My Master is the Real Boss – Chapter 116

Chapter 116: Your Excellency, This is Not Right

Under the pressure of several government officials, Xiang Jiannan finally submitted and was taken to the county town without delay. Escorted by the officials, he was successfully thrown into jail.

A single cell, dark and damp.

Unlike the strict guard when he arrived, after sending Xiang Jiannan into the cell and locking the door, the officials turned and left. Before leaving, they left a torch on the wall, without saying a single word throughout the process.

“Taoist, how come I’ve never seen you before?”

After the sound of the officials’ footsteps completely disappeared, Xiang Jiannan stood in the cell, feeling a little lost. Soon after, he heard a question coming from the opposite cell.

A male whose eyebrows and beard were indistinguishable was sitting on the ground, looking at him.

It could barely be considered looking, his sitting posture was very casual, and he frequently scratched his head with one hand.

The jail of the Great Zhou Dynasty was about what he imagined.

He was in no mood for idle chatter, only feeling that the environment was too cold, so Xiang Jiannan turned his back directly.

He had never imagined that one day he would be locked up here. Those officials were also efficient, and after getting off the cart, they didn’t even stop their steps.

It was as if they had been prepared for this, heading straight for the cell, not even paying attention to the guards outside.

He didn’t know how long he would have to stay here, thinking that there would probably be some movement after dawn. At this moment, he felt very anxious.

When they entered the city, it was almost dark. Apart from the yamen runners, he had only seen the officials from before. He had thought that Lin Zhen might show up, but now it seemed that he would have to wait a little longer.

Li Jin told him not to act rashly, and when they set off for the county town, he said that he would follow soon after.

“Looking at you, it seems like it’s your first time being arrested. What did you do to get in here?”

Seeing that the newly arrived little Taoist was ignoring him, the man from the opposite cell continued to ask himself:

“You must have been wrongly accused.”

“This place, after coming here a few more times, you’ll get used to it. If you want to stay safe, you have to be patient.”

“Taoist, can you turn around and look at me? What, you don’t want to be my friend?”

After a few words, seeing that the little Taoist still refused to turn around, the man, who had been chattering for a long time, still wouldn’t give up:

“The world is difficult, and the city is a mix of all sorts of people. If you’re not careful, it’s easy to offend someone.”

“I’ve been here for more than ten days, and now I just want to find someone to talk to.”

“I was indeed wronged.”

Suddenly realizing that his mood seemed to have improved, Xiang Jiannan rolled up a pile of broken straw and placed it under his buttocks, showing his ability to adapt to a strange environment.

Although the man opposite him had been rambling non-stop since he came in, it had gradually turned his mood from unease to calm.

Although he didn’t know what the outcome of the matter would be, after thinking about it carefully, he felt that he had done nothing wrong.

He had indeed not done anything that harmed heaven and reason. Those officials said that he was a wanted criminal, which was purely a misuse of words. How could the burning of the dense forest be so serious that it would alarm the Prefectural Governor to personally come and convict him?

The only reason he could think of was the conflict between the civil and military officials. He broke the scheme set up by the military generals, so this was revenge?

The Prefectural Governor, isn’t he part of the civil official system?

“Indeed, the moment I saw you, I knew you must have been wrongly accused.”

Seeing that the little Taoist finally responded to him, the man in the opposite cell laughed happily:

“Everyone who comes in here says they’ve been wrongly accused, but I only believe you.”

“Why?”

Feeling that the man opposite him seemed extraordinary, and his mood had improved, Xiang Jiannan began to observe him carefully.

Could he see as clearly as he could? In this environment, how long had this person not washed himself? He seemed to see himself in more than ten days.

“Intuition, I’m always very accurate when it comes to judging people.”

While speaking, he coughed desperately, as if he was about to cough up his lungs. Leaning against the wooden pillar, he stood up crookedly. The man in the opposite cell suddenly pointed to the left. As he sat back down on the ground, a series of footsteps suddenly came hurriedly from a distance.

