Chen Yan glared at Qin Mubai a little annoyed: "Can you not be so frivolous and casual, can you give me a clear answer?" ”

"There are some people in the world who are just strange, who make serious promises but don't believe them; If it's obviously false, it's perfunctory, and it must be taken seriously. Qin Mubai said, "I thought you were such a person, so I deliberately treated you perfunctorily." ”

"Man, don't be so petty!" Chen Yan knew that she was a little unreasonable, so she glared at Qin Mubai hatefully and walked back, leaning against the pillar, and said, "Now it's my turn to ask you a few questions." If you answer well, I will believe you, and I will tell you everything you want to know. If you don't answer well, I will never confide half a word even if I am a corpse today. ”

"Then what are you waiting for, just ask!"

Chen Yan said: "Are you going to investigate Zhang Tianci's case in depth?" ”

"Nature." Qin Mubai said, "I won't hide it from you, King Wu and I were ordered by the emperor to come out to thoroughly investigate the Jishan case. Originally, we didn't know that things would be so complicated, let alone that Jishan County Ling would suddenly die, which led to a series of big cases. From the very beginning, we were also innocently involved, and we couldn't help but fall deeper and deeper. In fact, we don't want to chase or deliberately target anyone, and we don't want more people to suffer because of this. Everything we are doing now is to minimize the crisis caused by this case, except for those who are the culprits of the heinous crimes, and the others should try not to affect them. Of course, this includes ourselves. Therefore, everything we are doing now is just to save people, save ourselves, and try to make the court and society less shocked. ”

"Seeing that you are sincere and logical, I will believe you." Chen Yan said, "The second question, how will you deal with Zhang Tianci? ”

"Now he must not die." Qin Mubai said succinctly, "It's because his death must be after all the dust has settled." ”

"That means Zhang Tianci will die?" Chen Yan nodded, "I also believe this." Actually, I probably know more about the case than you do. I did lie to you before. In my correspondence with my husband, he poured out a lot of bitterness to me, especially when the construction of the Jishan Lake flood defense embankment began. Between me and him, there has always been nothing to talk about. He is a person who values love and justice, and many times will take into account the interests and faces of others, and would rather pay and sacrifice himself. So he was very miserable and hesitant, and he didn't know what to do. I have said countless times that I want to resign and return to the field to live with me, but I really can't let go of the fame and official position that I have worked hard for ten years. From that time on, I hated officialdom and people who were officials. ”

"You're finally telling the truth." Qin Mubai smiled slightly, "To be honest, it sounds different. ”

"I'm not done yet." Chen Yan glanced at Qin Mubai coldly and said, "If you investigate this case all the way down and find out some big people you didn't expect...... For you, the big guys are naturally extraordinary - what will you do? ”

"What do you mean......" Qin Mubai smiled treacherously, thinking that she had said everything to this, why didn't I lie to her?

After deliberately opening his tone and selling Guanzi, Qin Mubai said: "Do you mean, a character who is even more 'big' than King Wu?" ”

Chen Yan remained silent and noncommittal: "You answer the question first." ”

"Discretion." Qin Mubai said, "I can only answer like this. It would be too much to say that you will be impartial or make a promise now. ”

"That means, depending on who the other party is, and then decide what to do with it, right?" Chen Yan said.

"Yes."

Chen Yan fell silent and stopped talking.

After a while, Qin Mubai said, "Are you done asking?" Now can you start telling me the truth and tell me your secrets? ”

Chen Yanxing glanced up at Qin Mubai slightly, and there was a slight hesitation and hesitation in the corners of her eyes.

"I'm not forcing you." Qin Mubai said, "Actually, if you don't say many things, it doesn't mean that I don't know. It's just that I don't have hard evidence to put it into practice, but I can make a bold guess. ”

"Guess what." Chen Yan said lightly, "Anyway, if it doesn't come out of my mouth, it won't prove anything." ”

"That's true, then I'll guess." Qin Mubai said, "Actually, Zhu Chengwen did write a confidential account book, and he probably realized that he would be in danger, so he sent this account book to you in advance, in case he needed it in the future." This ledger records the whereabouts and uses of many court appropriations, and some of them must be disgraceful, figuratively bribing certain people. ”

Chen Yan listened quietly and was noncommittal, and even her expression did not change in any way.

