"But with his autographed statement here, what else do you have to say now?"

Hearing the words of the county Cheng, and seeing the bamboo slip in his hand, not to mention the younger Xiang Yang and Xiang It and other children of the Xiang family, even the oldest Xiang Zhuang and Xiang Sheng couldn't help but change color on their faces, and their hearts were shocked. Xiang Kang was also very nervous in his heart, but the expression on his face was still calm, and he said, "Superior, can you let me take a look at my cousin's confession?" ”

"Xiang Gongzi, things have come to this point, do you still want to die and struggle?" The county official replied to the question and said: "This official reminds you again, now that you confess truthfully, you can reduce the crime by one degree, but if you continue to quibble and lie, then the official just wants to open up to you, and he is also powerless." ”

"Xiang Gongzi, this is the opportunity that the county Cheng kindly gave you." Prison Peng, who was sitting next to him as the chief in the right column, also said: "Now that you confess truthfully, you can be regarded as a self-confessed (self-surrendered), and according to the laws of Great Qin, the crime can be reduced by one degree." If you miss this opportunity, according to the laws of Great Qin, your crime is not as simple as punishing Chengdan and serving in Lishan. ”

If it is replaced by other children of the Xiang family, the singing and harmony of Xia Xiang County Cheng and Prison Peng are likely to have received results, but unfortunately, the opponent that Xia Xiang County Cheng and Prison Peng met this time is Xiang Kang, who has been baptized by countless film and television dramas related to solving cases. So no matter how nervous he was in his heart, Xiang Kang didn't believe the words of Xia Xiangxian Cheng and Prison Peng, and replied: "Thank you for the kind reminder of the two officials, but if there is no crime in Xia, there is no crime, and what is said is all the truth, so there is no need to reduce any crime by one." ”

"Don't cry if you don't see the coffin!" Captain Shan, who hated Xiang Kang so much, finally spoke, and said to Xiangxian Cheng: "Superior, these thieves are stubborn, and I don't think there is any need to give them any chance to tell themselves, let them see with their own eyes how that Xiang You recruited, and then see what else they have to say!" ”

"Ugh." The county man sighed very regretfully, and then said: "Xiang Kang Gongzi, it's your chance not to tell yourself, then it's no wonder that the official doesn't miss the old feelings." Come and show them Xiang You's confession, and let them know how Xiang You recruited him. ”

"I'll come in person." Prison Peng volunteered, got up and took the bamboo slip that recorded Xiang You's confession, unfolded a part, and asked someone to bring an oil lamp, and walked in front of the Xiang family's children with the bamboo slips and oil lamp, so that the Xiang family's children could watch Xiang You's confession.

Prison Peng first let Xiang It and Xiang Yang and other Xiang family disciples read the confession, but the result was just a few glances at the words on the bamboo slips, Xiang It, Xiang Yang and the others were already as pale as earth, and their bodies involuntarily trembled, and the other Xiang family disciples saw the same reaction, Xiang Zhuang also lost his voice and said: "How is it possible?" How could Xiang You be so? ”

I had heard Feng Zhong talk about the rules of trial in this era, and knew that at this time, he would be beaten ten times with a bamboo board when he opened his mouth indiscriminately, Xiang Kang, who didn't want to suffer in vain, gritted his teeth and resisted the urge to speak, and at the same time tried to stand up straight and put his expression relaxed, so that the children of the Xiang family could find the feeling of the backbone when they saw themselves, and would not be too flustered to tell the truth. Seeing Xiang Kang's calm appearance, the children of the Xiang family were nervous and did not rush to speak, patiently waiting for Xiang Kang's reaction.

Prison Peng finally put the bamboo slip in front of Xiang Kang, through the light of the oil lamp, Xiang Kang saw at a glance that the bamboo slip did have Xiang You's autograph, and then looked at the content of the confession, Xiang Kang found that Prison Peng had wrapped up most of the content of Xiang You's confession, and unfolded a few pieces of bamboo slips and just wrote: "...... The one who was with me in the shrine temple was my father Xiang Bo, and our Xiang brothers deliberately prevented Yan Jiting from handling the case so that my father would have a chance to escape. ”

"How is it, Xiang Kang Gongzi, have you seen it clearly?" Prison Peng smiled and asked, "Now what else do you have to say?" ”

"Xiang Kang Gongzi, let's be honest, otherwise this official will be tortured." The county also smiled and threatened.

"Officer, what are you doing with him?" Lieutenant Shan said: "This thief named Xiang Kang is extremely cunning, he doesn't need to be punished, and he will never confess!" The subordinate proposed, directly tortured! ”

The faces of the children of the Xiang family became more and more pale, recalling the resentful gaze of Xiang You when he was brought to be tried alone, and fine cold sweat also appeared on Xiang Kang's forehead, and while his heart was thinking quickly, Xiang Kang's eyes suddenly fell on Xiang You's autograph, no matter how you look at it, it looks like Xiang You's autograph, his eyes suddenly lit up again, and he couldn't help laughing, "Haha, hahaha." ”

"Young Master Xiang Kang, what are you laughing at?" The prison Peng on the other side asked suspiciously, and the Xiang brothers were all happy in their hearts, and immediately focused their eyes on Xiang Kang.

"I laugh at the Xiang You painting you imitated, the signature is too fake, and there are too many flaws." Xiang Kang smiled and said, "Superior, who forged my brother's signature?" I think you should hit him with a wrench, it's so badly counterfeited that it can't be seen at a glance that it's not my cousin's autograph. ”

When he said this, Xiang Kang kept staring closely at the eyes of the prison Peng opposite, or after seeing the prison Peng's pupils contract violently, Xiang Kang's heart fell back into his stomach when he mentioned his throat, knowing that his bet was right, it looked like Xiang You's autograph, and nine times out of ten it was really fake.

