A group of people and horses galloped quickly on the official road to the pine forest, from time to time startled the birds on both sides from the grass to the sky with wings, suddenly the person who was running in front of the horse stopped, and the people behind naturally followed the horse, and the leader turned the horse and walked to the strong man among the horses, and reported: "Lord Commander, you see that this is the boundary monument of Songlin County." The one who spoke was the brocade guard wearing the "flying fish suit", and the other people on horseback were also wearing the same costumes as this person, everyone looked like they were in the dust, presumably they had arrived here in the starry night, but everyone was full of energy and did not smile, and others did not dare to approach.

"Well, it's here, and we can go back to Beijing to recover after the case is handled here." It was Xiao Qianjun who was wearing a "bullfighting suit" who spoke.

Xiao Qianjun looked at the boundary monuments that had been eroded by the wind and rain and were somewhat damaged, and said with relief: "You have worked hard to handle cases in various places for nearly half a year, and when you return to Beijing, you will definitely ask for credit." ”

The other brocade guards said in unison: "Lord Xie is promoted, and I will follow Lord Xie to the death." ”

Xiao Qianjun waved his hand and said, "Okay, everyone, hurry up and feed the horses some water, and the horses will explore the way in front of you, and we will arrive later." "The person Xiao Qianjun called was the person who came forward to report just now.

"Yes, sir." After speaking, Ma Shun turned over and galloped towards Songlin County.

"Okay, this place is still some distance from Songlin County, hurry up and hurry." When Xiao Qianjun stopped resting, he urged everyone to hurry up and dew, and after speaking, he got on the horse and left, and the others naturally didn't dare to slack off, and quickly followed behind Xiao Qianjun.

About an hour later, Xiao Qianjun and the others came to Songlin County, and at this time, Ma Shun had already been waiting at the city gate for a long time, "My lord, my subordinates have been waiting here for a long time." ”

"Good work." Xiao Qianjun responded.

"Doing an errand for the emperor, my subordinates don't dare to say anything." Ma Shun replied respectfully.

Entering the city gate, Xiao Qianjun asked, "Has the Li Mansion inquired?" When questioning, he looked at Songlin County.

Ma Shunyu reported: "The Li family is a wealthy family in Songlin County, but the squires here know that they have gone to explore the road before. ”

Xiao Qianjun said: "This is very good, there is no need for us to go to the county government to toss again, you hurry up and lead the way." ”

"Yes." Ma Shun said.

After speaking, he rode into the city and went straight to Li Wendong's house, the officers and soldiers guarding the city also dared to ask when they saw this group of people and horses, and everyone knew that the person wearing the "flying fish suit" was the notorious brocade guard, and then the flag commander guarding the city said to the sergeant next to him: "Hurry up and go to the county government to tell your lordship." After listening to the order, the sergeant ran to the county office.

"My lord, the Li Mansion is here." Ma Shun said to Xiao Qianjun, "Hmm. Xiao Qianjun dismounted in front of his head, and the other brocade guards also dismounted, and when they came to the door, Ma Shun knocked on the door hard, and shouted: "The people inside hurry up and open the door." Seeing that no one responded, Xiao Qianjun glanced at the two brocade guards next to him, and the two of them came to the wall and jumped into the "Li Mansion", and the two opened the door Xiao Qianjun led the people and horses to enter.

At this time, the subordinate who heard the knocking outside the door got up and opened the door, and just happened to see this scene and stepped forward to ask: "What are you doing, why are you trespassing on people's houses?" As soon as he finished speaking, he was knocked to the ground by Jin Yiwei's palm, and was put on the neck by the bright rusty spring knife, and the head of the subordinate would fall to the ground if he dared to move.

The movement on the side of "Li Mansion" immediately attracted the crowd of onlookers, and someone with insight inside said: "Hey, how could such a good person provoke Jinyiwei, this family can be regarded as an explanation." It turned out that this group of people was "Jinyi Wei", no wonder they were so unscrupulous and trespassing, and some timid people immediately took a few steps back, for fear that they would accidentally get into trouble.

"Get out of the way, get out of the way." At this time, Zhou Jin's father, Zhou Guoliang, the county commander, received a report from the sergeant and rushed to Li's house in a hurry. It can be seen that this is Jinyiwei's case. Zhou County Commander stepped forward and said softly: "This official is Songlin County Order, and I hope to be accommodating and allow me to go in and find out." ”

"It turned out to be the prefectural commander, let him in." It was the commander of Jinyiwei who spoke, and Zhou County's order was led to Xiao Qianjun's side when he entered the Li Mansion, and at this time, Jinyiwei had already surrounded the "Li Mansion", and the people in the mansion were also surrounded in the courtyard, and Li Wendong and his wife were also among them.

Zhou County Ling saw that the man standing in front of him was graceful and luxurious, and his bearing was extraordinary, presumably Xiao Qianjun, the commander of the Jinyi Guard mentioned by his colleagues in the officialdom, this person was deeply valued by the emperor and had a close relationship with several stewards of the celebrant supervisor, who could have a relationship with the ceremonial supervisor, it was a smooth progress, and the official fortune was prosperous, although the Zhou County Commander was honest but not pedantic.

