Before the yamen runner could answer, a voice came from behind the crowd. "No need!"
"Shen Zhang? You... aren't you d... dead?" The yamen runner turned around and saw Shen Zhang standing not far behind him. His face was filled with terror, and his legs were even trembling.
"Dead? I'm alive and well. How could I be dead?" Shen Zhang looked at Lord Liang sitting above, then glanced back at Minister Han standing outside. He said in a relaxed tone, "I still want to go home! How could I be willing to die?"
Minister Han stared at Shen Zhang with eyes full of killing intent. He never expected that this Shen Zhang could still escape death. He had previously bribed the jailers in the prison to put highly poisonous drugs in Shen Zhang's food and watch him eat it with his own eyes.
The jailers clearly told him yesterday that Shen Zhang had eaten the food, but why was this Shen Zhang still standing here in good condition?
Moreover, the yamen runner just now also said that he saw Shen Zhang foaming at the mouth, which was clearly a symptom of poisoning.
Minister Han speculated in his heart that Shen Zhang might have guessed early on that someone was going to harm him, so he pretended to eat the food and feign a poisoning attack to deceive everyone.
"Lord Liang, isn't the case supposed to be heard today? Why hasn't it started yet?"
Lord Liang looked at Shen Zhang below, who couldn't hide his proud look even while standing there. He slapped the gavel and said, "Summon Han Wei!"
Han Wei was quickly summoned. He didn't look in good condition. It seemed that he hadn't had a good rest last night either.
When Han Wei saw that Shen Zhang was still standing in the courtroom, he immediately looked back in the direction where Minister Han was standing. After receiving a hint from Minister Han, he then turned around.
"Lord Liang, yesterday the Prince of Liqin said that he saw Han Wei and Qin An together in the Wanhua Tower, and Han Wei's attitude towards Qin An was not friendly. So the student suspects that it was Han Wei who killed Qin An!" Shen Zhang pointed at Han Wei and said.
Of course, Han Wei was not willing to admit the crime like this. He immediately countered, "Shen Zhang, don't spout nonsense. What evidence do you have to prove that I killed Qin An? Let me tell you, if you talk nonsense without evidence, be careful that I sue you for slandering my reputation!"
"Evidence? I don't have it now, but it's not difficult to find it! As long as we summon the people from the Wanhua Tower and ask them, everything will be clear! Right, Young Master Han?"
"Humph! Those people in the Wanhua Tower are no good people. They're just servants who serve others! Shen Zhang, don't tell me you've already bribed them to frame me!" Han Wei had been pampered since childhood, which made him spoiled and arrogant, looking down on everyone.
"Young Master Han, if the servants in the Wanhua Tower are just servants and their words can't be used as evidence, then isn't Niu Er also a servant? Why can his words be used as evidence? Young Master Han, you suspect that I bribed the people in the Wanhua Tower, but I suspect that Niu Er was arranged by you to frame me!"
Shen Zhang spoke very seriously just now. He didn't seem to be just arguing with Han Wei out of anger, but rather seemed to have suspected this for a long time.
"You... you're talking nonsense! Shen Zhang, don't be like a mad dog and bite anyone you see!"
"Enough! I, the magistrate, will judge the right and wrong! Now both sides hold different views. It's not easy to judge the matter for the moment..."
"My lord!" Before Lord Liang could finish his words, Shen Zhang interrupted him. "My lord, there's no need to be so anxious! This matter is very easy to handle. The student has a way to solve it."
In Lord Liang's view, Shen Zhang's behavior was already disrespecting his official authority. "Shen Zhang, remember your own identity. You're a suspect now! You haven't got rid of the suspicion of murder yet. Don't just butt in here!"
"My lord, you're wrong! Even a criminal should be given a chance to defend himself!" The one who spoke was Shen Li. She had promised Aunt Su before that she would try her best to protect Shen Zhang's safety, so she came again since Shen Zhang's case wasn't over yet.
Lord Liang frowned and looked at Shen Li. In his heart, he was sighing and scolding secretly that this Shen Li had come to cause trouble again! If this went on, he wouldn't be able to get the 30,000 taels of silver.
Minister Han looked at Shen Li standing not far away and said in a lukewarm tone, "Miss Shen, you seem to be quite leisurely these days!"
"Leisurely is not the word. Now that my elder brother is in trouble, how could I enjoy a carefree life alone? I've been looking forward to my elder brother's return every day."
"Miss Shen is really a paragon of respecting and loving her relatives. It's really admirable."
Shen Li looked at Han Wei standing in the courtroom and said, "Lord Han, you seem to dote on Young Master Han very much?"
"I, Han, only have this one son. I've always spoiled him. Although his temper is a bit bad, he's still my flesh and blood. If anyone wants to harm him even a little bit, I'll never let them go even if I have to risk my life!" Minister Han gave Shen Li a meaningful look and said.
"Lord Han, you're overreacting! If Young Master Han could restrain himself and follow the rules, no one would harm him." After leaving this sentence, Shen Li left and ignored Minister Han anymore.
"My lord! Yesterday, the Prince of Liqin has come forward to prove that he indeed saw Young Master Han and Qin An in the Wanhua Tower, and that Qin An also fell into the water. Moreover, Young Master Han did act aggressively. These were all said by the Prince of Liqin himself. I wonder, my lord, can this be used as testimony?" Shen Li stared closely at Lord Liang, not letting him escape her sight.
"This... The Prince of Liqin surely won't lie, but..."
"Good! Since that's the case, then Lord Liang also approves of it!" Before Lord Liang could finish his "but", Shen Li made a conclusive conclusion.
"Moreover, the Prince of Liqin also proved yesterday that Qin An wasn't strangled to death, but died of a head injury after falling into the water. In that case, what the academy servant said is very suspicious."
"My lord, it might be a good idea to send someone to search Niu Er's house. Maybe we can find something different!"
"Miss Shen! This is the Jingzhao Prefecture, and Lord Liang is the prefect of Jingzhao. You've been interfering with Lord Liang's handling of the case again and again. Do you have some selfish motives?" Although Minister Han had a smile on his face, his words were not polite.
"Lord Han, interfering with Lord Liang's handling of the case! I don't have such great ability! Those words just now were just some doubts I raised as an ordinary citizen of the Dongling Kingdom about this matter!"