The reaction of the Ling County government was very fast, and it was only the next morning that Ling County sent a team of officials to Shiling Pavilion to investigate the case of the Xiang family brothers deliberately helping Xiang Bo escape, and the team was led by Shan Youwei, who had a grudge against the Xiang family brothers, holding the official document written by the Ling County Order, asking Feng Zhong, who was still the head of the Shiling Pavilion, to assist in the investigation, and sent someone to arrest the Xiang family brothers to the pavilion of the Shiling Pavilion for interrogation.

Although Feng Zhong, who had long been in cahoots with Xiang Kang, did not dare to openly violate the law and directly refused to assist in the investigation, he also sent someone to greet Xiang Kang early, asking the Xiang brothers to prepare in advance, and then politely invited Xiang Kang and the children of the Xiang family into the Shiling Pavilion and joined forces with Shan Youwei to interrogate the Xiang brothers.

During the interrogation, Captain Shan's monstrous anger almost ignited the pavilion of Shiling Pavilion directly, and roared to ask the children of the Xiang family to explain why they went north late at night, who they met in the Xiaopo Temple, and why they deliberately helped the suspicious characters who were targeted by Yan Jiting's guards to escape? Xiang Kang is hippie smile, insisting that his brother went north late at night to find the lost and lonely brother Xiang You, and just met with Xiang You in the Xiaopo Temple, as for interfering with Yan Jiting's law enforcement, it was because he didn't know the official identity of Zhang Ying and others, and mistakenly thought that they were robbers who blocked the road, and rescued the stranger in accordance with the laws of Daqin, and absolutely did not deliberately interfere with Yan Jiting's law enforcement and arrest people.

"Sophistry!" Lieutenant Shan slammed his fist on the case, and roared: "Dare to disrupt the people, dare to talk nonsense and deceive the official!" Come on, drag this Diao people down and take twenty sticks! Hit me hard! ”

"No!"

"Wait!"

After Captain Shan issued the order, the Ling County officials he brought immediately sang a promise, and he was about to drag Xiang Kang down to be tortured, but Feng Zhong stood up to stop him and asked loudly: "Captain Shan, there is no evidence, there is no evidence and no physical evidence, why do you want to torture the people of our subordinates?" ”

"Yan Jiting's thief Zhang Ying, as well as the four pavilion guards under him, are all witnesses! Based on their confessions, these officials can torture these people! Captain Shan pointed at Zhang Ying and the others and roared.

"If there is no basis for words, there is no physical evidence, and still you can't use torture!" Feng Zhong, who belonged to Xiaxiang County, refused to pay for the account of the right lieutenant, and said: "And Zhang Qiu thief They also said just now, they just suspect that the person who escaped is a criminal, and they can't prove that the person who escaped is a criminal, Xiang Gongzi They came to the rescue in accordance with the law of Daqin, and after verifying their identity, they did not continue to stop them from arresting the suspicious man, according to the law of Daqin, Xiang Gongzi They have no crime, how can they be tortured?" ”

Shan Youwei, who had no ironclad evidence in his hand, could only stare at Feng Zhong and say word by word: "Pavilion Chief Feng, this official has heard that you and this Xiang Kang are friends, and I also know that you have partnered to open a blacksmith shop, but don't forget, deliberately harboring criminals, how to convict you according to the laws of Great Qin!" ”

"If you suspect that your subordinates are deliberately shielding them, you can go to the city of the lower minister and ask the county officials such as the county lord and the county official to convict the subordinates." Feng Zhong sneered and said, "But you also have to ask Captain Shan to show evidence first to prove that the subordinates are deliberately covering up." ”

There was still no evidence, Shan Right Lieutenant could only close his mouth, but Zhang Ying over there jumped out, pointed at Xiang Sui and Xiang You and said: "Right Lieutenant, the subordinates can testify, these two surnamed Xiang look very similar to the man who escaped yesterday, judging from the age, the man who escaped is likely to be their father Xiang Bo, the same Xiang Bo who killed someone and absconded outside." ”

