Chapter 27: The Grievance Drum Clears the Wrong
Recently, a particularly beautiful sight had appeared in Shangjing City.
Young masters, one after another, would go in groups of three or five, carrying something called a “drawing board” on their backs as they headed outside the city. It was said they were going to draw some thatched hut.
Who knew what there was to draw about a thatched hut?
Whenever these energetic students passed by, they always attracted quite a few people to stop and watch.
If one listened carefully, one could even hear them discussing all sorts of strange questions that were simply impossible to understand.
Now that Shangjing Academy was closed, these young masters from official families could often be seen on the streets.
The weather in Shangjing had begun to turn hot, yet for some reason, these young masters did not seem afraid of the heat at all. Instead of properly staying at home, they kept running outside the city.
Chen Xiaobu, Gan Xin, the Shang brothers, and Prince Ning had arranged to go sketching together. At their age, they were technically not allowed to go out alone, but their families could not resist them repeatedly saying that this was homework assigned by their master.
So a huge group of servants followed behind them.
They were still on the official road when a carriage suddenly came charging toward them from the opposite direction like a mad thing, drawing a burst of angry curses.
“Aiya, my dog was sleeping and got scared awake. Whose mad horse is this?”
“Charging around like that—if it hits someone, they’ll have to drag you to the authorities.”
The commoners on the official road were also somewhat indignant.
The servants following behind the children were even less polite. How could someone charge into their young masters and then think of leaving? At the very least, they had to break one of that person’s legs.
Yet that carriage actually stopped. The curtain was lifted, revealing a richly dressed middle-aged couple. “My apologies. I am Gu Jun of the Grand Coachman’s Office. There is a reason for this, and it cannot be delayed for even a moment. Please forgive us.”
It was actually someone from the Grand Coachman’s Office, one of the Nine Ministers. Gu Jun should be the Grand Coachman’s third son.
Gu Jun looked extremely anxious. He said there was a terribly urgent matter, but after speaking, he did not leave.
Instead, he carried a child down from the carriage and placed him under a large tree beside the official road.
Someone craned their neck to look and could not help letting out a cry of surprise.
The child’s face had already turned purple. Could he have contracted some strange illness? He had also passed out. It seemed… it seemed he would not survive.
Gu Jun was deeply distressed too. They were still quite a distance from Shangjing, and there was no way they could make it in time. He had already sent someone to ride at full speed to Shangjing to fetch a physician, but given the current situation, they probably could not wait.
Burning with anxiety, he asked the people on the official road, “Is there any passing physician here? If anyone can help examine him, I will reward them generously.”
No wonder the carriage had been driven so wildly. It turned out there really was an urgent matter of life and death. But even so, the child probably could not be saved.
Perhaps their luck was bad—or perhaps it was good. There really was a physician on the official road.
He hurried forward. “This is likely fire toxin.”
Gu Jun was delighted. The woman standing beside him also hurriedly wiped away her constantly falling tears.
However, before Gu Jun could speak, the physician said, “The fire toxin has already entered the blood vessels. His body has turned purple. Even if… even if he were sent to Shangjing now, I’m afraid… I’m afraid…”
He did not dare say the rest, but everyone understood what he meant.
It was probably already too late. There was no medicine that could save him.
The woman could not even stand steadily. She almost collapsed to the ground.
The surrounding people sighed as well. The child was so young, and yet…
Chen Xiaobu and the other students had also come over to watch the commotion.
When they saw the child lying beneath the tree, they could not help exchanging glances.
“He has heatstroke.”
They had seen it very clearly inside the stone. It was exactly the same as the symptoms of heatstroke that had been shown. There was no way they could remember it wrong. At that time, their eyes had been wide open like ox eyes.
“Why aren’t you giving him first aid?” His symptoms were already very serious, and the Shang brothers could not help asking.
Gu Jun did not raise his head. His face was full of heaviness. The people around them were sighing too. How could he still be saved?
Some people shook their heads at the young masters who had suddenly appeared, telling them not to make sarcastic remarks. Could they not see how grief-stricken the family was?
The Shang brothers, Chen Xiaobu, and the others became anxious too. “Hurry! Scrape the skin and let blood from the fingertips. Are you really going to watch without saving him? This is a matter of human life. We all saw it.”
Gu Jun froze. The physician was also puzzled. “What scraping? What fingertip bloodletting? This… this fire toxin has already attacked the heart. Medicine and stone are useless.”
Chen Xiaobu and the others were stunned. Medicine and stone were useless?
That was not right. They had studied the first aid lesson very seriously. He could still be rescued.
