Chapter 688 Negotiation
"Uh...uh..."
Xiao Fan tried hard to make a sound, but couldn't speak.
He vaguely saw a person dressed in a white robe appear at the entrance of Fang Ziming's prison.
He tried to reach out and grab the person who appeared, but he couldn't move.
He then lost consciousness.
"Uncle, it's been a long time!"
The young man standing at the old doorway spoke slowly.
Fang Ziming's eyes trembled, a look of astonishment flashing across them, but it disappeared in an instant.
He moved his lips, but after a long pause, he finally spoke, "Tang Qiwen, why you?"
"Hmm? What's the problem?" Tang Qiwen tilted his head and smiled.
He turned to look at the fallen officials and sneered, "A bunch of fools, they'll eat anything!"
Fang Ziming also looked over and sighed, "I thought the Tang family was backing down... but I never expected them to be on his side!"
"The Tang family must plan for the future; they can't put all their eggs in one basket!" Tang Qiwen turned around and looked at Fang Ziming.
He looked coldly at the people locked in the cell, feeling a strange sense of joy.
I remember that when he was in prison, this uncle-in-law also came to visit him.
They kept chattering and making a racket outside, it was so noisy!
Now that I'm on the other side, standing outside, I feel a strange sense of comfort.
It made him unable to resist saying a few words as well.
"If that's the case, what are you doing here?" Fang Ziming's expression suddenly changed, and he looked coldly at Tang Qiwen. "You want to kill me?"
"What do you think?" Tang Qiwen didn't answer, but his eyes were filled with murderous intent.
"Why? I have always treated the Tang family well." Fang Ziming didn't know if he would have another chance to leave, but he wanted to know the reason.
Even if the Tang family stays out of it, they cannot easily cooperate with Xie Xing.
"You've treated the Tang family well? Heh heh heh..." Tang Qiwen suddenly sneered, "Fang Ziming, you've been an honest official for so many years, where did your family's expenses come from?"
Fang Ziming was taken aback, as if he had suddenly realized something.
He had received some ill-gotten gains.
But he used all that money to help the poor!
The money given to the family consisted of the official salary and other rewards from the imperial court.
If we're talking about seizure, the Fang family probably won't find anything.
Over the years, he knew that his wife had been using her dowry to supplement the family income, a steady stream of income.
Fang Ziming always thought that the family expenses were not high, and that his wife could easily make some contributions, which he could then recoup with his salary.
But listening to Tang Qiwen's words, he suddenly felt that this was not the case.
"Fang Ziming, if it weren't for you, how could a married woman possibly receive a share of the family's profits? Every grain your family eats is soaked in the blood of the Tang family; it's all something you owe the Tang family!" Tang Qiwen said viciously.
Perhaps because he knew he was too excited, he looked around after he finished speaking.
Fang Ziming's fingers curled up and trembled slightly.
He had no idea about this.
All he knew was that after marrying him, his wife no longer ran the shop with the Tang family, fearing it would tarnish her reputation.
For so many years, he has been busy with official business and has paid little attention to his family.
He believed that if Yunhe County was developed well, the Fang family would also benefit.
Fang Ziming was falsely accused when he was young, but fortunately he met an honest official who was not afraid of powerful people and helped him clear his name.
Unexpectedly, that wise official was harmed by powerful and influential people.
If the imperial court hadn't found out and punished the powerful, I wouldn't have been able to save my life.
Therefore, after he passed the imperial examination and became an official, he was determined to be a wise and capable official.
When he encountered something similar to what he had experienced, he chose a path completely different from that of the Ming official.
Seeing the fate of those who sought to bring justice upon themselves, he did not want to suffer the same end.
He feigned accepting bribes, secretly lay low, and waited for the right opportunity to eliminate the powerful and influential, restoring peace to the people of Yunhe County.
This was his method, but it was a method not recognized by the imperial court.
In the eyes of the imperial court, those who were virtuous officials were the ones most worthy of being remembered and emulated.
Undeterred by power and wealth, they bravely sacrificed themselves!
But once a person dies, there is no second chance!
Fang Ziming didn't want to die; he wanted to live!
He met Tang Qiwen's gaze and saw the hatred in the other's eyes, and his heart trembled.
Recalling the cries of his children in the past, his heart trembled even more violently.
He served as an official for many years, and he was true to the people, but he failed his family.
In this confrontation with Xie Xing, he vaguely saw his own fate.
The Tang family's betrayal was like a knife to his back, leaving him with unspeakable suffering.
Fang Ziming's legs went weak, and he staggered back two steps before collapsing onto the bench. "What do you want?"
His voice trembled, his face was pale, and his eyes were lifeless.
"You're admitting defeat just like that?" Tang Qiwen sneered.
"I am your nephew, yet you sided with Wan Qiqi, an outsider, and locked me up in jail. Are you really my uncle?"
"And besides, I've been in jail for so long, how many times have you come to see me? Do you know how much I've suffered?"
In response to Tang Qiwen's questioning, Fang Ziming retorted, "If you don't commit any crimes, why would I care about you?"
"What did I do wrong? It was that little bitch Wan Qiqi who provoked me!" Tang Qiwen said through gritted teeth.
He wanted to yell and curse, but he didn't want to attract attention.
Upon hearing Tang Qiwen's words, Fang Ziming knew that Tang Qiwen wouldn't listen to anything he said, so he sighed and said, "Go! I'll pretend you were never here. Who wins or loses between Xie Xing and me is none of your business!"
"How can that be?" Tang Qiwen refused, saying, "That old man surnamed Zhang said he'd resolve the case within five days. If Xie Xing doesn't win, I'll be in trouble too!"
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