202 Trial
Jiang Ying couldn’t help but curse inwardly. Meng Hang was really an old fox!
He couldn’t afford to raise private soldiers, so he privately found so many capable people.
Jiang Ying was even more curious about where Meng Hang had found them.
However, he would consider these things later.
“I can promise you on their behalf, but I can’t guarantee that everyone will be willing to follow you,” Meng Qin said.
Jiang Ying sneered. “You should know that the Imperial Court prohibits the raising of private soldiers. Whether it’s the people or the private soldiers raised, they have to be punished. If you don’t follow me, I can only punish you according to the law. If it’s light, you’ll be beheaded. If it’s heavy, your entire family will be implicated!”
Meng Qin gasped. He knew the consequences of raising private soldiers, but he always thought that Jiang Ying needed them very much to recruit them.
Therefore, when discussing the conditions, he attached this sentence.
He knew very well that the people Meng Hang had personally summoned were unwilling to leave with Jiang Ying.
What to do…
People had feelings after interacting with each other for a long time. He did not want anything to happen to those people.
“Meng Hang’s crime has harmed his entire family. If you’re unwilling, I can only hand you over to the government,” Jiang Ying said again.
The threat ate away at Meng Qin’s rationality step by step.
If Jiang Ying had threatened him from the beginning, he might not have listened. But when these words were said bit by bit, giving him time to think, he would panic.
It had to be said that Jiang Ying knew people too well.
“I’ll definitely do my best to persuade those people, but I can’t guarantee that they’ll listen,” Meng Qin said.
A few people in the army were Meng Hang’s followers. Those people only listened to Meng Hang. He might not be able to dissuade them successfully.
“It’s good that you can do your best. I’ll give you three days and wait for your good news.” As Jiang Ying spoke, he gestured to Ah Da.
“Okay,” Meng Qin said.
With that, Jiang Ying left with Ning Yue.
On the way back to the inn, Ning Yue asked Jiang Ying in confusion, “Why did you leave so easily? Aren’t you afraid that they’ll run away?”
“Of course I’m afraid, so I kept a backup plan,” Jiang Ying said.
“What backup plan?” Ning Yue frowned and recalled. Could it be that Jiang Ying’s last gesture was his backup plan?
“Before I came, I had already called the nearby garrison over. I just asked Ah Da to inform them to guard five kilometers away in an hour,” Jiang Ying explained to Ning Yue.
So that was it! Ning Yue nodded. Jiang Ying had really put in a lot of effort to recruit these 100,000 private soldiers.
“By the way, why did you give them three days? I think we can do it tomorrow.” This was the strangest thing Ning Yue realized.
Did Jiang Ying say that he would come in three days to give them time to escape?
“This is respect for Meng Qin. In addition, I still have to deal with Meng Hang’s matter. Three days is just right. Alright, let’s not talk about this anymore. We have to hurry back to the inn.”
He had many things to deal with. He had to explain Meng Hang’s matter to the people within three days.
After returning to the inn and settling Ning Yue down, Jiang Ying rushed to the government office without stopping to use it to hear Meng Hang’s case.
He listed out Meng Hang’s criminal evidence and planned to interrogate him at dawn the next day.
By the time he was done with his preparations, it was already dawn. The crown prince’s urgent message had arrived. The letter said that Jiang Ying was allowed to handle it fully.
After reading the crown prince’s letter, Ning Yue also came to the government office.
Her heart ached when she saw the dark circles under Jiang Ying’s eyes.
“Have some water.” Ning Yue took out a bamboo tube filled with water.
The bamboo tube was filled with ancient well water. Jiang Ying could drink it to eliminate fatigue.
She did not know if Meng Hang’s case could be completed in a day. If not, Jiang Ying might have to stay up late.
Jiang Ying didn’t ask anything. He took the bamboo tube from Ning Yue and took a big sip.
A refreshing feeling rushed to his head. Jiang Ying’s fatigue was completely dispelled. “Yueyue, thank you.”
“Do we still need to thank each other?” Ning Yue said with a smile.
“I’ll go and interrogate Meng Hang later. Wait for me in the inner hall,” Jiang Ying said.
Ning Yue was neither the main investigator nor an official of this case. She was not suitable to appear in court.
The inner hall was only a wall away from the court. She could hear the proceedings from inside.
“Alright, don’t be too anxious. The crimes he committed won’t be cleared in a day or two,” Ning Yue said.
Jiang Ying nodded. He packed what he needed and went to court.
