Chapter 122 Chapter 122 Rescue alone...
Perhaps it would be better to wait in the mansion without having to worry. But Lin Qiuran didn't want that. She wanted to go with Xiao Xun.
It wasn't because she was worried about Xu Yuanheng. After all, she chose to help, doing her best and leaving the rest to fate. She didn't want Xiao Xun to be busy all alone.
In the evening, the setting sun painted the west a crimson glow. If I hadn't been out for something, going out like this would have been incredibly uplifting.
Some things are not easy for Lin Qiuran to do, he has to ask this person and that person for help, but it is very easy to let Xiao Xun do it.
When the two arrived at the Dali Temple, Xiao Xun went in directly, and Lin Qiuran waited in the car. It was a little late, and the officials had all resigned. Xiao Xun first asked the jailer Xu Yuanheng what he had done wrong, and then went into the dungeon to see him.
Xu Yuanheng had been here a few days, but he'd been away from the capital for months. The last time I saw him was on Tangyuan's birthday. After so long, the changes weren't huge, but they were definitely different from when we first met.
Xu Yuanheng looked rather disheveled and shabby. The dungeon was dim, with only a plank bed and a straw mattress inside, and no windows. He sat cross-legged on the edge of the bed, his lips pale, his head lowered, his eyes fixed on something else.
As Xiao Xun approached, Xu Yuanheng raised his head with surprise in his eyes, as if he didn't expect to see Xiao Xun here.
He stood up and asked, "Why are you here?"
Xiao Xun: "Come and see if you need anything. I'll send it over tomorrow."
Xu Yuanheng shook his head. "Nothing is missing. Thank you for your concern."
He was shocked and couldn't understand why Xiao Xun came here. Did Lin Qiuran also know about it?
Xiao Xun didn't give him an answer, and continued, "I asked the officials here, and they said that someone in Kangping Marquis's mansion got sick from eating spices, so they arrested you. But they put everything in their cooking, so it's impossible that only spices were eaten. This can't prove that it was the spices that were the problem, and no one would eat spices for their own sake. It's too late today, so I'll have to ask you to stay here for one night. I'll release you tomorrow after the Dali Temple officials arrive."
Xu Yuanheng nodded. The Marquis' Mansion also wanted this prescription. No wonder they forced him to confess and sign as soon as he entered prison.
After entering the dungeon, he told the officials that any food that made him sick wasn't necessarily caused by the spices. After all, spices are used in cooking. Who would eat a bottle of spices without eating them? If so, what was the man's intention? But no one believed him, and no one questioned him. If it weren't for Manager Xu's intervention, Xu Yuanheng's situation would have been even more difficult.
Someone else came and suggested that if he just handed over the spice recipe, he would be safe.
Xu Yuanheng was a businessman, and for years he had been paying his superiors. While his spice business was profitable, it wasn't initially that profitable. A monthly profit of just over a hundred taels of silver wasn't much of a consideration. But now, he was making over three thousand taels of silver a month. He split most of it, and even kept half for stockpiling, making a considerable profit. As his business grew, the profits would only increase.
They all sold spices. If they could get the recipe and just change the bottle, customers would easily accept it. However, Xu Yuanheng didn't know the recipe for the spices, and he was glad for that. When Lin Qiuran offered to give him the recipe, he refused.
They won't let him go unless he gets the prescription. Xu Yuanheng is just a small trader who has just arrived in the capital, but among the scholars, farmers, merchants and artisans, how can a businessman compare to the powerful and wealthy?
Those who took care of it in the past might also want to have a piece of the pie.
He had often thought these days that if he had agreed, problems might have arisen among the people around him. They came directly to him because they couldn't get the prescription.
The man couldn't get the prescription, so he had to lock him up, but he couldn't guarantee that Lin Qiuran would definitely take care of him.
They had a business relationship over the years, and Xu Yuanheng considered himself to be good to Lin Qiuran. But in this kind of situation, helping was a favor, and not helping was a duty. He didn't dare force it, and he didn't tell anyone that he didn't know the recipe.
He thought that Lin Qiuran would run around for her, as she had always been soft-hearted, but Xu Yuanheng didn't expect that the person who came was Xiao Xun.
Xu Yuanheng nodded. "Okay, here in the capital, I often work with Boss Liu and Boss Xu. My steward knows where they live. We can check to see if they have any connection with the Marquis' Mansion."
