The Kaifeng Prefecture is located in the southwest of the inner city. Guo Shao arrived outside the gate of the mansion and called a big drum hanging at the door, which was said to be a drum of grievances, but he was not wronged, and only took out the name and asked the messenger to send it in to report to the official. A person like Guo Shao, who has a large group of light horsemen and horses on good horses, knows at a glance that he is not an ordinary person. Naturally, the officer would go in with the name card and ask the officer.

After a while, I suddenly saw a group of officials walking out one after another, "Guo Dashuai is coming, there is a loss of distance to welcome and a loss of distance to welcome...... a red-robed chief official was deeply moved, bent down to speak, as if he wanted to kneel down for Guo Shao.

"Please, please, please sit down!" The other old man looked at Guo Shao in awe.

Guo Shao's identity is indeed not low, the general of the Guards Division. But Kaifeng Mansion is also a majestic place at the feet of the Son of Heaven, just the arrival of the general, will not receive such a courtesy at all. Guo Shao suddenly felt very unaccustomed, but when he saw the respectful looks, he really realized the subtle changes after just a few days.

A group of officials greeted him on both sides, Guo Shao swaggered into the gate from the middle with two entourages, and turned back and said: "I just have something to ask Huang Binglian, the official of the left hall, don't be so excited." ”

"Huang Binglian!" A high-ranking official called.

At this time, I saw a middle-aged man with a square face and a long figure stepped forward and said, "What does Guo Dashuai command?" ”

Guo Shao waved his arm to everyone and said, "Office hours, it's all gone." I only talk to Huang Tuiguan. ”

Huang Binglian's position is not very high, but his demeanor is more decent than that of other officials, and he looks neither humble nor arrogant, and said politely: "General Guo, please, go to the signing room of the lower officials to talk in detail." ”

"Please." Guo Shao doesn't take a shelf.

A group of several people entered a quaint and old room and sat down, and Guo Shao asked his entourage to guard the door. "Look at the tea!" Huang Binglian shouted.

When the errand servant brought tea, Guo Shao didn't drink it, and waited for the idle people to go out. He silently looked at the furnishings on the table, the bright red tablecloth seemed to have a lot of blood sprinkled on it, as well as the king's order, seals, red pens, and some miscellaneous things.

Huang Binglian said: "The royal order is given to the king, and it is placed on it, so that the lower officials and others dare not forget the heavy responsibility when they judge the case." ”

Guo Shao thought about it again, and then spoke: "Huang Tuiguan has always been impartial and law-abiding when he asks about the case? ”

Huang Bing said honestly: "Since he is an official and holds the power of life and death of Li Min, he naturally does his best to be strict and impartial, if he always makes a wrong judgment, he is mediocre; However, if you accept bribes and bend the law for personal gain, you are greedy. These two are taboos for officials when the government is clear, harming others and themselves. ”

Guo Shaozan said: "Huang Tuiguan is neither mediocre nor greedy, otherwise the privy envoy of the king would not have recommended you to investigate the case of Zhao Sanlang's assassination." ”

"Whether it is investigating Zhao Sanlang's case, or going to the palace for a few days to serve the first emperor to change clothes, the lower officials are speaking impartially, and this is the case, so I have no shame in my heart." Huang Binglian hurriedly said, "The lower officials are not mediocre or greedy, but they dare to admit it, the great-grandfather, grandfather, and father above have been officials for several generations, and the lower officials have read the files of their ancestors to clear their grievances, and the family has passed down the methods of autopsy, inference, and verification, and the small officials and servants below dare not perfunctory me, so it is not mediocre; is also because the Huang family has accumulated for officials for several generations, has good land, large buildings, and a solid family foundation, and the lower officials do not look down on those vulgar things, and they are not guilty of being greedy with conscience. ”

"Well said." Guo Shao said, "It's too wasteful for Huang Tuiguan to only be a Tuiguan. Today, our dynasty still follows the way of Confucius and Mencius, that is, to rule by man; The power is in the hands of the officials, and if the officials are not selected well, the country will be ruled in ruin. Da Zhou is in urgent need of a talent like Huang Tuiguan. ”

"Don't dare, don't dare." Huang Binglian said, "The lower officials are just asking about the case. ”

Guo Shao glanced outside the door and said in a low voice: "It's just ...... Whenever Huang Tuiguan asks about a case, will he definitely judge right and wrong and admit justice? ”

Huang Binglian suddenly groaned, observed Guo Shao quietly, touched the beard on his chin and said nothing for a long time. He finally spoke, "I can't guarantee it...... Let's put it this way, when some people can completely control our official position, life and death, how many people can not give in? Unless there is an iron law in the imperial court, and other powers cannot interfere with the punishment and punishment at all, no one who will be the official will dare to pat his chest and say that he will definitely distinguish between black and white right and wrong. ”

Guo Shao said seriously: "It makes sense, Huang Tuiguan is very insightful, and the reasoning is very advanced." So many people can interfere with the justice of Kaifeng Prefecture, how can the law be fair? The law can only be applied to the people. ”

Huang Binglian said: "That's right, those who admit death, how many people in the world, and how long can they be officials with those people?" My great-grandfather wrote in his family letter that when the investigation of the case reaches a certain level, those methods of inference and verification cannot be used, but the way of life must be used; He didn't say the way of life, maybe he just allowed his children and grandchildren to wake up in their own way. ”

Guo Shao sighed: "It's really sad, no one can guarantee the way of heaven and justice." Perhaps the sages also saw the great loopholes in the rules when they formulated these worldly rules; Therefore, it is necessary to write many sage books and classics, hoping that those who hold great power can cultivate 'the original goodness of human nature', and the people above can have a benevolent and righteous heart, so that officials can govern justly. ”

Huang Binglian praised: "Guo Dashuai is a military general who governs the army, but he can have a lot of experience in the art of cultural governance, which makes the subordinates very admired." ”

"Where, where, I'll talk casually, just smile and be generous."

Guo Shao pondered for a long time, and then said: "There is a case, I want to ask Huang Tuiguan to preside over the inquiry." ”

Huang Binglian asked, "What kind of case?" ”

"Rape and murder." Guo Shao looked at his face and said.

Huang Binglian looked serious and said: "Every year, there will be many such cases in the two counties of Kaifeng Prefecture alone, which is not unusual. But the most important thing is who is involved......"

Guo Shao said in a deep voice: "The rebel party wants to commit Zhao Pu to confess, and the Zhao family Sanlang raped and killed his brother and sister-in-law. ”

Huang Binglian's face twitched slightly, and he thought about it: "The year before last, now the body of the deceased has long since turned into white bones, and it is not easy to investigate." ”

"Can you find out if he killed or died of illness through the bones?" Guo Shao asked.

Huang Binglian said: "It's hard to say. If it is poisoned or injured by an instrument, it has left traces on the bones, and as long as there are clues, it can be inferred by examination. However, as long as the bones are not injured and the skin and flesh are completely gone, there is no way to find out, such as covering the mouth and nose and suffocating to death...... However, if there are witnesses, there may be some solutions. ”

"I see." Guo Shaodao, "Why doesn't Huang Tuiguan take over this case, check the truth first, and then let's discuss it and then record the file?" ”

Huang Binglian frowned and didn't say anything for a while.

Guo Shaodao: "Dali Temple, the Criminal Department and many other government offices, some officials are too old to eat vegetarian meals...... Or let's investigate secretly, Huang Tuiguan doesn't need to sign the file in person. "I just want to know the truth, otherwise some secrets will be buried in the ground." ”

Huang Binglian hesitated for a moment and said, "Why don't you try it first." ”