TPATTHU Chapter 27
by VolareChapter 27 What are you good for?
Escaped?
Xiao Zhinian and Shen Zhejiang simultaneously jumped up, exchanged a glance, and spoke in unison.
“To the county government.”
The two hurried to the government office. Under the scorching sun, the air, thick with drifting dust, was sweltering. Yet, the front of the office was uncharacteristically crowded with onlookers, eager for excitement.
“Dong—dong—”
The drumbeat resonated, shaking the heavens.
Someone was beating the drum to appeal for justice.
Xiao Zhinian and Shen Zhejiang, looking harried, approached to take a look.
“It’s her?”
The person surrounded, recounting her grievances, was none other than the woman Xiao Zhinian had encountered across from Shen Zhejiang’s residence the previous night.
Shen Zhejiang stood beside Xiao Zhinian. Hearing this, he couldn’t help but turn his head to ask, “You know her?”
“I’ve met her once,” Xiao Zhinian meticulously recounted the events of the previous day to Shen Zhejiang. In the end, he immediately distanced himself from the woman to prevent Shen Zhejiang from misunderstanding. “I don’t even know her name. Teacher, please don’t wrongly accuse me of having any connection with her.”
After listening to his explanation, Shen Zhejiang hummed softly in acknowledgment, lamenting, “Her name is Han Weiwei. Her family used to be in the medicinal herb business. Due to her parents unfortunately encountering bandits and dying tragically, her family fortune declined. She has relied on her grandfather since she was young. Now that her grandfather has been murdered, I’m afraid it will be difficult for her to come to terms with it for a while.”
At that moment, Han Weiwei, draped in white linen and adorned with white flowers, her eyes brimming with tears, was wielding a drumstick, forcefully beating the drum while loudly crying out.
“Last night, a thief broke into my room, attempting to commit indecent acts, nearly ruining a maiden’s purity. My grandfather happened to witness it. In a panicked escape, the thief killed my grandfather! My grandfather died with unresolved grievances. I beg the authorities to apprehend this thief and grant me justice!”
Beside her lay a tattered straw mat, covered with a pale, lifeless white cloth, still and desolate.
Xiao Zhinian remembered what Han Weiwei had told him the previous night and wondered, “Since she looks down on the government, why has she come to seek justice?”
“Without relatives and at her wit’s end.”
Shen Zhejiang had been the same in the past, knowing full well that there was no room for recovery, yet still unwilling to give up, kneeling and begging the late Emperor to spare the Shen family.
But what was the use?
Xiao Zhinian noticed Shen Zhejiang’s disappointment, gently grasped his hand, and said firmly, “If the government can’t do it, then We will. Teacher taught me to share the joys and sorrows of the people, and I remember it all.”
This time, Shen Zhejiang did not speak, nor did he avoid Xiao Zhinian’s touch. A faint warmth spread from his cool palm.
Just then, the vermilion gates of the government office creaked open, and two rows of yamen runners, wielding long staves, filed out, quickly blocking the surrounding onlookers.
“Go, go, go! What are you shouting about? This is a courtroom, not a funeral pyre!”
The squad leader, his expression fierce and ferocious, kicked the corpse violently and began to drive people away with harsh words.
Han Weiwei, weeping like a pear blossom in the rain, immediately rushed over to protect her grandfather’s body, saying resentfully, “Ah! Don’t kick my grandfather! Otherwise, I will haunt you as a ghost!”
The squad leader glared at her fiercely, raised his hand, slapped her, and scolded, “Get out! If you make any more trouble, be careful, or I’ll lock you up in jail!”
Han Weiwei fell to the ground, the white flower in her hair rolling down the steps, her sideburns disheveled. She covered her swollen cheek, looked up to the sky, and cried bitterly, “Is there any justice?! Each and every one of you eats the imperial salary, but you turn around and seek advantage and avoid harm. When have you ever truly upheld justice for us?!”
“That’s right! The other day, this squad leader Liang took advantage of his position and stole the eggs from my house! Those were the eggs I saved up for a long time to buy for my wife, who is in confinement, to nourish her body! It’s really infuriating!”
“You had your eggs stolen. Half a month ago, my family’s camel foal was stolen by thieves. My father reported it to the authorities, but instead of helping, they beat him up, and he still can’t get out of bed!”
Public resentment accumulated like sand forming a tower.
