Chapter 810 Zhao Niang

Seeing their disappointed faces and their constant turning back, Xu Xiaoqi could not help but ask, "My three lords, that old man Jing only wrote a poem praising the Taizhou Palace and did not make any great achievements. How could he be worthy of such admiration from you three lords?"

"You are so rude, young man!" The one who scolded was Prefect Fei. He suppressed his temper and said, "Xu Xiaoqi is a military commander, so he doesn't know that Mr. Jing's "Ode to Traveling to the Ancient Capital of Taizhou" is not just praising the ancient capital of Taizhou. It is a mysterious and extraordinary work that includes dreams and reality, the universe, the prosperity of the ancient capital in the old days, the history of the struggle for the ancient capital of Taizhou, the ancient capital's return to glory and then its collapse into ruins due to natural disasters, and the people who dreamt of the ancient capital and returned to the present world after witnessing everything."

"Many people were inspired by his poems, and like a child opening their eyes, they gained a different perspective on the universe, the human world, the struggles between the government and the opposition, and glory and destruction."

"In fact, many people have transformed from bookworms into politically ambitious people after studying this poem."

"Where will the ruins of Taizhou go? But there will be another ruin in the future. Just this one sentence tells the inevitable fate of all dynasties, past, present and future." This was said by Deputy Manager Qian, not Prefect Fei.

Magistrate Fei is a veteran and it is impossible for him to say such things.

But Deputy Manager Qian was young and not yet experienced, so he blurted it out on impulse.

Prefect Fei sighed: "The bronze talisman and jade seal once shone through the world, and the ancient capital is immersed in their glory... Every time I read this sentence, I sigh that Mr. Jing used the word 'immerse' very well."

Only old officials like them can understand this feeling... When they were young, they all thought they were good officials who spoke up for the people and were noble.

But after serving as an official for many years, you will find that the corruption is like water, slowly seeping into your bones, making you like brass and jade, slowly corroded by the ruins.

Prefect Fei shivered. It was the Dragon Boat Festival, but he felt a little cold.

Xu Xiaoqi wanted to scratch his head, but he held back and said, "It's my ignorance, please don't blame me... After I'm done, I'll also read the Tai Zhou Fu."

What the hell are you talking about, you lunatics? Let's hurry up and go see Duke Yan. We've already wasted nearly a quarter of an hour because of that old man.

Prefect Fei, Co-prefect Zeng, and Deputy Manager Qian then quickened their pace and followed the steward who was leading the way.

A quarter of an hour later, the steward brought them to an elegantly decorated summer house and said to them, "My lords, this door leads to Chen Tower. Please wait here for a moment. I will go and report. If nothing unexpected happens, someone will come to pick you up in a while."

"Well, thank you for your help." Prefect Fei nodded.

The young steward bowed and walked out of the Baoxia room.

After more than a quarter of an hour, the steward came out of the round gate with a group of people and said in front of the door: "My lords, please follow us."

More than a quarter of an hour later, Prefect Fei and his men finally entered Chen Tower and met Duke Yan.

Although it was not the first time he met the Duke of Yan, Governor Fei was still shocked... How could there be such a person in the world with such a peerless appearance, exuding a clean aura, and with such a strong divinity?

"Your humble servant pays his respects to the Duke of Yan." Prefect Fei put his thoughts aside and led everyone in the ceremony.

Duke Yan raised his eyes and looked at them, as if a god was looking down upon them. The three of them were startled and straightened up a lot... Even though he was weak and bedridden, his aura was so terrifying that no one dared to underestimate him.

Duke Yan smiled and said, "Duanwu is still working on the case. Thank you for your hard work, my lords."

He pointed to a banquet table in the room and said, "This is a dinner specially prepared for you. Eat first while I read your confession."

"Thank you, Duke Yan, for inviting me to the banquet." Prefect Fei did not dare to refuse, and sat down with the others. He ate anxiously, while keeping an eye on everything in the house.

