Jia Lian of the Red Chamber

Li Mingtang was thinking nervously, as if he had never heard Huang Shangshu's question.

Huang Shangshu knocked on the gavel, very displeased: "Li Shaoqing?"

Li Mingtang was startled, and squeezed out a mournful expression: "Your Excellency, when I fell into the river, the officials searched for several days. I thought that her mother and child would die, but they escaped if they didn't want it. I have pity that my husband, father and son have been separated for many years, and now there are many misunderstandings, which is really distressing. I implore my lord to withdraw from the court, and I am willing to reconcile with Zhuojing in private."

When Huang Shangshu heard this, he quickly glanced at Du Yushi of the Metropolitan Procuratorate and Dali Siqing on the left and right, both of them shook their heads, but they turned their mouths on Mi Shi.

Up to now, the Mi family has beaten the Dengwen drum and ordered the three divisions to interrogate. They have no right to interrupt the trial unless the plaintiff withdraws the lawsuit.

Huang Shangshu understood the glances of the two colleagues, and asked Mi Shi: "Li Shaoqing has already admitted your identity. He feels that there is a misunderstanding among you, and he is willing to negotiate with you privately to solve the problem. Are you willing?"

Mrs. Mi smiled indifferently: "The woman is unwilling. The woman has evidence to prove that Li Mingtang lied. The woman did not fall into the water by mistake, but was deliberately murdered by Li Mingtang and pushed down the river with her own hands."

Huang Shangshu frowned: "After so many years, what evidence do you have to prove what you said?"

Mi nodded: "The woman has evidence. When the woman was pushed into the water, she tried her best to turn around and grab the side of the boat. The thief actually broke the hand of the woman cruelly. In despair, the woman once bit the thief's hand hard. The little finger, whose cheek was swollen by him, refused to let go. In the end, he trampled on his finger and kicked him into the heart of the river together with his severed finger. Therefore, the evidence of the civilian woman was on Li Mingtang's right hand. My lord, please examine his little finger, whether there is a part missing."

Hearing this, Li Mingtang immediately looked terrified, as if mourning his concubine.

Mi Huaishan was trembling with anger, choked up and couldn't speak. His wife heard that her daughter had suffered such torture, her heart was broken and she cried bitterly.

Huang Shangshu looked at Li Mingtang's appearance, and there was something he didn't understand. With a wave of his hand, the officials on both sides came to Li Mingtang, and in front of him, saying that he was offended, they grabbed Li Mingtang's right hand and forced him to He stretched out his hand, but saw that Li Mingtang's right little finger was wearing a golden fingertip.The team leader took off the gold finger cot, but his little finger was exposed in front of everyone.

Huang Shangshu immediately slapped the gavel: "Du, Li Mingtang, I want to ask you, why is your little finger disabled?"

Li Mingtang squeaked and murmured, he couldn't explain clearly.

Li Mingtang's wife, Mrs. Wang, jumped out, pointed at Mrs. Mi and yelled angrily: "Where did you come from, you dare to falsely accuse my husband, I bit off my husband's finger, what right do you have to bite him. "

Mi Shi said coldly: "Wang Huixin, dare I ask you when will you marry Li Mingtang? When will you have a child?"

Wang Huixin blushed immediately: "When will I get married and when will I have children? What does that have to do with you?"

Feng Ziying sneered when she heard the words: "Of course it is relevant. If you hadn't had a secret marriage and was eager to hide shame and marry someone, how could you have forced Li Mingtang to divorce his wife and remarry? If Li Mingtang hadn't been forced by you, how could he have killed his wife and son?"

Wang Huixin suddenly became angry with embarrassment: "Who are you, you talking nonsense? Could it be that you are the guest of this bitch, and you plan to destroy my reputation?"

Feng Ziying was furious.

Jia Lian learned that Feng Ziying had found the original Wen Po according to the previous discussion.

However, Feng Ziying's repeated indiscretions had caused the four people in the hall to look sideways.

Therefore, this time, Jia Lian stopped Feng Ziying.

He stood up and cupped his fists at the eldest prince and said, "His Royal Highness, the three adults, I have a little understanding of what happened to the Mi family's mother and son, and I feel deep sympathy. Therefore, after returning to Beijing, I asked many people to inquire, and finally We found Xi Niang, who was the matchmaker for Mrs. Li, and Wen Po, who delivered his baby. The witnesses are outside the hall, and you can find out if Li Mingtang killed his wife and children because of his secret marriage with Wang's conceive."

