C19 (1/2)
The leaves of the trees were dyed amber yellow, and the wind was blowing in circles.
It seemed to indicate that autumn had arrived.
She felt around and looked to the west. The rouge shop, the silk house, the small bookstore. Even the rice shop she couldn't help but take a walk around.
”I'll beat you to death, you little bastard. I'll make your hands cheap, I'll make you steal something.”
A few tall and robust men were waving their fists towards a skinny boy. The boy was beaten until he was lying on the ground, clutching his stomach, with a pained expression on his face.
The boy was about ten years old. His hair was disheveled and his face disheveled. The clothes he wore could no longer be called clothes, but rather a bunch of rags. His shoes were made of straw, and all ten toes were exposed.
Qingyuan was someone who liked to join in on the fun, and at the same time, was a person who loved to fight against injustice.
”None of your business …”
Qingyuan coldly snorted, ”Do you even have any laws or regulations for beating someone on the streets?”
The young man laughed out loud with the people beside him. He raised the token at his waist and waved it in front of Qingyuan, arrogantly saying, ”See that? This is the token of the city guards. This little bastard stole someone's money and it's all over my head.”
Hearing his words and looking at his command medallion, the surrounding people all fell silent.
The young man used one hand to pick up the boy: ”Come with me back to the yamen.”
The boy twisted his body with all his might, and with a stubborn look in his eyes, he roared, ”I didn't steal the money, I didn't.”
The young man said, ”You didn't steal the money? ”Then why are you standing next to me?”
The boy said, ”I was just passing by.”
”Passing by? ”You've been walking all the way, and my money is already on its own. Did it just run away?”
The young man coldly snorted.
The boy said, ”If you don't believe me, you can search my body.”
The young man stroked his chin as he looked the boy up and down. He could tell at a glance that there was no place for him to hide his money.
”You're covering for your accomplices, right? Just nice, following the vines and finding the melons.”
”Xie Cong.”
Lu Zhinan who had been watching coldly from the sidelines said.
The young man who was addressed as ”Xie Cong” looked at Lu Zhinan and said sinisterly: ”Yo, isn't this what our Embroidered Uniform Guard knows, Young Marquis Lu?”
”Young Marquis, you know him?”
Before Lu Zhinan could say anything, he heard Xie Cong's arrogant voice, and sneered: ”Who the hell wants to get involved with a sissy?”
Xie Cong was the youngest son of the Grand Princess of Ruyang and Prince Consort Ma. Xie Cong had learnt martial arts since he was young, and was dressed in a strong and burly body. Naturally, he did not like the scholarly look of Lu Zhinan.
At that time, when the Emperor Yongle was doing an errand, Xie Cong thought that it was certain that he would be in charge of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, but unexpectedly, the Emperor Yongle made Lu Zhinan sit in a position similar to the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
Although he was not lacking either, he was under the command of the City Guards of the Fourth Grade, General Dingyuan, and was given the title of General of the Third Grade. However, every time he saw Lu Zhinan, he would become extremely angry. It was a feeling of jealousy and hatred from the moment his heart's love was taken away.
Lu Zhinan ignored Xie Cong and walked straight up to the boy, squatting down and looking at him evenly. He said gently but firmly: ”Please tell me, were you the one who stole the money?”
The boy looked at Lu Zhinan blankly. Others saw that his hair was disheveled and his face was sloppy. Even worse, it was common for people to sneer and curse at him and start a fight.
But Lu Zhinan, there was pity and understanding in his eyes, as if to say, I can feel your pain, I understand.