Madam, protect me!.

Chapter 4: Methods of Prolonging Life [Thanks to the leader "Lian Feng Kong Yi" for the reward]

A luxurious carriage was driving slowly on the streets of Chang'an.

Li Nuo sat in the carriage. Before reaching the county government office, he opened the curtains and observed everything outside.

This is indeed a place similar to ancient China. As the carriage drove along, Li Nuo looked through the window and saw that whether it was the clothes and appearance of the pedestrians or the style of the buildings on the street, they were all full of ancient charm, without any trace of modern technology.

After a moment, Li Nuo lowered the curtains and returned his gaze to the carriage.

Opposite him, a cold woman held a long sword in her arms. She looked at Li Nuo from time to time, but did not say anything.

Under her gaze, Li Nuo felt like sitting on pins and needles. This woman looked dangerous from head to toe. She kicked Li Nuo, but Li Nuo still hasn't received an apology.

Fortunately, the next moment, the carriage slowly stopped with a "whoosh" sound. Butler Wu lifted the curtain and said with a smile: "Master, Madam, we have arrived at the county government office."

Li Nuo felt relieved and jumped off the carriage immediately.

Two yamen runners standing guard at the gate of the county government were chatting when they saw a carriage with three cloud patterns embroidered on the curtains parked at the gate. The older constable's eyelids jumped immediately. The three clear cloud patterns indicated that the owner of the carriage was a third-rank official. You know, the magistrate of Chang'an County was only a fifth-rank official.

I wonder what kind of wind is blowing in the county government today, and which great god has come here?

He did not dare to neglect it, and trotted forward with his back bent, and asked respectfully: "Greetings, distinguished guests. Is there anything I can do for you?"

……

Chang'an County Government.

Above the court.

The magistrate of Chang'an County was trying a theft case. Just when the two suspects were each insisting on their own opinions and he was confused, a constable hurriedly ran in from outside the court and whispered in his ear: "Sir, the people from the Dali Temple are here..."

“Who’s coming!”

Upon hearing the words "Dali Temple Chief Justice", the Chang'an County Magistrate forgot that he was trying a case. His groggy head suddenly became clear. He stood up from the chair in a daze, his thighs hitting the corner of the table without him realizing it. Beads of sweat instantly broke out on his forehead, and only the four words "Dali Temple Chief Justice" echoed in his mind.

Then, memories of his entire life began to flash back rapidly.

Apart from secretly going to a brothel a few days ago, he shouldn't have done anything wrong recently. Although the imperial court doesn't encourage officials to visit prostitutes, it hasn't banned it. Besides, visiting prostitutes is not something that would alarm the Dali Temple...

After a few breaths, the sweat on his forehead had turned into beads of cold sweat.

The words "Grand Justice of the Dali Temple" really frightened the officials in Chang'an. A higher-ranking official can crush a person with great power. Not only was the Grand Justice of the Dali Temple four levels higher than him, but he also held the lifeblood of these officials in his hands.

It was midsummer, but the court was terribly cold.

He remembered clearly that his predecessor, the last Magistrate of Chang'an County, had died at the hands of the Dali Temple Minister...

Why did he come to see me today?
Could it be because of the case this morning? Damn it, damn it, they must be dissatisfied with the verdict in that case. It’s all over now!

He just felt sorry for the girl and was soft-hearted for a moment, so he deliberately confused her charges and spared her life. Now, he has gotten himself into big trouble.

The Confucian saints are above, and the philosophers have shown their wisdom. Losing the official hat is fine, but I just hope that the jackal will show mercy and let him live...

Alas, this is unlikely. That jackal is notorious for eating people without leaving any bones. I am afraid I will not survive. I don’t know if I can leave a few members of my family alive. For the sake of being a Confucian disciple, I hope that man can let his wife and children go...

He did not bother to try the case, and ran out quickly, feeling extremely nervous, but he still had to force a brilliant smile on his face, saying, "I am sorry for not welcoming you in person, please forgive me, please forgive me..."

Butler Wu said with a smile: "You are too polite, my Lord. This is my young master, and this is my young mistress..."

Li Nuo looked at the official in front of him who was wearing a light crimson official uniform and nodding and bowing to them with an apologetic smile, and he found it difficult to adapt for a moment.

The magistrate of Chang'an County, in later generations, was nominally equivalent to the mayor of the core area of ​​the capital. Li Nuo was a small clerk and did not even have the opportunity to meet an official of this level, let alone have a leader of this level bow and scrape before him.

Before Li Nuo could speak, the magistrate of Chang'an County said solemnly: "The damned assassin was so bold that he dared to assassinate you. Don't worry, I will punish him severely and give you an explanation..."

Li Nuo waved his hand and said, "That's not necessary. The county magistrate should sentence according to the law."

The Chang'an County Magistrate, who had recovered a little, looked at Li Nuo in surprise. It was rumored that the son of the Chief Justice of the Dali Temple was a fool, but when he saw him for the first time today, the young man was handsome and had clear and bright eyes. He didn't look like a fool at all.

Moreover, it seems that the other party is not here to cause trouble for him?
He couldn't figure out if there was any hidden meaning in the other party's words, so he asked tentatively: "Sir, what is your sentence? Behead immediately?"

Li Nuo didn't understand the laws of Daxia in this world, but under normal circumstances, the death penalty would not be so hasty.

