Yue Su's vigilant surname was not ordinarily high, and when he heard someone approaching, he hurriedly raised his head, and when he saw someone coming, he didn't wait for the other party to speak, and immediately said: "Isn't this Uncle Tong, where did you get here?" Today is really a coincidence, just rest in this store, and the two of them are also companions. ”

The person who came was Tong Xuan, who was sent by Yue Su to inquire in Sixiang Zuo and visit the murderer in Shilitun. After visiting for a few days, there was no news, and this afternoon, I happened to come to Huangming Town. Seeing that it was getting late, he planned to rest here, but unexpectedly Yue Su was also here, he stepped forward to say hello, but when he heard Yue Su say this, he immediately understood and said: "I didn't expect Brother Yue to be here, which room is in it now, let's go in and have a few drinks." ”

Yue Su asked Xiao Er to bring the food into the house, and ordered two more dishes and a pot of wine, when Xiao Er went out, Tong Zhou first went to the door to take a look, and then walked to the table and bowed down and said, "When will the adults be here?" ”

Yue Su hurriedly stopped and said, "This is where the inn is located, your ears and eyes matter, and besides, it's private, so you changed your name." At present, have you ever had some eyebrows in this case? ”

Tong Xuan shook his head and said: "The villain has been ordered to visit for a few days, and there is no trace of this left, I am afraid that the surname Qiu has gone away." I wonder if there is any news from Tieqiu? ”

Yue Su also shook his head, and said: "Although this case has not been solved, I have another suspicious case here, and I need to visit tonight to understand, and I can only act clearly." "I immediately told the disguised carpenter about meeting the Liu family.

Tong Xuan nodded, "From this point of view, it is among the suspicious." But no one has reported it, and there is no real trace, how can it be done? ”

Yue Su said: "It is because of this that we have to visit first. After today's shift, you and I will go to her alley to inspect and see if there is any movement. Then on the left, what was the condition of her husband when he died, and where is the grave now? ”

Tong Zhou received the order at that time, the two of them had a meal and wine, and after the watch, Tong Zhou deliberately shouted: "After walking for a day, my body is full of stinky sweat, how about we find a place to take a bath and come back and sleep?" ”

"That's just right."

The two of them sang and left the inn, and according to the original way, they came to the alley of Liu's house. I went back and forth a few times, but I didn't see anyone coming. Tong Xuan said in a low voice: "My lord, it's still early to come, let's go to the town for a leisurely walk, and then how about coming back?" ”

Yue Su nodded in agreement, and the two of them returned to the alley and headed east to the main street. Although it is a rural area, many stores are not closed because of the main road into the city. Seeing a bathhouse from afar, Yue Su smiled and said, "Didn't you say you wanted to take a bath, let's take a bath here, or take a chance to ask questions." ”

After speaking, the two of them came to the bathhouse, the bathhouse of the Ming Dynasty was different from the modern one, and there was no shower, but there was a bath, and everyone was soaking in it.

Yue Su and Jin Chan also sat down in the pool, and asked a young man next to them, "Brother, how far is this place from the county seat?" ”

Yue Su is from Huguang, of course, his accent is different from that of the locals, the young man thought that Yue Su was a foreigner passing by, so he said: "There are still thirty miles of official road from the city here, is my brother going to enter the city?" ”

Yue Su smiled and said, "I have a relative who lives here, so I want to visit my relatives." This place of yours must be under the jurisdiction of Yangshuo. Now who is the surname of the county commander, where is the name of the person, and what news is there now? ”

The young man said: "Our county master is really rare in the world, and it is comparable to Haiqingtian." Since he took office, he has been the master of the people and avenged the grievances of the people, and everyone has praised him. His surname is Yue Mingsu, I heard that he is from Huguang, brother, you are late, if you come a few days earlier, there is a murder case in Shilitun twenty miles away from here, it is very strange, I heard that two guests got up from the inn on the fifth watch, and were killed at the entrance of the town at dawn. Somehow, the corpse was mistaken again, and the young man became bearded. Isn't it strange, you say? Now Lord Yue has experienced it, and the label is presented and recruited. I don't know who this murderer is, but he has been visiting outside for a long time, and he has not been seized so far. ”

Yue Su deliberately complained: "It's a pity, it's a pity, if I had arrived a few days earlier, I would have been able to see this bustle." Then he said: "I came here yesterday, I heard that the dragon boat here is very good, and you can see it when you arrive in Duanyang, why did you fight the plague last year, and if you see the dragon boat, you will die?" ”