"Then please Zhang Tingzuo arrest my uncle first to prove that he is the one who escaped yesterday." Xiang Kang smiled and said, "If not, we can also prove that the person who escaped yesterday didn't look like my cousin at all, and it had nothing to do with it." ”

The brothers of the Xiang family echoed one after another, and they all insisted that Xiang Bo, who fled yesterday, did not look alike with Xiang Sui and Xiang You, and had nothing to do with it. Feng Zhong also took the opportunity to spread his hands and said: "Captain Shan, there is no way, these Xiang Gongzi are completely different from what Zhang Tingzuo said, unless you can catch the person who escaped yesterday and prove that he is Xiang Bo, otherwise according to the laws of Great Qin, you can neither torture these Xiang Gongzi, let alone arrest them!" ”

"You're ......!" Captain Shan looked at Feng Zhong angrily, in fact, he also suspected that the person was Uncle Xiang Feng Zhong was a little drumming in his heart, but because Captain Shan couldn't produce evidence, he still puffed up his chest and asked Captain Shan to show evidence again.

At this time, a dogleg stood up beside Captain Shan, attached to Captain Shan's ear and muttered a few words, Captain Shan nodded slowly after hearing this, and said through gritted teeth: "Okay, since you Feng Tingchang insists on favoring these suspects, then the official will not force you, the official will go to the county seat of Xiaxiang, find the county order of your subordinate minister and the right lieutenant to arrest people, and arrest these surnames to the county for interrogation, I see how you are still partial!" ”

After that, Shan Youwei really got up and rushed out of the pavilion of Shiling Pavilion, and the people he brought followed closely, and went straight to the county town under the ridicule of the Xiang brothers. As a result, it was also after Captain Shan and the others walked away, Feng Zhongcai said to Xiang Kang very worriedly: "Brother Xiang Kang, for you today, I offended Captain Shan to death." If the people in the county really call you to the county for questioning, you have to resist it, otherwise, not only will I be unable to keep my official position, but I will also have to go to Lishan to work as a coolie. ”

"Thank you, big brother, thank you for your kindness, I remember today's events." Xiang Kang thanked Feng Zhong and said, "Don't worry, eldest brother, this matter is also related to us, if someone from the county really comes to arrest us for questioning, we will definitely not let go, and we will never affect you." ”

Feng Zhong nodded, wanting to ask if the person who escaped yesterday was really Uncle Xiang, but he knew that Xiang Kang would definitely not tell the truth, so he had to swallow this question back into his stomach, and asked again: "Brother Xiang Kang, is there anything else you want me to help with in this matter?" ”

Xiang Kang thought for a while and replied, "Not yet, but if there is really any trouble in the future, please ask the eldest brother to help." ”

"Don't worry, just open your mouth if you need to." Feng Zhong replied with a wry smile: "Who told us brothers that we are grasshoppers on a rope now, and you can't run away from me." ”

Xiang Kang smiled when he heard this, he was very proud of his foresight, not only turned enemies into friends with Feng Zhong in advance, but also asked Zhou County Commander to sell a favor to Feng Zhong - otherwise, Feng Zhong would definitely stand on the side of Shan Youwei today.

Then, Feng Zhong wanted to invite Xiang Kang and the others to stay for dinner, but Xiang Kang, who had just received a big favor from Feng Zhong, politely declined, and in turn proposed to invite Feng Zhong to dinner.

