Chapter 114 Arrest and Return to Justice
"My lord, Your Excellency, the carriage of Prefect Zheng is approaching!" The servant ran through the rain to the bank of the Yellow River and found Magistrate Zhao.
Magistrate Zhao turned around. "Where are you? Did you go to the county office?"
"On the way here, it should take about half an incense stick's time to get there."
Magistrate Zhao immediately went to greet them. He walked out of the crowd and encountered a four-horse carriage about five zhang away from the Yellow River bank, followed by two teams of cavalry.
"Zhao He, the magistrate of Heyin County, pays his respects to Your Excellency the Prefect," Magistrate Zhao announced loudly.
With a "whoosh," the carriage came to a stop. The door opened from the inside, and a dignified-looking middle-aged man stepped out. He glanced at the muddy ground and Magistrate Zhao, half-covered in mud, but didn't dismount. Instead, he stood on the driver's seat and gazed into the distance. As far as the eye could see, a vast expanse of water stretched out before him, the murky yellow river level with the road surface.
"What is the situation with the broken pontoon bridge? Can the people on the other side cross?" Governor Zheng asked.
“The current in the middle of the river is too strong. Even the large grain ships, loaded with silt, cannot stay stable in the river. There are no vehicles to cross the river on the other side,” Magistrate Zhao replied. “The pontoon bridge broke at night. After dawn, I and the town of Shacheng will immediately begin the salvage operation. However, the bridge is too heavy and the current is too strong. Those who went down the river to tie the ropes were swept downstream along with their boats, and their fate is unknown.”
"Has the bridge been salvaged?" Governor Zheng asked.
Magistrate Zhao leaned forward and slumped down, “Your Excellency, I am incompetent and have failed to salvage the bridge. On the other side of the river, Wu Zhenjiang, having more manpower, abandoned part of the bridge on the north bank and dragged the section near the shore back to the bank.”
Governor Zheng frowned. "Why don't you follow the method on the other side?"
Magistrate Zhao remained silent. Heyang Bridge was located within the territory of Heqing County and was under the jurisdiction of Shacheng Town General. One of the two officials in charge was missing and the other was on the other side of the river. As a magistrate from another county, and without the handwritten letters from General Wu and Magistrate Du, how could he dare to cut off the plank road?
“The soldiers and officers of Shacheng are all on the other side of the river, and I do not have any suitable manpower on my side,” Magistrate Zhao replied.
Governor Zheng sat back in the carriage and instructed the driver to continue driving forward.
Magistrate Zhao followed the carriage.
A moment later, the carriage stopped by the water. Governor Zheng stepped out of the carriage again and witnessed a section of the bridge detaching from the fixed pontoon bridge and being carried downstream by the current.
Magistrate Zhao stood up, panting, and sighed upon seeing this scene.
Governor Zheng looked towards the opposite bank. A light rain was falling, and across the nearly two-mile stretch of water, everything on the other side was obscured as if shrouded in mist.
"The magistrate of Heqing County has disappeared?" Governor Zheng asked. "What's going on?"
"I don't know either. Two days before the pontoon bridge collapsed, the county magistrate of Heqing County came to me, saying that Magistrate Du had disappeared the day before while on his way to Luzhen to attend his father's funeral. He instructed me to intercept the funeral procession on the road leading into Beiman Mountain on the day of Luzhen's father's funeral and to check whether the burial goods were in violation of regulations. But two days later, on the day of Luzhen's father's funeral, just as dawn broke, I received news that the Heyang Bridge had collapsed. With the pontoon bridge broken, people on the other side couldn't cross, and I couldn't receive any news. I don't know Magistrate Du's situation, so I can only report this to you." Magistrate Zhao explained in detail, "If Magistrate Du hasn't been found yet, he has been missing for seven days now."
Upon hearing this, Governor Zheng remained silent. He bowed and stepped into the carriage. After a short while, a carrier pigeon flew out of the carriage door, crossed the rain, and sped across the surging river to the other side.