Xiao Xun: "Yeah."
Xu Yuanheng looked at Xiao Xun. The dungeon was very dark. The candlelight on the outer wall could only illuminate a small area. Sometimes the jailer would come in and out, but it was unknown how long it had been. It seemed as if it had been thousands of years deep in the mountains.
He asked, "How many days have I been here?"
Xiao Xun: "You have been detained for four days. Today, Manager Xu came to the mansion and only then did he know that something happened to you. It would have been better if he had come earlier."
Xu Yuanheng nodded, "Thank you."
Xiao Xun: "You are Tangyuan's godfather, these are what you should do."
He glanced at Xu Yuanheng, took out bottles of medicine from his pocket and put them in. Xu Yuanheng looked fine, but Xiao Xun smelled blood.
Xiao Xun didn't stay long, and left after a while. Xu Yuanheng listened to the sound of his footsteps as he left, which became smaller and smaller until they disappeared.
His expression was somewhat complicated. In the night, he kept looking in the direction where Xiao Xun left. It took him a long time to turn around and finally look at the medicine on the ground.
He had hoped that Xiao Xun would become jealous and confused because of his existence, and finally hold Lin Qiuran's feet, but that didn't happen.
In the future, it will no longer be possible. In fact, he is happy for Lin Qiuran.
*
After Xiao Xun went out, he first adjusted to the light outside. The evening sunlight was not too glaring, but it was still brighter than the dungeon.
Lin Qiuran was waiting beside the carriage. When he saw Xiao Xun coming out, he breathed a sigh of relief and smiled.
Xiao Xun and Lin Qiuran said, "It's not a big deal. It's getting late today, and the officials have all been dismissed. Master Xu can be released tomorrow. Many officials in the Dali Temple have said there's something wrong with the spices, but spices are only used in cooking, so we can't be so arbitrary. He'll probably have to fight another lawsuit after he's released, but at least he won't have to wait in jail forever."
Xu Yuanheng is always in jail, and it's easy for his health to wear out over time.
Lin Qiuran nodded, "If there's nothing else, let's go back."
Xiao Xun asked Lin Qiuran to get in the car first. Lin Qiuran didn't rush to get in, but asked, "Are you tired?"
Xiao Xun shook his head. "It's just a trip, what's so tiring about it? Besides, Master Xu will be Tang Yuan's godfather in the future, so I have to help him out. And since we're in the capital, how can I just ignore him?"
Lin Qiuran lowered her head and smiled. Although she said that, she didn't think it was entirely true.
She felt that even if it had nothing to do with Tang Yuan or herself, as long as Xu Yuanheng hadn't done those things, he would still help Xiao Xun. It had nothing to do with anything else, it was because he was a good person.
But I must have my own reasons for helping this time.
Lin Qiuran glanced at Xiao Xun again, and Xiao Xun smiled and said, "What's wrong? Why are you looking at me so much today?"
Lin Qiuran got on the carriage first, and the light inside was even dimmer. After Xiao Xun got in and the driver started driving, Lin Qiuran slowly said, "I feel like you're very different today. Actually, you're not that different. It's just that I feel like I'm getting to know you all over again. I feel like I didn't understand you well enough before."
Xiao Xun's ears felt hot, "Why do you say that?"
Lin Qiuran said, "In the past, I thought you were a hero in the hearts of the people, defending our country. Now you... are even more visible and tangible. Actually, I understand why you didn't care this time. But that day, before I could even open my mouth, you asked me what happened and agreed to help without hesitation, which really surprised me. In the future, if I have anything to say, I'll tell you first."
In fact, she didn't need to worry about those wordings. This feeling was very new to Lin Qiuran. She used to handle everything by herself. She couldn't help but think back to the days and nights in the past. Although she had come through it, it was also hard. Now, Xiao Xun was here.
If Lin Qiuran hadn't said this, Xiao Xun would have thought that Lin Qiuran was acting this way because he had helped Xu Yuanheng. But the words that followed were clearly what Lin Qiuran wanted to say to him. Xiao Xun was most happy that Lin Qiuran didn't thank him for this favor.
They are a family.
His ears turned redder and redder. “I’m not as good as you say.”
Lin Qiuran smiled and said, "You are already very good. What I said is only a small part of it."
Sometimes time flies by so quickly that these things are easily overlooked, but they do happen.
