Prince Xiang remained silent, a look of deep contemplation on his face. Prefect Ouyang and the others were obliged to gauge not only Prince Xiang's mood but Fang Chen's as well; since Prince Xiang said nothing, they naturally dared not speak out of turn.
The recent purges across the nine prefectures of the south were still fresh in their memories. How many of their colleagues had been arrested? How many had been beheaded? They certainly had no desire to see such a fate befall themselves one day!
After a silence lasting several breaths, Yu Zhang, standing behind Master Chen, suddenly turned to look at Fang Chen, cupped his fists, and said, "Duke Fang, I am Yu Zhang of Nanshan Academy. I hope to say a few words regarding this case."
"Speak."
Fang Chen gave a faint, indifferent nod.
All eyes turned toward Yu Zhang. Hearing this, Yu Zhang slowly began: "This case has dragged on for several years. Back then, Garrison Commander Lord Jue failed in his duty to keep watch, allowing Zhao Yan to escape, and the case became an unsolved mystery. Over the years, the victims of this crime have repeatedly been denied justice, and their families have waited day and night, hoping that the villain Zhao Yan would be brought to justice. During this time, some family members have already passed away; others, like the old man here, are gravely ill and struggling on the brink of death. Their one dying wish is to see Zhao Yan face the law. If we allow Zhao Yan to continue living on for the sake of t…
Chapter 68