The matter is not over, after going out in front of the pavilion, Xiang Kang met a servant of the Yu family who had met several times, and the servant of the Yu family who was carrying a package stopped Xiang Kang, nodded and said: "Xiang Gongzi, my lord sent the little one, and the master wants the little one to tell you, yesterday Yan Jiting's pavilion called him for questioning, and he confessed that you are looking for the lost Xiang Yougongzi, and nothing else has been said." ”

Xiang Kang nodded, thanked the servant of the Yu family for the report, and the servant of the Yu family untied the package on his back again, and said: "Young Master Xiang, inside are the clothes you replaced in our Yu family, and in addition, my young lady also made a dress for you with her own hands, please accept it." ”

A little excitedly took the package, and when he quickly opened it, Xiang Kang immediately found that the dirty clothes he had changed at Yu's house had been washed cleanly, and the patches on his sleeves had been repaired, and there was also a fine silk coat with fine stitches, the size was exactly the same as his old clothes, Xiang Kang couldn't help but have a sweet smile on his face, and praised sincerely: "I didn't expect that little girl to have such a skillful hand." ”

"If you are in love, take it back and put it away, and wear it when you are officially married." Xiang Zhuang's yin and yang weird guidance, the Xiang brothers next to him echoed one after another, and they all laughed, but Xiang You's face was gloomy, and his eyes were full of jealousy when he looked at Xiang Kang.

After finishing the mission, the servants of the Yu family left with Xiang Kang's words of thanks, Xiang Kang also went home directly with a smile on his face surrounded by the children of the Xiang family, and Xiang You walked to the end with a gloomy face, and at the same time, what Xiang Kang and the children of the Xiang family did not notice was that in the hidden place on the side of the road, a pair of eyes were staring at them tightly, and they also noticed Xiang You, who looked obviously bad......

…………

In the evening of the same day, Feng Zhong's worst fear finally happened, the county minister and the right lieutenant jointly signed a letter, asking Feng Zhong to escort all the children of the Xiang family to the city for interrogation, but Feng Zhong did not dare to openly cover up, so he could only invite the children of the Xiang family to the front early the next morning, explain the reason to Xiang Kang and others, and ask the children of the Xiang family to go into the city with him for trial. Xiang Kang also knew that Feng Zhong was embarrassed by this, so he immediately nodded in agreement, repeatedly told his children not to let go, and followed Feng Zhong to the city of Xia Xiang to be tried.

I don't know what Shan Youwei did in Xiaxiang City, after entering the city, Feng Zhong just handed over the Xiang family brothers to the prison officials of Xia Xiang, and the Xiang family's children were immediately taken to the county prison for detention. Fortunately, he was not directly imprisoned in a cell, but in a county prison dormitory with relatively good conditions, similar to a detention center. Then soon a county official came to verify the identity of Xiang Kang and others, and preliminarily investigated the origin of the matter, while Xiang Kang and others continued to insist on their previous confessions in Shiling Pavilion, gritted their teeth and denied the first pass, and at the same time temporarily handed over their weapons as required.

is already quite familiar with this era, Xiang Kang knows very well that the next interrogation is the real key, but to Xiang Kang's surprise, in the afternoon of the same day, Xiaxiang County Cheng sent a jailer to escort the children of the Xiang family to the main hall of the county prison for interrogation, and even named and escorted only Xiang You alone, instead of bringing all the children of the Xiang family to interrogation. Xiang Kang found that the situation was not good, and hurriedly asked the jailer who came to detain him: "Superior, why is my cousin alone to go?" Does this have anything to do with us? ”

"I don't know the above arrangement."

The jailer spread his hands and said that he didn't know either, and then urged Xiang You to leave quickly, Xiang Kang was a little worried, and hurriedly said to Xiang You: "Xiang You, to be honest, don't talk nonsense." ”

glanced at Xiang Kang with a little unkindness, but Xiang You didn't answer, and left with the county official with a gloomy face. Xiang Kang secretly screamed in his heart, and said in his heart: "Oops, this kid Xiang You is obviously jealous of my relationship with the little girl of the Yu family, shouldn't he be jealous and hateful, and deliberately say something unfavorable to me, right?" ”

Thinking of Xiang You's attitude towards himself during this time, Xiang Kang's heart was inevitably even more worried, and he was even more worried that Xiang You was stupid and incompetent, and was asked what confession he made by Captain Shan's gang alone, but the more worried he was, the longer the time became, or after it was dark, the jailer who had left Xiang You returned to Xiang Kang and the others with a group of errands, and asked all the children of the Xiang family to go to the main hall of the county prison for interrogation. Xiang Kang had no choice but to look at the children of the Xiang family, asking them to obey his previous arrangements and not to speak in a hurry, while worrying about following the jailer out of the county prison guest house and going to the main hall of the county prison for interrogation.

