"Smack, smack, smack..."

Accompanied by a low and terrible scream, the sound of whipping outside the house was very harsh.

Zhang Xiang sat in the room, looking at the twelve people hanging in front of him.

At this time, the twelve people heard the screams of their companions outside the house, and their faces all showed fear.

Zhang Xiang didn't expect these guys to be (tǐng) hard, and they refused to tell the truth when they were beaten like this.

It seems that the money owners behind them are not paying them.

After half of the torture, he didn't ask anything, so he had no choice but to send the two guards out one by one to whip them.

After a few moments, the screams died down, and the whipping stopped, followed by a dragging and grinding sound.

Then the door opened, and a guard walked in, holding something in Zhang Xiang's ear.

Zhang Xiang nodded slightly, and then said lightly towards the twelve fists: "It's okay if you guys don't care, let's continue, interrogate one by one, and the next one." ”

"You're a trick, dog officer—" One of them mustered up the courage to shout.

"Bending into a trick?" Zhang Xiang narrowed his eyes and stared at him: "Don't think I don't know what you're doing behind the scenes, if I'm not sure, I can arrest you all?" Let me tell you, I am giving you a chance to confess and be lenient, the imperial court's collection of grain is a state affair, and delaying the state affair is a great crime to punish the nine clans. Do you really think that you can be safe and sound by relying on the Shi family? The Shi family is a big family in Rong County, they collected the people's grain and donated it in their own name, and the court will only take credit for the Shi family, what about you? Without food, do you really think that if you make trouble with the government, you will give up? After tracing down, you were used as cannon fodder by the Shi family, and you didn't know it when you were used by the Shi family, you kept your mouth shut for the Shi family like this, and then you lost your life, and you didn't delay the Shi family to take this grain to earn silver. ”

"Let me tell you, I have come to Rong County so much, I have long been clear about the Shi family's actions, don't be able to receive the grain, the government will not give up, even if the government really can't receive the grain and leave, do you Rong County people really think that the Shi family can return the grain to you? Now the next grain levy, after this grain levy, there will be a shortage of grain, and the grain merchants with a large amount of grain will raise the price of grain, you have no grain, do you want to buy it? Do you really think that the Shi family will sell it back to you according to the original four hundred dollars and one stone? When the time comes, even if the Shi family sells it for 4,000 yuan a stone, you have to buy it, and if you don't buy it, you will starve to death. ”

"I don't know how many benefits the Shi family has given you to take the lead in inciting the people to make trouble, but I can tell you for sure that the Shi family is a businessman, you fight with him, it is really tender, how much benefit the Shi family has given you at that time, when you sell food, you will definitely return a lot of money to the Shi family, or even more, don't think that you are taking advantage of doing this for the Shi family, in fact, it is the cannon fodder that the Shi family pushed to the front of the stage, no accident, unless you don't eat food in the future, otherwise, The Shi family will still slowly take back the benefits given to you, and you will not suffer any losses, you will do things for the Shi family in vain. And once something happens, you will all have to suffer, and the Shi family will leave all relations with you and continue to act as a good person in Rong County. Think about it yourself, just your little pig brain, do you really think that the Shi family is for your good? ”

Zhang Xiang sneered again and again, and continued to dismantle the twelve rao's psychological defenses: "Hmm... Maybe you will be lucky to think that you are different from others, the Shi family treats you better, if you think so, you can continue to keep silent, but you think about it, you were arrested by me like this, why didn't you see the Shi family come to save you? The total number of Rong counties is so big, every time you take the lead in making trouble in Rong County, now you have all been arrested, there are no people making trouble on the street, won't the Shi family find out? ”

"The Shi family has actually discovered it a long time ago, but for the Shi family, the purpose of the Shi family has been achieved, and you have lost your use value, he wishes that you would die early, so that the Shi family really has no worries, and will act more comfortably in the future."

Over, Zhang Xiang looked at these people who were used as gunmen by the Shi family very sadly.

In fact, these people are all honest people in Rong County, but there is a big zero greed in their hearts, and once the greed is formed, that person (xìng) will also become evil.

