Luo Jing, Tianlao.
In some death row.
Xia Yan knelt down on the extremely dirty straw and looked at the rich prison meal in front of him, his face not wavering at all.
No matter in prosperous times or troubled times, prison food is basically extremely unpalatable. It is either rancid food or pig food accompanied by chaff, which is extremely difficult to swallow.
But there is one exception.
That is the last meal that nominally every death row inmate enjoys - the decapitation meal.
Although the official document of execution has not been issued for some reason, since the emperor has approved it, we can prepare to be decapitated.
After all, after entering this death row, it is basically impossible to leave except to be escorted to the execution ground for execution.
Especially now that the Empress Dowager Zhao has fallen, all the once arrogant followers of the Empress Dowager have been captured and taken to the Tianlao, making the entire Tianlao overcrowded. In order to make room for them, the flow of prisoners must naturally be accelerated.
Every day, dozens of people were taken to the execution ground, and dozens more were added, and the cycle continued.
People like Xia Yan, who have solid evidence and have already confessed, are among the first to be executed. They can be escorted to the execution ground immediately after the official documents are issued to make room for those who come after them.
After a moment, Xia Yan suddenly sighed quietly.
Then, as if he had accepted his fate, he picked up the bowl of decapitated rice that was full of color, flavor and taste, and started to eat it slowly.
Naturally, he would not be the only one on death row.
Sunlight shines in through the window sill, and in the constantly floating light, voices begging for mercy, shouting for injustice, scolding, and confessing come and go.
Obviously, when the jailer brought the decapitated meal in front of him, no one else could be as open-minded as Xia Yan when faced with the impending end of his life.
Next to Xia Yan was his only son, Xia Yun.
He looked at the delicious and fragrant rice in front of him with a gloomy expression, but he had no appetite at all.
He is only eighteen years old this year and is in his prime. In the two years since he joined the sect, he has been repeatedly praised by his master. His talent is excellent. If he can grow up step by step, he may achieve great things in the future.
At least he could surpass his father who spent his whole life as a seventh grade county magistrate in an obscure place like Yongchuan.
As a result, just when he was dreaming about making great achievements in the future, he was arrested from the Misty Immortal Sect with an arrest warrant and sent to death row.
Before he could react, he fell from heaven to hell.
How could he be willing to let his once bright future turn into a mirror?
His life has just begun!
"Dad, are we really doomed?"
Hearing this, Xia Yan's shoulders trembled slightly, but he just ate silently without saying a word.
Although he didn't say anything, his reaction said everything.
Xia Yun asked with a look of unwillingness: "Dad, please say something! You have been an official for so many years, and you must have many disciples, former officials, or close friends in the same family, right? Aren't any of them doing well? If there are any, quickly find a way to ask them for help!"
"I don't want to die!"
Xia Yan shook his head, and then let out a helpless sigh.
"Sorry, dad is incompetent."
Five simple words completely shattered Xia Yun's last hope.
Xia Yun's face darkened, and his hands dropped down weakly.
Xia Yan put down the bowl, then lay down on his side, looking calmly at the dancing sparks in the brazier not far away.
"Dad did something wrong and violated the sage's way. He deserves this retribution. Dad has nothing to say. It's just a pity that it has hurt you, and it has also hurt your mother and your sister."
As he said that, Xia Yan glanced at the cell next door with guilt on his face, where his married wife and their daughter were suffering with him.
Then he pointed at the untouched rice in front of Xia Yun and advised: "Eat, my child, no matter what, you can't be a starving ghost even if you die. Besides, under the nine springs, there are father and Your mother and sister are with you, there’s nothing to be afraid of.”
This time it was Xia Yun's turn to become silent.
After a while, he finally slowly stretched out his hand, picked up the rice bowl tremblingly, and started eating in small bites.
Under the oily disheveled hair, clear tears gradually fell down and fell into the rice, adding a bit of bitterness to the rich rice.
And at this moment——
snap…
The heavy door suddenly opened, and the dazzling sunlight that shone in quietly brought a glimmer of hope for life.
Immediately afterwards, accompanied by a burst of footsteps, several figures quickly walked through the corridor in the middle of the cell, and finally walked straight towards the cell where Xia Yan was located.
"Lu Geisheng, in front of you is the cell where prisoner Xia Yan is being held."
"Okay, please lead the way."
"Lu Gei's words are serious. Your Majesty has said that as long as it is something you want to do with Lu Gei, as long as it does not violate the laws of Daxia, all yamen must cooperate with it. The small ones are just following your majesty's instructions. Lu Gei does not have to be like this. polite."
