Xu Muchen was taken to the court, and he was a little dazed for a while, before anyone could see it clearly, and the lobby didn't see it clearly, two officials shouted: "Kneel!" The two water and fire sticks were a little bit at the crook of his knee, and Xu Muchen knelt in the lobby with a "poof", knocking his knees so wooden.

He raised his head with a grin and looked at the main hall of this Bazhou Mansion, feeling a little apprehensive in his heart. Although he has seen a lot, but the main hall of this government has never been here, the last few times he was passed into the palace, it was an interrogation, not a trial, he only listened to the interrogation in the second hall, where have you seen such a momentum?

The main hall on the top of the mountain, as soon as you enter the lobby, a solemn atmosphere will hit you. The plaque of "Zhengda Guangming" is clearly on the top, and the surging sea water on the screen under the plaque beats the reef, and the waves splash and are magnificent.

On the three-foot public case in front of the screen are the four treasures of the study, the shocking wood, the case card, the token, and the prefect's seal and signature holder. There are several red sticks for execution and several black sticks for arresting people in the lottery. On both sides of the desk stand the tiger head cards of "avoidance" and "quietness". Two rows of officials held water and fire sticks, solemn and solemn.

The so-called official authority, this is it, even if you don't have a bad intention, you must be cautious about it in the public court built by this power. Xu Muchen has a ghost in his heart, so he is naturally even more frightened, but he thinks that all his actions are not flawed, and now that it is a public trial, can the government still fabricate evidence and beat him into a trick? It is with that heart that settles down again.

The people under the government all watched the court to ask about the case, Chen Guanguan asked about the bribery of the pig's head to the Liu Governor's Mansion as usual, Xu Muchen naturally denied it, and Chen Guanzhi sneered: "Xu Muchen, when you are a official of the state government's yamen, do you not know how to learn accounts?" This official already has real evidence in hand, are you afraid that this cunning villain will deny it? Come on, the scribes of the palace Feng Youwei, Li Qunzhou, and Lin Zhiyang. ”

The three old officials went to the hall to see the adults, and Chen observed: "You wait to bring the suspicious points in the account books that you have checked." ”

"Subordinates obey." The three old officials held the account books, pointed out the suspicious points in the three accounts one by one, explained them in detail, and explained them in simple terms, and the people of the Yaxia no longer understood the accounts, but they could also hear them clearly, and the Yaxia was in an uproar.

Xu Muchen, who was fearless, heard it like five thunderbolts, he couldn't restrain it anymore, jumped up and shouted loudly: "Observe the adults, the small people are wronged, this is a dirty frame-up, this is a forged account book, the small people have never recorded such accounts, they have never done such a thing, this is all deliberately framed by someone." If you want to cure the sins of the small people, ask the adults to take out the account books written by the small people themselves, and the small people will be convinced. ”

Chen was furious, and said: "Bold, presumptuous, the entire Bazhou Mansion knows that the west chamber of the mansion is on fire, and the account books are all burned, you are roaring in the court like this, do you have no fear, huh?" ”

Hearing this heart-wrenching sentence, Xu Muchen was shocked and angry, so he had to explain angrily: "My lord, the state government yamen has been in disrepair for a long time, either due to natural disasters or because of **, it is not the first time that the matter of going to the water has happened. Xiaomin has been in this Bazhou city for 20 years, and he remembers that the government has walked through the water six times, and Xiaomin has always done his duty, do adults suspect that Xiaomin set fire to destroy the evidence? ”

When Cheng Dexuan heard this, his eyes closed slightly, and he secretly said in his heart: "Although this person is cunning and witty, he has never had a big scene, panicked and messed up!" You are afraid that the charge of burning the West Chamber will fall on your head, how can Chen Guan not be afraid that the charge of fabricating evidence and destroying the original evidence will fall on his head? Now that you have these words, Chen Zhan is really dozing off and touching the confession of the prisoner who sent the pillow and was awaiting trial, and he was afraid that he would not be able to stop the mouths of the officials and envoys. ”

