Four Harmonies and Good Fortune

Chapter 507 Good Dog
Bianjing, Han Family Manor.

Grandma Han asked with a worried look, "Still no news of your second brother?"

Han Si shook his head.

Grandma Han said, "Didn't you say you knew where he was taken?"

Han Si said, "We found them on the Bian River and wanted to try to rescue them, but before we could do anything, we heard the sounds of fighting. The government troops blocked them at the checkpoint."

Upon hearing this, crying immediately filled the room; it was all from Han Cong's household.

Grandma Han scolded, "What are you crying for? I'm not dead yet, you don't need to mourn me."

"What about the Fang family? Were they saved?" Old Mrs. Han then asked.

Han Si also shook his head.

They saw the scene from afar, but none of them dared to approach. They had originally planned to rescue the person before reporting it to the authorities, but the government had acted first.

“Judging from that,” Han Si said, “no one can escape.”

They didn't dare to approach, but watched the situation on the water from the dock. They saw that the soldiers had arrested many people, which showed that Ge Ying and his group had not been able to escape. Han Si now suspected that the people behind Ge Ying were also trapped in Bianjing.

"What are you going to do now?" Old Mrs. Han asked. "Are you going to take us away from here?"

Han Si nodded: "We'll head southwest to seek refuge with our uncle."

Grandma Han looked at her children and grandchildren in the house, and thinking of the Han family's porcelain kiln and business, she was speechless for a moment.

Han Si said, "I'll go out and take a look. Once I've packed everything, we'll leave."

Fortunately, they were prepared and brought their family members to the village in advance. Being outside the city made everything easier.

After giving his instructions, Han Si quickly walked out the door and saw Fang Min busy at work.

“Smash all these porcelain pieces, leave not a single one.”

The men raised their hammers and brought them down on the fired porcelain jar.

Han Si looked at the porcelain jar shattered into pieces, feeling a mix of emotions. He felt that the Han family, like the porcelain, was destined to be utterly destroyed.

Fang Min said, "All the porcelain shipped from the main kiln to the Northwest has been smashed. When the authorities come to investigate, just say you know nothing about it."

To smuggle goods, the porcelain was fitted with a double layer during firing to conceal items such as tea, spices, and salt. The operation was initially flawless, but it was discovered by a porcelain merchant in Bianjing a few years ago.

Fortunately, Minister Xia used his connections to kill more than a dozen members of his family, which finally brought the matter to a stop.

Now that Minister Xia and Ge Ying have been arrested, and no one is there to cover for them, this matter will certainly not be able to be kept secret.

Once the double-layered porcelain is discovered, they will have no chance of escaping.

Han Si said, "Even if it's smashed... with those people's confessions, the imperial court will still arrest people."

Fang Min looked at Han Si and said, "When the time comes, just say that the porcelain with the double layer was made in my small kiln, and I will go to the yamen to confess."

Han Si looked at Fang Min in astonishment: "How can that be?"

“Anyway, that’s how it was decided from the beginning,” Fang Min said. “I’m the one who escorts the porcelain that’s sent to the Northwest every time. I definitely can’t escape. The reason I didn’t agree before was because they arrested my family, and I was unwilling to accept it.”

"Now that we've already argued our case... since our plan failed, we need to think about what to do next."

At this point, Fang Min looked at Han Si with a sincere expression in her eyes: "My family didn't get involved in these things. After I confess, they will most likely be released. At that time, I will have to rely on you, Brother Han."

Han Si shook his head: "That's impossible... My second brother was also arrested. If I had nothing to do with this, how could my second brother be with those people?" Fang Min said: "I knew it. Ge Ying was afraid that you would discover our secret, so he deliberately arrested Han Cong to blackmail you."

Han Si still felt uneasy, but Fang Min grabbed him, her eyes bloodshot: "It's better for one person to die than for two to die."

"I can't escape now. If I don't do this, you'll get involved too. Who will take care of our family then?"

Han Si immediately slumped down.

“Alright,” Fang Min said, “Do as I say. Don’t leave Bianjing yet, or you’ll be seen as fleeing from justice.”

Han Si's lips moved, but after a long while, he finally spoke: "When do you plan to go?"

“Right now,” Fang Min took a deep breath, “I have to get there before the authorities arrest us.”

Han Si patted Fang Min on the shoulder.

Fang Min walked out of the manor, mounted his horse, clasped his hands in a fist salute to Han Si, and rode straight into the city.

Han Si stared at Fang Min's retreating figure, speechless for a long time.

Seeing the scene on the river last night, he was afraid that Fang Min would still try to save people. If he just rushed in like that, wouldn't he be walking into a trap?
After returning, he kept thinking about how to make Fang Min take the blame, but he didn't expect Fang Min to bring it up herself.

If they are safe and sound, he will continue to take care of the Fang family as compensation to Fang Min.

……

Fang Min rode her horse at full speed on the official road. Before she even entered the city, she saw a group of people coming this way.

Leading them was a military general, accompanied by a dozen soldiers and constables. Besides them, several familiar faces were also present…

Fang Min recognized them as Zhou Guangyuan and Jiang Qi's group. They had always been at odds with the porcelain industry, and he had led his men to cause trouble for their porcelain shops many times.

Fang Min's face was grim; everything had happened faster than he had anticipated.

He gritted his teeth, did not dodge, but instead spurred his horse to meet the attack.

"Sir, sir," Fang Min shouted, "I have something important to report."

As soon as she arrived in front of the group, Fang Min jumped off her horse, staggered a few steps, and almost fell down. She looked extremely disheveled.

"Han Si is trying to escape with his family," Fang Min pointed behind her. "They arrested my family and want me to go to the yamen to confess so they can escape punishment."

"They fired double-layered porcelain at the Han family's kiln to smuggle tea, salt, and spices. After learning that Ge Ying and his gang had been arrested, Han Si ordered all the double-layered porcelain to be smashed... Luckily, I hid some of it and was on my way to the county government to file a complaint."

“My lord,” Fang Min said to the general, “I am willing to testify that Han Si has been following the orders of Minister Xia all these years, colluding with Ge Ying and his people to smuggle goods… I have accounts to present.”

As Fang Min spoke, she took out an account book from her bosom and respectfully held it in her palm.

“This is one of the ledgers. There are more than twenty such ledgers,” Fang Min said, looking up. “I’d like to take you, sir, to retrieve them.”

"But before that, please hurry to Han Family Manor, lest Han Si and the others escape."

Fang Min blurted it all out. Rather than placing all his hopes on Han Si, he figured it was better for him to confess everything to the authorities. An accomplice's confession could reduce his sentence; he only begged to avoid death.

The general looked at Fang Min with a stern expression: "You go ahead and lead the way."

Fang Min responded and mounted her horse again.

Watching Fang Min's figure disappear, Zhou Guangyuan sneered, "She really is a good dog."