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墨書 Inktalez
That night, everyone was eagerly anticipating the day to come.
They all hoped that everything would come to a smooth conclusion after dawn.
Ye Xiaohan woke up early, her eyes wide open as she waited for the guards to bring her to the courtroom.
The courtroom was set up just like last time, with Liu Yun presiding and Deputy General Tian as the juror. However, as Ye Xiaohan scanned the room, Deputy General Tian lifted his head and subtly nodded at her.
After that, Deputy General Tian seemed to act as if nothing had happened and continued talking to Liu Yun. If she didn't trust her sharp eyesight, Ye Xiaohan would have thought it was merely an illusion.
Previously, Deputy General Tian had shown no signs of acknowledgment; why was he greeting her this time? Was he encouraging her not to be afraid, suggesting that they were confident of victory this time?
Regardless, this was a good sign. Ye Xiaohan's heart, which had been fluttering since last night, felt even more excited.
Liu Yuan, oh Liu Yuan, you thought you could harm others with such malicious intent; little did you know you were digging your own grave.
This is what they call self-inflicted suffering—unavoidable consequences.
Thinking about how she would no longer have to face Liu Yuan's refined yet sinister face, no longer having to worry about when he might strike again, Ye Xiaohan felt that the next three hundred sixty days would be filled with sunshine.
“Bang!” The gavel struck down, and the trial began.
Liu Yun put away his sycophantic smile and sternly declared, “The defendant kneeling below, Ye Xiaohan. Deputy General Tian and I have shown compassion for the people by giving you time to recover your health. Do you now have any realization? Do you wish to plead guilty?”
Ye Xiaohan replied loudly, “Your Honor, I am wronged! I do not plead guilty!”
“How dare you!” Liu Yun could no longer resort to torture and could only bang the gavel forcefully. “Ye Xiaohan, there are witnesses and evidence against you. All the testimonies indicate that you are the criminal; how can you still dare to argue?”
Having eaten well and slept soundly in her cell for the past few days, Ye Xiaohan was full of energy. Even if she were asked to engage in a public argument right now, she wouldn’t back down—let alone in a conversation with Liu Yun.
Her voice matched Liu Yun's in volume as she declared, “Your Honor, I refuse to accept this! I hope you will listen to my words before deciding my fate.”
"Take a look for yourself and see how you can clear your name," Liu Yun said. "Ye Xiaohan, you must understand that every word you speak in this hall must be true. If even one word is false, it will only add to your crimes!"
With Deputy General Tian sitting nearby, Liu Yun dared not be too reckless, but deep down, he wished he could execute Ye Xiaohan on the spot to relieve his pent-up frustration.
Over the years, Liu Yun had cultivated a good reputation; his jurisdiction appeared stable, and he had actively sought to please his superiors. They held a favorable impression of him, and he was on the verge of receiving commendation and promotion. But now, he had been thrust into a mess.
The series of disfigurement incidents was a slap in his face. Not only had the gifts he sent out gone to waste, but his hopes for promotion and wealth were dashed as well. He would also face criticism from above for being unreliable and would receive a scolding.
Initially, Liu Yun thought Ye Xiaohan was just an ordinary commoner; killing her would serve as a way to vent his anger. So when Liu Yuan proposed severe punishment, he agreed without hesitation.
He never expected this woman to be so resourceful, knowing the influential Flying Dragon General. When he learned that the Flying Dragon General intended to intervene in this case, Liu Yun's heart nearly leaped out of his chest.
Fortunately, although the Flying Dragon General wanted to get involved, he did not come in person but sent a deputy instead. It seemed that even though they knew each other, their relationship wasn't very close, which eased Liu Yun's mind a bit.
As long as Ye Xiaohan couldn't overturn her case, Liu Yun wouldn't suffer any significant losses.
The Flying Dragon General was powerful but not the type to abuse his authority over subordinates. He wouldn't target Liu Yun simply because he didn't handle matters fairly.
Liu Yun had already made up his mind; as long as Ye Xiaohan's guilt was established, it would prove that he hadn't wronged anyone. The Flying Dragon General wouldn't be able to do anything about it.
Afterward, if he could reduce her death sentence to a lesser punishment, the Flying Dragon General would surely owe him a favor. Just think—if he gained the favor of the Flying Dragon General, wouldn't his future career be smooth sailing?
