The Prodigal Son

The group looked in the direction of the sound and saw a disheveled porter standing about ten feet away from them, looking in their direction.

The man's face was numb, but his eyes were bright and piercing, like the moon.

Although he carried a heavy burden on his shoulders, his back remained ramrod straight.

"This person seems to know you."

Qin Yu turned to look at Yang Jichun.

"Really? I don't have any friends in Linhai!"

With a hint of doubt, Yang Jichun slowly walked towards the person.

Qin Yu and the others were curious and followed.

As Yang Jichun walked and looked around, he realized that the person looked somewhat familiar.

Is it really someone I knew?

Yang Jichun was secretly puzzled.

Suddenly, a figure appeared in Yang Jichun's mind.

As the figure appeared, Yang Jichun seemed to be struck by lightning, standing there dumbfounded.

After a long while, Yang Jichun came to his senses, suddenly quickened his pace, and stumbled to the man, shoving his messy hair aside to reveal his true appearance.

Upon seeing the man's true face, Yang Jichun staggered back two steps, staring at him in disbelief.

After struggling to regain his balance, Yang Jichun rushed forward again, haphazardly pushing the load off his shoulders. Then, he slowly retreated, clasped his hands together, and bowed to him with reddened eyes, saying, "Greetings, Brother Zhu!"

The word "Brother Zhu" seemed to instantly revive the man whose face had been expressionless.

After a brief moment of distraction, he first tidied his dirty and disheveled clothes, then straightened his messy hair, before clasping his hands together and saying, "Greetings, Brother Yang!"

Qin Yu saw this and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

First, straighten your clothes, then show respect to others!

That's interesting!

After exchanging greetings, Yang Jichun could no longer suppress his emotions. He quickly stepped forward, grabbed Zhu Songlan's hand, and choked out, "Brother Zhu, how...how did you get like this?"

"Six years have passed since we parted in the capital. Brother Yang, your demeanor remains as dashing as ever, while I have become a prisoner..."

Zhu Songlan patted Yang Jichun's hand with her rough palm, trying hard to force a smile, but seemed to have forgotten how to smile.

"A...a prisoner?"

Yang Jichun was taken aback. "You...how did you become a prisoner?"

"That's a long story." Zhu Songlan struggled for a long time before finally managing an extremely awkward smile. "Brother Yang, do you still remember our agreement?"

"I remember, I remember!"

Yang Jichun nodded repeatedly, then excitedly pulled Zhu Songlan's hand and brought her to Qin Yu. "Come, let me introduce you. This is Lord Qin Yu, grandson of the Duke of Wei, and also the imperial envoy sent by the court to reorganize the salt administration! This is Lord Qin's confidante, Miss Que'er..."

Upon hearing Yang Jichun's introduction, Zhu Songlan's forced smile vanished instantly. "Reorganizing the salt administration while bringing in a confidante? Have all the officials of Da Ning fallen so low?"

"What's it to you!"

Upon hearing this, Nan Que'er immediately became unhappy. "When I went to the battlefield with him, why didn't you nag me like that?"

"That makes sense!" Qin Yu nodded in deep agreement.

"Lord Qin, Miss Que'er, please don't be angry!"

Seeing that things were not going well, Yang Jichun quickly tried to smooth things over, "His name is Zhu Songlan. He was the seventh-ranked scholar in the same year as me. He is arrogant by nature. If he has offended anyone, please forgive him."

"Seventh place in the imperial examination? That's not so great!"

Qin Yu raised an eyebrow and glanced at Zhu Songlan. "Even Yang Jichun, the top scholar, wasn't arrogant. What right do you, a seventh-ranked scholar, have to be arrogant?"

Zhu Songlan gently shook her head, straightening her back. "I'm not arrogant, I'm just being realistic!"

"Brother Zhu, please say less!"

Yang Jichun inwardly groaned, "Lord Qin is serious about reforming the salt administration this time! We just arrived here two days ago, and Lord Qin has already taken down all the officials in Linhai County with swift and decisive action!"

Upon hearing Yang Jichun's words, a strange light flashed in Zhu Songlan's eyes.

