Chapter 77
Chapter 77
Fearing things might get out of hand, Prefect Yi Fang dispatched over a hundred private soldiers to the bookshop, led by Registrar Song Min, to maintain order. Registrar Song was a burly man, a young official still in his late twenties. When Shen Lang addressed him, Registrar Song stepped forward and answered.
"They will be stripped of any scholarly titles they possess, receive thirty strokes of the cane, and be exiled to South Heaven Island."
Hearing the registrar's words, the scholars who had caused the disturbance nearly wet themselves in shock. Of course, most of them had no titles to be stripped of, but the prospect of thirty strokes of the cane was terrifying. For scholars like them, with their delicate skin and frail bodies, such a punishment would leave them half-dead.
And exile to South Heaven Island...! It was a remote, isolated island, completely cut off from civilization, a place filled with nothing but foul air and wild beasts. Anyone exiled there would surely die within three or four years.
Just moments ago, these scholars had been like a pack of angry wolves, but now, faced with unexpected consequences, they cowered like frightened dogs. This was their true nature.
"What are you all standing around for? An incident like this must have a ringleader. Expose them and earn some merit."
The nearly two hundred scholars, after a moment of stunned silence, took several steps back, drawing a clear line between themselves and Zhu Wenhua's group. In that instant, the four lackeys, led by Wang Shimin, were left conspicuously isolated.
Shen Lang took a few steps forward and stood before Wang Shimin, letting out a soft sigh.
"You could have been a decent person. Why choose to be someone's dog?"
Wang Shimin trembled.
"Someone's dog! How are you any better than me? You married into a powerful family. Are you telling me I should just eat scraps?"
"But I'm handsome, aren't I? If you were as handsome as me, you could also sit back, enjoy a life of leisure, and bask in wealth and glory. But you can't. Who told you to be born so ugly?"
Wang Shimin's heart filled with so much rage that it eclipsed his fear.
Shen Lang spoke softly, his voice low enough for only Wang Shimin to hear.
"Since we're on the topic, let me tell you something. Everything that happened today was my plan to frame you. You're all incredibly stupid, walking so eagerly into your own graves."
At that moment, Wang Shimin's anger exploded. It was as if the sheer force of his rage had incinerated his mind and soul, leaving only a single thought.
*I want to kill him. I'll kill this bastard in front of me.*
"I framed you and cut off your path to survival. So what? What can you do to me?"
Shen Lang continued to speak in a low voice, his words audible only to Wang Shimin.
"I know you want to hit me, but you don't have the guts. Go on, hit me if you dare. Right here, in the chest. Aim for my heart."
As he spoke, Shen Lang tapped his own chest.
"Hit me. I said, hit me!"
Shen Lang was goading him, pushing him past the point of reason.
"You're about to be exiled anyway. What's there to be afraid of? You can't even throw a single punch? Repay kindness with kindness, and vengeance with vengeance. Can't even land one hit... you really are just a worthless dog. If I were your father, I'd regret ever bringing you into this world."
At that, Wang Shimin completely lost control, his rage overriding all reason. He threw a punch straight at Shen Lang's chest.
"Aargh!"
A pained squeal, like a pig being slaughtered, pierced the air. It wasn't Shen Lang's voice; it was Wang Shimin's. Intense pain shot through his hand, which now dripped with bright red blood, the bones seemingly fractured.
*Damn you, Shen Lang! You put an iron plate in your chest—a plate full of sharp, thorn-like spikes!*
Wang Shimin was in so much pain that he started convulsing. Just then, Shen Lang's expression changed completely, and he spoke in an icy tone.
"Wang Shimin, you dare strike me! Registrar Song, did you see that? Wang Shimin attacked me! The esteemed son-in-law of the Count of Xuanwu's Estate has been senselessly assaulted! This is an insult to the honor of the Count of Xuanwu's Estate! Guards, guards!"
In that instant, Jin Hui and an expert from the Count's estate stepped forward.
