When Niu Er said this, it increased the suspicion on Shen Zhang.
Shen Zhang's face turned grim. Outside the crowd, Concubine Su and Shen Zhen also looked extremely nervous. They surely believed that Shen Zhang was wrongly accused, but suddenly someone came forward saying that they saw Shen Zhang walking out of the deceased's room last night.
Concubine Su had no doubts. She believed her son was innocent. As for today's incident, someone must be trying to frame Shen Zhang.
Lord Liang looked at Shen Zhang, sneering inwardly, but still maintaining a just and solemn expression on his face. "Bring in the physical evidence!"
Then a yamen runner came forward with a tray and showed it to Shen Zhang.
On the tray was a Hetian jade pendant hanging from a cyan knot. It was very beautiful.
After Shen Zhang had a look, the yamen runner took back the tray.
"Shen Zhang, do you recognize this jade?" Lord Liang asked, looking at the jade pendant on his desk.
"Your Honor, this is the jade pendant I lost before!"
"Lost? Your jade was found in the deceased's room by the yamen runners. How do you explain this?"
"After school yesterday, just as I was leaving the academy, I found that the jade pendant I carried with me was missing. I went back to the academy to look for it, but I couldn't find it. I thought someone had picked it up. As for why it ended up in Qin An's room..."
"I boldly guess that someone with ill - intent took it and deliberately placed it in Qin An's room to frame me for killing Qin An. I beg Your Honor to investigate thoroughly and not be deceived by these false appearances."
Lord Liang sneered. "False appearances? Now that we have both witness and physical evidence, Shen Zhang, I didn't expect you to still try to defend yourself! Men!"
"Tell me, how did you kill Qin An? Shen Zhang, I order you to confess all your crimes in detail."
Shen Zhang shouted at Lord Liang sitting above. "Your Honor, I didn't kill Qin An. How can I confess?"
"Fine! At this point, you still dare to be so stubborn! Men! Give him thirty blows with the board first! I'd like to see if you'll talk!"
Lord Liang stood up from his chair excitedly and gave the order to the yamen runners below.
Immediately, two yamen runners brought in a special bench, forced Shen Zhang onto it. One of them held a board each and stood on either side of Shen Zhang, holding the boards upright, as if ready to strike at any moment.
"Zhang'er!"
"Brother!"
Concubine Su and Shen Zhen, seeing Shen Zhang lying on the bench, were already in tears. They stood at the front of the crowd, struggling hard against the yamen runners' obstruction.
Concubine Su wished she could rush up right now and stand in front of Shen Zhang to block these blows for him.
"Execute the punishment!" Lord Liang picked up a token from the table and threw it on the ground of the main hall.
The two yamen runners immediately raised their boards and were about to strike Shen Zhang's buttocks.
"Wait a moment!" Shen Junming hurriedly jumped off his horse and happened to see this scene. He quickly shouted to stop them.
"Bold! Who dares to stop me from handling the case?" Lord Liang had already seen Shen Junming coming, but still said so.
"Lord Liang! It's me!" Shen Junming clasped his fists. Still out of breath, he greeted Lord Liang from afar.
Lord Liang squinted his eyes and looked at Shen Junming walking towards him. "So it's Lord Shen. May I ask what business you have here?"
Shen Junming wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and said with a smile to Lord Liang, "My son is ignorant. I beg Lord Liang to show mercy for the sake of our being colleagues in the court. I will surely repay you handsomely in the future!"
Shen Junming's voice was very low. Only those around him could hear it.
Lord Liang naturally understood what Shen Junming meant, but he still put on a straight face and flatly refused. "What do you take me for, Lord Shen? I will handle this case impartially and will not show any bias. Please go back, Lord Shen!"
Lord Liang said this righteously and loudly, so loudly that the on - looking commoners outside could hear clearly. Immediately, it was like a boiling pot, with people chattering noisily.
Hearing the commoners' discussions, more sweat broke out on Shen Junming's forehead. This time, he didn't even wipe it. Looking at Lord Liang in panic, he said, "Lord Liang, considering our friendship, can't you make an exception?"
"Please go back, Lord Shen! I'm going to continue the trial!"
Lord Liang was very cold towards Shen Junming. He simply lifted his robe and sat down on the chair.
"Start hitting!"
This time, the two yamen runners didn't hesitate. One on the left and one on the right, they took turns raising the boards high and striking them hard on Shen Zhang's buttocks.
"Smack!"
"Smack!"
The sound of the boards hitting the flesh, together with the cries of Concubine Su and Shen Zhen outside, made the atmosphere in the main hall freeze instantly.
Shen Junming's face was extremely ugly. He didn't expect that Lord Liang would not give him any face at all and just order the beating.
Shen Zhang lay on the bench, his hands tightly gripping the front of the bench. Big drops of sweat rolled down his pale face. Even so, he didn't utter a sound.
When the two yamen runners stopped, Shen Zhang's outer robe was already soaked with blood.
"Shen Zhang, I'll ask you one more time. Did you kill Qin An? Confess honestly!"
Shen Zhang paused for a moment, moved his lips as if swallowing saliva, and then said with difficulty, "I won't admit to something I didn't do!"
"Fine! You won't talk, right? Then as long as you don't talk, I'll beat you thirty blows with the board every day. I'd like to see how long you can hold out. Shen Zhang, you'd better think clearly. Is your bone stronger or the boards of the Jingzhao Prefecture stronger?"
"Hehe! Your Honor can just try! But if you want to extract a confession by torture, I advise you to give up. I, Shen Zhang, will never admit to something I didn't do, even if it means death!" Shen Zhang lay on the bench, looking up at Lord Liang and saying word by word.
"You... Fine! Still so stubborn when you're about to die! Shen Zhang, I don't believe that the eighteen torture devices of the Jingzhao Prefecture can't pry open your mouth!" Lord Liang said angrily.
"Court is adjourned! Resume the trial tomorrow!" Lord Liang said to the yamen runners and then stormed off to the back hall.
As soon as Lord Liang left, two yamen runners immediately carried Shen Zhang off the bench and took him to the dungeon of the Jingzhao Prefecture. The on - looking crowd outside slowly dispersed.
"Zhang'er! Zhang'er!" Now that there were no yamen runners blocking them, Concubine Su immediately rushed forward regardless. She looked at Shen Zhang with a heart - broken face.