Thus, Liu Yun felt both hatred and trepidation toward Ye Xiaohan.
Meanwhile, disregarding Liu Yun's chaotic thoughts from his seat, Ye Xiaohan was fighting for her life at the front of the hall.
"My lord, please allow me to explain everything," Ye Xiaohan began, having organized her thoughts from the previous night.
"My lord, while it is true that the poison was found among my shop's goods, no one saw me poison anything."
"Since no one saw me poison anyone, how can I be charged with harming others? The worst they could accuse me of is negligence!" Ye Xiaohan declared, her voice steady.
Liu Yun had no retort, yet he needed to say something. He had to make the Flying Dragon General believe that he was being lenient with Ye Xiaohan, rather than having hastily sentenced someone innocent to death.
"This is merely your word against mine," Liu Yun replied. "Although there are no witnesses to prove you poisoned anyone yourself, there are also none to prove you didn't. The poison was clearly sold from your shop, so your suspicion remains the highest."
Ye Xiaohan understood that this was the most challenging point because it was all based on facts. The products she had personally crafted were indeed sold from her shop, and she could not distance herself from that.
But that was in the past; the situation had completely changed now, and the tide was turning in her favor.
"My lord," Ye Xiaohan called out loudly, "I have witnesses who can prove that I am not responsible for this poison! I have been framed! Someone with malicious intent is trying to coerce me into submission, using such despicable means that have harmed so many innocent people!"
Liu Yun did not expect Ye Xiaohan to actually be able to prove her innocence. He felt a twinge of panic; if she truly was framed, then his own dereliction of duty would become undeniable.
He wanted to ignore it intentionally, but Deputy General Tian looked over and spoke up.
"Lord Liu, since this person has witnesses, why not bring them forward and question them?" Deputy General Tian said, his presence commanding and his gaze piercing as he fixed it on Liu Yun.
Under the immense pressure from Deputy General Tian, Liu Yun had no choice but to comply. This Deputy General was indeed fearsome; he was just a rough man who knew only how to lead troops into battle!
Liu Yun grumbled inwardly while forcing a smile on his face. "Deputy General Tian is absolutely right. I think the same way. I will have someone bring them here immediately."
He turned back, straightening his face as he struck the gavel. "Ye Xiaohan, since you have witnesses, please state their names!"
Ye Xiaohan replied loudly, "One of my witnesses is a relative of the Liu family—Liu Wen and Yang Hua!"
Liu Wen and Yang Hua were brought into the hall, kneeling beside Ye Xiaohan with their heads bowed in despair. Their expressions were dejected, especially Liu Wen, who wore an unmistakable look of panic.
Ye Xiaohan glared at these two ungrateful wretches and felt an overwhelming urge to stab them with a needle until they resembled porcupines.
"Who is kneeling before the court, and can you prove that Ye Xiaohan did not poison anyone but was instead framed?" Liu Yun asked.
The sudden voice startled Liu Wen, causing her to tremble slightly, clearly still shaken from earlier.
Ye Xiaohan silently praised Liu Wen for her psychological tactics; it was impressive that she even brought up her deceased father in this situation. It truly showed her genuine desire to save someone.
Liu Wen could only shiver and stammer, leaving Yang Hua to respond alone.
"To answer your question, my husband is a relative of the Liu family, and he can prove that Ye Xiaohan did not poison anyone," Yang Hua spoke hesitantly, clearly frightened.
Sweat beads began to form on Liu Yun's forehead. Someone could actually provide proof? Wasn't this undermining him? No, this was a direct threat to his life!
However, Deputy General Tian was looming nearby, exuding an oppressive aura. Liu Yun dared not defy him and could only wipe his sweat discreetly. "You must think carefully before you speak. Do you understand the consequences of perjury in court? Don't make reckless claims. If you can prove it, then present your evidence."
Yang Hua's voice trembled as she shrank back. "I can prove that Ye Xiaohan did not poison anyone; she was framed. Because the person who poisoned is... me!"
"What!" Liu Yun was left speechless, utterly shocked by Yang Hua's unexpected revelation. He had thought she would merely say she saw the real culprit poisoning someone, but he never imagined that the culprit would be Yang Hua herself.
And she had just confessed in front of everyone!
Liu Yun's cold sweat streamed down in rivulets.
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