The officials present looked at Ji Zhibai in surprise, and many of them almost blurted out the same words.
"Are you crazy?" Ao Huang expressed the thoughts of all the officials.
In the confrontation between Fang Yun and the Zuo Xiang Party, the Zuo Xiang Party had been a little mean before, but they still used officialdom to deal with Fang Yun, and Fang Yun also fought back with his own abilities. But now, in order to defeat Fang Yun, Ji Zhibai actually represented the suspect and went into battle shirtless.
Even some officials who were originally members of the Zuo Xiang party felt that Ji Zhibai had succeeded this time.
Ji Zhibai said frankly, "I am the inspector of Mizhou. To maintain harmony among my colleagues, I should avoid fighting with County Magistrate Fang. However, this shopkeeper Gong is not only a citizen of the place I inspect, but also a citizen of the place I governed last year. He has been wronged and has come to me for help. So I will reluctantly do my best to plead for the people."
Ao Huang whispered: "Fang Yun, can this dragon curse people?" Wucuo Novel Network does not skip words.
This is a court, and Fang Yun forbids Ao Huang from speaking carelessly.
"No." Fang Yun said.
"I won't say anything more about that." Ao Huang stared at Ji Zhibai angrily.
Fang Yun slammed the gavel and shouted, "Who is standing in the hall?"
The shopkeeper looked at Ji Zhibai.
Ji Zhibai bowed and said, "Gong, the shopkeeper, regrets and blames himself because he accidentally killed his wife and children. He is heartbroken. He has already told me the limit in private and it is difficult for him to speak in court. Therefore, I will relay the story on his behalf."
The shopkeeper Gong immediately lowered his head and reached out to wipe his tearless eyes.
Fang Yun took his hand off the gavel and said, "Could it be that Master Ji knows everything about the Gong family's affairs?"
"I dare not say I know everything, but Manager Gong once told me some reasons while crying." Ji Zhibai said.
Fang Yun's face darkened and he looked at Yu Ba Chi, who immediately said, "I will go and find out who allowed an irrelevant person to see the prisoner!"
Ji Zhibai opened his fan and gently fanned it with satisfaction, saying, "Ji, the jailer, and I have a long history. I have committed a minor offense, and I am ready to resign from my duties as jailer. I will leave Ning'an City immediately, so you don't have to worry about me. Oh, by the way, I have also committed a minor offense, and I shouldn't have entered the jail to see the shopkeeper Gong. I will apologize and be fined one month's salary."
Ao Huang was so furious when he saw Ji Zhibai's smug look that he wished he could burn Ji Zhibai to death with a breath of dragon flame.
Fang Yun's expression remained unchanged, and he said, "Yu Dianshi will stay here. As for the dereliction of duty by Ji Jailor, we will investigate it in detail later." After that, Fang Yun looked at Ji Zhibai. Mizhou had been run by Zuo Xiang's party for decades, and Ning'an County was the most important. It was normal for a jailer to surrender to Ji Zhibai.
"Yes!" Yu Bachi suppressed his anger and looked at Ji Zhibai with his fists clenched. It was a great shame and humiliation for him to have Ji Zhibai go to jail right under his nose.
"Then please answer my question, Master Ji." Fang Yun said.
Ji Zhibai smiled and said, "This is the shopkeeper Gong of Kaiyuan Grain Store. He is in charge of all matters of the grain store. Originally..."
Fang Yun slammed the gavel to interrupt Ji Zhibai's words and said, "Just answer whatever I ask. Sir Ji, you don't know this little bit of etiquette, do you?"
"Sir Fang, please excuse me, but I also have a question. This matter is originally a family affair. According to the law, it should be decided by the county magistrate after consultation with the Gong family. Why did you take the initiative to try the case? What's more, there is not even a plaintiff! Everyone, what do you think?" Ji Zhibai said and turned to look outside the door.
The Gong family immediately expressed their support, but Gong Liu's family remained silent, and dared not speak out.
Fang Yun shouted angrily, "Ridiculous! Human life is at stake. Could it be that this sky also belongs to the Gong family? The two deceased were not only members of the Gong family, but also members of the human race, citizens of Jing State, and citizens under my rule! Although there is no plaintiff in this case, I have the right to report it!"
Ji Zhi's fair face showed a trace of smile, and he said, "Since it was Magistrate Fang who reported this matter, then I understand. However, even if the three people of the Gong family are human, it is still a matter of the family. Moreover, this matter was caused by the accidental injury of the shopkeeper Gong after drinking, not murder. According to the law, it should be decided by the clan law, not the national law."
Fang Yun said: "If it is an accidental injury, it will naturally be decided by clan law, but if it is murder, it will be decided by national law!"
Ji Zhibai smiled and said, "Your Excellency is right, but this case is manslaughter. Shopkeeper Gong, did you want to kill your wife and children, or did you just take them out on your anger because the grain store was going to close?"
Shopkeeper Gong immediately shook his head and said, "I definitely don't want to kill my wife and children. The reason I did it was not only because I was drunk, but also because I lost my livelihood and was extremely depressed, so I took my wife and children to vent my anger. I swear to God, I really don't want to kill them both!"
Ji Zhibai raised his head and said, "Master Fang, did you hear that? Shopkeeper Gong did not want to kill his wife and children. This case was an accidental injury caused by venting his anger over the impending closure of the grain store!"
Fang Yun slammed the gavel and said, "Bring the Gong family's neighbors."
"yes!"
The officers brought more than a dozen people to the court. All of them were over ten years old and under ninety years old.
A legalist official bowed and said, "I have examined the eyes, ears, noses, and memories of all the witnesses, and they can all testify."
Fang Yun nodded, looked at the dozen or so neighbors of Shopkeeper Gong, and said, "Have you ever heard Shopkeeper Gong want to kill his wife and children? If you have heard it, raise your right hand."
All sixteen people who appeared in court raised their hands, including a thirteen-year-old child and a man in his seventies.
When the officials and yamen runners present saw this scene, they felt a chill in their hearts for no reason, and even Ao Huang was surprised.
Fang Yun said: "Tell us what you heard one by one from left to right."
The middle-aged man on the far left bowed to Fang Yun and said, "I am reporting to you, sir. Shopkeeper Gong often said he wanted to beat and kill his wife and children. Since I became his neighbor, I have heard it no less than a hundred times. It is really difficult to recount every detail."
Fang Yun said: "Then tell us the words that you remember clearly as your testimony."
"Yes, sir. I remember last winter, when the New Year was approaching, I heard Manager Gong beating his wife and cursing, 'You damned woman, if it weren't for your obedience, I would have killed you long ago! You know, as long as I pay you some money, I can get away with it even if I kill you!' Another time, I heard him cursing, 'It's just right to kill you, so I can get a new one.' The year before last..."
Ji Zhibai interrupted the witness and said, "Master Fang, these are just words spoken in anger! For example, there is a swear word in Sichuan called 'fuck his ancestors'. Could it be that the person who cursed really went to get the coffin of the ancestors? They are just words spoken in anger. Who hasn't said them? These words spoken in anger cannot be used as evidence."
Fang Yun said, "Master Ji, this is wrong. Whether angry words can be used as evidence depends on whether they are unconscious words or actions out of anger, or whether they are thought-provoking. When Manager Gong beat people, his thinking was clear and well-organized. It is obvious that it was not an unconscious angry word, but a threat to Gong Liu with 'murder', and he did have a motive! The witness continues to answer."
The shopkeeper suddenly knelt down and shouted, "Please, sir, I am..."
Fang Yun held the official seal, sealed the mouth of the shopkeeper Gong, and said: "Witness, continue to answer." (To be continued...)