Judging a ghost's case by night

Truth be told, the idea of a county office trying a ghost's case at night really stirred people's curiosity, and the martial artist guarding the merchant Jia Yuntong was no exception.

As the Chief Constable described how a ghost had come at night to beat the grievance drum, and how Yuanjiang County's magistrate had actually heard her case, everyone present was astonished. Even the anxious guests and dancing girls stopped clamoring. But as the martial artist listened, his eyes kept sweeping his surroundings, checking where every officer stood.

The Chief Constable knew his opponent would be difficult to handle. Intending to dull the expert's vigilance, he addressed him.

"I don't know what school of martial arts you hail from. Our Yuanjiang County Office is a small establishment, and it's true that no one here can subdue you. But as a man of Rivers and Lakes, aren't you afraid your peers will scorn you for protecting a villainous merchant like Jia Yuntong?"

The man shook his head slightly.

"A fine story. But you still won't be taking him away, and if I want to leave, you can't stop me!"

"Heh, naturally, we don't have the ability to stop you from leaving. But taking someone this fat with you won't be so easy. Our men are all over the boat and the shore!"

Although the constables struck earlier were still in pain, most had risen to their feet. Together with several Strong Constables, they surrounded the pleasure boat's inner hall.

The martial artist frowned slightly. Unless absolutely necessary, he did not want to reveal the distinctive features of his martial arts, so he turned his head toward Jia Yuntong.

"I'll protect you while we leave. Stay close."

"But I still have a lot of valuable paintings and calligraphy aboard..."

The martial artist turned his cold gaze on Jia Yuntong, who immediately fell silent.

"Rest assured, hero. Get me away safely, and I'll reward you generously!"

"Mm."

One moment, the martial artist was murmuring to Jia Yuntong. The next, he flashed to one side like a phantom and drove both palms hard into two constables' chests.

Thump! Thump!

Before either constable could react, they were hurled backward through the side of a cabin, smashing it apart and plunging into the river with the splintered wood.

"Go!"

The martial artist seized Jia Yuntong's belt, drew up a surge of inner energy, and charged toward the breach with him.

The Chief Constable's pupils contracted. He and the other constables drew their blades together to bar the way.

"Where do you think you're going!"

But their converging blades struck neither the martial artist nor Jia Yuntong. Carrying a man who weighed nearly two hundred jin, the expert leaped straight out, leaving the Chief Constable seething with fury.

Just then, as the martial artist carried Jia Yuntong toward the broken planks floating on the river, he heard something whistle through the air. Alarm flared in his heart, and almost instinctively, he struck Jia Yuntong with a soft palm.

The two separated, one to the left and one to the right. At that same instant, a sharp arrow shot between them, then struck a corner of the pleasure boat with a thunk.

"The County Commandant is here!"

"Stop, you villain!"

Another shout approached from the distance, and a figure leaped toward the martial artist, who had just landed on the wharf.

"It's the instructor!" "The instructor and the County Commandant are here!"

The newcomers were Yuanjiang County's County Commandant and martial instructor. After the constables and runners had departed, they had followed as a precaution, meeting the constable sent for reinforcements right at the city gate.

The constables and runners' spirits lifted, and someone immediately shouted.

"Get off the boat and help capture the criminals!"

The constables and runners rushed ashore, swinging blades and staves as they attacked the martial artist. An older martial practitioner in close-fitting clothes joined the assault, while the County Commandant farther away drew his bow to shoot.

The fight became a tangled melee, moving from one side of the wharf to the other. Having to protect Jia Yuntong also occupied a considerable share of the martial artist's attention.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The martial artist tapped his feet against several steel blades and felt a fierce rush of air behind him. Ordinarily, he would not have cared, but with blades and staves ahead and a powerful bow beyond them, he had no choice but to reveal his true abilities.

He twisted in midair, swinging his powerful arms like whips and striking with them in succession-Stele-Shattering Ape Palm.

Thump!

The Old Instructor exchanged a palm strike with him and was sent flying. But the martial artist was now airborne with nothing to push off from, and a piercing whistle came straight toward him. Seizing the opportunity, the County Commandant fired three arrows in rapid succession, unleashing one of the Imperial Court's supreme military techniques.

