speak instead?"

At this time, two people were brought up, one was Liu Dafeng full of resentment, and the other was the frail and unstable Lv Chuan.

Liu Dafeng helped Lv Chuan kneel, and then she knelt by him, bowing her head first.

"Your Honor, Manager Zhang made my husband Lv Ping threaten our family, forcing me to steal Pei’s formula. I didn’t agree, only promising to use Pei’s raw materials to make them. They then asked me to steal Pei’s raw materials."

"These are all the raw materials I stole from Pei’s. Only Pei’s has these raw materials. I hid them at the bottom of the cabinet in the kitchen; your Honor will find them upon searching."

Manager Zhang was stunned, not expecting Liu Dafeng to go this far.

Even Pei Shu’er was shocked.

She had thought Liu Dafeng had left a backup plan, but now realized that Liu Dafeng’s heart had always been loyal to Mrs. Pei’s, having secretly kept evidence herself.

County Magistrate Hu sent people to search Zhang’s Pastry Shop, and soon the government officials brought out those raw materials from Zhang’s.

Seeing the raw materials, Manager Zhang’s face changed.

After County Magistrate Hu pounded the gavel with a loud shout of "Bold!", Lv Ping’s face visibly turned white.

With a "thud," he knelt on the ground, kowtowing several times to County Magistrate Hu.

"Your Honor, I confess, I’ll confess everything."

Lv Ping confessed how Manager Zhang approached him, how he was made to threaten Liu Dafeng, and all the benefits he received.

Manager Zhang now looked ashen, just hating himself for hiring such a useless person like Lv Ping to handle matters.

Pei Shu’er’s expression remained as before, even carrying a slightly amiable smile.

"Manager Zhang, do you have anything to add? Or, are you going to claim injustice?"

Manager Zhang kept silent, and Pei Shu’er continued to speak.

"County Magistrate Hu, I request that Manager Zhang compensate Pei’s for its losses over these past days, as well as the fine for stealing the formula. Furthermore, there’s also the matter of the repeated harassment of my employee that needs addressing."

Upon hearing this, Manager Zhang’s eyes widened.

"We never got our hands on that formula."

Pei Shu’er coldly smiled, "Whether you got it or not, that’s something only you would know. Now that things have reached this stage, there’s no room for denial."

However, Manager Zhang wasn’t so sure; he turned his gaze to County Magistrate Hu.

Others aside, that County Magistrate Hu was not necessarily entirely impartial.

To which County Magistrate Hu said, "Zhang Liu, do you have anything to say?"

Zhang Liu indeed shouted his injustice, just as Pei Shu’er had predicted.

Pei Shu’er smiled and looked at County Magistrate Hu, who half-closed his eyes.

"Someone, take this Zhang Liu away until he confesses."

With these words, Zhang Liu felt he must have misheard. How could it be that County Magistrate Hu stood entirely on Pei Shu’er’s side?

After all, he was the one native to Su County; what could Pei Shu’er count as?

When Zhang Liu received the first heavy board strike, he knew that Pei Shu’er indeed had backing.

Perhaps, she really was bosom friends with Mrs. Hu.

If he had known this earlier, he certainly wouldn’t have acted against Pei Shu’er.

When the second heavy board was about to fall, he had already begun to beg for mercy, but to no avail. Those hitting him seemed bent on striking exactly ten times before stopping.

By the time Zhang Liu was dragged back to the public court, he no longer dared to argue, and a grown man tearfully confessed all his guilt.

He only withheld anything related to Liu’s, still hoping that someone from Liu’s might think of a way, because if he confessed everything, even Liu’s wouldn’t be able to save him.

County Magistrate Hu said, "Someone, Zhang Liu is guilty of theft and stealing others’ formulas, compensate Pei Shu’er with two hundred ounces of silver, and Zhang Liu shall be imprisoned for three years."