Squad Leader Liang, seeing that he could no longer suppress the situation, wanted to drive Han Weiwei away again. Looking left and right, he snatched a long staff from a yamen runner next to him and struck Han Weiwei with it.
“Stop!”
Xiao Zhinian immediately shouted through the crowd.
Squad Leader Liang never expected anyone to dare to stop him in public. He was stunned for a moment, and the staff paused in mid-air.
The situation had turned around.
The people instantly retreated to both sides like a tide, silent, looking towards the two young masters at the end of the road, one surrounded by nobility, the other with a detached air, not ordinary people.
Squad Leader Liang did not recognize them, frowned, and ordered, “You have to look at the time to be a hero. You are clearly obstructing the government from handling affairs! Men, arrest them all for me!”
Han Weiwei recognized Xiao Zhinian and murmured, “Young Master…”
Xiao Zhinian walked to the front of the government office under everyone’s gazes, stepping onto the steps one by one, his face cold, and asked, “You arrest those who shouldn’t be arrested at will, do you usually handle affairs like this? Ridiculous!”
Squad Leader Liang became enraged and said, “What is your identity that you dare to criticize the government’s actions! Arrest them! Arrest them all!”
The yamen runners received the order and surrounded Xiao Zhinian and Shen Zhejiang.
Han Weiwei blocked them and said, “Young Master, don’t interfere. I just want an explanation. I can’t involve you and Mr. Shen anymore. You should leave!”
“Miss Han doesn’t need to be afraid,” Shen Zhejiang paused and looked at the hateful Squad Leader Liang. “Evildoers will have their retribution. Your grandfather was murdered at home, we will definitely catch the thief for him and punish them according to the law.”
Squad Leader Liang said angrily, “Hurry! Arrest them all!”
The yamen runners were eager to move.
“We’ll see who dares?” Xiao Zhinian shielded Shen Zhejiang behind him, took off the official badge from his waist, and said in a deep voice, “The Master of the Ministry of Personnel is here, how dare you be so arrogant?”
Squad Leader Liang was, after all, just a small leader in the government office, while Xiao Zhinian’s revealed identity was an official of the imperial court. The rank of the two was self-evident.
Squad Leader Liang’s heart skipped a beat, staring at the waist tag, already a little nervous: “W-what Master of the Ministry of Personnel? This Squad Leader has not received any news of the court sending people over, who knows if this is a fake? Audacious!”
Xiao Zhinian snorted coldly and threw the official badge to him: “See clearly what is written on it, and call Yang Shihui out here for me.”
It was fine if he didn’t look, but once he looked, he was shocked.
“…This, this is real?!”
Squad Leader Liang widened his eyes, repeatedly confirming the marks on the tag, until the end he only felt that it was a hot potato, neither left nor right was a solution.
“Do you know who you’ve offended?! Why aren’t you kneeling down?!” Magistrate Yang rushed over at this time, saw the scene in front of him, immediately slapped Squad Leader Liang twice, and then turned around and respectfully faced Xiao Zhinian and said, “The people under my command are not clever in their work, and they have disturbed the Lord.”
Squad Leader Liang was stunned by Magistrate Yang’s beating. Seeing that Magistrate Yang was also so polite, he realized that he had been rude just now. Changing his previous arrogance, he quickly knelt down and begged for mercy: “Lord! This humble one did not know of your arrival, this humble one has handled affairs unfavorably, please don’t blame me!”
Xiao Zhinian said coldly, “Handled affairs unfavorably? I think you are quite efficient. Since that is the case, this official has heard that Luo City is building towers on the border, and there is a great shortage of manpower. Yang Shihui, arrange it for him.”
Magistrate Yang nodded and replied, “This subordinate will send someone to handle it immediately.”
Building towers was not a life-threatening matter, but the conditions were harsh and strict, and the wind and sand were heavy. If one was not careful and fell from the tall building, it was equivalent to working with one’s life. How could it be as good as a lucrative job in the government office?
Squad Leader Liang kowtowed, his forehead turning blue and purple, but he still kept saying, “Lord, please spare this humble one this time! This humble one will definitely reform! Lord, spare my life!”
“Take him away,” Xiao Zhinian ordered mercilessly. After dealing with this person, he asked again, “And you, Yang Shihui, this official told you to keep a close eye on the thief last night. A government office with so many eyes, can’t even keep watch over a living person. What are you good for?”