However, due to the drought, many people have already left their homes and will not be able to witness the day when the truth comes out.
Wen Yuan served as the presiding judge. His desk faced away from the government gate, with seats for observers on both sides. Shen Wei, Ning Wenyi, Ning Yao, Shen Ci'an, and others were among those observing the proceedings.
Whether it was because soldiers with swords were maintaining order, or because Wen Yuan was sitting behind the table, none of the people who came to hear the trial made a fuss or cried. It was as if they were all waiting for the moment when the truth would be revealed.
With a slam of the gavel, Wen Yuan coldly ordered, "Bring the prisoner to the court!"
The crowd parted to make way, and the officers and soldiers escorted Lin Licheng and his entourage to the middle.
Wen Yuan did not interrogate them directly, but instead made them kneel in the middle and began to read the case files aloud.
The first case was the tragic murder of his wife and daughter.
Wen Yuan's words were piercing and heart-wrenching, reconstructing the entire course of the tragedy.
On the fifteenth day of the eighth month of the third year of the Yan calendar, it was Wenxing's fourteenth birthday. Early that morning, Madam Wen took her daughter to a restaurant in the city to book a banquet.
However, once they entered the restaurant, they never came out again until their bodies were finally found in the western suburbs outside the city.
Wen Yuan found witnesses at the restaurant, received confirmation from the city lord's steward, and discovered the flaws in the case from back then, ultimately pinpointing the culprit to Lin Licheng.
The cause of the matter was actually very simple; it was nothing more than a very ordinary emotional entanglement.
Wen Yuan and his wife were childhood sweethearts. After their marriage, Wen Yuan was transferred to Nanjiang City. At that time, Wen Xing was already ten years old.
Lin Licheng fell in love with Wen Yuanshi at first sight. When his advances were rejected, he became enraged and, relying on the power of the Lin family, kidnapped Wen Yuanshi and Wen Xing, eventually killing them both cruelly.
The people were in uproar. They all knew that Lord Wen had lost his wife and daughter, but they did not know that such a beastly act was actually committed by the high and mighty city lord.
“I can confirm this!” an old woman suddenly shouted from the crowd.
The crowd made way for her, and the old woman stepped forward, bowed, and then spoke: "Your Excellency, I had a daughter who disappeared two years ago. She was only eighteen years old at the time. Someone saw her being abducted by the city lord's men, but unfortunately, I have no evidence. The only thing is that my daughter looks seven or eight parts like Madam Wen."
“I can testify! Grandma Wen’s daughter does look a lot like Madam Wen. We even ran into Madam Wen on the road and talked to her. Madam Wen is very gentle and treats all of us common people the same. She never looked down on us.”
Wen Yuan's nose tingled, and he said in a hoarse voice, "I remember this. The lady was very happy when she came back that time. She said that she met someone on the road who looked a lot like her. I'm just sorry that you have suffered because of the lady."
With red-rimmed eyes and gritted teeth, the old woman said, "Sir, please don't say that. We were both harmed by these corrupt officials. They are the ones who should apologize!"
"I will certainly give everyone justice!"
The trial continued, with old cases being unearthed and personal testimonies from the deceased's relatives being presented.
Seventy percent of the wrongful convictions point to Lim Lap Seng, while the remaining thirty percent are attributed to Lim Lap Hsuan and other corrupt officials!
The trial began at dawn and lasted until dusk.
Finally, Wen Yuan pronounced the verdict: "Lin Licheng and Lin Lixuan are guilty of embezzlement, bribery, kidnapping women, arson, murder, and looting. Their actions are heinous and intolerable under the law! They are stripped of their positions as city lord and governor and sentenced to death, to be carried out immediately!"
"The remaining accomplices shall be convicted in accordance with the laws of our dynasty!"
"The Lin brothers and their families shall all be executed immediately, and their entire clan shall be exterminated!" Shen Wei added.
The crowd erupted in uproar once again, realizing that this meant the Lin brothers were to be exterminated.
However, no one objected; instead, it was met with unanimous cheers from the crowd.
"Your Excellency is wise!"
"Such malignant tumors should be eradicated at the root to prevent them from springing up again!"
"Your Excellency is mighty!"
The common people only knew that their great hatred had been avenged, their family members' grievances had been cleared, and that the massacre of the Lin family was a great and gratifying thing.
The root cause was that the Lin family despised the Holy Might and wanted to emulate the Zhang family, so Shen Wei could not tolerate their continued existence.
Normally, killing them wouldn't be so easy; otherwise, how could the Lin brothers have occupied Nanjiang City for so many years?
Ning Wenyi said solemnly, "How did the First Imperial Merchant come to be? It was probably built up in this way. Such wasteful exploitation of the people and their wealth is truly despicable!"
Ning Yao knew that taking action against the Lin family in Nanjiang City was the first step. Once this turmoil was over, she would deal with the Zhang and Lin families.
As night fell, the people left in an orderly fashion, and the bright moonlight shone exceptionally brightly.
The moonlight shone on the ground, illuminating not only the people's way home, but also the bright red bloodstains on the execution ground.
The next morning, Wen Yuan, carrying a suitcase, knelt at Shen Wei's door.
As soon as Shen Wei stepped outside, he saw this scene: "Lord Wen, please rise quickly, what are you doing?"
Wen Yuan handed over a letter of resignation: "My wish has been fulfilled and my great revenge has been avenged. I now resign and return to my hometown to live out the rest of my life."
"Get up and speak!"
Upon hearing this, Wen Yuan stood up, and only then did Shen Wei see his appearance.
"What happened to you? How did you age so much overnight?"
The Wen Yuan before me was no longer the dejected and confused man of the past few days. The deathly aura around him had also disappeared, replaced by hair that had turned completely white overnight, and an endless, hopeless loneliness surrounding him.
Wen Yuan smiled calmly: "I used to have an obsession in my heart, and I lived for that obsession. Now that the obsession is over, I have no more thoughts, and I have become like this."
"This humble official is already crippled and knows that his time is coming to an end. He is no longer able to guard this vast city of Nanjiang. I humbly request Your Highness to allow this humble official to resign and return to his hometown!"
Shen Wei looked at him with a complicated expression: "With your abilities, you can naturally govern Nanjiang City well. Do you want to reconsider?"
Wen Yuan shook his head with a bitter smile. Last night, the pent-up frustration in his heart suddenly dissipated, and he vomited a large mouthful of blood. He could feel that his body was failing, so he might as well resign from his post as soon as possible.
Shen Wei was unwilling to back down. Nanjiang City was at a critical juncture, and no one was more suitable than Wen Yuan. If he let him go now, where would he find a suitable person in the short term?
Just then, Ning Yao appeared and helped him.
"Is Lord Wen leaving?" Ning Yao asked with a smile.
Wen Yuan already knew Ning Yao's identity, so he greeted her and said, "Third Miss, I am suffering from illness and am truly powerless to help."
Ning Yao smiled and didn't force him to stay, but instead made a deal with him.
"Lord Wen is a loyal and capable minister. If you were to resign, it would be a great loss to the court. Surely you wouldn't be willing to let the people of Nanjiang fall into the hands of bandits again?"
Wen Yuan hesitated.
"In that case, how about I make a deal with you, sir?"
"What agreement?"
"I will leave Lin Qingyu in Nanjiang to learn from you the ways of being an official and the art of governance, for a period of one year. After one year, you are free to leave or stay as you see fit. What do you say?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
