usatvline Chapter 191 Appeal
Chapter 191 Appeal
Chapter 191 Appeal
On the afternoon of the 16th, more than ten people appeared outside Chengjiang Gate, driving two dilapidated oxcarts and making a lot of noise as they headed towards the prefectural government office.
The leader was a farmer in his fifties, dark-skinned and lean, with cracked hands.
He was Liu Gui's third uncle, Liu Fu, an honest and simple man who had farmed in Dongshun Township his whole life. The biggest lawsuit he had ever witnessed was between two families fighting over a piece of land. A lawsuit? That was something he wouldn't even dare to dream of. Therefore, he was frowning and timid, wanting several times to turn to his nephew and tell him to let it go, but he couldn't bring himself to speak. He was even more afraid of the group of fierce men following them from a distance—he already knew what had happened; it was these men who had killed Wang Zongsan, who had come to find his nephew, last night. The courtyard was covered in blood, a truly terrifying sight.
Liu Gui's face was ashen, his eyes sunken, as if he had aged ten years overnight. He sat on the hood of the first car, unsure of what to do with his hands, sometimes fidgeting with the hem of his clothes, sometimes clenching his fists, sighing deeply.
Zhou sat in the carriage, her head wrapped in a cloth, her face as white as paper, her eyes vacant and staring blankly at everything, like two dry wells. Her two daughters, one big and one small, were beside her, their eyes also red.
The man driving next to Liu Gui was a villager, quite old, with his lips tightly pursed. He would occasionally say a few words to Liu Gui and Zhou Shi, mostly words of comfort.
Just then, a young man in blue robes walked quickly over and walked alongside the oxcart.
Liu Gui knew this man. Last night, he sat calmly on a small stool, holding a fire-breathing weapon. The moment the door opened, he had his attendant insert a tinderbox, followed by a scream from outside.
After taking a few steps, the boy said softly, "My elder brother said to keep going boldly, it'll be alright. Lin Xuan is already dead, he can't possibly seek revenge on you anymore. Wang Zongsan is dead, it's inevitable that his followers will scatter when the tree falls. Even if a few people want to regain their power, the government won't give them the chance, just like the remnants of Zhu Ding and Chen Xianwu's gang."
You don't need to worry about household matters. If you're short of money, someone will send it to you. Your two daughters are growing up, and if they get married in the future, your elder brother will give them a generous gift so they can have a grand wedding. You can also have them marry into your family; it's up to you. Your elder brother will also prepare a gift. In short, your family will not fall into poverty.
If you really don't feel comfortable living in Dongshun, you can go somewhere else. We'll give you a piece of land where your family of four can work at sunrise and rest at sunset without being disturbed.
As Liu Gui listened, he gradually calmed down. There was nothing he could do now, was there?
Zhou seemed to have heard it too. She looked at the two girls beside her, and remembering what she had just said, her expression brightened a little, and she became more lively.
The villager driving the car couldn't help but glance at Liu Gui, his expression complex.
This guy is a real gentleman; he used people and then gave them benefits, making sure his family of four had a comfortable life afterwards. What more can be said?
After Yu Yuan finished speaking, he slowed down slightly and walked alongside the second oxcart.
There was a person lying in the car, bound tightly with ropes, his wrists and ankles tied in three places, and a rag stuffed in his mouth.
He looked to be in his thirties, his face was covered in blood, his clothes were covered in mud, and a strip of cloth was wrapped around his right shoulder. The cloth was soaked in blood, turning dark red and black. He was looking at the crowd with terrified eyes and making chirping sounds.
This is the only survivor from last night; he will be sent to the authorities for punishment soon.
Five or six fellow villagers followed beside the oxcart, some carrying carrying poles, others carrying hoes—more for courage than for self-defense.
The group continued walking, and Chengjiang Post Station came into view in the distance.
At that moment, three people suddenly rushed out of the post station.
The leader was a tall man dressed in a gray short-sleeved shirt, with a knife at his waist and a scar on his face. Behind him were two men, one short and stout, the other lean, both carrying weapons.
The oxcart suddenly slowed down.
Just then, several figures rushed out from outside Chengjiang Gate, each wielding a weapon, their momentum overwhelming.
The leader kicked out and struck the tall, scarred man in the chest.
What happened next left everyone speechless: the tall, scarred man was sent flying backward, crashing through the gate of Chengjiang Inn. After landing, he struggled to get up, coughed up blood, and collapsed to the ground.
The other two were dumbfounded. Was that kick to the heart really that powerful?
"This—brother, we just wanted to ask a question." One of them sheathed his ring-bladed sword, cupped his hands in greeting, and said.
"Get lost!" Bian Yuanheng stood there, snorted coldly, and said, "You accomplice to evil, I'm being lenient by not killing you. Today I'm acting on behalf of Heaven, so those who don't want to die, get out of my way."
While the two were still hesitating, they were subdued by several other people who rushed over.