Magistrate Zhao slapped his forehead in frustration, "I was so flustered that I didn't even think of this solution!"
Governor Zheng remained silent. He instructed, "Prepare a place for me to stay. I will be residing in Heyin County. Keep an eye on the water level. Once it drops, immediately organize boats to cross the river."
Magistrate Zhao should be the one.
*
Heqing County.
Wu Zhen was leading his troops to guard the riverbank when a pigeon suddenly appeared in his field of vision. He stood up and stared at it.
"Are pigeons still coming out of their nests to forage in this kind of weather?" Magistrate Sun saw it too and muttered to himself.
"Who has any dry rations on them?" Wu Zhenjiang asked.
A soldier took out a wet naan bread from his pocket. Wu Zhen took it, broke off a few pieces, and scattered them, but the pigeons in the air did not fly down to forage for food. He thought for a moment, then chased after the pigeons.
Not long after, Wu Zhen returned with a pigeon in his hand, holding a note that read, "County Magistrate Sun, Prefect Zheng has arrived. He's on the other side of the river. He asked Magistrate Du if he has found it."
Magistrate Sun secretly breathed a sigh of relief; finally, there was someone in charge of the overall situation.
"I replied, but General Lu still refuses to let our men into the mansion to search," said Magistrate Sun.
Wu Zhen nodded and handed the pigeon over. "It has a letter tube on its leg. Write your message, put it in, and release the pigeon. It will go back on its own."
Magistrate Sun returned to the county office with the pigeons. He discussed with Meng Qing, "Prefect Zheng has arrived. As soon as the rain stops and the river slows down, boats can cross the river again, and the Prefect will be able to come and uphold justice. Should we spread the news and withdraw the yamen runners? If we put some pressure on him, General Lu will probably release Magistrate Du."
Meng Qing pondered for a moment and asked, "Besides you, who else knows about Governor Zheng on the other side of the river?"
“General Wu knew, as did the soldiers on the shore at the time,” said Magistrate Sun.
“Then we don’t need to say anything. Someone should go and report it. If no one reports it, even better. When Governor Zheng arrives, we can storm into the garrison commander’s mansion and catch him red-handed.” Meng Qing was worried that they wouldn’t be able to find any evidence against Garrison Commander Lu.
"The third brother has been missing for seven days. Will Lu Zhenjiang, in a desperate move, harm him?" Du Li was worried about Du Min's safety.
“If we can take down General Lu this time, there will be no more obstacles for my third brother to promote simple funerals in Heqing County. If the case of General Lu can affect the Lu family of Fanyang, or even the current Prime Minister Lu, the court will be shaken, and my third brother will become famous. In the future, when he leaves Heqing County to serve as an official in another place, with this reputation, who wouldn't be wary of him?” Meng Qing thought to himself, “Let’s take a gamble. I think the bigger this matter becomes, the more beneficial it will be for my third brother. Lord Sun, if it were you, would you be willing to take the gamble?”
“As long as I don’t die, I’m willing to gamble.” Magistrate Sun was excited. “If someone in the higher-ups paves the way for the case of Lu Zhenjiang’s imprisonment of the county magistrate, it could really affect Prime Minister Lu. As the Great Learning says, ‘Cultivate oneself, regulate one’s family, govern the state, and bring peace to the world.’ How can an official who can’t even control his own clan be able to manage important affairs of the court?”
“Then let’s gamble,” Meng Qing said. “Let’s gamble that Lu Zhen will not dare to risk his own life and the lives of his people to kill Du Min.”
Magistrate Sun immediately took the pigeon and went out, saying, "I'll go find General Wu and tell him to keep his soldiers in check and not let the news get out."
“Alright.” Meng Qing stood up excitedly. “Lord Sun, thank you for your help.”
Magistrate Sun smiled but didn't say anything. He was also gambling, betting that Du Min would keep his promise and that after Du Min governed Heqing County well, he would be promoted and leave. If he could take over smoothly, this great situation would make his official career go smoothly.
