In the prefectural government.

Jiang Tingyuan sat behind the court case, bowing his head and flipping through a book. The book is thick, more than half a foot. The pages are illustrated with illustrations and detailed annotations. There are mountains, rivers, and buildings. Holding a pen in his right hand, he occasionally sketches on the straw paper next to him, and then continues to flip through the book.

Feng Qingquan stood behind Jiang Tingyuan, seeing him sitting there calmly, he couldn't help but persuade: "Lord Jiang, now is an important time for the preliminary arrangements for river management, so you don't have to deal with trivial matters for those grass people in this county office. You can go and do your job, I'll just have it here. ”

Jiang Tingyuan said indifferently: "River management is not an overnight thing, you don't have to wait there every day. Anyway, I have to wait for approvals and funds, and I, a small county official, have nothing to rush about. Besides, there are a lot of officials who are there, and they don't need me. It's better to do what I, a county official, should do step by step. ”

Feng Qingquan was about to speak, but was stopped by Jiang Tingyuan waving his hand.

He said: "Besides, don't parents exist for the sake of people's livelihood? The problems of the common people are also problems, and if they cannot be solved, I need to solve them for them. ”

Feng Qingquan didn't quite agree, he was still persuading: "Lord Jiang, I don't think you need to care too much about what other officials say. They are just worried that you will be too showy in this, and the court will not see what they can do at that time, whether it is a reward or something else, they will not be able to fall much, so they will unite to squeeze out you. If you don't go, aren't you falling into their hands? ”

"I'm not an official for them, and I won't be unable to live because of what they do." Jiang Tingyuan said disapprerovingly. After that, he raised his head and looked at Feng Qingquan, with a smile on the corner of his mouth, and said, "Also, you can put it bluntly, for example, the deducted transformation silver, or the black merchant's tribute. ”

"Forehead ......"

Feng Qingquan smiled awkwardly and denied, "I didn't mean that, Master Jiang." ”

"You know what you mean in your own heart. Okay, you don't have to persuade me here, you can entertain the grain merchant in the back hall. Remember to tell him that the food supply here has already been selected, and he doesn't have to worry about anything with me. I'm just a small county official, and I can't use my strength. Jiang Tingyuan gave an eviction order.

For Feng Qingquan, he had the intention to let him return to his hometown. However, there are many things that he still needs to deal with.

For example, this grain merchant.

There were some connections that also handed him a message. The person who delivered the message said: Brother Jiang, river management is a major matter, and there must be no mistakes. I know that the problem of rice and grain has been arranged, but I am worried that something will go wrong, so to be on the safe side, I will introduce you to one person. This man is also a grain merchant, let him in for the time being, if something goes wrong, he can be on top in time, so as not to miss a big thing when the time comes.

Rest assured, he is a sensible man.

If it had been placed in the past, Jiang Tingyuan would have gone straight back. But now that he has landed in this field, is he still so ignorant of the severity?

He has ambitions to be realized, and before that, he must not give up some of his own.

That's just the act of a fool, like recklessness.

So he threw the problem to Feng Qingquan, this sophisticated master who would definitely be able to fool people away and not let the other party complain.

Jiang Tingyuan also struggled and asked himself if he was degenerate, or compromised.

He was even wondering if with this first step, he would slowly become a drifter and become the kind of person he once hated, the kind of official.

It's just that he never found the answer. Therefore, I can only remind myself at all times what the original intention is, what the purpose is, and what the direction is.

Feng Qingquan had just walked on his front foot, and then he heard movement outside. After a short time, I saw a government official come in with Lin Xiao, Li Pozi, and Shi Jinguo, and there were a number of insiders behind him.

The official stepped forward and explained the reason, and then stepped aside.

"Lin Xiao?" Jiang Tingyuan shouted, looking at the marks on his face that were whipped out, he couldn't help frowning, and then saw the clothes that were burned in his abdomen, and his brows were already tightened.

"Master Jiang." Lin Xiao knelt down and bowed his head, "I implore Lord Jiang to be the master of the people's wife." ”

"You get up first." Jiang Ting walked from afar, then looked at Mrs. Li and Shi Jinguo, and reprimanded, "Whoever is in the hall, report your name." ”

"Mother-in-law, my surname is Li."

"Lord Jiang, villain Shi Jinguo."

"Who are you?" Jiang Tingyuan asked again.

"My son."

"My brother."

"Why arson?"

"I didn't set it on fire, I just wanted Lin Xiao to be prosperous in the future, and I took a torch for her to get bad luck." Mrs. Li said with an innocent face, and then said, "I've told these people once, you have to believe me, my lord." ”

"What credentials do you have to make me believe you?" Jiang Tingyuan had a smile on the corner of his lips, and his eyes were staring at Mrs. Li.

"I ...... I'm so old, how can I lie, sir. I still want this old face. Mrs. Li gently patted her wrinkled face.

"Can anyone give proof?" Jiang Tingyuan looked at the people outside.

"My lord, the grass people can provide evidence." A man walked to the front of the hall, pointed to Mrs. Li and said, "I saw her throw a torch into this woman's shop. In order to extinguish the fire, the woman lay directly on the torch. The burns on her abdomen are proof of that. ”

Mrs. Li suddenly became anxious: "You fart!" What's the matter with you, just talk nonsense here, wronging me! ”】

"I've been wronged, my lord."

