Shipin Dalizheng

The Seventh Princess came out of the yard with an arrogant look, took off a jade pendant from her neck and hung it around Rong Tang's neck.

"This is the card that my father gave me to exempt me from playing. Anyone who dares to play it is disobeying the emperor's order."

The yamen runner recognized the Seventh Princess and backed away. "I dare not. But the prince's father has filed a complaint, and we adults have no choice but to arrest him. Princess, what do you think..."

"This princess is sending my cousin over. I want to ask Minister Jin, how can you have the nerve to sue the Rong family's heir? Is he tired of living off the Rong family and wants to take advantage of them?"

"Princess……"

Nanny You kept winking at the Seventh Princess, asking her to be more elegant.

Rong Tang touched the jade token, a smile on his face. "There's no need to trouble my cousin to send me off. Since the Jingzhao Prefecture has sent a special car to pick me up, there's no reason not to take it. So, I'll go in, and save you officials from having to do your job."

The yamen runners all said that they didn't have to be polite and that they didn't have to go in. They just had to follow them obediently. After a long time of hesitation, Rong Tang sat on the cage cart with a leisurely look on his face. "It's good up there. There's wind up there, and it's cool."

Just like that, the Jingzhao government officials escorted the cage carriage back to Beijing, with the Seventh Princess's carriage following behind. It didn't feel like they were escorting a prisoner, but rather like they were inviting a master. It was a rare sight that attracted countless people's attention along the way.

As the cage truck entered the city, more people gathered to watch the excitement. They gathered around and talked and pointed, "Who is this? He's so special. He was caught and he's not in the cage, he's squatting on top of the cage."

Nanny You stuck her head out to explain, "This is our son, the Earl of Jian'an. He's been wandering for over a decade and just returned to the clan. For some reason, Lord Jin wants to accuse him of disobedience and unfilial behavior. Our son just returned home, and he's been through so many life-threatening things, and he hasn't even recovered yet, and he's being accused again. Lord Jin is determined to beat our son to death!"

Upon hearing it was the Prince of Jian'an, the onlookers retreated a dozen steps, fearing they might be tainted by bad luck. This Prince Rong, though pitiful, was indeed quite pathetic, but judging by the rumors circulating in the capital over the past two days, it seemed he wasn't a good person either, constantly getting into fights and causing trouble.

When the cage cart arrived at the gate of Jingzhao Prefecture, he was not given priority to appear in court for interrogation because the prefect was very busy today and had already arrested a group of people and lined them up for trial.

He could not be released without trial, so Rong Tang was thrown into jail first. The Seventh Princess then went to Nangong Jing to seek help through the back door.

It was Rong Tang's first time in such a place, and he was very curious. The prison was quite clean, with newly replaced straw. The warden was also polite and moved him to a well-ventilated and sunny single room, and the door was not even locked.

Rong Tang guessed that he was a relative of someone, so he was being treated preferentially.

Not long after, the people who were on trial in the front yamen were locked up one by one. What Rong Tang did not expect was that these people were all dressed in gorgeous clothes, looked well-dressed, and were either rich or noble. Moreover, none of them were as respectful or fearful of Nangong Jing as he had imagined. Instead, most of them cursed at him.

Seeing that a stranger had been admitted to the prison, the first person to be tried looked him up and down and asked, "Who are you? What have you done to deserve to be locked up with us?"

Rong Tang laughed. Even though he was already in prison, he was still divided into different levels.

"My surname is Rong, and my given name is Tang. Who is this brother?"

"Rong Tang?" The young man suddenly jumped back a few steps. "The son of the Earl of Jian'an?"

"Well, is this identity enough to be imprisoned with you all?"

The young man frowned, turned around and said to another young man in blue: "Gu Zhongxun, he is at the same level as you, barely qualified."

Gu Zhongxun lazily lay down on the straw, "I dare not compare myself to him. In the future, he might be the leader of the Rong family army. I can't even reach his height as I'm just living off my ancestors' influence. Xiao Zhenyue, you better be polite. We might both have to look up to him when he speaks to Master Rong."

