Zhu Dongshan cautiously pushed open the door and entered the house.

Facing the door is a screen, but on the screen is painted a very strange pattern, it is a group of pictures of various punishments in the eighteen layers of hell, on which the ghosts are hideous, and the souls are miserable, and the miserable howl seems to come faintly from the screen.

Ordinary people must be horrified when they see such a screen.

Zhu Dongshan had long been accustomed to it, bypassing the screen, behind the screen, a thin man less than fifty years old was dressed in civilian clothes, holding an extremely strange object in his hand, playing with it with great interest, turning his head to look at Zhu Dongshan, and said with a smile: "Dongshan, you come to take a look at this." ”

"What is this, Lord Ministry?" Zhu Dongshan stepped forward and saw that this object looked like a human hand, but it was like a nail rake, but the sharp teeth were half-hooked, and for Zhu Dongshan, who was used to seeing all kinds of torture tools, he didn't feel cold, but he had never seen it, and it was a little strange.

"I was about to come up with a name for it." Lu Junzhong smiled and said: "Half a month ago, Chen Xuanyang, the director of the Huzhou Criminal Department, asked someone to send a picture, on which this torture instrument was drawn, and the size and production method were clearly written, and how to use it was even more detailed. This is designed by him himself, and he has used it on prisoners, and it is said that the effect is wonderful. I had someone build one, I sent it over last night, and I tried it, and it was a lot of fun. ”

Although Zhu Dongshan wanted to report Qin Xiao's matter immediately, he saw that Lu Butang was full of interest, and he didn't dare to spoil his interest, so he bowed and said, "Lord Butang, how can this torture instrument be used?" ”

The thin man is naturally Lu Junzhong, an official of the Criminal Department.

Lu Junzhong has sharp-beaked monkey gills, his ears are much sharper than ordinary people, and his complexion is dark, and he is indeed ugly.

"Iron comb." Lu Junzhong had a flash of inspiration, patted his head and said, "Yes, this torture instrument is called an iron comb, hahahaha!" ”

Zhu Dongshan bowed his body and said with a smile: "Good name, the wisdom of the adult, he actually came up with such a shrewd name, although this iron comb was thought up by Chen Xuanyang, but to let it be passed down through the ages, without the master of the department, it would never be possible." ”

Lu Junzhong's face showed excitement, and his eyes flashed with brilliance: "First strip the prisoner naked, and then tie his limbs to the iron bed, so that he can't move." Then he poured boiling water on him, and as he poured it, he combed him with the instrument of torture like a comb of hair, so that the flesh of the prisoner could be brushed away wherever he passed. In the end, the skin and flesh can be brushed out, revealing the white bones, hehe, and the prisoner will not die for a while. Dongshan, I'll try to show you when I go back, that Chen Xuanyang is really a talent, he actually came up with such a clever torture instrument, and if he is transferred to the Criminal Department, we will definitely be like a tiger. ”

"That's what my lord said." Zhu Dongshan said busily.

"The drums are coming from in front of our door?" Lu Junzhong frowned: "Does anyone think that his life is long?" How do you dispose of it? ”

Zhu Dongshan said: "The lower official didn't deal with it, let him wait outside the door." ”

Lu Junzhong raised his hand and touched a lock of black goat's whiskers under his chin, put the torture instrument on the table, and then said, "You just said that there is something to report, what is it?" ”

Zhu Dongshan immediately put away his smile and said, "My lord, there is a horse riding a car in front of the yamen, and there is a big drum on the car, beating the drum in front of the yamen of the criminal department. ”

"Blackfeather Night Raven!" Zhu Dongshan immediately said: "Ministry, the person beating the drum is the Black Feather Night Crow. ”

Lu Junzhong was stunned and said, "What did you say?" ”

Lu Junzhong's face sank, glanced at Zhu Dongshan, sat down on the chair and said, "Someone was beating drums in front of the yamen of the Criminal Department, and then the officials of the other departments and yamen looked at it, and they laughed in their hearts, but you didn't."

Deal with the drummer, Dongshan, haven't you woken up yet? ”

Zhu Dongshan nodded.

"I got the news a few days ago that Jiayuguan was blocked, although the specific situation is not clear, but it must be that there has been a big change in Xiling." Lu Junzhong said: "At this time, when Hei Yu's people enter Beijing, it must be Hei Yu who sent them to deliver the letter. After thinking for a while, he finally said: "There must be an urgent military situation of 100,000 urgent." ”

Zhu Dongshan took a step forward and said softly: "The one beating the drum outside the door is the Black Feather Night Crow, called Qin Xiao, who came to Beijing from Xiling. ”

Lu Junzhong stood up abruptly and said in a lost voice: "Is it Hei Yu's person?" ”

Zhu Dongshan said: "Qin Xiao is here to ask our criminal department to help find someone." According to him, after the three of them entered Beijing, the other two suddenly disappeared two days ago, and there was no news, and he searched everywhere without any clues. In desperation, he ran to the criminal department. This person took out the tiger head jade pendant, and the lower officials carefully inspected it, and it was indeed the craftsmanship of the imperial superintendent. At that time, the saint rewarded the black feather night crow for his exploits, so that the imperial superintendent made thirty tiger head jade pendants, and the black feather night crow had one in each hand, which was the gift of the saint, but it also became the proof of the identity of the black feather night crow. ”

Lu Junzhong stroked the goat's whiskers, sat down slowly, and was silent for a moment before he said: "I came to Kyoto from Xiling to report the military situation, but my whereabouts are suddenly unknown. ”

