Chapter 464: Chinese‑Style Spirit Ball, Practicing the Philosophy of Kong Sheng Zhu Fuzi!

Su Linyue's manic laugh was abruptly cut off, her mouth still frozen in an exaggerated upward curve, her pupils suddenly constricted, and the smugness on her face was instantly wiped clean by shock.

She stared blankly at Chen Yan, taking a long while to regain her voice, trembling with disbelief: "Lord Chen Yan, what do you mean?!"

When she realized, she panicked completely, struggling to stand, but was held down tightly by the constable and could only plead urgently: "The little woman did not take part in the killing!"

Her voice grew higher, cold sweat at her temples ran down her cheeks, "And I have never done anything that violates the law!"

Su Linyue didn't understand; the deeds were done by Shi Xiuwen and Wei Lanxi, a pair of adulterous husband and wife, so why could it affect her?

Chen Yan saw this, his mouth curving slightly, his laugh full of amusement, he leaned down, staring at Su Linyue's frantic face, and said slowly: "You didn't kill…."

He elongated the words, not giving the woman a chance to breathe, then his tone abruptly shifted, becoming sharp, the phrasing hammering down: "But you committed illicit relations, corrupting morals, shameless!"

He straightened up, his voice cold as ice: "According to Da Zhou Law, men and women who do not interact properly shall both die!"

"Moreover, the illicit partner adds an extra degree of crime!"

"The punishment of immersion in a pig cage, you will not be unjustly burdened!"

"No!"

Su Linyue's whole body went limp, the earlier protest and struggle vanished in an instant, leaving only bone‑deep terror.

Pinned to the ground by the constable, she mustered all her strength to lift her head, her gaze at Chen Yan full of pleading, her voice hoarse from extreme tension: "Lord Chen Yan, please don't!"

Immediately, she banged her head hard, her forehead striking the Blue Bricks with a muffled thud, tears mixed with cold sweat streaming down, she cried hoarsely: "Please spare this little lady!"

Su Linyue never expected it; before she could be happy for long, she went straight from elation to tragedy…

Chen Yan walked slowly to Su Linyue, looking down from above at her disheveled bowing, a highly mocking smile curling his lips, his tone teasing: "Lady Su, didn't you just want to watch those two being publicly punished?"

He said, deliberately lowering his voice, each word like teasing prey: "Immersing a pig cage by the Wei River will perfectly fulfill your wish!"

"My office guarantees you will die behind those two!"

There was no way; Chen Yan is kind‑hearted and always fulfills requests.

Just tell me whether you've satisfied Lady Su's wish!

Moreover, he has never played a Chinese‑style spirit ball, so he might as well try…

And incidentally practice the philosophy of Kong Sheng Zhu Fuzi!

Rui Si Bai.

Shi Xiuwen, pressed to the ground, his previously calm face suddenly broke into a smile, then he burst into uncontrollable laughter, the laugh full of long‑suppressed joy: "Hahaha!"

When his laughter subsided, he turned to the still‑crying Su Linyue, his eyes cold and mocking, his tone full of sarcasm: "You wretched woman, you're laughing!"

"Why aren't you laughing?"

"Are you born without a smile?"

As everyone knows, according to the law of conservation of energy, a smile does not disappear into thin air, it only transfers…

Isn't it just transferred onto his face?

Su Linyue abruptly stopped pleading, her tear‑streaked face twisting instantly, those eyes that were once full of supplication now held endless hatred, gouging at Shi Xiuwen.

She opened her mouth, the fury in her chest choking her almost breathless, after a long pause she managed a broken outburst: "Shi Xiuwen, you… you!"

Shi Xiuwen looked at Su Linyue, too angry to speak, a cold sneer curling his lips, his tone full of contempt: "What do you mean 'what'?"

He turned his head to Chen Yan, deliberately raising his voice, each word like a dagger into the wretched woman's heart: "Lord Chen Yan truly lives up to the name 'Blue Sky'!"

"This sentence is truly exceedingly fair, a great delight to the people!"

Having said that, he deliberately glanced at Su Linyue, seeing her face utterly pale, his mockery deepening.

He almost thought this wretched woman could then live in carefree wealth, and was a bit hesitant…

In the end, who could have imagined Lord Chen Yan being so just!

Shi Qingli, realizing the situation was settled, suddenly lifted his head and shouted loudly: "Brother, your spirit in heaven, open your eyes and look!"

He inhaled deeply, his eyes reddening but his tone uplifting, raising his voice a bit more: "Lord Chen Yan has cleared your injustice!"

Shi Qingzhao's eyes reddened instantly, he stepped forward two paces excitedly, his voice trembling with emotion yet full of vigor: "Indeed!"

