"What General Xie means is that all the grain that the imperial court has prepared with great difficulty has been burned by the fire last night. After Liu Hui said this in the face of the ruined ruins, he slowly turned sideways, and happened to see Xie Jingde bowing his head in great shame.

Liu Hui shook his head, retracted his gaze, and continued: "There is a rule every year for the silver taels used by the imperial court to purchase grain and grass, and in recent years, it has not been peaceful. In order to raise this batch of grain and grass, do you know how much the old ministers in the court spent their tongues and how much gray hair they were worried about. Today, you tell me that these grains and grasses, which have gathered the blood of countless people, have been burned by a fire......"

Xie Jingde couldn't help but be shocked when he heard that although Liu Hui's tone was gentle, there was a hidden trend of wind and rain coming. His eyes drooped, and he happened to see Dou Siku, who was kneeling beside him, tied tightly, like a pig and sheep waiting to be slaughtered.

A cruel smile appeared on Xie Jingde's lips, he had kept this thorn in his eye for so long, just so that someone could come out to apologize for today's incident. He rushed over, grabbed the placket of Dou Treasurer's clothes, and lifted the old body from the ground.

Xie Jingde scolded bitterly: "Listen, because of your dereliction of duty, 100,000 soldiers in the army have to face unbearable hunger and cold, the treasury has lost a lot of money in vain, and the old ministers in the court have wasted their hard work, and the emperor has been harmed...... In short, even if you are slashed by a thousand cuts, it is not enough to offset the sins on your body. ”

Xie Jingde's excitement seemed to surprise Liu Hui a little, he was stunned for a moment, and then frowned: "Vice General Xie, who is this?"

Xie Jingde threw Dou Treasurer to the ground, gritted his teeth and said, "He is the treasurer responsible for managing the military affairs." ”

"Treasurer?" Liu Hui smiled coldly and said, "Such a big thing, I'm afraid a small treasurer can't afford it!"

Xie Jingde frowned, he slammed the hem of his robe, and fell to the ground on one knee. He arched his hand at Liu Hui and said loudly: "I heard that King Xian has always been benevolent, has always been worried about the country and the people, and treats his courtiers well. It's just that General Weng is famous, but he didn't expect such a big event to happen before his old man's bones were cold. Although he is only a lieutenant general, he is willing to take all the responsibilities. I only hope that King Xian can leave the last decent honor to General Weng. ”

is a loyal minister who is affectionate and righteous, respects superiors, and sympathizes with his subordinates.

Xie Jingde's impassioned words aroused the emotions of the soldiers around him. They shouted:

"This matter is not the fault of Vice General Xie, King Xian cannot be condemned at will. ”

"Yes, Vice General Xie also saved the fire last night, there is no merit and hard work, if King Xian wants to blame, just take down this derelict Dou treasurer. ”

"Yes, yes, the virtuous king can't attack his loyal courtiers! This will chill the hearts of 100,000 soldiers......"

More and more shouts made Xie Jingde secretly proud in his heart. But it didn't show it on his face. Instead, he hugged his fists around with a heavy face, and said, "Brothers, I know your intentions, can you bear to let General Weng still be stigmatized after his death?"

Unexpectedly, Xie Jingde also has a talent for acting, and this trick is really perfect for retreating.

As long as his words are spread, I am afraid that the court will not only not condemn him, but will also give him a certain reward for his meritorious service in fighting the fire. Otherwise, it will chill the hearts of 100,000 soldiers.

Feng Qi sneered again and again in the crowd, and he secretly glanced at a big man behind him who was wearing a military hat, but the brim of the hat was pressed extremely low, almost covering half of his face.

Dahan had been paying close attention to the movements inside, and nodded when he saw this. He reached out and took off the military hat on his head, revealing his whole face, and shouted: "Thank you, thank you for the adjutant general's maintenance of my father." ”

Although Dahan's voice was abrupt, there were also many people in the army who knew him. Someone exclaimed: "It's Weng Lang General" Everyone got out of the way, allowing the son of the Weng family who should not have appeared to pass smoothly.

Weng Lang will stride closer, he arched his hand at Liu Hui, saluted, and said, "I've seen King Xian!" and then said to Xie Jingde, who had already stood up: "I've seen Vice General Xie!"

"Brother Weng, aren't you guarding the spirit in the General's Mansion, why are you here?" Although Xie Jingde had just the right amount of doubt on his face, the blue tendons in the corners of his eyes twitched unconsciously.

When such a big thing happened, it was not strange that Weng Lang would come to Xie Jingde. But although he came, he quietly hid in the crowd, which made Xie Jingde inexplicably have a bad premonition in his heart.

Weng Lang will be a few years older than Xie Jingde, and because he is not good at drilling, his official position is one level lower than Xie Jingde. Despite the anger in his heart, he had to salute Xie Jingde.

