Four hundred and seventieth IX brothers united (five)
Shen Quan said dejectedly: "With the stewards beside my second brother, no one dared to cause trouble, but they didn't ask anything useful. I just knew that a few days before the Japanese pirates entered the city, my second sister-in-law took the lead with the two children. Went to Hangzhou to celebrate the birthday of Governor Chiang. Originally my second brother was going with him, but he delayed for some reason, so he let his wife and children go ahead. He booked a boat for thirty, the day after the Japanese pirates entered the city, but he didn't get on the boat. He was arrested by the government and charged with "traveling with the Japanese". The evidence was a handwritten letter from his second brother. According to what was written, the second sister-in-law and the child were kidnapped. The other party made conditions to the second brother, and the second brother agreed in his reply. , I just want my wife and children to be safe. It didn’t say anything clearly, but it became physical evidence. In addition, there were witnesses at the gate of the city, and I saw a figure suspected of being my second brother in front of the Japanese pirates. This is a human evidence."
Shen Qi's wife, Mrs. Jiang, is the niece and adopted daughter of the former Songjiang magistrate Chiang Kai-shek. Last year, when Chiang's term as magistrate expired, he was transferred to the post of Hangzhou magistrate. Now the whole family is serving in Hangzhou. It is his fiftieth birthday this year, so Second Grandma Qi takes her with her. The children went to wish them a happy birthday, but unexpectedly they fell into the hands of gangsters, and now they don't know whether they are alive or dead.
Since Shen Qi was detained, no one has been allowed to visit her. The manager of the second room sent money to him like a stream of money, but he couldn't even see him. He certainly didn't know what the kidnapping was about. The blackmail letter sent by the kidnappers. Only Shen Qi had seen it himself, and there was no one who could testify for him. Therefore, if the investigation was carried out, the three children of the Shen family suspected of collaborating with the Japanese would turn out to be the most guilty ones for Shen Qi, and the most difficult to escape.
Hearing so much news in the past half day, Shen Li just felt that his mind was in a mess. He didn't know for a moment whether he should figure out which group of people in the Qianhu Residence near Songjiang dared to pretend to be Japanese pirates and rob the place if they wanted money at the expense of their lives, or whether he should figure out such a layout to plot against the Shen family. Who is this big enemy? But Shen Rui paid more attention to Shen Qi because of Guo and Shen Quan. He couldn't help but speculate on the enemy with the greatest malice, and said anxiously: "Brother Six, let's go to the government office early. Since the second brother Qi has 'conclusive evidence of guilt', the only remaining option is to 'commit suicide out of fear of crime'!"
A month and a half has passed since the incident, and there has been no public trial on the matter. Instead, they have been detained without allowing family members to visit. This really cannot withstand scrutiny. Even if Zhao Xianzhong is the prefect and has parents in the same place, the prefect's Yamen is not just the prefect. The Shen family is a local snake that has been entrenched in Songjiang for hundreds of years, but the relationship between them cannot be exchanged for the Shen family visiting the three of them. There is only one reason, and that is that the prefect has issued a death order. The case has not been tried, and the charges have not been determined. Has it reached this point?
Wanting to be here, Shen Rui felt his scalp was numb, and he couldn't help but be glad that Shen Hong was seasick, otherwise Shen Hong and his wife would not have been able to bear it if something happened.
Shen Quan was so frightened that his eyes widened as he watched Shen Rui's eyes turn black.
Shen Li's face darkened. Thinking of Shen Qi's dangerous situation, he nodded and said, "Okay, let's go to the government office now. We must be an uninvited guest."
Shen Quan still couldn't calm down. Whenever he thought about that possibility, he felt out of breath. But he didn't dare to delay in the slightest. Regardless of the slow pace, he pulled Shen Rui's arm with a urging look on his face. .
The government office is located on Shenjiafang Qian Street, which is only a quarter of an hour's walk away. Therefore, the three of them walked to the government office without calling for a taxi, and walked to the government office in a hurry.
