Chapter Fifty-Two: The Divine Logic of the Public Trial (I)

Chen Tianyu cleared his throat twice, and in the dead silence of the night, the sound was as loud as thunder.

"Everyone, please stay calm," he said, waving his hand to signal Kuang Suo to come to his side. He leaned in and whispered a few words to him. Kuang Suo nodded, then accompanied Li Qihuai as they left. Chen Tianyu then spoke quietly to Liu Zichen and Shen Mingyue, giving them some instructions as well, and the two followed suit and departed.

Now, only five people remained in front of the ancestral hall. Chen Tianyu spoke slowly, "What happened today is a major event for your Li Village, so I believe the ones with the most say are not us, but all the villagers. Right and wrong—let the people of Li Village decide for themselves!"

Li Fuyi's expression was somewhat stiff, but behind him, Li Fuqi tugged at his elder brother's sleeve, hinting that he should sit down and rest a bit. Li Fuyi nodded and turned to help Li Fuqi tend to his wounds.

Chen Tianyu also invited Li Yiting and Qiu Xi to sit and rest in place, waiting for the villagers to arrive.

The five of them sat cross-legged facing each other, a silent standoff. Li Yiting gripped the Yuchang Sword in his hand, his feelings a tangled knot; he wasn’t sure what Chen Tianyu was orchestrating, but he had no objection.

At this moment, Chen Tianyu alone remained calm and unruffled.

On the lawn before the ancestral hall, more and more people were gathering—clusters of villagers arriving, some with candles, others holding bamboo torches, a few bringing pinewood lanterns. The growing crowd and the increasing light eased the eerie and ominous atmosphere.

Li Yiting felt himself relax. These were all villagers from Li Village, the neighbors and elders he’d grown up with. Strangely, he felt a sense of reassurance.

Gradually, over a hundred people assembled, all the young and able-bodied men and the decision-makers of Li Village. As Li Yiting scanned the crowd, he spotted his third brother, Li Futang, among them.

Within the crowd were a few unfamiliar faces as well: Luo Ming, the shopkeeper couple, and, unexpectedly, Li Yiting’s mother, who stood silently watching her son. She had been brought here at Chen Tianyu’s instruction by Liu Zichen and Shen Mingyue.

Qiu Xi couldn’t help but lean in and whisper, “Fourth Brother, are you planning a public trial?”

Chen Tianyu just smiled in response.

“Cripple, you’re making such a scene—be careful not to embarrass yourself,” Li Yiting said, feigning annoyance.

Chen Tianyu patted his shoulder, his words carrying double meaning: “Just don’t get nervous later, please.”

“Nervous? With these folks?” Li Yiting muttered.

Chen Tianyu chuckled, “In that case, I’m relieved.”

---

Suddenly, Chen Tianyu stood up, his resonant voice ringing out over the crowd.

“Fellow villagers of Li Village, we’ve called you all to the ancestral hall tonight to announce something of great importance. Please remain quiet. Rest assured, we represent the government’s law enforcement, and we’re here to help resolve a family matter.”

Not a sound came from the crowd. Countless eyes were fixed on Chen Tianyu’s not particularly tall figure, their gazes filled with confusion, surprise, puzzlement, and curiosity.

Chen Tianyu smiled slightly, confident and composed.

“This matter concerns the very survival of Li Village. For a long time, someone has deliberately concealed the truth, which has led to the current, almost irreparable situation. Many have died innocent deaths. I know everyone here has been kept in the dark—so have we. So tonight, no matter what, we all have the right to know everything…”

Still, there was no reaction from the crowd, but Chen Tianyu wasn’t surprised.

He turned to Li Yiting and said, “It’s your turn to speak.”

A trace of confusion flashed across Li Yiting’s face. He stood up and asked, “What do you want me to say?”

“Tell them about the weapon in your hand,” Chen Tianyu prompted.

Realization dawned on Li Yiting. He nodded and stepped forward to face the crowd.

“Uncles, brothers, elders, and friends—today I want to show everyone the sacred artifact that our village has guarded for generations.” He raised the Yuchang Sword high. “This ancient treasure of Li Village is priceless. If we sold it, our village could live in luxury—no, a life fit for the immortals! If it hadn’t been hidden away in this decrepit ancestral hall, this sword could be traded in the city for hundreds of towering buildings, enough to grant us generations of wealth and prosperity!”

There was finally some murmuring among the crowd, though the voices were low—mostly whispers and subdued discussions.

Li Yiting’s tone shifted. “Man dies for wealth as birds die for food. Years ago, some scoundrels set their sights on this treasure of Li Village. To get it, they stooped to unspeakable evil—killing my third, fifth, and sixth uncles, then my eldest uncle, and my father narrowly escaped death!”

