After Heizhi mentioned that the knife he used to chop people was actually provided by Liu Shumin on purpose, and that he also saw with his own eyes the iron shop where Liu Shumin bought it, the county magistrate asked the bailiff to find the worker of that iron shop and question him.
On the other side, Zhang Cuixiu was also summoned to the county government office by the county magistrate.
After learning about Liu Shumin's actions from the yamen runners, Zhang Cuixiu felt both surprised and normal. After all, the time they had spent together was enough for her to see the true face of her lover.
Liu Shumin is not a good husband at all, he is clearly a liar and villain who will not do anything without profit.
What an unwilling fact it was. He had only ever used and deceived her.
These days, the more badly Zhang Cuixiu was scolded by the Liu family, the more she hated Liu Shumin.
This hatred and disgust even exceeded her jealousy towards Lu Mingyue over the past ten years.
She was a vengeful person. If she was not well off, she would make Liu Shumin suffer too. So Liu Shumin's engagement was broken off and he was also rejected by the academy.
But how could this be enough? Her reputation was ruined, and so was her life.
On the way to the county government office, Zhang Cuixiu had a strange and weird smile on her face.
She had already thought of how to take revenge on Liu Shumin. She and he were a match made in heaven. Since her life was ruined, his should be ruined as well.
Zhang Cuixiu knelt on the ground, with unspeakable malice in her lowered eyes: "I, the humble girl Zhang Cuixiu, pay my respects to the county magistrate."
The county magistrate pointed at Liu Shumin standing next to him and asked, "Zhang Cuixiu, do you know this person?"
Zhang Cuixiu then turned to look at her former lover. Seeing the pleading look on his face and the affectionate look in his eyes, she suddenly remembered the word "disgusting" that Lu Mingyue had said before.
Isn't it disgusting? Pretending to be a romantic at a time like this really makes her sick.
She would never be fooled again.
"Your Excellency, I not only know Liu Shumin, but I was also deceived by him and lost my reputation." Zhang Cuixiu bowed deeply to the ground again, raised her head and said loudly: "Please help me, Your Excellency."
Hearing this, Heizhi immediately clapped his hands and laughed, "You all heard it, I said Liu Shumin is not a good person."
"Silence." The county magistrate glared at Heizhi, then said to Zhang Cuixiu with interest, "How did he deceive you? Tell me about it."
When Liu Shumin heard this, his heart suddenly skipped a beat.
He just couldn't understand how things had come to this point.
He had clearly planned everything out, but the way things developed, not a single step was within his expectations.
However, Liu Shumin comforted himself in his heart that he must keep calm. The purchase of the knife was explained by the fact that the knife at home was broken, but that idiot Zhang Cuixiu had no evidence at all.
However, Zhang Cuixiu had already decided to go all out. Yes, she didn't have any definite evidence, but she was willing to take the risk.
"The story begins with Ah Yue, oh no, Miss Lu. As early as half a year ago, Liu Shumin and I intended to deceive Miss Lu, with the intention of..." As soon as Zhang Cuixiu opened her mouth, it was clear that she and Liu Shumin had plotted against Lu Mingyue. She actually disregarded her reputation and shamelessness and made all those ugly plots public.
Amid the spitting sounds of the onlookers, the glaring eyes of Lu's father, and the smug smile of Heizhi, Liu Shumin closed his eyes helplessly.
It doesn't matter whether there is evidence or not now. He deceived Miss Lu first, and instigated people to kill Master Lu later. Everyone knows that he coveted the wealth of the Lu family. I'm afraid no one will believe that he is innocent anymore.
No, he couldn't just sit there and wait for death, he had to find a way.
He is the God of Literature who has descended to earth. In the future he will take the imperial examination and become a high-ranking official. He cannot fall here.
Liu Shumin's mind was full of thoughts, and his back was very straight.
Zhang Cuixiu smiled sarcastically, "I never thought that he would come up with another plan after his previous one failed, and he actually set his sights on Master Lu again. I really can't bear to see him go unpunished any longer, so please be careful." Father Lu also bowed, "Please punish this evil man and make a decision for me and me."
The county magistrate slammed the gavel and asked loudly, "Liu Shumin, do you admit what Zhang Cuixiu said?"
Liu Shumin was suddenly awakened and clenched his hands into fists in his sleeves.
Liu Shumin forced himself to cheer up, shook his head and denied, "Your Excellency, Zhang Cuixiu wanted to marry me, but I rejected her and she held a grudge against me, so she made up these stories. What she said is all nonsense, and there is no evidence. I have never done those things, so I will naturally deny them."
When Zhang Cuixiu heard this, she burst into laughter and laughed so hard that tears came down.
How ridiculous, her sincerity became what he called hatred.
In this case, "Sir," Zhang Cuixiu wiped her tears and suddenly said loudly, "Sir, in the box on Liu Shumin's desk in his study, there are four unsent letters he wrote to Miss Lu. Those letters are full of lies. I wonder if this counts as evidence?"
Yes, four letters, all of which she had not sent out, but which he was reluctant to destroy.
She knew him so well. He would definitely not be willing to destroy those letters. After all, what if there was still a chance to give them to Lu Mingyue!
Liu Shumin suddenly looked up at her, disbelief and horror in his eyes.
Upon seeing this, the county magistrate immediately nodded to the two yamen runners beside him.
The two bailiffs ran out quickly.
Liu Shumin's back relaxed and he collapsed to the ground dejectedly, no longer willing to argue.
It's over. It's all over.
His future, his reputation, his life, were all ruined by two idiots, Heizhi and Zhang Cuixiu.
Not long after, two yamen runners came back with the letter.
Four letters, just the right amount, not more, not less.
The county magistrate took the four letters and glanced at them casually. Seeing the pile of disgusting and nauseating words in them, he couldn't help but look at them with contempt.
The county magistrate slammed the gavel down heavily: "Liu Shumin, what else do you have to say now?"
Liu Shumin closed his eyes, he had nothing to say.
After a long while, the owner of the iron shop also arrived at the yamen.
The owner of the iron shop carefully looked at Liu Shumin who was kneeling on the ground, and nodded, "Yes, he was the one who came to buy the knife a few days ago. The knives in my shop are all engraved with numbers, and the numbers are recorded after they are sold. I just checked the one he bought, and the number is 359."
The county magistrate winked at the bailiff, and someone came forward and handed over the knife.
The owner of the iron shop took the knife and took a closer look. He immediately nodded and said, "It is the knife he came to buy."
After watching for half a day, the people applauded and cheered.
Now we have both witnesses and evidence.
Moreover, these two cases were closed at the same time.
(End of this chapter)