"Bring Hao Huai and Gou An in. Han Ming shouted.

"Yes. The two officials in front of the door answered and pushed Hao Huai and Gou An into the house.

As for the place of interrogation, Han Ming did not set the usual public court, but chose a side room in the backyard of the government as a temporary interrogation room. Han Ming has his own considerations for such a choice: one is that it is almost the beginning of the Hai Dynasty, and except for a few officials on duty, they have all gone home, and it is inconvenient to recall. The second is that this case involves its own family affairs, and it should be avoided according to the law, but the confidentiality involved cannot be transferred to other departments for investigation and handling. The third is that this interrogation is related to his own family to avoid trouble, revenge, and life, as the saying goes, if it is not about oneself, it is chaotic, and it is a little powerless to interrogate oneself alone, from the point of view of rescuing Shen Lingshan, Chen Wenqi is young and old, brave and resourceful, and in this half-official and half-private way of interrogation, Chen Wenqi can participate in it and play a role.

Therefore, the method of this interrogation was a bit special, Han Ming did not set up an interrogation table, nor did he prepare the four treasures of the study to take a confession, so he sat opposite Hao Huai and Gou An with Chen Wenqi.

"Hao Huai, Gou An, do you know what crime you have committed?" Although he was not in court, Han Ming was still not angry and threatened, and asked word by word.

"......" Hao Huai and Gou An were silent.

"If you don't say it, this house will say it for you. Han Ming has been in office as the prefect for several years, and he has asked about many cases, and he knows that the criminals do not see the coffin, do not shed tears, do not hit the south wall and do not look back, and do not expect them to honestly open the ** generation, so he paused a little and continued:

"What you have done today is to commit the three great sins of 'murder,' 'sinners resisting arrest,' and 'scolding the chief of the subordinate office.' According to the Ming Penal Law, 'Anyone who murders or creates intentions will be beheaded, those who add merit to others will be hanged, and those who have only done so without harming others will be given 100 rods and three years', and those who are servants will be given 100 rods each'. 'Whoever commits a crime and flees and resists arrest shall be added to the second degree of the crime, and if the offender resists arrest with a rod, the arrester shall be killed'. 'Every chief officer and subordinate officer who scolds a commander of the fifth rank or higher shall have eighty rods.'" Isn't it too much for this government to sentence you to '300 rods and five years' imprisonment? But you can see clearly, now you are not in the public court, and you have not been put in shackles, so you should know what the purpose of this government is. Although you kidnap innocent civilians during the day, the government knows that you are instructed by others, not 'creators', and as long as you tell the truth, the government will punish you lightly. ”

"Yang Daiming, don't waste your words. Don't say three crimes, that is, thirty crimes, three hundred crimes, Lao Tzu has confessed to them. Since it has fallen into your hands, if you want to kill or chop, you look at it, and if you want Lao Tzu to speak, there are four words: no comment. Although Hao Huai was reduced to a prisoner, he was still very arrogant. He knew that Liang De was ruthless, and if he revealed their intentions and whereabouts, even if he saved his life temporarily, he would not only die even worse when he returned, but also cause trouble to his family. It's better to die for a while, even if Yang Daiming kills himself in a fit of anger, he will die happily and his family will not be implicated. So I made up my mind to come to Cao Ying with Xu Shu - without saying a word.

Chen Wenqi said a few words in Han Ming's ear, and said with a "cough": "Hao Huai, do you know why I didn't interrogate you in court?"

"You villains are in power, where is it up to you to judge? What does this have to do with Lao Tzu?" Hao Huai didn't care whether he was a guest or a prisoner, and he seized the opportunity not to forget the previous sentence of "loss".

"No, it has a lot to do with you. Chen Wenqi stood up and walked to Hao Huai's side, seemed to touch the back of his neck inadvertently, and said coldly: "If you ask a case in the public court, you have to follow the rules of the imperial court." It's much more free to ask questions here. My son has no fame, he is a person in the rivers and lakes, and you and I will use the rivers and lakes to solve the problem. This son knows that you have rough flesh and thick skin, and you are not afraid of heavy punishment, but this place," Chen Wenqi pointed at the Fengfu acupoint on the back of Hao Huai's neck with his hand and said: "I use a unique method to point down, there is no pain, just numbness, do you want to taste the taste of ten thousand maggots gnawing skin, ten thousand cockroaches sucking blood, ten thousand ants devouring bones, and ten thousand scorpions tearing tendons?"

