Fang Yun looked at the woman and said, "Seeing that you have repented in time, I will not punish you. You can leave the hall now."
"Thank you for your mercy!" The woman hurriedly left the hall.
"My wife was reckless. Thank you for your mercy." Ni Kuo endured the pain and cupped his hands to express his gratitude.
Fang Yun nodded his head and asked, "Who are you? What's your name?"
Ni Kuo and the other seven defendants trembled and did not dare to say a word.
On the other side, the middle-aged man cupped his hands to Fang Yun and said, "My name is Tian Fusheng. My son, Tian Lu, greets Lord Xusheng."
"Why did you and your son bring the four students to court?" After Fang Yun finished speaking, he carefully sized up Tian Fusheng. This person was wearing old clothes. He was clearly just over thirty years old, but his sideburns were already graying.
Tian Fusheng's face was filled with grief and indignation as he said, "My son, Tian Lu, has been obedient and hardworking since he was young. He has never bullied the kind and was well known among his classmates. But because of some trivial matters in the academy, he became hostile with Ni Xian. My son knew that the Ni Family was powerful, so he tolerated and apologized many times. But who knew that Ni Xian would take a mile after taking an inch? Not only did he bully my son, but he also gathered his accomplices to humiliate my son. They tore his clothes in public and beat him up, forcing my son to kneel. "
"How long did it last?" Fang Yun looked at Tian Lu, who was only thirteen or fourteen years old. Tian Lu had his head lowered and his hands were holding onto his scholar's robe. His body was trembling, and it was obvious that he was a coward.
"My son was verbally humiliated in March two years ago, and he was beaten up in May two years ago. At first, when we saw that he had some minor injuries, we thought that they were caused by him playing around. It wasn't until one day in March last year, when all his clothes were torn and he came home crying with wounds all over his body, that we learned what had happened all these years from him. "
"What did you do after that?" Fang Yun asked.
Tian Fusheng's face was filled with grief as he said, "We first went to Ning An County to sue. The previous county magistrate punished the Ni Family to apologize to my son and compensate him with five taels of silver as medical fees. Although we were unhappy with the punishment, there was nothing we could do. I thought that this matter was over, but my son was still unhappy. His ranking in the academy kept dropping until one day, when he was bathing, we found that there were many bruises in the places covered by his clothes! Only then did we realize that they had turned from light to darkness. He was no different from a beast! I appealed again, but County Magistrate Ji's judgment was the same as before! "
"And then?" Fang Yun asked.
"After that, I protested and brought my son to the prefectural city to complain. However, Ni Kuo was a scholar and his wife was the daughter of a prestigious family. I don't know what methods they used, but the magistrate court chased us out of the prefectural city on the grounds that Ning An County's case had already been closed and they couldn't appeal beyond their authority! After that, the Ni Family sent someone to deliver a message saying that they're willing to pay three hundred taels of silver to settle the matter privately. Otherwise, our Tian Family won't have any peace! "
"Oh? Did you agree to settle it privately at that time? "Fang Yun asked.
Tian Fusheng glared angrily and said, "My son was originally a student with a bright future, but he was humiliated by Ni Xian and the others, to the extent that his studies were abandoned and his future was ruined! Not to mention three hundred taels of silver. Even thirty thousand taels of silver can't exchange for my son's studies! I, Tian Fusheng, don't want their dirty money, I only want justice! Justice! "
Tian Fusheng roared out the last four words.
Fang Yun looked at the young Tian Lu and said, "Tian Lu, what do you want to say?"
Tian Lu swayed slightly, not even daring to raise his head.
Fang Yun frowned slightly. Tian Fusheng hurriedly said, "My son hasn't been able to talk to anyone for many days. I can't do anything about it."
Fang Yun's gaze swept across the eight defendants and found that a few of them looked at Tian Lu with contempt and ridicule. His face immediately sank.
