The Female Assistant of Wei Yuyan Shuangfei

After hearing Zhang Yuan's explanation, everyone inside and outside the county government was outraged by Zhang Lei's actions.

"I see."

Xie Tingwen nodded, then glanced at Zhang Yuan and said, "Since you are not dead, whose body is that in the hidden corpse case?"

Zhang Yuan was silent for a moment, and finally told the whole story: "Sir! Here are the details... The beggar was found outside Zhang's house by me and the servant. He was already dead when we found him, so I..."

"How dare you, Zhang Yuan, lie to me at this moment." Xie Tingwen shouted angrily, and immediately slammed the gavel and said, "If you don't tell the truth, I will torture you."

"Sir! I am innocent. The beggar was indeed dead at that time." Zhang Yuan cried out at the top of his lungs.

Outside the county government office, the people watching the trial also resonated with Zhang Yuan. Zhang's entire family of 19 was killed, and he had no way to redress his injustice, so he could only live in the world.

Many people with good intentions couldn't help but start crying, making the lobby of the county government seem as if there was a great injustice.

"Crack!~"

Xie Tingwen angrily slammed the gavel and said in a deep voice, "Silence."

"Awesome!" the bailiff responded hastily.

There was a brief silence in the main hall. Xie Tingwen immediately looked at the coroner and said, "Coroner! Read the autopsy report on the 19 murder victims at the Zhang residence to Zhang Yuan in the courtroom."

"I obey your command." The coroner bowed and replied.

He slowly unfolded the book in his hand, took a step forward, glanced at everyone, and said in a deep voice: "In the Zhang's corpse hiding case, a total of 19 bodies were excavated, 18 of which were injured by blunt instruments, all of which were injured in the limbs. Only one corpse with six fingers on the left foot had an injury on the head. After investigation, this injury was a fatal injury."

"Zhang Yuan! What else do you have to say?" Xie Tingwen shouted angrily.

"Sir, I don't know where to start. Please explain clearly." Zhang Zhai knelt down and spoke haltingly, indicating that he had nothing to do with the matter.

Xie Tingwen knew very well Zhang Yuan's little thoughts. This case happened three years ago. Not to mention the incomplete witnesses, even the physical evidence had been eroded by time.

Zhang Yuan worked in the Household Affairs Office and was familiar with the procedures in the office in detail. Compared with other people, it was much easier for him to escape the blame.

Now that all 19 members of the Zhang family have died, he can be considered half of the Zhang family. If Xie Tingwen has no substantial evidence, the current situation is favorable to him.

Thinking of this, Xie Tingwen angrily slammed the gavel and said, "Zhang Yuan! I gave you a chance but you didn't listen. Do you really want me to torture you?"

"Sir! If you want to force a confession out of me, I have nothing to say."

"Good, a good confession under torture, a good one who won't cry until he sees the coffin, today I will make you convinced." Xie Tingwen shouted angrily, then looked at Cao Zhen and said, "Captain Cao! Bring the corpse to the hall."

"Yes!~" Cao Zhen stroked his hand and responded.

Soon, two yamen runners were seen carrying a stretcher covered with a white cloth. After the stretcher was stable, Cao Zhen took the opportunity to lift the white cloth.

The corpse, which had already turned to bones, was wearing dirty clothes, and under the skeletal arm, there was a sachet.

Cao Zhen took out the tattered sachet from under the skeleton, on which was embroidered green bamboo whose color was difficult to discern.

The moment Zhang Yuan saw the purse, his face darkened and cold sweat broke out on his forehead. He looked extremely embarrassed.

"Zhang Yuan! Do you recognize this purse?" Xie Tingwen asked in a deep voice.

"I...I don't recognize you." Zhang Yuan repeatedly defended himself.

"What a joke! Your wife has already identified this item and confirmed that it was given to you three years ago. If you say it's not yours, then where is your purse?"

"Maybe it was lost. It's such a small item. It's normal for me to be careless, sir..."

"Negligence? What an oversight. The sachet is a personal item, yet you are so sure that you said it was lost. Do you really want me to punish you?"

Xie Tingwen's eyes flashed with ferocity, and he immediately slammed the gavel and said, "Come here! Give me twenty lashes of the board, and see if he confesses."

"It's unfair, sir. I am really wronged..."

Zhang Yuan begged for mercy repeatedly, but the yamen runners did not dare to delay for even a moment. They pinned Zhang Yuan down and punished him in court.

"Bang bang bang!~"

As the water and fire sticks continued to beat him, Zhang Yuan's cries for mercy became weaker and weaker. When the sixth blow came, Zhang Yuan hurriedly cried out, "Sir! I confess."

Xie Tingwen waved his hands immediately, looked at Zhang Yuan and said in a deep voice: "How did you assassinate that beggar?"

"Sir, this is all my fault. When I entered Zhang's house that day, I asked the servant to spend five taels of silver to find someone to meet me outside. I never expected that Zhang Lei would actually try to kill me. Later, the servant rescued me, but because he was afraid that Zhang Lei would suspect me, he knocked the man unconscious and buried him...buried him inside."

Zhang Yuan collapsed to the ground with a thud, his body shaking uncontrollably. His sobs echoed throughout the main hall, and everyone inside and outside the county government office couldn't help but gasp.

"Zhang Yuan is really cruel. Who is the deceased? I haven't heard of anyone missing."

"I don't know, maybe he's from another place. After all, Laigu County is such a small place, if one person is missing, it won't be known for a day."

"Please stop it! All the Zhang family members died in the Zhang residence, and weren't they all reported missing in the end? If I don't thank you, sir, I'm afraid the matter will be left unresolved."

There were discussions outside the hall, and Xie Ningzhi in the back hall was also worried: "Little sister! Will this forced confession......"

"Brother! This is not a confession obtained under torture."

Xie Shuting stroked the teacup, took a sip of tea to moisten her throat, and said, "The beggar's death must be related to Zhang Yuan. He is just sure that there is no evidence, otherwise he would not have insisted on it."

"But my father has tortured me after all. Can this stand up to scrutiny?" Xie Ningzhi couldn't help but ask with some concern.

Xie Shuting knew Xie Ningzhi's concerns. At the moment, in the main hall, there was not only the militia commander Wei Peng, but also the criminal justice official Qi Yue. If these two had any doubts about the case, Zhang Yuan would definitely not be convicted.

Obviously, Xie Ningzhi's concerns were unnecessary. Qi Yue was the captain of the Ministry of Punishment and looked down upon Zhang Yuan's case.

Wei Peng couldn't possibly intervene. He was already on pins and needles and wanted to escape from this predicament as soon as possible, so how could he question Xie Tingwen's trial of the case?

In the main hall, Xie Tingwen looked at Zhang Yuan with sharp eyes, and immediately slammed the gavel, saying in a deep voice: "Zhang Yuan! Since you have pleaded guilty, I will pronounce the sentence according to the law."