"Are you sure that you really want to do it this way?" Master Bai questioned Su Wan who smiled and nodded.
"Of course," her smile was confident as she said to Master Bai, "I have never done anything shady, only those who have thieves in their hearts will need to worry about facing criticism but I am not on that list."
When the two brothers saw that Su Wan actually wanted to hold a public trial, they felt that there was something amiss. This woman, she should have gone to her knees and begged in front of them, right? Why was she suddenly asking for a public trial?
"There is no need for a public trial, Sir."
One of the brothers immediately spoke up, he was certain that there was something waiting for them.
Master Bai was not polite to these two brothers who had caused trouble for the yamen and the county magistrate. He coldly looked at them and questioned, "Are you teaching me how to conduct a Case now?"
He had been official for years, what kind of schemes had he not seen?
More importantly, Master Bai was also in charge of the well-being of the commoners and the officials, thus when he spoke up, no one dared to challenge his authority.
What the man did just now was equivalent to questioning Master Bai's authority.
"No. No! That's not what I meant," the man who had spoken just now immediately shook his head like a rattle. Damn it, he just wanted to make some quick money how in the world did he get involved in something so terrible.
Now he only hoped that the Lai family who bribed him and his brother was well prepared.
Master Bai ignored the two brothers and then summoned his subordinates. He said to them,
"Go and beat the gongs and announce that in a stick of incense, a public trial will be conducted. Invite the commoners and the officials who are not present to attend the trial and supervise the proceedings."
"Yes."
The two brothers turned around and looked at one another. This was completely beyond their imagination.
It was so different from what they expected that the two brothers could not keep up with everything that was happening.
Obviously in their imagination, Su Wan was supposed to be suppressed by them and she should have been on her knees pleading with them while crying that she was wrong.
Then the two of them would make her divorce her husbands, marry them and take all her properties under their names.
"Wan Wan, are you thirsty?" Lin Yan asked as he offered a bowl of chilled cucumber soup. "You should drink this a little. It will be upsetting if you get a heatstroke because of men like them."
Lin Yan's words caused the two brother's faces to turn red with embarrassment and anger. They really could no longer wait to see the Lin family as well as Su Wan getting disgraced.
Su Wan smiled at her husband and took the bowl of cucumber soup from him. She took a sip and sighed, "It's still my husband who cares for me. If not, there are so many people who are bathing in gold taels and yet waiting and watching for me to fail. Like they can do better."
She swept a gaze at the officials and chuckled lightly, "Especially when they had so many years to do something."
Her words were enough to make a few officials turn red face but the others still stubbornly glared at her. In their eyes, Su Wan was being shameless by accusing them.
They were men and had more authority than women! Even though the emperor allotted Su Wan the position of magistrate, she should have lowered her head and listened to them while at the same time letting them take credit for her work instead of showing her face to the world.
This was the right thing for a woman to do!
Elder Wang turned and exclaimed, "Lord Bai, I have the account books with me. I was able to grab them before I was thrown out of the farm. I can assure you that neither of us did anything wrong and it was this bitch who asked us to throw the old and young ones out of the farm by making them rebel."
"She did not want to feed useless mouths but feared that she would be blamed and thus she left the dirty work to us!"
"This bitch is that scheming——-AGHHHH!" Elder Wang was still speaking when Lin Chen stormed over and kicked him in the abdomen, sending the man flying right onto a few officials who were knocked off their feet and fell to their bottom.
The officials were a bunch of old men and could not withstand the impact. They immediately howled in pain and fury as they glared at Lin Chen.
"What are you doing?" One of the officials who was knocked to the floor shouted at Lin Chen who faked an innocent expression.
He rushed to the official and held his hand out for him to take. Lin Chen said, "I am sorry. I was just so angry when this bastard called my wife a bitch. Before I knew it, my anger got the best of me."
His apology seemed genuine even though it was faker than the cries of the men on the ground.
The officials glared at Lin Chen and the one who was being supported by Lin Chen smacked his hand away.
"Get lost!" He then turned to look at Lord Bai and questioned, "Is this how the proceedings of the case should be allowed to continue?" He wanted this man to be kicked out!
What if Su Wan was proven guilty and this man started beating others up? This kind of wild man did not seem like he feared anything or anyone.
Lord Bai was also shocked by Lin Chen's actions but he cleared his throat and stood on Lin Chen's side. He said, "It's alright, Official Jun. Master Chen did not mean it, how can a man listen to someone call his wife with foul names? Master Chen is apologetic so just accept his apology and forget this matter."