Gan Xin even took out his little notebook of notes. The children gathered together, looking at the notes, then at the child lying beneath the tree.
Then their little faces wrinkled up. “What a bunch of liars. He clearly can still be saved, yet you’re trying to fool us. We’re watching you treat a human life like grass.”
“Don’t even think of lying to us. Our teacher is the First Retainer of Prince Zheng’s residence.”
Gan Xin nodded hard. After he had fallen into the well, even the imperial physician had said he could not be saved. It had been his master who saved him with a strange bottle called an “IV drip.”
“It’s written very clearly in our notebooks. This symptom can still be treated. Don’t open your eyes and speak nonsense.”
Gu Jun abruptly raised his head. The woman sitting on the ground also looked toward Chen Xiaobu and the others.
They were talking about Mountain Lord?
“Is your teacher here?”
Chen Xiaobu and the others were startled by his voice and shook their heads.
Gu Jun looked at the notebook in Gan Xin’s hand and gritted his teeth. “Since Mountain Lord taught you how to treat this condition, please try.”
There was no other method left. If no one treated him, he would certainly die.
Chen Xiaobu and the others were dumbfounded. Although this first aid method was indeed meant to be used in urgent situations, they were still just students…
They had only… only studied it. They had never thought they would actually have to use it themselves.
The surrounding people were even more confused than they were.
But…
First aid was first aid. If they did not save him now, he truly would die.
If they did nothing in this situation, they would really be watching someone die.
Chen Xiaobu and the others looked at one another, then stepped forward with trembling hands.
They did not even think about what would happen if they failed to save him. Of course, with their identities, no one would dare make trouble for them even if they failed.
Chen Xiaobu and the Shang brothers were responsible for scraping. Gan Xin and Prince Ning were responsible for letting blood from the fingertips.
Although they had watched the steps in the video and remembered them clearly, this was their first time actually doing it, so their hands trembled.
The others could not understand what they were doing at all.
The child’s wrists and ankles were scraped until they turned dark red, and blackish blood dripped from his fingertips.
But no one said anything. The title of Mountain Lord’s students was pressing down there. Although they did not hold much hope, there was still a trace of expectation.
Chen Xiaobu and the others treated him while looking at their notes, afraid of making even the slightest mistake.
The physician’s face was full of shock. One moment, he looked at the child under the tree; the next, he looked at the notes, although the more he looked, the less he understood.
Everyone just watched like that. Such a scene was something they could never have imagined before, because the people administering treatment were only students.
No one knew how long had passed.
Just then, a frightened horse came galloping from afar. On it, besides the rider, there was also a physician carrying a medicine chest.
When the surrounding people saw the physician arrive, they quickly made way.
Gu Jun also hurried forward to receive him. “Please, sir, quickly examine him.”
The physician’s face was covered in sweat, but he had no time to rest. He did not even have time to put down his medicine chest before he began taking the pulse…
But the moment he touched the pulse, he said, “Wasn’t it said that fire toxin had attacked the heart and the situation was extremely urgent? This is just heat entering the body. There is no need to panic. I’ll prescribe medicine to regulate his condition, and he will recover.”
Swish!
Everyone’s gazes turned in unison toward the young masters craning their necks nearby.
They had seen the situation earlier clearly. The child had obviously already been beyond saving.
The physician was still somewhat confused. He had given his diagnosis, yet no one responded?
Gu Jun and the woman also felt their hearts leap and hurried forward. “Please, sir, examine him carefully.”
The physician thought to himself that the parents had probably panicked upon seeing their child fall ill and misjudged the situation.
There was no need for the physician to take the pulse again, because the child lying there blinked and actually opened his eyes. “Mother, my head is so dizzy.”
His voice was somewhat weak, but it spread clearly in all directions.
Crash.
The quiet surroundings suddenly became lively.
“He really came back to life.”
“Even Mountain Lord’s disciples can save people now.”
“Truly remarkable.”
The previous physician also pulled the new physician aside and began explaining. There were some things he had to make clear. He had not misdiagnosed earlier. It was truly after these young masters had acted that the child had turned from danger to safety.
When the physician heard the symptoms the other physician described, he was also startled. Then he looked at Chen Xiaobu and the others, who were still peeking around, with a face full of disbelief.
“Remarkable. Truly remarkable.”
Chen Xiaobu and the others were embarrassed by the praise. “It’s only some common first aid knowledge. Teacher said it’s used in emergencies.”
After saying that, they ran off shyly. “We still have to go sketch, so we won’t stay here.”
