Chapter 34: Is Being Handsome My Fault?

Sizhou City, the Governor's Mansion.

Er Zhu Ying'e was escorted on both sides by Wei Qingbin and knelt in the main hall.

"Er Zhu Ying'e, do you know your crime?"

Over these days, Wei Qingbin had examined the Er Zhu clan's children one by one, sentencing the guilty and punishing the punished.

Er Zhu Ying'e was the last one.

"I just killed a few people, snatched a few women, seized a few acres of land, and burned a few houses. They were all lowly commoners. What's the big deal? At worst, I'll just pay a fine!"

Er Zhu Ying'e did not take it seriously.

The northern frontier valued martial prowess, and every Hu Ren tribe retained the barbaric traditions from when they first marched south.

Yet this tradition was what a Sinicized Xianbei like Wei Qingbin hated most.

"Alas, you barbarians are beyond redemption. I am too lazy to speak to this little beast. Yao He, you conduct the trial!"

The Adjutant Yao He, still with a cold expression, took over the duty, held the register, and flipped to Er Zhu Ying'e's page.

Then, he flipped back more than ten pages, feeling a bit of a headache.

"Army Master, your crimes are not mere trifles punishable by a fine!"

Er Zhu Ying'e looked wary, staring at Yao He.

"What do you mean? Do you intend to frame me?"

Yao He did not answer; he simply acted as a matter of official duty, pointing to the evidence in the register and listing the charges one by one, without a shred of emotion.

"Army Master, you secretly withheld imperial funds and grain, privately demolished garrison cities, destroyed account books, concealed population records, privately purchased forbidden crossbows, and secretly drove refugees to plunder..."

Before Yao He could finish, Er Zhu Ying'e interrupted:

"Impossible. How could I not know I did these things?"

"Every single item has been verified with solid evidence. Witness testimony and physical evidence are all present; there is no room for your denial."

Er Zhu Ying'e was completely devoid of his earlier recklessness; sweat the size of beans streamed down his forehead.

Any one of these charges alone was punishable by beheading, let alone so many.

Er Zhu Ying'e finally panicked and pleaded with Wei Qingbin:

"General of the Rear, I am innocent! I truly did not commit these treasonous acts!"

"If you did not do it, could it be someone else?"

Hearing this, Er Zhu Ying'e's mind raced.

"I know! It must be Li Shuang. He committed these treasonous acts and pinned the shit on my head."

Upon hearing the name Li Shuang, Wei Qingbin's expression changed.

After so many days, he had finally found a clue.

"Do you have evidence?"

"I am the witness! I can confront him face to face."

"In that case, step aside first."

Outside the Governor's Mansion, the crowd surged at this moment.

The common people of Sizhou City were watching the group of Er Zhu clan members being punished at the entrance.

Some wore cangues, some were tied to pillars, and some were still being beaten with boards...

Li Shuang stepped down from the carriage and, from far away, saw the little fat boy Er Zhu Tianguang walking out while clutching his buttocks.

"Yo, Tianguang, did you get into trouble too?"

Er Zhu Tianguang put on a simple, honest expression, first greeted him, then explained:

"Not really!"

"Then why were you beaten with boards?"

"The General of the Rear told me to stay away from my uncles, brothers, and nephews, saying they would corrupt even a good person. These five blows were given first to make me remember to abandon evil and follow good in the future."

"This old man Wei is truly unreasonable!"

Er Zhu Tianguang quickly made a hushing gesture and warned:

"Third Uncle, you must be careful with your words; the General of the Rear has a very bad temper!"

Just then, a personal guard walked out of the mansion.

"Has Li Shuang arrived?"

"I am he!"

"The General of the Rear summons you!"

Er Zhu Tianguang whispered a reminder from behind:

"Third Uncle, be careful; do not provoke him."

Inside the main hall, Er Zhu Ying'e stood to the side, his face full of resentment.

Hearing that Li Shuang had arrived, his heart stirred, but after glancing at Wei Qingbin, he suppressed the impulse in his heart.