The martial artist strained every muscle to evade the first two arrows, but the third was too fast. The surge of inner energy he had drawn up was exhausted, leaving him no strength to maneuver. With nowhere to dodge, he could only try to catch the arrow with his left hand.

Scrrrch!

The arrow tore through his palm, churning flesh and blood. Its momentum carried it onward until it lodged shallowly in his shoulder. He gave a muffled grunt and fell backward, yet still used the rotation imparted by the arrow to fling his right hand forward. A cold glint flashed from his sleeve and vanished.

But that movement left him unable to steady himself, and he dropped straight down.

Almost simultaneously, several staves slammed hard into his back.

"Urgh..."

With a muffled grunt, the martial artist finally fell. Several steel blades were laid against him, and his major acupoints were immediately sealed.

Everyone was panting. With two runners supporting him, Yuanjiang County's Old Instructor struggled to his feet.

A little farther away, the County Commandant was likewise sweating and slightly breathless. His bow had fallen to the ground, and his left hand covered the right side of his collarbone, where a steel dart had buried itself deeply. Blood kept welling out. Fear lingered in his heart: had he not moved his head aside, his skull would have split open. This man's martial arts were formidable!

"Sir, Jia Yuntong has been captured too!"

"Drive everyone off the boat and escort them all to the County Office!"

As the County Commandant issued his orders, he looked at the wounded constables and runners. Some had already lost consciousness, and there was no telling how serious their injuries were. That damned martial artist!

Quite some time had passed, and those waiting at the County Office were growing increasingly anxious.

Fortunately, good news finally arrived. Only by gathering nearly all of Yuanjiang County's official fighting strength had they subdued the martial artist and captured Jia Yuntong's party.

"Sir, Jia Yuntong has been captured!"

At the runner's report, Magistrate Lin barked an order.

"Bring him before the court!"

The White-Clad Woman at the entrance watched Jia Yuntong and his party approach, her face growing steadily more savage. An icy wind swirled around the County Office gates, chilling everyone who passed through it and making their scalps prickle.

When the pale-faced Jia Yuntong passed, supported by two constables, the White-Clad Woman glared at him and let out a shrill laugh.

"Hehehehehe... hahahahaha..."

The laughter was so terrifying and chilling that everyone in the courtroom heard it.

"There really is a ghost!" "Oh, mother!"

"A ghost!"

Crack!

"Silence!"

Magistrate Lin's furious shout accompanied the crack of his courtroom block, and the entire room instantly fell silent.

Jia Yuntong's legs had gone completely limp. The two constables practically dragged him into the courtroom, and the moment they released him, he collapsed on the floor, looking around in panic.

Seated beside the Private Secretary, Yi Shuyuan looked toward He Xin outside, then cast a sidelong glance at the villainous merchant and gave a soft, cold snort.

Magistrate Lin looked down at the heap of boneless flesh on the courtroom floor.

"Are you Jia Yuntong, the merchant from River Prefecture?"

"Th-this humble man is..."

"Was it you who caused the death of He Xin, the woman from Wu Prefecture?"

"Th-this humble man knows nothing about it!"

Hearing that, Magistrate Lin could no longer contain his anger. He slammed the courtroom block down.

Crack!

The blow left Magistrate Lin's hand numb. He rose and shouted furiously.

"You brazen, wicked merchant! He Xin's wronged spirit stands just outside this court, yet you still dare offer shameless excuses! Men, put him to torture!"

Straight to torture. Magistrate Lin really does wear his heart on his sleeve, Yi Shuyuan thought with quiet admiration.

But Jia Yuntong immediately screamed, the situation actually making him forget his fear.

"Sir, even if ghosts really exist, would you believe a ghost over a living man? As the saying goes, ghosts spin endless lies. How can you trust a ghost's words?"

Yi Shuyuan frowned and looked toward the court with concern, only for Magistrate Lin to reply with repeated cold sneers.

"Then let us set aside the case of He Xin for now. You refused to appear and grievously injured several of my runners. That is contempt for this court and contempt for the Imperial Court! Men, apply the Finger-Crushing Cangue!"

