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Liu Yuan believed he had grasped Ye Xiaohan's weak point, a smug expression crossing his face as he said, "So, how is it, Boss Ye? Have you seen clearly now?"
Ye Xiaohan tossed the document aside. "Do you think this kind of thing can be decided so easily? Is there no Rule of Law that prevents arbitrary convictions?"
Deep down, she understood that she had already outmaneuvered Liu Yuan's schemes; the outcome seemed to be set in stone. The Rule of Law in Liu Yuan's hands appeared to depend solely on his mood.
It was strange that Liu Yuan, merely the son of a county magistrate, possessed such influence. After all, capital punishment has always been a serious matter throughout history and cannot be decided without layers of approval.
Going through such a complex process, especially in ancient times when transportation and communication were severely limited, would take a considerable amount of time.
Yet Liu Yuan had managed to pin her with charges and deliver a final sentence in just a short period—an impressive feat indeed.
He may not have any official titles himself; all his power came from his father. Even his father, the County Magistrate, could not wield such authority to determine life and death.
Unless... Ye Xiaohan's thoughts shifted. If 6 Bei could have a mysterious identity behind him, could Liu Yuan also possess some special status like 6 Bei?
Regardless, Liu Yuan was certainly not as simple as he appeared on the surface; the county magistrate might be involved in some underhanded dealings.
Ye Xiaohan felt that everyone around her seemed peculiar. What was wrong with this town? Did everyone have a penchant for theatrics? Did one person need to create multiple identities?
Seeing Ye Xiaohan silent for too long, Liu Yuan assumed she was frightened and felt even more pleased with himself. "Boss Ye, why aren't you speaking? Aren't you usually quite talkative? Or are you so trapped that even your words are confined?"
Ye Xiaohan glanced at Liu Yuan. Was this man scheming for her demise? His demeanor suggested ulterior motives—was he still harboring resentment over their previous encounter?
To confirm this possibility, Ye Xiaohan deliberately feigned calmness while feeling panic inside. "Young Master Liu, this judgment cannot be so hasty; the matter is not yet clear! I am innocent!"
"You are not the one to determine whether you are innocent or not. This is clearly written in black and white; even if the emperor himself were to come, he would find no fault. Ye Boss, you might as well accept your fate." Liu Yuan felt a sense of relief at having finally turned the tables.
From the moment he was born, he had been spoon-fed with a silver spoon, living a life free of worries. With his superior talents, he had always sailed smoothly through life. That was until he encountered Ye Xiaohan, which felt like hitting a brick wall.
He didn't truly love Ye Xiaohan to the point of obsession; initially, it was merely curiosity, but later it became a matter of pride after being rejected.
Even Liu Yuan himself wasn't clear on how much of his insistence on marrying Ye Xiaohan stemmed from genuine feelings and how much was simply to prove that he was still the exceptional man he once was, rather than just a man repeatedly scorned by a woman.
Seeing Ye Xiaohan show signs of weakness swept away the blows he had endured recently. He spoke with an air of condescension, "Ye Boss, as the saying goes, after the dark comes the dawn. Many things can change if you just change your attitude."
Indeed, this bastard was using this as a threat against her!
Ye Xiaohan knew in her heart that this must be Liu Yuan's doing, aimed at forcing her into submission.
If she agreed, she would have to obediently become Liu Yuan's concubine; if she refused and stood her ground, Liu Yuan would follow through with the official documents and kill her under the guise of a criminal.
What a venomous scheme! No matter how Ye Xiaohan chose, Liu Yuan would ultimately be the one to benefit.
Ye Xiaohan weakly lifted her head, momentarily at a loss for words, her eyes blankly staring at Liu Yuan. "Liu Gongzi, what do you mean by that? Is there still hope for me?"
Seeing her like this brought Liu Yuan some satisfaction but also an undercurrent of discomfort.
What Liu Yuan desired was the thrill of defeating a formidable opponent; if Ye Xiaohan became like everyone else, she would lose her uniqueness in his eyes.
However, the previous resentment still lingered deeply in Liu Yuan's heart. He quickly brushed aside his discomfort and faced Ye Xiaohan again. "That's right. As long as you obediently follow my orders, I can guarantee your safety."
Ye Xiaohan's eyes sparkled with a hint of hope as she exclaimed, "Really? Liu Gongzi, can you really save me? I don't want to die; I haven't harmed anyone. I'm innocent!"
Her desperate demeanor annoyed Liu Yuan, causing his tone to become noticeably harsher. Yet, he persisted, "You should know what I want, Ye Boss. If you still don't understand by now, I am generous enough to give you a little more time to think it over."
He added, "However, my patience is limited. If you can't provide the answer I seek by noon, then even if you come begging me afterward, it will be of no use. Think carefully about it."
With that, he turned and left without sparing Ye Xiaohan another glance. The sight of her cowering figure only irritated him further; it was better not to see her at all.
Once Liu Yuan was gone, Ye Xiaohan no longer needed to pretend. Her expression turned cold. Liu Yuan, you've gone too far this time. Even if you want to let me go, I won't let you off the hook!
With only three days left before her execution, time was running out. Ye Xiaohan wanted to send a message to Liu Yang first. However, after calling out for a while, a guard approached her with a face she had never seen before.
"What are you making noise about? Are you itching for a beating?" The guard lashed his whip against the cell door, barely missing Ye Xiaohan's hands that were gripping the bars.
Ye Xiaohan forced a smile and said, "Sir, why haven't I seen you before? What happened to the other guards? Why are they not here today?"
The guard growled back, "Who are you to ask about the guards in here? What do you want with them? Are you up to something shady?"
"No, no! How could I dare?" Ye Xiaohan replied hastily. "I was just a bit curious."
The guard snorted and said, "Once you're in here, mind your own business! Just take care of yourself! The previous guards have all been reassigned elsewhere; we are all new here. Who knows what madness is going on above? They just replaced everyone for no reason. I was comfortable in my last post; now I've been sent to this miserable place!"
As the guard continued to grumble and walk away, Ye Xiaohan felt a chill settle in her heart.
What else could it be? It was just that Liu Yuan feared that time would drag on and that she might conspire with the guards in secret. To prevent any changes from occurring, he had specifically replaced all the guards.
Liu Yuan's move was ruthless, instantly leaving Ye Xiaohan isolated and helpless.
With Ma San gone, the network of relationships Ye Xiaohan had painstakingly built was shattered, like a spider's web easily torn apart.
Without Ma San's connections, the reinforcements were cut off, and now Ye Xiaohan had to face these monsters all on her own.
The documents that had fallen to the ground were picked up by the prisoners in the cell. They pieced together the contents and felt a sense of sympathy for Ye Xiaohan, choosing not to disturb her. They decided to let her have some quiet time alone.
By noon the next day, Liu Yuan arrived at the cell right on time.
"Boss Ye, have you given it some thought? I wonder if you have any different ideas now?" Liu Yuan said with a hint of mockery, tapping his fan against his palm rhythmically.
His mood was somewhat complicated; he wasn't sure if he wanted Ye Xiaohan to soften and agree more or if he preferred to see her remain stubborn and refuse.
Ye Xiaohan had spent the entire night thinking of ways out of this situation. In this environment, she had considered every possible option. There were indeed alternatives, but they would lead to mutual destruction, which she did not want.
She needed to survive and clear her name from this baseless accusation.
For now, all she could do was buy herself some time.
With dark circles under her eyes, she weakly lifted her head and said, "I... I didn't understand before and offended Liu Gongzi. Now I've come to my senses; I'm willing to listen to you and marry into the Liu Family as a concubine."
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