Secular Immortal of the Nine Realms - Chapter 168
Chapter 168: Reviewing Again
“Your Highness, we can’t allow that scum to escape again!”
“Please be assured that he won’t get away this time.”
“That’d be for the best.”
The civilians slowly scattered after receiving the Auspicious King’s reassurance.
The surrounding area was filled with elites from the Valiant Defenders. As an additional layer of security, Jie Panshi had even deployed his elite crossbowmen. They were ready to shoot down Zhao Yan if he made any suspicious moves.
The Auspicious King slowly walked over, only to be stopped by Xia Song.
“Father, that shackle is only for show. He is astoundingly powerful. You shouldn’t get too close lest he harm you.”
The crowd was bewildered to hear that.
“Young master, how did you capture him?” Jue Panshi asked.
The people gathered here were familiar with what Xia Song was capable of. Logically speaking, Xia Song shouldn’t have been capable of capturing Zhao Yan alive…
“Imperial Duke Fang has returned,” Xia Song replied. “He was the one who captured Zhao Yan.”
Fang Chen? Some people were delighted to hear that, but there were also a few who frowned.
Fang Chen was a massive mountain that couldn’t be overlooked in the South Immortal Commandery. Just the knowledge of his return was enough to leave some feeling so suffocated that they found it hard to breathe.
“Imperial Duke Fang didn’t cripple his martial cultivation?” the Auspicious King asked.
“He didn’t.” Xia Song shook his head.
Fang Chen was able to get Zhao Yan to obediently follow Xia Song back without crippling his martial cultivation? The crowd was impressed by Fang Chen’s means. Even a vile criminal like that obediently listened to him.
“Zhao Yan was the one who kidnapped Xia He and Fang Zhixue?” the Auspicious King asked with a suppressed voice.
Xia Song nodded.
The Auspicious King breathed a sigh of relief. Fang Zhixue should have safely returned to the Fang Manor now, so our Auspicious King Manor won’t be implicated by that matter.
He turned to Zhao Yan and suddenly took a cold tone, “Zhao Yan, do you plead guilty?”
“I am innocent,” Zhao Yan calmly replied.
Those words sparked criticisms and insults from the nearby students, but Zhao Yan wasn’t fazed in the least.
“Zhao Yan, you have truly disappointed me.” Master Chen stepped forward to look at Zhao Yan before letting out a small sigh and shaking his head.
“Master Chen.” Zhao Yan’s expression finally faltered. “I have never committed those vile deeds. Someone else is responsible for the murders. I have never done anything that would embarrass the school.”
“Are you still going to deny it even now?”
“Don’t think that the evidence will suddenly disappear just because years have passed!”
“It isn’t enough for you to lose an eye! We should blind your other eye too so that you’ll finally confess to your crimes!”
“A beast cloaked in human skin! You have thoroughly embarrassed our school!”
The students of the school berated Zhao Yan.
There was one who was the fiercest in his insults. His face was reddened, and he looked particularly agitated. After scolding Zhao Yan, he turned to the Auspicious King and bowed. “Your Highness, I implore you to execute Zhao Yan right away so that those innocent women can rest in peace. Otherwise, our South Immortal Commandery will know no peace!”
“Brother Yu is right!”
“Your Highness, please execute Zhao Yan on the spot!”
A few other students stood forward too.
Some of the officials heard their pleas and spoke up too, “We have already concluded the case back then. The evidence was overwhelming, so there is no reason for us to review it once more. I don’t think it would be wise for us to drag it out lest Zhao Yan escape once more. Why don’t we execute him today?”
Master Chen quietly sighed. It subtly relayed his agreement, albeit a resigned one.
Zhao Yan calmly looked at the crowd with faint disdain in his eyes.
“In my view…” Jue Panshi suddenly spoke up. There was a slight pause of contemplation before he continued, “…we should review the case once more.”
His words surprised the crowd.
The students looked at Jue Panshi with raging eyes. These Valiant Defenders always insist on acting against common good. What have they ever done for the people?
