At noon on this day, the gatekeeper watched in amazement as several cabinet elders hurriedly entered the palace one after another. Soon after, I saw the Jinyi Wei Governor, the Criminal Department Shangshu, Dali Siqing and other important ministers of the court arriving one after another, and entered the palace with a solemn expression.

In a pavilion in the Dongjiang Annex, Xu Liang was dressed in a Confucian shirt, standing against the railing, his eyes fell in the direction of the palace in the north, his expression was a little complicated, and he was a little regretful.

"At this time, it's time to send Shi Yushi's twists and turns to the palace." He whispered. For Cao Ge Lao, Xu Liang has been planning for so long, in order to completely get rid of this big trouble, and this time to add some evidence to Cao Ge Lao's case, it is to put an end to Cao Ge Lao's possibility of turning over.

This move implicated Yuan Chonghuan, and Xu Liang had no choice but to sigh in his heart that Inspector Yuan's bad luck was not good.

At this time, Xu Liang suddenly wanted to drink and get drunk. So he asked Huang Daozhou, Wang Qinian, Tietou and others to come to the pavilion together, ordered people to move several jars of spirits over, and let the kitchen fry a few side dishes, and Xu Liang drank with a few henchmen.

Huang Daozhou, Wang Qinian, Tie Tou and others are all people who participated in the whole process of framing Cao Ge Lao from beginning to end, and at this time, they can especially understand Xu Liang's complicated feelings, and they all cheered up and accompanied Lord Xu.

The atmosphere of drinking celebratory wine in the Dongjiang Courtyard gradually thickened, but in the prison of the Criminal Department, the atmosphere was extremely dull.

Qiao Yunsheng, the secretary of the Criminal Department, personally led the way, and took Luo Yanghe, the governor of Jinyi Weidu, and Dali Siqing into the prison, and personally interrogated him when he was imprisoned on suspicion of homicide.

Ma Yuan was not prepared at all for the sudden interrogation of several adults at night, and was taken into the interrogation room by the guards. looked blankly at the three adults in front of him.

"The three adults, the officials who should be said have already said it!" Ma Yuan's red eyes widened. said indignantly: "That day, the official took someone to Tu's house, originally wanting to find Tu Yuan to verify some things. It's just that on the way back to Beijing, a group of black-clothed people suddenly appeared, not only killed Tu Yuanwai, but also wanted to blame me! What the lower officials said, every sentence is true......"

In the same way, Ma Yuan has said it to Qiao Yunsheng no less than three times since he was imprisoned in the prison of the Criminal Department, so that now Ma Yuan can recite this passage backwards.

In fact, since Ma Yuan woke up, he found that he was tied up with a rope by the security chief in the suburbs of Beijing. was escorted to see the official, and the matching sword stained with the blood stains of Tu Qianqiu was carefully held in the hand of the security chief, and the blood stains on the matching sword had long since dried up, showing a strange dark gray. Seeing all this, Ma Yuan knew that the plan of those men in black to frame him had succeeded.

In the past, Qiao Shangshu listened to Ma Yuan's explanation, nodded lightly every time, and looked at Ma Fucheng with a very kind look, and sometimes inadvertently showed sympathetic eyes. However, today, Qiao Yunsheng's face was very gloomy. Knocking on the table heavily, he asked in a deep voice, "Ma Yuan!" You don't have to dwell on these deceptive nonsense! This official asked you one last time, you have to think carefully before answering! On that day, you appeared outside Tu Qianqiu's house. What the hell are you going to do? ”

Qiao Shangshu's attitude is very different from the past, and even a little grim! Ma Yuan's heart sank, and he looked at Qiao Shangshu hesitantly. At the same time, he paid attention to the faces of Luo Dudu and Dali Siqing, and found that both of them also had gloomy faces. The Governor of Jinyi Wei Luo even looked annoyed.

