Lord Lu straightened his expression, and as the gavel struck, the courtroom fell silent.
"Bring forth the villagers from Xiaohe Village and Yangjiagou who caused the disturbance!"
"Summon Zhang Tai, the county registrar, along with the village heads of Xiaohe and Yangjiagou!"
The young men from the prison were led into the hall, their faces bright with relief, thinking they would soon return home safely. Spotting their families among the onlookers, they eagerly waved.
"They seem fine—no signs of punishment."
"I told you Lord Lu is a good official, but none of you believed me."
"Court is in session!"
The gavel struck again.
"Registrar Zhang Tai, Xiaohe Village Head Liu Yongyi, and Yangjiagou Village Head Yang Weiren! The three of you have disregarded imperial law, incited villagers to brawl, and attempted to incite riots to destabilize public order. Do you admit your crimes?"
The crowd erupted in murmurs.
"My lord, we are wronged!"
"My lord, this is truly unjust!"
Zhang Tai and the others cried out in protest.
Lord Lu glanced at the gathered citizens, then solemnly removed his official hat and held it toward the east.
"What does Lord Lu mean by this?"
Zhou Qingyuan glanced at Lu Chao, who remained as composed as a meditating monk, showing no surprise.
"The sages teach that an official must act with a clear conscience—answerable to heaven above, the people below, and oneself within. In my six months as magistrate of Yuxi, I have reflected deeply on my actions and decisions. I stand with a clear heart."
"Today, I remove this hat before speaking of this case. If any among you believe my judgment is unjust, I will resign and petition the Emperor myself."
"Yuxi borders Yingchuan to the north, leans against Yanshan to the west, and faces Chu Prefecture to the east. The land is arid and barren. Our people lack even brooms to sweep their homes; in winter, they gnaw on tree bark. Last year, hundreds starved to death—this pains me deeply."
"Yet barely a hundred miles away lies Chu Prefecture, vast and prosperous. Its people have surplus fields, fine clothes, and full bellies. If our regions were connected, the benefits would be undeniable. A hoe that sells for eighty coins there fetches only thirty here."
Gasps rose from the crowd.
"Chu Prefecture is that rich? If the road is built, we could sell our hoes there!"
"Then this road must be built!"
"So, I ask you all—should this road be built?" Lord Lu surveyed the crowd.
"Yes!"
He stroked his beard thoughtfully.
"But building a road requires silver. Where will it come from?"
Silence fell. Yuxi was impoverished—how could they afford it?
"By the Emperor's grace, Prince Kang governs Yingchuan. After assuming office here, I petitioned His Highness, explaining our plight. Moved by compassion for the people, Prince Kang allocated one hundred thousand taels of silver to Yuxi for this very purpose."
Here, Lord Lu bowed respectfully toward Yingchuan before continuing.
"This project is monumental, so I consulted Registrar Zhang and local gentry. Yet, to my horror, Zhang Tai and these village heads conspired in secret, spreading false rumors to incite conflict between the villages—hoping to force my hand into building the road between their lands. Thankfully, I intervened before bloodshed occurred, or I would have failed Prince Kang’s trust."
The crowd buzzed again.
"So the road wasn’t even supposed to go there? Xiaohe villagers swore it’d pass their gates!"
"Then the fight was for nothing?"
"Quiet! Let’s hear more."
Zhang Tai fixed his gaze on the magistrate, defiant.
"Lord Lu, do you have proof of these claims?"
"Summon the witnesses! Present the evidence!"
When Zhang Tai’s youngest son shuffled in, followed by a brothel madam, and guards carried trays of gleaming silver ingots, the registrar’s eyes shut in defeat.
"These were seized from your homes. Have you anything left to say?"
"It was Zhang Tai’s doing! We obeyed under his threats!"
"Yes! Zhang—no, that snake—said you’d have to pick between our villages!"
The village heads trembled as they spoke.
"Why would I be limited to your villages?" Lord Lu countered.
