Ye Ranyi

Chapter 238 - 223: The Petition Drum Sounds, the Emperor Accepts the Case (First Update)

Chapter 238: Chapter 223: The Petition Drum Sounds, the Emperor Accepts the Case (First Update)


Lu Yanqing was only sixteen, ultimately just a young man inexperienced in the ways of the world; not to mention handling interpersonal affairs, he couldn’t even manage his own emotions.


When he heard someone bringing up matters from those years again, he only knew fear and didn’t know how to hide it.


The fear emanating from his bones was plainly visible to Song Wei.


"Are you afraid of Ningzhou?"


Song Wei originally just casually probed, not expecting these five words to strike Lu Yanqing like a nerve, whose eyes turned blood-red in anger, as he leapt up planning to strike.


Among the people Lu Yanqing brought, two were his accomplices going to open the mine in Ningzhou back then, one named Cheng Fei from the Duke An’s Mansion, precisely the son of last year’s top academic scholar.


The other was Su Yaojun, the young master of the third house of the Su Family.


The power struggles and grudges between adults didn’t seem to affect these younger ones. At the Imperial College, this group of spoiled youths could easily set aside family grudges and gather together.


However, Lu Yanqing was the Little Overlord, acting recklessly and relentlessly while pursuing his goals, whereas Cheng Fei and Su Yaojun were more rational compared to him.


Seeing the Little Overlord about to make a move, the two of them quickly stepped forward to pull him back.


Cheng Fei was visibly quite frightened, wiping sweat, "My little ancestor, this is the Hanlin Academy, if you want to take care of someone, at least mind the place."


Su Yaojun also advised, "Just a couple of broken antiques; if we can’t get them, so be it!"


Lu Yanqing gloomily glared at the two, "It has nothing to do with antiques at all."


Saying this, he pointed at Wen Wan, "This woman said she saw me in Ningzhou. Do you think she should die?"


Upon hearing this, Cheng Fei and Su Yaojun’s faces changed simultaneously.


The Da Huan Mountain Coal Mine case in Ningzhou, although it had been four years, and everyone tacitly chose to forget and not mention it, it involved dozens of lives after all.


Such a catastrophic event, even adults couldn’t bear the responsibility, not to mention they were naïve and ignorant back then.


For four years, Ningzhou was a forbidden place they vowed never to set foot in again, "Ningzhou" became unspeakable taboo words for them.


Originally thinking it would have been long buried underground with the miners, never expected suddenly a woman came forward saying she saw them in Ningzhou.


Cheng Fei and Su Yaojun exchanged a look and turned to Wen Wan with eyes filled with indescribable coldness and horror.


A clear intention of silencing by death was evident.


Song Wei’s gaze fell steadily on Lu Yanqing’s pale face, silent for a long time.


Once Wanwan reminded him, he remembered that rainy day four years ago, when they returned only to be told by Father Wen about the collapse of Da Huan Mountain Coal Mine, with most miners buried alive for failing to escape in time.


Among those miners, there were his father and father-in-law.


The coal mine had no official permit for operation, yet easily got Ningzhou Prefect and County Magistrate to cover up and even recruit workers; the local official, County Magistrate Lu, insisted that Da Huan Mountain Coal Mine was officially surveyed and opened. However, after the incident, only a compensation of ten Silver Taels per household was given to the families of the mining disaster victims.


In Ningzhou back then, Song Wei vaguely suspected someone powerful was behind the mine, albeit because their power was overwhelming, even after dozens of lives were lost, it was easily covered up.


Now hearing Wanwan say that she saw Lu Yanqing in their small town in Ningzhou four years ago.


Some things didn’t need further deep thought, as they’d automatically connected together.


Even if four years ago Lu Yanqing was only a twelve-year-old child, with the Empress Dowager’s indulgent spoiling of him, killing people and setting fires became commonplace "little things."


Indeed, the truth is cruel.


Song Wei only touched a corner of it, his heart already indescribably complex, like a huge stone weighing down on it.


At this moment, the resounding drumbeats came from the direction of the Imperial City.


Those with a little knowledge quickly realized it was the Petition Drum that hadn’t been heard in many years.


In the Great Chu Dynasty, the Petition Drum was the only way for the common people to bring grievances to the Emperor’s attention.


According to the rule of "Petition Drum sounding, the Emperor receives the case," only extraordinarily unjust and tragic cases could request the Emperor’s personal handling by beating the Petition Drum. Otherwise, for general minor cases, beating the Petition Drum would result in being punished and imprisoned.


Several senior officials remembered the last time the Petition Drum sounded was five years ago, due to the corruption case during the disaster relief silver for the Jiangsu and Zhejiang floods.


Five years later, the unexpected sounding of the Petition Drum had people scrambling back, even Emperor Guangxi, having worked all day long and just returned to the Emperor’s bedroom for a rest, was shocked, asking the Imperial Chief Steward, "Did I mishear or was the Petition Drum really beaten?"


The Imperial Chief Steward hurried out to inquire about the news, returning two quarters of an hour later, his face pale, he knelt and reported tremblingly, "Your Majesty, someone outside the court struck the Petition Drum, saying they want to accuse the Young Master Lu of privately opening a coal mine in Ningzhou four years ago without court knowledge, burying over eighty miners alive after the mine collapse."


