Chapter 4: Xia Jin is imprisoned and meets a strange person, the government yields and makes him a successful candidate.

  Darkness and coldness... surrounded Xia Jin, white walls, everywhere were white walls, the white walls in the darkness emitted a dazzling light, the cold was like a dull knife that scraped against Xia Jin's internal organs. Not far ahead, under the pale moonlight, Xia Jin seemed to see a green figure in a daze. Xiao Kui... is it you? Xiao Kui... Xia Jin struggled to crawl forward, and the green gradually turned into a pale white, the figure approached, and the distorted face was stuck on Xia Jin's face, Wang Changqing without pupils stared at Xia Jin fiercely, letting out a series of mournful cries: "Ahhhhh!!!!!!"

  “Cough, cough……cough, cough” Xia Jin woke up with a start, still feeling frightened and disoriented, his head throbbing in pain. He slowly regained his composure, looked around, and found himself surrounded by darkness, the air cold and damp. The dry grass beneath him emitted a foul odor like rotting flesh. From time to time, he heard faint rustling and squeaking sounds. Xia Jin had no idea where he was or what had happened to his uncle, and he couldn't help but feel anxious and worried. After sighing several times, Xia Jin slowly got up and began to move forward, hugging the uneven, damp wall. Suddenly, he touched something cold and metallic with a rusty taste. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be an iron door. Xia Jin was overjoyed and pushed and pulled at the rusty door with all his might, but it wouldn't budge. He frantically pounded on the door and shouted at the top of his lungs: "Is anyone there? Is anyone there? Help! Let me out!" After shouting for what felt like an eternity, he still received no response. Xia Jin's voice was hoarse from exhaustion, his throat feeling like it had been scraped with a knife, and he could barely utter another word. Leaning against the iron door, Xia Jin slowly slumped to the ground, his mind a complete blank.

  At this time, a hoarse voice came from the depths of darkness: "Don't knock anymore, no one will care about you. What have you done to be locked up here?" Xia Jin croaked a few words and fell into silence. "Young man, I'm in the same cell as you, it's fate. Now that your throat is so hoarse, you can't chat with me to pass the time, it's really boring. Come, come, on the west wall of the cell, there's a set of kung fu moves, you try learning them, whether you learn them or not depends on yourself."

  The room fell silent again. Xia Jin thought to himself, "Now that I'm trapped in this cell, who knows when I'll be able to escape? My sister and uncle are probably worried sick about me. It's pointless for me to get agitated here. Why not make the most of my time and learn this old man's techniques? Even if I don't master them, it'll at least give me some comfort. That's better than going crazy in this isolation." Xia Jin quietly got up and felt his way towards the wall. It was strange, but when he had previously searched for a door, this wall had been uneven and no different from the others. Now, however, it was smooth as glass. His palm brushed against the recessed characters of the incantation's heart method. Although Xia Jin was clueless about human relationships, he had been an avid reader since childhood and had a photographic memory. At first, his hand movements were a bit stiff as he tried to decipher the characters, but soon they flowed smoothly, and he recited the entire incantation in one breath. It took him over two hours to commit it to memory.

  This chant is a Neigong heart method, where the acupoints and meridians are involved. Xia Jin only knew one or two of them, and didn't know the rest. Xia Jin had never practiced Neigong before, so he didn't know the danger of practicing it blindly. He thought that even if he couldn't do it, it would just be a matter of not learning it, what's the harm in trying? He mindlessly followed the chant's method of circulating Qi, storing Qi in the Dantian, guiding the breath through the Small Heavenly Cycle, taking long deep breaths and short exhales, with all the Qi contained within the lungs. However, he couldn't guide it to the Dantian. Xia Jin felt a wave of dizziness and discomfort in his chest, as if it was going to explode. He let out a loud shout towards the sky, the sound echoing like a great bell or a lion's roar in the mountains. Unbeknownst to Xia Jin, this shout had accidentally opened up the mute gate, an important point in Neigong. After shouting, although his body felt weak, he felt refreshed and rejuvenated, with his mouth and tongue feeling moist and his previous dry throat completely gone. He couldn't help but feel invigorated and refreshed, and was able to speak again. Trying it a few more times, the Small Heavenly Cycle flowed smoothly, the meridians unobstructed, and his spirit improved greatly. In just a short time, Xia Jin had mastered this unknown Neigong method of circulating Qi through the Small Heavenly Cycle.

  Xia Jin finished his work and bowed deeply towards the depths of the cell, shouting: "Thank you, senior, for your guidance." The cell remained silent, Xia Jin touched the stone wall again, and it had returned to its original state, uneven and rough, with no signs of the previous incantation or mental technique remaining.

