ARGUMENTATION

All corruptors kept screaming, begging for mercy, even after punishment boards hang on their necks and they were pulled into the prisoner's carts. Their sobs buzzed loudly along the way, made everyone feel dizzy. Chen Xinyi was used to arrest death row inmates, he was not bothered with this since it was a normal thing for him. However, this time the screams of the prisoners were louder than usual. Chen Xinyi let out a sigh of exasperation. "You know very well about what kind of punishment as the consequence for this sin, that this is the consequence of doing corruption as well as joining forces with the enemy to betray your country, yet you still do it anyway. As you make your bed, so you must lie on it! Now you are crying and begging for mercy, huh? Too late! You must be grateful to be executed by drinking poison, His Highness is too merciful. If I were him, I will slice your flesh to make food for dogs!"

Although it was ruthless, what Chen Xinyi said made sense. It is still the same as what happens in this modern time, as we often find in the media both locally and internationally. When people do something wrong, their eyes will be suddenly blind to the law, they become very audacious and even proud of their audacity. But when they are being caught and punished, they will cry for mercy, or make a number of sweet promises that they would not have kept if they are released from punishment, and some of them even act very religiously - in fact, the aim is only to ask the executor for mercy. And if the sentence continue, they accuse the executor to do cruelty. Though this is their own fault, yet they accuse that instead, that it is the executors who make the wrong judgment. Just as these corrupt criminals were doing. They kept shouting that Zhu Su was cruel since he had the heart to sentence them to death without trial.

Wu Qi observed everything in silence. He kept staring at it all, and after hesitating for quite a long time, he decided to express his thoughts.

"Sir Chen, according to my opinion, the screaming of those criminals will make a bad effect for us."

Chen Xinyi replied coldly, "This is what the criminals who are about to executed will always do. I am tired of this sight, because in any issues, people will always accuse the executors as to the wrong one, and they'll never plead their guilty."

"This is not what I am worried about. This arrestment is in the moment when the riot occurs. The rioters accuse the government as the despots, and it will worsen with the accusation of the criminals to His Highness, it will be big trouble for us. Besides, we don't hold court against them, and it only shows that we are as cruel as they said, even though we deliberately do it so that they have no chance to threaten the honest officials who report them to us."

"That is why I talked to Kaifeng people before. When the criminals are executed tomorrow and they still accuse the government, the citizens who support us will come to give their supports. We will also announce the reasons why they are executed, so that everyone will know the fact, and not be consumed by the fake news the enemy spread."

The next day at Wu time. As expected, the corruptors were still screaming and cursing at the government. They continuously accused Zhu Su, Chen Xinyi, and all government officials of being cruel and unfair.

And, just as Wu Qi had been worried, the crowd (apparently a bunch of paid people) gathered there. They roared fiercely.

"Such unfair despots! Look, they execute the officials without trial!"

"It has always been like that all the time. Ming has been established for nearly forty years and our country is always filled with the oppression and torture of officials and people!"

"We should fight, or we will remain oppressed!"

"We live poor, and being oppressed, then how will we live happily? We will live happily after our honored noblemen take the shit!"

"Stand up, Good People! We will fight till the end!"

The gathered massed was more and more crowded, the propaganda they were launching became more and more boisterous. Chen Xinyi nodded to Wu Qi. Following his temptation, he was really urged to shoot the cannon and destroy them all, but he knew that it was the same as killing the incoming scorpions instead of destroying their nest. He was planning to fire the cannon directly at the rebel's nest, hence he remained silent.

On the other side, Wu Qi pasted all corruption records the criminals had done on the wall.

Then, the pro-government citizens arrived. Standing before the rebels, they stood upright, began to shout.

"Ming is our country. The country where we're born and growing up. We live in this country. It is Ming who has given us a good life. And now, you want to destroy this country with your anarchist action?!"

The rebels got their temper sparked. "What do you say?! You accuse us as destructors?! Damn you, stupid pro-government masses!"

Another rebel shout, "How much does the government pay you?!"

A patriotic man replied aloud, "The government doesn't pay us even a cent, it's our will to defend our country. We are good citizens, we love Ming, the country where we live. We want this country to be filled with peace, not with war."

"Exactly! The Hongwu Emperor has driven out the invaders who oppress us, elevates our standard of living, and creates peace, how can you destroy that result of hard work?"

"Why must we fight the government and create the war? What is the benefit for us? We don't need war, what we need is peace! We just want to live in peace!"

The rioters responded, "We fight, to live in a more comfortable life! The Emperor has oppressed the people to do forced labor to build a new palace and the Grand Canal! It must be stopped! We will be rewarded, the great pleasure is waiting for us after we win this war. We have to sacrifice a little for a bigger result! There's nothing to lose!"

"Our standard of living will increase! We will be released from the despots who like to enjoy other's misery!"