Rebirth: Phoenix Riding the Ninth Heaven

After a long while, the lawyer managed to squeeze out a few words from his throat, but due to excessive tension, he stumbled and stammered: "This... this... this is actually the waist badge of the prince's palace! I was blind and didn't know that you were visiting incognito this time. Please forgive me, please forgive me! If you have any instructions, I will do my best and immediately send people to reinvestigate this case. I will get to the bottom of it and will not let go of any clues. Please calm down, my lord, calm down!"

The young man watched his master's ugly, fawning, servile demeanor with cold eyes, a wave of sadness welling up in his heart. He sighed, "Alas, most people in this world are so servile and opportunistic. How many of them are truly willing to stand up and speak up for the powerless and ordinary people?" At this thought, the young man's eyes dimmed, and a deep sense of helplessness and sadness appeared on his face.

The young man spoke slowly with a sorrowful look on his face, "I really have no other request, Master! You just need to handle this matter fairly and impartially, and don't let the people feel disheartened!"

Upon hearing this, the lawyer nodded repeatedly and said, "Yes, yes, yes, I understand. I will handle this impartially and ensure that you will be satisfied!"

However, the young man shook his head and corrected him firmly, "This isn't about satisfying me personally, but rather about upholding justice and thoroughly investigating the truth! Regardless of the final outcome, it must be handled according to the actual circumstances."

Upon hearing this, the master did not dare to neglect it at all, and responded repeatedly: "Yes, yes, yes, I will send someone to investigate immediately, please rest assured!"

After everything was arranged, the master brought a stool and motioned for the young man to sit down and rest. The young man thanked the master and sat down on the stool steadily, then gently closed his eyes and began to rest.

In sharp contrast, the old man next to him was trembling with fear and felt as if he was sitting on pins and needles. No matter how others persuaded him, he said he would not dare to move at all. He just squatted cautiously beside the young man, looking around nervously.

In this world of materialism and power, the wealthy and powerful seem to control everything. But just over an hour later, Siye approached with a sullen expression, his head slightly lowered, his face etched with anger. As he approached, he suddenly raised his head, clasped his fists in a salute, and spoke eagerly, "Sir! You truly don't understand! If it weren't for you stepping in to uphold justice this time, I'd have been deceived by that despicable villain!"

The lawyer took a deep breath and continued his indignant narration, "So, it turned out that the yamen runner had acted on his own initiative. When he saw the poor old man passing by with a few fat sheep, greed suddenly arose in his heart, and he came up with this ridiculous excuse on the spur of the moment, hoping to take the sheep for himself. When I learned of this, I immediately sent my men to investigate the matter and sternly explained the seriousness of the matter to the man. At first, he denied it, but eventually, under the solid evidence and the pressure we exerted, he was forced to admit that he had indeed had evil intentions and wanted to secretly swallow the sheep."

Having said this, the lawyer paused briefly, then added firmly, "Sir, please rest assured! I have already escorted all those involved in this matter outside the hall to await their fate. Now we only await your personal interrogation and handling. I will ensure these criminals receive the punishment they deserve!"

The young man stared intently at the master, his face brimming with righteous indignation, showing no sign of hesitation or retreat. Facing the prisoner's hideous, provocative face, a sense of absurdity welled up within him. If it weren't for his brave intervention, the poor old man would have suffered an unimaginable fate. Yet, caught in such a dark and chaotic world, he felt deeply the insignificance and helplessness of his own power. Though powerless to change the situation, he remained determined to do his utmost to contribute his insignificant part.

Thinking of this, the young man turned his gaze firmly towards the lawyer and said solemnly, "This is the case you are in charge of. I hope you can handle it properly and impartially." Upon hearing this, the lawyer was slightly startled, then patted his chest vigorously and responded loudly with a righteous look on his face, "Don't worry, sir! I will leave this matter to me. I will handle it strictly according to the law and impartially. I will definitely not let you down or worry!"

After hearing the master's statement, the young man immediately added, "All I ask for is a fair judgment. This matter has nothing to do with my status or position." The master nodded quickly and replied, "Yes, yes, yes, I understand! I will be impartial and will not let any criminal go, nor will I wrongly accuse any innocent person!"

