"Mr. Li has gone home to study." Gu Changde sneered, knowing exactly what Mother Jiang meant.
Li Xiucai is thirty years old this year. He has studied for many years but failed to pass the imperial examination. He followed the former head of the village and lived off his money. He was a greedy guy. As soon as he took office, he was asked to go home.
Jiang's mother's face changed drastically. Li Xiucai had taken her money and vowed to win the lawsuit!
Xia Dingfeng was overjoyed and urged, "Mr. Lizheng, please solve the case!"
"Please understand, Mr. Village Head!" Xia Qianqian, along with her mother and sister, kowtowed again.
"Bang!" Gu Changde slammed the table and said sternly, "Those who destroy a woman's reputation should be exiled a thousand miles away!"
Jiang Ming collapsed completely to the ground.
Being exiled thousands of miles away was a crime second only to death. The journey was extremely difficult, and it was unknown whether he could reach the place of exile alive. His exile was almost equivalent to death.
Jiang's mother and father also understood the severity of exile. They were so scared that their hands and feet were shaking. They cried and begged for mercy: "Master, you can't exile him. My son is still young. He hasn't married yet and hasn't left any descendants for the Jiang family... My husband and I are counting on him to take care of us in our old age!"
"I am acting according to the law. If you are not satisfied, you can go to the county or the state capital to appeal," said Gu Changde.
How dare the Jiang family? Those dirty words were originally just the Jiang family's words, and they couldn't stand up to scrutiny. Now that the Xia family has stood up for Xia Qianqian, and there are dozens of villagers in Yangliu Village testifying, they can't win the lawsuit no matter where they go.
"Mr. Head of the village, I was ignorant and made a big mistake. I know I was wrong. Please revoke your order and spare me the sentence of wandering!" Jiang Ming crawled on the ground, crying loudly.
Xia Qianqian looked at him and shook her head. A mama's boy is a mama's boy. He has no opinion of his own and thinks he can do whatever he wants as long as his parents are around.
Gu Changde sneered: "There is no regret medicine in the world. You have ruined Xia Qianqian's reputation, so you should pay the price!"
"I was wrong. I was talking nonsense. I am willing to marry Xia Qianqian to save her from the difficulties of finding a husband in the future..."
"Fuck you!" Xia Qianqian was so angry that she didn't bother to pretend to be weak anymore. She stood up and kicked Jiang Ming.
Xia Dingfeng cursed: "You are a toad who wants to eat swan flesh, how beautiful you are! When my elder brother was alive, you were attracted by my niece's beautiful appearance and wanted to come to my house to propose marriage in advance, but my elder brother rejected you sternly. Now that you have committed a crime, you still want to marry my niece?"
"I am judging this case to restore Xia Qianqian's reputation." Gu Changde stood up, "I will immediately escort you to the county government and exile you with the prisoners there!"
"Sir, please don't..." Jiang Ming raised his head with tears in his eyes, "Sir, can you reduce my crime if you can restore Xia Qianqian's reputation?"
Gu Changde looked at Xia Qianqian with an inquiring look.
The laws in ancient times were very flexible, and it was often said that laws are nothing but human relationships, and everything can be negotiated. Jiang Ming's future was now in Xia Qianqian's hands.
Jiang's mother rushed over and kowtowed: "Miss Xia, you are very righteous. Please forgive my son this time. We are willing to compensate, we will pay ten taels of silver!"
Xia Qianqian was tempted. Ten taels of silver...
"No!" Xia Dingfeng firmly disagreed, and kept winking at Xia Qianqian: Ten taels is too little, ask for a little more. Just like you are blackmailing your grandmother, ask for a high price!
“Ahem.”
Just then, two men coughed from behind the screen.
(End of this chapter)