The prison in Lantian County is located behind the Yamen, and in addition to the cells used for ordinary thieves, there is also a special iron-door cell dedicated to the most heinous criminals.

Early this morning, Fan Ning was temporarily detained here by the county officials after beating the drum and shouting grievances, at this time she was leaning on the wooden fence with small thorns, looking at the small window and being stunned, but her expression was not like the prisoner next to her, sluggish, desperate or resentful, but full of misty, with two blush on her face, cute and suspicious.

Now that I think of Li Yuanyan's words, I still feel incredible, Xue Ne ...... Have you really liked yourself for years? Why didn't she feel it at all, could it be that she was used to his goodness, so she realized it like this? Fan Ning's clear mind was a mess at this time, and he couldn't really think of anything, as if all the scenery around him was illusory, only the sound of his heartbeat hitting his heart was so real.

Carefully calculated, they have known each other for 12 years, these years of time are like a flick of a finger, and his first meeting seems to be yesterday, at that time he was very thin, delicate little face like a little girl, not too tall, it is really hard to think that he will grow into such a tall and peerless teenager, even harder to think, he actually liked himself for many years.

How long are these years? Fan Ning didn't really want it, but he remembered that since he could remember, his eyes when he looked at her were so gentle. Thinking of this, Fan Ning's little face rarely revealed a bit of the shame of her daughter's family, but soon, her smile stopped abruptly, and the confusion in her eyes became even stronger: If his sweetheart is really himself, then who is he going to take her to see after solving the case?

Fan Ning came back to her senses for a while, sighed shallowly, her mind was finally no longer full of chaos, she picked up the thatch, and drew a peace charm on the ground of the slag.

At this moment, there were a few sounds at the cell door, Fan Ning turned sideways slightly, and against the light, he saw Xue Ne, who was dressed in a light blue official robe, pushing open the iron door with the master book of Chen, and striding in. When they got closer, the two looked at each other, one was worried about self-blame, and the other was ashamed and uneasy, both afraid that their eyes would reveal too much emotion, so they turned their heads away.

What they didn't know was that Master Chen hadn't noticed their little abnormality at all, but muttered in his heart. Although he had already read the wanted notice, he still didn't expect that this red-clothed Yaksha would be so beautiful, if the Yaksha ghosts were so beautiful, who would be afraid of being deeper in the middle of the night?

"Master Chen, the official asked, you can record it."

was called by Xue Ne, Chen Zhushu came to his senses, opened the question book, and almost dropped the brush to the ground without obeying the call with both hands.

Seeing that he was finally ready, Xue Ne asked, "Who is in prison, report his name, Geng is old this year, and where does his family live?" ”

Seeing that Master Chen had been staring at him, Fan Ning was afraid that he would hear that his voice was similar to that of "Ning Chungong", so he pinched his throat sharply, and slowly replied: "Fan Ning, sixteen and a half, lives in Jungnam Mountain, Lantian County, Gyeonggi Province. ”

"You should know that you were wanted by the imperial court before, so why did you come here to complain?" Xue Ne has also tried many cases, big and small, but in the face of the woman on the tip of his heart, the feeling in his heart is completely different.

She will turn herself in, all for him, and if she wants not to drag him into the water, this is the only way. But he knows better than anyone how risky it is. Director Fang Caifei has already carried out a round of robbery with him, thanks to Fan Ning's cleverness, he surrendered in Lantian County, otherwise he would not be able to detain her as the landlord of the case, but the Criminal Department will definitely not give up, and only by solving the case as soon as possible can she be saved.

Fan Ning replied while pondering, as if he was reminiscing about it: "On that day, I was ordered by my master Li Chunfeng to go to the annex of the Hongwen Pavilion to pick up the manuscript of the Tui Bei Tu. I had agreed to pick it up the day before, but the chief guard said that the old man who copied the book was sick with a cold and asked me to go again the next day. So the next evening, I went to the other courtyard for the second time, as agreed. When I arrived, the great monk of Famen Temple had just left, and after I joined the guard, I entered the gate of the courtyard, and the chief of the guard said to take me to get the book. He walked in front, I walked behind, who knew that when I entered the library, I smelled a smell of burning, I hurried up to the second floor, and saw that the chief of the guard was taking the "Tui Bei Tu" into his pocket, I drew my sword and fought with him, at this time the fire was getting bigger and bigger, he took advantage of the smoke to jump out of the window and escaped, then the third floor of the big ding suddenly fell down, smashed the floor, the whole library was crumbling, I also tried my best to jump out of the window to leave, riding a horse to chase him......"

