Cultivation Begins with Caring for Sister-in-law-Chapter 555: Public Trial

Fengzhou, Shuize County.

On the public trial platform set up in front of the government office in the city, a middle-aged man dressed in a Confucian robe, appearing scholarly, was escorted onto the platform by two Xianzhen Guard soldiers.

This man was named Shi Liang Dao, a private tutor hired by the city’s prominent Zhu family last month to teach the younger generation in the clan.

Once Shi Liang Dao was brought onto the public trial platform, he was immediately pressed onto the execution platform by the executioner, his face instantly turning pale with fear.

On the platform, Chen Mo pointed at Shi Liang Dao, then addressed the citizens of Shuize County below, saying in a solemn voice: "Does he deserve to die?"

The citizens of Shuize County looked at each other, each pondering the man’s life deeds, but no one spoke up.

After waiting for a quarter of an hour, Chen Mo waved his hand: "Release him."

Soon, the executioner released Shi Liang Dao, and the two Xianzhen Guard soldiers who had escorted him were now politely escorting him down.

"Just like that, he’s freed?" someone whispered, thinking that without a proper trial, simply asking and then letting go seemed too easy.

However, Shi Liang Dao indeed hadn’t done anything evil.

He was just somewhat greedy and stingy, even charging for answering questions, which left him friendless, but his actions weren’t deserving of death.

Of course, Chen Mo didn’t release him so simply. Upon arriving at Shuize County, the first thing Chen Mo did was investigate the criminals in the city, discovering the Zhu family’s numerous crimes, bribing the local County Magistrate to deceive the higher-ups.

During Prince Huai’s reign over Fengzhou, the Zhu family patriarch donated one hundred thousand stone of grain to Prince Huai through the County Magistrate, for which he received a plaque handwritten by Prince Huai, as well as the title of Great Philanthropist.

As a result, the Zhu family became even more arrogant in Shuize County, with the patriarch using charity as a cover to seize land, abduct young women, and lend at high-interest rates extensively.

The city’s two brothels and five gambling dens were all businesses of the Zhu family.

After targeting the Zhu family, Chen Mo swiftly locked down the family, collected evidence of their crimes, and then brought them to the public trial platform for the people to judge.

In other words, Chen Mo was well aware of who was guilty in the city, but the public trial was a gesture for public opinion and sentiment.

After releasing Shi Liang Dao, Chen Mo shouted: "Next."

Soon, a man clad in luxurious brocade cloak and shiny boots, his face fleshy and his stature round, was pushed onto the public trial platform by two Xianzhen Guard soldiers and pressed onto the execution platform.

This was none other than Zhu Gui, the patriarch of the Zhu family, who was also a Seventh-Grade Martial Artist. As he was pressed onto the platform, the citizens below were first silent, then it was as if a massive stone was thrown into a calm pond, causing an uproar.

"It’s Zhu... Zhu Gui, why isn’t he dead yet?"

Earlier, when the Zhu family was locked down by the Chen Army, there were rumors outside that Zhu Gui had already been killed by Duke An, yet he was still alive.

"Is Duke An going to let him go too?"

"I heard Zhu Gui went out of the city with the County Magistrate to welcome Duke An a few days ago. This public trial platform, could it just be a formality?"

"..."

Hearing the murmured speculations below, and after waiting another quarter of an hour, Chen Mo pointed at Zhu Gui: "Does he deserve to die?"

With these words from Chen Mo, the citizens’ eyes all turned to Zhu Gui pressed onto the execution platform. Faced with their stares, Zhu Gui glared fiercely, causing the citizens to fall silent, afraid of him.

The saying that officials protect one another was proven true under Prince Huai’s rule when someone had sued Zhu Gui, only for the complainant to end up dead, while Zhu Gui was honored as a great philanthropist.

If they pointed him out and Zhu Gui didn’t die, their lives would become even more difficult. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

In a society where horses and cattle were the modes of transportation, news traveled slowly; they might have heard of other county’s public trials but hadn’t truly grasped the concept.

For example, despite Chen Mo’s great reputation, many citizens were still unclear about who he truly was, more intrigued by rumors about his good wife.

As they say, good news doesn’t leave the house, but bad news spreads far and wide.

Waiting for a while longer, still seeing no response from below, Chen Mo sighed inwardly.

He had encountered such a situation more than once.

The citizens had been deeply oppressed, unable to voice their grievances or seek redress, forcing them to swallow their hardships, over time becoming numb, accepting the notion that the Zhu family was untouchable.

They were afraid, afraid of retaliation from the Zhu family.

Only by using plants could something be done.

Chen Mo signaled with his eyes, then spoke in a deep voice: "Release..."

Before he finished saying the word.

A hoarse voice in the crowd shouted: "He deserves to die."

Instantly, all citizens turned their gaze to the person who spoke.

It was an elderly man, shabbily dressed, who slowly walked to the front of the crowd, then knelt down with a thud, beginning to recount his grievances.

Given the elderly man’s shabby appearance and his tale of woe, he immediately garnered sympathy and resonance from the crowd.

After the old man finished speaking, he bowed his head: "I beseech Duke An to uphold justice for this old man."

The old man’s words emboldened some of the citizens, but many were still too afraid of Zhu Gui to stand up.

Therefore, Chen Mo had to bring in a second plant.

A haggard-looking man, filled with sorrow, loudly declared: "He deserves to die."

The man also began to narrate his grievances.

During the years of chaos, because his family was unable to make ends meet, he mortgaged his land to the Zhu family for a loan.

When he later managed to gather the money, he found that what he’d managed to gather wasn’t even enough to cover the interest, let alone the principal.

Even his mortgaged land barely paid for the interest.

To collect the debt, the Zhu family forced him to offer his wife and children as compensation.

When he refused, the Zhu family forcibly seized his wife and daughter-in-law and sold them to a brothel to settle the debt.

His son went to the government office to seek justice, only to be beaten to death on his way back.

Although this man was planted by Chen Mo, the events he narrated were true occurrences.

With two people leading the charge, coupled with the innumerable sins committed by Zhu Gui, the people’s memories of their own past sufferings at his hands resurfaced.

Finally, one by one, they broke their silence.

Indignant, their eyes ablaze with anger, they shouted: "He deserves to die."

"Kill him."

"Tear him to pieces."

"Duke An, grant us justice."

"..."

Zhu Gui, pressed on the execution platform, became terrified.

Truthfully, even when he was first captured by the Chen Army, he hadn’t been this afraid.

But now, the look in the citizens’ eyes filled him with dread, sending chills over him.

The citizens weren’t afraid of him anymore.

Zhu Gui began to struggle violently, but his dantian was already crippled, and he was firmly pinned down by the executioner, completely unable to move as Chen Mo’s word "execute" resounded.

The executioner’s blade fell, and a round head dropped immediately.