Records of the Lost Cases of Helaitang in the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 98 Wannian Bridge Ferry

"Xiaocai, you are right." Huang Yuntai nodded and said, "That conspiracy was for this purpose. That day at the gate of Canglang Pavilion, Yang Dalang was beaten by a gangster. After recovering from his injuries, he returned to the academy. I saw that his forehead was scarred and bruised, and his appearance was obviously disfigured. His daily life was normal. It would be difficult to take the imperial examination. To promote officials in the imperial court, it is necessary to have a straight face and no disabilities. Yang Dalang accepted it on my behalf. At that time, there were rumors in the academy that he was frivolous and incompetent, causing the knights to do justice for heaven. How can such a frivolous young man be worthy of being selected by the imperial court."

"Why did Yang Dalang take the punishment on your behalf?" Wang Heng asked.

Huang Yuntai said ashamedly: "It's because of the black cloak that the thugs didn't really recognize me. It was an accident that Yang Dalang got drunk that day. I put the cloak on him to cover up his shame. When Yang Dalang went out of the garden, I was about the same age as him." , the scoundrel who slapped the sap said it was me, and he acted impatiently. The details came out only a long time after the fact. I really couldn’t help him. I had doubts in my heart, and I didn’t dare to say it out. Until today, the county government arrested you again. thing."

"I brought four companions from home. I suspected that there were spies from the enemy. It happened that the mountain leader advocated doing things personally, so I took the opportunity to drive them away. But there must be spies around the academy, otherwise I would be wearing a black cloak in the morning. When I went out, my enemies knew it right away. I had a cold cough a while ago, and Mr. Ye recommended me to go to Ma Yi Ke Lane to buy pear paste sugar, and someone would definitely find out. The father and daughter of the Shi family from the sugar shop had not returned home, and it happened to be a boom in the county. When a fraud occurs and my enemies take advantage of me, and my lies are used to confuse the public, I will be put in jail."

"The official came to the academy to indicate that the person to be arrested is Wang Sheng." Wang Heng said with lingering fear.

Huang Yuntai raised his head and sighed softly: "The old official is quite decent. He was deceived and induced. He did not intend to judge the gourd case randomly. He told us personally that the person who testified against the Shi family and his daughter as Bai Yuan cultivators was Dongting Chunshan." The porter in the shop, if he keeps being arrogant and doesn't show off his words at all, I won't be able to tolerate him."

The official Lao Liu Zhengzheng said that the witnesses were the porters of Chunshan Store in Dongting and people from the Shi family's neighborhood. Wang Hengyin still heard these words, "This sentence... is there any problem?"

A dark smile appeared on Huang Yuntai's lips: "Dongting Chunshan Goods Store is our clan's industry. The porters are so miserable. If it wasn't for the boss's instigation, how could he have the guts to enter the Yamen."

"The neighbor of the Shi family may have testified against Huang Sheng. We, the Wu people, are indistinguishable from Huang and Wang. That Gong Shi mistakenly thought it was Wang Sheng and came to the academy to pick up someone. There was more than one Wang in the academy, but it happened that Gong Shi met Mr. Pu San. Mr. Pu San probably has ill intentions towards you, so he led you all the way to your room. If Xiao Wang is detained and goes to the county government office, you are not the real Bai Yuan Jiao Yao Ren, and I have never entered Ma Yi Ke Lane. The third trial of the government office After two interrogations, or calling the neighbors to identify the person, it will inevitably be found that the wrong person has been arrested. You are a scholar enrolled in the academy, so you will be released after being humiliated. But the county government still has to continue to investigate the case. Maybe at this time, the husband I thought about Wang Huang's problem myself, and then went to find Huang Sheng, wouldn't I still have to be caught?"

"After thinking about it, I don't want to dodge blindly. It's time to go back to my hometown to make a break. Xiao Wang, you are kind-hearted, treat others with sincerity, care about your middle-class family, and never cling to rich children. Don't you I should be tortured by the county government, and I should not be falsely accused of being innocent and behaving like a civilized person."