When the young man heard this, he laughed and said, "Isn't my brother making fun of me, I grew up here, and I have never heard of this strange thing, you are passing by, where did you hear it?" ”

Yue Su said: "When I first heard about it, I was also puzzled, and later the man did have evidence, saying that there was a Bi family in the alley in front of him, and he died after watching the dragon boat." You are close to the left, do you have this or not? ”

Before the young man could speak, a man in his thirties sitting next to him said: "There is such a thing, he did not die because he watched the dragon boat, I heard that he died of abdominal pain at night." ”

As he was talking, another descendant on the opposite side said to the young man: "Yuan Wu, this matter is the most strange, Bi Hu's body is strong, how to go home is still as usual, shouting at night, he will die, and he still has his eyes open when he is about to die, it is really terrible." I heard that he often made strange things on his grave, isn't this a mystery case? Can you see him down there? ”

Young Yuan Wudao: "Don't talk about it, other people's young people keep festivals, and now they don't even go out often, if there is a single reason, how can they be so patient?" As for the strange work on the grave, Mao Jiawa's place is full of graves, how can he see him? ”

Hou Sheng said: "I'm just talking here, it can be seen that life in the world is like a floating cloud, and if you don't take a breath, you will die." After Bi Hu died, his daughter became mute again, isn't it a pity. With that, he jumped out of the pool and wiped his body.

When Yue Su heard this, he knew that this person knew the details, and asked Yuan Wu again: "What is this person's surname, but he is a straightforward friend." ”

Yuan Wu said: "He was a small business in the town, and Bihu's velvet shop used to be next door to his house. His surname is Wang, and we grew up together, so we all call him Xiao Wang. It is also a person who does not do more things, only cares about opening his mouth, and does not know the benefits and harms. ”

Yue Su laughed, chatted a few more words, and then left the bath with Tong Xuan. Yue Su thought to himself, although this matter is a bit eyebrow-raising, but there is no empirical evidence, what should I do?

Thinking all the way, I have arrived at the alley of Liu's house, and I have walked back and forth twice, but there is still no movement, so I can only turn back to the inn. Stayed at the inn for one night, and returned to the county seat with Tong Zhou the next day.

After returning to the Yaya, Yue Su first asked Tie Qiu if he had returned, but he did not see the return of the messenger. Yue Su sent a fire sign again, and asked the messenger Ming to pass the land protection and earthwork of Huangming Town and Maojiawa to the hall. The so-called earthwork is the one who digs graves.

How dare the errand officer delay, when he rushed to Huangming Town. The name of the land protector of Huangming Town is Ma Lu, after receiving the fire lot, he immediately ran to Maojiawa to call the earthworker, and saw that it was not early and could not enter the city, so he had to rush to the county government next time.

Yue Su ascended to the hall, and first passed Ma Lu to the hall for questioning. Ma Lu came up, knelt down to salute, but saw Yue Su knock the startling wood violently, and asked loudly: "Are you the land protector of Huangming Town?" When I arrived in the workshop that year, what cases did I have in the territory, and why did I miss work and be lazy and didn't come to report it? ”

Of course, Ma Lu heard about Hu Chuan's beating, and knew that this adult was severe. Now when he heard Yue Su ask him like this, he expected that something had happened on his ground and he was interviewed by Yue Su. Hurriedly replied: "Back to my lord, the villain was in March last year, and arrived in the workshop on the first day of April, and he has always been careful to work and dare not make mistakes." Since the arrival of the grandfather, the government has been clean and the people are safe, and there is really no case to report in the town. The villain is blessed to protect the land, how dare he be lazy, and ask the adults to learn from it. ”

"Since I arrived in April, why did I have a murder case in May last year, and I don't know anything?"

