Chapter 507: Seven-Day Hearing (7)

The fourth day.

Following custom, Liu Li proposed holding a closed-door meeting on the fourth day. After three days of hearings, the Investigation Committee should form a periodic report based on the materials already passed and reach a preliminary consensus.

Having stayed in the woods for four consecutive days, the initial beauty had become tiresome to look at, and it had just rained in the woods; the humid air kept Sanchun sneezing. Liu Xiuyun suspected that the Highland Mages had no intention of lending them any decent place at all; what was more annoying than the usual Sanchun was a Sanchun suffering from allergic rhinitis.

Liu Li looked somewhat exhausted; she began with a summary review. Liu Xiuyun listened to her report attentively and could tell that her report was very fair, showing no excessive bias toward her own student. Especially in the final part of the report, she cited the assessment and forgiveness from the managers of the Zhouqiao Grass Market regarding Luo Qi's two visits to the Zhouqiao Grass Market.

Bailida coughed, and Liu Li insisted on finishing the last sentence before turning to him, "Does Mage Bailida wish to speak first?"

"No, no." Bailida felt a bit embarrassed when asked this; he awkwardly bowed toward Yun Maoran. "Elder Yun is the most senior; Elder Yun should be invited to speak first."

Yun Maoran returned the gesture modestly and amiably, "I have nothing to say; I am old and my energy is failing. Let Mage Bailida speak first, and I will just fill in the gaps for everyone."

Upon hearing this, Bailida looked at the others again. Fan Ning had no desire to rush to be first, Peng Ruxin also shook his head, Sanchun kept sneezing and wiping his nose, Xiang Qian was so bored she was about to start killing people, and Wusu was doodling on his tablet. Liu Xiuyun also shook his head; he had been observing and pondering, and now he also wanted to hear what others had to say first.

The right to speak returned to Bailida. He shifted in his chair to sit more comfortably and said slowly, "I do not believe Luo Qi is safe; there are still many suspicious points about him. He..."

"Wait." Liu Li interrupted him, raised her eyes to look at the others, "Everyone, those who also believe that Luo Qi possesses high danger, please raise your hands."

The woods were quiet; no one expressed agreement. Bailida looked around at them with dissatisfaction. Liu Li continued, "Then, those Mages who believe that Luo Qi does not possess danger, please raise your hands."

Four hands were raised. Liu Xiuyun hurriedly looked over; the number of people who raised their hands to agree that Luo Qi was not dangerous in the first closed-door meeting exceeded his expectations. The people who raised their hands were Yun Maoran, Xiang Qian, Peng Ruxin, and Sanchun.

Liu Xiuyun was somewhat surprised. He was not surprised by Xiang Qian's choice. She was a woman, a woman who carried a blade. She was both prone to believing that children were innocent and not afraid of danger at all. However, Yun Maoran was not as indifferent as he claimed to be, Sanchun was simply an irresponsible fool, and as for Peng Ruxin, he looked like he was just there to be frozen pork. As for Wusu, he had originally thought Wusu would agree; he had always maintained an indifferent attitude.

"Mage Liu Xiuyun, you did not raise your hand either time?" Liu Li said.

He came back to his senses, nodded, and said, "Yes. I still need to think about it."

Liu Li nodded and looked at Wusu, "Is that also the meaning of Mage Wusu?"

Wusu smiled and nodded slightly, his head maintaining a mischievous and devastatingly handsome tilt. Liu Xiuyun really could not believe he was even trying to seduce Mage Liu Li.

Exuding pheromones and breathing air were both his instincts. Fortunately, Mage Liu Li was an impenetrable fortress, immune to all charm Magic. Liu Xiuyun turned his head away indignantly and heard Wusu say in a pleasant voice, "Isn't it a seven-day meeting? I would like to listen a bit more."

"Good." Liu Li nodded, not surprised, "Then Mage Bailida may continue to elaborate on his point of view."

Bailida coughed, shifted in his chair again, looking as if he wanted to speak but also wanted to conceal something, appearing somewhat coy. "The Zhouqiao Grass Market has been open for business since the Northern Song Dynasty of humanity. At that time, it was opened near the Zhouqiao Bridge in the Northern Song capital city of Bianjing, gathering at dusk and dispersing at dawn, so it was called the Zhouqiao Grass Market, also known as the Zhouqiao Ghost Market. This... I heard that the several families behind the operation of the market have not been interrupted for eight hundred years... Oh, I heard that even the Jinbo Wine produced by the Zhouqiao Grass Market has not changed its taste in eight hundred years."

"Everyone knows this." Liu Li said, "If Mage Bailida wants to talk about history, it would be more appropriate to tell the junior Apprentices; they don't even need to be educated anymore."

"Yes, yes, yes." Bailida interjected, "Even the Qionglin would inevitably have to give way to such families, yet they were willing to take the initiative to vouch for an Apprentice like Luo Qi."

Wusu put down the tablet in his hand, clasped his hands on the table, and chuckled, "This is not very strange. Just like the Pangzi from yesterday, everyone can weigh Luo Qi's importance. The result of our discussion here today will determine his fate. Either he is guilty, and he may never see the light of day again. Or he is innocent, and then, he is very likely to be the next Pei Shu, the leader of the Mage World."

Liu Xiuyun clearly saw the bodies of several Mages move slightly. What Wusu said was a fact, but no one had yet publicly stated it so clearly. After all, that was a very distant future; even if Luo Qi had that possibility, that was at least a hundred years away, and most of the old fogies here might not live to see that day. However, hearing it actually spoken out loud and into one's ears was still shocking.

Wusu smiled for an unknown reason, "I seem to have missed my homework; what did Luo Qi do that required the forgiveness of the Zhouqiao Grass Market manager?"

Liu Li did not seem to want to say, and Zhou Quan laughed, "The main thing is that he spat into the well that the Zhouqiao Grass Market has used for eight hundred years. Oh, that is the well used to draw water to brew Jinbo Wine."

Liu Xiuyun frowned reflexively, secretly recalling that he was not the only one who had drunk Jinbo Wine recently.

"Another thing is that Luo Qi robbed a pet store." Zhou Quan continued, "The one that is inseparable from him... oh, I don't mean Du Zhengyi, I mean the other one that is inseparable from him, that unlucky black cat, always coughing, its trachea is not very good. That cat was the one he robbed from the pet store. The Grass Market said that later, according to the rules, eight times the fine was deducted from Du Zhengyi's account, so this matter has also been settled."

Hearing about the poor trachea and constant coughing, Liu Xiuyun could not help but glance at Bailida. Bailida seemed to be deep in thought and did not realize Zhou Quan was talking about him.

Wusu laughed out loud, "That sounds like this Apprentice Luo Qi really doesn't have much malice."

A few people couldn't help but lower their heads and laugh. Bailida swept a glance at them, "Someone told me that the Zhouqiao Grass Market failed to report one thing. Luo Qi... tortured someone there."

(End of chapter)