Xiang You, who was brought to trial first, was not in the main hall, on the contrary, he was the first lieutenant of Ling County, who had a grudge against Xiang Kang, sat in the left column of the main hall in a big way, and the person presiding over the trial was Xiang Kang who had met once in the lower prime minister's county, and the chief sitting in the right column was the lower minister's prison peng, and there were also some small officials holding pen and ink to record confessions next to him. Seeing Xiang Kang and the others entering the hall and standing still, Xia Xiang County Cheng spoke first and said: "Wait a minute, listen up, the following official question, you must answer truthfully, if there is a lie, it is a crime on top of a crime, remember?" ”

"Remembered." Xiang Kang took the lead in agreeing and said, "Please interrogate the officials at will, and we will answer truthfully." ”

The brothers of the Xiang family followed Xiang Kang to answer, the content was similar, Xia Xiang County Cheng nodded with satisfaction, and then asked the children of the Xiang family about the day before yesterday, Xiang Kang continued to talk nonsense, and insisted that he and the Xiang brothers went to Yanji Pavilion successively, in order to find Xiang You who was separated during the play, worried that Xiang You had an accident and looked for it overnight, and then prepared to go to Xiapi to play and visit the iron market, and accidentally met Zhang Ying and others besieged an unknown gentleman, because they did not know the identity of Zhang Ying and others, and in accordance with Qin Law, who saw that the bandits must be righteous and brave within a hundred steps, came to help, and then caused the aftermath.

Xiang Kang was a little surprised, when he made his statement, Captain Shan never interrupted himself, and he still had a mysterious smile on his face, even if Xiang Kang finished talking in the end, Captain Shan was not in a hurry to speak. On the contrary, it was Xia Xiangxian Cheng who opened his mouth and asked the children of the Xiang family: "Is the confession that Xiang Kang said the whole thing going on?" ”

"Yes. What Xiang Kang said is all the truth, what we have seen and experienced with our own eyes. Xiang Zhuang rushed to answer first, and then the children of the Xiang family also nodded, insisting that Xiang Kang's confession was the truth.

"Good." Xia Xiang County Cheng nodded with satisfaction, suddenly raised his voice, and said: "But the confession of your brother Xiang You is completely different from your statement. ”

"Dare to ask the officer, how did my cousin Xiang You explain?" Xiang Kang asked silently.

"He confessed that the night before yesterday, he was with his father Xiang Bo, who was on the run." Xia Xiang County Cheng smiled and said: "Xiang You also said that you didn't go to him alone, but to see your uncle Xiang Bo, and then Xiang Bo was found by the pavilion guards of Yan Jiting in Ling County and fled north, and you found that the situation was not good, so you went back and deliberately blocked the pavilion guards of Yan Jiting from handling the case, so that your uncle Xiang Bo took the opportunity to escape." ”

Before the county Cheng's words were finished, most of the dozen or so Xiang family children had already changed their faces, and Xiang Kang's heart was also a little drumming, but his face was silent, and he just said: "Superior, it is impossible for my clan brother Xiang You to say this, please send him to confront him." ”

"He has been tortured, he has been carried down and healed, and the confrontation can only be said later." Xia Xiangxian shook his head, held up a roll of bamboo slips again, and said: "But there is a confession signed by him here, what else do you have to say now?" ”

The faces of the children of the Xiang family changed, but the right lieutenant Shan You, who was sitting in the left column, smiled fiercely, and looked at Xiang Kang's venomous gaze, like a poisonous snake staring at a poor frog......