140: Trial begins

"The weather is fine and sunny; it seems tomorrow will be a good day for executions."

Zhou Yan felt the fresh air, watching officials being escorted into the main hall one by one.

Most of them looked dazed, clearly having suffered inhuman torture.

However, remembering the sordid things they had done, this could be considered their just desserts.

After all the officials were brought into the hall, the trial officials also took their seats one after another.

Seeing that everyone was present, Zhou Yan walked to the main seat of the court, acting as the chief judge for this case.

"Clack."

With a strike of the Gavel, Zhou Yan took out the Great Repentance Record and called out names one by one.

The common people watching outside the court loudly cursed these corrupt officials, and for a time, public sentiment was inflamed.

However, each time a name was called, the officials kneeling below did not show fear, but rather a sense of relief, as if a certain shackles had been removed.

Zhou Yan quickly listed all the crimes and issued the final verdict.

"Tomorrow at noon, all will be beheaded."

At these words, the entire hall was shocked.

Not to mention the hasty timing of the executions, the sheer number of officials to be executed simultaneously, without even following proper procedures, was enough to cause surprise.

Prefect Qiao was the most restless among them.

In the past few days, he had found out that his younger brother, Qiao Wenbin, had been acting recklessly behind his back for years.

This time, he had been secretly used by his brother, unknowingly becoming a protective umbrella, shielding countless dark dealings.

But he also understood that among these evil deeds, there was a part his brother had shouldered for him.

Over the years, if not for his brother, he probably wouldn't have been able to remain stable in the Prefect position until his impending retirement.

Therefore, the more he investigated, the more he hated his brother's mistakes, and the more he hated his own ignorance.

Qiao Wenze had actually learned of his younger brother's fate from Li Cheng.

He had intended to trade his official position for Qiao Wenbin's life, and then use all his connections to protect his brother as much as possible.

But Zhou Yan's judgment of execution tomorrow gave him no time to maneuver.

This forced him to fight for Qiao Wenbin one last time.

Qiao Wenze looked at his younger brother's tired but resolute expression below, and finally stood up and said.

"Wait!"

Zhou Yan was not surprised by Prefect Qiao's sudden statement; he merely gestured for him to continue.

Given permission, Qiao Wenze bravely spoke.

"Censor Zhou, although you are a Censor and have the authority to execute first and report later, this case involves too many officials, and executing first and reporting later is not handled this way."

"This already meets the standard for a Joint Trial by the Three Judicial Offices."

"Therefore, I request that we first submit a memorial to the imperial court and ask the Three Judicial Offices to conduct a joint trial. Only then will it comply with regulations."

Qiao Wenze's face was already very grim as he spoke.

This was the only delaying tactic he could think of.

Even if saving Qiao Wenbin would be more difficult after the Three Judicial Offices convened, it was still better than dying tomorrow.

Qiao Wenbin, kneeling below, gritted his teeth, wanting to stop his elder brother.

This Zhou Yan in front of him had immense backing and was a madman who didn't follow conventions. If he implicated his elder brother because of himself, everything would be over.

But he also knew that he couldn't speak now; he absolutely couldn't let Zhou Yan discover his weakness.

He suppressed his emotions, and others did not notice anything unusual.

However, Zhou Yan caught that fleeting moment of panic.

Oh, really?

An unexpected gain?

Zhou Yan casually glanced at Qiao Wenbin. This kid's acting skills and endurance were good; he hadn't said a word for so many days, and neither mental nor physical torment had made him yield.

Zhou Yan had thought of using his family to threaten him, but Qiao Wenze was blameless, so threatening him with that was not the best strategy. As for deceiving him, pretending to threaten his family might be seen through, and he couldn't gamble on whether he truly was heartless towards his relatives.

Furthermore, he had no wife or children, only this one elder brother, so Zhou Yan truly believed he was doing this because he had no attachments.

But the emotional fluctuation caught by the wind just now indicated that he cared, and cared very much.

Then... perhaps something could be done in this regard.

"Prefect Qiao, are you sure you want a Joint Trial by the Three Judicial Offices?"

"You should know that the highest official rank below is merely sixth-grade; although the number of people is somewhat large, there's no need to alarm the imperial court."

