The news of Yuanmao's imprisonment spread like wildfire, and soon spread throughout Guangning. There were many criticisms in the city, and people were panicked.
Although they all wanted to hide it from Yue Qingshuang, she still found out, she fell ill that day, and the Yuan family was in a gloomy state.
After an extremely torturous night, the three brothers of the Yuan family hurried to Qian An's mansion, hoping to get news of the interrogation from him.
Qian Anxuan's face was very ugly, and he said in a muffled voice: "Ge Zhong has compared the handwriting, and it is indeed Master Li's own handwriting."
"Impossible!" Yuan Shaoxu said anxiously, "how did Master Li make a generous statement that day, you and I and the soldiers of Guangning were all present, how could he seem to be coerced?"
"Hey, Shaoxu, I know, but it's useless for me to believe it. You have to believe it, Mr. Yushi."
Yuan Sikong gritted his teeth and said, "It's not uncommon to see people who can imitate human handwriting. How can we conclude this big case based on handwriting?"
"Master Ge still wants to talk to Mr. Li's relatives, but his relatives seem to be really coerced by others, they are vague and dare not speak."
"How is my father now?" Yuan Nanyu asked.
Qian Anxuan sighed: "He was tortured... but he is not serious, and the jailer took good care of him."
"Master Qian, what should we do now?"
Qian Anxuan shook his head: "You have to know that the source of this matter is not in the secret letter, nor in Mr. Li. It is your father who offended someone who cannot be offended. If he wants to kill your father, I'm afraid..."
"What if I go to ask Han Zhaoxing?" Yuan Shaoxu said anxiously, "As long as he is willing to let dad go, our family will leave Guangning and never come back!"
"Absolutely not." Qian Anyun said with a wry smile, "If you beg him, won't you tell the world that he framed your father? He will become even more angry. I have written a letter to the right servant of the Ministry of Punishment. This person is from my hometown. Maybe he will agree Help one or two, and at the same time send a letter to Datong Mansion immediately, King Jingyuan appreciates your father, if you are willing to intercede for your father, there should be a turning point in this case."
"Thank you, Mr. Qian, thank you, Mr. Qian." Yuan Sikong felt a glimmer of hope, that person would definitely help his father.
Yuan Nanyu asked: "Master Qian, can I visit my father in prison?"
"Master Ge doesn't allow anyone to visit now."
Yuan Sikong frowned and said, "This is against Dasheng's laws. No matter what kind of crime you commit, relatives can visit you."
"Hey, the sky is high and the emperor is far away here. What kind of law does Yushi tell you, a child? If he refuses, you don't want to go."
Yuan Sikong clenched his fists tightly, and his heart was full of hopeless powerlessness. He was too weak, and his most important person was framed and imprisoned, but he couldn't do anything!
On the way back, Yuan Nanyu said quietly: "The right servant of the Ministry of Justice that Mr. Qian said, can you help us? And King Jingyuan, he seems to be a good man..."
Yuan Shaoxu said sadly: "Now we can only wait for the news."
Yuan Nanyu gritted his teeth and said, "If not, let's go to prison!"
"Young man, it's fantastic." Yuan Shaoxu took out a few coins and threw it to him, "Go to the pharmacy and take mother's medicine home." After speaking, he left in a hurry.
Holding the silver, Yuan Nanyu stared at Yuan Sikong with his big black and white eyes without blinking, "Second brother, you are the smartest, what can you do?"
Yuan Sikong pondered for a moment: "I'm going to find Master Li's family."
"Okay, let's go together."
"Go get your mother some medicine."
"Second Brother..."
"Be obedient." Yuan Sikong patted Yuan Nanyu's face and looked at him seriously, "Take care of your mother."
Yuan Nanyu pursed his lips and nodded.
After the two separated, Yuan Sikong went straight to Li's residence.
Li's mansion was still dressed in hemp and filial piety, and the mansion was lifeless.
After Yuan Sikong went to the porter to inform him, he waited quietly outside the door. After a while, the concierge came back and said with a blank expression: "Madam is distraught, I don't see you for a while, young master, please go back."
"Uncle, I have something important to ask."
"Please go back."
"Uncle." Yuan Sikong begged, "My father Yuanmao was framed and imprisoned, he saved the whole of Guangning!"
The concierge showed a look of embarrassment, but finally shook his head cruelly: "Madam said no, please go back." After speaking, he forcefully pushed Yuan Sikong out of the threshold, and closed the door.
Yuan Si kicked the door hard and squatted outside the door.
But he stayed there all day, his hands and feet were numb from the cold, and he never waited for the person he was looking for. Thinking of Qian Anrong's words, he might have really been threatened by Master Li's family by Han Zhaoxing. Avoid talking about it.
He had no choice but to go home in a daze.
Yue Qingshuang's old illness broke out, he coughed continuously, and even had a fever, his face was flushed abnormally, Yuan Weiling and Yuan Nanyu stood by, their eyes were swollen badly.
