The Red Mansion: From a Small Pawn to a Leader

Chapter 121 Li Hu is back

Although a major case had occurred in the capital, and the Ministry of Justice and Shuntian Prefecture were arresting people everywhere, the Mid-Autumn Festival was approaching, so the East and West Markets were still bustling.

Bai Hongzhi, wearing a coarse cloth gown, walked slowly with the elderly steward among the bustling crowd.

He bought a cloth shop in Xishi and came here today to check out the situation, preparing to open it the day before Mid-Autumn Festival.

In order to avoid having people see the eye patch on his left eye, Bai Hongzhi still wore a bamboo hat in the middle of the day, half covering his face as he followed the crowd towards the West Market.

"Lock it up! Lock it all up! Don't let any of them escape!" A loud shout came from the front of the crowd, and the street immediately became chaotic!
Bai Hongzhi looked up and saw that the yamen runners from Shuntian Prefecture had arrested more than a dozen people and were leading them out of a restaurant with chains.

The head of the yamen runners shouted loudly: "Send the shopkeeper to the Ministry of Justice! Send the servants to the yamen prison!"

The shopkeeper cried out, "Why are you arresting me? Why are you arresting me?!"

The head of the yamen runners: "Why? Because you are competing with General Li's family for property!"

The shopkeeper said: "It's unfair! I was entrusted by someone!"

The head of the Yamen runners: "Entrusted by others? Let me ask you, were you the one who set up those families?"

The shopkeeper said: "No, nothing."

The head of the yamen runners: "You still dare to deny it. Slap him in the face!"

The two yamen runners hit the shopkeeper with a palm each, which was very skillful and made him feel dizzy.

The shopkeeper got anxious and shouted, "I really don't know that damn Yang Qilong!"

The head of the bailiff squad waved his hand and said, "Let's talk about it in the prison of the Ministry of Justice!"

Two bailiffs dragged the shopkeeper away.

The head of the yamen runners shouted, "Come on, seal this place off!"

The yamen runners shouted in response: "Yes!"

The old steward's eyes sparkled: "This Shui Rong is really too concerned! He knows very well that the prince and Li Hu will not appreciate it."

Bai Hongzhi sneered: "It's just sour writing. He did it for the emperor to see, for the four kings and eight dukes and other families to see, and for the soldiers fighting outside to see."

The old steward thought about it and then nodded.

Bai Hongzhi stared at the shopkeeper's back: "Nothing will go wrong, right?"

The old steward said: "Don't worry, Master Sun, it has been dealt with long ago."

Bai Hongzhi nodded and walked straight to the cloth shop.

Inside the prison of the Ministry of Justice, the innkeeper had already fainted, but the jailer was still shouting, “Eighty-seven, eighty-eight.”

The warden of the prison stood at the door with Yang Qilong, whose face was ashen, and watched.

".Ninety-seven, ninety-eight, ninety-nine. It's over."

The warden of the prison accompanied Yang Qilong inside.

The shopkeeper was covered in blood!

Yang Qilong nodded with satisfaction: "Wake him up."

Cold water was always available, and at this time another jailer picked up a bucket of water and poured it on the shopkeeper's head.

The shopkeeper trembled all over and slowly opened his eyes.

Yang Qilong: "How is it? Do you remember something? Tell me, how did the White Lotus Sect arrange it for you?"

The shopkeeper said incoherently: "I am wronged."

Yang Qilong said angrily: "Come on, you ignorant fool! Put him on the tiger bench! Pour pepper water into his mouth! Use all the tricks you have here and see if he will talk or not!"

The warden hesitated and asked, "What if he was beaten to death?"

Yang Qilong narrowed his eyes and said, "This case is known to the public, even if you kill him, it will be in vain!"

The warden of the prison had nothing else to say, and he gave a loud order: "Punish!" Yang Qilong walked out, and a shrill scream came from behind him.
In the duty room of the Ministry of Justice, several officials from the Ministry of Justice and Shuntian Prefecture stood in a row with their heads lowered.

Shui Rong was sitting at the desk, looking down at the files.

Yang Qilong walked in, walked up to Shui Rong and whispered, "Your Majesty, the suspect still hasn't confessed."

