“Only you…” Feng Jin glanced at Chu Chenyi with her eyelids lifted, only scoffing at his words.
Then, she quickly followed Ling Mohan’s footsteps, feeling safest and most secure by his side.
The county yamen gates of Yuncheng were wide open, with the populace crowding the area tightly.
Ling Mohan had previously sent word to all corners of Yuncheng about the handling of Fan Shun.
Most of the onlookers were here to witness the consequences for Fan Shun, to vent their pent-up grievances.
Fan Shun was escorted in by several people, completely devoid of his former arrogant demeanor. Instead, he kept his head low, timid and cowering like a rat in the street, cursed by all.
Upon seeing Fan Shun emerge, the surrounding crowd began throwing rotten vegetables and rotten eggs, whatever they could find to throw, all landing on Fan Shun, releasing years of accumulated hatred.
When Fan Shun was brought into the yamen hall, it was only by his layer of fat that Ling Mohan could almost recognize the pathetic figure before him as Fan Shun. How had he become like this, emitting such a foul stench?
As Feng Jin stepped inside, she was met with a nauseating stench, causing her to cover her nose, nearly gagging. The smell was truly unbearable.
“Aren’t you going in?” Chu Chenyi, who followed slowly, asked Feng Jin, confused. Weren’t you waiting to watch the show? We’re here now, why are you just standing here blankly?
“You go first, I forgot something. I’ll be right back, you go in ahead.”
Feng Jin’s eyes darted as she spouted nonsense, then she hurried out, leaving Chu Chenyi standing there bewildered, unsure of Feng Jin’s intentions. He shrugged helplessly and walked straight in alone.
Just like Feng Jin, Chu Chenyi covered his mouth and nose the moment he stepped inside and quickly turned back. He finally understood why Feng Jin had run. Few people could tolerate this smell.
However, the outside was filled with people, and he had already shown his face. Going back halfway would surely make him the laughingstock.
Chu Chenyi took a deep breath and forced himself to walk inside, suppressing the urge to vomit as he sat on a chair.
Ling Mohan glanced at Chu Chenyi, knowing exactly what he was thinking.
“Just bear with it for now, swallow your vomit if you have to!” Ling Mohan threatened Chu Chenyi fiercely. He couldn’t possibly flee halfway.
Ling Mohan lightly fanned himself with his paper fan, holding it to his mouth and nose, which slightly reduced the stench.
“Fan Shun, do you still have any rebuttals for what you’ve done!”
“No… it wasn’t me…” Fan Shun denied it outright.
After all, there was no concrete evidence to prove that he was the culprit. As long as he denied it, the charges could not be pinned on him.
“Fan Shun, denying it until death is not a wise choice!” Ling Mohan subtly signaled to Lu Shi, who was standing outside the door.
Immediately, Lu Shi entered with a few men.
“Young General, the witnesses have been brought.”
Ling Mohan nodded slightly, gesturing for the witnesses standing below to speak their grievances one by one.
“My Lord, Young General, your subordinate has a grievance to recount. It was Fan Shun who forced his marriage upon my daughter. My daughter was spirited and refused to yield, even to death. That heartless dog, Fan Shun, he actually… he actually… forcefully…”
“My daughter, unwilling to suffer humiliation, directly smashed her head against the wall and died… My Lord, Young General, please uphold justice for my daughter!”
“This commoner also has a grievance to recount. Fan Shun forcibly seized my family’s fertile land and beat my husband to death. I implore the Young General to administer justice for this commoner!”
“Young General, Fan Shun forcefully seized…”
As if by prior arrangement, everyone recounted their grievances in unison, instantly filling the yamen with cries of suffering and widespread resentment towards Fan Shun.
“Fan Shun, the people of Yuncheng hate you to the bone. Do you dare say that these matters were fabricated and framed against you!”
Ling Mohan reprimanded him angrily. He had known that Fan Shun had committed many evil deeds, but hearing the people rise in anger and accuse him of his actions today ignited his own fury, making him wish he could have Fan Shun cut into a thousand pieces.
“These uncivilized, lowly people, I have fallen into a trap set by dogs while in my prime. I admit my misfortune!”
He now only regretted not killing Ling Mohan sooner, which had led to his current predicament. This was simply his own bad luck.
“The evidence is conclusive. Fan Shun, as the commander of Yuncheng, failed to report to the Emperor and instead preyed upon the people of Yuncheng, committing countless wicked deeds. Fan Shun is sentenced to death by lingchi tomorrow at noon!”
This was to allow the people of Yuncheng to witness firsthand the downfall of Fan Shun, who had once oppressed them, ending up with no burial place. It was also meant as a stark warning to other officials, indicating that if they followed Fan Shun’s path, his fate would be theirs tomorrow.
“Ling Mohan, you cannot kill me. If you kill me, Yuncheng will fall into chaos. You dare not kill me!”
Fan Shun shouted loudly, confident that Ling Mohan would not dare to kill him.
As long as he could create chaos in Yuncheng, the border of Dongchu would be unsafe, and such responsibility would be beyond their capacity to bear.
Chu Chenyi’s face stiffened. He slammed the table and stood up, “Fan Shun, you have such audacity! At death’s door, you dare to utter such nonsense. Guards, drag him out and flog him!”
“You cannot kill me, you cannot kill me! If you kill me, Yuncheng will be lost, Yuncheng will be lost!”
“Lord Fan, you speak with such conviction. It’s a pity that these matters have long passed, and you can only dream about them!”
Feng Jin’s slender and clear voice echoed into the yamen hall. Everyone turned their heads in unison towards the source of the sound.
Feng Jin walked in the front, with Lu Shi by her side, and behind them were those bound tightly.
Upon clearly seeing the person beside Feng Jin, Fan Shun’s face suddenly changed. His heart felt as though it had plummeted.
How was this possible… this was impossible…
How did they know? He had always operated so discreetly.
“Lord Fan, you indeed have great methods. The officials of Yuncheng are all under your control. It’s a pity you forgot that a new emperor means new officials. Once you fall from power, those who once bowed to you will no longer be loyal!”
Feng Jin could no longer bear to let Fan Shun live in his self-created illusion.
“I merely spoke a few words to them, and they confessed everything, including how you harmed the people of Yuncheng and your collusion with the Western Liang people. I know everything you have done.”
Fan Shun’s face instantly turned ashen. He widened his eyes and scanned everyone, unable to believe that his years of planning had been destroyed just like that, all gone… What was the point of everything he had done before?