Tears welled in his eyes. In the corner of his vision, he saw his father, Li Qihuai, also weeping silently.

“This enormous secret, from beginning to end, was known only to my eldest uncle—not to deliberately hide it from us, but for the safety of the entire village. If word got out, Li Village would be thrown into disaster—never again enjoying peace as we do now. But such a strategy might fool ordinary folk, not cunning thieves!”

“Who are the thieves?” someone suddenly called out from the crowd; it wasn’t clear who had spoken.

Li Yiting spun around and pointed at the two brothers sitting cross-legged on the ground, shouting angrily, “These two—the traitorous grandsons who betrayed their own trust!”

Li Fuyi became agitated and tried to get up, but Li Fuqi held him back.

Li Yiting wailed in anguish, “One is my eldest uncle’s good son, the other is the Party Secretary of our own Luoshui Village. What a tragedy!”

An old man suddenly stepped forward from the crowd—it was the highly respected Ninth Granduncle.

He spoke with a trembling voice, “Yiting, you must have proof. Fuyi and Fuqi have always been honest and upright—I watched them grow up. How could they do such heinous things? If you say it was for money, I simply can’t believe it.” This elderly man was indeed wise and experienced.

“There is both evidence and witness. We can’t ignore the facts,” Li Yiting said unwaveringly. “But if you want to know the full story, Ninth Granduncle, you’ll have to ask them yourself.”

“Fuyi, Fuqi, stand up and speak!” Ninth Granduncle barked, lips quivering.

Li Fuyi hurriedly helped Li Fuqi to stand; the two stood side by side, trembling like children who had been caught misbehaving.

Ninth Granduncle seemed pained. “If you have been wronged, speak out boldly. I will see justice done for you.”

“I…” Li Fuyi stammered, never good with words and now even more flustered.

Li Fuqi’s weak voice sounded, “Ninth Granduncle… You may not believe it, but I wasn’t… I wasn’t trying to steal the sacred artifact. I just wanted… wanted to hide it somewhere… safer…” He clearly knew how hard this was to believe, and his voice was lacking in conviction.

Ninth Granduncle angrily tapped his cane, “The ancestral hall is as secure as an iron fortress, and you say it’s not safe enough? Fuqi, have you lost your mind?”

“I… I really… thought so…” Li Fuqi stammered, “I kept feeling that the ancestral hall… is no longer safe, that the thieves… may already know its secrets… so…” His words trailed off incoherently.

“Nonsense!” Ninth Granduncle wiped away his tears. He said nothing more—the evidence was plain, and he could no longer shield them.

Kuang Suo could no longer hold back his anger. “Li Fuqi, you’re the thief playing the victim.”

“I truly am not…” Li Fuqi tried to defend himself.

---

“Everyone, please don’t get worked up,” Chen Tianyu called out at just the right moment.

He shot a glance at the others from Beiting, then continued, “From what I know, the ancestral hall is filled with all manner of ancient traps and mechanisms, many of them lost to history. Even the lawn beneath our feet is reinforced with concrete. For anyone unfamiliar, stepping into the hall could well mean certain death. So Li Fuqi’s excuse is completely unconvincing. As one of the artifact’s guardians, he should have stood his ground. But instead, he betrayed his trust—a grave and unforgivable crime.”

“However, I suspect some of you still have doubts about the hall’s defenses. After all these years, few have ever witnessed the power of those traps…” Chen Tianyu paused, then said, “So I suggest we select someone skilled to experience firsthand the legendary mechanisms and see what they’re really like.”

“Yiting, why don’t you demonstrate for everyone?” He turned to Li Yiting.

“Absolutely not,” Ninth Granduncle interjected again. “You youngsters don’t know the danger, but I do. Whoever triggers all the traps inside the ancestral hall will never come out alive.”

But Li Yiting insisted, “To get to the truth, I’m willing to try.”

Voices of protest rose up, growing louder—no one supported such a reckless act, and many feared for Li Yiting’s safety. After all, he was the pride of Li Village.

Chen Tianyu waved his hand. “I understand how everyone feels, but let me finish. Perhaps you don’t know: though the traps in the hall are formidable, they’re not impossible to overcome. Your clan leader, Li Qisi, left behind a blueprint of the mechanisms, detailing how to disarm them. Please, set your hearts at ease.”

Ninth Granduncle was intrigued. “Where is this blueprint?”

Chen Tianyu smiled and turned. “Qiu Xi, show the villagers the blueprint of the ancestral hall’s mechanisms so we can examine it together.”

