Chapter 6, Pirate Whitebeard

Li Jing was momentarily taken aback by the name of the Yellow Beard. Speaking of Yellow Beard, there is hardly anyone along the Shandong coast who is unaware of him. Yellow Beard is a notorious pirate who roams the Shandong coastal waters, known alongside White Beard, Red Beard, and Black Beard, collectively referred to as the Bearded Pirates. Among them, White Beard is the leader, Yellow Beard is the second in command, Red Beard is third, and Black Beard is fourth. According to local legends, these Bearded Pirates are shrouded in mystery, navigating the seas with an uncanny ability to appear and disappear at will. They not only plunder merchant ships on the sea routes but also frequently come ashore to raid. In the coastal areas, the mere mention of the Bearded Pirates causes people to turn pale, and even women often invoke the name of the Bearded Pirates to frighten disobedient children.

When the sergeant was taken out, Li Jing inadvertently caught sight of Wang Liang at the door. The two locked eyes, and Wang Liang's gaze seemed to carry a hint of guilt, yet also a trace of a smug smile.

The sound of footsteps gradually faded away. The dim dungeon was left with the pervasive smell of mold and decay, a stench reminiscent of a dead rat mixed with spoiled food, making one feel nauseous.

The man was somewhat surprised: "With your attire, you resemble a scholar more than a fisherman. How many fish is that fat man trying to extort from you that you are unwilling to part with?"

"Alas, young man, you still haven't told me what you do?" Seeing that Li Jing remained silent, one of the prisoners spoke up, clearly treating Li Jing as a spice to their dull prison life.

The fat official Ku Guan in the town wanted to forcibly buy my fish, but I refused. That corrupt official fabricated a charge and had me imprisoned. Li Jing did not know what kind of people were in this prison, so he could only take it one step at a time.

Li Jing sat somewhat dejectedly on the moldy straw, feeling a tumult of emotions in his heart

Li Jing did not expect that the renowned Huang Huzi was actually imprisoned in such a decayed and moldy dungeon, leaving him momentarily in doubt.

Li Jing replied: "Jiao Jianhou!"

Li Jing half-closed his eyes, listening to the judge of the Chishan Army in the hall pronouncing his 'crimes'

"Oh dear, still a pretty boy. Look at this outfit, with a black cap, a round-collared shirt, and a pair of boots. What have you done to get into this situation?" A thin, emaciated figure, draped in a tattered piece of cloth that no longer resembled its original form, approached and asked.

Li Jing felt a sense of unreality; just a moment ago, he was carrying a heavy load of grain, preparing to return home. In the next moment, he found himself as a prisoner of the executioner, waiting for the case to be presented to him. After the review, he would face execution by hanging in the autumn of the following year

The bearded man chuckled a few times and said, "You must have offended that corrupt official; he wouldn't go so far as to take your life over twenty catties of fish. Think carefully, have you offended anyone?"

Alright, young man, I will trust you this once. Come here, and I will carefully point out the way for you.

Li Jing raised his head, his eyes gradually adjusting to the dimness of the prison. Only then did he realize that he was not alone in this cell. In a space of about twenty square meters, nearly twenty people were crammed together. These individuals were dressed in a haphazard manner, lacking even a prison uniform. Most of them were young and middle-aged men in their thirties and forties, yet at this moment, they all appeared emaciated, half leaning and half lying against the wall opposite him, their eyes glinting with a wolf-like green light as they scrutinized him.

A flock of birds flies across the azure sky, with a few milky-white clouds gently drifting above, resembling tiny white sails floating on the deep blue sea

Li Jing's expression changed, and he could not help but feel moved. Although Huang Huzi and his companions were thieves, he was a common man. However, he could no longer afford to consider these matters; he had now entered the prison, and his family might have already received the news. He could only imagine how the women at home were worrying and fearing, utterly at a loss.

"You and I are not related, so why should I help you?"

When you mention it, I recall a certain incident involving a rotund official's aide who had a grievance with my family

Although the sixty strokes of the rod were not administered, an unfounded charge of resisting arrest and obstructing justice was added, leading directly to a judgment akin to that of a condemned prisoner.

