In the summer of the 20th year of Chengping, Suzhou and Hangzhou.
The dungeon was hot and humid, and the brightness above ground could not relieve the stuffiness underground at all.
The cell was oppressive and narrow, with only one person able to pass through the aisle. The doors on both sides were very low, requiring one to bend over to enter. One could vaguely see pairs of black and white eyes looking at passersby.
Prisoners who will soon be brought for trial or executed are held here. Everything is quiet, with only the sounds of the jailer's footsteps, the jingling of keys at his waist, and the sound of water that seems to come from the depths, light, hollow, and chilling.
There were often visitors to the prison, most of them timid and accompanied by disturbing sobs. If it were just someone being visited, it would be fine, but those prisoners who were about to die would stick their heads out to the cell door to listen, feeling only jealous and irritated.
The Qi and Zhou dynasties were full of jianghu (martial arts) people. The emperor's fondness for martial arts led to the establishment of the Jinyiwei (Emperor's Guard) within the imperial palace, along with several government-sanctioned sects. Civilians were also rife with martial arts prowess, and five out of ten cases handled by the Dali Temple and government offices involved jianghu people.
This shows how prevalent the martial spirit was during the Qi and Zhou dynasties.
At this moment, in this tomb-like prison, the sound of two footsteps was very shocking.
The one in front, with its heavy yet light steps, was the old man who came for his daily inspection. The one slightly behind was clearly much more powerful, steady and light. The sound of each boot hitting the ground was not only the same at the same time, but also the same, which was enough to show the depth of his martial arts skills.
"Which talented person is actually related to this dead person?"
"That guy who came the day before yesterday, right?" someone lazily raised his voice, not caring about the presence of the person involved. "With such profound internal strength, he should be well-known in the martial arts world—I'm afraid he's in trouble now."
"Quiet, quiet!" The jailer knocked on the cell door and spoke in a bad tone to this group of rough men.
The knights broke the law with force, and ordinary people regarded them as bandits and naturally did not treat them well.
The people in the underworld thought they were very cool and continued chatting without any concern.
"Well, I heard that kid crying secretly yesterday. He's about ten years old, and it seems like it's his first time going out."
"You're so young, why can't you think straight?"
"If I went to kill a corrupt official and ended up here, it would be quite satisfying, but that guy's skills are so mediocre and he looks so delicate, I'm afraid he got in without knowing what was going on."
"Hey, it's not related to the martial arts competition to win a bride, right?"
The air suddenly became quiet.
The old man had already walked over and scolded him casually: "Stop gossiping! Be careful you'll be dragged out and beheaded."
"Hahaha, Old Li, that's a good thing!"
"Yeah, yeah, staying in this shabby place, with no good wine or good food, I might as well chop off my head and go through reincarnation. I can still be a hero in thirty years!"
"Go away!" Old Li waved his hand in disdain and turned back to say, "Hero Xu, come this way."
A young voice replied briefly, "Okay."
A refreshing breeze blew over, and the prisoners who were blown by it opened their eyes, suspecting it was an illusion - this dungeon was stuffy and smelly, and there were rats, insects and snakes everywhere. If they came here, their lives would be ruined.
So even the wind was unwilling to touch this dark and gloomy place.
.
Xu Shiqing walked to a prison door.
“Senior Brother!”
The junior brother who was so proud and galloping two days ago no longer had the demeanor of a rich young man. His hair was disheveled and his clothes were untidy.
"Don't worry." Xu Shiqing said softly, "This matter is not your fault. You will be cleared of all charges at the court tomorrow."
"...Brother, please stop comforting me." He said in a trembling voice, "That's official salt. If I lose so much of it, I'm definitely going to die."
Xu Shiqing frowned slightly: "You can't do this."
Even though it was lost, all the responsibility could be put on the junior brother. This matter was not so small that it allowed local officials to deceive the higher-ups in this way.
Salt and iron have always been a major issue, and they were unlucky to be dragged into it this time. But if you really think about it, the attitude of the higher-ups is more inclined to teach them a lesson...
To put it another way, the reason they came down the mountain this time was entirely because of the favor entrusted by Wen Zhaojing, the head of the Wen family. Otherwise, the Jianmen sect, a major martial arts sect, would not have sent their closed-door disciples to Suzhou and Hangzhou to serve as guards for the daughter of a wealthy businessman.
"Just wait patiently." Xu Shiqing traveled all the way south from Bian Jing without stopping. Even though he had a lot of skills, he couldn't avoid feeling tired.
"Master is going to the capital to meet the emperor, so this matter will definitely be handled properly." Xu Shiqing handed the lunch box in his hand in. This was actually against the rules, but Old Li turned around and pretended not to know.
Liu Wuyu buried his head in his food. He wasn't starved of food in the dungeon, but the food certainly wasn't as good as outside. He was the youngest disciple of Jianmen Sect Master Liu Xiangsheng, and had been favored since childhood. This time, he was truly suffering.
"..." Xu Shiqing saw that there was only food left in his eyes and shook his head silently.
Forget it, I don’t expect my junior brother to give me any clues.
Old Li checked on the other inmates. The conditions in the dungeon were harsh, but not life-threatening. It was just that some of the prisoners were stubborn and difficult to tame. When tortured and blood was drawn, ordinary predicaments became life-threatening.
He brought Xu Shiqing to see someone, and after they came back after a circle, it was just the time reserved for them to talk.
Xu Shiqing said: "Okay, I'll leave now."
Liu Wu Yu was a man of the world after all, so he said goodbye to Xu Shiqing in a very calm manner without any reluctance.
There was only one way back in the dungeon, so Old Li took Xu Shiqing back again.
When we got to the ground, the sky suddenly became bright and clear.
Xu Shiqing frowned slightly, thinking that his junior brother had actually stayed underground for more than a day, and had not complained at all after meeting him. He had really grown up.
"Well, Mr. Xu, I still need to go inspect the prisoners, so I won't see you to the door." Old Li rubbed his hands. He is now in his fifties and has worked here for more than thirty years. He is experienced and has the ability to adapt to the situation and read people's expressions to perfection. He also believes that he has seen all kinds of people.
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