Regardless of the reason, bribery was bribery. The evidence was also convicting and conclusive, leaving no room for sophistry. In that moment, Shen Ruiting couldn't derive any good ideas on how to save them either. He had no choice but to have them remain in prison temporarily and allow him to return to the manor to think of a method. However, his words were met with strong opposition from the brothers Shen Ruiqing and Shen Shen Ruijiang as well as Shen Xiao and Shen Yang. The two brothers, out of distress, and the latter two, because of panic and fear.
"Then you tell me what should I do? It's not like I can forcefully get you out?" Shen Ruiting felt even more aggravated as he was met with their unreasonable attitude. Cheating in the civil service exams was taboo as is, but they just had to commit such a crime at this time as well. They were fortunate the Ministry of Punishment didn't question and convict them where they stood. They still wanted to be released as soon as possible. How would anyone allow them that benefit of doubt?
"No, elder brother, you're the Marquis Donglin. Are you not going to even save your own son and nephew?" After seeing his son suffer so much, Shen Ruiqing couldn't bring himself to hold back on his words from distress.
Shen Ruiting was immediately infuriated as the fury threatened to make him faint: "So you do know that I'm the Marquis Donglin and not the emperor? Even Imperial Princes would face the same consequences when disobeying the law. Second brother, do you take me as someone who's bigger and higher than the Heavens? That I could be allowed to be unscrupulous and pay no heed to the laws?"
"I..." Shen Ruiqing opened his mouth and murmured in a low voice: "You can go and beg the emperor."
"Beg the emperor? Are you disdaining that they can't die fast enough?" If possible, Shen Ruiting truly wanted to give him a slap across the face. A father bears responsibility for his son's misconducts. If the emperor were to know of this matter, none of them would be able to escape punishment.
"Second brother..." Shen Ruiqing looked like he wanted to say something more when Shen Ruijiang tugged on his sleeves to stop him.
"Eldest brother's words are not without ground. Let's head back first. Yang'er, Xiao'er, you'll stay here temporarily. If Official Yang comes to question you, explain and confess what you should explain and confess. Cooperate with him. We will try out best to derive a way to get you out of here as soon as possible."
"What a good explain and confess what should be explained and confessed."
"Prince Consort!"
"Duke Duan!"
As their words just fell, another voice that didn't belong to any of them sounded. They group of people all turned their heads and saw that the Prince Consort Duan father-son pair had already descended into the prison cells and were standing there listening to them for no one knew how long.
"Greetings to the Prince Consort. Greetings to Duke Duan!" After being momentarily stunned, Shen Ruiting hurriedly led the group to greet the two nobles.
The Prince Consort didn't allow them to rise as he normally would. Rather he relayed in a low voice: "By the emperor's decree, Shen Xiao, son of the Marquis Donglin, and Shen Yang, nephew of the Marquis Donglin, born of affluent birth and children of an official, knew full well what isn't permissible by the law but still committed their crimes. Lack of ignorance will add one more charge to their crimes. Before the civil exams fraud case is closed and finalized, no one is allowed to visit them. No one is allowed to indulge in favoritism and bias in the judgement and rulings of those involved in the civil exams fraud case. The decree is as such!"
When they heard the decree, everyone felt stupefied, including Shen Ruiting. Shen Xiao and Shen Yang who had always thought their crimes weren't that severe were immediately frightened out of their wits. If visitation wasn't even allowed, then how was there any road for them to survive and live left at all?
"This official obeys the decree. Blessings to the emperor!" After a momentary silence, Shen Ruiting was the first to recover from his trance and accept the decree. He should have known that with the Elder Princess's manor holding their grudge against Liu Wenjin sibling pair for kidnapping their Young Master Duan, now that Shen Xiao was in their hands, how was it possible they would let him go easily? Since this matter had already alarmed the emperor, then no matter how big of a capability he had, saving them was tantamount to a fruitless dream.
"Marquis Shen, please!" When they rose, the Prince Consort made a gesture for the visitors to leave.
"Father..."
"Eldest Uncle..."
Seeing such a case, Shen Xiao and Shen Yang were finally frightened and began to panic. Shen Ruiqing was evidently distressed but with the Prince Consort and Duke Duan present, he also didn't dare to vent his anger on Shen Ruiting as he did before. Not only that, but he also had no choice but to obediently trail behind Shen Ruiting out of the prison cells with his tail between his legs.