"Sir, sir, I've been wronged! I wasn't the one who hurt them!"

No one paid any heed to Jia Yuntong's screams. Once the Finger-Crushing Cangue was fitted around all ten fingers, four runners pulled the ropes tight from either side, and his cries of innocence immediately became the shrieks of a pig being slaughtered.

"Aah! It hurts! It hurts!"

"Harder!"

The four runners gritted their teeth and pulled together. Jia Yuntong's howls turned from outgoing cries to desperate inward gasps, leaving only strangled grunts. He could no longer even scream.

By the time the Finger-Crushing Cangue was loosened, Jia Yuntong's ten fingers were misshapen. Clearly, more than one had been broken.

"Hmph. Now let us discuss your deceiving and abducting innocent women. Under Imperial Court law, that crime is punishable by beheading!"

"What?"

Although pain twisted Jia Yuntong's face, he knelt on the floor, kowtowing repeatedly and continuing to argue his innocence.

"Please investigate clearly, sir! I've been wronged! I've been wronged! I merely passed through on business. I never did anything..."

Outside the office, the White-Clad Woman laughed bitterly again and again. Her ghostly visage grew increasingly horrific. She wished she could eat his flesh and drink his blood!

Yet although her appearance was frightening, her vicious aura was much weaker than before. Yi Shuyuan actually felt less afraid. He even shook his head slightly toward the entrance and gently pressed his hand downward to reassure her from afar, knowing that Magistrate Lin did not believe Jia Yuntong at all.

Compared with Yi Shuyuan's earlier vivid, heartfelt account, Jia Yuntong's excuses made it obvious to everyone present who was sincere and who harbored a guilty ghost in his heart.

"If you would give this humble man a chance, sir, I'm willing to donate five thousand taels of silver to the Yuanjiang County Office for charitable purposes!"

Jia Yuntong was so desperate that he actually shouted those words in open court.

Magistrate Lin sneered repeatedly. He admitted he was no incorruptible official. He liked money, and in the past had accepted silver from wealthy local households in exchange for certain reasonable conveniences. But in this matter, everything about Jia Yuntong could only turn his stomach.

"Bribing an Imperial Court official compounds your crime!"

After delivering those cold words, Magistrate Lin looked toward Yi Shuyuan.

"Mr. Yi, is Miss He Xin still here?"

Something stirred faintly in Yi Shuyuan's heart. He rose and bowed, then spoke in a deep voice, blending his own emotions with a trace of the hatred he sensed from the woman.

"In answer to your question, sir, Miss He has been here all along. She is standing outside the courtroom, watching Jia Yuntong. When he passed beneath the entrance just now, she nearly lunged at him. She is now pacing by the door, as though she longs to rush inside and devour Jia Yuntong's flesh and blood alive!"

Jia Yuntong shuddered violently. Yi Shuyuan's voice seemed to reach straight into his heart. He looked toward the entrance. At that moment, icy winds gusted and ghostly wails rose. As resentment and guilty fear battered against each other, a white-robed figure wearing a bitter smile took shape before his eyes, growing clear from a blur-a livid face, protruding fangs, and crimson eyes...

The Chief Constable's earlier words echoed in Jia Yuntong's heart: "Will you come to the County Office, or wait for the wronged spirit to come to your door as a vengeful ghost?"

"Aah! No, don't come closer! Lust blinded me! I'm not human! Spare me, spare me!"

Sprawled on the floor, Jia Yuntong kicked with both legs as he shrank farther inside. Then, as though remembering something, he hurriedly turned toward the magistrate's bench, pressed his mangled hands against the floor, and kowtowed.

"Sir, I confess! I'll confess everything! I caused their deaths! It was me!"

Thud, thud, thud!

Jia Yuntong kowtowed repeatedly, frightened nearly out of his body.

Yi Shuyuan's eyes widened slightly as he watched Jia Yuntong. Had this man seen He Xin too? Of course. He was the one who most deserved to see her!

At that moment, everyone in the courtroom watched Jia Yuntong with cold eyes. Some looked toward the gates outside. Even the captured martial expert beyond the courtroom stared at the office entrance in horror.