Zhou County Commander stepped forward and saluted and said, "Xiaguan Songlin County Commander has seen adults. ”

Xiao Qianjun didn't put on any show, and replied: "Your Excellency, you don't have to be polite, I didn't want to bother your adult immediately when I came here to handle the case, since you are here, just watch from the side." ”

After a while, the county commander of Zhou asked: "My lord, I don't know what crime Li Wendong has committed, I have to bother to command the lord to come to the pine forest in person." Ma Shun on the side said, "Are you questioning your lord?" ”

Xiao Qianjun interrupted Ma Shun's words and said: "Hey, don't be unreasonable, it is necessary for Zhou County's parents to know the inside story of the local officials, and it is also necessary to give an explanation to the people present." ”

Zhou Xianling took out a sweat towel to wipe the fine sweat on his forehead, and said in a low voice: "Thank you for the fact that your Excellency has observed the lower officials, and I really don't hide that this Li Wendong is the 'great good man' of the pine forest, and the people on this side are all praised by him, even if the county sometimes relies on him to handle some affairs." ”

"Oh? How to say this. Xiao Qianjun asked suspiciously, and Zhou County Commander explained to him in exchange for Li Wendong's family to leave a good impression on Xiao Qianjun: "My lord doesn't know, Li Wendong donates silver taels to the county government every year, and also drives other squires to donate silver taels together. Li Wendong said that this was donated to the imperial court to recruit troops and pay for food, so as to resist the Warat army.

"Well, this man is also a 'good man'. However, Jinyi Wei is the emperor's errand, and the emphasis is on evidence that a good person cannot be wronged, nor can he let go of a fish that slipped through the net, Ma Shun, can you find evidence? "If you go back to your lordship, your subordinates will search the entire 'Li Mansion' and fortunately find it in the room of Li Wendong and his wife." Ma Shun took out two books from his arms and handed them to Xiao Qianjun, and Zhou Xianling was very puzzled on the side, what kind of book could make the Li family cause such a heinous crime.

Xiao Qianjun didn't look at it in his hand so as not to cause unnecessary trouble, and said directly to the Zhou County Order next to him: "This book is **, the name 'Yuan Ji' is the remnants of the previous dynasty who want to spread rumors to subvert the Ming Dynasty, the content in it is vulgar, and it is used to criticize the Chaogang and insult the saint, but anyone who has contact with this book must be arrested and interrogated strictly, I don't know if the county order is interested in taking a look?" Xiao Qianjun took the "Yuan Ji" in his hand and handed it to Zhou County.

Mingzhe's self-preservation is the first important law of officialdom, and the books collected from Li Wendong's home have become a hot potato at this time, and it is too late for Zhou County to order how dare to reach out to pick it up, and if it is not good, it will end up the same as Li Wendong, and dare to say tightly: "The lower officials read the books of the sages and sages, and the lower officials will never read such things that damage the imperial court." ”

"Well, the adult deserves to be the pillar of the court of one parent's official court." After appreciating Zhou County's order, Xiao Qianjun asked Ma Shun beside him, "Ma Shun, has the prisoner confessed?" ”

"If you go back to your lordship, the prisoner has already confessed, and this book is what Li Wendong and his wife read in their spare time and has nothing to do with others." Ma Shun replied to the question on the side, Xiao Qianjun lives in the north and is not very accustomed to the climate in the south of the Yangtze River, his nostrils are a little itchy, and he wipes it with a silk scarf from time to time, originally he didn't want to go on this trip, but Wang Zhen told him that the emperor was very angry about this matter, so he had to ask in person.

Although Xiao Qianjun said that his health was slightly ill, it did not affect his ability to observe words and feelings. Ma Shun was short of breath when he replied, and he seemed a little weak-hearted, Xiao Qianjun then said to Ma Shun: "Ma Shun, do you have something to hide from this seat?" In his heart, Commander Xiao's anger is even more terrifying than the emperor's anger, Ma Shun has no chance to contact the emperor, so he can't experience the suffocating feeling of "accompanying the king like a tiger", let alone experiencing the human purgatory of "the anger of the Son of Heaven is thousands of miles away".

He followed Xiao Qianjun's side, but he often saw his words and put the lives of his whole family at risk, even the officials in the capital. So Ma Shun knelt on one knee and begged: "My lord is guilty, and his subordinates have not been arrested for their dereliction of duty." Xiao Qianjun didn't speak, Ma Shun had to continue: "There are a total of fifty-nine people in the 'Li Mansion', and now there are only fifty-eight people, and Li Qingyu, the only son of Li Wendong, can't be caught in the field for a while. ”

When Xiao Qianjun heard this, he said: "The emperor's dictation said that those who had contact with this book should be arrested and interrogated strictly, since his son has nothing to do with this matter, there is no need to arrest him again, and his family property will not be punished and confiscated to the imperial court, and the people in the shops everywhere will be dismissed on the spot." As for the people here, they were first taken to the county jail, and after interrogation, they were released if they had nothing to do with the case. "Yes, my lord," Ma Shun listened to the order, got up and went down to do something.

Zhou County Ling said to Xiao Qianjun: "The lower official thanked the Li family on behalf of the lord. Xiao Qianjun said: "My lord doesn't have to be like this, I just do things according to orders, go, go to the county office" After speaking, he walked towards the door, and Zhou County led the way.

Xiao Qianjun thought about this errand in his heart while thinking about the feeling of being treated as a pawn, according to the news he got this "Yuan Ji" case is Wang Zhen in the emperor's slander, the emperor was angry and asked Jinyiwei to arrest people and criminals throughout the country, "Yuan Ji" in private He has seen the demagogy that is not like the holy decree, subverting the Ming Dynasty, and he has not come back to it until now.

I remember that when he asked Wang Zhen what to do with the confiscated silver taels and property in the hall of the celebrant supervisor, Wang Zhen was furious and asked him not to ask, and two days later, he asked the little eunuch below to tell him that the confiscated silver taels were directly entered into the household, and the antiques, calligraphy and paintings were directly charged into the "stolen penalty treasury". This trip was confiscated by the emperor, a total of 21 official ships, of which two were silver and eight official ships, and the rest were calligraphy, paintings, antiques and other physical objects.