Zhu Dongshan said: "Qin Xiao said that there was a rebellion in Xiling, and he and his party of three went to Beijing to report the emergency military situation. ”

"That's right." Lu Junzhong bowed slightly, but immediately wondered: "What did you do when you went to Beijing to report the military situation and came to our criminal department?" Shouldn't it be to go to the military department? ”

"Bingbu!" After pondering for a moment, Lu Junzhong suddenly said in an extremely affirmative tone: "The missing person must have fallen into the hands of the military department, and it must be in the hands of Fan Wenzheng's old dog at the moment." The messenger went to the military headquarters to report the news, and Fan Wenzheng detained the messenger. ”

Zhu Dongshan nodded and said, "Xiaguan also has this suspicion. It's just that...... What is the purpose of the military department's seizure or even house arrest of the messenger? ”

"Xia Guan also thinks there must be something strange." Zhu Dongshan said: "It is impossible for those two people to disappear for no reason, and suddenly they have no whereabouts, they are either quietly killed by someone, or they are imprisoned." But who's behind it? What would be the reason for dealing with the messenger from Xiling? ”

Lu Junzhong leaned back in the chair, pouted, and motioned for Zhu Dongshan to sit down as well.

"Maybe, but with Black Feather's temperament, it shouldn't be possible to be captured alive." Lu Junzhong's small eyes became cold: "Maybe he has died in Xiling." ”

Zhu Dongshan bowed slightly, thought for a while, and then said, "If Xiling."

"For what?" The corners of Lu Junzhong's mouth flashed with a gloomy smile: "Have you forgotten that Hei Yu has been out of the customs many months ago, logically speaking, the generals who commanded the army have already arrived at the front line, and the soldiers and horses under his command will naturally arrive immediately, but so far, the immortal army under Hei Yu's command is still stationed in Woye Town, and I have not heard that the immortal army has been out of the customs." There was a rebellion in Xiling, and Jiayu Pass has been sealed, which has proved that the rebels have become ...... in Xiling, and Heiyu has fallen into the hands of the rebels. ”

Zhu Dongshan was surprised: "Hei Yu became a prisoner? ”

"Why did he do that?"

"Naturally, it is necessary to buy time to drag people into the water." Lu Junzhong sneered: "Only when the Dora people go into the water and bear the responsibility for losing Xiling together, can the military department avoid too much loss." The more people involved in the matter, the more stable Fan Wenzheng's position will be, and that old dog must think so. His eyes sparkled, and he rubbed his hands excitedly, as if a hunter had discovered the trail of his prey: "Dongshan, if he really detains the messenger, it will be a great opportunity for us." Some people don't know the emperor's grace and want to deceive the saint, but we can't let him go. ”

If it really falls into the hands of the rebels, the military department will be in big trouble this time. The military department did not transfer the immortal army out of the customs in time, and Hei Yu had no soldiers and horses in his hands and could not suppress the rebellion, and the military department could not escape the blame. ”

"Not bad." Lu Junzhong said with a sneer: "Of course Fan Wenzheng's old dog knows this truth, once the responsibility for losing Xiling falls on the head of the military department, his chair will not be able to sit down." Hehe, the seizure of the messenger naturally does not want the military intelligence to report to the saint in time. ”

Zhu Dongshan was stunned.

"More than ten years ago, Musk Moon was a child." Lu Junzhong said lightly: "I entered the palace to meet the saint, and when I left, I happened to meet Musk Yue. I was very respectful to her, but when she saw me, she laughed at my appearance, saying that I looked like a monkey in the Imperial Garden, and told me to go to the Imperial Garden to stay with the monkeys. There was hatred in her eyes: "She is the pearl of the saint's palm, I naturally can't do anything to her, but I am still happy to have the opportunity to kill her lackeys." ”

Zhu Dongshan said cautiously: "Behind the ministry and the military department, there is the shadow of Her Royal Highness the princess, and Fan Wenzheng's backer is the princess." And the military department doesn't have much of a holiday with us, this thing ......!"

"If it's someone else behind him, I might think about whether I have to put effort into dealing with him." Lu Junzhong's eyes flashed with a cold light: "It is precisely because he has Musk Moon behind him that I have to find an opportunity to put him to death." ”

Zhu Dongshan couldn't imagine that Lu Junzhong, who was vicious and unscrupulous, would have such a worry in his heart, and he was a little surprised to hear him say it for the first time today, but Lu Junzhong was not the only one who was worried about this.

"Although we have been on the rise over the years, we have also offended too many people." Lu Junzhong sighed: "How many people in the DPRK want to kill us? Except for the saints, we don't have anything to rely on ......! He lowered his voice and said, "The saint has been addicted to pills over the years, and he ...... Hey, the body is getting worse and worse, in case ...... If one day she is gone, will we not be lambs to the slaughter? Musk Yue and many people in the court will not let us go, without the saint, we are not bullshit. ”

Cold sweat broke out on Zhu Dongshan's forehead, not because Lu Junzhong held a grudge, but because Lu Junzhong actually told himself about this ugly incident that if this matter was known by too many people one day, Lu Junzhong would probably be the first to die.

Many officials of the Criminal Department under Lu Junzhong got up by lifting the prison, but they also offended too many people because of this, and became a thorn in the side of countless officials.

But no one dares to show any such thoughts.

"I know you all have this in mind, but you don't dare to say it." Lu Junzhong said lightly: "I have taken you to this day, and it can be regarded as infinitely beautiful, but you have followed me for all these years, and I have to think about the way back for you." He smiled weirdly and said, "This time I just took the opportunity to find a way back for you." ”