Xiao Fan walked out of the palace trembling and returned to the Yamen of the Zhenfu Division.

He leaned back in his chair with a pale face, the cold sweat on his forehead still flowing, and he took a few deep breaths, but he still couldn't suppress the heartbeat that was as fast as a drum.

At this moment, he really wanted to smoke a cigarette to calm the panic and despair in his heart.

How did things get to this point? Unconsciously, he walked into a dead alley, with his identity as a fellow acquaintance of Jinyiwei, in the eyes of ordinary people, what Zhu Yuanzhang ordered was actually a simple case, arresting a few examiners and tortured them, planting a few trumped-up charges, killing a few more people, changing the list, and the matter was successfully resolved, as simple as eating.

But why are you now in a dead end? This situation has formed a dead end that cannot be resolved.

The reason for everything lies in his inexplicable conscience.

Xiao Fan doesn't want to hurt people, especially an old man who has no grudge against him. Liu Sanwu is innocent, he is just a stubborn old man who is very serious about academics, but it is a pity that Zhu Yuanzhang has to pay the price of his life for this scientific expedition, so as to calm the anger of the people in the north, so as to achieve the political goal of the imperial court to accept the hearts of scholars.

Anything that is tainted with politics becomes filthy and flesh and blood blurred.

Xiao Fan couldn't do it.

It's really an ironic thing, in the notorious Jinyi Wei, everyone is an executioner with bloody hands and no surname, but Xiao Tongzhi, the second person in Jinyiwei, actually has a compassionate Bodhisattva heart, if this is said to Huang Zicheng and Huang Guan, they will definitely laugh off their big teeth.

However, this is indeed the case.

Xiao Fan couldn't convince himself to attack Liu Sanwu, although he knew that as long as he gave an order, countless Jinyi lieutenants would be dispatched, and the Da Suo Jingshi would be able to wipe out all the officials involved in the examination and scientific examination case in an instant, and then he would hand the list to Zhu Yuanzhang with a clear conscience, and Zhu Yuanzhang would inevitably be happy, and he would be promoted to the rank of official.

But Xiao Fan didn't want to do this from the bottom of his heart, he only knew that there must be two things like indiscriminate killing of innocents, he didn't want to start this way, if he did too much of this kind of thing, his only remaining conscience and surname would be completely lost, and he would become a court eagle dog in the real sense. What's more, Liu Sanwu is kind to Zhu Yunwen, and Zhu Yunwen is also staring at himself pitifully behind his back, if he flatters Zhu Yuanzhang, won't Zhu Yunwen hate him so much?

But how did you get through this life-and-death crisis? Zhu Yuanzhang's words have been made very clear, if Liu Sanwu does not change the list, then his end will be death. How could Liu Sanwu, a stubborn old man, be willing to change the list?

This time, my little life is enough to hang...... The light outside the door dimmed, Cao Yi walked in, and seeing Xiao Fan's pale face and earthy color, Cao Yi couldn't help but be taken aback, and hurriedly said, "My lord, what's wrong with you?" ”

Xiao Fan saw Cao Yi's concerned appearance, and his heart warmed, fortunately, he still has such a close friend in this world.

Xiao Fan sighed and slowly told Cao Yi about the cause and effect.

Cao Yi looked at Xiao Fan with a strange expression after hearing this.

"The king wants the minister to die, the minister has to die, my lord, Your Majesty has clearly told you his intentions, but you don't want to act according to Your Majesty's will, you don't want to die?"

Xiao Fan sighed sullenly: "Brother Cao, let's be honest, I'm soft-hearted, I can't do this to Liu Sanwu, besides, Liu Sanwu is kind to His Royal Highness Taisun, if I take Liu Sanwu, won't His Royal Highness Taisun hate me to death......"

Cao Yi couldn't help but be stunned, and his expression was embarrassed: "This is a trouble...... It's really hard to welcome Your Majesty and offend the prince again! ”

Xiao Fan rubbed his forehead, stood up and said with a wry smile: "Your Majesty gave me three days, I will think of a way in these three days, there will always be a turning point on the endless road......

Watching Xiao Fanse's shrunken back disappear at the door of the Yamen of the Zhenfu Division, Cao Yi's eyes rose to deep thought.

"Liu Sanwu can't be killed, but the other deputy examiners can always be killed, right?" Cao Yi frowned and muttered to himself.

When he looked up again, Cao Yi's eyes were full of determination.

