Phi-Fic Chapter 189 Prefect Lü: The latter is more likely.
Chapter 189 Prefect Lü: The latter is more likely.
"My surname is Shen, and I am the second daughter of Minister Shen of the Ministry of War!" Seeing that she had no other choice, Shen Miao'er introduced herself.
"Who dares to touch me!" Shen Miao'er glared at the two pimps who had come with her, her eyes bloodshot.
The two pimps scoffed: "If Minister Shen knew you'd ended up in a brothel, who would still recognize you?"
"Yes, he won't acknowledge me! But he won't let the person who killed his daughter get away with it!" Shen Miao'er said through gritted teeth.
At this moment, Shen Miao'er's mind was clear. She turned to look at Xia's father and the others and said, "If you save me, it will be like having another avenue. Didn't Second Young Master Xia pass the imperial examination and become a scholar? He's going to be an official in the future. With my father's help, Second Young Master Xia can smoothly enter the officialdom, right?!"
Shen Miao'er used benefits to lure the Xia family.
For a moment, Xia's mother was tempted, but then she looked at Xia's father.
She wasn't sure about this kind of thing, so she had to listen to Xia's father, eldest brother, and second brother.
Xia Erge shook his head at his parents and said, "Father and Mother, I want to rely on myself and be upright."
In fact, Xia Sange had already followed King Jiang, and his family couldn't possibly be like a weather vane, wanting to offend neither side and hoping to please both.
Xia's mother looked anxiously at Xia's father.
Xia's father said, "Listen to your two sons. In the end, we don't have as much knowledge as they do."
Xia's mother sighed, feeling that the opportunity was rare and it would be a pity to miss it.
Looking at the Xia family members who remained unmoved by the temptation, Shen Miao'er felt as if something had exploded in her mind, and she screamed while clutching her head.
“I am the second daughter of Vice Minister Shen of the Ministry of War, you cannot treat me like this! If I die, none of you will be spared, including you, Prefect Lü! If my father knew that you turned a blind eye to my plight, he would not let you off the hook!” Shen Miao’er glared at everyone in the courtroom.
Xia Mo took Xia's mother's hand and gestured for her to come closer.
Summer's mother cooperated.
In fact, Xia Mo had already used her divine sense to block out the sound, so only she and her daughter could hear it.
She whispered, "Mother, have you forgotten that Third Brother followed the King of Jiang?"
Xia's mother was stunned for a moment, then understood and nodded hurriedly. She whispered to Xia Mo, "It's good that Nannan reminded me, otherwise, I would have made a mistake."
Xia Mo said coquettishly, "Mother just can't remember right now. She'll remember in a bit."
Xia's mother smiled contentedly.
"Do you know that without anyone's help, no matter how talented you are, you can only pass the imperial examination at best! But after passing the imperial examination, you have to wait for your official appointment—one year, five years, ten years, twenty years, or even a lifetime of waiting! Aren't you afraid?" Shen Miao'er refused to believe it and stared intently at Xia Erge, saying loudly, "Now, if you help me, your future career will be smooth sailing! Aren't you tempted?"
"I'm tempted, but I won't," Brother Xia shook his head firmly, looked at Prefect Lü, and said, "Our family will not take action. We are not afraid of any retaliation!"
Miao'er gritted her teeth and stared intently at Xia Erge, her gums bleeding from the effort.
She was angry, she resentful, she hated!
But right now, she has no choice.
"Second Brother, does the book say that those who only think about scheming against others will eventually be schemed against by others?" Xia Mo asked, feigning ignorance.
Brother Xia said, "Yes."
Xia Mo smiled and looked at Shen Miao'er with her clear eyes.
Shen Miao'er had a strange feeling that all her thoughts had been seen through, and she turned to glare at Lu'er.
Lu'er lay on the ground, terrified of death. But as she listened to Shen Miao'er's helpless roar, she suddenly calmed down. She thought of the Xia family, who could use the Flying Eagle to deliver messages, and the means to easily investigate their identities. The Xia family was not simple; they might have a powerful force that was no less than that of Minister Shen, or even higher in rank.
Lu'er thought that even if she died, Shen Miao'er would not have an easy time. She lay on the ground and laughed loudly, as if she was crying.
“Did you hear that? Take this message to the brothel and tell your mother. She knows what to do,” Prefect Lü’s eyes flickered. He looked at the Xia family members and realized they were not as simple as they seemed. They remained calm even after hearing about the high-ranking official position of Vice Minister of War.
Prefect Lü guessed that there were two possibilities for the Xia family: one was that they had an official backer with a higher rank than the Vice Minister of War; the other was that the Xia family members were country folk and completely unaware of the situation.
He felt that the latter was more likely.
Prefect Lü had made up his mind. He would shift all the blame onto the Xia family. Even if he were to face retaliation in the end, he wouldn't be the primary target of it.
"You...you..."
Shen Miao'er looked at the two pimps.
The two pimps exchanged glances; they couldn't make the decision on such a big matter.
The pimp said, "When we return to the brothel, we will definitely bring the news to Mother truthfully and ask her to make a decision."
“Hmm,” Prefect Lü said, looking at the Xia family.
“You’re quite good. Your whole family will be attending the banquet in a couple of days,” said Prefect Lü.
"Yes," Xia Erge said, bowing to Prefect Lü.
Now that Brother Xia is a scholar, he no longer needs to kneel before officials. As for Xia's father and his family, they also benefit from Brother Xia's status. According to the regulations of this dynasty, the direct relatives of scholars also do not need to kneel before officials, but basic etiquette must still be observed.
Xia's father and his companions clasped their hands in greeting to Prefect Lü and left the courtroom.
Shen Miao'er felt as if all her strength had been drained from her body, and she collapsed to the ground.
"Lu'er, I trusted you so much. I didn't bring anyone else on this trip, but you... Why did you betray my trust... Lu'er?!"
As Shen Miao'er finished speaking, she began to roar, her voice hoarse and strained.
Lu'er knelt on the ground, trembling, and did not reply to Shen Miao'er.
Shen Miao'er was escorted back to the brothel by two pimps, while Lu'er was guarded by the prefectural government and imprisoned in jail.
When Shen Miao'er's matter is brought back to the capital, it will be a huge joke.
Speaking of which, what's going on with Vice Minister Shen of the Ministry of War? How could he let his second daughter run away, and so far away at that? Ning'an Prefecture is almost a month's journey from the capital, isn't it?
Prefect Lü realized that the matter of the second daughter of Vice Minister Shen of the Ministry of War leaving the capital was not as simple as it seemed on the surface!
He even suspected that Shen Miao'er was deliberately getting close to the Xia family, but... was that possible? Could it be that the Xia family had truly allied themselves with a very powerful figure behind them?!
Prefect Lü found his guess somewhat amusing, so he chuckled.
The Xia family's whereabouts and registered residence are clearly identified. How could a bunch of country bumpkins possibly have any powerful backers? Most likely, they are unaware of the dangers involved.
Perfect. If Shen Miao'er is indeed the second daughter of Vice Minister Shen of the Ministry of War, he can shift all the blame to the Xia family and absolve himself of responsibility.