Judging from the sound, there were quite a few people coming.

Stabilizing his mind, Xiang Jiannan remained motionless in place. Soon after, he saw an old acquaintance.

Lin Zhen and Master Guo, surrounded by a middle-aged man with an extraordinary aura, appeared before his eyes.

The man was dressed in plain clothes with a ruddy complexion. After leading the group to a stop, his eyes were as sharp as knives.

He scanned him up and down several times, with one hand behind his back, just looking and not speaking.

The Prefectural Governor?

After making eye contact with the middle-aged man a few times, he felt uncomfortable all over. Wanting to speak but unable to, Xiang Jiannan had no choice but to remain silent for the time being.

This middle-aged man’s aura was much stronger than Lin Zhen’s, dignified and imposing, clearly a big figure.

Before pushing him down the steps, his master had told him a few things. He wondered if it was appropriate to use them now, since the other party had not spoken yet.

Under the powerful aura of the middle-aged man in front of him, Xiang Jiannan was afraid that he would show weakness if he spoke first.

“Injustice, Your Excellency! Injustice!”

Just as Xiang Jiannan was feeling uncertain, a cry of grievance burst out in the cell.

The voice was filled with anger and a hint of helplessness, coming from behind him. It startled the middle-aged man who was examining Xiang Jiannan, including Lin Zhen and Master Guo, whose bodies were visibly shaking.

“What are you howling about like a ghost!”

Startled by the cry of injustice, Lin Zhen turned around, his composure completely gone, and immediately became furious.

He was completely unprepared. This prisoner had a good sense of timing. After scolding him, he was about to order his men to teach him a lesson, but was stopped by the middle-aged man beside him:

“Magistrate Lin, you mustn’t. If there is injustice, it must be addressed.”

Then, his tone became gentle, seeming to want to deal with the matter in the opposite cell first.

“What is your grievance? Speak it out, and this official will make the decision for you.”

“Reporting to Your Excellency, this humble citizen has been wronged!”

This man was indeed more powerful than Magistrate Lin.

Looking aggrieved through the wooden bars, the man who had been chatting happily with Xiang Jiannan cried out. The rest of his words were about to come out, but were interrupted by Lin Zhen beside him:

“Your Excellency, don’t listen to his nonsense. This fellow is a well-known rogue and scoundrel here.”

“The reason for arresting him this time is because he was harassing a respectable woman on West Street. That woman is Master Guo’s wife! All the merchants on the street can testify!”

“Oh?”

Looking at the man who was momentarily speechless, the middle-aged man, whom Lin Zhen called Your Excellency, showed no expression. As Master Guo’s body began to tremble, Xiang Jiannan suddenly felt very fortunate that he had not spoken just now.

He was not someone who liked to watch the fun, but judging from the atmosphere he felt at the moment, something was definitely going on.

Sure enough, after a few breaths, with a signal from the middle-aged man, the officials standing beside him began to act. They opened the cell door and began to punch and kick the prisoner inside, until his wails gradually subsided. Only then did they stop at his words.

“You still have the face to cry injustice in front of this official?”

“You are the little Taoist from Ping’an Temple?”

After dealing with the grievance and ordering the cell door to be opened, the middle-aged man slowly asked after Xiang Jiannan got up.

The little Taoist felt rather helpless and could only nod to confirm his identity again.

They had already arrested him, why ask such a question? His master had told him to just cry injustice after seeing the Prefectural Governor. Now it seemed that this trick was not working.

Those officials had beaten the man in the opposite cell very badly. He didn’t know if he would survive.

“Please accept a bow from this official!”

Not knowing what he would face next, his mood fluctuated again. Xiang Jiannan looked at the crowd with a wary gaze. However, he did not expect that just as he was thinking that he might be about to be interrogated, the middle-aged man, who had been very calm, suddenly bowed.

He gave him a deep bow, bending his body to ninety degrees, which made everyone present dumbfounded.