Court (2)

Huan Chao took one last look at Huan Hong and opened his mouth. "I didn't receive such a drink."

"What!" Huan Hong was enraged. "You piece of shit! I left the bottle on your doorstep! And you gave us five minutes! Are you out of your mind!?" Then he turned to Huan Fu. "Master Huan Fu, this man is an alcoholic. His testimony cannot be trusted. He can't even remember what he had for breakfast this morning."

Huan Fu raised his hand and silenced the young man. "Don't raise your voice again, Huan Hong, you're not the one who can shout at anyone here."

Huan Hong bowed his head. "I beg your forgiveness, but Huan Chao is lying. He must be trying to protect his own son. We saw Huan Wei commit the theft. He must have started the fire. When he came to me, he was drenched in sweat. It was obvious he was running away from something."

People were getting louder. "He bullied Huan Wei all this time. Now he's trying to send the boy to his death."

"I never thought Huan Hong would go this far. His parents didn't teach him to be human."

"Anyway, if he were a good man, he wouldn't bully weak, poor people."

Huan Fu raised his hand and silenced the crowd. "Be quiet." When everyone was quiet, he turned back to Huan Hong. "We will also hear your witnesses. Come forward."

Two more young men came forward. Huan Wei had seen them before. They were Huan Quon's other stooges. They were not even ashamed to lick the bottom of his feet. That was probably why they had been chosen as perjurers. The first one began to speak. "Master Huan Fu, I saw Huan Wei reach over to the counter and take the pill while everyone was looking at the fire. He immediately put it in his pocket and left the marketplace at once."

The other witness nodded. "I saw it too. When the guards were distracted, he stole the pill in no time."

The alchemy merchant was watching with suspicion. His gaze alternated between Huan Hong and Huan Wei. His anger at the court seemed to have gone. Now he was trying to figure out who was to blame.

Huan Fu turned to Huan Wei. "Do you have anything to say?"

Huan Wei took a deep breath. "Master Huan Fu, I didn't even go near the stall that day. Huan Hong told me to wait and sent me away. Then he came over and gave me the pill. I would never have taken it if I knew he had stolen it. I took it, thanking him for telling me he would buy it for me. I even told him I would try to repay him as soon as possible."

Huan Fu listened to him and then spoke to his assistants. There was silence for a few moments. Huan Hong looked angrily at Huan Wei. Perhaps he had understood the situation? Still, it was clear that he had not expected anything like this. A huge fire and someone burned to death? He had to get away with it. Huan Chao's denial of the drink had really messed things up. Why would someone who already hated his son protect him?

Huan Fu stood up. "We've reviewed the evidence. Huan Chao is an alcoholic, but he's not rich enough to buy a liquor worth three silver coins. And Huan Wei can barely afford a silver hairpin in a year. Moreover, Shen Zou himself said he had never seen Huan Wei anywhere near the stall. All the other evidence points to you, Huan Hong. And you're the one who asked for this court. You reported Huan Wei. "

Huan Wei felt the strength in his legs go. He could hardly stand. After all the excitement he had experienced, it was a relief to get away with it. Even the itch in his left hand was gone. He knew that his opponents would even arrange for perjurers. The biggest uncertainty was Huan Chao. He too had chosen to side with Huan Wei.

Huan Hong's family came forward. His father was a well-built man with a short beard. It was clear he didn't fill his body with liquor like Huan Chao. "Master Huan Fu, please reconsider your decision. My son was with me. We have enough witnesses to prove it. You can't send my son to his death on the word of some loser brat."

"All the evidence is clear, Huan Kong." Huan Fu silenced him too. "Your son was seen by everyone. No fool would try to make a beggar memorize his name. It was your son who bought the liquor. It was your son who was at the stall during the fire. He's been a bully all this time, and now he's trying to send Huan Wei to his death. He deserves to be punished."

Huan Kong would not shut up. With his son's life on the line, he could not be silent. He turned to Huan Wei and said, "You are slandering. Confess. My son will not suffer because of your lies. Confess."

Huan Wei was silent. It was time for the finishing blow. He looked at Huan Hong and then at his father. Young man's eyes were wet. He slowly lowered his head and said, "I did it. I'm to blame. I confess. I stole the pill." Huan Kong's face turned ugly. Everyone knew the consequences.

