Chapter 20: The Interrogation Part 1
The Li Clan Leader, Elder Li Wengang, only learned about Li Wencai’s accusation against Li Xuedong after County Magistrate Huang arrived at Li Family Market.
Li Wenxi also only found out about this accusation after seeing County Magistrate Huang and his younger brother, Li Wencai.
Clan Leader Li Wengang, without time to ask for details, quickly stayed by County Magistrate Huang’s side. Clan Elder Li Shikuan directed the young men of the clan to set up a stage and a canopy at the entrance of the Ancestral Hall, according to Mr. Yao’s instructions, and cordon off an area.
Other clan elders were busy either entertaining the clerks and yamen runners who had accompanied them, or calling out people from a list provided by Mr. Yao and searching for them everywhere.
County Magistrate Huang, along with over a dozen clerks and yamen runners, had come to judge cases, and judging cases naturally had its rules.
Li Wenxi, unable to attend to anything else, grabbed his youngest brother Li Wencai and slapped him seven or eight times, but still couldn’t find out why Li Wencai had written this accusation letter, let alone get him to withdraw it.
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Gu Yan and his entourage of dozens arrived outside Kunshan County Town. The attendant who scouted ahead came out from the town to report: County Magistrate Huang Xianzhou had gone to Li Family Market to judge a case.
Upon hearing the name Li Family Market, Gu Yan flicked his whip and ordered, “Go take a look.”
The group bypassed Kunshan County Town and headed straight for Li Family Market.
When Gu Yan arrived at Li Family Market, the stage and canopy had already been set up at the entrance of the Li Ancestral Hall. All the required people had arrived, including Li Yuzhu and Li Yin Zhu, who had stayed home. Everything was ready, just waiting for the accused, Li Xuedong, the Xiucai Scholar.
Gu Yan and his group of thirty to forty people, dressed in fine clothes and riding spirited horses, were extremely ostentatious and conspicuous.
As they reached the edge of Li Family Market, Gu Yan glanced sideways at several women by the roadside who were staring at him with blank, foolish expressions. He reined in his horse, and Shi Gun, without needing to be told, quickly handed him his black gauze veil hat.
His Young Lord was extremely good-looking but detested being stared at. Whenever he went out, the veil hat was indispensable.
Gu Yan put on his veil hat, sat on his horse, and observed County Magistrate Huang Xianzhou from afar.
Huang Xianzhou was also looking in his direction.
Gu Yan stared at Huang Xianzhou brazenly. The last time he had seen Huang Xianzhou, the magistrate had already served his second term in this small county of Kunshan and had been there for seven years. Back then, he was even darker, thinner, and more annoying than he was now.
It seemed he had even stripped him of his scholarly title. What happened to him later?
Gu Yan tried hard to recall but couldn’t.
A county magistrate was simply too insignificant to him.
Almost everyone in Li Family Market was gathered near the Ancestral Hall, packed shoulder to shoulder.
Gu Yan dismounted and, under the escort of Shi Gun and several other servants, passed through the path that people spontaneously made for him. He circled the high platform halfway, chose an excellent spot to watch the spectacle, stood still, unfurled his folding fan, and slowly fanned himself, waiting to watch the show.
A cart from the Kunshan County wharf trotted into Li Family Market. The crowd parted, and the cart headed straight for the Ancestral Hall, stopping in front of the canopy. Mr. Gao jumped down first, followed by Li Jinzhu, who then turned to help Li Xiaonan down.
Li Yuzhu and Li Yin Zhu saw their Eldest Sister and rushed to meet her, “Eldest Sister!”
While Li Yuzhu was fine, Li Yin Zhu’s voice was already tinged with tears at this cry of “Eldest Sister!”
“Don’t be scared, don’t be scared!” Mr. Gao quickly comforted her.
Li Jinzhu first helped Li Xiaonan down and then reached out to help Li Xuedong. Li Xuedong, with a pale face, carefully protected his fine cloth long gown as he jumped down from the cart.
“It’s nothing, don’t be scared. What else could happen!” Li Jinzhu glanced at the already erected high platform and canopy, then patted Li Yuzhu and Li Yin Zhu, lowering her voice.
“I’m not scared anymore now that Eldest Sister is back,” Li Yin Zhu said, clinging to Li Jinzhu’s other side.
Now that Eldest Sister was back, she truly wasn’t scared anymore.
Li Yuzhu hugged Li Xiaonan tightly. Li Xiaonan leaned into Li Yuzhu’s ear and whispered, “Second Sister, don’t be scared. Brother is a Xiucai Scholar now, he’ll definitely be fine. If anything happens, it’ll be for the best.”
