Huang Liang knew that only the foreigners could help him realize his dream, so he listened to Xiao Yi's every word, and the affairs of the city, big and small, were all decided by a few foreigners.
A few days ago, Xiao Yi left Lanwei with several barbarians, saying he was going to Louye to help Ma Yuanhao build defensive facilities to resist the imperial army.
This is normal. Ma Yuanhao and he are in the same boat. If something happens to Ma Yuanhao, it won't be good for him either. So he doesn't think there's anything wrong with Xiao Yi going to Louye.
Now that I think about it, I realize something's not right. Did Xiao Yi discover something amiss, which is why he left beforehand?
Unexpectedly, just a few days later, he found himself all alone. What should he do? If the imperial court sent troops at this time, he would surely be defeated.
In the past, whenever anything happened in Lanwei City, someone would report it to him. Now, the person who was supposed to inform him has also run away, leaving him completely blind.
Just then, one of his cousins arrived and told him that Huang Siyuan wanted to discuss something with him.
In Lanwei, the Huang family is a large clan. Their ability to wield influence in Lanwei is entirely due to Huang Liang's immense power.
In recent years, most of the Huang family members have been in business, but Huang Siyuan's business is doing the best, and he is completely protected by his own family.
Now that he's in trouble, shouldn't his cousin help him out?
At Huang Siyuan's home, more than a dozen elders of the Huang family sat inside. When Huang Liang arrived, everyone had a serious expression and glared at him angrily.
What's going on? Huang Liang suddenly felt something was wrong. When he was powerful, the entire family obeyed him without question. Now everyone was looking at him like this. What was going on?
"You unfilial grandson Huang Liang, kneel down now!" said the oldest and most senior member of the Huang family.
"Grandpa, what's going on..."
Before Huang Liang could finish speaking, he was kicked in the back leg and immediately knelt down.
He was the overlord of Lanwei. In Lanwei, everyone who saw him was obsequious and dared not utter a sound, let alone act recklessly. He never expected that he would be forced to kneel down in front of his own people.
He wanted to get angry, but the people in front of him were all elders, and he didn't have the courage to do so in front of them.
At this moment, the old man spoke again in a trembling voice:
"You unfilial son Huang Liang, do you know your crime?"
“What crime did I commit? Everything I did was for the sake of our Huang family…”
"presumptuous."
Huang Liang was interrupted again.
“As a descendant of the Huang family, you have colluded with the enemy, betrayed your country for personal gain, and harmed the people. Our Huang family has no such unfilial descendant as you.”
The Huang family has now unanimously decided to punish you, this unfilial descendant, according to family law, and expel you from the family. From this day forward, you are no longer a descendant of the Huang family, and the Huang family will sever all ties with you forever.
"Guards, bind this traitor and bring him to the authorities!" He then flew into a rage.
It seems that the old man is a reasonable person. The reason he did this, sacrificing his own family for the greater good, was to sever ties with Huang Liang and protect his Huang clan.
Huang Liang was dumbfounded. In ancient times, no matter how powerful a person was, they could not escape punishment under family law.
Soon, Huang Liang was arrested, bound hand and foot, and escorted by his clansmen to the Lanwei Prefecture government office.
Just before, Huang Siyuan and two men sent by Prefect Jin released all the officials of Lanwei City from Huang Liang's prison.
The prefect of Lanwei was named Gui Fu. He had been imprisoned for several months and had just been rescued and sent back to the prefectural government office.
He finally understood what had happened, but he was still a little shaken.
Having just been released from prison, he was about to be presiding over a major case, which made Prefect Gui's hands tremble a little. Fortunately, the two people arranged by Prefect Jin were by his side, so there shouldn't be any problem with holding the trial.
When the prisoner to be interrogated was Huang Liang, Prefect Gui was furious. He had suffered terribly these past few months and almost died. This time, he was determined to vent his anger.
If even Prefect Gui was in such a state, one can only imagine how much worse it was for the others in the prefectural office. They suffered unimaginable torment in the prison, their lives a living hell.
Originally, the prefect of Lanwei had more than a hundred people, but in just a few months, many of them were tortured to death.
They had just been released from prison and were immediately put to work; some of the constables could barely stand.
Upon hearing that Huang Liang was to be interrogated, they immediately perked up. The opportunity for revenge had come so quickly, and everyone gathered in the main hall.
Not only that, but the people of Lanwei City, upon hearing that the court was holding a trial today and that the person being interrogated was Huang Liang, all rushed over to watch the spectacle.
At this moment, Prefect Gui mustered his spirits and sat in the main hall, waiting for the prisoner to be brought to court.
A short while later, a commotion arose outside the door, and more than a dozen old men entered the main hall of the government office. As soon as they entered, they immediately knelt down on the ground.
Prefect Gui was puzzled. He was waiting for the criminal Huang Liang when a group of old men arrived.
"Who are you, and what brings you to the main hall?" Prefect Gui asked.
"Reporting to the lord, we are all elders of the Huang family. It is only because of the misfortune of our family that an unfilial descendant, Huang Liang, has appeared. The clan members have already dealt with him according to family law."
Huang Liang is no longer a descendant of our Huang family. We are bringing him to the authorities and request that Your Honor deal with him accordingly. We also beg Your Honor to forgive us, the dying men, for our failure to properly discipline them.
Prefect Gui immediately understood what was going on. He stood up, went to the dozen or so old men, and bowed respectfully.
"Gentlemen, please rise. I am deeply grateful for your courage in bringing this criminal to justice. This time, the government will certainly uphold justice and severely punish this scoundrel."
"Thank you, Prefect." The old men stood up and stepped aside.
Prefect Gui turned around, sat back down at his desk, picked up the gavel, slammed it down hard, and roared:
"Bring in the criminal Huang Liang."
"Bring in the criminal Huang Liang!" the constables shouted.
Soon, Huang Liang was brought up.
At this moment, Huang Liang was trembling like a leaf, and with a thud, he knelt down on the ground and begged for mercy.
Before the interrogation even began, Huang Liang knelt down and begged for mercy.
"Huang Liang, do you know your crime?" Prefect Gui asked.
"I know I'm guilty," Huang Liang quickly said.
“Since you know you are guilty, then drag him away and give him fifty lashes,” Prefect Gui said.
Upon hearing that Huang Liang was to be beaten with fifty strokes of the rod, the yamen runners immediately became alert. Without saying a word, they pinned Huang Liang to the ground and began to beat him with their rods.
During this time, these yamen runners were imprisoned by Huang Liang and suffered greatly. Now they could finally take revenge. The executioners used all their strength to beat Huang Liang.
Huang Liang was beaten until he was covered in wounds and screamed in agony. The fifty lashes were quickly finished, but the crowd did not feel any relief. They thought of the many yamen runners who had been tortured to death in prison, and what did fifty lashes mean to him?
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