Reborn as a Happy Wife in a Rural Family
Chapter 60: Judgment

Chapter 60: Chapter 60: Judgment

In the courtroom, Gu Dahe lay on the ground. Perhaps it was the coolness of the floor, but he gradually regained consciousness. The moment he awoke, a sharp pain in his buttocks made him grit his teeth.

Magistrate Xu, seeing he had awoken so quickly, looked at him with a faint gleam in his eyes and asked, "Gu Dahe, do you plead guilty?"

Gu Dahe croaked, "No."

Heh. Gu Qingli glanced at Gu Dahe. If one didn’t know he had such a malicious mind, one might actually think he was a tough man. However, seeing Magistrate Xu’s confident demeanor, it didn’t seem to matter whether Gu Dahe pleaded guilty or not—the result would be the same. After all the earlier commotion, it was about time.

Sure enough, Magistrate Xu didn’t get angry. He turned to Ma San and asked, "Ma San, do you plead guilty?"

Ma San touched his buttocks, fearing another beating, and nodded repeatedly. "Yes, yes, this humble one pleads guilty."

For street ruffians like him, a few years in jail was nothing. After a few years, he would be out and back to his old ways as Ma San.

Magistrate Xu asked the man in the black robe, "Do you plead guilty?"

The man in the black robe said, "My Lord, my name is Yang Zhong, and I plead guilty. This matter is solely related to Gu Dahe."

That last sentence from Yang Zhong was exactly what Magistrate Xu had been waiting for. He banged his gavel and announced, "Alright, listen up, all you criminals! Ma San assisted Gu Dahe in successfully abducting the victims Gu Qingyun and Gu Qingyang. In light of his good attitude in admitting guilt and identifying the principal offender, Gu Dahe, he is sentenced to twenty strokes of the heavy bamboo and five years imprisonment.

Yang Zhong of the Blue Clouds Gang committed the crime of human trafficking. Considering his identification of the principal offender and his good attitude in pleading guilty, he will be temporarily detained and sent to Qiyang Prefecture for trial on a later date.

The principal offender, Gu Dahe, still refuses to confess despite conclusive evidence and witness testimony. He has privately trafficked innocent children, shown contempt for this court, deliberately implicated innocent people, and colluded with martial arts world gangs. His crimes are heinous. Therefore, he will be stripped of his eligibility for scholarly pursuits and permanently barred from participating in any imperial examinations. After his case is transferred to the Ministry of Punishments for review and approval, he will be executed after autumn.

Qinghe Private School is not implicated in this case. With the exception of Gu Dahe, everyone else is to be released immediately.

Gu Qingyun and Gu Qingyang narrowly escaped harm. The Blue Clouds Gang is ordered to pay the victims one hundred taels of silver as compensation. This verdict shall be delivered to the Blue Clouds Gang today."

Magistrate Xu delivered the verdict in one smooth breath, showing he had a clear plan all along.

"Thank you, Your Excellency, our upright Lord!" Tears of gratitude streamed down Master Qi’s face as he kowtowed to Magistrate Xu the moment the Magistrate finished speaking.

"Thank you, Magistrate Xu!" The students were overjoyed and quickly knelt to express their gratitude. This verdict, though just a few dozen words, determined their entire lives. How could they not express their gratitude?

Chen Erlang and the Gu Qingming brothers felt as if they had just returned from hell. The sense of relief in their hearts was beyond words, and they immediately kowtowed loudly to Magistrate Xu.

Gu Dalin, holding Ms. Wu, also respectfully kowtowed to thank the Magistrate. With Gu Dahe sentenced to death, their deep-seated hatred was finally avenged, and the burden in their hearts eased somewhat.

The children also followed their parents in kowtowing their thanks to the Magistrate.

Gu Chang’an, Xiao Yunjing, and Gu Qingli also kowtowed together to thank the Magistrate.

Gu Chang’an heaved a profound sigh of relief. Ultimately, the entire Qinghe Village had not been implicated.

Outside, Master Gu staggered upon hearing the verdict and nearly fainted. Fortunately, First Brother Gu and his wife quickly steadied him, preventing a fall.