What's going on again? Ma Yuan's heart suddenly jumped. looked at Qiao Shangshu and replied nervously: "Back to the words of the adult." The lower official really went to ask the witness Tu about some things outside of the ......"

"Nonsense!" Qiao Shangshu heard this, but he was furious, took the case, glared at Ma Yuan viciously, and shouted angrily: "Ma Yuan, this official reads this official position is not easy to come by, I originally wanted to give you a life, but I didn't expect you to be so ignorant and stubborn!" What benefits did Elder Cao Ge give you? It's worth your defense of him! ”

Ma Yuan was shocked, in fact, it was completely Ma Fucheng's private decision to go to find Tu Qianqiu. On the same day, he learned that the witness Tu Qianqiu actually temporarily changed his confession during the interrogation, and led the charges that were originally going to be led to Cheng Jiming to Ma Yuan's teacher, Cabinet Minister Cao Yubian!

After Ma Yuan learned the news, he couldn't help but be shocked and angry. After Cao Ge Lao made up his mind, the contact with Tu Qianqiu was completely handled by Ma Yuan alone. Now that the originally innocent witness Tu Qianqiu suddenly changed his confession, Ma Fucheng felt deeply guilty. So after getting the news, Ma Fucheng took people to follow the witness Tu Qianqiu out of the city, and when he arrived at Tu's house on the outskirts of Beijing, Ma Fucheng decided to arrest Tu Qianqiu and ask what happened!

As a result, when asked, someone really wanted to frame Cao Ge Lao!

"Lord Qiao, the lower officials don't understand what you're talking about!" Ma Fucheng also decided in his heart that Cao Ge Lao would be fine in the end, because two days ago, the eldest son of the Cao family had personally come to the prison of the Criminal Department, and Cao Ge Lao had already contacted Zhou Yanru, the first assistant of the cabinet, and Wen Tiren, the cabinet minister, and they had promised to intercede in front of Emperor Chongzhen for Cao Ge Lao.

"Hmph, I really don't shed tears when I don't see the coffin!" Qiao Shangshu shouted angrily, picked up a letter with an old cover in his hand, shook it in front of Ma Yuan's eyes, and sneered: "This was found under the bed of the witness Tu Qianqiu who was killed by you, Yuan Chonghuan's letter to Cao Ge Lao asking for help!" Ma Yuan, you followed the witness Tu Qianqiu out of the city that day, not to verify the case at all, but to find and snatch back the letter in Tu Qianqiu's hand! Hmph, it's a pity that people are not as good as heaven, but you didn't expect that Tu Qianqiu didn't hand over the letter until he died! Ma Yuan, now that the evidence is conclusive, what else do you have to say? ”

Ma Yuan was stunned! Suddenly he struggled and shouted, "What letter?" I don't even know about letters! Someone must have framed me! ”

Fortunately, the soldiers of the Criminal Department paid attention to Ma Yuan's actions, and as soon as they saw Ma Yuan running in the old direction of the case, they rushed out of two prison guards, one left and one right, and pressed Ma Yuan to the ground.

Ma Yuan's body was pressed to the ground, but his head was raised with great effort, glaring at Qiao Shangshu, and said sharply: "Master Qiao, this is a false accusation, a false accusation!" When Tu Qianqiu was interrogated, Tu Qianqiu didn't say anything about the letter at all, this must have been faked! Who is this evidence? Who found out? ”

Qiao Shangshu and the other three looked at Ma Yuan's actions, as if they were watching a clown jumping off the beam. Qiao Shangshu looked up to the sky and laughed, and squatted in front of Ma Yuan. He stared at Ma Yuan gloomily and said in a deep voice: "Ma Yuan." The handwriting of this letter has been checked by Luo Dudu. It is confirmed that it is Yuan Chonghuan's handwriting, and there is no doubt about it! As for you want to know who found out such terrible evidence, hahaha...... It doesn't hurt to tell you. ”

"Who is it?!" Ma Yuan gasped for heavy breath and hissed.