Aiya, how embarrassing. So many people were looking at them strangely.
But why was the little donkey in their hearts jumping around so happily?
Even if Chen Bai knew what they had done, he would not blame them. With no other possibility, they had been able to step forward and administer first aid, even saving a life. Chen Bai would have to praise them.
The specific situation had to be analyzed specifically. They had not stepped forward to show off or for any other reason.
Gu Jun watched the children run off quickly. Now was not the time to chase after them. He would definitely have to visit in person to express his gratitude.
And that Mountain Lord—he probably had to go to the Second Prince’s residence as well.
“Mountain Lord really has taught several remarkable students.”
“Heh, I wonder who was waiting to watch a joke before.”
In Shangjing City, after learning how much tuition Chen Bai had collected, who knew how many people had angrily scolded it as nonsense?
Now that the blade had been lightly tested, its edge had already revealed itself. Chen Bai’s students probably did not even know how different they had become from others.
The crowd discussed endlessly. Once the news spread into Shangjing, who knew how many people would be shocked?
After their excitement passed, Chen Xiaobu and the others did not take it too seriously. Then they happily went to draw their thatched hut.
By the time they arrived, the thatched hut was already surrounded by other students.
As the students drew, they joked around with one another, their relationships now extremely close. They were no longer like before, merely sitting in the same classroom during lessons and going their separate ways once class ended. In truth, back then, they had barely spoken to one another at all.
Childhood friendship and schoolmate bonds—this was probably what those words referred to.
When they grew up and looked back on these memories, even if their minds were no longer as innocent and pure as they were now, they would probably still smile knowingly.
As for the benefits this bond would bring to their official careers, they had probably never thought about that at all.
Chen Bai had not gone out much these past few days. Ever since he had taken revenge on Qi Zheng using Mountain Lord’s identity, Qi Zheng had indeed sent people to summon Chen Zixiu to his residence.
How would Chen Bai dare go? If he went, wouldn’t he be walking straight into the line of fire?
So he claimed he was ill. He did not believe Qi Zheng could have someone snatch him away by force.
However, after Qi Zheng summoned him multiple times, and he still did not go, he inevitably felt a little nervous. What would he do when he encountered Qi Zheng in the future? He could not hide like this forever. He and Qi Zheng had quite a few collaborations, and when Mountain Lord’s identity was inconvenient, Chen Zixiu still had to make contact.
There was no other way. Chen Bai glanced at the steward who had come to deliver the message and braced himself as he walked out.
Qi Zheng had actually sent a sedan chair to pick him up.
Now he was dead. Qi Zheng must have thought of some torturous method to mess with him.
When he arrived at Qi Zheng’s residence and entered, Chen Bai could not help freezing.
Because besides Qi Zheng, Crown Prince Sudan was also there.
That made sense. Qi Zheng had been a hostage in Great Zhao for eight years, so he certainly knew Sudan.
Qi Zheng’s face was expressionless, and he did not even raise his head. “Your illness is cured? Have you been living comfortably recently?”
Listening to these words, Chen Bai somehow felt like he was being pinched.
He replied, “Average.”
How could he be comfortable? Every day, he had been worried about how he would be tormented.
Qi Zheng’s lips twitched. He said, “Sudan is an old friend of mine. Since he has come to Shangjing this time, you will represent my residence and fulfill the host’s duties.”
After saying that, he cast a puzzled glance at Crown Prince Sudan. He had no idea where Sudan had learned that Chen Zixiu held a post in his residence. Sudan had actually come to him on his own and insisted that Chen Zixiu accompany him.
He also did not know how the Crown Prince of Zhao, who had only just arrived in Shangjing, had come to know Chen Zixiu. It was strange.
However, the potatoes in his residence were lush and green, and it was just the time to turn the vines. He would let Chen Zixiu accompany Sudan around Shangjing. Tsk, the leaves on those potatoes really were green.
Actually, Sudan had been wandering the streets whenever he had nothing to do these past few days, hoping to happen upon the dogs. But his current identity was far too sensitive, making it inconvenient for him to go out. So he thought of looking for Chen Bai. But he had no relationship with Chen Bai, and it would indeed be inappropriate for the crown prince of another country to rashly visit the residence of one of Great Qian’s Nine Ministers. Thus, he came to his old friend Qi Zheng.
Chen Bai froze. Just this?
He hadn’t even thought of some way to torment him?
Qi Zheng said, “Today, we’ll first go to Yipin Pavilion to taste some tea and listen to how Great Qian’s storybooks differ from Great Zhao’s.”
