"This, this …"
Seeing that Young Master Chu was clearly no longer breathing, the constable took two steps back with a look of disbelief.
There was no end to the exclamations in the crowd. No one expected Chu Ping to be dead. He had chosen to commit suicide in front of so many people. Was this … suicide to escape punishment or death to atone for his crimes?
"Ping'er!"
A middle-aged man rushed out from the Chu family crowd and picked up the corpse on the ground. His face was filled with grief as he wailed out loud.
Grand Tutor Chu's body went limp. Fortunately, the Chu family servants behind him supported him, preventing him from falling.
After he straightened his body, he waved away the Chu family servants who were supporting him and walked to the constable. He asked in a hoarse voice, "Are you taking his corpse away as well?"
The constable immediately took two steps back and bowed.
The evidence in this case was conclusive. If Chu Ping were still alive, he would naturally be brought to the Ministry of Justice for interrogation. But since he was dead, he had to leave some face for the Chu family.
Chu Ping's corpse was brought in and the Chu family's main door slowly closed.
The crowd outside stood in front of the Chu family for a long time, but ultimately did not rush in.
"Pui! What bullsh * t!" Someone spat viciously at the Chu family's main door before turning to leave.
Someone said angrily, "Pui! That old sycophant!"
"Chu Ping is dead. Miss Shuangshuang should rest in peace …" Another person sighed and walked a few steps before turning back to face the Chu family's main door. "Pui!"
…
On this day, nearly all the citizens of the capital came to the Chu family's front door for a tour. Although everyone had left, the Chu family's front door had become filthy. Even the signboard on the front door had been smashed down.
A noble family of a generation had been reduced to such a state overnight. It also made countless officials and nobles in the capital realize how powerful the commoners they usually looked down on were.
Chu Ping had committed suicide to atone for his crimes, but the Chu family's matter was not over yet.
When Grand Tutor Chu was still a scholar in the Jing Kingdom, he had cleansed the Emperor's side and admonished the Emperor. This was a matter of great moral integrity. But now that his moral integrity had been stripped away, all he had done was to slander the important officials of the court, form a clique for personal gain, harbor evil intentions, and even commit treason such as forcing the Emperor to leave the Golden Palace. Moreover, he had harbored criminals and abused his power for personal gain. How could he escape the punishment of the law?
Every generation of Grand Tutors had resigned due to old age. Grand Tutor Chu was the only one who had been stripped of his title by the imperial court. Chu Ping's father had also been stripped of his official position. The Chu family's former glory was gone, and no one ever mentioned the title of "the scholarly bones of the Jing Kingdom".
Under the heavy punishment of the court, although the Chu manor was still preserved and the property was not confiscated, the people of Jingdou never saw the tightly closed front door of the Chu family open again.
None of the great scholars who had once stood with Grand Tutor Chu said anything about this matter. In reality, it wasn't that they didn't say anything. In the beginning, there were some who spoke out, but before the court could react, they all disappeared because of the public opinion.
Chu Ping died and the truth came to light. Lady Shuangshuang's injustice was cleared. The court felt wronged and set up a tomb for her in Jingdou for the people to worship. It also erected a warning monument for the government.
The people would forever remember the name "Shuangshuang". It was because of her death that the court paid attention to cases of injustice among the people and accelerated the reform of the law. It made the government truly a place to redress the grievances of the people and not a filthy place where those important people abused their power for personal gain …
In this process, there were also some things that happened that exceeded everyone's expectations.
After the case was concluded, the capital governor Ceng Shichun, who was deeply involved in this case, was restored to his position. Although he was also fined three years of his salary, compared to the impact of this case and the Chu family's ending, it was really nothing.
The reason was that Lady Shuangshuang's older sister was very protective of this Sir Ceng in court.
Although she had been arrested and thrown into the yamen's prison, from beginning to end, she had not been mistreated or treated unfairly. The yamen's bailiffs had taken good care of her in prison. Even when she was able to walk to the Ministry of Justice, it was the yamen's people who escorted her.
This clearly didn't make sense. If Ceng Shichun really wanted to seal her mouth, then he should have silenced her as soon as possible. Why did he give her so much preferential treatment? Even when she was being tortured, he played it down and went through the motions …
In reality, when a few clever people heard this, they had already figured out the whole story.
