In front of the government office.
The government office was packed with angry people, their faces ashen and their eyes burning with rage, completely surrounding the office.
"The Marquis of Fuyu disregarded human life and killed my husband and son. We beg you, Your Honor, to do justice for us poor people!"
A cry filled with endless grief and injustice.
It was none other than the woman who had caused trouble at the mine. Now, she was covered in mud and grime, her hair was a mess, and there were still wet tear stains on her face. She looked extremely disheveled.
They had clearly rushed all the way down the mountain.
Behind the woman followed a large group of equally grief-stricken people, some beating their chests and stamping their feet, others wailing loudly.
"My poor son! His newlywed wife left before she could even bear him a child!"
"My poor man, you're gone, how are my children and I supposed to live!"
"Father! Your son is unfilial! I shouldn't have let you work in the mine! Those few taels of hard-earned money!"
"..."
The heart-wrenching cries were incredibly moving.
In the crowd, a man with a pointed face and monkey-like features jumped up and shouted angrily, "I knew all along that Marquis Fuyu was no good. How could he be paid so much for mining for the imperial court? It turns out he was working for Marquis Fuyu in a private mine and was murdered!"
"This is utterly outrageous! We beg Your Excellency to uphold justice for the people! Severely punish the wealthy Marquis!"
"Lord Fuyu, return my son's life!"
"..."
Under the malicious instigation of the man with the pointed mouth and monkey cheeks, the people became extremely agitated. They waved their arms and shouted curses at the wealthy Marquis who had previously been full of gratitude and praise.
Just then.
"Look! Isn't that the carriage of the Prefect of Shu Commandery?"
A particularly sharp-eyed commoner was the first to spot the Shu County Prefect's carriage. As if grasping at a straw, he shouted and lunged toward the carriage, repeatedly yelling, "Your Honor—please do us justice!"
The people swarmed towards the carriage like bees, surrounding it completely, making it impossible to move.
The carriage curtain was slowly lifted, and Prefect Mei stepped out. Dressed in official robes and wearing a black gauze hat, he stood imposingly on the carriage, looking down at the people kneeling on the ground, kowtowing incessantly.
A slight upturn at the corners of his mouth revealed a barely perceptible hint of arrogance, but his face wore an expression of deep sorrow and indignation: "Fellow villagers, please rise quickly, I will certainly uphold justice for you!"
As he spoke, he pointed behind him, at the wealthy Marquis who was stumbling and falling behind the carriage, "I have already taken the wealthy Marquis down!"
The people looked in the direction of the sound.
In a fit of rage, he grabbed some vegetable leaves and eggs he had with him and threw them at the Marquis of Fuyu, yelling, "Utterly heartless!"
"The rich are heartless—"
"Give me back my son's life!"
...
Marquis Fuyu was dragged along the way, his hair disheveled, his clothes in disarray, and he even lost one of his boots. Before he could catch his breath, he was hit with a barrage of rotten vegetables and eggs, leaving him covered in filth and in a sorry state.
"Give me back my son's life!"
"I want to avenge my husband—"
"A life for a life—kill Marquis Fuyu!"
The stench of eggs and vegetable leaves splattered on his head and body, and the Marquis of Fuyu froze. These were the people who had been so grateful to him before, crying and begging to erect a longevity tablet for him!
He set up soup kitchens and distributed money and food!
As long as you are willing to work in the mine, regardless of age or gender, you can have food, clothing, and money!
But……
Through the vegetable leaves and rotten eggs, he saw those bloodshot eyes, like hungry wolves, eager to rush up and devour him alive.
He closed his eyes, feeling utterly desolate.
suddenly--
"stop!"
At a shout, Judge Qian rushed over. Before the carriage had even come to a complete stop, he jumped down, and the guards beside him immediately rushed over to block the people rushing towards Marquis Fuyu.
He strode up to Mei Taishou, cupped his hands, and said, “Prefect, you mustn’t! Marquis Fuyu is a marquis; even if he is guilty, he should await the Emperor’s judgment. How can he be tortured in private?”
Prefect Mei looked down at Magistrate Qian and sneered, "Heh heh, when has Magistrate Qian ever seen me use torture? Marquis Fuyu attempted to flee to escape punishment, so I merely arrested him!"
"But—this!"
Judge Qian's face turned ashen.
This excuse is utterly absurd! If he had arrived any later, the Marquis of Fuyu would have been torn apart and eaten by the angry people!
Magistrate Mei didn't care at all and stepped off the carriage.
Looking at the disheveled and foul-smelling Marquis Fu, he then looked at the unfriendly-looking Magistrate Qian.
He sneered, "What? Magistrate Qian is having second thoughts? Heh... If I were to treat him with good tea and water, how could I face the people who perished in the mines?"
"grown ups--"
Judge Qian argued forcefully, "In the event of a mine collapse, the primary task should be rescuing people. Whether it was a natural disaster or a man-made one can only be determined after the people have been rescued!"
Suddenly, the woman who had been causing trouble rushed out from the crowd, wailing loudly, "The entire mine is destroyed! How can anyone survive?"
"My poor husband! He was murdered, and they still have to feed and care for this murderer, the Marquis of Fuyu!"
"This woman came down from the mine! The Jin family didn't go to rescue anyone! They...they went to kill!"
"They not only killed the people in the mine, but they also wanted to kill us who cried out for justice! They have no conscience! If I hadn't run fast enough, they would have killed me!"
The woman's wailing and sobbing provocation reignited the anger of the people.
Even Magistrate Qian was hit with a rotten egg—
"That corrupt official must be in cahoots with Marquis Fuyu!"
"This is a case of officials protecting each other!"
"He might have been involved in the mine collapse! Your Excellency, you must do us justice!"
"..."
As Magistrate Mei watched Qian Tongpan dodge left and right under the protection of his guards, his gaze toward Marquis Fuyu grew increasingly vicious and crazed.
The wealthy Marquis was torn to pieces by the enraged people; it seems more exciting for him to commit suicide out of fear of punishment!
Thinking of this—
At a single glance from Magistrate Mei, the guards immediately stepped forward and pushed aside the guards brought by Magistrate Qian, revealing the wealthy Marquis, who was slumped on the ground, looking utterly dejected.
Just one command is all it takes for the "emotionally out-of-control" crowd to rush up and tear him apart alive!
Judge Qian's expression changed drastically.
The people it brought were blocked by Prefect Mei's guards.
In the crowd, Dao Qing drew his longsword.
Just then—
The sound of gongs and drums could be heard in the distance.
Countless beggar children rushed over, shouting and jumping, "They're alive! The people from the mine are alive!"
The arrogant smile of Prefect Plum Blossom froze on his face.
Looking up, a dark mass of people appeared in the distance, led by... imposing figures, none other than the young masters of the Jin family who should have been buried under the mine!
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