Wang Huixin's face turned ashen when she heard the words, Xi Niang was fine, Mrs. Wen took so much money from her and promised to go back to the countryside to retire, how could she return to the capital?

Huang Shangshu was the presiding judge. He met with the three Qingdu Yushi of Dali Temple to discuss for a while, and then reported to the eldest prince that they decided to add Wen Po and Xi Niang as witnesses.

The Eldest Prince just listened in and didn't know how to judge the case. He nodded and said: "The three adults think that the witness should be passed, so let's pass the witness to the court."

For a while, Xi Niang went to court first.

Huang Shangshu patted the gavel: "Lady in the hall, I ask you, do you know who the two ladies in the hall are?"

Xi Niang looked at Mi Chi and Wang Huixin each, then turned around and said, "Reporting to my lord, I don't recognize this kneeling lady, but which standing lady recognizes her? She hasn't changed much from 15 years ago. She is the second young lady of the Wang family, who later married the widowed Mrs. Li Mingtang Li through a matchmaker. I remember that at that time, the Wang family rewarded the woman with 50 taels of silver. Therefore, the woman remembers the scene at that time clearly."

Huang Shangshu nodded: "Very well, I want to ask you, you were a matchmaker for the Wang family at the beginning, and later married for the Li family. You have had a lot of contact with this Miss Wang. Can you find anything wrong with this Miss Wang?"

Xi Niang was stunned when she heard the words, she took a sneak peek at Wang Shi, and when Wang Shi gave her a cold look, she shrank her head.

Seeing this, the Metropolitan Procuratorate sneered, and interjected: "His wife listened, if you dare to speak nonsense and give perjury, if you find out afterwards that you are guilty of the same crime as this case, you should think about it clearly?"

Xi Niang trembled in fright when she heard the words: "To be honest, the woman, when she married this Miss Wang, she was already pregnant and vomited faintly."

She suddenly roared wildly: "I don't know them, they are talking nonsense."

The Jingtang Wood Mountain sounded: "Xi Niang, what do you say?"

Xi Niang hurriedly said: "My lord, this young lady of the Wang family vomited several times when she got off the sedan chair, she almost missed the auspicious time, and missed the auspicious time, but it is not auspicious, so the woman remembers it very clearly."

Although Wang Huixin yelled madly, the facts were already very clear and there was no room for sophistry.

Shangshu waved Xi Niang back, and then patted the gavel: "Take the stable woman!"

Wen Po came to the hall, confronted Wang Huixin head on, and was startled. The Wang family had said at the beginning that they would beat her every time they saw her in the capital.Wen Po hurriedly knelt down and defended: "The little lady was originally living in the countryside, but she was picked up by this official to come to the capital, not a civilian woman who came to the capital by herself."

Huang Shangshu's face darkened: "Wen Po, tell us, who is forcing you to not allow you to go to Beijing?"

Wen Po closed her eyes and pointed at Mrs. Wang: "That's the Second Miss Wang."

Wang Huixin lost her composure again: "Nonsense!"

Huang Shangshu reprimanded: "Mrs. Li, if you continue to yell at the court, don't blame me for taking responsibility according to the law."

Wang Hui groaned angrily and turned her face away.

Huang Shangshu asked again: "Wen Po, let me ask you, when you delivered Mrs. Li's baby, did he give birth to the baby at full month, or was it a premature baby? You have to tell the truth, otherwise, the law won't allow it."

Wen Po said: "My lord, Mrs. Li's son died and gave birth at full term. It was only because they gave the woman 100 taels of silver that the woman said that she was born prematurely in July according to their account. Actually..."

Du Yushi of the Metropolitan Procuratorate is a veteran in solving cases, and immediately noticed the new case, and asked: "What is it?"

Wen Po said: "The woman is from the capital. Miss Wang was so dizzy when she got married. The woman saw it with her own eyes, and she also saw her bosom portrait. At that time, her abdomen was slightly protruding. It should be the image of April pregnancy. If you want to deceive people, you should have claimed that you were born prematurely in June. I don’t know why the Wang family asked the women to declare that they were born prematurely in July.”

