Looking at the trembling officials kneeling in front of him, Zheng Michang's face couldn't help flashing a trace of happiness, he didn't let the officials get up, but after looking at the scene, he sat straight to the main seat, looked at the people kneeling on the ground in front of him, and said loudly.

"This official is Zheng Michang, the political envoy of Zhejiang! What happened here? If you have any grievances, please speak out, and Master Gao and I will avenge you. Zheng Michang said, nodded at Gao Hanwen, and motioned for him to come over.

Hearing that Zheng Michang revealed his identity, many officials kneeling on the ground were all dead, and Zheng Michang, the political envoy of Zhejiang! This is the largest official except for the governor of Zhejiang, responsible for the administration and finance of the whole of Zhejiang, and can be regarded as the boss of his own boss.

And such an important member of the imperial court will actually appear in a small Dao'an Village! In his words, he seemed to have a lot of respect for the tall man who didn't know the roots, and he had spoken disrespectfully before, which made this adult unhappy.

"Yes, you can tell me any grievances! Master Zheng and I will avenge you. ”

Gao Hanwen took Zheng Michang's words, comforted everyone, and then sat down beside him.

After whispering and discussing for a long time, someone finally mustered up the courage and said, "Huh... Report to your lordship! We are all villagers of Dao'an Village, and these officials have just collected miscellaneous taxes in our village last month, and today they are coming to collect the exempt tax. ”

The person who came paused for a moment as he spoke, and continued: "Seeing that we had no food to pay, they beat Wang Er, Zhang San, and Li Haozi from our village to half death, and hung them upside down under this big banyan tree, and put a dung bucket. ”

"Please also ask Lord Qingtian to make the decision for us!"

After the visitor finished speaking, he knelt down, and then the entire villagers of Dao'an Village also knelt down.

"Is what the villagers said true?" There was no emotion in Zheng Michang's tone, and his eyes swept over the many officials who knelt on the ground one by one.

"Your Excellency, I'm just ......" The official headed by him wanted to explain, but was interrupted by Zheng Michang's voice.

"Shut up! You wicked officer! Come on, take them all to me, and punish them severely! ”

I saw Zheng Michang slap the table angrily, and his chest continued to rise and fall because he was too angry.

"Yes."

The soldiers on the side received the order, and soon took down all the evil officials who had been unusually domineering in front of the villagers.

"Lord Qingtian!"

When the villagers at the scene saw that the culprit who had caused the disaster had been arrested, they could not help but burst into tears, and their heads hit the ground with a 'bang' sound.

"Everyone, please hurry up, since we are the officials of the imperial court, how can we let the people bear the injustice?"

Zheng Michang hurriedly got up from the main seat, and together with Gao Hanwen, helped up the villagers who were kneeling on the ground one by one.

Then the two declined the invitation of the villagers, indicating that they still had official business, and then Zheng Michang and Gao Hanwen left Dao'an Village with their soldiers.

Walking to a secluded place, Zheng Michang withdrew his soldiers, called Gao Hanwen aside, and the two walked slowly along the ridges.

"Did you just want to ask, obviously the imperial court has abolished miscellaneous taxes and other messy taxes, why are these places still collecting?" Zheng Michang said, looking at the scenery in the distance, his expression indifferent.

"Yes, Hanwen is very curious about this matter, and when I think of what those villagers have suffered, I..." Gao Hanwen gritted his teeth and couldn't help but clench his fists, his face full of resentment.

"After today, forget about it! Don't mention it to anyone, not even your teacher. Zheng Michang turned around and looked at the expression on Gao Hanwen's face, and couldn't help but feel a burst of amusement in his heart.

"Why? Teacher, he is a cabinet member, besides, the sage cloud..."

"Oh, saint? The books of the saints are used for others to read, but they are useless for errands! Before Gao Hanwen's words were finished, he was sneered by Zheng Michang and interrupted coldly.

"If you poke this matter today, don't say that I can't protect you, even Governor Hu and even Teacher Ling can't protect you! Even so, do you still want to do it? ”

"I... I..."For a moment, Gao Hanwen fell into hesitation.