First Brother Gu and his wife were only concerned about the well-being of their own two sons; whether Third Brother Gu lived or died was of no concern to them.

Ms. Liu and Father Chen had been sitting to the side, crying their hearts out. Upon hearing the verdict, Ms. Liu immediately revived. She wiped away her tears and sniffles and stood at the yamen entrance, waiting for Chen Erlang to emerge.

The commoners at the yamen entrance applauded Magistrate Xu’s judgment; it was a truly gratifying outcome.

They detested child traffickers above all. So many good families were torn apart, their homes destroyed, members lost, and fortunes depleted because of them. They wished anyone caught doing such a thing would be apprehended and immediately beheaded.

Magistrate Xu said solemnly, "You need not thank me. This is my duty as an official. I will not wrong a good person, nor will I let a wicked one escape. Moreover, the people of our Qinghe County have sharp eyes. Clerk, have them sign and affix their thumbprints to their confessions."

The clerk’s mouth twitched. The Magistrate’s words were beautifully put. Didn’t he see how smug the commoners at the entrance looked, as if they had presided over the trial themselves?

He hurriedly brought the written confessions for the criminals to sign and mark with their thumbprints. Then, the yamen officers took the condemned away to be locked in prison.

With everything settled, Master Qi led the students to thank Magistrate Xu once more before they returned to Qinghe Town.

Feeling as if he had survived a great disaster, Chen Erlang looked up at the sky, let out a breath, and followed Father Chen and Ms. Liu home.

They didn’t even bother to greet Master Gu and the others. If it weren’t for Gu Dahe, would their Erlang have suffered so?

Only Gu Qingli’s group remained at the yamen entrance. They had knelt for a full three hours and were now resting in the carriage.

「On the other side」

Master Gu pleaded, clutching at Gu Chang’an, "Chang’an, I’m begging you, please, go and implore the Magistrate for leniency for my Third Son! His life is over!"

Gu Chang’an shook him off, rubbing his aching knees. "Plead? Master Gu, you must be muddle-headed! Who do you think I am? Don’t you know the crimes he committed? You should be grateful your family wasn’t implicated. I advise you to go home and act as if you never had this son. When I return, I will have him expelled from the clan. A person like him will bring ruin upon the entire Gu Clan."

Master Gu’s head was buzzing. His Third Son was done for. With his head drooping, he seemed to have aged ten years in that instant.

"Grandfather, let’s return." It was Gu Qingyan who couldn’t bear to watch any longer. He came over to help Master Gu away. "Third Uncle’s case is too severe; even the Magistrate cannot bend the law. What use is there in asking Second Grandfather to plead? We should go back."

Gu Chang’an sighed deeply. Magistrate Xu had already been exceptionally lenient. That single charge of colluding with martial arts world gangs was enough to bring great trouble upon their entire village. Gu Dahe, oh Gu Dahe, look at what you’ve done! And to think you studied for so many years! You’ve completely ruined Qinghe Village’s reputation now. No, I must hurry back and discuss this with the clan elders. Gu Dahe must be expelled from the clan. This cannot be allowed to affect the entire Gu Clan.

He found Mr. Xiao, explained the situation, and asked him for a ride back to the village. Gu Dalin decided to return with them as well. _{fre.eweb novel\.c om}

Consequently, Gu Qingli entrusted their carriage to Mr. Xiao to drive, while Gu Chang’an drove the ox cart. Thus, their party also departed.

In the end, only Gu Qingli and Xiao Yunjing remained.

"Does it still hurt?" Xiao Yunjing asked, gently rubbing Gu Qingli’s knees, occasionally channeling his internal energy.

"Much better. Let’s go too," Gu Qingli said, glancing at the now-empty yamen entrance.

"Alright."

Xiao Yunjing supported Gu Qingli as they headed towards the inn.

「In the backyard of the county yamen」

Master Xu and Magistrate Xu were eating and conversing. "Elder Brother, have you noticed anything?"

Master Xu remained silent for a moment before saying, "Whatever you may have discovered, do not speak of it casually, and certainly do not investigate further."

Magistrate Xu frowned, and a sense of alarm struck him. Could it really be them?