The You residence was in complete chaos. The rear courtyard rang with the cries of women. Aside from the eldest You brother’s wife, who had accompanied her husband to the prefectural capital, all the wives and concubines of the remaining brothers were swept up by Zhao Baozhu in one net. Their hands were tied together with hemp rope and they were dragged out in a line, there were dozens of them.
The exquisite ornaments decorating the You family residence and the gold, silver, and jewels stored in their treasury left everyone wide-eyed in astonishment. Chest after chest of silver was carried outside. Thinking about how all of it had been wrung from their own blood and sweat, the people’s eyes reddened with fury, yet not a single person secretly reached out to take any of it.
Zhao Baozhu had already told them that these stolen riches were themselves evidence of the You family’s crimes. The money had to be matched against the ledgers and account books before every one of the You family’s offenses over the years could be properly reckoned.
Tao Zhang and Tao Rui stood in the courtyard like guardian deities, occupying a prime position. Their ears listened in all directions and their eyes watched every corner, alert for anyone attempting to escape. Fortunately, most of the servants had already gone to fight the fire. The remaining old, weak, sick, and disabled could hardly run fast even if they wanted to. Faced with a group of burly men glaring at them while gripping sickles and axes, any thought of fleeing died before it could form, their legs had already gone weak.
Shanyi followed Zhao Baozhu inside. Looking at the mess of overturned wine and dishes all over the floor, he frowned.
The kind of man he despised most in his life was one who lost all decency after drinking, and he especially loathed wastrel young masters who indulged in extravagance and excess. He had never imagined that a mere local tyrant in a tiny county town would dare put on such lavish displays. It was obvious how much wealth they must have squeezed from the common people over the years.
Kicking aside the debris scattered across the floor, he walked farther inside while looking around. Suddenly, he spotted the maid and the opera performer cowering in the corner. His gaze froze on the opera performer’s face, and his expression abruptly changed. Striding forward several steps, he seized the performer by the collar and hauled him up.
In the candlelight appeared the heavily painted face of the performer. He screamed in terror, begging for mercy. “M-my lord! Please spare me!”
Shanyi got a clear look at him, and his face immediately darkened like the bottom of a pot. He flung the performer aside, then turned and strode over to You Qian, kicking him viciously in the face.
“Ow!” You Qian was already like a stray dog that had lost its home. After that kick, blood instantly gushed from his nose.
Shanyi glared furiously at him and raised his foot to kick again. “You lust-addled, filthy b*stard! Let’s see if I don’t beat you to death!”
Seeing this, Zhao Baozhu hurriedly stopped him. “Brother Liu, what’s gotten into you?”
Shanyi’s face was iron-blue with rage. Turning back to Zhao Baozhu, he hesitated for a moment before letting out a heavy sigh. Then he spun around, dragged the opera performer over, and threw him onto the floor.
“This old dog actually dared show such disrespect toward you, my lord, doing something this filthy and depraved! If you ask me, we ought to beat him to death on the spot and be done with it!”
Zhao Baozhu saw the pale-faced performer in pink kneeling before him. He frowned and looked him over for a while, still unable to understand how this counted as disrespect toward himself. Raising his head, he said: “So that’s what this is about. He’s just a beast consumed by lust. Brother Liu needn’t be angry.”
Seeing that Zhao Baozhu still hadn’t grasped his meaning, Shanyi nearly choked on his words.
However, once the others saw the performer’s face, they immediately understood. Their expressions changed at once, and they swarmed around You Qian, kicking and punching him from every direction.
Realizing the matter of the performer had been exposed, You Qian’s face turned deathly pale. Under the barrage of blows, he kept pleading for mercy. “H-heroes, spare my life!”
Zhao Baozhu was afraid they might actually beat the man to death. After all, You Qian was still useful to him. He hurriedly pulled the others back.
“Stop hitting him, stop hitting him! At least leave me a living man!”
Who would have thought Shanyi would sneer from behind them, then with a sharp shing draw his sword. Carrying the blade, he strode forward. “Why not let me cut him down right here?”