Shen Zou stood up, hitting his chair hard. "What arrogance! Now they are trying to force someone else to take the blame! Huan Fu, how long are you going to drag this out? Look at the humiliation we have suffered."

Huan Fu turned his head towards him. "Sit down, Shen Zou. I represent the Great Sword Palace here, choose your words carefully."

"We are here with the permission of the Great Sword Palace," Shen Zou said before sitting down. Then he sat down. "We sent our own guards to rest because we trust you and your town, but your guards can't even protect a stall, and you're dragging it out. Is this how you repay our trust in you? The Great Sword Palace will know of your treatment."

Huan Fu turned away. He was clearly angry. "Take Huan Hong and his perjurers away. I sentence them to death."

Huan Hong rushed forward as the guards came towards them. "All right! I stole the pill, but I swear I had nothing to do with the fire! It must have been someone else! It wasn't me!"

Shen Zou's expression turned ugly. "He's still lying."

Huan Hong was terrified. His father couldn't do anything either. He couldn't get past the guards in front of him and reach his son. Even if he could, Huan Fu had made up his mind. They couldn't fight back. Gritting his teeth, he turned his gaze to Huan Wei. Huan Quon was also looking at him. He too looked angry, though not as angry as Huan Kong. Huan Hong was taken to prison with all his begging. The perjurers were taken with him.

" Huan Kong should have raised his son better." People were talking again. "Because of his son, the town's name has been tarnished."

"The other caravans will know about this. I don't know if they will ever come here again."

"Huan Fu needs to soften up Shen Zou. Otherwise we will never see a caravan again."

Huan Fu turned to Huan Wei. "Do you still have the pill Huan Hong gave you?"

Huan Wei shook his head from side to side. "I'm sorry, master Huan Fu, but I was so excited that I used it right away. Unfortunately, I don't have the means to pay for it."

Shen Zou interjected. "I don't want its money, young man. Thank Huan Fu for bringing the slander against you to the right end." The alchemy merchant got up and walked through the door. Huan Fu's assistants followed him.

"Thank you, master Huan Fu." Huan Wei bowed respectfully. "I have a favor to ask of you."

Huan Fu looked at him. "Tell me."

Huan Wei looked at Huan Kong and then at Huan Fu. "I am afraid of Huan Hong's family, I have no strength to stand up to them. Their son slandered me and dishonored the town and his own family. So he got what he deserved, but it looks like they will take it out on me."

Huan Fu turned to Huan Kong before going inside. "You will stay away from the boy, Huan Kong. Your son will pay for his own actions. Don't try anything else to get on my nerves when you should be ashamed to have such a son." Then he went inside and the town guards began to disperse the crowd. A few guards came to Huan Wei and escorted him home. Meanwhile, a group of guards were taking Huan Kong away. Once he was safely home, they left.

Huan Wei immediately went to bathroom and splashed water on his face. He put one hand over his heart and took deep breaths. His chest hurt now. He couldn't stand up any longer. With difficulty, he threw himself into his room and collapsed on the covers. His whole body felt weak, but the plan had worked. Not only was the pill free for him, but he got rid of Huan Hong. Moreover, he had cried a little to Huan Fu and received protection against Huan Kong. Still, troubled times were beginning. From this point on, Huan Quon would consider him an enemy. Because Huan Wei's opportunity had destroyed Huan Quon's opportunity. Naturally, this angered him. Now he must have realized what Huan Wei was capable of. From now on, his acting skills would be useless against him.

"I need to get to the Wanderer stage as soon as possible. Tomorrow I have to sneak into the forest. If they see me go, they will come after me. It's no good getting caught in the forest. I am still very weak. Before I chose my path, my fighting strength was only my sword, but now I have no sword."

At that moment the door of the house opened and someone came in. When Huan Wei got up with difficulty and opened the door to his room, he and his father locked eyes. At that moment, Huan Wei remembered what Huan Chao had said in court. Why had he defended him? Normally, if he had killed Huan Wei, he would have been punished. If he had let him die there, he would have been spared. Was he afraid his money supply would be cut off?

They looked at each other for a while. Then Huan Chao opened his mouth. "Did you start the fire?"