"..."
When Xia Yan heard his name mentioned, his eyes moved slightly and he looked over subconsciously.
At the same time, Lu Chen, who was walking quickly led by several old jailers, happened to look over.
The moment their eyes met, Xia Yan's eyes suddenly shrank slightly, with obvious surprise in his eyes.
Listening to their conversation just now, he instinctively thought that some big shot was coming.
It turned out to be a young man wearing a green official robe...
And this young man…
"Long time no see, Lord County Lord."
Lu Chen walked into the cell, looked at Xia Yan who looked surprised inside, and said hello softly.
"Do you still remember me?"
Xia Yan nodded habitually, and then looked at Lu Chen with a complicated expression.
After a while, he slowly spoke.
"Lu Huaiyu, right..."
Hearing this, Lu Chen was surprised.
I didn't expect that this guy actually remembered him.
Lu Chen nodded lightly.
"Yes, it's me. I didn't expect Mr. Xia to still remember me."
Xia Yan shook his head and did not explain anything. Instead, he said, "I didn't expect that after so many years of not seeing each other, the most inconspicuous young man back then would now be in the imperial court. He is really a formidable person."
Hearing this, Lu Chen couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth slightly.
Being in the court is a good thing that others can only hope for, but for him, it is a bad thing that he cannot avoid.
Who told him to be promoted as long as he was not an official?
After shaking his head and exchanging meaningless greetings, Lu Chen casually found an excuse to push away the jailer on the side, and then approached the cell door.
However, before he could speak, Xia Yan asked with a puzzled look on his face: "Master Lu, why are you here to see me..."
Lu Chen didn't show off and said bluntly: "I'm here for no other reason than to save Mr. Xia from getting out and let Mr. Xia return to where you should be."
Hearing this, Xia Yan was stunned for a moment.
Did I hear you correctly just now?
This young man said just now that he wanted to rescue me?
Is there something wrong with my ears, or is there something wrong with his brain?
"Why?"
Xia Yan asked subconsciously.
"because."
Lu Chen looked at him straightly, his face full of seriousness, and said firmly: "I have always believed that Mr. Xia, you are a good official."
This is naturally false.
Naturally, it is impossible for him to go out of his way to help a corrupt official escape guilt.
As long as Xia Yan himself is a corrupt official, then as long as he follows the normal appeal process and uses himself as a guarantee, Xia Yan will not only not be able to escape guilt, but will still be sentenced to death, and it will also implicate him.
This is also his purpose.
When he heard these decisive words, Xia Yan was stunned.
Then, a touch of emotion quietly appeared in his eyes.
This future life...
Lu Chen said with certainty again: "So, I never believe that a good official like Mr. Innocent!"
"As an official of the Ministry of Science and Technology, I will never tolerate such unjust injustice in the court! That's why! No matter what, I will clear your name, Mr. Xia!"
Hearing this, Xia Yan opened his mouth, but no words came out.
But Xia Yun behind him suddenly lit up.
Then, as if he had grasped the last straw, he threw the decapitated meal aside and asked excitedly: "Are you serious?"
The pottery bowl that fell on the ground instantly fell apart, and the fragrant food was scattered around, killing the lice and maggots around it.
Lu Chen smiled slightly: "I never talk big."
After receiving the affirmative answer, Xia Yun instantly became excited.
He is not stupid, he also heard what the jailer said to Lu Chen just now.
Although I don’t know who Lu Chen is, and I don’t know how he, a small seventh-grade official, could have the confidence to say something like this, the jailer’s respectful attitude towards Lu Chen just now, as well as his obviously extraordinary words, are all. It shows that Lu Chen is anything but simple.
People tend to believe what they want to believe. Xia Yun, who was in a desperate situation, finally saw a glimmer of hope and would naturally grab it at all costs.
Survival is the most important thing, the rest will wait until this life is recovered.
Xia Yan came back to his senses and glanced at his son with a complicated expression, a hint of sadness quietly flashed in his eyes.
He knew in his heart that in the face of the irrefutable evidence, Lu Chen couldn't actually help them.
After all, he had indeed committed all the crimes stated in the arrest warrant, and the court had not wrongfully accused him.
This is an ironclad case that cannot be overturned at all.
There is no possibility of overturning the verdict.
From a legal perspective, he was indeed morally deficient.
Therefore, he wanted Lu Chen to give up and there was no need to waste his efforts on someone who was destined to die.
But seeing his son struggling desperately to seize this last glimmer of hope, he couldn't say anything.
In the end, I could only sigh helplessly.
Forget it, let nature take its course.
