Inside the side hall of the Sili Yamen (a government office in charge of the Sili region).
Li Li, who was in charge of the court, saw "another" dozen or so wandering knights being brought in for fighting and a cold smile appeared on his face.
"Who are you here? And why have you been brought here?"
The head constable said, "Reporting to Li Zuoshi, these people were fighting amongst themselves in the music club, disturbing the peace. They have been arrested and are awaiting further instructions!"
"Hmm! I see... then each of them shall be given thirty strokes of the cane!"
Li Li glanced at the students and wandering knights, gave a soft "hmm," then waved his hand and, without asking for the reason, ordered the fighting to begin.
"promise!!"
The constables below the hall sneered and then surrounded him with wooden sticks.
"This junior officer...we...sob sob sob..."
A student, whose face was bruised and swollen, was about to explain when two constables gagged him with a strip of cloth and forced him to the ground.
"Ugh... Ah..."
In an instant, the screams of the students and knights echoed throughout the hall, and many students were knocked unconscious before the execution was even finished.
In contrast, the swordsmen who were being beaten, although they screamed loudly, did not show any signs of pain on their faces. However, many of them also pretended to faint.
After the execution was completed, Li Li smiled slightly and waved his hand as he looked at the crowd lying prostrate below.
"Alright, take them to the jail separately and detain them for half a month as punishment..."
"promise!!"
Immediately, a group of constables stepped forward, grabbed the students and wandering knights, and led them away from the place.
"Hey~, wake up!!"
Halfway there, they found no one around, so the constables woke up the wandering knights.
The captain of the constables smiled and looked at the wandering knights, saying softly:
"Alright, now that no one's around, you should all leave quickly!"
"Hehe~, thank you for your consideration, officer... This is what I collected from those students, please accept it!"
The burly man at the head of the group chuckled, then pulled out three money bags filled with gold ingots and handed them to the head constable.
The captain of the constables looked down and then reached out to stop them: "No need. Those people are in prison. It won't be difficult for us to get money."
As for these... consider them a reward for your hard work. Remember, the more people there are, the more you'll be paid!
"Thank you, officer... Please rest assured, officers, the brothers will do their utmost!"
Seeing such a large reward, the burly man was overjoyed and immediately patted his chest, promising to bring in even more people.
The head constable smiled and said, "In that case, let's hurry up and go!"
"Then I shall take my leave!"
After bowing to the constables, the group of wandering knights left excitedly and headed towards the place where the scholars and students were.
Soon, those students were imprisoned.
The head constable looked at the jailer, pointed at the students, and then whispered:
"These people are now in your hands. You should know how to deal with them, right?"
"Hehe~, Captain, don't worry, I understand!"
"Okay, that's good!"
The captain of the constables smiled, then handed the student over to the jailer, and then called his men to leave.
"Hehehe~, brothers, lock these people up with those wicked criminals."
The jailer looked at the group of delicate-skinned students, let out a strange laugh, and then ordered his men to lock the students up with some burly men.
"No...no!!"
"Help... Someone please save me...!"
Soon, from deep within the prison cell came screams of extreme terror and cries for help.
......
On the other side, as the wandering knights left, several more students and wandering knights who had been involved in a fight were escorted to the Sili government office.
Li Li, who was on duty, didn't ask any questions. He immediately started fighting and then took the man to prison.
Halfway through each journey, the wandering knights would be released, while the students would be imprisoned and "enjoyed" a period of time.
The jailer would also step in to save the day, getting the scholars and students to "pay to protect their chrysanthemums."
This continued in a vicious cycle until the afternoon, by which time nearly a hundred scholars and students who had spread rumors had been imprisoned.
Li Li, the constables, the jailer, and the wandering knights were all extremely busy.
Having worked for most of the day without even having lunch, Li Li was now so hungry that he was feeling weak and listless, and he slumped onto the table.
Just then, a dozen or so bailiffs escorted in several students and boys.
Those boys were trainees from the Imperial Guard who were on a three-day break.
"Drag him away...beat him...then throw him in jail...!"
Li Li, who was lying on the table, heard the commotion below but didn't bother to look up. He waved his hand weakly and ordered the fighting to begin.
"Wait!!"
Just as the constables were about to surround him, a young man from the Imperial Guard shouted angrily and stepped forward, glaring at Li Li, who was slumped over the table.
"Huh? Who are you? How dare you roar in court?"
Li Li raised his head, frowned, and looked at the boy with displeasure.
"I am Liu Bei, a student of the Imperial Guard. You people from the Sili government have no right to deal with us!"
"Hmm? People from the Imperial Guard?"
Upon hearing this, Li Li and the surrounding constables were slightly taken aback.
They didn't receive any instructions from above, and there were no Imperial Guards involved.
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