After taking a few steps forward, Xu Xianchun was slightly stunned, and then retreated.

He looked at Chen Hong with some hesitation, and then asked, "Gonggong Chen, I have something I want to ask Yan Shenggong, I don't know if it's okay?" ”

Chen Hong had already turned around and left, but when he saw Xu Xianchun walking back, he knew that something was wrong with him after being stunned for a moment.

At this time, listening to Xu Xianchun's words, Chen Hong's heart moved. However, Chen Hong is not Xu Xianchun, and he understands His Majesty's mind better.

Chen Hong coughed softly, and said a little unpleasantly: "Xu Xianchun, are you deaf or what?" Or are you deliberately not hearing? What did Your Majesty just say? ”

"Back to my father-in-law, Your Majesty said that the investigation will be strict to the end, no matter who is involved, it will not be tolerated." Xu Xian's face straightened, and he hurriedly said, "I know how to do it." ”

"Then let's do it." Chen Hong waved his hand and said.

After leaving the house, Xu Xianchun quickly found his subordinates outside.

Waving at them, Xu Xianchun asked, "Are the people arrested by Gonggong Chen before still there?" ”

"Lord Hui, all of them are being held with us." The subordinate hurriedly said.

"Those people" are naturally the people who resold grain that Chen Hong arrested before. According to the results of Jinyiwei's investigation, these people are all members of the Kong family, but they have been detained and have not been interrogated.

These people didn't reveal their masters, after all, according to the law of Da Ming, they don't have to say it. In the Great Ming Law, there is a saying that relatives hide each other.

As early as the Han Dynasty, the Confucian classics were used as the theoretical basis for adjudicating cases, known as the "Spring and Autumn Prison Break", which formally established the judicial principle of "relatives and relatives".

Since then, successive dynasties have continued this principle and put it into play. The Tang Dynasty expanded it to include "cohabitation and seclusion", which meant that slaves and maidservants who were not related to each other also had the obligation to conceal their crimes from each other.

The "Da Ming Law" also stipulates the legal principles that "cohabiting relatives are guilty of hiding each other" and "brothers do not prove brothers, wives do not prove husbands, and slaves and maids do not prove masters".

If a son, including a daughter-in-law, reports the crimes of his father or father-in-law to the government, the government will impose a heavy sentence on the son or daughter-in-law for the crime of "unfilial piety".

Of course, there are exceptions to the application of the principle of "intimacy and concealment". Since the theoretical basis of kinship lies in "filial piety", and according to Confucian theory, the highest interest of feudal society is naturally the "loyalty" of the subjects to the monarch.

Then, when there is a conflict between loyalty and filial piety, the only way to be loyal is to give up filial piety. Therefore, it is stipulated: "Conspiracy, great rebellion, and rebellion, these three things shall not be concealed, so the law of concealment is not required." ”

In other words, the three crimes of rebellion, rebellion, and treason do not apply to the principle of cohabitation and concealment, and must be exposed. (Rebellion and rebellion are easy to understand, and the crime of "plotting great rebellion" refers to the act of destroying the temples, mausoleums and palaces of feudal emperors.) ）

Originally, these people were hidden by the Kong family, but if they really wanted to be interrogated, it would be easy to get sideways, and there was no way to implicate the Kong family.

But now it is different, the whole case has become a case of rebellion, His Majesty was assassinated, and he has long had a name.

If it involves a case of rebellion, then it also involves loyalty, no matter what you do, it can't be too much.

At the moment when he just left Gonggong Chen, Xu Xianchun had already thought of what to do.

"Bring all those people here, and the official must review the documents well." Xu Xianchun said with a sneer,

"Yes, sir." When the people under him saw Xu Xianchun's smile, they couldn't help but tremble, naturally they didn't dare to slack off, and hurriedly agreed, and then went to call for people, ready to let them pick up the criminals.

When they returned, the prisoners were also taken over.

"What's the name of the one in the lead?" Xu Xianchun looked at the rows of unkempt criminals in front of him, and said directly: "Bring him up to me first, and start with this leader today." ”

"My lord, this leader is called Kong Shangli, and it is said that he is a side of the Kong family." The subordinate hurriedly said.

"That's him." Xu Xianchun nodded, sat on the chair, took a sip of water from the teacup and said, "Hang it up first and whip it twenty times." By the way, don't forget to dip in salt water, you people are just careless. If you don't dip it in salt water, it's so boring, and you can't save it with punishment. How can you get promoted if you're lazy? ”

The people below hurriedly agreed: "Yes, my lord, we will do it immediately." ”

His subordinates respectfully agreed to say hello, and hurriedly carried Kong Shangli up.

