Chapter 112 Imprisonment
The donkey cart crossed the pontoon bridge in the rain. Du Min, wearing a straw hat, peered out at the river. The turbid water churned and the current was swift. Logs, broken branches, straw, and tattered clothes floated on the surface.
Meng Qing glanced at it and sighed, "With this current, if someone accidentally falls in, they won't even have a chance to surface; they'll just spin around and sink to the bottom."
"Make way, make way!" A group of soldiers ran towards them.
The donkey cart quickly pulled over, and the soldiers, carrying fishing nets, ran over. The people on the cart all turned around and saw a pile of broken logs floating on the river about ten feet behind them, only half a mile away from the pontoon bridge.
The current was swift, and in the blink of an eye, the whirlpool carrying the broken logs crashed into the pontoon bridge, causing the entire bridge to vibrate. The soldiers quickly cast their nets, shouting as they dragged them toward the south bank.
Another group of soldiers arrived, led by Wu Zhenjiang of Shacheng. He recognized Du Min, hastily nodded in greeting, and said, "Magistrate Du, hurry ashore, don't linger on the bridge."
This was the first time Du Min had encountered soldiers from Shacheng maintaining the pontoon bridge. After crossing the bridge, he got off and stood at the bridgehead, gazing into the distance.
Funeral music suddenly began to play in the distance. Du Min looked in the direction of the sound and exclaimed, "It's almost dark, and it's raining so hard, yet there's still a funeral procession on its way?"
“It’s General Lu’s father who died.” Meng Qing walked over from the school and said, “The steward of General Lu’s mansion took away four carts of paper offerings and funerary objects after noon. The remaining six carts will be picked up in five days. Third brother, if it doesn’t stop raining tomorrow, I want to move everything in the school to the other side of the river, and all the apprentices will move there too. We’ll move them back after the rainy season.”
Du Min nodded. "This rain doesn't look like it'll stop easily, so it's good to prepare early. Let's go back."
Back at the yamen, the yamen runner on duty greeted him and said, "Sir, someone from General Lu's residence has come to report the death of his father. His father passed away this morning."
"I understand," Du Min nodded. "I will go to pay my respects tomorrow."
The rain fell all night, turning into a light drizzle the next morning. Du Min led his constables to patrol the banks of the Yellow River. The exposed rocks on both sides were submerged, and the reeds along the banks were so submerged that only half a finger's length of grass was visible above the water. The wind and waves roared on the river, but the banks were crowded with people collecting fish and casting nets.
Du Min and the constables drove them away as they went, but no sooner had they left than the people they had chased away sneaked back.
Du Min's throat was hoarse from shouting. Seeing this scene, he was so angry that he kicked the big carp that had jumped ashore.
"Are you all out of your minds? Are you all out of your minds? Can't you see the river is rising? Haven't the people who drowned in the river before taught you a lesson?" he shouted angrily. "These are fish from the river, not cattle or sheep on the bank. They can't survive out of water for long. Picking one or two is enough to eat for two or three days. If you pick more, they'll just rot."
“We can sell them for money. We can take the fish we collect and sell them. Sir, if we could afford to eat, we would like to sell fish instead of risking our lives to collect them here.” A woman said, “Sir, we live on both sides of the Yellow River and we encounter this situation every year. Everyone knows what’s going on and we’re all on guard. Nothing bad will happen.”
Du Min didn't believe this at all. Fish were tied to money. A big fish weighing seven or eight pounds was worth at least twenty or thirty coins, equivalent to two days' wages for a day laborer. How could they bear to let the fish escape?
Just then, a scream suddenly rang out from behind. Du Min turned around and saw a dark human head floating on the water's surface, disappearing from sight in a few moments.
Cries and screams rose from the shore, and then all other sounds ceased.
Du Min stared at the water for a long time. The person who had fallen in did not resurface. He closed his eyes and roared, "Everyone, leave the riverbank immediately! Anyone who refuses to leave will be thrown into jail and sentenced to thirty days of service."
