The prefect actually understood one thing when Bai Yuan and others showed up. If he wanted to deal with Mu Yexiao and his group today, he would have no chance.
After all, even if it was the Shi family who gave him the order, they couldn't afford to offend the Bai family. So today's matter could only be handled according to the laws of the Great Zhou.
"Old lady, is what your son said true? Is he not unfilial?"
The old lady couldn't stand hearing such words, and snorted, "Of course, I am his mother. I just went to his house to take a few more clothes, and he sent me to the government and asked me to pay compensation. What else can this be but unfilial?"
Qian Jiujiu couldn't help laughing when she heard this: "This old lady, you are really good at confusing right and wrong! All of us who handled this matter are still here, and you can still talk nonsense like this, it's simply a joke."
Mu Yexiao also took the initiative to speak at this time: "Sir, this matter happens to be related to the reason why you called us here, so let me tell you about it."
"The person who was sued was not the old lady, but the little girl standing next to the old lady. She followed her grandmother into someone else's house and damaged someone's clothes. She should pay compensation."
A hint of embarrassment flashed across the prefect's face: "Yes, this is indeed as it should be."
Fang Dashan sighed at this time and spoke, looking at the prefect: "Sir, I did disobey my mother's request, but I really cannot agree to those requests. Not to mention myself, no one would agree to it."
The prefect was a little curious and asked directly: "Oh? What request did you refuse?"
Fang Dashan did not hide anything and confessed everything directly: "She asked me to sell my little daughter and even gave her fifty taels a month. I have never forgotten to pay her tribute. Besides, my family can still make a living and will not sell my children..."
When the people outside heard these words, they were stunned. It turned out that this old woman was so cruel that she actually asked others to sell her daughter.
That's right, how can anyone respect such a person? He is simply a devil. Besides, he has already separated from his family, but he still does such excessive things.
The old lady looked at the people outside, who were pointing fingers at her and speaking harshly. She couldn't help but look at the prefect: "Sir, it's not like that. You promised that we can win the lawsuit today..."
After hearing these words, the prefect's face turned pale instantly, and he even glanced at Bai Yuan cautiously. Bai Yuan was also shocked.
"It seems that there is something we don't know about this? Shouldn't the prefect explain it to us?"
The prefect then remembered and tried to stop the old woman from talking: "What nonsense are you talking about? I have never met you before, how can I give you any guarantee?"
The old lady didn't care! Anyway, seeing that she was going to lose, she said everything: "That's not the case. The Shi family who sent us here said that you would help us. Going to court is just a matter of form. Why is it not the case now?"
She was not a fool. Anyway, it was impossible to win the case now. She still had to say something: "We came here because you promised to win the case. Otherwise, I would not have come to sue my own son. It's because your family is so powerful that you threatened me. I came here for my family."
Mu Yexiao and Qian Jiujiu looked at each other. There were different versions of this matter. The old lady went from being strong at the beginning to being forced to come now. This reversal was really huge.
"My Lord, although I am a bit mean, it's just because I see that my second son is doing well, so I try to find a way to give him some money to support my eldest son. I have no ill intentions."
She seemed quite innocent when she said this. And what does the Shi family have to do with this? Bai Yuan was also a little curious: "Who are the Shi family you are talking about?"
The old lady shook her head and said, "I don't know either. I only know that the Shi family is a big family in Xianyou Town, and we, a small family, can't afford to offend them. Moreover, someone in the Shi family is a high official in Kyoto. If we don't obey, we will all die."
Bai Yuan was furious when he heard this: "This is outrageous! Sir, shouldn't you tell me what's going on here? Do you know anything about the Shi family?"
The prefect was also shocked. At this time, it seemed that it would be no use denying it. The people of the Bai family were first-rate in investigating cases, and they would surely be able to uncover the truth sooner or later.
It would be better to put all the blame on the Shi family while they are away. This way at least one life can be saved.
"Sir, I was forced into this situation. Lord Shi said that if I didn't obey, I would suffer a terrible fate. And there is one more thing. When I reported the thresher incident, I didn't include the names of Magistrate Mu and others. This was also the intention of the Shi family."
The matter of the threshing machine seemed to be very lively. When Nan Nan heard this, he also stepped forward and said, "Master Bai, speaking of the threshing machine, I have something to say."