At this time, Kong Shangli was very frightened, and he wanted to break free, and couldn't help but shout, "My lord, my lord, what is this going to do?" ”

These brocade guards are not easy to get along with, so they stripped off Kong Shangli's shirt and pants with neat movements, leaving only a pair of shorts on him.

Kong Shangli looks like he is in his forties this year, and he is used to being pampered on weekdays, and his whole person is white and tender. Although his body is not very thin, he still has meat, and now when he takes off his clothes, his heart panics.

Xu Xianchun ignored Kong Shangli at all, and directly raised his hand to signal his subordinates to be tortured.

Naturally, the people of Jinyi Wei did not hesitate, and the whip in his hand was waved in an instant, and it fell on Kong Shangli's body with a crackle.

The whipping is very fast and very strong, and they are obviously professional people. After two draws, they place the whip in the bucket next to them.

Naturally, the barrel is filled with salt water that has been mixed long ago (sometimes with a touch of chili powder).

Then they lifted the whip and whipped it on Kong Shangli's body again, then dipped it in salt water again, and so on.

Kong Shangli was in so much pain that he had nowhere to hide, so he could only scream in horror, and the expression on his face twitched.

"My lord! My lord! If you ask something, I will know everything, and I will say everything! Kong Shangli had tears on his face, his tone was pleading, and his attitude was sincere.

Xu Xianchun looked unmoved, gently plucked his ear, and flicked it into the air, as if a large piece of earwax had popped out.

The person next to him immediately understood, took a stinky sock and stuffed it into Kong Shangli's mouth.

Xu Xianchun withdrew his hand at this time, picked up the teacup and continued to drink tea.

It wasn't until the twenty whips were exhausted that Jinyiwei's men pulled out the stinky socks stuffed in Kong Shangli's mouth, and then stepped aside, waiting for Xu Xianchun to ask.

Xu Xianchun stood up gently, took a silk handkerchief to cover his mouth, and walked in front of Kong Shangli with an expressionless face, "I actually don't really want to interrogate you today, I just feel a little bored." ”

Xu Xianchun said slowly: "There are days when I haven't tortured people, and I feel uncomfortable in my heart. Anyway, you have such fine skin and tender meat, you should feel very tormented. ”

"But you're a disappointment, how can you be so spineless? We have a lot of torture tools in Jinyiwei, so I have only smoked a few whips, why do you cry for your father and mother? Aren't you from the Kong family? What about your backbone? What a disappointment! ”

When Kong Shangli heard this, he was scared.

Jinyiwei is really a pervert!

You must know that among the rumors outside, Jinyiwei's reputation has never been good. There are also more and more legends about Jinyiwei, most of which are negative.

Some people even say that the life in Jinyiwei eats children, and they also say that Xu Xianchun is even more digging people's hearts and livers, and he has also researched a dish called "dragon liver and phoenix gall", which is very terrifying.

Things like torturing people for pleasure are already normal things in Jinyiwei.

Originally, Kong Shangli didn't care too much, because these rumors had nothing to do with him, and they were a joke when they heard it.

Now seeing Xu Xianchun torturing himself for fun, Kong Shangli panicked. Thinking of those rumors, the whole person suddenly felt bad.

He hurriedly said: "My lord, although the villain's surname is Kong, he is not a member of the Kong family. Besides, you represent the court and Your Majesty, and the villain naturally has to be loyal to the court and His Majesty. In the villain's heart, except for the court, except for His Majesty, there is no one else! ”

Xu Xianchun looked Kong Shangli up and down, and said in a loud voice: "You kid didn't see it, he is still a talent." If I hadn't met you here, I'd really like to take you as my subordinate. But now that I've met you here, there are some things that I can't say. ”

"Adult, the villain knows that he is guilty, but the villain is willing to make meritorious contributions." Kong Shangli hurriedly said: "As long as the adult is willing to give the villain a chance, the villain will do his best for the adult." ”

Looking at Kong Shangli, who was obviously in a cold sweat, but he wanted to force himself to say such things with an envious smile, Xu Xianchun really didn't know what to say.

If this person comes to his subordinates, he must be a qualified subordinate, or even an outstanding subordinate, at this moment, Xu Xianchun actually gave birth to a heart of love.

"Don't say I didn't give you a chance," Xu Xianchun turned around and sat back, and said, "Let me ask you, who instructed you to embezzle disaster relief food?" ”

"Lord Hui, do you still need to instruct this kind of thing? Everybody does it. Kong Shangli hurriedly said.

