Winter arrived abruptly on Myron Island.
Deep within the Witch's Forest, frost clung to the dark green pine needles. Su Yu was hidden within a magic circle at the roots of an oak tree.
"Shh—"
The sound of snapping branches came from the northwest. Three evil spirits wandered aimlessly, their crimson eye sockets flickering with eerie green flames.
They seemed to sense something amiss, yet they couldn't pinpoint Su Yu's location.
[At this point, I hope readers will remember our domain name: Taiwan Novel Network → 𝐭𝐰𝐤𝐚𝐧.𝐜𝐨𝐦]
Su Yu looked at the little figure within the system, who was scratching on parchment with a quill pen: "When the number of evil spirits killed exceeds a certain threshold within a certain time, a spiritual tide will be triggered. High-ranking evil spirits will enter a state of rage and will also have a certain locking effect…"
Su Yu gazed at the evil spirits lingering outside the magic circle, his thoughts drifting back to the mission at the Tide Temple. He had used excessive force, resulting in being caught in a spiritual tide and nearly capsizing.
"The decoy array needs adjustment."
"The trapping radius can be further adjusted to more accurately segment the cluster. The key is to utilize the territorial instincts of the evil spirits, causing them to enter the designated hunting area in batches..."
"Furthermore, once they enter the spirit tide, if you evade it, the spirit tide will automatically decline. After all, it cannot last long, similar to a rage."
"Therefore, proper evasion can greatly reduce the destructive power of the spirit tide."
Within the system, a semi-transparent array blueprint unfolded before his eyes.
In the system interface, a little figure was writing furiously, and the title of the paper, "On the Application of Spirit Tide Evasion and Cooling Cycle in Evil Spirit Extermination," was gradually taking shape.
"Not bad, acceptable!"
Su Yu finished reading, nodded in satisfaction, took out a few pieces of parchment, and spent some gray crystals to materialize the system text onto the parchment.
"Coo-coo—"
A snow-white owl landed on his shoulder, its golden-brown eyes curiously staring at the parchment.
This was a messenger owl from the Witch Forest, with a wingspan of two feet, capable of carrying letters of considerable weight.
Su Yu rolled up the parchment and placed it in its pouch, adding a small bag of dried fruit as a reward.
"Blackshire, Green Vine Society, to Mr. Cheng Shenxing." He whispered, and the owl tilted its head and nuzzled his cheek before flapping its wings and disappearing into the depths of the forest.
Just then, a fine, cool sensation landed on the tip of his nose.
Su Yu looked up and saw the first snowflake swirling down in the leaden sky, followed by a second, then a third, quickly weaving a dense snow curtain that tinged the dark green forest with a hazy white.
"The snow has come this year," he murmured, pulling his cloak tighter before turning to walk towards the nearby wooden cabin.
The fragrant aroma of burning pine from the fireplace mingled with the scent of food wafted towards him.
As soon as he pushed open the door, the witch Lanmei rose.
"This is your lunch," she said, pushing a wicker food box onto the table. "And this is a message from the Serene Forest, entrusted to me to deliver to you."
Inside the small bag were several delicate pastries: honey almond cookies and jam tarts, with a folded parchment at the bottom.
"It's Qiaoqiao!"
Su Yu unfolded the letter. The girl's handwriting, though youthful, was earnest. She had boldly expressed her feelings, sent homemade pastries, and brought good news.
"I've become a full-fledged witch."
Su Yu stroked the letter, his heart filled with mixed emotions.
He clearly remembered that Qiaoqiao from the indigenous era didn't seem to have become a witch so quickly; in fact, it was hard to say whether she had become a witch at all. The trajectory of history was quietly changing.
He took out the return gifts he had prepared beforehand: a carefully blended calming incense, a small bottle of specialty moonlight honey, and a letter.
He tied them together and summoned the messenger owl again.
"Thank you for your hard work." He patted the owl's head and watched it disappear into the snowstorm.
This was the third letter, addressed to Ibrahim Palace.
"Magic is truly incredible."
"The location is all there."
After sending the message, the fire crackled in the furnace. Su Yu remembered, "Blue Plum, I'd like to ask you for a while to check on the progress of the project in Falling Moon Valley."
"No need for that 'asking for leave' thing." Blue Plum waved her hand to interrupt him, taking out a gilded banknote. "You've already purified sixty percent of the evil spirits in the forest; that's far beyond the requirements of the commission." "
Besides, I'm still a forest witch; I understand what you mean by 'cooling the spiritual tide.'"
She pushed the banknote towards him, the "Five Hundred Golden Sea Dragons" on it gleaming in the firelight. "Although the reward for the commission is magic, I can't let you work for free."
Su Yu looked at the emblem on the banknote, smiling as he put it into his purse. "Then I'll accept it without hesitation."
When they left the Witch's Forest, the snow had stopped.
The snow-covered earth was exceptionally quiet, the horses' hooves crunching on the snow. Su Yu pulled his cloak tighter and rode forward, the outline of Falling Moon Valley faintly visible in the distance.
At the construction site at the valley entrance, dozens of wooden houses were arranged in a neat and orderly fashion, and a stone-lined irrigation canal meandered into the distance.
Song Qiongyao was directing the workers to cover the straw mats; she looked very smart in her mink cloak.