When Ma Lu heard this, he poured cold water on his body like a basin of cold water, his heart beat wildly, and he said: "The villain is in the workshop, patrolling day and night, but there is really no such case. If there is this case, the grandfather is close at hand, how dare he hide the case and not report it? ”

Yue Su smiled slightly, and said: "This official will not be guilty at this time, but how did Bi Hu die in your town, you are the land protector, there is no reason not to know, hurry up and recruit from the truth!" ”

Seeing this, Ma Lu knew that there must be a reason for it, and replied: "Although the villain is on an errand in the town, there are things that should be asked and things that should not be asked. There are thousands of families in the town, and there is no day when there is no wedding or funeral, and Bi Hu's death is also a common thing. His family did not report the crime, and his neighbors did not charge. The villain only knew that he died after Duanyang last year, and why he died, but he didn't know it, and he didn't dare to talk nonsense. ”

Yue Su shouted: "You dog-headed can also argue clearly, this official now knows that you are still so prevaricating, and you are already seen to have missed work." Stand aside first, and pass the earthwork to the church! ”

Ma Lu quickly got up and stood aside. When my grandfather's old earthworker heard the county lord pass on him, he was so frightened that he went to the church and knelt down tremblingly. ”

Yue Su coughed, cleared his throat, and asked, "This official asked you, did Bi Hu's tomb in Huangming Town pass by your hand?" ”

"Lord Hui, it is indeed through the hands of the grass people."

"Okay, then the official will ask you again, what was the situation when you were buried, and who sent it?"

Mao Daxi didn't know why the eldest man asked this, and replied tremblingly: "The villain does this earthwork, and whenever someone comes to bury the grave, he will give the villain 200 yuan to dig the grave and push the soil on his behalf." Three days after Duanyang last year, I suddenly saw a coffin coming, and the two women cried nonstop, saying that they were the petty officials of the Bi family in the town. These two people were sent, one was his wife and the other was his biological mother. The villain usually has nothing to do, and there is a ready-made grave pit dug, and they choose one and bury it immediately. Who would have thought that as soon as the coffin was put into the ground, there were suddenly two gurgling sounds inside, almost scaring the people to death. Then he said to his old mother, 'Your son is not convinced by his death, and there is still a sound, could it be that you have been buried early, what kind of illness did you die?' Before his mother could speak, his wife scolded the villain, saying that I was not allowed to bury the commons. When the old woman saw her say this, she began to cry with the little man. At that time, because she was two women, it was inconvenient to argue, so she was hastily buried. Who knew that after the burial, every late at night, the ghosts would not stop, and they could not be quiet in every way. This is all what the villain has heard and seen, and it is unknown whether the deceased is dead, and the villain really does not know. ”

After listening to this, Yue Su nodded slowly, and only said after a while: "That is the case, this official will release you to go back first, and you can wait at Maojiawa's grave." ”

When Mao Daxi retired, Yue Su passed down the edict, ordering Tong Zhou and Ma Lu to immediately lead the messengers to Huangming Town to pass Bi Hu's wife to the hall. After the order is completed, he retreats into the back hall by himself.

The servants and Tong Xuan left the county office, and they all shook their heads and puffed their heads along the way, "This Huangming Town, we go back and forth at least three or five times a month, and we have never heard of such a thing, why is the master so long-eared?" The murder case in Shilitun has not yet been seized, and if this case is found, isn't it asking for trouble. This thing comes out of nowhere, so who do we ask for money? "I've been talking about you for a long time.

After noon, he came to Huangming Town, Ma Lu planned to do his best to be a landlord and invite everyone to have a drink, but Tong Zhou knew that Yue Su was anxious and worried about mistakes, so he simply ate a bowl of noodles and rushed to the door of Bi Hu's house. knocked on the door twice, and Liu's voice came from inside, "Who knocked on the door?" ”

As he spoke, he went to the door and opened the door, and was startled when he saw more than a dozen officials standing at the door. said in a panic: "We are a good family, our family is full of female dependents, and we never cause any official trouble, so we must have gone to the wrong door." ”

One of the officers immediately said, "We are also sent by order, and we can't help ourselves, otherwise someone will come all the way to you." The grandfather told you and your daughter-in-law to enter the city immediately and ask questions in court. You don't stand in the way of the door, that's not where the words are. As he spoke, he pushed the Liu clan back, and all the servants rushed in and came to the hall.

Tong Xuan took out the edict and said loudly: "The official business is here, this is too late." Where is your daughter-in-law now, let her come out, and go to the yamen to see the master. ”

Seeing the violent, Liu Shi was so frightened that he trembled, but fortunately, when he saw Ma Lu, he stepped forward and cried: "Master Ma, you also know that my family has always been safe and self-contained, and has never done anything wrong. After the death of my poor son, the family has been in trouble, where can I have the money to pay off the debt. Although I am a small family, I have never seen an official come to the house to offer ugliness, how is this good? I also asked Master Ma to see some feelings, do good deeds, and say a good word in front of the grandfather on my behalf, so that we don't come to the court, and I will sell the things and pay them back quickly. ”

Ma Lu was scolded by Yue Su when he went to the court today, how dare he admit it, he could only look at Tong Xuan.

