Chapter 36

Chapter 36: Be Siblings

In court, Wu Xin said: “This tofu workshop was left to me by my mother. All my brothers can testify.”

The hooligans who had carried his stretcher kept nodding: “We can all testify for Wu Xin.”

Another chimed in: “We were right there when his mother was dying. We heard with our own ears that she left the tofu workshop to Wu Xin.”

“I can testify.”

“So can I.”

They all spoke at once, drowning out whatever Wu Xin tried to say.

The magistrate turned to ask Chun Zhi: “What do you have to say?”

Chun Zhi replied: “Your Lordship, the Madam Li who sold the tofu workshop to me is alive and well. She only went back to her village to retire. She did not die.”

At that, the hooligans fell silent.

They all looked at Wu Xin. One muttered: “Your mother is still alive. Why didn’t you say so earlier?”

Wu Xin wanted to, but their mouths ran faster than he could stop.

The magistrate said: “Then summon the original householder, Madam Li.”

Wu Xin spoke in a rush: “Lord! Your Lordship, my mother is ill and muddle-headed. She can’t remember the past. Even if you summon her, it won’t help.”

“This…” The magistrate glanced at his adviser.

The adviser asked at once: “Who else knows about the sale of the tofu workshop?”

Chun Zhi said: “When we transferred ownership, we came to the County Yamen to stamp the papers. The County Yamen should have a record.”

The magistrate was about to speak when the adviser leaned to his ear and whispered a few words.

Someone had come to the County Yamen ahead of time and said no matter what, the tofu workshop must not be awarded to Chun Zhi. The magistrate had already taken a benefit and nearly forgot; the adviser hurried to remind him.

As soon as he heard, the magistrate remembered: the warning had come from the Chancellor’s Daughter, the Top Scholar’s Wife.

He gave a fake cough, put on a look of upright fairness, and sent the adviser to search the records.

The adviser left and only returned after a long time, announcing to all: “Recently, rats got into the archives and chewed many books. The document recording the sale of this tofu workshop has been gnawed to pieces.”

“Is that so?” The magistrate pretended to be shocked, then asked: “Are there any witnesses or physical proof from the time of sale?”

“There are,” said Chun Zhi. “Lu Jing Yun, the top scholar, is the current householder, and he is also a witness.”

Wu Xin and the hooligans sneered: “A top scholar like him would never care about a tiny tofu workshop.”

“Right, he’s the top scholar. He can have anything.”

The magistrate thought the same, but still followed procedure: “Where is the witness?”

The adviser called out loudly: “Summon the witness.”

A yamen constable came to report: “Your Lordship, no one waits outside. The witness has not come.”

Chun Zhi looked back toward the hall doors. Lu Jing Yun had said he would come. He had broken his word again.

“He did not come,” said the magistrate. “Then there is no witness.”

He lifted the gavel and was about to strike to finish the case: “In the dispute over the Peach Blossom Lane Tofu Workshop between plaintiff Wu Xin and defendant Chun Zhi, since Wu Xin has witnesses and Chun Zhi does not, I hereby rule to award the Peach Blossom Lane Tofu Workshop to—”

“The top scholar has arrived.”

A call from outside cut off the magistrate’s verdict.

“The top scholar truly came?” The magistrate rose to greet him.

Lu Jing Yun walked straight in and stopped beside Chun Zhi, then said: “The tofu workshop on Peach Blossom Lane was bought six years ago by Chun Zhi from the original householder, Madam Li. I am the current householder. The house deed and land deed were burned a few days ago when a leak caused a fire at home. I have come to testify.”

Chun Zhi glanced at him and quickly said: “Magistrate Lord, my witness is here.”

“I see,” said the magistrate.

He shot the adviser a look and silently cursed. How were the top scholar and the Top Scholar’s Wife not on the same side? One had told him to award the workshop to Wu Xin. The other had come to testify for Chun Zhi. This case had become hard to judge.

Wu Xin was also shocked. The Top Scholar’s Wife had told him to fight for the tofu workshop, so why had the top scholar come to help Chun Zhi?

Everyone in the court had different thoughts.

The magistrate asked Lu Jing Yun again: “Top Scholar Lu, are you sure? The current householder of the tofu workshop is really you?”

Lu Jing Yun answered: “I am sure.”

“This…” For a moment the magistrate did not know how to rule.

Seeing this, Wu Xin painfully shuffled to Lu Jing Yun’s side and whispered: “Top scholar, your wife told me to fight for this tofu workshop. How can you testify for Chun Zhi?”

Because of his beating, Wu Xin’s injuries were severe and his words were slurred.

Lu Jing Yun could not hear clearly and asked in a low voice: “What did you say?”

Wu Xin repeated: “It was the Top Scholar’s Wife, your wife, who told me to claim this tofu workshop. How can you testify for Chun Zhi?”

This time, Lu Jing Yun heard. His handsome face sank. No wonder Ji Ru Zhen kept saying her head hurt here and there to delay him and keep him from going out. So it was because… the tofu workshop dispute had been stirred up by Ji Ru Zhen behind his back.

Wu Xin did not realize Ji Ru Zhen had hidden this from Lu Jing Yun. He thought the top scholar would change his words after hearing it.

Instead, Lu Jing Yun said: “I was a witness when Chun Zhi bought the tofu workshop. Magistrate Lord, please judge fairly.”

“With the top scholar as witness, this cannot be fake,” thought the magistrate. He decided to let the top scholar go home and argue with his wife and ruled on the spot to award the tofu workshop to Chun Zhi.

Wu Xin grumbled that the ruling was wrong, but the yamen constables drove him out.

Lu Jing Yun also asked the County Yamen to issue Chun Zhi new house and land deeds.

Since the top scholar himself requested it, the magistrate did not dare refuse. He ordered the deeds reissued at once. With Lu Jing Yun present, the tofu workshop was also transferred into Chun Zhi’s name.

It had been Chun Zhi’s purchase in the first place. They had written his name before because they were a family, and Chun Zhi treated what was hers as belonging to the Lu Clan. Now that she had left the Lu Clan, she should take back what was hers.

With the top scholar there, the County Yamen worked with unusual speed.

Before nightfall, Chun Zhi received the new deeds. As she left the County Yamen to head back to Linshui Town, Lu Jing Yun, whom the magistrate had tried to keep for a while, also walked out and called to her: “Chun Zhi.”

Chun Zhi turned and looked at him: “What is it?”

For a moment, Lu Jing Yun could not speak.

Chun Zhi then remembered that he had come to testify and had even pushed the County Yamen to reissue the deeds, so she had not thanked him yet. She said at once: “Thank you for today.”

Lu Jing Yun said: “Between you and me, there is no need to say thanks.”

“Do not say things like that,” said Chun Zhi. “You are married, and I am married. If others hear, they will misunderstand.”

Lu Jing Yun looked at her with complicated eyes: “Chun Zhi, even if we cannot be husband and wife, we can still be brother and sister. Why must you keep me a thousand miles away?”