"This matter will also have a significant impact on you. If it escalates further, the repercussions you face will only be heavier. I recall you are due to retire soon, aren't you?"

Zhou Yan's tone was low, carrying a hint of pressure and threat.

However, to his disappointment, apart from that brief moment, Qiao Wenbin showed no further emotion.

He truly could endure.

If this person were to play Nasus in the Top Lane, he would definitely be an expert.

Zhou Yan put away his probing thoughts and looked at Prefect Qiao again.

Qiao Wenze did not back down because of Zhou Yan's words. Since he had stepped forward, he was prepared to pay any price.

"I don't understand what Your Excellency means. I only know that when we become officials, we are responsible to the imperial court, to Great Yu, and even more so to the people of Great Yu."

"If everyone acted according to the law, they wouldn't be kneeling here."

"And if Your Excellency, as the judge, does not act according to the law, tomorrow this hall will still be filled with kneeling sinners."

"At that time, Jiangzhou will once again fall into a corrupt cycle, which I am unwilling to see. For this, even if I lose my official position, I will not hesitate."

"Even if punished, it is the price I must pay for my years of poor judgment."

He then spoke a series of righteous and self-reproaching words, shifting the emotions of the common people who had just been cursing corrupt officials onto himself.

After speaking, he feigned profoundness, looked up, closed his eyes, and sighed deeply.

Zhou Yan saw that the common people watching outside the yamen were moved by the old Prefect, with some sensitive ones even beginning to recount his contributions to Jiangzhou over the years, expressing their support.

Soon, public opinion shifted to demanding a Joint Trial by the Three Judicial Offices, upholding the law, and preserving Jiangzhou's last line of defense.

Zhou Yan secretly gave a thumbs-up.

Indeed, the best actors aren't in opera troupes.

This old Prefect's casual moves taught him something real.

First, subtly change the concept, then make a small request.

This request was not excessive and reasonable, but once granted, he would have time to operate behind the scenes.

However... "Qiao Wenze, you bastard, what does my death have to do with you!"

A furious curse interrupted Prefect Qiao's lament, also drawing everyone's attention back.

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice; the one cursing was a minor official with little presence in Jiangzhou's officialdom.

But at this moment, he looked fierce, as if Qiao Wenze had blocked his path to promotion and wealth.

Qiao Wenze couldn't understand. Zhou Yan wants to kill you, why aren't you cursing him, but instead cursing me, who wants you to live a few more days? What's wrong with this person?

If it were just one person, then so be it, but he started it, and soon, all the guilty officials except Qiao Wenbin began to loudly curse Qiao Wenze for being a scoundrel, for wanting to protect them, these heinous criminals.

Everyone expressed that they were unworthy of living in this world, that living one more day would shame them before the elders of Jiangzhou, and pleaded with Zhou Yan to immediately carry out the judgment, without waiting for a Joint Trial by the Three Judicial Offices.

They even hoped that they wouldn't have to wait until tomorrow; if the executioners were free, they could be beheaded now.

They were very easy to chop, not having trained their bodies, and with low cultivation, one slice per person, smooth as silk.

Seeing the criminals below so eager for righteous judgment, Qiao Wenze didn't know how to continue his act.

The common people watching outside also stopped jeering, even their curses ceased.

This group of people now appeared so righteous; an uninformed person might think they were captives of the Yao Race from the Northern Border, preferring death over surrender.

Faced with such a scene, they could only sigh, "How particular," and could say nothing else.

How could Qiao Wenze not see that this was Zhou Yan's doing? He couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

This Zhou Yan is so young, yet his methods are so cunning. How did he train these officials like this?

When he looked at Zhou Yan, his eyes suddenly froze.

Why did Zhou Yan also look bewildered?

That's right, Zhou Yan was indeed prepared, but not for *this* kind of preparation!

He hadn't even played his trump card, so why were these people scrambling to die?

Wait, this posture... he seemed to have seen it in the outskirts of Jiangzhou.

"Ahem."

Zhou Yan regained his composure, first suppressing the officials' pleas for death to quiet the hall.

But with their interruption, his tone also carried a hint of awkwardness.

"Uh, so, if a Joint Trial by the Three Judicial Offices begins, Prefect Qiao will have no objections?"