Chen Guan listened to Xu Muchen's words, suddenly turned his anger into joy, and said with a haha: "When the official asks about the case, he is talking about evidence. If there is no evidence, how could this official plant the matter of the West Chamber's water on your head. The official only asks you, this account book, but you have personally reviewed it, and the signature on this account book is your Xu Muchen's handwriting? ”

Xu Muchen hesitated for a moment, and arched his hand: "Xiaomin wants to see the account book." ”

Chen observed a slight smile in his eyes and said, "Come on, show the account book to the suspect." ”

The three scribes took the account books and stepped forward in turn, allowing Xu Muchen to identify them. They were familiar with each other, drinking and eating and drinking were commonplace, and there was also a prostitute girl in the Goolan courtyard, and now when they meet in this kind of place, it is inevitable that they will be a little embarrassed, but Xu Muchen has no time to look at their faces, just staring at the account book to see, this look, Xu Muchen's eyes are straight: "In the fifth year of Qiande, on the eighth day of the sixth month, when Liu Zihan died ten horses of poplin silk, one hundred and twelve pieces of silk, thirteen horses of silk, one hundred and ten pieces, twenty pieces of cloth, thirty pieces of cloth; Silk is six taels a catty, and it is folded for fifteen ......"

"This ...... This ......" Xu Muchen was like a madman, and his whole body twitched. He died and didn't believe what he saw. He has the ability to never forget, and he clearly remembers that what is written here is clearly "In the fifth year of Qiande, on the eighth day of the sixth month, Liu Zihan died as one hundred and ten pieces of poplin silk, and exchanged for one hundred and twelve ......."

The silk, cloth, and silk mentioned later are also roughly the same. The money issued by the imperial court to the officials, in addition to cash, there are also discounted rice, grain, silk cloth, plus the honor of the mansion ushered in, and they can also receive some gifts that belong to normal entertainment, these things can't be used at home, most of them have to be realized, there is nothing to question, all the officials do this. But now there is only a fraction of these silk, silk, satin, cloth and other things pawned by Liu Fu, and it immediately shows that something is wrong. How so, where did the missing word go?

Xu Muchen's eyes widened, and he pressed hard to the account book, and the three scribes were afraid that he would tear up the account book in a hurry, so they hurriedly protected it nervously in case something was wrong. Xu Muchen looked carefully, the paper on the account book was intact, and there were no traces of mounting and cutting, but some places where the number was recorded suddenly became blank.

However, Ding Hao's handwriting is extremely ugly, crooked, unable to line or vertical, and the words are big and small, so the missing words seem to be nothing unusual, which is his consistent style.

Clerk Feng showed him the account book with an expressionless face, took a step back, Lin Zhiyang took another step forward, held the account book and said, "Shopkeeper Xu, you can see clearly, the signatures and drawings on this account are yours?" ”

Xu Muchen didn't need to look at it to know that it was indeed his signature drawing, his eyes looked directly at the inappropriateness of the accounts specially outlined by Lin Zhiyang, and saw that there was only a fraction of the money handed over to Ding Ting in the account book, and he was about to go crazy.

Lin Zhiyang retreated, Li Qunzhou came up with a wooden face again, coughed and said: "Shopkeeper Xu, look at my book, those things that are alive are often sold in advance, but ......"

Xu Muchen stopped looking at the account books, he suddenly stretched his neck, like a desperate turtle, desperately stretched his head out, stared directly at Li Qunzhou, and hissed: "Scribe Li, you know that these accounts are fake, you know, you all know!" You have seen my account books, although the account books have been burned out, but you are all old officials who have been taking accounts for many years, and you will not remember a single star, this is not what I recorded in my account at all, it is not something I remember at all, why is this happening, why is this happening? ”

Li Qunzhou was startled, and hurriedly took a few steps back, feeling a little annoyed in his heart: "Governor Liu's mansion is finished, seeing that you are also finished, you still want to pull me into the water at this time?" Do you remember that you were greedy for the money of the Mo Ding family, bribed the officials of the state government, and did all the dirty things you did in Bazhou City? Shall I give you a hand? This Chen Observation is now clearly picking up a mallet and using it as a needle, and he will condemn Governor Liu whether he lives or dies, and whoever pulls me will pull you up. ”