"You...... Yang Daiming, you set up a private court and despise the royal law, aren't you afraid of throwing away the black yarn and destroying the family and the clan?" Hao Huai was shocked and frightened, and shouted loudly.

Chen Wenqi's face sank: "Wang Fa? Do you still know that there is a Wang Fa? In broad daylight, you deceived and kidnapped innocent civilians, did you remember Wang Fa at that time? In the backyard of a private house, you used a knife to your neck and wanted to kill people, did you remember Wang Fa at that time? Before the official mission was arrested, you took hostages and resisted arrest, did you remember Wang Fa at that time? Now that it is your turn to be punished, you are not ashamed to take out Wang Fa as a shield, isn't it a great joke in the world? If the dignified and Ming criminal law cannot protect the good, but instead protects the evil, then what good is it used?"

The words were strict, and Hao Huai was stammered, and he was dripping with cold sweat.

Chen Wenqi walked to the seat and sat down, sneered and said: "You said that we set up a private court, so as you wish, I will make a break with you in this private 'court' today." Lord Yang, please instruct someone to bring ten sticks of incense over, give him time to consider one stick of incense, and if he does not open his mouth after lighting one stick of incense, let him taste the taste of ten thousand maggots gnawing on his skin; or limit the time of one stick of incense, if he can carry it, cut off one of his fingers below; and then limit the time of one stick of incense, if he still does not open his mouth, cut off another finger of him below. After cutting off his fingers, he cut off his toes, and waited until his twenty fingers were cut off, but he was afraid that his life would be lost. It doesn't matter, I have already prepared a report document on behalf of the adult: 'The criminal Hao Huai, on the 18th day of August in the second year of Hongzhi, kidnapped the civilian Yang Moumou with a sword to his own house, and tortured him on the grounds that he had martial arts that resembled swords and swords, and wanted to put him to death. After receiving the report, the government quickly led the arrest to the scene, and ordered the culprit Hao Huaifang to return the kidnapped Yang Moumou, and abandon his weapon and arrest him. Unexpectedly, the criminal Hao Huai not only did not listen to the advice, but intensified his efforts, took hostages, and resisted arrest with a sword. In order to protect the safety of the hostages, everyone was arrested quickly, and everyone fought bravely and competed with the criminal Hao Huai, and in the chaos, the criminal Hao Huai was hacked to death with a knife. According to Article 105 of the Ming Criminal Law, 'if the criminal resists arrest with a rod, the capsule will be killed', the government ruled that the arrest was not guilty quickly, and the culprit Hao Huai was innocent of death. 'What does Lord Yang think?'

"Extremely, extremely. Come and light a stick of incense. You two, watch Hao Huai, wait until a stick of incense is about to fall, and report quickly, and you take Gou An to that room. Han Ming's old "cooperation" with Chen Wenqi.

"You ...... You are vicious, you are careless of people's lives, you can't die well, and Lao Tzu can't spare you as a ghost. Hao Huai was extremely frightened and scolded hoarsely.

Han Ming and Chen Wenqi didn't pay attention to it, and just went out.

Besides, Gou An was taken to another room by the officials, and he was shocked, he seemed to see Hao Huai's life worse than death when he was gnawed by ten thousand maggots, and he couldn't help but shudder.

Chen Wenqi walked in with his hands in his hands, and Gou An hid in the corner of the house like a ghost. Chen Wenqi grabbed his arm and said expressionlessly: "Gou An, do you know that everyone who farms has a whip, why is this?"

After a pause, and without waiting for Gou An to speak, Chen Wenqi continued: "It's all because the ox that dragged the plow and rake didn't know the times, and it wouldn't do anything if it didn't drive it away with a whip. So the farmer kept whipping, so that at the end of the day, the ox was not only exhausted, but also scarred by the whip, so that there is a saying in our hometown, 'The plow is dragged, and the whip is taken', laughing at the stupidity of the ox. Sometimes people are the same, and all the people who have committed crimes are like this stupid cow. I wonder if you're like this stupid cow?"