“Certainly.” Qiu Xi didn’t hesitate. He pulled a book from his coat and held it up for all to see.

“This is the blueprint of the ancestral hall’s mechanisms,” Qiu Xi announced loudly. “You can rest assured!”

Before the crowd could react, Ninth Granduncle spoke up, suspicion in his voice, “How did you come by the blueprint of our ancestral hall?”

“Oh…” Qiu Xi froze, but quickly explained, “Your clan leader, Li Qisi, personally entrusted it to me for safekeeping. He may have sensed trouble was coming and wanted to be prepared.”

“How come I never heard of this?” Even Li Yiting was bewildered.

Li Fuqi’s eyes were fixed intently on the booklet in Qiu Xi’s hand.

Qiu Xi couldn’t help but shiver. He sensed the hostility in the air and realized what it meant to bring out the blueprint at this moment; he was growing nervous.

“Don’t misunderstand—your eldest uncle really did give this to me himself.”

Chen Tianyu stepped in, “Everyone, let’s not get jumpy. Qiu Xi is from law enforcement—he wouldn’t lie. Come, Qiu Xi, let me take a look.”

With Chen Tianyu speaking, the crowd fell quiet. Qiu Xi anxiously handed the old book to Chen Tianyu, who examined it carefully. Kuang Suo immediately came over, shining a flashlight, and Li Yiting stepped up as well.

The booklet was only a dozen or so pages, though rather complex; nonetheless, they finished reading it quickly.

“No doubt about it—this is indeed the blueprint of the ancestral hall. It even bears Li Qisi’s name,” Chen Tianyu said, tucking the book away inside his coat.

Silence fell over the crowd.

Li Yiting spoke first, “Then I’ll go into the hall and investigate. Everyone else, wait here.”

But Chen Tianyu shook his head. “No need—I was only joking earlier. I wouldn’t let you take such a risk.”

A commotion broke out—no one could fathom what he was up to.

Chen Tianyu smiled. “Let me tell you a story. I hope everyone will listen patiently.”

Ninth Granduncle warned, “Young man, think carefully about what you say.”

“Don’t worry, Ninth Granduncle!” Chen Tianyu replied with confidence.

---

“This story begins twenty-nine years ago.”

“At that time, Luoshui Village was even more peaceful than it is now—no one would pick up a lost item, no one locked their doors at night. Those who were lazy or greedy were scorned by everyone, so life was tranquil. Of course, that’s my guess…”

Ninth Granduncle nodded. “That’s exactly right—you guessed correctly.”

Chen Tianyu nodded back. “Li Village was certainly the same—everyone worked hard, earning their living with their own hands. Life was tough, but honest. Even with this treasure trove beneath their feet, no one was tempted by greed. The family heirlooms left by their ancestors were cherished as precious legacies.”

“In the midst of this, a beautiful woman from the city suddenly shattered the tranquility. Her name was Zheng Wanqiu. It’s said she looked almost identical to our own Ms. Liu Zichen, so it’s easy to imagine the stir she must have caused.”

The crowd murmured in excitement; clearly, his words rang true.

Chen Tianyu continued, “As everyone knows, Zheng Wanqiu—later our Fourth Aunt—was so devoted that she won over Eldest Uncle Li Qisi, and eventually married Fourth Uncle Li Qiuyuan. But the story didn’t end there. A lovesick suitor appeared and persistently harassed the Li family, much to Eldest Uncle’s distress. Left with no choice, he separated from his younger brother and had their family confined deep in the mountains for years.”

“In retrospect, the way Eldest Uncle handled things was questionable—harsh and lacking compassion. Worse, he washed his hands of them, leaving Fourth Uncle’s family in dire straits, at times with nothing to eat. His intent was to test whether Fourth Aunt’s love would endure, but his methods were excessive and his heart too cold.”

“As the saying goes, you can’t let a living person die of thirst. Fourth Uncle Li Qiuyuan was a clever man—if not for Fourth Aunt, he would never have endured such humiliation. But because of his elder brother’s authority, he bore it in silence. Soon he found a way to adapt: they began selling jewelry to buy necessities.”

“In the beginning, Fourth Aunt would secretly give her gold and silver jewelry to the shopkeeper’s wife during trips to the village store, asking her to sell them. In return, she would get grain and groceries to keep the family going.” Chen Tianyu paused.

He turned to the shopkeeper’s wife. “This is just my deduction. Is it true?”

The shopkeeper’s wife, perfectly composed, nodded. “That’s right, young man. You’re very clever—your guess is almost entirely correct.”

“Excellent,” Chen Tianyu said with a satisfied smile.