Two quarters of an hour later, Xu Qi'an stepped out of the Haohui Tower, stood at the bottom of the tower, closed his eyes and concentrated for a moment, then left resolutely.

Leaving the yamen, riding a small mare, along the wide and unimaginable main road of the inner city, he galloped towards the Ministry of Punishments.

The main road was over a hundred meters wide, leading straight to the Imperial City, the route the emperor took when traveling. This width was mainly to prevent assassins from ambushing on the roadside. Once encountering cold arrows and assassination, such a spacious road would provide sufficient buffer time for the imperial guards.

Before long, he arrived at the Ministry of Punishments.

Xu Qi'an saw his second uncle from a distance. He was wearing armor and must have received the news while patrolling the streets, so he rushed over immediately.

His second uncle was stopped by the guards of the Ministry of Punishments outside the gate.

Two guards shouted loudly, and one of them pushed Xu Qi'an's second uncle hard. He dared not fight back and staggered backward.

"How dare a mere captain of the Imperial Guard barge into the Ministry of Punishments?" one guard pointed at Xu Pingzhi's nose and scolded, "If you don't leave, don't blame me for getting rough with you."

Xu Pingzhi endured the Qi Refining stage, clenched his fists in frustration, and said in a deep voice, "I am Xu Xinnian's father, and I have the right to visit him."

Another guard sneered, "A serious offender in the imperial examination, not allowed to visit. This has always been the rule. You illiterate commoner, what do you understand."

Xu Pingzhi really didn't know. The case of cheating in the imperial examination was too far away from him and he had no contact with it.

"Then why did you ask me for thirty taels?" Xu Pingzhi raised his eyebrows, his anger boiling.

"You're just asking for trouble. This is the Ministry of Punishments. You dare not lay a hand on me. Try it." The guard sneered.

"Hmph...tui."

Another guard was even more straightforward, spitting at Xu Pingzhi.

Xu Pingzhi hurriedly dodged.

The two guards laughed wildly.

"Hoo..."

Xu Qi'an slowly exhaled, looking at the two rows of soldiers coming out of the yamen. Obviously, if he dared to cause trouble at the gate of the Ministry of Punishments, he would not be able to leave today.

He would be handing over evidence to others for nothing.

"Get lost!"

The guard sneered and scolded.

Clatter clatter clatter... Suddenly, the sound of urgent horse hooves came. Following the sound, a spirited steed rushed towards the Ministry of Punishments and crashed into the two guards who were glaring.

Bang!

One of the guards couldn't avoid it and was hit in the chest by the small mare, flew out heavily, struggled for a moment, and slowly fell to the ground, injured and unable to get up.

Someone really dared to commit violence at the gate of the Ministry of Punishments?

"Ning Yan."

Xu Pingzhi felt relieved when he saw his nephew.

"Clang..." The sound of unsheathing swords rang out continuously. The guards inside the yamen heard the commotion and rushed out with their swords, ready to cut to pieces the troublemaker at the gate of the Ministry of Punishments.

But when they saw Xu Qi'an sitting high on the horse, they were all dumbfounded.

The head guard retracted his sword, bowed and said in a deep voice, "Lord Xu, this is the Ministry of Punishments. You should know that rushing into the Ministry of Punishments and injuring the guards could result in imprisonment, exile, or even beheading."

Xu Qi'an ignored him, dismounted, and kicked the agile guard who dodged the small mare's charge.

"Ouch..." The guard screamed and rolled on the ground.

Xu Qi'an took off the sword at his waist and gave him a beating. The muffled sound of the scabbard hitting the flesh made people's hearts jump.

The guard screamed repeatedly.

"Lord Xu!"

"Call me Viscount."

The head guard choked, pretended not to hear, and shouted, "Do you really think the Ministry of Punishments has no experts? Are you not afraid of the emperor's punishment or the laws of The Great Feng?"

"Come at me. This little matter can't be settled. I, Xu Qi'an, would have lived in vain in the capital." Xu Qi'an sneered and continued to beat with the scabbard.

