Chapter 32 A new storm Ⅰ

　　It took more than half a month for the renovations of the Trial Hall to be completed. The newly painted gate sported a blue plaque with gold-embossed characters, and the courtyard was immaculate. Each room had its designated function. Some were furnished with tables and chairs for visitors, others with weapon racks stocked with various blades. Some stored police paraphernalia such as ropes, shackles, night attire, and cloth sacks. There were also rest rooms for respite, and a record room for documenting case details. In short, everything one could think of was provided.

　　At the center stood the Trial Hall. A large desk was placed atop an elevated platform, flanked by a smaller desk. The large desk held command tallies, rulers, ink, and paper for conducting trials, while the small one was equipped with writing materials for recording proceedings. In the middle of the hall, there was space for soldiers and policemen to stand, and two large black curtains, each measuring ten feet in length and five feet in height, were hung in front.

　　Zhou Ge was highly satisfied after inspecting the office. He then proceeded to the backyard, where the paths and lampposts were spotless, and any damaged pavement had been repaired. The flowerbeds were simply turned over, and the Villa was suitably renovated. The other rooms were equally clean, and all the necessary items were provided.

　　In addition, Miss He had assigned eight policemen and twenty soldiers to him. When needed, they would all be on duty; when not, half would rest. Perhaps due to boredom, a lack of tasks, or his own agenda, Ji Yanshi volunteered to be the recorder within the Trial Hall and reside there as well. Zhou Ge was pleased to have a familiar face around and was satisfied with Miss He's arrangements.

　　On the day the Trial Hall was completed, Zhou Ge first visited the Prefect's Mansion to express his gratitude before taking up his position. The reopening of the Trial Hall in Muyang Town caused quite a stir among the locals, who speculated on its reasons and were curious to see the new inquisitor.

　　Zhou Ge, who had experience as a new official, adapted well.

　　On the first day of the ninth month, two policemen brought in a man. After inquiring about the situation, it turned out that a two-person acrobatic troupe had been performing, and this man had taken the opportunity to steal money. The case was simple and quickly resolved with ten lashes administered according to the law, and the man was ejected from the Trial Hall. Ji Yanshi diligently recorded the proceedings and filed the case.

　　With the case resolved, he suggested, "Zhou Ge, there's nothing much to do now. How about we watch the acrobatics?"

　　Having dealt with the trivial matter, Zhou Ge agreed and the two changed out of their official attire. Without bringing anyone else, they left the Trial Hall.

　　Upon hearing from the thief that the acrobatic troupe was performing in front of the Zhou Family Tavern, they made their way there. A crowd had gathered around a man and a woman, who appeared to be father and daughter, with various props laid out.

　　The current performance was a monkey walking on a tightrope bridge.

　　Two iron rods were embedded in the ground, protruding four to five feet above and separated by less than twenty feet. They were connected by a tightrope.

　　The performer was a young girl who looked to be about fifteen or sixteen years old. She whispered something into the monkey's ear before letting it loose.

　　The monkey obeyed, scampering up the iron rod and onto the tightrope, where it walked forwards, backwards, and even hopped. The crowd was amused, and those who wished to contribute threw copper coins into the ring.

　　It was impressive enough for a human to walk on a tightrope, let alone a monkey. The amount of training required to achieve such a feat must have been immense.

　　Some mischievous spectators threw fruit at the monkey.

　　The monkey reached out to catch it, nearly losing its balance. Just when everyone thought it was going to fall, the monkey hooked its tail onto the tightrope, hung upside down to eat, and then resumed its position.

　　"Bravo! Bravo!" The crowd cheered and applauded.

　　The generous proprietor of the tavern, Zhou, rewarded them with ten copper coins. The father and daughter's performance had attracted more customers to his establishment.

　　Ji Yanshi, who found it entertaining, also contributed a few coins.

