Reborn as the Blissful Wife in the countryside-Chapter 948: Confession

The only thing that can turn a coward into a resolute man is a benefit received by his family, and this benefit is so significant that he’s willing to die rather than speak of it.

Upon hearing this, Magistrate Gu instantly understood and said to Judge Tang, "Lord Tang, personally lead a team to the home of Gu Changfa and imprison his entire family."

He then looked at Gu Changfa with a sneer and said, "Do you think you can get away with keeping silent? In Great Chu, there is the system of collective punishment. You committed such a grave crime; do you think your family can escape?"

Gu Changfa almost fainted upon hearing this, but still stubbornly said, "Milord, it’s not me... I only saw the gentleman’s biscuit burnt and wanted to replace it... Milord, I am innocent, it wasn’t me, perhaps it was someone else in the kitchen, I’m not the only one who handled the biscuits, boo hoo hoo..."

Hoo, nonsense!

And you have the guts to cry, if this matter doesn’t have a resolution, it will disrupt the Prefecture Examination. When the higher-ups find out, his official’s hat won’t be preserved.

Still trying to frame others in the kitchen; truly wicked at heart, a tough measure must be employed.

Magistrate Gu said, "Won’t admit, will you? Let me tell you, Great Chu has another Criminal Law, concerning examination fraud. If a room makes a mistake and no one admits guilt, everyone in that room along with their family members involved in the matter will be collectively punished."

The strict law established by the first Emperor of Great Chu is no joke; it has executed many people caught under collective punishment, all to ensure everyone fears committing evil.

Upon hearing this, Gu Changfa was finally scared. If that’s the case, even if he doesn’t confess, his family will suffer collective punishment and won’t have a good life.

Gu Changfa cried, wanting to negotiate conditions with Magistrate Gu: "Mi, Milord, if I confess, could you spare my family?"

At this moment, Magistrate Gu wanted to curse Gu Changfa’s ancestors but remembered he had the same surname, making him very upset, with a strong urge to kick Gu Changfa a few times to vent his frustration.

But Magistrate Gu knew the Prefecture Examination mustn’t be delayed; for the sake of the examination and to suppress this matter, he agreed: "As long as you expose the mastermind, this office will spare your family."

Gu Changfa was finally relieved when he heard this and exposed the mastermind: "It’s Gu Chengxian, he bribed Elder Lin with silver to ensure that during the Prefecture Examination, the hidden dry food would be distributed to Gu Jin’an and all those with the surname Gu... If not to those surnamed Gu, even giving it to others is fine, as long as it causes an incident that kills Gu Jin’an, all candidates surnamed Gu, and the officials in the government office."

"Lin Laoba said Gu Chengxian wanted revenge, claiming the government office harmed him, and the citizens watching the drama also wronged him. He wouldn’t let anyone off easily."

Upon hearing this, everyone present was shocked, and Magistrate Gu trembled with anger—how could there be such a vicious person?

If you wanted to kill Gu Jin’an, that’s one thing, but wanting to harm the officials in the government office too? Vicious indeed, truly Granny Gu’s grandson, inheriting that wicked heart, vicious enough to make one turn green.

Upon hearing this, Judge Tang immediately said, "Milord, I’ll immediately take a doctor to the Gu Family on Moxiang Street to interrogate Gu Chengxian."

Gu Chengxian had a venereal disease and couldn’t be brought to the court, so he had to go there for the interrogation.

Magistrate Gu agreed.

Judge Tang immediately took people to the Old Gu Family on Moxiang Street. Upon arriving at the residence, he let two heavily wrapped Government Officials go inside to beat up Gu Chengxian with long sticks.

Gu Chengxian was nearly beaten to death but deeply hated everyone, thinking everyone sided with Gu Jin’an, so he tried to bite the officials to spread his venereal disease to them.

The two officials, quick and responsive, used long sticks to cross-lock Gu Chengxian, rendering him immobile.

Judge Tang asked, "Gu Chengxian, was it you who instructed Lin Laoba and Gu Changfa to place hidden items in the examination food? Don’t try to deny it; Gu Changfa has already confessed."

Gu Chengxian looked at the sky, saw that it was past noon, thought Gu Jin’an and the rest had already started the exam, and believed his plan succeeded, so he didn’t deny it but grinned and said, "Haha, it was indeed done by this young master. How’s that? With this move, have I harmed all of you?"

He glared and, with blood frothing out of his mouth, said through gritted teeth, "Let you dog officials harm this young master, let this young master suffer, can’t become an official’s young master, then don’t blame this young master for causing you to lose your positions and lives."

"Haha, exam fraud—this is a crime that can annihilate nine generations. You’re all dead!"

He boastfully said, "And this young master ruined your nine generations with just a silver note worth five hundred taels, five hundred taels can buy the lives of your two fifth-rank officials and Gu Jin’an’s entire family, truly worth it, too worth it!"

Lin Laoba was a dry and skinny old bachelor who, due to poverty, wanted to marry a wife before dying and leave a legacy, taking the risk to deliver meals to Gu Chengxian with a venereal disease and met Gu Chengxian, aiding him in doing this deed.

And he was greedy, only giving Gu Changfa two hundred taels of silver, keeping three hundred for himself.

Judge Tang listened to Gu Chengxian and was disgusted by his ferocious appearance.

After Gu Chengxian arrogantly finished speaking, he sneered and said, "Do you think everyone is as stupid as you? Gu Jin’an is much smarter than you. During the county examination, he had the habit of breaking the dry food that the government provided to inspect it; thus, he checked immediately when he got the dry food, Gu Changfa got scared, and the matter was exposed. The Prefecture Examination wasn’t held because of this; we’re all fine, the only one in trouble is you."

Gu Chengxian was stunned for a while before responding, asking, "What did you say?!"

Gu Jin’an actually had the habit of breaking the dry food to check?

How could that damn thing possibly have this habit?

His plan was flawless, yet it failed like this!

"Impossible, impossible, you dog official are deceiving me, deceiving me!" Gu Chengxian constantly roared as if he were a mad dog, unwilling to believe his plan didn’t succeed and was easily thwarted by Gu Jin’an.

Judge Tang was too lazy to waste words with Gu Chengxian and asked the clerk next to him, "Did you record his confession before?"

The clerk nodded, "Understood, Milord, it has all been recorded."

Judge Tang nodded upon hearing this, and instead of asking Gu Chengxian to affix his fingerprint, he let the accompanying doctors testify and then wrote Gu Chengxian’s name on the confession himself.

Damn venereal disease, if he affixed his fingerprint, the entire government office would be compromised.

After Judge Tang stored the confession, he looked at Gu Chengxian through the window and coldly said, "Gu Chengxian, you’re wicked at heart and won’t change; there’s no saving you in this life. Be a better person in the next."

Perhaps he can’t be a person in the next life and will fall into the animal realm.

"Pah! This young master won’t die; you’re the ones meant to die. You’re all blind; why side with Gu Jin’an? Gu Jin’an is just a servant; he was a servant for us in the Old Gu Family!" Gu Chengxian constantly roared, spewing insults against Gu Jin’an until he was overly agitated and spat out a mouthful of blood before fainting.

Judge Tang twitched his mouth in disdain, "Lunatic."

After speaking, he left with the confession and the clerk.

The two execution officials followed the doctor to take medicinal baths to avoid contracting the venereal disease.