Fortunately, the jailer opened the door for her. She carried in the food - carrier and took out the food and wine inside.
Xiao Jinghong didn't even use chopsticks. He directly grabbed a drumstick with his dirty hands and stuffed it into his mouth, gobbling it up.
Seeing this, Lady Sima burst into tears. "Poor Hong'er. You've suffered so much."
She smoothed Xiao Jinghong's hair and said, "Hong'er, eat slowly, slowly."
"Mother, since you've managed to get in, have you found someone who can get me out?" Xiao Jinghong's mouth was stuffed full. While chewing, he mumbled incoherently, "Why do I hear from them that I've committed a serious crime?"
He felt he was even more wronged than Dou E. He had done nothing, and hadn't even earned a single tael of silver, yet he was arrested on the charge of smuggling.
Lady Sima also remembered the purpose of her visit today. She lowered her voice and said, "Never admit to the smuggling... "
She exhorted him earnestly, for fear that Xiao Jinghong might lose his head and take all the blame on himself.
Xiao Jinghong took a sip of soup and wiped his mouth with his sleeve. "Where's Qing San? Where is he now?"
"Don't mention him. He's long gone."
"It's really a pity. If nothing had happened, we'd have earned a lot of silver by now."
Hearing his stubbornness, Lady Sima was so angry that she slapped him on the back. "You're on the verge of losing your life, and you're still thinking about silver. Do you know it cost me nearly two hundred taels of silver in total to get in here?"
As for the one thousand taels she promised Yi Qing, she didn't want to pay at all.
Anyway, she had seen her son and given him all the instructions. Did Yi Qing think she could earn a thousand taels of silver just by flapping her lips? In her dreams.
Unexpectedly, Xiao Jinghong was surprised. "Only two hundred taels of silver? You got in with just two hundred taels? The guy next door's family had to spend three thousand taels to get things in for him. Mother, who did you ask for help? This person must have great connections. Can they get me out?"
Lady Sima was also surprised. "Could it be that she charged me less?"
What she didn't know was that all these were pre - arranged by Yi Qing. The poor guy next door thought to himself, wasn't I brought in just to say these few words?
"Mother, who on earth is it!" Xiao Jinghong got anxious. "If you have connections, get me out quickly. This place is no place for a human being! Don't be stingy with the silver. You know you're too old to have another son. I'm your only hope!"
Xiao Jinghong knew very well about his mother's quirks.
He was really worried that Lady Sima would be so fond of silver that she would ignore his life or death.
Lady Sima said angrily, "If I didn't care about you, would I be here? I get it! I'll find a way when I get back. Remember, don't talk nonsense here, or it will be hard for you to be acquitted in the future."
Xiao Jinghong nodded, crying bitterly. "Mother, you must save me. They said I'll be beheaded for this crime. I'm afraid of death. I haven't lived enough! I haven't even left you a grandson. I can't die like this."
Seeing him cry like this, Lady Sima felt heart - broken. She gritted her teeth and said, "Don't worry. Wait for mother to find someone when she gets back. The person mother found has great connections. And she happens to be short of silver. I can do it."
She was determined. She would pay another ten thousand taels of silver if necessary, as long as her son could be safe.
A quarter of an hour passed quickly. Lady Sima left all the remaining silver notes and loose silver on her to Xiao Jinghong. "Spend it sparingly. Bribe the jailers to make your life here easier."
Xiao Jinghong looked down and couldn't help complaining. "Mother, why did you only bring so little silver? You don't know. Their appetites are huge. This amount can't do much. Bring more next time."
Lady Sima almost fainted.
Next time? She would never come again!
"Just wait patiently. Isn't it better for me to get you out directly?" she said.
"Then hurry up. If this drags on, I'm afraid I'll die in here."
He must make his mother understand the seriousness of the situation.
Under Xiao Jinghong's eager gaze, Lady Sima left the jail, looking back every few steps.
The sunlight outside stabbed her eyes. She raised her hand to shield her eyes slightly, and then saw Yi Qing standing in the shadow under the wall, looking at her with a half - smile.
She took a deep breath and walked over. "Why are you here?"
Yi Qing sneered. "Of course, to collect the silver. I've done what I promised you. Where's the silver you promised me?"
"Come to my mansion to get it."
"Okay."
When they arrived at the Yianbo Mansion, Lady Sima went into the inner room. After a while, she came out with a silver note. She handed it to Yi Qing with a gloomy face.
Yi Qing reached out to take it, but Lady Sima was reluctant to let go.
Yi Qing exerted a little more strength. Lady Sima gritted her teeth and finally let go. She turned her face away, not wanting to see Yi Qing or the silver note anymore.
"The deal is done." Yi Qing put the silver note into her sleeve, stood up and pretended to leave.
"Wait!" Lady Sima called her back. "I... I have another thing to discuss with you."
"If you want to say that you're willing to spend silver to get your son out, then there's no need to say it." Yi Qing said coolly.
Lady Sima was shocked. "Why? I can pay silver. Do you think silver is too hot to handle?"
"I have many ways to get silver. This matter is too tricky. I may end up working hard but getting no reward. I won't take it." Yi Qing said.
"What about ten thousand taels of silver?"
Lady Sima stared at her intently, her eyes looking as if she wanted to eat her.
She regretted it as soon as she said it. She shouldn't have revealed her bottom line in a moment of desperation.
She should have offered five thousand taels first. Maybe five thousand taels would do!
"I'll pay ten thousand taels of silver, but this matter must be handled properly. I want to see my son in the mansion. Don't ask me for another single tael!" Lady Sima added.
"Oh." Yi Qing pretended to suddenly understand. "So you're willing to pay so much silver! It's a pity... I don't want it. Take your silver and find whoever you think can help you. I... can't do it!"
She thought that Lady Fan was really too weak.
With Lady Sima's level, she could handle several like her easily. How could she still be jumping around until now!
Lady Sima looked at her in disbelief and murmured, "This is ten thousand taels of silver!"
"I don't know if you've never seen silver or if you think I've never seen silver." Yi Qing sneered. "Just ten thousand taels of silver, and you want to get someone out of the Dali Temple Prison. You're really daydreaming!"
"Then tell me, how much silver do you want?" Lady Sima thought of her son's longing for freedom and gritted her teeth.
"I won't take it no matter how much silver you offer." Yi Qing said. "I've already got enough silver. If I get too much more, I'm afraid I'll have the life to earn it but not the life to spend it. Goodbye."
"No, no, don't go. Let's discuss it further. We can talk about the silver."
Lady Sima didn't know anyone else. Except for Yi Qing who came to her on her own, she didn't know who else to ask for help.
In the end, Yi Qing half - reluctantly named a price of one hundred thousand taels of silver.
She estimated that Lady Sima should be able to come up with this amount, but it would basically exhaust all her savings.