Qin Mubai smiled to himself and continued: "Later, Zhu Chengwen died, so you immediately thought that he was retaliated against or killed, and then you came to take revenge. But you have a lot of scruples, just because there are some people involved in this ledger, which makes you feel very embarrassed. He may be kind to Zhu Chengwen, or kind to you, or he is inextricably linked with both of you, which makes you in a dilemma. At the same time, you also know that King Wu and I came to Jishan for disaster relief and are investigating this case. So you'd love to know how far we've gotten in. Next, you find a way to blend in with us. ”

Chen Yan was still silent and didn't say a word.

"Just yesterday afternoon, you saw Zhang Tianci come to Juntun, and King Wu also received him and rewarded him." Qin Mubai said, "Maybe because of this, you think that we and Zhang Tianci are the same thing, which makes you very angry and anxious. First, you feel that you have been used and deceived by me, second, you are eager for revenge, and third, you ...... You very much want to kill Zhang Tianci immediately, kill people and kill people, the purpose is to cover the person recorded in the account book - that person. Am I right? ”

"It's all speculation, no evidence." Chen Yan said lightly.

"It's true that I don't, but that doesn't mean I can't find it." Qin Mubai said, "I can't help you, it doesn't mean that I can't take Zhang Tianci." You are a good man who adheres to chivalrous ways, but he is a complete villain. The villain is greedy for life and afraid of death, and he can sell anything. ”

"So, I have to kill him in advance!" Chen Yan said angrily.

Qin Mubai took a light breath and smiled gently: "You finally admit it!" ”

Chen Yanliu glared at Qin Mubai with a slight frown, as if she was angry, and turned her head to be silent.

"Actually...... The person you want to cover may be the one we want to help too. Qin Mubai said, "Maybe he is also innocent, but he just received some money from others in a moment of confusion, and then was used." Even if there is a small sin, it should not be affected by such a great sin. Chen Yan, you don't know why, you think that person and Zhang Tianci are the same person, the mastermind and the accomplice, and the investigation of this case will definitely not lead to good results, so you wishfully eradicate the insider for him. As everyone knows, instead of helping him, you're harming him - after all I said, you should understand what I'm talking about, right? ”

At this time, Chen Yan was startled: "You...... Do you know everything? ”

"Speculation, not the slightest evidence." Qin Mubai smiled slightly, "But my guess is by no means groundless, it is reasonable. You won't understand it, and you won't be able to imagine it, how could I guess that, right? ”

"Not bad...... You're terrible! How did you come up with so many things? Although you don't have the slightest evidence, the reality is almost not different from what you guessed! Chen Yan looked at Qin Mubai in surprise, and for the first time there was a look of horror in her big beautiful eyes.

"Maybe that's why you look down on people in office!" Qin Mubai smiled self-deprecatingly, "People who are officials are full of bad ideas, and after thinking about everything they do, they will think about some causes and consequences. If you do this kind of thing a lot, you will develop some skills of unpredictable prophets. ”

"What the hell!" Chen Yan was still surprised, and at the same time a little confused, "How did you come up with it?" ”

"Do you think of - Li Daozong, the king of Jiangxia?" Qin Mubai said with a slight smile.