　　At this point, a man in his thirties stepped into the ring. "Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Lu Sheng, and this is my daughter Lu Ying. We're not from Shaowen, but from Caoqiao Town in Yue Region, which is quite a distance away. It'll take us about seven or eight days to get there. We're here to earn some money for our journey home. If you enjoy the show, please contribute what you can. If not, that's fine too. Earlier, my daughter performed the monkey on the tightrope. Now, it's my turn. I'll be walking on the tightrope, but with a twist - I'll do it on one leg."

　　His words were met with cheers from the crowd.

　　Lu Ying approached her father. "Dad, are you sure...?"

　　"Don't worry, I'll be fine," Lu Sheng assured her.

　　With the tip of his toe, Lu Sheng leaped onto the iron rod and stood on one leg, eliciting another round of applause.

　　The main event was about to begin - walking on the tightrope on one leg.

　　This was a feat that even a highly skilled martial artist might not be able to accomplish, requiring exceptional balance and years of practice.

　　As Lu Sheng prepared to walk the tightrope, he tested it with his feet. It was securely fastened and did not sway much when he stood on it.

　　"Here we go," he announced, and began his performance.

　　The crowd watched in amazement as he hopped forward on one leg, maintaining a rhythmic pattern that synchronized with the tightrope's vibrations.

　　Zhou Ge was impressed. "He must have put in a lot of hard work. Incredible."

　　However, halfway through the performance, Lu Sheng lost his balance and fell to the ground. He quickly got up and said, "Sorry, sorry. I'll try again."

　　On his second attempt, he fell again before completing half the distance.

　　The crowd, which had been patiently watching, began to disperse, and soon, only about half remained.

　　Lu Ying approached her father. "Dad, we only have thirty-some coins. I'm not sure if it's enough to get us home."

　　Lu Sheng rubbed his hip, which had taken the brunt of the fall and was probably bruised. Whether it was for resting or buying medicine, thirty coins were nowhere near enough.

　　"Daughter, you perform a few more tricks while I take a break," he said.

　　Lu Ying looked around and saw that the crowd had dwindled from fifty or so to less than twenty. She felt a little disappointed.

　　She picked out a knife from the props, which was an unsharpened prop knife.

　　"Ladies and gentlemen, my father needs to rest for a bit. Now, I'll be performing a knife routine for you," she announced.

　　Ji Yanshi watched for a while and commented that it wasn't particularly impressive. It might have been impressive to outsiders, but it was nowhere near the level of Zhou Ge's knife skills.

　　"It's not that interesting," he said.

　　Zhou Ge considered returning as well but decided to stay a little longer. "Let's watch for a bit more."

　　Just then, two men pushed through the crowd and approached Lu Ying.

　　"Stop the performance," they demanded.

　　The crowd looked puzzled, and Lu Sheng, who was still rubbing his hip, walked over to investigate. "What's going on? Who are you?"

　　"Do you know who the Hong Master is?" one of them asked.

　　"Hong? Who's that?" Lu Sheng asked, trying to recall.

　　"Hong Shou." the man clarified.

　　Lu Sheng thought for a moment. "Hong Goukan?"

　　"How dare you! His name is now the lord of Caoqiao Town. Don't you dare address him by his childhood name!" the man scolded.

　　"Oh, I see. What do you want?" Lu Sheng asked warily.

　　"You said you needed money to get home. We can help you out. The condition is that your daughter becomes the Hong's concubine," the man proposed.

　　Lu Ying was both ashamed and angry at the suggestion and took a few steps back.

　　Lu Sheng was furious. "Get out of here! Both of you!"

　　The two men were not deterred and attempted to grab Lu Ying. One of them even rolled up his sleeves and prepared to fight.

　　Fortunately, Lu Sheng had some martial arts skills and quickly defeated them both, sending them running away.

　　Zhou Ge turned to the crowd and asked, "Since this is a matter from Yue Region, are we allowed to intervene?"

　　"If it's within our jurisdiction and the trouble is severe, we can expel them from the Yangjiao Road," Ji Yanshi explained.

　　"What if they're particularly despicable?" Zhou Ge asked further.

　　"In my personal name."

　　"Oh... I see.”