Song Huan leaned over and glanced in the direction where Emperor Liang was speaking.
"Huh?"
"Father, the one kneeling in front of the Dali Temple is the Prime Minister of Dali Temple, Zhou Jue, who captured Zheng Yuan last night."
"I heard that among the courtiers in Daliang, Zhou Jue is the only one who comes from a poor family."
"Seeing that he speaks and acts quite decently, I wanted to find an opportunity to introduce Zhou Jue to my father!"
"It's better to choose a day than to hit it. Today I just happened to have such an opportunity!"
After saying that, Song Huan made a gesture to get off the carriage.
"etc!"
Emperor Liang suddenly spoke up and stopped Song Huan who was about to get out of the car.
"As the Prime Minister of Dali Temple, why is he kneeling like this outside the gate of Dali Temple?"
Of course Song Huan knew the truth, but when facing Emperor Liang, he still made an expression of sudden realization.
"yes!"
"Is it possible that Zhou Jue is being punished by the Prime Minister of Dali Temple because of what happened last night?"
"That's not right either!"
"The Prime Minister of Dali Temple is just Zhou Jue's superior. He shouldn't have the right to punish his subordinates at will!"
Emperor Liang obviously heard what Song Huan said.
I saw him frowning slightly, looking thoughtful, not knowing what he was thinking in his heart.
Not long after, the door of Dali Temple opened with a creak, and a man who looked like the leader of the guards walked out.
"Master Zhou, you'd better leave quickly!"
"Master Bao is not here at the moment. It is useless for you to kneel here!"
"And what if Master Bao comes and sees that you haven't left to go back to Qiongzhou yet? I don't know what to do to you!"
Zhou Jue's back was turned to Song Huan and others, and he could not clearly see the expression on his face.
But it can be seen from his straight spine and firm attitude when he shakes his head that he has no intention of leaving at all!
"Shiwei Hong, thank you for your kindness."
"Originally I wanted to leave, but this journey was really frustrating!"
"I obviously didn't do anything I shouldn't have done. Am I going to be driven back to my hometown in Qiongzhou just because of that unfounded crime?"
"I don't accept it!"
"Master Bao, if you want to punish me, then just punish me casually."
"I will never bear this unreasonable disaster because of a crime I didn't commit!"
Seeing Zhou Jue's resolute attitude, Guard Hong couldn't help but become more anxious.
"Master Zhou, you are indeed right!"
"All our guards at Dali Temple know that you are right!"
"And in the eyes of all the guards at Dali Temple, although you are a weak scholar, you are a hero with a strong character."
"You dare to say things that Mr. Bao wouldn't dare to say on weekdays."
"Master Bao is afraid of offending people, but you are not afraid of offending!"
"We all know that you did a good job in arresting Zheng Yuan this time."
"If you hadn't specifically emphasized that Zheng Yuan was the person the Fourth Prince ordered you to arrest when you came back last night, Master Bao would have released him long ago!"
"There is no other reason than fear of offending Mr. Zheng and Mr. Grand Master!"
"only……"
Having said this, Guard Hong looked around a few times with some scruples.
"It's just that today's Daliang is a Daliang who can only keep his words when those powerful people speak!"
"You are lucky to be able to save your life this time and return home safe and sound."
"If I wait until Lord Bao comes back and see you still kneeling here asking for an explanation, I'm afraid I don't know how to punish you!"
"Master Bao is already wary of your abilities. Let him seize the opportunity this time. Maybe..."
In the middle of what he said, Guard Hong suddenly closed his mouth angrily.
Zhou Jue didn't know what happened behind him, so he just nodded gratefully towards Guard Hong.
"I can hear these words from Guard Hong. Even if I, Zhou Jue, die here today, it will be worth it."
"Oh, is it so?"
Suddenly, an extremely arrogant and displeased voice sounded behind Zhou Jue.
I saw Bao Xing, the minister of Dali Temple, dragging his slightly fat body and walking around Zhou Jue with a smile on his face.
"Zhou Jue, didn't Lord Sun Wanli from the Ministry of Civil Affairs give an order telling you to return to your hometown of Qiongzhou as soon as possible and not to return to Beijing forever?"
"Is it possible that you haven't been back for several years and can't remember the way back to your hometown?"
As soon as Bao Xing said this, several of his followers burst into laughter.
In the face of Bao Xing's attack, Zhou Jue always kept his spine straight and was not afraid of flattery at all.
"If I am indeed an official and do nothing, then according to the law of Daliang, I have nothing to say about how to punish me."
"Even if I have to leave, I have to leave clearly!"
"What on earth am I guilty of?"
Bao Xing snorted coldly, and the sneer on his face turned into anger and resentment.
"Didn't I tell you last night?"
"As the Prime Minister of Dali Temple, if you arrest the wrong person, doesn't it count as 'being an official but not doing anything'?"
"It's just that you had some conflicts with Mr. Zheng, so you took revenge and framed Mr. Zheng!"
"Fortunately, those who are clean will themselves be cleansed, and I have found out the truth..."
After hearing this, Zhou Jue finally couldn't help but laugh up to the sky.
"the truth……"
"This is the 'truth' you are talking about!"
"It has already spread throughout the capital and beyond. Zheng Yuan often abuses and beats Hanshi. This is no longer a once-in-a-while incident."
"What happened last night even aroused public outrage!"
"But for the sake of your own career and for the sake of protecting your own safety, you did not hesitate to fabricate the 'truth' about what you did out of thin air..."
"It is Daliang's biggest shame that you officials who confuse right and wrong and mistake deer for horse are Daliang!"
Zhou Jue spoke eloquently and spoke directly from his heart, attracting many people passing by to watch.
After hearing the last words spoken by Zhou Jue, the people couldn't help but clapped their hands and cheered.
"good!"
"This young man said it very well!"
"My family lives not far from the Prime Minister's house. The beating was so loud last night that I could hear it clearly at home!"
"That's right! That person named Zheng deserves to be severely punished!"
"What did the poor scholar do wrong to deserve such an unreasonable disaster?"
"Not convinced!"
"We are not convinced!"
"That's right! Punish the person named Zheng severely!..."
Bao Xing was furious when he heard what Zhou Jue said.
Seeing the crowd of people watching gradually becoming agitated, Bao Xing turned pale and his nose was almost crooked with anger.
"Tricky people!"
"You unscrupulous people, how dare you make a scene outside Dali Temple!"
"It's totally against you!"
"Someone is coming!"
"I'll beat these unruly people away with my sticks!"
"And this unruly Zhou Jue, who is looking for trouble, actually disobeyed Lord Sun Wanli's order and secretly ran back to the capital to cause trouble!"
"Take him back to Dali Temple immediately and give him a hundred punishments!"
Having said this, Bao Xing couldn't help but trace an expectant and cruel sneer at the corner of his mouth.
"Didn't he want to die here?"
"I will give him this opportunity today!"
