Chapter 70: Chapter 70: Confrontation in Court

Regarding Lady Wu’s case, she could help write the petition, but it all depended on whether the person involved was still willing to exhaust herself over past events.

When Ming Lingyi arrived at the clinic, Mrs. Wei happened to be the one taking care of Granny Wang.

Mrs. Wei had already learned that afternoon that Ming Lingyi hadn’t taken her husband along. She had heard that Lingyi had a rather formidable-looking man with her instead, so when she saw Ming Lingyi walk in, Mrs. Wei couldn’t help but give her a wink.

Ming Lingyi didn’t understand what the wink meant. ’After all, who would have thought that a burly man like Zhang Qi would also be a gossip when he was alone with his wife?’

Ming Lingyi glanced at Granny Wang. It had only been a few days, but the once somewhat plump Granny Wang had rapidly grown thin. She now looked like a withered tree branch, devoid of all life.

"Granny Wang," Ming Lingyi said, sitting on the bamboo stool beside the bed. The air in the clinic was thick with a bitter medicinal smell. "Can you hear me?"

Granny Wang opened her eyes. They were a little cloudy, but at least she was lucid now.

The moment she saw Ming Lingyi, Granny Wang opened her mouth. Judging by the shape of her lips, she seemed to be asking if Ming Lingyi had retrieved the silver taels she had hidden in the vase.

However, before she could get the words out, Ming Lingyi interrupted her.

"Granny Wang, do you still want to make the Liu Family pay? I have a way."

Ming Lingyi’s words reached Granny Wang’s ears, and the old woman’s eyes instantly cleared. Even the strength in her hands grew, and she gripped Ming Lingyi’s wrist tightly.

"...Yes, I want... to avenge Wu Niang. Avenge Wu Niang." After saying this, Granny Wang couldn’t help but cough several times.

Ming Lingyi said, "Don’t get excited. Even if we’re going to make that man Liu pay, you need to be there to see it with your own eyes. You have to get better." 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Lying in bed, Mrs. Wang seemed convinced by her words. She took several deep breaths to calm herself, then stared blankly at Ming Lingyi’s face as tears welled up and flashed in her eyes.

"Do you... do you really have a way?"

In truth, she had long since given up all hope. She was simply unwilling to accept it, yet she was powerless and felt she had failed her daughter.

Mrs. Wei leaned in at this moment. "Miss Ming, did you find the people you were looking for today?"

Ming Lingyi nodded. "The people from Xinghua Alley and the midwife who delivered the current Madam Liu’s baby back then can all testify. That man Liu kept a mistress. His current heir is the illegitimate son he had with that mistress. Passing off an illegitimate child as the legitimate heir is already a violation of Dayan Law. Not to mention, he used this despicable scheme to seize Lady Wu’s dowry, which is an even greater crime."

After saying this, Ming Lingyi took Granny Wang’s hand again. "You must pull yourself together quickly. Lady Wu is waiting for you to get justice for her."

The rims of Granny Wang’s eyes slowly turned red.

「At the end of the second month, before the Qingming Festival.」

A group of people from Huaided Fang escorted Granny Wang to the government office of Jingzhao Mansion.

The drum sounded.

Landlord Liu and his family were still bewildered as they were brought into the government office. When Landlord Liu saw his former mother-in-law also present, he couldn’t help but frown.

When Wu Niang had first passed away, his former father-in-law and mother-in-law had come to his house to cause a scene. But since they had no proof, he had them thrown out and spread rumors that the old couple had gone mad with grief and were trying to seize their married daughter’s dowry.

Later, the old man, cursed with misfortune, truly did fall ill from anger and passed away not long after.

Over the years, his former mother-in-law had quieted down considerably, probably because she realized she couldn’t get the dowry back and stopped causing trouble.

He never expected that even now, when she looked like she was barely hanging on to life, she would still come and make trouble for him.

Upon seeing Granny Wang, Landlord Liu couldn’t help but mock her, "Old Mrs. Wang, I used to treat you like my own mother, didn’t I? I even had silver sent to you two every month. Now look at you, with one foot in the grave, and you’re still hung up on Wu Niang’s dowry? Don’t worry, Xun’er is Wu Niang’s son, and he has to call her his legal mother. The dowry Wu Niang left behind was always meant for Xun’er, so you can just stop all this trouble."

Anyone who didn’t know the truth might have actually thought he was a good son-in-law.

His first wife had been dead for so many years, yet he still remembered his father-in-law and mother-in-law, supporting them as if they were his own parents.

Hearing this, Granny Wang spat. "Pah!" She wished she could spit right in his face.

That silver was just hush money from this man Liu, who had a guilty conscience and wanted to buy their silence.

Her husband had been so furious he’d thrown the silver right back at the messenger.

After that, this man Liu never once came to see the old couple.

"Lies! All lies! That Liu Xun is clearly an illegitimate child! And your current wife is clearly that illegitimate child’s birth mother! How dare you even mention my Wu Niang’s dowry? It was obviously stolen by you two, you adulterous pair! If my Wu Niang were still alive, how heartbroken she would be! And you have the gall to claim you adopted him from a cousin in your clan? You shameless man!"

In that moment, it was as if Granny Wang was suddenly filled with strength. She no longer needed anyone’s support, and if the Government Officials hadn’t been there to hold her back, she might have lunged at the liar standing before her.

Liu Hao’s expression changed drastically upon hearing this.

"Mrs. Wang, are you aware of the crime of false accusation? Your words today..."

Before Liu Hao could finish, Gongsun Liangce, the Prefect of Jingzhao Mansion, who had appeared behind the high desk, picked up his gavel and rapped it on the wood.

"Order."

Beneath the "Bright Mirror High Hanging" plaque, he was dressed in his official uniform. He no longer looked like the amiable old man who had dined at Ming Lingyi’s eatery; he was now stern and imposing, emanating an aura of authority.

Liu Hao fell silent and cupped his hands. "Lord Gongsun."

He had purchased an official rank, so he was not required to kneel.

After Granny Wang knelt, Gongsun Liangce saw her advanced age and gave her special permission to stand while speaking.

"Liu Hao, Mrs. Wang accuses you of bringing an illegitimate child into your home under the false pretense of adoption, passing him off as your legitimate heir, and thereby seizing your deceased wife’s dowry. Is this true?"

Liu Hao cried out that he had been wronged. "Your Lordship, please see the truth! My first wife and I were deeply in love, but alas, her constitution was delicate. She lingered on her sickbed and passed away before she could bear any children. My deceased wife always blamed herself for being childless, which is why I adopted a child from my clan and had him recognize her as his legal mother. But my former mother-in-law has always been trying to get her hands on my late wife’s dowry. That dowry was left for Xun’er! How could I go against my departed wife’s wishes? Who would have thought that my mother-in-law still refuses to let me be, and has now dragged this matter into open court..."

As he said this, Liu Hao even wiped the corner of his eye, as if he were deeply grieved.

He was absolutely certain that Mrs. Wang was just a powerless old crone on death’s door, yet she was still making trouble for him. ’If this is how it’s going to be, then I can’t let her live.’

’Even if the truth of what happened back then is never exposed, these kinds of rumors will eventually tarnish my family’s Xun’er’s reputation.’