Reborn as a Happy Wife in a Rural Family
Chapter 59: Gu Dahe is Punished with Caning

Chapter 59: Chapter 59: Gu Dahe is Punished with Caning

"You—!" A group of students almost fainted from anger; this man was utterly shameless and detestable!

Just as the students’ accusations died down, Gu Qingli glanced at Magistrate Xu, who was watching from above. This grand play is almost over, she thought, and our knees are numb from kneeling.

Now, all the students from Qinghe Private School had arrived. It seemed only Gu Dahe was destined for misfortune.

Just when the students were at a loss, Captain Han suddenly dragged someone in and threw him onto the courtroom floor.

"Eh? It’s the man who deceived us!" Dashuang immediately recognized him as the one who had stopped them the previous day.

He was a man in his early twenties, with a simple and honest appearance.

The moment he saw everyone in the courtroom, he knew it was all over.

He immediately rushed towards Magistrate Xu, kowtowing three times. The sound was so crisp that Gu Qingli winced, feeling his pain. Magistrate Xu certainly handled the case flawlessly, having this key figure appear just in time, she mused.

"Your Honor, I was just following Gu Dahe’s orders! I didn’t get a single coin from it! It has nothing to do with me!"

SMACK!

The gavel struck heavily. Magistrate Xu said, "Who are you, fellow in the hall? Speak clearly."

The man, startled, quickly replied, "This lowly one is Ma Chao, greetings Your Honor. People in town call me Ma San, and I am from Qinghe Town. Yesterday, Gu Dahe found me and asked me to lure his two nephews to a remote place where someone else would take over. He promised me five taels of silver once it was done, but I haven’t received it yet."

After finishing, Ma San looked at Magistrate Xu with an aggrieved expression.

Magistrate Xu ignored Ma San. That idiot, he thought, still thinking about silver at a time like this, and not worried about losing his life! He then asked Gu Dahe, "Gu Dahe, is what Ma San said true?"

Gu Dahe still tilted his head, glaring at the people in the courtroom as if everyone there shared a deep-seated hatred with him.

Seeing Gu Dahe like this, Gu Qingli couldn’t help but shiver internally. I hadn’t expected him to be not only malicious but also so petty, she thought. If a person like this isn’t thoroughly suppressed, he’ll become a future scourge. His temperament is strikingly similar to Ms. Hua’s. Truly mother and son.

"Your Honor, if he doesn’t confess, use torture!" one of the onlookers outside shouted, unable to bear it any longer. "Let’s see if his mouth is tougher than a rod! He committed the crime alone, yet he wants to drag down the entire private school! My son is also due to take the examinations this year; how can I not understand the students’ feelings?"

"Yes, Your Honor, use torture!" another cried out. "A despicable person like him deserves a beating! Why speak to him so gently, Your Honor?"

"Your Honor, use torture!"

"Yes, Your Honor, use torture! He’s such a vicious man! The truth is right before his eyes, yet he still denies it and tries to drag the entire private school down with him! This kind of person deserves the punishment of a thousand cuts!"

"That’s right! This kind of person is a disgrace to scholars!"

"Scholar? He must be at least twenty, right? He hasn’t even passed the elementary scholar examination. Does he even look like a scholar?"

Magistrate Xu listened to the people outside. He was waiting for the commoners to say what was inconvenient for him to say. This matter concerning Gu Dahe could be treated as major or minor. He wanted to handle it as a minor issue. But if the entire private school was implicated, preventing twenty or thirty students from taking their examinations, then it would no longer be a minor matter. If word of this reached the current Emperor and his responsibility was investigated, he wouldn’t escape the charge of dereliction of duty. And he still had to look out for his brother here.

He threw out a command token. "Men! The suspect Gu Dahe is malicious, unrepentant for his actions, and even speaks disrespectfully. Drag him out and give him fifty strokes of the heavy plank!"

The yamen runners, pounding their ceremonial staves, shouted, "MIGHTY PRESENCE!" Four of them stepped forward, seized Gu Dahe, and dragged him out.

