Can a System Have Bad Intentions? - Chapter 114

Inside the room.

Madam Xie looked suspicious and said, “In the middle of the night, why would he come? Could it be that he found out something?”

Master Xie scoffed, “What could he have found out? We didn’t do anything for him to discover!”

While they were speaking, a maid led Xie Chengnian inside.

Master Xie immediately went up to him, not exactly warmly, but with respect, “What happened, Father? Why did you come all the way here in the middle of the night? You could have just sent for me.”

Xie Chengnian did not sit down. Once the maid left, he bluntly asked, “Is Jin’er being framed or did he actually commit the crime?”

Master Xie was momentarily stunned and exchanged a glance with Madam Xie.

Madam Xie immediately retorted, “Father, you hardly ever come to our house, and now you come to question Jin’er? Jin’er is your own grandson. How could you hope that your own grandson is a murderer? No grandfather would do that!”

Her voice was sharp and cold.

Master Xie quickly said, “Say less. Father is just concerned.”

Then he smiled at Xie Chengnian, “Father, don’t you know what kind of person Jin’er is? He’s just a scholar. How could he harm anyone? He’s classmates with the young master of Laifu Inn. They all went on the boat trip together because they are good friends. He really isn’t the culprit.”

Xie Chengnian remained silent.

Master Xie felt uneasy under his father’s gaze. “If you don’t believe me, at least believe the magistrate. By tomorrow morning, the court will clear it up. Jin’er is innocent. Someone framed him. The person Yu’er brought home is a scoundrel.”

Madam Xie rolled her eyes.

“Yu’er has become more and more irresponsible. How could he bring anyone into our home? He brought a murderer into our house and called him a friend, causing Jin’er to suffer. Could it be that he was jealous of Jin’er and intentionally framed him? Otherwise, why suddenly befriend a murderer?”

Xie Chengnian’s hand trembled uncontrollably.

“Yu’er is also your own son,” he roared hoarsely.

Master Xie and Madam Xie were stunned by his outburst. Madam Xie immediately started wailing, “Father, you came here in the middle of the night just to scold us? What did we do wrong that you won’t even let us sleep? Jin’er is your own grandson. He’s still in jail. Yu’er is indeed our own, but is he even a normal person? How could he do such things? We should have abandoned him back then, but you didn’t agree. Now look, he has caused Jin’er to go to jail!”

Xie Chengnian ignored his daughter-in-law and said to his son, “I’ll ask you one more time, is Xie Jin innocent?”

Master Xie got angry and glared back, “Of course he’s innocent! Or do you wish he were guilty?”

Xie Chengnian trembled with disappointment, “Fine, fine. You’re all good!”

With these inexplicable words, he turned and left.

Master Xie and Madam Xie were baffled by his behavior. After he left, Madam Xie anxiously grabbed Master Xie’s arm, “What’s going on?”

Master Xie said irritably, “Who knows what’s gotten into him? Don’t worry, they’ve already agreed to change their testimony. By tomorrow morning, this case will be closed.”

Early the next morning.

Lu Tang was sleeping soundly when she was woken by a clattering noise outside. She groggily rubbed her eyes and saw the door of her cell open. Two officers rushed in.

“Time for court!”

Lu Tang was startled awake and instinctively covered her stomach.

Court?

Are they going to torture a confession out of me?

Damn you, Qin Mo!

Are they going to cut open my stomach?

Lu Tang burst into tears and was dragged out by two officers, her legs weak and her whole body limp.

“I’m innocent! I’m still young. I haven’t even married. I don’t want to die. You can’t force a confession. Heaven help me, I’m innocent!”

The two officers looked at her like she was a fool.

One of them couldn’t stand her screaming anymore, “If you keep crying, we’ll gag you and give you thirty lashes first!”

“You can’t… What? Court?”

Lu Tang stopped crying and suddenly felt strength return to her legs. She got up and walked outside, looking sheepishly at the officers, “Not cutting open my stomach?”

The officers: …

Is she really not a fool?

From the opposite cell, Zhou Jing: …

Is she really a martial artist?

And sworn siblings with the Minister of Justice?

When Lu Tang was brought to the court, Xie Jin and the young master of Laifu Inn were already there.

She only knelt on the ground, while Xie Jin was in shackles. The onlookers had already gathered several layers deep around the courthouse.

Lu Tang strained to see her friends but didn’t spot them.

Instead, Xie Jin’s classmates kept waving their arms, protesting why Xie Jin was in shackles.

The crowd was noisy when the magistrate arrived.

Accompanied by the low chants of “justice” from the officers on both sides, the magistrate sat under the sign of “Uphold Justice” and slammed the gavel.

“Xie Jin, do you admit your guilt?”

Xie Jin, who had spent the night in jail, thought he would be released today. But when the officers came to get him in the morning, they shackled him.

His face darkened, and he stood tall, “I am innocent! I am wronged.”

The magistrate coldly looked at the young master of Laifu Inn, “You speak.”

The young master stood beside Lu Tang, cupped his hands, and said respectfully, “Last night, just as my family was about to rest, a servant from the Xie household came, offering great rewards, asking me to change my testimony in court today.”

Boom!

The crowd immediately burst into an uproar.

Master Xie and Madam Xie were struck dumb.

Madam Xie turned to look at her husband: Wasn’t everything settled?

Master Xie’s mind was buzzing.

It was settled! How could they go back on their word?

How dare they go back on their word!

Xie Jin stared in shock at the young master of Laifu Inn. After a moment of panic, he became furious, “You’re lying!”

The young master said, “Your Honor, I dare not utter a single falsehood.”

Xie Jin immediately said, “Your Honor, I am innocent. Why would my family need to ask them to change their testimony?”

Then he turned to glare at the young master of Laifu Inn and looked at Lu Tang.

“Your Honor, it must be this person’s accomplice who bribed him to frame me! I am wronged!”

The magistrate looked at Xie Jin, “Lu Tang is an outsider who just arrived in Yuhang yesterday. She doesn’t know you. Why would she frame you?”

Xie Jin said, “I don’t know, but I am innocent.”

The magistrate slammed the gavel, “Still trying to argue? Bring the person up!”

Immediately, an officer brought in a servant from the Xie household.

The servant knelt on the ground, trembling.

The magistrate glared at him, “Did you go to the victim’s house yesterday to deliver the message, asking him to change his testimony in court?”

The servant, kneeling on the ground, didn’t dare lift his head, “Yes, it was me.”

Master Xie felt as if a giant sword had struck his chest. His vision darkened, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.

Xie Jin glared fiercely at the servant, “You’re lying. Our family has treated you well. Who bribed you to harm me like this!”