Zhao Yuejing wasn’t in his classroom when we visited. As a matter of fact, not a soul was in sight.
“Where is everyone during class?! Who is the teacher for this class?!” Uncle Huang dragged back to his room to castigate because we couldn’t find the teacher. I think he was edging on crazy from anger…
When was I finally released from Uncle Huang’s room, I spotted a group of people I recognised hurtle into the two adjacent corridors from his door. They clearly didn’t try as I could see their sleeves and hats. “What are you doing here?”
They checked to confirm Uncle Huang wasn’t around, then boldly strolled out.
“Nice.”
“?” I pointed to myself. Young people these days had bad taste. I wagged my hand. “Everyone is just being too kind.”
“No need to be modest. We’ve never seen Principal Huang scold the sa student three tis in a single day. You’ve broken the record.”
I didn’t ask for it! He just likes reprimanding people. More pertinentlty, why is it entertainnt to you?!
I didn’t really understand their preferences, but maybe it was what the young generation thought was cool? Pretty much all of my classmates ca to see , making feel like I was a returning war hero.
On the sprint back to our class, they had all sorts of questions for .
“I’m Zheng Datong. My family sells vegetables.”
“Nice to et you, Datong. I’m Ming Feizhen.”
“My turn, my turn. Because the only thing I’m good at is studying, my dad told he might as well send away to polish our family’s na since I was wasting resources at ho.” This spritely fellow was the one who told I broke a record. “I’m Wu Dayong. My family owns a rice store.”
“Oh, nice to et you, iyong.”
“This one is Zhou Teng. His father is the Ministry of Personnel’s third-rank Attendant Gentleman Zhong Xiaolang’s student.”
“Pleasure to et you, Shun Tengba.”
A girl with her arms crossed suavely said, “I’m Wang Zi. My dad works with a blade. He’s Wang Wu.”
“Main is Wang Wu, second is Wang Zi. Impressive.”
Once everyone had their turn, a girl exhaled sharply. “I recognise you.”
“Pleasure to et you, too, I Recognise you. Huh?” I looked up.
She recognises ?
“Hmph, my na is Shi Weiliang. My mother said you’re a dine and dasher, but my dad spoke up for you, resulting in him taking a beating.”
“Your father is Eight Deities Restaurant’s owner, Shi Guangju?”
“Who else? You dine and dash at other places, as well?”
“Whatever do you an? It’s an honour to et you. As friends, you can count on anyti, everyone.”
“Of course,” enthused Wu Dayong. “We’ve always been bottom rung. You’re the first one to beco a hot shot in our grade.”
This is all it takes to be a hot shot around here? Damn, son, your old man nad you perfectly. Wuyong, Wuyong, absolutely useless.
“? No way. Isn’t He Shi the hot shot?” I wanted to broach the topic of the scuffle without coming out of the gates too hard.
The entire group stared at emotionlessly. “You’re not trying to dig up information on him, are you?”
“I am. Is sothing the matter?”
They checked with each other, then replied, “Not… exactly. It’s just… none of us really like him.”
“Can you tell more?”
Turned out that He Shi excelled at literacy; however, he liked to befriend the rich and influential. For whatever reason, one of the rich kids he recently befriended had his cronies break his leg.
“I think it has sothing to do with the six Princes’ contest.”
“The six Princes?”
“Yes.” Shi Weiliang made a funny face at . “Because that rich kid is under Blue Prince’s banner. He wanted He Shi to write a piece praising Blue Prince, but He Shi refused at the cost of his leg.”
No way. We’re breaking people’s legs just because they don’t agree with your opinion now?
“He’s one of our institutes four Court Lords.”
Four Court Lords? Man, I feel like I’m about to hear a painfully dodgy Chunnibyou story…
***
A while ago, Liu Shan n’s constables headed out to the locations according to Shen Yiren’s instructions, but soone from Yongheng Bank soon paid them a visit to inform them that a clue had been found. Once they heard who the thief was, Tang Ye, Su Xiao and Bai Yeshuang all asked the sa question: “Why did he steal it?”
“Silence!” The courtroom guards’ in blue uniforms drawled in an aggressive tone as they knocked on the ground with their emotionless rods; they brimd with the hostility of n out to revenge their mothers. This was sothing Shen Yiren taught them to do so that they could intimidate suspects and gain the upper hand before the inquisitions comnced.
Shen Yiren, in uniform, briskly entered the courtroom and exclaid, “Insolence! Huh, why are you here?”
