It's easy to be a villain, but hard to be a princess

Uncle Song stepped forward, "Although Your Excellency has the emperor's token in his hand, the lord is not at the mansion right now, we should wait for the lord to come back and ask the lord for instructions before proceeding."

The newly appointed servant of the Ministry of Justice said: "The emperor is the most respected in the court. I am acting according to the order, so I don't have to ask the regent."

"This..." Uncle Song was devastated, but he was at a loss.

Two people from the punishment department shackled Han Zixiao's hands and feet, and Uncle Song said again: "My lord, if the prince blames me, we can't afford it."

Han Zixiao didn't cry out for grievances either. He had been mentally prepared yesterday, and today his mind is calm. "Uncle Song, I broke the law. They are only doing things according to the order. Don't make things difficult for them."

Ye Qing sniffed with tears in his eyes, "Master."

A smile appeared on Han Zixiao's face, "A man, what does it look like to cry and cry?" After a pause, he said, "Take care."

Tears welled up in Ye Qing's eyes, flowing down his cheeks to his chin, he pressed his lips tightly, "Master, you should take care of yourself too."

The newly appointed servant of the Ministry of Punishment said: "Master Han, please."

Han Zixiao was escorted out of the palace by two people. It happened that Chu Muqing's carriage stopped at the door, and Chu Muqing, who was dressed in a purple official robe, got out of the carriage.

Han Zixiao watched him walk over expressionlessly, lowering his head and not daring to look at him.

When Chu Muqing walked up to him, the newly appointed servant of the Ministry of Punishment saluted and said, "I have seen the prince."

Chu Muqing glanced at Han Zixiao behind him, and asked in a cold voice, "What's going on."

The servant of the criminal department said: "Return to the prince, Han Zixiao is suspected of bribing the examination paper examiner, and I will be arrested by the order of the emperor."

Chu Muqing stared at Han Zixiao who lowered his head, "Raise your head and tell me, did you do the bribe?"

Han Zixiao raised his head slowly, not knowing what expression to use to face him, "I'm sorry, my lord."

"My king asked if you did it?" Chu Muqing asked repeatedly.

Han Zixiao replied, "I did."

Chu Muqing stared at Han Zixiao, who lowered his head, not wanting to see the disappointment on his face.The servant of the Ministry of Punishment bowed his hands to Chu Muqing, "My lord, I have to return to the palace to return to my command, so I will leave first."

The servant of the Ministry of Punishment led his men to escort Han Zixiao around Chu Muqing. Chu Muqing stood at the door for a long time before moving back to the house.

In court, Fan Youcheng interrogated him personally, and Han Zixiao confessed to the crimes one by one, and was finally sentenced to ten years in prison.

It was early spring at this time, and the flowers were blooming outside, and the grass was growing and warblers were flying, but this day the prison was dark and humid, with a musty smell.After Han Zixiao came in, he meditated on a somewhat clean straw mat with his back against the stone wall.

In the cell next door lay a disheveled man. He seemed to have gotten used to life in prison. At this moment, he was sleeping soundly under that old quilt that could not be seen in color, and the sound of snoring echoed in the cell.

Han Zixiao thought, if he stayed in this kind of place for a year or so, he would become like that too.

The first person to visit him was Liu Chengqing, the imperial historian. Liu Chengqing was carrying a small jar of wine with regret on his face.

Han Zixiao said with shame: "Han is an official in Yushitai, but he can't even keep his own innocence. He ruined Yushitai's reputation. I really feel sorry for everyone in Yushitai."

Liu Chengqing sighed: "In the past years, there were not one or two people who used the imperial examinations to make up the numbers. They did more or less things to benefit the examiners, but they were not exposed. Corrupt officials are inexhaustible. In the court, it's just a show, warning those corrupt officials not to be blatant."

Han Zixiao smiled wryly, "Your Excellency seems to understand it very thoroughly."

"If you live to my age, you will think so too." Liu Chengqing drank a glass of wine and said with emotion: "In the court, if you cling to corrupt officials, you will only end up being squeezed out. Say no." Sure, I will be bitten back."

After hearing Liu Chengqing's words, a thought flashed in Han Zixiao's mind. This time, Fan Youcheng was obviously targeting him, and he and Fan Youcheng had no grievances or enmities.Han Zixiao fell into deep thought. Could it be that Fan Youcheng was eager to get rid of him because he had been investigating Wei Haotian's corruption case?

Lin Manxu's whereabouts are unknown now, and after Lin Manxu's crimes were exposed, Fan Youcheng couldn't wait to suppress him. If combined with this corruption case, it would make sense.

Moreover, Fan Youcheng knew about Liu Qinghe's going to Yu County.

"Master Han?" Seeing that he didn't know where he was going, Liu Chengqing called out to him.

Han Zixiao came back to his senses, and said apologetically, "I'm sorry."

Liu Chengqing held the wine glass and looked at him, "What is Master Han thinking?"

Han Zixiao pondered for a moment, "I just thought of one thing, that is, I don't know if Mr. Liu dares to listen."

Liu Chengqing smiled, "I'm not too shy to shrink back."

