Yesterday's violent storm lasted all night like a flood from heaven, and it was not until the hour of Yin that the storm gradually stopped.
In the early morning, although it was still gloomy outside, the rain had stopped.
Zhu Ping'an got up early as usual, washed up, slung his cloth bag across his body, and opened the door. There were many fallen leaves and petals in the yard, all of which were blown down by last night's violent storm.
The drainage system of the Linhuai Marquis's Mansion was very complete. Despite the heavy rain last night, there was not much water in the courtyard. Only the stone troughs under the walls around the courtyard had gurgling water, which confirmed the heavy rain last night. When the water in the open channel encountered the steps, it passed through the ditch under the steps and gurgled into the open channel outside the gate of Tingyuxuan. Some of it flowed into the pond of the Marquis' Mansion, and some flowed into the drainage system of the capital and flowed into the moat.
After the rainstorm, the air smelled of soil, and it felt like I was back in Xiahe Village. I felt a sense of homesickness. I wondered if it had rained in Xiahe Village, how my parents were doing at home, and if that certain fairy hadn't been acting like a spoiled brat at home... ... Oh, I almost forgot, I was overthinking it, she was the best at pretending to be a good daughter-in-law in front of her parents... ...
From the bamboo forest outside the east wall of the yard came the clear calls of magpies, chirping... ... as if they were celebrating their rebirth after a disaster, revealing a sense of joy.
"Good morning, uncle."
Hearing the sound of Zhu Ping'an getting up and opening the door, the two maids in the ear room also got up with sleepy eyes, gathered their clothes, and went out to greet Zhu Ping'an.
They were no longer surprised by Zhu Ping'an getting up so early. For so many days, their brother-in-law went to bed late and got up early without exception. It rained heavily yesterday. Before going to bed, they lay in front of the window and saw that the light in their brother-in-law's study was on most of the night. Before going to bed, they thought that if their brother-in-law slept so late as usual during the heavy rain, he should get up early tomorrow.
"Good morning." Zhu Ping'an nodded slightly in response.
Chirp, chirp, chirp. The magpie outside the courtyard wall heard the noise in the yard and chirped even louder.
"Chirp, chirp, good news is coming." A little girl pricked up her ears, then squinted her eyes and smiled, "I heard the sound of magpies so early in the morning. My son-in-law must have good news coming to his house today."
"Haha, I'm counting on your good words." Zhu Pingan smiled and replied casually. Magpies are a symbol of blessing and luck. The ancients liked this. I naturally don't believe it, but I am in a good mood when I hear the pleasant calls of magpies in the early morning.
According to legend, at the end of the Zhenguan period, there was a man named Jing Yi in the south. He lived by the Kongqing Mountain, and there was a nest of magpies outside his yard. Jing Yi was kind-hearted. Every time he ate, he would scatter some rice and flour under the tree for the magpies. One day, his neighbor lost several pieces of silk cloth and falsely accused Jing Yi of stealing them, causing Jing Yi to be thrown into prison for several months. One morning, Jing Yi heard a magpie calling in the cell, and when he looked up, he saw the magpie he often fed calling happily outside, as if it was announcing good news. The next day, the official called Jing Yi to the lobby and said that he met an imperial envoy wearing a black robe and a white collar on the road, and the imperial envoy told him that the emperor had issued a general amnesty. Three days later, as expected, the emperor's imperial edict of general amnesty came, so Jing Yi was pardoned and went home. When he returned home, Jing Yi realized that it was the magpie who had transformed into a human and falsely conveyed the imperial edict to help him escape. Black robe and white collar are the colors of the magpie's overall feathers. This is the origin of the magpie announcing good news.
"You don't have to keep me dinner today. I'm going out to visit a friend." Zhu Ping'an went out as usual and gave the two little girls some instructions before leaving.
Just as Zhu Ping'an was about to step out the door, he suddenly heard hurried footsteps outside, and then a maid's voice came over.
"Uncle-in-law, uncle-in-law... something terrible has happened, something terrible has happened."
The little maid ran in in a hurry and almost bumped into Zhu Ping'an who was about to go out. If Zhu Ping'an had not been quick-eyed and quick-footed and dodged a step, she would have been hit.
"What's wrong, Sister Qiuyue?" Upon hearing this, the little girl Tingyuxuan trotted over and asked nervously.
"Just now an official came to the mansion and said that he wanted to find my brother-in-law for something. Because my brother-in-law was in the inner house, the long-time servant he hired yesterday went there first. The official left in a hurry after spreading the rumor, and then my brother-in-law's long-time servant came in a hurry to find my brother-in-law. Since they were not allowed to enter the inner house, they asked me to pass a message to my brother-in-law." The little maid named Qiuyue said anxiously.
"It's just a message, why are you making such a fuss about something serious? If the housekeeper finds out, you'll be punished." The little girl Ting Yuxuan breathed a sigh of relief when she heard that. It's just a message, why is there such a fuss? I thought something had happened, and it made people so worried.
"No..." The little maid Qiuyue shook her head anxiously, with a fine layer of sweat on her forehead.
"Don't worry, take your time." Zhu Ping'an comforted him softly, and he had a vague guess in his heart. There were probably two situations when the official came to deliver the message. One was the petition to the Ministry of Justice caused by the memorial, and the other was the incident yesterday when Zhao Daying's soldiers attacked him and sent him to the Shuntian government office. If it was the petition to the Ministry of Justice, they wouldn't be so anxious. It was probably something that happened in the Shuntian government office.
"Sir, your attendant just sent a message saying that the prisoners who were sent to Shuntian Prefecture yesterday all died this morning for unknown reasons. The official came over to deliver the message as soon as he got the news."
Sure enough, what the maid Qiuyue said confirmed Zhu Ping'an's guess.
"Ah...someone's dead!"
Hearing this, the two little girls in Tingyuxuan screamed in fear, stretched out their hands to cover their mouths, and their little faces turned pale with fright.
It must have been Zhao Daying who did it.
There was no doubt that Zhao Daying was definitely involved in this matter. Upon hearing this, Zhu Ping'an clenched his fists.
Eight lives lost! He just killed them! Zhao Daying was so cruel and merciless, worse than an animal. In order to kill them and prevent future troubles, he could even be so cruel to his own people.
I was careless and thought that if I locked him up in the yamen jail, Zhao Daying would have no way to stop him.
I didn't expect Zhao Daying's hand could be so long that he could reach the Shuntian Prefecture Prison through Prefect Zhou! Prefect Zhou himself was trustworthy. It was estimated that Zhao Daying had colluded with the officials below the prefectural government, or bribed the jailer. He killed the person while he was still in the Shuntian Prefecture Prison. How unscrupulous! He had no regard for the law!
As long as this pest is not eliminated, society will be in more danger.
I think that after Zhao Daying silenced these eight people, he would definitely take the opportunity to launch an attack, so he would have to file a petition to the Ministry of Justice in advance.
That’s great. I can’t wait any longer.
Zhu Ping'an took a breath and looked towards the Ministry of Justice, like a sharp sword.