Chapter 7

The cries of injustice rise one after another. Qi Tianyu cannot stand it, digs his ears, and says coolly: "Redressing grievances should go to the government office. You kidnapped people first and threatened government officials later. Do you want to go to jail?!" He originally thought there would be a good show to watch, but if he knew it was so boring, he wouldn't have come.

Before Qi Tianyu finishes speaking, Wu Si hurriedly stands up. Zhuo Qing wants to pull him, but unfortunately, his movements are so fast that Zhuo Qing doesn't even touch the corner of his clothes.

Kneeling heavily three times in front of Prime Minister Lou, Wu Si takes a deep breath and says loudly: "Prime Minister, the commoners are stupid. Reaching this step was really a last resort. We have been to the government office countless times. The yamen runners said the case has been judged and drove us out. We looked for the Criminal Justice Official to redress grievances, but the official is not in the capital. We wanted to find you to reason, but how can the Prime Minister's mansion be entered by commoners at will? We really..." Wu Si doesn't know how to continue the bitterness, so he just keeps kowtowing.

The thumping sound makes Zhuo Qing's heart tremble. He thinks his head is made of iron! Patting Xiao Wuzi beside her, Zhuo Qing says in a low voice: "Cry injustice!"

"What?" Xiao Wuzi is confused.

Pig! Twisting his arm hard, Zhuo Qing pops two words out from between her teeth: "Cry—injustice—"

Finally coming to his senses, Xiao Wuzi shouts: "Injustice!" Her hand strength is so great! It hurts to death!

The almost shrill shouting also wakes up a group of confused villagers, who follow suit and cry injustice—

"Prime Minister, redress grievances—!"

"Prime Minister, redress grievances for us!"

The sharp eyes sweep over every simple and indignant face. These people indeed seem to have grievances to tell. Prime Minister Lou takes a step forward, helps up Wu Si who is still kowtowing, and says: "If you have any grievances, why not speak directly?"

Wu Si crawls up in a panic, not daring to let Prime Minister Lou help him, fumbles on his body for a long time, and finally takes out a piece of paper from his bosom with great caution, sending it up: "This is the petition."

Even wrote a petition! Prime Minister Lou smiles and takes it, unfolding it slowly———

After a while, Prime Minister Lou's smile remains unchanged, and he asks casually: "Who wrote this petition?"

Qi Tianyu stands up, curiously takes the petition. Others might not know, but he and Prime Minister Lou have grown up together since childhood. The more casual his tone and the gentler his smile, the more he cares and the more suspicious he is!

Finished! Zhuo Qing curses!

Don't look back, don't look at me! Don't look back—

Zhuo Qing recites in her heart countless times, but unfortunately, God didn't hear her prayer. The villagers turn their heads in unison, staring at her without exception.

Damn it! Truly a group of idiots, pigs without brains!

After cursing all the scolding words she could think of in her twenty-something years of life, Zhuo Qing still has to stand up slowly, because that "gentle" gaze has already locked onto her tightly.

Prime Minister Lou looks at the crowd, a thin figure crouching on the ground, head lowered. For a long time, the person slowly stands up, a big hat covering most of his face, making it impossible to see his appearance. The wide coarse cloth hemp clothes draped over him make him look even thinner and smaller. Judging by his figure, he looks like a harmless teenager, but Prime Minister Lou doesn't think so.

He is silent. Prime Minister Lou is interested and asks: "Did you write the petition?"

Lowering her head, Zhuo Qing lowers her voice and replies weakly: "Yes." She really wants to answer no, but there is a group of idiots kneeling behind her who only know how to cause trouble for her. This is the first time she has been so "hateful" of simple and kind working people!

Qi Tianyu looks Zhuo Qing up and down, shakes the petition in his hand, and deliberately sighs loudly to Prime Minister Lou: "The wording is quite concise and sharp! It's just that the handwriting is too ugly!"

Zhuo Qing still lowers her head, not saying a word. She has never said her handwriting is beautiful. If they want to provoke her, they are still a bit short.

Zhuo Qing is determined to play dumb. Prime Minister Lou is not in a hurry, looks at Wu Si beside him, and asks: "You are not his family, and you have nothing to do with the case. Why do you want to cry injustice for him, and what evidence do you have to prove that he is wronged?!"

Not daring to look directly into Prime Minister Lou's eyes, Wu Si pours out the words he has practiced countless times in his heart: "Prime Minister, the commoner is stupid. The benefactor is a very good person in our whole village! Niu Family Village only has three water wells. People, livestock, and grain in the fields all rely on that little water. When God doesn't favor us, we often have no harvest due to drought. For these years, the benefactor has been helping us with grain, and even sent quilts in winter. Not for a day or two, but for ten years! Ten whole years! Such a great philanthropist, how could he possibly swap military grain with inferior goods? The benefactor is not this kind of person! He must have been wronged! Prime Minister, please investigate!"

