When the carriage came to a halt in front of the magistrate’s office, Master Gu got down from the carriage and walked straight to the injustice drum and picked up the drumsticks to beat them.
Master Gu snatched it back, knocked him away with one shoulder, swung the drumstick hard and struck it several times.
The closed door of the magistrate’s office was instantly opened and the magistrate ran out, about to ask a question, but when he saw that it was Master Gu, his heart gave a jolt and he turned around and darted in to report.
There was a customary practice of beating the drums of injustice, and anyone who beat the drums, regardless of whether they had a grievance or not, was first beaten with ten boards; and the county magistrate, no matter what he was busy with, had to come to the lobby immediately to inquire about the case.
The Third Prince and the Duke of Qi had also heard the drums and sent their guards to see what was going on. Hearing that it was Master Gu who had beaten the drums, they thought it was an opportunity.
The Duke of Qi came out from the courtyard and stopped the County Prince who was going to the front hall, “You are not feeling well, so don’t force yourself, this Duke of Qi will go on your behalf.”
The County Magistrate was eager to do so, pretending that he knew nothing, he thanked him repeatedly and went back inside.
The Duke of Qi went to the front hall and slapped the wood, “Bring up the man who is beating the drum!”
Master Gu was brought up to the hall by the magistrates.
The Duke of Qi’s eyes fell on his beard, and then he drew out a warrant stick and threw it on the ground, “Beat!”
Two magistrates came forward and
Master Gu followed them outside the hall, taking off his single robe to reveal his back.
The law of this dynasty states that the board can be applied to the back, to the buttocks or to the legs.
“Slowly!”
It was his lower body that the Duke of Qi was looking at, so naturally he would not let him get a spanking on his back.
“Strip his trousers and spank him!”
“My Lord, this is out of order!”
Sheriff Zhang couldn’t help but speak up, he usually got a lot of favours from Master Gu and wanted to help him out, “Master Gu isn’t a prisoner, he can decide where he gets a spanking.” “b*****d! Stand down!”
Sheriff Zhang didn’t move.
Just now, when he saw that it was Master Gu banging the drum, he had already ordered someone to tell Gu Yi and Song Wan Yue that when they brought the old man over, Master Gu wouldn’t have to take this flogging.
“Your Highness, this is really out of order, Master Gu is considered a dignified person in this area of Qingping County, if he is stripped of his trousers and beaten, it will damage his face.”
“Pull him down for me!”
The guards stepped forward.
Sheriff Zhang pressed his hand on his waist sword and took a step back, “Hold it!”
As if he had not heard, the guard probed his hand, which Sheriff Zhang dodged.
The people who had been attracted by the sound of the drums to come over and watch saw that the two men had actually started fighting, and they were suddenly talking.
……
The man sent by Sheriff Zhang ran to the entrance of the Song family in one breath, and when the watchman heard him say that he had come to deliver a message to Gu Yi and Song Wan Yue, he hurriedly brought him to the two men.
“Master Gu has gone and beaten the drum of injustice, according to the custom he is to be beaten with ten boards, Sheriff Zhang means for you to bring the old man over, seeing his old man’s face, the county magistrate might waive the boarding.”
Gu Yi was so shocked that he stood up, “Do you know why my father went back to beat the injustice drum?”
The person who reported the news shook his head, “When I saw Master Gu banging the drum, Sheriff Zhang sent me over to report the news, I don’t know what happened after that.”
“Xiao Si …….”
I wanted to call out to Xiao Si to give a reward of silver, only after shouting did I remember that Xiao Si followed to the county court and did not come back, I was busy taking out a silver ticket and stuffing it to the person who reported the news, “Thanks a lot!”
The person who reported the news was overjoyed and put the silver ticket in his bad pocket, and left happily.
The two of them could not wait, so they walked quickly in the direction of the county courthouse, and the carriage caught up with them only after they had gone some way.
The carriage rushed all the way to the entrance of the county courthouse, Gu Yi just lifted the curtain and saw Master Gu’s carriage, immediately jumping down and running over, asking the coachman, “What’s going on?”
The coachman lifted a corner of the carriage with red eyes, “It’s Master Wei.”
Gu Yi turned around and ran towards the county office.
Song Wan Yue also saw it and asked eagerly, “Where are they, old man?”
“Outside the city on their way to the Western Hills.”
Song Wan Yue instructed the carriage driver who had come with them, “Go and fetch the old gentleman and the others!”
The coachman raised his whip and gave the horse a fierce smack as it sped out.
Song Wan Yue turned around and followed Gu Yi into the county courthouse.
In the main hall, Sheriff Zhang was thrown aside like a puddle of mud, two guards were holding Master Gu in a vice grip, and another was about to strip him.
“Stop it! Stop!”
Gu Yi rushed over and pushed the guards away, who, annoyed, turned around and kicked over.
Song Wan Yue’s quick eyes and hands pulled Gu Yi back quickly, dodging the kick.
“I’ll fight with you!”
Gu Yi broke away from Song Wangyue and pounced on the guards, striking down with a head-butt.
The Duke of Qi was so furious that his forehead was bruised and he took a warrant stick and threw it fiercely on the ground, “Take it down for me!”
In a moment of hesitation, the guards had already rolled over and pinned Gu Yi to his body, choking him hard.
Song Wangyue copied a board and struck him with a bang, hitting him right on the head, the guard’s body went limp and fell limply!
The crowd looked at the scene in shock, forgetting to react.
Dang!
Song Wangyue threw the board away and helped Gu Yi up.
“Against the grain, against the grain!”
Duke Qi returned to his senses and roared, “Someone! Someone!”
Several guards and attendants ran over.
“Take them down for me!”
“Don’t you dare!”
Song Wangyue was not the least bit afraid and bent down to pick the board up and confront them.
The Duke of Qi choked on a mouthful of blood, “What are you still standing there for, take it down!”
The guards and attendants stepped forward, Song Wan Yue waved the board in her hand haphazardly, but she was only a nine-year-old child after all, she ran out of strength after a few swings and the board was snatched away by one of the guards.
Song Wan Yue’s eyes turned red with anger.
“You have abused lynching, I will tell Grand Great Grandfather so that he can speak to the world!”
“Gag her for me!”
The guards had just reached out their hands before they touched Song Wan Yue when Gu Yi came crashing headlong into her, “I’ll fight you!”
The guard was knocked over by him and was furious, so he jumped up and lunged at him!
“Stop!”
Xu Yan’s voice came from the doorway of the magistrate’s office.
Seeing Song Wangyue and Gu Yi both hurriedly heading towards the magistrate’s office without even waiting for the carriage, the watchman felt that something was wrong and went to report Xu Yan, who instantly came over in the carriage and was stopped by the carriage driver outside the magistrate’s office, saw the body of Boss Wei and knew what was going on.
With a heavy face, he peeled away from the crowd and walked into the lobby without being condescending, “Your Highness, Yue’er is right, you did abuse lynching.”
The Duke of Qi was furious, “Xu Yan, don’t think you’re relying on the name of the old gentleman’s grandson to point fingers, when have I abused lynching?”