"Lord Su Yu is back!" the sharp-eyed steward Liu shouted.
Song Qiongyao turned around, her face showing surprise: "You've finally arrived! Just in time for the surprise I prepared."
She clapped her hands; two maids were busy inside the wooden house, where a large copper hot pot was bubbling, the broth simmering and emitting a rich aroma.
"Hot pot!"
Su Yu smiled as he approached: "It suits the snowy scene very well; it seems you've done your homework."
This wasn't Su Yu's invention, but a delicacy that existed in Ying Kingdom 1300 years ago.
"Of course." Song Qiongyao and he walked towards the wooden house. "I searched through the entire family library to find this hot pot recipe. By the way, the construction is progressing smoothly. Manager Liu will explain in detail." Manager
Liu of Yuntong Trading Company rushed over with account books. "Sir, the main structure of the irrigation canal is complete, and the reservoir is just waiting for the final capping. The winter wheat won't be ready this year. I suggest planting sugar beets next April, followed by intercropping winter
wheat . According to the schedule, all the construction will be completed next April."
At this moment, a witch apprentice wearing a gray cloth robe hurried over. "Mr. Su, the grapevines on the hillside have finished sprouting and are now in hibernation. They will grow normally next spring."
Su Yu nodded in satisfaction. "Well done."
He took out thirty golden sea dragons from his purse and handed them to the girl. "Thank you so much. Take these to buy some winter clothes."
The girl happily accepted the golden sea dragons and went back to the forest.
The snow started falling again, and fine snowflakes landed on the workers' felt hats.
Looking at the workers, their faces red from the cold, Su Yu said to Manager Liu, "It's snowing today, let everyone rest for a day. Use this money to buy some New Year's goods; consider it an early celebration."
He then counted out fifty gold sea dragons: "This is an extra bonus, not included in the original pay."
The workers erupted in cheers, their movements as they packed up their tools becoming much lighter.
Manager Liu remarked, "Mr. Su is truly considerate of his subordinates. Working under you gives everyone hope."
In this world, farewell banquets are never held at night, but at noon. At this moment, the fireplace in the wooden cabin glowed, a copper hot pot simmered on the pine table, and slices of meat and vegetables were piled high on the table.
Song Qiongyao unfastened her cloak, and the pallor she always wore was gone.
"Your body..." Su Yu couldn't help but ask.
Song Qiongyao paused, her hand still holding the food, her eyes crinkling into crescent moons with laughter. "Much better. My aunt said it might be a benign awakening of my bloodline. Although I haven't felt any special abilities yet, I definitely don't feel uncomfortable as easily as before."
Sitting opposite her, Li Ningzhuang put down her teacup, her long hair shimmering softly in the firelight. "Bloodline awakening requires a trigger, and perhaps it just happened to activate her bloodline potential."
Su Yu looked at Song Qiongyao, recalling her pale face and frail body when they first met, and then seeing her radiant appearance, he couldn't help but sigh. He raised his glass. "To health, and to the future of Luoyue Valley, cheers!"
"Cheers!" The crisp sound of clinking glasses echoed in the wooden house.
The steam from the hot pot blurred the windowpanes, and the snow outside fell heavier and heavier, enveloping Luoyue Valley in a tranquil white.
Su Yu watched the flickering firelight reflecting on the two girls' faces, and suddenly felt that such a winter day was exceptionally precious.
"Even without any evidence, killing Earl Carlton and Kong Han, the head of the Isle of Mellen's Mechanical Guild, might not bring peace."
"Because often, evidence isn't needed."
"The only difference is that the higher the rank, the more evidence is required."
The judicial system actually has a very clear process: from presumption of guilt to presumption of innocence.
However, what most people, even most legal professionals, don't know is that this isn't a precipitous change.
In fact, since ancient times, the presumptions of guilt and innocence in the judicial system have coexisted.
A noble person is guilty but exempted from punishment → presumed innocent. To convict a noble person, rigorous and irrefutable evidence is required.
Without irrefutable evidence, the noble person is presumed innocent.
Even in the modern era of the past, those at a certain level are in this state.
The legal rights enjoyed by the middle class continuously decline with decreasing social class, while commoners and the lowest classes are presumed guilty.
"You, you commoner, are born guilty. Speak, did you steal the apples in the house?"
"Without a gentleman's alibi, hang yourself!"
The modern universal "presumption of innocence" is essentially a process of elevating the entire population from commoners and slaves to the "gentlemen and ladies" class—the true citizen class.
Therefore, when a person, a class, or a people is under the "presumption of guilt," it means that legally they are considered commoners!
Su Yu understood the law too well, so he smiled slightly. As a knight, it was difficult to apply the "presumption of guilt" in the law, but it wasn't "presumption of innocence" either. If he were a baron, he would be "presumption of innocence."
This was reality; even in his previous life, Su Yu hadn't noticed any fundamental change.
The line of execution was prepared for those who would fall into the commoner class.
"If only I were a baron now."
"While a baron can't get a pardon, they can get a presumption of innocence. That way, all those disgusting things they did before wouldn't apply to me."
Strictly speaking, using public officials, using legal and compliant, or even illegal, actions to forcefully place oneself in opposition to the law and the state, is based on the "presumption of guilt."
A public official who does this as a baron would be immediately punished.
"I wonder if the Song family's lobbying of Parliament has been effective?"