After hearing this, Xu Xianchun raised his eyebrows and said in a cold voice: "I originally thought you were a smart person, but I didn't expect to be pretending to be smart." At this time, he still doesn't tell the truth, is it really easy to deceive the official? ”

"My lord, my lord, I haven't finished my words yet!" Kong Shangli hurriedly said: "For so many years, everyone has been doing this. As for whom, there is nothing that is not instigated. ”

"The people of the Confucian family have opened up the relationship, which yamen in this Shandong government is not there anyone from the Confucian family? As long as the people of the Confucian family are willing, then there is nothing they can't do, nothing more than a one-sentence thing. ”

"It's just some food for disaster relief, and they exchange it with their mouths, and they can resell it for a lot of money. In such a situation, there is no such thing as a directive or a directive. It's a business that exists every year, and everyone has long been accustomed to it. ”

"So, your business is done for the Kong family?" Xu Xianchun looked at Kong Shangli and said.

"Of course it is." Kong Shangli hurriedly nodded and said: "With the villain's ability, how dare you do such a thing on the ground in Shandong?" Who would want to do something like this with a villain? If there were no people from the Kong family behind me, the people of King Lu's Mansion would have eaten me a long time ago. ”

Xu Xianchun nodded with satisfaction and said, "Then all the money you earned from these people was also given to the Kong family?" ”

"This is the Kong family's business." Kong Shangli hurriedly said: "I'm just a shopkeeper, I receive a fixed salary every month, and the money I earn is naturally shipped to the Kong family." ”

After hearing this, Xu Xianchun nodded with satisfaction.

Of course, these things are certainly not enough.

So Xu Xianchun continued to ask: "This time your grain was sold to the White Lotus Sect, do you know what the White Lotus Sect does?" ”

"Lord Hui, the White Lotus Sect is a thief of the imperial court." Kong Shangli hurriedly said.

In fact, in Kong Shangli's heart, he didn't know what the White Lotus Sect these grains were sold to. But this matter must be said, so he is ready to listen to what Xu Xianchun has to say.

"You may not know that these thieves are so bold and reckless that they dare to assassinate His Majesty!"

"We have arrested some rebels, and according to their confessions, all the food you resold for disaster relief was given to the White Lotus Sect, and they used it as military rations, preparing to rebel against the heavens. So you are already colluding with thieves and complicity, do you know what this crime is? ”

After hearing this, Kong Shangli immediately panicked.

This is the crime of rebellion!

If this is deducted from himself, then he will be finished, and the whole family will not be able to live.

"My lord, I don't know about this matter at all, it wasn't done by a villain!" Kong Shangli hurriedly said: "We just take the grain, and then sell the grain and collect the cash." As for where the food comes from. Who did it sell to, and where do those of us who are subordinates know? Kong Shangli hurriedly said.

"Then who is the person in charge of this matter from the Kong family?" Xu Xianchun sat up straight and asked.

Kong Shangli was stunned.

Who's doing this?

It is Kong Shangsheng, the chief butler of the Kong family.

Kong Shangli hurriedly said: "Lord Hui, this matter is Kong Shangsheng's doing. He is a descendant of the Kong family, not comparable to us little people. ”

"Kong Shangsheng?" Xu Xianchun said with some hesitation: "What is the identity of this person in the Kong family?" ”

"Lord Hui, he is the foreign steward of the Kong family. All of us are under his control, and most of the business and land outside the Kong family are also under his control, or under the control of his subordinates. Relationally, he is the uncle of Yan Shenggong. ”

After listening to Kong Shangli's words, Xu Xianchun nodded with satisfaction, and said with a smile: "Yes, yes, you can sincerely serve the court, realize your mistakes, confess Kong Shangsheng, and do a good job." This is the credit you have made, and I will report it back to see if I can reduce your guilt. ”

"Yes, sir." Kong Shangli said excitedly: "The villain thanks the adults for their lives. In the future, as long as the adults have any instructions, the villain will do his best and do everything for the adults. ”

Xu Xianchun looked at Kong Shangli and said, "Take him down, let Lang Zhong show him his injuries, go back and prepare some delicious food, and make up for him." By the way, remember to change cells and don't treat him badly. ”

The subordinates naturally knew what Xu Xianchun meant, so they hurriedly said, "Yes, my lord, let's do it." ”

When Kong Shangli was taken down, Xu Xianchun said: "I'm going to arrest people with Master Ben, and I want to arrest Kong Shangsheng back this time." ”

"My lord, in what name are you going to arrest?" His subordinates hesitated and said, "We don't have any evidence of him reselling grain at hand." ”

"Reselling grain?" Xu Xianchun snorted coldly, went up and slapped his hand, and said, "Now I suspect that he is the White Lotus Sect, intending to assassinate His Majesty and arrest him for trial." ”