Chapter 397 This Rong County is Really Rotten

"Bang!" The prison door opened again.

"Go in!" Niu Er and others brought in a group of yamen runners including Huang San, and then locked them up in a cell.

The villagers and merchants in the other cells stared blankly. What was going on? A yamen runner locking up another yamen runner? Who was the good guy? Who was the bad guy?

"Who are the foreign merchants who have been detained recently?" Niu Er asked.

Everyone looked at each other, not knowing what it meant.

"Wang Duanfang, the magistrate of Rong County, has been dismissed. The case in Rong County is being handled by the inspector Su Da Ren.

"Out-of-town merchants who have been wrongfully imprisoned can register and be released immediately. They can go to the government office tomorrow to claim all the confiscated goods," Niu Er announced loudly.

“Sir, sir, I am, I am!” “Sir, sir, I, I!”

Suddenly, cries and shouts rang out in the prison. God knows how desperate it is to be imprisoned here!

He traveled thousands of miles to Wuzhou, thinking he could get some brown sugar and make some money before the New Year, but unexpectedly, misfortune struck him and he ended up in jail.

I wrote a letter to my family, but how could it arrive overnight from thousands of miles away? By the time the ransom arrives, I'm afraid it will be after spring.

There were two meals a day, all made of stale and moldy rice. If they didn't eat, they would feel hungry, but if they did, they couldn't eat. Everyone was so hungry that they felt weak and listless.

"Is it?" Niu Er confirmed and asked the yamen runner beside him.

This person had been advised by Song Caoli before, and he had also made a deal with Su Ying to release the old doctor He Bao.

In the entire county government, he and a few yamen runners were the only ones who were not too bad and had not done anything evil.

The county government was short of staff, so he was promoted to be the head of the police force to assist Niu Er in managing the prison and patrolling the area.

He Bao was dizzy. He really got promoted overnight!

"Yes! These cells are full of foreign merchants!" He Bao nodded.

"Let him go!" Niu Er ordered.

"Ah?" He Bao was stunned. Just let him go like that?

Shouldn't it be a formality, with a trial in the lobby, confirmation of innocence, and then release in court?

"What? Is there a reason to arrest someone? Why do we need a reason to release him?" Niu Er was impatient.

I didn’t realize it before, but now that I’ve washed my feet and come ashore, looking back, I’m shocked to see how bad I was back then!

I am fortunate to have met Lord Su's family. Wu County has become prosperous, and I don't have to worry about money and livelihood all day long. I can live an upright life.

"Yes!" He Bao opened the prison door, "Come out, you're lucky to have met Lord Su!"

The merchants walked out of the prison tremblingly, supporting each other, hesitant and not daring to step out of the door.

"Go! You are innocent, you are free! You can stay at Yuelai Inn or Fulai Inn, where you can eat and sleep for free.

Lord Su said, "This is what Rong County owes you. You can rest assured and go to the county government office tomorrow to collect your belongings." Niu Erdao said.

"Thank you, Lord Su! Thank you, Lord Su! Woo woo..." The merchants cried excitedly. God opened his eyes and they regained their freedom.

"Sir, there are still us! We are also innocent! Let us out!" When the villagers in the prison saw that the merchants were released, they also started to cry out for justice.

It was all because they sneaked into other counties to sell sugarcane, but were robbed of their money and their house were robbed by the yamen runners. They were so angry that they fought against the yamen runners, and were then beaten and arrested.

The family had no money to redeem him, so they had to lock him up inside.

Niu Er took He Bao to confirm one by one and released this group of villagers.

"Thank you, sir! Thank you, Lord Su!" The villagers were grateful and walked out of the prison trembling.

"Go to the inn and rest first. Food and accommodation are provided free of charge. Claim the money and property tomorrow and close the case!" Niu Er reminded again.

"Thank you, sir! Woo woo..." The villagers couldn't help crying.

I was lucky enough to be released, but I didn’t expect there would be an unexpected surprise. I just felt that it was dawn and a great judge had finally come to Rong County!

"Go quickly, go quickly! Have a good rest! No one will bully you anymore!" Niu Er looked at these villagers and his nose felt sore.

The common people are simple. As long as they have enough food and clothes, they are satisfied. Unless they are forced to do so, who would go against the government or the court?

"Sir, sir, I am innocent! Let me out!" The prison was mostly empty, with only a dozen prisoners left.

"Sir, Sir, I'm truly innocent! Huang San stole my old hens, and I had a few words with him, and he, he brought people to arrest me!"

A prisoner cried excitedly, saying that the merchants and villagers had been released, but he was still imprisoned.

"Is what he said true?" Niu Er asked He Bao.

"It's true! He's Wei Axiao, a peddler from Zuoli Alley in the west of the city. He goes from street to street, selling needles and thread to make a living.

He Bao replied, "I'm Huang San's neighbor. We had an argument three months ago, and then Huang San sent people to arrest me."

Niu Er looked at the skinny and dirty Wei Axiao, scratched his head, and felt very embarrassed.

Lord Su only asked him to release the merchants and villagers selling sugarcane, but did not tell him to release people like this. He didn't know whether he should release them or not.

"Sir, I am innocent, I am innocent! Please let me go!" Wei Axiao knelt on the ground and kowtowed and begged.

"Well! Just be patient for a while. Lord Su will hear the case tomorrow and will definitely give you justice!" Niu Er comforted.

Seeing that there were only a dozen prisoners in the prison, he completed his mission and left with He Bao.

"Sir, sir! Please let me go! I am innocent! Woo woo..." Wei Axiao clung to the railings in despair, watching the prison door close.

Niu Er quickened his pace, unable to bear hearing Wei Axiao's desperate cry.

In the past, I was not much better than these yamen runners. Back then, everyone looked like a troublemaker to me.

Now that I have turned over a new leaf and my heart has softened, hearing this kind of crying makes me feel uncomfortable, as if my chest is stuffed with cotton.

The Rong County government office was rotten from the inside out. When the bureau was set up, arrangements were made to bring people from Wu County.

Niu Er is now the chief constable of Wu County, and he has brought capable men to cooperate with Su Ying's operations.

When we returned to the county government office, Lord Su and his colleagues were still discussing matters.

"Master Su!" Niu Er went to report.

"Well, have all the merchants and villagers been released?" Su Ying stopped talking and asked.

"Release them!" Niu Er bowed and said, "Except for the jailed yamen runners, there are still about ten prisoners left."

"Okay! I understand!" Su Ying nodded, thinking that having more than a dozen prisoners was normal.

Those who commit petty theft, fighting, etc. will be locked up as a punishment, and will be released after ten days or half a month. There may also be cases of murder and robbery.

But this is such a poor place, how desperate must the bandits be to come here to steal and rob?

"But..." Niu Er's mind flashed with the pitiful look of Wei Axiao kowtowing and begging.

"But what?" Su Ying asked.

"One person kept crying out for justice, saying he was Huang San's neighbor and that Huang San had robbed his house..."

"That man hasn't been released yet?" Su Ying remembered before Niu Er finished speaking.

"?" Niu Er looked at Su Ying in surprise, "No! Your Excellency only said to release merchants and villagers selling sugarcane. I dare not take the initiative!"

"Hurry, hurry and release him!" Su Ying said hurriedly.

The last time we rescued the old doctor, that man was locked up in there. It has been several months and he is still locked up!

Regardless of whether he was really wrong or not, it is really unfair to lock him up for three months.

Rong County is truly rotten! Exiling Wang Duanfang to Danzhou was too light a punishment! What a mess Rong County has become!