"Ugh! ......" Chen Yanwu was taken aback, "do you really know?!" ”

"Sure enough." Qin Mubai smiled and said, "Actually, we should have opened the skylight and said something bright. Because whether it is King Wu or me, they have always admired and respected King Jiangxia very much. King Wu knew him better. He once told me that his imperial uncle was perfect, and that there was only one quirk, and that was greed for money, and it was simply greed for money, and he would never bend the law for bribes, because it was always very easy for him to obtain wealth. Therefore, we have been speculating that there should be big people behind Zhang Tianci to provide convenience for him. This big man is likely to be the current governor of Jinzhou, Jiangxia King Li Daozong. Zhang Tianci took advantage of the relationship between the crown prince and easily got acquainted with Li Daozong, and then bribed him as he liked. Then, under his banner, they hung sheep's heads outside to sell dog meat, and began to prostitute men and women. These, King Jiangxia must have been kept in the dark. Otherwise, with his personality, he would never have connived at a little marquis to ruin his reputation so much and cause trouble for him. ”

"Is that so?" Chen Yan said in surprise, "I always thought that King Jiangxia was also with Zhang Tianci!" ”

"Did Zhu Chengwen tell you?" Qin Mubai smiled, "A small official like him, after all, he doesn't know too much about things in officialdom. Or, it was Zhang Tianci, Cheng Songnian and others who deceived Zhu Chengwen and made him mistakenly believe that it was true. Chen Yan, in fact, I have a disrespectful sentence for the deceased, and I have never said it. Now I want to ask you, so first of all, I would like to ask your forgiveness. ”

"Well, you say."

"Zhu Chengwen, he was actually with Zhang Tianci and others before his death, right?" Qin Mubai said, "Otherwise, he wouldn't have known so many secrets, and he wouldn't have been killed." I guess that he was out of helplessness or trapped by some kind of emotion, so he had to join Zhang Tianci and others and become a part of them. At the same time, he has his own bottom line and conscience, so he has been struggling very much in his heart. He was in pain and had nowhere to pour out, so he told you all this. And the reason for his suffering, I think it should be Li Daozong, the king of Jiangxia. Chen Yan, can you tell me, what does Zhu Chengwen have to do with King Jiangxia? ”

Chen Yan's face became a little pale, and her silver teeth clenched to avoid Qin Mubai's eyes, and she nodded slowly: "It seems that I really underestimated you...... You're so scary, you can guess it! ”

"Say it! Believe me, I will keep this secret and let the dead Zhu Chengwen retain the last trace of dignity! Qin Mubai said.

Chen Yan nodded and said, "King Jiangxia is my husband's great benefactor. When I went to Beijing to take the exam, my husband couldn't even afford to live in an inn, so he nested in the streets of Chang'an every day, reading by the light of the unbridled night light. By chance, he met King Jiangxia. King Jiangxia was very moved when he saw that a scholar was so poor but still worked hard. immediately gave him some money and things, and let him live in the official inn to prepare for the exam with peace of mind. Then, King Jiangxia, a caring person, also specially greeted the people from the household department and the official department, saying that he had a protégé who was going to participate in this year's scientific examination. ”

"In this way, King Jiangxia does have a great favor to Zhu Chengwen." Qin Mubai said, "In the scientific examination of my dynasty, if you can vote for a good family and have a good background, you will be recommended by the noble ministers to vote for the 'line scroll', so that the chances of entering the university and the first place can be greatly increased." And from then on, even if he was the protégé of King Jiangxia, wherever he went, it was also a golden signboard. ”

"Yes." Chen Yan said, "But my husband didn't know anything about it, and he also threw a public paper to the Ministry of Rites in a daze (which means that he took the exam as a commoner, and did not take advantage of the relationship of King Jiangxia's 'protégé'). After he was admitted, he listened to the officials of the Ministry of Rites talk about the recommendation of King Jiangxia, and he regretted it, and since then he has been grateful to King Jiangxia for his parents. ”

"That's a shame." Qin Mubai said, "If he enters the department by investing in the 'line scroll', the starting point of his career will be very high, and he may even be an official in the capital as a son of a poor family, and his future will be immeasurable." It is precisely because he voted for the official roll of the Ministry of Rites that he is just an ordinary jinshi, and it is already good to be able to do Qipinzhi County. King Jiangxia is the secretary of the Ministry of Rites, and although he will not personally preside over the affairs of the Ministry of Rites, he still has authority there. It was just a gesture of his hands, and he completely changed the fate of Zhu Chengwen's life. It's no wonder that Zhu Chengwen is grateful to him. ”

