Chapter 56 — The Talisman Painter Who Guards the Village

Trial

The large hall was filled with people from early morning, the atmosphere was so tense that Diệp Sương could feel every breath of the crowd as she walked in, her hands lightly tied in front according to the protocol of an official trial - a humiliation she never imagined she would have to endure in the place that was once her second home.

The entire council of elders sat on a high platform, Grand Master Thư Khải Dương was in the center, Tạ Vân Khê and Húc Bá Nguyên sat on both sides, clearly opposite in attitude even though they both kept stern faces. Thanh Việt, Âu Bội Nhi, and Chung Nhã Trúc stood in the row of disciples allowed to attend, their eyes did not leave it for a moment.

Diệp Sương glanced around the lobby, trying to find some support among the hundreds of strange and familiar faces watching her. She saw Nhiêu Bá Tường standing in a corner, his face tense but silent as in the past days. She saw Wei Bá Tuân standing in the crowd of disciples, no longer as aggressive as at the previous meeting, simply bowing his head and avoiding looking directly at her. In a hidden corner near the door, she caught a glimpse of Tất Bá Kỳ's figure, his hands clasped tightly around the hem of his shirt, his eyes filled with unconcealed worry.

*

"The official trial of disciple Chu Diệp Sương, accused of colluding with demons and violating sect precepts, officially begins," Thư Khải Dương announced, his voice echoing throughout the hall, more solemn and cold than anything Diệp Sương had ever heard.

Húc Bá Nguyên stood up first, presenting the entire incident in order - the demon's religious object found in the trunk, the diary recording the secret care of a strange creature, the testimony of witness Úc Bá Tuyền about the secret meeting near Hạn Thủy creek.

"These three elements," he concluded, his voice sharp, "when placed side by side, form an undeniable picture of a betrayal of the sect's beliefs."

*

"I would like to explain," Diệp Sương spoke up when given permission, trying to keep her voice as steady as possible. "I admit to secretly taking care of an injured creature, and I admit to recording private thoughts about it in my personal diary. But I completely deny possessing a demonic token, and I affirm that Úc Bá Tuyền's testimony is completely fabricated."

"Do you have any evidence to prove that?" another elder asked, his voice stern.

"I don't have direct evidence," Diệp Sương admitted, her voice dropping. "But I ask the council to consider the motive - why did a witness who had never appeared in any records I knew of at Tiêu Sa Pass suddenly appear at the right time, with a testimony that perfectly matched the evidence that had just been found?"

He took a deep breath, trying to muster all his remaining courage. "I also want to tell you one more thing," he said, his voice clearer. "During the time holding the Tiêu Sa Pass, I and Cố Thanh Việt discovered unusual signs related to a former unit of Khâm Vân Ti, called the Special Coordination Line, which seemed to be involved in the excessive exploitation of Linh Mạch in the nearby area in the past. I believe that the charges against me appearing just as I was preparing to present this discovery to the council, is not a coincidence."

The commotion that filled the hall was much more intense than before. Húc Bá Nguyên stood up suddenly, his face stiffened. "This is a serious allegation, and completely out of context with today's trial!" he shouted. "She's trying to distract the council with baseless inferences to cover up her own sins!"

"Or perhaps, it's because that discovery is so close to the truth that it needs an accusation big enough to quash it immediately," Tạ Vân Khê countered, her voice unflinching.

*

Tạ Vân Khê stood up and took advantage of the opportunity. "I have the same doubt," she said, her voice unusually sharp. "I asked someone to look up military service records, and as of this morning, I still haven't found any official records about the mobilization of personnel named Úc Bá Tuyền from Tiêu Sa Pass to the sect."

A slight stir spread throughout the hall. Húc Bá Nguyên frowned, but quickly regained his composure. "Administrative records sometimes take time to update," he said. "That's not enough to refute the entire testimony."

"But it's enough to raise questions about authenticity," Tạ Vân Khê countered. "I suggest summoning more witnesses from the Tiêu Sa Pass, verifying directly with General Sầm Nguyên Trạch, before making any final verdict."

*

"That proposal takes time, it could take weeks for the messenger to come and go," another elder spoke up, his voice filled with impatience. "Meanwhile, such a serious accusation cannot be left hanging for too long, it will destabilize the entire sect."

"So you intend to base your judgment on evidence that has not been fully verified?" Tạ Vân Khê asked, her voice could not hide her anger.

Thư Khải Dương raised his hand, signaling silence, his face was thoughtful throughout the debate, his eyes sometimes glanced at Diệp Sương with something unpredictable - not exactly antipathy, but more like a heavy consideration between many factors Diệp Sương could not see through.

*

"I understand the concerns on both sides," he said finally, his voice slow. "But the sect cannot let a serious incident like this continue indefinitely, creating an unstable precedent for general discipline. At the same time, I also do not want to make a hasty judgment based on incomplete evidence."

He paused and looked around the hall before continuing. "I have decided this: disciple Chu Diệp Sương will be stripped of her status as an inner-sect disciple, demoted to a probationary disciple, and placed under strict house arrest for three months, during which time the council will continue its investigation. If proven innocent, her status will be fully restored. If not, expulsion will be carried out as soon as sufficient evidence is found."

*

That decision, although much gentler than what Diệp Sương feared, still made Húc Bá Nguyên stand up, his face red with dissatisfaction. "Sect Master," he said, his voice unusually harsh, "such an ambiguous verdict will only prolong suspicion within the sect, causing internal division. I recommend a more decisive decision."

"I have decided," Thư Khải Dương replied, his voice unwavering, although his eyes revealed a hint of tension as he faced Húc Bá Nguyên directly. "Today's trial ends here." Húc Bá Nguyên gritted his teeth and did not object further, but his eyes when he glanced at Diệp Sương carried an undisguised resentment, as if he had expected a different, more drastic result.

*

As she was led out of the lobby, Diệp Sương caught Thư Khải Dương's eyes one last time, and in that brief moment, she realized something strange - he did not look at her with the eyes of someone who had just condemned, but like someone who was trying to buy more time for something he could not say yet, as if he himself was torn between many invisible pressures that Diệp Sương could not see through.

He didn't know whether to consider it a ray of hope or just an illusion created by his own despair, but in his heart, a new question began to form, even more complicated than the question about Húc Bá Nguyên or Khâm Vân Ti - whether Grandmaster Thư Khải Dương was protecting it in his own way, or just delaying a predetermined outcome.

Diệp Sương was brought back to the house of arrest, this time no longer the cramped prison cell from before but a small room in the housing area for probationary disciples, with wider windows, allowing them to go out within the limited premises under supervision. A small improvement, but not enough to soothe the uneasiness that was still swirling in her heart.

Tạ Vân Khê came to visit that afternoon, her face still showing the tension of the trial. "This is just a temporary delay," she said frankly, without concealment. "Húc Bá Nguyên will not give up easily. I'm afraid he will find a way to speed things up before I can collect enough evidence to exonerate you."

"I understand," Diệp Sương replied, her voice tired but still maintaining the necessary alertness. "How much time do we have left?"

"I'm not sure," Tạ Vân Khê admitted, her eyes heavy with worry. "Maybe a few days, maybe just overnight. You have to prepare yourself for every possibility, Diệp Sương."

She held his hand for a long moment before leaving, not saying another word, but the look in her eyes said it all—a deep worry that even a seasoned elder like her could not completely hide.