Zhao Yuejing wasn’t in his classroom when we visited. As a matter of fact, not a soul was in sight.
“Where is everyone during class?! Who is the teacher for this class?!” Uncle Huang dragged me back to his room to castigate me because we couldn’t find the teacher. I think he was edging on crazy from anger…
When was I finally released from Uncle Huang’s room, I spotted a group of people I recognised hurtle into the two adjacent corridors from his door. They clearly didn’t try as I could see their sleeves and hats. “What are you doing here?”
They checked to confirm Uncle Huang wasn’t around, then boldly strolled out.
“Nice.”
“Me?” I pointed to myself. Young people these days had bad taste. I wagged my hand. “Everyone is just being too kind.”
“No need to be modest. We’ve never seen Principal Huang scold the same student three times in a single day. You’ve broken the record.”
I didn’t ask for it! He just likes reprimanding people. More pertinentlty, why is it entertainment to you?!
I didn’t really understand their preferences, but maybe it was what the young generation thought was cool? Pretty much all of my classmates came to see me, making me feel like I was a returning war hero.
On the sprint back to our class, they had all sorts of questions for me.
“I’m Zheng Datong. My family sells vegetables.”
“Nice to meet you, Datong. I’m Ming Feizhen.”
“My turn, my turn. Because the only thing I’m good at is studying, my dad told me he might as well send me away to polish our family’s name since I was wasting resources at home.” This spritely fellow was the one who told me I broke a record. “I’m Wu Dayong. My family owns a rice store.”
“Oh, nice to meet you, Meiyong.”
“This one is Zhou Teng. His father is the Ministry of Personnel’s third-rank Attendant Gentleman Zhong Xiaolang’s student.”
“Pleasure to meet you, Shun Tengba.”
A girl with her arms crossed suavely said, “I’m Wang Zi. My dad works with a blade. He’s Wang Wu.”
“Main is Wang Wu, second is Wang Zi. Impressive.”
Once everyone had their turn, a girl exhaled sharply. “I recognise you.”
“Pleasure to meet you, too, I Recognise you. Huh?” I looked up.
She recognises me?
“Hmph, my name is Shi Weiliang. My mother said you’re a dine and dasher, but my dad spoke up for you, resulting in him taking a beating.”
“Your father is Eight Deities Restaurant’s owner, Shi Guangju?”
“Who else? You dine and dash at other places, as well?”
“Whatever do you mean? It’s an honour to meet you. As friends, you can count on me anytime, everyone.”
“Of course,” enthused Wu Dayong. “We’ve always been bottom rung. You’re the first one to become a hot shot in our grade.”
This is all it takes to be a hot shot around here? Damn, son, your old man named you perfectly. Wuyong, Wuyong, absolutely useless.
“Me? No way. Isn’t He Shi the hot shot?” I wanted to broach the topic of the scuffle without coming out of the gates too hard.
The entire group stared at me emotionlessly. “You’re not trying to dig up information on him, are you?”
“I am. Is something the matter?”
They checked with each other, then replied, “Not… exactly. It’s just… none of us really like him.”
“Can you tell me more?”
Turned out that He Shi excelled at literacy; however, he liked to befriend the rich and influential. For whatever reason, one of the rich kids he recently befriended had his cronies break his leg.
“I think it has something to do with the six Princes’ contest.”
“The six Princes?”
“Yes.” Shi Weiliang made a funny face at me. “Because that rich kid is under Blue Prince’s banner. He wanted He Shi to write a piece praising Blue Prince, but He Shi refused at the cost of his leg.”
No way. We’re breaking people’s legs just because they don’t agree with your opinion now?
“He’s one of our institutes four Court Lords.”
Four Court Lords? Man, I feel like I’m about to hear a painfully dodgy Chunnibyou story…
***
A while ago, Liu Shan Men’s constables headed out to the locations according to Shen Yiren’s instructions, but someone from Yongheng Bank soon paid them a visit to inform them that a clue had been found. Once they heard who the thief was, Tang Ye, Su Xiao and Bai Yeshuang all asked the same question: “Why did he steal it?”
“Silence!” The courtroom guards’ in blue uniforms drawled in an aggressive tone as they knocked on the ground with their emotionless rods; they brimmed with the hostility of men out to revenge their mothers. This was something Shen Yiren taught them to do so that they could intimidate suspects and gain the upper hand before the inquisitions commenced.
Shen Yiren, in uniform, briskly entered the courtroom and exclaimed, “Insolence! Huh, why are you here?”