He was going too. After he had settled them there, he would return to his residence to turn his potato vines.
Sudan said to Chen Bai, “It would be even better if we could invite those young boys who raise the exotic beasts.”
Chen Bai: “…”
Could your motive be any more obvious?
Calling Chen Xiaobu and the others along was definitely impossible. Those kids were currently sketching outside the city with their classmates.
Chen Bai also breathed a sigh of relief. As long as Qi Zheng was not messing with him, everything was fine.
Yipin Pavilion was in the West Market, so the journey was not exactly short.
Qi Zheng arranged a carriage, and the group set off grandly toward the West Market.
On the way, Chen Bai inevitably had to introduce Great Qian’s local customs and ways of life. Qi Zheng had only recently returned to Great Qian and had spent most of his time living in Great Zhao, so he was probably also an outsider in this regard.
Chen Bai: “…”
Although he had this body’s memories, they were like a hard drive to be accessed. Asking him to introduce local customs? He himself was still thinking every day about experiencing the customs and scenery that were different from modern times.
After saying a few things, he ran out of words. He really did not want to mislead anyone.
Qi Zheng could not help looking at Chen Bai. “That’s it?”
Chen Bai kept his eyes lowered, as if staring at his nose and his nose at his heart. If he had more to say, wouldn’t he keep talking?
The corner of Qi Zheng’s mouth twitched. He had finally arranged a proper task for Chen Zixiu, and this was all he could do?
In the past, Young Master Bai had at least been a famous young noble of Shangjing. How could he…
He had probably spent all his time on amusement and indulgence. Qi Zheng thought to himself, he really had neglected proper work.
Chen Bai could not introduce local customs, but he did know how to have fun.
He took Sudan here to buy one thing, then there to buy another.
All sorts of strange and unusual little items caught his eye, and he was overjoyed while holding these ancient-style objects.
Many of them were handicrafts. In Chen Bai’s eyes, they were especially interesting, an impressive kind of culture and inheritance.
Qi Zheng: “…”
Looking at Chen Bai, who was happy for ages just holding a pile of ordinary little trinkets, how was he even more excited than Sudan?
It was the first time Qi Zheng had seen someone so easily satisfied.
They walked and stopped along the way.
Their group was rather bulky. Whether it was Qi Zheng’s safety or Sudan’s, both had to be guaranteed.
When they passed a crossroads, the street suddenly became chaotic.
Qi Zheng frowned. “What’s going on? Who dares make such a commotion in Shangjing?”
Then he looked at Chen Bai.
Chen Bai thought, great, now it was his turn to run errands.
Chen Bai was also a little curious. What exactly had happened? Shangjing was usually quite civilized. At most, people gathered to gossip.
He followed the crowd over to look.
He was somewhat surprised.
It was prison carts.
Many prison carts.
And the people in the prison carts made Chen Bai draw in a cold breath.
There were about thirty people. Each person’s face was covered in large patches of red swelling. The shape was terrifying, like they were wearing hideous blood-red masks.
“Is it them? Don’t go near them. They’re people corroded by evil spirits. Filthy and wicked.”
“They’re being taken to the West Market for execution.”
“Aren’t they all commoners from Niulan Street in Shangjing? How did they suddenly become possessed by evil spirits? What a sin.”
“Actually, they used to be quite kind. They even helped repair my roof.”
“Shh, are you trying to die? Niulan Street has already become a land of demons and evil. It must be filthy and corrupt. Otherwise, why are others fine while only they turned out like this? Look at those ugly crimson masks on their faces. How are they any different from ghost faces?”
“Kill them. They must have committed countless evil deeds in life to be possessed by evil spirits. They deserve it.”
“…”
Chen Bai looked at the people inside the prison carts. Their expressions were sorrowful. They kept wiping their tears, their faces full of despair. He opened his mouth…
They were actually going to execute them all. They should only have been ordinary citizens of Shangjing.
Chen Bai found a spot and, while everyone’s attention was on the prison carts, turned on his phone. Using the long-focus lens, he took a photo of the people in the prison carts.
The effect was not bad. When enlarged, the ugly large patches of red swelling on their faces could be seen clearly.
Chen Bai sent the photo to an online elderly doctor with an excellent reputation, then added, “Could I trouble you, old doctor, to take a look? What condition is this?”
Chen Bai originally thought he would have to wait a while, because this elderly doctor was very famous and kindhearted, so many people consulted him.
But before long, the old doctor replied quickly. “Huh? How do you have this photo? Hasn’t ghost-face red swelling disease already gone extinct?”