The officials were baffled.
Jue Panshi was the one who judged the case years ago, and he was the one who made the verdict to execute Zhao Yan after just a few days. Some officials questioned whether he was being too reckless, but he insisted on having his way.
Why did Jue Panshi suddenly change his attitude? Zhao Yan had embarrassed Jue Panshi by escaping right under his nose back then. There was a period of time when Jue Panshi couldn’t even walk with his head up. By right, Jue Panshi should be filled with anger toward Zhao Yan.
Zhao Yan looked at Jue Panshi with a hint of mirth in his eyes. Things have indeed changed.
The Auspicious King spent a moment in thought when he suddenly realized something. He first looked at Jue Panshi, followed by Zhao Yan, before voicing his verdict too, “Indeed. Years have passed since. We should review the case to be thorough.”
The newly-appointed Commandery Chief Ouyang dared not oppose the two veterans in the South Immortal Commandery. He could only obediently nod in agreement.
Jue Panshi instructed his centurions to take custody of Zhao Yan.
It was during then that a centurion suddenly shouted out loud, drawing the attention of the nearby crowd. “He has five sword wounds on his body! Some of them are severe wounds that nearly reached his organs!”
The crowd couldn’t believe what they had just heard. They rushed over to take a look, and they saw five glaring wounds on Zhao Yan’s body. An ordinary person would have long died from those wounds.
Yet, Zhao Yan maintained a nonchalant expression and a dignified posture.
The crowd was baffled.
Xia Song asked with a frown, “Why didn’t you retaliate? Do you remember who wounded you?”
“They are just a bunch of commoners,” Zhao Yan impassively replied. “I won’t die from these wounds. You need not be so worried.”
“Who’s worried about you?” Xia Song sneered. He turned to Jue Panshi and said, “Lord Jue, you should bring him over to the prison and have a physician check his injuries, lest he drop dead before we review the case. Others might accuse us of privately punishing him otherwise.”
“Understood.” Jue Panshi nodded.
He and his men quickly escorted Zhao Yan to their barracks.
“Commandery Chief Ouyang, go and retrieve Zhao Yan’s case scrolls. We’ll gather together tonight to go over the case before judging Zhao Yan tomorrow,” the Auspicious King said.
“Yes, Your Highness.” Commandery Chief Ouyang nodded before leaving with the other officials.
“Master Chen, you should come over tomorrow,” the Auspicious King said.
Master Chen nodded. He was about to say something when a student stepped forward and clasped his fist, saying, “Your Highness, Master Chen, Zhao Yan has gone to great lengths to conceal the fact that he’s a martial artist. I fear he is up to something. Could he be planning to harm some of us during tomorrow’s judgment?”
It was the student whom the others addressed as ‘Brother Yu’. He had decent facial features and an upright posture. Despite being dressed in scholar robes, he had a general’s disposition.
“What’s your suggestion?” the Auspicious King asked.
“It’s not too late to review the case after crippling his martial cultivation,” Brother Yu said.
Regarding that, the Auspicious King calmly replied, “Imperial Duke Fang was the one who captured him. Don’t you think that Imperial Duke Fang had refrained from crippling his martial cultivation because he didn’t think that Zhao Yan could threaten us?”
Brother Yu was taken aback.
“If Zhao Yan truly sought violence, what happened earlier would have been a good pretext for him to make a move,” Master Chen added. “Yu Zhang, you’re overthinking things. Zhao Yan might have returned with a regretful heart, hoping to conclude this matter once and for all.”
Yu Zhang fell silent.
Master Chen left with his students afterward. Similarly the Auspicious King brought Xia Song and Xia He back to their manor.
“Father, I think Yu Zhang’s words make sense. It’ll be safer for us to cripple Zhao Yan’s martial cultivation,” Xia Song said.
The Auspicious King eyed him. “Have you stopped to wonder why Imperial Duke Fang neither killed him nor crippled his martial cultivation?”
“Father, you’re saying that…” Xia Song was astonished.
