“It’s unfair!”
Even though he didn't know whether shouting "injustice" would work at this moment, he had no choice but to try his best to save the situation when he was at the mercy of others. Even though the Changlu County Office was said to have been severely purged yesterday, and many officials and even runners from Changlu County Magistrate Xu Cheng on down were imprisoned, there might still be some fish that slipped through the net.
Even Sun Zhubu, whom Zhu Tingfang had chosen before, was just a tall man among a bunch of rotten officials, not a clean man. Therefore, he simply shouted angrily: "My Qi family has accumulated virtues and done good deeds, and everyone in Cangzhou knows it. General Zhu and Doctor Zhang listened to the words of the traitors and put all the blame on me and others. I don't accept it!"
Taking advantage of the fact that the expected Ruiqi Battalion soldiers did not rush over and capture him, he still had a chance to speak. Without even thinking, he raised his hand and pointed at the little Huasheng standing behind Zhu Tingfang, and raised his voice and said, "General Zhu, dare you say that the guy behind you is not the one who has always been following the bandit leader Xian Yunhe? You can keep such a petty traitor by your side, but you don't trust us gentry?"
"If we follow the way General Zhu and Dr. Zhang act, the rebels can be spared, but we who have radicalized them into becoming good citizens will be doomed! That is simply bizarre, a group of rebels, can they call themselves good citizens? Moreover, those of you who are now staying safely in the Changlu County Office, have you not radicalized them into becoming good citizens? When County Master Xu was still alive, didn't he send you to suppress the rebellion?"
"It was you who beat the spinners until they were bleeding? It was you who threw manure on the doors of their houses and wrote the words 'troublemakers' on them? But so what? Those troublemakers were ignorant and unruly, and we never stole or robbed, and every penny we earned was legitimate. As for the crimes you just accused us of, Dr. Zhang, you are simply making excuses for them!"
"Where are the witnesses? Where are the physical evidence?"
Under Qi Yuanwai's fierce defense... or counterattack, the other old men who had just prepared to take a lot of risks also came to their senses. Since Jiang Da Shao, who had voluntarily confessed his guilt and accepted punishment, was obviously not going to escape the prison, and even his life and death was controlled by others, they might as well put on an iron-willed appearance.
At least now that the turmoil had subsided, neither Zhu Tingfang nor Zhang Shou dared to kill them as a warning to others!
Although the Zhu family was deeply trusted by the emperor, they also had many enemies among the court officials and had been attacked countless times before. They didn't believe that the political enemies of the Zhu family in the court had not been closely watching the changes in the situation in Cangzhou and would not seize this opportunity!
Hearing these questions that got louder and louder, Zhang Shou turned his head and saw that Peanut was in a panic, while the officers standing nearby were in a state of great excitement. The man who had brought Peanut here on purpose suddenly clapped his hands and said with admiration, "Not bad, not bad. Life-and-death danger can really bring out the greatest potential in people. I couldn't help but feel angry just by hearing this, let alone others?"
"The imperial censors in the court should learn some rhetoric skills from Master Qi, so that they won't be at a loss for words and have to leave the court in disgrace when they are arguing fiercely in the court!"