Lian Erye in the Red Mansion

After leaving the palace, they arrived at Shuntian Prefecture, where Weng Ziqin personally received Jia Lian in a private room.

"General Jia, it's not that I'm unwilling to give your family face, it's just that things are beyond our control."

This morning His Majesty summoned me to the palace early and gave me a good scolding, saying that such a morally corrupt case had occurred in the capital!

His Majesty has issued a strict decree, ordering me to compile the case files and submit them to the Ministry of Justice for record-keeping, and to severely punish all those involved in the case according to the law.

Weng Ziqin had already learned about the current situation of the Ningguo Mansion and knew that Jia Rong was the sole heir of the Ningguo Mansion.

He assumed that Jia Lian had come to rescue Jia Rong, so he made his stance clear beforehand.

Jia Lian sighed, "Lord Weng, there's no need to be troubled. I just came out of the palace and was already scolded by His Majesty, so I naturally know the implications."

I simply want to ask Lord Weng, if we follow the law, what will be the final outcome for Jia Rong?

Hearing Jia Lian say this, Weng Ziqin felt relieved. After thinking for a moment, he replied, "General Jia must also know that patricide is an unforgivable crime. According to the laws of our Great Wei, the main culprit in such cases is usually sentenced to death by a thousand cuts..."

As Weng Ziqin was speaking, he saw Jia Lian's face darken and hurriedly said, "I was able to solve this case thanks to General Jia's assistance. For General Jia's sake, I can decide to hand over those accomplices who are not deeply involved to General Jia for disposal. As for the few close followers of Young Master Rong, they will be sentenced to exile and military service."

As for Young Master Rong himself, please forgive my incompetence, but at the very least, he should be sentenced to immediate execution.

This is already the maximum authority I have; otherwise, it would be a disregard for the law, and if His Majesty were to punish me, I would be in deep trouble. I beg General Jia's understanding.

The punishments of the Great Wei Dynasty were much more lenient than those of previous dynasties, but were still much harsher than those of later dynasties.

Not to mention the heinous crimes, the principal offender would at least be sentenced to death, which was already a consensus among people at the time. That's why Grandmother Jia and others were certain that Jia Rong was basically beyond saving.

"After all, he's my nephew. I really can't bear to see him end up beheaded. Is there really no room for leniency?" Jia Lian asked, unwilling to give up.

Weng Ziqin could understand Jia Lian very well. As blood relatives, who would willingly watch the other die a tragic death? He would probably never be able to eat or sleep properly afterward.

But he firmly shook his head and said, "If His Majesty had not paid attention, this case might have been lenient. But now, for General Jia's own sake, I still advise General Jia to give up any other ideas as soon as possible."

However, since ancient times, the dead have been respected. If a criminal knows he cannot escape death and commits suicide out of fear of punishment, the court usually will not pursue the matter further, and may even return the body to his family for burial.

Weng Ziqin said, seemingly unintentionally.

Jia Lian nodded and bowed to Weng Ziqin, saying, "I understand. Thank you, Prefect."

"Hehehe, no problem, no problem."

……

Inside the deep, dark prison, the air was filled with an unpleasant atmosphere of coldness and stench.

Jia Rong, with his hair disheveled, sat on a straw mat. Hearing a sound outside, he looked up and saw Jia Lian leading people in. His eyes immediately lit up with a strong sense of hope.

Clinging to the cell door, he shouted at the top of his lungs, "Second Uncle, save me! Second Uncle Lian, save me!"

Jia Lian walked over and looked at Jia Rong.

Jia Rong's noble birth brought him no pride or self-respect.

Faced with imprisonment and the desire to survive, he behaved no differently from, or even worse than, an ordinary citizen.

"Open the door."

Upon hearing Jia Lian's order, the jailer bowed and scraped as he opened the cell door. He then dared not restrict visiting hours and discreetly led his men away.

"Uncle Lian, I'm truly innocent! You must save me! I don't want to stay here for another second. You're the one who brought me out, right? You must have! You must have caught the real killer, that's why you came to rescue me."

As soon as Jia Lian stepped into the prison cell, Jia Rong immediately threw himself at Jia Lian's feet, pleading and crying incessantly, his words slurred.

His appearance made Jia Lian feel sorry for him.

Of course, there are also hateful aspects.

It's understandable for ordinary people to be cowardly, timid, complacent, and lack ambition.

However, as the heir to the Duke's mansion, he cannot!

To bear the weight of one's family's honor and disgrace, to possess boundless wealth and power, yet to be powerless to attain it—this is a sin in itself.

Those whose talents and virtues do not match their positions will inevitably fall sooner or later.

With that thought in mind, Jia Lian forced himself to put aside the slight guilt in his heart and said to Jia Rong, "I also believe that you are innocent, but I have no way to get you out right now, so you will have to stay here for a few more days."

Don't worry, your grandfather came back this morning, and the family is trying to find a way to rescue you. I believe it won't be long before they can get you out of there.

Upon hearing this, Jia Rong was overjoyed and quickly kowtowed to express his gratitude, his worry turning to happiness. He then pulled Jia Lian aside and explained to him all the points of suspicion he knew and guessed. He hoped that Jia Lian could use this information to rescue him as soon as possible.

"By the way, Uncle, you can also look into Manager Sun of the Drunken Immortal Pavilion."

I used to consider him a confidant, and I would tell him everything. Now that I think about it, I'm afraid he had ulterior motives for getting close to me.

He often gave me advice, teaching me how to deal with my father. And those curses and spells—I didn't know anything about them before, I learned about them from him, which is why I went to the Tongshen Temple outside the city to get them. I never imagined it would ruin my own life…”

Jia Rong spoke with deep remorse, then noticed something unusual about Jia Lian's expression and quickly kowtowed to admit his mistake: "I know I was wrong. I shouldn't have been disrespectful to my father."

I promise that once I get out, I will turn over a new leaf, reform myself, and never again harbor such disloyal and unfilial thoughts…”

Jia Rong thought that Jia Lian was dissatisfied with him and even tried to curse his biological father to death.

Jia Lian shook his head: "It's good that you know you were wrong. By the way, are you hungry? Before I came, I ordered a table of food and wine for you from Zuichuntang. You should eat first."

"Really, thank you so much, Uncle Lian. I've been starving for ages. You don't know, Uncle, these damned jailers won't even give me a clean meal. I've been hungry and thirsty since last night. If you hadn't come to see me soon, I'm afraid I wouldn't have survived."

A look of joy appeared in Jia Rong's eyes. This pampered young master, who had never worried about food or drink since childhood, was even more miserable than the average person if he were to lack food and drink.

After an incense stick had burned, Jia Lian looked at Jia Rong, who was lying unconscious on the ground, and summoned the jailer, instructing him: "Go back and tell the prefect that the prisoner Jia Rong knows that he has committed a grave crime and has committed suicide out of fear of punishment."

We implore Your Excellency, for the sake of our humble residence, to treat his body with care.

"Once this case is closed, I will send someone to collect the body."

After giving his instructions, Jia Lian left with his men.

After the jailer entered and assessed the situation, he approached the head jailer and whispered, "Sir, it doesn't look like suicide; it looks more like poisoning..."

Before he could finish speaking, the jailer slapped him on the forehead and yelled, "Are you out of your mind? How dare you meddle in other people's business?"

"Hurry up and pack it up! I'm going to inform the Prefect and see how he decides to handle this."