Luo Jing, Heavenly Prison.

On death row somewhere.

Xia Yan knelt on the messy straw, looking at the rather sumptuous prison meal in front of him, and his face did not fluctuate at all.

Whether it is a prosperous era or a troubled era, prison food is basically extremely unpalatable, either spoiled food or pig food accompanied by dregs, which is extremely difficult to swallow.

But there is one exception.

It was nominally the last meal that every death row inmate was entitled to – the severed head.

Although the official document of the beheading has not been issued for some reason, since the emperor has approved it, it is time to prepare the decapitation meal.

After all, after entering this death row, it is basically impossible to leave except to be escorted to the execution ground.

Especially now that the Empress Dowager Zhao has fallen, all the once invincible Empress Dowager henchmen have been arrested and put into the prison, making the entire prison overcrowded.

Every day, dozens of people are taken to the execution ground, and dozens of people are added to it, and the cycle repeats.

Those like Xia Yan who have conclusive evidence and have already confessed their guilt are the first to be executed, and they can be escorted to the execution ground immediately after the official document is issued, making room for those who come after them.

After a while, Xia Yan suddenly sighed faintly.

Then, as if resigned to his fate, he picked up the bowl of severed head rice with all the color and flavor, and ate it slowly.

Naturally, he will not be the only one on death row.

The daylight shines through the windowsill, and in the constantly floating light, the voices of begging for mercy, shouting of grievances, angry scolding, and confession come and go.

Obviously, when the jailer brought the severed head meal to him, in the face of the imminent end of his life, others could not be as open-minded as Xia Yan.

Next to Xia Yan is his only son Xia Yun.

He looked at the decapitated rice in front of him with a gloomy face, but he didn't have the slightest appetite.

He is only eighteen years old this year, which is the age of his prime, and in the past two years of worshipping the sect, he has been repeatedly praised by his master, and his talent can be called excellent.

At least he can surpass his life and nest in a place like Yongchuan that is not known and be the father of a seven-grade county order.

As a result, just when he fantasized about his future ambitions, he was arrested and put on death row by an arrest warrant from the Ethereal Immortal Sect.

Before he could react, he fell from heaven to hell.

The once bright future turned out to be a mirror like this, how could he be willing?

His life has just begun!

"Dad, are we really in danger?"

Hearing this, Xia Yan's shoulders trembled slightly, but he just ate silently and didn't say a word.

Although he didn't say anything, his reaction said it all.

Xia Yun asked unwillingly: "Dad, you can say something!" You have been in the company for so many years, there must be a lot of protégés or friends in the same family, right? Aren't there any of them who mix well? If so, find a way to ask them for help! ”

"I don't want to die!"

Xia Yan shook his head, and then let out a helpless sigh.

"I'm sorry, Daddy is incompetent."

With just five words, Xia Yun's last hope was completely shattered.

Xia Yun's face darkened, and his hands fell weakly.

Xia Yan put down the bowl and lay down on his side, his eyes calmly staring at the sparks dancing in the brazier not far away.

"Dad did something wrong, violated the way of the sages, and deserved this retribution, Dad has nothing to say, it's just a pity that it has affected you, and even more so your mother and your sister."

As he spoke, Xia Yan glanced at the cell next door with shame on his face, where there were his wife and their daughter who were suffering with him.

Then he pointed to the severed head rice in front of Xia Yun that had not moved a grain of rice, and persuaded: "Eat, child, no matter what, even if you die, you can't be a starving ghost, and besides, under Jiuquan, with your father and your mother and sister, there is nothing to be afraid of." ”

This time it was Xia Yun's turn to be silent.

After a while, he finally slowly stretched out his hand, trembled and picked up the rice bowl, and ate it in small bites.

Under the oily cloak emanated, drops of clear tears gradually fell into the meal, adding a bit of bitterness to the rich decapitated meal.

And at this moment-

Smack...

The heavy door was suddenly opened, and the glare of sunlight that shone in quietly brought a glimmer of hope.

Immediately after, with the sound of footsteps, several figures quickly walked through the corridor in the middle of the cell, and finally walked straight towards the cell where Xia Yan was.

"Lu Zhishi, in front of me is the cell where the criminal Xia Yan is detained."

"Okay, please take the way."

"Lu gives things seriously, Your Majesty has a word, as long as it is what Lu gives you to do, as long as it does not violate the laws of Great Xia, all the yamen must cooperate, the small ones just follow Your Majesty's orders, Lu Zhi does not have to be so polite."

“……”

Hearing his name mentioned, Xia Yan's eyes moved slightly, and he subconsciously looked over.