Zhao Baozhu was so startled he hurriedly turned around to stop him.
“Oh heavens, my good brother, please put that thing away!”
Only after a long bout of chaos did things finally settle down. By the time everyone stopped, You Qian had gained two more gaps where teeth had once been. His whole face was bruised and swollen, looking exactly like a pig’s head.
After spending so long holding everyone back, Zhao Baozhu raised a hand and wiped the sweat from his forehead. “So what exactly happened?”
Shanyi still stared at You Qian like a tiger eyeing prey, clearly feeling the b*stard deserved to be hacked apart on the spot. Seeing Zhao Baozhu still didn’t understand, he frowned and stepped closer, lowering his head to whisper a few words into Zhao Baozhu’s ear.
Zhao Baozhu’s brows twitched slightly upon hearing them, surprise flashing through his eyes. He glanced toward the opera performer and asked doubtfully: “Really?”
The performer naturally understood the matter perfectly well. Already wracked with guilt and fear, he had now been frightened out of his wits. He immediately began kowtowing frantically.
“Please forgive me, my lord! I-I was forced by Third Master You!” As he spoke, he suddenly raised his hand and slapped himself hard across the face several times. “I dared use this face to defile my lord, I deserve death, I deserve death…”
Seeing the man’s face smeared into a mess of red and white makeup, tears and snot all over him, Zhao Baozhu frowned.
“That’s enough, enough. Stop hitting yourself. Take them away first.”
Thus, the performer and the maid were tied up and taken away together with the wives and concubines.
Zhao Baozhu remained standing there, frowning, unsure how he ought to react. This was the first time he had encountered such a thing.
Back when he was little, the village boys used to look down on him for his delicate appearance and would gang up to bully him. After Zhao Baozhu beat every one of them into submission, such things stopped happening. Yet now, from Cao Lian to You Qian, why did these men keep harboring such twisted ideas toward other men?
After thinking it over, Zhao Baozhu realized he was still somewhat angry. He cast a cold glance toward You Qian.
The moment their eyes met, You Qian jolted violently. Then came the faint sound of trickling water, he had been so frightened that he wet himself on the spot.
“Ugh.” Shanyi immediately covered his nose in disgust. “Hurry and drag him out!”
Seeing him in such a pathetic state, Zhao Baozhu could no longer be bothered to say anything else. He ordered people to haul You Qian away as well.
That night, the You residence was ransacked from top to bottom. The pampered wives and concubines, all accustomed to lives of luxury and jewels, had their hands bound and were stuffed into the commoners’ own ox carts. As for the male members of the You family, headed by You Qian, together with the stewards and servants, they did not even have carts to ride in. Iron chains bound them into a long line behind the convoy, forced to follow on foot. If anyone lagged even slightly behind, the shovels and clubs in the hands of the common people immediately greeted them.
As Zhao Baozhu and the others returned from the You residence, the procession resembled a fiery dragon winding slowly through the night toward the city.
As the convoy drew near, candlelights began flickering on one after another inside Wuya County, starting from the city gates. Though the townspeople had extinguished their lamps earlier, in truth no one had slept. Watching Zhao Baozhu’s group return, people quietly opened their doors and stood silently outside, observing as the convoy slowly entered the city.
The lanterns beneath the eaves illuminated face after face, revealing every emotion among the people, joy, anger, hatred, sorrow.
Some watched Zhao Baozhu return victorious, their faces flushed red with excitement, yet they dared not cheer loudly for fear of alarming the criminals and ruining Zhao Baozhu’s plans.
Others stared at the members of the You family within the convoy with eyes full of rage, wishing they could leap forward and personally tear flesh from their bodies.
As the convoy gradually moved deeper into the city, more and more households lit their lamps. It was as though everyone had arranged it beforehand. Amid complete silence, they welcomed the procession into the city.
The You family’s wives and concubines had cried and wailed all along the journey. But now, seeing the hatred in the eyes of the townspeople, even they slowly quieted down. Fear gradually surfaced on their faces.