"In fact, before I met King Jiangxia, my husband worshipped him as if he were a god in his heart." Chen Yan said, "I have heard him mention the King of Jiangxia more than once, and I have heard about his great achievements of the King of Jiangxia back then, and how he is a young hero, how he loves the people like a son, and is a perfect character." If you can see him once in your lifetime, this life will no longer be in vain. Unexpectedly, he and his entourage in Chang'an really met King Jiangxia and received his great favor...... It's no wonder that my husband was so painful and struggling after he encountered those things in Jishan. ”

Qin Mubai nodded: "I see, I understand." It seems that the account book really exists, and it must have recorded the whereabouts of part of the embankment repair money, which was probably given to the king of Jiangxia. Seeing King Jiangxia taking bribes and greedy for money like this, Zhu Chengwen must have been in great pain. At the same time, Zhang Tianci and Cheng Songnian took advantage of Zhu Chengwen's psychological weakness to coerce and lure him into joining the gang. In desperation, in order not to betray King Jiangxia, Zhu Chengwen had no choice but to secretly agree to them and help them do some hurtful things. Struggling between kindness and morality, I can imagine Zhu Chengwen's pain. But in the end, the outbreak of the lake flood broke this balance in his heart, and he decided to report and expose it. Even if he was scolded by the world for being ungrateful, he would reveal the true face of the flood. Is this either? ”

"Not bad. It is precisely because of this that he was killed by Liao Lirong. Chen Yan said, "Actually, I can imagine how relieved my husband was when he died. He may be more painful to live like that than to die. It's just a pity, if he could live a few more days and be able to see you, I heard you say that King Jiangxia was only deceived and used by others, he wouldn't be so miserable! ”

Speaking of this, Chen Yan's eyes were red, and her voice was a little choked. She hurriedly reached out to cover her mouth, forcing herself not to cry.

"Did he tell you in the letter that if he died, don't betray King Jiangxia no matter what?" Qin Mubai said.

"Yes. This was his last and only wish for me. Chen Yan said, "I don't know why he is so stupid, he has already decided to risk being scolded and ungrateful in the end, and made the truth of this case public, but in the end he left me such a wish?" ”

Qin Mubai sighed and sighed leisurely: "Love and righteousness are difficult to achieve. Zhu Chengwen is a good person. He has a grateful heart and a righteous heart. But these two hearts can't be combined, so he can't survive or die. I suspect that at the end of his life he had anticipated that he might face the scourge of killing, and he suddenly became enlightened. In his position, he has the responsibility to uphold the justice of the royal law as the commander of a county. But when he dies, he will no longer be the Jishan County Commander, and there will be someone else to deal with the Brown Gong case, and someone will take over his position as the County Commander. At this time, there was finally only one grateful heart left in his heart, and he hoped that King Jiangxia would be safe and sound...... Although he didn't know, King Jiangxia was really innocent and was being used by others. He's just ...... Thanksgiving! ”

That was his only last wish. No matter what he says, I'll do it. Chen Yan said, "That's it, I came to Jishan." Everything that happens next, you know. ”

Qin Mubai was silent.

Zhu Chengwen, a member of the Tang Dynasty, who passed through the ordinary people, lived a miserable life under the test of love and blood, kindness and righteousness. As Chen Yan said, death is really a relief for him.

His pain comes from his own unparalleled affection!

If he is a merciless person, can An be so painful, even recently killed?

And Chen Yan is a simple and straightforward man who is happy and revenge. Entrusted by people to be loyal to people, he does not hesitate to die for a word, regardless of success or failure, right or wrong, and moves forward.

The same emphasis on affection and righteousness.

Love and righteousness, why are there so many versions in this world? Which one is right or wrong?

In other words, should we use simple and absolute "right" and "wrong" to measure love and righteousness?

……