Zhang San, please behave yourself!
Chapter 715 - 655: Have You Gone In?

Chapter 715: Chapter 655: Have You Gone In?

By the time the plaintiff woman had cursed for nearly half an hour, her throat was parched, and she finally stopped.

The students of Law Class A also managed to piece together the litany of complaints the plaintiff wanted to express from the vast vocabulary of curses and obscenities they had just heard.

This woman was a peasant from a village on the outskirts of Daxing City, while the defendant was a well-known scholar from the same village.

However, although the scholar was diligent, his poor health meant that for almost every half month of study, he spent a year or two recuperating. As a result, out of ten years of studying by the cold window, nine and a half were spent on the sickbed.

With this rate of study, despite being so close to Daxing City, he had not even managed to qualify for the imperial examinations.

Fortunately, the scholar’s family had some money, and realizing that scholarly pursuits were hopeless for him in this life, he decided it was better to marry and have children early, in hopes that his son might continue with scholarly pursuits.

Therefore, his criteria for choosing a spouse naturally included finding a robust woman, and his eyes fell on the daughter of this peasant family, the plaintiff woman.

While he felt such a woman was somewhat crude and not a match for his scholarly status,

At the end of the day, they were all from the same village. Your family only had a bit more land and some extra money saved by ancestors, which allowed you to study without labor, which was still galaxies away from a real scholarly family.

So, although the man was somewhat reluctant, he had no choice but to agree to the marriage due to the pressures of reality.

They had gone through almost all the necessary formalities of the wedding process, just waiting for half a month more to get married.

Originally, everything was developing in a rather positive direction.

But because they were all from the same village, and the man was a scholar, he felt the need for some emotional connection and would occasionally send some trinkets over and above what was required for the betrothal gifts.

Even though the items were more for show than practical use, once the woman saw them and inquired about them, she realized that the man’s family was economically much better off than the matchmaker had described.

If that was the case, then the original bride price would simply not suffice!

After all, if a scholar’s family found her desirable, it must be because she had the talents and looks, so she went to the scholar’s house on her own.

The scholar’s family was not of true high status, being just a family with a bit more money than other villagers, and the household members still had to work the fields, with only the scholar staying at home.

Combining tinder and a spark, they kindled passion in broad daylight,

Afterward, with the deed done and the rice turned to porridge, the woman brought up the matter of increasing the bride price. The man, having just been satisfied, naturally agreed to anything.

But when the man discussed it with his family, they all opposed the idea.

The woman was already his, why would you increase the bride price?

However, when the woman heard that they would not increase the bride price, she refused to agree. So she ran to the Magistrate of Metropolitan prefecture to file a complaint, insisting that she had gone to the man’s house to discuss increasing the bride price and that the man had then defiled her. She demanded the man be arrested.

Unless the man increased the bride price, she would not withdraw the complaint.

After hearing the case, the students fell silent.

At first listen, one might think the woman was impudent, but since they had become involved before the marriage, it was clear that the scholar had not heeded the sage’s teachings either.

Yet at that moment, Second Master Shen’s face was extremely awkward.

He had chosen a case that he heard involved a scholar, precisely because he knew the students from the Imperial College were coming today.

He had thought that a case involving a scholar would surely be more refined. After all, handling mundane disputes, especially those involving interests, was exceedingly difficult.

Newbies shouldn’t have to start with such cases, but that was precisely the type of case they had stumbled upon.

Just as Second Master Shen was about to question the defendant, Zhang San suddenly spoke up from the side, "Magistrate, may I take the liberty of asking a few questions?"

Second Master Shen was only too happy to oblige.

I would prefer you to take over the examination.

If only you could come every day, and then I could go home to sleep while you send my salary to my house on time.

Zhang San first soothed the defendant, who had had his face verbally thrashed by his bride-to-be for half an hour in the court.

After questioning them both, Zhang San found that their stories were pretty much the same.

"It’s just that the scholars claimed the two were fooling around voluntarily, thinking they were about to get married and it wouldn’t hurt to have a taste of the experience a little earlier."

But the woman insisted that she was violated by the scholar right then and there.

After hearing this, Zhang San pondered for a moment, then smiled and asked the plaintiff, "Since you said there was a violation, I have a question. Did he get in or not?"

As soon as Zhang San’s question was out, everyone in the courtroom was dumbfounded.

What the hell kind of question is that?

If she said she was violated, of course he got in!

The woman’s face turned red, and, bowing her head, she then nodded faintly.

Zhang San glanced at the male scholar beside him, who also blushed and nodded his head.

Zhang San waved his hand and said sternly, "I don’t believe it unless you let me see it right here."

Upon hearing this, everyone was even more confused.

If we’re going to watch, we don’t need to see this kind of thing in the Magistrate of Metropolitan prefecture’s Government Office, do we?

Second Master Shen was dumbstruck.

Since you’re into this kind of thing, I’ll take you to Pingkang Fang, alright?

Don’t come to my Government Office and bring disaster upon me!

Even though Confucianism has been subdued by us Legalists recently, you can’t turn around and take it out on me!

Zhang San pointed to a Government Official beside him and said, "You, come here, try doing it, I want to see what’s going on."

The Government Official had an awkward yet willing look on his face as he lunged toward the woman.

Though the woman was average in looks, she was still a woman, after all!

Besides, this was an order!

However, the woman fiercely resisted and pinned the constable to the ground to prevent him from proceeding.

Zhang San sighed helplessly and said to another Government Official who looked somewhat frail, "He can’t handle it, help him out, you two together!"

The other Government Official didn’t even pretend, but rushed over with a look of joy on his face.

But then, one Government Official was pinned down by the woman, and as the other one jumped on, he was instantly thrown over her shoulder.

The two Government Officials struggled for a while, all in vain.

"Enough! Stop!"

At Zhang San’s command, one of the Government Officials climbed up from the ground, full of disappointment.

The other was not only disappointed but also couldn’t manage to get up; others had to help him to his feet.

Zhang San said to the plaintiff woman, "These two Government Officials may be mediocre at best, but they still are from the Magistrate of Metropolitan prefecture’s Office. And your fiancé here, while not sickly, does have a rather frail build indeed."

"So, I’m very curious! If you were unwilling, how could your sickly fiancé have managed to violate you?"

It was only then that the woman realized something.

Zhang San snorted coldly and turned to salute Second Master Shen with a cupped fist.

"I believe everyone has seen the truth of the matter. I’ll leave the rest to the Magistrate of Metropolitan prefecture."

After speaking, Zhang San gestured to the students of Law Class A.

Although he only observed one case, Zhang San felt that today’s teachings for the students were more than sufficient.