"I won’t confess! Beat me! You’re trying to beat a confession out of me!" Gu Dahe screamed and shouted before they even left the hall.

Everyone shook their heads upon hearing this.

Arrogant. Far too arrogant.

He’d deserve it even if he were beaten to death!

Gu Qingli was speechless. I’ve never seen someone so determined to bring trouble upon themselves, she thought. This is the public court; does he think he’s still at the Gu residence? Did he think throwing a tantrum would allow him to escape punishment? He has absolutely no legal common sense. All his years of study seem to have gone to the dogs; he only learned Ms. Hua’s shrewish ways. The common folk don’t contend with officials. Look at Magistrate Xu; with just a few actions and words, Gu Dahe’s guilt is about to be decided.

Before long, the sound of CRACKING and THWACKING came from outside.

"Ouch! You’re killing me! Beat me to death, then! I still won’t confess!"

The students in the courtroom were itching to go out and give him a few kicks themselves; he was still trying to drag them down with him even now.

No one was more heartbroken than Master Qi. He was slumped in the arms of a student, groaning in anger, his finger trembling as he pointed outside.

Gu Qingli worried that Master Qi might actually have a stroke from sheer anger.

The CRACKING and THWACKING continued outside, and gradually, Gu Dahe’s voice faded away.

「Meanwhile, in Qinghe Village, Gu Qingmei waited and waited, but Gu Dahe and Gu Qingming didn’t return for lunch. When no one showed up, she finally ran to the private school to ask.」

Upon asking, she learned that her Third Uncle, her two older brothers, and her Brother Erlang had all been taken to the County Town. The news terrified her, and she hurried back to tell Master Gu, First Brother Gu, and his wife.

Upon hearing this, Master Gu, along with First Brother Gu and his wife, rushed frantically to Chen Erlang’s house. When Ms. Liu heard the news, she fainted on the spot.

It was Father Chen who, keeping a clear head, quickly hitched an ox cart. He took Ms. Liu, Master Gu, and First Brother Gu and his wife towards Qinghe Town, leaving Gu Qingmei at home to look after Ms. Hua.

When Father Chen and the others arrived in Qinghe Town, they rented a horse-drawn carriage and rushed towards the County Town.

Meanwhile, after Gu Qingli returned, Ms. Hua called her over to ask what had happened. Gu Qingmei, that simple girl who had been left with her, then blurted out everything she had learned earlier.

Upon hearing this, Ms. Hua let out a strange croak, couldn’t catch her breath, and fainted. Worried, Gu Qingmei fetched the Village Chief’s family, who hurriedly rushed Ms. Hua to the town for medical attention.

「In the County Town, after the caning was over, yamen runners were about to drag Gu Dahe, who lay limp like a dead dog, back into the courtroom when Master Gu and the others arrived.」

"Third! Third! What happened to you?" Master Gu rushed forward, clutching Gu Dahe and shaking him vigorously.

"Who are you? Don’t interfere with the Magistrate’s proceedings!" A yamen runner pushed Master Gu aside and dragged Gu Dahe into the courtroom.

"Third!" Master Gu cried out and tried to enter the courtroom, but he was blocked by other yamen runners who came up.

"Officers," Father Chen said, helping the sobbing Ms. Liu approach, "we are Chen Zihao’s parents. Please, may we go in?"

A yamen runner coldly blocked the way, saying, "You can listen from outside just as well. If you’re implicated in any crime, you won’t escape either." _{fr eewe(b)nove.l.co\m}

"What? My son committed a crime? Will it implicate us too?" Ms. Liu was stunned. The family’s hopes all rested on their youngest son, yet he had actually committed an offense!

Ms. Liu’s body went limp, and she collapsed on the ground again, unable to cry anymore.

"Wife, don’t worry. The Magistrate hasn’t pronounced a sentence yet," Father Chen comforted Ms. Liu, holding her. He himself strained his ears to hear what was happening inside the courtroom.