Meng Zhizhou looked at Yang Congyi quietly after speaking, he wanted to know what he was thinking in his heart, since he wanted to fight, he also had to have helpers.

"Master Meng thinks they really dare to do something to their subordinates?" Although Yang Congyi was shocked, he didn't believe it, killing the court officials challenged the entire scholar class and imperial power, unless there was no way to live, no one dared to do it.

Meng Zhizhou said: "Although this official doesn't know what Secretary Yang came to Nanjianzhou for, since you have stayed here and are leaving today, you must have finished your errand." I just said that the time is not right, before you leave Nanjianzhou, or before you return to Lin'an, no one will do it, but after that, it is difficult to say, after all, you have seen their true colors, in case one day the yamen find you to testify, they will not be exposed, and they can rest assured that they will get rid of you without knowing it. ”

"Lord Meng seems to be very familiar with them, I wonder if I can reveal more information to the lower officials?" Yang Congyi heard a sentence, he is not afraid of ghosts, but he is afraid of ghosts, although he doesn't believe that anyone dares to murder the officer, but if they coerce each other with relatives, things will be different.

So he wants to know who is behind this, what level is involved, whether he is qualified to participate, if the two sides have a huge disparity in power and cannot compete, he doesn't want to give his life in vain, so he can only walk away, take one step at a time.

Meng Zhizhou thought for a while and replied: "Secretary Yang, let me tell you the truth, when you walked into the Zhizhou Yamen today, you were already not with them, and if you go out, you will be their enemy." ”

Yang Congyi frowned slightly, he is now the only one who has seen the true body of the bandit, Zhizhou Yamen can find him, of course others can also find him, it is very likely that from the moment he entered the city yesterday, he was under the close surveillance of others, and all the other witnesses were killed, at this time he came to the Yamen, whether he wanted to stand on the side of Lord Meng or not, in the eyes of others, he was already on the same front as Lord Meng.

"Therefore, what the official knows, he will not hide it from you."

Seeing that Yang Congyi didn't answer, Master Meng continued: "Nanjianzhou has many mountains, many waters, and few fields, and it is not easy to grow food, and it is difficult for the people to survive, but fortunately, there are abundant products in the mountains, not only bamboo forests all over the mountains, a wide variety of medicinal herbs, and a lot of silver. Although bamboo and herbs can also be scavenged for some money, how can they control the silver mine to make money quickly. Several major silver mines in Nanjian Prefecture have been under the control of the state government, but a few years ago, several silver mines were attacked by bandits and thieves one after another, and the state government was weak and unable to control it, so the forbidden army stationed in Nanjian Prefecture successfully settled in the silver mine, and since then the two sides have been entangled in the silver mine. ”

Is the source of the struggle between the two sides silver? No wonder the shot is 30,000 taels of local specialties, backed by silver mines, and the silver is really easy to catch. Yang Congyi is very helpless, there is a saying since ancient times, being an official for thousands of miles is only for money, it seems that it is right for some people.

But what does the battle between the forbidden army and the prefect have to do with bandits and 23 murders?

Without waiting for Yang Congyi to ask, Meng Zhizhou said: "This official has been in Nanjian Prefecture for two years, and he doesn't want to ask about the bad things in the silver mine, he just wants to pass his term of office smoothly, and he will be transferred to another place after a few months, but they are not satisfied with the actual control of the silver mine, and they still want to get involved in the medicinal materials business, and they have created several robberies one after another, killed people and sold goods, and never left a living mouth. But at this time, he openly killed people in the city, obviously he didn't take this official seriously, if this official didn't ask again, this Nanjian Prefecture would become their world in the future, it would be a joke. ”

"It turns out that Master Meng knows all about this." After listening to the other party's words, Yang Congyi was stunned and speechless, and it took a long time before he said such an inconsequential sentence.

Meng Zhizhou said: "The official didn't want to deal with them, let them make trouble, the term of office is almost up, and they will leave in three or two months, but they are too disagreeable, overnight, they openly committed twenty-three crimes, if this matter reaches the imperial court, the murder case can not be solved, and the name of the official will be ruined in Nanjianzhou." ”

"Lord Meng, the lower officials want to know, if the twenty-three witnesses are not killed, will you investigate the case of the bandits?" Yang Congyi's heart moved, and he suddenly asked.

Meng Zhizhou was silent, and only replied after a while: "This official will investigate, but he will not find any useful clues." ”

Then he said: "But your assumption is unrealistic, because they will never leave any evidence and handle, and people will definitely be killed, including you." If this official guessed correctly, they should already be planning how to kill you and when to kill you by now. ”

"So in the end, did the lower officials themselves get into this mess?" Yang Congyi suddenly shook off the gang of bandits that day, he was already in the chaos in Nanjianzhou, and he didn't die yesterday because he lived in the control yamen, and he didn't die today because he hadn't returned to Lin'an to recover his life.

