Chapter 25: The Court's Verdict — Part 3
The clamor in the hall reached such a pitch that the Magistrate was forced to slam his gavel down repeatedly with violent force. He was clearly losing his patience with this convoluted mess.
"Bring in the witness mentioned by the Xiao family!" he barked.
The witness resided in a small neighboring town. Even if the court runners traveled by horseback at top speed, the round trip would take at least two hours.
Consequently, the proceedings were temporarily halted. However, none of the parties involved were permitted to leave the yamen. Lei Shi and the Xiao family wore the smug expressions of victors, while on the other side, Village Head Jiang and the villagers were so incensed they looked ready to spit blood.
Jiang Ren's complexion was particularly ashen. It was obvious to him that the Xiao family was responsible, but if they couldn't be definitively proven as the culprits, it would be impossible to punish them. Instead, the Magistrate might penalize Bai Li for wasting the court's time and, given Lei Shi's earlier accusations, might even reconsider Jiang Ren's suitability for his position as Village Head. Even the villagers who had come to testify could face punishment for providing what might be deemed "false testimony."
Bai Li attempted to soothe Mother Bai's fury, but his words seemed to fall on deaf ears. Father Bai and Bai Jiang remained grim-faced, clearly unable to accept the turn of events. The villagers continued to hurl hushed curses at the cunning Lei Shi, and the atmosphere remained thick with chaotic tension.
After fuming for some time, Village Head Jiang glanced around and was struck by how unnervingly calm Bai Li appeared. Strictly speaking, Bai Li should have been the most agitated person in the room. How could he remain so composed? With that thought, he leaned in and whispered:
"Bai Li, you've seen and heard the situation. If the witness the Xiaos called testifies that the goods were bought bit by bit from his shop, it will be impossible to conduct a detailed audit. The Xiao family will walk free. Since there is no evidence against the Rong house either, no one will be named the culprit. In the end, the Magistrate will lay the blame on you for leaving your home unsecured..."
Hearing the Village Head's words, Mother Bai's knees buckled in fear. Bai Li steadied her, whispering, "Mother, do not worry. Nothing will happen to me."
Jiang Ren and the others were startled by the sheer confidence in his voice. Father Bai couldn't help but ask, "Second Son, do you have a plan?"
Bai Li glanced at the trio of Xiaos standing apart from the crowd and gave a casual nod.
"Lei Shi is indeed cunning, but she isn't thorough. I found a flaw she overlooked long ago."
Excitement rippled through the Bai family and the Village Head. Jiang Ren asked hurriedly, "What is it? If you found it already, why didn't you tell the Magistrate earlier?"
Bai Li shook his head slightly, giving the Village Head a meaningful look.
"Uncle Jiang, this point shouldn't be revealed before the time is right. Besides... I wanted to see exactly how far Lei Shi's 'cleverness' would go."
He wanted to know how far this woman would sink for her own gain, and he wanted not just himself, but the Village Head and the villagers to see her true colors.
She did not disappoint; to cover their crime, she was willing to falsely accuse the entire village. He suspected that once they returned to the village after this, everyone truly would despise the Xiao family just as she had claimed.
The members of the Bai family and the Village Head looked at Bai Li with complicated expressions. Seeing his tranquil demeanor, they felt their own anxieties begin to ebb. Jiang Ren, though he respected Bai Li's timing, asked one more time, "Are you confident? Is it a certainty?"
If the case was lost, the price they would pay would be steep. But they were already halfway across the bridge; there was no turning back. They could only hope Bai Li's plan would bear fruit. Bai Li chuckled at the question.
"Uncle Jiang, I am not a man who walks a path that leads to his own ruin."
He truly wasn't. He reflected that anyone who had seemingly died and woken up in a different world would likely be more cautious about their survival. Even if he took risks, it wouldn't be for the sake of such insignificant people.
After comforting the group, Bai Li went to speak with one of the court runners. He slipped a small pouch containing a hundred copper coins into the man's hand, shielded from the view of others.
"Big brother," Bai Li said smoothly, "I am essentially the victim in this case, so I certainly won't run away. My family and the villagers haven't eaten since last night. Could you perhaps point me to where I might buy something nearby?"
Strictly speaking, those involved in a trial cannot leave until the verdict is reached. However, since they hadn't eaten since leaving Nanchang Village the previous afternoon, Bai Li decided to try his luck. He could handle a bit of hunger, but he was genuinely concerned for the elders. The runner weighed the pouch in his hand, noted Bai Li's sincere expression, and decided he could turn a blind eye for a moment.
"There's a steamed bun shop just around the corner," the runner whispered. "Go quickly and come back even faster."
