Chapter 208: Chapter 95: Autumn Moon_3
His heart clenched, and before he could turn around, the next moment, a searing pain shot through his neck as a hemp rope as thick as a thumb tightly strangled his throat!
"No––"
His voice disappeared in the dim dungeon, his hands desperately reaching for the noose around his neck, frantically kicking his legs, attempting to break free from the other’s restraint, yet his strength was pitifully weak in their hands.
He couldn’t even see the other person’s expression, tears of terror welled up from his eyes. He didn’t understand what had gone wrong, he had taken the letter from the Lu Family, and even if the Grand Preceptor’s Mansion wasn’t willing to help, they wouldn’t rashly silence him before the letter had appeared, would they? Weren’t they afraid that the letter would be spread everywhere?
The force around his neck grew stronger, and he gradually felt suffocated. With tears streaming down his face, he wanted to beg for mercy, wanted to scream for help, to awaken anyone else in the prison, even just one person would do, but he couldn’t make a sound. He could only despair as he felt his lifeforce slipping away bit by bit.
He regretted it, he shouldn’t have provoked the Grand Preceptor’s Mansion, he shouldn’t have taken that letter. Going further back, he shouldn’t have felt greedy the moment that Lu kid came to him and communicated with the Qi Family. And when he received the accusation, he shouldn’t have imprisoned the accuser and sentenced him to the most severe punishment.
That kid, that Lu kid, what was his name?
Perhaps as his lifeforce slowly drained away, his vision began to blur, and in the murky darkness, he saw that person.
The young man wore an old shirt that did not conceal his eminent qualities, his bright eyes burned with anger like they contained a flame. He stopped his sedan chair, showed him the evidence one by one; he had traveled thousands of miles from a small county across rivers to kneel before him, imploring, "I beg you, sir, give my sister justice!"
He was in a hurry to attend a banquet and was initially too impatient to deal with it, but when he heard the words "Grand Preceptor’s Mansion," he stopped short.
Grand Preceptor’s Mansion, huh...
That was a connection one couldn’t even beg for.
Offering such a favor, how could his official career not be smooth sailing? He calculated the benefits he could gain, oblivious to the young man’s tears and outrage.
So what if a woman’s purity was violated, so what if a woman died, so what if it was a Teacher’s family...
Was it really worth this much?
When commoners quarrel with officials, in the end, the ones who suffer are themselves. He looked at the young man’s straight spine and thought to himself that truly, reading books makes one frivolous, an ignorant scholar unaware of worldly hardships. So he kindly helped the man up from the ground and said sternly, "For such outrageous behavior, rest assured, I will clear your sister’s name."
And then he reported the matter to the Grand Preceptor’s Mansion.
However, the young man was somewhat clever and somehow knew of his intentions, managing to escape under his watch. He had already boasted to Young Master Qi and needed to give an account, so he had no choice but to post a reward notice. Heaven seemed to be watching, and he actually found the man.
The young man’s uncle brought him back.
For a mere hundred taels of silver.
He looked at the unconscious person as if seeing a treasure regained, smug inside, thinking, see, that’s how commoners are. Give them a little sweetness, and they’ll betray their own siblings, turn against their closest kin—they’re capable of anything.
He brought the Lu surname back to the prison, by then he had already forgotten the other’s face. To him, that young man was just a stepping stone on his official path, his introduction to attach himself to the Grand Preceptor’s Mansion, nothing more than chaff, an ant, everything insignificant. He had never regarded such lowly people. Even if the entire Lu family were added together, they were nothing more than a few wretched lives.
Unable to stir any storm.
As long as he wished, he could easily make life unbearable for them.
But for some reason, at the brink of death, he saw that person’s shadow clearly.
The young man stood before him, in the dim prison, his worn clothes unable to hide his noble spirit.
Fan Zhenglian had never liked scholars; he detested scholars’ pretentiousness, despised their self-righteousness, and loathed how they made his murky self seem even worse in contrast.
The young man was about to be looped with a rope, facing death without fear, and calmly said, "Heaven and earth are impartial; the retribution is undeniable. In this prison where justice is delayed, there will come a day of clear judgment."
He looked at Fan Zhenglian with undisguised contempt: "Fan Zhenglian, you will have your retribution."
You will have your retribution.
He opened his mouth wide, his hands futilely clawing the air a few times.
"Crack––"
A faint snapping sound.
Followed by a dull thud, something was thrown onto the ground, stirring up a small puff of dust.
Someone walked over the dry straw, and the dungeon returned to silence.