Chapter 8: The Orphans of the Martyrs

The group of soldiers walked into the mansion and searched every nook and cranny until they finally found a bloody dagger on top of the flower pot in the courtyard. Pen, fun, pavilion www. biquge。 info Le Yuan was taken aback when he saw it, and he didn't know when there was more of this thing in the house. At this time, Du Chongwei walked into the Hou Mansion. Le Yuan greeted him and saluted, but he deliberately raised his head to avoid Le Yuan's gaze, and walked straight to the soldier.

The soldier handed Du Chongwei what he was holding. After Du Chongwei saw it, he turned to Le Yuan and said, "Le Yuan, you are so bold! Brother Fool originally thought that you had reformed yourself, but I didn't expect you to do such a thing." ”

Le Yuan didn't know that the person who planted the blame was in front of him, and said loudly: "Du Tingshi, since you regard Le as a brother, you should believe in Le's personality." Du Chongwei snorted and shook his hand out of the door. The soldiers immediately escorted Le Yuan out. Seeing that the matter had come to this, Le Yuan knew that it was impossible to escape the doom, but he was just worried about Lin Hanyan and Le Yiyang. Du Chongwei remembered the previous friendship, did not embarrass his family, captured Le Yuan, and withdrew the soldiers surrounding the Hou Mansion.

Lin Hanyan was lying on the bed in the backyard at this time, not knowing what was happening outside. After the soldiers left, the maid Qiaoniang ran into the room in a panic and told her what had just happened. Lin Hanyan heard half of it, only to feel that the dizziness was aggravated, Qiao Niang was at a loss, and hurriedly went to the military camp to invite Ma Ruhai.

After Ma Ruhai came over, he carefully checked Lin Hanyan's pulse and prescribed her a few pairs of medicines to regulate her body. Lin Hanyan asked, "How is my father-in-law now?" Ma Ruhai was suddenly confused in his heart by his question, and hurriedly comforted: "Madame, don't worry, Hou Yeji people have their own natural appearance." Madame should pay attention to her body and don't worry too much. ”

Lin Hanyan only relieved his heart after hearing this. Let the maid Qiaoniang send off the guests for her.

Ma Ruhai left the Hou Mansion and went straight to the west of the city. Le Yuan was being locked up in Daizhou Prison at this time. Ma Ruhai often goes to the prison to see prisoners, and all joints have already been opened. At this time, he followed a usually good jailer into the cell, only to see that it was still dark inside. After walking about 180 meters inside, they came to a small gate, where two lazy soldiers were drinking wine at the small table at the door. At this time, the jailer who accompanied Ma Ruhai said, "Open the door quickly, someone wants to see Anxihou." The two looked at Ma Ruhai, slowly stood up, took out the long string of keys hanging from their waists, and searched for most of the day to find the small key.

Ma Ruhai usually treats prisoners in the cell, but he has never been to this door. When he entered, he found that the cell was empty and silent, as if he had entered a cave, except for a zigzag staircase connected to the ground, each of which was about a foot long and less than a third of a foot wide, but half a foot high. Ma Ruhai looked at both sides of the steps and found that there were pools below. The jailer said, "I won't go down, be careful yourself, do you see the pool next to it? This pool is ten feet deepest, and if I fall into it, I'm afraid I can't do anything about it." ”

After hearing this, a cold sweat broke out on Ma Ruhai's head, and he slowly moved his steps step by step, trying to walk in the middle of the steps. It took him half a column of incense to reach the flat ground below. Ma Ruhai walked towards the place where there was a light and found that there were four noisy rooms below. In the deepest place, he finally saw Leyuan who was tightly chained.

Le Yuan's hair was scattered over his shoulders, and he was resting with his head down, when he heard footsteps, he raised his head suddenly, and the two happened to look at each other. Ma Ruhai hurriedly said: "Master Hou is not surprised, it is Ma Ruhai below." Le Yuan said weakly: "It turned out to be Mr. Ma, did something happen to my wife?"

Ma Ruhai told Lin Hanyan about it, and Le Yuan sighed: "It's all my fault, I shouldn't have brought their mother and son to Daizhou in the first place." Ma Ruhai said: "Master Hou is not surprised, there must be something strange at this time, and the truth will definitely be found out." ”

Le Yuan let him come closer and whispered in his ear, "Mr. Ma, there is no need to do more. The imperial court waved troops to force Shi Jingjiao, and the Khitan was in the Khitan again, and my Tang Dynasty was already in danger. The top priority at the moment is to prevent the Khitan from moving south. Mr. Ma, it is not advisable to stay here for a long time, so you should go back first. Ma Ruhai bowed to Le Yuan three times before getting up and leaving.

When the Khitan envoy was assassinated in Daizhou, Yelu Deguang was furious and ordered Yelu Lihu to handle the matter properly. Yelu Lihu sent people to Daizhou to check on the progress of the case. Du Chongwei looked at the flying and domineering appearance of this Khitan envoy, and his heart was very uncomfortable. When the Khitan envoy walked away, Du Chongwei's cronies stepped forward and said, "My lord, this person is very arrogant, do you need your subordinates to teach him a lesson at night." Du Chongwei shook his head and said: "If you can't bear it, you will make a big plan." The top priority is to let Leyuan confess. ”

Du Chongwei came to the prison that night to inquire about the results of the interrogation, and the prison officer replied: "Back to my lordship, Le Yuan has always refused to confess. Du Chongwei asked, "Have you used torture?" The prison officer replied: "I have used all the 48 sets of torture instruments in the prison, but Le Yuan still does not confess." Du Chongwei shook his head and sighed: "The matter has come to this, he has to die, why bother to argue so strongly." ”