Brother, our meeting here is indeed a matter of fate. We are both lost souls in this vast world; why must we have known each other before? To be honest, my father and two brothers have all perished, leaving only my younger brother in the family, along with my widowed mother, two widowed sisters-in-law, and two unmarried sisters. The entire family relies on my younger brother; if he falls victim to treachery, the Li family will cease to exist. I kindly ask you, brother, to lend me a hand, which would also be a help to the entire Li family. I cannot express my gratitude enough; if I manage to escape, I will certainly not forget your kindness. Today's events have deeply made Li Jing realize the darkness of the late Tang government. He no longer dares to rely on anything else and can only depend on self-rescue.

With the handprint firmly pressed down, the presiding judge struck the wooden block with a resounding bang, thus concluding this wrongful case.

Li Jing pondered carefully over his words, and indeed, it was so. No matter how arrogant that fat man was, they had no enmity, so why would he want to take his life over twenty catties of fish? Suddenly, the face of Wang Liang appeared in his mind, especially their hurried encounter after the verdict. His smile clearly carried a hint of triumph, along with some guilt. Indeed, it must be Wang Liang's doing; the Wang family and the Li family had a history, and Wang Liang was an associate of the fat treasury official. Perhaps this fellow was the one causing trouble behind the scenes. His smile clearly carried a hint of triumph, along with some guilt. Indeed, it must be Wang Liang's doing; the Wang family and the Li family had a history, and Wang Liang was an associate of the fat treasury official. Perhaps this fellow was the one causing trouble behind the scenes.

Oh! The man with the long beard let out a sound, but then turned his head and ceased to speak

Elder brother, you said that as long as you can truly show me a way out, I will surely repay this kindness

It is only twenty catties of fish, Li Jing sighed, it is all this twenty catties of fish that has caused the trouble

Huang Huzi observed the expression on Li Jing's face and realized that he was not entirely convinced. He smiled and said, "Kid, you seem like a decent fellow. Today, I will show you a way out. However, you must promise to do me a favor once you are outside."

"Go in!" Two sergeants opened the dungeon door and threw Li Jing inside. Then, with a loud bang, the heavy dungeon door closed behind him.

Are you referring to Zhang Kuguan? That corrupt official is notorious for his strong-arm tactics. If you refuse, he will surely fabricate some charges to imprison you. What was the outcome of your case?" A bearded man in his thirties sitting in the middle of the wall opposite asked. Upon observing the man's imposing demeanor and his position, Li Jing surmised that this individual might be the head of the prison or a bully within it. Throughout history, wherever there are prisons, there are always heads and bullies; these individuals can be even more ruthless than the guards, and it is crucial not to offend them.

Two soldiers came forward and seized Li Jing's hand, dipping it in the red ink pad and forcefully pressing it onto the confession document to leave his fingerprint

Li Jingmu said: "My family is located in Wanglizhuang, eighteen miles away. We have a tradition of farming and studying, and our ancestors once owned several hundred acres of fertile land. However, our family fortune has declined, and now we are left with only a few dozen acres of poor land, barely making ends meet. I do not yet know what business you brothers are engaged in, and why you are here in this place?"

"The second in command, another one has come in." In the darkness, a somewhat lewd voice sounded from the side.

The slender figure, somewhat pleased, pointed at the bearded man and said: "Kid, I’m afraid that if I tell you, it might scare you. So listen carefully, this man is none other than Huang Er, the yellow-bearded boss who roams the East China Sea."

Li Jing could not help but walk over and sincerely asked, "Elder brother, do you have any way to help me get out?"

Disregarding the national law, unlawfully capturing and consuming carp, and subsequently refusing to plead guilty, while also openly resisting the law and refusing arrest, indeed constitutes an aggravation of the offense. According to the law, the penalty is to be increased by one degree, resulting in a sentence of execution by hanging, to serve as a warning to others. After reporting to the court, execution will be carried out immediately in the autumn of the following year! The presiding judge, dressed in a green robe, was merely a slightly larger than average eighth-rank minor official, yet he was responsible for the legal matters of the Chishan military garrison. Originally, Li Jing was not a soldier of the Chishan garrison, and it was not within his jurisdiction. However, the Chishan garrison has always been overbearing. Although the slightly overweight official held a minor position, he managed the granary, which was a lucrative post. After exchanging a few words with the judge, what was originally a trivial matter immediately escalated into a significant issue concerning the military garrison.

"Kid, if I really had the ability to help you get out, why would I not have escaped myself first?" said the man with a bushy beard, laughing heartily. A group of prisoners nearby also burst into laughter, clearly mocking the foolishness of this pale-faced scholar.