bullying
The person standing on the fourth floor looking down was none other than Fang Yuanchao, the son of the Grand Secretary.
Fang Yuanchao was the youngest son of the Grand Secretary, and the Grand Secretary's wife doted on him to an extreme degree. Although he had not yet come of age, it is said that he had brought at least a dozen or twenty concubines back to his mansion.
If Jun Qiyu and Xie Sinan frequently frequented brothels, then Fang Yuanchao was a bully who abducted women. It is said that he had previously taken a fancy to a married woman, but the woman's husband sold her to Fang Yuanchao for forty taels of silver.
The woman was also a woman of strong character. Upon learning the news, she hanged herself that very night, declaring that she would not tolerate such humiliation. Although her parents took the matter to the authorities, the officials protected each other, and Fang Yuanchao left unscathed in the end.
The poor couple were burned down on the orders of the Grand Secretary after Fang Yuanchao returned home, leaving no trace of their remains.
Everyone else thought it was just caused by the Heavenly Stems, but no one expected that the Grand Secretary was also involved.
She knew about this because the couple had a daughter who worked as a head maid in her garden.
Xie Sili saw that after Si Ze put the girl down, the girl ran to the old man's side and cried, her eyes filled with hatred when she looked up at Fang Yuanchao.
"If you had given in to me before, your maternal grandfather wouldn't have died." Fang Yuanchao looked at her arrogantly as he walked to the door. "You're just a stinking street performer. It's your good fortune that I've taken a liking to you."
Seeing the hand reaching for the girl, Xie Sili grasped his wrist. "Young master, can't you see she doesn't like you?"
Noticing the other person's gaze sweeping over them, and the unreadable meaning in their eyes.
Just as Xie Sili was about to speak, he heard Fang Yuanchao's voice, "Oh, this is also a beauty. Why not submit to me, and I guarantee you will be blessed with wealth and honor from now on."
Seeing his outstretched hand, Xie Sili slapped it away without thinking, a cold smile playing on his lips. "I'm afraid you have the guts to eat it, but not the guts to pay with your life."
She had barely finished speaking when she heard Fang Yuanchao's unrestrained laughter, "You don't have the guts to pay with your life! My father is the Grand Chancellor of the Imperial Court, and my mother is from the Zhao family, both of whom have been noble families for generations. How dare you, a mere orphan, talk back to me here!"
Fang Yuanchao's gaze was full of provocation as he looked at her, "There's no one in this world I can't have!"
Xie Sili was about to speak when she saw the girl from before stand up and protect her behind her. "Young Master Fang, you didn't take a liking to me just now. Now that I'm with you, I hope you will spare this girl."
Fang Yuanchao shoved the girl away without any appreciation, and Xie Sili caught her to prevent her from falling to the ground.
Indeed, it's true that girls helping each other doesn't discriminate based on time or place.
After settling the girl in, Xie Sili took off his coat and draped it over her, also covering her eyes.
She glanced indifferently at Fang Yuanchao standing in front of her and waved her hand dismissively.
"If you follow me..."
Upon hearing his voice, Xie Sili kicked him away.
Looking at Fang Yuanchao lying on the ground, Xie Sili stepped on his chest, and all the guards he brought were knocked down by Si Ze in one move.
"You bitch! My father is the Grand Secretary! He will definitely kill you! He will never let you go!" Fang Yuanchao looked at her with nothing but gritted teeth.
Xie Sili squatted down, grabbed his chin, stuffed a pill into his mouth, and forced him to swallow it.
"Your father is the Grand Secretary." Xie Sili said with a forced smile, "What an impressive official position, and from a noble family. I suppose someone of my background would probably never return if I went to the government office."
She reached out and patted Fang Yuanchao's face, revealing a mysterious smile.
After she stood up, she saw officials walking towards her.
They glanced at Fang Yuanchao lying on the ground, then turned their gaze to her.
“You did this…” one of the young officers said coldly as he looked at her.
"Yes." Xie Sili nodded at him. "Young Master Fang forcibly took a woman and drove an old man to his death. I was just acting on behalf of Heaven. What wrong have I done?" She smiled at the officer. "This matter has nothing to do with others. Officer, just take me away."
"Officer, it's all my fault, it has nothing to do with this young lady." The young lady stood up and spoke without hesitation, "Young Master Fang wants me too, you don't want me..."
"Don't worry." Xie Sili glanced at the girl and whispered reassuringly. She took a bag out of her sleeve and placed it in her hand. "Your maternal grandfather is still waiting for you to handle his funeral arrangements. After you bury him, if you need anything, go to the Red Sleeve Pavilion in the south of the city and find a person named Ling Zheng. She will help you." As she spoke, she gave her a hug.
“Miss, my name is Dingxiang. If we are destined to meet again, I will serve you like a slave.”
Seeing the person about to kneel down, Xie Sili quickly reached out to help her up, gave her a smile, and then left with the officials.