The Zhongwei hall official in the hall immediately exchanged glances understandingly when he heard the words, but he kept silent. This incident is not under the investigation of this case.

Everyone looked at the still ignorant Li Mingtang, each showing pity.

Li Mingtang wasn't stupid, but he was thinking of a way out quickly.Therefore, he not only did not hear what Wen Po said, but also did not see the winks of everyone in the hall.

It wasn't until Huang Shangshu asked him by name that he was startled: "Reporting to my lord, the official's ears are buzzing. I didn't hear what your lord said clearly. Please forgive me and let me know."

Huang Shangshu sighed: "I ask you, did you know about Mrs. Li's unmarried pregnancy?"

Li Mingtang took it for granted, if he didn't know, he would have become a green-headed turtle, he nodded hurriedly: "I know."

Everyone in the hall pursed their lips and laughed secretly.

Feng Ziying almost couldn't hold back, her face was flushed and her throat was wheezing.

Li Mingtang thought that everyone was laughing at him for having an affair, so he hurriedly pleaded guilty: "The lower officials lost their morals after drinking, and they didn't do it on purpose. Later, it happened that his wife died, so he married his wife. This is my duty as a man. "

This time, many people made a fuss and laughed out loud.

The three adults in the hall, together with the eldest prince, coughed together. After all, they were very restrained and held back their laughter.

Huang Shangshu repeated the old saying, and asked: "Mi Shi, although the witnesses proved that the second Miss Wang was pregnant out of wedlock, and that Li Mingtang had the motive to kill his wife, they couldn't prove that he killed someone."

Mrs. Mi said: "Return to your lord, there are witnesses for the women."

"Who is it? Can you testify in court?"

"The dowry girl of the folk woman married Li Mingtang's book boy. Li Mingtang treated them well because he had a mask of deep love for his dead wife. That book boy is now the housekeeper of Li's house. When Li Mingtang gets injured, your lord will He will know as soon as he asks."

Li Mingtang suddenly smiled bitterly: "Mother Chi, you and I are married, are you really going to do something like this?"

Mi Shi sneered: "Since we are a married couple, why do you want to kill your wife and son for a woman who does not abide by women's morals and has a secret marriage?"

Li Mingtang argued strongly: "You fell into the water by mistake, not..."

Mishi sneered: "Please take a look at your little finger!"

This time, Huang Shangshu no longer asked Mi Shi, but Jia Lian and Feng Ziying: "Where is the Shutong back then?"

Jia Lian looked awkward, cupped his hands and said, "Their husband and wife are outside the hall."

Huang Shangshu said: "The witnesses will go to court!"

Although Li Mingtang's book boy is a servant of the Li family, he is actually a servant bought for him by the Mi family.

The book boy went to the hall and knelt and kowtowed: "My lord, the villain has been waiting outside the hall for a long time. The villain proved that Mr. Li's finger was injured on the day his wife disappeared. Although he covered it up very well, the villain is a personal servant. , How could he hide it."

So far, the case is clear.

After discussing with the two court officials, Huang Shangshu reported the result to the First Prince.The eldest prince waved his hands: "You make a decision, I'm just here to hear the trial."

Huang Shangshu closed the case and judged that Mi Chi was Li Mingtang's legal wife, and that Li Mingtang's crime of killing his wife and children was conclusive.

The three court officials did not comment on Wang's status.

Li Mingtang was already like a deflated ball at this moment.Wait for his fear to get to the bottom of the boat.First of all, he can't do it as an official.

On the evening of the day when Mi's lawsuit was concluded, Huang Shangshu sent someone to Rongguo Mansion to deliver a message.When Jia Lian looked at it, he saw that it said: The person who burned the fishing village that day was Gu Pei's subordinate and a side branch of the Gu family. His name was Gu Zhengyuan, and he had six fingers on his right hand.

Jia Lian was overjoyed when he saw this, and sent a kite to deliver a letter to Feng Ziying, asking him to try to find out whether this person followed Gu Pei to Beijing.Jia Lian repeatedly emphasized in the letter that this person was the key to removing Gu Pei, and hoped that Feng Ziying would treat it with caution.

Feng Ziying quickly sent back a message through the kite, just two words: Don't worry!

