Sui and Tang Dynasties: Engagement to Li Xiuning, start with heavy snow dragon ride

"Then what do you think?" Zhao Jian asked, frowning.

If others saw it, they would be surprised that the county magistrate asked the county magistrate in the tone of a superior. Isn't this against Tiangang?

Wang Chao didn't think there was anything, he thought of something on the way here, and said: "This person's identity is the Yang family of Runan, and he is indeed a son in terms of clothes. He can produce high-quality suet white jade. will lie."

"With the canal, um, His Majesty said it is called the canal. With its existence, the transportation is indeed convenient and safer, and it will not be faked in terms of geography."

"He came to visit me just to prevent people from being targeted. If something goes wrong, I will protect him so that he won't be framed."

There is basically nothing wrong with Wang Chao's analysis. For example, the aristocratic family also has many businessmen, and it is not uncommon for the son-in-law to come out to practice.

It is not uncommon for people who are not familiar with the place of life to be afraid of bandits, and the first thing to do is to find the government and make connections.

They also exercised their social skills and gave themselves a layer of security, which is a good thing for the elders of the family.

Even if it costs a little money, it doesn't matter.

But from Zhao Jian's face, Wang Chao could see that it was unusual. Zhao Jian couldn't help it when there were such good things in the past.

"Why, what's the problem?"

When Wang Chao didn't understand, he asked, humbly asking for advice.

"Don't you think he's too low-key?" Zhao Jian rubbed his chin, paused, and continued, "From what you've said, he doesn't look like an ordinary son of a family. , instead of currying favor with the sheriff, come to the county magistrate?"

(The prefect is also known as the prefect and the magistrate.)

Zhao Jian's words made Wang Chao aware of a trace of targeting.

"You mean, he came after me?" Wang Chao couldn't believe it. He was just a small county magistrate, and he didn't do any bad things on weekdays. A son of a family in Runan, why did he keep an eye on him? ?

"This possibility is not ruled out, but this possibility is very small." Zhao Jian actually wanted to say that you were thinking too much, but he changed his words because of Wang Chao's face.

"By the way, he will have a banquet at the Yueshun Building tomorrow night, you will go to see it with me too?" Suddenly thinking of Yang Zhao's last words, Wang Chao asked tentatively.

"it is good."

As dusk approached, the few people who had gone out returned to the courtyard.

From the moment he entered the door, he could smell a strong fragrance. Unlike Yang Zhao, it was the smell of delicious food.

Looking at the kitchen again, green smoke curled up from the chimney on the roof.

Xu Gong is cooking?Or Your Majesty?

First of all, the Mo Dao Army is excluded, it is okay to fight, and it is enough to cook.

When they came to the main hall, the maids were serving the dishes. Looking at the delicious food on the table, the few people who had been hungry all day swallowed quietly.

Immediately after seeing Mu Guiying at the side, he immediately understood.

Several people have different expressions.

Li Cunxiao and Li Siye's faces were a little dull, they didn't expect to come so fast, and is this the Mu Guiying they knew?

Chapter 401 The Strange Murder Case

The female general without armor is really eye-opening.

Yu Shiji was secretly delighted, he finally came, and he could bid farewell to the thick and bitter tea.

Pei Ju stared at the food on the table heartlessly, and said in his heart that the treatment is really good, luckily I'm here!

Yang Zhao was very happy and asked Li Siye to join everyone at the wine table.

It stands to reason that it is disrespectful for them to be at the same table with the emperor.

Xu Maogong and Pei Ju didn't feel anything at all, they've been used to it since the time in Jizhou.

The newcomers Yu Shiji, Li Cunxiao, Mu Guiying, and especially Li Siye were both flattered and reserved at the same time.

Everyone was seated, everyone and Mu Guiying were acquaintances, and after exchanging pleasantries, they began to eat.

In order to welcome Mu Guiying's arrival, everyone drank a little wine and exchanged glasses, so they were not so restrained.

It's like a good friend chatting about family affairs.

After three rounds of wine, five flavors of dishes, and after eating and drinking, the maids began to clean up.

Everyone came to the room and began to report on today's situation.