People drowned, and those on the shore were terrified. They stopped complaining and arguing, and reluctantly left, each carrying their sacks of fish.
Du Min left the constables to patrol the riverbank, then ran back in the rain to change into dry clothes, took the waterproof wreath Meng Qing had prepared for him, and went out with a constable.
"Sir, Magistrate Du has arrived," a servant reported.
Lu Zhenjiang came out to greet him, his voice hoarse as he said, "Lord Du, I'm sorry to have troubled you. It's raining so hard, and you still have to come all this way."
“Lord Lu, you are too kind. Please accept my condolences.” Du Min closed the umbrella and handed it to the yamen runner, saying, “I heard earlier that your father was seriously ill and had been wanting to visit him, but I was tied up with trivial matters and before I could find the time, I heard that your father had passed away. I will go in and burn some incense for him to express my condolences.”
"Please." Lu Zhenjiang stepped aside.
Du Min walked in, encountering many familiar faces along the way, which he greeted with slight nods. Upon entering the mourning hall, he accepted the incense offered by a servant and skillfully bowed three times.
Lu Zhen returned the greeting and invited him to the living room for tea.
"Lord Lu, I won't stay any longer today. The Yellow River is rising, and there are many matters to attend to at the yamen. I must return to oversee things," Du Min declined. "I am truly sorry, please forgive me."
General Lu's face relaxed; he couldn't wait for this plague to leave.
“Alright, you’re busy. I’ll invite you over again in a couple of days when we perform the ritual,” Lu Zhen said, understanding the situation.
At funerals, the family usually displays the burial goods to the guests on the day of the ritual. Du Min also usually chose this day when he went to other funerals to pay his respects.
Du Min glanced at General Lu a few times, somewhat disbelieving that the other party would cooperate so readily.
“Alright, I’ll come to pay my respects in a couple of days,” Du Min agreed.
When Lu Zhen saw him off, he narrowed his eyes when he saw that he had only brought one yamen runner with him.
He thought it would be best if this rain lasted a few more days.
"I hope the rain stops soon," Du Min thought, heading straight to the head of the Heyang Bridge. He had only been gone for an hour, and the water level seemed to have risen again.
"Third brother, what are you doing standing here? The water won't stop rising just because you're watching. Go sit in the school. Your clothes are damp and chilly. If you stand by the river in the wind, you might catch a cold," Du Li said as he passed by carrying two boxes.
"Have you moved everything out of the free school?" Du Min asked.
"Move the paper, ink sticks, glue, and brushes away, but leave the bamboo strips and bamboo; they've all been moved to the back granary," Du Li said. "I won't say any more to you; I'm crossing the bridge now."
Du Min led the yamen runners to the free school, where only three apprentices were tidying up odds and ends. The paper horse inn next door was also empty. He then went to the granary in the back row, where the apprentices from the free school and the paper horse inn were all there, helping the granary supervisor and the laborers build mud walls and seal the doors and windows.
The sound of gongs carried on the wind as the constables continued their patrol along the banks of the Yellow River.
Once again, shouts rang out from the pontoon bridge as soldiers continued their patrols.
This was the first time Du Min had experienced such a scene. He was in a state of chaos and disorder, and he couldn't sit still at all. Seeing that there was no need for him to keep watch here, he abandoned his umbrella, borrowed a straw hat and raincoat from an apprentice, and turned to patrol the banks of the Yellow River.
It wasn't until it was completely dark that the family gradually returned to the government office. In the sweltering heat of May, they sat inside drinking ginger soup to warm themselves.
"The free school at the foot of Beiman Mountain has been arranged, so I don't need to keep an eye on it for the next few days," Meng Qing said.
“I still have to go out every day, with a lot of things to do,” Du Min sighed. “Today, while patrolling the banks of the Yellow River, we shouted until our voices were hoarse, and some people even sneaked into the water to collect fish. As a result, someone drowned. I saw three people drown in one day, and their bodies were never found.”
