NOVEL NEXT Chapter 56: Even You Betray Me?
Has something happened?
There’s a saying, “Those who do no evil have nothing to fear.”
But has the steward of the mighty Marquis’s estate never done any evil?
No!
Of course he had.
He had done not just one or two evil deeds, but so many that he himself couldn’t even count.
Because of this, when he heard “something happened,” his instinct was to panic a little.
His mind quickly ran through a list.
What exactly happened?
Is it about me forcing others to sell their sons and daughters?
Or is it about me beating the arrogant shopkeeper to death because he didn’t show respect?
Or is it about me openly demanding money…
In an instant, dozens of things came to his mind.
Then, he realized.
Wait a moment.
What’s with the panic?
What did this person just say?
He’s an official from the Supervision Institute?
The Supervision Institute?!
The steward of the Marquis’s mansion looked puzzled.
“What kind of place is the Supervision Institute?”
He really didn’t mean to look down on people intentionally.
He genuinely didn’t know.
In the end, he wasn’t anyone important. He was just a steward of the Marquis’s estate, seemingly prestigious but still just a servant.
What insight could he have?
The presence of the Supervision Institute was so weak that he never heard a sound from them on regular days, so of course he didn’t know.
But within the Marquis’s mansion, there were still knowledgeable people.
Immediately, a clerk dressed as a scholar approached and whispered in his ear for a while.
“A defunct office dares to come to our mansion and take action against me?”
The steward was initially somewhat afraid, but after learning about the Supervision Institute’s background, he immediately became arrogant.
Disdain flickered in his triangular eyes as he deliberately glanced over the people from the Supervision Institute.
Old ones, fat ones.
None of them looked like formidable warriors.
Under his gaze, the people from the Supervision Institute felt burning shame.
They felt ashamed.
In the past, they wouldn’t have known shame.
Because back then, the Supervision Institute was lifeless, decayed, and desolate. Everyone was like walking corpses, and no one cared about the opinions of others.
Can someone with a dead heart and cold blood feel shame?
The answer was no.
But now, things were different.
This new imperial censor, first with a resounding speech, silenced the crowd.
Then he led by example, personally practicing what he preached.
He was a true hero, embodying the purpose of the Supervision Institute.
When he faced the numerous weapons of the mighty Marquis’s mansion alone.
The hearts of the crowd were both shaken and moved.
But there was no pride.
Because they felt unworthy to stand with Ye Ning.
The steward’s gaze amplified the guilt and self-doubt in their hearts to the extreme, and for a moment, everyone lowered their heads.
No one noticed that although their heads were bowed, their eyes were filled with complex emotions.
It’s difficult to describe exactly what emotions were contained in these “lights.”
But at least they were no longer numb walking corpses.
“Their passion, their pride, their sense of responsibility, are being awakened by Brother Ye.”
Cai Xiangao noticed this scene.
Having a sense of shame was a good thing.
The people from the Supervision Institute were not ordinary.
He had fully understood this.
Apart from Wei Wentong, Niu Jinxi, and the mysterious old man whose background was unknown, the other officials, bailiffs, were not ordinary people either.
They were outliers in the officialdom.
In a prosperous age where everyone was united and righteous officials dominated the court, villains were outliers.
In times of chaos where villainy prevails, loyal officials were outliers.
In this era, being seen as an outlier, being ostracized, being thrown into a place like the Supervision Institute to die…
That’s not a disgraceful thing.
At least in Cai Xiangao’s view.
Because he believed that an official being sent to the Supervision Institute meant that they were originally people with principles.
Either they were outstanding in ability, arousing jealousy among colleagues.
Or they were upright, making their superiors dissatisfied.
Or they were independent, being rejected by factions.
In short, it could be understood that although the people from the Supervision Institute seem ordinary, they were not ordinary people in the past.
“Perhaps the Supervision Institute is where the most loyal and righteous officials of the entire Great Zhou Dynasty gather.” Cai Xiangao smiled.
