"You are all Paoze who fought bloody battles with my father, and many of you are my father's personal guards. Speaking of which, you are all my uncles. Have the Shen family ever treated you badly?"
Lao Zhangtou said with a look of shame on his face: "Your Majesty's words are serious. It's because my subordinates are ignorant and have disgraced the uncle and the Crown Prince."
Shen Qingyun raised his hand, "Everyone, get up, I'm not my father, I've never been a soldier, and you are not my personal guards."
Everyone heard this but remained motionless. Seeing this, Zhong Qi shouted loudly: "The prince asked you to get up, do you want to disobey?"
"My subordinates dare not."
Everyone was afraid and stood up one after another.
"Why are you beating people?" Shen Qingyun asked directly.
"It's not that my subordinates are bullying the barbarians, it's because the people in Shangyang Village have gone too far, and my subordinates have no choice but to take action..."
Lao Zhangtou began to explain.
The people living in Xiayang Village are all old soldiers and remnants. Not to mention those who had families, some became disabled at a young age. How can they get married in these ten miles away?
It just so happened that there was a girl named Xiaocui in Shangyang Village, and she and Zhang Nan, the son of old Zhangtou, were in love. However, Shangyang Village was a well-known clan village. If a woman wanted to get married, in addition to her parents, she also had to have a family member. The senior clan elders only need to nod in agreement.
Zhang Nan, who was behind Lao Zhangtou, limped to Shen Qingyun and bowed respectfully.
"I've met the prince."
Zhong Qi whispered in Shen Qingyun's ear: "This is my uncle's personal guard. His left leg was injured five years ago and he became disabled, so he returned to Xiayang Village."
Shen Qingyun snorted lightly.
Old Zhangtou sighed: "Zhang Nan's legs and feet are not good. Xiaocui's parents were not willing to do it, but seeing that the two of them were in love, they reluctantly agreed. They just asked us to prepare more gift money."
Shen Qingyun shook his head and said: "It's just money. If it's missing, just tell me and there's no need to hit anyone."
"Your Majesty, you have misunderstood." Old Zhangtou shook his head, "We also know that we have wronged the girl, and it is appropriate to give more gift money. The brothers collected fifty coins to send it. Who knew that the people in Shangyang Village would I suddenly regretted it, and I couldn't wait to get angry, so I started a conflict with them."
Fifty guans here is really not a small amount of money. In order to find a wife for Zhang Nan, the entire Xiayang Village should have been emptied.
"Not satisfied with fifty guans?" Shen Qingyun was a little surprised. Fifty guans combined equals fifty taels. Shen Qingyun has not spent so much money on food, drink and fun in the past three months.
Of course, the main reason is that Shen Qingyun is too embarrassed to go to the brothel again.
Zhang Nan bowed and said, "It was originally a private matter of my subordinates, but it caused the Crown Prince to be injured. I deserve this."
"That's all." Shen Qingyun understood the whole story and became less angry.
"If this is the case, we will be justified." Shen Qingyun raised his hand to support him and said: "But no matter what, you should not take action against ordinary people. It seems that our Uncle Sinan's Mansion is using our power to bully others."
"My subordinate realizes his mistake."
Shen Qingyun smiled and shook his head, "You should tell me about this kind of thing. There are still people in the Shen family who can protect you from wind and rain."
Everyone was moved after hearing this.
"I originally planned to wait for the marriage to be finalized and invite the prince to have a wedding drink, but I never thought..." Old Zhangtou said with a sad expression.
Upon seeing this, Shen Qingyun said: "Okay, let's end this matter. I will handle the rest of the matter personally."
"Prince?" Old Wangtou looked at Shen Qingyun doubtfully.
Shen Qingyun smiled and said, "It's getting late today. You should go back first. Early tomorrow morning, Zhang Nan, come with me to Shangyang Village."
"yes."
Shangyang Village is a clan village, with the surname Zhou. The name of the clan elder who is in charge is unknown, and everyone in the clan calls him Taiye.
Because Shen Qingyun was injured yesterday, Mr. Zhou summoned all the elders of the village to hold a meeting in the clan ancestral hall early this morning.
Sitting in the middle, Mr. Zhou's face was extremely gloomy.
"Tell me, which bastard was so blind that he actually injured Prince Sinan?" Old Mrs. Zhou asked sternly with a dark face, slamming the cane on the ground three times in succession.
Everyone was as silent as a cicada, not daring to answer.
"My uncle's status is so noble that he can't collide easily, let alone injure someone. If he had some good intentions, how could the group of killers in Xiayang Village let us go? You're a fool, you bastard!"
"Master, the scene was really chaotic and we didn't know his identity..."
"So you are using rocks to embarrass someone? Not to mention the prince, even if you smash someone casually to death, how can we in Shangyang Village get away with it?" Old Mrs. Zhou blew his beard and glared, and reprimanded again.
"Master, now that the matter has come to this, the government will definitely come to investigate. Although there is no movement at the uncle's house yet, people will come sooner or later. What should we do?"
Mr. Zhou's face darkened and he hummed: "What else can we do? We can't afford to offend the uncle's house, and we can't afford to offend the government either..."
When everyone heard this, their faces turned pale and their expressions became tense.
"Tai...Taiye, Your Majesty... Your Majesty..."
A figure rushed in in a panic. Because he ran too fast, he accidentally tripped over the threshold and fell to the ground with a pop.