"Are there enough people? I'll go help you," Du Li said. "I'll stay with you. You're running around so fast, you might get pushed into the water if you're not careful."
Du Min agreed without hesitation.
Overnight, the Yellow River's water level rose again, and the dock in front of the school was submerged by a step.
There were far fewer people casting nets and collecting fish on the shore today. With the yamen runners having some free time, they went up to the bridge to help the soldiers retrieve things that had been washed down from upstream.
“It’s estimated that some villages upstream have been flooded. Most of the driftwood salvaged in the past two days consists of beams,” Wu Zhenjiang from Shacheng told Du Min.
"Is the flooding like this in previous years?" Du Min asked.
“This is nothing. Last June, there was a huge flood. The sandbar in the middle of the river was submerged, with only the roofs showing. Half of the houses in the low-lying areas were submerged.” Wu Zhenjiang shook his head and pointed to the pontoon bridge, saying, “Back then, the bridgehead was half a mile from the shore, and the soldiers tied ropes to the bridge to clear the driftwood. You must have never seen such a big flood before, right? You’ll get used to it after a couple more years.”
Du Min felt a little more at ease.
Nothing else happened that day.
The next morning, Du Min couldn't wait to go out to Heyang Bridge again. The water level didn't seem to have risen any further, and only one step of the stone steps at the dock was submerged.
Du Min then returned to the government office with peace of mind. He changed into silk clothes and, accompanied by two yamen runners in ordinary clothes, went to General Lu's residence.
When Du Min arrived, the funeral service had already begun. In the side hall next to the mourning hall, a room full of burial items was displayed for the guests. He walked in with his hands behind his back and bent down to examine them carefully.
Lu Zhen walked in from outside, and said with a half-smile, "Lord Du, are you being so disrespectful?"
"Please forgive me, Lord Lu," Du Min said apologetically. He straightened up and explained, "I've seen too many funerary objects in the past six months. Right now, it's just a matter of habit, and I subconsciously want to study the craftsmanship."
"How is the workmanship?"
“Impeccable.” Du Min walked out and asked, “Lord Lu, are these all the burial items for your father?”
“I would like to prepare more, but I know that Lord Du is impartial and will not let it pass. In order to ensure a smooth funeral, I prepared ten loads of burial goods and extra paper offerings, filling ten carts.” General Lu’s words were full of helplessness.
“It’s better to prepare less. The father-in-law of the former prime minister, Li Yifu, had a lot of burial items, but he was robbed. I heard that the tomb robbers stole all the burial items from the front chamber and the side chambers.” Du Min shook his head.
Lu Zhenjiang's face turned grim.
Du Min glanced at him, then turned and walked out the door, strolling into the living room to wait for the meal to begin.
Lu Zhen was about to leave when he stepped out of the mansion gate and looked into the distance. The rain was pouring down again, and there wasn't a single person to be seen on the road leading to the county town.
"Sir, all the guests have arrived, and the ritual is about to end. Would you like to begin the banquet?" the steward asked.
"Have all the guests arrived?"
"yes."
"Then let's begin the feast." General Lu nodded, walked into the mansion, and nodded to the warriors guarding outside the mourning hall.
Before all the dishes were served, a servant, soaking wet, entered the town magistrate's mansion led by the steward. The steward walked into the living room and said in a moderate voice, "Lord Du, someone from the government office is looking for you. It seems to be about family matters."
Upon hearing this, Du Min went outside and recognized the messenger who had delivered the message. He was originally a servant of Wang Kunlun's household and later guarded the bridge at the Heyang Bridge.
"Sir, the young master sneaked out to play in the mud, slipped and fell on the stone steps in front of the yamen, hitting his head. I don't know if he's knocked unconscious or..."
Du Min's expression changed instantly. Before the servant could finish speaking, he turned and ran outside.
The servants hurried to catch up.
The yamen runners who were arranged to eat in the side courtyard were completely unaware of the situation. When the two of them finished their food and drinks and came to the front courtyard to look for the man, they were told that Lord Du had left half an hour earlier.