He no longer felt hopeless.
He had thought that being sent to the Supervision Institute meant the end of his career, but he hadn’t expected such a miraculous turn of events.
The emperor and all the dignitaries probably never expected it either.
“Righteousness receives much support while wickedness receives little. Perhaps this is fate. Figures like Brother Ye, who are upright and selfless, cannot possibly fight alone… These people from the Supervision Institute are gifts sent to Brother Ye by the heavens.” Cai Xiangao muttered to himself.
If Brother Ye knew about this, he would surely be deeply moved.
Of course, Cai Xiangao didn’t optimistically think that things would proceed smoothly.
Because the people from the Supervision Institute, as the old man said, had once abandoned their dreams.
It would be very difficult to awaken them.
But Cai Xiangao didn’t think it was a big deal.
If there was one person in this world who could awaken them, that person was none other than Brother Ye!
If Brother Ye heard these words, he would definitely grab Cai Xiangao by the neck and say to him excitedly, “Thank you so much!”
But Ye Ning didn’t know, so he still thought he was recklessly courting death.
He heard the steward’s taunt.
“The Great Emperor has clearly decreed that as long as the Great Zhou Dynasty exists, so will the Supervision Institute. Descendants, you cannot abolish the Supervision Institute!”
Ye Ning stared at him, his voice carrying authority.
“So, the Supervision Institute has never been abolished!”
“Perhaps in the past, the Supervision Institute was absent from many things, and for many years, there was no news of the Supervision Institute.
“But the Supervision Institute has always existed, just like now, it has returned like the sun.”
Ye Ning’s words awakened people’s initial memories of the Supervision Institute.
The scholars were moved to tears.
The principles practiced by the Supervision Institute were the rule of law and justice.
This was in line with the pursuit of sagehood they seek.
The common people were also touched.
In the stories they heard in their childhood, the elders always said that there was a place where reason could be spoken, and the lord of that place was willing to stand up for the people.
Those who were toiling and suffering tend to fantasize more. Their lives were already oppressed enough, and they need the motivation to persevere through their fantasies.
Ji Mingyue fell silent.
The Great Zhou Dynasty is almost about to perish. Is there no mercy for those under a collapsing nest?
Her gaze always focused on the entire world.
Compared to the entire world, she overlooked the Supervision Institute.
Because she felt that allowing Great Zhou to continue to exist was the most important thing.
And offices like the Supervision Institute were not within her current scope of consideration.
Therefore, she had never thought about the significance of the Supervision Institute’s existence.
But this moment was awakened by Ye Ning.
Making her, in this instant, have many thoughts.
She seemed to vaguely understand why Great Emperor attached so much importance to the Supervision Institute.
“Nonsense!” the steward spat.
What Ye Ning said, he certainly couldn’t empathize with at all.
In his view, he only knew one thing.
That there was someone, in an office that had long been abolished, daring enough to cause trouble for the Marquis’s estate!
Causing trouble for the Marquis’s estate, this clearly looked down on the mighty Marquis’s estate!
Yes, for someone like him, his logic was that simple.
All those this and that, unimportant.
You want to mess with me, then we’ll see whose fist is harder!
“What kind of thing are you, daring to come to our Marquis’s estate and act recklessly, even the emperor treats our Marquis’s estate with respect, do you know that? Are you even qualified to come to the Marquis’s estate to arrest me?” The steward became completely arrogant.
After understanding Ye Ning’s rank and background, he was completely unflustered.
In the capital, any force without the backing of an immortal sect was trash!
This was the most effective logic in his heart.
Those with an immortal sect backing were nobles, not to be trifled with.
Those without an immortal sect backing were grandchildren.
Dare to provoke me and I’ll kill you!
“The Supervision Institute has clear rules. Anyone who commits a crime, from the royal family to the common people, the Supervision Institute has the authority to arrest!” A cold light flashed in Ye Ning’s eyes.