"Chief, the chief of the guard died in the attic", Master Chen nodded beside him, "how could he jump out of the window and run away?" ”

"Everything is still inconclusive, don't jump to conclusions", Xue Ne said, and asked Fan Ning again, "This official has a doubt, although the fire is very big, but it has not yet spread to the third floor, the giant tripod on the third floor should not have fallen through the second floor at this time, with your position at the time, do you think the tripod is going for you?" ”

Xue Ne hadn't asked this question before, Fan Ning thought about it for a while, and Fang replied: "It shouldn't be, although it almost smashed me, but at that time, I was fighting with the chief of the guard, and they were all moving, so it wasn't so accurate." ”

"Those monks of Famen Temple were killed, and died in a maple forest in Gongchuan, do you know?"

Fan Ning hurriedly shook his head and said, "I don't know...... I just met them face-to-face, and I didn't know much about the rest. ”

"Why didn't you report to the police after you escaped from the courtyard, where have you been hiding?"

"I first chased after the captain of the guard, but he rode very well, and there were many forks in the mountain, and soon I lost it. I turned around and wanted to go to the nearby Wuhou shop, but I saw Wuhou pouring out of the nest, saying that he would arrest and punish me...... After thinking about it for a while, I realized that I had fallen into the trap of others, and I was afraid that the crime of burning the other courtyard and stealing books was already on my head, and I was very scared, so I hid. ”

"Where are you hiding, why are you surrendering at this time?"

This issue is very critical, and Chen's main book will be recorded in the book, which is related to the reasonableness of Xue Ne's subsequent revenge for Fan Ning. But the matter of surrender was urgent, and the two of them had not had time to say anything, but fortunately, Fan Ning was extremely smart, and replied like a stream: "Hiding in the deep forest behind the ghost market, that is the home of my friend Gopher." Two days ago, the Criminal Department went to the ghost market, and my friends all fled, I had nowhere to go, and I didn't want to implicate more people, so I decided to come and surrender when the yamen reopened on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month......"

Xue Ne frowned and nodded, and said to Master Chen beside him: "Let's go down first after remembering, the official still has some doubts to ask, for fear that there will be many people and suspicions." ”

Master Chen didn't know that these two people had an old relationship, and only thought that the chief official would occasionally coerce and lure the suspect in private, so that they would confess quickly, so he gave up and withdrew.

Xue Ne stood his ears, and when he was sure that Master Chen had walked away, Fang squatted down and looked at Fan Ning through the wooden fence, blaming himself and feeling distressed: "Why don't you tell me a word, do you want me to worry about death?" ”

Fan Ning was quite uncomfortable, his eyes were shallow, and his eyes were extremely good-looking, such as the first peach petals, with no lead ink and eyebrows like distant mountains, he couldn't say that he was charming: "Where can I have so many scruples, today's situation, either you are in prison, or I am in prison, and no matter how bad it is, the two of them will squat together." If I surrender myself in Lantian and you can judge the case in Lantian than to be arrested and sent to the Criminal Department for trial. Besides...... When I asked you last night, didn't you say that you had found something suspicious? ”

Last night, Xue Ne bluntly said that he didn't understand the meaning of "Mrs. Yipin's Destiny", Fan Ning was embarrassed, so he asked about the case, Xue Ne said that when he looked at the case file and the objects left at the scene, he did have something to gain, and Fan Ning remembered it.

