Ironclad Evidence

The courtroom fell silent in an instant, with everyone’s gaze fixed on the unexpected guest.

The newcomer was tall, dressed in dark official robes, with a stern expression. His eyes exuded an undeniable authority.

He walked steadily down to the front of the court, cupped his hands in salute to Magistrate Li, and spoke loudly, “I am Zhang Wenyuan, the provincial medical officer. I have heard about the sudden mass diarrhea incident in Shanhua County and have come to investigate. This matter concerns the lives of the people and is no small issue. I hope the magistrate will retract the previous command and conduct a thorough investigation to uncover the true culprit behind this!”

The Provincial Medical Officer is an important official within the local medical system, responsible for medical and health affairs in the region. Though his rank is not high, only a Junior Ninth-Rank official, his duties are crucial and involve local medical management and disease prevention.

At this moment, Zhang Wenyuan’s arrival undoubtedly brought new developments to this courtroom dispute.

Magistrate Li was momentarily stunned, then immediately flashed a smile, rising to return the salute. “Ah, it is Zhang Sir. My apologies! Zhang Sir’s personal visit must be for a reason, and we would be honored to hear your opinion.”

Zhang Wenyuan frowned slightly and spoke sternly: “Magistrate Li, this is no trivial matter. I originally suspected it might be an epidemic and was alarmed for some time. If it were an epidemic, the death toll would be high, and the court would hold us accountable!”

He then turned his tone, “Fortunately, Doctor Liu and Doctor Wei have uncovered the truth and found that someone poisoned the water. The true culprit has not yet been revealed, and how can we let this pass? I urge the magistrate to think carefully and not overlook any potential clue.”

Wei Lan, feeling a sense of relief, silently thanked Zhang Wenyuan’s arrival. She knew that Zhang Wenyuan held real power, and his words carried more weight than hers and Ming Yi’s. Perhaps he could truly push the case forward.

Magistrate Li, seeing Zhang Wenyuan’s formidable presence, was momentarily stunned, then quickly regained his composure. He spoke in a deep voice, “Zhang Sir, your journey must have been tiring. Please, take a seat.”

He gestured for a chair, which was immediately placed at the center of the courtroom.

Zhang Wenyuan nodded slightly, sitting down with ease, his gaze like a sharp sword scanning the crowd.

The previously quiet crowd was instantly energized by his imposing presence, and voices began to rise in unison: “Magistrate, the provincial medical officer is right! We must uncover the truth and give the people justice!”

“We cannot let the true culprit escape, and we cannot wrong an innocent person!”

“Please, Magistrate, examine every detail!” The shouts filled the courtroom, shaking the walls as if they might lift the roof.

Magistrate Li, startled by the uproar, felt a cold sweat form on his forehead. He understood that openly favoring Zhao Bin now might stir even greater public anger, possibly costing him his own position.

With that in mind, he braced himself and sat back down in his high chair, clearing his throat before declaring in a serious tone, “This case is of great importance. I will make sure the truth is uncovered!”

He paused, scanning the crowd, then his gaze fixed on Zhang San. In a deep voice, he asked, “Zhang San, earlier you said that the owner of Baoyuan Hall instructed you to poison the well. Is that true?”

At that moment, an unexpected scene unfolded. Zhang San suddenly changed his testimony.

He lifted his head, fear and helplessness in his eyes, his lips trembling as he stammered, “I… I wasn’t instructed by anyone. Everything I did was on my own. What I said about Baoyuan Hall’s owner instructing me… I was just trying to shift the blame to someone else to save myself… I admit my guilt. I shouldn’t have done such a foolish thing, nor should I have wrongfully implicated the innocent.”

Zhao Bin, hearing this, flashed a barely perceptible smile of satisfaction. He gently waved his fan in front of his face and sighed dramatically, “Ah, human nature is so hard to predict. Zhang San, why did you have to do this?”

Wei Lan felt a surge of anxiety and wanted to rush forward to question Zhang San.

Ming Yi noticed her agitation and quickly pulled her sleeve, whispering to calm her down, “Don’t worry, it’s not over yet.”

Wei Lan took a deep breath, trying to steady her emotions, but her gaze remained fixed on Zhang San, full of confusion and heartache.

Magistrate Li, seeing Zhang San confess his crime, quietly relaxed. However, he maintained his stern expression and struck the wooden table, commanding, “Zhang San, why did you poison the well? Speak the truth!”

Zhang San trembled, his legs weak, stuttering, “I… I… I…” He broke into a cold sweat but couldn’t explain himself.

Zhao Bin, seeing this, waved his fan and said with feigned wisdom, “Magistrate, I believe Zhang San must have been living poorly, harboring resentment, and thus wanted to ruin others’ lives. This is a classic case of mutual destruction. His mind is dark!”

Zhang San, seizing this as a lifeline, quickly nodded vigorously, “Yes, yes, that’s exactly it! I did it because of that…”

The crowd erupted into a frenzy of whispers. The noise was deafening, and people were shouting their opinions.

