Chapter 5, Questioning the Accused

Throughout the Ming Dynasty, prominent families were granted titles, specifically dukes, earls, and barons. These were primarily conferred upon merchants. In contrast, the titles awarded to officials included five ranks: prince, marquis, count, viscount, and baron

Those children, what do they know when they speak? They are only a few years old, and their words cannot be taken seriously. I have a way to prove that everything was done by the Third Young Master. Ah Tian, recount all of the young master's actions and behavior from that day.

I was taken aback; it was the first time my father spoke to me like this. Since childhood, he had always doted on me, yet at this moment, he treated me in such a manner. I couldn't help but feel a bit angry. I raised my head and said, word by word: "I—did—not." I stared directly at my father.

I was stunned, could it be? My mind is in disarray, how could I be so unfortunate? I merely intended to intimidate him with my presence, yet it has come to this situation.

Brother, you just enjoy yourself for now, I will head to the main hall. I said this to my brother and then walked out, I could only face all of this on my own

Elder brother, you do not understand, it is not enough for you to say that we are in the right; who will prove it? Moreover, the outcome is that I am fine, while his son probably returned home very weak yesterday. This battle is difficult to fight.

"Master Ouyang, I will certainly provide you with an explanation regarding this matter. Please do not be anxious. Today, the governor of Suzhou is also present, and you have brought a large group of witnesses with you, so there is no need for you to worry." My father immediately replied.

Zhang Tiande, whose fault do you think this is? My son is gone just like that; he is my only child. What do you say! Ouyang Laogui has gone a bit mad, but who can blame him? Ouyang Laogui is already over fifty this year, and Ouyang Liang is his son born in his old age. With his precious son in this state, it would be strange if he didn't go mad.

"Second brother, what troubles you? Speak up and let me see if I can help you find a solution." Brother Wolf entered from the doorway. After all, he is my brother, so I am willing to let him into my treasured space.

What brings me the greatest joy in this life is the ability to practice this martial art. The more I dance, the more insights I gain; gradually, I find myself moving slower, yet everything around me shifts in accordance with my movements. I do not know how much time has passed when I slowly retract my stance. Suddenly, I am astonished to discover that the liquid innate true energy within me has begun to condense; this is a sign of borrowing the Golden Elixir. I am so excited; my luck has been exceptionally good these past two days. Haha. "Young Master, Young Master, something bad has happened! The old man from the Ouyang family has come, and he wants to settle accounts with you, saying that you hit his son yesterday. Young Master, you must be careful!" Chunyu shouted anxiously at the entrance of the garden.

At this moment, I suddenly feel that it's enough to just go like this. No matter what, I haven't hit Ouyang Liang, so what is there to be afraid of, hum

I entered the grand hall with neither humility nor arrogance

Father immediately frowned, but still said: "Xiao San, then tell me, how is it that Young Master Ouyang turned pale after you all went in and then came out?"

I have met my father, mother, Auntie Da, Auntie Er, Auntie Si, Auntie Wu, Auntie Liu, and my little nephew has met Uncle Ouyang

My father immediately said, "Master Ouyang, do you think what my son said is the true situation"

Mother appeared a bit anxious

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I said softly, "Ladies and gentlemen, on that day when I arrived at the small garden in the West City, Young Master Ouyang was there. Later, he sent his attendant to seek my guidance in martial arts. Subsequently, I defeated his attendant, and I found this attendant to be quite pitiable; he had come to the Ouyang family for the sake of his mother. I then asked Ouyang Liang to send his attendant's mother to my Xingfeng Pavilion. After that, Young Master Ouyang ordered his servants to bring his attendant's mother here. Then you all came to find me, and that is how it happened."

"Master Ouyang, such an incident has occurred at https://wwwhetushu.com, and we all feel deeply regretful. Please allow my son to recount the matter," my father immediately said. My father, after all, is the head of the Zhang family, one of the four great families, and Old Ouyang did not dare to disregard my father's authority.

"You figure it out, I can't do anything, I think I'll just take a break." The older brother finally showed his ten-year-old side.

