Chapter 1907 - Public Trial Continued Two

He Xi raised the spirit tablet high, staring directly into Mo Rongxin's dead-fish-like eyes, and said through gritted teeth: "Go down to the eighteenth level of hell!"

At that very moment, the trapdoor opened and Mo Rongxin's body dropped down. The venue immediately erupted in thunderous cheers. Even Zeng Juan, who had no connection to Mo Rongxin, couldn't help but join in the cheering.

Bi Defan was on guard duty before the gallows. Taking advantage of his colleagues all being occupied with the crowd, he turned his back and swiftly used a hidden dagger to cut off one of the corpse's hands, stuffing it into a prepared oilcloth bag and tucking it into his chest. He quietly moved aside, and seeing He Xi collapsed on the ground as if all strength had been drained from her body, gasping on the ground, he hurried over to help her up, slipping the oilcloth bag into her hands.

"Aunt-by-marriage, you should go back now. It's too crowded here. Please take care of yourself!" Bi Defan added, "Don't think of doing anything foolish!"

He Xi was beyond words, only nodding bleakly. Bi Defan called over a colleague and instructed him to escort He Xi out.

Zeng Juan's mood was both excited and curious. He was stretching his neck to see who would be next to "swing" when suddenly a person climbed onto the trial platform. From a distance, he couldn't make out the face, but from the clothes, it looked like a scholar.

The police on the platform called out anxiously: "What are you doing climbing up here? Get down!"

But this scholar refused to descend. Instead, he dropped to his knees on the platform with a thud. The police thought he had some grievance to air and said: "If you have a complaint, go to the police station's reporting office..."

The scholar remained unmoved. First he kowtowed several times with resounding thumps, then stood and shouted loudly to the crowd below: "This unworthy one is Hu Ziming! A fellow student of the late Scholar Wang at the academy! Brother Wang died unjustly and cannot rest in peace. Though I was at the academy, I knew Master Mo's every word and deed in detail, yet I dared not speak a single word in protest. Today, by the grace of the Great Song's wise magistrates, Brother Wang's grievance has been avenged and our bright world restored! Henceforth I am willing to serve as the vanguard of the Senate—through mountains of swords and seas of fire, I swear to follow unto death!"

With that, he drew a dagger from his sleeve. Before the police could react, he had undone his topknot and cut off his hair with one stroke. Tossing it aside casually, he leaped down from the platform. The entire venue immediately erupted in thunderous cheers.

This scene was so dramatic that not only was Mu Min stunned, even Ding Ding was dumbfounded. After a long moment, Shen Ruiming's voice came through the walkie-talkie: "Ding Ding, did you arrange for this person?"

"No, we didn't arrange any 'plants.'" Ding Ding shook his head, then looked at Mu Min, who gave him a very clear denial.

On this side, Zeng Juan was also watching with his heart stirred. This scene was so sudden and so astonishing. As Hu Ziming dashingly tossed aside his hair and leaped down, Zeng Juan momentarily felt the impulse to cut off his own hair as well.

The trial continued, but Zeng Juan had no more time to watch. The sun was already gradually setting westward—it was past three o'clock. He had been gallivanting outside for an entire day. If he didn't get back to the Wanshengliu Teahouse to watch the evening business, his parents would have words for him. Even Old He at the shop would natter on about "one who accepts another's trust should be loyal to one's duty."

He squeezed out of the venue and ran all the way back to the Wanshengliu Teahouse, which was already packed. Many people, like him, had just come from the venue and were all discussing the exciting events.

When Zeng Juan returned and had just settled behind the counter, Old He immediately rushed over to ask him about the day's public trial.

"I heard they hanged many villains and scoundrels—is it true?"

"It's true." Zeng Juan nodded and named some of those who had been executed.

Old He's eyes lit up and he couldn't stop grinning, repeatedly saying how wonderful it was.

Being a waiter was not easy work. Every day one had to deal with all manner of people, and the status was very low. Being bullied for no reason, receiving unwarranted beatings—these were common occurrences. And waiters couldn't get angry or upset; after being beaten, they still had to put on a smiling face. The street thugs—the "city foxes and social rats"—didn't dare provoke the great households or even ordinary people with some power, so they used bullying waiters and shop assistants as their way of establishing their "authority." Old He had suffered no small amount of abuse from these people in the past.

"With the Great Song here, everything is better! A bright and clear world!" Old He sighed with emotion. "Even work feels more energizing..."

Before he could finish, someone outside called for a waiter. Old He hurried over to serve them.

Zeng Juan began organizing the accounts when he suddenly heard someone call: "A... Juan..."

Only Agui spoke in such a halting manner. Zeng Juan looked up and sure enough, it was Agui.

Since it wasn't his shift, he was dressed in civilian clothes today, and beside him was someone who had disappeared for quite some time—Yuan Shuzhi.