Brother Xiao, you treat me like a brother in life and death, you don't want to bear the notoriety of indiscriminately killing innocents, so let the old brother help you carry this notoriety! If you don't kill a few people, how can you give your majesty an account? How do you keep your last name?

"Who are the hundred households in the yamen? Come out to Lao Tzu! With his mind decided, Cao Yi stood in the middle hall of the Yamen of the Zhenfu Division and shouted loudly.

As soon as the words fell, four or five hundred households wearing brocade clothes and flying fish suits walked out of the signing rooms on the left and right sides of the yamen.

Cao Yi stood in front of them, his gaze became majestic and cold, he slowly glanced around, and said gloomily: "Master Tongzhi Xiao was ordered to investigate the case of Ding Chouke this year, this case has reached a deadlock, and this official now orders that Ding Chouke's deputy chief examiner, together with the tributes who have dealings with the deputy chief examiner, be taken to prison and severely tortured!" Lieutenants, go your separate ways! ”

"Yes!" All the brocade clothes and hundreds of households responded to the order.

In an instant, the brocade clothes rode out in all directions, and the Beijing division was cloudy.

In the late spring, under the warm and bright sunshine, a cold breath lingers for a long time.

Huang Zicheng Mansion.

Huang Zicheng lifted the lid of the tea, blew the steaming tea, and then took a sip gently.

Huang Guan sat in the guest seat on the right side of the inner hall, and twisted his body with an indignant expression.

"Lord Huang, at noon today, Jinyiwei has already done it......" Huang Guan's face flushed with anger, and said angrily.

Huang Zicheng's eyes narrowed, his body leaned forward unconsciously, and said, "Jinyiwei is taking people again?" ”

"Humph! The examiners of Ding Chouke, including the deputy chief examiner Bai Xinxi, the same subject test official Si Xian, Wang Yuhua, Zhang Ji, Yan Shuzai, Zhou Heng, etc., as well as Chen Zi'an, Yin Changlong, and Liu Shige, who are among the top three on the list, have all been taken into the Jinyi Wei Imperial Prison, but the chief examiner Liu Sanwu and Liu Lao ......

"Bang!"

The teacup in Huang Zicheng's hand fell to the ground hard, making a crisp cracking sound.

"What does Xiao Fan want to do? What does he want to do! This rebellious minister and thief, isn't it enough to kill my court ministers? How many more do he have to kill to be satisfied? Huang Zicheng hissed and shouted.

Huang Guan was also full of indignation, and said in an impassioned tone: "Since Xiao Fan, a traitor, entered the court as an official, dozens of Qingliu ministers in my court have been killed, and hundreds of family members have been implicated, all of which have risen because of this thief!" Lord Huang, I can't sit back and watch any longer! If this thief is allowed to go against the grain, I am afraid that the loyal ministers of the Ming Dynasty will be slaughtered by him, and the court will be about to annihilate the ministers, and the society will be in danger! ”

Huang Zicheng's furious expression suddenly calmed down, and he muttered: "I took so many people, but I didn't touch Mr. Liu, it seems that the key to this matter is the list of tributes that Mr. Liu personally circled......"

"What do you mean by that, sir?"

"The old man heard that His Majesty gave Xiao Fan a strict decree, if Xiao Fan can't make Liu Sanwu change the list of all southern jinshi, he will want Xiao Fan to kill Liu Sanwu, in order to appease the anger of the people in the north, if Xiao Fan can't do it, His Majesty will kill Xiao Fan......"

Huang Guan said dejectedly: "Xiao Fan's thief has already killed many ministers, why are you afraid of killing one more Lord Liu?" Mr. Liu is in danger this time. ”

Huang Zicheng sneered: "Otherwise, this time Xiao Fan has fallen into a dilemma, and things are not so simple." ”

Huang Guan was stunned and hurriedly said, "What do you mean by this, adult?" ”

Huang Zicheng said: "Your Majesty ordered Liu Sanwu to change the list, with the surname of Liu Sanwu, he would rather die than change, Xiao Fan was strictly ordered by His Majesty, if Liu Lao refused to change, he would kill him, this is a logical thing, but in the middle of this inserted a Taisun His Royal Highness came in, Liu Sanwu was kind to His Royal Highness Taisun, yesterday His Royal Highness told the old man that he had greeted Xiao Fan, Xiao Fan promised His Royal Highness, he would protect Liu Sanwu's life, so ......"

