The leading catcher weighed the money in his hand. Then he changed his mind and told Mr. Zhou everything he knew.
"Did there once be a maid named Fang in Madam's house?"
When Zhou heard the maid named Fang, she immediately thought of Fang Yue'er.
At that moment, a flash of disgust flashed across her eyes unconsciously.
She nodded silently, "There is a maid named Fang. What's wrong? Did that girl say anything to you?"
The catcher nodded and said, "Yes, the maid said that you kidnapped and trafficked good girls and forced them into prostitution."
Hearing this, Mrs. Zhou immediately taunted her and said, "Forcing a good girl to become a prostitute? Is that what she told you? She is so mean, do you still want me to do it? She goes around seducing men, isn't she just a prostitute?"
Hearing Zhou's words, the catcher only said, "Madam, we can't control her personal ethics, but if she is a good family member, we really can't push her into the fire pit. Why don't you come with us?" Bar."
Although Zhou didn't want to leave after hearing what the head catcher said, there seemed to be no better choice at the moment.
So Zhou finally followed them.
Zhou Yaoniang was worried about her mother, so she naturally followed her.
The group of them got on the carriage heading to Yangliu Town. About ten minutes later, they arrived at the county government office in Yangliu Town.
As soon as she arrived at the county government office, Mrs. Zhou saw Fang Yue'er standing beside her.
As soon as he saw Fang Yue'er, Mr. Zhou glared at her angrily.
"Damn girl, how dare you sue me!" Mrs. Zhou cursed.
Fang Yue'er, who was scolded, didn't take it seriously and said, "I'll sue you if I sue you! What else do you have to say? What's more, you forced a girl into prostitution, what's wrong with me suing you?"
After hearing this, Mrs. Zhou immediately said, "You still use me to force you, you bitch, you have been seducing men since you came to my house. I sold you to that place not just to satisfy you." wish."
When Fang Yue'er saw what Zhou said, she stopped arguing with Zhou. She immediately said to the county magistrate, "Sir, did you hear this? She admitted that she sold me to Lichun Court!" "
"She is forcing girls into prostitution. You must make the decision for me."
Because of the dispute between Zhou and Fang Yue'er, the place was in chaos. The county magistrate immediately slapped him with a gavel, "Shut up, all of you! Let this magistrate ask you questions one by one. Those who didn't get any questions Don't speak, or you'll be severely punished! Do you hear me?"
When he heard that he was going to be punished with severe punishment, not only Fang Yue'er, but also the Zhou family immediately stopped saying anything.
When the county magistrate saw that the two people had calmed down, he immediately said to them, "Today, a civilian girl Fang Yue'er sued her master's family for forcing her husband into prostitution and selling her son as a slave to Lichun Court. Mrs. Zhou, can you accept it?" This verdict?"
After hearing this, Mrs. Zhou immediately said, "I don't accept it. She is a prostitute and a slave of my family. I am free to sell her to wherever she goes! She has committed the crime and sued the master's family. Master, you should treat her Serving with severe punishment is the right thing!"
Upon hearing Zhou's words, Fang Yue'er became anxious. She immediately retorted loudly, "Sir, I am not her slave, and my contract of sale was only for more than ten years. Besides, the contract expired a few days ago, but she still has a few more years left on the contract. When I was in Japan, I was resold to Lichun Court, where I was tortured. I also asked you to make the decision for the women of the country, uphold justice for the women of the country, and bring the Zhou family to justice!"
The county magistrate did not respond to Fang Yue'er's words. He just turned to look at Zhou and said, "Ms. Zhou, is what Fang Yue'er said true?"
Zhou clearly had no scruples, and she immediately said, "So what if it's true?"
Upon hearing this, Fang Yue'er immediately said, "Sir, did you hear it? Did she admit it to be true?"
However, in response to Fang Yue'er's yelling, the county magistrate only said to her, "Shut up! I didn't ask you a question."
After hearing what the other party said, Fang Yue'er really didn't say anything more.
And Mrs. Zhou also spoke at this time, "Her contract is indeed a living contract, but during the period when I bought her, she was always under my control, right?"
After hearing Zhou's words, the county magistrate nodded.
"That's true."
Zhou then said, "Isn't it over now? If I sold her to Li Chun Yuan before her contract expired, wouldn't that be my freedom?"
Hearing Zhou's words, the county magistrate was speechless. "Madam, this is not how things work out."
"If that's not the case, how else can it be calculated? You're not going to say that I can't transfer this girl, right?"
Hearing Zhou's words, the county magistrate could only say helplessly, "What you signed is not a death deed. In theory, you cannot sell the other party! After all, this is not entirely your family's property!"
"Why is it not my family's property? I spent money to buy her. It's not up to me to decide where she goes. What's more, I didn't plan to do anything to her. This maid was disobedient. I just punished her. , why am I not qualified?"
Upon hearing Zhou's words, the county magistrate immediately corrected him and said, "Madam, that's not what you said, and that's not how things happened!"