After the carrier pigeon was released, Magistrate Sun immediately rushed to Heyang Bridge.
After Magistrate Sun left, Du Li also went out to guard the town general's mansion.
*
The General's Residence.
General Lu and Master Lu stood silently outside the door, listening to the conversation inside.
"My head hurts so much, and I feel nauseous. Doctor, I feel terrible." Du Min sat on the couch, groaning in pain, supporting his head.
"Lie down, don't sit up. If you lie still, you won't feel like vomiting," the doctor said.
Du Min ignored him, his eyes fixed on the half-open door, his desire to go out making no attempt to hide.
"Where am I?" he asked again. "Is this my home? Where are my family? Where did I get this head injury? Why won't you let me out?"
The doctor didn't answer; he handed over a bowl of medicine and said, "Drink it quickly if you don't want to die."
Du Min glanced at the steaming medicine soup, took it, and smashed it without hesitation. "I won't drink it unless you give me an explanation."
He exerted too much force, and his vision blurred. The next moment, he clutched his head and collapsed onto the couch, only then feeling a little better.
The people outside heard the sound of the bowl being smashed, and the two exchanged a glance before walking away.
"Do you think he might be faking it?" Lu Zhenjiang asked.
"Whether he's faking it or not, we should get him out of there as soon as he can get out of bed," Master Lu said.
“No, if he’s faking it, and he identifies me after we get out, will I have any chance of survival?” Lu Zhen objected, his emotions somewhat out of control. He said, “Didn’t we send a letter to Chang’an? I’ll make arrangements after we get a reply.”
“The longer you keep him locked up, the bigger the trouble will get. What evidence does he have to prove that you imprisoned him? There’s no evidence. At most, he heard the child’s voice, but you can just deny it. With the Prime Minister’s connections, nothing will happen.” Master Lu half-coaxed and half-persuaded him. He was fed up with this life of constant anxiety.
Lu Zhenjiang stared at him, his face deep in thought.
“If he really has amnesia, then everything will be fine. If he’s faking it, then there’s nothing he can do about you. As long as you keep the people around you in check and they don’t come forward to identify you, no one can do anything to you,” Master Lu advised again.
Lu Zhenjiang listened and said, "Okay, I'll find a chance to knock him out and send him away."
But the doctor strongly advised him against it, saying, "Magistrate Du's head can't take any more bumps. If you knock him unconscious, it's hard to say whether he'll wake up."
"Drug it." Master Lu had already prepared the sleeping potion; he was determined to get Du Min away as soon as possible.
After midnight, the rain stopped. Lu Zhen sent his men to the back gate to knock out the two guards. Then he arranged for someone to put Du Min in a sack and carry him out.
Du Li, who was peeking over a wall and trying to climb over, saw this scene. He instinctively wanted to call for help, but before he could speak, he covered his mouth.
"County Commandant Lin, hurry! Du Min was carried away in that direction. Let's chase him from this direction. If we're quick, we might be able to catch him." Du Li arrived at the front gate and found County Commandant Lin.
Upon hearing this, County Magistrate Lin immediately led two constables and chased after them.
Du Li then went to the side gate to inform the other two yamen runners, and the three of them chased after them together.
The soldier carrying the sack ran less than a mile outside the south city before spotting the pursuing yamen runners. He immediately abandoned the sack and turned to run towards the Yellow River.
"Li San stays behind, Da Chui, you come with me to chase after them," Commandant Lin ordered.
"You all go after them, I'll stay behind," Du Li shouted.
The four yamen runners immediately ran away with County Magistrate Lin.
Du Li rushed over and untied the sack, immediately smelling a strong stench of blood mixed with the scent of medicine. "Third brother? Third brother? Why aren't you responding?"
Du Li was so frightened that his hands trembled and his voice shook. He only breathed a sigh of relief when he realized that the flesh he touched was warm.
"Don't die, your second brother will take you back to see a doctor." Du Li pulled Du Min out of the sack, wrapped the sack around his head to block the wind, turned around and carried the unconscious man on his back, running towards the county town.
