"You can refuse, I know the ask isn't small.."
Yang Qing had a difficult smile as he said this. He knew the matter he was about to suck them into, was anything but easy.
"Qingee, what do you think?" Yang Qing softly asked.
At the table, they were four. It was him, Dai Chen, Zheng Hu, and Zhang Qingge.
Of their original gang of five, Xia Boqin and Kang Huilang had already gone into seclusion to break through to the palace realm, while Yu Huifang was also doing her final preparations before she set off for the tribulation mountain.
It was times like this that Yang Qing wished Kang Huilang and the rest were at the same realm as him.
In Ma Yuan's case because of the severity of the matter and the sentence that was about to be passed, it needed a five-judge panel to decide on it.
Yang Qing was new to the palace courts, he didn't have time to socialize with the other outer palace court judge before he was hit with a case that forced a five judge decision.
While he was acquainted with some seniors, for the case at hand it was better to share the burden with friends rather than acquaintances.
Of their group, only he, Dai Chen, and Zhang Qingge were in the palace realm, and thus could only ask those two to be part of his panel.
After he had completed his cases for the day, Zheng Hu came to his courtroom with more reports that were just as grim as the one he had received from Yu Gen at the herb garden restaurant.
On reading the report, Yang Qing decided against waiting a few days , and despite the unease and anxiety he had because of the matter, he decided to call Dai Chen and Zhang Qingge over.
When he broke the information to them, Dai Chen acted pretty much the same as he did, but when it came to Zhang Qingge, she was no longer her shy self. She had a collected calmness to her, which was a bit unnerving to Yang Qing as he worried he may have sprung up a lot on Zhang Qingge.
"Qingee you don't have to do it. It's okay, I can ask other judges. Lei Weiyuan is bound to know a few..the case isn't easy, even for me who took it on. So you don't have to force yourself.." Yang Qing said with guilt showing on his expression.
In his haste and shock, he had overlooked how much of an impact it would have on them. He couldn't help but regret his sense of selfishness that had overridden his thought as a friend.
Seeing Zhang Qingge's silent and calm state he couldn't help but wish he could turn back time and undo the request.
"No, I'll do it...Sorry, it's just... I had to forcibly calm myself otherwise if I let the rage inside me surface I'd find myself already headed towards the Ice Emerald Sect before we even have a chance to put everything in place.
Huifang taught me the silent ripple mantra to help me calm down. It usually makes me zone out for a bit, every time I execute, but it works.." Zhang Qingge said as her usual shy demeanor came back.
Thanks to it, my fines have seen a significant reduction.." she softly muttered with a tone that was half mixed with embarrassment and pride.
Pfft...
Yang Qing and Dai Chen hurriedly stifled their laughter, when they saw Zhang Qingge clench her fists at them.
"You're sure, you're both okay with this? You can refuse.." Yang Qing asked once more with a look of concern.
"When we took this job, we all knew there was a possibility of this happening. It is the world we live in. There are thousands of Ice Emerald Sects out there.." said Dai Chen.
"I'm okay with it. Besides, if I ever had one myself, I would come to you too. So it's only fair," he added.
"I'm okay with it too, and just like Dai Chen said, you'll both be my first calls if I ever get one.." Zhang Qingge said.
"What?" Yang Qing asked when he saw Zhang Qingge fidgeting looking like she wasn't done talking and seemed to be struggling.
"You can refuse if you want, but can you loan me 1,500 high-grade spirit stones?" Zhang Qingge shyly asked as she looked downwards afraid to look at Yang Qing's reaction.
"That's it?" Yang Qing asked in shock.
"Sure...though why do you want it?" Yang Qing curiously asked.
As per Zhang Qingge's admission, her fines had reduced which was the one area she usually lost her money at. Unlike him, Dai Chen or Kang Huilang, she didn't have expensive hobbies to support.
"It was Kang Huilang's stupid idea. He told me he had bribed someone from the case log admission department, and that someone would give him information on the next cases which he would use to place his next bet.
Everything seemed sound and I even met with the person from the admissions department. So I agreed with Kang Huilang to go even on the bet and we would split the profits later.
The odds for the case he chose were 15:1. We would wind up with 45,000 high-grade spirit stones if it all went to plan, which would have given me enough spirit stones to improve the arrays in my abode and pay a bit of what I owe Huifang, but Kang Huilang's stupid bet failed, and because he is not reachable at the moment, they threw his bet obligations on me too..." Zhang Qingge said.
Even with her pitiful expression, Yang Qing and Dai Chen couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"Why did you listen to him? The person from the admissions department was more likely planted by the others in on the bet.
If Kang Huilang really had connections in the place, would he be losing as badly as he does?" Yang Qing couldn't help but shake his head.
He once fell for the same ploy. Kang Huilang sold him on this detailed analysis on how a certain bet was a sure in and they could pull their spirit stones together for a higher payout. Yang Qing at the time was wallowing in fines, a bottomless bird to sponsor, and was feeding on cold leek soup and dry bread, so when Kang Huilang told him there was a way he could end his pitiful state and eat like a king, of course Yang Qing jumped at it.
All Yang Qing got at the end of it was starvation and getting robbed of whatever pitifully few spirit stones he had left.
Dai Chen and Yang Qing teased her a few more times before they focused back on the matter concerning the case.
Zheng Hu after dropping off the jade talisman containing the results of his investigation, had already left in search of Ma Yuan to feel him on the progress of the case.
With how fast things would be moving, along with the complicated situation, Yang Qing thought it was better for Zheng Hu to handle the updates rather than wait for a court liaison from the administration department to do it.
...
"So do you have any suggestions on who we can choose for the two remaining spots?" asked Yang Qing.
Zhang Qingge and Dai Chen have been in the outer palace courts for at least a year, especially the latter who has been there for two. They were bound to have made connections.
"I can think of one. His name is Mo Liwei, we got in the same year, and unlike as he has handled one of them before, so I think it will be better to have someone like him, who has experienced it, on board.." said Dai Chen.
"I'll ask him, and see if he'll agree to it.." Dai Chen said he took out his communication talisman.
"I also can try one..." Zhang Qingge softly said.
"She was my senior and helped me a lot when I was starting out in the palace courts. I think she may agree to it..." she added as she took out her talisman to call.
"Liwei will only agree to it after he hears the complete details of the case. How far are you from it?"
"Yu Gen will be bringing the final bits of information tomorrow. He requested help from some of his colleagues from the roaming inquisitors.
Su Jinjing, Luo Meili, and Feng Xin should be bringing in whatever they have dug before midnight..."
"Aah, there they are.." Yang Qing said when he saw the trio walk in.
Unlike their typical jovial mood, they all seemed rather low on spirits, especially Feng Xin who would light up whenever he was in the vicinity of a restaurant. He had a grim look on his face.
"We Ying has agreed. She has said she will pass by the restaurant in the next hour or so after she finishes her last case.." said Zhang Qingge.
"Thank you, both, truly.." Yang Qing said.
At least with this one part of the to-do list had been done. He already had the five-judge panel needed.
Next, the panel would evaluate the findings on hand and vote on what to do next. The result of their deliberations would then be presented to the Judicial review committee, and after that it would be the passing of the sentence.
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