There was no need to say hello to the cell leader, as the group of them immediately attracted everyone's attention upon their arrival.
Immediately, everyone who had been huddled in the corner shivering just now started shouting and begging for mercy.
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Is the lower official unjustly accused? The lower official did not collude with the Chen Wang, Sun and Li family, the lower official did not! The lower official was unjustly accused!"
"Your Majesty! I have an eighty-year-old mother at home and a baby who is waiting to be fed. Your Majesty, please forgive me!"
"My lord, have mercy! Your lord, have mercy!"
In an instant, the whole dungeon was noisy, and all the yamen officials locked in the prison were begging for mercy and complaining.
Several of them just huddled in place quietly without any reaction.
In addition to the three heads of the Chen Wang and Sun families who had already accepted their fate, the other two who had not made any move were the county magistrate Liu Xishan and the defense envoy Cheng Cheng.
Although Liu Xishan's face was gloomy, he was also a little relieved. He quietly looked through the skylight of the dungeon and stared blankly at the rays of sunlight coming in from outside.
Cheng Chengze, with his back straight, sat cross-legged in the corner of the cell, motionless. Even when Zhao Jun and others arrived, he did not open his eyes. He still sat cross-legged quietly, as if he could not hear any sounds from the outside world.
Not to mention the heads of the three families, Zhao Jun was a little curious about the state of these two people, so he asked the cell leader to open their exclusive cells and walked in slowly.
The first person to enter was Liu Xishan's cell.
Zhao Jun came to him slowly, followed his line of sight and looked at the ray of sunlight coming in from the skylight, and suddenly asked: "Is it beautiful?"
"It's beautiful, why isn't it beautiful? I'm afraid there is nothing more beautiful than this in this world."
Liu Xishan showed a smile and replied lightly.
"Yes, after all, it is the light of freedom, how can it not be beautiful?
But, you didn’t cherish it when you had it. "
Liu Xishan closed his eyes slightly, stretched out his hand and placed it under the light, feeling the warmth conveyed in the light, and murmured:
"It's not that I don't want to cherish him, it's that I don't have a choice at all!
My lord, you are born a noble person. There are too few things in this world that can make you unable to control yourself. But for children like us who are born in the common people, every step we take will increase the shackles on our bodies.
Xiaguan has been smart since he was a child. He has been enlightened since he was four years old. He passed the child examination at the age of nine and became the local criminal leader.
After that, he stood up before he could reach the official position, and passed three levels in a row: Xiucai, Juren, and Jinshi!
Although he only had the same Jinshi background, in the entire Song Dynasty, Xiaguan's reputation was already considered top-notch!
However, day after day, year after year, I watched those classmates who took the imperial examination in the same period one by one implement their positions and take charge of the government. Even many candidates who took the imperial examination in the same period obtained official positions, but what about me?
Still doing nothing all day long, waiting for arrangements from the officials, waiting for what they call a good replacement for the vacant official position!
Why? Why are all those candidates taking the bench, but not me, a fellow Jinshi?
I didn't understand it at first, but later I understood it because I came from a poor family!
No! I'm not even from a humble family, I'm just a mud-legged kid. Although I'm a fellow Jinshi, in the eyes of those who were born in a family of eunuchs, I'm still just the humblest mud-legged kid with no backing or background, so I can only let others do it. Take advantage! "
Having said this, Liu Xishan took a deep breath, and then exhaled heavily, as if he wanted to expel all the depression in his chest.
Then he slowed down his tone and continued: "Then I compromised, I learned to be smart, and I understood... what it means to be human and worldly.
I bought a gift with the only money I had left and gave it to a classmate with background, asking him to point me to a clear path.
Then I got the news that four companies wanted to support a spokesperson in Yunzhou City.
I approached four companies and made promises, and got rewards.
Soon I received news from the Ministry of Civil Affairs that there was a vacancy in Nanyang, and I got the opportunity to be a substitute.
I stayed in Nanyang for five years. During these five years, I relied on the support provided by the four families to rise through the ranks, and soon became the county captain of Nanyang.
Three years ago, four families contacted me and asked me to be transferred back to Yunzhou County. According to the rules of the imperial court, officials transferred to Yunzhou County were automatically promoted to one level and I became the county magistrate.
After that, I became the spokesperson of the four families, helping them control the entire Yunzhou County Yamen and becoming their lackey!
My lord, tell me, am I right or wrong? "
Zhao Jun did not speak, and Liu Xishan did not expect an answer.
As if he was minding his own business, he continued: "The world is like this. You have nothing when you are born. If you want to get it the day after tomorrow, you must pay something. I gave up my freedom and myself, and got the position I wanted, then I will You must accept the possible consequences of this matter.
I had long known that such a day would come to me sooner or later, but I didn't expect it to come so early.
But, I don’t regret it!
If I didn't choose this way, I would still be just a nerd waiting stupidly in the capital, until my hair turns white, until I wait in despair, until I waste my whole life.
Although the ending is not good now, at least my life has not been in vain. I have at least got what I wanted, so that is already very good. "
Liu Xishan's voice gradually became lowered, and without looking at Zhao Jun again, he turned back to the dark corner of the prison and curled up silently, no longer paying attention to anyone.
Zhao Jun stood quietly and looked at him. After a while, he stretched out his hand and put it into a ray of light, then took it away and put it in again.
Indeed, the light inside is indeed much warmer than other places. Being able to experience the warmth of this light once, even if it is only for a moment, is probably extremely good for most people...
However, now that a choice has been made, the consequences of the choice must be unavoidable.
Zhao Jun turned around and walked out of the cell.
The heavy chains were tightened again and the prison door was locked again.
Snap! Snap!
Wow!
A second cell was opened.
Zhao Jun walked slowly to Cheng Cheng's cell and stood quietly in front of Cheng Cheng.
Cheng Cheng, who had been sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed for a long time, opened his eyes and looked at Zhao Jun who was looking at him quietly in front of him and said doubtfully:
"My lord, don't you have anything to ask?"
"Is it necessary? Does it make sense?"
Zhao Jun said calmly.
Cheng Cheng was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter.
His straight back bent, and he leaned back against the wall of the cell and said with a self-deprecating laugh: "Yeah, it's unnecessary, it's pointless."
Zhao Jun said coldly: "Even if I ask, you will definitely say the same thing as Liu Xishan, tell your own difficulties, and say how forced you are to reach this point.
However, none of these can change the fact.
You have betrayed the imperial court! Betrayed the Song Dynasty!
No matter how many difficulties or reasons you have, what you have done has caused harm to the people of the Song Dynasty!
How many alien races have been fed by the materials sold by you?
How many alien races have been armed?
And the people of the Song Dynasty who died at the hands of these foreign races, aren't they pitiable?
Aren't they innocent?
Do they deserve death, do they deserve to be massacred by aliens?
These are all mistakes you made. From the moment you resold those supplies, you are no longer innocent. Your hands are already stained with the blood of those innocent people.
You - your sin is unpardonable! "