“Mm.” Li Yuzhu looked down at Li Xiaonan, trying to smile, but couldn’t finish the smile halfway through.
Mr. Yao smoothed his long gown, stepped forward, cupped his hands, bowed, and very formally informed County Magistrate Huang.
County Magistrate Huang stood up and said with a smile to Clan Leader Elder Li, “Everyone is here, and Li Xiucai has also arrived. Let’s begin.”
A table had already been placed on the high platform, covered with a purplish-red tablecloth brought by the yamen runners. A lottery drum, a startling wood, an official seal, paper, brush, and inkstone were neatly arranged. The inkstone already contained freshly ground ink.
County Magistrate Huang sat down. About ten yamen runners stood on either side, holding their water-fire staffs. After three shouts of “Majestic!”, silence fell all around.
The scribe from the Ministry of Justice strode forward, facing the crowd. He loudly called in the plaintiff, Li Wencai. Seeing Li Wencai kneel, he unfolded Li Wencai’s accusation letter and read it out with dramatic intonation and rhythm. With a flourish, he shook the letter, bowed to County Magistrate Huang, stepped back a few paces, and stood by the high platform.
“Li Wencai, did you write this accusation letter?” County Magistrate Huang asked slowly, with a smile.
“Yes!” Li Wencai, kneeling before the high platform, raised his face, which was marked with stiff finger imprints, and answered with a stiff neck.
“You claim that this county’s newly qualified student, Li Xuedong, obtained his status through impersonation. Do you know who this impersonator is?” County Magistrate Huang continued to ask.
“It’s his sister! Li Xiaonan!” Li Wencai twisted around and pointed at Li Xiaonan, who was cowering behind Li Yuzhu.
“It’s that little girl? Hmm, do you have any witnesses? Do you have any physical evidence?”
County Magistrate Huang leaned forward and looked at Li Xiaonan, who was hiding behind Li Yuzhu, only half of her face visible.
“It’s obvious! Li Xuedong is a sickly person, and he’s very stupid! How could he possibly pass the exam? His sister, from childhood, was smart. She learned to recognize characters, and she learned them at a glance, never needing a second try. When she heard her brother recite, she knew it by heart after one listen. She could recite it, but her brother hadn’t even smoothed out the pronunciation yet!
“Also, when she was five or six years old, she could write poetry. The poems she wrote were very inspired! Li Xuedong’s Xiucai status was definitely not earned by himself; it must have been his sister who took the exam for him!”
Li Wencai spoke with a strong voice and full of spirit.
Hearing that the poetry was very inspired, County Magistrate Huang glanced at Mr. Yao. Mr. Yao met County Magistrate Huang’s gaze, pulled down the corners of his mouth, and cast a sidelong glance at Li Wencai.
He had already read Li Xuedong’s Ink Scrolls from the County, Prefectural, and Courtyard Examinations. Those few exam poems merely rhymed; they had nothing to do with the word “inspired.”
Li Xuedong’s essays were also in a plain and profound style, excelling in thorough reasoning, clear argumentation, and logical progression, possessing great power. This profound simplicity, extending from his writing to his person, led him to believe during the County Examination that Li Xuedong was a tall and brave northern man.
None of this matched the description of being spirited and agile.
On the side of the high platform, Gu Yan listened intently to Li Wencai’s words, his eyes narrowing and then opening, scrutinizing Li Xiaonan from head to toe.
The poems written by this little girl were unwatchable, and her essays also followed a profound and meticulous path. Where had her overwhelming spirit gone?
Was it a pretense?
Impossible. This little girl never had such schemes or cunning before, and even now, she seemed to have a lot of courage but still not much cunning.
Gu Yan looked at the huddled Li siblings one by one, his gaze falling again on Li Xiaonan, who was hunched and trembling, and he let out a faint hum.
Now she knew fear. Where was the boldness she displayed when she faced him expressionlessly and without regard that day? Where had it gone?
Ahhhhhh!
The goal of 1000 monthly tickets was set, and with half a day left, it doesn’t look like it will be achieved. Alas, everyone, please see if you have any monthly tickets left and help out!
It’s too embarrassing not to achieve it. Alas, alas, alas, I should have set a goal of 100 tickets…
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Also, recently, I have to rush to buy vegetables early every morning, scan group buys in various groups, check logistics, pick up packages, get tested for nucleic acid, check reports, and various other things. Everything else has to wait until these are done, so the extra update is also delayed by one night.
May the country be prosperous and the people live in peace, and may there be peace throughout the four seas!
