flstandardbreds Chapter 103 Confession
Chapter 103 Confession
The county magistrate Zhang Yaozu sat on the main seat, wearing a black gauze hat and ill-fitting clothes. His round body, round face, and small black gauze hat seemed to make a hole in it. His round body, round face, and small black gauze hat made him look funny no matter how you looked at him. No wonder Zhang Wenbin was so short, he inherited his father's excellent genes.
Li Xiaoxiao and Si Chengxu came to the center of the county government hall. Zhang Wenbin, supported by two servants, walked in slowly. Behind him was a group of villagers watching the fun. They thought that someone was so bold as to provoke Zhang Wenbin again, and Zhang Wenbin was going to sue someone again.
Li Xiaoxiao noticed with her sharp eyes that the villagers who had been in the pavilion just now were also in the crowd.
Sitting in the main seat, the county magistrate Zhang Yaozu saw a young couple. The girl was pretty and lively, with a pair of big sparkling eyes and a curved mouth. The man was tall and handsome, and his demeanor showed that he was not an ordinary villager.
Seeing his son Zhang Wenbin winking at him frantically, Zhang Yaozu understood that these two must have offended his son, so his son wanted to sue them. He asked him to go to court to convict them as soon as possible.
Zhang Yaozu nodded and gave him a silent reply. Zhang Wenbin looked at Li Xiaoxiao proudly, as if to say, since I can't go to court, let's see how you sue me.
Before he could finish his joy, Zhang Yaozu, who was sitting on the throne, suddenly shouted, "I'm going to the court."
Zhang Wenbin was completely confused. Didn't he give his father a hint that he wouldn't be allowed to go to court? How could he go back?
How could Li Xiaoxiao not understand the little actions between the two of them? She laughed secretly and couldn't understand how Zhang Yaozu became the county magistrate.
"Zhang Wenbin, who do you want to sue?" Zhang Yaozu asked loudly as he slammed the gavel.
Without waiting for Zhang Wenbin to answer, Li Xiaoxiao stepped forward.
"County magistrate, I think you have misunderstood. It is me who wants to sue Zhang Wenbin." Li Xiaoxiao's voice was clear, neither arrogant nor humble, and her eyes were looking directly at the county magistrate on the stage.
Zhang Yaozu was obviously stunned for a moment, but he quickly came to his senses and looked at Li Xiaoxiao unhappily: "What did he do wrong? You want to sue him."
Li Xiaoxiao took out a piece of paper from her arms, which was covered with densely written words. She unfolded it and took it outside to show the onlookers.
"Li Xiaoxiao, what are you doing?" Realizing her thoughts, Zhang Wenbin wanted to stop her, but it was too late.
The onlookers, some literate and some illiterate, stretched their heads to see what was written. Some illiterate people urged the people around them: "You are educated and literate, read it out loud so that everyone can hear it."
The person who was named was usually a show-off. He felt a little flattered when he was named in public. He carefully read the content and cleared his throat: "I, Zhang Wenbin, kidnapped Li Huawen from Xiyuan Academy..." It took a while to finish reading. The signature was Zhang Wenbin's, and there was also a handprint.
Everyone looked at each other in bewilderment. What was going on? Zhang Wenbin was always arrogant and domineering. How could he admit to kidnapping someone? If this matter was reported to the county government, if the evidence was conclusive, he would be beaten with a stick, and in serious cases he might even go to jail.
Even Zhang Yaozu, who was above his parents, doubted that his son, whom he knew best, would not take the initiative to write a confession.
"Zhang Wenbin, did you write this confession on your own initiative, or was someone forcing you to do so?"
"I wrote it myself. No one forced me." Zhang Wenbin glanced at Li Xiaoxiao, feeling the strange looks from everyone, and said through gritted teeth.
"Is the content of the confession true?" Zhang Yaozu continued to ask.
"true."
"I'll ask you one last time. Do you know the consequences of pleading guilty?" Zhang Yaozu gritted out the words one by one through his teeth. He was really mad at him. If this disappointing son pleaded guilty, where would he put his old face? He couldn't even manage his own son, so how could he convince others in the future?
"I did it all, I admit it." Zhang Wenbin said impatiently. If it wasn't for his life, how could he write such a thing.
"Rebellious son." Zhang Yaozu cursed angrily on the high platform. If he wasn't in front of so many people, he would have wanted to give him two big slaps in the face to wake him up.
"County magistrate, now is not the time for you to teach your son a lesson. If you have anything to say, please talk in private. Business is the most important thing now." Li Xiaoxiao reminded leisurely.
Zhang Yaozu coughed lightly to cover up his previous gaffe.
"Who are you and what is your relationship with the kidnapped person?"
"In reply to the county magistrate, I am Li Xiaoxiao. Today Zhang Wenbin kidnapped my younger brother. My brother is young, so I am here to sue Zhang Wenbin on his behalf. Kidnapping others has caused serious psychological trauma to others. I ask the county magistrate to seek justice for me." Li Xiaoxiao spoke eloquently. In front of so many people, she didn't believe that Zhang Yaozu could still cover up for her.
"Li Xiaoxiao, did Zhang Wenbin write this evidence under your coercion?" Zhang Yaozu looked at Li Xiaoxiao with a dark face.
"County magistrate, Zhang Wenbin has just admitted that he wrote it himself, and it has nothing to do with me. Just because he is your son, you are unwilling to admit that he has broken the law, right? As the saying goes, a prince who breaks the law is subject to the same punishment as a commoner. He is just the son of a county magistrate, can he ignore the law?" Li Xiaoxiao's words were righteous and passionate, and the crowd watching followed suit and talked about it.
Seeing that the situation was about to get out of control, Zhang Yaozu slammed the gavel and the crowd immediately quieted down.
"Li Xiaoxiao, now that your brother is back, what else do you want?"
"County magistrate, Zhang Wenbin was the one who started this matter. It's not what I want to do, but what should be done. I believe that you will handle this impartially and give an explanation to me and my fellow villagers." Li Xiaoxiao first slapped him in the face and then gave him a sweet treat.
Zhang Yaozu couldn't do anything to Li Xiaoxiao because he was in court. He took a deep breath, suppressed the anger that was about to explode in his heart, stared at Li Xiaoxiao, and said with gritted teeth: "It is true that Zhang Wenbin kidnapped Li Huawen. Since Zhang Wenbin took the initiative to write the evidence and admitted his guilt with a good attitude, I now sentence Zhang Wenbin to give ten taels of silver to Li Xiaoxiao and be beaten with ten boards. Plaintiff, are you satisfied?"
"I'm not satisfied. I don't want the money. Let him go to jail." Li Xiaoxiao refused directly. Such a blatantly light sentence just couldn't satisfy him.
Zhang Yaozu tightly grasped the armrests of the armchair with both hands. He had lost all face today. This Li Xiaoxiao was here to go against him. He said helplessly, "Sentence Zhang Wenbin to pay you fifty taels of silver and give you twenty strokes of the cane. Is that all right?"