Courtroom Drama

Countdown: Final Day.

Early in the morning, the atmosphere in the court of Shanhua County was tense. People from the southern part of the city gathered outside the courthouse, discussing among themselves in hushed tones.

Inside the courtroom, Magistrate Li sat solemnly on the high chair in the center, dressed in official robes and wearing a black hat. His expression was serious, his eyes radiating authority. Behind him hung a plaque with the inscription “Clear Mirror, High Hanging,” which appeared especially striking in the morning light. It silently warned the crowd that this was a place of justice where lies and evasions had no escape.

On either side of the courtroom, the black-clad clerks and constables held their staffs, their eyes vigilantly scanning the room. They stood straight, ready to carry out orders at a moment’s notice.

On the left side of the court was the plaintiff’s bench, where Wei Lan, Ming Yi, and Shun Xing stood straight, their expressions grim. Wei Lan tightly gripped a vial of laxatives in his hand, the key piece of evidence they had gathered through days of investigation.

On the right side of the courtroom was the defendant’s bench, where Zhao Bin, the owner of Baoyuantang, sat, dressed in a luxurious blue robe adorned with exquisite patterns. His appearance was slender and refined, giving him the air of a cultured scholar at first glance.

However, his slightly squinted eyes often flashed with a shrewd cold light, a stark contrast to his deliberately maintained gentle smile.

Zhao Bin lightly held an elegant folding fan, which he waved slowly, almost as if it were a method to dissipate the heat in the courtroom or to hide the unease in his heart.

In the center of the court, Zhang San was bound and kneeling on the cold floor. He wore heavy shackles, and the chains rattled as he trembled. His hair was disheveled, a few strands sticking to his forehead, damp with cold sweat. His face was filled with fear and exhaustion, and his eyes were confused, as if still reeling from the sudden turn of events.

Zhang San was originally an honest and poor man, with a family in dire straits. His mother was severely ill, bedridden. To get her medicine, he often had to run around, yet he could not even gather the money for basic medication. Just when he was at his wit’s end, Zhao Bin from Baoyuantang found him, promising to provide free medicine for his mother and even gave him some silver for emergency use.

Zhang San was deeply grateful and believed Zhao Bin’s words. However, Zhao Bin’s “good deed” had a hidden hook. He asked Zhang San to throw medicine into the well in the southern part of the city, claiming it would not harm anyone. Although Zhang San felt uneasy, he agreed, thinking it was a small matter. He never expected the situation to unravel so quickly, and now he found himself a prisoner in the courtroom.

Magistrate Li cleared his throat and struck the bench with the gavel. The sharp sound instantly quieted the court.

He scanned the room with a piercing gaze and asked in a deep voice, “Today’s matter concerns the safety of the people in the southern part of the city. I will uncover the truth. Ming Yi, explain why you are suing Baoyuantang?”

Ming Yi stepped forward, cupped his hands, and spoke steadily and firmly, “Your Excellency, after days of investigation, we discovered that Zhang San was instructed by Zhao Bin, the owner of Baoyuantang, to put laxatives into the well. Both the witnesses and physical evidence are clear. Baoyuantang’s actions not only disturbed the people’s lives but also caused panic, wasting significant human and material resources. If they are not severely punished, the people’s anger will not be appeased.”

Wei Lan stepped forward, holding the vial of medicine high. “Your Excellency, this vial was found at the scene, and it contains laxatives. Although it is not deadly, it is enough to cause diarrhea, disturbing the peace of the people. As doctors, we understand the harm of this medicine, and we ask you to look into it carefully.”

Magistrate Li took the vial, furrowing his brow, as if considering something. He handed the vial to the scribe beside him, who sniffed it and remarked, “The smell is pungent. There’s something suspicious about it.”

Seeing this, Zhao Bin’s face froze for a moment, a flash of panic crossing his eyes before he quickly regained his composure. He stood up, cupped his hands, and put on a calm smile, attempting to stay composed. “Your Excellency, this is all a misunderstanding. Baoyuantang has always valued integrity. How could we possibly engage in such harmful acts?”

Magistrate Li nodded slightly, as though moved by his words, and glanced back and forth between Zhao Bin and the vial of medicine. He pondered for a moment, “Oh? Then tell me, how do you explain the witnesses and the evidence?”

Zhao Bin smiled slightly, gently waving his fan, making a soft rustling sound. He wore a face of profound understanding and said, “Your Excellency, this man is an assistant in my store, named Zhang San. He is honest but somewhat foolish. He can barely write his own name, so he likely didn’t even know what was in the vial.”

“Your Excellency, he must have been manipulated and unwittingly involved in this matter. Please, don’t hastily condemn an innocent person.”

At this point, Zhang San raised his head, his eyes filled with panic. His lips trembled as if wanting to speak in his own defense, but Zhao Bin’s seemingly sincere words silenced him.

Shun Xing could no longer restrain himself and stepped forward. “Magistrate, I personally witnessed Zhang San poisoning the well. This is no false accusation! Although Zhao Bin did not personally carry out the act, his role as the mastermind behind it cannot be denied!”