"Smack!"

Jiang Tingyuan fell down and reprimanded: "Above the court, don't talk nonsense!" If it violates the seriousness of the public court, it will be twenty! ”

was so frightened that Mrs. Li hurriedly stopped.

Jiang Tingyuan counted them one by one.

"Li, now this official wants to condemn you to three crimes. One sin is contempt of the court, and the eyes are lawless; The second crime is arson, which is not tolerated; Crime 3: Assaulting others and committing misconduct. Can you plead guilty? ”

When Mrs. Li heard this, she panicked instantly, shook her head vigorously, and said, "I'm not guilty, I don't admit it!" ”

How can there be so many sins?

"There are all the witnesses, and you still don't recognize it?" Jiang Tingyuan looked at Mrs. Li playfully, "You claim to be wronged, and you lie that you are doing things with good intentions, and you are even scolding in court." This is one of your sins. ”

"Recognizable?"

Mrs. Li still wanted to quibble, but finally nodded.

"You threw the torch into the house, although it didn't cause a fire, but it was because Lin Xiao gave up his life to put out the fire. These are your two sins, can you admit it? ”

Mrs. Li raised her head, her eyes were chaotic, and she nodded again.

"You beat Lin Xiao on the street, you can't deny it, right?"

"I do." Mrs. Li sighed and lowered her head.

"Let me ask you, did I say that I can't retaliate against Lin Xiao anymore. Shi Jinzhu can have this end, he deserves it. Instead of taking this as a warning, you are going to harm others again. Therefore, I should punish you severely. ”

"No, sir! I knew I was wrong. Mrs. Li wept bitterly.

Unexpectedly, Shi Jinguo knelt on the ground and shouted, "My lord, these things have nothing to do with me." The fire was thrown by my mother, the people were also beaten by my mother, and it was my mother who did not confess in court...... I...... I kept persuading my mother not to embarrass my sister-in-law, but she didn't listen to me. I can't help it, I'm afraid she'll make a big fuss, so I'm by her side. Adults are clear, adults are clear! ”

Mrs. Li, who was still crying bitterly, stopped crying in an instant, and looked at Shi Jinguo with surprise in her eyes, she really couldn't imagine that Shi Jinguo would say such a thing.

What is this?

Jiang Tingyuan looked at this scene in the hall and couldn't help but be moved.

This is a dear relative!

Everything was indeed done by Mrs. Li, and Shi Jinguo was at most an accomplice. No matter how much punishment Mrs. Li will have, as far as Shi Jinguo is concerned, it is just more than ten punishments.

Rao is like this, but he also wants to push out his own mother, in order to exonerate himself.

Since ancient times, people's hearts have been the coolest.

Jiang Tingyuan watched coldly, he wanted to see what such an unbearable Mrs. Li would do.

Mrs. Li looked at Shi Jinguo in disbelief with red eyes. The mouth was open for a long time, but there was no sound for a long time.

After a long time, he said four words tremblingly.

"What did you say?"

There is no more arrogance, as if he has entered the twilight years in an instant, without the slightest brilliance. She looked at Shi Jinguo like ashes, trying to make sure that what she heard was not true.

Shi Jinguo crawled forward, stopped near Mrs. Li, and lowered his head.

"Mother, the eldest brother has already gone in, do you still want me to do the same? I will continue to pass on the ancestors of the Shi family in the future, if there is anything in case...... It's not a good place to be. ”

"Mother!"

Mrs. Li was silent, and after a long time, just as Jiang Tingyuan was about to speak, Mrs. Li turned around, raised her head, and said, "Lord Jiang, my son...... What he said was true. He didn't do anything, and he kept telling me not to trouble Lin Xiao anymore. It's all my idea. I did it alone, and it had nothing to do with him. Whether it's killing or chopping, I don't complain about my wife. ”

Dreariness.

These are the only two words that Jiang Tingyuan can experience in Mrs. Li.

Maybe at this moment, Mrs. Li's heart is dead. Even so, she still chose to save that, willing to push her into the abyss to save her bastard son.

White-eyed wolf.

It's not just Jiang Tingyuan who feels this way, everyone feels this way. I feel sad for Mrs. Li, but I don't have much sympathy.

Jiang Tingyuan didn't inquire anymore, patted the shocked wood, and sentenced: "The three crimes of the Li family are true, considering his arson, it did not catch fire, but it caused Lin Xiao to burn." He was sentenced to eighty battles. ”

As soon as the words fell, a servant stepped forward.

Mrs. Li had collapsed to the ground, and she no longer had any heart to struggle.

Eighty battles, after the battle, there will be no people, right?

For a while, they turned their heads and ears again.

"With such a son, sooner or later he will be angry to death. It's better to die now, and it's all gone. ”

"What kind of person is this, white-eyed wolf!"

"Look at him, he doesn't feel sorry for his mother at all."

Jiang Tingyuan saw it in his eyes, and there was another shock, his expression was majestic, and he said again: "Thinking of the old age and frailty, I am afraid that my life is in danger, and the offspring will be punished as a punishment, if I commit it again, I will not be spared."