"Your Highness has kept you waiting." Qiao Kun opened the curtain and came out, waved at the prince, and replied curtly: "Xia Guan has not found anything cheating in Xue Juren's room, presumably the old man is dazzled and mistaken, this is a misunderstanding." ”

At this time, there were already many candidates watching around, and Qiao Kun also explained to the candidates, "It's okay, it's just a misunderstanding, let's continue to go back to our seats for the exam!" ”

"Misunderstanding?" Pei Xuanling sneered, "Master Qiao, you questioned Xue Juren for cheating in public, and led people to search the room and body, and you want to turn the page with a light misunderstanding?" ”

"Your Highness, don't be angry, it's the old man's, the old man will compensate Xue Juren." Qiao Kun can bend and stretch, and said to Xue Youcai in public: "Xue Juren, the old man can't stand you, and almost wronged you for cheating, the old man is here to apologize to you." ”

After speaking, he bowed slightly, and gestured towards Xue Youcai, looking quite sincere.

Xue Youcai turned sideways slightly, avoiding Qiao Kun's apology, "Although Xue admires Lord Qiao's courage to apologize in public, he does not accept Lord Qiao's apology!" ”

If it weren't for the fact that a guard hit his test basket yesterday, he would have discovered in advance that someone had secretly hidden the entrainment in the test basket.

I'm afraid that when Qiao Kun searched today, he jumped into the Yellow River and couldn't clear the suspicion of cheating.

The Eastern Liang State was very strict in managing cheating in the imperial examinations, ranging from cane to exile to the frontier, or cane, and torture such as beheading.

If it weren't for his luck and a noble person inadvertently helping him, I am afraid that twenty years of hard work in the cold window would be in vain, and death would not be far away.

And he is just a lifter, Qiao Kun, as the minister of Beijing, cannot harm him for no reason.

In addition, if Qiao Kun just wanted to frame him for cheating, he could have done so during the search yesterday.

The reason why he waited until today's exam to come to search, obviously, the person Qiao Kun really wanted to harm was the prince.

Thinking of this, he couldn't forgive Qiao Kun, he resolutely couldn't!

"If Lord Qiao just apologizes, Lone also feels that this price is too light." Pei Xuanling waved his hand, "Come on, escort Qiao Kun to the dungeon of the Tribute Courtyard for interrogation!" ”

As soon as the order was given, a guard stepped forward and immediately set up Qiao Kun.

Qiao Kun's legs were in the air, and his arms were raised by the guards, "His Royal Highness the Prince, what are you doing here?" As an examiner, I have the right to suspect candidates and search candidates when I see suspicious candidates! ”

"But you, you can't punish me just because this candidate is the brother of a concubine in the East Palace, just because I doubt him, right?"

Qiao Kun kicked his legs and resisted a few times, "You don't have the right to do this!" ”

Hearing this, the candidates present did not know the truth and whispered one after another.

"It turns out that this Xue Youcai is the prince's uncle, I said that a scholar was searched, how could the prince come to the scene in person and protect him."

"Not only to protect Xue Youcai, but also to punish the examiner for Xue Youcai."

"Tut-tut......"

Because of the identity of the crown prince, they spoke very quietly and did not dare to speak too much.

People are sympathetic to the weak, in everyone's opinion, it is the prince who bullies others, and they are more sympathetic to Qiao Kun, who has a white beard.

Even if Qiao Kun really wronged Xue Juren, it would be a misunderstanding at most, and he would not be sent to prison for interrogation.

Of course, there are also those who support the crown prince or maintain a neutral attitude.

In the face of everyone's discussions, Huang Dechang held the dust and said with his head held high: "His Royal Highness the Prince, as the chief official who supervises the imperial examination, has the right to maintain the order of the Tribute Academy, and also has the right to put the examiners who have wronged the candidates into prison. ”

"The chief officer who oversees the imperial examination? Hahahaha......" Qiao Kun looked up to the sky and smiled, and began to jump over the wall in a hurry, ignoring etiquette and humility, "It turns out that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is a person who uses power for personal gain, no wonder Lord Shangshu has always disliked you, a ...... like you"

Before Qiao Kun's words were finished, he was left the examination room with his mouth covered.

Pei Xuanling ignored the candidates who were talking around him, only said a word to let the candidates continue the exam, and left the place with his hands in his hands.

**

Leaving the examination room, Pei Xuanling went to the dungeon of the Gongyuan.

There is a torture room in the tribute court, which is used to extract confessions from people who cheat and refuse to tell the truth.

Arriving at the dungeon, the jailer took the prince to the cell where Qiao Kun was held.

The dungeon is surrounded by walls, and even during the day, it needs to be lit to see it.

The cell was humid, and there seemed to be a foul smell of rot and rotting corpses, as well as the smell of dried blood, which looked eerie.

When Pei Xuanling came to a dimly lit cell, he saw that Qiao Kun had changed into prison clothes, and his hands and feet were handcuffed with iron chains.

On one wall of the cell, there were all kinds of torture instruments, which had rust-red marks.

I don't know if it's rust or if it's the bloodstains left by the prisoner after being tortured.

Qiao Kun sat on the thatched bed, and when he saw the prince coming, he only looked up at the prince, and he didn't even bother to do it.

The jailer brought a chair for the prince, and after Pei Xuanling sat down, he sent the jailers in the house away, leaving only Huang Dechang standing behind him.

Pei Xuanling leaned back on the back of the chair leisurely, raised his left foot, and lifted Erlang's legs casually.

His eyes fell on Qiao Kun, and Pei Xuanling asked lightly: "Say, who asked you to carry a small book in Xue Youcai's examination basket?" ”

Qiao Kun: "I don't know what the prince is talking about......"

"There is no one else here, as long as you tell Lone who instructed you to do this, Lone can let you go immediately without blame."

Hearing this, Qiao Kun's eyes turned slightly, and there was a slight wavering in his eyes.

But soon, he said stiffly: "No matter how many times the prince asks, I still say the same sentence, and I don't understand what you say." ”

The prince can not blame him for the past, but others may not be able to blame him for the past.

"Lone gave you a chance, are you sure you won't say it, right?" Pei Xuanling's gaze fell on those torture instruments.

"......" Qiao Kun sat on the straw mat, "If the prince wants to beat or punish, just come at me, anyway, I have an old bone......"

Seeing that Qiao Kun refused to tell the truth, Pei Xuanling high-fived slightly and called the jailer.

He didn't let the jailer torture Qiao Kun, but asked the jailer to hang Qiao Kun's hands up, so that he leaned forward and landed on his toes.

After the jailer hung Qiao Kun up, Pei Xuanling said to Qiao Kun: "When are you willing to tell the truth, when will you come down again." ”

Qiao Kun closed his eyes and was indifferent.

I thought that the prince would torture him to extract a confession, but he was ready to be tortured.

And that's the result?

He had been tortured when he was young, and he was not even afraid of torture, let alone this little trick.

Anyway, he won't confess the truth!

After Pei Xuanling explained to the jailer, he didn't stay in the cell for long, and left with Huang Dechang.

Walking in the dungeon corridor with his hands in his hands, Pei Xuanling remembered that Xue Youcai had said that the guard who knocked him down was wearing the same guard uniform as Jiang Si, and his face was as round as Jiang Si.

Thinking of this, he remembered that he hadn't seen that woman today, and couldn't help but ask Huang Dechang in a low voice: "Where is Jiang Temple?" Where have the people gone? ”