"I have had people put emetics in the longevity noodles. Now the truth is out. What else do you have to say, Li?"
Zhu Ping'an slammed the gavel hard in the court and spoke loudly to the old woman in the court.
In fact, Zhu Ping'an had some doubts from the beginning. The old woman was wearing new clothes, was plump, had a ruddy complexion, and was agile. She did not look like someone who had been abused. Zhu Ping'an's doubts became even stronger after her daughter-in-law, He Wangshi, came on stage. He Wangshi was wearing simple clothes, with a patch on her skirt, and looked tired... ...
Because He Wangshi just cried and refused to say anything, the case could not be tried further, so Zhu Pingan came up with the idea of putting emetics in the longevity noodles. Since you are unwilling to speak, let your stomach speak.
"Mr. Magistrate, I, I..."
Faced with the truth that could not be disputed, faced with Zhu Ping'an's interrogation, faced with the pointing and criticizing of the onlookers outside the court, the old woman in the courtroom blushed, stammered, and wished she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.
"It turns out that the magistrate put emetics in the longevity noodles. No wonder they vomited after eating them... If they hadn't met the magistrate, the truth of this case would never have come to light."
"The county magistrate is indeed worthy of being the number one scholar of the Ming Dynasty. He is truly amazing that he could come up with such an idea. Even if Lord Bao were alive, he would be no better than him."
"I really deserve a beating. I actually doubted the magistrate just now and criticized him for being absurd."
The crowd watching outside the court were full of admiration for Zhu Ping'an and bowed down to him in worship.
"You can't judge a person by his appearance, but you can never know his heart. I saw this old lady crying and looking so pitiful and aggrieved before, and I said she was so pitiful. But who would have thought that she was actually a false accuser?!"
"Haha, this old lady is really capable of making trouble. It was her birthday, and her daughter-in-law gave her fish and meat, while she herself ate vegetables and radishes. What else could she be dissatisfied with on this day? Yet she actually went so far as to make trouble, confuse right and wrong, and falsely accuse her daughter-in-law of being disobedient and unfilial?!"
"This is really confusing right and wrong. This old lady is really good at acting. Now I see again, the clothes she wears are much better than her daughter-in-law, and she eats a lot more and is much fatter than her daughter-in-law. How can she look like she is being abused..."
"I thought she was a wicked daughter-in-law, but who knew she was actually a wicked mother-in-law? Thanks to the magistrate for his wise judgment..."
The crowd outside the court pointed at the old woman and talked about her.
"Li, you fabricated a lie and falsely accused your daughter-in-law of being disobedient and unfilial. The truth is out and cannot be denied. According to the laws of our Great Ming, those who make false accusations shall be punished and punished more severely. You falsely accused your daughter-in-law of being disobedient and unfilial, so you shall be convicted of the crime of disobedience and unfilial piety you falsely accused her of, and the punishment shall be increased. Disobedience and unfilial piety are the most serious crimes that cannot be pardoned, second only to treason and rebellion. In this case, disobedience and unfilial piety, at the very least, should be punished by 50 lashes of the cane and paraded through the streets as a warning to the public. You falsely accused her of a higher punishment, and shall be punished by 60 lashes of the cane and paraded through the streets as a warning to the public with a sign on her head."
Zhu Ping'an slammed the gavel heavily, and pronounced the verdict to the old woman in the court with an expressionless face. Then he reached out and drew a stick from the stick tube.
What?!
Sixty lashes of the cane?! And also putting up signs and parading them through the streets?!
I'm already so old, if I get 60 strokes of the cane, even if I survive, I'm afraid I won't be able to get out of bed...
The old woman Li was struck by lightning when she heard this. Her face turned pale, her legs went limp, and she collapsed to the ground. She was so scared that she kowtowed and begged for mercy, "Please have mercy, magistrate. Please have mercy, magistrate. I will never dare to do it again, I will never dare to do it again, please have mercy, magistrate..."
"You're scared now, but what were you doing before?! On your birthday, your daughter-in-law gave you delicious food and fish, but she ate vegetables and radishes. You even falsely accused her of being disobedient and unfilial, and asked the magistrate to sentence your son to divorce her. How could you be so evil... ... You're not enjoying your good life, but you're always causing trouble!"
The onlookers laughed at the old woman.
"My Lord, please, my mother-in-law is old and cannot bear sixty strokes of the cane. She is also a person who cares about her reputation. If she is paraded through the streets with a sign, it will be the end of her life. Please, my Lord, spare my mother-in-law this time. I will offer a longevity tablet to you at home..."