After saluting, General Weng Lang said in a deep voice: "If I wasn't here, I wouldn't know that Vice General Xie would be so protective of his father and the General's Mansion!"

Although these words were good words, in Xie Jingde's ears, there was a sense of mockery. However, he still said with an unchanged face: "Brother Weng doesn't need to say this, the old general Weng has taken care of Zai Xia many times, and even if he goes now, Zai Xia will definitely not let his old man's reputation be damaged." ”

"Okay! Vice General Xie is really noble, this king really admires!" Liu Hui glanced at him deeply, and said meaningfully: "But whether this fire was an accident or someone deliberately did it, these have not been clarified, you are in such a hurry to help General Weng confess, it is inevitable that it is too urgent!"

Xie Jingde rubbed his hands together and said curtly: "What King Xian said is true, but it's ......" There was a hint of cunning in his eyes, and he continued to say cheekily: "But this fire is burned too thoroughly, and if you want to find out, I'm afraid it's not easy." ”

"Not really!" Liu Hui took a few steps forward, the rotten wood creaking beneath his feet. He looked at the devastated eyes and said in a deep voice: "I think that back then, when this king was incognito in Meiling County as a small county magistrate, he could still let the dead speak, but now it should not be too difficult to find out the cause of the fire." ”

Xie Jingde's expression froze, his heartbeat seemed to have missed a beat, he had no way to refuse Liu Hui's words, and he had no position to refuse, and the innocent expression on his face was almost unmaintainable.

General Weng Lang had already stepped forward, clasped his fists and said loudly: "Please also ask King Xian to find out the cause of the fire and give justice to my father." I and my men are here to help. ”

Immediately, he turned his head sideways to Xie Jingde, who looked ugly on the side, and said: "My Weng family has never used others to take the blame, if King Xian thinks that this fire is the responsibility of the Weng family, even if my father is not there, there are a few of our unfilial sons who accept the punishment of the court for him." ”

Xie Jingde couldn't hold it anymore, he flicked the sleeves of his robe and sneered: "In this way, I am a villain in vain." ”

No matter how unwilling Xie Jingde was, Liu Hui's guards and the people Weng Lang would bring still entered the ruins in an orderly manner and began to search for evidence. Liu Hui, on the other hand, asked people to set up a temporary table and began to interrogate the sergeants who were in charge of inspecting the granary last night.

Xie Jingde was hung aside intentionally or unintentionally, he raised his eyes and quietly looked at the soldiers who were stopped outside the fire. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw several familiar faces in the crowd nodding secretly to him.

After thinking about it, he also asked his relatives to bring a chair and sit down beside Liu Hui with a grin. After all, at present, after the death of General Weng, the imperial court did not send a new general to take over, he was the key person in charge of the 100,000 army, and there was no reason to put him aside.

Fortunately, Liu Hui just glanced at him lightly and did not refuse his observation.

As Xie Jingde expected, the patrolling soldiers talked for a long time, but they did not provide Liu Hui with useful clues. Xie Jingde listened for a long time, and his original frowning brows gradually relaxed. Fortunately, he was alert, and last night he transferred everyone who knew the inside story, leaving only these ordinary soldiers and military officials who didn't know anything.

No matter how powerful you are, it is impossible to break this unsolvable situation.

Xie Jingde leaned back comfortably, he looked up at the sky, and after such a toss, it was close to noon. He smashed his mouth, touched his gurgling belly, and felt some regret in his heart. Originally, he promised to buy the red gold pearl face for Ruyan last night, but it seems that he can only temporarily lose his trust today. Back in the house, this little hoof doesn't know how to make a fuss!

"Vice General Xie, Vice General Xie......" Liu Hui's call brought Xie Jingde, who had been in the fugue, back to his senses. He sat up straight and said with a concerned face: "But the prince has found a clue?"

Liu Hui seemed to know that he was absent-minded, and his inky black eyes became a little deeper. He said lightly: "In addition to the soldiers who patrolled last night, all the soldiers who were responsible for the safety of the granary in the past will be called, and this king will inquire one by one." ”

Xie Jingde was obviously stunned, he swallowed a mouthful of saliva with difficulty, and then spoke: "Those people were not at the scene last night, even if they were called, it is estimated that they would not be able to ask anything in vain." What's more, it's noon now, and everyone must be hungry after a busy morning, so why don't we have lunch and continue to inquire?"

Liu Hui stretched out his fingers and pinched the bridge of his nose tiredly, and said, "You don't have to worry about this, just call them all!"

Xie Jingde hesitated, and someone suddenly shouted in the ruins of the fire: "Lord Wang, the source of the fire has been found." ”

Liu Hui's eyes lit up and he stood up suddenly. He grabbed Xie Jingde's arm and said, "Let's go, let's go and have a look!"