He then added, “The earliest record of this ghost-face red swelling disease is in the Huangdi Neijing. Because the symptoms are terrifying, in ancient times it was often regarded as a manifestation of demons. Back then, medicine was not advanced enough, and with superstition added in, people often treated patients as demons and sacrificed them to the heavens or put them to death. In reality, this illness is not fatal. Even if untreated, it only leaves ugly scars on the face. But that sort of absurd thing has long since become history.”
Chen Bai’s expression, however, was not good. To modern people, it was indeed history. But right now, for him, it was something happening in the present…
These people, who would not die even if untreated, were now about to be executed while carrying the name of filth and evil.
Chen Bai replied, “Is there medicine to treat it?”
“There is, but because it is an extinct disease, the antitoxin has to be formulated on the spot, which will take time. This disease is contagious. It’s a complication of a cold. In other words, if someone has a cold and comes into contact with a patient, nine times out of ten they’ll be infected too. You still haven’t told me where your photo came from. Why are these people dressed so strangely?”
No wonder these people all came from the same street.
And now, there were many people watching along the road. There must be people among them with colds. In other words, the illness would spread to others.
Chen Bai replied, “Please wait a moment, old sir. I’ll explain in detail later.”
There was no time. This place was not too far from the execution ground.
Chen Bai hesitated for a moment. The commoners in those prison carts might include people who had once insulted him.
But…
Chen Bai sighed, his face bitter. In the end, he still could not watch innocent people die like this.
He wondered whether these people who had humiliated and cursed him had ever imagined that one day, they would need him—the person they had insulted and pointed at, the one whose spine they had poked with their words—to save them.
Chen Bai did not dare delay.
But now there was a problem. He did not have his red clothes and mask. If he went to buy them now, it would probably be too late.
Could he only use the identity of Chen Zixiu?
Who knew how much trouble his rotten reputation would cause?
Chen Bai hurriedly ran back.
Qi Zheng asked, “Did you find out what happened?”
As Chen Bai answered, he climbed into the carriage. “I did. Over thirty people are being executed at the West Market.”
As he spoke, he took over the driver’s seat and drove the carriage himself.
Qi Zheng froze. “Where are you going? Yipin Pavilion isn’t in this direction.”
“To the execution ground. They don’t deserve to die. I need you to clear a path for me. I have to beat the grievance drum for them.”
A grievance drum was set up at the execution ground. On the day of execution, if someone believed the condemned had suffered an injustice, their family could beat this grievance drum.
Although that was the rule, once the court had already sentenced someone to death, how could the drum be beaten casually?
So before striking the drum, the petitioner had to endure being beaten with rods. Those rods were called “snow-clearing.” Only if the person could survive the snow-clearing punishment would it prove that Heaven had opened its eyes and was willing to grant a slim chance of life. The case would then have to be retried.
But since ancient times, there had been people who wanted to beat the drum, yet how many had truly survived the snow-clearing punishment?
So he had to have Qi Zheng open the way for him. Otherwise, let alone beating the drum, he probably would not even make it to the drum.
Qi Zheng was dumbfounded. What was this idle, useless Chen Zixiu saying?
Qi Zheng was just about to speak when Chen Bai turned back and said, “There is an injustice today, and it must be appealed. It concerns more than thirty lives. This is no child’s play, Your Highness. Right now… I am gambling with my life.”
Making trouble at an execution ground—even though he was the eldest son of the Minister of Justice’s residence—would still be a capital crime.
Great Qian’s laws were clear. Perhaps there could be some room to maneuver in small matters, but openly challenging the court and Great Qian’s law was another matter entirely.
Qi Zheng simply looked at Chen Bai. For a moment, he was actually somewhat dazed.
Was this still the weak and submissive Chen Zixiu he knew?
Why did he now see in him an extraordinary stubbornness, strength, and resolve?
Qi Zheng fell silent. “What do they have to do with you that they’re worth gambling your life for?”
“Nothing. In this world, whether orphan, beggar, or commoner, no one’s life should be trampled on so lightly. What’s more, they are innocent.”
Qi Zheng: “…”
People who had nothing to do with him?
“But is it worth it? Even if I can help you reach the grievance drum, if the case cannot be overturned…”
Qi Zheng did not finish, but Chen Bai knew the result.
But in this world, perhaps… only he could save their lives.
How… ironic.
He was not a saint. But there were things one did and things one refused to do. Just like back when he had been an orphan—if those strangers who did not know him at all had not reached out to help him, how could he have survived? How could he have had a reasonably happy childhood, kept an active and bright heart, studied, gone to university, and become one of the top game artists in the country?