As soon as Xu Muchen saw him dodging, he pounced on him and grabbed him, shouting: "Brother Li, what is the friendship between our brothers, friends for so many years, you can't help but be righteous." Now that your brother is in trouble, you have to pull your brother and pull your brother, and your brother will be grateful for your kindness for the rest of your life. You tell them the truth, you tell them...... Ouch! ”

Xu Muchen was hit twice more the back of his knees, followed by another knife on the back of his back, smashing him to his knees and sitting on the ground, leaning over and screaming, Li Qunzhou retreated a few steps in embarrassment, and deliberately said loudly: "How can this be reasonable." My Lao Li has been a messenger in the yamen all his life, and the public is public and private is private, which can be mixed up. If you feel wronged, tell the old man, Lao Li is a proper person, how can you follow the law for personal gain, you have read the account book, you just have to tell the observation of the adult, the signature on the account book, but your own handwriting? ”

Lin Zhiyang and Feng Youwei, and even some local officials and officials, originally had some sympathy for him, but because of his words of rushing to the doctor, they became disgusted and no longer had the slightest affection.

When Xu Muchen saw that the people he had always befriended regarded him as a plague, he was even more panicked in his heart, and shouted in embarrassment: "My lord, the small people are wronged, and the small people are really wronged." The books...... The signature on the account book is indeed the villain's own handwriting, but ...... But that account book has never been reviewed by villains. ”

Chen Guan's face changed, and he shouted: "Bold suspect, but also quibble, this official asks you, how many account books have you reviewed and how many account books have you drawn?" ”

"Three volumes."

"In that case, the signatures on these three books are yours?"

"It's a small people's, but it's ......"

"Smack!" Chen Guan was shocked, and shouted angrily: "You have only signed three account books, and there are only three account books here. You also said that these three account books were not examined by you, and they are so upside down and contradictory, are you making fun of the official? ”

"Xiaomin is not, Xiaomin ......"

"Smack!" Shocked Tang Mu slapped again: "As soon as you went to the court, you roared loudly, thinking that you are old, and this official is not self-conscious." You are now a suspect, but you do not kneel when you see the officials, and you do not ask questions and answer yourself, are you contempting the court? "The adults misunderstand, the small people ......"

"Smack!" There was still a crisp sound, Cheng Zhisi sat close, and was prickly in his ears by his three beats, and he couldn't help frowning and plucking his ears.

"You are sophistry, roaring in the court, not kneeling when you see officials, not asking and answering yourself, above the lobby, clinging to public office, you are clearly a Diao Min who does not abide by his duty!"

"Small People......"

"Smack!" As soon as there was a startling sound, Chen Guan retracted his right hand, which was a little numb, and then took out a red stick from the lottery holder and threw it on the ground with a "dang" sound: "Come on, ten palms and mouths, to set an example!" ”

Four officials rushed over, two pressed Xu Muchen's shoulder, and the other two each held a board with a palm mouth, threw off their arms and opened the bow left and right, and when the three boards went down, Xu Muchen's cheeks were bruised, and the blood in his mouth flowed, and when he fanned to the seventh board, two of his back molars were punched out.

After finishing his mouth, the official threw Xu Muchen to the ground and returned to the train. Chen observed a chilling sneer on the corner of his mouth, and said in a condensed voice: "Xu Muchen, you have already read the account book, do you admit your guilt?" ”

Xu Muchen was lying there, salivating blood from the corners of his mouth, and said inarticulately: "Xiaomin...... Treat unjustly. This book of accounts...... There are quirks. Xiaomin ...... I want to confront Na Ding Hao......"

"Okay, come on, Xuan Ding Hao go to the court!" Chen Guan calmed down, sat back in the chair upright, and glanced at Cheng Zhusi, who was sitting at the bottom of the head, with a smug gaze. Cheng Dexuan smiled lightly, the clouds were light and the wind was clear, and Chen couldn't help but feel bored.