"It's another good student of Cao Ge Lao, Shandong Yushi Shi Fan!" Qiao Shangshu seemed to think of an extremely funny joke, and sneered: "It was Shi Fan who exposed the case, and I didn't expect that the person who finally found important evidence was also this Lord Shi Fan!" Tsk, a good student taught by Cao Ge! ”

The look on Ma Yuan's face was as shocked as he was. His eyes seemed to be frozen, and he looked ahead blankly.

"Is that him? How could it be him? Ma Yuan muttered and asked.

Qiao Shangshu looked at this Ma Fucheng with a little pity.

At this time, Luo Yangxing, the governor of Jinyi Wei, urged: "Lord Qiao, hurry up, Lord Shoufu is still waiting for our news." ”

Qiao Shangshu listened, sighed lightly, took out a written confession from his arms, and presented it to Ma Yuan. Said: "Master Ma, if the evidence is there, you can admit it, so as not to suffer from flesh and skin." ”

Ma Yuan didn't seem to hear it. The mouth just kept asking, "How could it be him?" How could it be that he ......"

Seeing this, Qiao Shangshu couldn't help but look at Luo Dudu in embarrassment. Luo Dudu was already extremely impatient, and shouted at the prison guard of the criminal department on the side: "Let him draw a detention!" ”

The jailer listened. Looking at Qiao Yunsheng, the secretary of the Criminal Department, inquiringly, Qiao Shangshu nodded gloomily. The jailer got the order. He didn't care about thirty-seven twenty-one, and pressed Ma Yuan's hand. Stained with ink, he pressed his handprint on the confession.

Qiao Shangshu collected his confession, and when he and Luo Dudu were about to go out, they suddenly heard Ma Yuanwei screaming, and his expression suddenly became extremely excited, shaking his head, and shouting: "It's over, the teacher is finished, and I'm finished!" Ha ha! Tu Yuanwai was killed by me, I am the murderer? Hahaha......"

Qiao Shangshu, Luo Dudu and the others looked back in surprise, and saw that Ma Yuan was shouting and screaming, and was dragged back to the prison by two prison guards.

"I'm a murderer! I'm a murderer! I'm killing someone......"

In the cell of the Criminal Department, Ma Yuan's frantic shouts echoed.

"Alas, Ma Fucheng is afraid that he is crazy!" Dali Siqing, who had not spoken all the time, shook his head and sighed lightly.

At the same time, Jin Yiwei's edict was in prison. An old man covered in a black robe came to the door of the cell where Cao Ge Lao was being held, and talked to Cao Ge Lao inside the prison through the fence.

The two black-clothed guards at each end of the corridor in the edict were guarded, and even the Jinyi lieutenant was stopped outside and was not allowed to approach. And the strange thing is that the Jinyi guard, who has always been above the top, was stopped outside, but he didn't have a temper at all, and stood honestly with a smiling face.

"Brother Cao, things are out of our control." The black-robed old man's voice sounded a little annoyed. "Our opponents are very cunning, and we have no way to refute the evidence we have thrown."

Elder Cao Ge was obviously very familiar with this old man, and after listening to his words, he was silent for a long time, and then asked unwillingly, "Is there no other way?" ”

The black-robed old man shook his head and said: "We have all read that letter, it is indeed Yuan Chonghuan's handwriting, and the paper is old, and there is no trace of fraud!" The evidence is so real that we can't refute it. The old man said, sighing: "The key is that the person the opponent is looking for is also very good, Shandong Yushi Shi Fan has always been your Cao Ge Lao's proud protégé, who can believe that the student will frame the teacher?" ”

Elder Cao Ge suddenly trembled violently, and shouted angrily: "Shi Fan, this guy is actually a white-eyed wolf!" The old man is really blind! Then, Elder Cao Ge cursed a series of curses.

