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Chapter 56 Zeng Wenyuan Suffers a Setback, the Fearless Jailer

Fang Jingxing was not in a hurry to go to the prison.

However, someone was in a hurry to find him.

Zeng Wenyuan was so annoyed by the jailers demanding money that he had no choice but to seek help from the Ministry of Justice.

Although he and Fang Jingxing didn't have much of a relationship, they both belonged to the Qingliu faction.

In addition, Zeng Wenyuan was a distant relative of the Prime Minister, so Fang Jingxing would have given him some face when they met before.

Zeng Wenyuan rushed in, shouting, "Brother Jingxing, help is needed!"

Fang Jingxing frowned slightly, displeased. Surrounded by officials from the Ministry of Justice, Zeng Wenyuan's expression made it seem as if the two were very familiar with each other.

"What is it? Why are you in such a hurry? Remember to address people by their official titles when you're on duty."

Zeng Wenyuan seemed not to notice Fang Jingxing's disgusted expression.

"Hey! Brother Jingxing, the jailers and prisoners in the imperial prison are about to run out of food. I've come to ask the Ministry of Justice when they will be able to allocate the funds."

His voice was loud enough that all the officials around him could hear it.

The Ministry of Justice became very quiet for a while, as the prison warden came to the Ministry of Justice to ask for money.

They hadn't seen this for many years; it had always been the prison that subsidized the Ministry of Justice.

Fang Jingxing was somewhat surprised:

"Money?! What money?! How can the prison be without money? What kind of jailer are you?"

Zeng Wenyuan continued, "Shouldn't these guards be paid? We can't expect them to work on an empty stomach, can we?"

"Brother Wenyuan, the Ministry of Justice doesn't have any spare money to allocate to the Imperial Prison. If you want the money, find a way yourself. There are so many prisoners in the Imperial Prison. If you contribute a little, and I contribute a little, the pay will come together, won't it?"

Zeng Wenyuan spent a long time at the Ministry of Justice trying to persuade Fang Jingxing, but Fang still wouldn't budge.

Fang Jingxing felt quite helpless; he couldn't hit Zeng Wenyuan, nor did he dare to scold him.

It's all because they have a good uncle. If Xu Shaogong had done that, he would have been kicked out hundreds of years ago.

……

……

Heaven Prison.

Song Mingli was released from prison today, but unlike other convicts, he didn't drink coarse rice soup.

Shen Yan had instructed the jailers that although the food was not as good as what they ate outside, it was at least palatable.

He opened the cell door, looked at the composed Song Mingli inside, and shook his head, saying:

"Brother Song, let's choose a better place next time we meet! This prison is not a place for reminiscing."

Song Mingli smiled and said, "Anywhere is a good place to meet Brother Shen."

After Song Mingli was released from the prison, Shen Rong came to pick him up.

During his time in the prison, Shen Yan finally understood why Song Mingli received such attention from the Duke's Mansion.

It turns out that Song Mingli is actually the nephew of Shen Moxuan's second wife, and they both belong to the Song family of Yuyao.

It is a family that has been operating in Jiangnan for thousands of years.

Shen Yan looked at the account book in his hand and felt a headache coming on.

Zeng Wenyuan refused to let the jailers transfer money, so his account book became a hot potato—he couldn't throw it away, but no one would take it.

Just then.

Lu Youcai ran in from outside.

"Shen, Warden Zeng went to the Ministry of Justice to ask for money, but he's been there for half a day and we haven't heard back. Could he have actually gotten it?"

When Shen Yan heard that Zeng Wenyuan had actually gone to the Ministry of Justice to ask for money, he couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration.

"Wouldn't it be better to get the money? I've been serving in the imperial prison for so long, and I've never received a salary from the court."

"Hey! Chief Shen, how much is that salary? You could easily squeeze a little out of a prisoner and it would be equivalent to half a year's salary."

Shen Yan shook his head, thinking to himself, "Serving the court without receiving a salary is quite a peculiar sight in the Great Zhou Dynasty."

He knew that Zeng Wenyuan was unlikely to get the money, and this was true not only in the Ministry of Justice, but throughout the entire Great Zhou Dynasty.

Shen Yan really hoped that Zeng Wenyuan could get the Ministry of Justice's funding.