Gou An was covered in chaff, his tongue swirled, and he stumbled: "I...... I was just...... Just listen...... Lord Hao...... Ah, Hao Huai's command, he ...... Keep an eye on that ...... Like a sword but not a sword, like a knife not a knife...... of people who found ...... Once you find out, you'll ...... Tell him that the rest ...... Everything else ...... I don't know. What I said is true. ”

Chen Wenqi smiled, let go of his arm, and said as easily as possible: "Let's be honest with you, we know everything you know, and we know everything you don't know." What is 'like a sword but not a sword, like a knife but not a knife'? That is a kind of swordsmanship, called 'sword double kill'. Who is looking for this kind of 'sword double kill' martial arts person, is it Liang Fang and Liang De, right? Why do their brothers want to find this 'sword double kill' martial arts person? You certainly don't know, and they won't tell you. In their eyes, Hao Huai is an insignificant pawn, and you may not even be a pawn. If you think about it, is it worth it to die for them?"

Listening to Chen Wenqi's words, Gou An remembered that after losing Yang Shanling the day before yesterday, Hao Huai beat and scolded him, and subconsciously touched the place where Hao Huai had beaten him.

Seeing that he was silent, Chen Wenqi knew that he was touched, and decided to strike while the iron was hot, and said to Gou An: "Your role is to secretly help them find this 'sword double kill' martial arts person, if you are caught, for them, not only will they lose their use value, but they are also afraid that you will tell their secrets." Guess what they're going to do if they know you've been caught?"

"Extinguish?" Gou An blurted out.

"You're not stupid. Even if we don't kill you, they won't let you go. ”

"That'...... Isn't that ......," Gou An said in despair.

"As long as they don't know that you have been arrested, isn't it business as usual?" Chen Wenqi slowly "enlightened" Gou An.

"How can you make them not know?" asked Gou An, who seemed to see a savior in his despair.

"Just work with us and we'll let you out. not only let you out, but also let you replace Hao Huai and be the manager of the Wuchang Mansion Military Room. ”

Gou An's eyes lit up, then he shook his head and asked, "What about Hao and Hao Huai?"

Chen Wenqi secretly observed his expression and said, "Hao Huai, I don't like it, let him stay in prison for the rest of his life." ”

"How do you want me to cooperate?"

"Tell me what you know. ”

"I ...... I really don't know. Gou An said urgently.

Chen Wenqi walked to the door and whispered to the official guarding outside, "Hurry up and invite Lord Yang to come over." ”

After a while, Han Ming quickly walked in from outside the door. Chen Wenqi didn't speak to Han Ming, but just made eye contact and said to Gou An:

"Don't rush, just tell what you know. That's it, I'll ask you and you can answer it, it doesn't matter if you really don't know, it's just ......"

"I will not lie, or you will kill me immediately. Without waiting for Chen Wenqi to finish speaking, Gou An preemptively assured.

"That's good. Let me ask you, were you and Hao Huai sent here by the brothers Liang Fang and Liang De?"

"Yes. ”

"Where did you do it before?"

"Jin Yiwei. I am the captain of Jinyiwei, and Hao Huai is the general banner of Jinyiwei, both of whom are subordinates of Liang Zhenfu's envoy (no, he was still a thousand households at that time). ”

"How long does it take to get to Wuchang Mansion?"

"Fifteen years. ”

Han Ming said secretly, no wonder he didn't know that there were ghosts in the house, it turned out that there were such a long time.

"What does Liang De want you to do for him?"

"Pay attention to people who have martial arts that are 'like knives but not knives, and like swords but not swords'. Today, I learned that it is called 'Sword Double Kill'. ”

"If you find someone with the martial arts of 'sword double killing', what does he want you to do?"

"Report it to them immediately. ”

"Immediately? How immediately?"

"The flying pigeon passed the book. ”

Chen Wenqi and Han Ming glanced at each other and continued to ask, "Then what?"

"Don't be alarmed, wait for their orders. ”

"On the day when Chu San blocked the road and committed the murder, you hid in the bushes and found that Yang Gongzi used the 'sword double kill' martial arts, did you report it to them?"

"Hao Huai has already sent a report to Lord Liang. ”

"According to what you just said, after the flying pigeon passed the book, you should not startle the snake, why did you kidnap Yang Gongzi?"