Duke Yan seemed to have little interest in the confession. He only flipped through it briefly and handed it to a man next to him: "Master Shi, Eunuch An, take Ji'er and Zhao Niang with you to see the prisoner."

"Yes." Mr. Shi, Eunuch An, and Ji'er responded.

But Zhao Niang just nodded and didn't say anything.

When Governor Fei heard the word "Zhao Niang", his hand holding the chopsticks paused for a moment, but quickly returned to normal and picked up a piece of vegetarian dish with chopsticks.

I sigh again... Duke Yan is extraordinary. In just over a month, he has turned Huang Xianniang into a different person.

That’s right, Zhao Niang beside Duke Yan is the former death row prisoner Huang Xian Niang.

In early April, Duke Yan had just arrived in the capital and was curious to meet Huang Xianniang and her sisters.

After the meeting, Duke Yan was very satisfied with Huang Xianniang. From then on, there was no Huang Xianniang in the world, only Zhou Zhaoniang.

After struggling, Huang Xianniang, no, Zhou Zhaoniang has begun to adapt to her new life.

I have to say that she is indeed a talented person. She has memorized the second half of Wei Law and knows the ins and outs of prison life.

When it comes to trying prisoners, he is just as good as the old warden who has been in the job for more than ten years.

But it seems that Duke Yan's expectations of her are more than that.

Zhao Niang has already started leading people...she has subordinates.

Not to mention that Prefect Fei, who knew the inside story, was horrified, even Zhao Niang herself felt a sense of unreality as if she was in a trance.

But she remembered what Duke Yan said when she first met him.

Duke Yan said: "Don't feel it's unreal, and don't feel unworthy. You and your sisters' lives were earned by you. You were all doomed to die, but you dared to break the situation and waited until the bandits slaughtered the village, until the Wu family's collusion with bandits and the enemy was exposed, and until I came to Northeast Province."

"All of this is God's will. Your efforts to fight for your lives have made God feel that you are not destined to die."

"So, Zhou Zhaoniang, no matter what kind of rich and prosperous life you have in the future, you deserve it. Then, don't feel like you are dreaming, and don't feel like you don't deserve it."

These words were so shocking that Huang Xianniang felt dizzy.

But her instinct made her accept everything that Duke Yan gave her.

From then on, she became Zhou Zhaoniang and lived the life of Zhou Zhaoniang.

As for her sister Huang Cai Niang...

Duke Yan said: "Your sister is not suitable to follow the same path as you, she does not have the sword heart... You have turned yourself into a sharp sword, but your sister has not. She is suitable to live the life of a rich girl without wind and rain."

Huang Xianniang was worried about her sister and didn't want to be separated from Huang Cainiang.

It was Huang Cainiang who persuaded her.

Huang Xianniang was convinced.

Huang Cainiang followed the elderly couple.

They were the retired people of the Duke of Yan. They became Huang Cainiang's parents and would take Huang Cainiang to Jianghuai Prefecture to live the life of a normal rich family.

As for the fetus in the belly?

Haha, it’s just a bad karma, it has long returned to dust.

……

When Prefect Fei and his men finished their meal, Lord Shi and his men came back and reported, "My Lord, the evidence, testimony, and the criminal's recount are consistent. There is no doubt."

Duke Yan nodded and looked at Huang Xianniang: "Zhao Niang, tell me."

Zhou Zhaoniang bowed slightly, took out a pen and ink, and wrote down the doubts: There must be spies lurking near Baofu County, ready to help the descendants of the married women in Wansong Village to cause trouble at any time.

Unfortunately, the government failed to find any trace of the spies' involvement.

The spies are very powerful, there are many of them, and they have legitimate identities. If we don’t catch them and keep an eye on them, it will be a big disaster for our Great Wei.

But there are too many spies, and it is impossible to keep an eye on them.

Zhou Zhaoniang wrote a lot in a very eloquent manner.

After reading it, Duke Yan smiled and said, "It's too cumbersome. Fortunately, you found the key point. But you have to remember that sometimes, the key point can be let go. There is no need to hold on to it all the time. Holding on too much will do no good to the country."