Really?

Or will it be another case of raising it high only to lower it gently?

While filled with doubt, Zhu Songlan sighed with worry, "What's the use of just taking down the main official of Linhai? Hai and Yuan prefectures are rotten from top to bottom! Without a ruthless approach, we can't eradicate this deep-seated problem!"

"Oh, it seems you're a person who cares about the country and its people?" Qin Yu became interested.

"The rise and fall of our nation rests on the shoulders of these people!"

Zhu Songlan remained neither humble nor arrogant, saying, "Although I hold a lowly position, I dare not lose my concern for the country."

Ha ha!

That's interesting!

Qin Yu sized Zhu Songlan up and down, then instructed the salt commissioner, "Send someone to take him away to change his clothes! I'll see him later!"

"yes!"

The salt commissioner dared not delay and immediately ordered someone to take Zhu Songlan away.

After Zhu Songlan was taken away, Qin Yu asked Yang Jichun, "Are you and him very close?"

Yang Jichun replied, "It's not that we have a good relationship, it's just admiration! When I first saw him in the capital years ago, I was immediately awestruck by his extraordinary appearance!"

"Really?"

Nan Que'er asked curiously, "You were the top scholar in the imperial examination, yet you still find him incredibly handsome?"

Is Yang Jichun really that humble?

"In terms of talent and learning, I am inferior to him."

Yang Jichun gently shook his head, "If he hadn't offended the Empress Dowager back then, he would definitely have been the top scholar, and it could only have been him!"

"Oh?"

Hearing this, Qin Yu became even more interested. "How did he offend the Empress Dowager?"

"In his exam paper, he sharply criticized current affairs, his criticisms directly targeting the Empress Dowager!"

Yang Jichun sighed softly: "Back then, he unexpectedly ranked seventh in the imperial examination, and I always thought he had just underperformed! It wasn't until last year, when I was transferred to the Ministry of Rites, that I accidentally came across his exam paper from back then and finally understood the reason."

Is that so?

Qin Yu instantly became interested.

How could someone who directly targeted the Empress Dowager still manage to achieve seventh place in the imperial examination?

It seems this person is truly talented!

Qin Yu pondered for a moment, then immediately asked the salt commissioner, "Do you know anything about this Zhu Songlan?"

"I know, I know."

The salt commissioner hurriedly said, "Two years ago, he was transferred to Linhai as the prefectural assistant, but because he refused to collude with the officials in Linhai, he repeatedly petitioned the court about the rampant illegal salt trade and collusion between officials and merchants in Linhai. As a result, he was ostracized and framed by his colleagues, and was later dismissed and investigated for corruption and perverting the law, and sentenced to five years of hard labor! His wife, unwilling to suffer the humiliation, committed suicide in grief and indignation! Wang Zhaojie deliberately sent him to the salt field as a laborer to humiliate him..."

Hearing the salt commissioner's words, Qin Yu once again sentenced Wang Zhaojie and his son to death in his mind, and then asked, "Are there any others like them around here?"

"As far as I know, there are three more."

The salt commissioner replied cautiously, "They were all framed and convicted for the same reason..."

"Go, have someone bring those three people here!"

Qin Yu immediately ordered, "Think carefully again. Besides those four, are there any other similar people?"

Damn it!

You search high and low without finding it, only to have it come to you effortlessly!

He's really worried about not being able to find someone to take over this mess in Linhai!

Here they are, aren't they?

It turns out that Da Ning did have honest officials.

It's because honest officials have all been ostracized and framed, leaving only corrupt officials behind!

"yes!"

The salt commissioner dared not delay and immediately ordered someone to bring those people to him.

Qin Yu had originally intended to take a good look at the official salt fields, but after this unexpected discovery, he immediately lost interest.

What he wants to know is something that Zhu Songlan and his group should know best.

Just ask them when the time comes!

"Is the official trying to overturn their case?"

Yang Jichun stared longingly at Qin Yu.

"That depends on the situation."

Qin Yu smiled and said, "If they were truly framed, I will definitely overturn their case! If not, then let's just go about our business as usual!"