Xiao Xun couldn't help but laugh again, "That's good, I'm content as long as I can be like this in your heart."
The two of them sat together, holding hands. When they passed a stall selling roasted chestnuts, Lin Qiuran asked Xiao Xun to buy a pound of chestnuts, a small bag still warm. She also bought a candied haws for Tang Yuan. Xiao Xun chose the largest one, the one with the thickest sugar coating, as thin as ice flakes.
After returning home, Lin Qiuran still felt that Xiao Xun was different. Occasionally, when she glimpsed him, she thought he was handsome, with a nice nose. He had broad shoulders, long legs, and a thin waist, which was pleasing to the eye.
I knew he was good-looking before, but I never felt this way today.
Even when sleeping, Lin Qiuran couldn't help but want to get closer.
The distance between them was just a little bit on the bed, not very close, but their breath was close at hand and there was a heat source next to him, so Lin Qiuran felt very hot and a little thirsty. Even after drinking water, he still felt thirsty.
As she moved a little further away from Xiao Xun, the feeling eased. Lin Qiuran tried to get closer, but she felt that Xiao Xun was very hot, and she was even hotter, so she had no choice but to move a little further away.
What happened to her? Did she fall in love with Xiao Xun? At Lin Qiuran’s age, she wouldn’t think she was sick.
But there's nothing wrong with this.
The next day, it started to drizzle. Sun came over early in the morning and asked how Xu Yuanheng was doing.
Lin Qiuran said, "Let's release the person first today, and we'll have to deal with the rest later."
Sun nodded. "Well, it's good enough if the person can be released. He can't stay in the dungeon for too long."
Xiao Xun was going to the military camp during the day, so Lin Qiuran asked the servant in the mansion to go to Xu's house to inform Manager Xu to pick him up. However, he did not go to Dingyuan Marquis's house, but went to Xu's house in the capital.
After the others came back, Lin Qiuran asked Lin Xia to go and take a look.
Xu Yuanheng was fine. He must have suffered a bit when he went in, but fortunately he came out safely. He originally wanted to come back to rest and wash up before going to the Dali Temple, but soon someone came to the Xu family with gifts.
The visitor was the steward of the Kangping Marquis's residence. He brought many gifts and apologized profusely. His back almost collapsed and he wished he could bury his head in the ground. "It was a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding! The servants in the residence used Thirteen Spices to cook some dishes, and the old man got sick from eating them. Our Second Master was so anxious that he tried all kinds of treatment and ended up reporting the matter to the authorities. Your sons and grandsons are filial, so please forgive me for any offense I have caused to Master Xu."
Xu Yuanheng was not the kind of person who would let others go and settle things peacefully. He did not let anyone in. Manager Xu asked the person to leave with kind words, but the people in the Kangping Marquis' Mansion would not feel at ease until the gift was delivered.
If they had known that Xu Yuanheng and Xiao Xun were close, they would never have made a move. Indeed, Xiao Xun was just an earl, but his advantage was that he was highly regarded by the emperor.
Moreover, they were in the wrong in this matter, so naturally they should compensate.
But Xu Yuanheng's appetite was bigger than they imagined. If they couldn't settle the matter privately, he would have to confront the authorities.
Xu Yuanheng was injured. If Zhao Jinshan knew about this, the people who helped them would suffer, and he would also be in trouble.
In the afternoon, the steward of Kangping Marquis's Mansion came again, this time with a valuable gift, but still no gift came in. Helplessly, the steward of Kangping Marquis's Mansion could only pass a letter inside, saying that this time it was Liu Zhongliang who wanted to ask for something, and the Marquis' Mansion owed him a favor in the past, and they were really sorry.
If Xu Yuanheng wants something, just ask.
If it were in the past, Xu Yuanheng would definitely ask for help, but this time it was Xiao Xun who helped him. He didn't want to owe too many favors, and he also didn't want to cause trouble for Xiao Xun and make it difficult for him to do his job in the court.
Xu Yuanheng letting someone in also meant that the matter was over.
The matter was over, but Liu Zhongliang could not escape unscathed. Xu Yuanheng was taken to the Dali Temple. He wanted to close the case but could not just say that he had arrested the wrong person. The Kangping Marquis Mansion pushed Liu Zhongliang out.
This time, he not only accompanied his wife but also lost his soldiers.
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The author has something to say: Thank you for your support~Please give me some advice~[Panda Head][Cat Head]
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