Tong Zhou saw that Liu was a loyal woman, and said: "Don't worry, there is not a creditor suing you, just because the adult wants to ask your daughter-in-law to go for questioning, you can call her out quickly, and I won't take you there." ”

As soon as Tong Xuan's words were finished, Liu immediately cried, "What did I do when I came here for you, it turned out to be to intimidate our people. Since there is no one to accuse, why should I mention my daughter-in-law? It can be seen that you are not good people, seeing that my daughter-in-law is a widow, and the two of us have no money and no power, so we came up with this bad idea to deceive her, either by force or by selling her to become a prostitute, isn't it a dream? Since you are like this, your grandmother fought hard with you, and then dragged you into the city, and saw that your grandfather didn't ask! ”

As he spoke, he rushed to Tong Zhou while crying, reaching out to grab his collar.

How could more than a dozen servants allow the old woman to splash, two of them stepped forward, held Liu Shi up, and shouted: "You mother-in-law is so ignorant, this is the best way to catch the head of the child, so as not to show your face, so I said that I will only take your daughter-in-law with you." The edict was written by our grandfather himself, and Di Bao Ma Lu is the witness, I think you are too confused, no wonder you are confused by your daughter-in-law. If you hadn't met our Qingtian Master, I'm afraid you would have died, and I don't know! ”

As everyone was talking, there was a "squeak" on the door of the next room, and her daughter-in-law finally stood up and said loudly outside: "Mother-in-law, don't panic, let me talk to them." As he spoke, he looked at Tong Xuan, "This poor master, there is an old saying: although the steel knife is fast, if you don't kill the innocent, even if your grandfather is a magistrate, you must also be reasonable." The emperor's family saw that the woman who kept the festival also set up an ancestral hall and sacrificed in the spring and autumn of the official mansion, and my mother-in-law and daughter-in-law are still two generations of widows, how can the local people come to the door for no reason. It is not difficult for you to mention me, but you must first explain the reason, which royal law my mother-in-law and daughter-in-law have touched, and I am not afraid to go to the court to argue at that time. If you mention people like this, don't blame my mother-in-law and daughter-in-law for being difficult to obey. Even if I was forcibly locked away, it was easy to ask God to send God, so don't blame me for offending the officials. ”

When the servants heard her words, they were like knives, and they spoke incessantly. Everyone was speechless at the moment, and looked at Tong Xuan together.

Tong Zhou looked up to the sky and said with a smile: "You little woman, although you are young, you are very articulate, no wonder you did that amazing thing." If you ask why you are mentioned, I am not the county master, I only know how to take people with tickets, if you want to ask, go to the lobby and ask, who to scare with these words! I'm stunned for what, why don't you go up and take it away for me! ”

Tong Xuan waved his hand, and the servants rushed up, grabbed her, and couldn't tell her apart, pushing and hugging her out. Seeing that his daughter-in-law was escorted away, Liu wanted to stop him, but how could he stop this group of wolf-like officials, so he could only cry and roll on the ground for a while. The crowd didn't have time to deal with it.

When they got to the street, those home shop owners saw that something had happened to the Bi family, and for some reason, they all flocked to watch. Seeing that he was surrounded, Tong Xuan shouted loudly: "We are sent by Lord Yue of Yangshuo County, immediately go to the hall for interrogation, you neighbors, you are blocking the way here at this moment, and when you interrogate your neighbors later, don't dodge." ”

As soon as they heard this, everyone was afraid that it would involve them, and they scattered far away, and Tong Zhou took advantage of this to go all the way.

Before dusk, he rushed back to the county office, and immediately went to report to Yue Su, and Yue Su sent an order to ascend to the church. Escorted the woman to the public court and knelt down, with a "mighty" sound, Yue Su was just about to open his mouth to ask, but he didn't want the woman to speak first, "The woman Zhou knocked to see the adult, I don't know what the adult has to say, I specially ordered the public to go to the town for interrogation, and begged the master to quickly determine that I am a young widow and cannot kneel in the court for a long time!" ”

When Yue Su heard this, he was angry in his heart, and sneered: "What a young widow, you can only deceive that old woman and be confused, how can this official be fooled by you!" And lift up thy head, and see who this county is. ”