At first, the guard could dodge or block with his hand. After a dozen or so hits, his eyes began to roll back, and he was gasping for breath.

The head guard clenched his teeth, the veins on the back of his hand holding the sword bulged, but he didn't dare to really fight the arrogant Xu Qi'an.

The scene of the fight from that day was vivid in his mind. Xu Qi'an's momentum had not yet dissipated, and at this critical moment, ordinary people dared not confront him head-on.

Most importantly, this man had a golden medal of immunity, so even if he killed a bunch of people at the gate of the Ministry of Punishments, he would only be dismissed from office and his life would be safe.

Seeing that the guard still had a breath left, Xu Qi'an stopped, hung the sword back on his waist, and said lightly, "Thirty taels of silver, consider it the doctor's fee for the two of them and the cost of medicine."

After venting his anger, he stared at the head guard and said, "Go in and inform Xu Xinnian that I want to see him."

Upon hearing this, the head guard did not refuse or respond, but used his eyes to signal his subordinates to carry the two injured men into the yamen for treatment, then looked deeply at Xu Qi'an and retreated into the yamen.

In a moment, the head guard returned and said, "Minister Sun requests your presence."

Xu Qi'an tied the reins to the stone lion at the gate of the yamen and turned to his second uncle, "Let's go in together."

Xu Pingzhi followed in silence. The two of them entered the yamen, passed through the front courtyard and the corridor. Xu's second uncle opened his mouth to say something, but chose to remain silent.

The guard led the uncle and nephew into a side hall. Sitting in the main seat of the side hall was Minister Sun, wearing a crimson robe, with a serious expression and an emotionless face, waiting.

"I have seen Minister Sun," Xu Qi'an saluted.

Minister Sun did not look at Xu Qi'an, and said indifferently, "You're missing two words."Staring at Minister Sun for a few seconds, Xu Qi'an bent his spine and greeted him with a subordinate's respect, saying, "I have seen Minister Sun. I would like to see Xu Xinnian."

Seeing this scene, Xu Pingzhi's eyes suddenly felt a little sour.

Minister Sun showed a satisfied smile and said, "Cheating in the imperial examination is a serious crime, but it is only natural for family members to visit."

Suddenly, he changed the subject: "No."

...... Xu Pingzhi gritted his teeth.

After speaking, Minister Sun no longer looked at the two uncles and nephews, but picked up the teacup. In official circles, when the host picks up the tea but does not drink it, it means the guest should leave.

"I won't disturb Minister Sun any longer," Xu Qi'an turned and left.

Watching the backs of the two uncles and nephews, Minister Sun said lightly, "There are several thorny branches in the courtyard. I heard that Master Xu has achieved enlightenment and become a golden body in the Buddhist sect. Are you interested in trying it?"

Xu Qi'an left without looking back.

As he walked out of the Ministry of Punishments, Xu Pingzhi cursed, "That son of a b**** Minister Sun. He wants you to bear the thorny branches as a form of penance. Even if I were to kill him, I wouldn't agree."

"How did you get here so quickly, Second Uncle?" Xu Qi'an asked.

"You were too slow. After receiving the news, I immediately went home to comfort your aunt and Lingyue, but it was completely useless...." Second Uncle Xu said with a headache.

"Always crying, sigh, Ningyan, what should we do about this matter?" Xu Pingzhi, although a rough warrior, was aware of the "feud" between the National Academy and the Yunlu Academy. On the way here, he analyzed it carefully and felt that Second Young Master's imprisonment was most likely related to this matter.

"This matter is very complicated. Second Uncle, you should go back first. I have something to do." Xu Qi'an didn't want to waste time, so he mounted his horse and rode away along the street.

In his mind, Wei Yuan's words appeared:

"The first step is to stop the Ministry of Punishments from extracting a confession by torture. The magistrate of the prefectural yamen is slippery and ingratiating. Once this matter is confirmed, he is unlikely to offend Minister Sun."

"Minister Sun hates me to the bone. The cheating in the imperial examination case has given him the perfect opportunity for revenge, and even, this is what he has been pushing for. At the very least, he is one of the participants. It is almost impossible to make him treat Second Young Master kindly."

