Chen Luo's many roses

CH 4: The first case comes.

A man runs to the drums early in the morning and beats the drums with fury.

Thus, it is time for Chen Luo to show what he's made of.

The sky is clear, the morning air still smells of fresh rain from the night and the colors of the court really strikes your eye no matter where you look.

Before Chen Luo and I kneel both a wealthy pub-owner named Xia Hua and a poor man called Tao Lin.

I call out. "Who stands there?"

The wealthy merchant speaks up. "I, Xia Hua come to court today because Mr. Tao Lin owes my business money after a series of lost gambles"

On the left side of Xia Hua stands renown lawyer An Bai who bows to me out of courtesy. "I am Xia Hua's lawyer An Bai, I will bring forward the will of my client and help him with this case"

Next to them, kneel Tao Lin and the lawyer Feng Yao with whom I had shared a conversation with during the funeral of Lu Yin.

"Magistrate, I am the lawyer Feng Yao who will be representing Tao Lin"

His eyes make direct contact with mine.

"The court will be unbiased, and I will listen to both sides as equals. Is that clear?" The four men wordlessly nod and I look at advisor Chen Luo who nods, and steps forward.

"I will listen to both sides of both men, from the lawyers but also from the accusator and the accused personally" Chen Luo makes his way to lawyer An Bai, the latter looking at him with a somewhat surprised but composed expression.

"Speak" Chen Luo's voice is soft yet demanding, like a tiger with the softest-looking fur. Deep down you know this predator is out for one thing only, yet you can't help but feel like petting it.

An Bai nods. He clears his throat, and starts explaining with grace.

"Tao Lin had for many years come and gone through Xia Hua's pub, always gambling away what little money he had and always promising to pay more than he could bargain for. The sum Xia Hua has promised Xia Hua is the grand total of 5000 silver, a sum which he is unable to pay off"

Chen Luo nods slowly, clearly pondering over something quickly before standing in front of Tao Lin's lawyer Feng Yao and asking him to speak.

Feng Yao's face remains stoic as Chen Luo scans them over with his gaze, but his client Tao Lin shows clear signs of nervousness as the advisor's menacing presence looms over him. Feng Yao starts.

"Mr. Tao Lin has faced a troubled youth and barely managed to climb out of his parents shadows of abuse before falling victim to debt collectors who seek his already deceased father's unpaid debt, demanding that he pay it off instead. With little to no money, Tao Lin can do nothing else but to desperately try to win money any way possible to no avail. He faces extreme poverty and can do nothing but face the harsh world with empty hands"

I inwardly sigh. It was obvious of what had to be done, clearly Mr. Tao Lin cannot pay off his debt.

But it is also obvious that Xia Yua won't let this sitaution go, even going as far as to torment a moneyless man.

I was almost about to give out my final decision, when Chen Luo suddenly says;

"One of you is lying"

I lean forward with newfound interest.

Both lawyers look at each other with suspicion, but Chen Luo's eyes fixate themselves solely on Tao Lin.

"Tell me about your childhood" Although I can't see what was going on clearly, it was obvious that the very presence of Chen Luo was enough to send the poor man into near-panic.

"Advisor I... I am a man of poor upbringing, my father was a drunkard and my mother was a whore who he had forced to marry and had me with. Every moment I spent awake in that house was a nightmare I... my father died with a wine bottle in his hands and my mother escaped the house quickly after that" I knew that this was the truth, the case of the Lin-house was a well known thing around the city once the word had spread from the neighbourhood. 

Feng Yao looks at me again with a look I couldn't decipher. Maybe he wants me to clarify the situation?

I turn my eyes towards Xia Hua, who also looked troubled but for other reasons. Maybe it was guilt? Who knows.

Chen Luo continues.

"Tell me about your debts"

Tao Lin swallows. He casts a nervous glance at Feng Yao, but quickly turns back towards Chen Luo to answer.

"50 silver for my father's bet with old man Luo Yao, 500 silver for my father's failed business with Mo Gua and the gambling debts to Xia Hua"

"And do you have the money to pay it off?"

"I...No"

Chen Luo kneels down, and looks him directly in the eye.

"Do you have enough money to pay it off?"

Tao Lin finally breaks down, nods and to my surprise Chen Luo turns out to be just as talented as the head magistrate had said him to be.

"A wealthy man came up to me one day- he had a lot of money- he placed the bag in my hands- 3000 silver in total!" He rambled quickly, before shutting his mouth and looking down at the ground once more looking even worse than before.

"Are you finished, advisor Luo?" I had made up my mind, and want to finish this as quickly as possible so that I can go and enjoy my breakfast. 

Chen Luo looks back at me and nods, before returning to his post beside me. I sat in silence for a few minutes thinking over everything carefully, before finally making my decision.

"Mr Lin is only 20 years old, yes?" Tao Lin slowly raises his head, but quickly stops himself.

"Yes, magistrate"

"Mr. Hua is short on staff, I presume?" It's Xia Hua's turn to look shocked, probably wondering how I knew that. I have access to more information than I'd like to flaunt with.

"Yes, magistrate"

Perfect.

"Tao Lin will hereby work at Xia Hua's pub until he feels like he has done enough work to pay off his debt, all the while making up to Xia Hua for troubling him. Case closed" I hit the table with my hammer, and everyone is escorted outside the court. I look at Chen Luo and realize that not once had he adviced me the traditional way during the whole court session. I smile at him.

"Good work today"