Chapter 319: The Trial
Because this case involved the Moon Viewing Tower, which has been in the spotlight recently, the news spread very quickly.
Everyone was discussing and speculating on the cause and effect of this incident. They wished they were the prefect of Jingzhao Prefecture and could directly go to court to try the case.
Because the cause and effect of this case were very obvious, it was not delayed for long and was officially heard in court on the third day.
Zhang Quanhe followed Li Zhengyang's advice. For this case, the gates of Jingzhao Prefecture were wide open, and everyone could come in to listen. As long as they didn't make loud noises and didn't disrupt normal order, they could.
Now those people in the capital who love to join in the fun are happy.
Jingzhao Prefecture had never tried a case like this before.
So, when Song Qingci and Shan Li arrived, the Jingzhao Prefecture was already crowded with people inside and outside.
Many people don’t know Song Qingci, but many people know Shan Li’s face.
After all, when he returned victoriously, many people saw him riding a tall horse all the way from the city gate to the palace.
"Why is the Major General here?" someone asked.
"Isn't that the General's wife next to him? She's so pretty!"
"Yes, this is the young general of the General's Mansion! I have seen him riding a horse before!"
"The owner behind this Moon Viewing Tower is the General's Mansion. Don't you know this?!"
''······''
When someone asks a question, someone is responsible for answering it.
Song Qingci and Shan Li did not pay attention to such voices. They were not here to join in the fun today, but to serve as witnesses for the defendant.
When Zhang Quanhe saw them, he winked at the lawyer beside him, and the lawyer went straight forward and took them to the side room.
"Madam, please wait here for a moment. I will inform you when you are needed in class." After the master settled them, he left.
Soon, they heard the sound of the court session.
This was Zhang Quanhe's first time to hear a case in court in front of so many people, and he was quite nervous.
The gavel slammed heavily and the whole audience fell silent.
At this time, Zhang Quanhe finally found the feeling he had before.
''mighty···!''
The yamen runners stood on both sides and shouted in a mighty voice, and the atmosphere suddenly became tense.
The foreman yelled, "Bring the plaintiff!"
Wang Lei was led to the lobby by another officer.
Obviously, he didn't expect that there would be so many people in the lobby.
For a moment, I was at a loss and didn't know what to do.
"How dare you! You don't even kneel before your master!" The officer who brought him here angrily shouted at him when he saw him like this.
"I am Wang Lei, the humble man, and I am honored to meet you, my Lord!" Wang Lei was scolded and quickly knelt down and kowtowed to Zhang Quanhe, who was sitting high in the hall.
''Bring the accused!''
Another loud shout.
Manager Zheng and Song Xin were brought in from the other side by the officers.
"I, Zheng Xiaoduo, am honored to meet you, sir."
"I am Song Xin, the humble servant, and I am honored to meet you, sir."
Shopkeeper Zheng and Song Xin knelt down and kowtowed to Zhang Quanhe, doing it in one smooth motion without any hesitation.
Compared with Wang Lei, they are more like plaintiffs.
Seeing this, Zhang Quanhe did not intend to call them to get up, and directly asked Wang Lei, "Wang Lei, if you have anything to say, you can say it now."
"Yes!" Wang Lei kowtowed heavily, then pointed at Shopkeeper Zheng and continued, "I want to sue Shopkeeper Zheng of Shangyue Tower for murder and stealing the secret recipe!"
"Oh?" Zhang Quanhe sneered. "Tell me in detail, who was the murderer? And what secret recipe was stolen?"
"Yes, sir!" Wang Lei calmed down and glanced at where the shopkeeper Wang who came with him was standing. After receiving a positive signal, he continued, "Reporting to the sir, the one who was killed was my wife Wang Zhang. The secret recipes that were taken away were the recipe for spicy hot pot and the recipe for cold noodles."
"My wife is very good at making food. She has already developed a secret recipe for spicy hot pot. She wanted to sell it for a good price to improve her life. However, she was deceived by Zheng, the shopkeeper of the Moon Viewing Tower, using despicable means."
Having said this, Wang Lei did not forget to glare viciously at Manager Zheng who was kneeling beside him.
However, Shopkeeper Zheng acted as if he saw nothing and ignored his various actions.
In the mind of Shopkeeper Zheng, looking at such a person for even a second longer would make him feel sick.
"My wife and I are just ordinary people. We can't afford to offend someone like Zheng, so even if the secret recipe of Malatang was stolen, we didn't make it public."
After hearing this, the people who were listening outside the door became restless.
There are so many. In the capital, except for those families who really can't make ends meet, there is no one who has not eaten Shangyue Tower Malatang as long as they can live an ordinary life.
Rich people eat more skewers, while poor people save up their money and eat less.
Everyone likes the spicy hot pot in Shangyue Tower very much.
But from what this guy called Wang Lei said, this spicy hot pot recipe was actually stolen?!
"No way! The secret recipe of Malatang was actually obtained by fraud?"
"What a lie! What he said clearly meant that he stole it!"
"How could the Moon Viewing Tower do such a thing?"
"Who knows? You never know."
"That shouldn't be the case. I don't think the people in the Moon Viewing Tower are that kind. I've seen the shopkeeper Zheng before. He's very kind to others. And I've also seen the one called Song Xin. He took out the food that the guests didn't want and gave it to the homeless beggars. They don't seem like the kind of people who would do such a thing!"
"What do you know? You can only know a person's face but not his heart. Maybe he did so many things just to feel at ease because he had something to hide."
"If he says yes, then yes, but I don't think so."
"I have to say, Malatang is really delicious. I wonder if I will never be able to eat it again!"
"Silence! Silence!" Seeing that the people outside the door were talking louder and louder, Zhang Quanhe slammed the gavel again.
The people watching outside the door immediately fell silent.
"Wang Lei, keep talking!" Zhang Quanhe let go of the gavel and said to Wang Lei.
"Yes." Wang Lei swallowed and continued, "I thought that Zheng, the shopkeeper of Shangyue Tower, would be satisfied with the recipe of spicy hot pot. But later, when he learned that my wife Wang Zhang had come up with the recipe of cold noodles, he came again."