In the past, they had worn gold and silver in the You residence, living extravagantly like noble ladies, never once considering what became of the people exploited beneath them, nor whether resentment might have festered in their hearts. They believed their wealth and power would endure forever, passed down generation after generation.
Only now, with everything collapsing overnight, did they belatedly realize that the evil they had done had finally come back upon them.
After the torrential rain the previous night, bright sunshine emerged the next morning from the hour of Chen onward.
Inside the yamen, merely sorting and organizing the items confiscated from the You family had taken most of the night.
Speed was paramount in war. On the very next day, Zhao Baozhu worked nonstop, hauling several of the You family’s key stewards into court one after another. Evidence was gathered overnight, witnesses summoned, and the worst offenders rapidly sentenced.
At this moment, Zhao Baozhu sat high above in the courtroom, while below him knelt one of the You family’s stewards.
His eyes were lowered. His lips were red, his complexion pale. Thick lashes cast shadows across his cheeks. Though he had worked through the entire night, not the slightest trace of fatigue could be seen on his face. He remained beautiful as spring blossoms, like a youth stepped out from a painting.
But now, no one in the You household dared underestimate him anymore.
Zhao Baozhu lowered his brows and began reading out the charges one by one in his clear voice: “From the nineteenth year of Yuanzhi to the thirty-second year, you deceived and defrauded others, fabricated false claims, and forcibly seized lands from numerous households. Thirty mu from the Chen family, twenty mu from the Sun family, sixty mu from the Wang family, along with fertile fields and shops from the Zhou, He, Li, and Zhang families and others besides, driving these families to ruin, causing dozens to freeze to death in their homes during the winter of the following year.”
Every single word Zhao Baozhu spoke made the steward tremble once. He clearly knew disaster was at hand, yet still clung to a final thread of hope. On his gaunt face, his bulging eyes looked toward Zhao Baozhu in pleading desperation.
After reading all the charges, Zhao Baozhu slowly exhaled. His eyelids lifted slightly, long lashes curling as cold light flashed in his eyes. Casually, he threw down a punishment token. “Eighty strokes.”
Though his voice was light, to the steward it sounded like thunder from a clear sky.
“M-my lord! Spare me, spare me, !”
Despair filled his face.
All the bailiffs in this county yamen were local people. They had long suffered under the You family’s oppression. Now that the opportunity had come, how could they possibly show mercy? Eighty strokes were enough to beat him to death!
He immediately began begging for mercy, but before he could howl more than twice, the bailiffs seized his arms, covered his mouth, and dragged him away.
Zhao Baozhu did not even raise his eyelids. From the pile of official documents, he picked up the next file and declared loudly: “Next!”
At the small doorway leading from the courtroom to the rear courtyard, Ah Long poked his head in while carrying a bowl of medicine. Seeing Zhao Baozhu calm and composed, he quietly let out a breath of relief and said to Cuiniang: “Old Master didn’t lose his temper today. Looks like what I told him last time really helped. He finally knows to restrain himself now.”
Cuiniang also peered inside, but shook her head. “I wouldn’t be so sure. I think the lord is bottling it all up inside. That may not be a good thing.”
Ah Long froze at her words, then began worrying again. He was still concerned about Zhao Baozhu’s health. The illness from last time had not fully healed. Yesterday he had been drenched in rain again, and now he was working tirelessly day after day, getting angry while refusing to take his medicine properly.
Ah Long sighed deeply, feeling rather world-weary for someone so young. Zhao Baozhu still lacked someone by his side who could truly keep him in check. That young lady from the capital had been quite good, an educated and high-born woman whose words Zhao Baozhu would probably heed far more than those of a mere child like him.
Meanwhile, seated high in the courtroom, Zhao Baozhu had no idea Ah Long was inwardly criticizing him.
In truth, Cuiniang was right.
Looking at the towering stacks of the You family’s crimes laid before him, Zhao Baozhu’s anger had transformed into something deeper, heavier, pressing down upon his heart.
