Chapter 324: Chapter 324: Visiting the Prison
Fifteen years ago, when Marquis Dongxiang died in battle along with the Flying Tiger Army, he had a fiancée but had not yet married.
Su Chong is eighteen years old this year.
After the late Duke Chong’s heir died, the lady was stabbed, and the only son fell off a cliff, his life or death unknown.
Su Chong’s age is suitable, and coincidentally, his name has a "Chong" in it.
Is this just a coincidence?
Could he be the eldest grandson of the Duke Mansion who fell off the cliff?
But could a three-year-old child survive falling off a cliff when the carriage shattered to pieces?
The doorway.
Su Jin stood there, watching him.
Xingxing blinked her eyes.
She insisted, "The Young Master is daydreaming."
"Daydreaming very thoroughly," Su Jin remarked.
"Should I call the Young Master?" Xingxing asked.
"Forget it, don’t bother him," Su Jin replied.
Xie Jingchen had a dark expression.
They weren’t bothering him yet spoke so loudly.
Su Jin walked over and asked, "What are you thinking about?"
"I’m thinking about Father-in-law," Xie Jingchen answered truthfully.
"..."
Su Jin wore a dark expression.
What’s so special about her father to think about?
Alright, it’s not proper for a daughter to say such things.
Xingxing couldn’t hold back, saying, "You can’t think about the Marquis; the Marquis will hit you."
Su Jin: "..."
Xie Jingchen: "..."
"Is my father really that domineering?" Su Jin asked.
In Xingxing’s mind, an image of Mr. Su saying he missed Marquis Dongxiang appeared.
"Father, I miss you," Mr. Su said.
"Do you miss getting beaten?" the Marquis replied.
"..."
Xingxing described the scene and added, "Many times, the Marquis would directly hit."
Su Jin: "..."
Xie Jingchen: "..."
Su Jin looked at Xie Jingchen and asked, "What do you think about my father?"
"The relationship between the Father-in-law and the Flying Tiger Army," Xie Jingchen said.
Xingxing looked puzzled.
Does this need guessing?
The Flying Tiger Army belongs to the Marquis.
Su Jin gazed at Xie Jingchen, raising her eyebrows slightly, "Are you referring to the Flying Tiger Army from fifteen years ago?"
"It seems you also have some doubts," Xie Jingchen said.
Su Jin smiled.
Her father was always at odds with Duke Chong.
Was it simply because Duke Chong made him take the blame?
Is that possible?
Would a person who doesn’t even care about the court worry about some blame?
If it wasn’t a deep-seated hatred or an unresolvable grudge, a normal person wouldn’t provoke Duke Chong.
If it wasn’t because those three words "Flying Tiger Army" were particularly meaningful, why would her father insist on using those three words for the name, inviting much criticism and disdain?
Calling it the Su Family Army sounds like it belonged to him personally.
Her father came to the Capital clearly prepared.
For her father, she should have been a sort of hindrance.
Su Jin was well-protected from a young age, never knew worry, and they wouldn’t let her get involved in these struggles.
Because Marquis Dongxiang protected his daughter too well, she was spoiled to believe that even if the sky collapsed, Marquis Dongxiang could support it.
Not understanding his painstaking efforts, ignoring the person he chose for her, she abducted someone off the street, getting herself involved in the vortex.
If Su Jin had indeed married into the Jibei Marquis Mansion as Marquis Dongxiang planned.
She could have lived a carefree life.
Although she currently lives quite carefree too.
As long as no one provoked her, she wouldn’t provoke others for sure.
If someone provokes her, they certainly can’t take advantage.
The Ministry of Justice Prison.
The prison guard watched the prison gate, not glancing sideways.
Previously, they could still joke around, but ever since Marquis Dongxiang entered the Ministry of Justice, they wouldn’t dare slack off even a bit.
The previous guard who took money and let someone in to visit had his leg broken and is now recuperating at home.
The person let in to visit was the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue.
Twelve taels of silver were given, just as he entered the Ministry of Justice Prison, without even seeing the face of General Ningyuan, and he was thrown out by Marquis Dongxiang.
The money was wasted, the guard who took the money didn’t pocket it, and even got a broken leg.
With such a previous lesson, would the guard dare to be negligent?
See, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue’s wife brought a maid, carrying a food box wanting to visit, the flashing gold ingot almost blinded people, but the guard didn’t dare extend his hand.
Even if money is good, you need a life to spend it, right?
"Lord Vice Minister has ordered, without his permission, no one is allowed to visit!" the guard said.
"Just a little accommodation," the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue’s wife said.
"Madam, please don’t make it hard for us," the guard said.
The Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue’s wife almost gritted her silver teeth to pieces.
She took a deep breath, suppressed her anger, and asked, "How is General Ningyuan?"
The guard glanced at the gold ingot.
The Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue’s wife felt so angry she wanted to hit someone.
"Give it to them!" she said through gritted teeth.
The guard took the gold ingot from the maid’s hand and said, "General Ningyuan was beaten severely."
"What else?" the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue’s wife asked.
The guard moved his hand slightly.
The meaning was very clear.
After the earlier gold ingot, each question follows a new one.
The Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue’s wife was so angry her head ached; was this still a guard? Clearly a bandit!
The maid handed over another gold ingot, the guard whispered, "General Ningyuan wanted the guard to send a message for him, and what kind of message it was, but got caught by Marquis Dongxiang and beaten half to death."
"Marquis Dongxiang said if it falls into his hands, if not telling what he wants to know, he would hit until soft bones tell the truth," another guard said.
The Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue’s wife’s face turned pale.
They must hold on and not confess.
If confessed, even if not dead, it would mean exile thousands of miles away.
Even she would be affected...
The wife of the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue left with a heavy heart as she looked at the gate of the Ministry of Justice Prison.
The two guards weighed the gold ingots in their hands, overjoyed.
Marquis Dongxiang’s people let them sell the message to those eager to know, this news was really worth a lot, earning more than letting someone in.
As expected, making money is about finding the right approach.
It’s safe to take money from Marquis Dongxiang.
After the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue’s wife returned home, she complained to the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, "Gave away two gold ingots, and didn’t even get to touch the prison gate at the Ministry of Justice."
Angry, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue said, "Marquis Dongxiang covers the sky with one hand; I will impeach him tomorrow!"
The next morning.
The Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue indeed impeached Marquis Dongxiang for not allowing the family of the Ningyuan General Mansion to visit in prison.
Duke Chong backed the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, and other officials echoed.
Without conclusive evidence proving it was General Ningyuan who ordered the killing of the Prefect of Wangzhou, General Ningyuan was only a suspect, so why can’t family visit in prison?
The Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue openly suspected that General Ningyuan was subjected to torture and died in the Ministry of Justice Prison.
This was provoking Marquis Dongxiang, and Marquis Dongxiang obliged, "If the Vice Minister is so eager to see General Ningyuan, I shall let you see him."
For the first time, successfully suppressing Marquis Dongxiang.
The Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue and Duke Chong both felt vindicated.
After the court session, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue didn’t even change out of the court robes and directly went to the Ministry of Justice Prison to visit General Ningyuan.
Upon reaching the Ministry of Justice Prison, the guard was carrying water to extinguish a fire.
There were water traces all over the ground, with people coming and going, a scene of chaos.
The Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue asked, "What happened here?"
"There was a fire," the guard replied.
The reply was as good as no reply, and the guard got busy.
The gate guard was still present, and the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue was allowed to enter the prison without any obstruction.
Once inside, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue was led by a guard to see General Ningyuan.