On the other side, County Lieutenant Lin led his constables all the way to the Yellow River. When he saw soldiers stationed by the river, he immediately shouted, "Catch that man! He is the murderer who kidnapped Magistrate Du!"
The soldiers were blocked from both sides. He glanced at the turbulent Yellow River, but in the end, he dared not jump into the river and could only surrender.
The yamen runners escorted the soldiers back to the county office in high spirits. At this time, Du Min also woke up. The effects of the medicine had not yet worn off, and he was weak and drowsy.
"Second Brother, have County Lieutenant Lin go to County Magistrate Sun, get the official document, and immediately go to the garrison commander's office to arrest the man." Du Min stopped pretending to have amnesia.
"Okay." Du Li obeyed the order.
After the doctors left with their medicine kits, Meng Qing came in and stood by the bedside. "Third brother, did you bump your head yourself, or did General Lu send someone to beat you?"
"I crashed into it myself. I heard the message from Wangzhou," Du Min replied with his eyes closed. "Second sister-in-law, this was your idea, wasn't it? Once I'm healed, I'll bow to you three times."
"No need, you've suffered terribly." Meng Qing sighed. "How could you have been hit so hard this time? The doctor said you'll need to stay in bed for at least half a month."
“A light bump wouldn’t show how impatient I am,” Du Min chuckled. “It’s worth it; Lu Zhen is about to fall into my hands.”
“If only he had kept you locked up for a few more days, it would have been better. Prefect Zheng is here in Heyin County. He already knows about your disappearance. I was thinking that once he arrived, we would storm into the garrison commander’s mansion together to rescue you,” Meng Qing said. “If we make a big fuss, this case might even affect the reputation of Prime Minister Lu and the Lu family of Fanyang. You could become famous overnight.”
Du Min remained silent. He opened his eyes regretfully and said with remorse, "If only I hadn't pretended to have amnesia. If I hadn't, I could have held out with General Lu for a few more days."
"You're still pretending to have amnesia?" Meng Qing asked in surprise.
Du Min grunted in response. Being imprisoned in the town general's mansion was not safe for him. If General Lu could pull off the foolish move of kidnapping and imprisoning him, he might kill him if pushed to the limit. He was also afraid of losing his life.
"Forget it, the effect is probably about the same now. Capturing his guards can prove that he is the mastermind. As long as we can convict him, the Lu family of Fanyang will still be affected," Meng Qing said. "You go to sleep, I'm going out."
"Wait a minute." Du Min called out to her, "Second sister-in-law, do you remember the 'no trouble' token you gave me a few years ago when I went on a trip with Mr. Qinglun? I put the token under my bed. It's a piece of evidence. If Lu Zhan doesn't confess, you can take someone to retrieve the token. I'm worried that I'll get a fever later. If I get delirious, I'll entrust the rest to you."
"OK."
"Also, be careful of Governor Zheng's attitude. Lou Sima, who has a grudge against me, is his subordinate. He also comes from a prominent family and might be on the same side as the Lu family of Fanyang. He might help Lu Zhan get off the bus," Du Min added.
"Okay." Meng Qing nodded. "You should get some rest."
Du Min closed his eyes, but his mind was still racing.
Meng Qing walked out of the government office and went to the front office to wait.
Half an hour later, the yamen runners returned with General Lu and Master Lu, followed by civilians who had come out to see what was happening.
"Lock the man in jail and wait for Governor Zheng to come and investigate," Magistrate Sun ordered.
Meng Qing walked up to Du Li and asked, "Why was Master Lu brought here as well? Is he involved too?"
"I don't know, but he wanted to come along when they arrested Lu Zhenjiang," Du Li said.
In the prison, General Lu and Master Lu were locked in the same cell. After the yamen runners left, Master Lu leaned close to General Lu and whispered, "During the trial, don't admit to anything or say anything. Just wait for news from Chang'an."
Lu Zhenjiang nodded, "I'll listen to you."
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Author's note: See you tomorrow night at 8 PM.
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