Chapter 254: Are You Not Even More Contemptible?

Chapter 254: Are You Not Even More Contemptible?

Xingxing shivered and quickly looked away.

The scribe official was recounting the case. If neither the criminal nor the victim had any new objections, what he narrated would be recorded in the case files.

After listening to the scribe official's account, the Magistrate first asked the victim, Yi Wen, "Is there anything missing?"

Yi Wen, with tears streaming down her face, replied, "There is not."

The Magistrate then asked Huai Geer, "Criminal Yu Yonghuai, do you have any objections?"

Huai Geer bowed his head and truthfully said, "After drinking the tea, I blacked out and have no memory of what happened afterward."

The Magistrate frowned. "Even though you were also a victim of that notorious rapist, you did cause harm to the commoner Yi Wen. Do you acknowledge this?"

Huai Geer had nothing to say.

The Yu family was anxious but didn't know how to help Huai Geer defend himself.

"In my view, since this is a case of misunderstanding, if the criminal is willing to take responsibility for the victim, the case can be leniently handled," said the Magistrate, stroking his beard.

Huai Geer frowned, feeling that this wasn't a good idea.

But if he had truly done something improper to that girl, he would indeed need to give her an explanation...

After much consideration, he spoke with a somewhat heavy tone, "If Miss Yi Wen is willing..."

The Magistrate then looked at Yi Wen, who tearfully said, "I've already given myself to him. What choice do I have if I refuse? ... Besides, my benefactor previously saved me from a villain. Now that I know it was the wandering criminal who harmed both him and me, I am naturally willing..."

Li Chunhua was deeply moved by Yi Wen's noble character and felt that if this union truly happened, it might not be a bad thing after all.

Wei Pozi thought the same.

Therefore, when the Magistrate asked them, they had no objections.

At this moment, the man next to Li Xuefeng, Meng Yunchang, suddenly laughed and whispered into Li Xuefeng's ear, his eyes flashing a malicious light, saying in a voice only she could hear, "Do you see? He'd rather marry a common whore than you. Are you happy now? He'd rather marry a lowly woman than you. Are you not more contemptible than a brothel woman?"

Li Xuefeng trembled all over and could barely squeeze out a word through her teeth, "No..." She couldn’t risk crying; she knew it would only provoke more severe beatings.

Meng Yunchang was thoroughly satisfied.

"Very well, since this is the case, I shall..." the Magistrate was about to announce that the criminal and the victim had reached a resolution through marriage when a voice from below the hall interrupted, "Wait!"

The entire Yu family looked toward the voice.

It was the old Taoist priest from the Nameless Taoist Temple.

The old Taoist priest was still wearing his faded Taoist robe, with a loosely tied Taoist bun on his head.

The Magistrate frowned and said, "Who dares to cause such a disturbance in the courtroom!"

The old Taoist priest laughed heartily, "Please don't worry, Your Honor. I’m merely an ordinary Taoist priest from a humble temple. However, as a public servant, surely you’d allow me, a humble citizen, to ask a question about this case?"

The Magistrate frowned but thought of the relationship between the Yu family and Grand Scholar Liu... He decided to show some respect to Grand Scholar Liu.

The Magistrate coughed. "You may proceed with your question."

The old Taoist priest moved forward, stepping past the others. Huai Geer was both surprised and moved. "Master..."

The old Taoist priest raised his hand to stop Huai Geer from speaking further and simply asked him to extend his wrist.

After feeling his pulse for a moment, the old Taoist priest laughed heartily three times. "Indeed, it is as I suspected."

Not just the others, but even the Yujia family looked puzzled and turned their gaze toward the old Taoist priest.

"What are you laughing at?" The Magistrate frowned and looked at the old Taoist priest.

The old Taoist priest bowed. He looked quite the part of an immortal Taoist. "Please do not be concerned, Your Honor."

He then turned to Yi Wen and asked, "Miss, I need to ask: Are you absolutely sure that Huai Geer violated your purity?"

Yi Wen, as if insulted, felt her eyes reddening again. She trembled slightly. "I understand you're protecting your disciple, but do you have to insult me so harshly? You, an old Taoist priest, how can you be so disrespectful!"

The old Taoist priest was not at all angered. He bowed again. "As an old Taoist, I have long abandoned distinctions between genders. I ask you this only for the sake of this case. I hope you will answer truthfully."

Yi Wen, as if forced into a deep shame, trembled all over. "Yes! He drank the aphrodisiac given by the notorious lustful criminal and lost control, violating my purity!"

She glared angrily at the old Taoist priest.

Huai Geer, feeling ashamed, lowered his head.

Even though he couldn't recall, Yi Wen was undoubtedly a victim.

The scribe official coughed. "We had a matron examine this young lady, and it is confirmed that..."

The scribe official coughed again.

The old Taoist priest nodded. "Now I see clearly."

With an air of immortal grace, the old Taoist priest spoke slowly. The Magistrate couldn't help but ask, "What is it that you understand?"

The old Taoist priest smiled gently. "I realize that my disciple has been set up."

This statement shocked everyone present!

Yi Wen reacted the strongest. She trembled and said, "Are you suggesting that I would lie about my own purity to frame him?"

Her eyes red, she cried, "If that's the case, I will prove it with my death!"

As she stood up to rush towards a pillar, the old Taoist priest moved swiftly and stood in front of her. With just a light tap on her shoulder, he immobilized her.

Yi Wen suddenly found herself unable to move.

"What's the hurry, Miss?" The old Taoist priest remained in his immortal demeanor. "I only said that Huai Geer was framed. I didn't say anything about you. Why are you so anxious? Could it be that you have a guilty conscience?"

Yi Wen was now unable to speak, her face filled with fear and her eyes darting around.

The Magistrate was also stunned. After a moment, he remembered to slam the gavel. "Bold!"

The old Taoist priest remained calm and composed. He nodded to the Magistrate. "Please allow me to finish what I have to say. If what I say cannot convince you, you may throw me into prison."

Huai Geer in a panic: "Master!"

The old Taoist priest gave Huai Geer a slight nod: "Don't worry."

The Magistrate frowned and said, "Alright, if you're so sure, let's hear your brilliant insight!"

The old Taoist priest smiled slightly: "It's pretty straightforward. Huai Geer practices a modified form of the Virgin Boy Technique. Although it can be practiced without being a virgin, it’s far purer when practiced by a virgin. Right now, his primal energy hasn't been lost, so his powers are still strong."

"Sure, even though he hasn’t lost his primal energy, he could still ruin her virtue. According to this woman, Huai Geer drank a drug from a notorious lust criminal, which made him go wild and force himself on her. From her story, the drug must have had aphrodisiac properties. Without releasing his primal energy through sex, the aphrodisiac wouldn’t wear off..."

"...Getting back to the point, Huai Geer’s primal energy is still intact, and there’s no trace of the drug in his system. This all contradicts her story. I need to ask this woman, what’s really going on here?"

When he said this, everyone in the room was stunned!