Chapter Volume 15 20: Justice Exists in the Will of the People
He was only buying some cooking wine.
However, when news of Wenren Cangyue being beheaded outside Rudong City suddenly came back, this poor but upright private school teacher who normally didn’t touch a drop of alcohol suddenly felt incredibly confused. He stared blankly for a while in the street where he heard this news. Then, without uttering a sound, he placed his money sack on the counter, raising up a yellow wine pot and pouring it straight into his mouth.
His capacity for liquor really was poor. After just fiercely drinking two gulps, he already became tipsy, unable to see people clearly.
However, he didn’t need to see clearly either. Right now, with his current mood and scenery, he just wanted to be completely drunk. He fell to the ground, leaning against the counter of this wine shop, continuing to pour the wine into his mouth.
This was indeed the most suitable time to drink his heart out.
In countless Yunqin streets, who knew how many people were just like this private school instructor when they heard the news of Wenren Cangyue’s beheading, frantically drinking themselves drunk.
“Truly satisfying… truly to everyone’s satisfaction… With his death, I can close my eyes and pass on happily. Young Sir Lin truly is formidable!”
An elder who had already been bedridden for a long time, when he heard this information, he rose to an upright position, clapping his palms while laughing loudly. Then, he peacefully closed his eyes, leaving this world.
He had a smile on his face, leaving this world extremely joyously, extremely peacefully.
Spring already passed, the clear and bright season already gone.
Within many cemeteries that were already lonely again, the fragrant grass cold and dismal, fires and candles burned again. They were filled with sounds of weeping, people coming and going, even more busy than a marketplace.
It was because everyone wanted to tell those loved ones in their families who passed away during the war that Wenren Cangyue already died, that Lin Xi already helped them get their revenge.
The southern expedition… Thousand Sunset Pass being lost… South Tomb Province’s defeat… During all of Yunqin Empire’s past years, never had there been a year with as many deaths as this one.
Almost every single town and even every single village had people who died in the front lines.
Who knew how many wives with young children there were that would never see their husbands again, who knew how many aged parents would never be able to see their beloved sons again.
Among Yunqin’s enemies, there was no one more famous than Wenren Cangyue, nor was there anyone more hated by Yunqin’s people.
All of Yunqin wanted Wenren Cangyue dead, but there was no one who could kill him.
Wenren Cangyue was too powerful, powerful to the point where Yunqin wondered if this war would ever end.
Now, Wenren Cangyue was dead.
He was beheaded outside Rudong by Lin Xi.
…
“You all said Young Sir Lin has no regard for law or discipline, but if it was your younger brother who was harmed to death, that person who harmed your younger brother to death even wants your younger brother’s wife, would you kill that person or not?”
“You all call Young Sir Lin a criminal who ought to be executed… but this criminal has brought back our Yunqin’s most hated traitor Wenren Cangyue and killed him! Where were all of you who received official’s salaries then? You couldn’t deal with Wenren Cangyue, yet instead only knew how to shout and hoot, saying you want to catch Young Sir Lin?”
“What are laws and decrees? Does this Yunqin still have laws and decrees left?!”
In front of a certain City Supervisor Manor, a drunkard was abusing roundly, cursing the royal court.
No one came to stop this drunkard. Instead, more and more people joined this drunkard in shouting curses in the streets.
It was because many officials didn’t want to bicker with a drunkard… and because many officials felt like what this drunkard said was reasonable.
Justice existed freely in the will of the people.
Even when he was outside Rudong City, when he executed Wenren Cangyue, Lin Xi didn’t speak any words of defense for himself.
As millions of troops died, yet still couldn’t kill Wenren Cangyue, more and more ordinary Yunqin common people understood Lin Xi’s intentions, understood him and Green Luan Academy’s pride.
I don’t need to justify anything.
All of you will slowly begin to see who is correct, who is wrong, who is truly fighting for Yunqin.
These words were spoken out from the mouth, whether true or false not that easy to distinguish. However, when pieces of the truth were presented in front of Yunqin’s people one after another, engraved in the hearts of many Yunqin people, it would be like the blood scattered across Meteor City’s walls, it would never lie.
…
There were also people with entirely different opinions regarding Lin Xi.
In the second floor of a large city’s restaurant, while passionately and excitedly discussing with some others, a Government Sector official splashed over ice-cold water.
“Since he has the ability to unleash a great slaughter everywhere in Great Mang, able to slaughter Great Mang’s important individuals, then why didn’t he kill earlier?”
“Since he could capture Wenren Cangyue, why didn’t he do it earlier?”
“Green Luan Academy is so formidable, they have so many formidable figures, Lin Xi is so formidable, so why does he have to wait until so many people died in battle, fought for so long, before he did this type of thing?”
This young official who had a mustache shaped like a 八 said with a cold laugh, “He is clearly just playing around, fishing for compliments.”
Everyone in this building was extremely angry.
Only, they were all only ordinary common people and merchants, so they didn’t know too much about internal affairs. They didn’t immediately know what to say that was powerful enough as a retort.
Right at this time, heavy footsteps sounded by the head of the stairs. At the same time, the sounds of metal grinding and weapons moving could be heard.
