"Shut up—"
Magistrate Mei's eyes turned cold. He shouldn't have listened to Magistrate Qian's momentary advice and spared his life. The prefectural school was now just a formality; what was the point of keeping a headmaster? So, he waved his hand and shouted, "Nonsense! Seize this treacherous commoner who is inciting unrest!"
The guard immediately drew his sword and stepped forward.
Judge Qian's expression changed, and he hurriedly stepped forward to stop him, "Your Excellency, he has already achieved official rank and honors; he cannot be killed!"
As he spoke, he quickly gave the old man a meaningful look, signaling him to leave immediately.
But the old man refused to budge an inch.
The three young masters of the Qian family rolled up their sleeves, ready to step forward to help, but were stopped by Fatty Qian who gestured with his lip to indicate that they should look at the people.
No one has ever dared to say these words in the street, let alone in front of Magistrate Mei!
Jiang Jiaojiao's heart skipped a beat as she looked around at the ragged old people, the barefoot and bewildered children, and the beggars who were barely clothed...
There were also faces, pale and numb from suffering.
In a daze, it was as if I saw my past life, those wandering souls that had no trace of vitality.
Among the crowds on the street, only these surviving miners saw...
There is still a glimmer of hope for life.
They tried to wipe the soot from their faces and the filth from their bodies, and quietly straightened their hunched backs, but... in just an instant, under the gloomy gaze of Prefect Mei and the gleaming blades of the guards, they hunched over again.
As for the other people...
Confusion, numbness, fear... and the timid ones, trembling and weak-kneed at the sight of the guards' cold blades.
What backbone? Dignity?
Starvation and freezing to death are trivial matters!
They weren't all kneeling; it's just that all the standing people died, leaving only those kneeling. As they knelt, they forgot that they could stand up.
"They may fear you, but I don't! They may be spineless, but I am!"
The old man, however, was heartbroken and fearless, his voice booming, hoping to awaken their conscience and integrity. Over the years, he had watched helplessly as his students fell one by one, seeking help everywhere in vain, and as a result, he had offended Prefect Mei.
His son died, his wife went mad, and even... even his grandson, who was just learning to walk, was thrown to his death right in front of him!
Just now...
Upon hearing the news of the mine collapse, his insane wife panicked and ran around, falling into the well...and died.
Despite his numerous injuries and illnesses, he clung to his last breath, wanting only to see Prefect Mei executed and restore justice to Shu County!
He finally got the rich and powerful Marquis, who was charitable and generous. He developed mines, built bridges and roads, and gave the people a way to make a living.
But... unexpectedly, a few baseless accusations were enough to sway him, leaving him powerless to distinguish right from wrong, and he almost lost the life of Marquis Fuyu!
Now, the princess has arrived...
Although news from Shu County could not get out, news from outside could get in. The old man knew that she was not only a princess, but also the future Princess Consort of Prince Chen and the mistress of Shu County!
He must not allow the ignorance of the people to chill the heart of the princess, thus abandoning the people of this county who have suffered so much hardship and enslavement!
The old man, leaning on his cane, stood up unsteadily, raised his cloudy old eyes, and looked straight at Jiang Jiaojiao. "Princess—I beg you to give the people a chance! Give them a way to live!"
As he spoke.
He whirled around, his eyes wide, pointed at Prefect Mei, and roared to the sky—
"I would gladly die a hundred times to serve my country—"
"I offer my blood to Xuanyuan—"
The sound was deafening, echoing through the sky.
This moment.
The old man's hunched figure suddenly grew taller, radiating light; as soon as he finished speaking, suddenly—
He flung aside his cane and charged violently at Magistrate Mei... the cold blade in the guard's hand!
"Pfft—"
Blood splattered everywhere!
The surroundings were deathly silent; you could hear a pin drop.
The Jin family members instinctively protected Jiang Jiaojiao, but they hadn't expected the old man to be so fierce. Things happened too fast, and there was no way to stop him...
After the silence, low sobs could be heard.
"Ah... sir?"
"Sir...Sir! Waaah...I am a scholar! I am a scholar!"
"I am not a cow or a horse... I am not a cow or a horse!"
"gentlemen--"
One by one, the people knelt down. The scene before them shocked them, like a giant beast breaking free of its cage!
yes!
There was a time when they had food to eat, clothes to wear, and books to read!
They once spoke eloquently and were full of ambition!
When did they abandon their books, bend their backs, and become prey to others?
The old man chose to die to prove his point, attempting to awaken the enslaved, oppressed, and morally bankrupt people with his blood.
Magistrate Mei's face was extremely ugly, with veins bulging on his forehead, and he was furious to the extreme.
With a sudden flick of his sleeve, he roared, "Guards—drag him away! Cut him into a thousand pieces, and hang his corpse on the city gate for three days as a warning!"
They didn't even leave a complete corpse.
The guards were ordered to drag the person away.
However, before he could even get close, he was sent flying backward. Dao Qing, holding a long sword, stood in front of the old man's corpse.
Jiang Jiaojiao walked slowly forward, her eyes flashing with cold light, and her peach-blossom face suddenly exuding an air of superiority.
Her voice was soft, yet carried a hint of threat: "Prefect, do you truly intend to rule the world with your own hand?"
The Jin family members also stepped forward and quickly stood beside Jiang Jiaojiao, using their bodies to firmly block the old man's corpse, like an indestructible city wall.
"You—you really want to be my enemy!"
Prefect Mei's eyes flashed with murderous intent.
Before his daughter could react, Magistrate Qian rushed forward to stop Magistrate Mei, and whispered, "Sir, you mustn't!"
"presumptuous--"
Magistrate Mei was furious.
He stared intently at Jiang Jiaojiao and the Jin family, and even his gaze towards Judge Qian was filled with murderous intent!
Just then—
The miners suddenly stood up, like startled beasts, and rushed over, surrounding Jiang Jiaojiao and the old man's bodies in circles!
"Chieftain—we'll protect you!"
"Chieftain—we'll protect you!"
"Chieftain—we'll protect you!"
"..."
The sound echoed through the sky, deafeningly loud!
The overwhelming aura caused even the guards beside Prefect Mei to involuntarily retreat.
Magistrate Mei clenched his fists, staring intently at Jiang Jiaojiao in the crowd...
One by one, the people mustered their courage and silently stood up, surrounding the old man's body in circles, both to protect him and to pay their respects.
All around was silent.
A deathly silence.
Jiang Jiaojiao watched as the numbness on the faces of the people gradually faded, replaced by sadness, anger, and pain...
Magistrate Mei clenched his fists, barely suppressing the murderous intent in his chest!
far away……
The old butler jogged over, a smile on his face, but upon seeing the two opposing forces, he immediately withdrew it in fright.
He quickly leaned close to Magistrate Mei and whispered, "Miss..."
Magistrate Mei's expression visibly softened.
After the old butler finished speaking.
A smile appeared on his face, and he suddenly spoke up, "Hahaha... Misunderstanding! It was all a misunderstanding. The mine collapse was a natural disaster, as the Venerable Monk Fanyin had foretold!"
"There is another piece of good news. In seven days, my daughter will be very happy and will be marrying into our family! I hope you will all do me the honor of joining me! This is also my way of apologizing for the scare I caused you today!"
"Would the princess really refuse to give me this face?"
"I also have a great gift to present..."
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