BXBX NOVEL Chapter 148 - 148: The Magistrate Has Arrived, Justice is Served!
“Reporting to the lord, ” Liu Huaiyuan’s daughter bowed, “After my examination, both women are capable of producing breast milk, and the pregnancy marks on their abdomens are similar. There is no evidence of fabrication.”
This statement caused both the yamen runners and the onlookers to exchange puzzled glances.
“How can both women have given birth?” some murmured.
“Could it be a misdiagnosis?”
“Impossible, how could one mistake milk production and abdominal scars?” “But a child can’t have two mothers…”
“Some are suspecting that Liu Huaiyuan might have been bribed to have his daughter report this…”
“But the magistrate just found this physician randomly, how could there be any prior tampering?”
The crowd outside the yamen whispered among themselves.
At this point, the pressure was on Lu Xuan.
“Lord, I have a suggestion,” Li Ming stepped forward, “I believe a six-month-old child should be able to recognize strangers. We could wake him up and see if he shows any closeness to either Han Xian or Wang Pan.”
“Let’s try that, ” Lu Xuan agreed after a moment’s thought.
Li Ming then went over and woke up the sleeping child. The baby, upon seeing a stranger’s face looming over him, burst into tears.
Zhang Shi quickly calmed the child.
After a while, Lu Xuan said, “Begin.”
Han Xian, being the plaintiff, went first. Reluctantly, Zhang Shi handed the child over to him. Han Xian cradled the baby, rocking him gently. The child remained quiet and calm.
“I request your discernment, lord,” Han Xian said.
Lu Xuan nodded silently.
The onlookers, witnessing this scene, quietly discussed among themselves. It seemed that Han Xian might indeed be the child’s biological father.
“Han Xian, hand the child over to Wang Pan,” Lu Xuan instructed indifferently.
Han Xian nodded and did as told, seemingly convinced that the matter was resolved.
Wang Pan took the child with a glance at Han Xian. Surprisingly, when Wang Pan held the baby, the child remained just as calm and even reached out to him.
“Is there a problem?” Wang Pan raised an eyebrow.
“How is this possible?!” Han Xian’s eyes widened in shock, then realization dawned on him: “I know… You must have accustomed the child to you over time. How else could my child be so familiar with you?”
“You’re spouting nonsense,” Wang Pan sneered. “You must be delusional with
desire for the child, making wild accusations.”
Provoked, Han Xian clenched his fists, ready to confront Wang Pan.
Quick-witted yamen runners intervened, restraining him with their staffs.
“Lord, may I question this man?” Li Ming asked.
“Proceed,” Lu Xuan permitted.
Li Ming stepped forward and addressed Wang Pan, “You said your child has never been outside before a few days ago, correct?”
“Yes,” Wang Pan confirmed.
“That means the child has never interacted with Han Xian before,” Li Ming fixed his gaze on Wang Pan’s eyes. “Then why was the child so calm in Han
Xian’s arms, showing no fear of a stranger?”
This statement caused an uproar in the court.
The crowd began to understand the implications.
According to both parties, Han Xian claimed that his child was taken care of until five months old and then taken by Wang Pan, who had him for a month. Wang Pan stated that his child had never seen Han Xian before, making Han Xian a stranger.
If Han Xian’s claim was true, then the child had been acclimated to both Wang
Pan and Han Xian, showing no distress with either. Conversely, according to Wang Pan’s claim, the child should have been distressed when with the
“stranger” Han Xian.
This test would naturally reveal the truth. Li Ming had considered this when proposing the idea.
“This… this…” Wang Pan stuttered, sweat forming on his forehead under Li Ming’s questioning.
“Lord,” Zhang Shi suddenly spoke up, “Our child is very friendly. He’s not afraid of strangers and is friendly with everyone.”
“Oh?” Lu Xuan raised an eyebrow.
“If you don’t believe me, you can test it yourself,” Zhang suggested.
Lu Ping, hearing this, approached Wang Pan, who handed the child over to him. True to Zhang’s words, the child remained calm and even laughed in Lu Ping’s arms, who was a complete stranger. This made some wonder if Lu Ping was the child’s biological father.
The courtroom fell into a stalemate once again.
Everyone’s gaze turned to Lu Xuan, seated on the high seat.
Lu Xuan calmly sipped his tea, then called, “Li Ming, Lu Ping, come here.”
The crowd watched as Li Ming, Lu Ping, the magistrate, and the magistrate’s advisor gathered together, speaking in hushed tones, seemingly discussing the case.
Two cups of tea later.
“Whack!” Lu Xuan struck the gavel.
“This case is complex, with both parties steadfast in their claims and each having evidence. It is difficult to reach a consensus. After consulting with my advisors, this court will adjourn temporarily and resume questioning in half an hour. However, to prevent any disputes, the child will remain here with me… Lu Ping, take the child outside for some fresh air. The air isn’t good here with so many people crowded around.”
Han Xian and the others looked at each other, bewildered. The yamen runners considerately brought out chairs for them to sit and rest.
Half an hour later.
“No, no, no… disaster!” Lu Ping rushed in frantically, “My lord, my lord…”
He knelt on the ground, knocking his forehead against the floor in front of Lu Xuan.
“What’s the matter?!” Lu Xuan frowned.
“The child, the child he, he…” Lu Ping stammered, “The child he…” “What happened to the child?!” Han Xian suddenly stood up, alarmed.
“The child… Is gone,” a voice said, and Liu Huaiyuan’s daughter walked in. She cradled a small blanket in her arms. The baby inside, with a blue and purple complexion, looked starkly different from normal.
She gently laid the baby on the ground, covering him with a white cloth.
“I went to buy a piece of candy… fed it to the child… and then, then…” Lu Ping sobbed, “I didn’t mean to, to choke him to death!”
Han Xian felt the world spin around him and collapsed to the ground.
“Liu Huaiyuan, Physician Liu…” he scrambled toward Liu Huaiyuan, pleading, “Please, save my son…”
Liu Huaiyuan sighed, “I’ve examined him, but there’s nothing I can do now. The dead cannot be revived. My condolences.”
“This… I never expected my first court session to encounter such a tragedy,” Lu Xuan said, looking troubled. “Now there’s no need to fight over the child.
Perhaps you two can split the body and bury it separately…”
“Lord!” Han Xian turned towards him, his face a picture of grief and despair.
The crowd outside silently cursed the magistrate for his foolishness. Proposing to divide the body of a child whose death had just occurred was unthinkable.
“Then… Which of you will claim the child’s body?” Lu Xuan asked.
“He’s my son, my son…” Han Xian knelt, weeping uncontrollably.
Wang Pan, looking at the child’s pale body nearby, sneered, “Fine, fine, take him, take him.”
Lu Xuan, sitting high above, smiled subtly.
“Whack!” The gavel struck again, and Magistrate Lu pointed, “Seize Wang Pan!”
The yamen runners surged forward, brandishing their staffs. They grabbed Wang Pan’s arms, pressed on his neck, and knocked his knees, pinning him to the ground.
“What is the meaning of this, lord?!” Wang Pan tried to raise his head.
“You claim this child as your son, but upon his death, not a trace of sorrow crossed your face,” Lu Xuan’s gaze hardened. “Contrast that with Han Xian’s reaction, the picture of grief.. Do I really need to explain who the child’s real father is?”