Outside, he indeed saw Magistrate Wang Renyi with all the bailiffs surrounding the Gu residence, and many onlookers had gathered. Seeing him come out, Wang Renyi angrily shouted, “Audacious scoundrel, how dare you harm my son! Seize this criminal and take him back to the magistrate’s office for judgment!”
“I did indeed beat Wang Shuo, and I am willing to confess, but this has nothing to do with my family. Please, sir, do not harm the innocent,” Gu Mingsheng said.
Wang Renyi was enraged, “To harm a government official’s kin is a heinous crime! None of the Gu family will escape!”
“I was the one who did it; it has nothing to do with them. If you have any grievances, take them out on me, but don’t hurt them!” Gu Mingsheng declared, pounding his chest.
Wang Renyi would not grant his wish. The doctor had said his son was crippled, without an heir, and the Wang family lineage would end. Gu Mingsheng had caused the extinction of his lineage, so he would make the entire Gu family suffer. He stepped forward, pointing at Gu Mingsheng, “You, a mere criminal, have no right to negotiate with this official. Seize everyone in the Gu family, and execute anyone who resists!”
“Yes!” The bailiffs immediately moved to arrest people.
The Gu family servants all came out, standing in front of Gu Mingsheng to protect him. Gu Mingsheng waved them back and stepped forward, loudly proclaiming, “Wang Shuo, the magistrate’s son, has killed countless people, forcibly taken many women, and used cruel methods. He is a great villain! I, Gu Mingsheng, could not stand by and watch, so I incapacitated him to prevent him from further harming women. I did it for the people, but I admit my crime of vigilante justice. I am willing to bear all consequences, but my family is innocent. If you arrest my family, I will not comply!”
“Gu Mingsheng is heroic!” The onlookers, many of whom had daughters harmed by Wang Shuo, cheered upon hearing this, and they all rushed forward to protect Gu Mingsheng.
“He’s a hero for the people, you can’t arrest him!”
“Right, Wang Shuo deserved it!”
“Wang Shuo is a beast, Gu Mingsheng did nothing wrong!”
Gu Jinghan came out with his men, seeing the scene, a slight smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. He had brought these families affected by Wang Shuo to stir up public outrage today.
“Gu Mingsheng has always helped us poor folk, he’s a good man, you can’t arrest him.” At this time, even those who had been aided by Gu Jinghan under Gu Mingsheng’s name joined in to protect him.
Gu Mingsheng was puzzled; when had he helped the poor? As the crowd gathered in front of the Gu residence to protect him, Wang Renyi, furious and humiliated, ordered, “Drive away these scoundrels, arrest Gu Mingsheng and all members of the Gu family!”
“Yes!” The bailiffs charged forward, pushing and beating the crowd, injuring many in the process. Seeing people getting hurt for his sake, Gu Mingsheng felt immense pain and turned to his father, his eyes filled with sorrow, “Dad!” It seems he still has to drag the entire Gu family down with him today. Gu Jinghan looked at him and said, “Father said that the Gu family would advance and retreat with you.” “Your son has been unfilial.” Gu Jinghan knelt down, bowed his head, then stood up resolutely and said, “Do not harm the common people; the Gu family will surrender without resistance.” “Young Master Gu!” the people cried out in pain. Wang Renyi wore a smug look on his face; could he not handle these mere commoners? He waved his hand grandly, “Men, take down the entire Gu family!” “Who dares!” At that moment, Xie Donglin and Xue Chang stepped forward. Xue Chang flashed a token at Wang Renyi. Upon seeing it, Wang Renyi was shocked, “The… the…” Before he could finish, he fell to his knees with a thud.
Author’s Note: This story will conclude with one more chapter tomorrow~!
Chapter 15: A Life of Happiness Amidst Tragic Death
“Wang Renyi, do you know that Master Li and Miss Ling are the children of the Prime Minister? Your son was bold enough to plot against the young master of the Prime Minister’s residence and try to take the young lady for himself. For this crime alone, your official hat would be lost, let alone your acceptance of bribes and your disregard for human life. Your son has blood on his hands, countless lives taken. Even if Gu Mingsheng hadn’t crippled him, the Wang family was doomed to end.” Xue Chang looked coldly at Wang Renyi, who was trembling on his knees. To dare to scheme against the young master and forcibly take the young lady as a concubine, not just crippling his lineage would be unfair; if Xue Chang had been there, Wang Shuo would have been beheaded. Gu Mingsheng was still a bit too soft-hearted.
Sweat poured down Wang Renyi’s face. Oh heavens, his son had targeted the children of the Prime Minister’s residence. It was all over; the Wang family was doomed. Wang Shuo, who was waiting for his father to avenge him, was also dumbfounded upon hearing the news. That brother and sister were truly the children of the Prime Minister. He had stirred up a hornet’s nest. Ah, who could save him now?
Xue Chang thoroughly investigated all of Wang Renyi’s crimes and sent a fast horse to deliver the information back to the capital for the Prime Minister. Upon hearing that his children had nearly been harmed by the son of a local official, Prime Minister Zhong was furious and brought the matter before the Emperor. The Emperor, upon reviewing Wang Renyi’s crimes, was outraged, “Such heinous crimes, he has shamed the very notion of righteousness!”
Wang Renyi was brought to the capital for trial, and all charges were proven true. He was stripped of his official position, and his family was implicated three generations deep. Father and son, along with their relatives, were executed at the market square. When the people of Yun City heard the news, they rejoiced and knelt, praising the Emperor’s wisdom.
The Wang family’s downfall was due to Gu Mingsheng, and the people of Yun City were immensely grateful to the Gu family. To express their gratitude, they all went to buy from Gu family shops, and soon, business boomed even more. Gu Mingsheng, seeing the thriving business, marveled at how he no longer needed to coax customers. Thinking of his father’s charitable acts done in his name, he said, “Father, you secretly used my name to help the poor. Thank you.”
Gu Jinghan waved his hand dismissively, “Don’t thank me; I just started it. Whether you can maintain this reputation is up to you.”
Gu Mingsheng nodded firmly, “Father, rest assured, I will keep it.” His father had cleared his bad name; he would not let him down. Thereafter, Gu Mingsheng, following his father’s example, used most of his shop’s profits to aid the poor, and the people of Yun City were even more grateful, calling him a great benefactor.
Cause and effect; no one could surpass the Gu family’s business in Yun City, making them the leading enterprise.
Despite the efforts to keep it quiet, Gu Mingyue heard about the incident and scolded her brother. “Though you did a good deed, it was too risky. If Master Li and Miss Ling weren’t the children of the Prime Minister, the entire Gu family might have been punished. You could have saved them without resorting to private punishment on Wang Shuo.”
Gu Mingsheng laughed, “Sister, you’re right. Next time, I’ll think more thoroughly and won’t worry you.”
“You, always slick with words, never short of giving me worries,” Gu Mingyue said helplessly.
Xie Nanlin smiled, “The matter has passed, and I believe Mingsheng has learned his lesson. He won’t act like this again.”
“Yes, yes, sister, I’ve missed you so much. Don’t scold me anymore,” Gu Mingsheng pleaded playfully.
Gu Mingyue, amused and exasperated, had to relent.