Yes, my lord, esteemed gentlemen, I began serving the young master from the moment he got up that morning. I remember that the young master was in a very good mood that day. After having breakfast, he cheerfully walked towards the small garden in the West City. We, the servants, stood guard outside, as the group of young masters had previously stated that no adults were allowed inside the garden, only children. We waited outside, and after a while, the third young master arrived with his younger siblings. After some time, a group of children came out, each looking tense, and they all went home. Shortly after, the young master also came out, his face pale and cold sweat on his brow. I thought the young master might be ill. He ordered us to return to the residence immediately and instructed us to take the mother of the tutor to the third young master's Xingfeng Pavilion. Later, upon returning home, the young master lay down on the bed and soon developed a high fever overnight. Then, the divine physician arrived.

To be honest, I have no idea why this is the case. I once asked my mother, a beautiful and virtuous woman, but her response was that I was still young and it was not yet the right time. She promised to tell me when I grew up. I have also been troubled by this, but later I came to terms with it. As long as I uphold propriety and have a clear conscience, that is sufficient

Father furrowed his brow and said, "Xiao San, tell the truth, what exactly happened? Start from the beginning and speak honestly."

"Is what the people in the Ouyang residence say not true?" My father turned his head and asked me.

***

"Third Young Master, the head of the Ouyang family has arrived, and the master is accompanying him. The master asked me to call for you to come over. It seems to be for the son of the Ouyang family. Third Young Master, you must be careful." Steward Zhang rushed over to speak to me. Steward Zhang has watched me grow up and is very concerned about me. To be honest, in the entire residence, only that elder lady and the second lady harbor hostility towards me.

How impressive, the third young master, actually avoiding the main issue; he didn't mention any details at all. He dares to say that he has never threatened or intimidated my son, hum!

"Master Ouyang, do not be anxious; everything will become clear. With so many people present, how could we not provide you with justice?" My father immediately came to calm the old Ouyang. The old Ouyang, indeed a formidable figure of his time, managed to control his emotions and took a seat.

Old Ghost Ouyang sneered from the side

Then Ouyang Liang's father came, wanting to settle the account from yesterday, sigh. I couldn't help but start to feel troubled again

"It was Ouyang Liang who provoked you first; it is Ouyang Liang who is in the wrong. His father even came to settle accounts with you. What kind of matter is this? Don't be anxious; we are in the right, so why should we fear him?" The elder brother seemed quite indignant, sigh, my naive elder brother.

I am delighted to perform the Shaolin Luohan Fist on the grass in the backyard. This Luohan Fist is said to be the source of external Shaolin martial arts, and many techniques of the seventy-two Shaolin ultimate skills have evolved from it. Many martial artists regard this claim as a joke, but with my strength having reached the late stage of the fasting period, I can clearly feel the power of this set of fist techniques. I suspect that this set of fist techniques is likely the Luohan Fist of the Buddhist sect in the realm of cultivation. The Luohan Fist and the Vajra Mantra are the treasures of the Buddhist sect, but the Vajra Mantra is even more extraordinary. It is said to be divided into eighteen levels, and when practiced to the extreme, one can directly enter the divine realm without having to go through the immortal realm. Many martial artists regard this claim as a joke, but with my strength having reached the late stage of the fasting period, I can clearly feel the power of this set of fist techniques. I suspect that this set of fist techniques is likely the Luohan Fist of the Buddhist sect in the realm of cultivation. The Luohan Fist and the Vajra Mantra are the treasures of the Buddhist sect, but the Vajra Mantra is even more extraordinary. It is said to be divided into eighteen levels, and when practiced to the extreme, one can directly enter the divine realm without having to go through the immortal realm. Moreover, the most remarkable aspect is that only the eighteenth level has the difficulty of the Buddha, while at other times it is quite safe. Although the cultivation techniques are slightly faster, they involve numerous tribulations, and a moment of carelessness may lead to the scattering of one's soul, resulting in eternal damnation. Moreover, the most remarkable aspect is that only the eighteenth level has the difficulty of the Buddha, while at other times it is quite safe. Although the cultivation techniques are slightly faster, they involve numerous tribulations, and a moment of carelessness may lead to the scattering of one's soul, resulting in eternal damnation.