“Turns out Zhang San did it all by himself! He really tried to frame Baoyuan Hall!”

“Magistrate, punish Zhang San severely to set an example!”

The crowd’s emotions were growing increasingly agitated, and the courtroom became a cacophony, as if about to overturn the entire hall.

Magistrate Li, seeing the situation getting out of control, quickly struck the table and ordered, “Silence! Silence!”

Ming Yi stood below, thinking to himself: If Zhang San takes all the blame, won’t Zhao Bin escape easily? He knew that if he didn’t act decisively now, Zhao Bin would never admit to his crime.

Taking a deep breath, he stepped forward and declared loudly, “Magistrate, fellow townsfolk! Today’s events were not caused by Zhang San alone! Baoyuan Hall not only instructed Zhang San to poison the well but also sold counterfeit medicine, harming the people! Both of these crimes are backed by irrefutable evidence and cannot be overlooked!”

With that, Ming Yi took two small, intricately carved redwood boxes from his sleeves. They were identical, finely crafted, a clear mark of craftsmanship. Holding the boxes carefully in both hands, he walked up to Magistrate Li’s desk and placed them on it. He opened one to reveal the pills inside.

“Magistrate, please see, these are the so-called ‘Zhibao Pills’ sold by Baoyuan Hall.” Ming Yi pointed to one of the boxes and said, “This medicine is expensive, a signature product of Baoyuan Hall. However, it is nothing more than a counterfeit!”

He then pointed to the other box, his voice growing more resolute. “This is the real Zhibao Pill. Its formula is publicly documented in medical texts, available for anyone to check. It is undoubtedly genuine. Baoyuan Hall knew this but intentionally sold the counterfeit, deceiving the people. Their intentions are malicious and criminal!”

He paused, scanning the crowd, and continued, “Baoyuan Hall took advantage of the people’s desperation for a life-saving medicine to profit. This behavior not only violates medical ethics but shows a complete disregard for human life! Magistrate, fellow townsfolk, such conduct cannot be tolerated!”

Magistrate Li examined the two pills closely. One was vibrant, aromatic, obviously the real product, while the other was dull and lacked fragrance, appearing highly suspicious. He was startled and looked up at Zhao Bin, who was sweating profusely, still attempting to maintain composure, hiding his inner panic.

Zhang Wenyuan, seeing this, raised an eyebrow, sneered, and said sternly, “Zhao Zhang, do you admit to this fraud?”

Zhao Bin’s heart raced, but he still clung to a glimmer of hope. He knew that admitting to the fraud now would be his downfall. He firmly denied, “Magistrate, the Zhibao Pills from Baoyuan Hall are absolutely genuine! What Liu Ming Yi showed is clearly fake! He is framing me to get me convicted!”

The crowd erupted again, murmuring, “Doctor Liu, do you have evidence for this?” and “Perhaps Doctor Liu is framing him.”

In response, Ming Yi lifted the genuine Zhibao Pill, saying, “Everyone, please see. This is the real Zhibao Pill. Its color, texture, and fragrance are all unique.”

He turned the pill slowly, letting the sunlight reflect off it, and the pill seemed to glow faintly, catching the attention of everyone in the courtroom.

Zhao Bin thought to himself, “The Zhibao Pill cannot speak, and it doesn’t have any writing on it. If I deny it, how can they prove it’s genuine?”

He continued to resist, rebutting, “Liu Ming Yi, this is all baseless. What evidence do you have that this is a genuine Zhibao Pill?”

At that moment, a clear voice rang out from the crowd: “This is the Zhibao Pill from the Tang family, and it is definitely not fake!”

Everyone turned to see a woman gracefully walking forward. She was slender and light on her feet, like a wind-blown camellia flower.

The woman wore a light blue satin dress, plain but elegant, with a few delicate golden threads embroidered at the collar and cuffs, giving it a refined, minimalist look. Her hair was simply tied up with a plain hairpin, no jewels or adornments, yet she exuded an ethereal beauty.

She approached the front of the courtroom, bent slightly in a respectful bow, and said softly, “I pay my respects to the esteemed Magistrate and to Zhang Sir. I am the second daughter of Old Tang, Tang Xue.”

She spoke gently, but each word was clear and melodious.

It was Miss Tang Xue, who had provided the genuine Zhibao Pills.

Tang Xue looked up, her eyes clear like water, briefly scanning the crowd, but not directing her gaze specifically at Ming Yi or Wei Lan, as if they were just one part of the many faces in the courtroom.

She spoke again in a soft yet firm voice: “Although I am unworthy, I am well aware of Baoyuan Hall’s actions. It is truly heartbreaking. The people paid twenty taels of silver for what turned out to be this worthless counterfeit, and it is an extreme injustice.”

She paused briefly, then continued, her voice steady, “Magistrate, this Zhibao Pill is meant to be a life-saving medicine. If counterfeit versions are sold as the real thing, not only can it not save lives, but it will also delay treatment and even endanger lives. Baoyuan Hall’s actions are equivalent to murder for profit!”