Some things did not require thinking over whether to do them or not. He only had to ask himself whether he could get past the barrier in his own heart.
Qi Zheng said to the people beside the carriage, “Take Sudan back to the relay station. Tell him that an urgent matter has come up today, and I fear I cannot accompany him to Yipin Pavilion.”
Chen Zixiu whom he had never truly cared about had somehow moved him. He wanted to see exactly what kind of great injustice this was.
When Sudan, who was in the carriage behind, received the message, he froze. He did not know what had happened and muttered, “I have nothing to do anyway. I might as well follow and take a look.”
Chen Bai found it a little funny. He had not even appealed his own injustice yet, but he was appealing for others first.
Of course, his own injustice was different. It could not be appealed. Otherwise, no matter what the truth was, he would die. So he did not expect the court to overturn his case. What he wanted was that even if no one dared speak it aloud, their hearts would be as clear as snow. They would know the truth plainly and see through certain people’s false faces.
And the matter he was doing now—he was not stupid. If he had not had some degree of confidence, he would not have done this.
West Market. Execution ground.
It was packed with people. Some had even come to watch while carrying a cold.
“Kill them! Kill these demons!”
The prisoners on the execution ground wore the color of death on their faces. There were elderly people and children among them, but at this moment, age did not matter. They were all demons, unworthy of sympathy.
At the supervising execution seat, Crown Prince Jiao sat at the head. His complexion did not look very good. Recently, because listening to Shangjing’s newly popular storybook The Smiling, Proud Wanderer had given him a heart ailment, his body was somewhat unwell. Every little while, he inevitably coughed.
In the past, Crown Prince Jiao had rather liked this kind of duty. It allowed the commoners of Shangjing to know his authority. But today, he only wanted to finish the matter early and return to rest.
“Execute them.” Without waiting for the other deputy supervisors to say anything, he spoke directly.
The executioners took their positions. An execution of more than thirty people at the same time was truly rare.
But amid the shouting, a sudden boom rang out.
Then came boom, boom, boom, one after another.
The noisy voices at the scene fell silent just like that, leaving only the sound of the drum.
“Hiss!”
Finally, someone drew in a sharp breath.
“The grievance drum!”
“That’s the sound of the grievance drum.”
“When injustice exists in the world and there is nowhere to appeal, the grievance drum sounds, and truth is determined by Heaven.”
Everyone’s gaze turned over in unison.
It was a large drum. In front of it, a young man with a face as beautiful as peach blossoms and plums was swinging the mallet again and again, striking the drum. The sound was like thunder, hammering straight into everyone’s hearts.
It was as if only that heavy drumbeat remained in the world.
When they saw the person clearly, everyone’s expressions turned strange.
“Chen Zixiu!”
“It’s him.”
How could it be him? A person covered in filth and infamy had actually come to strike the grievance drum and speak for others?
What relationship could those about to be executed possibly have with him?
For a moment, no one reacted. Nothing in the world could be stranger than this.
The condemned prisoners also lifted their heads in confusion. None of them had ever imagined that someone would come to speak up for them, because… doing so meant death.
The drumbeat did not stop. At last, among the execution supervisors, an assistant officer barked, “How dare you! Do you know what you are doing? Disrupting the execution ground, provoking the imperial court, disregarding the law…”
Chen Bai stopped. “Under the laws of Great Qian, this Grievance Drum was established precisely so people could beat it. What part of this violates the law?”
He really dared to say it.
“There is an injustice today that must be appealed. Once the Grievance Drum sounds, according to the law, you have no choice but to accept the case.”
The assistant officer froze. Everyone knew Chen Zixiu was the eldest young master of the Court of Judicial Review. And he had come here to appeal a grievance?
He could not help asking, “On whose behalf are you appealing?”
It was a rather foolish question. The Grievance Drum stood on the execution ground, so of course it had to be for those on the execution ground who were about to be beheaded.
But Chen Bai did not say anything about that. He simply pointed at the thirty-some people kneeling and waiting for execution. “Them.”
“…”
So it really was for those demons.
No matter how they thought about it, they could not understand how the eldest young master of one of the Nine Ministers could have any connection with these commoners from the marketplace.
The officer could not help asking again, “What relationship do you have with them?”
Chen Bai answered directly, “None. When injustice exists in the world, anyone may appeal it. Whether I am related to them or not is not important.”
Everyone: “…”
He had no relationship with them, yet he still dared to beat the Grievance Drum? Was that thing something anyone could strike?