"An assassin! An assassin! Someone is trying to take my life!"
Jin Hui moved forward, grabbed both of Wang Shimin's arms, and struck them forcefully with the edge of his hands.
*Crack.*
Both of the lackey Wang Shimin's arms were broken.
"Aaargh!"
Wang Shimin's utterly wretched scream echoed as he collapsed to the ground, convulsing in agony. Shen Lang crouched down, looking at the miserable figure of Wang Shimin with a blank expression.
"The exile is the government's punishment for you. This is my personal punishment. No one who has crossed me has ever walked away unscathed."
Then, Shen Lang shouted loudly.
"Registrar Song, you saw it clearly. I was acting purely in self-defense. He struck me first."
Song Min, the registrar of Nanshan City, could no longer bear it and turned to one of the warriors from the Count of Xuanwu's Estate.
"Has your family's Young Master always been this shameless?"
The warrior pretended not to hear. Shen Lang turned to Wang Shimin and his group of lackeys.
"Do you want to atone for your crimes and receive a lighter sentence? Then confess loudly, in front of everyone, exactly what happened. Who ordered you to burn the *New Governance Edict*? Who told you to oppose the new policy?"
Zhu Wenhua could no longer hide. Every word from Shen Lang was like a viper's bite, sinking deep into his bones.
*Shen Lang, you bastard, are you trying to kill me?*
If an ordinary scholar burned the *New Governance Edict*, the punishment would likely be mere exile, chalked up to youthful ignorance. But Zhu Wenhua was the son of a viscount. If word got out that he was opposing the new policy, the King of Yue could very well see it as a sign that Zhu Wenhua harbored treacherous intentions and was plotting rebellion.
Zhu Wenhua said in an angry voice.
"Shen Lang, don't you dare frame me! The Count of Xuanwu's Estate has yet to surrender its fiefdom and military authority. You are the ones opposing the new policy! Our Viscount of Nanshan's Estate responded to the King's call long ago and gave up our military power and lands."
"Exactly... You were secretly resentful about that, so you incited these scholars to surround the Prefect's office and burn the *New Governance Edict*. The Viscount of Nanshan's Estate is truly insidious. To think you would feign compliance with the King's decree while secretly harboring treacherous intentions, revealing your rebellious plot for all to see."
Zhu Wenhua was so furious he felt like he might faint.
*Shen Lang, you son of a bitch, how can you be so vicious? I was only trying to burn your book. But you—you're trying to drive me to my death and drag my entire Zhu Clan down with me. You'd destroy my whole family over a petty personal grudge?*
Prefect Yi Fang, who had quietly arrived on the scene, was also taken aback.
*Young Master Shen, I only wanted to see what you were capable of, but you... why are you pushing Zhu Wenhua into such a corner? What kind of grudge do you hold against him?*
Shen Lang's eyes narrowed, and he immediately spotted the Prefect.
"Prefect Yi Fang, this is a major incident of treason. If it isn't investigated thoroughly, Nanshan City itself will be in jeopardy!"
Prefect Yi Fang was stunned. He had only hoped the young man before him wouldn't disappoint... he never imagined he would be this exceptional, this fearsome.
*I've been an official for many years, Shen Lang, but I've never met someone as ruthless as you. When you strike, you go straight for the throat.*
Shen Lang looked at Wang Shimin's group and said.
"Did you all see that? This is a case of treason. Are you stupid enough to take the fall for someone else? Are you naive enough to think he'll send money to your families after you're exiled to South Heaven Island?
You'll be killed to silence you before you even reach the island. When you're dead, what will happen to your elderly parents? What about your beautiful young wives? Your vibrant young sisters? Do you know what happened to Xiao Hong from the Spring Garden today? The lower half of her body was completely mangled."
Zhu Wenhua looked like he was about to explode.
