bullyxtreme Chapter 170: The People's Petition is Issued!
Chapter 170: The People's Petition is Issued!
"No……"
Laurent opened his eyes wide, and the last trace of color drained from his face.
He collapsed to the ground, his eyes glazed over.
He's finished, he's completely finished!
The evidence is conclusive, in front of His Majesty and in front of the people of the world!
He could no longer explain it!
Zhang Fan gave him no chance to breathe, pressing forward relentlessly.
"Lord Luo, I will ask you one more time: do you know about this matter, or do you not know about it?"
Faced with irrefutable evidence, Laurent could no longer deny it.
He could only tremble as he forced out a few words through clenched teeth:
"...I...I know..."
"good!"
Zhang Fan's voice suddenly rose, "Since you know, do you want to get involved, or not?"
This is a trap!
At this moment, all Laurent wanted was to live!
He instinctively chose the answer that sounded less guilty, and hurriedly hissed:
"I want to...I want to manage it! I've always wanted to manage it!"
"Oh? You want to get involved?"
Zhang Fan looked at him with amusement. "So, can we do something about it?"
"Yes! We can manage it!" Laurent nodded frantically, as if grasping at a straw.
Zhang Fan's questions followed one after another, his voice full of mockery:
"So, can you manage it?"
"We can manage it! Your Majesty! Immortal Master!"
"Give me a chance, and I'm sure I can manage it well!"
"I will definitely get to the bottom of this!" Laurent promised, tears streaming down his face.
Seeing his ridiculous state, Zhang Fan laughed.
He waved again to the audience and said loudly:
"Guards! Present the award to Lord Luo!"
An awards ceremony?
Everyone was stunned.
What time is it? Why are we still giving out awards?
A soldier walked onto the stage carrying a tray with a beautifully crafted wooden plaque on it.
Zhang Fan picked up the wooden sign and held it high so that everyone could see the words on it.
It was a line of large characters written in cinnabar:
Knowingly breaking the law and failing to act – the Ostrich Award
"puff--"
The people in the audience didn't know what an "ostrich" was!
But they clearly understand the meaning of "knowingly breaking the law" and "inaction"!
Coupled with Laurent's confident expression of wanting to "manage" things well!
The stark contrast made many people burst out laughing on the spot!
Laughter started sporadically, but quickly spread and eventually burst into a deafening roar of laughter that echoed throughout the entire hall!
At that moment, Laurent had a premonition!
His name will be nailed to the pillar of shame in the history of the Qin Dynasty, and his infamy will last for ten thousand years!
Zhang Fan raised his hand, and the laughter from the audience subsided.
The square fell silent again, and all eyes were once again focused on him.
His gaze shifted from Laurent to another figure sitting on the ground—
Wu Liang!
"Since Lord Luo wishes to get involved in this matter!"
"Then today, I will give Lord Luo a chance to witness it firsthand!"
Zhang Fan said, "Someone come here! Witness Mei'er, come on stage!"
The words fell.
A thin, sickly-looking woman walked up to the platform with the help of a female guard.
She was one of the women rescued from the Meixiang Pavilion last night.
Zhang Fan first explained to the people below the stage:
"Fellow villagers, this woman!"
"She is one of the victims I rescued last night from 'Meixianglou,' the property of Wu Liang, the Prefect of Grain Administration."
These words caused another stir in the crowd.
After Mei'er stepped onto the stage, she didn't look at anyone else, but stared directly at Wu Liang.
His eyes were filled with hatred, which made Wu Liang tremble.
"Wu Liang!"
Mei'er's voice wasn't loud, but it was full of anger.
Her finger trembled as she pointed at Wu Liang and said:
"Do you still recognize me? I am the daughter of a farmer from Shangdang County!"
"Three years ago, your men, dressed in government uniforms, came to our village, saying they wanted to select women to go to Xianyang to enjoy a life of luxury!"
My parents believed it and put me on the carriage!
"We were locked in the car, and if we cried or made a sound, we were beaten!"
"Finally, I was sent to your seductive brothel! I was tortured day and night!"
"Wu Liang! You monster! You ruined my life!"
The woman's cries were clearly audible to everyone present.
"So that's how they lure the girls into the Meixiang Pavilion!"
"Using the government's name to cheat people—what's the difference between that and robbery!"
"Good heavens! Is there no justice left?!"
The people's anger was reignited.
If the "ghost marriage" makes them angry.
At this moment, the vivid evidence of human trafficking and oppression resonated deeply with them, filling them with uncontrollable rage.
As Wu Liang listened to Mei'er's accusations, his face turned from white to ashen.
He felt dizzy and his vision went black; all his strength seemed to have been drained away.
If the armored soldiers behind him hadn't pressed him into a chair, he would have collapsed to the ground long ago.
Seeing his expression, Zhang Fan didn't give him a chance to catch his breath and continued:
"Everyone, please see clearly."
He pointed to the huge curtain.
"The scene just now was the 'Good Children's Hall' in Shangdang County!"
"A place that masquerades as a benevolent cause, but is in reality a living hell!"
He paused, then his voice suddenly rose:
"Behind the Shantong Hall is Feng Jing, the Prefect of Shangdang County!"
"If I remember correctly, Feng Jing was an official recommended by Lord Wu!"
"And all the women in Wu Family's Meixiang Pavilion actually came from this Shantong Hall!"
In one sentence, two threads of evil were linked together.
Zhang Fan took a step forward, looked down at Wu Liang, who was now as lifeless as a corpse, and slowly spoke.
"Lord Wu, what explanation do you have?"
However, Wu Liang unleashed a final burst of madness.
He suddenly struggled to sit up in his chair, pointing at Zhang Fan.
"Nonsense! You...you're making baseless accusations!"
He turned towards the imperial carriage and loudly defended himself:
"Your Majesty is wise! The laws of our Great Qin state that all matters require evidence!"
"Under my governance, Shangdang County has enjoyed bountiful harvests year after year, its people are prosperous, and there are no vagrants in the streets and alleys of the county!"
"This is a matter that the prefect reports annually, and it is verifiable!"
"How could such a horrifying thing happen in such a peaceful place?"
He suddenly pointed at the projection screen.
"The scene that divine object just now displayed was clearly an illusion fabricated by you, Zhang Fan!"
"It's sorcery! Your Majesty, you must not be fooled by this fiend!"
In an instant, everyone's eyes were focused on Zhang Fan, waiting for his answer.
"hehe……"
Zhang Fan let out a cold laugh.
"Trying to deny it even when you're about to die?"
His eyes sharpened, and without further ado, he shouted sharply behind him:
"Bring the Book of Nations!"
Once this order was issued...
Two burly armored soldiers, carrying several incredibly heavy rolls of cloth, strode heavily up the platform!
That wasn't a single roll, but several rolls of heavy cloth bound together with thick rope!
As the armored soldiers untied it on the high platform, the long white cloth cascaded down from the edge of the platform like a waterfall, one roll after another, extending into the crowd below!
On the white cloth, there are no fancy words!
Only densely packed, shocking things—
Countless red handprints drawn with blood and mud, and names!