After she turned to leave, she glanced at Si Ze, who was hiding not far away.
After Xie Sili was taken back to the yamen by those people, he was immediately locked up in a cell.
The head jailer also told them not to even think about leaving.
Once you enter this place, you'll be lucky to escape with your life.
Aren't you scared?
Hearing the voice from the jailer, Xie Sili found a clean spot to sit down and did not answer his question.
"You really don't know what's good for you. Do you know what happened to those who offended the Grand Secretary last time? They all died without a complete corpse. And today you've bullied his precious son. You certainly won't escape this fate."
Xie Sili glanced at him but still didn't say anything.
After watching the jailer leave, Xie Sili smiled coldly.
"Young lady, how did you get in here? You're so young, what are you doing here? Did you offend the son of the Grand Secretary?"
Xie Sili glanced at the cell on the right and saw an older man sitting in the cell, whose cloudy eyes were bright and piercing.
"I guess so," Xie Sili replied, unusually in a good mood.
"Let me tell you, that Grand Secretary is a scoundrel, and his son is no better!"
Listening to the old man's words, Xie Sili looked at him with great interest. "What do you mean? Do you know any secrets about the Grand Secretary?"
"Don't be fooled by that old man's seemingly upright appearance; he's a real scoundrel." The old man's words carried a hint of mockery. "He and his son are both beasts."
“Old man, that’s the Grand Secretary. If the Grand Secretary were despicable, how could he have held that position?” Xie Sili continued, looking at the old man. “Are you just spouting nonsense and getting arrested by the Jingzhao government?”
"Of course not!" the old man retorted without hesitation. "I'm telling the truth, but they don't believe me. What can I do? They're father and son in cahoots, birds of a feather."
“Old man, you’re going a bit too far,” Xie Sili said gently, trying to calm him down. “If what you say were true, how could you have survived until now? Wouldn’t you have been killed by the Grand Secretary long ago?”
"This is all thanks to the upright and honest Magistrate of the Capital." The old man lowered his head as he spoke. "Magistrate Lu of the Capital is young, upright and incorruptible. He does not take sides, does not form cliques, and does not befriend anyone. He is a truly honest and upright official."
"I am only able to continue to live here, troubling you, thanks to Lord Lu's protection. Moreover, Lord Lu said he believes in my words." The old man's eyes lit up as he spoke.
a long time.
She heard the old man's voice again, "Girl, you don't know, my family are the servants of the Grand Secretary, which is why they don't believe what I say, but I saw it with my own eyes..." The old man slammed his fist on the ground, "I saw them abuse my daughter-in-law and granddaughter, they are not human, not human!"
He pounded the ground again and again, oblivious to the blood stains on his hands. "How can I accept this? How can I face them in the afterlife?"
Xie Sili listened to the old man's words without speaking for a long time.
Regarding the matter of the Grand Secretary and his son, she had secretly ordered an investigation into the Green Bamboo family after learning of their plight. Now, taking advantage of this opportunity, along with another matter, she could bring down the current Grand Secretary.
Although it won't shake the current status of powerful clans, it's still a significant blow to them.
More importantly, she created an opening for the current emperor to use against the powerful families.
"Girl, just say you're one of my people, and I'll never let those beasts hurt you."
Listening to the old man's words, Xie Sili looked at him and pressed down his lips, "As you said, the current Prefect of the Capital, Lord Lu, is an upright and just official. If that's the case, how could he disregard human life and kill innocent people indiscriminately?"
Noticing the old man's gaze, she took something out of her sleeve and placed it in his hand. "Old man, live well and don't die. As the saying goes, cause and effect are cyclical, and their family's actions will be punished by heaven."
The old man listened to her words and burst into laughter. "What you say makes sense, young lady. Evil deeds will be punished by heaven." As he spoke, he unwrapped the packaging and began to eat. It was a white milk candy. As soon as he put it in his mouth, a rich milky aroma swept over him.
"Girl, what is this? It's so sweet and delicious."
"Isn't there a saying, 'After hardship comes happiness'?" Xie Sili looked at the old man and a slight smile appeared on his lips. "If you die, who will avenge those people in the afterlife?"
"Now that you're all alone, you should take a good look at the world on behalf of your family, and you'll find a reason to live for them."
Noticing the old man's gaze, Xie Sili leaned against the wall, closed his eyes, and stopped looking at the old man's expression.
In a short while.
She heard the old man's voice again.
"Young lady, who are you? Look at all the people who have entered the prison, they all look sad and desperate. Only you, only you can remain sober at this time. Are you really innocent?"
“Old man, I wonder if you have ever heard the saying, ‘The world is muddy but I am clear, everyone is drunk but I am sober’? I have done things without shame in my heart or in the face of heaven and earth, so why should I worry about ghosts knocking on my door in the middle of the night?”
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