Li Wan asked without answering, "What exactly are you going to sue? And who are you going to sue?"
Ruan Dafeng said through gritted teeth, "What I want to accuse is the imperial envoy sent by the court to Kaifeng Prefecture for disaster relief. He colluded with the prefect of Kaifeng Prefecture to embezzle public funds, disregard human life, causing the deaths of ordinary people and the destruction of their families, and he also deceived the emperor."
Ruan Dafeng took out the envelope from his pocket and handed it to the yamen runner beside him, saying, "Sir, please take a look! My hometown is Geshan Village in Kaifeng Prefecture. A few days ago, Kaifeng Prefecture suffered a drought. We were living on the grain distributed by the Kaifeng Prefecture government, but one day the Kaifeng Prefecture suddenly sent a large number of soldiers to guard the village entrance, preventing villagers from leaving and outsiders from entering. Moreover, the government stopped distributing grain, and many of our villagers starved to death." Ruan Dafeng choked up as he spoke.
Li Wan said, "Such a thing has happened! Who has the audacity to do this? Please continue."
Ruan Dafeng continued, "After some time, Guan Bin, the Prefect of Kaifeng, came to Geshan Village with a man claiming to be an imperial envoy sent by the court. He also brought grain, but I felt something was amiss. Why had the village entrance been sealed off and the grain supply stopped? I asked the imperial envoy, but he brushed me off. Fearing trouble, I didn't dare to ask further. However, my sister accidentally learned about their affair and hoped our family would move away quickly to avoid being used. But I was unwilling to accept this; I couldn't bear to see my father and so many villagers die like this. So I went to my sister, hoping she could help me find out the truth. Fortunately, the imperial envoy was attracted to my sister's beauty and took her back to his residence. My sister investigated extensively and finally uncovered the truth. Please, Your Excellency, help me and seek justice for the people of Geshan Village."
Li Wan picked up the letter and read it carefully. After reading it, he was shocked. The imperial envoy was none other than the current second prince, Hongshi! Could this person have eaten the heart of a bear and the gall of a leopard?
Li Wan shouted, "Guards! Seize him!"
Ruan Dafeng shouted, "Sir, I've come to file a complaint, why are you arresting me?"
Li Wan asked, "Do you know that the imperial envoy is the Second Prince Hongshi? Are you really going to accuse him?"
Ruan Dafeng said, "This humble subject knows that he is superior to the current Second Prince. Even if he is a prince, this humble subject will still sue! I will definitely sue!"
Li Wan said, "It's not that I'm unwilling to help you, it's just..." Li Wan fell silent.
Ruan Dafeng said, "No matter what punishment I may receive, I will pursue this to the end."
Li Wan said, "If that's the case, then according to the laws of the Qing Dynasty, if a citizen sues an official, they must first be given twenty strokes of the cane. Can you bear that?"
Ruan Dafeng said, "As long as I can report them, I can take any punishment, not just twenty strokes, but two hundred strokes."
Li Wan ordered his yamen runners, "Beat them!"
Li Wan originally thought that Ruan Dafeng was just acting on impulse, but to his surprise, Ruan Dafeng didn't even flinch and endured twenty strokes of the cane.
After the twenty strokes of the cane were finished, Li Wan said, "Take him away and lock him in the dungeon!"
The bailiffs on either side were ordered to take Ruan Dafeng away.
Li Wan felt that this matter was of great importance, and said to the clerk beside him, "Prepare a carriage for me immediately, I need to go to the palace to meet the Emperor." Then he immediately took the letter to the palace to request an audience with the Emperor and told him the news.
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