"What's so alarming? Could it be that something happened to the prince?" Old Mrs. Zhou asked nervously.
"The prince has brought people here!"
Everyone's expressions changed, and they all stood up and looked at Old Mrs. Zhou.
Mr. Zhou's face was livid, and he stood up with difficulty, "It's because we are asking for punishment, but it doesn't matter, after all, we were wrong. We can't escape."
Old Mrs. Zhou sighed and ordered: "Let me greet you."
Shen Qingyun, Zhong Qi and Zhang Nan swaggered into Shangyang Village. When the villagers saw this, they all looked fearful but also somewhat curious.
They knew Shen Qingyun's identity, but this was the first time they saw Shen Qingyun.
"Little old man meets the crown prince..."
Mr. Zhou and a group of people greeted Shen Qingyun in front of the ancestral hall.
Upon seeing this, Shen Qingyun quickly took two steps forward and stopped Mr. Zhou.
"Old man, you don't have to be like this. It really upsets me."
"Prince?" Mr. Zhou was a little confused. This situation was a little different from what he imagined. Wasn't it said that Prince Si Nan was a dandy and rude? How can you be so kind?
Shen Qingyun helped Mr. Zhou up and said to everyone: "You all should also refrain from courtesy. I can't stand so many people kneeling down and shortening my life."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
"Your Majesty, I know why your son is here. Since I, a person from Shangyang Village, accidentally injured your son, I will never cover up the murderer. I just hope that your son will be merciful and not implicate others. I am grateful." The entire Zhou family in Shangyang Village is also grateful." Mr. Zhou bowed slightly to Shen Qingyun and said.
Shen Qingyun said: "What did the old man say? The ancestral land of the Shen family is here, and Shangyang Village is a close neighbor of my Shen family. Has the Shen family ever bullied others?"
Speaking of which, the Shen family has settled here much longer than the Zhou family in Shangyang Village.
By Grandpa Shen Qingyun's generation, the Shen family was basically in ruins and lost its glory, otherwise Shen Xiong would not have joined the army.
The Shen family is now thin. Although Shen Qingyun has a bad reputation, he only spends most of his time wandering around Liangzhou City and does not rush here to bully them.
Therefore, the people in the surrounding villages and towns have a good impression of the Shen family, after all, they rarely see them.
"The prince's words are serious. I didn't mean that. It's just the prince's injury..." Mr. Zhou was a little worried when he saw that Shen Qingyun's head was still wrapped in white cloth.
Shen Qingyun smiled and said: "Don't worry, Mr. Zhou, it won't be a problem. The situation was chaotic at that time. I was just unlucky. I can't blame others."
Mr. Zhou was a little confused. Isn't Shen Qingyun here to ask for guilt? So what is he here for?
"In any case, the Zhou family is to blame for the prince's injury. The prince is generous and doesn't care about us, but we can't be so ignorant. The little old man has already prepared an apology gift, and asked the prince to accept it. However, please don’t despise the rustic and vulgar things, Your Majesty.”
Shen Qingyun raised his eyebrows slightly when he heard this, but the wound was pulled, and he grimaced in pain for a moment.
"Mr. Zhou is serious. If it were a normal day, I would accept this gift, but today, I really can't accept it."
"Why?" Mr. Zhou was stunned.
"Zhang Nan, come here."
Shen Qingyun waved to Zhang Nan.
"Your Majesty."
"Kneel down." Shen Qingyun pointed at Mr. Zhou.
"Prince?" Zhang Nan glanced at Shen Qingyun with some confusion, but still knelt down in front of Mr. Zhou obediently.
"What is the prince doing?" Old Mrs. Zhou asked.
Shen Qingyun said to Zhang Nan: "Apologise."
Zhang Nan lowered his head and said, "I'll make amends to the old man."
Mr. Zhou was shocked when he heard this, and quickly raised his hand to help Zhang Nan up, "Get up quickly."
"Your Majesty, this matter is the fault of the Zhou family, and it is the young man who should apologize. How can this be done?"
Shen Qingyun said: "Xiayang Village is my family, and Zhang Nan and others are my uncles and brothers. If this matter is traced back to the root cause, it should be blamed on Zhang Nan, and it should also be blamed on me. Naturally, I want to How about I help Zhang Nan come forward and ask the old man to look out for my sake and just let this matter go?"
"Your Majesty's words are serious, I don't dare to..." Mr. Zhou was a little frightened. To be honest, if Shen Qingyun didn't pursue the matter, he would thank God and pay his respects to the Buddha.
"You don't have to be polite, old man. I don't want the Shen family to have a reputation in Yangcun that relies on force to hurt people."
Old Master Zhou said solemnly: "Your Majesty, don't worry, the people of Shangyang Village will not chew on this. If someone talks nonsense, I will beat him to death myself without His Majesty's instructions."
In the clan village, it is not illegal for this old guy to kill his own clan members.
To be honest, Shen Qingyun has done this. If the Zhou family still doesn't understand, then Shen Qingyun doesn't have to be polite to them.
Shen Qingyun smiled with satisfaction when he heard this, took out a stack of banknotes from his arms, and said: "Old Master, this is my little wish. One hundred taels is my medical expenses for the injured villagers. For the rest, I want to ask the old man for help." one thing."
Old Mrs. Zhou took the banknote slowly, and everyone was a little confused.
How can you give me the money back?
Shouldn't it be the other way around?
Is the prince of this uncle's house so generous and kind?