"There is nothing unusual in the government office today, only the county magistrate Yinshi went to the prefect's mansion."

Li Cunxiao's report was very brief.

He didn't know the county magistrate, but he knew the official robe, and the green robe was still very eye-catching, and he could tell it at a glance.

"I have some news here."

At this time, Yu Shiji said meaningfully, with an intriguing tone.

"Why did you say that?" Xu Maogong asked.

Yu Shiji said in words: "Pei Ju and I didn't find anything unusual in the restaurant. When we were about to go back home, we saw boatmen gathered by the river, so Pei Ju took out some silver to inquire about any anecdotes."

After finishing speaking, he looked at Pei Ju and motioned for him to continue talking.

Pei Ju nodded and said, "There are no anecdotes, but what they like to talk about is that there was a murder case a few months ago."

There was a murder.

Everyone's heart shuddered, there were murder cases everywhere, what made them care about was talking about it with delight.

The common people avoid the murder case and seldom use this word to describe it. Pei Ju, as the servant of the Ministry of officials, can't use the wrong word.

That would be interesting.

"About three months ago, a wealthy and powerful businessman died." Just as Pei Ju finished speaking, Yu Shiji added: "It is said that he was related to a sixth-rank official in the court."

Yang Zhao's eyes were deep and emotionless, while Xu Maogong raised his brows, and both of them sensed something strange by coincidence.

At the end of each year, officials have to go to Beijing to report on their duties, which is a good opportunity for promotion.

Officials with lower official ranks are usually unable to report to court every day.

The debriefing period is their chance to be promoted. They will report their achievements accumulated for a year, and decide whether to be promoted according to the situation.

The county magistrate of Yuhang County is a seventh-rank official, and he usually doesn't find out any outstanding achievements. As long as he keeps going, he won't rise or fall.

As long as Wang Chao does not offend the powerful, he will be safe and sound.

This merchant is related to the sixth rank in the court, Wang Chao must handle it carefully, otherwise he will be pulled down.

After Yu Shiji finished adding, Pei Ju continued: "But this case was suppressed because the murderer was not found."

Hearing this, even Li Cunxiao showed a puzzled expression.

"Have you found out why?"

This question was asked by the silent Mu Guiying, Pei Ju shook his head, and then replied: "The boatmen's answers have no evidence to refer to, so it is impossible to tell who is telling the truth."

After finishing speaking, he didn't stop, glanced at Yu Shiji, and continued: "Some boatmen said that the murderer was the county magistrate, because he was famous for being a beauty lover, and the merchant's wife came later, with a 20-year age difference. .”

"Some people also say that the murderer is the son of a merchant who coveted the beauty of his stepmother. After all, the stepmother and the eldest son are about the same age and have no blood relationship."

"Probably these two theories, so that people are still discussing it."

What happened three months ago, the murder incident could not be concealed from the eyes and ears of the people. After it was suppressed, most people would no longer care about it after the tempering of time.

It's only discussed when a small number of people would be bored.

Just like today, if Pei Ju hadn't taken out the silver taels, those boatmen might not have said anything.

It's not that the people deliberately concealed it, everyone has their own lives, and it's nothing to do with themselves, let alone this has already involved the government.

There was a silence in the room, everyone was digesting and analyzing.

The common people's analysis is not unreasonable, there are indeed these two possibilities, but they should be more inclined to the latter.

They don't understand officialdom, and they may understand grades.

Even if the magistrate died, he would only be at the seventh rank. If the merchant's son were to make a fuss, under the pressure of the sixth rank, Wang Chao would have no good fruit to eat.

Knowing about this matter, Wang Chao must have tried his best to investigate at first, but in the end it was fruitless because someone was obstructing it.

It is obviously not a wise choice to shield the county magistrate, and there is no such reason, unless the magistrate is his son.

Obviously not.

That is indeed the latter possibility.

No, there is another possibility, but we need to meet tomorrow to confirm... Yang Zhao already has an idea in his heart.