"It's a person who doesn't make mistakes, and besides, the fault is not on Secretary Yang, so why should you blame yourself. Seeing that the road is uneven, standing up is the true character of chivalry, yesterday I heard the deceased who came to report the case talk about you, the official admired, so he wanted to see it, and he didn't want to see it today. Seven feet long and dignified, if Secretary Yang is not an official of the imperial court, he will definitely become a famous chivalrous warrior. After speaking, Meng Zhizhou smiled.

"Master Meng has won the award." After Yang Congyi excused himself, he immediately asked: "Since the adults are very clear about the current situation, is there a way to solve it?" ”

As soon as he heard this question, Meng Zhizhou's smile gradually faded, and the current situation could be described as a mess, knowing who the opponent was, but he didn't know where to start, so he could only shake his head.

"Xia Guan has seen that gang of bandits, if he can find them, will he be able to solve twenty-three murders? Then this gang of bandits will dig out the people behind the scenes, find out the first evil, and correct the law of the country? Yang Congyi thought about the information he got from the other party, and at present, there was only this one breakthrough.

He also figured out that if he didn't stay in the state capital yamen to break this chaos, no matter where he went, hidden dangers would follow, and even his family would be affected.

Meng Zhizhou nodded and said: "There is only one way, but I don't know if that gang of bandits has sneaked into the city, if they haven't entered the city at all, these dead people are not killed by them personally, and it will be difficult to solve this case." ”

Yang Congyi also knows the difficulty of this case, at present, it seems that the gang of bandits is just a group of small characters who muddy the waters, for the sake of safety, the mastermind behind the scenes will not easily let them show up in the city, if so, it will be protracted to find the murderers of the twenty-three murders

"Lord Meng, did you leave any clues about the murderer at the murder scene?"

"Someone has been sent to the scene to investigate, but there is no news yet."

"Xia Guan has also been in the state and county yamen for a period of time before, do you need Xia Guan to go to the scene to see?" Yang Congyi proposed.

The murder scene will leave some clues, and these clues can often lock the murderer.

Who knew that Meng Zhizhou immediately waved his hand and said: "The scene is full of dangers, you are the only one who has seen the face of a bandit, it is better not to show your face, otherwise if something happens, this official can't afford it." At the scene of the murder, there is an experienced head catcher, so you stay in the yamen with the official. The portraits of the bandits are to be redrawn and scattered throughout the city, searching for their traces. ”

"Yes, the lower official obeyed Lord Meng's orders."

"Secretary Yang, this official has told you too much today, whether you are in the front of the palace or in other places, now we are in the same boat, I hope you will cooperate sincerely with this official to win down the evil people, and save you and me from worries!" Meng Zhizhou's expression was serious.

Yang Congyi's expression was upright, and he replied: "Xia Guan understands. ”

The weather was really hot, and the two chatted for a long time, their mouths were dry and stuffy.

At this moment, a maid came in and reported: "Master, Yun Niang made some cold drinks, let the master go back and taste them." ”

Meng Zhizhou reprimanded: "Didn't you see the master discussing business? Get out! ”

As soon as the maid heard this, her frightened face changed color, and she hurriedly said "yes", turned around and left.

As soon as the others left, Meng Zhizhou smiled and said: "The subordinates are rude, don't blame Secretary Yang." ”

Yang Congyi smiled: "Lord Meng is too worried. ”

Then Meng Zhizhou explained: "Recently, the weather has been hot, the little girl has nothing to do at home, and she will make some cold drinks every day to cool off, and the official is also afraid of heat, so every time I do it, I have to ask me to drink a bowl, and it has become a habit for a long time." ”

Yang Congyi said with a smile: "It is a blessing for adults to have such sensible and well-behaved children. ”

"Hahaha, Secretary Yang is right, the official has no children under his knees, there is only this one daughter, it happens that she is also knowledgeable and polite, very sensible, piano, chess, calligraphy and painting, needlework and thread, she is proficient in everything, and it is a pity to have this daughter." Meng Zhizhou was full of smiles, obviously very satisfied with his daughter, and very fond of him.

Yang Congyi couldn't answer, and after taking a sip of warm tea, he suddenly said: "My lord, when the official was about to leave the city in the morning, there were hundreds of people around the south gate, and I am afraid that there are not a few other city gates. ”

"Oh, what does Secretary Yang think?"

"Xia Guan thought that the portraits of the bandits should be posted all over the city, and the city gate should be sent to check immediately, if the bandits are really in the city, it is better to say that the city is closed, if it is not there, in addition to causing panic among the people, it is difficult to have other benefits. The appearance of those bandits, the lower officials still have an impression, whether there are painters in the yamen, it is best to draw them now. In addition, Yang Congyi couldn't think of a better way to crack it.

"The closure of the city is also a helpless move, so many murders have happened overnight, if the case cannot be solved, and then transmitted to Fuzhou, I am afraid it will be difficult to explain. Since Secretary Yang remembers the appearance of the bandits, it is easy to do, but unfortunately the painter of the Yamen was killed last night, and now there is no painter in the Yamen, so he has to find it in the city. Meng Zhizhou's words were also full of helplessness.

"Who said that there are no painters in the Yamen, am I not?"

Suddenly, a pleasant female voice came from the side of the living room, crisp and smart, revealing a trace of liveliness and naughtiness.