#482 - Dad, I want to go out
“What!”
When Zheng Qiu heard that he was going to be locked up for several years, he felt like the sky was falling.
This was several years! Not just a few days, or a few months!
He would be locked up in such a dark place for several years. Wouldn't he go crazy after a few years?
Moreover, during these years, he wouldn't be able to eat well or drink well, only sleep on this grass. He wouldn't even be able to go to brothels. Such a life would be worse than death.
“This, this, Father... is it really that serious? You must save me!" Zheng Qiu tugged at his father's sleeve. "Don't scare me! I just flirted with someone, is it really that serious?”
Zheng Liu shook his head: "I'm not trying to scare you. Do you know what kind of people the Embroidered Uniform Guards are? They investigate nobles and execute treacherous officials. The current commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guards holds the Imperial Sword and is deeply trusted by His Majesty.
Moreover, this time, Xu Ming has reason on his side.
That Xu Ming is very stubborn and has a great reputation in Wudu.
Not to mention that you also provoked the Chang Princess of Chu.
Now the matter has become big, and almost the entire imperial capital knows about your affair.
Let me tell you this, if I were to release you, it would be disregarding the laws of Wu Kingdom!
Do you understand what I'm saying?”
“Ah?” Zheng Qiu's face turned pale. "Father, is it really that exaggerated? Am I really not going to get out?”
Obviously, Zheng Qiu still couldn't face this reality.
Zheng Liu sighed: "What I'm telling you is not an exaggeration, nor is it meant to scare you. According to the laws of Wu Kingdom, you failed to flirt with a respectable woman, and even tried to forcibly take a woman from the people. You will be sentenced to five years!”
“Then Father, what should I do? I don't want to be locked up here for several years!” Zheng Qiu immediately knelt down, sobbing and crying.
Zheng Liu shook his head: "I don't know what to do either. I can only say that you are too naive and didn't even realize you were being schemed against. Remember, in this imperial capital, you must be law-abiding! Never act recklessly.”
“In the future...” Zheng Liu knelt on the ground blankly, feeling terrible. "Father, the future is five or six years away... I'm going to spend five or six years here..."
The more he thought about it, the more despair Zheng Liu felt.
He was now regretting it, truly regretting it, but he wasn't regretting because he knew he was wrong, but because he was about to die.
“What are you thinking about?” Zheng Liu glared at his son. "You're not qualified to stay in this place forever. The Embroidered Uniform Guard's prison isn't a place anyone can stay. You'll be transferred to another prison in the capital. At that time, I'll have people in the capital's prefecture, and maybe they can make your life a little easier.”
“This…”
Zheng Qiu didn't know if his father was comforting him or mocking him.
I'm not even qualified to live in this place?
Forget it, if I'm not qualified, then I'm not qualified. Anyway, as long as I can live a little easier, that's more important than anything else.
No, no, I don't want to live easier, I just want to get out. No matter where it is, nothing is more free than the outside world.
“Father, is there really no way at all?” Zheng Liu was still unwilling to give up.
Even if he was transferred to the capital's prefecture prison, he wouldn't be able to endure it!
No matter how good the prison conditions were, it was still a prison. He would have to live a dark life.
“It's not completely impossible...” Zheng Liu said thoughtfully.
“What way!”
Zheng Qiu grabbed the iron railing like he had grabbed a life-saving straw.
“This matter also involves the Great Pillar of State. His Majesty might give him some face and let Xu Ming release you. As long as His Majesty gives the word, as an accomplice, you should be able to be released with some manipulation, or at least get a reduced sentence.
Relying on the Great Pillar of State is one method.”
Zheng Qiu nodded, feeling that this method was pretty good and had a high probability of success.
In any case, he was the son of the Great Pillar of State. He had heard of the Great Pillar of State's reputation, and even His Majesty had to give him some face.
It was impossible for the Embroidered Uniform Guards to sentence the son of that Great Pillar of State, right?
And the matter itself was because of him.
If the Great Pillar of State's son was fine, then the possibility of him being in trouble would be smaller, even if he couldn't be completely acquitted, at least he wouldn't be sentenced so heavily.
“Father, you just said this is one method, what are the other methods?” Zheng Qiu said.
“The second method is that as long as you can obtain the victim's understanding, basically nothing will happen.
If the other party doesn't pursue your responsibility, then how can they convict you? That wouldn't make sense.
Xu Ming will summon you and the son of the Great Pillar of State to court later.
After you go up, you directly confess your guilt, do you hear me!
I'll repeat it again, no matter what happens in the court, no matter what the son of the Great Pillar of State says, you must confess your guilt! If you don't want to die!”
“I...” Zheng Qiu swallowed. "Father, is there something else involved in this?”
Although Zheng Qiu was a prodigal son, it didn't mean he had no brains.
On the contrary, because Zheng Qiu's father was a high-ranking official of Wu Kingdom, Zheng Qiu was influenced by what he saw and heard, and he also had some political sense.
Listening to his son's words, Zheng Liu's eyes became sharp, but then he seemed to deflate like a balloon:
“The matters of the court are far more complicated than we imagine. In your opinion, your father's official position is indeed quite high, but in reality, people like your father are just pawns arranged by others.
And what we can do is to secure ourselves and try not to be anyone's pawn.”
“...” Zheng Liu lowered his head and nodded. "This child understands.”
At the same time, in another prison of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
Mo Yuanshan, the son of the Great Pillar of State, sat on a grass cushion in the prison.
Compared to Zheng Qiu's weeping on the other side.
After Mo Yuanshan was caught and brought to the prison of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, he didn't say a word. He looked very calm.
It seemed that Mo Yuanshan had already guessed this result.
“Rumble...”
At this moment, at the entrance not far away, a ray of light shone in, and then the stone door closed again.
Mo Yuanshan opened his eyes, looked at the old man who was gradually walking towards him, Mo Yuanshan stood up and respectfully cupped his fists in a salute:
“Father.”