Fang Yun looked at Tian Lu and was worried. It must be because Ni Xian and the others threatened Tian Lu that caused this. Although the plaintiffs were the Tian Family's father and son, the victim was Tian Lu. If Tian Lu didn't speak in detail, even if he had the ability to connect with saints, he wouldn't be able to do anything.
Time slowly passed. The main hall was silent, but there were some people outside the hall discussing in low voices.
Not long after, Fang Yun suddenly slammed the gavel and said loudly, "Tian Lu. What do you want to say? "
Tian Lu closed his mouth and lowered his head. His body trembled slightly and he didn't say a word.
Fang Yun took a deep breath and straightened his body. He snorted and said, "Reading the books of saints, there is courage, wisdom, sacrifice for righteousness, sacrifice for righteousness, but you don't even dare to say a word. Where is your righteousness! Where is your courage! Where is your wisdom! "
Fang Yun's voice became louder and louder, but Tian Lu didn't seem to have the slightest reaction.
"At the Valley Meeting, Confucius, as a mere mortal, blocked dozens of armed soldiers and angrily rebuked the king of a country. Do you remember the courage of Confucius?"
Tian Lu didn't respond.
"Mencius met King Xuan of Qi. King Xuan of Qi asked me if I could kill the king. Mencius faced the king of a country and said that if the king wasn't the king, he was a sinner. I can't kill the king, but I can kill the sinner! Do you remember the courage of Mencius? "
Tian Lu's right hand clenched tightly.
Fang Yun paused for a moment and pointed at Tian Fusheng. He said, "Your father was a commoner. He didn't become a scholar, but he didn't fear the tyrants. He ran between the county and prefecture for his son. His hair was white but he didn't regret it. Do you remember the courage of your father? "
Tian Lu's body trembled slightly.
"There are many kinds of righteousness and bravery in the books. You don't dare to choose one. You study but don't think. You are worse than rotten wood and stubborn stone. How can you call yourself a scholar? You are like a piece of waste paper and a broken pen! Would you rather hand over the world to your enemy than fight back? "
Tian Lu could not bear it any longer. He suddenly raised his head and shouted, "Student Tian Lu was born in a commoner's family. I'm only a little over ten years old. I'm burdened with the hopes of my family. I worry about my parents. I can't eat or sleep in peace. I'm lucky to be a top student. How can I offend a tyrant?
What else can I do? "Tian Lu's eyes were filled with tears. He suddenly tore open his clothes. His upper body was bare, revealing bruises, knife wounds, and burns. It was a shocking sight.
Tian Lu's face was red. He said, "I compromised, but Ni Xian went from bad to worse! I reported to the Academy. Ni Xian used force to oppress people! My father asked the government for help. Ni Xian used force to resolve it! If I continued to fight, Ni Xian would destroy my future, destroy my family, and kill my parents. What can I do? What can I do? How could an insignificant person with a lowly status fight against a powerful aristocratic family?! Fang Xusheng, tell me! Tell me how to fight against them! "
At the end, Tian Lu's eyes were filled with tears, but they didn't fall.
The county government was quiet.
"So, Bensei has arrived!" Fang Yun's tone was gentle, as if he was afraid of hurting Tian Lu. However, it was like a sharp weapon piercing the heart, making many people tremble in fear.
Tian Lu knelt on the ground. Tears flowed out of his eyes. He cried and shouted, "Sir, I am suing Ni Xian and the others for colluding with the tyrants to oppress the people! They harmed their classmates! They brought disaster to the Academy! They colluded with the officials! I beg Sir Xusheng to uphold justice for me. Give me justice! Give me justice! "
"This county will give you justice! Bring back clarity to Ning An! "
Pa!
Fang Yun slammed the gavel. An invisible force spread in all directions. That force contained the anger of a county head, but also the roar of a county's citizens.
"Ni Xian, what Tian Lu said, is there a lie?" Fang Yun's eyes were like torches. He looked straight at Ni Xian. (To be continued.)
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