The little mare broke out in a sweat, panting heavily, and finally stopped at a courtyard outside the city.

"Taoist Master, Taoist Master, urgent matter in the martial world......."

Xu Qi'an pushed open the courtyard door, went straight to the inner room, and saw Taoist Master Jin Lian lying peacefully on the bed, as if he were asleep.

He went to the cat again.......... Seeing this scene, Xu Qi'an couldn't help but twitch at the corner of his mouth.

Having been kicked by the little mare once before and having a purpose in mind, Xu Qi'an did not wake Taoist Master Jin Lian up by physical means. He sat at the table and waited silently. In less than three minutes, a slender shadow appeared at the door.

"What's the matter?"

Taoist Master Jin Lian squatted at the door, his voice gentle and calm, as if he were used to conversing in this manner.

"My cousin Xu Xinnian has been implicated in the cheating in the imperial examination case........." Xu Qi'an briefly explained the ins and outs of the matter, and then said, "Taoist Master, I need your help."

The amber-colored pupils of the orange cat gazed deeply, shaking the air, and said, "I don't know enough about the officialdom of the Great Feng to give you effective advice. You shouldn't come to me for this matter. Wei Yuan is the master of political struggle. If political struggle were ranked, Wei Yuan would be second."

Xu Qi'an, who was originally very anxious, couldn't help but continue, "Only second? Then who is first?"

The orange cat smiled and said, "Of course, it is Emperor Yuan Jing. In terms of the art of ruling, Emperor Yuan Jing has reached the peak. Wei Yuan and Wang Zhenwen both have the potential to be first in political struggle, but their ideas are different, and their political views differ."

"Emperor Yuan Jing deliberately placed two fierce tigers in the court, and he himself is truly watching the tigers fight from the mountain."

Makes sense........ Wait a minute, didn't you say you don't know much about the court situation? Xu Qi'an cursed in his heart, but asked, "Do you think there is a presence in political struggle that surpasses the ranks?"

"Of course," Taoist Master Jin Lian raised his paw, licked it, and said, "The highest realm of political struggle is to use force to subdue everything, to have the final say, and no one dares to defy. Every founding emperor is like this."

It seems that the Taoist Master has been gradually influenced by the cat's habits......... Indeed, every living being is controlled by the body, and the hormones secreted by the body determine what you want to do......... When hungry, you want to eat, when tired, you want to sleep, when thirsty, you want to drink, when the treasury is full, you want to give alms to female incense guests. So the question is, does Taoist Master Jin Lian like female cats or female cats?

At this moment, the orange cat sighed, put down its paw, and said softly, "You seem to enjoy lingering on the edge of life and death."

And repeatedly jumping back and forth? Xu Qi'an subconsciously flashed this sentence in his mind, and then quickly turned the conversation back, saying, "Taoist Master, I would like to ask for your help........"

............

Following the canal outside the capital, heading south, ten miles from the city, there is a lake, surrounded by green mountains, and the lake is full of lotus flowers, making it a beautiful sight.

There are also farmhouses, teahouses, and restaurants by the lake, with smoke curling up.

Find the original at "pawread.com".

Because this place is just outside the capital, it can be reached by boat, making it quick and convenient. Therefore, every spring, there are countless young gentlemen and wealthy young ladies who come to the lake by boat, making it very lively.A delicate embroidered boat was moored on the shore, and Wang Simu was dressed to the nines today, wearing a popular wide-sleeved chiffon dress with the same color pattern as the base color, which was both complex and exquisite, yet understated.

With exquisite makeup and a beautiful hair bun adorned with golden hairpins, she was completely dressed according to the standards of a date.

But an hour passed, and she had taken a round trip on the lake, but Miss Wang's boat was still in the same place, and her mood was not beautiful at all.

"Miss, let's forget it and go back," the maid whispered, "Xu Huanyuan won't come."

"Is it that your message didn't get through?" Wang Simu didn't accept this reality, and tried to shift the blame to Xu Xinnian.

