"I will hear this case myself!" After speaking, Fang Yun used the power of his literary guts to seal them off from the outside world, then looked at Yu Bachi and asked, "What has become of those who confessed?"
Yu Bachi immediately replied, "I have already isolated them from the outside world. Their guards are all men I trust, and I have instructed them not to allow outsiders any contact."
"Good! You did very well. Making you the judicial clerk was a waste of your talents. Once you have tempered yourself a little longer, you can be promoted to chief clerk," Fang Yun said.
Yu Bachi froze, then said quietly, "I feel that the position of judicial clerk allows me to put my abilities to better use."
Fang Yun considered this, then nodded. "Then remain the judicial clerk. In a few days, I will propose reforms to the administration and raise the judicial clerk's rank to equal that of the chief clerk."
"Ah?" Yu Bachi looked at Fang Yun in surprise, thinking Fang Yun was doing this for his sake.
Fang Yun smiled faintly and concluded the trial of the plague case. Once the Hall of Punishment issued its official documents, the sentences could be carried out. However, having the Hall of Punishment add a new criminal charge involved many considerations. Such decisions could generally only be made at the Hall of Punishment Grand Assembly held once every five years. Adding a charge outside that schedule might take ten-odd days or even a month.
Fang Yun then ordered everyone to leave and began a secret interrogation. Only two Provincial Graduate advisers of the Legalist School remained in the courtroom to keep records, along with his private secretary Fang Yingwu and Yu Bachi. All the other bailiffs left, and apart from