Chapter 56: Collusion between officials and businessmen
Yuejing Mansion Prison
As usual, the entire prison was consumed by boundless darkness, and the only light of fire was a few dead lamps hanging from the prison walls.
And those who were imprisoned here slept lazily in the hay like the flickering lights, as if they did not mind the dirt, mess, rancidity, and dampness that filled the surroundings.
In one of the cells in the deepest part of the prison, a man was sitting on the ground, playing with a straw rod in his hand, and muttering words as if he were complaining.
The man was about twenty-five years old, short and chubby, with squinting eyes, two small mustaches, and protruding front teeth.
And this man is Bai Qi.
As the saying goes, "if there are many romances, there will be a lot of downfall", since Jiang Xiaobai left, Bai Qi's life in prison was not as comfortable as before. Not to mention the coarse food of the clear soup after eating the meal, and because of its previous display, it is now constantly ridiculed by the surroundings, which can be described as miserable.
"Little White Brother shouldn't have forgotten me..."Bai Qi's face was full of confusion and muttered to himself.
After speaking, he looked at the opposite cell again, and saw that Liu Lingba was also sitting on the ground, with his head down, and he didn't say a word.
"That guy seems to be more reticent." Bai Qi sighed softly, feeling that the straw in his hand was not fun, so he simply threw it away and looked out of the cell door in amazement.
At this moment, the silent prison suddenly became noisy, and then a series of slamming the back of a knife on the door was heard. Those who are familiar with this place know that this is a prison messenger who has come to patrol the prison.
Bai Qi was used to this, and he would not be as disturbed as the other prisoners. So, when the prison messenger came over, he didn't even look at it. But just the next second later, it was nervous.
Because the prison messenger not only opened the prison door, but also threw him a new set of clothes, and said coldly: "Change your clothes and follow me." ”
Before Bai Qi could react, he saw that the prison messenger opened another prison door and threw the same set of clothes to Liu Lingba.
Seeing this, Bai Qi panicked even more, thinking that the money was endless, should he arrange himself to fight with Liu Lingba...
Thinking that the person who was carried back was either dead or disabled, Bai Qi's body couldn't help but shudder, and even his voice became trembling: "Brother Prison Mission... This... This is? ”
The jailer said impatiently, "Someone wants to see you two." ”
“... Who is it? Bai Qi was very surprised.
The prison chaplain glared fiercely and shouted, "If you want to change it, you will change it, what is so much nonsense?!" ”
....
Not long after, the prison messenger took Bai Qi and Liu Lingba to the backyard of Yuejing Mansion, and left before and after leading the two to the door of a room.
Bai Qi looked at the elegant and quiet arrangements everywhere, and couldn't help but sigh that Qian Bu was really going to live, and at the same time, he had already greeted other people's ancestors for eighteen generations.
After the prison errand left, the backyard of Yuejing Mansion at this time could be said to be unguarded, as long as Bai Qi wanted to, he could escape at any time. But he knew in his heart that even if he escaped from this backyard, he would not be able to leave Yuejing City.
After thinking about this clearly, Bai Qi swallowed a mouthful of foam and pushed open the door in front of him with a trembling heart.
The first thing that catches my eye is a table of good wine and food, and then I see a person sitting in it. This person is not very old, he looks only about twenty, he is not white or even a little dark, and he is leisurely sipping the wine in the cup at this time.
When Bai Qi saw this person, his frightened face was first shocked and then rejoiced, and he exclaimed: "Little white brother! It's you!? ”
Jiang Xiaobai smiled slightly, and raised his glass to signal: "Brother Bai Qi, I haven't seen you for a long time." I haven't even eaten lunch yet, so we're together. ”
Seeing the table full of good wine and food, Bai Qi had already swallowed his saliva, and Jiang Xiaobai hurriedly sat down.
Jiang Xiaobai looked at Liu Lingba, who was standing outside the door, and asked with a light smile, "Why don't you come in and sit?" ”
Liu Lingba's brows furrowed slightly, and after hesitating for a moment, he still sat down.
After Liu Lingba sat down, the three of them began to eat, although Jiang Xiaobai didn't say much, but how clever Bai Qi was, seeing that Jiang Xiaobai could enter and leave the backyard of Yuejing Mansion, he had already guessed in his heart, and after eating and drinking, he asked happily: "Brother Xiaobai, are you here to take me out?" You are so majestic now, you must be following some powerful family! ”
Jiang Xiaobai smiled, put down his chopsticks and said, "I really want to take you away this time, but it's not with any powerful people, but with me." ”
"With you?!" Bai Qi was stunned, "What are you doing?" ”
"Errand."