This Sir Ceng had arrested her and thrown her into prison. It looked like he was persecuting her, but he was actually protecting her. This was because the Chu family's background was very deep. Grand Tutor Chu alone could unite many of the great scholars, scholars, and even half of the officials in court to slander and slander a pillar of the court who had made a great contribution to this country … What was a capital governor to them?
He couldn't resist the Chu family, so he could only use this method to protect the girl. Otherwise, Lady Shuangshuang's case would probably never be overturned.
A loyal official became a sycophant, a clean stream became a dirty stream, an upright official became a treacherous official, and then became an upright official again. Just like these days in the capital, the storm rose and then calmed, calmed and then rose again …
"The Injustice of Dou E" came to an end, and there was a new show in the brothel. The storm had calmed down a bit, and only a few ripples remained, enough to serve as a side dish for the people of the capital.
"You're talking about that sycophant …"
In a bun shop, a scholar in a scholarly robe had just spoken when a bun flew from the front and smashed into his face, followed by an angry voice.
"Who are you calling a sycophant? Say it again!"
The scholar picked up the bun that had fallen to the ground and looked at the shopkeeper of the bun shop. He said in a daze, "I said that Grand Tutor Chu was a scholar, loved and respected by the people, and trusted by the officials. Who would have thought that he would do such a thing to ruin his reputation? It's really …"
The shopkeeper of the bun shop looked surprised. "Ah, you mean that old sycophant?"
"Who else could it be?"
The owner of the bun shop waved his hand and said awkwardly, "Hai, I'm really sorry. I got addicted to smashing you scholars a while ago. It's fine, it's fine. That bun is on me, it's free …"
…
"The Chu family has now completely declined. No one in the capital is willing to have anything to do with them. After the reform of the law, the pressure on the government has increased a lot. Fortunately, after that period of busyness, the pressure has lessened a lot. Most cases are actually not that complicated, and it's not every day that there's a case of injustice … Without Grand Tutor Chu leading the way, that matter can be considered to have completely calmed down." MIngzhu looked at Li Yi and sighed. "It's finally over."
After a long time without receiving a response, she extended her hand and waved it in front of Li Yi's eyes.
Li Yi came back to his senses and asked, "Ah, what did you just say?"
MIngzhu looked at him and finally waved her hand. "Nothing …"
"How is this the end?" Li Yi shook his head. He lifted the curtain of the carriage and said, "This is just the beginning …"
He jumped down from the carriage and walked towards a building in front of him.
It was an ancestral hall. In the ancestral hall, there was a stone tablet.
The people of the capital lined up like flowing water. After placing an incense stick in front of the stone tablet, they left through the other side.
Li Yi lined up and placed an incense stick in front of the stone tablet. He then stood to the side for a while before walking out.
MIngzhu was still standing next to the carriage, looking at another carriage.
A green-clothed manservant walked over from that side. He bowed and said respectfully, "My master invites you over."
Li Yi looked at him and asked, "Who is your master?"
"You'll know when you get there, milord."
Li Yi looked at the carriage that was parked in the corner and walked towards it.
As he walked to the side of the carriage, the curtain was lifted by a withered hand, revealing a face covered in wrinkles.
The old man seemed to have aged another ten years since the last time he had seen him. Li Yi cupped his hands and said, "Grand Tutor, long time no see."
Behind the curtain, the old man looked at him emotionlessly and said in a hoarse voice, "You once asked me if it was worth it."
"For my own selfishness, I buried the entire Chu clan. It was indeed not worth it."
He shook his head, his eyes suddenly becoming sharp. "But the eldest imperial son returning to the capital to inherit the throne is natural. Have you ever thought about what you are doing? What you are doing is worth it? Just what do you want? "
He looked at Li Yi and asked, "Prince Jin is young and you have no contact with the other princes. Tell me, just what do you want?"
Li Yi looked at him and slowly asked, "Grand Tutor, do you really want to know?"
Grand Tutor Chu said nothing and only stared fixedly at him.
"Since Grand Tutor wants to know …" Li Yi shook his head and walked into the carriage. Grand Tutor Chu leaned forward. He moved his head closer and whispered, "I won't tell you …"
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