The group heading straight for Shuntian Prefecture was very familiar to Xu Hengyi and Ruan Zijie, and also to the young idlers.
Weren't they the Hao family, who had just been thoroughly beaten?
Leading the way were Old Master Hao and Old Madam Hao, followed by the descendants of the Hao family, and then the Hao family's servants.
Regardless of gender or age, whether masters or servants, everyone was disheveled and in a sorry state, clearly having been ravaged.
In the morning, while Old Master Hao was working at the yamen, he was shocked to hear that Xie Jiang had come to their door and rushed back, not even having time to change his official robes.
After a brutal beating, his official robes were already in tatters, and his official hat was nowhere to be seen.
Old Master Hao, with his hair streaked with white, appeared exceptionally tragic, helpless, and despairing against the backdrop of his disheveled hair and a face filled with grief and indignation.
The young idlers reined in their horses and stopped. Xu Hengyi had a bad feeling about this, "Why are they also coming to Shuntian Prefecture? And dragging their entire family with them?"
Hadn't it been settled that Xie Jiang and Hao Wei would both be thrown in jail?
Lord Fang had repeatedly promised that they would be severely punished and that the Hao family would receive a satisfactory response. Was the Hao family suspecting that Shuntian Prefecture would show favoritism, so they mobilized their entire family, young and old, to personally oversee the handling of Xie Jiang?
Although, but.
Was it really that urgent?
"We had barely arrived at Shuntian Prefecture when the Hao family followed us! They're quite fast!" Han Zhao exclaimed in disbelief. "Although we weren't riding very fast, how could a family of injured and disabled people like the Hao family travel such a long distance?"
Jin Haolin sneered, "They probably rode horses and carriages. When they got close to Shuntian Prefecture, they got off and walked to attract attention."
Lou Yue said, "Are they here to force Lord Fang to punish Young Master Xie? Hao Wei has also been brought to Shuntian Prefecture. To punish Young Master Xie, they must first punish Hao Wei, right? Are they planning to force Hao Wei to his death?"
As they watched Old Master Hao, who was walking at the forefront, sit down directly in front of the main gate of the Shuntian Prefecture yamen, the rest of the Hao family followed suit and sat down.
There was no beating of the drum or the filing of a complaint.
Dozens of people, covered in wounds, sat there in their disheveled state before the Shuntian Prefecture yamen.
The silence at this moment was more impactful than any outcry.
The Hao family's display had already attracted countless people along the way. In a short while, the crowd of onlookers had gathered three layers deep and outside.
Everyone was whispering, trying to find out what had happened. Who were these people, old and young? What were so many people doing sitting in front of the Shuntian Prefecture yamen?
Gossip was human nature.
Where there was curiosity, there was spitting.
Soon, the background of this group was revealed.
It turned out to be the Hao family from Qinglian Street.
The newly appointed Marquis of Nanhai was so arrogant and overbearing!
He had a minor dispute with a young master of the Hao family and then barged into their residence, beating up the entire family without question, and even arrogantly demolishing their mansion!
What was even more outrageous was that the Marquis of Nanhai had gathered a group of thugs and ruffians, gone to the Hao family mansion, and emptied their storerooms!
As those thugs and ruffians came out of the Hao family residence, all sorts of gold and silver jewelry were falling off them. They had stolen so much that they couldn't fit it all on themselves!
Why weren't they invited to such a good event!
Huh?!
No, no.
That's not what they meant.
They just felt that the Marquis of Nanhai was too hateful, too hateful...
Was the old man sitting cross-legged at the very front a high-ranking official?
To be so humiliated by a young man...
What a sin, how pitiful...
Xu Hengyi was furious upon hearing this! How were the Hao family pitiful? Was being old pitiful? Wasn't this slandering Xie Jiang!
Jin Haolin scoffed, "Old Master Hao is so old, yet he resorts to such scheming, trying to drown Young Master Xie with spit!"
Yin Boxuan's brows were knitted so tightly they were about to fly off. "Are they planning to use public opinion to force Shuntian Prefecture to execute Young Master Xie?"
Han Zhao cursed, "Then let's go rob the prison and rescue Young Master Xie!"
Yin Boxuan and Lou Yue were already rolling up their sleeves.
Even Xu Hengyi pulled on his reins and turned his horse around. Seeing that the situation was a bit off, he decided to get Xie Jiang out of Shuntian Prefecture first.
"Hold on!"
Ruan Zijie shouted and stopped them.
"Don't you have confidence in Young Master Xie? Do you think this old man alone can do anything to Young Master Xie?"
"These old foxes in officialdom have many tricks. Young Master Xie is in the Shuntian Prefecture prison right now and probably doesn't know what's happening outside. We should at least inform Young Master Xie."
Yin Boxuan wasn't lacking confidence in Young Master Xie; he felt that the old man from the Hao family looked cunning, and a true gentleman like Young Master Xie, who was upright and honorable, wouldn't know how insidious these old men were.
Ruan Zijie, mounted on his horse, gazed into the distance at the back of Old Master Hao's head at the very front of the crowd.
"Young Master Xie has a protective charm; no one can easily harm him. Let alone just smashing and looting the Hao family, even killing their entire family would be nothing."
Yin Boxuan: "Really?"
Ruan Zijie rolled his eyes. "Who in the entire court doesn't know this? Go back and ask your father, ask your elders."
Can't you pay attention to anything else besides eating, drinking, whoring, and gambling all day?
Han Zhao was a bit perplexed, "The Hao family has such poor popularity? Everyone in the court knows about this, yet no one has told them."
Ruan Zijie suddenly felt like disowning them. "The Hao family has several officials in the court, and collectively they carry some weight. Guess if they know about this matter?"
Yin Boxuan was truly confused this time. "If they know, then what are they doing?"
Xu Hengyi mused, "Isn't Old Master Hao bringing his entire family here to feign pity?"
Ruan Zijie said, "It's pretty much that. The Hao family was beaten so badly by Young Master Xie; if they don't show it to the entire capital, wouldn't it be like traveling in brocade robes at night?"
Xu Hengyi, a slacker, doubted, "Is 'traveling in brocade robes at night' used like this?"
Han Zhao couldn't quite figure it out, "They're throwing away their dignity and pride just to smear Young Master Xie; is it worth it?"
Ruan Zijie guessed the intention behind this move. "Old Master Hao wants everyone to remember this one charge against Young Master Xie today."
"Uh huh? What do you mean?" The young idlers were completely lost.
"It's impossible for the Hao family to make things difficult for Young Master Xie this time, but they can lay the groundwork for crushing Young Master Xie in the future."
Ruan Zijie didn't explain further. He asked Xu Hengyi and the young idlers to call their respective servants to their side, as he had something to instruct them.
~
Fang Yuchun personally escorted Xie Jiang and Hao Wei into the yamen prison and instructed the jailers to pick a solitary cell with a window for Xie Jiang.
The jailers were very sensible and immediately brought the clean straw that had been sun-dried the day before.
They piled layer upon layer of straw on the stone bed in Xie Jiang's cell, and finally, they laid down a brand-new straw mat.
As for Hao Wei.
Any cell would do.
The farther away from Xie Jiang, the better.
To prevent the two of them from getting bored and causing trouble in prison again.
It was at this moment that someone ran in to report.
Old Master Hao was blocking the entrance to Shuntian Prefecture with his entire family!
Fang Yuchun's ears were almost smoking.
Xie Jiang said very understandingly, "Lord Fang, would you like me to help handle this?"
Fang Yuchun thanked him.
If Xie Jiang were to handle it, Old Master Hao would then proceed to beat the Dengwen Drum with his entire family, young and old.