When He Wang heard that Zhu Ping'an was going to punish her mother-in-law, she was not only worried about her mother-in-law, but also kowtowed repeatedly and pleaded with Zhu Ping'an on her mother-in-law's behalf.
"Your mother-in-law falsely accused you of being disobedient and unfilial, and asked me to order your husband to divorce you. You are still trying to plead for your mother-in-law after treating you like this?"
Zhu Ping'an stopped throwing the sticks and asked He Wangshi with interest.
"Yes. I beg the magistrate to show mercy and spare my mother-in-law this time."
He Wangshi nodded vigorously, then kowtowed repeatedly to beg for mercy, and her forehead was broken due to the force.
"Alas, the mother-in-law falsely accused her, but she still pleaded for her mother-in-law. Such a good daughter-in-law is hard to find even with a lantern. This old woman is really blinded by greed. She doesn't even know how to cherish such a good daughter-in-law..."
When the onlookers saw this, they praised He Wangshi for repaying evil with kindness and sneered at the old woman who made the false accusation.
"Ms. He, I appreciate your filial piety, but every family has its own rules and every country has its own laws. Those who make false accusations must be punished and given heavier penalties. This is clearly stipulated in the laws of our Ming Dynasty..."
Zhu Ping'an shook his head and picked up the order again.
"My Lord Magistrate, I am willing to take the punishment for my mother-in-law. I beg you to grant my wish..." Seeing that her mother-in-law's crime was unforgivable, He Wangshi requested to take the punishment for her mother-in-law, kowtowing and begging repeatedly.
The grandmother was punished!
He Wangshi's actions moved the onlookers deeply. This scene only happened in the drama, but they didn't expect to see it in real life.
"Alas, daughter-in-law, I... I was blinded by greed and didn't recognize a kind heart. I was wrong..."
When the old woman saw that He Wangshi had even hit her head in order to plead for her and take punishment for her, she felt so ashamed that tears suddenly flowed down her face.
"Ms. Li, you falsely accused your daughter-in-law. Not only did your daughter-in-law plead for you, she also took the punishment for you. What do you have to say?" Zhu Ping'an, holding the warrant in his hand, said to the old woman in the hall who had already expressed remorse.
"Master Magistrate, I'm wrong, wuwuwu. I see my son is good to his daughter-in-law, so I just don't like her, wuwuwu... I'm not a human being if I don't enjoy my good life..." The old woman slapped herself twice as she spoke. He Wangshi hurriedly stepped forward, grabbed her mother-in-law's hand, and stopped her in tears.
"Do you know you are wrong?!" Zhu Pingan asked.
"I know I was wrong, and I won't do it again. My daughter-in-law treats me so well, if I don't cherish her, I will be a beast. I will live a good life in the future and treat my daughter-in-law as my own daughter. If my son treats my daughter-in-law badly, I will give him a good lesson even if I have to sacrifice my life..."
The old woman knelt on the ground, hugging He Wangshi tightly, tears of regret flowing like a river bursting its dam.
"A harmonious family is the root of everything, and a loving father and a filial son. Mrs. Li, considering that you can correct your mistakes, you are old, and today is your birthday, and most importantly, the victim, your daughter-in-law, not only forgave you, but also pleaded for you, I will temporarily record this beating, and if you commit the same offense again in the future, I will punish you together, and severely punish you!"
Zhu Ping'an put the order stick in his hand back into the stick box and said sternly to Li in the hall.
"Thank you, sir. Thank you, sir. I will never do that again. I will cherish this good daughter-in-law and live a good life." The old woman was so grateful that her eyes were filled with tears. She kowtowed and thanked him repeatedly, and swore that she would never do that again.
"Filial piety is the most important virtue. Mrs. He, you are very filial and can be a role model for contemporary daughters-in-law. I will reward you with ten taels of silver as a reward. Secretary, remember to write a commendation letter and send it to Mrs. He's home together with the reward silver as a reward."
Zhu Ping'an publicly commended He Wangshi's filial piety in the court and ordered the clerk to issue a commendation order to show his appreciation.
"Thank you, Your Excellency the County Magistrate. Thank you, Your Excellency the County Magistrate." Mrs. He Wang and the old woman kowtowed happily to express their gratitude.
The onlookers were also deeply moved and applauded, praising Zhu Ping'an for being the real Bao Gong and judging the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law case, praising He Wangshi's filial piety, and admonishing the old woman to cherish her blessings and treasure her good daughter-in-law... ...