Sitting on the ground, Hong Jiu sniffled. “My life is tragic. I was earnestly moving things in the storehouse when I was ambushed. Right after that, a tough guy ca at . I considered hanging upside down and feeding him, uh, that. Anyway, Tang Ye and so forth ca and arrested , forcing to eat that. I really don’t want to eat it.”
“Huh?” Shen Yiren turned to the plaintiffs, which consisted of ten-odd students, so of whom needed support to stand.
The seated student snickered, then whispered to his goons. One of them then limped forward to loudly explain, “My Lady, we are students of Daren Academy. We found out he stole Yongheng Bank’s iron seal. Out of a burning desire to help, we attempted to reclaim it from him, never expecting him to assault us. Please set things right.”
“He stole Yongheng Bank’s iron seal?” queried Shen Yiren.
“Yes.”
“And assaulted you?”
“That is correct.”
“Understood.”
The students raised their eyebrows at each other whilst grinning.
Shen Yiren brought down her gavel. “Case closed.”
Hong Jiu sprang to his feet. “Thank you, My Lady.”
“Wait, wait, wait! Why is the case closed?”
Without bothering to glance their way, Shen Yiren answered, “If you have ti to waste on this sort of nonsense, you’re better of reading another book. No wonder why my dad told lot are immature. Run along now. Waste of my ti.”
“Wait! Not only did he commit theft but even assault.”
Shen Yiren fired a glare their way. “I’m about to assault so people, too!”
The students shuddered.
“You have proof he stole? Did you find the seal on him? You three!” Shen Yiren turned to Tang Ye, Su Xiao and Bai Yeshuang. “You believed them? Is the thing between your ears just for show?! Think about who he is. Is it remotely possible that he’d steal?”
The trio earnestly pondered prior to replying, “Yes.”
“… In any case, no more gas. Hong Jiu doesn’t have the seal on him, which ans there’s no evidence he stole. That’ll be it.”
“Wait.” The seated student sounded as cold as ever even though he spoke in a soft voice. “It appears you’re still as barbaric as ever.”
Shen Yiren responded, “And you’re still a fan of gang-up gas for cowards.”
“Hmph, you know how to flap your gums, but how can you be disregard the law like this when you are tasked with a case?”
“You think you’re the law. Without evidence, you can’t incriminate soone - even if it’s you, let alone in my court.”
“Who says I don’t have evidence?” Sneering, he continued, “A lack of physical proof doesn’t an there are no witnesses. I have soone who personally saw him commit the act of theft.”
Shen Yiren didn’t like the direction the plot was developing because of the student’s background.
“Call Zhao Xin in.”
Zhao Xin ran into the courtroom. “Present.”
“This is Zhao Xin, General Zhao Tiankui’s son. He wouldn’t falsely accuse soone now, would he?” Spotting Shen Yiren curl her lips, he imdiately stressed, “Zhao Xin, you are obligated to tell the truth in court, especially in Lady Shen’s presence.”
“Should this one tell a lie, he shall be executed,” Zhao Xin expressed.
“Good. You personally saw Hong Jiu steal the seal, correct?”
“Yes,” Zhao Xin asserted.
“Hong Jiu is an aggressive person, and he knocked you into the pond, correct?”
“Indeed. He has no regard for the law.”
“Last question: is he Hong Jiu?”
Zhao Xin’s gaze tracked along his classmate’s finger to Hong Jiu. “He! Is not!”
“Hear that? Shen Yiren, he…” He turned around to Zhao Xin. “What?”
Glossary
Dayong and iyong - The forr ans “incredibly useful”. The latter ans “Useless”. How in Teyvat’s archon’s na Ming Feizhen got the latter is beyond .
Attendant Gentleman - The proper term for “Secretary of (insert ministry)’s assistant”.
Zhou Teng and Shun Tengba - Zhou Teng’s “Teng” ans “vine” and anything to that effect. Shun Tengba ans to climb up a vine without a hitch. Again, no clue how Ming Feizhen is hearing these things.
Wang Wu and Wang Zi - Wang Wu = “Wang Five/King Five”. Wang Zi sounds like “Prince”. If the father is a King, then his children would be a Prince.
Courtroom guards’ “Silence” - Instead of a sharp “Silence”, in those days, they robotically (not loudly) enunciate the phrase like “Weeeiiii, wuuuu (in Chinese).” That’s why I noted that they drawl. If you want to have a listen, here is a link: (Mandarin)/ (Cantonese).
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