“What, do you intend to resist arrest?” He was angry.
He had known that the Marquis’s estate was arrogant.
But he hadn’t expected even a mere steward to be so arrogant.
A grand law enforcement officer came to question him, but not only did he not comply, he even insulted.
What is the world coming to?
Is it really that as long as you curry favor with the immortal sects, even a dog can bite people at will?
“Resist arrest?” The steward suddenly became fierce, rolling up his sleeves and personally picking up a water and fire stick.
Snap!
The stick shook, and a beautiful stick flower fell.
“It’s not whether you want to arrest me now, it’s whether I want to let you go! Damn it, you really don’t know your place… today, I’ll teach you a lesson and let you know who you can offend and who you can’t!”
With a wave of his hand, a large group of servants picked up weapons and rushed towards Ye Ning.
He wasn’t bluffing, he really dared to beat a court official to death!
This kind of thing, the mighty Marquis’s estate had done it more than once.
Still, as the saying goes, dying by the Marquis’ hand is still dying in vain!
The mighty Marquis’s estate relied on the backing of the immortal sects, who dared to convict them?
“Bold!” Cai Xianggao saw this scene, shocked and angry.
“A mere servant, actually dares to strike a court official, where is the law!” He spoke quickly in his urgency.
But after asking, he actually got the answer himself.
Of course, there wasn’t any.
What use is the law?
Apart from Mr. Ye still upholding it, who else cared about the law?
He glanced at Wei Wentong and Niu Jinxi.
Their expressions were complex, their faces red.
They were touched, but not completely moved.
So hoping for them to intervene was impossible.
In his panic, Cai Xianggao shouted loudly.
“Stop, do you know that you’re hitting Ye Ning! The one who conjured the image of the sage and wrote the national poetry, Ye Ning!”
What?
Ye Ning?
Let’s not talk about what these servants were thinking.
The scholars watching from the sidelines went crazy first.
Who is Ye Ning?
After so long of fermentation, Ye Ning’s deeds and works had long been spread throughout the capital, and even the whole world!
Not a single scholar didn’t idolize Ye Ning.
A figure like him was exactly what scholars of their generation should aspire to be!
Many people privately said that Ye Ning was the reincarnation of ancient sages, who came to save this world.
From this, one could see how high Ye Ning’s status was in the hearts of scholars.
“This person is actually Mr. Ye!”
“No wonder he faces death with equanimity, facing death without changing color, truly worthy of Mr. Ye!”
“Want to kill Mr. Ye? Go past me, Li Xiucai, first!”
“And me!”
The scholars were boiling.
Young scholars, in particular, were the easiest to be impulsive.
Because at this age, they hadn’t suffered the blows of society yet. They believed in the righteousness in books.
As the books say: Where there is righteousness, there is life and death together!
You dare to hit Mr. Ye!
Truly not acting like a human!
Let’s fight!
The scholars rushed out, throwing their books, cursing with all sorts of seemingly intense but actually very “elegant” foul language.
The servants were dumbfounded.
When had they ever seen scholars rioting?
Would these soft eggs, who only knew how to read and without any strength, actually defend someone like this?
Even the steward was a little nervous.
It wasn’t that he was afraid of these scholars, but he realized that Ye Ning’s identity wasn’t as simple as he had thought.
An ordinary official could drive scholars crazy?
Something is wrong!
So naturally, these aggressive servants stopped halfway and halted their steps.
Ye Ning, who had already opened his arms, ready to embrace his death with satisfaction, was also dumbfounded.
What’s going on?
Clearly, I was about to die, so why did something go wrong again?
At this moment, he heard Cai Xianggao’s shout, “Brother Ye, I won’t allow you to die!”
He appeared!
The culprit appeared!
Ye Ning looked at Cai Xianggao with sorrow and disbelief in his heart.
Even you betray me?
Damn it!