Although the poor people have something to hate, as long as they can be truthful (qíng), Zhang Xiang will not embarrass them too much.

But these people are too reluctant, and no matter how good Rao is Zhang Xiangnai (xìng), he can't help but be a little annoyed and angry.

He said slowly: "The one who was dragged out just now has been recruited, and I have already sent someone to send him to the doctor, I am a very reasonable person, as long as I tell the truth, I will not be embarrassed, but if I still refuse, or lie, I will not leave (qíng), think about those people in Rong County, all the food is in the hands of the Shi family, what will they use to fill their stomachs in the future?" How many people will starve to death by then? ”

"I will not tolerate such wicked people with ill intentions."

After Zhang Xiang finished repeatedly, he waved his hand violently: "Next, drag it out, and fight until you are honest." ”

In fact, the guard just now was just for him, and the man was knocked unconscious.

But it doesn't matter anymore, he just wants to cheat, he wants to see how strong this group of Rao's psychological defense line is.

Then the second was dragged out, and after a whipped for a while, like the first, he was knocked unconscious.

But the terrible screams outside the house kept beating at the others inside, and they were even more frightened in their eyes.

After a while, the guard walked in again and whispered in Zhang Xiang's ear.

Zhang Xiang nodded again, with a satisfied smile on his face, and continued, "Next." ”

"My lord, my lord, I recruited, don't hit me..."

Eventually, one of them broke down, and 'Poof' fell to his knees.

"I've recruited it too, my lord, spare my life."

"I was wrong, my lord..."

Looking at these people who knelt down one after another, Zhang Xiang was a little disappointed in his heart, and this little backbone made him look high.

He originally thought that he would have to fight at least the fifth one before anyone could stand it, but he didn't expect that the second one would be recruited.

These thirteen people, as long as there is one move, it is enough.

He bowed down lightly (shēn) and said with a smile, "What are you going to recruit?" ”

"My lord, I recruit, I recruit, this is all instructed by Shi Meng, the son of the Shi family." First, one couldn't wait to come out: "That Shi Gongzi went to my house to collect grain, but there is no food in my house, and there is no grain even collected by the government, how can there be grain to sell to him?" Then he will do it to me, and if I do as he does, he will give me a tael of silver for every one of them..."

"For this bit of silver, you deceived so many innocent people in Rong County with the Shi family? Your conscience has been eaten by dogs? Zhang Xiang glared at him.

This person shook his head in disarray: "My lord, I don't know, I don't know that the Shi family wants to cheat the people of Rong County about the food, I don't know, if I knew, I wouldn't do it if I was killed, please let me go!" ”

On this person's side, Zhang Xiang asked Li Yanzhi to record on the side.

"My lord, so am I, Shi Gongzi also asked me to do this, he asked me to take the people to make trouble in front of the county yamen, he would give me a tael of silver every time."

"I've recruited too..."

Soon, the remaining eleven people came out with Shi Meng's instructions to bewitch the people into making trouble.

But in the end, Zhang Xiang didn't ask what the Shi family was going to do with the grain.

These people didn't know either, they only knew that Shi Meng instructed them to gather a crowd to make trouble, and the Shi family did not have anything to do with food for them.

It seems that the Shi family does not fully trust them, and what the Shi family originally did was to collect grain from the people, just to temporarily avoid the government's grain requisition, and promised to return it to the people at the original price in the future.

As for the Shi family to sell grain at a high price, it is just Zhang Xiang's speculation.

This is the most important evidence, without this layer of evidence, it is still impossible to convict the Shi family.

Looks like we'll have to find another way.

Although the result was unsatisfactory, it was confirmed that it was the Shi family's doing, and it was not without gain.

Zhang Xiang didn't plan to let this group of people leave now, but continued to lock them up here, waiting for the Shi family to be arrested and then letting them go, if they go out now and the Shi family knows about it, I am afraid that they will be killed, which can be regarded as protecting them.

This group of people is naturally honest and obedient.

When Zhang Xiang walked out of this dim room, on the other side of this room, a figure disappeared, and he witnessed it all happening...

……

On the streets of Rongxian County in the evening, slaves and a few family members were shopping.

