As I spoke, I glanced back to make sure that the jailer was gone, and then I relaxed a little.
"cousin?"
Hearing that I called myself my cousin, Zhang Songxian was stunned: "I don't think I've seen you before?"
"Well, I'm your wife's distant cousin. I even went to have a wedding banquet when you got married. It's just that we haven't seen each other for many years, so it's normal that you don't recognize him."
Based on the information I had obtained previously, I claimed to be the cousin of Zhang Songxian’s wife, and I was sure that he could not remember such a distant relative.
"I have been doing business in the capital these years. I just saw on the notice that you were being held in a water prison, so I hurried over to see what was going on."
Sure enough, after hearing what I said, Zhang Songxian no longer had any doubts and said quickly: "Songxian is very grateful that my cousin can come to visit me, but I am ashamed that I can only entertain you in this cell today."
I waved my hand to show that I didn't care, and then asked: "Song Xian, I heard that you came to the capital this time to take part in the examination. Why did you suddenly become a murderer?"
"Oh, this matter is a long story."
Zhang Songxian sighed, with a look of helplessness on his face, and then told me what happened before.
It turned out that a month ago, Zhang Songxian said goodbye to his wife and children and came to take part in the examination. He had studied hard for ten years and had outstanding talent. He was confident that he would be on the gold list this time. However, he did not expect that something happened suddenly the day before taking the examination.
The inn he stayed at at that time was called Zuihonglou. There were geishas playing and singing on the first floor every day, making it famous in the capital.
After Zhang Songxian checked into the inn, he studied four books in the guest room every day. Except for eating and going to the bathroom, he never stepped out of the guest room. But the day before the exam, he suddenly wanted to relax and went downstairs to listen to music.
Fortunately, Liu Fugui, the son of Liu Batian, a wealthy man in the capital, also came to Zuihonglou that day. Under the influence of alcohol, he actually started to touch the geisha on the stage.
Zhang Songxian couldn't see it, so he said a few words, but he didn't expect that Liu Fugui, relying on his own power, actually led his subordinates to fight, beating Zhang Songxian until he was covered with bruises.
The clay figurine was still alive. Zhang Songxian was frightened and kicked out Liu Fugui who was punching him.
By chance, there was an Eight Immortals table behind Liu Fugui. His head hit the corner of the table and a big hole was made. He bled immediately and died.
Logically speaking, Zhang Songxian was trying to save someone, and he was fighting back legitimately after being beaten for a long time. Even if it were not in my era, I think there should be some justification for self-defense here.
But Liu Fugui's father, Liu Batian, was a wealthy man in the capital. He immediately activated his connections and arrested Zhang Songxian and imprisoned him in a water prison, threatening to behead Zhang Songxian in public to avenge his son.
Now, Zhang Songxian has been detained in the water prison for more than a month and has been subjected to various tortures. In three days, he will be beheaded in public.
After listening to Zhang Songxian's story, I couldn't help but sigh.
"Song Xian, I am just an ordinary citizen now. I can't seem to help you with anything. If there is anything else you need me to do, just ask."
However, what I didn't expect was that Zhang Songxian, who was about to be beheaded, smiled faintly: "Cousin, don't worry, I can't die."
I was stunned for a moment: "Why do you say that?"
Zhang Songxian was just a scholar from out of town with no power, and Liu Batian was determined to kill him. Where did he get the confidence to say that he couldn't die?
"The official who is presiding over my case is my long-time friend Lu Chaoran. He personally told me yesterday that he would find a way to release me."
"I have only one request,"
After a pause, Zhang Songxian said to me: "Before I left, I told my wife that I would go back in a week at most. Now that I have been detained for more than a month, she must have been very anxious. I hope my cousin can help me go back and send a message. Tell Xiuniang to let her and the child wait at home peacefully, and I will be able to go home soon."
I nodded: "Okay, I will definitely help you pass the message on."
After finishing speaking, I asked Zhang Songxian for some information such as his home address. When I saw that the time was almost up, I said goodbye and left the water prison.
After coming out, thinking back to what Zhang Songxian said before, I always felt that something was not right.
Liu Batian was so powerful that he was determined to chop off Zhang Songxian's head. How useful could his official friend be?
Although I had doubts in my heart, I still followed Master Kong'an's teachings and did not participate in the development of the situation. For me, the most important thing is to find Nan as soon as possible.
According to what Zhang Songxian said, his hometown is located five hundred miles south of the capital, and there were no cars in the world in the painting. I worked hard and it took at least a few days to reach his hometown.
In that case, even if I complete the task, I will definitely not be able to elect the president, and it will even delay the matters assigned by Mr. Hu San.
Thinking of this, I couldn't help but become a little anxious.
But for now, Zhang Songxian's line should be the key to finding the nightmare, so I can only bite the bullet and walk to the west of the city.
After a while, I walked out of the capital and continued walking for a while. A vast white fog appeared in front of me again. When I walked into the fog, I suddenly felt the wind blowing under my feet, as if there was an invisible force carrying me. Flying with me, after a while, after the fog cleared, a village appeared in front of me.
At the entrance of the village stands an archway with three characters written on it: "Guyu Village".
This is Zhang Songxian’s hometown!
Unexpectedly, as soon as I left the capital, I would arrive at Guyu Village, five hundred miles away, in an instant. I couldn't help but marvel.
But this is a world in a painting after all, and many things cannot be inferred based on common sense, so I walked into the village without delving into it.
After walking into the village, I discovered that except for the exquisite archway at the entrance of the village, the entire village was extremely shabby, with muddy dirt roads and low thatched huts. Walking on the street, you couldn't even see a single person. Less than.
The sky was gloomy and the cold wind was blowing. I felt as if I had stepped into a cemetery that no one had ever set foot on.
I originally wanted to find a villager to inquire, but I almost reached the other end of the village and still couldn't see anyone.
I was thinking about where Zhang Songxian's home was. Suddenly, I saw a few men not far in front of me, gathered in front of a mud wall, leaning on their heels to look inside.
I was curious, so I quietly walked over, stood behind the men, and looked inside the mud wall as well.
In the yard, there was a woman about 28 years old, holding an ax in her hand, working hard to chop firewood, and she was already sweating.