He clenched his fist and shouted again, as if to make his brother beneath the Nine Springs hear clearly: "Your brother's offspring will be beheaded in ten days; you may close your eyes now!"

However, after their exhilaration, they still felt a faint excitement…

With these people dead, they could, under the elders' names, legitimately seize the inheritance, and even if they were poor, they could get a larger share.

Either way, it's a profit.

Chen Yan took the whole scene in, then raised his hand and lightly tapped his forehead, a faint smile spreading on his lips, his tone self‑deprecating: "Look at my memory; if you hadn't mentioned it, I would have almost forgotten…."

He turned to Gao Jiong, his expression instantly becoming serious, his voice clear throughout the room: "Shi Qingwen, though already dead, in life he murdered for gold, brutally exterminated families, harmed his own wife, committed illicit relations with his daughter‑in‑law, countless lives were in his hands, his crimes are innumerable."

"According to Da Zhou Law, even in death, his crimes are hard to absolve."

He paused, then announced the sentence with a thundering voice: "The body of Shi Qingwen shall be properly guarded; ten days later at dawn, together with Shi Xiuwen, Wei Lanxi, and Su Linyue, it shall be escorted to the banks of the Wei River, where the corpse will be subjected to lingchi to appease all unjustly dead souls!"

Shi Qingli's excitement froze on his face, he was dumbfounded, standing still for a while before reacting, hurriedly walked to Chen Yan, bowed slightly, his tone hesitant and puzzled: "Lord Chen Yan, my elder brother is already dead; isn't this sentence a bit too severe?"

He looked up at Chen Yan, his voice softened, with a hint of pleading: "Could death erase the debt?"

Shi Qingzhao, seeing this, also hurried forward, standing beside Shi Qingli before Chen Yan, inhaled deeply, his tone urgent yet firm, decisively speaking: "I am willing to contribute three‑tenth of the Shi family's estate, fully depositing it into the treasury or to aid the countryside!"

He bowed slightly, his eyes earnest, adding with conviction: "To atone for past sins and secure my elder brother's posthumous peace!"

Don't be fooled by this fourth Shi's pompous words; between the lines he is only thinking of his own brother…

In fact, it's sacrificing the small to protect the big.

That three‑tenth of the estate is the offered sincerity…

Chen Yan stared at the Shi brothers' earnest expressions for a while, slowly easing the severity on his face, his brows relaxing, a faint curve forming at his mouth, his tone softening: "It's not impossible!"

Shi Qingli and Shi Qingzhao, hearing this, saw the anxiety on their faces melt away, replaced by an uncontainable joy, both quickly clasped fists and bowed, their voices full of gratitude: "Thank you, Lord Chen Yan!"

Chen Yan raised his hand, tapping them, indicating they should stand, a deeper smile on his lips, his eyes hinting: "Don't rush to thank me; I haven't finished speaking yet…"

When the Shi brothers stood upright, his tone shifted, becoming magnanimously resolute, his words clear and forceful: "Shi Qingwen's fortune came from seized gold, ill‑gotten wealth; the original owner's line was exterminated, no heirs remain, so confiscate the Shi family and pour it into the treasury!"

He paused, scanned the crowd, and continued: "Subsequently the county office will use these funds to aid disaster victims, repair roads and bridges, benefiting the populace—also serving to repay some of Shi Qingwen's sins, allowing him some posthumous peace!"

"No… don't!"

Shi Qingli and Shi Qingzhao's newly risen joy on their faces froze instantly, as if splashed with a bucket of cold water; the two exchanged a glance and each saw panic in the other's eyes.

They could no longer mind propriety; with a "thump" they both fell to their knees, repeatedly kowtowing, their foreheads striking the Blue Bricks with a clattering sound.

Their voices trembled, pleading with a sobbing tone, tears mixing with cold sweat streaming down, "Lord Chen Yan, grant us mercy!"

Chen Yan lowered his head, glanced at the kneeling supplicants, pursed his lips, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, and said, "I recall that your family business was also arranged by Shi Qingwen…"

He paused, his gaze falling on their suddenly pallid faces, and slowly added, "And they were all confiscated together!"

"Ah?!"

Shi Qingli and Shi Qingzhao simultaneously let out a short, desperate gasp; the last hint of color on their faces drained away instantly, their bodies swayed as if all strength had been sucked out.

Without waiting for others to react, darkness fell before their eyes and they both collapsed forward.

After two muffled "thuds", they fell dead on the ground, stiff.

Shi Xiuwen, witnessing the scene, had a flash of satisfaction in his eyes and immediately shouted loudly, "Lord Chen Yan, you are wise!"

Truly, you indiscriminately created a flying death for everyone…