The horses lost a lot of weight and slept well, so the girl thought about buying a sachet for the horses and putting them next to their pillows at night, so that the horses could sleep more peacefully.

In a restaurant not far away, Shi Meng, the son of the Shi family, booked a large private room, ordered a table of good wine and food, and poured himself a drink.

(shēn) surrounded a group of family members, standing tremblingly.

Because of these (rì) sons recently, Shi Gongzi's temper is very bad, and these family members who often follow Gongzi also know that Shi Gongzi has not touched a woman for a long time, so at this moment, no one dares to touch this mold.

For Shi Menglai, who does not leave (shēn) every woman, one, two, and three does not touch women, and he can still boil it, but more than half a month has passed, and no woman touches it, and the taste is not at all something that people can boil.

Since these (rì) sons, for the sake of his father's major affairs, he can only keep shaping himself as a good Rao image, so that the people of Rong County can change their views on the Shi family.

Every night, thinking of the widow Chen who still has the charm in the east of Rong County, the playful Qiao'er girl of Yang Laohan's family, and the Xiangxiang sister who sells tofu and has a pair of charming eyes, Shi Meng can't sleep over and over, these three women are the objects of his thoughts, but his father's words are too harsh, and he is not allowed to ruin the reputation of the Shi family at this moment, and he can only endure it.

This aggrieved energy had made Shi Meng endure it for a long time, and he felt that if there was no more woman Nuan Nuan (shēn), he would collapse.

When he was depressed, Shi Meng saw the slave across the street.

At this glance, he suddenly froze in place, and the wine glass he was holding in his hand also fell on Lin, startling the surrounding group of families.

Shi Meng looked at the girl's smile in a daze, and the graceful (shēn) shadow.

It's so beautiful, he thinks this is the most beautiful woman he has ever seen, and he doesn't know how many times more beautiful than the Qiao'er girl of Yang Laohan's family.

Why hadn't he seen it before?

While continuing to stare intently at the shadow of the girl walking, he reached out and grabbed a family member next to him, pointed and asked, "Whose sister is that?" ”

Jia Ding glanced at it and shook his head: "Childe, I don't know, I haven't seen it!" ”

Seeing that the shadow of the girl (shēn) was getting farther and farther away, Shi Meng stood up violently, and the originally decadent god (qíng) suddenly brightened: "Go, I want her tonight, come here, go and arrest her back to the house." ”

"But Childe, master—" The guy hesitated.

But at this time, after drinking, Shi Meng, who had a brain on the sperm worm, didn't care so much, and kicked on this Ding (shēn) with a heavy kick: "What master, hurry up and chase after me, if you can't catch someone, I want your life." ”

"Yes, yes, yes..."A group of family members didn't dare to say more, and hurriedly ran downstairs.

"Beauty, I'm here."

Shi Meng smiled nervously, and then chased after Jiading.

……

The carriage walked through the abandoned residential area of Rong County, and the color gradually darkened.

Suddenly, there was a 'crunch' and the carriage stopped.

Zhang Xiang, who had his eyes closed in the car, also opened his eyes.

The curtain of the car was opened, and Li Yanzhi said loudly: "Donkey, someone blocked the way." ”

Zhang Xiang frowned, and then Qi (shēn) walked out.

Ten paces away from the carriage, a figure stood in the middle of the road.

This man has heroic eyebrows, a broad face, and a righteous spirit.

Seeing that he didn't say anything, Zhang Xiang took the initiative to give up his hand and said, "I don't know the name of Brother Taizun? Why are you holding me back? ”

The man also bowed his hand slightly, and said politely: "In the lower Xiangzhou, Yue Xin Yue Changzhong." ”

"Brother Yue is polite." Zhang Xiang smiled and nodded, this person gave him a good impression, he didn't seem to have malicious intentions, and Zhang Xiang was also relieved.

Yue Changzhong continued: "I don't know if I can talk to the horse? ”

"You know me?" Zhang Xiang was a little surprised.

Yue Changzhong nodded.

Zhang Xiang jumped out of the carriage and walked over.

"Horse..."Li Yanzhi called him a little uneasy.