Magistrate Li frowned, seemingly weighing the pros and cons. He coughed lightly and focused his piercing gaze on Zhang San. “Zhang San, do you admit your crime?”

Zhang San lifted his head, his face full of pain and helplessness. Tears welled up in his eyes, ready to spill over. His lips trembled as he spoke with a sobbing tone, “I admit my crime… My mother is seriously ill, and I couldn’t afford to treat her.”

“Zhao Bin, the owner of Baoyuantang, promised to help my mother, but the condition was for me to throw medicine into the well, claiming it was just a prank and wouldn’t hurt anyone. I really had no choice… I did this foolish thing…”

The crowd outside the courthouse erupted in fury. Their emotions were like a fire that had been ignited, quickly boiling over. The people could no longer suppress their anger and shouted loudly, “How can we let such a person go free!” “Baoyuantang has ruined our entire family!” “Your Excellency, you must stand up for the people!”

The shouting grew louder, and the anger spread like wildfire among the crowd, threatening to overwhelm the solemn and dignified courtroom.

Zhao Bin, panicked, jumped up and pointed at Zhang San, shouting, “You stop slandering me! Zhang San, Zhang San, remember how kind I’ve been to you! Now you repay kindness with hatred, splashing dirt on my name!”

As he shouted, he quickly walked over to Zhang San, leaned slightly forward, and with a hint of “concern” on his face, whispered in Zhang San’s ear, “Zhang San, your mother’s health is poor, please take care of her.”

He straightened up and coldly glared at Zhang San, a trace of malice flashing in his eyes.

Zhang San trembled, his eyes filled with terror, his lips quivering, unable to speak. He could only let the tears fall freely down his cheeks.

Magistrate Li, seeing this, internally groaned. He had already taken a bribe from Zhao Bin and had originally planned to use the “lack of evidence” excuse to delay the matter. But with the people’s emotions so stirred, he dared not make a hasty decision, fearing even greater unrest.

He cleared his throat and, in an attempt to calm the growing tension, spoke with a firm tone, “Although this case has some doubts, the poisoning by Zhang San is true. As for Baoyuantang’s involvement, further investigation is needed.”

Seeing that Magistrate Li’s words left him a loophole, Zhao Bin immediately seized the opportunity. “Your Excellency, Baoyuantang is not a criminal organization. Someone must have deliberately framed us. Please do not trust just one side of the story.”

Wei Lan sneered, stepping forward. “Your Excellency, Zhang San has confessed. Baoyuantang’s crime is crystal clear. The witnesses and evidence are all in place. Haven’t the suffering of the people been enough to prove the issue? If Your Excellency delays any longer, the people of the southern city will not be satisfied!”

Magistrate Li was momentarily stifled by Wei Lan’s words. His face stiffened, and a flash of displeasure crossed his gaze. Internally, he cursed Zhao Bin for putting him in this difficult position. But with the people’s emotions so inflamed, he knew he couldn’t afford to show favoritism.

He cleared his throat again, and in a deliberate tone, declared, “This case is of great importance. I will not tolerate wrongdoing! Zhang San’s poisoning is undeniable, disturbing the peace of the people, and his crime is severe!”

He struck the gavel hard, and his voice echoed in the courtroom. “I hereby sentence you to eighty lashes and banishment for three thousand miles, never to return to your hometown! As for Zhao Bin, the owner of Baoyuantang, he will be temporarily detained, and further investigation will determine his guilt!”

Hearing the judgment, the crowd outside the courtroom, though dissatisfied with the handling of Zhao Bin, felt some relief seeing that Zhang San had received his due punishment. Their anger slowly began to subside.

As Magistrate Li’s hasty decision was rendered, Ming Yi and Wei Lan exchanged looks of unease and urgency. They knew that solving the case and finding the witnesses and evidence was important, but the key to the truth lay in the motive. That was the key to unraveling the truth.

Zhang San had no grievance with the people, so why would he poison the well? Why would Baoyuantang involve him? The conspiracy behind Baoyuantang had yet to be revealed, and these questions shrouded the truth, making it impossible to close the case just yet.

Moreover, Ming Yi and Wei Lan had acted swiftly, but Zhao Bin’s confident demeanor suggested everything had been premeditated. Magistrate Li’s obvious favoritism made it clear that Zhao Bin had likely bribed him.

If Zhao Bin was allowed to leave today, it would be akin to letting a tiger return to the mountain. If given more time, he would undoubtedly use his methods to distort the truth and confuse the public. At that point, finding the true culprit would be as difficult as climbing to the heavens!

Ming Yi thought to himself, “No, we can’t let him escape today!”

Just as he was considering how to make Magistrate Li reverse his decision, a loud voice rang out from the courtroom: “Hold on!”

The crowd parted, and a figure walked in swiftly. Behind him, a servant announced loudly, “Dr. Zhang, the head physician of the medical department, has arrived!”