Going to Beijing to save his father, all the powerful officials in the city are vying to be his fath

After jumping out of the room, Zhao Liangchen did not let go of Su Qin. It was already late at night, and there were no pedestrians on the street and no one was driving a carriage. The two of them could only walk to the government office. Because they had to take a long detour and the distance was not short, Zhao Liangchen was afraid of wasting time, so he kept carrying Su Qin.

Because he came directly to Zeng Lao's place after returning from outside the city, he had not had time to change his clothes, so he was still wearing armor. On the way, he met the night patrol, who thought he had captured a disaster victim or a criminal, so he did not check him carefully, but just said hello and left.

Su Qin didn't feel excited at all as she was being led along at a brisk pace, because the autumn wind was blowing and the sour smell on her clothes was wafting into her nose.

She couldn't help but turn her head and ask Zhao Liangchen: "Do I stink?"

Zhao Liangchen's face froze. He wanted to say it didn't stink, but he had been holding his breath for the entire journey, and he really couldn't say anything to deceive Su Qin.

Su Qin knew what Zhao Liangchen was thinking as soon as she saw his constipated look, so when Zhao Liangchen was about to speak, she immediately stopped him: "Stop, no need to answer, I know what I am thinking."

Zhao Liangchen: (?□?；) Why do I feel like I’m being scolded even though I didn’t say anything?

After a while, Zhao Liangchen couldn't help but comfort Su Qin: "Don't be sad, I heard that there is a kind of ointment in the palace that smells very good when applied. When I go to the palace, I will ask the emperor for a box of the best ointment for you. I promise that you will always smell good in the future."

Su Qin's mouth twitched, and she said sarcastically: "Thank you!"

Zhao Liangchen nodded seriously: "You're welcome."

I thought to myself that it seemed that Miss Su really needed the ointment, and I must remember this.

But when he finally gave the ointment to Su Qin later, he was scolded by Su Qin.

When the two men arrived at the government office, the guards at the gate were all dozing off. After being awakened by him, they looked at him in surprise and asked, "Master Zhao, why are you still busy arresting people so late at night?"

Zhao Liangchen: "I was delayed by something. On the way home, I met this little thief. I have to trouble you to send him to the jail."

The guard said politely, "Master Zhao, you are too polite. This is what we should do. However, if you keep arresting people like this, this prison will be too crowded. There is not enough food to eat, and our brothers have nothing to eat."

Zhao Liangchen raised his hand, patted his shoulder, and said, "I know it's not easy for you, but you also know that the court is busy with disaster relief and appeasing refugees. These things really can't be taken care of. However, I will go to the palace tomorrow to discuss this matter with the emperor and try to get these people out as soon as possible."

The guard was delighted when he heard this and said, "That's great! As long as you mention it to the emperor, there will be hope for this matter. I thank Master Zhao on behalf of my brothers."

Zhao Liangchen smiled and waved his hand, saying, "Don't be so polite. I was the one who brought the person here, so I should take care of it. Okay, send him in. I have to go home and rest quickly. I'm exhausted from working all day."

After saying that, he left.

Watching him leave, the guard pushed Su Qin and said, "Hurry up and leave! You're always restless. Are you all starving? You've come to our prison to eat for free? I'm telling you, don't dream. Our masters have said that food is in short supply in the city right now. We don't have money to feed you. Even if you're in prison, you won't have anything to eat. Just wait to starve to death."

He kept cursing all the way, but Su Qin pretended not to hear him. After entering the prison, he pushed her into the same cell she was in the first time.

At this time, the cell was packed with people, with no room to step. It was just like the scene on the green train during the Spring Festival travel rush. Everyone was sleeping next to each other. Some people were awakened by the sound of the door opening, but they just raised their eyelids to take a look and then closed them again, with snoring sounds coming one after another.

The stench in the cell had reached a suffocating level. It was a sour smell mixed with the smell of feces, urine, and decay. It was not only pungent but also irritating to the eyes.

