Outside the Jingzhao Prefecture Yamen, the rhythmic thuds of “dong, dong, dong” resounded, like the muffled thunder of summer.
Li Wanming was dressed in plain white. The red drumstick in her hand seemed to carry a weight of ten thousand jun as she struck the cowhide drumhead, which was as big as a millstone, one blow after another.
The continuous drumbeats echoed for miles, growing more and more impassioned, ringing through the sky.
The area outside the Jingzhao Prefecture Yamen quickly became crowded with people.
Everyone wanted to see what it was like when the legendary Drums of Appeal were struck.
When they heard that it was a woman from a wine shop who had come to strike the drums at the risk of everything to save her husband, some people gave her a thumbs - up. “Such courage from a woman! She is truly affectionate and righteous!”
Although they didn't know the specific reason, they had long heard that once the Drums of Appeal were struck, the striker would receive twenty strokes of the cane!
Twenty strokes...
Wouldn't it beat a person until their skin was torn and they were half - dead?
No one would endure such suffering unless they had a huge grievance!
Moreover, she was just a delicate young woman...
Looking at Li Wanming in her white clothes, her slender figure as fragile as a white butterfly in the wind, but with a resolute look in her eyes and a sorrowful expression, the onlookers felt even more sympathy for her.
“I heard she's the wife of a wine - shop owner. Her husband went to purchase goods yesterday and was beaten up for no reason... The one who did the beating got away scot - free, but her husband was arrested!”
“Is that so? Is there any justice left?”
“What justice! Everyone knows that these officials only oppress the common people!”
Hearing their discussions, Li Wanming struck the drumstick even more vigorously.
This was the strategy her father - in - law had come up with for her.
When acting, go all the way.
The more pitiful, sorrowful, and lonely she seemed, the more the public's sympathy she could arouse, forcing the Jingzhao Prefecture Yamen to step in.
The crowd gradually became indignant.
“Wasn't it said that once the Drums of Appeal are struck, the case must be heard?”
“Yes, why has no one come out of the Jingzhao Prefecture Yamen for so long?”
“Humph, they protect each other. They must be ignoring the law and disregarding human life!”
...
Cui Yanzhi's face darkened further as he listened to the continuous scolding outside.
All he had done was arrest a wine - shop clerk. How could he be accused of disregarding human life?
“Someone, bring the person who struck the drums here!”
The huge black - painted gates with iron nails creaked open, and Li Wanming and the others were escorted in.
Cui Yanzhi sat high in the main hall. Without even looking, he directly ordered, “Beat this shrew with forty strokes of the cane!”
Li Wanming shook off the yamen runners who were holding her and said, “I can walk by myself.”
She walked out slowly.
Although she had a cushion and a few books on her buttocks, she was still very nervous.
What if her judgment was wrong?
What if the Prefect of Jingzhao didn't know her identity or simply didn't give Li Rusong any face?
What if her father - in - law was really just a lazy good - for - nothing who ate too much and had no well - thought - out plan?
Then...
She might lose her life here today!
But at this point, she couldn't back down.
Li Wanming could only shuffle forward slowly and clumsily lie down on the long bench in the middle of the courtyard.
Liu Yiyi's heart was in her throat.
That Uncle Cheng had come up with the idea of striking the Drums of Appeal for Wanming, but he himself had made an excuse about his bad legs and refused to come today!
What kind of person was he...
Alas, only a fool like Wanming would sacrifice herself to save his son...
“Execute the punishment,” Cui Yanzhi said calmly.
The bright red order slip was tossed high into the air, drawing a cold arc. It was about to hit the ground...
Suddenly, a voice sounded from outside the door, “Lord Xu, the Minister of the Ministry of Justice, is here!”
The Minister of the Ministry of Justice?
Cui Yanzhi rubbed his eyes, suspecting he had misheard.
How could a small case of a fight and brawl attract the attention of Xu Kai, the Minister of the Ministry of Justice?
Before he could react, he heard the yamen servants' announcements one after another.
“Lord Zhou, the Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review, is here!”
“Lord Yan, the Censor of the Court of Censors, is here!”
...
Cui Yanzhi was completely stunned.
What was going on?
Almost one - third of the high - ranking officials from the Three Departments, Six Ministries, Five Courts, and Two Yamen had arrived all at once!
He looked at the door and then at Li Wanming, his face full of shock. After a brief hesitation, he quickly stepped out to greet them.
Li Wanming, lying on the long bench, was also extremely shocked.
