Chapter 94 — The Medicine Bearer Through the Chaos

Judgment Near Ba Thong

The official trial was held at Dai Ly Tu half a month after the night Tinh Yen learned the entire truth about Lieu Nguyen, enough time for Nhuoc Tran and the officials in charge of the investigation to complete the collection of all evidence, collating testimonies from many different sources into a solid, undeniable record.

Unlike the previous confrontation session that took place at the Dai Dien with the witness of a large number of courtiers, this trial was more solemn and legal, presided over by the head mandarin of Dai Ly Tu, with the participation of the Saint, Nhuoc Tran, and the most important witnesses and victims.

Can Ba Thong stood before the horseshoe in a simple prison uniform, completely different from the majesty he once had of a Minister. However, his eyes still remained cold and calculating, like an animal cornered but still not completely giving up hope of finding a final way out.

The presiding officer began to read the entire list of crimes - corruption of relief food and herbs spanning many years, exchanging poor quality medicine and food for civilian areas hit by natural disasters and epidemics, intentionally withholding relief medicine during wartime causing serious casualties in Nghinh Phong, and now, a new crime was brought to light - harm and slander that caused an innocent Head of the Thai Y Vien to be unjustly sentenced twenty-two years ago.

"These accusations are all just rumors made up by those who have personal enmity against us." Can Ba Thong spoke up to object, his voice still retaining some inherent arrogance. "Chu Dac Hoanh is just a traitor trying to frame the crime to reduce his own punishment. As for the case twenty-two years ago, it was a case that was tried in accordance with the imperial law at that time, there is nothing to overturn."

"Then please invite the two most important witnesses in the case twenty-two years ago." The presiding officer announced, signaling Kinh Ba Van and Ngan Ba Thuyen to step out.

The two took turns presenting everything they knew — from Lieu Nguyen's discovery of fake medicine, to how Can Ba Thong staged a poisoning case to frame him, to the night they risked their lives to help him escape from prison. Kinh Ba Van also presented the old notes he had secretly kept for the past twenty-two years - the original autopsy report before being edited, which he had secretly copied before the official records were destroyed.

"These are just fake documents created later to serve a plot to defame us!" Can Ba Thong shouted, revealing true panic in his voice for the first time.

"Then please bring the last witness." The presiding officer spoke, and the courtroom door opened, allowing Tinh Yen to walk in, holding a small wooden box containing two pieces of white jade that had been completely assembled.

She walked up to the dock, placed the box on the evidence table, and opened it to reveal the full image of a white crane in broad daylight. "This is a token of royal physician Duong Tu Nguyen, who later became known by the dharma name Thich Lieu Nguyen, my master." She spoke, her voice echoing clearly throughout the courtroom. "He kept this half piece with him throughout his wandering journey until his death, giving it to me before he died. The remaining half piece, Doctor Ngan kept for twenty-two years, waiting for the day the truth would be revealed. The two pieces fit together perfectly - something that no forgery could do."

The entire courtroom fell silent before that irrefutable evidence. Can Ba Thong stood dumbfounded, his face completely lost its composure for the first time, replaced by an undisguised collapse.

"You..." He looked at Tinh Yen, his voice trembling with an emotion mixed between hatred and surprise. "You are his disciple. From the beginning, when I heard about a girl carrying a jade talisman appearing at the border, I had a bad feeling, but I didn't expect that fate would ironically bring it to this point."

"This is not an ironic fate, my lord." Tinh Yen replied, her voice steady. "This is justice, it just comes twenty-two years later than it should have."

Before the presiding judge pronounced the sentence, Zhou Dac Hoanh was also brought forward to testify one last time, confirming all the testimony he had given in prison, adding details about the names of other officials who had accepted bribes to turn a blind eye to Can Ba Thong's corrupt behavior over the years - a long list that made many officials present in the courtroom bow their heads, fearing that their names would soon be mentioned in the next investigations.

"You betrayed me." Can Ba Thong hissed at Chu Dac Hoanh, his eyes full of hatred. "After all I have given you."

"You have given me nothing but guilt and fear all these years." Chu Dac Hoanh replied, although his voice was still shaking, he had found a rare bit of courage. "I would rather face the law than continue to live in the shadow of what I have done."

Nhuoc Tran, as the head of the investigation, also presented a summary of the entire process of uncovering the case, from the first clues about the stylized lotus symbol - which turned out to be the secret sign of a network of corrupt officials calling themselves "Lien Hoa", built and consolidated by Can Ba Thong for more than twenty years, to the final evidence of Lieu Nguyen's case.

"This Lotus Network will not stop at just condemning Can Ba Thong alone." She made a statement in the courtroom. "I have presented to His Majesty the full list of accomplices, and the investigation to purge the bureaucracy will continue in the coming months, to ensure that a similar tragedy is never allowed to repeat itself."

After many hours of deliberation, the presiding officer read out the final verdict, which was personally approved by the Saint. Can Ba Thong was sentenced to death for serious corruption with deadly consequences, sabotaging national defense during wartime, and harming royal officials by fabricating evidence. All assets were confiscated, part of which was used to compensate victims' families in areas once affected by the swapped relief food, including Dong Hai town.

At the same time, the Holy King also issued an official decree restoring the honor of Royal Physician Duong Tu Nguyen, completely erasing the unjust conviction twenty-two years ago, fully reinstating the position of Chancellor of the Royal Medical Institute that he once held, and at the same time ordering the historian to record all the truth in official history, so that no one in the future will misunderstand the man who devoted his entire life to the medical profession.

When the trial ended, Tinh Yen stood silently for a long time outside Dai Ly Tu's yard, still clutching the wooden box containing two fused pieces of jade amulet. Thanh Phong, Ve Khai Trach, Nhuoc Tran, Kinh Ba Van and Ngan Ba Thuyen were all present, each with a different expression but sharing a deep sense of relief after a long journey of struggle.

"Master, I did it." Tinh Yen whispered, looking up at the rare clear blue sky of a late summer day, feeling as if somewhere, her deceased teacher was also smiling with satisfaction at the justice that was finally fully implemented, even at the cost of a journey of more than two decades full of pain and loss.

Thanh Phong walked over and stood next to her, not saying anything, just quietly holding her hand, letting his presence become a strong fulcrum in this moment that was both heavy and light. Ve Khai Trach, standing behind, nodded slightly to Tinh Yen, his eyes carrying a deeper respect than ever.

"You have done something that not everyone has the courage to pursue to the end." he said. "Not only will it exonerate your master, but it will also stop a network of corruption that has caused so much suffering to thousands of innocent people over the past twenty years."

Kinh Ba Van and Ngan Ba Thuyen stood next to each other, both old physicians looked towards Tinh Yen with eyes full of pride and relief, as if a burden that had been weighing on their shoulders for twenty-two years had finally been completely laid down.

"Tomorrow, I will have someone prepare a small ceremony at the Royal Hospital to officially engrave Duong Tu Nguyen's name on the stone stele honoring the previous Chancellors." Kinh Ba Van spoke, his voice carrying a rare solemnity. "It's been too long since that name was erased from the institute's history. It's time for it to be engraved, never to be forgotten again."

The whole group of people left the Dai Ly Tu yard together under the gentle afternoon sunlight, each carrying a part of the burden that had just been lifted, heading forward, where a new chapter of their lives, no longer covered by the darkness of old secrets and injustices, was waiting to be written again.