Le Tianzang returned to the Hou Mansion that night, he was surprised after listening to the words of the people in the mansion, but he didn't expect Le Yuan to be framed and imprisoned, so he went to the military camp to find Ma Ruhai to find a way. Lotte said: "I want to go to the prison tonight to see the general, I wonder if Mr. can arrange it with me." Seeing Ma Ruhai's embarrassed face, he immediately knelt on the ground and begged, "I hope Mr. Ma will help me." Seeing this, Ma Ruhai immediately stepped forward to help him up and said, "What do you mean by the prison army? ”

After an hour, Ma Ruhai returned and said: "Now that Hou Ye is a repeat offender, Du Chongwei told him that no one is allowed to come to see him." Fortunately, I had some silver, and they agreed to go in for a quarter of an hour. Lotte was overjoyed and hurriedly went to the prison with Ma Ruhai.

Seeing Le Yuan, both of them were very heavy. At this time, there was only a faint breath left in Le Yuan, and the torture of these days was already unrecognizable to him. Seeing someone coming, Le Yuan lowered his head and said intermittently: "You don't ...... Don't come again, go back to ...... Go back and tell Du Chongwei that if you want to add to the crime, I am ...... There will be no confession. ”

Seeing that he was already delirious, Ma Ruhai stepped forward and said softly: "Master Hou, I'm Ma Ruhai, we're here to see you." Le Yuan raised his head with great effort, glanced at Ma Ruhai, and his gaze stopped on Lotte Zang's face. Lotte Zang hurriedly stepped forward and shook his hand and said, "General, I have heard what happened to you. You suffered. ”

Le Yuan endured the pain and smiled: "Little brother, I finally waited for you." Lotte Zang glanced back at Ma Ruhai, and Ma Ruhai understood and said, "You guys talk first, I'll go up and try to buy some time." With that, he stepped back.

Le Yuan looked at him and said approvingly: "Little brother, did you do the assassination of the Khitan envoy?" Lotte lowered his head and said for a long time: "The general has always treated me with kindness more than the mountain, how can I do these things in the future." Le Yuan said: "I'm relieved that you didn't do it." Le Tianzang said: "General, could this matter be deliberately framed by Du Chongwei?" Le Yuan smiled on his back: "Even if it is him, there is nothing we can do." ”

Lotte Zang glanced around and said, "General, I heard that the imperial army has surrounded Taiyuan, and Shi Jingjiao has sent someone to Daizhou to have a secret meeting with the Khitan, does he want to ask the Khitan to send troops?" At this time, Ma Ruhai urged above, and the two had to say goodbye. Le Yuan said: "Little brother, Du Chongwei may not let my family go, and I hope you will let them leave Daizhou as soon as possible." Lotte Zang nodded and replied: "Don't worry, general, you must keep it in mind in the future." ”

Lotte Zang returned to the Hou Mansion and told Lin Hanyan the truth about what he said in prison. Lin Hanyan cried bitterly after hearing this, refusing to believe that this was true. Lotte looked at Lin Hanyan and said with concern: "Madam, please take care of your body." Lin Hanyan knew her husband's character, and after Lotte hid out, she hid alone in the quilt and wept.

The next day, Lotte Zang went to the barracks to discuss with Ma Ruhai about rescue measures. Ma Ruhai sighed helplessly and said, "The matter has come to this, I'm afraid we will not be able to return to the sky." Lotte was silent after hearing this. Seeing that he was preoccupied, Ma Ruhai patted him on the shoulder and said, "Master Hou has already taken life and death lightly, and at this time, he is most worried about the safety of his wife and son." Since Du Chongwei wanted to put Hou Ye to death, how could he guarantee that he would not harm Hou Ye's family. Lord Overseer, if you really want to help Master Hou, take your wife and son and leave this place of right and wrong. ”

Lotte Zang was silent, and Ma Ruhai said again: "Lord Supervisor, the matter is critical, please don't hesitate any longer." Lotte Zang gritted his teeth and agreed with difficulty, and then hurriedly left the barracks.

Back at the Hou Mansion, Lotte Zang told Lin Hanyan what he said, and Lin Hanyan resolutely disagreed to leave. Seeing that the matter was urgent, Lotte Zang knelt on the ground and said: "Madam, you and Gongzi are the only concerns of the general, even if you do your best, you must be sent out of Daizhou safely." Please think twice!" Lin Hanyan saw Lotte hiding on the ground and begging bitterly, and looked at his sleeping son, remembering his usual words and smiles with her husband, her eyes were full of tears, and she reluctantly agreed.

The next day, Lotte Zang pretended to be a groom and waited for Lin Hanyan and Le Yiyang to leave the city in a broken carriage. Fifty miles out of the city, Lotte Zang stopped the carriage and asked Lin Hanyan to come out. He waited at the door of the car for a while, saw that there was no sound inside, worried that something would happen to his wife, so he lifted the green cloth hanging at the door with his hand, and found that only Le Yiyang was inside.

Lotte Zang walked back a few miles with the child in his arms, but he didn't find any trace of Lin Hanyan. It turned out that Lin Hanyan couldn't bear to see Le Yuan going to trouble alone, and secretly got out of the carriage when he went out of the city gate. Lotte Zang didn't dare to take Le Yiyang back to the city, and went forward for more than a hundred miles, and came to a village, where the two stayed temporarily.

In the city of Daizhou, Du Chongwei ordered Le Yuan to be secretly executed, and sent someone to capture Lin Hanyan and put her under house arrest in the Hou Mansion of Anxi.