No way...
Was the power of the Drums of Appeal really that great?
It had attracted so many high - ranking officials all at once?
The Minister of the Ministry of Justice, the Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review, the Censor of the Court of Censors...
Even if Xiao Jingnan had killed all of Wei Chengbiao's men, he couldn't have provoked these people, could he?
She was completely confused.
In the blink of an eye, Xu Kai, the Minister of the Ministry of Justice, walked in with a steady gait, looking imposing.
“I heard that the Drums of Appeal were struck, so I've come to observe. I hope Lord Cui will handle the case impartially and don't mind our presence,” he said.
Cui Yanzhi was sweating profusely and nodded repeatedly.
The Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review and the Censor of the Court of Censors said the same thing as Xu Kai.
All three of them looked righteous, as if they really had just heard that someone had struck the Drums of Appeal and had come specifically to observe the case.
However, after they sat down, their eyes met, and they all saw the understanding in each other's eyes.
Xu Kai's gaze lingered on Li Wanming for a moment and then moved away. He slowly said, “Lord Cui, this Lady Li is extremely brave for striking the drums to save her husband. I think we can skip the caning.”
As the Minister of the Ministry of Justice, in charge of all judicial and penal matters in the country, if he said to skip the punishment, who would dare to object?
Cui Yanzhi quickly agreed and ordered someone to help Li Wanming up.
The Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review frowned. “Isn't this a trial? Why aren't the plaintiff and the defendant here?”
Cui Yanzhi bowed, shrinking back. “I... I'll send someone to invite them right away...”
He had never thought that this case would actually be heard, so of course he hadn't summoned Wei Chengbiao to appear in court.
Xu Kai glared angrily. “You're the Prefect of Jingzhao. Summoning the plaintiff and the defendant to court, and you still need to invite them?!”
Yan Peitang, the Censor of the Court of Censors, was an old man with gray hair. He said unhurriedly, “It seems that this plaintiff has a great background. He can even make Lord Cui go and invite him... I'd like to see who this divine figure is.”
Cui Yanzhi was so scared that his face turned white.
“No, no, no! It's to arrest... arrest! I'll send someone to arrest him right away!”
Before long, Wei Chengbiao was brought in.
At first, he didn't know what was going on. When he walked into the gate of the Jingzhao Prefecture Yamen, he was still smiling playfully. “Hey? What's going on today? It's so lively.”
It wasn't until he saw the soldiers from the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review standing on both sides, fully armed, that he felt something was wrong.
“Lord Cui, isn't this case already clear? Why did you summon this commoner here...”
“Bold!”
Xu Kai roared. “The trial hasn't even started yet. How can you say it's clear? You, a lawless commoner, dare to speak recklessly and despise the laws of our dynasty!”
Yan Peitang still spoke in a sarcastic tone. “The case is already clear before the trial. Could it be that Lord Cui can predict the future?”
Cui Yanzhi was secretly cursing Wei Chengbiao's ancestors for eight generations.
The Court of Censors was in charge of monitoring all officials. If this Lord Yan suspected that he was taking bribes and perverting the law, he would not only lose his official position but might even be imprisoned and exiled...
He kicked Wei Chengbiao in the back of the knee and scolded, “Bold lawless commoner. In front of these three lords, you still dare to talk nonsense? Hurry up and tell the truth about what happened yesterday!”
Wei Chengbiao staggered from the kick and almost hit his mouth on the floor.
But he also knew that the situation was wrong, so he took the opportunity to kowtow and shouted his innocence.
“I'm the shopkeeper of Zuihuazhuang. I went to the warehouse in Changyi Fang to purchase goods early yesterday morning. Who would have thought that two people suddenly came. Relying on the fact that they were the family members of a general, they wouldn't let us move the goods and even started beating people...”
Chuntao couldn't stand it anymore. “You're lying! It was clearly you who wouldn't let us buy glutinous rice and even harassed me. My master protected me, so he...”
“I harassed you? Who saw it? Who can prove it?”
Wei Chengbiao squinted and clicked his tongue twice. “With your figure, you don't even have two ounces of flesh on your chest. Which girl in Cuiyun Tower isn't more alluring than you? Would I waste my time flirting with you?”
“You...”
Chuntao was so angry that she trembled. But Wei Chengbiao quickly turned back to his pitiful look and stretched his neck to show the people in the hall his chin.
“My lord, look. This is the injury that brute gave me! It still hurts...”
There was indeed a large purple - black bruise on his lower jaw.