According to Miao Yi's arrangement, the trial of Zhou Xian's case of harboring murderers is still in charge of Liao Tu and Zeng Kui. Liao Tu was the chief judge, and Zeng Kui was the deputy judge.

Zhou Xian was arrested and imprisoned for more than a month before he was arraigned.

On this day, Zhou Xian was expressionless, wearing foot shovels, escorted by two small prison guards, and taken to the interrogation room.

As soon as he entered the interrogation room, Zhou Xian saw that the walls, the ground, and even the air were full of torture instruments, all kinds of things. Liao Tu and Zeng Kui sat at the interrogation table with serious expressions.

The atmosphere of the room is gloomy, cold, musty, dark...... It's so oppressive that you can't breathe.

The jailer told Zhou Xian to kneel.

Zhou Xian stood still, "humming" and sneered.

Liao Tu asked, "Why don't you kneel?" ”

Zhou Xian smiled contemptuously again and said, "I kneel to the sky, kneel to the ground, and kneel to my parents, but I can't kneel to you dog officials." ”

When Liao Tu heard this, he was furious and said, "Kneel down for Lao Tzu." ”

Seeing this, the little jailer came over and forced Zhou Xian to kneel, but was stopped by Zeng Kui waving his hand.

Zeng Kui gave Liao Tu a look and signaled Liao Tu not to let Zhou Xian kneel. Liao Tu muttered: "When the people see officials, how can there be any reason not to kneel?" He said so, but he gave up.

Zhou Xian stood proudly in the middle of the interrogation room.

Liao Tu asked: "Zhou Xian, let me ask you, you answer honestly, where did you hide Lu Gui?" ”

Zhou Xian replied: "I won't say it." ”

Liao Tu roared impatiently: "Say it quickly! ”

Zhou Xian smiled again and said, "You really want to know!" I'll tell you, Lu Gui is hidden in my head. With that, he threw himself directly into the wall and banged his head against the wall. Hit the forehead of the brain, blood flowed.

When Liao Tu saw Zhou Xian, he was unruly, and without asking a few words, he actually hit the wall, thinking that he was clearly here to demonstrate.

Suddenly, he was extremely angry, annoyed and angry, and asked: "You don't know what to do, it seems that you are not cleaning up." Someone, punish me quickly. ”

The little jailer, who had been standing quietly beside him, heard Liao Tu's order, and immediately overturned Zhou Xian and lay down on the torture table.

Then he took the silver pan and charcoal from the ground. A silver pan is a vessel.

Place the charcoal in a silver pan and light the charcoal.

The charcoal was mixed with flammable materials, and it soon burned brightly, burning the bottom of the silver pan to the bridle. Then, with a fiery silver chain, it was placed on Zhou Xian's bare belly.

This punishment is called "hot belly". The Governor's Prison is specially designed for prisoners with iron steel and chivalrous bones. Zhou Xian just hit the muzzle of the gun, which is just in line with this stubborn and disobedient character, so he used this punishment.

In fact, few prisoners were able to withstand it.

Suddenly, thick smoke rose and sizzled. A smell of burnt barbecue skin came to the face.

The rest of the people present were all frightened, and they couldn't bear to watch.

After a while, Zhou Xian's belly was scalded with a few blood blisters.

Zhou Xian was not only not afraid, but endured the great pain, anger rose from his guts, and shouted: "Damn, I'm not afraid!" The charcoal is less and not hot enough. Why don't you add some charcoal to make the charcoal fire burn more vigorously? ”

After that, Zhou Xian fainted.

The little jailer hurriedly took away the charcoal fire, and then poured cold water on Zhou Xian.

Zhou Xian woke up in shock.

Liao Tu asked again: "Do you want to recruit or not?" ”

Zhou Xian lay on the torture table, his eyes wide with anger. Although weak, he still shook his head stubbornly.

Zeng Kui watched coldly from the sidelines, and felt that Zhou Xian was not an ordinary prisoner, he had courage, knowledge, and justice, and his admiration came spontaneously.

Pulling Liao Tu aside, Zeng Kui said quietly: "For a prisoner like Zhou Xian, there is no need for us to retry him, it is better for the governor to decide, so that we can also have a good reputation." ”

Liao Tu followed his words and repaid him.

Miao Yi is a man of military background and temperament. When I heard it, I was shocked. I was so surprised that my mouth opened wide and I couldn't close it for a long time.

After being a governor for so many years, it was the first time I had met an unyielding prisoner like Zhou Xian. He doesn't admire anyone, just a tough man like Zhou Xian.

So, an exception was made.

Liao Tu and Zeng Kui asked the jailers to take Zhou Xian to the court.

In the hall, Miao Yi was sitting precariously. Seeing Zhou Xian dragging the torture instrument, he came slowly. Then he personally went down to the hall and took off the shackles of Zhou Xian's feet. And give a seat, and serve tea.

Zhou Xian sat down slowly.

Miao Yi asked pleasantly: "Why do you want to harbor thieves?" ”

Zhou Xian replied: "Lu Gui is a hero, not a thief. ”

Miao Yi was a little angry and said, "Why did I ask? ”

Zhou Xian replied: "The ancients said that words must be done, and deeds must be fruitful. I had promised him beforehand that I would never break my promise, even if I was to die. I'm such a person, so I have to protect him. ”

Miao Yi asked, "Is Lu Gui harbored by you?" ”

Zhou Xian replied: "A good man is a good man, and a bright man doesn't say dark words." Lu Gui is indeed hidden by me. ”

Miao Yi asked: "Lu Gui and you don't know each other, is it worth taking your life?" ”

Zhou Xian said: "It's worth it, why isn't it worth it?" ”

After that, he looked at Miao Yi with disdain.