Ding Hao walked up to the hall, Xu Muchen was lying there, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth, staring at him fiercely with a snake-like gaze, if he hadn't been beaten by Chen and didn't dare to be presumptuous, he really had to rush over and bite off a piece of Ding Hao's flesh before he was willing.

As soon as Ding Hao came to the hall, someone called for the eldest brother under the ya, the voice was a little familiar, Ding Hao looked back, but it was the scimitar Xiaoliu, the iron bull and the big head crowded into the crowd and waved their arms to him to cheer up, Ding Hao couldn't help but smile. There were also several family members of the Ding Mansion standing in the crowd, and these family members, each with a fast horse, were tied to the horse post outside the government office, and the progress of the case should be reported back to the house at any time.

"Grass man Ding Hao, I have seen the observation master!" Ding Hao stepped forward, teasing his robe and wanting to worship, Chen Guan already knew from Zhao County Lieutenant that the case could turn around thanks to this person, so the cool official's face was closed, and he said with a pleasant face: "Ding Hao doesn't need to be polite, you are seconded by this official to the government to manage the accounts, and you can be regarded as half a yamen." He stood aside and replied. ”

Chen observed a word, and had already taken the first credit on himself, Ding Hao stopped when he heard it, and said with a long sigh: "Lord Xie." Then he stepped aside.

Chen Guan asked, "Ding Hao, did you sort out this account book by yourself?" But Xu Muchen drew the charge with his own hands, and you will tell it in detail in this court."

"Yes, the grass people were ordered by the observation master to sort out the account books in the palace, and it took half a month to sort out the accounts with a large amount of money into a book, and then asked the shopkeeper Xu to review it in the office. The shopkeeper Xu went to the government three times, and the three account books were signed and signed by him. After the account book was cleaned up, it was the Yulan Festival, Xiaomin sent the account book to Zhao County Lieutenant for reading, Zhao County Lieutenant sympathized with the officials, saying that it was after the festival and then let people check in detail, and let the account books be included in the treasury. All this was known to the two dukes sent by the government to monitor the grass people combing the account books. ”

"Good!" Chen observed that he was speaking very quickly, and his expression was even more gentle: "You come forward and take a look at these three account books, but they are the ones you have sorted out with your own hands." ”

"Yes!" Ding Hao stepped forward, looked at the three account books with the hands of Feng Youwei and the three of them, and arched his hand to Chen Guan: "My lord, these three account books are sorted out by Xiaomin himself. ”

Chen observed the slight side of his body, twisted his beard and said: "The suspect Xu Muchen refuses to admit his guilt, accusing you of falsifying evidence, what do you have to say?" ”

Ding Hao bowed down and said: "My lord, the grass people are the inspectors of the Ding Mansion, and they are just ordered by the government to help clean up the accounts. This case involves interests and has nothing to do with the small people, so how can the small people have a reason to defy the law? This is one of them. All the accounts, although they are handled by the grass people, but every page, every line, and every word are all seen by Xu Muchen with his own eyes, and they are all drawn by him. Xiaomin just wanted to ask him, if his signature and handprint could not be used as proof, then ...... What else can be used as credentials? ”

Xu Muchen shouted: "No, there are ghosts in here, there must be ghosts in this!" Yes, I remembered, he knows magic, he knows demon law, the old man has heard people say that he has met monsters and knows demon law. ”

Chen Observation slapped the shocked wood in the hall and shouted: "Nonsense, this is the main hall of Bazhou, a place where the law is strict, and a place where righteousness gathers, what evil thing can enter the gate of the government?" Without being interrogated by this official, you suspect dare to interject, I really don't know the lesson, come on, give this official another twenty years. As he spoke, he reached out and picked up the red stick.