So it's the case of swapping military grain. As early as half a month ago, the Ministry of Justice had already judged it, with witnesses, material evidence, and a confession. Prime Minister Lou is puzzled: "Since the government office has already judged this case, and Lin Bokang has also pressed his fingerprint on the confession, what grievances are you redressing? Or do you have any evidence in hand?"

"We..." They don't have any evidence! They just insist on a belief! Fearing that the Prime Minister wouldn't believe them, Wu Si kneels down again with a thud.

"The benefactor wouldn't do such a thing! My Lord, please investigate!" A big man, crying while kowtowing, the villagers behind him also follow suit, kowtowing. The thumping sound makes Zhuo Qing's anger rise. Sure enough, they are a group of pigs. They don't say what they should say, only knowing how to kowtow! Grabbing Wu Si's shoulder, Zhuo Qing says coldly: "Enough."

Crossing the crowd and standing opposite him, Zhuo Qing says coldly: "According to Lin Bokang's wife, when she visited Lin Bokang after the case was closed, Lin Bokang still insisted that he was wronged. May I ask how a person who has already confessed can still cry injustice? This case was not tried publicly. We have reason to suspect that Lin Bokang was subjected to torture and forced confession, forced or pressed his fingerprint in a state of unconsciousness."

"Torture and forced confession?" This term is interesting. Although she still can't see his appearance, the clear, calm voice and the composure in the face of danger are definitely not those of an ordinary villager. Approaching Zhuo Qing step by step, Prime Minister Lou pursues: "You say so, do you have evidence?"

Such strong pressure! His voice is clearly very light, his smile very faint, but every time she meets that gentle gaze, Zhuo Qing feels inexplicably nervous.

Gu Yun often says that offense is the best defense, and she happens to agree! She has never had the habit of retreating, and this time is no exception. Raising her head slightly, Zhuo Qing asks proudly: "Whether it is torture and forced confession, checking whether there are injuries on his body will naturally be clear. Lin Bokang insists he is wronged, and someone is clearly eager to close the case. May I ask the Prime Minister, what if it really is torture and forced confession?"

Prime Minister Lou didn't expect him not to retreat! Under the moonlight, the two stand almost opposite each other. Under the hat brim, a pair of clear eyes look at him firmly.

Yes, it is clear! How many years has it been since he saw such an open and honest gaze. After staying in the officialdom for a long time, everyone lives with a mask, and he almost forgot this openness. Feeling warm in his heart, for the sake of this rare clarity, Prime Minister Lou replies in a deep voice: "If it is as you say, of course it must be retried."

Great! Pressing on, Zhuo Qing deliberately asks loudly: "For the sake of fairness, the Prime Minister must be going to retry this case publicly, right?"

Retry publicly?! He is forcing him! If he doesn't agree to a public trial at this time, it would appear to be unfair!

Very good! Prime Minister Lou smiles and nods, replying generously: "This Prime Minister has exactly this intention. It is very good to retry this case publicly!"

Waiting for exactly these words, Zhuo Qing's pleasant mood is plunged into the abyss after hearing the next sentence.

"It's just that..." deliberately dragging out his voice, Prime Minister Lou approaches Zhuo Qing, word by word, extremely slowly: "According to the Qiongyue Law, if there is no new evidence to prove the innocence of the criminal, or if the original crime is still judged after the retrial, those who propose the retrial will all be guilty of insulting the court, ranging from one hundred strokes of the rod to three years of service!"

What?! There is such a thing?! What kind of system is this? Proposing an appeal can actually be guilty?! Why didn't anyone tell her!

She swears that she saw a trace of playfulness in the eyes of that Prime Minister, although it flashed by! But it definitely was!

Zhuo Qing is about to speak, but Wu Si, hearing that the Prime Minister is willing to retry the case, is immediately overjoyed and shouts loudly: "We believe the benefactor is innocent and are willing to bear the guilt!"

You are willing, but I am not! Not to mention that Lin Bokang is not necessarily innocent, even if he is really innocent, where is the evidence?! Zhuo Qing wishes she could give Wu Si a hard kick!

She is almost half-dead with anger, but Prime Minister Lou laughs with great interest at this time, saying in a deep voice: "You, what is your name?" This person is very interesting, upright and smart, but also seems to know nothing. He has been secretly observing the undercurrents between him and the villagers, and Prime Minister Lou is becoming more and more interested in him.

Holding her breath with nowhere to vent, Zhuo Qing replies coldly: "Before asking someone else's name, you should report your own name first. This is politeness."

(End of chapter)