Chapter 1386: Chapter 1386: Mutual Attacks

Hu Xueyao hurriedly looked at Assistant Judge Jia.

Assistant Judge Jia felt like killing Manager Feng, immediately distancing himself and continuing to protest his innocence: "Lord Magistrate, I am wronged, I truly did not know Feng’s intention to seize the Gu Family’s wealth!"

Deny, he must deny, otherwise, not only would he lose his position, but he might also lose his life.

Manager Feng was cursing Mrs. Lin when he heard this and paused for a moment, then sneered: "Jia Mingfeng, you still dare to claim innocence? You have been eyeing the Gu Family’s business for years, and knowing that I am an old customer with them, you hinted to me twice, emboldening me to dare take action against the Gu Family!"

In his rage, Manager Feng admitted that Mrs. Lin was his mistress. With Gu Jin’an having both witnesses and evidence, and having powerful backing, he was already in a situation with no chance of survival, so he might as well drag a few others down with him.

He said to Magistrate Xi: "My lord, it was all because Jia Mingfeng coveted the profit from the Gu Family’s business and hinted for me to conspire with him to seize their wealth. I have letters as evidence!"

Sigh!

A gasp of astonishment spread inside and outside the court: "Dear God, from Manager Feng’s words, it seems that the mastermind behind this is Assistant Judge Jia."

"That’s right, the mastermind is Jia Mingfeng!" Manager Feng shouted, crying: "I have been doing business with the Gu Family for over four years and have always been grateful. If Jia Mingfeng hadn’t hinted, I feared my refusal would lead to harm to the Feng Family. I was forced into conspiring with him... I still remember the kindness of the Gu Family and wanted to do long-term business with them. It was all forced upon me by Jia Mingfeng."

Young Master Dou was stunned upon hearing this; Manager Feng indeed had the business mindset. Seeing that the conspiracy was exposed, he immediately presented it as coerced wrongdoing.

Ha, are you trying to seem innocent?

Gu Jin’an didn’t speak, just knelt in the court, letting Manager Feng and Assistant Judge Jia argue. The fiercer their dispute, the more it benefitted his family.

Assistant Judge Jia was furious when Manager Feng pushed everything on him, shouting: "Feng, you despicable merchant, this is pure nonsense! When did I ever hint at you to seize the Gu Family’s wealth? You must have evidence to speak; otherwise, it’s a slander against officials, a crime punishable by the extermination of all kin!"

Assistant Judge Jia was cautious in his dealings. Although Manager Feng was the father of Hu Xueyao, he only ever hinted and left no usable evidence.

Yet, though he left no evidence, someone close to him did.

That person was his confidant housekeeper, currently confined in a carriage by the Dou Family’s Shadow Guards.

"Ha, you want evidence, huh? The evidence is on me!" Manager Feng was ready to risk it all, and said to Magistrate Xi: "My lord, please send someone to search me; the letter from Jia Mingfeng’s confidant housekeeper, Jia Tong, is hidden in the inner pocket of my pants!"

Manager Feng was a shrewd person and habitually cautious. Assistant Judge Jia had only ever hinted and communicated through servants, clearly ready to let the blame fall on him should things go wrong.

Hence, when corresponding with Jia Tong, he led Jia Tong to write something in the letter that could testify against Assistant Judge Jia.

When going to the Gu Family to drink at the wedding, Manager Feng carried this letter, especially placing it in the inner pocket of his pants.

"Evidence? Squad Leader Shi, quickly search him!" Magistrate Xi shouted, slapping the gavel, himself getting excited; it was a true twist, more thrilling than storytelling.

"Yes." Squad Leader Shi frowned, disdainfully retrieving a letter from the inner pocket of Manager Feng’s pants and presenting it to Magistrate Xi.

Magistrate Xi also found it distasteful and called a Government Official to open the letter, placing it on the table before reading it.

Upon seeing a sentence in the letter, he slapped the gavel and scolded Assistant Judge Jia: "Jia Mingfeng, this letter clearly states that you wanted silver to go to the Capital to bribe for a position, and had Feng Shiwen conspire to seize the Gu Family’s property. The evidence is conclusive; what else do you have to say?!"

The letter contained this sentence: "The Deputy Magistrate’s term is almost up, the silver to enter the Capital for position-seeking is needed, you must hurry with the Gu Family’s business!"

With such a sentence, coupled with the testimonies of Manager Feng, Hu Dawen, Old Lady Chai and her son, and the evidence submitted by the Gu Family, Assistant Judge Jia couldn’t argue even if he wanted to.

However, no one wants to die; Assistant Judge Jia continued to plead: "My lord, I’m innocent. The seizing of the Gu Family’s property was done by Jia Tong, that despicable servant, and has nothing to do with me!"

The onlookers couldn’t stand it anymore and shouted towards the court: "Ah, pah, Jia, what does nothing have to do with you? Are your sons and grandsons also unrelated to you, spawned by outsiders?!"

This caused an uproarious laughter among the crowd, jeering: "Right, Assistant Judge Jia, if you don’t admit to anything, then don’t even recognize your sons, grandsons, ancestors either."

"With all the evidence and testimonies in place, to still deny it is truly shameless."

"Indeed shameless. If Jia had any shame, would he be with young girls at his age? Without sleeping with young girls, today’s disaster wouldn’t have happened."

No one was naïve. At this point, everyone knew that Assistant Judge Jia was done for and began recounting the despicable deeds he had done over the years.

"In the north of the city, Manager Luo’s daughter’s beauty caught the eye of Jia’s third son. He took advantage of buying wine to force himself on the girl! She was a pure young maiden, not a widow who had been married before!"

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"Manager Luo’s family was furious, wanted to sue, but Assistant Judge Jia sent Protectors to threaten them. The Luo family was severely beaten and forced to compromise, sending their daughter to the Jia family."

"The Jia family claimed to take her as a concubine, but after entering the residence, she was forced to put a fingerprint on a sales contract, then later died in childbirth; it was utterly heartless!"

"Died in childbirth?" someone questioned: "That’s just the public excuse, who knows if the Jia family silenced her by killing?"

This caused another wave of gasps among the crowd, who began to echo: "Right, right, maybe she was silenced by killing!"

Young Master Dou, eager to stir things up, immediately shouted to Magistrate Xi upon hearing this: "Lord Magistrate, you heard it all, you must seek justice for Manager Luo’s family!"

Magistrate Xi was startled by the sudden shout, nearly covering his ears. He slapped the gavel twice and said: "Once Jia Mingfeng is imprisoned, this office will thoroughly investigate his family’s past crimes; if he truly harmed others, it will all be submitted to the Da Li Temple."

Ming Shaoqing had been promoted and is now an Official Monk of Da Li Temple. Gu Jin’an is valued by Ming Shaoqing, and once Jia Mingfeng’s case is submitted, he is essentially doomed.

Thinking of Ming Shaoqing, Magistrate Xi glanced at Gu Jin’an, his face full of smiles... this is the future Ming Family, confidants of Powerful Ministers, a relationship worth forming.

Having decided, Magistrate Xi was unwilling to waste more time with Assistant Judge Jia and immediately declared: "Silence, silence! Jia Mingfeng is the mastermind, orchestrating Manager Feng’s seizure of the Gu Family’s wealth. The evidence is conclusive, no further trial needed."

He then looked at the court clerk who had been recording the testimonies and said: "Go, have him make a thumbprint."

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