Chapter 287

Same as the past few days.

Outside Chengtian Sect, the common folk were still gathered in great numbers.

Only this time, the mood was utterly different from the idle curiosity of the last time.

This time.

The knife had already been plunged into every single one of them.

The wages they had earned through bitter toil were about to turn into wastepaper.

A livelihood that had been so hard-won, enough to support a whole family.

Was now, because of the treasure notes, about to be lost in an instant.

All the fantasies they had once cherished had become bubbles in a dream.

On the faces of every commoner outside Chengtian Sect, there was a single shade of ashen grey.

Only Watching Qi Tai and his men, riding high, arrived outside Chengtian Sect in their sedan chairs.

They rebuked the common folk in the distance, saying

"You stubborn commoners — the treacherous officials have fallen, what are you all still gathered here for?"

"Heaven's way is clear, and there are rules to follow. Stop indulging in those impractical fantasies, and go make an honest living!"

The second day after Su Qiao was thrown into the imperial prison.

The sedan-bearers who had previously abandoned Watching Qi Tai's chair came slinking back.

Although Watching Qi Tai paid little.

At least the man paid in ready silver!

No matter how one looked at it.

This ready silver was surely worth far more than those scraps of paper, wasn't it?!

And the four sedan-bearers beside Watching Qi Tai were also each and every one downcast.

They too wanted to live on, properly.

But they did not understand.

Why a single case involving the Sun family.

Had in the end blown up to such a state.

They had clearly meant well.

Unable to bear the sight of that widow and her orphan.

Clearly, if Lord Su had only waved his hand and waived their debt, none of this would have happened.

There were even some who came to hate Su Qiao for his iron heart.

If only Su Qiao could have shown a little leniency.

Things would surely never have come to this!

The merchants behind them stared fixedly at Watching Qi Tai, gnashing their teeth as they growled in low voices

"Traitor! Traitor!"

"Today I finally understand what a traitor's face truly looks like!"

"That day, I truly was blind in these two eyes of mine!"

"Bah!"

Watching Qi Tai's face was full of smugness.

Too lazy to bother with the crowd, Watching Qi Tai casually tossed aside the curtain in his hand.

He said softly

"Pay no more heed to these stubborn commoners. Cross Jin Shuihe, and head to Donggong!"

"Yes, sir!"

The four sedan-bearers outside answered softly in assent.

After crossing Jin Shuihe, Watching Qi Tai's sedan chair immediately began swaying off in the direction of Donggong.

Before Watching Qi Tai had gone far.

From behind came "Boom!" "Boom!" "Boom!"

"……"

The Dengwen Drum thundered loudly.

The color drained instantly from Watching Qi Tai's face atop the sedan chair.

"Why is the Dengwen Drum being struck again?"

"Back to Chengtian Sect! Quickly, back to Chengtian Sect!"

Watching Qi Tai shouted at the top of his lungs.

Although officials could not obstruct commoners from striking the Dengwen Drum.

When Zhu Yuanzhang arrived later, Watching Qi Tai's voice would carry far more weight than that of these "stubborn commoners."

Watching Qi Tai staying there.

Would carry a certain weight..........

Unfortunately.

The four sedan-bearers outside acted as though they had not heard Watching Qi Tai's words at all.

Hoisting the sedan chair, their feet seeming to tread on flaming wheels, they ran swiftly toward the distance.

"Are you deaf?!"

"I, your Master, said back to Chengtian Sect!"

"Thud!"

"Hey, slow down, I'm going to throw my guts up back here!"

"..."

Zhu Yuanzhang, who had been inside the palace, darkened his face.

Not long after.

Zhu Yuanzhang, his old face dark and grim, walked slowly to Chengtian Sect.

Gazing at the common folk outside.

Zhu Yuanzhang gritted his teeth and asked,

"What is it this time?"

Old Zhu had barely finished speaking.

Four hundred brick kilns and a hundred and fifty shipping firms' shopkeepers from the outskirts of Jin Ling dropped to their knees before Zhu Yuanzhang in unison and cried out together,

"We your subjects beg Your Majesty to pardon Su Qiao, the Su my lord of the Baochao Tiju Si!"

"We are willing to vouch for Lord Su!"

Just after these merchants had fallen to their knees.

The common folk in the distance also dropped to their knees along with the shopkeepers.

"We commoners beg Your Majesty to pardon Lord Su."

Huang Zicheng, who happened to be passing by in the distance, was startled by the cries of the people.

"Stop the carriage, I want to get off—what's going on here? I only just managed to send Su Qiao to the Imperial Prison a few days ago, and already people are trying to fish him out?"

"No—I told you to stop! Do you still want your wages or not?!"

The coachman outside the carriage said nothing.

What was Huang Zicheng's measly wage worth?

Even if it were more, could it possibly compare to what those shopkeepers outside were paying?!

The coachman could not directly refuse Huang Zicheng.

But he could choose to play deaf.

After all, before getting on the carriage today, Huang Zicheng had said he was going to Donggong to find Zhu Yunwen.

Within the gates of Chengtian Sect.

Zhu Yuanzhang's face was livid.

He stared fixedly at the common folk before him.

Gritting his teeth, he growled low,

"What do you take the laws of Great Ming for?"