Emperor Guangxi felt a darkness before his eyes and then slammed his palm heavily on the table, "Say that again!"


The Imperial Chief Steward was already trembling with fear, "Your servant, your servant inquired carefully. The person who sounded the Petition Drum is indeed accusing the Young Master Lu of the Changping Princess Mansion of privately opening a coal mine that caused deaths, asking the Emperor to give justice to the bereaved families in Ningzhou."


"Nonsense!" Emperor Guangxi was furious, "Four years ago, how old was Lu Yanqing? How could he have the ability to carry out such a major act under the court’s nose?"


The Imperial Chief Steward dared not respond, only kneeling on the ground, shaking even more violently.


The rules for the Petition Drum are strict; without substantial evidence, who would dare to risk their life to deceive the Emperor?


Emperor Guangxi apparently thought of this too, his complexion growing even darker and more unpleasant. He had no choice but to summon the court officials to the Jinluan Palace and then ordered someone to change his clothes, putting on the Dragon Robe he had just taken off.


Since ascending the throne, it was the first time he encountered such a major case. With the Petition Drum already sounded, it was difficult not to address the public’s grievances.


The person who sounded the Petition Drum narrated the injustice while knocking, and in just a quarter of an hour, it was being talked about everywhere outside.


The nearby government offices were in an uproar.


Nobody expected that four years ago, Lu Yanqing was only a twelve-year-old child, yet his hands were already stained with over eighty lives. If they were slaves or lowly people, it could be dismissed, but those he killed were all commoners of Ningzhou, relying on the heavens for sustenance.


Such a major case is a rare occurrence even in a hundred years.


Meanwhile, the standoff outside the Hanlin Academy continued.


Lu Yanqing, always thinking the world was his for the taking, completely ignored the sound of the Petition Drum. His mind focused solely on one thing: killing the woman in front of him!


Just as he was about to act, he heard someone coming from the Hanlin Academy not far away exclaiming, "Oh my dear mother, I’ve lived half my life, and today is truly an eye-opener. A twelve-year-old child can kill over eighty people and still live safely for four more years. Is it because our Great Chu’s laws are inadequate, or is there some rule where a high status allows one to disregard human life and trample it at will?"


These words bluntly mocked the Imperial Family for indulging the Young Marquis to the point of recklessly ignoring the lives of the people.


Cheng Fei and Su Yaojun were completely frightened, not thinking at all as they abandoned Lu Yanqing and ran away.


Lu Yanqing, provoked by the person’s lament, burned with anger, stepped forward, grabbed his collar, and punched his nose without a word, cursing, "You’re talking nonsense! Dare to blabber another sentence, and I’ll send you to see King Yan!"


The person was beaten until his eyes sparkled and his nose bled. When he saw clearly that it was Lu Yanqing, the accused, who attacked him, he sneered, his eyes full of ridicule, "Such is the family upbringing at the Princess Mansion."


Lu Yanqing couldn’t stand anyone speaking poorly of his mother. He raised his fist to hit again, but his wrist was caught by a strong hand.


Lu Yanqing turned his head to see it was Song Wei and immediately shouted, "Let go of me!"


Listening to the overwhelming sound of the drum, Song Wei felt a chill in his heart. His gaze at Lu Yanqing carried an almost severe coldness, "The Petition Drum has been sounded, and now officials are heading to the Jinluan Palace. Without a doubt, the Jinyi Guard will come to arrest someone soon. How long do you want to keep causing trouble?"


Ultimately, it was a case of outward bravado masking inner fear. Lu Yanqing let go of the person immediately, tried to free his wrist from Song Wei’s grip, only to find the other’s hold too strong to break. He clenched his teeth in anger, wanting to swear again.


"Come and surrender with me!" Song Wei dragged him toward the Imperial City.


Lu Yanqing refused to go, struggling, and decided to bite Song Wei’s arm instead.


Song Wei felt the pain and slightly relaxed his grip.


Seizing the opportunity, Lu Yanqing, without further entanglement, ran desperately forward with a pale face after freeing himself.


Wen Wan looked at Song Wei’s arm, marked with blood from the bite, and couldn’t help frowning, "Why did my husband intervene? Look, you’ve even injured yourself."


As she spoke, she blew on his wound and urged him to go home and apply medicine.


Song Wei pressed his thin lips slightly.


Why intervene?


Because he is the biological son of the Eldest Princess, the same mother as Wanwan’s little brother.


If not for this connection, whether Lu Yanqing grew crooked or not had nothing to do with him.


"Lu Yanqing might be the culprit who nearly killed Father back then."


Facing the young girl, Song Wei could only say this.


Wen Wan was still upset, "Anyway, the Petition Drum has sounded, and the Emperor will personally try the case and give those people justice, so you shouldn’t get involved, right?"


She was genuinely worried about her husband’s unlucky fate; once involved, concerning the Princess Mansion, how could he safely withdraw from such deep waters?


Song Wei looked into his young wife’s pure eyes and ultimately couldn’t bear to refuse, lightly agreeing, "Alright, I won’t get involved."


Wen Wan’s face blossomed with a smile, "Then let’s go home!"