At the mention of bandits, the onlookers' faces all changed.
The bandit mountain outside Yongding City was like a nightmare for anyone who wanted to leave the city.
As long as one wanted to leave the city, it was only safe to go in groups during the daytime. If it was after dark, even two or three strong men wouldn't dare to pass by that bandit mountain casually.
The onlookers' looks at the woman became complicated all of a sudden.
After all, no matter how much they sympathized, they wouldn't sympathize with a bandit who had done countless evils to the common people.
Seeing this, the woman slightly widened her eyes, with tears welling up in them, looking even more aggrieved.
She stared at Bai Zheng, every word full of pain.
"I've long heard that Miss Bai is different now. She's so eloquent that she can distort the truth. She's really a tough one.
I originally thought it was just a rumor. After all, Minister Bai is the most honest and upright man. How could the daughter he raised have such a despicable character? I didn't expect that seeing is believing today.
Miss Bai is so overbearing now. Just because my elder brother accidentally bumped into Miss Bai's carriage, Miss Bai didn't say a word and just had him arrested into the mansion.
Now that the matter has been exposed and can't be covered up, she just makes up a story and frames my elder brother with this charge.
Miss Bai, one should be worthy of heaven and earth and one's conscience when doing things. Aren't you afraid of God's retribution for bullying others and splashing dirty water around like this!"
"Retribution?" Bai Zheng raised her eyebrows and said loudly, "Miss, aren't you afraid of God's retribution for crying 'thief' while being the thief yourself here? What should I be afraid of when the Bai Mansion has worked so hard to rid the people of harm?
Miss, you said your elder brother just bumped into my carriage? It's the first time I've ever met someone who bumps into a carriage with swords in hand.
Miss, you said I'm just making up stories and framing people, right? If I show the evidence that your elder brother is indeed a bandit, will you have nothing to say?"
The woman gave a sad smile. Her peerless beauty looked even more charming. She seemed to be well - prepared and calmly said, "Isn't Minister Bai in the mansion? Or is he hiding behind to discuss countermeasures and prepare fake evidence?
You officials can say whatever you want. If you just take out something and say it's evidence, what can a weak woman like me do to you?"
Bai Zheng's eyes turned cold. "You've already given me the charge of fake evidence before I even take it out?"
"Elder brother is an honest and law - abiding commoner. He's not a bandit at all. Where could there be any evidence? If there is, it must be fake!"
The woman's voice was originally charming. This aggrieved sentence made the onlookers feel pity again, and their looks at Bai Zheng also began to turn to hatred.
This made Bai Zheng vaguely think that maybe she should ask someone to drive away the vegetable stalls and egg stalls at the gate of the Bai Mansion.
Just in case these common people, who were seduced by beauty and had lost their wits, were incited by the woman and impulsively threw things at Bai Zheng.
Bai Zheng scanned the crowd and then her gaze returned to the woman. As her eyes fluttered, she came up with an idea.
"No wonder when I arrested him, I also found some personal belongings of a woman on him. Now that I've seen you, Miss, I understand. You and this elder brother must be old lovers, right?"
Personal belongings... old lovers...
As these words came out, the onlookers' looks at the woman changed immediately.
The woman was so choked by these words that her face turned red. She shouted sharply, "You're talking nonsense! What old lovers!"
Bai Zheng smiled faintly. "As an unmarried girl, I'm really ashamed to say such things in public.
But Miss, you've gone too far. You've reversed right and wrong. Knowing that you're in the wrong and having no way to seek help from the officials, you've decided to shift the blame to the Bai Mansion.
Miss, don't think that the people of Yongding are kind - hearted and easy to deceive, so they'll be coaxed by you and can't tell right from wrong.
Whether your elder brother is a bandit or not, I'll show the evidence and everyone will make their own judgment.
But Miss, how do you explain your relationship with this bandit leader?
You also said that this is your friend's elder brother, not your own elder brother. For the elder brother of a friend, you've thrown away the face a girl should have and come to cry in front of the Bai Mansion. This elder brother must really hold a special place in your heart.
Come to think of it, if I hadn't suddenly remembered what was found on that bandit leader..."
At this point, Bai Zheng deliberately paused awkwardly, as if she really couldn't bear to mention the so - called personal belongings of the woman found on him.
This made the onlookers can't help but let their imaginations run wild, and their looks at the woman became even more unfriendly.
Bai Zheng paused for a while and then continued, "If I hadn't found that thing, which has exactly the same pattern as the handkerchief you were just about to use to wipe your tears, I really wouldn't have remembered this."
As these words came out, everyone's eyes fell on the handkerchief that the woman had just unfolded and was about to use to wipe her tears.
Those with sharp eyes soon saw that there was a unique cherry - pink seven - petal water lily embroidered on the handkerchief, with several large round lotus leaves embroidered below it.
The woman's hand froze in mid - air. She didn't know whether to take back the handkerchief or not. And because Bai Zheng's topic had changed too quickly, she half - opened her mouth and didn't know how to respond for a moment.
But the onlookers' thoughts were completely different.
The woman's greatest weapon was her beauty. After all, the world is so unreasonable. Good - looking people are more likely to get the goodwill of the world.
But Bai Zheng's move of diverting the trouble to others and cutting off the source really caught the woman off guard.
After all, no one would show any goodwill to an unmarried girl who gave her personal belongings to a man.
If such an affair happened in a proper village in Yongding, it would be reasonable to drown this woman in a pig cage.
"What personal belongings? Don't talk nonsense!" Seeing the change in the onlookers' expressions, the woman immediately got anxious and shouted angrily.
Bai Zheng nodded and reached out her hand to her. "You're right. Well then, Miss, could you lend me your handkerchief again? I don't want to misjudge you because of my blurred vision."
The woman frowned and stared at Bai Zheng's outstretched hand, flustered.
She subconsciously didn't want to give the handkerchief to her.
She originally thought that she was just a fifteen - year - old girl, the easiest to deal with. She just needed to say a few words, and the other party would lose her temper and quarrel with her. As long as she could achieve this effect, the reputation of the Bai Mansion would be ruined.
But Bai Zheng didn't.
Not only didn't she, but she was also very calm. She fought back with the same method and immediately put a hat of being unchaste on her.
She lowered her eyes to hide the panic in them.
This was the first time she had seen Bai Zheng. The impression this girl left on her was - calm.
She had never seen such a calm and composed girl.
From beginning to end, she had a gentle look on her face. She calmly confronted her with a plain look in her eyes. No matter what ugly things she said, she wouldn't be angry.
She knew that in this world, there were only two kinds of people who could stay calm when facing slander.