"How dare I, it must have been delivered," the maid said, feeling wronged.

Wang Simu sat still for a long time, unable to hide her disappointment in her bright eyes, and said softly, "Forget it, let's go back."

"Okay," the maid responded lightly, leaving the cabin and going to the stern to inform the boatman to return.

The boatmen pulled up the anchor from the water, and rowed the boat together, slowly moving along the canal back to the capital.

Back at the capital's dock, Wang Simu entered a waiting carriage on the side of the road, instructing, "Lan'er, go to the Xu Mansion now and tell them I want to go and play with Miss Lingyue.

"I'll wait here for half an hour before setting off."

"Miss, why is this?" the maid frowned.

"Even if he has no interest in me, I want to know the truth clearly," Miss Wang was very determined.

............

Xu Xinnian, the top scholar of the Spring Examination, was arrested by the Ministry of Justice on suspicion of cheating and was thrown into the prison.

This was a case that was destined to shake the entire capital, spreading from the local yamen and the Ministry of Justice, and quietly spreading throughout the entire officialdom of the capital through the six ministries.

After a few days of fermentation and spreading, it would be known to everyone.

During the lunch break, familiar officials and clerks gathered in restaurants and teahouses to discuss the cheating case in the imperial examination.

"I knew it, when the students of Yunlu Academy achieved the top scholar, how could the court officials agree? Here it comes."

"You only know one side of the story, this matter is definitely not that simple. Xu Xinnian is Xu Qian'an's cousin, and Xu Qian'an is the top scholar of the Great Feng, the author of the masterpiece 'The Hard Road'... I don't believe there's no trickery involved."

"Nonsense, is there only one Xu Qian'an in the world who can write poetry? Can't we scholars have a flash of inspiration and a lucky hand?"

"Enough, arguing about this is meaningless. Xu Huanyuan is doomed this time, whether there was cheating or not, his future is ruined. I remember in the twelfth year of Emperor Yuan, there was a cheating case involving three students, the case lasted for two years, and in the end they were released, but their reputation was ruined and their studies were abandoned."

"In the twentieth year of Emperor Yuan, a similar case occurred, but that time the evidence was conclusive, the students involved and the chief examiner were all executed by the Emperor."

"If this case is confirmed, with Xu Xinnian's identity as a student of Yunlu Academy... sigh, thinking left and right, there's no possibility of a turnaround. Do you think Wei Gong won't take action?"

"It's very likely, Xu Qian'an is Wei Gong's confidant, he will definitely ask Wei Gong to take action."

"What if Wei Gong stands by and does nothing?"

"If Wei Gong doesn't take action, who else can save Xu Huanyuan? Are we counting on Xu Qian'an, that warrior? Solving cases, killing enemies, he may be a good hand. But the intricacies of the officialdom are not something that a mere warrior can understand."

Staying at the home of an old friend, Chu Yuanzhen, who had returned from the yamen at lunchtime, also learned of this matter from his friend.

Number three was involved in the cheating case of the imperial examination... Although number three was extremely clever, the struggle between Yunlu Academy and the Imperial College was an irreversible trend, and cleverness could not make up for it... The best outcome was to be stripped of officialdom, and number three could not serve as an official, which was a loss for the court...

"I heard that this matter was brought to light by the newly appointed Right Censor, but I guess, um, various parties are either watching from the sidelines or secretly helping, and Xu Xinnian is in danger," his friend said.

Chu Yuanzhen sighed and said in a deep voice, "I'm tired of the party struggle, that's why I left the court. Throughout history, party struggles have harmed the national strength, and the emperor's cultivation has harmed the fortune of the country."

His friend's face changed dramatically: "Yuanzhen, be careful what you say."

"What are you afraid of, I am just a commoner, carefree." Chu Yuanzhen chuckled, then sighed, "I've been thinking for a long time, but I can't find a solution. Unless Wei Yuan takes action, with the potential of Xu Ning'an, Wei Yuan should make a decision.

"However, this may be exactly what those people want to see. Ah, still unable to find a solution."

............

The Imperial Palace.