"...." Shen Ruiting paused in his steps before he left the prison cells. He turned around to look at the two children before finally continuing away in long strides without another word.
"Father!"
"Eldest Uncle... Father... Third Uncle..."
Thud!
Shen Xiao watched the figures disappear from his sight with reddened eyes. Seeing such a case, Shen Yang wanted to hurry forward and stop Shen Ruiqing and Shen Ruijiang, who left with a slower pace, but was stopped by the guards who followed the Prince Consort and Duke Duan down into the prison cells. Shen Yang was completely caught off guard and fell back to the ground. The luxurious gown he donned was immediately stained.
"Yang'er..." Shen Ruiqing wanted to return to his son subconsciously but Shen Ruijiang held him back from doing so. He gave him a meaningful glance. When Shen Ruiqing followed his gaze, Shen Ruiqing realized the Prince Consort father-son pair and Yang Wanli were all staring at them. With no choice, Shen Ruiqing could only clench his jaws, hurriedly paying his courtesy to the three and striding away.
"No, Father, Father..." behind him, Shen Yang's cries were heart-wrenching and ear-piercing. Shen Ruiqing didn't dare to spare him another glance and directly ran out of the prison cells, unable to endure the sounds of his son's screams.
"You will take over addressing the two young master Shens," when those who should leave had all left, the Prince Consort passed a chilling gaze over Shen Xiao who sat on the ground dumbfounded, and Shen Yang who was also lying on the ground. He then turned his head to pass his orders to his son before preparing to leave with Yang Wanli.
"Yes. Safe journey back, Father." Duke Duan bowed respectfully and saw his father away before with the wave of his hand, stated with a concentrated voice: "Guards! Lead the two Young Masters to their new cells."
"Yes!"
"What do you intend to do?"
As soon as the guards rushed forward, Shen Xiao and Shen Yang both scrambled back in fear. Their faces and eyes were filled with vigilance.
Duke Duan sneered at them: "Nothing but I'm afraid the two Young Master Shens would feel too lonely here in this cell. This lord has arranged a more comfortable cell for the two of you."
"No, we won't go!"
"Yes, we won't go!"
Even a fool would be able to discern that the duke held no good intentions for them. Shen Xiao and Shen Yang immediately leaned against each other and retreated together.
"Take them away!"
"No, let me go. Let me..."
"Duke Duan, I'm begging you to be merciful. I know that you're exacting vengeance for Young Master Duan but the person who harmed him was Liu Shuhan. She's Shen Xiao's mother and has nothing to do with me!"
With Duke Duan's orders, the guards were prepared to take them over to their new cells by force. Shen Xiao struggled with reddened eyes as Shen Yang cried out desperately.
Duke Duan, who was prepared to leave and had already made a few steps away passed him a cold gaze, "Nothing to do with you? Are you not surnamed Shen? Are you not someone from the Marquis Donglin Manor?"
They dared to target his five-year old son for some meager selfish gains. Why would he let them go? Apart from Shen Liang, who had indirectly saved his son's life, the rest of the Marquis Donglin Manor deserved nothing more than death!
"But..." No matter how they continued to struggle and shout, they were still dragged further and deeper into the prison cells. Duke Duan pointed at a large cell where more than a dozen prisoners were already confined in and gestured for the guards to throw them in.
"What exactly do you intend to do?" with great difficulty, the two youths finally stabilized their bodies. They supported each other as they looked at Duke Duan with vigilance.
"These two gentlemen with delicate and tender flesh will have to bother all of you to take good care of them," Duke Duan ignored their questions but instead, focused his gaze on the dozen or so ragged prisoners in the cell. When they heard what the duke stated, they peered over at Shen Xiao and Shen Yang with sinister gazes. If they couldn't understand the duke's underlying meanings, then they truly had lived so many years in vain. Shen Xiao's face immediately darkened as he rushed to the cell gates and grabbed the iron railings, flustered: "You dare?! I'm the second main son of the Marquis Donglin Manor. Even if I committed a crime, you cannot treat me like this."
"Duke Duan, please have mercy. Please have mercy..."
He actually planned to have these prisoners humiliate him. Shen Yang was frightened to the point his legs gave out under him. He would have never dreamed that the other party would be so cruel and ruthless.
