Beard was feeling thoroughly pleased with himself.
Jiang Yingcheng was feeling thoroughly pleased with herself, too.
Everything was going just as smoothly as they had imagined. What stroke of luck had brought this about?
[Next, all this shopkeeper has to do is say that Brother Lifeng came to his shop two days ago, and we can expose their lies!]
Jiang Yingcheng swung her little feet and fished a small biscuit out of the hidden pocket in her sleeve. With a crunch, she bit off a tiny piece.
[Hehehe, this is going so smoothly!]
In the entire courtroom, Ding Ruihan was the only one left with terror in her eyes. Her face was deathly pale as she looked toward Beard.
Hadn't she already sent someone to tell him to change his story?!
She had clearly seen her cleverest maid leave the entrance of the Government Office!!
Suddenly, a drawn-out "Hah-" sounded above her head.
Its lingering ending dripped with mockery.
It was Nie Wen.
"Could the person the shopkeeper mentioned happen to be here today?!"
Ding Ruihan's eyes flew wide open.
No, this isn't right!
Something beyond the scope of my plans must have happened today!
Trembling all over, she lifted her head. She was just about to signal Beard with her eyes to abandon the plan when he turned around, hesitation written across his face. After carefully tracing Nie Wen's face with his gaze, his expression suddenly grew agitated. "You scoundrel!!"
Beard raised a hand and pointed at Jiang Lifeng, his pupils quivering. "You actually dare show your face here?!"
Then he spun around to face Prefect Zou Cailiang and declared loudly, "My lord, he was the one who came to this humble commoner's shop late that night, saying he had a treasure he urgently needed to sell. Although he