*Shen Lang, you goddamn bastard. There should be a limit to your vicious slander.*
However, Wang Shimin and the other three were terrified by Shen Lang's conspiracy theory. One of them finally broke and shouted.
"It was Young Master Zhu Wenhua! He paid us to burn the Spring Colors Bookstore! We really didn't know the books inside were the *New Governance Edict*. He told us the books wrapped up inside were Shen Lang's."
"Young Master Shen, I just read your book today, and it's brilliant! I'm a supporter of yours. Don't let this incident harm one of your own."
"That's right, that's right, Young Master Shen. I bought your book, too. Two copies, in fact. I took one to the academy, but someone tore out a few of the illustrations, so I had to buy another."
"We're on your side, so please don't misunderstand."
For a moment, even Shen Lang was dumbfounded. He thought he was the only one this shameless, but these foolish scholars were just as brazen. Still, since they had pointed the finger at Zhu Wenhua, it was all for the best.
"Are you certain it was on Zhu Wenhua's orders that you burned the *New Governance Edict* issued by the King?"
"Yes, yes! It was because of Zhu Wenhua!"
"And he was resentful of the new policy? Because his family had just lost its fiefdom and military authority?"
One of Zhu Wenhua's lackeys was startled. He'd never heard Zhu Wenhua say anything like that. But when Shen Lang shot them an icy glare, they nodded their heads desperately.
"Yes, yes! Zhu Wenhua was always complaining about the new policy."
"Shameless... so utterly shameless..."
Zhu Wenhua pointed at them, seething with boundless rage.
*You ate the food I bought, drank the wine I paid for, and acted as docile as sheep. And now you turn on me, framing me like this?*
Shen Lang turned to Prefect Yi Fang.
"Your Excellency, we now have both witnesses and physical evidence. The case can be closed."
Prefect Yi Fang was momentarily speechless. He looked at Shen Lang and waved him over.
"Young Master Shen, come here!"
*Calling me over? That won't do. I have my dignity to consider. I'm the son-in-law of the Count of Xuanwu's Estate. Do you really think I'll come just because you beckon?*
Shen Lang remained standing exactly where he was, unmoving. Prefect Yi Fang gave a wry smile and walked over to Shen Lang.
"Young Master Shen Lang, I feel I've spent half the day communing with you through your book. Your *Boundless Wind and Moon* is a truly magnificent work. I shall keep it by my pillow and read it ten, even twenty times."
Shen Lang glanced at the Prefect and noted how thin he looked.
*Reading that book ten or twenty times... Can your body handle it?*
Shen Lang didn't voice the thought. He didn't know what Prefect Yi Fang was about to say, and speaking first would mean losing the initiative.
"But when is the next volume coming out? I find myself unbearably curious about what happens next. The suspense is killing me."
Shen Lang offered a flawless smile. Looking at his face, Prefect Yi Fang found himself at a loss for words. The pale-faced young man before him was even more cunning than he had imagined—truly befitting the author of *Boundless Wind and Moon*.
"I must apologize to you, Young Master Shen. When Zhu Wenhua led that crowd to burn your book, I could have stopped him, but I did not. I was curious to see what kind of abilities the author of such a remarkable work possessed. I thought that if you couldn't handle a small crisis like this, then writing such a masterpiece must have been a fluke, not a sign of true talent. However, I never imagined things would escalate to this point."
Prefect Yi Fang marveled, speaking from the heart. Zhu Wenhua had only intended to burn Shen Lang's book, but with a single counterattack, Shen Lang had pushed him to the brink of death and implicated his entire family. He was astonished by Shen Lang's vengefulness over such a trivial matter, and his capacity to act on that vengeance.
"You are mistaken, Prefect Yi Fang. What Zhu Wenhua tried to burn was not my book, but the King's *New Governance Edict*. That is an act of treason. I was merely passing by and helped smooth things over. This matter has nothing to do with me."
Shen Lang was determined to frame Zhu Wenhua for inciting scholars, opposing the new policy, and plotting rebellion.