CHAPTER 118: 118: INDEED, I WAS TOO GREEDY (PART 1)_1

Dong Huiying didn’t even glance at her, maintaining her composure. When Zhu Xingfang finished her tirade, Dong Huiying then fist-palmed a salute and looked towards Officer Han on the dais.

"The officer, Zhu Xingfang is domineering and narrow-minded. Yixuan’s legs may not be good, but his appearance is handsome, comparable to most men. Zhu Xingfang lusted after Yixuan and had even tried to buy a night with him for two copper coins. When the Common People politely refused, she, unwilling to accept her failure, spread rumors to tarnish Yixuan’s reputation. These are all facts, and if the officer sends someone to inquire around, they will come to see the complete truth."

Dong Huiying spoke calmly and composedly, continuing, "How Zhu Xingfang interacts with others is not for the Common People to comment on, but her imperious and vile nature is well-known within our ten-mile radius. She is also a lascivious woman. The list of men she has taken liberties with, whether they are married or unmarried women of age, would not number less than dozens if not a hundred. Please, officer, I implore you to see the truth!"

Zhu Xingfang felt a bit panicked; she knew her own misdeeds well, but the notion that her murderous intent towards Dong Huiying could be exposed terrified her; even if she could escape death, she wouldn’t be able to avoid decades of prison.

"The officer! Dong Dabao speaks with a glib tongue, but the Common People are truly innocent!"

Dong Huiying lifted her eyelid slightly and said coolly, "That day on the mountain, the Common People, along with Fourth Brother Liang, were present when Zhu Xingfang first pushed Fourth Brother Liang. In my urgency to save someone, Zhu Xingfang then kicked me down the cliff, nearly causing the deaths of both of us! Her maliciousness is beyond words! Please, officer, take up the cause for the Common People!"

From beginning to end, Dong Huiying’s demeanor was neither servile nor overbearing. She called herself a commoner and knelt before the court, but her spine was straight without a trace of subservience, and she displayed a calm air which made Officer Han look at her with increased respect.

Officer Han called for Liang Haoming to come forward, and Liang Haoming glanced at Dong Huiying.

Officer Han asked, "Is this true?"

Haoming nodded, "Indeed, it is true!" Though usually reticent, when it came to serious matters, he didn’t mince his words.

Officer Han looked expressionless towards Zhu Xingfang, with a heavy air of authority.

Zhu Xingfang shivered when she locked eyes with Officer Han. Feeling guilty, she broke into a cold sweat. But she was determined to deny everything to the end.

Zhu Xingfang cried injustice, "The officer, Dong Dabao is allied with the Liang family as their Marriage Contractor. Naturally, she takes their side! She and Liang Haoming are birds of a feather, coordinating their testimonies to frame the Common People!"

Officer Han conducted the trial for two hours, but since Zhu Xingfang and Dong Huiying stuck to their respective stories, the officer also understood that continuing today’s trial would be a waste of time. Thus, she announced a recess in court proceedings, planning to revisit the case in two days. During this time, she intended to send people to visit the surrounding villages in search of more clues.

Dong Huiying’s knees ached from the kneeling, her legs feeling nearly numb. As she walked out of the Yamen, Liang Zhichen and Liang Haoming supported her arms, one on each side.

"Are you alright?" asked Liang Zhichen with concern.

"I’m fine," Dong Huiying said, her head bowed in thought, "It’s just that the woman surnamed Zhu is too good at sophistry, and I fear this does not bode well."

Suddenly, Dong Huiying had a stroke of inspiration as she thought of someone.

.....

The boy, when he was born, was despised by his mother for being a son, in a family that favored daughters over sons, his father also had little love for him. After all, filled with the expectation of having a daughter to bring honor to the family lineage, they ended up with a son instead.

Such was the way of the world. Whether among merchants, nobility, or the common folk, the family legacy was inherited by the daughters.