"Second brother..." Yuan Nanyu hesitated to speak, and wanted to ask him if he found the Li family, but Yuan Sikong shook his head sadly.
He sat by the bed, held Yue Qingshuang's boneless hand, looked at her thin face, and tried to comfort her: "Mother, don't worry, take good care of your illness, Dad will definitely come back."
Yue Qingshuang didn't speak, just nodded, with tears hanging from her eyes.
Yuan Sikong turned his face away, heartbroken.
How could this be the case, they were addicted to the joy of winning the battle, looking forward to the imperial court's reward and the allocated silver to build a stronger city wall, but what they waited for was such a cold and cruel imperial decree, They sent their family to hell in an instant.
He prayed to God, if he could survive this catastrophe, as Yuan Shaoxu said, his family would rather leave Guangning and never be an official, as long as the whole family can be safe...
—
No matter how many years have passed, Yuan Sikong still clearly remembers everything that happened that day, from his insomnia all night to finally being unable to bear the drowsiness, to being woken up by Yuan Nanyu, all the details, all the details He can clearly see the voice, all the expressions.
When he opened his eyes, he saw Yuan Nanyu's face was full of tears, and he was in a state of extreme confusion, just hugging him and yelling vaguely.
He panicked, and an ominous premonition invaded his mind: "Yu'er, what's wrong, don't scare me, Yu'er, what's wrong!"
Yuan Nanyu was out of breath from crying, unable to speak, just pointing outside.
Yuan Sikong stumbled off the bed, staggered into the courtyard, and saw Yuan Shaoxu kneeling on the ground, holding on to Qian Anrong's robe tightly, crying and begging.
Yuan Weiling and Chen Bo's family were also shaking from crying.
Qian Anrong burst into tears, and wanted to help Yuan Shaoxu, but he couldn't drag him up.
Yuan Sikong said in a trembling voice: "Master Qian, what's wrong..."
Qian Anyun shook his head, apparently having trouble opening his mouth.
Qian An's entourage said with difficulty: "Master Yuan... has been convicted. At noon today... he will be sentenced to abandon the market."
Yuan Sikong only felt a muffled thunder explode in his mind, almost knocking him out of his wits, he raised his breath vigorously, but it was like falling into deep water, and it was difficult to breathe, he listened to himself and said: "Impossible, how can you be convicted in three days? Impossible, the Holy Majesty has not yet reconsidered, he is a reckless bandit, and he needs the emperor's approval before he can be sentenced to death, let alone the imperial court ordering officials! Impossible—”
Qian Anyun wiped away his tears: "Ge Zhong said that he has an oracle, but... he can rectify the law on the spot."
"Impossible!" Yuan Sikong roared sharply, "No one can kill my father!" He rushed out and ran to the market.
Dad... no, no way, you can't die, Dad!
When Yuan Sikong ran to the market, the execution platform was surrounded by common people. Officials such as Ge Zhong and Han Zhaoxing were sitting on their seats. It was Yuan Sikong who was forced to kneel on the execution platform in prison clothes and chains. Mao.
Yuan Mao's clothes were stained with blood, his hair was unkempt, his face was stained, his lips were bloodless, but he knelt with his back straight, his expression surprisingly calm, and his majestic spirit that looked at death as if he was at home, he was really an upright man.
Yuan Sikong burst into tears instantly, he desperately squeezed into the crowd: "Father, father!"
Yuan Mao was startled, and when he saw Yuan Sikong, his expression finally loosened a bit, and his eye circles became moist.
"Father, my father was wronged! My father was wronged!" Yuan Sikong hissed, "My father didn't seize the soldier talisman, my father didn't harm Mr. Li, why did you wrong him, why did you frame him!"
Ge Zhong stroked his beard and frowned, Han Zhaoxing also showed displeasure.
"Yes, Lord Yuan must have been wronged."
"Our Guangning depends on Mr. Yuan to defend it. Mr. Yuan is a good person, so he must have been framed."
The people chattered and talked, and the voices became louder and louder, and the entire execution ground began to boil.
Ge Zhong smashed the teacup in his hand severely, and said sharply: "Quiet—"
The scene was suddenly silent.
Yuan Sikong stared at Ge Zhong with red eyes, and shouted: "Ge Zhong, why do you convict my father? Just a letter that can be copied? What's the point of my father taking a soldier talisman from the city of Egg that is in danger?" Useful? Master Li sacrificed his life for righteousness and devoted himself to serve the country, but you said that he was coerced by others, you not only wronged my father, but also shamed Master Li!"
Ge Zhong said angrily: "Where did this arrogant kid come from? Get rid of me!"
Yuan Mao said hoarsely: "Kong'er, don't talk anymore, go home!"
Yuan Sikong had no fear: "Ge Zhong, thanks to your status as a censor, you actually despise the laws of Dasheng. Forbidding relatives to visit is one of them. The second is torture and hasty convictions. You have not been reconsidered by the Holy One and ordered to kill the court." Commander is the third, you are so courageous, what you have done, does the sage know, does the world know!"