When Huang Yuntai said this, he couldn't help but burst into tears. He stood up and prostrated deeply, saying: "I have asked for leave from the dean and will return to the island by boat tomorrow morning. Xiao Wang, Xiao Cai, please give me a helping hand."

Wang Heng immediately helped him up: "Brother Yuntai, just tell me how to help you."

"The affairs of my clan have nothing to do with you. In any case, there is no reason for outsiders to interfere. What I worry about is that my enemy will imprison me according to the clan rules and let me slowly die of illness, just like my father. .”

Because he was so excited, Huang Yuntai's throat was a little choked, and he said: "It's enough to take a boat back to Dongting Xishan Island for most of the day. It takes two days to go back and forth, and the clan can negotiate for five days at most. If I haven't returned to the academy after seven days, please forgive me. You two are going to Huangjiazhuang on Xishan Island, which is commonly known as Wanhuzhuang on the island. Seeing that we are acquaintances from the academy and are children of local officials, you will definitely let me out to receive you. You pretend to be in a hurry and want to go back to the city. Invite me to see you off, and I will go with you, taking nothing with you, to allay the suspicion of my enemies. As soon as we enter the ferry on the island, we will immediately charter a boat back to the city. If the few evil slaves following us stop us, all we have to do is say: He was a scholar in the city academy and a classmate of Mr. Wanhu Zhuang, a wealthy man on the island. He was followed and blackmailed by thugs and asked the boatman to report to the official immediately. Those evil slaves made sure that he did not dare to reveal his identity as Mr. Wanhuzhuang. The boatman found it troublesome. I will not go to report to the officials. There are rules at the ferry. I must go and call the Qingpi who is watching the scene to drive away the troublemakers. In this way, we can escape."

Xiaocai praised: "Brother Yuntai, what a thorough plan." Wang Heng also said: "Brother, just don't worry, we will definitely act according to the plan."

The three of them made an appointment to go to Wannianqiao Passenger Boat Ferry the next morning, not only to see Huangyuntai off, but also to find their way out.

Get up early the next day, the morning bell will ring at five and a quarter, and the doorman will unlock the door of the inner square.

Wang Heng and Xiaocai had already walked out of the corner gate of Ziyang Academy with Huang Yuntai. The sky was clear and the breath was like frost.

The academy heads west out of Xumen, but in the waning light, we can see only a stone bridge, like a jade ring, spanning the Xujiang River. I think this is the Wannian Bridge.

The two of them followed Huang Yuntai and circled down the stone steps of the bridge. There were several boats parked in twos and threes on the river port pier.

Huang Yuntai, who was familiar with the road, took out twenty copper coins and gave them to the dock steward. He pulled the two people aside and still cupped his hands and said: "Dongting Xishan Island is rich in resources and people. It is by no means a foreign land. Our Wanhu Village is not deep in the mountains. Laolin is located on the mountainside of Piaomiao Peak, a famous mountain in Taihu Lake. It is a prosperous town. If I don't return in seven days, you must come to the island to explore me. If you enter the mountain from Han Village at the foot of the mountain, you two will not be in danger."

After saying that, he walked towards the outermost ship, boarded the side of the ship, and appeared on the deck a moment later. Huang Yuntai was wearing a blue robe from the academy today, with a gray cloth sash draped across his shoulders. He had no other luggage.

He looked tired and extremely pale, and waved goodbye to the two of them with a desolate expression.

Wang Heng and his wife returned to the Wannian Bridge and leaned against the stone railing to look around at the scenery of the Xujiang River. The red sun was rising, the morning glow reflected the red blue waves, and a passenger ship slowly sailed southward, gradually disappearing into the vast mist of Taihu Lake.

Wang Hengqing frowned, thinking about Brother Yuntai's sad look when he said goodbye. Xiaocai knew what he meant and whispered: "Brother Yuntai is very smart, nothing will happen to him."

Wang Heng was noncommittal, feeling uneasy in his heart. He had no intention of looking at the clouds and smoke in front of him, so he immediately returned to the academy.

(End of this chapter)