Chapter 231 The Hearing (2/2)
”Yes, my lord.” Zuoqiu Ping extracted a jade strip and released it into the air. The jade wand magically glided through the air and flew to the Steward.
The old man reached out a bony finger and tapped lightly on it, and the jade strip began to shine, projecting a holographic message with hundreds of words. He read it briefly, before handing the jade strip to his colleagues.
The four Stewards traded quick looks when they have finished reading, and the first Steward barked loudly, ”XIAO CHEN! DO YOU DENY THESE CHARGES!”
The sudden roar caught everyone outside the hall off-guard that some yelped in surprise. Xiao Chen would have been frightened too if not for his Divine Sense. Instead, he casually howled, ”I...” and dragged his voice as long as he could before he finished with a sonorous ”DON'T KNOW!”
The members of the court below and the chiefs from the sects and schools frowned at his impudence. Even some outside were stunned beyond words and could only share looks of dismay.
”SILENCE! We'll have none of your insolence in this sacred hall!” The Steward thundered with an authority that said it was used to being obeyed.
Xiao Chen's eyebrows tipped up quizzically. With a frosty voice still and silent, he hissed quietly, ”You have read the message imbued into the jade strip on your own, but you did not recite what was said inside. How am I to know what the message was about? Am I to accept the charges quietly if even if the charges against me were contrary?”
Everyone was aghast with shock and surprise by his bravado and hushed whispers began to rise from amongst the crowd outside. ”What nerve! Does he have strong support? What is his background?”
”Word has it that he is a disciple of the Ancient Immortal Clan who is now on a pilgrimage.”
”No wonder. That explains his arrogance.”
The Steward in red was angered beyond words. For decades he had presided over countless hearings, but this was the first time he encountered so arrogant and haughty a defendant. Switching to a cold voice, he read loudly, ”Very well! You are hereby charged with intruding the residence of the Zuoqiu Clan with unknown confederates and have murdered the entire household of seventy-four people and have caused the disappearance of the relic, the Fallen Dust Bead. Do you deny these charges!”
Seventy-four? So the Zuoqiu Family is piling all the deaths of their family on me, whether I killed them or not! ”So, you are reading the charges as imbued into the jade wand? My Lord Steward! I hope you have not been receiving gifts or bribes to indict me.”
A tense atmosphere shrouded over the entire hall like a spectral apparition. The onlookers outside felt a nervous chill as they could feel the anger swelling from the seats above the hanging pedestals. From whence did he find such audacity to speak so rudely to a Steward? Does he not value his life?
”IMPERTINENCE! CONTEMPT OF COURT! HOW DARE YOU! MEN! TAKE HIM...”
But the Steward was cut short by the sound of a throat being cleared that broke his seething uproar. It was the Warden who had long observed everything in silence. Finally, he began to speak. As if ignoring the heated exchange between Xiao Chen and his subordinate, he spoke gently, still wearing his friendly smile like a grandfather speaking to his grandson, ”It is only right and natural that you reserve the right to tender objections, Xiao Chen. You only need to point them out nicely.”
Everyone was equally astonished. Why was the Lord Warden being so nice to Xiao Chen? In most cases, defendants and accused were usually subjected to a certain amount of torture before the hearing even began. Was he really from a powerful background?
Xiao Chen took a long breath. Indifferently, he began to speak, ”I was passing Canglan City when the Zuoqiu Clan detained my friend without any reason. Later, they even sent men to murder me. And I was forced to flee to the Changyin Mountain Range with them in pursuit. But I am responsible for no murder. The seventy-four counts of death have nothing to do with me!”
He stopped to look at Zuoqiu Ping and hissed, ”I had warned them many times that I only want my friend back, and I will forgo all the hostilities that they've shown me. But they persisted in trying to kill me and the head of their family even tried to usurp my spirit via Spirit Possession. In their haste to kill me, they were surprised by the sudden appearance of members of the Devil's Practice who were the ones actually culpable for the disappearance of the Fallen Dust Bead. I have nothing to do with everything!”
His long address to the judges demonstrated his denial to the charges fabricated against him, and many of the leaders and chiefs present shuffled uneasily. Some nodded approvingly while some shook their head. The old Warden, his cheeks still flushing with vim and verve, nodded his head gently.
The Stewards began debating amongst themselves on the disputes about the case, and the crowds outside started to murmur on their own, discussing with interest about the fate that awaited Xiao Chen. Realizing that he must do something, Zuoqiu Ping stood up and raised a hand to silence the crowd. He looked up at the Stewards and the Warden and wore a feigned expression of sadness and solemnness, ”My Lords. For centuries, we of the Zuoqiu Clan have guarded the Fallen Dust Bead, ensuring its safety and keeping it away from evildoers and scoundrels with great sacrifice and loyalty. But this man has emerged from nowhere and killed not only my grandson, but all seventy-four of my kinsmen! I implore you, Lords, please avenge us!”
The Stewards conferred among themselves again until the Warden spoke at last, ”What happened between Zuoqiu Ze, which by extension, includes the Zuoqiu Family, and Xiao Chen, is no business of the League, as per the laws of the League. This is a private matter between both your parties and the League should not have interfered...”
But Zuoqiu Ping did not allow him to finish. ”But it is surely not a coincidence that the Fallen Dust Bead was taken the moment this man appeared! He must be related to the evil folk! Please, my Lord Warden, I urge you to launch an inquiry!”
The Warden's head nodded. ”There is truth in what you say as well...” He sounded troubled. Looking at Xiao Chen, he asked, ”There have been witnesses who claimed that they saw you being closed to the woman of the evil folk. Some even said you rescued her yourself. Is this true?”
Everyone looked at Xiao Chen. The charge of being caught fraternizing with anyone from the Devil's Practice was a grave offense punishable by death. Not even a strong and powerful background could absolve anyone from such a grave sin. There was almost no way Xiao Chen could worm his way out of this and almost everyone was sure that he would be detained for seven days before a formal trial by the Elders of the League.
Perfected Immortal Qing Chen and Fengxi grew worried and anxious, but on the other side of the spectators' bench, the members of clans Zuoqiu and Ling were delighted. Let's see how you explain yourself for saving Yu Linglong from Ye Wuxin! There is no way you'll emerge from this unscathed!
”SPEAK!”
A shrill yell shattered the silence that many jumped in their seats. The voice was deafening; echoing through the hall like a crack of thunder. Slowly, heads began to raise as everyone searched for the origin of the voice, and they no longer saw a benign smile upon the Warden's face. The friendly look from his eyes had vanished, replaced by a cold fury in every line of his gnarly face and an aura of power and wrath radiated from him as though he were giving off burning heat.