Suddenly, Miao Yi was like a thorn in the back.

Zhou Xian's mouth was dry and irritable, and his throat and eyes were smoking. So, calmly picked up the teacup, took a sip of tea, and moistened his throat.

Zhou Xian said: "Although Lu Gui does not know me, he is the embodiment of justice and a ray of light in the dark society. I had to give it my all, even if it was worth sacrificing my life. ”

Miao Yi was silent and broke out in a cold sweat.

Zhou Xian asked rhetorically: "Lord Governor, do you say yes?" Otherwise, in this world, evil will be defeated by justice. In the end, this otherwise bright world will eventually be replaced by darkness. ”

The words are to the point, reasonable and well-founded; Affectionate and heroic, dare to do and dare to be. Zhou Xian is a tough guy.

Miao Yi listened to his words and felt his feelings, and admired Zhou Xian so much. I've been searching in my head for a long time, but I can't say what to do for a long time.

At this time, there was silence in the hall, and the scene was a little awkward.

Liao Tu came over and whispered in Miao Yi's ear to remind: "Lord Governor, what to do with Zhou Xian?" ”

Miao Yi came back to his senses and thought for a while before he said: "The guilt can be avoided, and the family property cannot be escaped." ”

After that, he sent people to confiscate Zhou Xian's family property, including a luxurious mansion and a money-making coal mine.

A few days later, Zhou Xian was released.

Zhou Xian returned. Seeing that the house, coal mine and other family properties were confiscated by the government, and there was nowhere to stay, there was a pain in my heart: "Yunzhou can't stay, where are you going?" ”

Suddenly, a leaf, from the branch, fell.

Zhou Xian thought: "As the saying goes, fallen leaves return to the roots. If you go elsewhere, it's relatively unfamiliar and not very adaptable. It's better to go back to Heezhou, after all, it is a native of me, and there are all the grass and trees that I am familiar with. ”

Think about it, make up your mind, and simply pack your bags. With his family and wife and children, he sat in the dilapidated ox cart. Set off in the direction of Wangjiaozhou.

After walking for less than a few miles, I saw a large group of people, blocked in front of them in the dark. When Zhou Xian approached, they all knelt down in unison.

Zhou Xian saw that they were all heroes of rescue.

These heroes said in unison: "Zhou Yuanwai, I was grateful for helping each other in the past, and I am here to see him off today!" ”

Zhou Xian was about to answer.

Suddenly, a gust of wind and sand blew and made it impossible to open one's eyes.

After a while, the wind stopped blowing.

Everyone opened their eyes and looked at it, and a Taoist priest, riding a crane, stood in front of him.

I saw the Taoist priest, with a childish face and crane hair, fluttering like a fairy, as beautiful as a crown of jade; Dressed in a white green robe, wearing a white scarf, and holding a handful of floating dust.

Zhou Xian opened his mouth and asked, "May I ask the chief, where did you come from?" ”

The Taoist priest did not answer.

At this time, the crane squeaked.

Everyone's eyes fell on this crane.

I saw this crane, and it was generous. Pure white feathers, pure and simple; Elegant posture, elegant and leisurely; The loud chirp is beautiful and refined.

The Taoist priest said: "Outside of Zhou, God will not tolerate you being in trouble because of saving heroes. Today, we have escaped this catastrophe. Blessed shall be your descendants. As for how long the blessings last, it depends on your posterity. ”

Zhou Xian asked, "What kind of creation can last?" ”

The Taoist priest did not give a positive answer, saying, "The secret of heaven must not be revealed." ”

After that, "hehe" smiled. Take a crane ride and fly to the sky. Everyone was stunned, thinking that they had met a fairy, and they all threw themselves into the air.

After a while, everyone said, "Look, the gods are here today." It's so good! ”

Zhou Xian saw that the heroes were still kneeling, and said, "Heroes, get up quickly, go back, please go back!" I am here, and thank you for holding up a righteous sky for this world. ”

One of the heroes said: "Except for Zhou Yuan, we are reluctant to let you go." Since you have decided to go, we will follow you as well. Share the blessings and share the difficulties. ”

All the people agreed in unison.

Zhou Xian thought that if all the heroes followed him, and he had lost his family property and had no money to bribe the officials, he would not be able to protect them.

After thinking about it, he waved his hand, shook his head again, and insisted on not allowing it.

Among them, there are nine heroes, seeing Zhou Xian's refusal. In front of Zhou Xian, he killed himself in tears. Before he died, he said: "This life is given by Zhou Yuan, and people can't go with it, only let their souls follow." ”

The rest of the crowd wanted to follow suit.

Zhou Xian was helpless, so he had to kneel down and plead, saying: "Heroes, I beg you, don't be so suicidal, otherwise I will lose my life." ”

Then the people gave up.

At this time, Lu Gui stood up and asked Zhou Xian to take him back with him.

Lu Gui said: "Mr. Zhou, my uncle sold me to you, and there is a deed of sale as proof. In that case, you are my master, and I will follow you wherever you go. ”

When Zhou Xian saw Lu Gui, his words were sincere and reasonable, and he couldn't refuse anymore, so he had to follow it.

turned around and got into the ox cart, waved to the heroes, and said goodbye.

Along the way, Xiaoxing stayed overnight. Zhou Xian took his wife, his wife, and his servant Lu Gui, and returned to his hometown of Hezhou. Secluded in Jinlong Village.