As soon as Bai Qi heard this, his body couldn't help laughing: "This world is too crazy, I can actually be an errand when I steal, isn't this a mouse to a cat as a dowry maid!" ”
Jiang Xiaobai stared at him with a faint smile, but his expression did not mean to laugh at all, Bai Qi was stunned for a moment, and asked again: "Really?!" ”
"Really." Jiang Xiaobai bowed slightly, crossed his hands in front of his chest, "It just depends on whether you want to." ”
"Yes! Absolutely! Bai Qilian said, "As long as I can get out of this prison, I can do whatever you want." ”
"That's fine." Jiang Xiaobai nodded, and turned to a straight face, "But before the ugly words, if I find out that you are stealing after you are on an errand, I will personally send you back to this Yuejing Mansion prison!" Good skills must be used in the right way. ”
"Absolutely not, don't worry!" Bai Qi immediately patted his chest and promised, "If you have something to eat, who will do that business of stealing chickens and touching dogs!" ”
Jiang Xiaobai smiled weirdly: "This is not accurate. ”
Bai Qi was stunned, and when he was about to ask the meaning of this, Jiang Xiaobai had already turned to Liu Lingba and said, "Liu Lingba, I think you should be clear about my purpose for looking for you by now?" ”
A hint of surprise flashed in Liu Lingba's eyes, but he quickly regained his composure: "But I wanted to take your life." ”
Jiang Xiaobai sat back on the chair indifferently, stretched out two fingers and said: "Two reasons, first, if I want to do things, I must have my own team, as far as the current situation is concerned, the manpower that can be used is far from enough." Second, though you tried to take my life, I know that you are not evil..."
Speaking of this, Jiang Xiaobai smiled and continued: "At least he is a filial son, and people with filial piety will not be bad." ”
Liu Lingba's body shook slightly, as if he couldn't believe it: "Do you know about me? ”
"I knew before I fought you." Jiang Xiaobai said lightly, "This is also the reason why I left you alive at that time." ”
Liu Lingba frowned, and didn't speak for a while, he knew in his heart that if it wasn't for Jiang Xiaobai's mercy, he would have died a long time ago.
I heard Jiang Xiaobai continue: "With your martial arts, nesting in this prison is simply a cow ding cooking chicken, are you really willing to do this?" ”
Liu Lingba's eyes jumped, his lips moved, but he never spoke.
"Actually, you don't have to think about it at all." Jiang Xiaobai continued, "You stay in the prison all day long, I think even if the old man has someone to take care of him, he can't see his son all year round, I'm afraid he won't be able to recuperate with peace of mind." ”
Just listening to the sound of the "clang" cup, Liu Lingba's trembling hands couldn't hold the wine glass anymore, and the words Jiang Xiaobai said hit the heart directly, closing his eyes and feeling extremely complicated, after a long time, he finally said: "But if I do this, he won't let me and my mother go..."
"You don't have to worry about this, I'll help you out."
Liu Lingba's expression was suspicious: "As far as I know, Zhao Gongzi is quite powerful in Beijing, how can I trust you." ”
Jiang Xiaobai didn't say much after hearing this, but only took out a token from his arms and put it on the table: "This is my official seal, and it is also my guarantee." ”
Seeing this order, Bai Qi didn't react, but Liu Lingba had already risen up and said in surprise: "White Tiger Ya! ”
"Looks like you recognize?" Jiang Xiaobai was also a little surprised.
"My master is a martial arts man, and he received the favor of the White Tiger Ya in his early years. He warned me that if I met the White Tiger Yaren in the future, I would definitely repay this kindness, and this point has always been remembered by me as an apprentice. ”
Liu Lingba's expression was complicated, and after saying that, he sighed again and muttered: "Could it be that all this is providence..."
Jiang Xiaobai's eyebrows moved, he didn't expect Liu Lingba and Baihuya to have this relationship, which saved a lot of things, so he took the opportunity to say: "There are still many vacant rooms in Baihuya now, you can settle Lingtang here, I can guarantee that no one can disturb her old man." Besides..."
"My sincerity doesn't stop there." Jiang Xiaobai showed a smile on his face, took out a package from his arms and placed it on the table, "Open it and take a look." ”
Liu Lingba's face was suspicious, and after opening the package, his expression moved: "This..."
I saw that the package was full of silver, and when I counted it carefully, there were as many as one hundred and fifty taels.
Jiang Xiaobai said calmly: "You can take this silver to the old man's house for treatment first." After that, seeing Bai Qi on the side, his eyes were full of envy, and he couldn't help but laugh and scold, "What are you jealous of!" This is all an advance payment, could it be that you also have a sick old mother at home? ”
Bai Qi touched his head and said embarrassedly: "I'm an orphan." ”
At this point, Liu Lingba, who had always been calm, was already moved, so he saw him pour the wine into the bowl and said respectfully: "The hero gave me a golden knife, how can I repay Ying Qiongyao!" After that, he drank all the wine in the bowl in one gulp: "My life will be handed over to you in the future!" ”
Seeing this, Bai Qi was stunned for a moment, and then hurriedly learned: "Me too!" ”
Unexpectedly, Liu Lingba, as a martial artist, is quite cultured, and the word he read is adapted from the four sorrowful poems written by Zhang Heng in the Eastern Han Dynasty. Jiang Xiaobai smiled on his face, and also raised the wine bowl and drank it all.
Today's events finally met Jiang Xiaobai's psychological expectations, and when he learned that the Zhao Gongzi in Liu Lingba's mouth was Zhao Shun, this was already a later story.