The Shanyin County Court was situated at the eastern end of the West City, facing south with its back to the north. At its entrance stood two stone lions as tall as humans, and on either side of the dark red lacquered main gates were two large drums.
However, these drums were covered in dust, suggesting they hadn't been struck in quite some time.
Inside the courthouse compound were numerous buildings. Beyond the three main halls, there were orderly arrangements of various offices: the Deputy Magistrate's Office, the Chief Sheriff's Office, the Secretary's Office, the Three Department quarters, the Six Bureaus, the Tax Bureau, the Silver Bureau, the Archives, and the prison cells. In the northeastern corner, there was a dedicated residence for the County Magistrate.
Throughout the Great Liang dynasty, county magistrates were almost always appointed from above, with locals rarely serving in these positions.
Typically, barring any mistakes, after completing their three-year term, these magistrates would usually be promoted. Even without promotion, they would be transferred to other locations.
This was why magistrates rarely purchased homes in their assigned locations, choosing instead to reside within the courthouse compound.
Moreover, living in the courthouse allowed magistrates to handle matters promptly, giving an impression of diligence and dedication to their duties.
The prison cells were located in the southwestern corner, divided into male and female sections. Upon entering the prison compound, one would find a Prison God Temple, used for worshiping the Prison God. When the cells were overcrowded, this temple could serve as temporary detention space.
After being brought to the Shanyin County Court, Wei Changle and his two companions were first confined in the Prison God Temple.
The temple had makeshift cells in both corners, enclosed by wooden bars. They were quite spacious, each able to hold about ten people.
However, when the three were confined there, the space was empty.
Upon entering the temple, the constables immediately fitted Wei Changle and Zhinu with wooden cangues around their hands.
Perhaps considering Old Wei Gu too elderly to pose a threat, they merely bound his hands behind his back without using a cangue.
The cell was rather bare, with only a few tattered straw mats on the floor and nothing else.
The three sat cross-legged on the worn mats, their backs against the cold walls, surrounded by the damp, musty air.
"Second Master, why didn't you reveal your identity?" After the constables left, Zhinu carefully asked, "Why let them bully us?"
Instead of answering, Wei Changle turned to Old Wei Gu and asked, "Old fellow, with the County Magistrate absent, who's in charge of the courthouse?"
"The Deputy Magistrate," Wei Gu promptly replied. "He's second-in-command, handling all affairs both large and small when the magistrate is away."
"So that Captain Wang of the constables now answers to the Deputy Magistrate?"
"The Deputy Magistrate can oversee them, but the Three Departments staff ultimately report to the Chief Sheriff," Wei Gu explained the courthouse structure in detail.
The highest authority was naturally the County Magistrate, who had two deputies under him: the Deputy Magistrate and the Secretary.
These three were all official appointees with formal ranks in the imperial court, part of the established bureaucracy.
Below these three court-appointed officials was the Chief Sheriff, also called the Lead Official, though without formal rank and considered outside the official hierarchy.
Below them were the Three Departments and Six Bureaus: The Three Departments consisted of the Ceremonial Unit, the Constabulary Unit, and the Guard Unit, responsible respectively for ceremonial duties, criminal investigation and arrest, and patrol and guard duties. The Six Bureaus corresponded to the six ministries of the imperial court, each with its own responsibilities.
"Those constables today wearing arrest warrants at their waists must be from the Constabulary Unit, and Wang must be their captain," Wei Gu explained systematically. "However, they can only make arrests; they don't have the authority to convict. Conviction requires a formal trial, complete with witnesses and evidence, and final judgment by the County Magistrate. Even after the Magistrate's ruling, the case must be reported up through the provincial government, level by level. For capital cases, they must be submitted to the Ministry of Justice in the capital, and execution can only proceed with their approval."
Wei Changle smiled. "It seems you're not entirely useless after all."
Old Wei Gu merely chuckled and asked, "Second Master, what should we do next? We surely can't stay locked up here indefinitely."
Wei Changle didn't answer, just looked up at the ceiling, lost in thought.
After a while, Wei Changle asked, "What did you think of what we saw entering the city today?"
"Second Master, you mean the people in the Wretched Quarter?" Zhinu's expression darkened as he spoke softly, "I never imagined the people of Shanyin could live like that... that's no way for humans to live." The youth's eyes reddened again at the memory of the miserable scenes they had witnessed.
Wei Changle nodded slightly, murmuring, "Indeed, they are human, and humans shouldn't live like that."
"Second Master, you...?"
