Chapter 56: Flooding With Water
“Lu Chou, you are the Steward of Storage, and the Tongji Granary is under your management.” At this time, Lu Shang shifted his gaze to the Seventh Steward Lu Chou and asked in a deep voice: “Has the grain for disaster relief been allocated or not?!”
“Reporting to the Sect Master.” Lu Chou had a dark complexion, thick eyebrows and deep eyes, and wore a stern, unsmiling expression as he said: “The day before yesterday, I went to inspect the Tongji Granary and specially asked about this matter. Lu Shi, who manages the granary, reported that twenty shi of grain are allocated to the Finance Department every day without a single day missed.” As he said this, afraid of offending Lu Jian too much, he added: “However, this nephew did not verify it personally. I will immediately go to the Tongji Granary to investigate clearly upon returning.”
“No need for you to make another trip.” Lu Shang said indifferently: “Lu Shi should be arriving soon.”
“Sect Master, allow this nephew to send someone to bring the Manager Chai responsible for disaster relief here as well, to confront them and see exactly where the problem lies.” Lu Jian requested.
“You are a busy man with important matters, how could this old man dare to trouble you.” Lu Shang said with sarcasm: “Someone has already been sent to invite him.”
“In any case, this nephew has committed the crime of negligence this time!” Lu Jian could clearly hear Lu Shang’s anger toward him and hurriedly lowered his head: “Punish me as you see fit, Sect Master!”
“No need to rush into accepting punishment. Once the matter is investigated clearly, what is due to you will not escape!” Lu Shang coldly glanced at him, then turned to the Second Steward Lu Xia and said: “Now, I hand it over to you, the Steward of Punishment.” After speaking, the old master slightly closed his eyes and said no more.
“Yes, Sect Master, rest assured.” Lu Xia had two wolf-like eyebrows and cold eyes, responding chillingly: “All who violate Clan Rules will be severely punished without mercy!”
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The great Noble Clans have vast estates and enterprises, with their own armies and fiefdoms, over a hundred thousand scions of Noble Clans, and gate members, retainers, and vassals numbering even more immeasurably. It would not be an overstatement to call them invisible independent kingdoms.
Naturally, strict organization is required to manage such a massive Noble Clan. Taking the Lu Clan as an example, below the Sect Master and Vice Sect Master, it is divided into two systems. One is the Elder Council, composed of respected noble elders, whose role is to deliberate and decide major clan affairs with the Clan Leader and supervise the clan from top to bottom. The other is the Steward Hall, responsible for the clan’s specific affairs.
The Steward Hall has the Eight Great Stewards, all present today. Each of the Eight Great Stewards manages their own domain, wielding terrifying authority, but the one most feared by clan members is undoubtedly the Steward of Punishment, responsible for upholding Clan Rules and punishing the unworthy. In fact, the Great Xuan Kingdom’s national law is practically nonexistent for scions of Noble Clans; what they truly fear is their own clan’s Clan Rules!
Because only Clan Rules can arbitrarily execute clan scions, and the Imperial Court cannot interfere at all!
At this moment, the Steward of Punishment Lu Xia was about to exercise his authority! Seeing that Manager Chai and Lu Shi had not yet been brought in, he turned his attention to the several servants kneeling there and quietly asked the guard beside Lu Shang what they had done.
At this time, Lu Jian was not idle either. He directed his subordinate guards and personally helped recook congee for the disaster victims. Four pots only needed more rice added, but the one pot spat into by those servants could only be discarded.
“Don’t pour it out.” Lu Xia had already ascertained the previous events, glanced at the servants kneeling on the ground trembling in fear, and said coldly: “Bring it in front of them!”
Two guards immediately carried that large pot in front of the several servants. The seven servants looked at the full pot of rice water with strands of thick phlegm floating in it, not knowing what this was for.
“Lu Clan Rules Article Nine: Do not bully the common people. Lu Clan Rules Article Three: Do not disrespect the Sect Master!” Lu Xia looked expressionlessly at those wicked servants: “You wicked servants have violated the above two Clan Rules. You are now sentenced to drink every drop of this pot of water, without leaving a single bit!” Pausing, Lu Xia asked coldly: “Do you have any objections?”
“We have no objections…” The seven servants did not expect the punishment to be so light and immediately agreed repeatedly, fearing the Steward of Punishment would change his mind.
“Aiya…” The disaster victims could not help but feel greatly disappointed upon hearing this, thinking that for all the fuss the Lu Clan was making, when it came time to administer the plank punishment, it still fell lightly.
