Zhuo Zifang said, "He is the second son of the Southern King, the second prince Xiao Chan."
Xiao Chan met Liang Xiao's gaze with cold eyes, then smiled, "Greetings, Marquis Anguo. I am unable to bow due to my injury!"
"What happened to your broken arm?" Liang Xiao asked, feigning surprise.
Prince Xiao Feng interjected, "My second brother was attacked by bandits a month ago. He was then trapped while trying to save a woman. By the time we arrived to rescue him, the bandits had severed his arm. He barely survived, and that woman then offered herself to him in marriage!"
Liang Xiao looked at Zhuo Zifang and He Jingyun. He Jingyun shook his head blankly.
Zhuo Zifang seemed to understand Liang Xiao's intention and whispered in his ear, "The last time I saw Xiao Chan was a year ago..."
Liang Xiao nodded and smiled at Xiao Chan, "Please go to the side and observe!"
But Liang Xiao's heart was filled with murderous intent!
This person was highly likely the young master in brocade!
The young master in brocade was the son of the Southern King. What position could the Southern King hold within the Rejuvenation Cult or the Sun Moon Army?
But the problem was, this Xiao Chan bore no resemblance to the Southern King at all?
Xiao Feng, the Prince, shared at least seventy percent similarity with the Southern King!
Xiao Chan merely cast a blank glance at Liang Xiao, then followed Xiao Chang to sit aside.
Liang Xiao watched and chuckled inwardly.
Only he, the Heavenly General, who had personally been on the battlefield and seen the appearance of the young master in brocade, knew the location of the young master's severed arm.
Xiao Chan sat in the audience. After confirming that Liang Xiao was no longer paying attention to him, he resumed his cold expression, his eyes flashing with murderous intent.
He had always considered Princess Ningshuang to be his intended wife, someone he would eventually possess.
This young man had snatched the position of驸马 (son-in-law of the emperor) that rightfully belonged to him!
The Sun Moon Army had suffered a crushing defeat in Luzhou, and Liang Xiao's "Heavenly Thunder" technique had played a significant role!
His trusted subordinate, the Grand Commander in Brocade, had been shot dead by Liang Xiao's arrow. He himself had lost an arm on the battlefield in Luzhou, severed by the Heavenly General, and had nearly bled to death...
If anyone in the world hated Liang Xiao more than himself, then no one else deserved to be second!
And this Liang Xiao had just smiled at him so brightly and warmly!
That gentle smile was like a knife, slicing his heart piece by piece!
"Impatience can ruin great plans!" Xiao Chan was almost bursting with anger, but he maintained his composure on the surface.
Amidst the crowd, Hong Jie, appearing as the Master of Yun Xiu Studio, Yun Jiu, and Lin'er, watched from a distance under the protection of Zhuo Manor's guards.
"Why would a case involving Nie Yuan attract so many distinguished individuals?" Hong Jie wondered, constantly speculating. "It seems this Nie Yuan possesses some crucial information regarding the Rejuvenation Cult or the Southern King, and he is highly valued by Liang Xiao. If this person is later given an important role by Liang Xiao, my elder brother could approach him and use this opportunity to plan..."
On the way here, Hong Jie had already heard the guards mention Nie Yuan. It was said that he was upright, abhorred injustice, and had even single-handedly defeated the Rejuvenation Cult's forces!
If Hong Qu interacted with someone like that, they might become sworn brothers!
The Rejuvenation Cult and the Southern King were too close, making them unreliable for the remnants of the Great Heng Dynasty. The barbarians could not penetrate Great Qian, so Zuo Wushang could only continuously infiltrate Liang Xiao's side, betting everything on Liang Xiao!
Zuo Jing gazed at Liang Xiao from afar, her eyes still filled with admiration, yet her heart was a mix of emotions.
Not only was this young man skilled in both literary and military arts, but he could also handle cases?
Shi Liuyun stayed by Nie Yuan's side. Both of them looked at Liang Xiao with great anticipation.
Now, only the Emperor and Liang Xiao could save Nie Yuan. Gongsun Ye and Zhuo Zifang could at best delay the case, temporarily protecting Nie Yuan. They could protect him for a while, but not forever.
Gu Hai, carrying ten sealed case files, approached and said to Liang Xiao, "Marquis Anguo, here are ten recently unsolved cases. Choose two yourself. It's not that I am deliberately making things difficult for you. After you choose, open all the case files to prove that these ten cases are all different."