At the same time, Lu Chen, who was walking briskly under the leadership of several old jailers, also happened to come over.

The moment the four eyes met, Xia Yan's gaze suddenly shrank slightly, and there was obvious surprise in his eyes.

Listening to their conversation just now, he instinctively thought that something terrible was coming.

It turned out to be a young man in a green official robe...

And this young man...

"Long time no see, Lord County."

Lu Chen walked into the cell, looked at Xia Yan with a surprised face inside, and greeted softly.

"Remember?"

Xia Yan nodded habitually, and then looked at Lu Chen with a somewhat complicated expression.

It took a long moment for him to speak.

"Lu Huaiyu, right..."

Hearing this, Lu Chen was surprised.

I didn't expect this guy to really remember him.

Lu Chen nodded slightly.

"That's right, it's me, I didn't expect Lord Xia to remember it."

Xia Yan shook his head and didn't explain anything, but instead said: "The old man didn't expect that after many years, the most inconspicuous young man back then is now ranked in the court, which is really terrifying." ”

Hearing this, Lu Chen couldn't help but twitch the corners of his mouth slightly.

Being in the court is a good thing that others can't ask for, but for him, it's a bad thing that can't be avoided.

Who told him to soar on the spot as long as he was not an official?

Shaking his head, after a nourishing greeting, Lu Chen casually found an excuse to break away from the jailer on the side, and then came to the prison door.

However, before he could speak, Xia Yan asked with a puzzled expression: "Lord Lu, are you coming to find the old man......?"

Lu Chen didn't sell it, and said bluntly: "I came down here, not for anything else, just to save Lord Xia out and let Lord Xia return to where you should return." ”

Hearing this, Xia Yan was instantly stunned.

The old man heard me right, right?

Only then did the latter say, "You want to save me?"

Is there something wrong with my ear, or is there something wrong with his brain?

"Why?"

Xia Yan asked subconsciously.

"Because."

Lu Chen looked at him straightly, his face was full of seriousness, and he said firmly: "I have always believed that Lord Xia, you are a good official. ”

This is naturally false.

Naturally, it is impossible for him to deliberately help a corrupt official get away with it.

As long as Xia Yan himself is a corrupt official, then as long as he goes through the normal appeal procedure and uses himself as a guarantee, this Xia Yan will not only not be able to get away with the crime, but will still be sentenced to capital punishment, and he will also be affected.

That's what he's here to be.

Hearing these categorical words, Xia Yan was stunned for a moment.

Then, there was a touch of emotion in his eyes.

This afterlife......

Lu Chen said with an affirmative face: "Therefore, I will never believe that a good official like Lord Xia, who loves the people like a son, would do such things as bribing officials, corrupting the law, setting up a name, and stealing by stealing, he must have been wronged!" ”

"As a science and technology official, I must not tolerate such an injustice in the DPRK and China! Yes! In any case, you will have to return your innocence to Lord Xia! ”

Hearing this, Xia Yan opened his mouth, but he couldn't say a word.

And Xia Yun behind him suddenly lit up.

Then as if grasping the last straw, he directly threw the severed head rice in his hand to the side, and asked excitedly: "Is this true?" ”

The clay bowl that fell to the ground was split in an instant, and the fragrant food was scattered all around, cheapening the surrounding lice and maggots.

Lu Chen smiled slightly: "I never say big things in the future." ”

After receiving an affirmative answer, Xia Yun instantly became excited.

He wasn't stupid, he had heard what the jailer had said to Lu Chen just now.

Although he didn't know where Lu Chen was sacred, and he didn't know where he got the confidence to say such things as a small seventh-rank official, the jailer's respectful attitude towards Lu Chen just now, as well as those obviously extraordinary words, all showed that Lu Chen was by no means simple.

People tend to believe what they want to believe, and Xia Yun, who is in a desperate situation, finally sees a glimmer of hope, so he will naturally seize it desperately.

Survival is the most important thing, and the rest will wait until this life is retrieved.

Xia Yan came back to his senses, glanced at his son with a somewhat complicated expression, and a gloomy color quietly flashed in his eyes.

He knew in his heart that in the face of incomparably ironclad evidence, Lu Chen actually couldn't help them.

After all, he did all the crimes written in the arrest warrant, and the court did not wronged him.

This is an iron case, an iron case that cannot be overturned at all.

There is no possibility of overturning the case.

At the level of the law, he did have a deficit in virtue.

Therefore, he wanted Lu Chen to give up, and there was no need to waste his efforts for him, a mortal person.

But seeing his son struggling desperately, trying to seize this last ray of life, he couldn't say anything.

In the end, I could only sigh helplessly.

Just let it be.