From a tuberculosis patient to a martial arts master

The hall fell silent for a moment.

Zhao Lai knelt at the front, his back slightly hunched, and before he could speak, chaos erupted behind him.

Zhao Gui was the first to lose control. His face turned ashen, his eyes darting around erratically. He first stole a glance at his father, then at his wife, Madam Ma, beside him, and finally at his sister-in-law, Liu. He weighed the weight of fifty strokes in his mind, and the more he weighed it, the more terrified he became.

Logically, since the father was the one who filed the complaint, he should be the one to take the punishment.

But he really didn't dare.

"yes!"

Zhao Guisheng offered a suggestion, his gaze fixed intently on Liu.

Now that his elder brother is dead, what does he have to fear from a widow? Besides, they avenged their brother and sister-in-law; she should be the one to take the punishment. Once inside, he cleared his throat and said in a low voice to Madam Ma, "Sister-in-law, look at my sister-in-law..."

Mrs. Ma was taken aback, but following his gaze, she immediately understood.

She pursed her lips and said in a tearful voice:

"Sister-in-law Liu, your father-in-law is old and his health can't take any more strain. Our whole family is here to seek justice for you, so you have to show some backbone!"

"I……"

Upon hearing this, tears streamed down Liu's face as she sobbed, "How could I, a mere woman, do this?"

"What's wrong with women?"

Mrs. Ma rolled her eyes: "Your husband caused this mess, if you don't take responsibility, who will?" She made her point bluntly:

"Does your father-in-law have to take the blame for you?"

"You want us to take the hit for you!"

Liu was rendered speechless, only able to cry out in her heart, "My husband may be dead, but you dragged me here!" But before she could utter a word, Zhao Lai had already turned around and glared at them fiercely, sighing inwardly, "A bunch of useless trash, not a single one of them is of any use."

"Master in Charge."

Seeing that the public airing of family scandals had stopped, he raised his head and said in a deep voice, "My second son, Zhao Gui, is willing to take the beating in my place, to fulfill my duty as a brother."

Zhao Gui was about to be moved, but his father insisted on taking the divine staff himself.

Who knew he would be sold out?

"father!"

He was about to argue when Gu Huai'an frowned slightly and slowly spoke, a faint smile that seemed both mocking and pitying on his lips: "There's no need to argue. You'll all receive it together. Fifty strokes each, not one less."

The words had barely left his lips when the heavy sound of boots echoed from the side of the hall.

Three more executioners filed out, carrying divine-summoning sticks, and positioned themselves behind Zhao Lai's family. Together with the first executioner, they guarded the four corners, surrounding the group in the center.

"It's over."

Zhao Gui glanced at the executioner and saw that he was expressionless and his eyes were as cold as ice. His calves immediately cramped up, his knees buckled, and he collapsed to the ground.

"He reaped what he sowed."

Those watching from outside the hall couldn't help but chuckle at the sudden turn of events.

Zhao Lai took a deep breath, his mind filled with only one thought: "I've been tricked." But he had no choice but to swallow his bitterness.

Gu Huai'an remained indifferent, nodding slightly to the executioner to signal the execution to proceed.

"Gu Zhangbu".

Suddenly someone whispered something.

Everyone turned their attention to Zhu Hong, who stepped forward from the class, bowed deeply to Gu Huai'an, and remained calm and composed.

"This is fifty strokes of the cane."

"I humbly request that I be allowed to perform this task."

Before Gu Huai'an could reply, Zhao Gui, sitting below, felt his hair stand on end, a chill running down his spine. He trembled and managed to utter only two words: "Zhu Hong?!" He panicked, his words becoming incoherent, and he repeatedly kowtowed.

"Zhang, Master Zhang.

He can't do it, he absolutely can't!

Gu Huai'an found this intriguing and slowly asked, "Tell me, why not?"

"We'll wait..."

Zhao Gui swallowed hard, pointed at Zhu Hong, and hissed, "We beat the drum to appeal to the emperor, and it is he we are accusing, Zhu Hong!"

Instantly, chaos erupted both inside and outside.