When I arrived at the entrance of the government office, I saw that the notice wall in front of the government office was also smoky and smoky, and the wall at the gate was also mottled, but the rest looked normal.
Only Shen Rui glanced at it. Shen Li didn't bring a message, and directly ordered the chief attendant to come forward to deliver the message. Shen Li was promoted to Zuo Shuzi of Zhan Shifu the year before last, and was promoted to the fifth rank. He also served as an attendant bachelor of the Hanlin Academy. Although he was only a fifth rank, he was not as good as The fourth grade official of the prefecture was an old member of the East Palace and a close minister of the emperor. The concierge of the government office was the smartest. Even though he knew that his master had been hiding from the Shen family recently, he did not dare to leave a master who was a scholar at the gate. I said hello respectfully and went back to report in person.
Just as the concierge expected, although Zhao Xianzhong was ready to break up with the Shen family, he was not so arrogant that he did not take Shen Li into his eyes. Not to mention that the son-in-law of the pavilion elder was the number one scholar, and he was also a member of the imperial examination. Zhao Xianzhong was jealous and respectful.
Therefore, after hearing the concierge's reply, Zhao Xianzhong couldn't help but step out of the door and wanted to go out to greet him personally. However, after taking two steps, he hesitated and ordered the boy to invite Master Yan.
The boy responded and went, but the porter didn't dare to rush him and waited nearby.
Zhao Xianzhong touched the top of his hair, which was getting thinner due to hair loss these days, and sighed.
After a while, a thirty-year-old scholar in blue shirt came with the boy, waving his fan.
Zhao Xianzhong saw the visitor and asked anxiously: "Yu Mu, Shen Li is here, what should I do? Should I see him or not?"
The scholar in green robe shook his fan and said unexpectedly: "Now that things have happened, do you still want to repeat yourself?"
Zhao Xianzhong said sarcastically: "I am loyal and benevolent, but Shen Li is not an ordinary member of the Shen clan. I heard that the Xie family is most loved by Mr. Xie Ge, and Mr. Xie Ge regards Shen Li as his own son."
The green-robed scribe put away his fan and said, "If Shen Li meets your Excellency and asks about Shen Qi and the others, how will your Excellency respond?"
Zhao Xianzhong looked a little decadent: "If it really doesn't work, I can only tell the truth. The news has arrived in the capital, and the angel will descend soon. No matter how long I hide it, I won't be able to hide it for a long time."
The scholar in green shirt said: "If you think so, sir, then go and see him."
Zhao Xianzhong was not a cheerful person. When he saw that his staff had no intention of stopping him, he wanted to retreat. He waved his hands and said, "Forget it, let's delay it for one day. The Shen family is so powerful that if word spreads, What, it will be bad if it causes a commotion in the Shen family. It is better to wait for the angel to descend. Even if the Shen family has any objections, they will have more worries."
Although the blue-shirted scribe had contempt in his eyes, he flattered him: "My lord, I have thought carefully. Angels are coming, and safety is always the best. After this Japanese chaos, the local people could not stand anything else, so Songjiang still offered comfort For the sake of it.”
Since Zhao Xianzhong made up his mind not to show up, he ordered the concierge to go out and deal with it.
The concierge came out and saw the Shen brothers. He was very careful and said: "They are all villains. I forgot that the adults went to Xuanmiao Temple to pray for blessings this morning and were not in the government office."
Shen Quan's expression remained unchanged and he couldn't help but want to speak, but Shen Li stopped him with a look.
It was an uninvited guest who came without warning. Since the owner was missing, Shen Li had no reason to barge in. He got up and took Shen Rui with him, while Shen Quan left.
After leaving the government office, Shen Quan prayed: "Brother from the Six Clans, what should I do? I'm afraid that if this drags on, my second brother's side..." Shen Quan couldn't say the rest of the words, for fear that once he spoke, he would become a curse.
However, Shen Li understood that at this time, he had to calm down, otherwise if they did something inappropriate and fell into trouble, the Shen family would really be in a desperate situation.
"Go back to the clan room first!" Shen Li said, seeing that this was not the place to talk.
