Transmigrated into a female county magistrate during a famine, leading her country to prosperity

Chapter 1128 Lord Shen... You're being biased.

Wu Shun used the exact same trick twice.

The most ridiculous thing is that both of them actually believed it.

For a moment, Shen Zheng didn't know whether to praise Wu Shun's shrewdness or scold Tang Cai and Madam Wang for being stupid.

She asked Tang Cai, "Do you know why Wu Shun wanted you to kill Wang Huai'an?"

Tang Cai shook his head violently: "I don't know, I was just following orders..."

Shen Zheng glanced at the list of charges, then slammed her gavel down and said, "Summon Wang Huai'an and his wife Zhong Yunjin."

Wang Huai'an walked in on his own, while Zhong Yunjin was escorted in by the constables. The two had never met before.

Zhong Yunjin, her hair disheveled and her face streaked with tears, cried out to Wang Huai'an as soon as she entered, "Master! Master! I haven't done anything wrong, why have they brought me here! Master, please save me, save me..."

Wang Huai'an didn't even glance at her, and knelt down, saying, "This sinner, Wang Huai'an, greets Your Excellency."

Shen Zheng's feelings towards Wang Huai'an were complicated.

A seventh-rank official may not sound high, but among millions of ordinary people, those who can pass the imperial examination and be appointed to an official position are already exceptional individuals.

This man, a true "dragon among men," is now kneeling in the very government office where he serves, becoming a sinner in the eyes of countless people.

How ironic.

But he is not wronged.

Shen Zheng picked up his confession and read it aloud in front of everyone.

At first, Zhong Yunjin kept crying to Wang Huai'an, but when Shen Zheng read out, "Madam Wu Shun promised my wife that she could help my son Wang Ang pass the imperial examination and become a scholar, without any money required," her face turned completely pale.

Tears still clung to her jawline, her sobbing turning into disbelief.

She asked Wang Huai'an, "Did you tell me everything?"

Wang Huai'an still ignored her.

"Why?" Her tone, filled with confusion and resentment, tinged with anger: "Husband, why did you do this? What am I supposed to do now? What about Ang'er? What about our family?!"

She became more and more agitated as she spoke, and Wang Huai'an finally turned to look at her: "Why?"

Wang Huai'an felt that she was a complete stranger at this moment. "Madam, I have experienced life and death twice in one day, and I almost didn't even have the chance to kneel down and apologize. And now... you are still asking me why?"

Zhong Yunjin didn't look him in the eye, and only said, "But, but you're fine now."

She admitted that yesterday's events were indeed terrifying, and she almost lost her life.

But they've made it through, haven't they?

Having already survived, why walk right into a trap?

Why not just let bygones be bygones?

She thought that Wang Huai'an might not love her that much, and that their vows of eternal love were all lies.

"I understand..." She wiped away her tears, her expression sorrowful. "Just as Madam Wu said, I misjudged him. Indeed, what kind of good father or husband is someone unwilling to actively seek a future for his son..."

The people looked on with disgust.

"What the heck? Aren't we watching Lord Shen hold court? Why does this feel like a theatrical troupe?"

"No, no, let's not talk about that now. There's something I wanted to say earlier! Wu Shun told Tang Cai that he could make his son a Xiucai (a successful candidate in the county-level imperial examination), and then told Madam Wang that he could make Young Master Wang a Xiucai as well... This is very strange! Does Wu Shun think that whoever he wants can become a Xiucai? What's the point of the prefectural examination then? What's the point of us ordinary people taking the imperial examination? Are we just going to go through the motions and sit in the examination hall with those who have connections for a few days?"

A stone stirred up a thousand waves.

The people were no longer just watching the spectacle; they were genuinely angry.

"Lord Shen, Lord Yu, what exactly is going on? If this is how the imperial examinations are conducted, then what's the point of studying? In short, it's all decided by the officials who pass the exams. We might as well save our money on books and ink, eat more meat, and take care of our health!"

"Yes! In this world, what's the point of reading and writing! Lord Shen, you must uphold justice for us common people!"

"Wang Ang seems to have already become a Xiucai! Lord Shen, his Xiucai title was obtained illegitimately, you must hurry up and take it away from him!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Huai'an's expression was no longer numb.

"No..." He turned around while kneeling, waving his hands haphazardly, "No, it's not like that... Ang'er passed the imperial examination on his own merit. Wu Shun didn't help him, and neither did I..."

"Pooh!"

The people spat out a mouthful of saliva.

"Who would believe you! You're a coward who does things but doesn't admit them! I used to think you were a good official! I was blind! You corrupt official! I wonder what other bad things you've done!"

"Whether Wang Ang has real skills or not, we'll find out by calling him over and testing him! Is he still at the prefectural school right now? Brothers, who wants to come with me to the prefectural school and bring Wang Ang here for a confrontation!"

One call and a hundred responses.

"I go!"

"I go!"

"I am coming too!"

"go!"

"Don't go! Don't go! Please don't go looking for him!" Wang Huai'an panicked completely.

His son... is about to suffer an undeserved calamity.

He disregarded courtroom rules, stood up, and lunged towards the exit of the courtroom.

"Lord Wang!" Constable Sun called him "Lord" subconsciously, but immediately corrected himself: "I, Wang Huai'an, must not disregard the rules of the court. Go back quickly..."

Normally, Wang Huai'an didn't treat the constables well, but he wasn't bad either.

In short, Wang Huai'an was not arrogant and rarely made things difficult for them in official matters.

Therefore, at this moment, Constable Sun was unable to pick up his stick and strike Wang Huai'an.

"Snapped--"

Just as Wang Huai'an stepped out of the courtroom, the gavel struck.

"Wang Huai'an, come back." Shen Zheng looked outside the courtyard and said, "No one is allowed to go to the academy and disturb the students' studies."

The people stared at her in astonishment: "Lord Shen..."

You're biased.

"As for the truth of this matter, Lord Yu and Wu Shun will give you an explanation." Shen Zheng paused and asked, "Do you still believe in me and Lord Yu?"

The people looked at her, then at Yu Zhengqing.

A moment later, someone spoke first: "Lord Shen, I believe you! Since you and Lord Yu came to Liuyang Prefecture, our lives have gotten better day by day, so... I believe in you and Lord Yu!"

Once someone took the lead, the people stopped being so reluctant.

Their thinking was actually quite simple—if even Lord Shen was a corrupt official, then there might not be any good officials left in the world.

Shen Zheng nodded to them and said to the person outside the corridor, "Summon Wu Shun, the Education Commissioner!"

Footsteps sounded outside the corridor.

Wang Huai'an's body finally relaxed. After kneeling back down, he bent down and kowtowed heavily to Shen Zheng.

When he got up again, Wu Shun was already standing beside him.

He harbored hatred in his heart, yet he was powerless to raise his head and express it.

"You sinner Wu Shun, why don't you kneel down before the officials!" Constable Sun kicked Wu Shun in the back of the knee.