"Who dares to trespass in the courtroom!"
Liu Shanqing's face instantly turned extremely unpleasant. What was going on today?
Had his Transportation Bureau become no different from the tea houses outside?
How could just anyone walk in?
"This is my wife!"
Han Mo smiled slightly and then looked directly at Xu Churen.
"Since it is Madam Han, please have her come in!"
Xu Churen said calmly.
Li Jixian couldn't help but mutter to himself. Was this what your old friend meant by just coming to observe the trial?
But since he had already said so, who in this courtroom would dare not give him face?
"This humble daughter greets Uncle-esteemed! Greetings to all your Excellencies!"
Zhe Yourong, being from a military family, showed no fear even in the courtroom at this moment.
Instead, she gracefully bowed to Xu Churen and then looked at Li Jixian and Liu Shanqing.
"I truly never expected that Si Zhang, such a rough man from the northwest, could have such a beautiful daughter. It seems our top scholar is indeed blessed with great fortune!"
"Uncle-esteemed, if you say that, this humble daughter will have no place to hide!"
After hearing the exchange between Xu Churen and Zhe Yourong, Liu Shanqing could only offer a wry smile.
This was no longer the courtroom of the Transportation Bureau, but a grand family reunion!
In such a short time, Han Mo and Xu Churen's relationship had shifted from being friends despite the age gap to being old acquaintances.
Furthermore, their most crucial evidence had been refuted by Han Mo. At this point, he had no idea how to proceed with the trial.
"Madam Han, this is still a courtroom. If you retract your earlier statement, and out of respect for Lord Xu, this official will not pursue the charge of disturbing the court. If you..."
"Your Excellency said earlier that my husband did not consult with the victim beforehand. Are you implying that my husband disrespected the Dao Lord?"
Zhe Yourong, having been born into a military family, was not afraid even when facing enemies on the battlefield. Thus, she was naturally eloquent in the courtroom.
She was inherently very intelligent, and had also had a thorough discussion with Han Mo beforehand.
She was fully aware of all the variables in this matter.
Since they could not pin the crime of infringing upon imperial property on Han Mo, the only remaining charge that could cause trouble for Han Mo now was this.
Disrespecting the Dao Lord. This charge sounded absurd, but in this absurd era, it was indeed a grave offense.
Wasn't Zong Ying's father, Zong Ze, sent to Zhenjiang for mere administrative confinement because he had expressed a few grievances in his writings?
While "administrative confinement" sounded polite, it was essentially house arrest.
"That is the fact of the matter. This cannot be concealed by my saying it or not!"
Having his intentions exposed, Liu Shanqing decided to embrace the situation.
After all, it was already at this stage, and he understood that if they couldn't find any concrete evidence today, the matter would only become more troublesome, and they might even end up losing more than they gained.
In the process of handling the case, they had already given Han Mo too many openings. If they ultimately failed to convict Han Mo, then they would be the ones to suffer.
"Your Excellency, what you are saying is truly interesting. Although my husband is young, since arriving in Neihuang County, in just a few months, he has risked his life, led from the front, faced death several times, and thanks to the blessings of the imperial grace, he has purged the county of bandits and captured the bandit leader Li Mao'er!"
"He has rectified the officials in the prefectural yamen, recovered nearly a million strings of cash in losses for the court, and mobilized the military and civilians of Neihuang County to raise their own grain and repair the river dikes. The people of Neihuang County have seen and remembered all these achievements. How can Your Excellency not see them?"
"Not only do you fail to see what my husband has done, but you are also quibbling here, insisting on framing him with the charge of disrespecting the Dao Lord. I truly do not know what your intentions are!"
"Silence!"
Before Zhe Yourong could finish speaking, Liu Shanqing could no longer contain himself.
He truly hadn't expected that not only Han Mo was sharp-tongued, but his wife was also so eloquent.
With this husband and wife pair, in such a short time, while the audience listening to the trial was fine, he, the presiding official, had become the one guilty of a grave offense.
"What? Are you unable to bear it if I speak about what you did?"
Even though he slammed the gavel with a resounding crack, it was wishful thinking to try and intimidate Zhe Yourong with just this.
After all, the young lady standing before him had gone on the battlefield with her father and brother when she was just a teenager!
"I think what she said is quite good. Lord Liu, why do you need to get angry?"
My god!
Xu Churen's remark almost choked Liu Shanqing to death. This was considered good?
"Lord Xu, after all, we are here to observe the trial. I believe the pace of the trial should be left to Lord Liu!"
Li Jixian couldn't take it anymore. This old fellow was clearly biased, and his favoritism was bordering on the absurd. At this point, he could only step forward to support Liu Shanqing.
"What? Lord Li, do you think I shouldn't say these things?"
This was unreasonable!
Li Jixian's mouth twitched. They weren't playing like this, were they?
Didn't you just say yourself that you were only here to observe the trial? In such a short time, why the change of heart?
"This subordinate certainly does not mean that. In Hebei Circuit, is there anything that Your Excellency cannot manage!"
Despite his inner grumbling, Li Jixian dared not show any dissatisfaction.
After all, as the Grand Administrator of Daming and concurrently the Grand Commissioner of Hebei Circuits, Xu Churen was undoubtedly the top authority in the Hebei region.
The military and political powers of the entire Hebei circuit were in his hands. Not to mention that he was merely a minor Transportation Commissioner of the Eastern Hebei Circuit; even the Grand Transportation Commissioner of Hebei Circuit would have to show him deference.
"Lord Li, why are you so nervous? I was just joking with you. Lord Liu, isn't it? This is whose territory, and whoever's is in charge. I think you should continue with the trial!"
Seeing the sweat beads forming on Li Jixian's forehead, Xu Churen nodded with satisfaction and then slowly said.
Liu Shanqing was almost in tears. This old fellow was clearly warning him!
To ensure he understood, he had even emphasized the word "territory"!
This was not letting him try the case; this was naked threat!