"I never expected that you would be the first to lose control."
Qin Wenyuan removed his hood, revealing a face that could not hide his exhaustion. The noble air of the imperial family was dimmed by the gloom of the dungeon.
"Jiang Shaosi."
Jiang Jinxiao let out a short, soft laugh, but the movement aggravated the wound at the corner of his mouth, causing him to frown slightly.
His voice was hoarse and cracked like a broken bellows, "This title, 'Shao Si,' sounds rather ironic now."
He struggled to move his wrists, which were chafed and bleeding from the shackles; the chains rattled dully.
"Coming here so late at night, surely you're not here to reminisce about old times, or to visit a dying man like me?"
Qin Wenyuan ignored the sarcasm in the conversation, his gaze fixed intently on him, "I know you're resentful..."
He had barely begun speaking when Jiang Jinxiao interrupted him:
"The earth in Linhai Prefecture has turned upside down, and eight thousand six hundred taels of molten gold bricks are hidden beneath the floor tiles of the study..."
He suddenly chuckled softly, which then turned into a hysterical, maniacal laugh.
Having finally managed to stop laughing, Jiang Jinxiao spoke loudly:
"According to the provisions of the 'Dry Law' regarding supervisors accepting bribes and perverting justice:"
Those supervisors and officials who accept bribes and pervert the law shall be punished with one hundred strokes of the cane for every foot of silk they wear, and one degree more for every bolt of silk they wear, up to fifteen bolts of silk by strangulation.
Embezzling disaster relief funds and grain is considered a crime committed by a supervisor within his jurisdiction, and according to the "Commentary on the Law of Corruption," it is punishable by two degrees more severe than theft.
One tael of gold for ten bolts of silk, eight thousand six hundred taels, eighty-six thousand bolts of silk, is more than five thousand seven hundred times the death penalty.
Hahaha... to be executed in the autumn? I won't die unjustly!
At this point, Jiang Jinxiao's face turned as fierce as a demon.
This crime is too serious; he cannot bear it alone.
He was stripped of his official rank and all his family property was confiscated and added to the national treasury.
His wife and daughters were stripped of their official positions and enslaved, and exiled to the southern border to serve as government slaves.
Fathers and sons, brothers, were exiled three thousand miles away, and even if pardoned, they would not be pardoned and would never be allowed to return;
Their clan was stripped of their official status, and their family was completely removed from the gentry class. Their descendants for three generations were barred from taking the imperial examinations and holding official positions!
Three generations, a full three generations!
His crime brought ruin upon the entire family; because of him, the Jiang family is finished...
Jiang Jinxiao suddenly raised his head, his gaze fixed on the other person's face:
"Brother Wenyuan, what do you mean by 'at the very end'? Should I take a few people down with me? Or..." He drawled out the last word.
"Perhaps by making amends for our crimes, we might be able to exonerate my family. What do you think?"
Qin Wenyuan clenched his fist, which was hidden in his sleeve, but his face remained expressionless as he spoke coldly:
“If you confess, even if they are pardoned, they will surely die.”
Having made it this far, there's no point in clinging to any illusions; you only have one path to take.
It's clear that Jiang Jinxiao has been severely tortured, but he hasn't revealed anyone else and has managed to endure until now.
Jiang Jinxiao was panting heavily; his body was already exhausted, and he was drenched in sweat in just a short while.
The truth is the most hurtful thing, and he knew that Qin Wenyuan was telling the truth.
If they keep it a secret, others might secretly help their clansmen out of consideration for their silence.
But if he were to speak, would His Majesty send people to guard his family to the death?
This is the rule, an unspoken understanding.
Therefore, since his conviction, he has not seen any of his "colleagues".
Qin Wenyuan took two steps forward, squatted down, and placed an oil paper package in front of him.
"This is a 'Fleeting Essence' powder; it can help alleviate your pain and is enough to help you endure until the end."
The "Fluffy Dew" is not cheap, and it's not just about relieving pain.
After taking it, one will feel lightheaded and all worries and troubles will be forgotten.
It is named for its extravagance and fleeting nature.
"To use execution, it would cost at least several thousand taels of silver," Jiang Jinxiao smiled again.
He picked up the oil paper package with his withered fingers. "Brother Wenyuan, what is the meaning of this?"
Knowing that he was just saying it in anger, and that he couldn't possibly act impulsively now that he's held out this long, why would he risk coming to me late at night and bringing such a "generous gift"?
"I'm not very bright, so you'd better just say what you want to say."
Qin Wenyuan leaned closer, ignoring the pungent stench, and said in a voice only the two of them could hear:
"I need the contact information for Cui Jiafeng, the person in charge in Beijing."
Jiang Jinxiao raised an eyebrow. "Your son's little affair is at most that of an accomplice. Why is it so serious? Or did he commit some other crime?"
The corruption of the local chieftain in Linhai Prefecture was all part of a scheme.
The Cui family's scheme implicated all the officials involved in the disaster relief efforts.
One of them was Qin Huaizhang, Qin Wenyuan's only son.
At that time, Qin Huaizhang was a newcomer to officialdom and in his prime. Qin Wenyuan put him in the disaster relief team.
There is little risk involved; disaster relief efforts are governed by established procedures.
Adding his own arrangements would only add to his son's resume and allow him to share some of the credit.
This is all standard practice; many people follow the same path to gain prestige.
But it was precisely this seemingly foolproof plan that went wrong.
Even a seasoned official like Jiang Jinxiao fell into the trap, let alone his inexperienced son.
Qin Wenyuan's gaze, sharp as a hawk's, fixed on Jiang Jinxiao. "You don't need to worry about that. Just know that I need a way out."
"You know the methods of powerful families better than I do. Instead of trusting them, you might as well take another gamble."
It poses no risk to you, but it could be the last glimmer of hope for your people.
Jiang Jinxiao stared intently at Qin Wenyuan, his chest heaving violently, his heavy breathing unusually clear in the deathly silent cell.
That facade of calm shattered completely, revealing the unfathomable fear and struggle beneath.
After a long silence, he finally managed to squeeze out a voice through clenched teeth, hoarse with a desperate air: "What can you do?"
Qin Wenyuan knew that the time had come.
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