A female coroner arrived at the Jingzhao Prefecture.

Chapter 369 Ending (38)

Outside the imperial city gate, the Ministry of Works, acting on imperial orders, spent three days erecting two platforms, each ten feet high.

The two platforms are about two zhang apart, seemingly facing each other across a river. However, a covered bridge connects them at both ends, making the whole structure form a U-shape!
The left platform was set up as a wedding hall, while the right platform was set up as a courtroom. One side was decorated with red silk and carpets, exuding joy; the other side was decorated with legal cases and instruments of torture, conveying solemnity and gravity. This extreme contrast, like the two poles of yin and yang, placed the greatest joys and sorrows of life in the same space.

At the lower end of the platform, two rows of seats were placed for civil and military officials. On the covered bridge, there were dragon thrones and phoenix thrones.

Since the founding of the Great Zhou Dynasty, the number of public trials held by the Ministry of Justice can be counted on one hand. This time, not only was the trial held outside the Imperial City Gate, but the Emperor and Empress Dowager also personally attended, accompanied by hundreds of officials to supervise the trial. Such a grand occasion, even without prior announcement, alarmed the entire city within just a few hours!

As a result, the people eagerly inquired about what earth-shattering case had reached the ears of the emperor and been put on a national trial.
Soon, the news of the corpse hidden in the wine jar in the palace three days ago, and that the suspect was Song Shuyu, the Prefect of the Capital, spread like wildfire, and became known to almost everyone!
With the Prefect of the Capital involved in the case, the people naturally thought of Mu Qingcheng, the legal advisor of the Capital Prefecture. With the brilliant Mu Qingcheng taking charge, the people were not worried that Song Shuyu would be wronged, and no one would believe that the incorruptible, diligent and people-loving Lord Song was a murderer!

However, news soon spread that a wedding hall had been set up at the Imperial City Gate, and that Mu Qingcheng would be forced to marry the Prince of Zhongshan as a concubine due to the Empress Dowager's decree!
Therefore, Mu Qingcheng's marriage and Song Shuyu's trial will take place at the same location and at the same time!

Immediately, public opinion was in an uproar!
Along the road from the Prince of Zhongshan's Mansion to the Imperial City Gate, people flocked to the scene, crowding both sides of the road. Wherever the wedding procession passed, voices of opposition, insults, and indignation could be heard incessantly!
Even more outrageous, in their excitement, some people boldly threw vegetable leaves at the groom, Shen Che!
If the marriage were arranged by someone else, the people would not have acted so rebelliously. It was Shen Che's heinous behavior of riding his horse through the streets and beating up the constables that angered the people and made them resentful!

As a result, once a brave leader emerged, more and more people joined in!

The people were clear about their likes and dislikes. They didn't smash the wedding sedan chair, nor did they smash the wedding servants, matchmakers, guards, or band. They only smashed Shen Che, who was riding a horse!
Even though Shen Che knew martial arts, he couldn't withstand being ganged up on. Vegetable leaves, rotten eggs, pots and pans, tree branches and stones—all sorts of "hidden weapons" flew at him from all directions, and he dodged them in a very sorry state!
"Young Master, this won't work. Let me arrest a few troublemakers as an example to deter others!"

"No need!"

Shen Che used one hand to protect her face and the other to defend herself. Although she was extremely aggrieved, she still maintained a sliver of rationality and stopped the guards: "As long as they don't ruin my face, I can just bear with it and not bother with them."

"Young Master, your wedding dress is all dirty. How will you perform the wedding ceremony later? What if you get injured by falling objects..."

"Shut up! Without my orders, you are not allowed to lay a hand on ordinary people!"

"Yes!"

Sitting in the bridal sedan chair, Mu Qingcheng listened to the commotion outside and was deeply moved by Shen Che's words.

After a moment's thought, she decisively removed her veil, lifted the sedan curtain, and called out loudly, "Young Master Shen!"

Hearing this, Shen Che turned around and met Mu Qingcheng's gaze. He grinned, revealing his big white teeth, and said awkwardly, "I'm risking my life to marry you!"

Thank you all for your support! I wanted to add more chapters, but I got writer's block. The closer I got to the end, the more afraid I was of making mistakes, so I kept revising and rewriting, which delayed things further. I'm so sorry!