Help! The cunning and treacherous minister and I were reborn together!

Yuan Zhi pulled him back, "We've already angered them once during the day. If we bother them again, all of us will suffer."

She handed him the bundle, saying, "Third Brother, there are silver notes in this blue cotton coat. If I die, you must take care of Aunt and make sure she lives on!"

Yuan Jun wiped his tears with his sleeve, "What nonsense are you talking about? With your brother here, nothing will happen to you!"

Yuan Zhi smiled weakly and slowly collapsed.

"Fifth sister!"

Yuan Jun handed her over to his mother to take care of, and loudly called for the officials.

The officers came over at the sound and said impatiently, "What are you doing? What are you doing? We've only been gone a short time, why are you making such a fuss!"

Yuan Jun said cautiously, "Sir, my sister is ill. Please find her a doctor. Oh, I have some money here. Here, take it all!"

In front of them, he opened his cotton-padded coat and handed them the money.

The officer was delighted to see so much money, and then kicked him in the stomach.

"His Majesty has ordered the confiscation of your property, yet you dare to hoard silver! How dare you!"

"No! This...this was sent by my sister's friend. You met them today; they were the ones who invited you for tea!"

The officer snorted, "Who knows if this money is legitimate? If it's related to the case, you're deliberately trying to harm us brothers. I'm confiscating the money. As for your sister's life or death, that's up to fate. Get up, all of you, and keep going!"

Master Yuan and his family came over and scolded Yuan Jun for being incompetent, causing them to lose several thousand taels of silver for nothing.

Third Master Yuan made a sarcastic remark from the side, "Second Brother, haven't you realized it yet? Third Brother and Fifth Sister hid the silver so well, they had no intention of sharing it with us! Now that's great, nobody gets any, so no need to feel bad!"

The group switched places, and they passed Yuan Jun and his two companions, walking straight ahead.

His sister's life-saving money had been wasted. Yuan Jun looked remorseful, supporting his sister with one hand and his mother with the other, and continued on his way through the night.

Upon reaching a mountain hollow, the officials lit a fire and allowed them to sit down and rest.

Yuan Jun went to feed his sister water and told Aunt Zhao to hurry up and eat her dry rations. He went to Yuan Zhi's side, but found that Yuan Zhi was delirious with fever and choked on the water he had just fed her.

The officials were in a hurry to get on their way and wished the sister would die quickly so they could take her to the post station for an autopsy. He was frantic, trying to plead with them, but to no avail. What could he do?

Just as I was worrying, the sound of horses neighing suddenly came from afar. The ground beneath my feet trembled slightly, and the sound grew closer.

The officers realized something was wrong and ordered everyone to get up immediately and hide in the woods.

Unfortunately, there were too many people. If one person slowed them down, the others would also slow down. When the horse caravan caught up, half of the people were still outside the woods.

The newcomers were all dressed in black and masked, carrying long knives, making them especially eerie in the night.

The officials, mistaking them for bandits, took out their silver notes and cautiously stepped forward.

"These are all serious criminals of the imperial court that I'm holding here. Consider this money a tribute to you gentlemen. Please spare our lives!"

The masked man looked down at him and slashed down with his sword.

The women covered their eyes and screamed, while the men abandoned their families and fled in all directions. After dealing with the remaining officials, the masked men split into several groups and gave chase on horseback.

Yuan Jun, hidden among the women, went unnoticed. He then moved with lightning speed, dragging his mother and Yuan Zhi in the opposite direction.

Before long, he heard the sound of chaotic hoofbeats behind him. He dared not turn around and could only run forward as fast as he could.

However, two legs can never outrun four, especially since he was carrying two burdens.

A sudden pain shot through the back of his neck, and he froze, falling to the ground along with his two female companions.

Aunt Zhao tried to shout, but she too was struck by a chop to the neck and immediately fainted.

In a dark room, the man woke up with a start and sat up. He groped his way to the door, opened it, and saw two burly guards.

Where are my mother and sister?

