South Yufu’s main prison.
It’s not that the South Yu Palace is poor.
Rather, it was natural that it was impossible to deal with the prisoners, the worse the environment, the better, so that it was suffering, otherwise the wrongdoer would run in to enjoy the blessings?
“Li Gongzi, Xu Dacai, the people are detained here.”
“Originally, the people arrested were all our own people, so we would have taken care of them more or less, but the Lord Prefect gave an order not to bend the law for personal gain, so they were all locked up inside.”
The leading constable walked towards the front of the cell, while informing the reason why they were being held inside.
“Lord Prefect is right, don’t bend the law for personal gain.”
Xu Qingnian understood Li Guangxin’s meaning, now the people of Tianming Academy were angry, people were impounded inside, if they were well fed and entertained, and all kinds of back doors were opened, it would be even more troublesome.
So now it was better to do things in a businesslike manner than anything else.
Soon, Xu Qingnian and Li Xin arrived deep inside the main prison.
An inexplicable smell appeared, it was impossible to say what it was, in short it was extremely bad.
“Elder brother Xu, what brings you here?”
The sound of iron chains rang out, clanking, and deep inside the large prison, many people moved.
“It’s really Xu Qingnian.”
“Xu Da Cai, what brings you here?”
“Xu Da Cai, this is the main prison, a scholar like you, you can’t come here, it affects your qi.”
“Yes, yes, Xu Dacai, don’t tarnish your body.”
Many people opened their mouths, and the dozens of people to the left and right of the cell, after seeing Xu Qingnian coming, did not shout for Xu Qingnian to save them from getting out, but instead felt that Xu Qingnian, as a scholar, was a bit unlucky to come to the prison.
It is indeed simple to say that they are simple, but it is also true that they are helpless.
At that moment, Yang Bao and Yang Hu stood up and spoke towards Xu Qingnian.
“Elder brother Xu, it’s true that we didn’t ask questions clearly and made this mess, but you don’t have to worry, we’ll admit what punishment we need to do, it won’t cause you any trouble.”
“En, en, the big deal is that we’ll just be boarded up and put in jail for half a year, Old Brother Xu, we all agreed just now that we definitely won’t make things difficult for you.”
The two brothers, Yang Bao and Yang Hu, spoke up, very righteous, intending to carry the matter themselves.
Before Xu Qingnian could say anything, Li Xin couldn’t help but speak up.
“It would have been better if you had only received a board, this matter has gone too far, I really don’t know what to say about you guys, you dare to beat up even the readers, and now they are making a scene.”
“If they are not dealt with properly, they will be imprisoned for ten years or sent to a thousand miles, do you still think it is an ordinary nuisance?”
Li Xin couldn’t hold back a bit.
This was the loss of being uneducated, usually not reading the law at all, and not even knowing what crime they had committed.
Sure enough, as soon as Li Xin said these words, there was a clamour in the cell.
“Ten years in prison? Sent to a thousand miles? How can this be?”
“Isn’t it just a little move? How about I let them beat me up to take the edge off?”
“Didn’t you say six months at most? Ten years? What should my parents do then?”
The crowd opened their mouths, they indeed hadn’t expected to get into such big trouble.
But it made sense, each of these officials probably couldn’t even read or write and had never come into contact with such cases, so they didn’t know it would be so serious.
Of course it did happen occasionally, when a few scholars got drunk and beaten up with others, but in the end it was just a matter of paying some silver and then it was all over.
Who knew that a light case would result in ten years’ imprisonment and a heavy case would result in being sent away for a thousand miles?
“Be quiet.”
“What a wimp, it’s only ten years in jail, right? What’s there to say if you’re sent to jail?”
“That group of scholars, poking our backbone of South Yufu, although we are punished, but at least we have not disgraced South Yufu.”
Yang Bao roared.
Despite the words, it could be seen that he was still in a heavy mood.
“It’s alright.”
It was also at this moment that Xu Qingnian’s voice rang out.
After glancing at the crowd, Xu Qingnian took a deep breath, which was a little unpleasant halfway through, and immediately stopped inhaling.
“Two old brothers, this matter started because of me, you guys stood up for me, my humble brother is here to accept my gratitude.”
“You all should not be alarmed, this matter will be taken care of by Mister Xu to the end, but please also remember one thing.”
“Don’t try to be brave, you have to bow down when you have to, under the laws of the Great Wei, it is a serious crime to beat and injure one of its scholars.”
Xu Qingnian spoke up, he was indeed a little depressed about this matter, depressed to the point that he had caused wrongdoing for no reason.
But depressed as he was, he would definitely help.
There was no other reason, because this group of people were standing up for themselves, and if they didn’t help, it would be inhumane.
But Xu Qingnian’s purpose in coming over on purpose was also very simple.
He said he would not think it was a trivial matter, so that he would not have to go back and adjust himself, but these people would not be convinced and would still be shouting.
When Xu Qingnian said this, most of the people nodded their heads in thanks.
Instead, Yang Bao spoke up and said.
“Elder brother Xu, this will not affect you, right? If it affects you, you don’t have to help, we are all ordinary people, to put it bluntly, even if we are really sent to a thousand miles, we can’t harm you.”
Yang Bao was still very righteous, just a little too righteous.