Even if he was the eldest young master of one of the Nine Ministers’ households, this was probably still…
This was a challenge to the entire imperial court, a provocation against the laws of Great Qian…
Crown Prince Jiao had originally been stunned for quite a while, but suddenly… he smiled.
This Chen Zixiu not dying had already been beyond his expectations. It was one thing that he had not died, but he had actually turned a matter that had already been set in stone into a complete mess, and had even nearly dragged him down with it.
Now things were perfect. He had actually handed the knife into his own hands.
He had failed to die last time. Could he escape this time too?
The assistant officer was just about to ask something else when Crown Prince Jiao spoke. “The Grievance Drum is indeed meant to be beaten.”
Silence fell.
What was going on with the crown prince? This was a provocation.
“However…” Crown Prince Jiao glanced at Qi Zheng, who stood beside Chen Bai. “However, to clear an injustice, although the grievance comes first, one must first receive the punishment for clearing a grievance before the drum may be beaten.”
Everyone froze, then looked toward Chen Bai. There was not a single wound on his body.
Chen Bai’s gaze also darkened. He really had run into bloody bad luck today. Of all people, it just had to be Crown Prince Jiao supervising the execution.
Originally, with his status, plus Qi Zheng being here, this punishment should have been avoidable.
But it was not as if he could wait until Crown Prince Jiao was absent before coming. By then, there would only be thirty-some watermelons left on the ground.
“Don’t tell me you thought that because you are the son of the Chief Judicial Officer, you could ignore all law and discipline? Or did you think the Court of Judicial Review could provoke the imperial court?” Crown Prince Jiao suddenly became delighted, sweeping away the gloom that had clung to him for the past few days.
Voices also began to rise around them.
“You, a man covered in a filthy reputation, think you deserve to beat the Grievance Drum?”
“These demons deserved to die in the first place. And you still want to appeal for demons? What kind of person are you?”
“Why don’t you take a look at what sort of reputation you have?”
The voices grew louder and louder.
Chen Bai had originally been somewhat nervous, but when he heard these voices, he suddenly laughed.
His laugh was especially mocking and full of ridicule.
Then his expression hardened. “Shut up. All of you, shut up. Since ancient times, everyone has known that blades and spears can hurt people. But do you know that your filthy rumors and vicious words are even worse than blades and spears? They are turning into the sharpest, most poisonous knives, stabbing into these people’s bodies. If they die, then you are the most direct executioners.”
After Chen Bai finished speaking, he looked at everyone. “If I can prove their innocence, will you executioners who kill with your words die to atone for your crimes? If you cannot, then shut your mouths.”
Chen Bai was resisting—for others, and also for the resentment he had endured for so long.
These people, these bystanders, had fanned the flames. They were not innocent.
“Why can’t we speak? Why should we die to atone? They deserved to die in the first place,” someone muttered.
Chen Bai glared over. “Remember what you said. When the injustice is cleared, I want you to personally tell me whether you were one of those executioners holding a knife.”
Chen Bai’s expression was truly frightening. For a moment, he actually blocked the person so completely that they could not talk back.
At this moment, Crown Prince Jiao laughed. “Let us not speak of that for now. You disrupted the execution ground. I am afraid you cannot escape today’s crime…”
Before he could finish speaking, Chen Bai turned toward him with a ruthless expression. “I am willing to receive the punishment for clearing a grievance. Everything will proceed according to the proper process.”
Since he had already beaten the drum, Crown Prince Jiao would definitely not let the matter rest. Now, there was only one road left, and he had to walk it to the end.
The scene suddenly fell silent. Even Crown Prince Jiao was the same.
The crime of disrupting the execution ground was no small matter and would certainly be punished severely. But no matter what, it was still lighter than receiving the punishment for clearing a grievance. That punishment truly could kill a person. And after receiving the punishment, if one did not die, one still had to appeal on someone else’s behalf. If the case still could not be overturned, death would still be hard to escape.
The expressions of the others also turned strange. Chen Zixiu was actually willing to receive the punishment for clearing a grievance for the sake of some commoners he did not even know?
Thirty-six strokes to clear an injustice. Even an ordinary rough man would basically not survive it, let alone an official family’s young master who had grown up in luxury from childhood.
They were at a loss. Why?
This was not something to joke about, nor was it some game played by a profligate young master.
Chen Bai’s heart also sank. He glanced at Qi Zheng. Whether he could live would depend on Qi Zheng.
Crown Prince Jiao gave a soft sound of surprise, the corners of his mouth lifting. Under the punishment for clearing a grievance, Chen Bai would definitely die.