In the Dexin Garden, Huai Qing, dressed in a plain palace dress, sat behind the desk and nodded to the chief guard in the room: "I know, you can leave."

After the chief guard left, Huai Qing got up, walked to the window, frowned and meditated: "If it were me, how would I solve this?"

After thinking for a long time, she shook her head and sighed.

Then, she suddenly thought again, if it were Xu Ning'an, what would he do?

............

In a restaurant in the inner city, Sun Yaoyue booked a private room and invited his friends from the Imperial College to drink, mainly to share a major event that was about to shake the Confucian community in the capital.

"Xu Xinnian, the top scholar of the Spring Examination, was arrested by my father's men this morning, reportedly for cheating and bribing the examiners."

"Is the news true?" The students of the Imperial College were shocked."It's true. I personally went to the yamen to confirm, and my father told me. Although I was driven out of the yamen by him, Minister Zhu has already revealed to me that Xu Xinnian is in prison, waiting for interrogation," Sun Yaoyue said triumphantly, scanning his friends.

Sun Yaoyue was the only legitimate son of Minister Sun, with a good academic record, better than most of the idle sons, but he had a problem - he loved gossip.

Sun Yaoyue was both jealous and angry about Xu Xinnian, a student of Yunlu Academy, who achieved the top spot in the imperial examination. Now that he was imprisoned for cheating in the imperial examination, Sun Yaoyue couldn't be happier.

"That Xu Qi'an is not acting like a human being. He relies on the protection of the eunuch Wei, strutting around in the capital, writing poems to insult my father. He deserves to be punished severely," Sun Yaoyue slapped the table and laughed heartily. "If we can't punish him, then we'll punish his cousin. Haha, let's drink!"

The students of the Imperial Academy were both surprised and relieved to hear this news. Of course, the top spot in the spring imperial examination was taken by a student from Yunlu Academy, and they, as students of the Imperial Academy, felt that their dignity was being challenged.

It must have been cheating, definitely cheating, and they wouldn't accept any other explanation.

"Brother Sun, it's better to share joy than to enjoy it alone. We should spread this news far and wide," one of the students said.

"Good point, let's do that. We'll meet at the Official Brothel Sector tonight."

After a satisfying meal and drinks, Sun Yaoyue left the restaurant in a drunken stupor and got into the carriage waiting outside. With the help of his attendants, he climbed into the carriage.

Intending to take a short nap, he saw a slender orange cat sitting on a tiger-skin cushion, with amber eyes gazing at him.

Without making a sound, the carriage continued on its way. Suddenly, the window opened and the orange cat leaped out, its tail raised high as it disappeared into the bustling crowd.

............

Ministry of Justice.

Minister Sun summoned the officials and asked, "Has Xu Xinnian confessed in prison?"

The official took the order and left. A few minutes later, he returned and reported, "Minister, Xu Xinnian is very stubborn. No matter how much we beat him, he refuses to confess."

"That's because we haven't beaten him enough," Minister Sun snorted and said, "The Ministry of Justice has plenty of torture methods. Let him experience them all. Even stones will bloom. Hmm, just leave him with a breath of life."

"Yes, sir."

As the official left, another person rushed in anxiously, dressed as a wealthy man with gray hair, stumbling as he crossed the threshold.

"What are you doing at the yamen?" Minister Sun frowned and asked.

This person was the steward of the Sun family, an old servant who had been with Minister Sun for decades.

"Master, something terrible has happened..." the old steward said with a mournful face, trembling. "Young master, he's gone."

"What do you mean, the young master is gone?"

Minister Sun's face changed slightly as he walked over and stared at the old steward, repeating in a deep voice, "What do you mean, the young master is gone?"

"The servants who accompanied the young master reported back not long ago. Today, the young master invited his classmates to a banquet at the restaurant, had some drinks, got into the carriage... and then he disappeared. It wasn't until the carriage returned to the mansion that they realized there was no one inside."

The old steward scratched his head, anxious and confused, and said cautiously, "The guests at the mansion said... it's because the master has recently offended someone?"

