Chapter 33 trial [1/2]
With a hard shove, Jerry was pushed onto the floor. Feeling the pain in his joint, he stood up while rubbing them, and was greeted with a sight never seen before. Just in front of him was a few stairs leading to a platform. Only three steps were needed to reach on top of it and on it there were a lot of people that had formed a circle in the middle. Before he thought further on the situation, he was picked up again and dragged up the steps and into the middle of crowd. Along the way, the sneers and jeers were particularly harsh in his ears and at one point some guy even spat in his face. He couldn't even wipe it off because his hands were restrained but he made sure to remember that person.
Once he dragged in to the center. He was once again thrown onto the ground. Surprisingly, it was spacious at the center and there were three chairs with the middle one's fancily decorated with all kinds of designs and patterns. He stood there quietly, monitoring his environments for a while until he noticed the crowd creating a huge path as quickly as possible. He tried to understand what was going on, so he put his palm across his eyebrows to block away the sun and saw two gentlemen with hands behind their back walking forward while a lady was between them. He immediately recognized her as the princess who gave him the ultimatum a month ago.
Without mulling over it, Jerry turned towards the people in chains beside him and whispered in a tone the rest of the crowd couldn't hear.
"Hey, are you also waiting to be judged?"
All he got in return was a sneer and the other party immediately ignored him. He turned to his other side and repeated the same question but got the same result. Seeing no merit in continuing, he also kept his silence and awaited. A few minutes later, almost everything had settled down, the judges into their seats, the noisy crowd, even the singing birds seem to chirp quietly.
"Thank you all for coming. My father, the mayor entrusted me to always watch over these events because they determine our face in the outside world. My father has created a safe ground in the harsh wilderness. The beasts, the lack of food and shelter, dangerous climates, all these are non existent here. My father created a formation that protects us all using his blood and sweat. And as if that wasn't enough, he made sure to create a city for all the people to trade and live ravishingly. Ever since then, I vowed not to tarnish his name and dignity.
The people he cares the most are those who live in his manor, they enjoy benefits far beyond the common man and their authority hold weight in the city. Who would have thought that these very people are the ones who betrayed his trust and did such unspeakable things! I get angrier as I talk so let's stop and get to the trial."
With the conclusion of that speech, she sat down with hands in front of her in an elegant manner and sat down, followed by the two gentlemen also taking their seats. What could be noticed were the two chained up people and three others in rags who were sitting in the center of the platform just a few meters near the princess and her subordinates. Her eyes turned towards the first person from the right of the group.
"Qin Beifei, 32 years old, was hired in the third song of the sun this year. You haven't worked diligently but we have allowed you to do miscellaneous work, thinking your strength was too little. We didn't expect that you were a vicious snake, biting our ankles after how we took care of you. Not only were you lazy, you also dared to rape one of the maids as she returned home. Your wickedness knows no bounds and I can only sentence you to death. Let this manor be rid of your heinousness and let the justice be carried out. As per the rules governing this city and entire mountain, I sentence you to death."
"Miss, I am sorry. It was in the heat of the moment and I was drunk. I promise I won't do it aga-"
slash
With that noise, a head fell on the ground. The crowd suddenly fell quiet. Even a pin dropping in grass could be heard from this silence. No one saw what happened to the corpse, all was seen was a chained up miscreant trying to amend himself and then there was no more. Cold sweat appeared on the back of the rest of the audience and no one dared to say a peep at this time. Then the lady turned towards the next chained up person. As if feeling a tiger's gaze, he almost collapsed. As if overcoming a certain fear, the man pointed at a woman in the crowd.
" I am completely innocent. I wasn't anywhere near the victim two weeks ago. She can testify to it. I was home all alone while while he was killed by the beast. I would never dare to go deep into the forest at that time of the night. I beg of you to let me go. I would never dare to harm a fellow worker on this manor."
"Even though you say that, the evidence says otherwise. Your life signature was found near the corpse a week ago. It almost disappeared but you didn't expect that we would discover that he was missing. Usually, a warrior gets reported missing after two months of not returning because they might be cultivating in the mountains but we got a tip about where the body might be found. Since you seem to have other evidence, ask your wife then and let's hear her out."
"My dear Yui, please tell them. Tell them what happened that night. You took care of me that night, made me chamomile tea, we discussed about our happy life and future goals. You remember now do you!"
Everyone's eyes turned towards the said lady and noticed the sores on her face and swellings.
"Everyone, it's ok. She fell down a few weeks ago from a tree and I've been taking care of her ever since. That's why her face is like that."
Everyone seemed to understand and turned towards her again, waiting for her testimony.
"My lady, what my husband says it's true. I was with him the night that Shen died."
The man in chains grinned knowingly and was about to speak out.
"And I'm the one who gave out the tip about Shen's murder."
A loud roar was suddenly heard near the princess.
"YOU SLUT"