Noble Lady

Chapter 240 Wife Sues Husband

"What's so worrying about you?" Jingzhao Yin looked up.

"Sir, someone is here to report to the authorities." Master Chen said seriously.

After hearing this, Jingzhao Yin, Lord Mei, could not help but look at Master Chen. "Isn't Jingzhao Prefecture a place where people report crimes to the authorities? What's so strange about someone reporting crimes to the authorities?"

"Sir, this time is different. We can't afford to offend the guy outside."

Can't be bothered?

In Shengjing, a leaf falling from a tree could hit a fifth-rank official. As the Jingzhao Yin, there were many people he couldn't afford to offend.

After thinking for a while, Jingzhao Yin stood up and said, "Then please come in."

Master Chen: "Sir, aren't you afraid that it's easier to invite a deity than to send it away?"

So, the Jingzhao Yin, who had just stood up, sat down again.

Master Chen couldn't help but burst into laughter. "Sir, if I'm not mistaken, the person who came should be Aunt Xue from the Marquis of Wu'an Mansion, the one who married a man of high rank who had three generations of Hanlin scholars."

"I accompanied you to their wedding. Recently, rumors about her husband's extramarital affairs have been circulating in Shengjing. You must be very careful."

Jingzhao Yin jumped up and asked, "Are you serious?"

Master Chen said without changing his expression, "Of course it's true."

Jingzhao Yin could no longer sit still and walked out quickly.

Although Shengjing was a city that valued culture over military power, to be honest, a third-rank marquis was higher than him, the Jingzhao Yin.

Turning around, he saw the master still standing there, and hurriedly urged, "Why are you still standing there? Hurry up and catch up."

Only then did Master Chen follow slowly.

At this moment, Qiuhua had already knocked the drum at the door, and the yamen runners had no choice but to invite Xue Chenyu and his group into the court.

The Jingzhao Yin came out from the back hall and hurried to greet her, "Is this Aunt Xue? If you have anything to say, just tell me. Why are you bothering to come here in person?"

"Your Excellency, Jingzhao Yin." Xue Chenyu and her three maids bowed, "I'm here to file a complaint. I beg Your Excellency, Mei, to come to the court and hear the case."

"What could possibly have necessitated a court hearing?" Jingzhao Yin hesitated and laughed. "A court hearing is no joke. Aunt Xue, would you consider this again?"

Xue Chenyu paused and said, "Please ask Lord Mei to come to the court, or I will go to the drum hall and beat the drum to report the news."

"No, no, no!"

Reporting to the Jingzhao Prefecture and beating the drum at the Drum Court to report the incident are two completely different things.

If we alarm the people above, it will be a disaster.

"Then please ask Lord Mei to come to the court!"

"Raise, raise, raise, raise!" How could Lord Mei dare to say no?

He sat down in the main hall, slammed the gavel and said, "Court is open!"

When the two groups of yamen runners heard the sound of the gavel, they came in one after another carrying water and fire sticks.

The uniform clothing and the coordinated steps make them extremely intimidating wherever they go.

But Master Mei still looked at Xue Chenyu nervously, and chose his words carefully, "The one kneeling in the hall... Aunt Xue, you don't have to kneel. Take a seat."

Xue Chenyu knelt halfway but felt it was difficult to get up, so she knelt down to Lord Mei according to the rules.

The three maids behind her knelt down.

This made Master Mei a little bit at a loss, and it was Master Chen who reminded him, "Sir, let's get to the point and see who Aunt Xue wants to sue."

Yes, yes, yes, yes.

Lord He reacted and slammed the gavel again, "Who is kneeling in the hall? Who is the lawsuit against? Do you have the complaint, lawyer?"

"My maiden name is Xue. Last year, I married into the He family, a family of three generations of distinguished scholars. My husband, He Minzhi, was struggling financially to arrange the wedding of his younger sister, Miss He Er, so he took advantage of this and asked me to borrow a dowry of thirty thousand taels of silver, agreeing to repay it in three to six months."

"But He Minzhi has not repaid a single cent to date. Instead, he has squandered his wealth recklessly. I am now suing the Jingzhao Yin, seeking the return of my dowry. Here is the petition and the IOU signed by He Minzhi himself. Please take a look, Your Excellency."

Three, thirty thousand taels?

Lord Mei was stunned for a moment when he heard this huge astronomical figure.

"Sir." Master Chen quickly pushed him away.

Master Mei was startled. "Quick, bring it up quickly."