"Someone from the yamen came to tell us that something happened at his home, and he ran away without even eating, and the servant followed him," the steward said.
The two constables did not linger and immediately left the mansion.
Back at the yamen, the two entered the office of clerks and heard geese honking inside. One of the yamen runners asked, "Chief Registrar, what happened at your house, sir?"
"Which sir?" Sihu Zuo asked, looking puzzled.
"Magistrate Du, Lord Du."
"What happened? Who's in trouble?" Sihuzuo asked in surprise. "I haven't heard anything about anyone being in trouble."
"Is everything alright? Has the magistrate returned?" The constable sensed something was wrong. "Have you sent anyone to the garrison commander's residence to summon the magistrate back?"
"The lord hasn't returned." The registrar immediately stood up, not even bothering to open his umbrella, and ran to the back of the government office in the rain. "Wangzhou, has your third uncle returned?"
No.
"Your Lord Du went to the garrison commander's residence this morning," Du Li replied. "If there's anything, send someone to call him back."
The clerk turned and left. He found two constables and said, "Explain yourselves clearly. What exactly happened?"
“We don’t know either. After we arrived at the garrison commander’s mansion, the steward arranged for us to have a banquet in the side courtyard. After we finished eating, we went to the front courtyard to find the magistrate, only to be told that he had run away before the banquet even started, saying it was because of family matters.” The constable became nervous. “Oh, right, the steward said that the person who delivered the message was a menial servant in the yamen.”
The registrar immediately went to tell Magistrate Sun, who felt a chill run down his spine; this was definitely a conspiracy.
"Immediately send people to search along the road, and also send someone to check near Heyang Bridge, to see if the magistrate has gone there," Magistrate Sun instructed. "Also check the people in the county government office to see who is missing. If everyone is present, take them to the garrison commander's office and have them identify who sent the message."
The head of the household affairs office hurriedly made arrangements.
After thinking for a moment, Magistrate Sun went out to the government office at the back.
Du Li, holding an umbrella, stood with Wang Zhou in the rain as they washed the goose's feathers. Hearing footsteps, he looked up and asked, "Lord Sun, are you looking for your Lord Du?"
"I'm looking for Madam Meng. Is she home?"
"She's sleeping, I'll go wake her for you." Du Li handed the umbrella to Wang Zhou, "Hold it yourself, don't get your hair wet."
A moment later, Meng Qing finished tidying himself up and came out. "Lord Sun, did you need to see me?"
“It seems that something has happened to Lord Du,” said Magistrate Sun. “The two yamen runners who accompanied him to the garrison commander’s mansion to offer condolences returned alone. According to them, before the banquet began, a servant from the yamen went to report that something had happened at home, and Lord Du ran away without even eating.”
“No, we didn’t send anyone to look for him.” Meng Qing was flustered, but she tried to remain calm and said, “This messenger must be someone from the yamen. Du Min knows him.”
"Yes, I have already arranged for people to investigate."
"Lord Sun, we've found out. Niu Danian went out this morning and hasn't returned yet," the Registrar reported. "This Niu Danian used to be a servant in Wang Kunlun's household. Could it be that the Wang family holds a grudge against Lord Du and arranged for someone to abduct him on the road?"
“I will immediately take men to the Wang family,” said Magistrate Sun.
“I’ll go with you,” Meng Qing said.
“I’ll go too,” Du Li said.
"You stay home and keep an eye on Wangzhou, don't let him run away." Meng Qing pointed to the child, whose face was full of panic.
*
When they arrived at the Wang family's residence, Wang Erlang claimed to know nothing about the matter and refused to admit that he had arranged for Du Min to be kidnapped.
"What are you thinking? My elder brother is still in jail. He's in your hands. How could I dare to lay a hand on Magistrate Du?" Wang Erlang was also anxious. The crime of kidnapping the magistrate could cost him and his entire family their lives, and he was eager to clear his name.
"Does Niu Danian still have any relatives in your family?" Meng Qing asked.
Wang Erlang summoned the steward, who shook his head. "No, he only had an old mother, who died a few years ago."