Ge Zhong was trembling with anger: "Bastard, catch me, arrest me!"
The guards squeezed into the crowd to arrest Yuan Sikong, but the people blocked them with their bodies. Those guards were from Yuanmao's old department, and they didn't really obey Ge Zhong, so they couldn't squeeze through for a long time.
"Han Zhaoxing!" Yuan Sikong had already risked everything, and he stared at Han Zhaoxing viciously with resentful eyes, "You are a sinister and vicious villain, throwing Qingzhou caused the imperial court to abandon the seven states in northern Liaoning, and throwing Huangshui made Guangning dangerous. The city was destroyed, if it wasn't for my father, Guangning would have been gone by now, you would have died long ago, my father should not have let you enter the city that day! You will avenge your kindness and frame my father, you bastard will die forever, and you will be stigmatized forever! I curse you —”
Han Zhao jumped up from his chair excitedly: "You dare to slander the imperial court officials, I think you are tired of living, hurry up and arrest me."
"Kong'er!" Yuan Mao roared, "Hurry up, don't say any more."
"Father—" Yuan Sikong cried bitterly, "Why did they kill you! You saved Guangning, you are a great hero, why should they kill you! That day when the Jin Kingdom's army was besieging the city, all trees and stones were thrown, and the cannons fired from afar. You are standing on the top of the city, and the arrows in your shoulders are still holding on, where is Han Zhaoxing! The emperor said that he has merit, what merit does he have? Ge Zhong said that you are guilty, what are you guilty of!"
Yuanmao burst into tears: "Konger, don't talk about it, I beg you, let's go... take care of your mother..."
"Ge Zhong, Han Zhaoxing, you killed my father unjustly today, and everyone in the world will know it tomorrow. My father was loyal and courageous, turned the tide, and saved 40,000 people in Guangning. In your own hands! There is a god three feet above your head, so you are not afraid of retribution! There is heaven and justice in this world!" Yuan Sikong cried, "My father only has merit and no crime. Why do you kill him? —”
Ge Zhong roared angrily: "Take it down, take it down, do you all want to resist the decree?!"
Yuan Sikong was protected in the middle, and the guards and the people pushed and shoved.
"Lord Yuan is wronged!" Someone in the crowd yelled violently.
This sentence was like a single spark, instantly starting a prairie fire, and the people shouted, "Master Yuan is wronged, Lord Yuan is wronged, Lord Yuan is wronged—"
For a while, the shouts reached the sky, and the sound shook the whole world.
The guards guarding the execution platform formed a circle, with their spears across their chests, blocking the outraged people.
Ge Zhong and Han Zhaoxing were anxious and angry, the scene was about to get out of control, Han Zhaoxing shouted: "It's noon, execution, execution!"
"Father—" Yuan Sikong's voice was drowned in the roar.
Yuan Mao burst into tears, staring at Yuan Sikong, the eyes of the two met in the chaotic crowd, and that glance pierced each other's hearts.
Yuan Sikong stretched out his hand, wanting to grab Yuanmao in vain, but it was only a few feet away, but it was so far away, his eyes were blurred by tears, he wiped desperately, he wanted to see Yuanmao clearly, just once, just one more time.
The criminal officer shouted at the top of his voice: "It's noon, the execution—"
"Lord Yuan is wronged!"
The executioner pressed Yuan Mao on the stone platform, and he said in a deep voice, "Master Yuan, I'm sorry."
Seeing that they were helpless, the common people gradually became quiet, sobbing together.
"Father..." Yuan Sikong knelt on the ground with all his strength, his voice was so hoarse that he couldn't make a sound, and tears welled up.
Yuan Mao smiled proudly: "Konger, live well and take care of your family."
"Father... don't..." Yuan Sikong only felt a sharp pain in his heart, and he was about to die almost immediately.
"Execution!"
Yuan Mao chanted loudly:
It's hard to blind your eyes with miasma clouds, and there is no time for destiny.
Bury the bones of Qianqiu Xue, loyal soul town Liaodong!
When the executioner raised the big knife and blew it down, this scene became the nightmare of Yuan Sikong's life.
At that moment, something collapsed in his body, and everything he had believed in for the past thirteen years disappeared in an instant. All he had in his eyes was the cold blade, the blood column soaring to the sky, and the man who Nor can he comfort him, care for him, or protect his people.
He seemed to be dead, the pain of skin being stripped inch by inch and soul being drained bit by bit, he must be dead.
"what-"
The people knelt down in groups, crying loudly, almost drowning the whole city in grief.
Suddenly, Yuan Sikong felt that he was being hugged by someone. He was powerless to struggle, but screamed miserably, facing the execution platform, and facing the person who would never respond to him again, hoping that his soul would still be alive, and he could finally die. Hear your own voice for once.