"This lord did nothing more than change your cells and nothing more. Young Masters, enjoy your stay."
"No matter how much they clamored or frightened they were, Duke Duan remained indifferent, After his words, he took his entourage with him and prepared to leave. Shen Xiao and Shen Yang pounded against the iron railings of the prison cells desperately: "Duke Duan, you can't do this to us. Let us out..."
"No, don't go..."
"Ah..."
Amidst their desperate cries, the other prisoners rushed towards them in swarms. The two of them not only had delicate and smooth skins but were also handsome young men raised well in affluent families. For the prisoners confined here for countless years and hadn't been able to relieve themselves for a long time now, Shen Xiao and Shen Yang proved to be no different than world-renowned beauties. The dozen or so prisoners soon separated into two groups and threw them down.
Shen Liang's words before proved to be an accurate assessment of the Imperial Family. Not a single member of the Imperial Family were benevolent by nature. As the Elder Princess Yuehua's eldest son and heir, Duke Duan would naturally not serve as an exception to the assessment.
Marquis Donglin Manor, Front Courtyard
Shen Ruiting's group that had left the prison cells were of course, oblivious to what was conspiring in the prison cells. His son and nephew had both been arrested. Shen Ruiting naturally did not return to his court office, but rather headed directly back to the Marquis Donglin Manor. However, when he returned, he heard the quarreling and sobbing before he even stepped foot inside the manor. When he raised his gaze, he was immediately greeted by the image of the old madame as head, the second and third family, Liu Shuhan who was supposed to be grounded, Shen Qiang, as well as Shen Liang who rarely stepped out of his courtyard gathered in the main courtyard hall quarreling and sobbing.
"What are you all fighting for? Do you think it's not chaotic enough?" Shen Ruiting couldn't help but retort out with aggravation as he pressed against the center of his brows as he headed in with long strides.
"Eldest!"
"Eldest Uncle!"
"Marquis!"
When they saw him, the group of people who had been arguing endless rushed towards him with anticipation and excitement. The old madame grabbed onto Shen Ruiting's hand and looked behind him first. After ascertaining that Shen Xiao and Shen Yang were nowhere to be seen, she immediately yelled angrily: "What is going on? Why didn't you bring Yang'er back?"
In the midst of their anxiousness and panic, they subconsciously revealed their true faces. The old madame's mind was occupied with concern about Shen Yang and didn't have the energy to concern herself with Shen Xiao's life or death.
"Mother, let me help you over to sit down first before I explain things," Shen Ruiting frowned imperceptibly and didn't retort anything back. Instead, he still remembered to be filial but the old madame evidently didn't appreciate his filial piety at all.
She stubbornly stood where she was and glared at him: "You tell me first, why didn't you bring Yang'er back? Is it because you never intended to save the child in the first place and didn't even pay the Ministry of Punishment a visit?"
In their mind, as long as Shen Ruiting stepped forward, Shen Xiao and Shen Yang would be able to be saved immediately regardless of the severity of their crimes. If they weren't back, then it must be because Shen Ruiting didn't do his best.
"Mother, this matter is too complicated. Why don't you let second brother and third brother explain to you," Seeing this, Shen Ruiting's attitude also chilled considerably. Shen Yang wasn't the only person arrested. His son was arrested as well. No matter how angry he was, it was impossible for him to ignore the matter. The old madame's questioning undoubtedly chilled his heart. Besides, with every sentence she spoke, it was all about Shen Yang, Shen Yang, Shen Yang, with no mention of Shen Xiao. This undoubtedly displeased Shen Ruiting a great deal.
"Alright. The two of you speak. Exactly what happened?" the old madame seemed to have sensed something but was stubborn and refused to bow her head. Instead, she turned her gaze over to Shen Ruiqing and Shen Ruijiang. With that, the other people's gaze also shifted over. Shen Ruiqing himself was still in a mess and wasn't in the mood to explain the circumstances to them slowly and patiently. It was still Shen Ruijiang who had to deliver a brief and concise summary of the events that conspired, including the emperor's oral decree.
"How is that possible? Xiao'er he..." When she heard his words, Liu Shuhan staggered back and almost fell to the floor. Zhao Lan shared a similar response. At that time, the money Shen Xiao and Shen Yang used to bribe Wen Yuan with were given to the two youths by them.