mesbooks Chapter 38 Lin Qianqian goes to the prison alone to persuade him
Chapter 38 Lin Qianqian goes to the prison alone to persuade him
In the prison, Zhao Xiong and the others were all furious and agitated. Zhao Xiong slammed his fist on the wall and said angrily, "Brothers, we've been played like fools by this imperial court! We thought that being granted amnesty was a smooth road, but who knew it would turn out like this, making us do hard labor and locking us up in this prison!"
The second-in-command gritted his teeth and said, "Brother, how can we swallow this insult? All our hard work in Jiangnan was for nothing!"
The crowd chimed in with their own opinions, and the prison was filled with complaints, expressing their bewilderment and resentment towards the court's arrangements.
Murong Yi accompanied Su Wan'er for a stroll in the Imperial Garden. Seeing Murong Yi's solemn expression, Su Wan'er asked softly, "Your Highness, is something troubling you?"
Murong Yi sighed slightly: "The matter of Jiangnan's surrender has taken a turn for the worse. Zhao Xiong and others were unwilling to perform hard labor and were imprisoned by the Emperor. The situation is now quite troublesome."
Su Wan'er gently grasped Murong Yi's hand: "Your Highness, although I don't understand such important matters of the court, I believe that Your Highness will handle them properly."
Murong Yi simply nodded slightly. He understood that this matter was extremely complicated, with sharp conflicts among the various parties, and it was not something that could be easily resolved.
In her boudoir, Lin Xiaoqian was anxiously discussing the situation with Xiaodie. Lin Xiaoqian frowned deeply: "Zhao Xiong and the others are so resistant now. If we don't appease them, things could get out of hand. I can't just stand by and watch things get worse."
Xiaodie said worriedly, "Miss, what should we do? Those ministers in the court want to kill them to prevent future troubles, which will only make the situation more and more uncontrollable."
Lin Xiaoqian pondered for a moment, a resolute glint in his eyes: "I will first inform the Emperor that this matter arose because of me, and perhaps I can persuade them to change their minds."
Lin Xiaoqian hurriedly entered the palace to request an audience with the Emperor. She curtsied and said respectfully but firmly, "Your Majesty, I have heard of the matter concerning Zhao Xiong and the others, and I am deeply distressed. I know their temperament well, and since I was the one who instigated this matter, I humbly request Your Majesty's permission to go to the prison to persuade them. I believe that by appealing to their emotions and reasoning with them, I may be able to make them understand Your Majesty's good intentions and accept the terms of amnesty."
Emperor Murong Xuan gazed at Lin Qianqian, and seeing her sincere look, he pondered for a long time before nodding in agreement: "I will give you this opportunity. I hope you can handle it properly and not disappoint me."
After expressing her gratitude, Lin Qianqian went to the prison alone. Standing outside the cell door, she looked at Zhao Xiong and the others, her brows furrowed, her sleeves clenched, and she mustered her courage.
Upon seeing Lin Qianqian, Zhao Xiong's eyes blazed with hope. He rushed to the prison gate, gripping the bars tightly with both hands. His face was filled with pleading and resentment as he said excitedly, "Miss Lin, you promised us so earnestly that after the amnesty, you would give us a good life, allowing us to leave the past behind and start anew. We trusted you, which is why we cooperated so well in Jiangnan, devoting ourselves to flood control, hoping for a bright future. But what is this? The court is sending us to perform hard labor, which is completely different from what we hoped for, utterly different from what we expected. Miss Lin, isn't this deception? We placed all our hopes on you; you can't abandon us!"
The other brothers chimed in, "Yeah! Yeah! What kind of mess is this?"
Zhao Xiong cried out, "Miss Lin, please save us!"
Upon hearing this, Lin Xiaoqian frowned again, sighed softly, and said, “Brother Zhao, my fellow brothers, I know you feel wronged and angry, but please listen to me. Although the court’s actions seem harsh, they are actually giving you a real chance to be reborn. Serving in hard labor is not torture, but a way to let the world see your determination to repent. If you resist, you will only dishearten the court and cause those who originally supported the amnesty to turn against you. Then you will have no chance to turn things around. I believe you are men of courage and responsibility. Three years of hard labor will pass in the blink of an eye, and after that, you can openly serve the court, bring happiness to your families, and clear your names.” Lin Xiaoqian’s words were earnest, his eyes full of sincerity and expectation.
Zhao Xiong, his face contorted in a grimace, looked utterly pathetic. He grabbed his brothers' hands and choked out, "But three years of hard labor means we'll be driven like cattle, struggling daily in arduous labor, losing our most precious freedom. We're used to living a carefree life in the mountains. Although we're willing to change, the thought of being imprisoned in one place, toiling day and night, fills us with fear and resentment. Miss Lin, please put yourself in our shoes. How can we endure these long three years? Must we pay for our past mistakes in this way? We've already given our all in the flood control project; isn't that enough to atone for our past sins and give us a relatively easier start?"