The Anarchic Consort (1)

493-495

Chapter 493: His Highness' Domineering Aura

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

The steward felt like breathing became a luxury and with the utmost difficulty, he blurted, "B-Bri—cough—bribe them to shut them up..."

After hearing his stammers, everyone inside and outside the yamen rose to a clamor!

Helian Wei Wei, however, was very calm.

Magistrate Liao and Yan Dazhao both had their expressions changed and it was utterly hideous!

Baili Jia Jue released the steward and his voice was as cold as winter, "In detail."

"Although Old Master was sent to the dungeon, he was very clear about what's happening outside. Among all this, Private Advisor Zhang was the middleman." After the near-death experience earlier, the steward dared not keep the secret anymore. So, he panted as he revealed the whole story, "After Private Advisor Zhang knew that two more families were going to testify against Old Master other than Old Man Liu, he went to the dungeon and discussed with the Old Master. In the end, the two of them decided to send Steward Zhang and me to those two families with 50 silver each, telling them that they would be rewarded with another 50 silver after the trial if they agreed to change their testimonials against Old Master..." historical

After hearing the steward, Xiao Cui who had been tortured by her own conscience all this while suddenly pushed away from her relative who had been threatening her secretly. Then, she kowtowed to Helian Wei Wei with a thud and said, "I am sorry, Lord Wei!"

Helian Wei Wei stood still, she knew that the time for the tides to change was coming.

Xiao Cui looked up with teary red eyes. "I should not have taken those silver! But Lord Wei, I was really out of options! I should have already married someone at my age, but because of that one nightmare, Yan Dazhao, he neglected my consent and raped me! After that, he tossed a piece of silver note at me and warned me not to make a report, otherwise, I would end up 10 times worse than I already was! I was young back then and didn't know the ways of the people or society, neither could I endure such insult! So I made a report at the yamen but in less than a day, he was released! The county magistrate back then even deemed me guilty of adultery and I was soaked in the river for one whole night! It has been over a hundred days and I have nightmares about this pig every night! I was eager to drink his blood and eat his flesh! I want to see him get punished! But heaven did not answer! The Yan fellow has someone supporting him but I- I am just a peasant. Fighting against him is suicidal. Like what he said, even after I made a report against him, he did not get punished, but I was deemed as unfaithful and unchaste. As the days went by, all the relatives were laughing at me behind my parent's back. And right before the trial, someone sent silver over and told us that if I took it, I could even collect some money for my parent's retirement. If we were not to accept, I would again end up miserably. This is what my second uncle had told me, so I listened."

As Xiao Cui's sobbing grew louder, all the civilians finally got to know what really happened, so they turned toward Yan Dazhao. "This Yan fellow is inhuman!"

Yan Dazhao glared back fiercely. "Who are you calling inhuman!"

The man ignored him and looked at Helian Wei Wei, "Lord Wei, you must punish him! No matter who is above him, if people like him aren't penalized, we civilians will not be at peace!"

"I think it's a little hard, that Yan fellow has Magistrate Liao covering up for him. Besides, it might not just be Magistrate Liao, the lords from the provincial capital seem to take extra care of him too."

Chen Liang admitted to himself that he was being very dutiful as a support behind the crowd.

Someone asked, "Wasn't there a governor of three provinces sent here from the capital? Shouldn't he do something about this?"