Chapter 1824
The Orphan of Zhao 5
Shi Qun's father's family lived on their way to Beijing.
Over the years, Shi Qun has controlled the Shi family's intelligence through Liu's shop.
Shi Qun's father settled down in a town with his concubine and their child.
They were outsiders, and the city people didn't know that a concubine was a concubine, so she called herself Madam Shi.
The couple's daughter married the magistrate's son, while their son was a spoiled brat who, relying on his sister and brother-in-law's status, ran rampant in the city.
That county magistrate was no good; he had even extorted money from the Liu family's pastry shop.
Liu Tong had someone collect evidence of the magistrate's misdeeds and handed it over to Shi Qun.
Shi Qun gave this evidence to the county magistrate's superior.
The magistrate's superior was not on his side and had long disliked him.
Because the magistrate's backer and his superior's backer were political enemies.
Once the superior obtained the evidence, he immediately took action against the county magistrate.
The magistrate was beheaded, and his family was sentenced to exile.
The concubine's daughter was exiled, and so on.
The concubine was heartbroken for her daughter, who had only been married for less than half a year and hadn't enjoyed many good days before being implicated and exiled.
She urged her daughter to divorce the magistrate's son.
The daughter was naturally willing; she didn't want to suffer with her husband.
But the divorce papers had just been signed, and she had just returned to the Shi family.
The Shi family was also dealt with.
Previously, their family had done many illegal and disorderly things by taking advantage of their kinship with the county magistrate.
Fortunately, no one was killed, and the Shi family was not beheaded like the magistrate, but they were exiled along with the magistrate's family.
In the exiled procession, the magistrate's son gave a cold smile to his concubine's daughter.
Shi Qun watched the exile procession leave, a smile playing on his lips.
The road to exile is no easier than the road to fleeing famine; I wonder if the concubine and her children will make it to the end of the exile journey alive.
Shi Qun now understands that killing someone is not the best way to take revenge; on the contrary, letting the enemy live in pain is the best way to take revenge.
Back at the inn, I saw Liu Dong and Liu Qi sitting at a table in the lobby.
The table was laden with dishes, but Liu and the other man didn't touch their chopsticks, clearly waiting for him.
Shi Qun revealed a genuine and warm smile.
Heaven has been kind to him, allowing him to meet two family members.
Shi Qun walked to the table and sat down. He picked up the wine pot and poured a cup for Liu Tong first, then for Liu Qi, and finally for himself.
Shi Qun picked up his wine glass and gestured towards the two men.
The two men raised their glasses in return, bowed, and drank their wine in one gulp.
Two weeks later, the three arrived in the capital.
Liu Dong had already arranged for someone to buy a house in the capital. The shopkeeper had hired servants to tidy up the rooms and put on new mattresses, quilts, and pillows.
When the three of them entered, even the hot water for washing up had been prepared.
After taking a bath and eating hot food, Liu Dong and the other two felt relaxed and lazy.
None of the three of them were in the mood to do anything; they just wanted to rest for a few days.
Three days later, Liu Qi approached Liu Tong with Bai Yanlang's information.
"Sister, is there anything you'd like to do?"
"No," Liu Dong said. "I said I'd leave it all to you, and that's it. I don't have time to deal with them."
Liu Qi gave his older sister a thumbs up. He admired her ability to let go of things easily.
My older sister has no feelings for Bai Yanlang's family at all and treats them like strangers.
She couldn't be bothered to waste her time and energy on strangers.
On the contrary, he still had feelings for Bai Yanlang.
Although it was hatred.
But if he hadn't had expectations of his father when he was a child, how could he have developed into the hatred he has now?
Seeing that Liu Qiu was looking through the account book, Liu Qi didn't disturb him any further and left Liu Qiu's room.
He needs to start making plans now.
Liu Qi first found a theatrical troupe and had them perform the play "The Orphan of Zhao" for a month.
They also had storytellers tell this story in restaurants and teahouses.
Many people didn't know what "The Orphan of Zhao" was about before, but after listening to the storyteller's explanation, they learned about Cheng Ying, the righteous and brave man who exchanged his own child for the Zhao family's child.
Everyone is discussing this story, praising Cheng Ying for sacrificing his own life to save the orphan and enduring humiliation, and Gongsun Chujiu for sacrificing his own life to ensure the orphan's safe escape and for justice.
At this moment, someone stood up and said that there was a contemporary Cheng Ying, none other than Bai Yanlang, the chief镖头 (bodyguard) of Fuyuan镖局 (escort agency). He once exchanged his own daughter and child for the child of the Marquis of Zhenyuan, thus preserving the bloodline of the Marquis of Zhenyuan.
Everyone: "..."
Some people, especially those in the martial arts world, praised Bai Yanlang for his loyalty and called him a hero.
But most people remained silent.
People would praise such people in stories, but if such people existed in reality, they would only be frightening.
Moreover, everyone in the capital knows that the Marquis of Zhenyuan was involved in a rebellion and once followed the current emperor's brother to try to kill him.
Having won the throne, he will naturally deal with the Marquis of Zhenyuan after taking office.
Everyone just wanted to stay far away from this Marquis of Zhenyuan and didn't want the emperor to see them as accomplices in a rebellion.
But Bai Yanlang used his own children to exchange for the children of the Marquis of Zhenyuan...
The relationship between the two is definitely not ordinary; he might actually be an accomplice of the Marquis of Zhenyuan!
This rumor reached the emperor's ears.
The emperor gave an order: "Investigate!"
The Imperial Guards acted immediately.
Liu Qi delivered the whereabouts of Bai Jiazhi and Bai Lanzhi to the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
Through Bai Jiazhi, the Embroidered Uniform Guard uncovered the other individuals who had conspired with the prince who had served the Marquis of Zhenyuan.
These people are well hidden and have a great deal of military power.
If they rebel again...
The emperor was terrified and immediately ordered all of them to be arrested and killed without exception.
Bai Yanlang, the person who started the incident, was also arrested, his family's home was searched, and the whole family had a family reunion in prison.
They were involved in a treason case, which was punishable by the execution of their entire family, including women and children.
This time, however, no one came to exchange the child and preserve a bloodline for the Bai family!
Madam Bai was filled with regret!
They shouldn't have encouraged Bai Yanlang to switch children in the first place.
They're just two children; we can kill them by other means.
Now, not only will she die, but her son and daughter will also die.
Bai Yanlang also regretted it and hated Madam Bai even more.
At first, he hadn't actually thought of using his own child to save the child of the Marquis of Zhenyuan. It was Madam Bai who kept telling him that the most important thing for people in the martial arts world was loyalty, and that Cheng Ying in The Orphan of Zhao had gained so much fame and fortune later on...
He was blinded by greed and traded his own child for someone else's.
Now, having gained neither fame nor fortune, the Bai family's bloodline is about to be extinguished!
If Madam Bai and Bai Yanlang hadn't been in different cells, he would have strangled Madam Bai with his own hands! (End of Chapter)