Wang Erlang suddenly thought of General Lu. He glanced at Magistrate Sun and Meng Qing, but said nothing.
As Magistrate Sun and Meng Qing left the Wang family residence, he pondered and asked, "Could it be someone from the Lou family?"
"I suspect General Lu more than the Lou family." Meng Qing had figured it out. At this critical moment, the person who would benefit the most from making Du Min disappear was General Lu. With no one stopping him, he could prepare burial goods for his father at will.
“Magistrate Sun, if Du Min hasn’t returned by tonight, go to Heyin County tomorrow and find Magistrate Zhao. Make sure he stops Lu’s funeral procession,” Meng Qing instructed.
"What if it wasn't General Lu?" Magistrate Sun worried.
"We'll be able to confirm it in three more days." Meng Qing subconsciously thought that it was General Lu who was behind it. Du Min ran away from the general's mansion, and they, as the host family, didn't even notify the yamen runners. This is not something a powerful family would do unless it was intentional.
“Magistrate Sun, do me another favor: write a reward notice for anyone who saw Niu Danian today and can provide useful clues. The reward is thirty strings of cash,” Meng Qing said thoughtfully. “Also, spread the word about Du Min’s kidnapping. It would be best if the whole county knew about it.”
"If this situation escalates, won't it be detrimental to you, sir?" Magistrate Sun hesitated.
“No, he won’t take Du Min’s life. If he wanted to, Du Min would be dead now,” Meng Qing said.
“Alright, I’ll make the arrangements.” County Magistrate Sun chose to listen to her.
Meng Qing returned to the yamen, and the yamen runners who had been searching for people along the way also returned. It was raining heavily, and there was no one on the road. They had not found a single clue.
In the evening, Governor Lu arrived and asked with a solemn expression, "I heard that Lord Du has gone missing?"
“Yes.” Magistrate Sun looked him over and questioned, “Lord Lu, our Lord Du ran away in a hurry. Why didn’t your people notify the yamen runners who went with him? Now that Lord Du is in trouble, you have an inescapable responsibility.”
Lu Zhen looked remorseful. "At the time, we were serving dishes and the servants were busy, so we overlooked this matter. I am responsible, and I will arrange for someone to help us search."
Meng Qing and Du Li sat to the side, watching coldly.
Lu Zhen apologized to the two men apologetically, then left with heavy steps.
"How is it?" Magistrate Sun asked Meng Qing.
"It was him," Meng Qing asserted. "Let's put ourselves in his shoes. If your relative's child went missing after leaving your house, what would your reaction be? Your first reaction would be panic; you wouldn't be able to sit still at all. But he received the news in the afternoon and didn't come to your door until it was almost dark, remaining very calm. Your second reaction would be annoyance. Du Min, a grown man, disappeared after leaving his residence, and with a funeral in his family, he's also involved in this lawsuit. Wouldn't he be annoyed? When you questioned him, he remained calm. This calmness makes his remorse seem fake. In the matter of the county magistrate's disappearance, it would be normal for someone like Wang Erlang to be eager to shirk responsibility, but he took the blame."
The main reason for his quick agreement was that he knew Du Min wouldn't be in any trouble; at most, he'd disappear for a few days, and we wouldn't be able to find any evidence against him. "We don't need to worry anymore," Meng Qing concluded. "Du Min will be fine."
Du Li and County Magistrate Sun both breathed a sigh of relief.
"This General Lu is really bold," exclaimed Magistrate Sun.
“After all, there are old grudges and feuds. Du Min schemed against him, and Lu Zhen couldn’t give his father a proper burial. To be precise, he himself had also contributed to it. Now that he’s in this predicament, how can he not be angry?” Meng Qing said, “The beating Du Min received in the first month might have been arranged by him.”
"It's quite possible. The person who did it that night was skilled in martial arts," said Magistrate Sun.
"It's getting dark, Lord Sun. You've been busy all day, you should go back and rest early," Meng Qing said.
