After my luck was stolen, I led my whole family to defy fate and change our destiny.

Chapter 133 Chen Liu

"Summon witnesses"

A moment later, a person dressed in a gray short-sleeved shirt came in.

"See Your Majesty"

"Free gift"

Thank you, Your Majesty.

The scholar who had passed the imperial examination was not required to kneel in the hall, so that person stood up directly.

Lord Zhang: "Who comes here, and what evidence do you present?"

"Your Excellency, my given name is Chen Liu. I am a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations), but I failed the exams three times. I only achieved a very low ranking and was not selected in the last round of official selections."

"Just when I was feeling utterly disheartened, someone approached me and said that for 20,000 taels of silver, I could secure an official position as the Prefect of the Capital. In my foolishness, I believed his slander and handed over the 20,000 taels, but I, a commoner, never received the position."

"I found that man and demanded an explanation. He said he was backed by Old Madam Gu of the Minister's Mansion, so why would he need 20,000 taels of silver? At my insistence, I met with Old Madam Gu, and she reassured me that the arrangements would take time."

"I waited and waited until now, and I wanted to see Lord Gu, but they kept making excuses and even threw me out. I immediately realized that I had been deceived. Lord Gu probably didn't even know about this, because with Lord Gu's power, it would be easy for him to give a commoner an official position. There was no need to drag it out."

"Not only me, but all my classmates felt the same way."

"I know that buying an official position is illegal and I am willing to accept the punishment, but I also demand the return of the money that Madam Gu cheated me out of. I beg Your Majesty and all the officials to do justice for me."

Madam Gu wanted to curse again, but remembering what Chu Yuan had just said, she turned her head away.

Those bastards! It's only 20,000 taels!

"Physical Evidence"

Zhou Zhixing cupped his hands in greeting: "My lord, these are the letter of severance between Gu Chenshi and Lord Gu, and the confession personally signed by Gu Chenshi."

No, I didn't.

Madam Gu hurriedly denied it: "My lord, I didn't do it! Gu Mingtang forced me to sign it. She's just unhappy with me as her stepmother and wants to cut ties with me, so she's framing me like this."

When Lord Zhang saw the letter severing ties with his child and the confession, he was stunned. This Gu Chenshi was far too audacious.

The official returned quickly and whispered a few words in Lord Zhang's ear.

"Summon witnesses"

A short while later, a group of people walked in and knelt down on the ground in unison.

"This servant greets Your Majesty, long live the Emperor!"

Get up.

"Thank you, Your Majesty"

Lord Zhang: Who is below?

One of the middle-aged women spoke up: "Reporting to Your Excellency, we are servants from the Minister's residence. We previously served in Old Madam Gu's courtyard."

Lord Zhang: "How has Old Madam Gu treated you?"

The woman was on the verge of tears as she spoke. She pushed aside the man's arm beside her and said, "Sir, this is my husband. Look, he's covered in scars, and on his back too. Not only my husband, but everyone else is the same."

As they spoke, the other men also lifted their arms, and if it weren't for the inappropriate occasion, they would have liked to take off their clothes to show everyone their injuries.

"Old Madam Gu acts one way in front of Lord Gu, but another way in front of us. I have a son who was beaten to death because he saw Old Madam Gu meeting with a scholar. He told me about this before, and I told him to collect evidence first, otherwise Lord Gu won't believe it."

“Lord Gu used to be very filial. I was afraid he wouldn’t trust me, so I had my son continue to observe. It was my fault, but Madam, you can’t beat my son to death!”

"We beg you, sirs, to do us justice!"

The others also knelt down: "We beg you, sirs, to do our bidding!"

Lord Zhang was furious: "Gu Chenshi, how dare you! You still refuse to confess!"

Madam Gu panicked immediately: "No, it wasn't me, I didn't do it! They're framing me! Your Honor, you must investigate this thoroughly!"

At this moment, the official whispered in Lord Zhang's ear, "I also found a secret room in the former courtyard of Madam Gu Chen. Inside were all sorts of torture instruments, probably comparable to those used by the Ministry of Justice."

What a vicious woman!

"With witnesses and physical evidence, you're still trying to deny it."

"My lord, my lord, I really didn't do it! They're framing me!"

Chen Liu stepped forward: "You say I framed you? I'm a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) and still very young. I might pass the exams again if I continue. If I hadn't suffered such a great injustice, why would I bother to sue you?"

Li Dazhi: "Yes, I used to serve the old lady. If it weren't true, how could I dare to come forward and testify?"

The others also knelt down: "Your Honor, please investigate thoroughly. We have not lied. Madam Gu appears kind and considerate in front of Lord Gu, but in private, she beats and scolds the servants, and uses Lord Gu's name to act recklessly and amass wealth."

"Please, Your Excellency, make the decision."

The people living underground were also in an uproar.

"Good heavens, I never expected it to be like this. No wonder Lord Gu severed ties with him. With a mother like that, he wouldn't even know how he died."

"Not only that, he also falsely accused Lord Gu of buying and selling official positions."

"How despicable! She's a vicious woman!"

"Yeah, even if they're not your own children, you shouldn't do this."

"That's outrageous!"

Su Xiuran and the others secretly breathed a sigh of relief; this time, at least they weren't ungrateful.

Chunhe and Mingzhu were the most excited. They squeezed into the crowd and fanned the flames: "This kind of person is really despicable! He's causing unrest in the family! We must make the adults punish him severely, lest our wives follow suit!"

"Yes, yes, yes, I think you're absolutely right, young lady."

"Punish this wicked woman severely! Punish this wicked woman severely!"

"Punish them severely, punish them severely!"

"Severely punish them, severely punish them, they must be severely punished!"

Gu Chenshi's shoulders slumped. With the people's outcry so loud, she realized she was doomed. She knelt on the ground and wailed.

"I didn't, I didn't!"

Seeing this, Gu Minghai stepped forward to plead for mercy: "My lord, my mother was just confused for a moment. Please be lenient with her."

Zhou Zhixing: "How could a mere woman have such audacity? Could it be that you, as her son, instigated this? Lord Gu Mingtang is not Gu Chenshi's child, but you are Gu Chenshi's biological son. The money she obtained must have all ended up in your pocket, right?"

Gu Minghai's face turned pale instantly; he hadn't expected Zhou Zhixing to point at him.

"I didn't, I don't know. Lord Zhou, you can't just make things up without proof."

Emerging from her grief, Madam Gu stood in front of Gu Minghai. She was finished, but her son couldn't be harmed. So, she recklessly declared, "This has nothing to do with my son!"

"I did it all by myself. My son knew nothing about it. I deliberately smeared Gu Mingtang. I hate him, I despise him, and I want him to be completely disgraced."

Lord Zhang frowned: "You mean to say that you were the one who framed Gu Mingtang and Zheng Jun?"

"no no no"

Madam Gu quickly denied it. She wasn't stupid. Could accusing someone of selling official positions be the same as accusing someone of embezzling military funds?

The former might end up in jail, but Gu Minghai can bail him out then. The latter, however, could cost him his head.

Even if she was involved, she can't say anything.