The guard handed him a tinderbox. "Your mother is on the bed in the inner room. We can't light lamps here. Take this and go see her!"

Yuan Jun clutched the tinderbox and went back into the house to check on his mother. Seeing her sleeping peacefully, he was finally relieved.

He walked to the door and asked, "Where's my sister?"

“The employer only told us to rescue you. If we weren’t afraid you would cause trouble, we wouldn’t even want to take care of your mother, let alone your sister.”

"What do you mean? You left her there?"

Yuan Jun's eyes were bloodshot as he grabbed him by the collar and questioned him.

"Want to go back and find someone? Forget it!" The guard easily pried his hands off. "At daybreak, the authorities will issue arrest warrants everywhere. If you don't want your mother to suffer with you, you'd better stay put!"

Yuan Jun slumped down, feeling utterly ashamed.

Fifth sister, I'm so sorry!

*

After reading the memorial, Li Kai slammed it down on the imperial desk.

"They knocked out the officers and scared away the prisoners. What kind of bandits are they? This is clearly a prison break! The Ministry of Justice is to immediately issue a warrant for arresting the escaped convicts. Once the horse team that attempted the prison break is found, kill them on the spot without interrogation!"

The Minister of Justice received the imperial decree and returned to the ranks of civil officials.

The morning court session ended in a tense atmosphere. As Xiao Zong was about to leave the palace, Eunuch Xu stopped him and said that His Majesty invited him to attend.

Inside the Vermilion Bird Hall, Xiao Zong knelt on the cold floor tiles, his back ramrod straight.

Li Kai didn't let him get up, and asked calmly, "Did you do the prison break?"

"Your Majesty, I am wronged!"

Li Kai slammed his fist on the table, uncharacteristically swearing, "What nonsense are you spouting! You love Lady Yuan so much, would you really let her suffer in Lingzhou? Confess the truth and you might still have a chance to live, otherwise, once I find the evidence, I won't let you off easily!"

Xiao Zong looked grief-stricken and indignant, as if he had no one to turn to for justice.

"If I truly wished to protect Lady Yuan, I could simply marry her again. Why resort to prison break? If Your Majesty commands my death, I have no choice but to die. Since Your Majesty has determined that I was responsible, please grant me death. I, Congyun, will have no complaints!"

Li Kai tapped his fingers on the table, feeling that what he said made sense.

Women who marry out of the country are not implicated. If he really wants to save Yuanzhi, he can just marry her. There is no need to risk offending the emperor and the Ministry of Justice by kidnapping her from the deep mountains and forests.

Li Kai said lazily, "Alright, stop playing the innocent! If you really didn't resent me, you wouldn't be defending yourself! Tell me your opinion, who do you think... did it?"

"Marquis of Changping".

"Marquis of Changping?"

Li Kai pondered for a moment, "That's it! Yuan Pu almost killed Chu Jiuchuan's son. The old man is always vengeful, how could he let his enemy's children go!"

The Third Young Master Yuan and Yuan Zhi are most likely already dead.

Xiao Zong must have been extremely angry to reveal the name of Marquis Changping without any evidence.

"Even if he did it, there is still the law to deal with it, and you cannot punish him on your own!"

Xiao Zong clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, saying, "I will find the evidence and personally send him to prison!"

Upon hearing this, Li Kai dared not entrust the matter to him even more.

"I know you are upset. Here's what I'll do: I'll grant you a two-week leave. Once you've calmed down, you can return to court!"

"Your Majesty, I will not..."

"Alright, it's settled then." Li Kai waved his hand. "You may leave!"

Xiao Zong remained kneeling, and Eunuch Xu entered and said, "Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager wishes to see you."

Li Kai's face darkened. Lately, his mother had been pleading with him every day to release his elder sister. He talked to her about the law, and she talked to him about family ties; neither of them was willing to give in.

Glancing at the man kneeling on the ground, Li Kai said irritably, "Have the guards drag him out and throw him at the palace gate!"

None of them are easy to deal with!