In the official circles of The Great Feng, there was an unwritten rule that political struggles should not affect family members. It wasn't because of high moral standards, but if you start at one, others can go to fifteen.

This unwritten rule was highly authoritative, and even the court acknowledged it. It wasn't explicitly stated because it couldn't be made public.

But in The Great Feng, there was a system that required any official who entered the capital to bring their parents or spouse and children with them.

What was the purpose of this system?

A system that paved the way for an unwritten rule showed how authoritative this unwritten rule was.

Offending someone... Minister Sun muttered to himself, and naturally, the figure of Xu Qi'an, that despicable person, appeared in his mind.

"Foolish!"

Minister Sun shouted, his hair standing on end, unable to contain his anger, roaring, "Thinking that kidnapping my son would make me submit? You little brat, you're digging your own grave. If anything happens to my son, there will be no place for you in the entire capital. No, your whole family will die."

After the outburst, he swept all the documents off the table, smashing the teacup to pieces with a loud "bang," and scattering the writing materials all over the floor.

The old steward remained silent, not daring to breathe. Minister Sun had been an official for many years and had long developed the ability to remain calm in the face of favor or disgrace.

This kind of furious behavior had occurred twice before, once because of a highly humiliating poem, and both times were because of this little brat named Xu Qi'an.

Suddenly, Minister Sun lifted the hem of his official robe and, with a body that didn't match his age, ran out of the room.

"Master, whatever you command, just let the old servant do it..."

The old steward followed, speaking loudly.

Minister Sun ignored him and roared, "Guards, guards, go to the prison immediately. No torture, no torture..."

The sky above the Ministry of Justice echoed with Minister Sun's "no torture" (broken voice).

.............

A quarter of an hour later, Minister Sun, who had calmed down somewhat, returned to the hall, took the hot tea offered by the old steward, and took a big sip.

"You little brat, daring to threaten me, ignorant, foolish!"After cursing, Minister Sun changed the subject and ordered the steward, "You go to the Nightwatcher's office immediately and let that damn thief come to see me."

Although the other party broke the rules, Minister Sun couldn't be tough now. It would be best to talk first, ensure the safety of his legitimate son, and then settle the score with the thief named Xu.

The steward nodded and was about to leave when a guard stepped over the threshold and said respectfully, "Lord Sun, Xu Qi'an is here again."

Perfect timing!

Minister Sun's eyes lit up, and he straightened his back instantly. "Let him in."

In no time, the guard brought Xu Qi'an, who was wearing a silver gongfu uniform, into the room. The thief named Xu had a smiling expression, strolling casually, unlike in the morning when he appeared with a stern face and suppressed anger.

At this moment, Minister Sun's expression was just like Xu Qi'an's earlier.

"Where is my son, Sun Yaoyue? Xu Qi'an, release him immediately, and I will pretend this never happened." Minister Sun didn't even look at Xu Qi'an.

"What do you mean? I don't understand," Xu Qi'an said innocently. Then, his face suddenly changed, "Alright, Minister Sun not only falsely accused my cousin of cheating in the imperial examination, but also tried to frame me. I can't believe there is such a despicable person in this world."

"You..." Minister Sun finally shifted his gaze and stared at Xu Qi'an, not saying a word, and dismissed the officials in the room. Then, he said slowly, "I see you're young and don't understand the rules. I'm willing to give you a chance. If you want to stay in the official circles of the capital, release the person obediently."

Xu Qi'an shook his head. "Minister Sun, you must have misunderstood. I don't know what you're talking about."

After a pause, he suddenly realized and said with concern, "From what Minister Sun said, no wonder your son got into trouble? Kidnapped by thieves? Tell me, I am the most righteous person and the best at solving cases. As long as Minister Sun speaks, I guarantee that I can find him for you within a day."

Pretending to be clueless... Minister Sun's anger rose, and he said fiercely, "Xu Qi'an, don't forget that you also have family."

Xu Qi'an sighed and looked sorrowful. "Lord Sun, it seems you don't understand me. My parents died when I was young, and my second uncle raised me. But my aunt mistreated and humiliated me. When I was fifteen, she kicked me out and made me live in a dog's den. Unfortunately, I don't have a father with a hundred thousand troops to support me and a father who can twist the truth..."