Lu Xia remained unmoved and waved his hand. The guard standing by the pot said in a deep voice: “Drink!”
The seven servants hurriedly crouched by the pot edge and gulped it down greedily, regardless of what was in the pot.
After gulping down less than a fifth with gurgling sounds, the seven men’s bellies swelled like balloons, waves of nausea surging, and they could drink no more. Someone boldly lifted his head and begged Lu Xia: “Burp… We really can’t drink anymore. Can we take a break to urinate and then continue?”
Lu Xia ignored them completely.
“Drink!” The guards directly pressed their heads into the pot! The seven were choked into coughing fits, saliva and snot spraying out, naturally all falling into the pot, making the “ingredients” even richer.
Only then did the disaster victims realize that drinking water was not so simple. They immediately felt greatly relieved and shouted together: “Drink! Drink! Drink! Drink!”
The seven servants could only continue forcing themselves to gulp nonstop, because whoever dared not open their mouth would have their mouth and nose brutally pressed into the water by the guards, directly pouring it into their bellies!
In no time, the seven servants felt their stomachs were about to burst, but the guards relentlessly kept pouring… Gradually, the seven lost sensation one after another, mechanically swallowing mouthful after mouthful, continuing to pour water into their bellies!
Then, they began to lose control of their bowels and bladder, their minds scattered, vomiting incessantly…
Yet the guards relentlessly continued pouring water.
The disaster victims fell silent too; only then did they realize this was not a light punishment at all, but forcing these wicked servants to their deaths… Though they deeply hated these wicked servants, after venting their anger, many kindhearted ones could not help but plead for them. “Master, let it go, their crimes do not warrant death…” “Yes, Master, if they drink more, they will surely burst…”
Lu Xia looked at the Sect Master and saw Lu Shang nod slightly before he waved his hand. The guards then carried out the seven servants whose bellies were drummed like balloons and who had completely passed out…
Looking at that large pot again, the full pot of water was reduced to just the pot bottom…
The disaster victims were still praising the Lu Clan’s mercy, but Lu Xin, watching coldly from the side, knew these seven servants definitely would not survive… Years of experience in criminal matters told him that forcing an adult to gulp down seven or eight jin of water in a short time would cause extreme blood dilution, leading to shock and death.
Lu Xia had never intended to spare those servants at all. He had them carried away only to avoid leaving a cruel impression of the Lu Clan in front of the common people…
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By the time the seven servants were carried out of the congee kitchen, Manager Chai and Lu Shi were also brought in. The former was bound five-flowered, even his mouth stuffed, while the latter faced no restrictions and, under the supervision of a Black Rank guard, walked before Lu Shang and the eight stewards.
Both knelt down. Lu Shang and the other stewards remained silent, leaving it to Lu Xia to interrogate them. Lu Xia first said to Lu Shi: “According to clan regulations, starting two months ago, the Tongluo Granary must allocate twenty shi of disaster relief grain daily. Are you aware of this?”
“Reporting to the steward, this lowly one is aware.” Lu Shi answered.
“Did you comply?” Lu Xia asked again: “When was the grain handed over to whom, and where is the evidence?”
“Naturally, we complied.” Lu Shi said: “Every morning, the granary prepares the grain. At maoshi, Manager Chai from the Finance Department brings boats to the Tongluo Granary to collect the grain and leaves a receipt. His signature is on the daily accounts; the steward may examine them in detail!”
The Black Rank guard behind Lu Shi presented the relevant accounts from the Tongluo Granary. Lu Xia took them and quickly flipped through, seeing neatly recorded dates, quantities, and reasons for grain release, followed by the collector’s signature and seals from the Finance Department’s various rooms. The most frequent was Manager Chai Chai Jinbao’s signature and the Yuqing Room’s seal.
After reviewing, Lu Xia passed them to Lu Jian and Lu Chou to circulate, then turned to Manager Chai and asked: “Why is he tied up like zongzi?”
“Reporting to the steward,” the guard who captured Manager Chai clasped his fists and answered: “We caught this scoundrel selling grain to a gang of corrupt merchants. Upon seeing us, he first tried to flee, then attempted to jump into the river when he saw no escape, and tried to bite his tongue when stopped. We had no choice but to bind him like this.” He then presented an account book: “This was searched from his person.”
Hearing the guard’s words, Lu Jian’s face turned pale, truly wishing to hack this Chai fellow to pieces!
“Untie his mouth.” Lu Xia took the account book and ordered in a deep voice.