When Zhou heard this, he looked up, it didn't matter if he saw it, and his heart chuckled. Said secretly: "Isn't this the carpenter I said before, how did I become the Yangshuo County Order, no wonder I was flustered, it turned out that this happened." Didn't he find out something? Although there was panic in his heart, his face did not show any color, but he said loudly: "The little woman said in front of her that she didn't know that the master was coming, so that she was offended, although it was the fault of the little woman, but she didn't know whether she was guilty or not, the master is a clean official, how can she be angry about this." ”

Yue Su shouted: "You silver woman, who asked you to say this." Your husband is young, and he should be a husband and wife with one heart and one heart for a hundred years, why are you not good, and you will kill your husband instead! Quickly recruit from the truth, the county may be able to extrajudicial benevolence, reduce the guilt, if you deny it, don't blame the official for letting you suffer in court! What did you say about disguise as an official, just because your husband's death is unknown, and the ghost is still lingering, so you have come to visit you in a dream. Who knew that you were lawless and insulted Aunt Weng, the word 'disobedience' is an unforgivable sin. Say, then how did you kill your husband, and who did you destroy your husband? ”

Intimidation and fraudulent confessions have always been Yue Su's forte, and after saying this, he stared at Zhou to see what expression was on her face.

Zhou saw that Yue Su said that she had murdered her husband, which was really like a blow to the head, and he was in trouble, and his true soul took off early, and his face became pale. However, she reacted quickly, and hurriedly said: "The grandfather is the parent of the people, and the little woman said that she was really unintentionally offended, how can she come up with this crime for this trivial matter?" This is a matter of human life, and the master must always be gracious, and he can't be arbitrarily wronged. ”

"Smack!" Yue Su slapped the shocked wood heavily, and shouted: "This official knows that you are a silver woman, and if you don't show the evidence, you won't be recruited." Your husband said to me in a dream that after his death, you were afraid that his daughter would grow up, and then she would expose her and ruin your good deeds, so you conspired with your husband to make her dumb with medicine. The official has seen this with his own eyes, what else can you rely on? If you don't make it clear from the truth, don't blame the official for the punishment! ”

Where is the Zhou family willing to recruit, just cry out for grievances, "What do adults let the little woman recruit, there is a storm invisibly, there are gods in the head, even if they are tortured to death, they can't admit it indiscriminately." ”

"What a silver woman, what a clever tongue, someone is coming! Give me forty rods! Yue Su shouted angrily and grabbed the fire stick, but he didn't throw it to the ground.

The officers below understood that this was a trick of the adults, and it was nothing more than intimidating the prisoners, and grabbing the fire stick in his hand and not throwing it away, meant that he didn't have to do it first.

Zhou was also a little scared, but he still cried out for grievances, and rushed up and shouted: "The adult is a county parent, can he just judge the case without evidence, so careless of human life, what kind of blue sky is it!" Today, the little woman is willing to be beaten to death in court, and if she wants to be beaten into a trick, it is also a fantasy. You say that my husband's death is unknown to the shadow of the dream, who can testify to it, and where is his pleadings now? Her voice was getting louder and louder, and her words were even more aggressive, "The women also know what it means to have a heaven outside the sky, you are now for personal revenge, you have come to slander, the boss has never closed the door, even if the officials protect each other, the sue is not allowed, the yang world has suffered your torture and humiliation, and the underworld will sue you." Falsely accused of being a thief and still guilty of sitting back, not to mention that I am a young woman's widow, I have worked hard, and your black yarn does not want to be stable. ”

The Zhou family cried and shouted in the hall, and the officials on the two sides looked at each other, it was the first time they had met such a sharp-mouthed woman. Yue Su was angry, but he had no real evidence, and he couldn't really use torture, so what was the difference between him and those unconscious officials who were beaten into tricks and decided the case when they heard the news, and the people couldn't be convinced. In the past, Yue Su judged the case and used the punishment, but it was all based on evidence, and the person who beat him had nothing to say.

At that moment, he smiled slightly, threw the fire stick back into the holder, and said, "You said that the official has no evidence to decide the case, then it's okay, the official will show you the evidence." Ming said that he would go to Maojiawa to open the coffin for an autopsy, if you find scars, see how you deny it, and then blame the official for being ruthless! First put the Zhou family in prison, and tomorrow said that the Liu family was summoned in the morning, and they went to Maojiawa for an autopsy. Retire! ”