In the evening of the next day, Feng Ziying went to Rongguo Mansion in person. The guy was all smiles and cupped his hands at Jia Lian: "Fortunately, Gu Zhengyuan came to Beijing ahead of schedule to take care of Gu Pei. He is currently under the control of our Secretary of General Affairs and is currently interrogating him in secret." , However, that guy is very tough, he has been up all day and night, and he still gritted his teeth and refused to admit it."

Jia Lian smiled: "I have a few children in my hand, why don't you borrow them?"

Feng Ziying stroked her palms: "Okay!"

Jia Lian called out, "Yaozi, which of your brothers can put people in a dilemma?"

The kite said: "Brother Zhang Chun, he used to be a trick player in the street. His father often beat him to death in order to force him to learn art. He also learned many tricks to trick people. Master Guan said, he In the future, you can enter the Ministry of Criminal Justice or the Metropolitan Procuratorate as a cell boss to earn a living."

Jia Lian then said, "Go and tell Uncle Xing to hand over Brother Chun to Master Feng."

Yaozi chuckled: "There are a lot of small tricks for the whole person to fight to the death."

Jia Lian raised her eyebrows: "Go and deliver the letter first, and then go with Master Feng."

Yaozi ran for a few steps, then looked back at Jia Lian: "Second Master, it's ready, do you have a soy elbow?"

Jia Lian laughed: "Yes, yes, can one day make it?"

The kite ran away happily.

Feng Ziying paused and said: "I regret introducing Guan Shan to you. These children have been taught to be smart by him."

Jia Lian scoffed: "These children have nothing to do with Guan Shan, they were all picked up by Pan You'an and Liu Xianglian from three mountains and five mountains. We are not as good as the two of them in judging people."

Feng Ziying snorted: "You are smarter than both of them, otherwise how could you catch them both."

Jia Lian pursed her lips happily: "Speaking of which, my luck has always been good."

In the evening of the next day, Gu Pei went to Beijing, and Feng Ziying's interrogation of Gu Zhengyuan was not over yet.

That evening, when Jia Lian got the news, Gu Gu Pei went to Beijing and fell ill.

It is said that Concubine Shu brought the Seventh Prince to kneel in Qianqing Palace for one night. Finally, Emperor Qianyuan finally spoke and postponed Gu Pei's interrogation for three days.Moreover, the imperial physician of the Gu family entered the prison of the Ministry of Criminal Justice to diagnose Gu Pei's pulse.

After Jia Lian heard the news, he realized that Emperor Qianyuan's love for Concubine Shu's mother and son had surpassed that of the eldest prince.

Sending Gu's family members to check Gu Pei's pulse, isn't this intentional to let them connect internally and externally?

Although they are accompanied by officials from the Ministry of Criminal Justice, for the Gu family who have been close brothers and sisters for decades, just a few glances can convey each other's news.

That night, news came from Feng Ziying that the Gu family had sent out a large number of people in the capital, trying to find someone.

Jia Lian was overjoyed upon hearing the news, and clapped the case vigorously: "Ha, are you finally in a hurry?"

Jia Lian immediately told Jia Yun: "Stop all other errands, and keep an eye on the Gu family as soon as possible, and see where they gather in the end."

Jia Lian thought that through this follow-up, he might be able to find the Gu family's headquarters.After all, this Gu Pei is another close relative of Concubine Shu besides Minister of the Ministry of Officials, Gu Fei.

As an inspector, Gu Pei is in charge of the judiciary, prison and official assessment in Huguang. Although he is only one of the three divisions and cannot monopolize the power, he is very influential in the local area and has a wide network of contacts.And he is the direct brother of Concubine Shu, compared to Gu Fei, the half-brother, Concubine Shu likes Gu Pei, the half-brother, even more.

Therefore, Jia Lian concluded that under the pressure of Concubine Shu, the Gu family would definitely go all out to save Gu Pei.Now, the culprit of the fire prevention has disappeared, and the Gu family will definitely dig deep into the sky to find it.

After Jia Lian ordered Jia Yun to send someone to stare at Gu's family, she still felt that it was inappropriate. After thinking about it for a while, Jia Lian asked Feng Ziying to meet in Rujian.

Feng Ziying was concocting Gu Zhengyuan in the dungeon of the Secretary of General Affairs at the moment, and came in a hurry after receiving the news from Jia Lian.

