Halfway through the second watch, Cheng Shuqin and Xiang Kang came to the back wall of Dali Temple early. Cheng Shuqin is around fifty years old, but he is already gray. He was once born in a poor family, studied hard to gain fame in the cold window when he was young, and found an idle position in the Criminal Department, relying on more than 20 years of hard work to get to today's position. It stands to reason that today's official position is so hard-won, Mr. Cheng must be more wise to protect himself, but he is willing to hide from General Xiang for the sake of morality in his heart and help his future virtuous son-in-law.

"Xiang Gongzi, I have already ordered to go down here, and when your friend comes, let him follow me in." You don't want to go in, after all, it's better not to involve General Xiang in such a thing. "Mr. Cheng Shuqin stood straight in the night breeze, spoke slowly, and was very majestic. Xiang Kang bowed and said: "Uncle Xie is compassionate, and my father really doesn't allow my little nephew to be involved." Little nephew me. It's also very difficult. ”

Master Cheng patted Xiang Kang on the back and said to him: "Listen to your father, in this world, no parent will intentionally harm his child. Xiang Kang grinned helplessly and said, "Uncle, I understand this truth, but... However, parents love their son, so they should teach him to be assertive and responsible, instead of letting him just be obedient. Cheng Shuqin looked into the distance and said, "This sentence is very reasonable, Ruoxue and I have discussed the same problem in the past." ”

Xiang Kang heard Cheng Ruoxue's name and hurriedly asked, "What did Ruoxue say?" Cheng Shuqin glanced at Xiang Kang with a smile and said, "Ruoxue, this child, asked me, 'Father, why do you not only teach our sisters and brothers the principle of filial piety first, but also let us make our own decisions in everything, even if we have different ideas from yours, you are willing for us to obey our own will?" I told her that I had brought them up to be themselves, not to be my continuation. ”

Xiang Kang was slightly surprised, and said: "Say something that shouldn't be said, if my father can be as enlightened as you, I don't have to be so restrained." As soon as he finished speaking, he heard the sound of a carriage in the dark alley in the distance. Xiang Kang gave a look, and Ah Feng took a few steps forward and asked, "Who is here?" Uncle Feng's voice came from over there, saying, "The people from Qingpingzhai have arrived." As he spoke, the carriage had already driven over and stopped steadily in front of Xiang Kang and the others.

Zhang Yunhua lifted the curtain and jumped down, Xiang Kang helped him and said, "Lao Zhang, this is Master Cheng." Zhang Yunhua bowed respectfully and said, "The juniors are late, and it is really a sin to let Lord Cheng wait here." Cheng Shuqin said kindly: "Zhang Gongzi doesn't need to be polite, my nephew and I happen to be around here, come over quickly." Don't talk about that, let's change our clothes and let's go inside. ”

Cheng Shuqin's subordinates next to him handed over a placket buckle soap-bottom cotton shirt and asked Yunhua to change into it. Zhang Yunhua took off his cloak and changed into that dress. Walking forward with Master Cheng and his entourage, seeing that he was about to reach the back door, Xiang Kang stood up and said, "Uncle Cheng, Yunhua, I won't go in, I'll wait for you here." Cheng Shuqin turned around and patted him on the shoulder and said, "If it's okay, you can go back, so as not to make your father suspicious." ”

Xiang Kang nodded, looked at Zhang Yunhua, Yunhua was dressed as a criminal official at this time, turned around and said to Xiang Kang: "Tomorrow I will send someone to deliver a letter to you, you can go back quickly." Xiang Kang nodded, watching Cheng Shuqin knock on the back door of Dali Temple with Zhang Yunhua, and the person who answered hurriedly opened them and put the two of them in. Childe, let's go back. Ah Feng said. Xiang Kang nodded, turned around and walked in the direction he was going to, and said to Ah Feng: "Seriously, I really want to see Qingzhou." ”

The person who took the lead led Cheng Shuqin and Zhang Yunhua to the right through a courtyard, turned right along the porch, and entered a small house. The man bowed down and said, "Lord Cheng, Lord Zhao, who came today, is locked underneath, you should go down the stairs more slowly." Cheng Shuqin said "um", followed down, and said in a greeting in his mouth: "Lao Xia, it's so late, the old man is causing you trouble, hahaha." ”

Lao Xia lit the lantern, and while turning back slightly to Cheng Shuqin to follow the road under his feet, he said: "My lord is really tormented, but to be honest with you, this person is a prisoner, and the person above has specially confessed, and before the arraignment, he can't be allowed to contact others." But Ah Zhi has been favored under you all these years, and I, as a father, have this kind of authority, and if you can use it, the villain will definitely make it convenient for you. ”

Cheng Shuqin walked down while leaning against the wall, glanced back at Zhang Yunhua, and said: "Pity the hearts of parents all over the world, you young people, when you reach the age of the old man, you can understand that parents are doing their best for their children, and it is not an exaggeration to say that they are exhausted. Lao Xia followed and looked at Zhang Yunhua and said, "From generation to generation, it's not all like this, but this little brother is a little raw, and it's the first time I've seen him." Cheng Dadao: "The newly selected one below happens to have some distant relatives with me, so I brought him today." Lao Xia was convinced of Cheng Shuqin's words and exclaimed: "The juniors come up year after year, and we seniors should return to their hometowns." ”

As they spoke, the three of them finally reached the dungeon. As soon as he stepped on the ground, he heard a shouting sound coming from an unknown direction. Lao Xia slowed down, turned back to Cheng Shuqin and said, "It's just right, let me catch it." "The three of them walked lightly in the labyrinthine dungeon corridor for four or five turns, and the more they walked forward, the clearer the shouting became, and they walked until they walked in front of a door, which was the prison number of Dali Temple." Good boys, you're gambling here behind my back. Lao Xia pushed open the door and walked in with a loud shout.

Zhang Yunhua lowered his head, and as he walked in, he glanced at a square table in front of him, with a few empty bowls and dice scattered on the table, and a few jailers were all drunk, calculating each other's wins and losses. Seeing Lao Xia, several people were a little nervous and said, "Boss Xia, we just bet two casually, and we didn't play big." Lao Xia feigned anger and said: "Who gave you the courage to gamble here?" If it weren't for Master Cheng to check overnight, how long do you plan to gamble? Several jailers drooped their heads like frosted eggplants and said, "No more betting, no more gambling." ”

"All go up and guard me, blow the cold wind, and sober me up one or two." Lao Xia shouted. Several jailers hurriedly lowered their hands and walked out. "Move fast!" Lao Xia shouted again, and several people ran faster, turned the corner and disappeared.

Lao Xia waited until they were far away, took out the key, took Cheng Shuqin to a fence gate, and said, My lord, this is it.

Inside, Zhao Qingzhou originally slept in clothes, but when he heard someone coming, he hurriedly sat up from the stone bed covered with straw, and his vigilant gaze shifted from Lao Xia's body to Cheng Shuqin's body, and finally to Zhang Yunhua's body, and then stood up with relief. Yun Hua shook his head lightly at Qingzhou, signaling him not to make a sound first, and several people silently watched Lao Xia open the door lock, and Lao Xia said to Cheng Shuqin: "My lord, at most a cup of tea, I'll go outside to guard." Then he turned and left.

As soon as Lao Xia left, Cheng Shuqin pulled Yunhua into this isolated cell and said, "Gongzi Zhang, I'll wait for you at the table over there, you and Lord Zhao will make a long story short." So saying, he walked out quickly. There were only two people left in the cell, and Zhao Qingzhou stepped forward to take Zhang Yunhua's hand: "Yunhua, I haven't seen you for a long time." ”