FID – Chapter 225

Qian Wanjin pressed his lips regretfully. He was still dying to inquire about some secrets in the courtyard.

Boring.

That look made Liu Yusheng between tears and laughter. Qian Wanjin could be immodest at any time and on any occasion.

After Qian Wanjin’s mischief, the solemn mood of Liu Dalin, Chen Xiulan, and Liu Zhixia eased unexpectedly.

At the same time, a greater hope for Liu Yusheng’s approach emerged.

Finally, several people around Lord Yang asked some private business of the three people, and then sent someone down to verify the accuracy of their statements.

It didn’t take long before they received a reply. “Your Excellencies, all three people are telling the truth. There isn’t a single false word!”

Lord Yang nodded, “Basing off of this, this potion is indeed magical.  I did not expect Miss Liu to have such a skill. You’ve opened my eyes. Since it is a potion that can make people tell the truth, then let the inspector take the remaining bottle.”

“My Lord?!” The inspector exclaimed.

“Cheating in the examination room is not a trivial matter. Since this matter involves you, you’re also a suspect. We must interrogate you to clear up your innocence. Now that the release of the list is imminent, I don’t have much time to spend here, so let’s do it quickly.

After drinking the potion, if there’s nothing wrong with your statements, it proves that you’re wrongly accused.  Then Liu Zhixia’ cheating case need not be mentioned again.

You are an examiner selected after layers of selection, so your status in Gongyuan is important. In order to prove your innocence, I also ask you to cooperate. What is there to fear if you have no guilty conscience?”

The inspector’s complexion turned pale little by little. He stared at the bottle but made no move to reach for it.

He was deeply shocked and appalled.

Those three people have already verified the effect of the bottle of medicine. The moment he drank it, it would prove that he no longer had a secret to keep!

With this in mind, the inspector’s legs weakened, and he knelt.

“My Lord, I-I’ll confess.  It’s true that Liu Zhixia didn’t carry the cheat sheet. I brought the cheat sheet found under his examination seat! But My Lord, I had no choice in the matter! Liang Yu coerced me, so I was left with no other choice but to do it! I declined at first, but he threatened that if I refused to help him, he would leave me no place in the entire Yunzhou City!  I have a family of old and young, so how dare I offend him? In the end, I really had no choice but to participate in this fraud. I hope for your kind consideration and spare my life!”

“Bastard, what are you talking about?!” Hou Deye stood up and questioned sternly.

“Your Excellency, I’m not talking nonsense. It’s true that Young Master Liang Yu Liang coerced me. I have evidence of this matter!” The inspector gritted his teeth and went all out.

Among all officials, who had no stains on his body and hadn’t done anything disgraceful?

If he took the initiative to confess now, it would only be falsely accusing a student. Plus, he was coerced, so he would only be an accomplice.

But once he drank that bottle of potion, he would spill all the beans without his control by then. In the end, not to mention his life, his family would be in trouble!

Even if it offended the magistrate, he could not retreat from this step!

“Lord Yang, Lord Magistrate! Young Master Liang Yu came to me that day. I have witnesses when he gave me a hundred taels of silver, and every penny has been left at home! There’s also the cheat sheet, which Young Master Liang Yu’s classmate, Li Mingrui, forged. Once you check it, you will know the truth!”

…

The inspector confessed, so what came next was logical.

All the evidence pointed to Liang Yu. The magistrate ended up changing his attitude and ordered strict investigation and strict handling.

The case was transferred to the government office, and after a series of interrogations, Liang Yu couldn’t deny everything. The truth was revealed!

The government announced a new verdict that afternoon.

Yunzhou Academy student, Liu Zhixia, was falsely accused of cheating in the examination room. The culprit, Liang Yu, was caned 30 times, stripped off of his title, never to participate in the imperial examinations, and sentenced to three years in prison.

The search and inspection officer as an examiner to know the law and violate the law, although it is an accessory also can not be lightly forgiven, separated from the official position, and sentenced to one year in prison.

As an examiner, the inspector knew the crime and violated the law, which was more serious. Although he was an accomplice, he should not be spared lightly. He was sentenced to one year’s imprisonment after leaving his official post.

The rest of the accessory Li Mingrui and so on were sentenced to 10 canes and stripped off of their titles for eternity.

When Liang Yu heard the verdict, he was utterly dumbfounded, unable to believe it. He was the magistrate’s nephew! He was the son of a prestigious family in Yunzhou! In the end, he was overturned by a poor student whom he despised the most! He has not only failed to retaliate against Liu Zhixia, but also went for wool and came home shorn!

Once the official verdict was posted, the city was once again in an uproar.

Lu Zhixia recovered his innocence, and all his examination papers during the examination were drawn back for review. Liang Yu wanted to crush Liu Zhixia at the last minute, but at this time instead helped him complete all the test papers. His results would not be affected.

Hearing the verdict, Chen Xiulan hugged Liu Dalin in the public hall and wept with joy.

Huo Deye sat behind the public table and looked down at Liu Yusheng, who remained calm and composed from the beginning of the case. “We were able to settle this case, and the biggest contributor is Miss Liu. I didn’t expect Miss Liu to have superb medical skills at such a young age and refined a truth potion. You’re worthy of your title, Little Divine Doctor. Once this kind of medicine spreads, you will be famous all over the world!”

His crafty smile hid a sharp edge. It was all about shrewdness.

A truth potion – it would be coveted once people caught wind of it. By then, the number of people who would want to acquire this potion would be as many as those who would want her dead.

The case has just been tried and the families of the culprits in the hall were still there. If anyone wanted to retaliate against her, all they had to do was tell them about the potion, and she would not live in peace in the future.

One might well say that Hou Deye’s mind wasn’t poisonous.

In response, Liu Yusheng smiled. “Your Excellency must be joking. Where in this world is there any truth potion? If there is, I would have submitted it to the court long ago and won fame. Truth is, the potion that the three servants drank previously was merely well water. This method is to fool the inspector. Lord Yang is indeed a wise man. If not for his nod to cooperate, this matter wouldn’t have ended. If you don’t believe me, there is the remaining bottle of potion before. Your Honor will know once you find someone to try.”

Lord Yang stroked his beard and nodded, “Yes, I know all about this. The medicine is indeed only well water, or I would have personally submitted it.”

The hall fell dead silent.

The convicted culprits, Liang Yu and company, turned ashen. Upon hearing his words, they wished they could rush forward and tear Liu Yusheng to pieces!

So their affairs were finally exposed, just because they fell for a chain of schemes!

First, she took out well water and said it was a magic potion, bluffed and blustered – it was an empty fort strategy. 

Then, she let the three servants cooperate with her scheme to lure the inspector to fall for it – all was fair in war.

Finally, she set up a trap and dug a hole, waiting for them to jump down one by one like catching rats in the hole! They were all captured in one net!

This kind of scheme – even the old fritters who were in officialdom have been deceived!

Hou Deye choked and couldn’t utter a word. His face turned downright ugly, but he broke his neck controlling his muscles and expressions in an attempt to force out a smile. “This official really admires Miss Liu’s ingenious thinking!”