Firefly Journey

Chapter 260 Thunderous Sound from an Earthenware Pot (7)

"Explicitly stated?"

Duan Feibai suddenly smiled, then his tone turned cold.

"It seems that Minister Lu won't shed tears until he sees the coffin."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't mean anything by it, I just want to state a few facts."

Duan Feibai slammed his gavel and calmly said, "Lu Xianju, how dare you!"

"Since you retired from office, you have been all-powerful in Yunzhou, colluding with local powerful clans to oppress the people, illegally collecting taxes, and condoning the evil deeds of your subordinates. This is simply outrageous!"

"Wait a minute," Lu Xianju quickly interjected, "Lord Duan, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't say whatever you want. How have I been oppressing the people...?"

And what you said about uniting with powerful clans is utter nonsense. At my age, it's perfectly reasonable for me to have a few close friends, but in your words, it's as if I'm forming cliques for personal gain.

Duan Feibai raised an eyebrow, thinking to himself, "I haven't even said a few words, and I haven't even gotten to the specifics of the matter, and you're already getting impatient?"

As the saying goes, "If you have a clear conscience, you have nothing to fear." The fact that someone is so eager to defend themselves actually reveals a lot.

Lu Xianju had been an official for many years, and in principle he shouldn't be so impetuous. However, people are very easily ignited when they are extremely fearful.

Ever since he and Lin Yuanran arrived in Taiqian, they've made it clear they're going to investigate you. Even though several days have passed and there's still no substantial evidence, their actions are like a sharp sword that's been honed to a shine, constantly hanging over Lu Xianju's head.

Even with his strong willpower, he couldn't withstand the immense psychological pressure.

It wasn't just the Lu family; the Wu family, the Zhu family, and other powerful families in Yunzhou—it would be a lie to say they hadn't abused their power. And since they did it, they have a long criminal record.

Although these things have been suppressed and downplayed, if one really wanted to investigate, one could always find some clues.

Duan Feibai is the governor, appointed by the emperor himself. What does his arrival in Yunzhou signify?

This means it's His Majesty the Emperor's will!

The emperor wants to suppress the powerful families of Yunzhou!

In recent years, the State of Chu has been recovering its national strength and has returned to the ranks of the powerful nations on the continent. This is inseparable from the concerted efforts of the officials and the people.

In such an atmosphere, some people take the opportunity to make a fortune or exploit others; aren't they parasites?

Having served Emperor Zhuang for many years, Lu Xianju knew very well what kind of person he was.

Lu Xianju, who had always been in charge of the Lu family, constantly restrained his family members, telling them to keep a low profile and to do things secretly, even if it meant accumulating wealth.

Recently, the Lu family's behavior has indeed gone too far, and coupled with the strict investigation by the imperial court, they have run into trouble.

Now is the time for reckoning.

For a moment, Lu Xianju was truly at a loss. After all, if the emperor wanted his subject to die, the subject had no choice but to die. This matter had alarmed His Majesty the Emperor, and the nature of the matter was completely different.

Lu Xianju panicked completely. Looking across the entire Chu, he realized that no matter who you oppose, you can't oppose the royal family. Wouldn't that be courting death?

The die is cast. Even though Lu Xianju was filled with regret for not disciplining his juniors, there was nothing he could do but take it one step at a time.

Duan Feibai said loudly, "Whether you have formed cliques for personal gain or abused your power is not for you to decide; it is for the people of Yunzhou to decide. Summon Hu Jun."

No sooner had he finished speaking than Hu Jun, from the side hall, walked out on his own without the need for the yamen runners to lead the way, his steps swift and powerful, his eyes filled with determination.

Lu Xianju looked up and saw that he didn't recognize the person.

Duan Feibai said, "Many of the villagers probably recognize him. This is the accountant of Qingsong Inn. In fact, he is also a victim of the Lu family's oppression. Now, he can serve as a witness."

"Hu Jun, tell us your story in detail, so that the people of Yunzhou may know just how vicious the Lu family truly is."

Hu Jun straightened his back, walked up to the Lu family father and son, and said loudly, "Old dog of the Lu family, do you recognize me?"

Before Lu Xianju could speak, Lu Lian, enraged, shouted, "Where did this troublemaker come from, daring to give false testimony!"

"Hehe, that's true. How could a noble family like yours care about the life and death of ordinary people?"

Hu Jun bowed to both those in the hall and the people outside, and slowly said, "Many years ago, I went to the capital to take the imperial examination..."

Hu Jun recounted his experience in detail and with clear organization.

His story instantly resonated with the crowd outside the hall. In Yunzhou, many people had been oppressed by powerful families, suffering losses ranging from financial ruin to death. The crowd was now indignant, raising their fists high. If it weren't for the constables stopping them, they would have almost stormed into the hall.

The public always loves to hear stories of corrupt officials, especially since what Hu Jun said actually happened around them, and many of them were victims. Public opinion is a powerful force, and it's hard not to believe it.

This is the effect we want.

To bring down the Lu family, various kinds of evidence are indispensable. In the State of Chu, evidence requires both the person and the evidence.

Although the Lu family usually acts arrogantly, it is difficult to leave any evidence against them. Even if the common people are oppressed, they may not dare to stand up and testify.

Because people aren't stupid; they understand the principle of officials protecting each other. Nobody knows if someone who stood up to testify one second might suddenly die on some street corner the next.

After much deliberation, Duan Feibai concluded that Hu Jun was the most suitable candidate. He had just asked, and Lu Xianju didn't even know such a person existed.

That's true. There are too many bad things and evil deeds to remember them all.

"What nonsense!"

After listening to Hu Jun's impassioned speech, Lu Xianju was so angry that he glared and vehemently denied it.

Lin Yuanran, who had been silent all along, spoke at this moment.

"Old dog Lu, why are you so agitated? There's a saying in Chu: 'A guilty conscience needs no accusation.' Your reaction is so strong, it's hard to believe there's nothing wrong with you."

Lu Xianju dared to rebuke Hu Jun in court because Hu Jun, like himself, was standing below the court. Lin Yuanran was different; he was sitting. He was the Deputy Imperial Envoy of the Imperial Court and the judge. Even if his words were too harsh or inappropriate, it was at most a matter of his personal character. If Lu Xianju dared to rebuke him, he would be slapping the face of the Imperial Court and might even be charged with disrupting the court proceedings.

He could only swallow his anger.

With witnesses and physical evidence, the public outside the courtroom is already 80% convinced, and the charge is almost a foregone conclusion. Lu Xianju can only try to work on the physical evidence.

"Although I don't know where the governor found this troublemaker to spread his nonsense and damage the reputation of my Lu family, my Lu family is upright and has nothing to fear, nor is it afraid of the mudslinging thrown at us."

"May I ask, Your Excellency Governor, is there any physical evidence?"

Lu Xianju believed that the Lu family had done everything meticulously and would not leave any decent evidence. As long as he got through this hurdle, he could use his connections to pull strings and save the Lu family from the brink of disaster. At worst, he would have to keep a low profile in the future.

He still harbored a sliver of hope that the court's investigation into the courtesan case was merely a formality, and that Duan Feibai's actions represented only his personal opinion, not the emperor's targeting of the Lu family.

Duan Feibai glanced at Lin Yuanran and smiled, "Lord Morris, please show me the letter."

"it is good."

Lin Yuanran agreed, took out a book from his pocket, and casually turned to a page.

Suddenly, countless thin sheets of paper flew out from this page of the book and floated squarely above the hall.

Lin Yuanran said coldly, "Old dog Lu, don't tell me you don't know what this is. Your Lu family's history of embezzlement, bribery, and forming cliques is all written here."