This county magistrate probably wants to please him.

Li Nuo shook his head and said, "Just punish him according to the law."

Seeing him say this, the magistrate of Chang'an County was moved. After thinking for a while, he tried again: "According to the Daxia Law, if a person uses a weapon to chop or shoot someone in a fight and does not hit the person, he shall be caned 100 times; if the blade injures someone, and the blade is made of any size, such as gold or iron, and is capable of killing someone, he shall be sentenced to two years in prison... Therefore, I have sentenced her to two years in prison. Are you satisfied with this sentence? If not, I can change it..."

Li Nuo had studied ancient law and was very familiar with this wording. The general meaning of this law was that if someone injured someone with a weapon, even if the victim was not injured, he would be punished with 100 strokes of the cane. Regardless of the size of the weapon, as long as it caused a wound, the minimum sentence would be two years in prison.

According to Daxia law, the female assassin's behavior belongs to the latter and she will be sentenced to two years in prison.

In later times, if she were convicted of attempted murder, her sentence would probably be even longer.

But these are not the main point. The main point is...

Two years.

The female assassin was sentenced to two years, and Li Nuo's life span just increased by two days. Is there any connection between the two?
This was just Li Nuo's initial guess, and he planned to verify it next.

Li Nuo thought for a moment and said with a smile: "I just suffered some minor injuries. Two years in prison is a bit too heavy... Otherwise, let's just let her go."

Butler Wu didn't say anything about this. The cold woman glanced at Li Nuo sideways and didn't say anything either.

The magistrate of Chang'an County looked at him in surprise, thinking that the Chief Justice of the Dali Temple was cruel and ruthless, and everyone in the court knew it, but he actually gave birth to such a kind-hearted son. If it were any other son of a powerful official, two years in prison would be nothing. The female assassin would surely not escape death, and would definitely suffer inhuman torture before her death.

Then, he smiled and said, "My lord, you have a kind heart. Although the laws of Daxia stipulate that if you injure someone with a knife, you must be sentenced to two years in prison, but if the injured person is not held accountable, he can be released without charge. I will change it now."

The affairs of the Dali Temple were, of course, more important than the case he was trying. The magistrate of Chang'an County ordered people to find the case files that had been closed, find the page with the verdict, and rewrite it.

Li Nuo always keeps an eye on the numbers on the Code.

When the Chang'an County Magistrate wrote that the female assassin was acquitted and signed and sealed it, Li Nuo's eyes blurred.

"Name: Li Nuo."

"Lifespan: three days."

His life span returned to three days, and the Code could no longer be opened.

Li Nuo's chest rose and fell slightly and his breathing became slightly rapid.

The increase in his lifespan was indeed related to the verdict in this case!
As for the specific quantitative relationship between the two, further verification is needed.

After the Chang'an County Magistrate revised the verdict, he was about to have the female assassin brought out, but Li Nuo showed an angry look on his face and said, "Forget it, letting her go is too easy, let's sentence her to one year..."

The magistrate of Chang'an County was speechless, but still said, "I will listen to you, Master..."

After saying this, he changed the judgment paper and continued writing.

"Name: Li Nuo."

"Lifespan: four days."

When the female assassin's sentence was increased to one year, Li Nuo's life was reduced to four days.

When she was sentenced to two years, Li Nuo was given five days to live.

It seemed that for every extra year she was sentenced, Li Nuo could live one more day.

After rewriting the verdict, signing it and stamping it, the Chang'an County Magistrate asked with a smile, "Sir, is this all right?"

Li Nuo said: "One or two years is not enough to relieve the hatred in my heart, so sentence me to three years..."

The magistrate of Chang'an County took a deep breath, forced a smile and said, "Yes, but according to the law, the maximum sentence for the crime of wounding is two years in prison. If it is sentenced to three years, the Ministry of Justice and the Dali Temple may not approve it..."

Li Nuo said: "It's okay, you decide your decision..."

Watching the Chang'an County Magistrate change the sentence to three years, Li Nuo discovered that his life span had returned to three days.

It seems that the Code will only extend his life according to the current laws. The crime of the female assassin is punishable by a maximum sentence of two years. When the sentence exceeds the maximum sentence prescribed by the law, the sentence is invalid and Li Nuo will not get any benefit.

Then, he tried six months, one and a half years, two and a half years... and even the death penalty, but found that the death penalty and two and a half years were ineffective. One and a half years of life added one day, but six months did not. It seemed that the fractions outside of a full year would be discarded...

The magistrate of Chang'an rubbed his sore wrist, forced a smile, and asked Li Nuo, "Sir, is it ok?"

Li Nuo said embarrassedly: "Let's follow the Daxia law and sentence him to two years. I'm really sorry to trouble you, Lord Pei..."

At this moment, the anger in the Chang'an County Magistrate's heart had reached its peak.

The verdict was changed, the verdict was changed...

So this dude came to the county government office just to amuse himself?

After all, he is the magistrate of a county in the capital, a fifth-rank official. Do you really think he is afraid of the Chief Justice of the Dali Temple?

Don't mention it, he was really scared.

Very scared.

The magistrate of Chang'an still had a bright smile on his face and said, "It's okay, I'll just write it again, it's not a big deal..."

[ps: The update time for the new book is tentatively scheduled to be twice a day at 12 noon, and the additional updates by the leader will be put on the shelves. ]

(End of this chapter)