Bai Li thanked him and slipped out through the crowd. He returned shortly with a load of hot buns, so quickly that the Xiao family didn't even notice he had left. He distributed the buns to all the villagers, pointedly leaving out the three Xiaos.
Lei Shi and her family couldn't even fathom where the food had come from. Though the buns couldn't compare to the ones Bai Li had eaten at the fancy shop days prior, they were warm and contained a bit of meat, making them delicious to the hungry group. Everyone had been too angry to speak of food, but faced with the actual sustenance, no one could maintain their pretense. They ate heartily.
The three Xiaos were also famished. They might have endured the hunger if everyone else was suffering, but watching the others feast made their hunger spike instantly. They debated whether to ask Bai Li for some—after all, they were still his in-laws—but by the time they worked up the nerve to step forward, the buns were gone. It was truly a pathetic sight. They were forced to grit their teeth and endure the hunger while the court runners kept them pinned in place.
Two hours later, the witness from the small town was brought in, and the trial resumed. Magistrate Wan Li looked at the shopkeeper, who seemed a bit rattled.
"Lying in this court carries a severe penalty," Wan Li warned.
"Answer me truthfully: has the Xiao family ever purchased refined rice and other goods from your shop?"
The man looked nervous, but he was more composed than Yu Long had been. He answered quickly, "Your Honor, the Xiao family are regular customers of this humble servant's shop. Since they do not farm, they always buy their rice and supplies from me. Every year, as winter approaches, they buy more than usual to stockpile for the cold months. This year was no different from previous years. I can testify to this."
While everyone else's eyes were on the witness, Bai Li kept his gaze fixed on Lei Shi. He saw her head bow slightly as the man spoke, but he caught the flicker of triumph in her eyes and the slight curl of her lips. He sneered inwardly. Lei Shi and this man had clearly coordinated their stories. Knowing that such testimony would make it impossible to convict the Xiaos, the shopkeeper had dared to commit perjury. Bai Li wondered exactly how much the Xiaos had paid him.
In truth, the man's words weren't entirely false. The Xiaos likely were regular customers. Nanchang Village was a farming community, but since the Xiaos didn't farm, they had no grain of their own. They couldn't buy much within the village either; families like the Bais or Jiangs had to set aside grain for taxes and their own needs, leaving little to sell. So, it was plausible they bought rice. Because they were genuine regulars, the Xiaos believed that even a detailed investigation would only prove their patronage, leading the case into a dead end. This was the source of their boldness. They truly believed their plan was airtight.
Wan Li was conflicted. The Xiao family's witness was credible, and without solid proof against the Rong family, where had the goods gone? He was becoming increasingly frustrated. Already stressed by the brothel burglary, this messy case was pushing him over the edge. He began to think this was all the fault of Bai Li for being so careless. If you have valuables, secure your home! Now, with no locks and no witnesses other than Yu Long, the truth seemed unreachable.
Noticing the Magistrate's expression souring—realizing the official was about to declare the Xiaos innocent—Bai Li finally spoke up.
"Your Honor, this villager has a few questions for the Xiao family and this shopkeeper. I crave your permission to ask them."
Wan Li, ready to end the matter, was displeased by the interruption. However, acknowledging that Bai Li was the victim who stood to lose everything, he decided to grant him this much.
"Well. You may ask."
Lei Shi watched Bai Li warily, unsure of his game. Bai Li met her gaze with a thin smile.
"Uncle Xiao, Auntie Xiao... as you say, your family always buys from this man's shop and nowhere else. Is that correct?"
Xiao Liu hesitated, but Lei Shi answered instantly.
"Yes! We always buy from Shopkeeper Liu!"
Bai Li nodded as if in understanding.
"So, all the supplies currently stockpiled in your home were purchased exclusively from Shopkeeper Liu's shop?"
No one understood where he was going with this. Shopkeeper Liu, however, felt a sudden, sharp prickle of unease at Bai Li's tone. Lei Shi, impatient to hear the verdict and start gloating, snapped, "Yes! Every bit of it came from Shopkeeper Liu's shop!"
Upon hearing those words, Bai Li turned away from her as if he had already gotten what he wanted. He immediately bowed to the Magistrate.
"Your Honor, do you recall the shops I mentioned earlier—the ones where I purchased my goods?"
It had only been a few hours; Wan Li hadn't forgotten.
"Yes, you mentioned them. What of it?" he asked testily.
Bai Li's smile widened, turning sharp and brilliant.
"This villager stated that the refined rice, salt, sugar, and other items were purchased from the shop of Fang Yu. Your Honor, while the shop itself is in the small town, Shopkeeper Fang Yu is actually the son of the great merchant Master Fang of the port city. Because of this, every item sold in his shop bears the unique private mark of the Fang Family. I formally request that the court examine the items found in the Xiao household to see if they bear the marks of the Fang Family."