Сhарtеr 149: Conviсtiоn 2
Не hаd met Kong Хiаnrong quite еarly, аnd thе twо shаrеd а certаin fate. They had tаkеn sheltеr from thе rаin tоgеther in а tеаhоusе, wherе Kong Xiаnrоng’s elоquent speеch and rеmarkablе tаlеnt саught his аttеntion.
Thе twо hit it off immеdiаtеly, сonvеrsing with grеat delight, аnd sоon bеcame сlose friends аnd соnfidants.
Тhey alwауs dеscribеd thеmsеlvеs аs Вo Yа аnd Ziqi.
But аs unprеdictablе as thе wеаther, thе Вrосade Workshоp was wrongfully aсcused, and Кong Xiаnrong’s еntirе familу was killed. Ji Fangming stood among the crowd, watching the tragic deaths and the river of blood.
Before his death, Kong Xianrong also saw him in the crowd and smiled at him, as if to say that having such a confidant in this life was an honor, and he had no regrets.
Ji Fangming’s heart was unsettled. Knowing that his friend had been wronged, he could do nothing to help, hating only his own incompetence. The only thing he could do was to collect his friend’s body.
Over the years, he had painstakingly searched for evidence to overturn the case but to no avail.
It was only recently, upon learning that the Chen family was the one who had deliberately confused the summer clothes to frame Kong Xianrong and his wife Zhang Baoying, that he took action.
After hearing Ji Fangming’s account, everyone present felt heavy-hearted. To have such a rare confidant wrongfully accused and killed along with his entire family—no one would find it easy to bear.
Shen Du’s expression also darkened. He tapped his hand on the table and asked, “So, did you really kill the Chen woman?”
“Yes,” Ji Fangming admitted without hesitation, his eyes heavy and filled with malice. “She deserved to die. Everyone in the Brocade Workshop died wrongfully, and it all started because of her. She is the culprit, the murderer. I killed her only to console the spirit of my friend in heaven. What is wrong with that?”
“Even the most heinous criminals must be judged by the laws of the court. You could have appealed for justice or sought to overturn the case, but taking matters into your own hands and killing someone is wrong.”
“Heh…” Ji Fangming laughed bitterly. “The Great Pavilion Commander speaks lightly of appealing for justice and overturning the case. After all these years, who doesn’t know that the Brocade Workshop was wrongfully accused? But who is willing to step forward and speak the truth? Not to mention others, just look at you—holding a high position, esteemed and deeply trusted by the Empress, yet you have allowed this case to remain buried for so many years without ever stepping forward. What does that mean?”
Shen Du remained silent. Ji Fangming was not wrong, and Zhu Yan had also once reproached him for holding a high position yet allowing unrelated wrongful cases to slip through his fingers.
But who could understand his helplessness?
Others only saw his status and authority, never considering his helplessness and difficulties. Such is human nature.
Shen Du turned his gaze to Zhu Yan. Her eyes were also heavy, and she stood to one side of the hall, her head slightly lowered, silent as if deep in thought.
Wasn’t she always the one who loved to meddle in others’ affairs? Why was she silent now?
Time seemed to pass slowly, and the entire hall fell into a dead silence. The oppressive atmosphere made everyone’s breathing heavy.
At that moment, a group of people from the back hall carefully escorted Chen Shoujie to the scene.
Qi Yeyun, along with two brothers from the Inner Guard Bureau, guarded him and made a gesture for silence, signaling him not to make a sound.
Hearing the hall fall silent, Qi Yeyun scratched his head. Had they arrived too late? Had the case already been concluded?
Just as he was wondering, a voice echoed from the hall.
“Since you have already killed the Chen woman, why did you spare County Magistrate Chen Shoujie?”
Shen Du asked, his tone heavier than before."The Chen family were the chief culprits, and certainly deserved death, but Chen Shoujie was no good man either. I didn’t kill him not because I didn’t want to, but because I didn’t have the chance in time."
Ji Fangming continued, "I wonder if the Great Pavilion Commander has ever witnessed the scene of all the heads of the Brocade Workshop falling to the ground, the river of blood flowing so heavily that even three days of heavy rain could not wash it clean. The blood of every wronged soul flowed through the streets and alleys of Chang’an with the rainwater, and among those responsible for this scene, besides the Chen family, Chen Shoujie cannot escape blame."
"He shielded the murderer, he deserved to die..."
"Didn’t have the chance in time..."
Shen Du seemed not to fully understand Ji Fangming’s words, interrupting his ramblings,
"With your methods, killing someone would be easy. Why say you didn’t have the chance?"
A cold, eerie smile appeared on Ji Fangming’s face,
"Killing them would have been too merciful. When I dealt with the Chen family, I hadn’t thought of this, but when it came to killing Chen Shoujie, I suddenly thought of another way. Simply killing them outright would have been too lenient. Why not use another method to torment them to death, making them deeply experience that feeling of helplessness and despair?"
Hearing this, Zhu Yan was also startled, looking at Ji Fangming with a gaze of astonishment.
Ji Fangming narrowed his eyes slightly, full of helplessness, yet as if relieved, he let out a sigh,
"Brother Xianrong, I have finally sought justice for you, not in vain after enduring humiliation and clinging to life all these years. Your family died so unjustly, even the young children could not escape the extreme punishment, ha..."
Ji Fangming gave a bitter laugh, as if gone mad,
"I wanted to use a sacrificial ritual to ensure those who deserved punishment received it, not letting them off so easily. I was determined to make them suffer torment until death, but I never expected Chen Shoujie’s courage to be so small, like a mouse’s. Just performing a ritual on him drove him insane."
"What ritual?" Zhu Yan seemed to suddenly think of something, quickly pressing for an answer.
Ji Fangming’s expression grew vacant, "Even if I told you, you wouldn’t understand. Moths reappear, forever falling into hell, never to be reborn," Ji Fangming muttered incantations, making strange gestures, then opened his eyes, his pupils bloodshot,
"These people are deeply sinful, they deserve to fall forever into the Avīci Hell, never to reincarnate again.
But later, I found the situation had deviated. You investigated him, and though he had gone mad, you still doubted his words. So, I had no choice but to silence him!"
Ji Fangming’s words sent a chill down the spines of everyone present.
Such a cruel method of revenge truly opened everyone’s eyes.
All knew of the Brocade Workshop’s unjust case, yet as he said, no one had ever sought justice for it.
Even though he killed those who deserved death, now he too must pay with his life for those people.
Such a matter indeed sounds unfair, but under the emperor’s rule, the law must be upheld.
With the case investigated to this point, everyone present had understood the whole story.
Even if Ji Fangming had no other choice, the crime of murder remained a fact, and now it was time to conclude the case.Listening to all this from the back hall, Chen Shoujie was already in tears, as if he too had recalled the events of those years, filled with remorse.
"It's all my fault, all my fault. I shouldn't have hidden the truth for so many years..."
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