By the end of the beating, Li Wencai could no longer even howl; he lay half-dead on the ground. If it weren't for the occasional convulsions every time the plank struck, Zhu Yu feared he would not survive the twenty blows and might die outright.
While Li Wencai was beaten, the middle-aged man kneeling nearby remained calm, whereas the young mute appeared much more agitated. His face was flushed, tears welled in his eyes, and he shivered all over.
But this trembling clearly had nothing to do with fear; it seemed more like an uncontrollable emotional excitement.
When the twenty blows were finished, the young mute could no longer contain his emotions; tears streamed from his eyes, which he couldn't bother to wipe away. He prostrated himself on the ground, kowtowing to Lu Qing and Zhu Yu while crying. The whimpering in his throat seemed filled with grievances.