Huang Guan thought about it, and then said excitedly: "In this way, Xiao Fan kills or doesn't kill Liu Sanwu, he can't please him, on the one hand, His Majesty's strict order, on the other hand, His Royal Highness's entrustment, if you don't kill Liu Sanwu, Your Majesty will kill him, kill Liu Sanwu, Xiao Fan will bear His Royal Highness Taisun, come to say that His Royal Highness will ascend the throne, he will have a grudge against Xiao Fan, no matter what Xiao Fan does this time, he can't do the best of both worlds, hehe, Lord Huang, this is God to help me......"

Huang Zicheng smiled gloomily and said: "Your Majesty's strict decree, Ding Chouke's case, Xiao Fan will give the result within three days, Shang Bin, you and your colleagues walk around and say hello, in the early dynasty after the third day, we will wait for Qingliu to make trouble together, and add fuel to the fire in this case, we will definitely force Xiao Fan to be overwhelmed, it is best to persuade Your Majesty to kill him, and we will wait for loyal ministers to fight hard and swear to kill this national thief!" ”

Huang Guan nodded excitedly, and then said with a puzzled expression: "Lord Huang, I don't know something, why did Your Majesty have to force Xiao Fan to kill Liu Sanwu?" ”

Huang Zicheng sneered: "Your Majesty has high hopes for Xiao Fan, Xiao Fan is the minister of the humerus left by His Majesty to His Royal Highness, Your Majesty values Xiao Fan so much, naturally hopes that he will perform, the Ding Chouke case is a test stone, Your Majesty uses it to try Xiao Fan's blade is not sharp, can it be used by the emperor, if this knife is disobedient, Your Majesty will definitely not leave this scourge in the future to harm His Royal Highness Taisun, the only way to get rid of it is to protect the peace of the society......"

Huang nodded his head, his face was abrupt, and then his face couldn't bear it, and said, "That'...... Isn't the surname of Lord Liu Sanwu ......"

Huang Zicheng sighed: "Shang Bin, haven't you seen it yet? His Majesty has killed Mr. Liu, no matter who saves him, it is useless, Xiao Fan can't save him, we can't save him, His Majesty wants to use Mr. Liu's blood to calm the anger of the northern son, so His Majesty knows that Mr. Liu will definitely not agree to change the list, and insists on forcing him to change it, Mr. Liu...... has become an abandoned son in the hands of His Majesty. ”

Huang Guan was stunned for a long time, and finally lowered his head and sighed gloomily.

Huang Zicheng's eyes showed an awe-inspiring look, and he said excitedly: "Since ancient times, how can there be anyone who does not pay the price?" If the surname of Mr. Liu can be exchanged for Xiao Thief's ambush, this is an immeasurable merit! When I came to say that the boss was mourning, I waited for the coffin to be carried in front of the hero's soul! ”

Chengxi South Fat Powder Shop.

The county lord of Jiangdu had a rainy face, and said to Chen Ying'er with a worried face: "Ying'er, what should I do?" What to do? Xiao Fanta...... He ......"

Chen Ying'er frowned and said, "What's wrong with Xiao Fan?" ”

The county lord of Jiangdu lowered his head, his heart was filled with incomparably bitterness, and he said with tears rippling and trembling: "I heard the emperor's brother Yunwen say that Xiao Fan is in danger now, the emperor's grandfather is embarrassed for him, the foreign ministers are embarrassed for him, and the northern prince is also embarrassed for him, and now he is embattled......"

Chen Ying'er's pretty face changed uncertainly, and it took a while to settle down, and said calmly: "County Lord, don't worry, explain this matter carefully." ”

The county lord of Jiangdu sobbed and intermittently told the whole story of Ding Chouke's case.

After Chen Ying'er listened, her delicate body trembled a few times unconsciously, her pretty face turned white, and then she returned to ruddy.

I should be happy, shouldn't I? Xiao Fan has no way out now, no one can save him, and my revenge is about to succeed. Xiao Fan, you are in a desperate situation, you are all self-inflicted! If you had married me at the beginning, we would have died in Jiangpu in peace, why would this disaster come about? Xiao Fan, you deserve it! Deserve! Deserve!!

Chen Ying'er closed her eyes and ordered herself to be happy, Xiao Fan's catastrophe was coming, wasn't it the result she had been looking forward to? I should be happy.

The beautiful eyes closed, but two strings of crystal tears slipped down her face unconsciously.

"Ying'er, you...... Why are you crying too? ”

"I ...... I can't see others crying, when you cry, I feel uncomfortable in my heart......" Chen Ying'er hurriedly wiped the tears on her face.