"We don't know the martial arts of 'like a knife but not a knife, like a sword and not a sword', but we just think that Yang Gongzi's martial arts are a bit similar, but we are afraid that we will be punished if we make a mistake, so we want to observe Yang Gongzi's martial arts tricks. How do you know that Yang Gongzi is resolute not to fight, so we have to ...... I had to ...... "Gou An didn't dare to say that he kidnapped Shen Lingshan."

"Liang De, after they received your flying pigeon message, what instructions do they have?"

"The carrier pigeon has not yet returned, that is, today and tomorrow. ”

"Who keeps carrier pigeons on weekdays, and who is responsible for flying pigeons?"

"It's all Hao Huai. ”

"If you pass a word to them, will they believe it?"

"Certainly not, they agreed on a mark in advance, and if there was no mark on the letter, they would have seen it. ”

At this time, Han Ming interjected and asked, "In the past fifteen years, you haven't found anyone with 'sword-like non-sword, sword-like non-sword' martial arts, they didn't ask questions?"

"In the first two or three years, I often asked, but after that, I gradually stopped asking. ”

"So, you didn't have any contact before that?"

"Nope. They must be reported to them in person once a year. Because Hao Huai is the military manager of Wuchang Mansion, if he returns to Beijing, Lord Yang, you must know, so Hao Huai always sends me back to Beijing every year to report. ”

"We believe what you say. From now on, you will take over Hao Huai to deliver the news to them, but this news must be instructed by the government. Han Ming said.

"But I'm ...... I don't know their codes, huh?"

"It's not difficult, Hao Huai will tell you. Chen Wenqi smiled mysteriously and whispered a few words to Gou An. Then, he took out a pill slightly smaller than a pigeon's egg from his body and asked Gou An to take it.

Gou An's previously relaxed demeanor suddenly became flustered, his hands shook wildly, and he spoke incoherently: "You...... I...... Not ......"

"Don't worry, this is not a poison, it has the effect of assisting practice and enhancing internal strength, I will pass on a set of internal strength to you, after eating it, with my transmission of mental strength, your internal strength will gradually increase, but this pill is very strong, you must take another pill every other month to suppress, otherwise, the true qi in the body will be reversed, and it will be divided into the five internal organs, not only will the martial arts gradually be lost, but the whole person will be slowly paralyzed, and it will be difficult to move an inch. ”

"That'...... After Childe leaves, where will I find this pill?"

"From now on, Lord Gou will be the inheritor of the Wuchang Mansion Barracks, and Lord Yang will give you the pill on time. Chen Wenqi and Han Ming looked at each other and smiled, and Han Ming nodded slightly.

Gou An knew that they would not easily believe in themselves, so in desperation, he swallowed the pill forcefully.

Han Ming and Chen Wenqi looked at each other and smiled, turned around and walked into Hao Huai's room, where the incense on the case was about to burn out. Although he was not punished, Hao Huai's head was full of green tendons, and his eyes wandered. As soon as he saw Chen Wenqi and them enter the house, Hao Huaiqiang calmed down and said loudly: "Yang Daiming, if you want to torture Lao Tzu, just come, if Lao Tzu snorts, he is not a hero." ”

Chen Wenqi teased: "You are also worthy of being called a hero? This son will click on your Fengfu acupoint to try if you are a hero or a dog?" After speaking, he poked his fingers at the back of Hao Huai's neck.

"Wait. Han Ming spoke out in time to stop Chen Wenqi, and Zhengse said: "Chen Gongzi must not be lynched. This government has been an official for many years, and has decided hundreds of cases, but it has never used a major punishment. He turned to Hao Huai and said, "Hao Huai, if you confess truthfully, according to the Ming criminal law, you will be imprisoned for only three years and five years; if you do not confess, you will be imprisoned forever." This government will not torture you, so what to do, think twice about what to do. After speaking, he shouted out of the door: "Gou An, the culprit." ”

The official pushed Gou An into the house and pressed him to the ground. Han Ming said majestically: "Gou An, as a clerk in the military room, you don't want to persuade your boss to train the people and maintain law and order, but instead help the people to abuse and deceive and kidnap civilians, and you should be punished severely." Remembering that you are an accomplice, this government shall sentence you to a hundred rods and three thousand miles according to the law. It's late today, so I'm in prison for the time being, and I'll be executed and exiled tomorrow. Squad leader, you take them to prison in person, and you must detain them separately and do not make them collude. ”

"Yes, sir. ”

The head of the squad took three officials, two of whom were escorted to the prefect's prison. Walking to the prison door, Hao Huai said to the team leader: "For the sake of us all working together in the government, let me and Gou An say a few words of farewell alone? After all, the two of us have been together for more than ten years, and if we don't talk about it today, there will be no more future." ”

"Didn't you listen to your lord's orders? You are not allowed to confess, and you still want to talk alone? "The head of the squad and the others stayed up for most of the night, and they were already impatient, so who didn't care if they didn't work together?

