eurekapd Chapter 233 Conclusive Evidence, Sounding the Drum of Injustice
Chapter 233 Conclusive Evidence, Sounding the Drum of Injustice
Previously, there was no indication that Jinglu Teahouse had any connection with Prince Xiang, and no one had ever investigated what secrets Jinglu Teahouse might hold.
After hearing Yun Shang's words, Prince Chen sent his secret guards to investigate.
This investigation uncovered quite a few things.
On the surface, the owner of Jinglu Teahouse is a woman named "Meiniang". The manager and staff of Jinglu Teahouse only know "Meiniang" and do not know if there are other masters behind "Meiniang".
However, this "Meiniang" would secretly enter the Prince Xiang's mansion through the back gate every three days, acting with extreme secrecy and deliberately avoiding everyone's sight.
But anything done will inevitably leave traces.
This news was obtained by one of King Xiang's men from an old man who collected swill.
The old man who collected swill said that Meiniang would visit the Prince of Xiang's mansion every three days, each time accompanied by two servants who carried a burlap sack.
Whenever he encountered it, he was afraid of being discovered, so he only dared to peek at it from a distance and didn't know what was in the sack.
The old man didn't know, but Yun Shang and the others had already found out.
Those sacks contained women who had been drugged after drinking tea at Jinglu Teahouse.
After learning about the situation, Yun Shang led his men to the mass grave outside the city for a thorough search and found the bodies of three young women who had been abused.
There were actually many more victims, but these three bodies clearly showed signs of abuse.
Judging from the degree of decomposition of the body, it should have been no more than half a month ago.
Upon hearing these things, Yu Wan broke out in a cold sweat.
Compared to the other women who suffered such cruelty, my cousin Wan Yuru was incredibly fortunate to have been drugged at the Jinglu Teahouse!
She thought to herself, if Wan Yuru had been sent to the Prince of Xiang's residence that day, the consequences would probably have been far more than just losing her innocence...
Just thinking about this made Yu Wan's body tremble.
"This beast!"
She and Yunshang were talking in the corridor inside Cuijinxuan.
He deliberately avoided Wan Yuru, who was inside the house.
Just as Yu Wan couldn't help but utter the word "beast," she heard a voice behind her, choked with fear.
"Cousin, is there anything I can do for you?"
She heard everything.
She was not the only woman harmed by King Xiang.
And she was actually the luckiest one among them.
She only lost her innocence, but luckily survived.
But the other women had already been murdered.
Upon hearing Wan Yuru's voice, Yu Wan and Yun Shang hurriedly turned around.
Wan Yuru's face was as pale as paper, her eyes were red-rimmed, tears were welling up in her eyes, and her body was trembling slightly.
Yu Wan quickly stepped forward and took her hand. "Cousin Yu Ru, did you hear everything?"
Yu Wan looked at her cautiously.
Seeing how cautious she was, Wan Yuru felt a pang of sorrow in her heart. She suppressed the tears welling up in her eyes and laughed through her tears.
He then comforted Yu Wan, saying, "Don't worry about me, Cousin Wan, I'm fine."
She took a deep breath and asked again, "Is there anything I can do to help you?"
Yu Wan and Yun Shang exchanged a glance.
Yu Wan looked at Wan Yuru and said softly, "Cousin, you just need to stay home and take good care of yourself. Yun Shang and I have already arranged everything else."
She has already discussed it with Yun Shang and they plan to sue King Xiang.
With Wan Yuru as a witness, the testimony would be more convincing. However, if Wan Yuru were to come forward, the fact that she had been defiled by the Prince of Xiang would no longer be able to be concealed.
Even after the King of Xiang was punished, Wan Yuru still had to endure the judgment of the world and be looked at with strange eyes.
Yu Wan didn't want her to live such a difficult life.
……
Three days later, outside the Dali Temple government office.
A hunched, short figure stood at the door, walking with faltering steps.
She stood in front of the Dali Temple, looking up at the high-hanging grievance drum, her cloudy eyes burning with a fervent and unwavering flame.
She took a deep breath and gripped the cane that had been with her for many years.
With faltering yet resolute steps, they climbed the steps one by one and slowly walked toward the grievance drum.
Every step seemed to traverse the vicissitudes and hardships of time; every step was accompanied by endless longing and grief for his granddaughter.
When she finally stood in front of the drum.
She suddenly raised her cane high and slammed it down on the drumhead with all her might—
At this moment, the sun had just risen, and the bailiffs of the Dali Temple were yawning and preparing to go to work.
The other officials were also listless, rubbing their sleepy eyes.
at this time.
With a loud "boom," the sound of the drum exploded like a thunderclap over the Dali Temple.
The sound of the drum startled the birds perched on the eaves and broke the tranquility of the Dali Temple in the early morning.
"Boom-"
"Boom-"
"Boom-"
With each thrust, Grandma Sheng's arms trembled slightly from the effort, but her eyes grew increasingly resolute.
She continued to beat the grievance drum, each beat filled with her heartache and indignation at her granddaughter's wrongful death.
The surrounding people, hearing the commotion, gathered around and whispered among themselves.
"Who is this woman beating the drum to appeal for justice? At such an advanced age, doesn't she know that beating the drum to appeal for justice means being punished with twenty strokes of the cane first?!"
An elderly man in the crowd frowned and said with a worried expression, "Let alone twenty strokes, even ten strokes would be too much for her old bones to bear."
"What exactly happened that made this old man beat the drum to appeal for justice?"
"Judging from her appearance, she must have suffered a tremendous injustice, otherwise why would she be so resolute..."
As the drumbeats and discussions rose and fell, the yamen runners from the Dali Temple hurriedly arrived.
They all frowned when they saw the person beating the drum.
A yamen runner stepped forward and tried to pull Granny Sheng away, scolding her, "Old lady, what are you doing? If you have something to say, you can go to the main hall to appeal. Don't disturb everyone by beating the drum here."
Grandma Sheng showed no fear. She continued beating the drum while loudly crying out, "I know the rules of your government!"
"Once the grievance drum is sounded, the Court of Judicial Review must take over the case. If it is a serious or important case, it will require joint trial by the three judicial departments and submission to the Emperor!"
"Today, this old woman will sue King Xiang for forcing my granddaughter to her death!"
"Such a heinous act is intolerable! I will risk my old life to seek justice for my granddaughter!"
Grandma Sheng's voice grew increasingly hoarse with excitement, yet it conveyed an undeniable determination.
When the surrounding people heard the name "King Xiang", they were immediately in an uproar.
"She's actually going to sue the Prince of Xiang? That's a prince!"
"Has this old woman gone mad? How dare a commoner sue the prince!"
"I recognized her when she was Granny Sheng, the winemaker in Meizi Lane. Her granddaughter had just been buried a few days ago..."
Everyone was talking about it.
At this moment, Su Mu, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, rushed over and his heart sank when he saw Granny Sheng.
He only learned of the Prince Xiang's crimes from the Prince Chen yesterday, and they are still discussing how to resolve the matter.
The best way to make things bigger and reach Emperor Wenjing was to have Granny Sheng, the aggrieved party, beat the grievance drum.
But Granny Sheng is old; if she were to receive twenty strokes of the cane, would she survive?
Therefore, they have been thinking of other ways.
No one even told Granny Sheng that she could beat the grievance drum; how did she find out?!
Looking at Granny Sheng's resolute face, Su Mu felt a mix of emotions.
He lowered his eyes, concealing the worry in them, and shouted loudly, "Who is beating the drum here?"
"Do you know that this grievance drum is not something you can strike casually? If the things you accuse are not true, can you bear the responsibility?"