"You say the signature is fake?" The county opened his mouth and asked stubbornly, "Where is the fake?" ”

"It's all fake, every stroke and every drawing is fake." Xiang Kang smiled and said, "Also, can you bother the prison officials to unfold all the bamboo slips, and let me see the content of my cousin Xiang You's confession in front of me?" ”

Prison Peng had nothing to say, the county Cheng also closed his mouth, and Shan Youwei was stammering, unable to believe that his elaborate confession trap would be easily recognized by Xiang Kang. Xiang Kang observed his words, his heart became more and more reassured, and he bowed his hand to the county and said: "But although the signature is fake, I really have to thank all the officials, thank you." ”

"Why thank us?" The county asked curiously.

"If it weren't for the clever tricks set up by the superiors, I really couldn't find a way to prove my innocence." Xiang Kang smiled and said: "What happened the day before yesterday, because of abiding by the laws of Daqin, I rescued the gentleman who seemed to have been robbed by bandits, and inadvertently interfered with the errand of the pavilion guards of the neighboring county, and was misunderstood by the pavilion guards of the neighboring county. But now it's okay, I can prove my innocence and prove that what I said is all the truth, so I must thank all the officials for designing this opportunity for me to confess and prove that I didn't tell half a lie. ”

After that, Xiang Kang turned to the other Xiang family disciples, and said with a smile: "Brothers, don't thank you all the officials, they don't design and arrange it like this, and our affairs are not clear even if we have a hundred mouths." ”

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you for giving us this opportunity." The children of the Xiang family thanked one after another, but Xia Xiang County Cheng looked at Shan Youwei with a wry smile on his face, and Shan Youwei was pale and black, and he didn't say a word.

"Hahaha!" There was a burst of hearty laughter in the back hall, and then, Zhou Zeng, the county commander who had always admired Xiang Kang, walked out slowly, laughed and said: "Xiang Kang Gongzi, this official has really served you, and when you encounter such a thing, you can still be so calm and calm, which is really admirable." ”

"I've seen the county."

The county Cheng and the prison Peng hurriedly got up and saluted, and the right lieutenant Shan stood up helplessly and saluted, but Zhou Xian Ling ignored them, just took the bamboo slip in the prison Peng's hand, pointed to the Xiang You signature on it, and asked Xiang Kang curiously: "Xiang Gongzi, where are there traces of forgery in this signature?" How did you tell at a glance that the signature was fake? Do you know that Fang Cai didn't even find the slightest flaw in his own office? ”

"Back to the county, there is no flaw, it is the biggest flaw." Xiang Kang explained: "The official of Shicai County said that his cousin Xiang You was carried down for treatment because of the punishment. Don't see the slightest trembling disorder? Isn't that the biggest flaw? ”

With a soft snap, Xia Xiangxian Cheng slapped his forehead, and said with a wry smile: "This official is confused, how can he forget such an important matter?" I thought I imitated it seamlessly, but who knew it was all flaws? ”

"Thank you, Lord." Xiang Kang thanked him again, and said with a smile: "If it weren't for the clever trick set up by the superiors, there would really be no way to prove his innocence." ”

The county Cheng smiled bitterly, and the Zhou county commander smiled and said to Captain Shan: "Captain Shan, now you can die, right?" This official has said a long time ago, the case cannot be decided without evidence, you have to design a confession, and now that Xiang Gongzi has passed your test, what else do you have to say? ”

"County Zun, the suspicious bandit who escaped the day before yesterday is indeed very similar to that Xiang You!" Lieutenant Shan said unwillingly: "Yan Jiting under the subordinates begged to steal Zhang Ying, and the four pavilion guards under him can all testify!" ”

"But these Xiang Gongzi all testified that the person didn't look like Xiang You at all, what should you do?" Zhou Xianling was speechless when he asked a question, and then said: "It's better to find a way to find that suspicious man first, and then arrest him first." ”

Lieutenant Shan closed his mouth helplessly, and Zhou County Commander waved his hand and instructed the county officer: "You can read the sage (pronouncement) now, right?" What happened in Xiapi County the day before yesterday, these sons were indeed at fault, but they also rescued in accordance with the law, according to the law of Daqin, how to deal with it? ”

Knowing that Zhou County Ling had always admired Xiang Kang very much, and there was no evidence in his hand to prove that Xiang Kang and the others were guilty, the county Cheng could only reply: "Returning to the county honor, you can be acquitted, or you can reprimand them for their confusion and misjudgment of good and evil." ”

"I'll be excused." Zhou County Ling said very generously: "Xiang Gongzi and they are also kind, besides, we have no way to prove whether the suspicious man who escaped is really guilty, so we simply exempted from responsibility." ”

The county agreed, and then announced in person that Xiang Kang and others were wrongly convicted, released on the spot, and ordered the release of Xiang You, who was temporarily detained in other places.

"Xiang Gongzi, be careful with him." Zhou Xianling held Xiang Kang's hand, bowed his back to Lieutenant Shan's departure, and whispered: "If you really have something in his hands, even this official can't protect you." ”

"Thank you, county." Xiang Kang thanked him again, knowing in his heart that Captain Shan Youwei was also a little worried that Captain Shan would spread his anger on the Yu family, but after thinking about it, Xiang Kang suddenly found that if Captain Shan really forced the Yu family to have no way out, it would not be a good thing for him......