Zhang Xiang shook his head at him and told him to stand still and not move.

Walking in front of Yue Changzhong, Zhang Xiang saw that this person was one of the three shortages he had seen in that restaurant when he first came to Rong County.

Zhang Xiang arched his hand to him and said, "I don't know what happened to Brother Yue?" ”

"Are you a grain collector from Pingzhou?" Yue Changzhong asked.

Zhang Xiang nodded: "No, the grain collector of Rong County is Xu Songwen Xu Tongzhi, and I am just an idle person who was awarded by the imperial court to assist the government in collecting grain." ”

"Then you have enough say, right?" Yue Changzhong asked again.

Zhang Xiang thought for a while and said: "Sort of, although I am the imperial family who assists, but if the government's method is feasible, I will also act in accordance with the government's opinion, simple, in this matter, people like us only represent the imperial power and play the role of supervision, if the government does not follow my ideas, I have no choice, at most I can only report the process to the court, and the court will decide." ”

"The appointment of the imperial court is a knife on the head of the government, even if there is no real power, how dare the government offend a royal family like you? If you open your mouth, you will tell. Yue Changzhong said slowly: "I am stopping you here today (rì) to ask you, are you sure enough to solve the contradiction between the people of Rong County and the government, and give the people of Rong County justice?" ”

Zhang Xiang said: "I am now trying to solve the problem, the matter of requisitioning grain, unstoppable, any place is vainly trying to use perfunctory means to dodge, these grains will be sent to the front line in the future, if the war is together, there is not enough food, then I don't know how many soldiers will die?" Dead people are secondary, delaying the fighter plane, affecting the combat strength of the imperial army, is the great disaster of the country, this kind of loss, is not simply understandable, how to choose, I know in my heart. So I came to Rong County this time, no matter what, I must receive this grain, the contradiction between the government and the people, if it can be easily resolved, I will not interfere, after all, I am not the magistrate of Rong County, this kind of matter will be handed over to the Rong County Government. ”

Yue Changzhong didn't expect Zhang Xiang to be so honest, seeing Zhang Xiang's calm expression, he lightly arched his hand and said: "No matter what, I still hope that you can treat the people of Rong County well, and if you say this, my heart will be stable." ”

Zhang Xiang smiled and said, "Could it be that you stopped me just to seek justice for the people of Rong County?" ”

Yue Changzhong said: "I can't believe this Rong County government and Xu Tongzhi, they will only complete the grain collection affairs, if necessary, they will not care about the life and death of the people, if it develops in this situation, it is not good for the government and the people, I just hope that one person can collect grain by a good means and mediate their contradictions." ”

"Brother Yue, this is a rough road, and he drew a knife to help, right!" Zhang Xiang said.

Yue Changzhong nodded: "You can do this, I was just passing by Rong County, and I was going to leave early, but I just saw that something like this happened to the people of Rong County and the government, so I stayed for so long." ”

Seeing his sincerity, Zhang Xiang sighed: "It is rare to be able to think about the people now, I have also seen Brother Yue's kindness, Brother Yue rest assured, I will try my best to mediate this matter." ”

"Then Chang Zhong thanked the people of Rong County for the horses." Yue Changzhong gave his hand heavily.

Zhang Xiang said: "These people are also the people of the imperial court, and the imperial court will not see the people suffering. ”

Yue Changzhong then said solemnly: "There is another thing, some time ago, a friend of Yue's Tao Lin came to Rong County, he once killed a person named He Sinan in Pingzhou, and He Sinan had some friendship with him, and I also knew that you were the son of General Zhang, so his previous son (rì) had been widely distributed in the area south of the Yangtze River." Kill the thief order', many righteous people in the rivers and lakes hate your father Zhang Jian for losing Liangzhou, many people want to kill you to vent their anger, and now the people from all over the south of the Yangtze River have come to Rong County, targeting you, and I hope you will act. I know that I can't persuade him, let alone the many righteous people who have come to Rong County, what I can do is not to kill you with them, and if there is news, I will tell you secretly. ”

"Thief Order?" Zhang Xiang frowned...