"Sima Shi's crimes are heinous beyond measure!!"
"Sima Shi is in the prime of his life and holds a crucial office, yet he often feigns illness and refuses to appear. He commands a mighty army but shows none of the propriety of a subject. The ministers loathe him, and men of ambition despise him. Everyone under heaven knows this. This is his first crime!"
"Sima Yi fought the enemy, reclaimed land, and stockpiled provisions, hoping one day to subdue them. As a minister and Sima Yi's son, Sima Shi failed to carry on his father's great work and gave up before defeating the enemy. Disloyal as a subject and unfilial as a son-this is his second crime!!"
"Sima Shi was powerless against foreign foes, lost troops, and suffered defeat. Years of preparation were destroyed in a single day, throwing the realm into turmoil and leaving countless commoners dead or wounded. This is his third crime!!"
"Sima Shi..."
Guo Ze stood atop the southern platform in Heyin County, an edict in hand, reading it aloud to the crowd.
Several hundred people stood below the platform, with County Commandant Wang at their head.
Apart from the seven or eight burly men behind County Commandant Wang, the others did not look capable of much fighting.
They were a thoroughly mixed lot: sword-wearing Wanderers, convicts with characters tattooed on them, starving refugees, and even merchants.
They stood in a noisy jumble beneath the platform, without any formation, much armor, or, of course, much in the way of weapons. They seemed not even to know why they were standing there.
Above them, Guo Ze vigorously denounced Sima Shi's crimes, while below, they carried on their own conversations.
The scene was exceptionally chaotic.
Guo Ze listed Sima Shi's twelve crimes in detail, condemning him as utterly