Unexpectedly, Niu Er was summoned again. He rushed over from the academy in a hurry.
When Niu Er knelt down in the main hall, Lord Liang began to say, "Niu Er, repeat the testimony you gave yesterday!"
Although Niu Er didn't understand what was going on, he still obediently replied, "Yes, my lord!"
Then Niu Er repeated word for word what he had said yesterday.
Shen Zhang listened intently, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper. Only after Niu Er finished speaking did Shen Zhang slowly relax his brows.
"Shen Zhang, if you have anything to ask, go ahead!"
"Okay! Niu Er, now I'll ask you a few questions. Just answer them based on what really happened that night!" Shen Zhang stared closely at Niu Er as he spoke.
Although Niu Er was reluctant, Lord Liang didn't give him a chance to refuse.
"Niu Er, you said you saw me coming out of Qin An's room that night. What kind of clothes was I wearing then? And what was my facial expression? Come on, you can think about it and then tell me!"
As Shen Zhang spoke, his eyes were fixed on Niu Er, not missing any slightest change in his facial expression.
After hearing Shen Zhang's words, Niu Er's face didn't change much. "It was very dark that night. I only saw your face. As for what clothes you were wearing, I didn't notice. At that time, I was just curious about why you were in the academy, so I didn't pay attention to other things. As for your facial expression at that time, I saw it clearly. You looked panicked and flustered, and even walked unsteadily."
Shen Zhang didn't detect anything inappropriate on Niu Er's face. He was a bit disappointed but quickly regained his spirits. "Okay! I'll ask you another question! You said you helped Qin An back to his room and even talked to him on the way. Is this true?"
Niu Er nodded and said, "It's true!"
"Okay, then since Qin An could still talk to you at that time, it means that at least he was still conscious!"
"Do you think my guess is right or wrong?" Shen Zhang asked Niu Er.
"This..." This time, Niu Er seemed a bit hesitant. He didn't answer immediately but paused for a moment before nodding.
"That means you also agree that Qin An wasn't completely drunk and unconscious at that time but still conscious, right?" Shen Zhang asked Niu Er again.
Niu Er nodded and said, "Yes!"
"Okay! Since that's the case, I've finished my questions, Lord Liang!"
Lord Liang, who was sitting on the upper seat, didn't expect Shen Zhang to suddenly say that he had finished asking questions. He couldn't believe it.
"Lord Liang, I have something else to say."
"What is it?" Lord Liang wanted to complain about Shen Zhang for having so many things, but thinking that he had promised Shen Zhang, he didn't say anything more.
"Qin An is an adult man. Although he is a scholar, I believe his strength as a man shouldn't be less than that of a woman. I wonder if everyone agrees with this?" Shen Zhang asked the on - looking crowd.
Among the on - looking crowd outside, many were students from the academy where Shen Zhang and Qin An studied, some were Shen Zhang's relatives and Qin An's family, but most were ordinary people in the capital.
When those common people heard Shen Zhang's question, they immediately started discussing, but their words were all similar. They all thought that as a man, Qin An should be stronger than a woman.
"Okay, just now everyone heard that although Qin An had drunk alcohol at that time, he could still talk to Niu Er so much, which is enough to prove that he wasn't completely drunk and unconscious at that time but still conscious. Just now everyone also heard that Niu Er agreed to this!"
"Since everyone agrees on this point, then might I ask everyone to imagine. If an adult man, whose consciousness isn't completely lost, is strangled by the neck, will he resist?"
Shen Zhang formed a circle with his own hands and tightly grasped his neck. He asked the on - looking common people outside.
"Being strangled by the neck must be very uncomfortable. As long as a person is still alive, he will definitely struggle!" This time, someone in the crowd began to respond to Shen Zhang. It was a tall man in his early thirties.
Once someone started, others also began to speak.
"Being strangled by the neck, one definitely can't breathe. Even if one is drunk, one will wake up!"
"Indeed. Sometimes when I cover my nose while sleeping, I feel suffocated and uncomfortable enough to wake up. Being strangled by the neck must be even more uncomfortable."
...
The crowd became more and more excited in their discussion.
Shen Zhang felt more confident. He looked at Lord Liang and said, "I wonder what Lord Liang thinks?"
Although Lord Liang knew in his heart that what Shen Zhang said was right, he still warily didn't say it immediately. "This..."
"Then might I put it another way? Lord Liang, do you think what those common people outside just said is right?" As soon as Shen Zhang said this, all the common people outside widened their eyes and looked at Lord Liang.
Lord Liang suddenly met so many pairs of eyes looking at him at the same time. Although his position did require the presence of the common people for observation, although he had been the prefect of the capital for several years, the public security in the capital was very good and there had been no major cases. The cases he had tried were all trivial matters and not many people paid attention.
As for a case like today's with so many people present, the number of such situations he had encountered could be counted on one hand, and the last time it was because of the eldest young lady of the Shen Mansion.
Unexpectedly, the case he was trying this time was also related to the Shen Mansion.
Although Lord Liang's mind was full of thoughts, he quickly regained his focus. Looking at so many expectant eyes, he unexpectedly nodded uncontrollably.
Shen Zhang let out a sigh of relief. "Okay, since Lord Liang also agrees, it means that everyone agrees that when Qin An was strangled by the neck and his life was threatened, he began to struggle fiercely."
As Shen Zhang said this, he suddenly looked into the crowd and said to Lord Liang, "My lord, may I choose someone from the on - looking common people outside to help me with a small matter?"
At this time, Lord Liang showed dissatisfaction on his face. "Hurry up!"
Shen Zhang ignored Lord Liang and looked at the crowd outside. "Brother, could you please help me? It's very simple and not difficult!" Shen Zhang was pointing at the man in his thirties who had been the first to respond to him.
"Me?" The man pointed at himself with his own finger and said uncertainly.
"Yes, it's you!"
The man readily agreed. "Okay! I'll help with this small matter!"