He had already sent Sun Fugui to inquire about Zeng Wenyuan's family background, and it turned out that Zeng Wenyuan was exceptionally wealthy.

He owns four or five residences in Bianjing (Kaifeng), all in prime locations, and also has thousands of acres of fertile farmland in the suburbs.

The annual share of a thousand or so taels of silver from the prison was nothing to them.

He owes his large fortune entirely to a good relative.

Shen Yan was also startled when he heard the news.

"They may be considered upright, but they are not necessarily incorruptible; they just receive money from different sources."

Lu Youcai was getting impatient: "Chief Shen, aren't you familiar with the Ministry of Justice? Why don't you go and find out some information?"

Shen Yan gave him a disgruntled look.

"What kind of identity do I have? Going to the Ministry of Justice to gather information? You can't expect me to walk in, but I might try to infiltrate it."

Lu Youcai said sheepishly, "How could I dare? I was just saying. I've been getting impatient waiting."

He knew Shen Yan was skilled in martial arts, but he didn't expect him to be so arrogant, which made Lü Youcai afraid to respond.

"Just do your job well. Getting paid is a good thing. The important thing is to keep an eye on your jailers and make sure they don't make any mistakes."

Seeing that he couldn't get any information from Shen Yan, Lü Youcai couldn't help but feel disappointed.

Just as Shen Yan had predicted, Zeng Wenyuan failed to get the money.

He returned from the Ministry of Justice looking disheveled.

Just as he arrived outside the prison.

Suddenly, I saw a jailer talking to a woman.

Zeng Wenyuan hid behind a tree and quietly watched this scene.

After a while.

The woman took a silver note from her bosom and handed it to the jailer.

The jailer glanced around for a moment, then quickly walked back to the prison.

Zeng Wenyuan followed closely behind. Having suffered a setback at the Ministry of Justice, he was furious upon seeing this scene.

The prison guards who passed by saw that he looked unwell assumed that he had been humiliated at the Ministry of Justice.

I could only greet him cautiously, afraid of offending him.

After returning to his cell, he instructed his clerk, Yao Jing, to inform Shen Yan and the other two to summon all the prison guards.

Shen Yan was somewhat surprised upon hearing this, thinking to himself, "Could he really have a way to get the money?"

Shen Yan couldn't think of any other possibility besides this.

He couldn't very well summon the jailers and announce that he hadn't been able to get the money, could he?

That would be quite embarrassing. Scholars value their reputation, and he didn't believe Zeng Wenyuan would do such a thing.

The jailers have assembled.

Zeng Wenyuan looked at the jailer with a gloomy expression and said sternly:

"Just now, I saw someone openly accepting bribes from prisoners' families outside the prison!"

Upon hearing this, Shen Yan immediately understood his purpose.

He cursed the jailer inwardly. "Couldn't he have waited a few more days? He's probably gambled it all away again."

Zeng Wenyuan vented all the grievances he suffered at the Ministry of Justice on the prison guards.

He dragged out the jailer.

It was Qian Yongning, the jailer in cell number B.

Lu Youcai's face was not good. Qian Yongning was his confidant, and his actions were not without Lu Youcai's tacit approval.

Zeng Wenyuan went all out this time, and Qian Yongning was punished with ten strokes of the cane.

Everyone knew that Zeng Wenyuan was going to kill someone.

Qian Yongning kept begging for mercy, hoping that Zeng Wenyuan would spare his life.

pity.

Zeng Wenyuan remained unmoved, his face grim.

He then began to beg Lü Youcai for mercy, hoping he could intercede on his behalf.

Before he could even shout a few words, he was already being dragged away.

After screaming a few times outside, there was complete silence.

Zeng Wenyuan said with a sneer, "This is what happens. You dare to sell a few roast chickens for a hundred taels of silver? You're really something."

After saying that, he turned and walked towards the prison cell.

Shen Yan couldn't help but click his tongue in amazement; this jailer was really daring to accept bribes.

Although items in the prison were not priced, food was generally four or five times more expensive.

The only downside is the entertainment aspect, where they overcharge.

After all, prisoners who make such requests are not short of money at all.

When Zeng Wenyuan returned to his cell, his face immediately fell.

Fang Jingxing had informed him before leaving the Ministry of Justice.

Tell him to prepare the accounts for this period of time, and to hand over the profits so that the officials can have a good New Year.

But he doesn't have any of those things.