My Promotion Story Through Time Travel

Chapter 190 The Prison

It took about ten minutes to walk from the small courtyard to the county government office. Along the way, Lin Ziping tried to start a conversation with the two men on several topics, but all to no avail.

The two of them just kept walking without saying a word.

Snowflakes were falling from the sky, making it look gray and gloomy.

Upon arriving at the county government office, lanterns were lit inside and out, illuminating the area brightly.

"Let's go, hurry inside." From leaving Lin Ziping's courtyard to the county government office, the two finally exchanged a single sentence.

Lin Ziping felt inexplicably nervous.

He swallowed hard and walked heavily into the county government office.

The bronze mirror at the entrance is nowhere to be found. I've been in Fuchun for more than half a year now, and I feel as familiar with this county government office as if it were my own home.

The overall layout hasn't changed much, but for some reason, walking around today feels somewhat unfamiliar.

"This way."

Two officers took Lin Ziping directly to the main hall of the county government.

Lin Ziping stepped across the threshold and silently surveyed the people in the main hall.

Sitting directly above was an old man with gray hair, wearing a green official robe.

Gao Chi sat on the right, next to an unfamiliar man, while Ji Xun sat on the left.

Soldiers in armor stood on both sides.

"Who is below?" The old man above slammed his gavel.

Lin Ziping pursed his lips, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "This humble servant is Lin Ziping, on duty at the Fuchun County Government Office."

The old man looked at the man wearing a turban next to him.

The man flipped through a book in front of him and nodded.

"Where were you the day before yesterday?" a voice came from above.

Lin Ziping maintained his clasped-fist salute, thought for a moment, and then recounted his whereabouts over the past two days.

Lin Ziping's voice echoed in the main hall of the county government office.

Lin Ziping recounted everything in detail as he recalled it, speaking haltingly but fortunately without interruption. In about twenty minutes, he had clearly reported his whereabouts from the day before yesterday to the present.

"Did you notice anything unusual when you went to the county government office the night before last?" the old man's voice came.

Lin Ziping straightened up and looked at the old man: "Sir, after the city was besieged the day before yesterday, Magistrate Wei arranged for those of us who were not on duty to go back and rest. Not long after we got home, we heard a commotion in the city and saw faint lights in the direction of the county government office."

"I was worried, so I came to the county government office to take a look, but the county government office was pitch black, the gate was wide open, and the guards were nowhere to be found."

The old man said, "According to you, you don't know what happened?"

“Yes,” Lin Ziping continued, “and when I arrived at the county government’s storeroom, it was completely empty. Two people came to the county government office during that time, and I hid because I was worried that I would be outnumbered.”

"Why are you hiding? Shouldn't you be arresting them according to your duties as a constable?" the old man asked, frowning.

Lin Ziping explained, "I didn't know if they had any other accomplices, or what they were doing at the county government office. To avoid alerting them, I didn't show myself."

"When you arrived at the storeroom, it was completely empty?" the old man continued to ask.

Lin Ziping nodded.

Suddenly, I remembered the box that the two bandits had mentioned.

"However, those two petty thieves must have been repeat offenders. They said they saw several boxes being transported out of the county government office," Lin Ziping recalled.

"A box? What box?" the man next to Gao Chi asked. "What box are they talking about?"

Lin Ziping shook his head: "They only mentioned the box, but didn't go into details."

The old man said, "Your Highness, please don't worry. I will investigate thoroughly."

Another prince?

Lin Ziping looked up and sized up the young man.

The Fourth Prince is Gao Chi's older brother; the two don't look alike at all.

"Lin Ziping, do you have anything to add?" The old man slammed the gavel again.

"Sir, Hu Laosi and the others are still at Wang Kesheng's house. Please arrange for someone to bring them back," Lin Ziping said, clasping his hands in a fist salute.

The old man gave a wink to the soldiers beside him, and two of them immediately left.

"I will make the arrangements," the old man said. "The money from mining has been lost, and Lin Ziping, you are still a suspect. I will detain you temporarily. Do you have any objections?"

This……

Can Lin Ziping say yes?

He clasped his hands in a fist and said, "It is the county government's responsibility to handle this matter."

The old man waved his hand, and the two soldiers who had brought Lin Ziping stepped forward and took him away.

Lin Ziping looked at Ji Xun.

He nodded slightly.

Turn your attention to Gao Chi.

Gao Chi didn't even glance at Lin Ziping, and whispered something in the Fourth Prince's ear.

Well, it's perfectly understandable for brothers, one a sixth prince and the other a fourth prince, to catch up.

Lin Ziping followed the two soldiers to the prison cell.

This is my first time in prison in both my past lives, it's quite a novel experience. I wonder if I can get a single cell.

"Go in," the two soldiers said sparingly.

Lin Ziping did not struggle, but bowed to the two men and entered the cell on his own.

Perhaps because Lin Ziping took the initiative, the two did not make things difficult for him, locked the cell door and left.

As the saying goes, Lin Ziping is currently the only person in this cell.

The interior was simply furnished with a table, a chair, a bed, and a small window.

There was also a bucket in the corner.

Before Lin Ziping even got close, a foul odor wafted over him.

It's a chamber pot!!

No wonder it smells so bad.

The thought of having to resolve my life's problems here for who knows how many days to come is making me realize that I'll be doing this for a long time to come.

Lin Ziping frowned involuntarily.

He was still wearing the uniform of a county yamen runner. The sword at his waist had been taken away when he entered the main hall. Fortunately, he was not searched, and the dagger on his leg was not taken away.

It seemed he wouldn't be able to leave anytime soon, so Lin Ziping decided to make the best of it and sat down on a chair.

"Lin Ziping—Lin Ziping—"

Old Huang's voice came from outside the cell.

Old Huang came to see me?

Lin Ziping walked to the prison gate and replied, "Uncle Huang, have someone bring some charcoal; it's too cold in here."

"Lin Ziping, you're dreaming! We're not locked up yet. I'm with Lao Huang, who are you with?" That was Shi Yong's voice.

They've all been locked up?

Lin Ziping was taken aback, but still replied, "I'm all alone here, how did you get in?"

“Not only us, but also the people from the county government have been brought in. Magistrate Wei and Assistant Magistrate Feng have been locked up at home and are not allowed to go anywhere,” Shi Yong said.

"Are they all in? Everyone from the county government office?" Lin Ziping asked. "Who came in?"

"I--"

"I--"

"And me—"

……

As Lin Ziping's voice fell, familiar replies rose and fell.

Goodness, even if this isn't all of it, it's at least three-quarters.

The entire government office in Fuchun County was wiped out; everyone is now in jail.

"Uncle Huang, Brother Shi, do you all know why we were locked up here?" Lin Ziping continued to ask.

"I heard the silver from the mining operation went missing, and we're all suspects," Shi Yong said.

Lin Ziping said, "What mining silver? I don't even know when it entered the county government office. What does its loss have to do with me?"

"Yes, they arrested us without us knowing anything."

"correct."

……

Lin Ziping's words were inflammatory, and within a few words, his colleagues in the prison cell were buzzing with discussion.

After listening to them, they basically just repeated Lin Ziping's views, which were of little reference value.