Inside the courtroom, it seems that no matter how hard the guards separate them the old man and the young maiden won't stop fighting, adding on with the taunting and chatting from the spectators, the entire courtroom was packed ! It was like a can of sardines squeezed tightly together !
However, the second Lord Wang Zhi Yi step foot inside the courtroom, silence filled the room, everyone had changed their posture and immediately shut their mouths. It was so quiet, you could only hear the sounds of breathing !
"Lord Wang Zhi Yi has arrived to the courtroom !" a guard shouted loudly, as the courtroom was so big, it was almost the same size as a grand church ! The voice of the guard echoed through the walls of the courtroom, sending chills to everyone seated.
On the other side, Chi Meng and Yi Rong walked lowly, slowly crouching over to their seats, not wanting to make a scene.
Lord Wang Zhi Yi then instruct the guard to announce, "The courtcase has started !" Everyone sat tightly, they were eager to hear about the commontion of the old man and the maiden. "Well, before we start, please introduce yourselves to me." Lord Wang Zhi Yi instructed, while putting on his glasses review the case from a scroll.
"I'm Cheng Yu Han (程玉寒) !" The old man said loudly, despite having such a frail body and clinging onto a wooden stick to walk, his voice was as strong as a roaring lion.
"I... I'm...uhh... I'm Lin Yun Meng (林云梦)..." The young maiden said shyly, completely opposite of the old man. Her voice was so soft, the royal guard next to her could barely hear her, to the point that she had to repeat various of times, so that the royal guard could report to Lord Wang Zhi Yi.
"Well then," said Lord Wang Zhi Yi as he cleared his throat. "Shall we start. Lets hear from your side of the story first." He says while signalling towards the old man. At this moment the old man furiously stood up and slammed his hands unto this table.
"This lady is no innocent at all ! She's a fraud ! A scammer, a ruthless and selfish person !" he cries. The royal guard immediately withdraws his sword, about to punish the old man for his disrespectful attitude, but Lord Wang Zhi Yi immediately reaches out his hand, signalling the royal guard to stop. The guard reluctantly pulled back.
" Please control you attitude and tone when speaking in a highly court." The royal guard announced loudly with a stern voice, clearly furious at the old man's actions.
"Ahem..." Lord Wang Zhi Yi cleared his throat loud enough to break the tension between the guard and the old man. Everyone's focus immediately shifted over, they were like cats shifting between canned tuna and mice ! "Well, Mr. Cheng, could you please elaborate your story with an appropriate attitude for a better understanding."
The old man repositioned himself, took a deep breath, "This lady." he said painstakingly, "Was my son's first and last love. They grew up together, they loved one another like mandarin ducks ! (In Chinese culture, it says that once their mate dies, they will neglect their health to rest with their mate) They were everyone's dream love story... Till my son way diagnosed with an extremely high fever. His health was slowly declining, no matter how hard we took care of him, or even calling over the most professional doctors, no one could crack the code and save him. At some point, we realised there was no hope, so all we could do is stay by his side till his last breath." The old man said with all his might, he was practically on the verge of falling apart ! Tears visibly flowed down from his eyes to his cheeks, his vision had also became blurry from the tears !
However, the young maiden remains expression less, and sits in a posture trying not to show her face. From on glance, Lord Wang Zhi Yi could tell that she was hiding something... But before he could say anything, the old man quickly wiped his tears away and continued.
"This lady at first, was a true sweetheart to my son ! Everyday she would come over, feed him, bathe him, entertain him. She loved him without a worry in a thought. I, myself must admit, I was so afraid of losing him, I treated him like a crippled man he was. But this lady treated him like a normal human, which made us even love her more, before my son's death, she, herself had proposed to be promised to him... But it was all an act !" He shouted harshly, he went from a pitiful sparrow to a ragging tiger !
"A few months after my son's funeral, we caught her sleeping with another man ! Once we caught her, she immediately ran away with her secret lover ! Thank the lord as I had unexpectedly bumped into her today ! You little mischief, today I will avenge my son !" He proclaimed loudly, followed by gasp and murmurs from the crowd ! The young maiden immediately sprung forward, "My Lord, please do not believe him ! It is not true ! It isn't true..." She cried with a panicked reaction, suddenly from the crowed, a young boy's voice echoed screaming "Mom, what is going on !"
Everyone quickly shifted their direction towards the young boy, staring at him. The old man got even more furious, he was on the verge on pouncing onto the young maiden ! At such intensive moment, Lord Wang Zhi Yi immediately held up his left hand, firm and steady, without a fear in his eyes, signalling the guard to get the young maiden seated and to control the old man.
With his other hand, he banged the gavel twice, followed my a guard shouting "SILENCE", the whole court once again became as quiet as the forest in the night. Lord Wang Zhi Yi then shifted his hand towards the young maiden. "Well then, I suppose that is your part of the story. Then, young lady, please share your part of the story." He ordered.
It took a while, as the young maiden was shy and scared, she was trembling, gripping onto her skirt tightly, trying to pull strength into her voice. The crowd started to grow impatient, they started taunting her and shouting her to hurry up if she isn't guilty ! This point, Lord Wang Zhi Yi became extremely furious, once again he banged and gravel twice, even louder this time.
"If anyone cease to make any further sounds, you will not only be removed from the courtroom, but you, will also be served with punishment for your inappropriate behaviour in disturbing inside the courtroom." He then announced with a thundering voice ! Before looking over to the young maiden, "Please, take your time miss. As the information you're about to share is important." he said in a softer tone.