To ensure there would be no mishaps, Crown Prince Jiao even walked down with a “concerned” expression. “The dignified son of the Chief Judicial Officer may be a little arrogant and domineering, and though you have already committed a serious crime, considering that you are still young and ignorant, I could speak on your behalf and have you punished lightly. Why insist on continuing…”
When he passed by the executioner guarding the Grievance Drum beside Chen Bai, he said in a low voice, “Beat him to death. If he doesn’t die, you die.”
Chen Bai was standing close by, so he heard it perfectly clearly.
That made sense. Crown Prince Jiao had already set up a trap to harm him before. There was no need to avoid suspicion with him at all.
Chen Bai’s heart sank.
Crown Prince Jiao left in a pleasant mood, even shaking his head with some apparent regret. “If you die here today, how am I supposed to explain this to Chief Judicial Officer Chen? Sigh… but the law of the state is strict…”
Ha. What a hypocrite. He clearly wanted him dead, yet still put on a false act of being troubled.
As soon as Crown Prince Jiao left, another voice sounded beside Chen Bai. “Let him live. If anything happens to him, do not even think of keeping your family alive either.”
It was Qi Zheng’s voice.
If Crown Prince Jiao had not come down for this trip, Chen Bai was certain he would have survived.
These executioners were old hands. They would definitely know the force behind each stroke.
But now…
Chen Bai broke into a cold sweat on behalf of the executioner, because no matter whether Chen Bai died or lived, this executioner was dead for sure.
Chen Bai thought to himself: Fortunately, he was standing close to the executioner. He needed to add a little fuel to the fire.
Looking at the executioner, who was sweating like rain, he said quietly, “How about I show you a way to survive?”
The shadow hanging over the executioner’s heart must have been very, very large right now.
Chen Bai said, “Let me live, and I will have Prince Zheng take in your whole family. No matter how far Crown Prince Jiao’s power reaches, can he really run into another prince’s residence to seize people? What status does Crown Prince Jiao have? How could he keep a small figure like you in mind and spare no effort to help you forever? You… had better think this through.”
“Carry out the punishment,” Crown Prince Jiao said cheerfully after returning to his seat.
Chen Bai was taken to the execution area.
The staff was raised high, then struck down. Everyone who watched felt their hearts leap with fear.
But Chen Bai: “…”
It felt about the same as being whipped by a thin switch. The executioner raised it high but brought it down lightly, and even made it impossible for others to tell. As expected, he had some skill.
This executioner was probably someone who understood the situation clearly too. No matter what, he was dead. Now there was only this one path left, because only Chen Bai had given him a way to live. He had no choice.
But in other people’s eyes, it was completely different. The staff was raised so high. Even an immortal would be beaten until only half a life remained after thirty-six strokes, let alone an ordinary mortal.
Chen Bai screamed very “miserably” under the beating, using his cries to cover up the sound of the staff landing on his body.
It seemed as though the entire execution ground was filled only with Chen Bai’s screams.
Only Crown Prince Jiao himself probably knew how delighted he felt.
As for the onlookers, their feelings were complicated.
Chen Zixiu, the person whose name was stained with filth in their hearts, was truly receiving those thirty-six strokes for people he had never known.
This was not a profligate young master’s game. That staff, raised so high, was right before their eyes.
Why?
“Wuu!”
Suddenly, someone began to cry.
It was the prisoners on the execution ground.
Among them, after Chen Zixiu’s incident had happened and the matter had spread through every street and alley, many of them had privately cursed him along with others more than once.
And now…
The people they had flattered wanted to kill them.
The person they had cursed was willing to suffer a cruel punishment that tore flesh open and took lives for their sake.
They had once cursed him with grinning faces.
They were even strangers who did not know each other at all.
The Grievance Drum sounded, and the clearing of injustice was made clear. The person they had once despised and insulted was now clearing their injustice for them.
“Wuu!”
Tears flowed without stopping, accompanied by heart-rending sobs.
They had never felt that tears could be so bitter.
Facing Chen Bai’s direction, each time the staff fell, they kowtowed once.
The sound of the staff, the sound of weeping, the sound of kowtowing, and Chen Bai’s miserable screams.
The people at the scene watched this scene in a strange silence. It seemed as though something had become… different.
But Chen Bai smiled.
Clearing an injustice—today, was this not also for himself? He wanted everyone to see what kind of person the one they had once despised and cursed truly was.
The whole scene was silent.
That was Chen Zixiu, the one everyone had looked down on.