After these words were spoken, the officials of Shuntian Prefecture exchanged anxious glances.

Several officials from the Ministry of Justice looked at each other and cursed Shui Rong again in their hearts. If it weren't for this sour king, their Ministry of Justice wouldn't have had such an unlucky job!

Shui Rong didn't even raise his head: "Then keep beating him until he confesses." He continued flipping through the files as usual.

At this time, Shuntian Prefecture Governor led Daxing County in excitedly, greeted Shui Rong, and then handed a case record to Shui Rong with both hands: "Your Majesty, there was a ruffian who took the money but did not participate in the arson. He secretly followed the merchant surnamed Yang to the inn and overheard his conversation with his accomplices.

Those people mentioned Fengxiang, Shaanxi, and cursed General Li for killing their leader and fellow believers. The ruffian originally wanted to steal some things from the guest room of the merchant surnamed Yang to exchange for money, but when he heard that the other party was from the White Lotus Sect, he did not dare to set fire and hid in his relative's house.

The officials from the Ministry of Justice and Shuntian Prefecture were shocked, and then excited. Now that it was confirmed to be the White Lotus Sect, they could finally report to the authorities.

Yang Qilong's face darkened. It was indeed those bugs!
Shui Rong took the case record handed over by the Shuntian prefect and started reading it, then smiled.

At this time, a burst of hurried footsteps came in and everyone looked over.

The captain of the guards at Prince Beijing's mansion rushed in like a gust of wind, sweating profusely.

Shui Rong's face sank: "What's the matter? Why are you so flustered?"

The captain of the guard wiped the sweat from his face, then walked to Shui Rong and whispered quickly in his ear.

Shui Rong's expression changed immediately: "Why did he come back early?!"

Who's back?

Yang Qilong and the other officials were stunned by his expression and looked at him.

Shui Rong's expression kept changing and his eyes kept flickering.

After an unknown amount of time, Shui Rong finally managed to utter a few words from between his teeth: "Li Hu is back!"

Yang Qilong and the officials also changed their expressions.

The Daxing County Magistrate was sweating profusely at this time, and he knelt down and said, "Your Highness, let's close the case! We have already checked the inn, and those people left before dark. No one knows their whereabouts. We will not get any results if we continue to investigate."

All the officials echoed in unison: "Yes! Yes!"

Shui Rong leaned back in his chair and said, "The Li family wants Yang Qilong. Who can prove that the businessman surnamed Yang is Yang Qilong?"

The Daxing County Magistrate was stunned.

Shuntian Prefecture Governor gritted his teeth and said: "The Li family only wants face and compensation. Whether those families knew about it or not, they can't escape the charge of colluding with the White Lotus Sect."

The magistrate of Daxing County quickly replied, "Yes, yes! They all accepted money from the White Lotus Sect. Collaboration with bandits is a capital crime. We can search their homes and find any evidence we want. The stolen goods can be used to compensate the Li family. The case is closed, and the emperor and the prince are happy. The prince can submit his orders, and I can keep my official hat. The Li family has regained their reputation and received compensation, so they are naturally happy. Everyone is happy."

As he spoke, he looked at Shui Rong with pleading eyes.

The Shuntian prefect and the other officials looked at each other and agreed in unison: "We second this motion."

Shui Rong was delighted, but he pretended to be silent for a long time before he said, "If this can be done, everyone will be happy. Let's do it quickly."

The officials said, "Yes!" and hurried out.

Shui Rong then smiled and said to Yang Qilong, "Go, tell the restaurant owner that as long as he bites the merchant surnamed Yang to death in front of Li Hu, he will be 'Yang Qilong', and I will help him raise his wife and children."

Yang Qilong: “Yes.”

It was already dusk.

Li Hu, looking dusty, walked out of the imperial city. Wang Daniu, who was waiting outside the city gate, hurried to greet him.

Wang Daniu took out a letter from his bosom and handed it to Li Hu: "General, this is a letter from the Liu family, saying that they got some information from the Ministry of Justice."

Li Hu took the letter, tore it open and read it. After reading a few lines, he snorted coldly, then clutched the letter and said, "Let's go to the Ministry of Justice!" After that, he strode towards the government office under the imperial city.

(End of this chapter)