No Repeats

The corrupted Magistrate

While Shu Mei was waiting for Wu Miao to finish getting dressed, the old hostel owner hobbled onto a carriage with the help of his two assistants and they drove to a private luxurious residence in the centre of the city.

The residence is large and beautiful, its architecture replicated a nobleman's residence in the imperial city. The building was built with expensive red wood and painted brick infills, and its heavy overhanging roof covers a walkway around the residence. It could be seen from the size of the front doors alone that the owner of the residence is extremely wealthy and ostentatious.

This was especially evident when one compares the size and décor of the building to the small and decrepit magistrate court next door.

The old hostel owner's carriage stopped in front of the residence and hurried rushed to wildly knock on the residence door. Unlike the magistrate court with its wide-open doors and a large drum on the side that is guarded by two soldiers, the residence door was uninviting and closed shut. After a few moments, the door opened, and an elderly man greeted old hostel owner  and with a few verbal exchanges led him into the residence.

The hostel owner followed the old head steward along the winding corridors and passed two beautiful gardens that were built to improve the residence's fengshui. The hostel owner was too angry and bitter to notice and appreciate the surrounding scenery. In his mind, he thought of the many ways that Wu Miao can die and the types of punishments that could be inflicted on Lu Bai and his mate.

When they reached a room, the head steward turned around and asked him to stand there and wait while he goes ahead to knock on the closed door.

"Magistrate Chen, the Red Lantern hostel owner, Ma Dang Bu is here to see you, he says there is urgent business," said the steward.

"Tell him to go away, the magistrate is busy! Its not even noon yet, how dare he come to interrupt the magistrate's rest time?" said a high pitch and coquettish voice from inside the room.

"Hmm...Liu Mai is right, it is too early, he can come back after I have rested enough," said a rusty man's voice.

"No, Magistrate Chen, I have come to warn you. The people will be coming to the court very soon, we cannot dawdle," said Ma Bu in an anxious tone.

"Oh? Who are 'they' and how dare they come so early? Do they not know that the courts don't open until afternoon?" asked magistrate Chen.

"A matter had come up with my wife and I am here to seek justice. Magistrate Chen, if you would help me this time, I am forever grateful and will prepay you well with my gratitude," said Ma Bu.

"Alright, as long as you know the proper way, I will make an exception this time. Let him in," said magistrate Chen lazily.

The steward opened the door and gestured for Ma Bu to enter. Ma Bu walked in slowly with his head looking down on the ground, not daring to look closely at the very intimate scene before him. But from what he could see from the corner of his eyes, behind the thin curtains the magistrate is sitting on the bed with his mistress in his arms and their lower bodies covered by a blanket.

Ma Bu sneered internally, surely the magistrate is as lecherous as he is, if not more. Isn't he already close to sixty years old and still indulging in the broad daylight with a mistress that is even younger than his granddaughters!

"Now, state your case, if its not worth my time you will be punished severely despite our relationship," said the magistrate as he continues to fondle his mistress making her giggle seductively.

Without daring to delay, Ma Bu recounted the events and that Shu Mei is coming to the courthouse to seek justice.

The magistrate laughed and left the bed leaving his mistress behind without care, his eyes gleamed maliciously. It has been a while since he sentenced someone to drown in the pig pen, the last few times it has been quite a spectacle and entertaining for him.

"Liu Mai, get the formal attire and you can come to court if you want to watch a show," said the magistrate as he waved his hand to dismiss Ma Bu. Just as he finished his sentence, he heard the courthouse drums beat rapidly and he smiled wickedly.

"They are here, this magistrate will enjoy the play," he said while the young mistress dressed him.

Shu Mei, Bai Ye, Wu Miao and Tu Tu have arrived at the courthouse together in relative awkward silence. When they got there, they were immediately shocked at the disparity between the courthouse and its next-door residence. She took up the two thick red sticks and began to beat the drum furiously, this signalled to the magistrate's court that there is a case to be heard.

Guards came forward and started to tie their hands behind their backs before leading them inside the courthouse into a kneeling position. Shu Mei looked around at the courthouse and thought to herself that the magistrate is negligent if not guilty of corruption. The state of the courthouse is deplorable and a shame to the empire.

"Prostrate yourselves to the great Magistrate of Yuzhen, Chen Mo Ke," shouted a guard.

Shu Mei turned around to see the magistrate walk into the hall with Ma Bu followed closely and smirked to herself. She scrutinised Chen Mo Ke carefully, the man is older, over sixty years and would had had decent looks in his youth but for a greasy aura about him and big black mole on his left cheek.

She instantly recoiled from him as she consciously remembered the animal that was magistrate Wang who had caused her death. Bai Ye had been closely observing Shu Mei and seeing that she was uncomfortable, took the chance to put his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him.

Pressed against the man's hard body, Shu Mei instantly blushed and pushed herself away, but their small movements were not lost to the magistrate's eyes.

His eagle eyes narrowed as he took in Shu Mei's beauty and seeing their intimate actions, speculated that they were a pair and leaned the other way. Whilst Bai Ye looks like a man he would not dare to cross despite his deceptively gentle dress and manners, the magistrate thought that with Shu Mei's slender figure, she would be an easier target to bully. He licked his lips, thinking that he would need to find a reason to lock them up separately so he could get some alone time with Shu Mei to explore the depths of beauty.

He quickly banged his wooden block on the table to get their attention before turning to Ma Bu and said, "Ma Bu, you have raised a complaint to this magistrate against these persons of interest, is that correct?"

"Yes, your magistrate, please give me back the justice that is owed to me. Not only did Lu Bai seduced my wife and entrapped her to have an illicit affair with this disgusting beggar, Tu Tu, but their accomplice, Bai Ye, had also threw this humble one against the wall, breaking my back bone," said Ma Bu with a sneer.

"What evidence is there?" the magistrate said while eyeing Shu Mei. He thought to himself, how can a man be more beautiful than a woman, with her kneeling there the other women paled in comparison. He looked at Liu Mai beside him, sure enough, she is not as beautiful as a man!

"The guests at the hostel are my witnesses, you can call on any of them and they can tell you the truth," said Ma Bu with confidence.

Shu Mei stayed silent as she watched the performance and the young woman in the magistrate's arms. He is so blatant and lawless, even bringing a mistress into the courtroom!