"Why isn't it done this way?" Zhou was obviously very unconvinced.
The county magistrate had no choice but to explain in a low voice, "Let me give you an analogy. You went to borrow something from the neighbor next door. They lent it to you, but you turned around and sold it. Do you think this makes sense?"
Zhou thought for a moment and immediately shook her head, "That makes no sense!"
Once he heard that Mr. Zhou could explain clearly, the county magistrate immediately acted like he was a teachable child.
"If you can figure it out, that's good."
Unexpectedly, after Zhou said it didn't make sense, he immediately said, "But Sir, I don't think what you said makes sense!"
The county magistrate was speechless and said, "Why does what I say make no sense?"
After hearing this, Mrs. Zhou immediately said, "Sir, the person who lent his neighbor something didn't give it to him, but I gave it to him? Five taels of silver at that time was not a small amount for them! You said that since he If they take my money, can I still borrow it from them?"
The county magistrate immediately listened to Zhou's words, and for a moment he was a little confused by Zhou.
But he soon came to his senses.
"Madam, if everyone made it clear that you bought it instead of borrowing it, then this thing will naturally belong to you, but if it was borrowed and not bought, then this thing can only be presumed by them."
"And when dealing with this matter, we naturally have to look at the contract. If your contract is a dead contract, then even if you don't get a penny, we will still think you are right, but if you sign a living contract, Then you are wrong about this."
Upon hearing this, before Zhou could speak, Fang Yue'er immediately said excitedly, "Sir, what we signed is a living contract! It's a living contract!"
After hearing Fang Yue'er's words, the county magistrate immediately said, "Madam, you see she said she signed a living contract. Do you have any evidence to prove yourself?"
Hearing this, Mrs. Zhou said coldly, "I have a living contract, and I also have a death contract. I have already signed a death contract with his father."
Upon hearing this, Fang Yue'er seemed a little dumbfounded, but she quickly felt that it was impossible for her father to come to her door so quickly. Besides, if he wanted to find her, he would definitely have to go through his cousin. There is no news from his cousin now. .
So thinking of this, Fang Yue'er immediately said to Zhou, "I think you are lying! How could my father sign a living contract for you?"
Upon hearing Fang Yue'er's words, Mrs. Zhou said without hesitation, "I really signed a death contract with his father."
"Where is the death deed?" the magistrate asked.
Zhou only said, "It's on my maid Zijuan."
Upon hearing this, the county magistrate immediately said, "Then I will send someone to find her."
But Zhou said, "She went to Lander County. We don't need to go to such trouble. I really signed a death contract. If you don't believe me, can you still believe that dead girl?"
Hearing Zhou's casual words, the county magistrate immediately said dissatisfiedly, "I don't believe anyone! I only believe in the contract! Brave Zhou, if you fool me like this again, don't blame me for being rude!"
Hearing this, Mrs. Zhou only said, "I'm not fooling you. What I said is true. His father and I really signed a death contract, but the contract is indeed on the body of my maid Zijuan. Zijuan is in Lan Dexian County
There is a distance of three days. I am afraid that you will be in a hurry on the road, so I say this! "
However, the county magistrate no longer wanted to talk to Zhou. He only said angrily to the others, "Come here! Take her down quickly!"
After receiving the order, someone soon came to detain Zhou.
When Zhou Yaoniang saw this, she became anxious and said, "Sir, you haven't understood anything. Isn't this a waste of human life?"
"What a waste of life! You don't have a death contract, so why bother! Either you come up with a death contract, or you just plead guilty! Maybe I can make things less difficult for you," the county magistrate reprimanded.
Zhou Yaoniang immediately said, "Sir, the witness is thousands of miles away. Even if we want to get the contract, it will take three or four days!"
"Okay! I will give you four days to allow you to find the contract. After four days, we will make a judgment!" The county magistrate immediately responded loudly.
After the words fell, the people below naturally followed up and shouted, "Quit!"
As soon as she heard that the other party wanted to withdraw from the court, Zhou Yao's mother immediately asked, "Then can my mother go back and stay?"
However, the county magistrate said coldly, "No! She is suspected now, and we must keep her on the spot. If you clear her suspicions after four days, we will naturally let your mother go!"
After hearing this, Zhou Yaoniang continued to say, "But my mother is not in good health."
However, the county magistrate waved his hand and said, "Your mother is not in good health. That is her business, not mine! You must understand that we don't care about this!"
After saying this, the county magistrate shouted to retreat, and then the government officials immediately called out the word "mighty".
After the county magistrate left, Zhou Yao's mother immediately stared at Fang Yue'er and said, "Fang Yue'er, why are you suing my mother! You are going too far!"
Fang Yue'er, who was accused by Zhou Yaoniang, immediately retorted, "I went too far! Then do you know that your good mother sold me to Lichun Court a few days before your wedding!"
Hearing Fang Yue'er's words, Zhou Yaoniang was a little stunned for a moment. It was obviously the first time she heard about this.