Li Shuang, just you wait!

However, what Er Zhu Ying'e found somewhat strange was that as soon as Li Shuang entered the hall and Wei Qingbin saw his face, he suddenly stood up.

You must know that even if Er Zhu Rong had come, Wei Qingbin would not have shown courtesy; Hearing Yuan Tianmu would have simply refused to meet him.

Li Shuang was also somewhat strange; since he entered the room, the old man had been looking at him with a lecherous gaze.

Could it be that he has some special fetish?

"Who is your grandfather?"

Wei Qingbin demanded.

"I don't know!"

"Where is your home? Who is your master? Do you have brothers or sisters? Are you married?"

Li Shuang grew somewhat impatient with the questioning and spoke up:

"Are you investigating a case, or looking for a son-in-law?"

"Audacious! How dare you speak to the General of the Rear like that!" Er Zhu Zhao jumped out. "General of the Rear, such a stubborn person will not confess unless beaten."

Yu Qingbin, however, paid no attention to Er Zhu Zhao at all; he simply solidified the thought in his heart and clicked his tongue in amazement.

"There is no mistake; you are indeed a descendant of the Li clan of Longxi!"

Li Shuang wore a look of confusion, wondering how the old man had suddenly turned to this.

Yu Qingbin, however, wore an expression of sudden realization.

"I said it! If you were not a descendant of the King of Liang, how could you have defeated Wo Hu? How could you have governed this desolate land in such an orderly manner? And how could you have made the sons of the Gao clan of Bohai and the Yang clan of Taishan believe in you and willingly serve as officials?"

People like Yu Qingbin, the elite, possess their own internal logic: Do kings, marquises, generals, and ministers not all have noble blood?

Back then, the Wang Yu branch of the Wang clan of Taiyuan was exterminated by Liu Yu; over a dozen descendants were all killed, and only a fourteen-year-old named Wang Huilong escaped.

Cui Hao, the Minister of the Left from the Cui clan of Qinghe, saw Wang Huilong and immediately declared him to be of the Wang clan of Taiyuan, calling him a noble seed, and even had his niece marry him.

Subsequent events proved that although Wang Huilong's identity was debated by many, he was indeed a great talent who terrified the Southern Dynasties.

Cui Hao had not misjudged!

Yao He's expression changed, and he reminded from the side:

"General of the Rear, this matter should be discussed later."

After all, this involved the Li clan of Longxi; whether true or false, it was a troublesome affair. Yu Qingbin being so careless was too much to invite public criticism.

Yu Qingbin, however, continued to sigh:

"Since childhood, I have admired Duke of Dunhuang. When I grew up, I followed Marquis of Qingyuan in constructing the city of Luoyang. Such bearing and appearance must belong to the Li family!"

Duke of Dunhuang Li Bao and Marquis of Qingyuan Li Chong, father and son, were both representative figures of the Li clan of Longxi; the latter was also a key figure in the Northern Wei's sinicization reforms. They elevated the Li clan of Longxi to the same height as the four great eastern aristocratic families of Cui, Lu, Zheng, and Wang, combining them into the Five Surnames.

"Born noble, even if fallen into the grass, is incomparable to the barbarians."

"General of the Rear, this young man has committed such great acts of treason; will you not do anything about it?"

Er Zhu Zhao's words made Yu Qingbin very angry.

"Audacious! You commit your own filthy deeds and try to pin them on others! Drag him out and give him one hundred strokes of the bamboo!"

Li Shuang was politely escorted out by the people of the Inspector's Office.

Hearing Er Zhu Zhao's miserable screams, Li Shuang shook his head, feeling somewhat emotional.

Prejudice in the human heart is a great mountain; no matter how hard you try, you cannot move it!

Li Shuang waved his hand and called over a servant standing nearby.

"Tell Hou Jing that the newly appointed Inspector of Sizhou does not need to die in the line of duty in half a month yet."