The county lord of Jiangdu didn't see Chen Ying'er's flustered eyes, and lowered his head and said quietly: "He...... He is a good official with a conscience, Yun Wei told me that if he is ruthless enough to arrest Liu Sanwu and ask him for guilt, all problems will be solved, but he just doesn't want to kill innocents indiscriminately, and it is his conscience that forces him to a desperate situation...... Ying'er, can we do something for him? Help him, save him, I don't want to see my conscience die of ......"

The county lord looked at Chen Ying'er expectantly, so touching and lovable.

Chen Ying'er was stunned when she heard this, he ...... Do you want to kill innocents indiscriminately, and you end yourself in a desperate situation? Xiao Fan, why are you so stupid? Where is the ruthlessness with which you abandoned me in the first place? Liu Sanwu is innocent, am I Chen Yinger not innocent?

Love and hate, envy and resentment, repeatedly entangled in her heart, lingering...... "Ying'er......" Jiangdu County Lord's weak and pitiful pleading interrupted Chen Ying'er's meditation.

Chen Ying'er looked at the beautiful eyes of the county lord of Jiangdu, her heart softened, and she finally let out a long sigh.

"Liu Sanwu and the list of Southern Jinshi in his hand are the key!"

Chen Ying'er hit the nail on the head and said the essence of the matter.

After finishing speaking, Chen Ying'er felt both regretful and relaxed.

The county lord of Jiangdu was stunned when he heard this, and he didn't see Chen Ying'er's pretty face full of contradictions and resentments on the side.

A day passed, the dark tide of the Jingshi court was surging, the wind and clouds were treacherous, and countless pairs of eyes were staring at Xiao Fan and Liu Sanwu, everyone knew that a storm was coming, and Xiao Fan and Liu Sanwu were the center of this storm.

Will Xiao Fan kill Liu Sanwu? If he can't do it, His Majesty will punish him, how can Xiao Fan choose?

Countless faces on the sidelines showed different expressions, some gloating, some anxious and worried, and some secretly weeping...... At noon the next day, Zhu Yunwen, the emperor's grandson, entered the palace to meet Zhu Yuanzhang, pleaded with the emperor's grandfather, asked for pardon for Liu Sanwu, and forcibly changed the list of Chunqiu in the form of the following holy decree.

Zhu Yunwen asked for a replacement to handle the case, and the chief officer Xiao Fan was replaced, but Zhu Yuanzhang still refused to allow it.

Zhu Yunwen was helpless, so he boarded Liu Sanwu's house, and asked Liu Sanwu to change the list of spring and sun, but Liu Sanwu refused.

Cao Yi mobilized the Jingshi Jinyi Guard, and had cast the heavenly net on the fifty-two tributes on the Chunfu list, and demanded at all costs that the tributes who had bribed the chief examiner within two days, and did his best to try to redeem the defeat within two days and save Xiao Fan's life.

At the same time, Huang Guan frequently walked around the court's various Shangshu, Shilang and Jiuqing's mansions, and a conspiracy against Xiao Fan gradually took shape...... The sky was covered with clouds, as if covering the bright sunshine above Jingshi's head.

Before I knew it, the next day had passed, and there was only one last day left before the deadline left by Zhu Yuanzhang for Xiao Fan.

The mountain rain is coming, and the wind is full of buildings.

Cao Yi, Yuan Zhong and other Jinyi guards thousands of households, and hundreds of households came to the door to ask to see Xiao Fan, intending to persuade him to save his surname, take down Liu Sanwu, and give Zhu Yuanzhang an errand, but everyone was rejected by Xiao Fan.

Zhu Yunwen was so anxious in the East Palace that his mouth was full of fire, and he entered the palace again to intercede, but he was rejected, Zhu Yuanzhang seemed to be iron-hearted, and he must kill one between Xiao Fan and Liu Sanwu.

At the end of the day, a eunuch came out of the palace, entered Xiao Fan's house, and read Zhu Yuanzhang's dictation to Xiao Fan. ”

Just when everyone was in a hurry, Comrade Xiao Fan, a hot figure with countless pairs of eyes, finally made a move.

After the eunuch sent by Zhu Yuanzhang to announce the message left, Xiao Fan immediately left the house and went straight to Liu Sanwu's mansion alone.

Along the way, Xiao Fan was angry, Liu Sanwu was too much, so many lives were tied to him in a single thought, is it so difficult to change the names of a few tributes? That's hundreds of lives! If you want to maintain the integrity of a literati, why drag me down? Ming said that he was going to face the saint in the court, and his little life was getting more and more hanging, and if I was in a hurry, I really arrested you and put you in prison, it is better to kill than to be killed.