“It has no effect on me, just be sure to remember what I said, when the time comes and they are willing to understand, you must learn to shut up, shut up even if you are not convinced, or say something nice.”
“One has to bow down under the roof, understand?”
Xu Qingnian stressed again.
There was no shame in this, at least save it and talk about it.
“Fine! We’ll listen to you.”
Yang Bao and Yang Hu nodded, Xu Qingnian had said this much, if he was still stubborn, then he was not having a brain problem.
“Alright, you all have suffered for a few days, so I’ll take my leave.”
Receiving a response, Xu Qingnian sighed slightly in relief and left the prison.
Li Xin followed after him, remaining silent.
After leaving the dungeon, Li Xin could not help but speak up at that moment.
“Brother Xu, this matter, I don’t think it will pa*s so easily.”
“In fact, there is no need for this running around, after all, this is the South Yu Province, sending a thousand miles is not so much, it is only imprisonment for ten years.”
“But it says ten years of imprisonment, I think I can be released in three to five years, and no one will remember this matter at that time.”
Li Xin followed behind Xu Qingnian and said so.
“What does Brother Li mean?”
Xu Qingnian did not answer, but asked.
“Brother Xu, let me say it directly.”
“This matter, don’t interfere, I can feel that the reason why Fu Zi Wan doesn’t see us is because this matter has become a mess.”
“It’s not good for the scholars, this is no longer an ordinary nuisance brawl, this involves the essence of the literati.”
Li Xin put it straight.
But what Li Xin could think of, Xu Qingnian could also think of.
Things were indeed troublesome.
But it was not that it could not be undone.
“Brother Li, I, Xu Qingnian, am in the world and I talk about the word human kindness, rules are dead, people are alive, this matter is indeed wrong of them, but they are also doing it for me, Xu.”
“If I disregarded them, then I, Xu, would be a gentleman in vain.”
“It’s like one day when Brother Li encounters something like this, someone Xu will also help Brother Li, this is my way of being a gentleman.”
Xu Qingnian did not say the words out loud, but that was what he meant.
If he were not a traveller, just an ordinary scholar, perhaps he would have approved of Li Xin’s words.
But the problem was that he had his own three views.
That was why he had chosen to help Yang Bao and the two of them.
“Brother Xu is benevolent.”
Li Xin had nothing more to say, Xu Qingnian was so benevolent, he indeed had nothing more to say but admiration.
With that, the two of them arrived at the Li residence.
Just after stepping into the mansion, the butler who had been waiting could not help but immediately speak out.
“Young master, Duke Xu, the master has an invitation.”
The butler’s voice rang out, and the two looked at each other, but without saying much, they walked directly towards the hall.
In the hall of the Li Mansion.
Li Guangxin stood with his hands folded, waiting for something inside the hall.
And hearing Xu Qingnian’s footsteps, he couldn’t help but turn back at that moment.
“My student Xu Qingnian, character Shouren, has met the governor.”
Meeting Li Guangxin for the first time, Xu Qingnian performed the salute of an elder and said his name as a sign of respect.
“Hahaha, nephew Shouren, don’t be so serious, you and Li Xin are close friends, just call me uncle, sit first first.”
In response to Xu Qingnian’s respect, Li Guangxin appeared much more amiable.
He let Xu Qingnian take his seat first, while glancing at his son, and said somewhat unpleasantly.
“Guests are here, don’t you even know to pour a cup of tea?”
The voice rang out and Li Xin froze a little.
But froze, Li Xin still immediately poured tea for Xu Qingnian.
“Nephew Shouren, do you want something to eat? I’ll have the caterer make it for you.”
Li Guangxin was extraordinarily kind to Xu Qingnian, such a great talent, he naturally wanted to be close.
“Uncle Li is polite, I have eaten before.”
Xu Qingnian had no appetite for food, and after politely declining, he did not intend to beat around the bush.
“Uncle Li, my nephew would like to ask, can the matter today be kindly resolved?”
Xu Qingnian got straight to the point and asked Li Guangxin directly.
As the Prefect of South Yu, Li Guangxin’s political means were definitely more than adequate and he had seen more things than himself, so he definitely had to ask carefully.
Just the mention of this.
Li Guangxin’s face changed.
After hesitating for a moment, he slowly spoke.
“Nephew Shouren, it’s not anything else, it’s best for you to stay out of this matter and not get involved.”
“Things are troublesome.”
Li Guangxin spoke out, as Li Xin did, but there were two differences between him saying this and Li Xin saying this.
Li Xin was just suggesting types, hoping that Xu Qingnian would not get involved.
However, Li Guangxin opening his mouth like this meant that this matter was really more troublesome than one might think.
“Uncle Li, how troublesome is it? Is it hard to really imprison for ten years?”
Xu Qingnian inquired.
Li Guangxin shook his head and sighed.
“If imprisonment for ten years is actually all good, all these people will only be sent a thousand miles away to hard labour for life.”
“And those involved in this matter will also have to be investigated one by one in a few days, none of them will be able to escape.”
Li Guangxin’s reply caused Xu Qingnian and Li Xin to change their expressions.
Hard labour for life?
Not a single participant could escape.
Things were ten times more serious than one imagined.
“Uncle Li, why is this?”
Xu Qingnian was a little confused.