Magistrate Sun nodded. "Should we still post the reward notice? Should we continue to publicize the fact that the official is missing?"
Meng Qing nodded, "We probably can't find Niu Danian, that handyman. Why don't we try to force Lu Zhen to make a move? That traitor has had enough of living."
Magistrate Sun glanced at her; he was quite ruthless.
Du Li blinked, her face showing no reaction.
Meng Qing walked out of the duty room, saying irritably, "The rain is getting heavier again."
With a deafening roar, a bolt of lightning struck down from the sky.
That night, thunder roared incessantly, as if the sky had a hole in it, and the rain poured down relentlessly all night long.
When I woke up in the morning, the rain hadn't stopped, and the backyard of the government office was flooded.
The constables went out and came back, saying that they couldn't see anyone outside at all, and even banging the gong didn't attract many people to come out and ask.
Another day has passed.
In the dead of night, a huge black shadow swept down the upper reaches of the Yellow River. The shadow drifted downstream at an extremely fast speed and was blocked when it passed the pontoon bridge.
Mud, sand, rocks, and driftwood were all swept over by the waves and blocked on one side of the pontoon bridge.
Just as dawn was breaking, a loud "clang" rang out, and the pontoon bridge, unable to withstand the force, broke in half.
As dawn broke, two soldiers rushed into the county government office, saying, "Where is Lord Du? General Wu requests your presence."
"Lord Du has disappeared; he's been missing for three days," the constable reported. "Currently, Magistrate Sun is in charge of the yamen. Would it be alright to summon him?"
"Alright, tell Magistrate Sun that the pontoon bridge has collapsed."
"The pontoon bridge is broken?" Magistrate Sun's face changed drastically. "How did the pontoon bridge break? How did you maintain it? We're doomed, we're all going to be reprimanded by the imperial court."
Meng Qing's eyes lit up upon hearing this. Du Min was lucky; his disappearance was a good thing. It would be even better if he could disappear for a longer period of time, so he wouldn't have to clean up the mess and could avoid punishment.
Magistrate Sun ran off like his pants were on fire. Meng Qing hurriedly left the clerk's office and found Wang Zhou. "Wang Zhou, weren't you in a hurry to save your third uncle? I have an idea for you. Only you can do this..."
After an incense stick had burned, Du Li carried Wang Zhou on his back and, together with Meng Qing, led the yamen runners to the town general's mansion.
Lu Zhen is not at home. The pontoon bridge is broken, and even if his father stays at home, he can't be sent to Beiman Mountain. He received the news early this morning and hurriedly left home. He hasn't returned yet.
Du Li led the yamen runners and successfully stormed in, causing trouble. Taking advantage of the chaos, Meng Qing protected Wang Zhou and slipped from the front yard into the back yard.
"Where did this child come from?" A maidservant discovered Wangzhou.
"I'm looking for my third uncle! Release my third uncle! Third uncle, the pontoon bridge is broken! Come out quickly!" Wang Zhou ran around frantically, shouting as he ran, "Third uncle, it's me, Wang Zhou! The pontoon bridge is broken!"
"Grab that child!"
Du Min was tied up, gagged, and locked in a side room. He was lying on the couch when he heard the commotion outside getting closer and closer. He quickly sat up and listened carefully, vaguely hearing a familiar voice.
"Third Uncle, the pontoon bridge is broken, the pontoon bridge is broken... Don't grab me! Third Uncle, the pontoon bridge is broken—" Wang Zhou shouted loudly, still shouting at the top of his lungs even while being held in someone's arms.
Du Min heard clearly this time: the pontoon bridge was broken? His assessment! His political achievements! His career! That damned General Wu!
A few breaths later, the commotion outside faded into the distance. Du Min paced anxiously around the room, and suddenly, he understood Meng Qing's purpose in sending Wang Zhou to deliver the message. He looked around and made up his mind.
The wooden door thudded three times, and Du Min collapsed behind it, his head covered in blood.
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Author's note: See you tomorrow night at 8 PM.
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