Seeing that this girl believed in herself, Xue Ne smiled spoiled and helpless: "There are doubts, but 'those who travel a hundred miles are half ninety', this case is complicated, there are many clues and it is difficult to distinguish between truth and falsehood, if I can't solve the case in ten days and twenty days, you have to live here for a long time, it's cold and wet, I'm afraid you can't stand it." ”

"How can I be so squeamish, it's very clean here, and the futon is very comfortable, you just have to concentrate on your business", Fan Ning said, got up and sat down on the bed, patting the futon under him, as if he was really extremely satisfied.

The shallow sunlight leaked into the cell, Xue Ne clearly saw that there was dust flying, Fan Ning loved to be clean, Xue Ne knew that she must be uncomfortable, and she was distressed. But there is no other way than to solve the case as soon as possible, he can only say: "Don't worry, don't be afraid, I will definitely find out the truth as soon as possible and take you out." ”

"When I get out of here, I have something to ask you", Fan Ning's whole little face was red, it was a girl's unique blush, "I'm a direct person, I can't hide my thoughts, you know...... I just want to ask, Xue Lang...... Will there be a lot to say to me? ”

Xue Ne didn't understand what Fan Ning was referring to, but seeing her little face with a fresh and ruddy face, her heart couldn't help but jump, and she blushed herself, muttering: "I'm afraid what I want to say is much more than you imagined......"

Xue Ne didn't know how he said goodbye to Fan Ning, the whole person floated out of the prison like a ghost, ecstasy and confusion occupied his brain at the same time, he stayed at the back of the person, thinking about the meaning of Fan Ning's words.

How could she suddenly say something like that to him, obviously something else, could it be that Li Yuanyan said something to her? If this is the case, does it mean that Fan Ning is also happy with him?

Xue Ne really wanted to ride his horse immediately to find Li Yuanyan to ask for clarification, but the case was urgent, so he could only suppress his thoughts for the time being, and prepared to go back to the scene of the crime to see. Who knew that when he walked to the front hall, he saw Zhang Shun standing there, his face full of anxiety: "How did Xue Lang come back, Li Qianyou, the Taichang Uncle of the Criminal Department, entered the East Palace with a principal, and directly asked His Highness to know the law and cover up the murderer, I will ask for an explanation today, Your Highness asked me to call you, otherwise the words will be said by the other party!" ”

When Xue Ne hurried back to Chang'an with Zhang Shun, it was already noon, and both of them were already hungry, but they didn't care about eating, so they hurriedly entered the East Palace.

Li Qianyou is a member of the three grades of the DPRK and the Central Committee, and Li Hong attaches great importance to it and meets him in the main hall. Xue Ne hurriedly came and saluted Li Hongda: "Minister Xue Shenyan has seen His Highness. ”

Li Hong motioned for Xue Ne to get up, and said with a helpless smile: "I heard that Fan Ning, the suspect in the Hongwen Pavilion Courtyard, surrendered in Lantian this morning, and the palace is very pleased, but Li Qing, the too often uncle of the Criminal Department, came to the palace to complain, and if you refuse to hand over the suspect to the Criminal Department, you are shielding the suspect and disrupting the case, do you have anything to say?" ”

Li Hong knew that Xue Ne was not good at arguing with others, so he specially ordered Zhang Shun to call him, so that he could explain clearly to him and let him prepare early.......

If it weren't for the fact that there were others in the palace, Li Hong really wanted to tease him twice, but at such a critical time, he was still like this, which really made Li Hong angry and helpless: "How to be wronged?" Tell me about it. ”

"My Datang law stipulates that if less than ten people are killed, they can handle the case in the territory, and a total of nine people were killed in the Hongwenguan case, and the suspect also surrendered in my Lantian ...... the case."

"Nonsense! The monk of the Famen Monastery alone died...... How many have died? Li Qianyou answered the words quickly, but the rebuttal was not ready, and asked Gao Mindao on the side.