Xie Jingde was defenseless and was unceremoniously dragged into the ruins by King Xian. He didn't notice at all that in the crowd on the periphery, there were a few people who were anxiously trying to get closer, but they were secretly restrained by another group of people who had been prepared. Immediately, he was neatly gagged, tied his hands and feet, and dragged out of the crowd to hide.

Entering the ruins, Liu Hui unceremoniously shook off Xie Jingde. Feng Qi squatted aside, he pointed to a pile of wood in front of him that had been burned into black charcoal, and turned his head sideways to Liu Hui and said, "Lord Wang, please see, these are the most commonly used pine woods to cause fire." ”

Liu Hui also walked over and squatted down to check.

Xie Jingde stretched his neck to take a look, and then sneered: "It's all burned like this, can you still tell it's pine?"

Feng Qi ignored him, he gently picked up the black carbon strips, pinched some of the ashes under the carbon strips with his fingers, rubbed them carefully with his fingertips, and then sent them to Liu Hui's nose, and said, "The prince smells it, and in the ashes under these carbon strips, there is also the unique smell of pine resin." ”

Liu Hui sniffed Wen Fengqi's fingertips carefully, and then glanced up at Xie Jingde. Seeing him stay aside honestly with his lips closed, he couldn't help but smile.

Xie Jingde was frightened by his laughter, but fortunately, Liu Hui quickly retracted his gaze. He stood up and instructed Feng Qi: "Put away all these burned carbon wood and the ashes underneath, these are ironclad evidence that someone set fire." ”

As soon as Xie Jingde heard that something was wrong, he hurriedly interjected: "Wait, may I ask King Xian, how did these pine trees become ironclad evidence of arson? ”

Liu Hui patted the ashes on his hand and said with a smile: "Vice General Xie doesn't know, this pine wood is very easy to ignite because of its rich oil, so most people use it as a trigger for making fires." This granary ......."

He looked up and looked around, and said, "It should be a place where fireworks are strictly prohibited, but now there is pine wood for fire, and I really can't think of any other reason than someone secretly setting fires." ”

"There are many reasons!" Xie Jingde saw that the situation was getting more and more out of control, and he had to explain stubbornly: "Maybe those soldiers who patrol the night want to cook some food because they are hungry, so they secretly put pine wood to set fire here. ”

To his surprise, after Liu Hui listened to his anxious nonsense, he thought for a moment, nodded and said in agreement: "So, it seems that there is some truth." ”

Before Xie Jingde could breathe a sigh of relief, someone came hurriedly and said, "Lord Wang, a pile of burned-out pine trees was found in the granary over there. ”

"Lord Wang, burned-out pine wood was also found here. ”

"Lord Wang, my subordinates also found the burned pine ......"

Liu Hui smiled slightly, turned his head sideways and said to Xie Jingde, who was stunned: "Vice General Xie, you don't think that all the night patrol soldiers will be hungry, so there are pine trees hidden in each granary, and then they all happen to be set on fire!"

Xie Jingde suddenly remembered that he had secretly ordered a few days ago that this fire must be burned completely, and if it burns suddenly, even if he wants to extinguish it, he can't do it. It is estimated that after those people listened to his orders, they would prepare so much pine wood to hide in the granary and start a fire.

At this moment, Xie Jingde was shocked and panicked, if he could, he really wanted to slap himself.

But he still said quietly: "This ..... I really don't know!"

"It's okay, it's good that this king knows!" Liu Hui smiled slightly, looking at Xie Jingde's eyes full of cat and mouse abuse. He raised his voice and said, "Will Weng Lang be here?"

Weng Lang, who was also searching in the ruins, hurried over, and heard Liu Hui ask lightly: "Have you found the architectural drawings of the granary?"

Xie Jingde's pupils shrank sharply when he heard this, and he watched as Weng Lang took out a yellowed drawing from the placket of his clothes, and said, "This drawing is hidden in the study of the General's Mansion, and I have already brought it." ”

"Good. Liu Hui nodded and said, "You follow them, and every time you find a pile of pine wood, mark it on the drawing." With this drawing, when returning to the capital in the future, no one will suspect that the fire was an accident. ”

Things have developed to this point, and Xie Jingde finally came back to his senses. King Xian has been colluding with the Weng family for a long time, so come prepared!

After the initial panic, he calmed down. What if King Xian colluded with the Weng family? Without the old general Weng, the Weng family is like a tiger with its teeth extracted, with no prestige, but no ability to hurt people.

Even if he is a virtuous king, even though he is the best among the nobles, he does not have the right to supervise and handle cases. In the final analysis, here, it is he Xie Jingde who has the final say. After all, he still has 100,000 defenders in his hands that are enough to crush everything!

Thinking of this, a hint of gloomy coldness flashed in Xie Jingde's eyes, since you are unkind, don't blame me for being unjust!