With cold eyes, Zhao Baozhu watched as one steward and servant after another was dragged before him. Their faces brimmed with terror. Some even attempted to bribe him with money, the words utterly unrepentant practically written across their faces.
Zhao Baozhu had long since grown too impatient to waste words on them. His fury had transformed into a more hidden sort of dark fire, quietly burning in the depths of his heart. He needed to conserve his strength, after all, the two true masterminds were still out there at large.
Watching yet another man dragged out of the courtroom, Zhao Baozhu’s eyes gradually turned cold.
This matter would soon reach Second Master You’s ears. He had to deal with all these lesser lackeys before that happened.
For two consecutive days, the county yamen remained brightly lit through the night. Zhao Baozhu sentenced several of the You family’s stewards in succession. The next day, shackled in cangues, they were dragged one by one to the marketplace for public beatings.
There were even more spectators gathered for these punishments than there had been for Fan Yaosan’s execution. The stewards were tied spread-eagle onto benches, screaming as the blows rained down. The common people who had once suffered under them immediately lit strings of bright red firecrackers, filling the air with a deafening burst of celebratory crackling. Some particularly bold folk even set up banquet tables nearby, feasting openly as they watched.
News quickly spread back to the You family.
The servants sent to extinguish the fire had finally managed to put out the flames, but the silk factory had already been reduced to a hollow shell. Fearing punishment from You Qian, they nervously returned to the You residence, only to discover the manor empty. The wives, the stewards, even the concubines had all disappeared.
Leaderless, the servants panicked. Then word arrived that Young Lord Zhao was publicly caning the various stewards in the marketplace, and several had already died under the blows!
The entire group was instantly stunned.
Someone was sent to investigate, and what he saw was several stewards sprawled bloodily across the punishment benches. Around them, townsfolk had laid out lavish feasts, drinking wine and eating meat in joyous celebration.
The scout was so terrified by the sight that he immediately fled in panic.
He raced all the way back to the You residence and reported everything he had seen. The crowd erupted into uproar at once.
Though they were “You family people,” at the end of the day they were only servants earning monthly wages. There had never been much true loyalty between master and servant. Besides, You Qian had already been arrested by the authorities. Were they really expected to storm the yamen and rescue their master?
What was more, the silk factory had burned down. Once the ruthless Second Master You returned, none of them would escape punishment anyway.
Someone suddenly declared: “The tide has turned! We should look out for our own survival now!”
The moment those words were spoken, it was as if a signal had been given.
The crowd immediately descended into chaos. Some began packing up valuables to flee back to their hometowns. Others searched the manor for any treasures left behind. Some wavered uncertainly. The entire courtyard became a noisy uproar.
Only one or two stewards stepped forward, loudly urging everyone to hold the residence together and wait for Second Master You to return and save them.
But at that very moment, two knocks sounded at the gate.
Then a loud voice rang out from outside: “The county magistrate declares: You Qian has already been brought to justice. Any servant of the You family who voluntarily surrenders to the authorities may atone for their crimes through merit. Those who report guilty parties may be spared death. But anyone who flees out of fear of punishment shall certainly be executed!”
After leaving behind those words, the messenger did not even enter. He simply turned and walked away.
Yet the words lingered heavily over everyone’s heads, and the courtyard suddenly fell silent.
The move struck directly at the heart of human nature.
Though many among them had indeed committed terrible deeds, most had merely acted under the orders of the stewards above them. And now, several of those very stewards had already been executed, their heads hanging from the city walls. Clearly, this magistrate was utterly determined to eradicate the You family.
The servants all understood that their status was lowly. If Second Master You returned, they would inevitably be the scapegoats forced to take the blame. But if they handed the stewards over to the authorities now, perhaps the punishment that fell upon themselves would be lighter.
Once people’s hearts began to waver, unity fell apart quickly.
The few overseers who had just moments ago been loudly rallying everyone immediately fell silent. Fearfully, they watched as the surrounding servants slowly turned their heads toward them.
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