Sitting on the ground, Hong Jiu sniffled. “My life is tragic. I was earnestly moving things in the storehouse when I was ambushed. Right after that, a tough guy came at me. I considered hanging upside down and feeding him, uh, that. Anyway, Tang Ye and so forth came and arrested me, forcing me to eat that. I really don’t want to eat it.”
“Huh?” Shen Yiren turned to the plaintiffs, which consisted of ten-odd students, some of whom needed support to stand.
The seated student snickered, then whispered to his goons. One of them then limped forward to loudly explain, “My Lady, we are students of Daren Academy. We found out he stole Yongheng Bank’s iron seal. Out of a burning desire to help, we attempted to reclaim it from him, never expecting him to assault us. Please set things right.”
“He stole Yongheng Bank’s iron seal?” queried Shen Yiren.
“Yes.”
“And assaulted you?”
“That is correct.”
“Understood.”
The students raised their eyebrows at each other whilst grinning.
Shen Yiren brought down her gavel. “Case closed.”
Hong Jiu sprang to his feet. “Thank you, My Lady.”
“Wait, wait, wait! Why is the case closed?”
Without bothering to glance their way, Shen Yiren answered, “If you have time to waste on this sort of nonsense, you’re better of reading another book. No wonder why my dad told me lot are immature. Run along now. Waste of my time.”
“Wait! Not only did he commit theft but even assault.”
Shen Yiren fired a glare their way. “I’m about to assault some people, too!”
The students shuddered.
“You have proof he stole? Did you find the seal on him? You three!” Shen Yiren turned to Tang Ye, Su Xiao and Bai Yeshuang. “You believed them? Is the thing between your ears just for show?! Think about who he is. Is it remotely possible that he’d steal?”
The trio earnestly pondered prior to replying, “Yes.”
“… In any case, no more games. Hong Jiu doesn’t have the seal on him, which means there’s no evidence he stole. That’ll be it.”
“Wait.” The seated student sounded as cold as ever even though he spoke in a soft voice. “It appears you’re still as barbaric as ever.”
Shen Yiren responded, “And you’re still a fan of gang-up games for cowards.”
“Hmph, you know how to flap your gums, but how can you be disregard the law like this when you are tasked with a case?”
“You think you’re the law. Without evidence, you can’t incriminate someone – even if it’s you, let alone in my court.”
“Who says I don’t have evidence?” Sneering, he continued, “A lack of physical proof doesn’t mean there are no witnesses. I have someone who personally saw him commit the act of theft.”
Shen Yiren didn’t like the direction the plot was developing because of the student’s background.
“Call Zhao Xin in.”
Zhao Xin ran into the courtroom. “Present.”
“This is Zhao Xin, General Zhao Tiankui’s son. He wouldn’t falsely accuse someone now, would he?” Spotting Shen Yiren curl her lips, he immediately stressed, “Zhao Xin, you are obligated to tell the truth in court, especially in Lady Shen’s presence.”
“Should this one tell a lie, he shall be executed,” Zhao Xin expressed.
“Good. You personally saw Hong Jiu steal the seal, correct?”
“Yes,” Zhao Xin asserted.
“Hong Jiu is an aggressive person, and he knocked you into the pond, correct?”
“Indeed. He has no regard for the law.”
“Last question: is he Hong Jiu?”
Zhao Xin’s gaze tracked along his classmate’s finger to Hong Jiu. “He! Is not!”
“Hear that? Shen Yiren, he…” He turned around to Zhao Xin. “What?”
Glossary
Dayong and Meiyong – The former means “incredibly useful”. The latter means “Useless”. How in Teyvat’s archon’s name Ming Feizhen got the latter is beyond me.
Attendant Gentleman – The proper term for “Secretary of (insert ministry)’s assistant”.
Zhou Teng and Shun Tengba – Zhou Teng’s “Teng” means “vine” and anything to that effect. Shun Tengba means to climb up a vine without a hitch. Again, no clue how Ming Feizhen is hearing these things.
Wang Wu and Wang Zi – Wang Wu = “Wang Five/King Five”. Wang Zi sounds like “Prince”. If the father is a King, then his children would be a Prince.
Courtroom guards’ “Silence” – Instead of a sharp “Silence”, in those days, they robotically (not loudly) enunciate the phrase like “Weeeiiii, wuuuu (in Chinese).” That’s why I noted that they drawl. If you want to have a listen, here is a link: (Mandarin)/ (Cantonese).