"A family of idiots." Lin Jizhi, who was craning his neck to watch the show from the doorway, couldn't help but chuckle upon hearing this. "Sue that brat Zhu Hong. Tsk," he raised an eyebrow, looking at the Zhao family's pathetic state with pity.

"A devil who courts death and trouble."

Even the King of Hell couldn't save him.

Upon hearing this, Gu Huai'an's lips curled up slightly. He looked at Zhu Hong and simply said, "Granted."

A clerk then handed the magic staff to Zhu Hong.

Zhu Hong reached out and took it, weighed it in his hand, and then turned to stand beside Zhao Lai.

Zhao Gui saw Zhu Hong standing behind his father, holding a stick, his face pale, but he dared not utter a sound. He silently prayed, "Don't look at me, don't look at me! I'm going to get hit anyway. I don't want to be hit by that kid; he'll definitely be ruthless!"

Zhao Lai heard Zhu Hong's footsteps stop in front of him.

He looked up, a flicker of panic crossing his eyes, but mostly a complex mix of emotions and indignation. "You little bastard, you should have starved to death back then!"

"Zhao Lai".

Zhu Hong's voice came from above, very softly: "You'd better keep these fifty strokes safe." After saying that, he turned his head and saw Gu Zhangbu nod. He immediately raised the magic staff high and brought it down.

"Smack."

Strangely enough, when his powerful force landed on Zhao Lai's buttocks, it seemed to dissipate instantly, leaving no mark on the skin or flesh.

However, a faint blue light suddenly flashed across the magic staff.

"Ah, ho!"

Zhao Lai's body jerked violently, as if someone had stabbed him in the back.

His eyes bulged outwards, and his whole body was curled up like a shrimp. He wanted to scream, but the pain kept him from making a sound.

"Doesn't it hurt?"

Zhu Hong's lips slowly parted into a smile.

The second strike.

The third strike.

Like pounding rice cakes, it's fast, ruthless, and intense.

His hand never trembled once. During the fifth battle, Zhao Lai and the others were in so much pain that they almost fainted, but they were just a hair's breadth away from fainting. They were like worms that had been crushed, and tears streamed down their faces silently.

"Sir, have mercy!"

The two women, Ma and Liu, were beaten so badly they cried and begged for mercy like pigs being slaughtered: "This woman will not plead anymore, please let this woman go."

Not going to sue?

The executioners shattered their illusions without any mercy.

"Slap! Slap!"

The cries turned into howls.

Those outside the hall, hearing the wailing and screaming, couldn't help but laugh out loud: "They're screaming like frogs in the pond, croaking away."

After a period of hardship.

Zhu Hong brought down his last baton and stopped.

The Zhao family lay sprawled on the ground like rag dolls, their faces pressed against the bricks, with only the slight rise and fall of their chests indicating that they were still alive.

Zhu Hong handed the magic staff back to the executioner and bowed to Gu Huai'an:

"Your Excellency, the fifty strokes of the cane have been completed."

Gu Huai'an nodded slightly, picked up his teacup, took a sip, and then, as he put it down, his gaze fell on Zhao Lai's family before he began his interrogation: "Zhao Lai, what is your complaint that you beat the drum to appeal for justice?"

"call……"

A deathly silence.

They lay there, unresponsive, as if they were still unconscious.

Upon seeing this, the clerk cleared his throat and roared like thunder: "You kneeling servants, answer me!"

The sound, like a lion's roar, exploded in the hall.

Zhao Lai and the others shuddered, as if they had been pulled up from underwater. Their unfocused pupils gradually regained focus. "Reporting to the registrar," Zhao Lai was the first to come to his senses, raising his head with difficulty. His old face was a mess of snot and tears.

"I am suing the constable Zhu Hong."

"Indiscriminate killing of innocent people."

"Kill Zhao Biao and the Jiang family members!"

As he spoke, he glanced back outside, his heart filled with anticipation and anxiety: "Why hasn't Young Master Jiang Feng brought anyone with him yet?" He had already endured fifty strokes of the cane, but there wasn't a trace of Jiang Feng, who was supposed to be his support.

……