Chapter 683 – Principle (1/2)

Chapter 683 – Principle

Translated by: Hypersheep325

Edited by: Michyrr

Madam Xue was a wife who had had a very good upbringing and was very courteous. Even when her husband's body had been thrown into the fields to the side of the official road and she was enduring endless suffering and humiliation, she still did not lose her manners. Seeing this youth that she did not recognize, she softly asked, ”May I ask if you need something?”

Chen Changsheng had walked out of the crowd to her because he naturally needed something, but it was something that the Imperial Court currently would not allow anyone to do: bury Xue Xingchuan.

Madam Xue was somewhat shocked upon hearing his answer. She felt deeply moved, but she shook her head, a grief-stricken smile on her face.

In the past few days, the capital had seemed completely silent, but there had actually been a few cries of injustice. However, those people had suffered the same fate as the soldiers returning from Cong Province Army and had been cruelly repressed.

She did not want this youth to experience the same fate.

Before Chen Changsheng had a chance to say anything, he was interrupted by a cold and stern voice.

It was Tianhai Sheng, the supervisor from the Ministry of Justice.

When he saw that youth ignore the cold edges of those blades and swords and walk out from the crowd, then heard the ensuing conversation, he found the whole thing very laughable. Of course, he was also very angry.

He didn't know who this youth was, but seeing the scholarly uniform the youth was wearing, he believed him to also be one of those students of the Six Ivies that had let their passionate blood get to their head.

”Your schoolmates have already been sent to Zhou Prison. Some were whipped a few dozen times, and now they've all been shut up in their respective academies.”

He sternly rebuked, ”I didn't expect that one of you still dared to make trouble. Are you blind?”

Right now, both sides of the official road were swarming with the soldiers of the City Gate Department and bailiffs of the Ministry of Justice. There were several hundred people forming a dense mass.

Those soldiers from the Cong Province Army had not been lacking in skill, but before such an array of forces, they had not been able to stir a single wave before being knocked to the ground, heavily injured.

If an average student of the Six Ivies were to see such a sight and still step forward, that was truly too hot-blooded, even reckless.

In the eyes of an official like Tianhai Sheng, this sort of student must be blind.

It had been a long time since Chen Changsheng had heard such words, since that spring day in which he entered the Orthodox Academy.

The Divine Empress, the Tianhai clan head, and even the Demon Lord he had encountered at Mount Han might treat him with disregard, but they would never look upon him with such disdain. After all, his status and identity were unique.

He did not react and thus seemed somewhat slow-witted. In Tianhai Sheng's eyes, this was obstinacy.

Tianhai Sheng did not like obstinate people because he had never once been obstinate in his entire life. As a result, he grew angry and shook his wrist.

With a crack, the whip in his hand flicked through the autumn breeze towards Chen Changsheng's face.

It flew with fury and no intention of sparing the lash. With this strength, if it truly landed on Chen Changsheng's face, it would leave an extremely deep wound.

And Tianhai Sheng wasn't prepared to whip him only once. He had already decided to whip this youth until he cried, until he was rolling around and begging for forgiveness.

At this scene, the crowd erupted in cries of shock. Madam Xue's face paled and she wanted to pull Chen Changsheng, yet she didn't have the strength.

In the eyes of the crowd, Chen Changsheng had been scared witless, only able to stare at this leather whip, but what use was there in that?

Suddenly, the clear crack of the whip vanished.

A crossbow bolt came from nowhere and severed the whip in Tianhai Sheng's hand!

Tianhai Sheng stared at the remainder of the whip in his hand in shock, then stared into the distance.

It was at that exact moment that another crossbow bolt pierced into his left eye, causing blood to squirt out!

An anguished howl burst from his mouth.

The two sides of the official road beyond the city gate were filled with the crowd's frightened cries and sounds of fleeing, the entire scene falling into complete disarray.

At the front of the crowd, Tianhai Sheng held his wounded eye, his face pale from pain, his entire body shuddering, and the remainder of the whip flailing in his hands as if he had gone insane.

Chen Changsheng took Madam Xue's arm and took two steps back.

The disarray did not persist for too long.

The deputy general from the City Gate Department yelled a few stern commands to have the bailiffs of the Ministry of Justice step forward and take the whip from Tianhai Sheng's hands. As preparations were made to treat him, the soldiers of the City Gate Department surrounded the site. Neither the spectating commoners nor the heavily injured soldiers of the Cong Province Army were able to leave.

The cavalry searched in all directions, attempting to quickly find the crossbowman.

Chen Changsheng and Madam Xue stood on the official road, their surroundings completely devoid of people.