Chapter 148: The Sentence (Patreon)

“Seeing that neither Elder Wei, nor the Enforcement or Information Gathering Hall could present us with any compelling new evidence, I shall now proclaim my judgement!”

Patriarch Zhao rose from his chair, his ceremonial robes fluttering in the cold wind. As per tradition, a trial of high importance like this one was being held on the eastern mountain’s peak, just above the patriarch’s palace, out in the open.

“I would ask that, as the accused, Elder Wei stand before me.”

Liu Wei stood up and made his way before the small platform that Long Zhao was standing on and looked up at the sect patriarch. His air of honor and righteousness as present as ever. Liu Wei didn’t believe that he was responsible for framing him, though he also couldn’t imagine that the man was being blindly fooled.

“It is well known that no member of our sect is allowed to kill another member without good cause. Senior Member Yifei Xia was a well-respected and accomplished member of the Lunar Peaks Sect. As a healer, her devotion to her craft saved many lives that would have otherwise been lost. Her death cannot remain free of consequence.

“That being said, Elder Wei is someone who has dutifully served the sect for many centuries himself, so naturally the burden of proof to convict him of such a crime is high. Though the scene of the murder points, by his own admission, strongly to him as the perpetrator, many of us feel that the truth of the matter has not fully been revealed yet.”

He paused, leaving the implications hanging in the air for all to interpret as they wished.

“Seeing as that is the case, I have decided to impose a punishment acknowledging it: Elder Wei shall be banished from the sect grounds for a period of three years. If, at any point during this time, he manages to find convincing counterevidence, he may return here and present it to us. If it is sufficient, his banishment shall be lifted and the trial repeated.”

A wide range of emotions could be seen in the elders’ reactions. Most of the pillar family heads seemed satisfied or just showed themselves unfazed. Among Liu Wei’s allies, surprise and outrage showed in equal measure. Lan Shi looked as though she might jump from her chair at any moment.

Liu Wei himself didn’t allow any reaction to show on his face. He’d already expected something like this, though he could feel burning anger rising in his chest at hearing it actually spoken aloud.

“Elder Wei, do you accept your punishment?”

“I accept the… sentence.”

A punishment required a deed to be committed, so this distinction was one he wouldn’t let slip. Long Zhao raised an eyebrow but otherwise left his rewording uncommented, though he undoubtedly understood the implication.

“You shall have until the dawn of tomorrow to get your affairs in order. Your banishment will be announced at the start of the general sect assembly. You are to have left the sect grounds by then.”

“…I understand.”

Not being present at the first ever assembly was a bitter pill to swallow, considering how much work he had put into pushing for it, but that was of course one of his lesser problems now.

Banishment was one of the heaviest punishments that the sect could hand out and it was only invoked in exceptional cases. Someone banished would not maintain any official relation to their sect and could not use their association in any way. An elder being banished was almost unheard off.

Of course the temporary nature of this particular sentence made it a lot less harsh than it otherwise would have been. Three years was a comparatively short period of time for a cultivator, and many would be content to simply bid the time cultivating.

For Liu Wei, it was a lot more problematic though. His primary goals, right now, were political in nature. While he was banished, he wouldn’t be able to aid the Reform Faction anymore and even his vote on the council couldn’t be cast. With Ma Rong still in isolation, the Pillar Families would have a free hand to do whatever they wished.

That was not even to mention that the time limit in and of itself was also a trap. If he were to return after three years, not having proven his innocence, that would function as an implicit admission of guilt in the eyes of the average sect member.

He couldn’t have that happen. He’d need to find the truth about the murder and get his punishment lifted and he’d need to do so as soon as possible.

“Very well. You may return to your seat for now.”

Liu Wei remained silent as he did so. He demonstratively did not bow or perform another gesture of courtesy beforehand. Right now, he didn’t feel like keeping up the pretense.

“There is one more matter that has to be discussed regarding Elder Wei’s banishment.”

Naturally, Liu Wei had a good idea of what this matter would be, and he did not like it a single bit.

“Elder Wei is the current head of the Training Hall. He will naturally not be able to fulfill the duties of that position during his banishment. We will thus need to name a replacement until he returns. The elders currently not heading a hall or fulfilling an equivalent position are Elder Zheng Rong, Elder Yan and Elder Chen.”

Liu Wei took a deep breath. Of those three, only Xue Yan was technically part of the Reform Faction, and she was so only by grace of her support having been generously purchased by Ma Rong. Unlike the other members of the faction, she wasn’t a reliable ally, though she wasn’t one to immediately backstab them either. The bigger problem, of course, was that he wouldn’t be deciding who’d replace him in the first place.

“If I may,” Zheng Rong began speaking up, “I believe that I am the most qualified person to take over for Elder Wei. After all, as the head of the Rong Family, I have experience in leading larger groups of people that Elder Yan and Elder Chen lack. Besides, I am also the more accomplished cultivator.”

“We have heard your proposition, Elder Rong. Would the other two also like to put themselves forward?”

“I believe I would also be very much capable of heading the Training Hall in Elder Wei’s absence.”, Xue Yan answered. “And since I don’t have a family to manage, I could devote myself to the task fulltime.”

Long Zhao waited for a while, but Hu Chen remained silent.

“Very well. Then we shall have to decide between Elder Zheng Rong and Elder Yan as the replacement for Elder Wei. Those in favor of Elder Zheng Rong, please raise your hands.”

The outcome of this procedure had, of course, been clear from the start. All seven pillar family heads raised their hands, alongside Hu Chen.

“This makes it a majority. Elder Zheng Rong shall act as the replacement for Elder Wei during the latter’s banishment. Elder Wei, please initiate him before you leave.”

“I will.”

“Then I shall now declare this trial finished. Is there anything you would like to say to this council before your banishment?”

Liu Wei took a moment to think.

“There are many things I would like to say, most of which I believe should rather remain unsaid, so I will keep it to a short reminder: I may be gone from this sect come tomorrow, but all of you here would do well to remember that I will not be gone from this world. I shall do my utmost to find our who was responsible for this murder and return as quickly as possible. Until then I trust that all of you, my fellow elders, will act with the wisdom your age grants you and that you will keep the good of the sect in mind.

“As for my own opinions, I hereby declare that I entrust Elder Shi with being their foremost advocate. If you wish to respect my stance on any matter, respect hers in its stead. I bid you all goodbye.”