Chapter 50: Suddenly Filled with Passion
What?
Everyone present was stunned.
Go to the Mighty Marquis’s mansion to arrest someone?
They looked at Ye Ning, then at the old man lying on the ground, showing disbelief.
“Sir, you must be joking, right?”
Ye Ning smiled faintly and said, “As an official, the minimum principle is not to joke about the people’s matters.”
Ye Ning was determined to go to the Mighty Marquis’s mansion.
According to Vice Commissioner Wei’s description, the Marquis was arrogant and did whatever he pleased without any restrictions.
The entire household was accustomed to such behavior, even daring to confront people from the palace.
Everyone knew that in these times, the Emperor’s word was not the final authority.
The Immortal Sects held the real power.
With the backing of Qunyu Pavilion, the Mighty Marquis’s mansion was an unassailable colossus.
To put it bluntly, offending the Emperor might not necessarily result in death, but offending the Mighty Marquis’s mansion would certainly lead to an unpunished death because no one dared to judge them!
Once, a high-ranking official clashed with the Marquis’s mansion and was beaten to death in the marketplace that very night.
Such lawlessness!
And what was the outcome?
The Emperor only issued a decree for a dignified burial, not even mentioning the Marquis’s mansion.
To others, the Marquis’s mansion was hell.
But to Ye Ning, it was heaven.
They were so wild, they would definitely dare to kill me, right?
Ye Ning’s thought was simple.
I’m advocating for the people and upholding the law, which is perfectly reasonable.
The system can’t possibly deem this a violation, right?
As expected, the system had no reaction.
Ye Ning thought, It’s settled.
This time, nothing will stop me from courting death!
“Sir, are you really going to the Mighty Marquis’s estate?” Vice Commissioner Wei was drenched in sweat, not from fear but from shock.
He originally thought Ye Ning, like other officials, only had the gift of gab and wouldn’t dare act.
He had seen many such people over the years.
Great Zhou never lacked officials who could talk eloquently, but there were almost none who matched words with deeds.
However, Ye Ning shattered Wei’s previous notions.
“What’s the matter? Are you afraid to go?” Ye Ning sneered at him, then looked at the others. Everyone lowered their heads, feeling either ashamed or intimidated by Ye Ning’s audacity, not daring to meet his gaze.
Ye Ning observed his “subordinates” with satisfaction.
They were definitely a bunch of useless officials, who wouldn’t pose any obstacle on his path to self-destruction.
“Sir, do you know you might die if you go?” The old man spoke up, this time without his usual sarcastic tone.
He seemed to be advising Ye Ning or simply stating a fact.
“Everyone might die, but one should die for a worthy cause.” Ye Ning pointed at the charcoal seller lying on the ground and murmured, “He is a commoner, and I am a Censor of the Supervision Institute. My duty is to advocate for the people. A thousand years ago, the Founding Ancestor established the Supervision Institute to show the world that there is still a place where reason can prevail. If even the Supervision Institute degenerates, what hope can the people have for justice and fairness?”
Justice and fairness?
The crowd was greatly shaken.
How long had it been since anyone spoke of these concepts?
For years, people’s minds were preoccupied with survival.
Figuring out how to live in this chaotic world had already exhausted their mental energy.
Some officials resigned themselves to their fate, some indulged in wanton exploitation, and others schemed to gain favor with the Immortal Sects.
Human nature varied, but none spoke like Ye Ning of justice and fairness and actually acted upon it.
The court was a cesspool, and with its very roots corrupted, how could anyone remain untainted?
“Do you know why I just called you worthless?” Ye Ning turned to Vice Commissioner Wei.
He was fully immersed in his role, thinking about how he might have witnessed a tragic scene had he arrived a moment later.
“Because you only dare to wield your knife against the weak! Strong men wield their knives against the strong, the weak against the weak! You should thank me. If I hadn’t arrived in time, you would have ruined yourself with that strike!”
Ye Ning stopped looking at him, put on his official hat, and strode towards the Mighty Marquis’s estate.
Since it was a path to death, he didn’t care if others came along and couldn’t be bothered to summon them.
Watching his departing figure, Vice Commissioner Wei’s eyes grew moist. “Lord Ye is right. I truly am worthless.”
Years ago, he was a young man full of dreams, imagining himself saving the world and becoming a hero.
But reality slapped him hard.
Unyielding, he was assigned to the Supervision Institute, where he rotted away, forgotten.
He became irritable and inhumane, living like a walking corpse.
Was it his fault?
Until today, he believed it was the world’s fault.
He was just one insignificant person. What could he change?
Everyone was a beaten failure.
But after seeing Ye Ning today, he realized he was wrong.
There were truly people who embraced death to live, who would challenge the supreme Immortal Sects for a mere charcoal seller.
What immense courage!
“Sir, Wei Wentong is coming with you!” he growled, lifting the old man, bowing to him, and then striding out.
“Sir, Old Niu is coming too!” The ugly, black fatty laughed eerily and followed suit.
“Wei Wentong, Niu Jinxi, are you two mad? Do you really want to die?” The old man watched their backs in anger.
These two idiots! Don’t they realize they can’t change anything? That’s the Mighty Marquis’s estate!
Reason told him there was no benefit, only enmity from the Marquis’s mansion.
What kind of a losing deal was this for a powerless old man?
Yet, why were his eyes filled with tears?
Could it be, Wu Sansi, you’ve forgotten your suffering?
You’ve been moved too?
“Madmen! You’re all madmen!” He gritted his teeth and followed.
And thus, the entire Supervision Institute was emptied.
As long as one lives, blood wouldn’t cool.
There would always be someone or something to make blood boil again.
Cai Xianggao, equally passionate, stood in place, blinking and frowning. “Wei Wentong, Niu Jinxi? Why do these names sound familiar? But it seems so long ago… why can’t I remember?”