Wei Changle's gaze grew determined as he spoke slowly, "They live like this because some people don't want them to live like proper humans." He paused before continuing calmly, "But since they are human, they deserve to live as such. Now I understand what I must do in Shanyin - seek justice. Whoever doesn't want them to live as humans, I'll make sure they can't live as humans themselves."
Enlightenment at Longchang!
"Second Master, whoever can make so many people live less than human lives must be quite powerful," Wei Gu turned to look at Wei Changle, his tone remaining steady. "Can the three of us really be their match?"
Wei Changle replied calmly, "Once you've resolved to do something, there's no need to think about life or death. Either we succeed, or we die here. When you put yourself at the edge of death, nothing is impossible."
Wei Gu quickly responded, "Second Master, watch your words! Don't speak of death."
"Everyone dies eventually, some deaths heavy as Mount Tai, others light as a feather," Wei Changle's lips curved into a smile. "But if I really die here, the Wei Family Cavalry will surely come to collect my corpse. If my old man cares about his face, he'll probably clean out everyone who killed me while he's at it. So whether I live or die, the dark clouds over Shanyin will be torn apart. If heaven is heartless, I'll pierce through it myself."
"Heavy as Mount Tai, light as a feather...!" Zhinu softly repeated, his eyes brightening with admiration. "Second Master, your... your words are so profound. Whatever Second Master asks Zhinu to do, Zhinu will do it. I'm not afraid of death."
Wei Changle laughed heartily, "How old are you? You're meant to live a long life, kid, you won't die." Suddenly remembering something, he turned to Wei Gu and asked, "Old fellow, have you heard of the Three Beast Force?"
Wei Gu started, asking back, "What Three Beast Force?"
"So you don't know," Wei Changle sighed disappointedly. "I always thought the mansion sent you to follow me because you were a hidden master. Now I'm finally certain - you're just useless, truly worthless. Zhinu, on the other hand, thinking of living and dying with me - that's a true brother."
Zhinu replied sheepishly, "Second Master, Zhinu is just a servant, I dare not claim brotherhood."
"Zhinu is right, we are servants, how could we claim brotherhood with Second Master?" Old Wei Gu said with a smile. "Second Master speaking like this would frighten us to death."
"Shut up," Wei Changle said irritably, then lowered his head, muttering to himself, "Beautiful Teacher said I practiced the Lion Force, which is why I'm so strong. Today when those thugs hit me with their clubs, I felt no pain at all, not even a mark was left - could this be because of the Lion Force?"
After Fu Wenjun had revealed the existence of the Three Beast Force to him, Wei Changle had been trying to search his memories for clues about the Lion Force. Unless the fusion with the host was incomplete and some memories were missing, there was absolutely nothing about the Lion Force in the host's memories.
"Oh right!" Zhinu suddenly realized something and asked anxiously, "The horses! Second Master, our horses are still in the Wretched Quarter, what should we do?"
Wei Changle, though interrupted in his thoughts, wasn't angry. He just said, "What are you worried about? When the time comes, someone will naturally return our horses to us safe and sound."
"Someone's coming," Zhinu, with his keen senses, suddenly warned in a low voice.
They heard the Prison God Temple's main door being pushed open, followed by the sound of it closing. Soon they saw someone walking slowly towards them - it was Captain Wang, carrying the package he had confiscated from Zhinu earlier.
He stopped at the cell door, threw the package on the ground, and said with an unpleasant expression, "I hear you came from Taiyuan? This package is full of old rags, not a single copper coin - how did you get here?"
"Captain Wang, were you hoping to find silver in the package?" Wei Changle mocked. "Are you that interested in silver?"
Captain Wang's face was cold: "You're suspects. Checking suspects' personal belongings for evidence is only natural."
"If we really had silver, why would we keep it in a package?" Wei Changle said. "Those are just spare clothes."
Captain Wang glanced at the main door, then squatted down outside the cell and smiled, "You should know that some matters are lighter than two taels before weighing, but heavier than a thousand jin once weighed. Today's incident could be overlooked with a blind eye, but if we really investigate - destroying the noodle shop, bullying civilians, wielding weapons to harm others - that's no different from banditry. They say Shanyin is a land of a thousand bandits, with thieves everywhere. If we say you're bandits from the mountains, who would argue?"
"What are you suggesting?"
"Life isn't easy for any of us," Captain Wang said with a smile. "It's not easy for you, and it's not easy for me either. Why don't we figure out a way to get through this together? Wouldn't that make everyone happy?"
[--------------------------------------------]
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