Chapter 104: Rainwater (Part 2)

Scholar Lin had lived for decades, yet never imagined he would one day witness a live flaying... but unexpectedly, leaning against the wall, watching this standard beastly act, hearing the inhuman screams, this jade hall scholar from a poetry-and-propriety family who had lived through almost the entire era of "Abundant Prosperity" was surprisingly not losing control.

If a reason had to be given, it could only be that over the past half year, this jade hall scholar born to wealth and honor had long harbored a vague but not yet fully articulated thought, and it was precisely this thought that gave him sufficient mental preparation—the chaotic age of beasts devouring men described in history books had truly arrived, and it was impossible for him, Lin Jingmo, to escape it just because of his good family background and high official rank!

In fact, since Caizhou, Scholar Lin had volunteered for duty three times... the first time he volunteered to go to Wuguan was a misunderstanding; at that time, he had noticed the Emperor seemed especially attentive to Niu Gao, so he wanted to request a posting to Ruzhou, but he was too slow to react, and ended up following Liu Yan to Wuguan by a twist of fate.

But that failed mission brought Lin Jingmo tremendous shock, because being separated from the main army and the imperial encampment, he witnessed the horrors of war far beyond what Emperor Zhao could imagine, and for a time he was dazed and lost his composure, laughed at by the soldiers, and even given a nickname by Grand Commandant Han.

However, he managed to pull through that ordeal. Later, when this Scholar Lin volunteered to go down into the city to pacify Zhai Chong and failed, and then volunteered a third time a few days ago to come to Xiangzhou, it was all with firm resolve, not by accident.

The sky was dark, the rain never ceased, and amid the screams, the executioner-tooth soldiers gradually became flustered—even though they were used to life and death and were professional killers, when had they ever experienced such a thing?

Didn't flaying require skill and experience?

Countless people around were frightened pale, some covering their faces and mouths, but weren't the executioners themselves creeped out?

When the skin was peeled down to the chest, a tooth general's hand slipped—whether intentionally or not—and directly slit the throat of the human-shaped thing before him, silencing it.

With the screams gone, the rain poured outside the hall, and the atmosphere inside grew even more eerie.

Seeing this, Fan Qiong was about to show his displeasure, but as he stood up and looked around, seeing everyone silently staring at him, he suddenly felt a chill and an inexplicable panic... In the end, this Fan Baochen instead took the opportunity to order the man executed, then flicked his sleeves and left.

With Fan Qiong gone, the hall was in a mess, and everyone breathed a half-sigh of relief, yet remained terrified.

However, although the execution was over, Scholar Lin and Wang Jun did not meet again until evening... mainly because Fan Qiong had summoned Wang Jun, Han Li, and several key officers to the prefectural office's rear courtyard for wine, food, and rewards of gold and silver.

And to be safe, the former was sent back early by Wang Jun.

"Scholar, you are a true man."

The sky was completely dark, the rain still falling outside. Wang Jun, reeking of alcohol and dampness, entered the room and saw that Scholar Lin was still calmly reading a book. He was momentarily stunned, then sincerely cupped his hands and sighed. "But please forgive me, Scholar. I really didn't expect today's events..."

"Is that so?" Scholar Lin reclined on the couch, staring at the book in his hands without even looking at him. "Today I realized that you, Commander Wang, are so familiar with your Grand Commandant Fan's tooth soldiers... Perhaps you truly didn't know, but if anyone else knew about today's matter, you would surely be the first to find out, wouldn't you?"

Wang Jun opened his mouth, revealing two gaps in his teeth, but found himself unable to refute. He paused for a long time, then found a small stool by the couch, carefully sat down with his hands folded: "If the Scholar says so, I have no way to argue... But today I was truly frightened. Sitting here now, I can only praise the Scholar again as a true man."

"What true man?"

Scholar Lin turned a page and continued reading as he replied. "I also vomited after I came back... but that was not fear, only disgust."

"Indeed disgusting." Wang Jun agreed with half a sentence.

"But if you think I've never seen a dead body before, and today you intended to use Fan Qiong to scare me out of my wits so you could manipulate and deceive me, then don't bother thinking about it." Scholar Lin said calmly, staring at the book. "As far as I'm concerned... think of Liu Guangshi at Bagong Mountain, Ding Jin at Huaixi—each of them commanded tens of thousands of troops in their prime, arrogant and invincible, but when they died, weren't they just piles of rotten flesh? Do you think I haven't seen it with my own eyes? As for today's matter in the hall... that deserter wasn't some vicious criminal. If you're going to kill a man, just kill him—what's the point of flaying him alive? Does your Grand Commandant Fan think that by doing this, he can save his own life in a few days?"

Wang Jun was silent for a moment, then nodded in agreement: "The Scholar speaks the truth."

"And if today's matter has any consequences, I'd say they won't be good ones." Scholar Lin continued casually. "Buddhists speak of karma and retribution, Daoists say fortune and misfortune are self-invited. Today, Grand Commandant Fan flayed a man alive. When he dies, no matter what punishment the Emperor uses, no one will say a word... Don't you agree?"

"The Scholar is a proper scholar, so your reasoning is naturally very correct." Wang Jun pursed his gap-toothed mouth and spoke carefully. "But no matter what, the Scholar should have seen Grand Commandant Fan's ferocity today... The Scholar may not be afraid, but I am somewhat fearful. Scholar, I only hope you understand that even if I have the intention, how dare I act rashly now and be the one to stick my neck out?"

"What ferocity? Today I only saw your Grand Commandant Fan outwardly strong but inwardly weak, alienating everyone." Scholar Lin finally put down his book, folded his hands, and looked at the man before the couch. "Commander Wang, I don't want to say much more to you... Today I'll give you one more principle and one more statement. Listen if you will; if you don't, don't regret it later."

Wang Jun opened his mouth as if to speak, but finally stood up, like a student receiving instruction.

"To reason: now that Fan Qiong has gone this far in his tyranny, you can no longer delay. Because you, this slippery loach, can be evasive with me, a reasonable man, but you absolutely cannot continue to be evasive with a madman holding a knife. Today he flayed a man for no reason; tomorrow, might he go mad and chop you and Han Li to pieces?" Scholar Lin stared coldly at the man before him. "As for the statement: I only realized today that these past few days, you haven't been wavering, but rather trying to bargain from a position of strength. But now that things have come to this, I've grown disgusted with you. Therefore, my previous promises about retaining your position and military authority are all void..."

Wang Jun was startled and jerked his head up.

"And today, I won't ask you to raise troops to capture Fan Qiong. I only need you to promise to open the city gates once the Imperial Army arrives..." Scholar Lin picked up his book again and said. "Right here under this lamp, if you agree, I will guarantee the lives and private property of your entire family. If you don't agree, then please leave. I have no strength to truss a chicken, and I certainly won't go out to find Han Li and the others. But when the Imperial Army arrives, I won't even spare your family's lives! That's how it is!"

Wang Jun stood there, silent for a long time, his emotions of fear, anger, helplessness, and chagrin interweaving endlessly. But after a long while, seeing the man before him continue to recline on the couch, holding a book with undiminished elegance, his momentum finally faded. He then prostrated himself fully, kowtowing repeatedly:

"Thank you, Scholar, for leaving me a way out... Please give me a token, and I will send someone out of the city tonight to deliver a message to Nanyang!"