"Because the funds were insufficient! Xiaohe’s western exit or Zhoujiagou’s northern border connects to Ninggan Township in Chu Prefecture—the shortest route, saving time and labor."
Lord Lu shook his head.
"Ninggan may be closest, but Suhe Town is the optimal choice. Located in southern Chu, it has waterways and roads. A route there would truly benefit the people."
Someone in the crowd shrieked.
"Suhe’s right near our village! Will it pass our doors?"
"Hush! Let Lord Lu finish!"
The Suhe route would stretch a third longer.
Xiao Youcheng turned to Lu Chao.
"Did silver fall from the sky?"
Lu Chao shook his head. "Do you know what a sponsor is?"
The others looked baffled.
Lu Yuanyi smirked.
"I know this one."
(He’d only learned it last night—but still, he knew first!)
"Bet you’ve never heard of ‘bringing capital to the project,’ eh?" He grinned smugly.
The group shot Lu Chao accusing looks.
"You’ve been holding out on us."
"I’ll explain later."
"By Article 182 of imperial law, Zhang Tai, Liu Yongyi, and Yang Weiren conspired to incite armed conflict between villages, destabilizing public order. They are sentenced to fifty lashes, two years of penal labor, and confiscation of one hundred taels of ill-gotten silver."
"Though Xiaohe and Zhoujiagou villagers were misled into fighting, no lives were lost. However, under Article 216, those who rally mobs to oppress the weak shall forfeit their clan’s farmland."
Panic seized the villagers. They dropped to their knees.
"My lord, we were deceived by our leaders!"
"We were fools blinded by greed!"
"Spare us! Without land, how will we live?"
Lord Lu sighed.
"As this is your first offense, your land will not be seized. But once road construction begins, you must serve five days of labor. Do you accept?"
Compared to losing their fields, a few days’ work meant nothing.
"We accept your judgment!"
The clan representatives kowtowed hastily.
Zhang Tai glared venomously.
"Before all of Yuxi, Lord Lu, don’t let pride blind you. If this road fails, the people will demand answers from Prince Kang."
"No need for your concern. By the time you finish your labor, the road may already be complete."
As Zhang Tai was dragged away, he stared hollowly at the courthouse.
They’d promised him the magistrate’s hat once this was over.
Now, he had nothing.
Outside, some rejoiced; others despaired.
"Wuwuwu, my son, suffering in prison, that damned Liu Santou!! He's ruined us!!"
"I told you Liu Santou was too small and weak—he was never fit to be village chief! What a disgrace!"
"Oh my, the folks in Xiaohe Village and Zhoujiagou have such rough manners, always quick to fight. It's terrifying! I’ll have to tell my sister-in-law not to marry my niece into this place. Who knows if they’d beat their wives?"
"Did you hear? The magistrate said they’re building a road to Suhe Town in Chu Prefecture!! Our village is close to Suhe!! We’ll finally have a proper road!!"
"Prince Kang is truly a good man. Once this road is built, we’ll pray for his health and fortune every festival."
"My granduncle told me people in Chu Prefecture eat white steamed buns every meal, even with meat!"
"They’re that rich?"
"I wonder when construction will start. Once it does, I’ll carry my tofu to sell in Chu Prefecture!"
The crowd buzzed with excitement as the villagers eagerly discussed the road.
Xiao Youcheng clapped his hands and praised Lu Chao.
"What a masterstroke—cutting the ground from under their feet!"
Lord Lu had upheld his authority while also winning the people’s hearts for him. Now, these two villages would have to help build roads for others, watching their neighbors grow rich. That must sting.
Lu Chao clasped his hands in acknowledgment. "I owe it all to your help."
"Brother, impressive! A triple victory!" Zhou Qingyuan thumped Lu Chao’s shoulder, finally convinced. No wonder his father and the Third Prince had sung his praises.
Lu Chao gave a wry smile. You all won—I’m the only one who lost.
"Third Young Master, a guest has arrived at the manor, claiming to be your friend Qiu."
Lu Chao scratched his head. That was fast.