Thirty thousand taels, and the IOU was signed by a Qingshui Hanlin. Strange things happen every year, but there are especially many this year.

He finally happened to encounter this rare thing!

He was so surprised that he forgot to follow the procedure to remind Xue Chenyu that there is a set of procedures for citizens suing officials and wives suing husbands.

"Mr. Xue, according to what you said, and what's written on the IOU, you agreed on a repayment period of three to six months, which means the repayment period hasn't even arrived yet. Filing a lawsuit at this time is illogical."

"Master Mei, what if I can prove that he is not unable to repay the debt, but deliberately used the money to live a life of luxury, drinking and having sex with women?"

Lord Mei took a deep breath. Drinking and molesting women?

The laws of the Great Sheng Dynasty clearly prohibited officials from having sexual relations with women.

He Minzhi is a scholar who should attach the most importance to statement.

"Ms. Xue, are you serious? Do you have any evidence to support your statement? Dasheng has laws that clearly stipulate that officials who have sexual relations with women will be fined their salary for minor offenses and dismissed from their positions for serious offenses. Think carefully before you speak."

The implication is that your husband might lose his job, and you might be implicated as well. You'd better think it over carefully before providing evidence.

"I have a signed receipt from Zuixianju as proof." Xue Chenyu took out a stack of receipts from her sleeve without changing her expression.

Lord Mei took another breath. This Aunt Xue was determined to sue her husband!

But he still asked Master Chen to present the receipt.

A thick stack of receipts with the Zuixianju seal were all signed by He Minzhi.

The amount ranges from a dozen taels to several hundred taels.

It adds up to at least several thousand taels.

Lord Mei felt a chill when he saw this. The time period on this page was less than a month old, yet this He Minzhi was so bold that he borrowed money from the lady's dowry and started molesting women?

He is trying to kill himself!

"Master Chen, summon Hanlin He to the court." Lord Mei signed the document inviting He Minzhi to the court for trial.

Master Chen paused, "Sir, the rumors outside are so intense that Hanlin He may not be in the Hanlin Academy anymore. Should we go to the He Mansion?"

"Well, go there yourself."

Because the amount involved in the case was huge, as much as 30,000 taels, and the person who filed the complaint was the legitimate daughter of the Wu'an Marquis's Mansion, and the defendant was He Hanlin, who had been the subject of recent rumors, and it also involved an official who had been molesting a woman, the matter was no small matter.

Therefore, Jingzhao Yin did not dare to be negligent, and the defendant must have been invited over.

Mr. Chen hurried away with a group of yamen runners.

Xue Chenyu was still kneeling, thinking that if she went to the He family now, she might not be able to find anyone.

"Grandma Xue, you should get up first. It will take some time for the master to go. Someone, please find a seat."

Xue Chenyu naturally did not refuse.

I haven't kneeled for a long time. After kneeling for a while, my knees really can't take it anymore.

The bailiff brought a chair and she sat down. A servant brought tea and she drank it without hesitation.

Yuzhu and the others stood behind him, very well-behaved.

Today she took all four maids out, but did not let Yumei go to court.

Firstly, she was not a real servant. If she went to court as a maid today, it would be bad for her reputation if she returned to Prince Cheng in the future.

Secondly, she was asked to do other things.

After waiting for a long time, the tea was refilled three times and two plates of snacks were served. Xue Chenyu was so hungry from drinking tea, but Master Chen did not bring the defendant He Minzhi back.

Finally, when Lord Mei was hesitating whether to ask someone to go to Xunweilou to order a table of wine and food, Mr. Chen and the yamen runners finally came back.

But he returned empty-handed.

"Where are the people?" Lord Mei looked behind Master Chen.

Master Chen bowed and said, "In reply to your Excellency's words, I led my men to the Hanlin Academy and He Mansion in two groups, but did not see any trace of He Minzhi."

"Is this really true?!" Jingzhao Yin didn't expect such a possibility and subconsciously glanced at Xue Chenyu.

Xue Chenyu put down the teacup, having expected this result.

He had already sent the Hanlin Academy's Shujishi back home a long time ago. If this matter was not resolved, he would never go to the Hanlin Academy again.

He had recently been obsessed with Miss Bai Xiruo from Zuixianju, and she had left early. Yumei had even come to report to him when he was out, so of course they couldn't find him at the He family.

But it doesn’t matter.

She didn't expect to solve the problem in one go when she went to class today. She was just taking the opportunity to add fuel to the rumors outside.

If not, how could He Minzhi never be able to stand up again?