"Slow down, adult." Ding Hao smiled and saluted: "My lord is angry, this account book is signed and signed by Xu Muchen, in black and white, and it can't be faked." If the punishment is severe, I am afraid that some people will accuse adults of using torture to extract confessions, so why not let him be convinced? He turned to Xu Muchen and said, "Shopkeeper Xu, you said it's a demon law?" Then do you want to get a basin of black dog blood to break my evil spell? ”

Chen observed and listened to Xu Muchen muttering about what evil methods, and he was really afraid that this account was really an evil trick, once it was broken, he would be blind again, and after hearing what Ding Hao said so surely, he was relieved and said busily: "Come on, go find a black dog, although the official does not believe these evil words, he must always convince the people of this Bazhou." Not...... The official remembers, it seems that there is one in this yamen? ”

The scribe Lin Zhiyang said with a bitter face: "My lord, there is a black dog in the yamen, which was raised by a villain. ”

Chen Guanxi said: "Good raising, you take someone to slaughter the dog, and bring the blood of the dog." ”

Lin Shuren said with a smile: "No, the villain is ...... Decaying ...... Villain...... Yes, sir! ”

Lin Zhiyang hung his head and brought a knife to catch it, led the black dog, in order to show his integrity, he slaughtered it in front of the people in front of the ya, put the blood in a wooden basin, and smeared the dog's blood on the account book, all the people stared wide-eyed, and those officials who were born as scholars believed in Confucianism's 'Zi Bu Silent Strange Power Chaos', so they naturally sat upright, did not squint, and made a disdainful gesture, but the corners of the eyes were also tilted at a forty-five degree angle, which looked very weird.

At that time, not only the common people, but also many people in the world believed in the existence of ghosts and gods. Therefore, they also believed that the blood of the black dog could destroy all evil spells, but now that the blood of the black dog was drenched, the account book was all the same, and it was obvious that they had never used evil magic. The officials secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but the people in the hall were disappointed, this kind of ending was too unwatchable.

Xu Muchen really couldn't think of how the account book could become like this, only from the demon law, now the account book is all the same, the last glimmer of hope is shattered, and his spirit suddenly collapsed, and it was piled on the ground at that time.

Chen Guan sneered and stared at Xu Muchen: "Xu Muchen, what else do you have to say now, the evidence is conclusive, do you still want to deny it, do you have to force this official to be punished?" ”

Xu Muchen's face was disgraced, and he said incoherently: "This is a ...... of planting dirt and framing, there is something strange in it, it is the charge of the old painting, but the account is ...... It's really not an account that the old man has read, it's weird, it's really weird......"

Cheng Dexuan sat there, looking at everything in front of him coldly, and finally fixed his eyes on Ding Hao, looking at him with interest. Lord Fu Yin asked him to act at the opportunity and delay Chen's observation, but if the other party had real evidence, he would not obstruct it. Lord Yin of the Mansion now has a wide range of contacts and establishes popularity, how can he lose a big one because of a small one.

Now Chen Guan has strong evidence to prove that Xu Muchen not only bribed the prefect, but also made false accounts to deceive the head of the family, deceived the upper and lower to form his own circle of influence, and wrote clearly in black and white, it is impossible for him to retract his confession, this small role that is not even a chess piece, Cheng Dexuan will not feel sorry if he abandons it.

He could feel that the peaks and loops were turning, and the willows and flowers were bright, all because of the young man named Ding Hao in front of him. Cheng Dexuan looked at his gaze, and some appreciation flowed in it.

Xu Muchen said stupidly, seeing Ding Hao with straight eyes, suddenly like a cat seeing a mouse, a tiger pounced, rushed over and grabbed his collar, and roared with a mouth full of blood foam: "You black-hearted thief, you hurt me, you hurt me!" What kind of means did you thief use to frame the old man, you said, you said, how could that word disappear, how could it disappear......"

Ding Hao did not resist, and said innocently with open hands: "What the shopkeeper Xu said is bad, I, a little thief, how can I have the ability to harm you, an old thief?" ”

As soon as the officials saw Xu Muchen jumping up to arrest the witnesses, they were afraid that the old man would blame them for their poor care, so they immediately pounced and dragged Xu Muchen back and pressed him to the ground, so that the water and fire sticks were pressed against his neck, so that he could no longer move.

Ding Hao straightened his messy clothes, looked at Xu Muchen's unwilling eyes, smiled helplessly, and said in his heart: "Speaking of which, it's really not me who harmed your old thief, it's just a few squid." Isn't the black heart of the squid just the right cure for you, the old thief......"