The Double-Chapter 342 - 123 The Cry of Injustice_5

"How could we trouble the Second Miss?" A person stepped out from the crowd, speaking calmly, "I swear to follow Lord until death, to overturn his case is my duty as a subordinate. I will be the one to beat the Injustice Drum." It was none other than Peng Xiao.

"And me." He Jun also stood out and said, "Fifty strokes of the cane are nothing compared to the cruel torture we suffered in Tongxiang at the hands of the corrupt officials. I’ll join in."

"And us." Gu Da and Gu Er also stepped forward, "It’s just beating the Injustice Drum, the two of us brothers are willing!"

Ye Mingyu burst into hearty laughter and said, "There’s no need for those with skinny arms and legs to bother, I’ve got thick skin, not afraid of a beating. I’ve never beaten the Injustice Drum in my life, let me do it!"

"Nobody fight me for this, how can you all do it without me." Butcher Zhang also stood up, "You all don’t have much strength, I slaughter pigs, I’m strong. Just one hit from me, and I guarantee the whole of Yanjing City will hear it. I’ll do it!"

"I’ll do it!"

"I’ll do it!"

"I’ll do it!"

As if infected, one after another the people of Tongxiang stood up, eagerly vying to be the one to beat the Injustice Drum.

Even the frail Daiyun said, "I also want to beat the Injustice Drum, even if not for Lord Xue, then for ourselves. In the days with Feng Yutang here, we people of Tongxiang have really suffered too much, too much. Since fairness and justice are so hard to come by, what does fifty strokes matter? Second Miss, please let me do it too!"

No one backed down.

The two young guards managing Changan Gate showed a change in their wooden expressions for the first time. Stationed here by the two stone lions, they had seen many who came to beat the Drum of Injustice.

If not driven to desperation, with a heart full of grievances with nowhere to vent, who would come to such a place? Most of those who came would linger for a long while only to turn back. Because they couldn’t afford the "price" of fairness and feared that before they could achieve victory, they would lose their lives. Most of those who didn’t turn back were resolved to a certain death, thinking to take their enemies down with them, as if marching to their execution.

But if there were any other choice, none of them would willingly beat that drum.

For the first time, the two young soldiers saw so many people, all desperate to strike the drum, without a hint of retreat. Even the girl being led by a frail woman had eyes filled with determination, unwavering.

It seemed there must be a grave injustice, fearless of any consequences.

The people of Yanjing watched silently from their end. Although they came to watch the excitement, hearts are made of flesh, after all. Seeing so many people resolute, it seemed that the matter was not so simple.

And there, Miss Jiang the Second stood in the very center of the crowd. She was like the backbone of the people, her few words carrying the will of the people. They were willing to follow her because she could give them hope. No matter how faint or difficult that hope might be, hope was still hope.

Hope can give people the courage to go on, hope can conquer all.

Inside the prison cart, Feng Yutang suddenly burst into loud laughter. His laughter was so boisterous that it drew everyone’s gaze.

A person from Tongxiang despised him immensely and seeing him laughing, immediately picked up a stone from the ground and threw it at him viciously, saying, "What’s there to laugh about!"

Feng Yutang said, "I laugh at your stupidity! I laugh that Heaven truly favors me. Regardless of how this lawsuit goes, before it’s even fought, half of you here will have fallen. Maybe some will have died too! For the sake of getting back at me, paying such a heavy price, I’m delighted and thrilled!"

After that, he burst into laughter again.

The crowd looked at him angrily, but they also had to admit, Feng Yutang was stating the facts. The feeling was unbearable, the evildoer had yet to be punished, and the good people were already losing something. Who the hell set these rules!

Jiang Li also started to smile gently.

Feng Yutang gradually stopped laughing and watched her suspiciously, asking, "What are you laughing at?"

"I’m laughing at Lord Feng’s naivety." Jiang Li said calmly, "Though it is true that one must receive fifty strokes, you forgot, those beating the Injustice Drum are not alone. There’s never been a rule stating that it’s impossible for all the people involved in a case to share the total of fifty strokes combined."

"There are hundreds of people here, one stroke each is more than enough, and it’s not a big deal." Jiang Li looked at him mockingly, "Isn’t that right, Lord Feng?"

The smile slowly vanished from Feng Yutang’s face, replaced by the laughter of the crowd.

"Just about one and a half strokes each, eh! That’s nothing, I’ll take a few extra hits for everyone! I’ve got thick skin, it won’t matter!"

"Don’t, I want to try it too, nobody fight over it!"

"Can we take just half a stroke more? This half stroke thing really tortures people, let’s make it quick!" freeweɓnovēl.coɱ

Inside the pavilion, Jih Heng snickered.

Such a method... she really could think of it. But exploiting loopholes in the bureaucratic system was always what she was best at. She was determined not to suffer losses, astutely so.

Jiang Li walked slowly towards the giant drum.

The giant drum sat there quietly as if it had been waiting for a long time, the stone lions majestic, covered in frost and snow, having witnessed the autumn and winter of many seasons – justice was finally on its way.

"Boom!" The dust on the surface of the drum scattered in all directions with the heavy strike, almost blending with the snow in the sky. After the dust settled, there was clarity.

"Boom!" The grievances of two lifetimes finally found an outlet for justice, a narrow and seemingly bottomless exit. However, carefully following the light to find a way out, there was finally a glimmer of daylight.

"Boom!" From muffled confusion to clear awareness, from chaos to clarity, it took only three beats of the drum.

The sound of the drum echoed through the whole of Changan Gate and startled the entirety of Yanjing City.

Everyone heard it.