Jia Lian laughed and said, "I thought I would have to wait a while, but I didn't expect it to come so soon."

Feng Ziying's face was darkened.

But it turned out that his interrogation of Gu Zhengyuan was not smooth.

Gu Zhengyuan has followed Gu Pei since he was a child. Although they are said to be brothers, their timing is like master and servant.Gu Zhengyuan is the concubine of the Gu family, a side branch among the side branches, with a low status and a poor family. He is also disabled and cannot study and become an official. Therefore, he was rescued by Gu Pei because he was beaten since he was a child, and he has been doing kicks with Gu Pei all the time. , can be regarded as a diehard loyalist of the Gu family.

Therefore, during the interrogation, even if Brother Chun hung him upside down and drowned, he would rather die than hold back his confession.

This Gu Zhengyuan is worthy of being an old man who has been with Gu Pei, the criminal chief, for more than ten years. He knows that if he does not confess, he may wait for the family to rescue him. If he confesses, he will lose everything.

This guy still doesn't know where he showed his secrets. He covered his face to prevent the fire that night.

Jia Lian had a hunch that if this Gu Peihui did not fall early, he would definitely become a strong opponent of Wang Ziteng in the future.If it weren't for Wang Ziteng and Emperor Qianyuan Sifa being young, I'm afraid he would have lost under the wind of Concubine Shu's pillow.

Feng Ziying was particularly annoyed, now it is really hard to get off the horse, this Gu Zhengyuan would rather die than plead guilty, he really can't be killed or let go.

Jia Lian patted Feng Ziying: "Don't get angry, since I've caught him, I'll never let you get caught because of this, and I won't let you lose your job because of it."

Feng Ziying's eyes lit up when she heard the words: "What's the big brother's idea?"

Jia Lian laughed and said, "What if the Gu family knew that Gu Zhengyuan was in the hands of the General Secretary?"

Feng Ziying was stunned, and then scoffed: "Whoever dares to attack the Secretary of General Affairs by force will die."

Jia Lian smiled: "What if it is handed over to the Ministry of Criminal Justice as a witness in three days?"

Feng Ziying understood: "You said they would rob people on the road?"

Jia Lian nodded: "It's also possible to silence."

Feng Ziying waved her hand: "This is not going to happen. If I really let him die in my hands, why don't the Gu family tear me up and eat me?"

Jia Lian said: "You can use a stand-in, and let the real Gu Zhengyuan watch the show by the side. I believe that when he sees that the Gu family wants to kill him to silence him, he will definitely spit it out."

Feng Ziying shook her head: "Although your plan is good, it is difficult to implement. Who would be willing to be the dead ghost? You are not stupid!"

Jia Lian pointed at the tip of her nose: "There are no fools, so let me be one!"

Feng Ziying smiled when she heard the words, and then shook her hands like willows in the wind: "No, no, no, if something happens to you, how can I explain it? I might as well make bait myself."

Jia Lian didn't argue, she put her hands on the table, and climbed the ladder with her feet. Feng Ziying only felt that Jia Lian had already climbed up the beam of the restaurant with the help of the screen.

Feng Ziying was dumbfounded.

He blinked, and Jia Lian was sitting in front of him again.

Feng Ziying pointed at Jia Lian: "Shengong, it's true that your family has magic?"

Jia Lian smiled: "What magical skill? This is lightness skill. I have practiced it since I was a child. If you want to learn it, I can teach you. The secret is one light and one skillful. So, you can rest assured that I will be a substitute."

Feng Ziying nodded frequently: "Yes, you can get flying arrows. With your special skill, I believe the assassin can't catch you."

Jia Lian shook his head: "I can't reveal my kung fu. When the time comes, I just want to save my life."

Feng Ziying frowned: "Why?"

Jia Lian said: "It's not a good feeling to be a bird in the first place."

Feng Ziying nodded: "That's true, but I'm afraid that those people will tamper with the tip of the knife, and it will be troublesome."

Jia Lian shook his head: "According to what I know about the Gu family, they are likely to save people first, and then kill people after failing to save people. Therefore, they will not pre-empt the tip of the knife. At that time, even if we can't lure Gu Zhengyuan to rebel, we can catch Gu Zhengyuan. Assassins can be considered a windfall, I don't believe everyone is as loyal as Gu Zhengyuan."