"Xu Qi'an!" Minister Sun interrupted, staring at him for a long time and said in a low voice, "What do you want? The case of cheating in the imperial examination is to be investigated by the emperor, the Ministry of Justice, and the local yamen. The civil and military officials are all watching. If you want to use my son as leverage, I can only break the net with you. Don't be naive!"

In this day and age, whoever is more ruthless can take advantage... Naturally, the importance of a cousin is not as great as that of a son. I can be "ruthless," but he can't... Xu Qi'an narrowed his eyes, walked up to Minister Sun, and whispered, "I have only one request. While Xu Xinnian is in prison, no torture is allowed. Don't think about forcing a confession from him. If he loses a finger, I will cut off a finger from your son. If he has any wounds, I will leave the same number of wounds on your son."

"Xu Qi'an..." Minister Sun was about to reprimand, but Xu Qi'an suddenly turned dark, his face fierce, and said sharply, "Call me Lord Viscount."

...Minister Sun softened and said in a deep voice, "Lord Viscount, why should I trust you?"

Xu Qi'an walked slowly to the table, picked up a pastry, and said lightly, "Do you have a choice, Minister Sun? Whether you believe it or not, you have to do as I say. Unless you don't want your son. I didn't ask you to help Xu Xinnian clear his name, I just want you not to do anything unnecessary. It's not difficult."

He walked up to Minister Sun, wiped his hands on the crimson robe, and said in a deep voice, "As you said, I also have family."

This step was taught to him by Wei Yuan, but the method and plan were his own ideas. Wei Yuan didn't come up with them.

Doing nothing and hoping that the opponent would be merciful could only be a fool's dream. The mockery and cold treatment he encountered at the Ministry of Justice this morning were proof of that.

To defeat the enemy, you have to seize their weaknesses.

And most weaknesses are their close relatives. However, harming family members is a big taboo, and Xu Qi'an had to consider and control the extent of it himself.

So, he didn't naively think that he could save Xu Xinnian just with Sun Yaoyue. By only using Sun Yaoyue as a bargaining chip with Minister Sun, the difficulty would be greatly reduced, and the nature of the situation would be lighter.

As for Minister Sun's refusal to use torture on Xu Xinnian, Xu Qi'an would make sure of it. He would even make Minister Sun pay for his actions.

So far, everything was within his expectations, thanks to his good grasp of the situation.

Minister Sun sighed, "I'll trust you this time. I won't use torture on Xu Xinnian, and I hope my son returns home safely and unharmed. Otherwise, you will bear the consequences."

"Of course," Xu Qi'an snorted.

"But I don't trust you either. I want to see Xu Xinnian. Arrange it for me."

With that, he walked to the door with an indifferent stride, then suddenly turned back and smiled, "By the way, Lord Viscount... that's a good title."

Minister Sun's face darkened, and his beard trembled with anger."Whoosh..."

The sound of sliding chains filled the air as the jailer unlocked the door leading to the dungeon, and a damp, decaying stench assaulted the senses.

Guided by the jailer, Xu Qi'an walked through the dimly lit corridor to the cell where Xu Xinnian was held.

Xu Xinnian was resting with his eyes closed, leaning against the wall. He was dressed in prison garb, his complexion pale, and his body was covered in bloodstains.

Seeing his younger cousin in such a pitiful state, Xu Qi'an's expression darkened suddenly. He had arrived a step too late; Xinnian had suffered in jail.

He had underestimated the eagerness of Minister Sun to take revenge on him.

Xu Qi'an called out softly, "Xinnian, Xinnian..."

Xu Xinnian started, doubting his own ears, then opened his eyes in astonishment.

...

PS: Yesterday's owed update is made up today. Yes, it's in word count, not in the number of chapters, as a longer chapter would greatly enhance your reading experience.

My usual chapter length is between 4,000 and 5,000 words. So, today's word count is between 12,000 and 15,000.