Soon enough, the young maiden finally opened her mouth, "The truth is... We never liked each other..." She said in a regretful tone, while turning her head slightly to the left, to avoid any eye contact with the old man. She took a deep breath, and gripped her skirt even tighter, "It was all an act for sure... As your son just wanted to please you !" She said with a sorrowful tone, her entire body language changed ! Now she was clearly facing the old man with a face full of guilt.
"Mr. Cheng, the truth is, you son just wanted to please you... On the night of discussing about a-Cheng's (the old man's son) medical bill, we overheard the conversation you had with Mrs. Cheng, on finding a young lad to marry off to him, but he didn't want anyone to suffer a pitiful life... therefore, he had proposed the idea to me to fake a proposal to marry him, at that time, I already had a fiancé. I did like him before, but never to that extend... He then had also told me, if I were to ever get caught with my lover, I will run away to a far away land. I had promised him that after that, I would visit him 15 years after, which had fell on today." She sad with remorseful expression, as a small tear lowly dripped down till her chin.
Hearing this, the old man couldn't help himself but break down, he didn't realise the trouble he had cause his son, he cried uncontrollably, clenching onto his shirt, trying to catch his breath, no matter how hard he tried, tears just kept on pouring out of his eyes. The young maiden, too shed a few tears. The crowed watched in awe, so many things were happening at once, it indeed was a chaotic court case !
Lord Wang Zhi Yi sighed deeply, and rubbed his forehead, this surely wasn't an easy case, "Well then, even with the other side of the story out, Ms. Lin, how to you propose that what you have protested is the truth ?" he said. At that very moment, the young maiden reached into her sleeves and pulled out a crumpled letter, it looked old and ratchet.
She tries to make a sound, but only sobs can be heard, with all her might, she pulls the letter in front, with her trembling hands, showing Lord Wang Zhi Yi, "This note, from 15 years ago, a-Cheng told me, to pass it to Mr. Cheng, when I were to visit his grave again." she whimpered. The royal guard then took the letter and gave it to Lord Wang Zhi Yi.
After reading it, all he could do is take a deep sigh, "Haiz... This note, is very sorrowful. However, I cannot dismiss the case, as I do not know if this is really the writing of Mr. Cheng (the son). With so, Mr. Cheng, please come forward, and have a look. Is this really the words of your son ?"
The old man quickly wiped his tears away, with the assistance of the royal guard, he slowly but surely made is way to the bench. His frail, weak and lean hands took the letter, reading word by word. He clenched it even tighter, he couldn't hold himself anymore, it was his breaking point !
~ I N T H E L E T T E R ~
" Dear father,
By the time you read this letter, I'm most definitely 6 feet under, and starting to decay. However, just because I'm fading away, doesn't mean my spirit still isn't roaming here. I pray that once I pass, my spirit will be able to roam around, so that I can watch you and ma, just like how you watched over me when I was ill. Though, even when you have a great fall, my frail body can't pick you up and all I can do is watch from afar, as we're in 2 different universes already. Dad, thank you for everything, thank you for your hard work, working multiply jobs a day, more than I can count ! Just to pay off my medical bills. I'm really sad that I have no way to pay you back, but I hope this letter will somehow bring you joy in your life right now. Before we move on, how are you and ma doing ? I hope your lives are much more relaxing now ! Not only that, how are you and Yun Meng... If the both of you are on different roads now, then I wish that once you read this letter, you both and ma and reconnect and bond once more. The truth is, me and Yun Meng never really got married, well maybe physically, but not mentally and spiritually. It was all an act so we could ease you and ma up. The reason why we did it ? Well, I was on the verge of living, on some days, I felt like there were hope, and on others, I wondered if I would wake up tomorrow. When me and Yun Meng overheard you and ma discussing about finding a young beautiful lad to be promised by me, I was heavily against it, but what could I do ? I was so weak, I could barely say sentences, or even raise my arm... I didn't want anyone out there, to be promised to a guy like me, who didn't even know if they were gonna wake up tomorrow. I think that would be selfish of me, as I would restrict her freedom... Yun Meng took a huge jump, it took me a while to convince her in this plan, with her family and fiancé's approval of course... Well dad, I wanna let you know, that though on earth, I have failed you as a son, I didn't get to live up to my name Ying Lan (英澜 ~ Heroic and strong) , I never got to see you grow old, I never got to hold your hand, to help me walk around when your body is weak and old. But now that I'm in "heaven" you don't need to worry of me anymore, as I know that I will have a strong and mighty body up here. Within the previous days, you've always asked me "Son what do you want me to do before you go." But I will also respond with "Nothing dad, you've given me everything already," Well, I hope now isn't too late but... Pa, as for my dying wish. Could you please, love and treat Yun Meng, as if she was your daughter... Thank you pa and ma for everything... I love you both.
Sincerely, your son,
C H E N G Y I N G L A N (程 英 澜 )
______________________________________________
Once the old man read the letter finish, he dropped to his knees, his whole body trembling, while mumbling the words, "Son... son.... oh, my son... it is I who have failed you..." At the sight of this, no one could help but let out cries, even Yi Rong let out a tear. But when he looked over, he realised but Chi Meng and Lord Wang Zhi Yi remained with a calm expression, were they heartless ?
"Hey, are you emotionless or heartless ?" Yi Rong whispered over to Chi Meng. Chi Meng leaned closer, " None, I'm just trained for this. Heavenly officials aren't allowed to publicly show their true emotions." he says with a straight face. Yi Rong stunned at the answer, but it was what he sort of expected...