A light armored high ranking officer and an official dressed in a military intelligence uniform walked up.
These two military officials both already drank quite a bit of alcohol, their bodies filled with a strong smell, yet their complexions seemed fine, just that their eyes were extremely red.
“These two sirs are?”
This Government Sector official didn’t recognize these two military officials. When he saw their entirely red eyes, he couldn’t help but feel alarm, his body curling up.
“How do you know it was easy for Lin Xi to capture Wenren Cangyue?”
The high ranking military officer dressed in light armor, on his face a terrifying scar, looked at this Government Sector official with an ice-cold expression. “Do not ever say these types of words again.”
The Government Sector official’s face turned a bit pale, but the other party’s undisguised threatening words made him angry again. As such, he straightened his neck, saying strongly, “if you want me to never speak these words again, you need to at least give me a reason.”
The coldness in the eyes of this light armored high ranking officer became a bit stronger, his voice like grinding blades. “I will give you a reason. It is because you don’t know that for the sake of killing Wenren Cangyue, how great of a price our military paid this time.”
This Government Sector official seemed to have understood something. He stared blankly for a moment, and then said with a frown. “Your intention is that the front line army, for the sake of cooperating with Lin Xi, they suffered great casualties?”
“If that is the case, why is Lin Xi enjoying the benefits of this achievement alone?” His tone began to become a bit excited. “What is the intention of this?”
Pa!
A resounding slap to the face that made everyone in the restaurant feel extremely refreshed sounded.
This Government Sector official’s cheeks swelled. He staggered a few times on his chair, almost directly falling back.
“What the military does is the military’s business. The ones who made these decisions, how can they possibly be criticized by you?” The light armored high ranking officer slowly withdrew his hand. He said fiercely with a voice full of killing intent, “If someone like you still dares talk rubbish, then you can die right here!”
“You dare publicly beat a royal court official?!” This Government Sector official snapped out of his shock. He clutched his swollen face, saying furiously, “I will definitely report this to the Military Governor and have you pay for your crimes!”
“We all saw you fall down on your own.”
“It was clearly you who is framing this officer.”
“We can all serve as witnesses.”
One after another, numerous voices sounded from this entire second floor.
More footsteps sounded.
Everyone turned around, seeing a short and stout cook walking up, in his hands an oily kitchen knife.
“Why don’t you try and curse Young Sir Lin one more time?”
This ordinary faced cook’s expression was so overcast water might drip out. He walked up, sending this kitchen knife into the table in front of this Government Sector official with a thud noise. With a threatening low voice, he said, “I had an older brother and two younger brothers, all of them killed during the southern expedition’s attack on Moon Seizing City. I don’t care about any rights or wrongs, I only know who it was that helped them get revenge, and this life of mine is his.”
This was only an ordinary cook, a chubby cook who didn’t even have the qualifications to join the army.
However, right now, no one doubted in the slightest that if this Government Sector official dared speak another bad word about Young Sir Lin, then this vegetable cutting cook would send this knife straight into his body.
…
Under the morning radiance.
Yunqin’s morning imperial court session.
Most Yunqin high officials, after learning of Wenren Cangyue’s execution, also learned of a piece of information that left them exceptionally shocked.
This news made all of them feel that this early summer Imperial Palace was exceptionally cold.
There were a few more people than normal in the throne room.
These were several extremely old high ranking officials who had the most authority within certain fields.
The throne room was extremely quiet.
No one wanted to speak before these people.
Seated on the golden throne, Yunqin Emperor looked at these people in a cold and dignified manner.
“Wenren Cangyue’s beheaded corpse was personally examined by my team.”
A thin and shriveled elder whose hair was almost completely gone, but whose back was still straight like a spear spoke, saying in a consulting manner, “ I found remaining traces of the Spirit Benevolence Pill’s effects within his corpse.”
Then, a stooped gray haired old general spoke. “Great Mang already has a way to deal with the Divine Wooden Flying Cranes.”
“We caught a Great Mang spy. According to his confession, there was someone from inside the palace who released the runes of the Divine Wooden Flying Cranes.” The third large and tall figured high ranking officer spoke.
The third old general seemed to be declaring an important piece of intelligence that needed to be confirmed by the emperor. However, all of the other officials in this throne room, upon hearing these words, suddenly felt as if their hearts were punctured by ice-cold nails. Chilliness from their innermost parts began to continuously spread throughout their entire body.
Yunqin Emperor needed to give an explanation for these things.
The only Spirit Benevolence Pill in existence was in Central Continent’s imperial household.
Green Luan Academy was fighting against Great Mang, so Green Luan Academy themselves naturally wouldn’t give the Divine Wooden Flying Crane runes to Great Mang.
Regardless of whether the emperor gave an explanation or not, these old soldiers’ memorial to the emperor was precisely to declare this type of matter to the public.
“Investigate!”
Yunqin Emperor gave these old generals a look, only saying this single word.
The corners of his lips twitched ever so slightly.
Investigate what?
Bring out a few scapegoats?
This type of self deceiving play was something even he himself found laughable, even he himself began to feel like he was crossing the line. Sitting on the dragon throne was just like wearing an actor’s costume, pretentiously putting on a performance.