Rong Tang could detect a hint of sarcasm in his tone, but he didn't get mad. This guy was the cousin of the Prince of Huai, the son of the Earl of Zhongqin. On the surface, they were the same, but in reality, he was a descendant of several generations of nobles, a relative of the emperor, while he only had a princess cousin.

In the eyes of others, one has unlimited potential, and the other looks good on the surface, but that's just the way it is.

Xiao Zhenyue winked and looked at the other side again. Before he could call out his name, Rong Tang recognized him and took the initiative to greet him, "General He, you don't have to go on duty today."

He Qilin looked constipated.

After a while, Rong Tang figured out the identities of these people: Gu Zhongxun, cousin of Prince Huai, He Qilin, brother-in-law of Prince Yong, Xiao Zhenyue, second son of the Minister of Revenue, Xie Bingzhi, youngest son of Grand Tutor Xie, and Wang Bo'an, nephew of the Right Prime Minister.

Wow, Nangong Jing is really brave in arresting them. They are all tough, no, strong-willed.

No wonder he is called the White-Faced Iron King of Hell.

Rong Shi was very curious, "Hey everyone, what did you commit to get arrested?"

Xiao Zhenyue immediately cried out in injustice, "We didn't do anything wrong! We just got together today to have some wine and dine, and suddenly the Jingzhao Yin investigated the sons of nobles for prostitution... that kind of thing. God knows, we just had some wine, listened to some music, and ordered a few red cards... that kind of thing, there's nothing else to it."

Rong Tang felt very sympathetic, "It's really unfair. This is normal! He didn't rape a decent woman."

"Look, look, I think so, right? Prince Rong also thinks so. That damned Nangong Jing..."

"Xiao Zhenyue!"

Gu Zhongxun gave him a warning look. Nangong Jing was not only the prefect of Jingzhao Prefecture, he was also the prince of Han Wang and a member of the royal family.

"Nangong Jing arrested us without asking any questions, interrogated us, punished us, and even asked our father to sign a bail before he would release us. So, Prince Rong, what crime have you committed?"

Rong Tang sighed faintly, "You guys are all fine. Your fathers came to sign bail. My father sent me here personally. He accused me of being disobedient and unfilial."

The others immediately retreated as far away from him as possible, as if he were a monster.

Rong Tang blinked, "Why, is this a serious crime?"

Gu Zhongxun frowned, He Qilin glanced sideways, Xie Bingzhi and Wang Boan hugged each other and trembled, only Xiao Zhenyue gave him a thumbs up, "You are awesome, I admire you."

From now on, they will look up to Rong Tang and will be willing to burn two pieces of paper money for him on the Qingming Festival next year.

Gu Zhongxun suddenly said, "Don't worry about him. She is wearing the Seventh Princess' jade token. Nangong Jing won't beat him."

At this time, in the front hall, Jin Shizhao was urging Nangong Jing to interrogate Rong Tang. Nangong Jing slowly cleared the table, "Master Jin, the morning is over. It's time for me to rest. I've had lunch and taken a nap. Please come back in the afternoon. Oh, and Yang Lianye's verdict will also be announced in the afternoon. If it's convenient, Master Jin will pay his fine and compensation."

Jin Shizhao once again turned away in anger.

Nangong Jing beckoned, and one of his men stepped forward, "What are your orders, sir?"

"Take my father's name card and go to the Ministry of Rites and ask them if being a Vice Minister is too idle. If there's nothing to do, then both the Vice Ministers should be dismissed. It just so happens that the treasury is short of money, and His Majesty is considering laying off some of the redundant officials who are drawing salaries without working. Why not start with the Ministry of Rites?"

The men took the order and left.

At the same time, Fu Xinzhuang went to Rongjia Village to report the news and also found several masters to tell them about this matter. The four guards immediately dropped their work and rushed to the capital to rescue their master.

Several masters discussed it and got on the only carriage, driven by Rong Dashan, and entered the city one after another. They did not go to Jingzhao Prefecture first, but went to Jian'an Earl's Mansion and found Rong Xiu walking around in circles.

When the old brothers and sisters met, they stamped their feet and came to the door of the Minister's house together, cursing him in loud and low voices, not cursing anything else, but cursing him for being disobedient and unfilial.