  "What's all the commotion! The Qing dynasty has long since refused to grant amnesty!" A voice came from behind the iron gate. With a clang, the iron gate was opened, and Xia Jin excitedly rushed out, but was caught by someone and dragged back. Several men dressed in prison guard uniforms, wielding batons, beat Xia Jin on the head, "You dare to try to escape from death row? Don't you know who we are? We're the Guangling Three! Come with me to see Master Know-It-All!" Xia Jin was beaten until he saw stars, his mind cloudy and unclear. In a daze, he was dragged to the main hall of the yamen.

  "Old master, the prisoner Xia Jin has been brought!" A loud voice rang out from the hall, and a questioning voice came from above: "Who is below?" This inquiry was not unnecessary, but rather a common practice of the chief judge of the yamen, intended to demonstrate the authority of the yamen. Xia Jin thought that if he didn't enter the government office, his life as a student would be ruined, and he was also curious to look up and take a glance at the appearance of the county magistrate. However, another blow struck Xia Jin's head, "How dare you! The county magistrate is asking you questions, and you don't answer! You're pretending to be tough!" This blow was not light, and Xia Jin struggled to regain his composure, still thinking about how he had become a prisoner, and fearing that if he answered slowly, he would be hit again. He gritted his teeth and replied, "I am Xia Zhi Chang, a student from Guangling." "Xia Zhi Chang below! Do you know what crime you have committed?" Xia Jin was dizzy for a moment, thinking that he had always been upright and law-abiding, and wondering what crime he could have committed. "I don't know," he replied. "You harbored feelings for the courtesan Xia Kui, and were dissatisfied with Wang Chang Qing's engagement to her, so you developed a murderous intent. Last night at midnight, you had a dispute with Wang Chang Qing in front of Shu Yue Tower, and beat him to death! The body of Wang Chang Qing is here, and the coroner has already examined it. You committed murder in broad daylight, in full view of everyone! Do you dare not confess?"

  Xia Jin was taken aback, thinking to himself that he and Xiao Kui were trapped in the ghost wall last night at midnight, with no one knowing about it. How could he have gone to Fu Yue Lou to commit a crime? He looked up and saw Wang Changqing's corpse beside him, dressed in fine clothes, with an expressionless face, but his eyes stared fiercely at Xia Jin, with a hint of evil smile on the corner of his mouth. At this moment, Xia Jin didn't know how to defend himself, thinking only of Xiao Kui's whereabouts and whether she was harmed by the villain or had escaped safely. After a moment's thought, he replied: "Your Honor, there is one person who can prove my innocence, and that is my wife, Xia Kui!" The official sneered: "Nonsense! Xia Kui is nowhere to be found now, and besides, can you be acquitted just based on the testimony of one person?! You're obviously trying to delay your punishment. Will you admit your guilt today?!" Xia Jin was furious in his heart, thinking that he had done nothing wrong: "I am innocent! I won't admit it!" The official ordered: "Bring him here! Give him fifty lashes and see if he's still stubborn!" A constable tried to press Xia Jin down, but Xia Jin was incredibly strong and shook him off. Several constables rushed over and pinned Xia Jin down, while two of them brought out a rod soaked in salt water and began to beat Xia Jin's waist mercilessly. This method of beating was divided into two types: beating the waist and beating the buttocks. If it was a dry rod used on the buttocks, it would be light and wouldn't leave any marks on the body. But if it was a wet rod used on the waist, it would be a deadly blow, and even an ordinary person couldn't withstand ten lashes.

  Xia Jin was beaten until his skin split and flesh burst, spitting out fresh blood. He gritted his teeth and said: "The student only hopes that the adults can find Xia Kui!" The hall erupted in a burst of laughter. "You can't even save yourself, yet you're still thinking about a courtesan? You're indeed a talented scholar of Feng Liu! Now that you've confessed your crime, go to the underworld and find your lover!"

  Xia Jin's anger burned, his acid and vigor rose again. What kind of dog skin official is this? Such an officer was forced to confess, how could he bear the two words "clear sky"? He used to read books with a heart for the country and the people, with a belly full of talent and clever words. Now, without saying two words, he can only be beaten here! The law is nothing more than a fist! It's just pitiful Xia Kui! Such a dog official also looks down on Xia Kui, his wife in his heart, how can she be insulted by others like this? Xia Jin glared at the official with round eyes, wanting to see clearly what he looked like. A line of blood and tears quietly dripped onto the ground, turning into tiny bloodstains. His silver teeth were biting hard, and he couldn't help but use his inner strength to shout loudly: "Injustice! Injustice! Xia Kui is my wife! Know that there is no crime! Forced confession! How can this be justified under the clear sky?" As soon as he finished speaking, a mouthful of fresh blood fell onto the hall floor. This shout shocked the county magistrate and his attendants in the hall, their faces turned pale, and the yamen runners below were about to lose control of Xia Jin.

  At this moment, a man suddenly rushed into the government office and shouted: "You small Guangling prefect, hurry up and release him!"