After a few slaps, he was already dizzy.
After realizing what had happened, they found themselves being forced to their knees and their equipment removed.
The two oxcarts continued forward and passed through Chengjiang Gate and Chengjiang Post Station without incident.
Yu Yuan nodded to Bian Yuanheng and the others, then took out a stack of handwritten letters from his waist and scattered them on both sides of the road.
Some bold people picked it up, glanced at it briefly, and then looked furious.
Some people who couldn't read would scratch their heads and ask others what was written on the paper. After learning the truth, they were just as furious.
As a state prosecutor, Lin Xuan is no saint. Whether intentionally or unintentionally, he has offended many people. To put it bluntly, if you want to climb the ladder and make money, is it possible not to offend people?
The oxcart continued on its way, and gradually a large number of people who were there to watch the spectacle followed, making the scene increasingly lively.
Officials from near and far received the news and rushed over.
Just as they were about to do something, they saw Ge Daji, the clerk of the criminal department, standing aside, silent, as if looking at thin air.
The officials were shrewd enough to stop what they were doing and let the oxcart drive to the prefectural government office.
******
Ni Zan arrived at the prefectural government office a second time, accompanied by more than ten indignant scholars.
They were still young and full of youthful vigor. Yesterday, they were received by the prefect and received no reprimands, which greatly boosted their confidence. So today, they completely ignored Professor Wang Pi's advice and followed Ni Zan to the prefectural office to continue demanding an explanation.
Listening to the commotion outside and feeling the strange looks from the clerks, Lin Xuan, the clerk in charge of the case, felt extremely uncomfortable. He couldn't concentrate all morning, and the official documents he used to handle with ease seemed like gibberish to him; he couldn't understand a single word.
After an unknown amount of time, a trainee clerk hurried over and whispered in his ear, "Chief Inspector Lin, the Prefect refuses to see you."
Lin Xuan swayed slightly, but forced himself to remain calm and asked, "What is Master Zhang doing?"
"Darughachi Korigis has arrived and is inquiring about the matters raised by the scholars of the academy," the trainee clerk whispered. "The prefect has given a brief account."
"How is it?" Lin Xuan grabbed the trainee clerk's wrist and asked.
The trainee clerk, enduring the pain, said, "Lord Kuolijisi smiled and said, 'You can't even handle such a small matter?' He then asked if I was from Dongshun Township, as he had heard that Dongshun had Changjing Market, which was always prosperous, while Gushan Market was known for its cotton production."
At this point, the trainee clerk slowly but resolutely withdrew his hand, bowed, and said, "Chief Inspector Lin, all the past kindnesses I have shown you are here."
After saying that, he turned and left.
Lin Xuan's face was deathly pale.
He knew all too well who Korigis was.
These county-level Darughachi were all Mongol or Semu people, and their positions were basically hereditary with little room for advancement. Therefore, their primary concern as officials was often not how to get promoted, but how to make money.
Qolijis's father served as the Darughachi of Jiangyin Prefecture for more than ten years, during which time he amassed countless riches, even to an alarming degree. It was only because the Mongols were careless, extravagant in their spending, and not very good at business that the Qolijis family would have been the richest in Jiangyin.
After inheriting his father's official title, young Korigis became even more unscrupulous. His father had only sought bribes, but this son was even more proactive, as if soliciting bribes was no longer enough for him; actively seizing other people's property was what interested him.
With Zhu Ding preceding him and Chen Xianwu following him, at least half of their family fortunes fell into the hands of Little Korigis.
Now it's his turn to get into trouble? Is there any exception? Lin Xuan couldn't guarantee it.
After sitting quietly for a while, he suddenly stood up, almost knocking over the table in his haste.
His colleagues turned their gazes toward him, their expressions meaningful.
Lin Xuan was completely unaware of what was happening. He forced a smile at everyone and said, "I suddenly remembered something urgent, so I'll go and deal with it."
After saying this, he cupped his hands in a respectful gesture, turned and left in a hurry.
Colleagues seemed to have expected this, and were not surprised at all.
Some people lowered their heads and continued working.
Some people returned the greeting without saying anything.
Someone else made a nonchalant remark and then continued organizing official documents. The position of the clerk in charge of impeachment cases was second only to the prefect, and was the second highest position that the officials of Jiangyin Prefecture could achieve. As for those above that, they were no longer clerks, but officials.
Lin Xuan had only been gone for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn when the Prefect Zhang Yang and Judge Ma Yuanchong arrived, surrounded by a group of clerks and officials.
Upon learning that Lin Xuan had already left, Zhang Yang's face immediately darkened.
"Judge Ma!" he shouted.
"Yes, sir." Ma Yuanchong replied with a serious expression.
"The police brought Lin back to court, but the matter isn't clear yet, why are you running away?"
"Yes, sir." Ma Yuanchong accepted the order and left without any hesitation.
>