Hao Huaijin was born in a guard, and he was used to being arrogant and domineering on weekdays, except for his top boss Liang De, who would dare to be angry in front of him? Listening to the bad words of the team leader, his eyes suddenly burst into flames, and he wanted to have a seizure. Suddenly remembered that he was now a prisoner, where could he compete for the short and long, so he released his clenched fists, lowered his voice and begged softly: "I have no hope of getting out of the cell, I want to ask Gou Ande to have a couple of thoughtful words with my mother-in-law, you can make it convenient for the team leader, and I Hao Huaiyong will always remember your great kindness." ”

"Alright, alright, let's talk about it right here. People are almost gone, what are you willing to listen to?" said the team leader impatiently, waved his hand, and stood aside with the three officials.

Hao Huai pulled Gou An over and asked, "They didn't force you?"

"I asked, I didn't say anything, I was so angry that the kid surnamed Chen asked for my itchy point, but fortunately Yang Daiming stopped me, otherwise it would ......" Gou An looked scared.

"It's good that I didn't say it. Prisoners can go home and get their bags before they are exiled, but tomorrow you will secretly pass the book to Lord Liang under the pretext that you have important things in my house, and ask him to come and arrest Yang and Chen as soon as possible. As long as Lord Liang receives the news from the flying pigeon, we will be able to turn over the salted fish. Hao Huai said in a low voice.

"No, tomorrow I will be beaten with a hundred rods, where can I still walk? Besides, I don't know the secret memory, even if the book is passed to the capital, Lord Liang will not believe it. Gou An excused himself.

"Bastard, even if you don't care about me, do you really plan to exile for three thousand miles and live in that barren land for the rest of your life?" Hao Huai was angry and anxious, completely forgetting that he was already a prisoner, and put up his usual shelf.

Gou An didn't seem to care about him, and said helplessly: "Then I'll try, Lord Liang doesn't believe that I can't do it." "Turn around and want to leave.

"Stop. Hao Huai grabbed Gou An, put his mouth to his ear, and whispered a few words.

"Are you done, you have to go home and sleep. The head of the squad didn't care if they finished speaking, and walked straight over.

"That's it, that's it. Hao Huai said in a loud voice.

"Then go inside. The head of the squad commanded the two officials to push Hao Huai to a cell at the end of the prison, and he took Gou An around the closer, and then returned to the place where he had just been interrogated.

Han Ming and Chen Wenqi are still in the house. Han Ming held a note in his hand, which turned out to be a catcher who was squatting at Hao Huai's house to catch the returning carrier pigeon and send it back to the mansion overnight.

Gou An nodded at Han Ming and Chen Wenqi, and the two of them knew that the secret mark of the biography had been mastered. Han Ming handed over the note in his hand, Gou An took it, and saw that it was written: "Quickly verify the identity of this person and report it, be sure to keep an eye on it." ”

Gou An returned the note to Han Ming and asked, "How do I answer?"

Chen Wenqi smiled, held a small bamboo pipe like a trick, and said, "You just need to add a secret mark to it." ”

"Yes. Gou An took the small bamboo pipe, made a secret note according to Hao Huai's explanation, and handed it back to Chen Wenqi.

Chen Wenqi waved his hand: "You can keep it, and then release the carrier pigeon in two days, too fast will arouse their suspicion." ”

Gou An looked at Han Ming, Han Ming nodded, and said, "Just do what Chen Gongzi said." Then he put up the shelf and said sternly: "Gou An, from today on, you are the Wuchang Mansion Warroom Undertaker, I hope you will do it yourself, if you do wrong, the new and old accounts of the mansion will be counted together." ”

"Humble duty and remember the teachings of the Lords. Gou An replied cautiously, but his heart was happy: he was originally a guilty body, but not only was he not punished, but he was promoted from a rankless and unqualified warden to a seventh-grade military book.