Chapter 469: Wang Shi’s Testimony
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
Gu Qingluan glanced at his momentary hesitation, chuckled, and allowed the three to continue speaking.
This time, Gu Zhicheng didn’t interrupt.
After the three finished speaking, Shuntian Prefecture’s magistrate followed the procedure and allowed Gu Zhicheng to refute the accusations.
Gu Zhicheng snorted angrily, “Baseless accusations, pure nonsense!”
He lifted his head and looked at the Magistrate of Shuntian. “Magistrate, you’ve resolved so many cases. Can you really convict someone based solely on a few words?”
The magistrate nodded. “Gu Family Head makes a valid point. Do you three have any physical evidence?”
Twenty years had passed; where could they find physical evidence?
Seeing the three individuals stuttering and unable to provide any evidence, Gu Zhicheng sneered, “Without evidence, it’s mere slander. You have quite the audacity!”
He shouted sternly, causing the three of them to tremble with fear.
Gu Zhicheng hinted with a meaningful tone, “I don’t think you three have the guts to lie recklessly. Remember that this is the Shuntian Prefecture’s courtroom. If you’ve been threatened in any way, you can speak up, and the Magistrate of Shuntian will ensure justice is served.”
“We’ve spoken nothing but the truth. If there’s even a shred of falsehood, may misfortune befall us!”
One of them swore.
However, in a courtroom, what matters is evidence, not oaths.
Gu Zhicheng mocked, “Stubborn as a mule.”
He then raised his head and asked the magistrate, “Isn’t the case already clear? Haven’t you reached a verdict yet?”
The magistrate glanced at Gu Qingluan.
In theory, it would be best to release Gu Family Head without any charges to avoid antagonizing the Gu family.
However, sitting at the side was the Guardian Princess of the Nation, and she was not someone to be trifled with.
Gu Qingluan had already anticipated that it would be impossible to bring down Gu Zhicheng solely with the testimony of these three individuals, so she had prepared accordingly.
“Lord Magistrate, 1 have another witness here. May I ask her to come forward?”
When Gu Zhicheng saw her assured demeanor, his eyelids involuntarily twitched.
The magistrate agreed.
Soon, Su Lie pushed in a wheelchair, and sitting in the wheelchair was none other than the discarded Wang Shi!
When Gu Zhicheng saw Wang Shi, his eyes widened in shock.
Was Wang Shi the witness Gu Qingluan was referring to?
Ha, was this foolish girl out of her mind? She actually let Wang Shi testify for her?
The three servants who had self-incriminated earlier were startled when they saw Wang Shi. They had been held captive at the Gu estate and were only recently brought back to the city by Old Master Gu’s men. They were unaware of Wang Shi’s fate, so seeing her suddenly made them feel uneasy.
When they realized that Wang Shi seemed unable to move, they breathed a sigh of relief.
“Wang Shi, please repeat what you told me earlier in front of the magistrate,” Gu Qingluan said with a smile as she looked at Wang Shi.
Gu Zhicheng suspected he had misheard. Wasn’t Wang Shi rendered mute by poison? How could she speak now?
Wang Shi’s gaze towards Gu Qingluan was filled with bitterness, but she did indeed speak.
Her voice was hoarse and unpleasant, but thankfully, everyone could understand what she was saying.
In just a few words, she recounted the whole story of how she had harmed Jun Qingling from beginning to end.
Gu Zhicheng was well aware of the truth.
Everyone in the Gu estate was under his control, and such actions could not have taken place without his consent.
Furthermore, the urgency of the matter and the success of the plot were all thanks to Gu Zhicheng’s behind-the-scenes manipulation.
Gu Zhicheng stared at her in disbelief, his gaze unwavering. “Nonsense! I’ve never done such things! You’re not Wang Shi! Wang Shi was poisoned and became mute long ago. How can you speak now? You must be someone impersonating Wang Shi under Gu Qingluan’s orders to falsely accuse me, right?”
Wang Shi spat at him, “What a lie! It was clearly you who forcibly fed me the poison!”
If one were to ask who Wang Shi despised the most, there was no doubt it was Gu Qingluan.
The second person she loathed was Gu Zhicheng..