IDWBE -Chapter 203 Punishment

Having read history thoroughly, he understood that people like this never ended well.

The bureaucratic world was a grand gambling table—if you stood there, you had to place your bet.

He Jixiang laughed heartily. “Brother Renxi, please rise. I’m sure Prince He will be pleased to hear this. Servants! What are you waiting for? Bring the wine! Bring the dishes!”

Hearing this, Zhou Jiuling was so moved that tears nearly sprang to his eyes.

Since leaving prison, he had eaten nothing but a bowl of thin porridge, followed by endless tea. His stomach was full of water but utterly empty of nourishment, grumbling in hunger.

In prison, hunger came and went; one could endure it.

But now, outside the walls, he held great hopes, and the greater the hope, the harder it was to bear the hunger.

When the meal arrived, he abandoned all decorum and devoured it. When a piece of meat fell to the floor, he bent down carefully to retrieve it and pop it into his mouth.

He Jixiang did not mock him.

Before Prince He came to Sanhe, he and Xie Zan and the other elders had done the same—after three months without meat, a rare meal of meat made even the bones seem worth chewing.

Halfway through the meal, Zhou Jiuling suddenly raised his head and asked embarrassedly, “Sir He, do you know where my incompetent and wayward son is?”

His old wife had died of fright in prison, one daughter had committed suicide to escape humiliation, one son had been killed, and the whereabouts of his other daughter, two daughters-in-law, and two concubines were unknown.

Yet now he still had two sons, two daughters, and other family members. He could not just eat without concern for them.

He Jixiang said gently, “Brother Renxi, rest assured. I have already made proper arrangements for them. They will not be neglected.”

Zhou Jiuling exhaled in relief, cupping his hands. “Many thanks, Brother Hongjian.”

Then he returned to eating in silence.

He Jixiang drank quietly by himself.

After a while, seeing Zhou Jiuling still eating nonstop, worried he might overeat, He Jixiang said hurriedly, “Brother Renxi, moderation in all things—don’t overdo it. Come, let us drink this cup together!”

“Mmmph!”

Zhou Jiuling had food in his mouth and spoke unclearly. Once he finished chewing, he lifted his cup and said loudly, “Many thanks, Brother Hongjian!”

He drained it in one gulp.

He Jixiang waved to Li Sanniang at the door, and she quickly cleared away the remaining dishes, though Zhou Jiuling looked reluctant to see them go.

He Jixiang clapped his hands again. Bao Kui brought in a box, and Zhou Jiuling leapt to his feet—he knew that box all too well.

At He Jixiang’s signal, Bao Kui placed the box on Zhou Jiuling’s table.

Zhou Jiuling’s hands trembled with excitement.

He Jixiang smiled. “Brother Renxi, I’m sure you know what this is. Open it yourself.”

Zhou Jiuling steadied his shaking hands and opened the box. “It’s my official seal!” he exclaimed joyfully.

He Jixiang said, “Then the item has been returned to its rightful owner.”

Zhou Jiuling murmured, “I truly do not know how to thank you, Brother Hongjian.”

He caressed his seal, his heart overflowing with happiness. After a while, he said, “Brother Hongjian, if you have guidance to give, please speak plainly.”

He Jixiang replied calmly, “Brother Renxi, we are all on the same side. I will not be formal. Sanhe belongs to Prince He, and Yuezhou…”

“Of course it is Prince He’s Yuezhou,”

Zhou Jiuling finished for him, not hesitating. “From now on, I, Zhou Jiuling, shall follow Prince He loyally. Should I break this vow, may heaven strike me down!”

“Lord Zhou,” He Jixiang shook his head with a smile. “There’s no need for such extreme oaths. I must also congratulate you—destroying the rebel leader Han Hui is indeed a tremendous achievement!”

“Ah…”

Zhou Jiuling was momentarily stunned. Such immense credit… awarded to him? Just for pledging loyalty? “What does Brother Hongjian mean?”

The better the news, the more cautious Zhou Jiuling became, afraid of hidden pitfalls.

He Jixiang said evenly, “Brother Renxi, do not be modest. Now that the rebel leader is captured, your immediate task is to restore order and reassure the people.”

Zhou Jiuling smiled bitterly. “One’s own people understand one’s affairs. If I submit the memorial, I doubt even the Emperor will believe it!”

Moreover, such matters could not be hidden.

“If Lord Zhou does not submit this memorial, you will have no chance to submit one later.”

He Jixiang smiled.

Zhou Jiuling opened his mouth but could not find words. He sighed, drained his cup, and said, “Many thanks, Sir He!”

Yuezhou had decayed so thoroughly, and he bore great responsibility. By law, ten heads would not suffice for his crimes.

Yet, if the credit for reclaiming Yuezhou rested on him, it would at least make amends.

At least it would silence the court and public opinion.

Whether they truly believed it was another matter.

At the very least, on paper, he could not lose his position in the Administration Office. And he realized it was also for Prince He’s sake.

Prince He, after all, was just a regional prince. Sending troops to Yuezhou would inevitably draw criticism.

Thus, this plan killed two birds with one stone.

He Jixiang nodded with satisfaction. “Brother Renxi, you truly understand righteousness.”

“You are too kind.”

Yet Zhou Jiuling could not help a pang of sorrow—he was now destined to be a puppet.

After three rounds of drinking, with the help of two soldiers, he returned to his familiar bedroom.

But things had changed; he could not hold back tears.

The rain in Yuezhou had finally stopped. The sky was clear, stars shining in abundance.

He Jixiang sat in the high hall, looking down at Zhu Ruorong, Jiang Tuhu, Li Sanniang, Liang Qingshu, and other shopkeepers—faces stern, silent, unmoving.

Those below were uneasy, barely able to breathe.

When had this frail old man gained such authority?

“Sir He, please give your orders. We will obey without question,” said Han Dongsheng, manager of Hu Banquan’s shop.

He Jixiang looked at Zhang Mian. “Disobeying orders, defying authority—what crime is that?”

Zhang Mian hesitated. “Treason. The penalty is death.”

“Ah!”

“Spare me, Sir!”

“We are innocent!”

Everyone froze in fear!

Sanhe’s laws were no joke!

Execution was immediate, with no exceptions. Even the tall, straight tribal leaders of Lian and Qian could not help but kneel.

“I spare you. But how would I explain this to Prince He?”

He Jixiang grew angrier.

Since leaving Baiyun City, he had not fought a single battle.

The glory of victory had all been stolen by the laborers!

Where could he go to justify himself?