The black-robed old man watched quietly, and when the old man Cao Ge finished scolding, he glanced back at the brocade guard on the side of the aisle, and then turned around, and with a flick of the fingers of his right hand, a black pill bounced into the prison.

Cao Ge Lao looked in the direction where the pill fell, and after seeing what it was, his body began to tremble involuntarily. glared angrily at the black-robed old man outside the prison: "You want me to die? ”

The old man sighed, and his tone sounded helpless: "Brother Cao, we don't want to do this either, but we've done our best." Things have reached this point where they are irreparable. ”

Old Cao Ge looked at the black-robed old man viciously, with a fierce look in his eyes: "Aren't you afraid that I will reveal all the dirty things on you before I die?" ”

The black-robed old man's eyes flashed with a fierce color, and then his gaze became indifferent, he clasped his hands, and said faintly: "Brother Cao, why do you have to do things absolutely without it?" After that letter was revealed, you must have known in your heart that Brother Cao was in a catastrophe this time. If Brother Cao can remember your friendship with colleagues for many years, then, after your death, the old man assures you that the people of your Cao family will be taken care of by us, your eldest son has made a name for himself, and the old man will arrange for him to take up a local post as soon as possible, and even your second son, we will try to buy some properties for him to ensure that he will not have to worry about food and drink in this life. ”

When Cao Ge heard this, his expression changed and he hesitated.

Seeing this, the black-robed old man threatened with a cold look in his eyes: "But if Brother Cao must insist on going his own way and the fish will die and the net will be broken, then Brother Cao must think clearly, how long can the Cao family exist in this world without Brother Cao's care?" ”

"...... you?" Old Cao Ge's face changed, and he looked at the black-robed old man outside the prison in shock and anger.

The black-robed old man glanced at Cao Ge Lao coldly, and said slowly: "Brother Cao, the future of the Cao family is in your thoughts, where to go, Brother Cao has to think about it carefully." ”

A trace of cold sweat broke out from Cao Ge Lao's forehead and slid down his face.

Cao Ge said in a trembling voice, "Let me think about ......"

The black-robed old man said, "Such an important matter, of course Brother Cao has to think about it." It's just that there isn't a lot of time left for Brother Cao to make a decision, and tomorrow morning, if we don't hear Brother Cao's reply, then we have to think that Brother Cao is planning to break the net. ”

"Why are you in such a hurry?!" Elder Cao Ge suppressed his anger and asked.

The black-robed old man laughed, "Brother Cao used to talk about the phrase "Long Nights and Dreams, but now why can't I remember it?" ”

Cao Ge listened to it, but he was silent for a long time.

Seeing this, the black-robed old man arched his hand towards the old man of Cao Ge, tightened the black robe on his head, and walked towards the outside of the edict.

Cao Ge stood stunned for a long time, and suddenly collapsed on the simple grass bed as if the strength of his whole body had been drained.

The oil lamp in the prison burned quietly for an hour.

Suddenly, Cao Ge Lao on the grass bed finally moved again, he got up resolutely, walked to the corner, leaned down to rummage for a while, and finally picked up a pill with the thickness of his index finger, looked at it with a complicated expression for a long time, and as soon as he closed his eyes, he was about to send it to his mouth.

Suddenly, Elder Cao Ge stopped, slowly retrieved the pill that had been brought to his mouth, and put it aside. His expression became extremely resentful, he began to tear the white prison uniform on his body, tore for a while, and finally tore off a piece and laid it flat under the dim oil lamp, Cao Ge Lao stared at it for a while, looked left and right for a while, and did not find anything worthy of it, as soon as he was ruthless, he put his index finger into his mouth, bit it hard, and immediately bit his index finger, blood gushed out, and Cao Ge Lao himself was also grinning in pain.

After hissing and inhaling several breaths of cool air, Cao Ge Lao squatted under the oil lamp and began to use his bleeding index finger to write blood on the torn prison clothes one by one. (To be continued.) )