Bai Yuan was panicking, but he immediately said, "You say."
Nan Nan nodded: "Yes, it's like this, the thresher was designed by my mother, of course, for the people of the world... Originally, Brother Tong had good intentions and wanted to come to the capital to sell the thresher. After all, the people in the capital would need it.
As a result, after Brother Tong came to the prefectural city, he was arrested and put in jail as soon as he put out the threshing machine. He has not been released yet. After a few days of investigation, I found out that the prefect had already used the drawings of the threshing machine to sell to several families in the prefectural city.
Letting them use the threshing machine to make money is completely contrary to the original intention of the threshing machine. I ask Lord Bai to make the decision and release my brother Tong and severely punish the prefect. "
The prefect didn't expect that this young master was so cruel. This matter was also brought up, and he was even more uneasy.
Bai Yuan nodded and said, "Go and invite Tong Ruyu from the prison. Also, go and bring all the merchants who sell threshers in the city."
Then he glanced at the prefect and said, "As for you, I am not qualified to punish you. How about this, the mistakes you made are not small ones. I will escort you back to the capital, and someone will come to punish you."
The prefect was shocked. He just took a little money and obeyed the Shi family. Why did he need special people to punish him
"Sir, I am at fault. Please have mercy on me and spare my life. It was all instigated by the Shi family. I am innocent."
If a special person were to punish them, it would cost lives. And if the whole family were implicated, it would be hard to justify it.
Bai Yuan felt a little sympathetic towards the prefect. He could have provoked anyone else, but he chose to provoked the person he should not offend. "You actually concealed the things that should be reported. Just because of the Shi family, you dared to commit the crime of deceiving the emperor and falsely claiming the credit. I can't decide on this. You'd better go to the capital."
"As for whether you are wrongly accused or not, after you come to the capital, whether it is wrongly accused or someone is instigating you, you can talk to the people in the capital yourself. First, arrest him and put him in prison, and wait for the people in the capital to come and arrest him. During this period of time, I will temporarily take over the position of prefect until the court appoints another prefect."
Every imperial envoy has the right to temporarily replace a senior official. When the prefect heard Bai Yuan's words, he knew he had no chance, and he sat aside, looking very depressed.
When the old woman and the others saw that the prefect had been arrested, they were frightened and begged for mercy: "Sir, we were really forced to do this. Please have mercy on us."
Bai Yuan was very disdainful of the few people: "This is the first time I have seen someone being forced to kill his own son. People say that even a tiger won't eat its own cubs! You..."
Before she could finish her next words, the old woman couldn't help but speak first: "Sir, no, this man is not my biological son, I just picked him up. I raised him up and even found him a wife, which is already the most benevolent thing I have done."
"What's more, this isn't my own child. Compared to my own child, the one I gave birth to is definitely more important. I was really forced into this."
The crying look and the reason given seemed to be valid. But this reason shocked Fang Dashan: "Mom, what are you talking about? You can't just say nonsense to get away with it."
The old lady snorted, "I'm not talking nonsense! You are really not my son. I picked you up on the street. You were wearing nice clothes at the time, and you also had a jade pendant! I still have the jade pendant hidden in my house. If you don't believe me, I'll show it to you."
Fang Dashan was stunned, not knowing what to say. Bai Yuan raised his eyebrows: "Are the Shi family members also in Xianyou Town?"
The old lady nodded: "Yes, it was the Shi family from Xianyou Town who forced us to come here."
Bai Yuan said, "If that's the case, then I'll go a little further to Xianyou Town to continue the interrogation. Send two yamen runners to take her back and find the jade pendant you mentioned, as well as other things that can prove that he is not your son, and then continue the interrogation at the Xianyou Town Yamen."
"Also, send a team of yamen runners to bring all the people from the Shi family in Xianyou Town to the lobby of the Xianyou Town County Yamen. I will continue the interrogation."
Mu Yexiao really admired Bai Yuan. This was the best solution. "County Magistrate Mu, your family has suffered an unexpected disaster. Just go back. You can sit in on the trial at the Xianyou Town County Court."
Mumu Yexiao bowed and said, "Thank you, sir."
The old woman's matter was dealt with. The only thing left was the threshing machine corruption. The original prefect was forced to kneel beside him. He could only be detained after this matter was dealt with.