The young man casually waved his hand, as if forgetting the entire case, and gestured for the lawyer to handle it on his own. Seeing this, the lawyer's eyes flashed, and he instantly understood the deeper meaning behind the young man's action - it was obvious that the young man did not want to get involved in this matter personally, so as not to cause unnecessary trouble.

The lawyer nodded in understanding and said confidently, "Please rest assured, sir, I will handle this matter properly and will never let you be dissatisfied!" After that, the lawyer quickly turned around, walked to the court, and began to try the case in an orderly manner.

The lawyer first asked the old man about the incident and the injustice he suffered. The old man tearfully recounted the unfair treatment he had suffered. Then, the lawyer sternly questioned the yamen runner. Faced with the lawyer's questioning, the yamen runner initially tried to argue, but under the lawyer's powerful pressure, he finally had no choice but to plead guilty and expressed his willingness to bear the corresponding compensation liability.

However, the lawyer did not give up. He knew that if this kind of evil oppression of the people was not severely punished, similar incidents would probably continue to occur in the future. So, the lawyer decisively ordered the yamen runner to be imprisoned for a month and ordered him to pay the old man fifty taels of silver and return all the property that had been embezzled.

After doing all this, the master said to the onlookers with a serious face: "What happened today is a wake-up call to those who have selfish motives! I want this to be a model of killing the chicken to scare the monkeys. Anyone who dares to have evil thoughts and stretch out that unjust hand again will be severely punished!" These words were powerful and drew applause from everyone present.

The young man stood silently, his gaze fixed on the unfolding events. He clearly understood the situation. Regardless of whether the old man had truly been wronged, the outcome of this confrontation seemed predetermined. After all, he held a higher official position than the other man, and emotionally, morally, and logically, he firmly supported the old man. Yet, as he witnessed this scene, he couldn't help but feel a surge of indescribable emotions, unsure whether to feel sorrow or joy.

This is the cruel truth of this world! As long as someone has power or wealth, even if they may not be completely right, they will often gain the upper hand in the end. Thinking of this, the boy suddenly felt bored and no longer had the interest to continue watching.

After a while, the old man finally freed himself from his predicament. His face brimming with gratitude, he quickly walked up to the young man, bowing repeatedly and offering thanks. "Thank you, sir, for your generosity! If you hadn't stepped forward, I would have been wrongly accused today..." The young man simply nodded in response to the old man's profuse thanks, saying nothing more. He then turned and quietly blended into the bustling crowd, soon disappearing without a trace.

The old man was seen trembling as he tightly grasped the 50 taels of silver handed to him by his lawyer. His eyes first slowly swept over the bustling crowd in front of him, and then fixed his gaze on the distance. His eyes were empty and confused, as if he was in deep thought.

His mind replayed the past events: If it weren't for the chivalrous young man's timely intervention, he and his son would have been in danger, their entire family shattered and destroyed. And that damned official clearly wouldn't side with them. Seeking justice and reclaiming what was theirs was a fool's errand! How could he repay such a tremendous favor? He hadn't even had time to ask for his benefactor's name...

Thinking of this, the old man couldn't help but sigh heavily, but soon he shook his head, as if he had decided not to dwell on this matter any further. In his heart, which had been through so much, he had already secretly made a resolution - since this benefactor had offered him a helping hand without hesitation, from now on, he would also do the same, helping those in need to the best of his ability, even if it was just to contribute a tiny bit of his own strength!

The old man held the silver tightly in his hand and walked briskly towards home, his face filled with unconcealable joy. When he finally stepped into the house, he saw his son lying quietly on the kang, and the air was filled with the strong aroma of medicine coming from inside the house.

The old man quickly walked over to the kang, his gaze tenderly fixed on his son. Just then, his son, who had been lying there, seemed to notice something and slowly opened his eyes. Upon seeing his father, a flicker of surprise flashed across his eyes, but then gave way to worry. He struggled to sit up and eagerly asked, "Dad, are you okay?" His voice was filled with obvious anxiety and concern.