Xue Ne found out that the person in charge of coming with Li Qianyou turned out to be Gao Min, only to see him bow his hand, and took two steps forward and said: "A total of seven people, plus a total of 16 people who died at the time of the incident in the Hongwen Pavilion Annex, my criminal department intervened in this case early in the morning, and it is reasonable to take over at this time, and I ask Your Highness to make a clear decision." ”

"When the case first occurred, the minister went to Lantian to investigate the case, and the three principals from the criminal department were Chang Chief, Fat Principal and this Gao Min Gao Chief", Xue Ne knew that Gao Min was different from other criminal department chiefs, he was smart and diligent, and he had a spirit of 120,000 points, even if he was not good at rhetoric, he had to do his best for Fan Ning's safety, "At that time, the minister once proposed that if this case was related to the case of the Hongwenguan Courtyard, then Fan Ning could not be the murderer of this case, because the Wuhou who searched the mountain that day did not give her time to commit the crime at all, so the minister determined that there was another suspect in this case. At that time, the minister said this and reported it to the criminal department, how was the case finally decided, I wonder if Director Gao still remembers? ”

The answer to this question was not in his favor, Gao Min shrugged and smiled, pretending not to remember.

"Taichang Bo and Director Gao may not remember, but Xue remembers it very clearly, and the Criminal Department believes that there may not be a direct connection between the two cases. Even when the presiding officer of Famen Temple came to claim the remains of these masters, the Criminal Department also replied. Since they are two unrelated cases, why should the number of people who died be counted together? ”

"Okay", then Li Qianyou obviously had two preparations, and seeing that this didn't make sense, he changed his rhetoric, "I don't know if His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has heard that Xue Yushi once ransomed his business under Li Chunfeng, the secret bureau pavilion, when he was a child, and he was good with the suspect Fan Ningnai. Now that the thief has been caught, the minister is afraid that Xue Yushi will be unable to hold on to himself and exonerate the suspect. Therefore, the minister requested that the suspect be sent to the prison of our Criminal Department, and Lantian County would be the assistant. ”

"No", Xue Ne refused to give in, arguing with reason, "Now that the case has been resolved, I am afraid that the suspect will be interrogated frequently, and if I have to run to the criminal department every time, it will be too much delay." The minister assured His Highness that the case would be closed by the end of this month......"

"Before the end of the month? Last year's case dragged on to this year, and the official has long been unable to explain to the emperor and the queen and His Royal Highness the crown prince. The official will take the suspect away today, and ask His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to uphold the law of the country and wait for justice! ”

Li Qianyou was strong, Xue Ne did not retreat, Li Hong sighed heavily, and before he had time to think about how to mediate, he suddenly heard Gao Min smile and say with a thin mud...... Xue County ordered half of the case to be handled, and he must not let go halfway. Let's set a deadline, just now Xue County Decree also said that the case has been resolved, and it has been a three-day period, what does Your Highness think? ”

"Three days? What does this mean? Li Hong asked puzzled.

"Your Royal Highness, the minister proposes that after three days, the suspect will be brought to Jingzhao Yin Mansion, and Xue County Ling will argue with the officials of our Criminal Department in court, if Xue County Ling can solve the case on the spot, if not, the suspect will be handed over to my Criminal Department for punishment, I don't know why His Highness thinks so?"

Although the facts of the case have some eyebrows, even if they don't sleep, it is difficult to clear their minds in such a short period of time. Although Li Hong didn't know how to investigate the case, he also understood this truth, but he felt that this was too difficult for Xue Ne, he lowered his eyes and frowned slightly, holding the jade Ruyi on the table, and did not respond for a long time.

"Your Royal Highness, the minister thinks that this law is reasonable", Li Qianyou spoke, suddenly knelt on the ground and bowed, his words were choked, as if he had been wronged, "The old minister worships the two dynasties, and has been in charge of the criminal department for many years, and has never encountered such a difficult case, if it is not solved, it is really to live up to the trust of the emperor and the queen of heaven and His Royal Highness, and I ask His Highness for mercy!" ”

This old official actually began to rely on the old and sell the old, if Li Hong did not agree, he would be suspected of favoritism, and it would be more and more unfavorable in the future. Xue Ne understood Li Hong's embarrassment, and there was a rare cold and decisive meaning in his eyes, so he stepped forward and arched his hand: "Your Highness, the minister seconded the proposal of Director Gao......"