Han Zixiao said: "It was just now that Han thought of Lin Manxu's hiding place."

"Oh? Where?"

Han Zixiao lowered his voice and said word by word: "Uncle Guo's house."

Liu Chengqing was stunned, then narrowed his eyes slightly, "Don't talk nonsense, do you have evidence?"

"Thanks for the reminder, my lord."

Liu Chengqing understood, and looked at Han Zixiao, "Then Master Han wants me to go to the uncle's mansion to ask for someone?"

"Uncle Guo is the empress dowager's elder brother and the emperor's own uncle. If he comes to ask for someone like this, and he denies it by relying on his power and position, I am afraid that few people in the court would dare to barge in."

"Master Han is really careful." Liu Chengqing said.

Han Zixiao sighed: "Mr. Han has already landed in this field, and must not implicate Lord Liu again."

Liu Chengqing said: "If there is a person in the court who is willing to go to the uncle's house to be an important person, even the uncle of the country would not dare to disobey."

"My lord?"

Liu Chengqing nodded.

Chu Ruihong has always regarded Chu Muqing as a confidant, and Fan Youcheng has been advising him. If Chu Muqing and Fan Youcheng confront each other, I am afraid that Fan Youcheng will come up with more despicable means to get rid of Chu Muqing.

Han Zixiao shook his head and said, "That's all." He didn't want Chu Muqing to have a hard time.

After Liu Chengqing left, the cell became quiet again, there was still half of the small jar of wine left, if Han Zixiao only drank a little every day, he could still drink for a while.

The man in the cell next door was already awake, smelling the smell of wine, he leaned behind the wooden fence and smiled at Han Zixiao, "Little brother, do you still have wine?"

Han Zixiao looked at the small jar of wine in front of him, and said, "There's still a little more, senior, do you want some?"

He smacked his lips every time a man whose hair and face couldn't see his original appearance said, "Of course it would be best if I had something to drink."

Han Zixiao picked up the small jar of wine and walked to the wooden fence, poured a glass of wine from Liu Chengqing's used glass and passed it through the gap in the fence.The unkempt man took a sip and smiled, "Very fragrant wine."

Han Zixiao just smiled faintly, this person probably hasn't tasted wine for many years.

Because of a glass of wine, the two started talking and named each other, and the name of the dirty-haired man was Xu Huang.

Xu Huang sat casually leaning on the wooden fence, "Brother Han, I think you are a good-looking person. You don't look like a criminal. What did you do to get in here?"

Han Zixiao didn't hide anything, "I'm really ashamed, I was originally an official of the imperial court, but I was found out about the bribery in the imperial examination, so I ended up in this position."

Xu Huang asked: "So after becoming an official, will there be corruption and bribery?"

"How dare you."

Xu Huang said thoughtfully: "That would be strange. If you say that the department held bribes, it would be too much. Why did you get arrested?"

"It's a long story, I'm afraid it's hard to explain it in one sentence." Han Zixiao's face was full of bitterness.

On the third day after being imprisoned, Han Zixiao saw Chu Muqing's shadow. He was still wearing purple clothes, his hair was tied up with a jade crown and a Hetian white jade hairpin, and his face was expressionless. , I thought he was a lonely and lonely person.Only when you really get along with him can you experience the tenderness in his heart.

Ye Qing followed behind Chu Muqing, before Chu Muqing could speak, Ye Qing couldn't wait to step forward, and said through the wooden fence: "My lord, are you doing well?"

Han Zixiao really didn't want to answer the question of how well he was doing, so he reluctantly said: "It's just a different place to eat and sleep, there's nothing wrong with it."

Chu Muqing signaled the jailer behind him to open the door, and when the door opened, Ye Qing, who was carrying a food box, ran in first, "My lord, I brought you a lot of food, come and eat some."

Han Zixiao glanced at Chu Muqing at the door, Ye Qing had already squatted down, opened the food box and put out all the food and drink, one plate of roast chicken, one plate of braised lion head, another plate of braised pork, plus a Cup of nourishing stew.

Han Zixiao sat down on the mat without being too dirty, Ye Qing handed over a pair of chopsticks, Han Zixiao picked up a piece of braised pork and put it in his mouth, he ate the food in the prison for two days, and then ate the food cooked by the cook in the palace, I just feel that it is delicious in the world.

Ye Qing poured a bowl of soup from the soup cup and handed it to him, "My lord, drink some soup first."

Han Zixiao put down his chopsticks, took a sip from the soup bowl, subconsciously raised his head and glanced at Chu Muqing who was standing over there, with mixed feelings in his heart.

After seeing Han Zixiao, Ye Qing ignored Chu Muqing behind him, pointed to the plate of braised lion's head and said, "My lord, this lion's head is delicious, eat more."

Han Zixiao nodded, "Yeah." Then he asked, "Are you hungry, or do you want to eat something together?"

Ye Qing shook his head, "I'm not hungry, I only come here when I'm full, young master, you eat."

Han Zixiao's corner of the eye subconsciously glanced at Chu Muqing over there again, but he didn't speak after all, just silently ate the food Ye Qing brought over.