"It seems that the merchant returned home one day and discovered the adulterous relationship between his son and his wife. He cursed in anger, but in any case, the worst thing a merchant would do is to change his wife, and he would not kill his own flesh and blood because of it." Yu Shiji gave his own He said, "The unlucky thing is his wife. The stepmother knew that he would not have a good end, so she urged his son to silence him."

In his opinion, a tiger's poison does not eat its offspring, and this is just a stepmother, at most she is punishing her son in the end.

The son's attitude will not change suddenly. After being found out, his first thought must be to throw dirty water, blame all the mistakes on the stepmother, and will not make outrageous actions.

The son has no motivation, but the wife does. One can imagine the end of such a thing, either being beaten to death or sold to a brothel.

"Well, if it's the second case, it's likely to be so."

Xu Maogong agreed with Yu Shiji's opinion, turned to look at Yang Zhao, and found that the latter was very plain and was not moved by this rhetoric.

"After all, this is a murder case. If it is true, the son colluded with the county magistrate afterwards. The safest solution is to find a scapegoat instead of suppressing the case."

Yang Zhao pointed out the problem to the point.

Everyone reacted, yes, why did they suppress it, and what happened to it?

Yang Zhao did not give an answer, but shared the content of the conversation with Xu Maogong after he came out of the county government.

"From the outside of the county government, the county magistrate may not necessarily accept bribes, but may be a clean person." Yu Shiji can always grasp the key to the problem.

Li Siye sneered: "His little salary is used to repair the government office. If he is really an honest official, he will not be useless. He is obviously a corrupt official!"

With the previous push and drink, he felt that the atmosphere was not as serious as he had imagined, and he couldn't help expressing his own remarks.

Li Cunxiao didn't say anything, obviously acquiescing to Li Siye's words.

Chapter 402 Hints from the System

Yu Shiji glanced at Li Siye, and said disdainfully: "If he is a corrupt official, it is even more impossible for him to use the money to repair the county government. Wouldn't it be better to use it for pleasure?"

Feeling contempt, Li Siye was furious. Considering that Yang Zhao was present, he glared at Yu Shiji and stopped talking.

The rest of the people remained silent. Yu Shiji was right. Corrupt officials would rather make the yamen tattered to look clean and clean to cover up their filth.

This point can only show that this Wang Chao is very good at attracting local gentry and repairing the yamen for him, which makes sense.

It turned out to be like this...Xu Maogong understood that if this was the case, Wang Chao would definitely welcome Yang Zhao when he revealed his unusual status.

But it doesn't explain the problem.

Seeing that everyone had finished digesting, Yang Zhao continued, "After going in, he came out in a hurry after a while. He was wearing an official uniform and had no extra accessories. He should be living in the backyard of the government office."

This sentence supports Yu Shiji's conjecture that corrupt officials have their own yards in order to enjoy life, and there is no need to continue to live in the county government.

Wang Chao didn't know that Yang Zhao would come, nor did he know his identity, which meant that this was normal.

Really a clean official?

Such speculations emerged in everyone's minds.

"For the purpose of making friends, I gave a jade pendant made of suet white jade, and he readily accepted it, with greed in his eyes."

It's inconsistent!

According to the previous analysis, there is nothing wrong with Wang Chao, even if he wins over the powerful and gentry, he is not a person who accepts gifts at will.

Repairing the county government office is just the kindness of the gentry, and Wang Chao's acceptance is understandable, which is a good thing.

But it was wrong to accept Yang Zhao's gift.

"He hides very deeply. Perhaps he has restrained himself after going through the gentry incident. Does living in the county government cover people's eyes?" Pei Ju frowned. He was involved in the gentry incident, and he knew that the ones who would be wiped out were at most those who were on the surface. Behind the scenes, there are still a lot of small tricks by the local government.

"It's possible, General Li, what's the situation at the government office?" Yu Shiji rarely agreed with Pei Ju's point of view, then thought of something, looked at Li Cunxiao and asked.

He asked about the external structure of the government office.

If the county magistrates were like this, as Wang Chao's superior sheriff, he would definitely not be a good guy.

Li Cunxiao made a memorandum, and said slowly: "In this way, the government office and the county office are generally the same."