Having said that, Gu Hai surveyed the crowd, "Is my method considered reasonable?"
Everyone nodded.
Gongyang He and the others had nothing more to say.
Liang Xiao casually picked two files and opened them. He scanned the dense text and smiled, "Let's begin! This Marquis will only be responsible for judging right and wrong. As for sentencing, that can be decided later."
Gu Hai immediately unsealed all the case files and asked Zhuo Zifang and others to verify them.
"They are indeed all yamen cases!" Zhuo Zifang declared, leading the confirmation.
Everyone looked at Liang Xiao, who appeared calm.
Gu Hai turned to the guards he had brought from the Ministry of Justice and ordered, "Immediately bring all the personnel involved in case number five!"
A quarter of an hour later, two sobbing women and an old woman were brought forward. The old woman was cradling a crying infant.
"There are two women, Ms. Wang and Ms. Liu, fighting over this infant. Both claim the baby was born to them. The midwife confirmed the infant is Ms. Liu's son, while Ms. Wang's son died the day after birth. Ms. Wang is dissatisfied and reported to the yamen, but the dispute continues. However, due to the infant's young age, the yamen cannot confirm its identity!"
Gu Hai loudly recited the main content of the case file submitted by Liang Xiao. The crowd's attention shifted to the two women.
Both were teary-eyed, sobbing, and glaring at each other as if they were mortal enemies.
"My lord, the midwife can also testify that this child is mine. Her own son died, so she set her sights on my son!" Ms. Liu wailed.
Ms. Wang cried even harder, "My lord! I remember my son's appearance clearly. They took my son and swapped him with the dead child. The midwife must have taken money from Ms. Liu and is in league with her!"
The two women each stated their case, beginning to accuse and curse each other, and were eventually separated by the yamen runners.
The infant began to cry loudly, and the midwife softly soothed it.
Liang Xiao looked at the confession in the case file, lost in thought.
Gu Hai, acting as Liang Xiao's proxy, asked, "Midwife, please repeat your testimony in public."
The midwife sighed, "To all esteemed lords, this child is indeed Madam Liu's. I did my best to care for Madam Wang's child, but the infant was too weak and could not be saved. Madam Wang must be distraught with grief and has lost her senses, and so..."
Gu Hai asked, "Were their husbands not present?"
The midwife replied, "Mr. Liu is doing business elsewhere, and Madam Wang's husband died in battle in Luzhou."
Ms. Wang quickly cried out, "My lord, this child is the posthumous child of my husband, I beg you!!"
"This child is my only son, born with great difficulty, my darling! You cannot give him to her just because her husband died for the country!" Ms. Liu retorted, unwilling to concede.
Gu Hai sternly said, "You two, quiet down!"
The two women dared not offend Liang Xiao and Gu Hai, and merely continued to wipe their tears.
Jian Qinwan and Yue Lian, watching from afar, frowned slightly.
Asking Liang Xiao to determine whose child this was, wasn't that making things difficult? He wasn't present at the scene!
Gongyang He and the others, who were observing, sneered.
In a case like this, with only the midwife as a witness, her testimony was one-sided. Without any other conclusive evidence to prove the child's parentage, no matter who Liang Xiao awarded the child to, they could raise an objection!
Gu Hai, seeing Liang Xiao remain silent, impatiently asked, "Marquis Anguo, what is your opinion?"
"What opinion could he have? He's baffled!" Gongyang Teng, the head of the yamen, sneered.
Liang Xiao slowly stood up and beckoned the midwife, "Give the child to me first."
The midwife did not dare to refuse and quickly handed the infant to Liang Xiao.
As soon as the child was in Liang Xiao's arms, it began to wail.
"Aiyo, aiyo, good boy," Liang Xiao cooed softly to the infant, not forgetting to gently rock it as if providing a cradle.
After a moment, the infant's cries subsided. The entire hall was stunned.
Jian Qinwan, Yue Lian, and Zhuo Xun were frozen in place.
It was one thing for him to be able to coax young girls, rough men, and old men, but he could even soothe infants??
Dugu Xiao, standing nearby, taunted, "Liang Xiao, you're not planning to adopt this child yourself, are you? And refuse to give them back? Is this what a judge does?"