Shen Quan looked struggling, and Shen Rui comforted him: "Maybe I'm just overthinking. But even if you want to find out information, you should start from the clan house."
Shen Li left his hometown when he was young. Even if he returned to his hometown to observe filial piety in the past few years, he remained more or less closed in. His connections in Songjiang were limited. The clan house was the most powerful among local snakes. If you want to find out the news, you should go to the clan clan first. From the government prison. It's difficult to get people, but you can ask around. As long as the money is delivered, it shouldn't be difficult. Even if Zhao Xianzhong is hiding something, government offices are government offices after all, and they are not monolithic.
Sure enough, when he returned to the clan house and asked Shen Hai about the news in the prison, Shen Hai was not completely unaware.
"I was worried, so I asked someone to inquire secretly, and I finally got two words half a month ago. Jun'er was fine. His uncle personally came forward to speak out in front of the magistrate, and he didn't suffer any sins. Shen Ling suffered a lot of sins. , and no family members came forward to deal with it, and he was sentenced twice, but in the end he toughened up and did not confess his guilt randomly." Shen Hai said.
Shen Li had not informed Shen Li of the details before, and Shen Hai had some selfish motives, fearing that Shen Li would relax after knowing that everything was safe inside.
"Where's the news about Shen Qi?" Shen Li asked.
Shen Hai glanced at Shen Quan and said with a complicated expression: "Shen Qi is not with Jun'er and the others, so there is no news." After saying this, he paused and said: "My man is an errand in the government office. My family friend hinted to me that Shen Qi's crime is conclusive, so don't waste your efforts anymore. If you really want to get someone, you can still focus on Jun'er and Shen Ling."
As the leader of the clan, he should have protected all the clan members, but Shen Hai knew that his abilities were limited, and he was naturally powerless against the charges that the Yamen had decided.
Shen Quan's eyes were red, and he knelt down in front of Shen Hai with a pop, presented a stack of banknotes and said: "This is ten thousand taels of silver. I beg Uncle Hai to help my nephew get a word of approval in front of that family friend." , whether my second brother will live or die, after the matter is completed, my nephew will have another 10,000 filial piety!"
Shen Hai was originally worried when he saw Shen Quan kneeling down, fearing that he would ask him to rescue Shen Qi. Just as he was thinking about how to politely refuse, he heard what was said behind him and said hurriedly: "Get up quickly, what is life and death? Even your second brother There is a suspicion of treason, and the case has neither been tried nor convicted, so naturally he is being detained in prison peacefully!"
After all, it was because he was getting old and had taboos about life and death. Shen Hai looked at Shen Quan with a bit of condemnation, feeling that he was not calm enough in situations and was too careless with his words.
Shen Quan couldn't get up, but kowtowed repeatedly. Within two times, his forehead was bruised and bloodshot.
Seeing that Shen Quan was so stubborn, Shen Hai was unhappy and looked at Shen Li, hoping that he would speak out to help. But Shen Li remained motionless, and even Shen Rui, who was closest to Wufang, just looked at Shen Quan with worry on his face. , with no intention of getting up and helping anyone.
Even so, Chen Hai was not willing to accept this. Even if there was a relationship with the government, it would be used once or less. There was still a son who had not been fished out, and Chen Hai was not willing to do anything for him anymore.
Seeing that Shen Hai still wanted to shirk, Shen Li said sternly: "Even if the third brother Quan doesn't trust his uncle, I will still trust him. Now I'm not afraid of anything else. I'm afraid that in order to shirk responsibility, Zhao Xianzhong deliberately set up a trap and deliberately made this matter a certainty. case. By that time, let alone Shen Qi’s life, even Shen Jun and Shen Ling may not be able to escape guilt."
Shen Hai hesitated and said, "Isn't this possible? There are witnesses and physical evidence on Shen Qi's side, but Jun'er and Shen Ling's side are just between two people, nothing more than suspicion."
As he spoke, Shen Hai looked at Shen Li and couldn't help but feel suspicious.