After Transmigration: Building a Kingdom in Turbulent Times-Chapter 704 - 694 Trial Case_3

"Qiao Niang!"

Zhao Kuan said calmly, "No!"

"Moreover, I already know how I will rule on this case. I asked only to hear your opinion."

Upon hearing this, Qiao Qiao Niang burst into tears, clinging onto Qiao Dacheng, and cried out loud. She then turned to Zhao Kuan, saying, "County Lord, I do not wish to get a divorce, I want to stay with the Zhou Family."

She said to Zhou Ji, "Husband, I beg you not to accuse my elder brother, please. I promise to take good care of you in the future."

"You’re dreaming! I’ve lost a leg!"

Zhao Kuan slammed the gavel and said, "Whether or not you get divorced is not up to either of you, the county has not yet ruled."

He stated seriously, "Qiao Dacheng injured Zhou Ji, and the Qiao and Zhou families have become enemies. According to the law, Zhou Ji and Qiao Qiao Niang are to be divorced, effective immediately. Both are free to remarry with others and will have nothing more to do with each other. Wang Wenshu, write the divorce decree for them."

Wang Si Niang, sitting on the lower left, bowed slightly in agreement and immediately began drafting the divorce decree for them.

The Zhou family was stunned, unable to understand, and shouted, "County Lord, our Zhou family does not wish for a divorce, nor does the Qiao family. Why are you ruling for a divorce?"

"Why?" Zhao Kuan snorted and said, "Didn’t I just tell you? Your two families have become enemies and cannot be united in marriage!"

The Zhou family refused to accept this judgment. Wang Si Niang swiftly completed the divorce decree for them. Observing their reaction, she said, "You are being foolish. Marriage is not merely about uniting a man and woman; it is also about bonding two families. Once the families are enemies, the couple will become adversaries, making the marriage unnecessary. Thus, it is natural to dissolve."

"The ’Law Book’ explicitly states that if someone from the husband’s family injures a wife’s kin, or vice versa, or if there is a blood feud between the two families, the families must separate." Wang Si Niang’s gaze swept over Zhou Ji. She continued, "Zhou Ji resents his brother-in-law and resents the Qiao family, while the Qiao family’s reluctance to divorce is solely to mitigate guilt for her brother. This marriage no longer serves any purpose; sign the divorce decree and go your separate ways."

Therefore, Romeo and Juliet couldn’t even obtain a marriage contract in the Great Jin, because their families were sworn enemies, and the county government sought to prevent them from being together.

The young man standing next to Zhao Hanzhang was evidently literate. He whispered to Zhao Hanzhang, "This rule is derived from ’Qin Law.’ Previously, ’Han Law’ and ’Jin Law’ didn’t strictly enforce this, and if the man was unwilling to divorce, the marriage often wouldn’t dissolve. However, with Zhao Hanzhang as our current administrator, she leans toward women’s rights, applying ’Jin Law’ with a tendency to favor women. Otherwise, in the past, no County Lord would have dared to rule like this."

Zhao Hanzhang asked, "Isn’t this ruling good?"

"It’s not that it’s not good, it’s just a pity for what could have been a good marriage."

Zhao Hanzhang: "... Was this marriage good?"

The young man paused, thought for a moment, then shook his head and said, "True, it wasn’t really good. Ending it as it did, the Zhou family loses a scapegoat, and I’m afraid they won’t let the Qiao family off lightly."

Indeed, Zhou Ji was forced to sign the divorce decree, and Zhao Kuan even helped clear up their marital property disputes. Afterward, the Zhou family decided to sue Qiao Dacheng for injury.

Zhao Kuan didn’t even ask further, directly ruling that the Qiao family compensate the Zhou family for medical expenses, the amount being just what Qiao Qiao Niang would receive from the Zhou family assets.

The three members of the Zhou family were dumbfounded, "Just like that?"

Zhao Kuan raised his eyes to glance at them and said, "Of course not just that. According to the law, Qiao Dacheng is to receive ten lashings and be given two weeks to recuperate. After two weeks, he is to perform three months of service, reporting to the county government daily. Any objections?"

Qiao Dacheng had no objection and loudly agreed.

But the Zhou family still felt indignant; service nowadays isn’t like before.

In the past, even a month of service could be life-threatening, but now the government strictly forbids beating laborers or subjecting them to grinding work day and night. Though service is tough, compared to Zhou Ji losing a leg, it is of little consequence.

Mrs. Zhou said, "County Lord, why must he be given time to recover? He should be sent directly to serve after the lashings."

Zhao Kuan sighed and said, "At this point, does your Zhou family have no sense of remorse? Haven’t you thought deeply about what led to this situation?"

He continued, "Now Zhou Ji has lost a leg and a wife, and the Qiao family is battered, having to bear financial loss and forced labor. This is clearly a lose-lose situation. Haven’t you reflected on the cause of this predicament?"

"I believe that from now on, not only will the Qiao family’s reputation suffer, the Zhou family’s will suffer even more. Such mistreatment of a daughter-in-law—who will be willing to marry into the Zhou family in the future? Even the entire Zhou clan might be affected. If your family of three cannot see the root cause and fail to repent, this will be your future."

Mrs. Zhou’s face turned bright red, and she involuntarily looked back, seeing the crowd pointing and whispering at them.

She felt both shame and anger, clutching her chest, and cried out in pain.

Zhao Kuan took the opportunity to have them escorted out, making way for the next case.