Seeing Xu Jing obediently come out, the government official finally released some of his pent-up frustration, gritting his teeth with a smile, "That's how it should be, obedient. If you behave, I might show you some mercy."
Xu Jing, however, didn't even glance at him, saying calmly, "No matter how loudly you shout, it won't change the guilt in your heart, so say less nonsense."
Government official: "..."
Damn it! He's definitely going to make this vile woman beg for mercy for every word she's saying now!
He took a deep breath, turned pale with anger and hissed, "Shut up and move!"
Xu Jing slightly curled her lips, following him unhurriedly, hearing the man's low curses all the way.
The prison wasn't big, just a few steps and they reached the exit.
To leave the prison, they had to go up a few steps. The government official stopped at the steps, turned around glaring viciously at Xu Jing, "You, go up first!"
Xu Jing didn't step up the steps as instructed.
Upon leaving the prison, he would definitely take her to an isolated place, where she would be truly helpless.
Seeing Xu Jing not moving, the government official's face showed a flicker of irritation, and he stepped toward her, shouting sharply, "What are you standing there for?! Can't walk anymore?!"
Xu Jing glanced at him, then as he approached within a step, suddenly turned around, raised her hands to firmly press down on his shoulders, while her right knee bent and fiercely struck his groin!
Immediately, the small prison cell resounded with a scream like a pig being slaughtered.
The government official felt as if stars filled his vision, the pain nearly sending his soul out of his body.
However, before he could react, he was pressed down like a rag doll, forced to kneel on the ground, and then there was a chilling sensation around his neck.
Almost simultaneously, a group of people rushed into the prison from outside.
The government official endured the excruciating pain in his lower half, looking up through tear-filled eyes, only to see the leader was evidently a tall, black-clad man.
He stood out conspicuously in the crowd, and the dilapidated small prison seemed to become grand and solemn with his presence.
This... isn't this Vice Minister Xiao?!
Why is he here!!!
The men who rushed in stood dumbfounded at the scene before them.
In the dimly lit prison, a plainly dressed yet striking woman had pinned a man more than twice her size to the ground, her long, black hair cascading down her waist.
Her right hand, in an unusual gesture, held a bronze hairpin firmly, its sharp and pointed tip pressed against the man's neck, ready to stab deeply with a slight force.
The man pinned beneath had a face flushed red, his eyes filled with agony, and his hands tightly covering his lower region, evidently in too much pain to speak.
The group of men: "..."
Almost instantly realizing what had occurred, they subconsciously tightened their legs, looking at the government official with shock and pity.
Dongli, who had followed his Lord in, never expected to witness such a scene, especially with the main character being... the very woman he wished to avoid at all costs!
His mouth dropped open, exclaiming as if he'd seen a ghost, "How can it be you!"
Xu Jing was equally surprised to see them.
First, she glanced at Dongli, then slowly shifted her gaze to the man standing in the center of the crowd, his face composed but brow furrowed.
In his deep, dark eyes, there was clearly a mixture of annoyance and impatience toward her as his former wife, along with slight astonishment at the scene in front of him.
Xu Jing couldn't help but curl her lips.
She hadn't expected her first encounter with her previous husband would be under such circumstances.
She thought she'd have to stir up some trouble to draw this man over.
Perhaps the note she'd had Chunyang pass on had successfully reached him? Was that why he was here?
No matter why he came, his presence made things easier.
She looked steadily at the man staring at her, her red lips curving up further, her voice cool, "Vice Minister Xiao, long time no see."
The man's brow immediately furrowed more deeply, his gaze cold, suddenly lifting a small paper in his hand, and saying, "You wrote this note, didn't you? You called me to find you in the county government. What exactly do you want?"
If not for the note's hasty and messy handwriting, indicating the person who wrote it was in big trouble, compounded by some suspicious behavior from County Magistrate Sun that caught his attention, he wouldn't have bothered with this.
But he hadn't expected the note writer to be this woman.
Xu Jing raised an eyebrow, speaking calmly, "What do I want? Mr. Xiao, you're the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, overseeing criminal cases nationwide. I wrote this note to remind Vice Minister Xiao not to waste the taxpayers' hard-earned money that supports you."
Dongli, still stunned, stared at Xu Jing, finding it hard to understand what she was saying.
Xu Jing mocked with a slight curl of her lips, looking straight up the steps at the silent man, saying coldly, "Simply put, I want to declare my innocence. The Anping County Magistrate is weak and incompetent, trying to falsely accuse me of murder. If your government can't prove my innocence..."
Xu Jing paused, then enunciated, "I demand to prove my own innocence!"
"How... how dare you!"
A jailer finally reacted, shouting loudly, "Stop spreading discord here! Although... even if you want to seek justice, you shouldn't use such violent methods, you could..."
"Could what? After I arrived at the county government, I couldn't even get a word in before being thrown into a cell, and now, who knows where they would take me alone."
Xu Jing interrupted with a cold laugh, "This is the first time I've seen in a criminal case involving a death, where the government doesn't conduct autopsies, interrogate, or gather evidence, but convicts based on hearsay!
Vice Minister Xiao, dare I ask if this is how investigations are conducted in such a vast Great Chu Dynasty?!"
Xu Jing's sharp and icy gaze fixed firmly on the man at the steps, seeing in his deeply profound eyes, aside from the initial annoyance and impatience, gradually a mix of confusion and scrutiny.
As if, the person before him was someone he had never known.
Xu Jing wasn't in a hurry, steadily watching him.
Finally, the man's thin lips parted slightly, speaking coolly, "How do you intend to prove your innocence?"