This demoness actually came to Nanzhou Prefecture? (Please follow up)

Liu Xudong, tied up in the prison cell, was also trembling with fear at this moment.

He didn't understand how he ended up in this dreadful place just for trying to extort some money from a rich young lady.

Of course, he wasn't panicked at first. The Great Zhou Dynasty revered Confucianism and Daoism, and scholars were treated with great favor.

Even though he was only a Tong Sheng, strictly speaking, he wasn't even considered a scholar.

But these constables and jailers hadn't made things difficult for him, so he secretly thought to himself that his identity as a scholar seemed to have some effect.

However, they were about to leave when Constable Qian came in, claiming he had extorted an Imperial Guard?

Seeing the constables and jailers enter with all sorts of torture instruments, Liu Xudong hurriedly shouted, "Sir, I am innocent! I did not extort anyone."

"Jiang Yun did indeed agree to give his sister to me as a concubine!"

"Sir..."

Qian Bochou found his shouting annoying. He cupped his ear and said impatiently, "Who comes in here and doesn't claim to be innocent?"

"Today, that person was Lord Xu from the Imperial Guards."

"Extorting an Imperial Guard, I don't believe you have that much nerve. Speak, who is your mastermind?"

"Why did you do it?"

"What conspiracy is behind this?"

The Imperial Guards, when acting outside, represented the Emperor. Therefore, under normal circumstances, Liu Xudong daring to provoke Xu Suwen was definitely courting death.

Soon, a water-soaked rope whip struck Liu Xudong fiercely, and bloodstains dyed his white long shirt red.

Qian Bochou sat to the side, picked up a cup of tea, and began to drink.

This fellow had no official career. After a beating today, he would be banished to the frontier tomorrow, and likely wouldn't survive to return.

But after all, he was a scholar; how could he withstand such a brutal beating?

After just a few lashes, Liu Xudong couldn't take it anymore and hurriedly shouted, "Sir, stop hitting me, stop!"

"I'll confess. I'll confess to anything you ask."

Upon hearing this, Qian Bochou gave the jailer a look. The jailer understood and took out a booklet, ready to record what he said.

Qian Bochou took a sip of tea and said, "Speak, what do you know?"

"I, I heard that our Prefect accepted thirty taels of silver from Scholar Hu and then allocated funds for him to set up a school..."

"The Prefectural Yamen dug a canal in the city, costing one thousand taels of silver. Old Qi took on the job."

"But he only spent two hundred taels digging the canal."

"Three hundred taels went into his pocket, and the remaining five hundred taels all went into the Prefect's pocket."

These things Liu Xudong actually heard from other scholars in passing.

Unable to bear the beating, he could only grit his teeth and blurt out everything he knew.

The more he listened, the darker Qian Bochou's expression became. He quickly signaled the jailer who was writing the confession to tear up what he had just written.

"Old Master Wang in the north of the city secretly sold a batch of coarse salt last year and made a large sum of money..."

Qian Bochou asked sternly, "You even know about this matter?"

Liu Xudong replied, "I had an affair with Old Master Wang's concubine. Old Master Wang is outwardly strong but inwardly weak. That concubine craved my body and seduced me."

Qian Bochou snorted coldly and asked, "Anything else?"

"Yes, yes..." Liu Xudong took a deep breath and said, "They all say that your position as constable, Constable Qian, was obtained by giving money, given to..."

Upon hearing this, Qian Bochou slammed the teacup in his hand to the ground and cursed loudly, "Nonsense! I've reached where I am today through my sweat and effort."

Liu Xudong was startled by Qian Bochou's reaction.

Qian Bochou took a deep breath and said to him, "Continue speaking. What you're saying is very useful."

"Yes, yes..." Liu Xudong tremblingly continued to relay the gossip he had heard.

The content was extensive, ranging from the Prefect to merchants.

To avoid further beatings, Liu Xudong poured out all the gossip he had heard in one go.

"Make a copy of what he said about the Prefect and deliver it to the Prefect's desk tomorrow morning," Qian Bochou instructed the jailer.

He paused, looking at Liu Xudong, who was in so much pain he was about to faint. "Stop hitting him. Go buy him a roasted chicken tonight, along with some good wine and food. Put the meal expenses on the Yamen's account."

"Thank you, Constable Qian, thank you, Constable Qian," Liu Xudong said weakly.

Qian Bochou glanced at him and turned to leave.

As dusk approached, the 'Heaven' room at the Nanmanju Inn was filled with a table of dishes.

Jiang Yun, Xu Suwen, Jiang Qiaoqiao, and Xu Xiaogang sat together, eating and chatting.

Xu Xiaogang ate while chattering incessantly, "Brother Jiang, you have no idea, when I was in the Capital City, I was truly a heroic figure among the youth."

"Last year, the son of the Commander of the Northern Garrison brought a group of people and, relying on their power, bullied others and tried to abduct a civilian girl. I saw injustice and drew my sword to help..."

Xu Suwen, on the side, frowned and reminded him, "That was his wife. They had an argument and were fighting in the street. You went over and beat them up."

Xu Xiaogang frowned, slapped his thigh, and said, "What about those people selling humans on the canal?"

"Late at night, I saw a group of people tied up and sneakily loaded onto a canal boat, and then I showed off my skills..."

Xu Suwen still frowned, "Those were important criminals being exiled to the frontier, and you let them all go. Our Imperial Guards had to search for several nights to recapture them all."

"Because of this, our Imperial Guards even went to the Ministry of Justice to apologize."

Jiang Yun listened with interest and asked curiously, "Any other heroic deeds?"

Xu Xiaogang's face turned a little red upon hearing this, and he laughed, waving his hand, "My sister just can't stand me being so outstanding."

"When my sister isn't around, I'll tell you all about it for three days and three nights."

Listening to Xu Xiaogang's stories, Jiang Yun ate and drank, looking out at the bustling street outside the window, feeling a sense of ease.

But suddenly, in the crowd below, he saw a familiar figure, causing his pupils to contract slightly.

"Xiaogang."

Xu Xiaogang frowned and said, "What is it? Also, I don't like that name."

As he spoke, he also came to the window and followed Jiang Yun's gaze down, then his eyes widened, and he cursed, "That Yao has actually come to Nanzhou Prefecture?"

At this moment, Tang Wanxin was wearing a sapphire blue dress, her hair tied up, like a young lady from a prominent family.

Beside her was a young man in his mid-twenties, dressed in a white long gown, with his hands behind his back, exuding an air of nobility.

Finally, Tang Wanxin arrived in front of Nanmanju Inn and said, "Is this where I'm staying?"

The person next to her nodded and said, "Miss Tang, it would actually be more convenient to stay at a prince's mansion."

"No need, I prefer peace and quiet." Tang Wanxin shook her head, then suddenly sensed something and slowly looked up, fixing her gaze on a window of Nanmanju Inn.

Jiang Yun met her eyes.

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