Su Qin couldn't imagine how so many people used the toilet. They had to poop in a big bucket every day.

Su Qin sat down on the only open space at the prison gate, with her face pressed against the gate facing outside. She secretly took out a sour plum from the oil-paper bag in her arms and put it in her mouth to suppress the nausea.

She decided that no matter how many days she stayed there, she would not eat or drink. She would rather die of thirst or hunger than urinate or defecate in front of so many people.

Staying in such a place is like being tortured. Every second is torture. After finally making it to dawn, the people in the prison woke up one after another.

Everyone was awakened by hunger, all looking forward to waking up to eat their bowl of porridge. Just as everyone was looking towards the prison door expectantly, they saw a newcomer. Someone curiously asked Su Qin, "Hey, when did you come in? What did you do?"

Su Qin didn't want to talk, as she felt that the stench would enter her stomach along with her words, but she couldn't help but talk, after all, her purpose of coming in was to spread the news.

She suppressed her nausea and said, "I'm a refugee. I was found and brought here."

"You're a refugee too... Oh, no, you look so familiar to me. Where have I seen you before?"

Su Qin: "I came in a few days ago."

"A few days ago? When did anyone who came in get out again?"

Some people murmured, and more people looked at her carefully. Suddenly, someone shouted excitedly: "Hey, aren't you the bastard with a machete who came in that day?"

The person who was speaking was the one who was stabbed by Su Qin with a knife that day, so the impression was very deep.

After being reminded by him, many people soon remembered Su Qin. After all, her look that day was very unique.

Someone immediately approached Su Qin and asked, "Hey, where have you been these days? Where's the blame you took?"

Su Qin was choked by the other person's stench and leaned back. She tried to hold her breath and answered, "I was locked up in a small dark room. My luggage was taken away. I was only released in the middle of the night yesterday. If they hadn't seen that I was almost starving to death, I'm afraid they wouldn't have let me out."

Although no one knew what a small dark room was, it didn't seem like a good place based on the literal meaning. It must be small and dark. From what Su Qin meant, there was no food to eat.

Suddenly someone became interested: "Why are you locked up in the dark room? Did you offend someone?"

Su Qin nodded and said a little aggrievedly, "I offended the Duke of Lu's Mansion. When I entered the city, I climbed under their carriage. The people in the Duke of Lu's Mansion felt that I had disgraced them and had also soiled their carriage. Not only did they lock me up, they also hired someone to beat me up."

"Tsk tsk, how pitiful! You're so bold, you dare to provoke anyone."

In fact, most people here don’t know who the Duke of Lu’s Mansion is, but they know that he must be a very high-ranking official, otherwise how could he interfere in the affairs of the government office at will?

Someone sympathetically comforted him, "That's enough. You've taken the punishment, and they probably won't embarrass you anymore. Don't be sad. You'll have some porridge to eat soon. Even though it's only a few grains, at least you won't starve to death."

"Woooo..."

Su Qin suddenly covered her face and started crying.

Someone asked curiously: "Hey, why are you crying? Isn't it good to have something to eat?"

"No more, nothing left."

Su Qin cried and said, "There will be no more food. We will starve to death, and the refugees outside the city will starve to death too."

Someone was unwilling and pushed Su Qin: "What nonsense are you talking about? We have been here for so many days. Although we haven't had enough to eat, we are still given a bowl of porridge and a black-faced steamed bread every day."

Su Qin raised her head and said with tears in her eyes, "When I was locked up in the small dark room, I heard the people who beat me scolding me, saying that the government had given me disaster relief money, but it was embezzled by people, and the government could not afford to take care of the victims, so they had to let them fend for themselves.

There are too many of us in the prison, and the government can no longer afford to support us. We will no longer provide food."

Su Qin's words were like a bombshell, exploding in the prison. Everyone started shouting, "What disaster relief funds were embezzled? Who is so vicious that they don't care about our lives and embezzle disaster relief funds?"

"Is this imperial court really no longer concerned about us?"