"Just hesitate, you're not a saint and can't save everyone! Be in the moment, do what you have to do, and don't get into trouble. ”

"Hanwen knows."

After listening to Zheng Michang's words, Gao Hanwen was silent for a long time and replied in a low voice.

"That's right."

When the words fell, Zheng Michang looked at Gao Hanwen with a little more appreciation in his eyes.

……

In the middle of the night, Gao Hanwen woke up from his bed, and everything that happened during the day kept flashing in his mind: arrogant and domineering officials, people kneeling and begging for mercy, dung buckets, ropes, villagers covered in wounds, dying old men, bright swords, and Zheng Michang's words.

"Ahhhh Gao Hanwen held his head in his hands and cried out in pain.

In my mind, the scene where the teacher taught me before is still vivid: "Do you know what is the most important thing about being an official? Teacher, students don't know. Listen well, for the sake of the official, for the benefit of one party, the most important thing is not to lose your heart! ”

"The heart... Heart..."Gao Hanwen repeated, his eyes gradually brightened.

I saw him get up from the bed, re-light the candle flame next to the desk, take out the pen, ink, paper and inkstone given to him by the teacher before, and after grinding the ink, he picked up the pen and wrote: "Teacher, student Gao Hanwen, you have been doing ......well lately."

At the same time, the edict of the Jinyi Guard.

Zhao Wenhua, the head of the Criminal Department, who was still beautiful before, was now wearing a single coat and sitting on a straw-paved bed with his hair scattered, his body covered with scars left after the torture.

The straw had long been moldy and gave off a faint musty smell, and in the corner, a huge mouse was squeaking and squeaking, not afraid of people, and looked straight at it, while the wall was filled with excrement of unknown things, which was disgusting.

'Squeak'! With a tooth-sore sound, the cell where Zhao Wenhua was being held was opened, and a figure wrapped himself in a black robe came in.

Zhao Wenhua ignored this, and just said indifferently: "What is the old man Xiaoge doing here?" If you come to tell me not to speak, please come back, I know what to do! ”

The visitor sighed, and then took off the black robe, revealing Yan Shifan's face.

"I'm here this time for this matter, and for adults to practice!"

After that, Yan Shifan beckoned the servants who had been waiting outside for a long time and brought the meal in.

The food box was opened, and a plate of dishes full of color and aroma was placed in front of Zhao Wenhua, in addition to a pot of fine wine, and two wine glasses.

"Taste, it's fifty years old." Yan Shifan said and poured a cup full of Zhao Wenhua's cup.

Zhao Wenhua did not doubt him, and took a drink from the wine glass.

Seeing that Zhao Wenhua drank all the wine in the cup, Yan Shifan poured himself a glass: "To be honest, when my father was still serving as a sacrificial wine in Guoxue, it was the happiest day in my life. ”

"Those days were indeed my happiest days." Zhao Wenhua recalled, took a chopstick dish, put it in his mouth, and savored it.

"You can't eat such a delicious meal here, and tomorrow is the interrogation, what are you going to convict me?" Zhao Wenhua put down his chopsticks, looked at Yan Shifan, and asked softly.

"Capital offense." Yan Shifan paused for a moment and responded.

"I knew it." After hearing this, Zhao Wenhua seemed to be relieved, and the whole person leaned against the wall.

Seeing that Yan Shifan was about to explain, Zhao Wenhua waved his hand indifferently and interrupted: "Don't say those words, I, a dying person, don't want to listen to this." ”

Immediately afterwards, as if he was reminiscing about something, Zhao Wenhua's eyes were deep, and he said quietly: "Does Xiao Ge know how I got to this day?" ”

"There are some things that you can't stop once you start, I am like this, you are like this, and so are those clear streams."

Zhao Wenhua looked at Yan Shifan's face and said with a smile.

Seeing that Yan Shifan didn't mean to talk, Zhao Wenhua picked up his wine glass: "Forget it, since you don't want to listen to me, an old man!" So be it, cherish. ”

"Precious."

Yan Shifan picked up the wine glass, touched it lightly, and then turned around and left without looking back, the figure disappeared into the edict, and the door of Zhao Wenhua's cell was closed again.