Chapter 73 Ye Hanting grabbed her wrist heavily
The people in front of the Dali Temple all rushed forward and ran towards Chu Li and Liu Chuang.
Chu Li subconsciously protected her belly, but the people stopped in front of her and knelt down one after another.
"Your Highness, please be very observant and redress the injustice for the knight!"
"Your Highness, I kneel down before you. Thank you so much for saving this good man!"
"It's been ten years. The knight is finally released from prison. It's been ten years! Thank you, Your Highness!"
Chu Li raised his hand, "Everyone, stand up, stop kneeling."
The people kept kowtowed to Chu Li. Among them were old men with tears streaming down their faces, women and children, beggars... They had all been helped by Liu Chuang.
The old man who led the group kowtowed to Chu Li, and then to Liu Chuang, "My child, if it weren't for you, I would have starved to death long ago, and I wouldn't have survived for another ten years!"
Liu Chuang quickly helped the man up.
Chu Li said in a loud voice: "Everyone, get up! Liu Chuang is a chivalrous man, and the clear sky can bear witness to this. God will not let down good people!"
The common people were about to stand up with tears streaming down their faces, but when they saw Zhang Zhilong coming out of the Dali Temple, they knelt down again, "Master Zhang, the great judge!"
Zhang Zhilong went to help the man up. "Please stand up quickly and don't kneel to me. If it weren't for the Crown Prince's meticulousness and finding out the truth, I would be powerless to do anything!"
Lu Dongchen, who came out with Zhang Zhilong, saw from afar the people kneeling before Chu Li, Liu Chuang and Zhang Zhilong.
Lu Dongchen, dressed in plain clothes, lowered his head. He once did practical things for the people, and the people also looked at him with the same admiration at that time.
Unfortunately, all is gone.
He did not dare to look up at the people's eyes, so he followed the yamen runners and left quietly.
He was walking with a lonely look on his face, when suddenly, he heard Chu Li's voice.
"Lord Lu, don't forget that you were once a good official. Be a good official in Lingnan for the rest of your life!"
Lu Dongchen had shackles on his hands, his eyes felt sore, his throat tightened, and he looked back at Chu Li and the people who were looking at him.
Among the crowd, there were some people he had helped before, and they also came to see him off.
The people had complicated looks in their eyes and waved goodbye to him.
Lu Dongchen bowed to Chu Li, Liu Chuang and the common people, then he turned his head away abruptly, tears already streaming down his face, and walked out of the city step by step with a heavy heart.
He just found out that Chu Li had found Ye Hanting, the Grand Tutor had interceded for him, and the Crown Prince had guaranteed him, allowing him to be a county magistrate in Lingnan.
He assisted the tyrant and harmed a good man for ten years, but Liu Chuang forgave him.
He brought it upon himself, and his death is not a pity, so why are people still willing to help him?
If he fails to do well again, he will not be worthy of being a human being in this life, and will not deserve to be buried after his death!
Zhang Zhilong sighed as he looked at Lu Dongchen's back.
"Lord Lu and I both come from poor families. His success as the top scholar in the imperial examination inspired me a lot. I worked very hard to get the third place. The life in Lingnan is difficult. If Lord Lu can benefit the people there, it can be regarded as his compensation for Liu Chuang's ten-year injustice."
"It's a waste to let a former top scholar wear shackles and open up wasteland and farm. " Chu Li said as he looked at Lu Dongchen's back. At this moment, in the sunlight, there was a slight golden glow on his head.
Lingnan is a remote area, and many places have not yet been developed. Lu Dongchen will definitely achieve great things on this trip.
Liu Chuang looked at the crowd of onlookers and found that none of his former brothers came to greet him when he was released from prison.
He felt a little lost. Chu Li pointed to a tall building not far away and said, "Look, who are those people?"
Liu Chuang narrowed his eyes and saw his brothers from that time, strong men standing on the tall buildings and crying like fools.
He laughed heartily, "Thank you! Thank you, Your Highness!"
Chu Li smiled and whispered, "Lu Dongchen thought you were a bandit before. After all, you robbed the rich and gave to the poor, and you even killed people. He thought it was worthwhile to lock you up for ten years. Later, he slowly discovered that you were a real man. He owed you a lot over the years, so every time the imperial court cracked down on bandits, he would secretly inform your brothers on the mountain."
"Ah? There is such a thing! Lu Dongchen is really interesting!" Liu Chuang smiled and shook his head.
Seeing that his heart had already flown to his brother, Chu Li smiled brightly and said, "Liu Chuang, I'm not feeling well recently, so I can't drink with you. I'll drink with you when I have the chance in the future!"
Liu Chuang clasped his fists towards Chu Li, his eyes welling up, "Your Highness, life is long, I always feel that God will not treat me unfairly, so I have been waiting, and finally you are here!"
His throat churned, "I, Liu Chuang, am of humble status, known as a notorious thief. If the prince is willing to make friends with me, if you encounter problems in the martial arts world in the future, I have a nickname that few people know. Just tell me my nickname, and someone will definitely help you!"
As he spoke, he stuffed a piece of paper into Chu Li's hand. Chu Li opened it and saw three words written crookedly on it: Liu Yishou.
She was almost moved by Liu Chuang's words, but after seeing this name, she had a hard time holding back her laughter.
Liu Chuang scratched his head awkwardly, "Your Highness, please don't tell anyone else. Only some of my brothers who have been through thick and thin with me know this nickname."
Chu Li tore the note into pieces and nodded seriously, "Don't worry."
Liu Chuang waved goodbye to Chu Li and Zhang Zhilong.
The people also dispersed.
Chu Li looked back and saw Ye Hanting had been watching her quietly in the Dali Temple.
Soon, Wu Cheng, who was blind in one eye, and Mei Renpin and Mei Piyan, who were half dead, were paraded through the streets.
When the three passed by her, they knelt down and begged for mercy.
Chu Li didn't even look at them and walked straight towards Ye Hanting.
Ye Hanting stood up slowly. Although Chu Li is a woman, she is very good at winning people's hearts.
Through this case, Liu Chuang has become her network in the underworld.
And if Lu Dongchen can work diligently and make a career, he will also be a help to Chu Li after she ascends the throne.
He looked at Chu Li with admiration in his eyes, but when Chu Li came closer, he immediately withdrew his gaze and looked aloof again.
"Sir!" Chu Li gave Ye Hanting a fawning smile.
Ye Hanting played with the folding fan in his hand and said jokingly, "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince loves to use me, but I don't see any benefit from it!"
Chu Li looked around and saw that there was no one around. She quietly approached Ye Hanting and said, "Sir, let's go have some tea together and discuss how to repay you."
Ye Hanting sneered, "Tea?"
Chu Li wants him to sell tea, right? And he wants to continue using him?
Chu Li promised solemnly, "I sincerely invite you to have tea, or dinner, or to go to the Jiaofangsi to watch the girls dance!"
When Ye Hanting heard the word "Jiaofangsi", his eyes instantly turned cold. Chu Li was confused. Did she say something wrong?
Ye Hanting suddenly stood up, walked to her side, and grabbed her wrist tightly through her clothes.