I strode confidently into the hall, with an open heart

What should we do? This Ouyang old ghost is quite cunning, not comparable to his precious son, and is very difficult to deal with

"Third Young Master, you must speak truthfully, for I have quite a number of witnesses here," Ouyang Laogui said coldly.

You have not, very well, the impressive Third Young Master, forcing my son to play for a lifetime, haha, you still do not admit it. Tell me, besides being bullied by you yesterday, did my son have any conflicts with others? Hmph, I, Ouyang Mingqing, will go to any lengths to avenge my son even if it means losing everything.

An elderly man, dressed in a wide-sleeved long robe and with his hair styled in a bun, immediately stood up and said: "My Lords, the Duke, the Earl, and the Prefect, based on my forty years of experience in medicine, it is certain that Young Master Ouyang has been subjected to a severe threat, which has led to a loss of mental stability. That night, he was also afflicted by wind and cold, resulting in a high fever. Both internal and external factors have acted together, and given that Young Master Ouyang is very young, his resistance is quite weak. The high fever he experienced has caused significant issues with his brain. He is too young, and his self-recovery ability is too low; it is likely that he will struggle with cognitive issues for the rest of his life."

As I walked, I pondered over strategies. After much contemplation, I found no good solutions. In the end, I could only decide to firmly assert that I had not fought him, and the rest could only be dealt with step by step.

"Mistress, tell me, did you really do it? Answer quickly." The father was very serious, and his tone was extremely cold

"Xiao San, have you ever threatened or intimidated the young master of the Ouyang family?" My mother immediately asked. She seemed quite anxious, and I could clearly observe the worry etched on her brow. What on earth is going on? Even if Ouyang Liang is ill, it shouldn't cause my mother to be like this. I couldn't help but furrow my brows.

The head of the Ouyang family stood up and bowed, saying: "Your Grace, My Lord Count, I assure you that I will handle this matter impartially, and I hope both of you will rest assured." The old man, who is the governor of Suzhou, still appeared extremely serious; this matter seemed quite troublesome. What exactly happened with the library? Ouyang the Elder even mentioned that his son was finished. How could that be? Just falling ill means he is finished? Am I so unfortunate that merely scaring someone could lead to such an outcome?

Alas, joy often turns to sorrow. Just a moment ago, I was saying that luck was on my side, and now Old Ouyang has arrived. This Old Ouyang is currently co-managing the Far East mining business with my family. This time, I am bound to suffer greatly, alas!

The elder aunt and the second aunt both smiled faintly

"Uncle Ouyang, I dare say that I have not uttered a single word of threat or intimidation; you may find anyone present to testify to that," I said with confidence. To be honest, I did not say anything threatening or intimidating from beginning to end; I merely used my presence to intimidate him.

I looked up and saw that my father and my aunt were seated at the head of the table, while my mother and my second aunt were on the right, along with my fourth, fifth, and sixth aunts. All of my father's wives were present, indicating that the situation had escalated significantly

"No, however, I certainly did not threaten or intimidate him." I firmly asserted that I had not threatened or intimidated Ouyang Liang. I regretted saying it; by saying so, wouldn't it just mean admitting that Ouyang Liang had a bad expression when he came out? All the other children had left, so what other outcome could there be? Ah, this is really troubling, what should I do?

Why are the old ladies all here? This matter shouldn't be this serious. Old Ouyang is sitting in the seat of honor on the left, and below him is a group of people he brought along. Old Ouyang's face is filled with frost as he looks at me, seemingly harboring great hatred towards me, as if he wants to kill me. My heart trembles. Could it be that Ouyang Liang has really encountered some trouble? I can't make sense of it. I carefully think through the situation from beginning to end. Suddenly, I recall a very serious matter: Ouyang Liang is too young. He has been continuously affected by the imposing presence of both Brother Wolf and me, and he has always been pampered. Perhaps he might collapse at home because of this. His mental fortitude is too weak; how could he withstand the pressure exerted by such experts? I can't help but feel a bit anxious. It's all my fault for assuming from the start that Ouyang Liang's cunning meant he had a high capacity for endurance. Sigh! I can't help but feel a bit anxious. It's all my fault for assuming from the start that Ouyang Liang's cunning meant he had a high capacity for endurance. Sigh!