Liu Sanwu Mansion in the south of Jingshi City.

The door of the house is secluded and closed, and the front of the door is sparsely populated, which is in stark contrast to the usual doorway, and the ministers who come and go in the usual room seem to have all disappeared overnight, and there is no one who comes to the door.

In front of the huge mansion gate, only a luxury carriage with two horses and two wheels was quietly parked there, and there were several palace maids standing next to the carriage in a regular manner, and several large inner brocade clothes pro-army.

Xiao Fan walked to the door of Liu's mansion, his eyes casually swept the carriage next to the door, and he didn't pay attention to it.

Seeing that the dark and bright door of Liu's house was closed, Xiao Fan took a deep breath, then concentrated on his breath, and kicked the door of Liu Sanwu's house fiercely, the door was not locked, it was easy to kick it open, and the trembling door creaked open at the same time, Xiao Fan stepped in with an arrow, ignoring the stunned eyes of the people in Liu's mansion, he drove all the way in, and ran into the inner hall of Liu's mansion with murderous energy, and heard the sound of talking in the inner hall, Xiao Fan strode over, his figure flashed, and appeared at the door of the inner hall. Then he raised his breath and drank violently.

"Old man Liu! You want to kill me? Say! Do you change the list or not? If you don't change, I'll beat you! ”

“…………”

The voice stopped, and there was a deathly silence in the inner hall...... Xiao Fan immediately regretted his words.

In the inner hall, Liu Sanwu's hand holding his beard kept trembling, but he still pretended to be open-minded, trying to maintain an indifferent appearance, but his face was gradually turning blue.

On the guest seat on the right, the county lord of Jiangdu covered his small mouth, and his beautiful eyes were as big as bells, and he was looking at Xiao Fan in surprise with a look like a god descending from the earth.

Xiao Fanjun's face immediately turned red, and he slapped himself countless times in his heart.

The image is ruined! The image is ruined! Gaffes in front of beautiful women are the most unforgivable...... The inner hall was still immersed in an awkward speechless atmosphere, and the three of them stared at each other, and no one spoke for a while.

Finally, Xiao Fan couldn't stand the embarrassing atmosphere and broke the silence first.

"Ahem, Your Royal Highness the County Lord, what you saw just now is not true, Xiaguan is actually a Sven scholar......"

The county lord of Jiangdu didn't speak, his slender and boneless little hands were still tightly covering his mouth, but a pair of beautiful eyes that were wide open gradually bent up, the arc became bigger and bigger, and finally turned into two cute crescents, which were very cute.

"Lord Xiao is really ...... It's really a straightforward surname......" The county lord's delicate voice was smiling.

Xiao Fan wiped his sweat embarrassedly: "............"

Facing the charming smiling eyes of the county lord of Jiangdu, Xiao Fan instantly regained his former elegance.

Looking curiously at Liu Sanwu and the county lord of Jiangdu, Xiao Fan raised his eyebrows at the county lord: "The county lord is here to collect debts?" ”

The so-called people go to tea and cool, seeing that Liu Sanwu is about to be in a catastrophe, the creditor hurriedly asks for the debt back before he dies, which is really logical.

The county lord of Jiangdu was stunned for a long time, and shook his head in distraction.

"Then the county lord is here to trouble him?" Xiao Fan glanced at Liu Sanwu, and the meaning in his eyes was very clear: The wall is down and everyone pushes it, look at your old man's character, tsk...... Liu Sanwu's hand squeezing his beard became more and more trembling: "............"

The county lord of Jiangdu blinked and asked rhetorically, "What is Lord Xiao doing here?" ”

"Of course, the lower officials are also here to trouble him......" Xiao Fan looked at the county lord's pretty face with a smile, and suddenly said very understandingly: "Today, there are many people in Liu's mansion, if the county lord has a grudge with Lord Liu, he can solve it first, and it doesn't matter if the lower officials wait......

The county lord of Jiangdu suddenly laughed again, and said with a giggle: "No, no, it's better for Lord Xiao to invite first." ”

"The status of the county lord is noble, you still invite it first, it's okay to wait for the lower officials, anyway, Lord Liu can run away and the monk can't run the temple......"

“…………”

In front of Liu Sanwu, the two politely conceded to each other, and they both competed for the honor of being the first to trouble Liu Sanwu.

Liu Sanwu's white beard under his jaw on the side had been dragged off by him, and he was so angry that he couldn't stop shaking......

(To be continued)