10

So, Tang Jian explained the causes and consequences of Deng Erheng's killing:

Everything started because of the personal grievances between Xu Zhiming and Deng Erheng. That Xu Zhiming is the governor of Yunnan, an important minister of the imperial court, and a second-class member. However, everyone in the officialdom knows that he is vicious by nature, ruthless, and extremely greedy. They have done everything they can to loot the people's fat and ointment, and they have never known how to back down when they sell their officials and ask for bribes. The upper beam is not correct and the lower beam is crooked, and his subordinate officials have followed suit, dominating the township and doing all kinds of evil. Xu Zhiming eats other people's mouths on weekdays, and he takes other people's soft hands, because he is not clean, he also turns one eye open and one eye off his subordinate officials. In this way, those corrupt officials under his command have no scruples, not only dare to prey on the people, but even dare to rob officials, the most powerful of which is the deputy general He Youbao.

This He Youbao was originally Xu Zhiming's domestic slave, because he helped Xu Zhiming accumulate money, and he rose again and again, and he was promoted to the high position of the governor's deputy general.

As soon as He Youbao became a deputy general, he formed a gang, being an official in the open and a thief in secret, and doing many evils. Whenever officials left Yunnan, he personally led people or sent his men to rob them. Most of the gold and silver treasures stolen were dedicated to Xu Zhiming, and then Xu Zhiming dotted up to establish a protective net. Those robbed officials, because they knew that He Youbao was Xu Zhiming's henchmen, Xu Zhiming was ruthless, so he had to swallow his anger.

At the end of the tenth year of Xianfeng, Deng Erheng, the political envoy of Yunnan, was promoted to the governor of Guizhou. Deng Erheng was naturally very pleased. Because he has long wanted to get out of this place. Like other officials who left Yunnan, Deng Erheng did not leave the country, and first sent someone to escort the luggage on the road. But just when he was about to leave Yunnan, the holy decree was issued again, and he was reappointed as the governor of Shaanxi. This made Deng Erheng even more ambitious and overjoyed. Because compared to Guizhou, Shaanxi is far away from Xu Zhiming and close to the emperor. At this time, a family member came to report that the luggage of his wife and other family members had been robbed on the border between Yunnan and Guizhou. Deng Erheng knew that he dared to snatch his luggage. But because of Xu Zhiming's face, he couldn't have a seizure, so he had to endure it for the time being.

Even so, after all, he is a feudal official, and the gold, silver, jewelry, and property he has accumulated for many years have been robbed, and the losses must have been heavy. Deng Erheng was resentful in his heart, and at Xu Zhiming's farewell banquet, he didn't drink very happily. After a few glasses of old wine, he said the truth, and even said in front of Xu Zhiming that when the emperor summoned him in the future, he would report to the emperor about the robbed property. For Deng Erheng, these words are just a relief from the stuffiness in his heart. But for Xu Zhiming, it can be said that he was surprised and worried. Because Xu Zhiming knew that Deng Erheng had some roots: Deng Erheng, the son of the governor Deng Tingzhen (a famous minister who banned smoking). Daoguang thirteen years of Jinshi, selected Shu Jishi, awarded the editor. Out of the prefect of Chenzhou, Hunan. Father's worries, serve the ruin, and make up for Qujing Mansion in Yunnan. Ping Xundian rebelled back to Ma Erhua, Maitreya bandits Wu Mei and Zhu Shun, recruited Kunyang back bandits, and had great achievements. Because of its discovery of the Jin monument "Baozi Tablet" in Qujing, Yunnan Province, it is famous all over the world. He has participated in politics in Yunnan for many years, from Daotai to Fantai (political history), step by step, and knows his Xu Zhiming's details best. In addition, it has long been rumored that Deng Erheng has an account book in his hand, which records Xu Zhiming and his subordinates who have bought and sold officials over the years, bent the law for bribes, and all kinds of evil deeds of the common people, Xu Zhiming can't help but worry and fear: If he Deng Erheng really complains to the emperor, it will not only lose the top belt of the second grade, but also the danger of losing his head. Xu Zhiming thought so in his heart, so he moved to kill.

Sure enough, in the early spring of the eleventh year of Xianfeng, Deng Erheng left Yunnan and took office, stayed overnight in the Yamen side courtyard of the Qujing prefect, and was killed. The people who killed him were the killers of the "Red Bat" organization sent by He Youbao, led by Shi Rong and Dai Yutang. They not only killed Deng Erheng, but also robbed Deng Erheng's belongings, and pretended to be thieves to kill him for money.

"On the night of killing Deng Erheng, Shi Rong and Dai Yutang dictated to me what a secret order is: ordered me to lead the prefect's officials to surround the periphery of the palace, called guard, but in fact not to let unrelated personnel enter and exit, and after the two of them and their subordinates succeeded, I waited and shouted along the street to catch the thief and cover people's eyes. Dai Yutang and Shi Rong are subordinates of He Youbao, the deputy general of the governor's yamen: Dai Yutang and Shi Rong are respectively appointed as the generals of the left and right Fubiao battalions, and the official prices of the three are above mine, I dare not obey my orders? This is the truth, I hope that the adults will know it!" Tang Jian's words are true, the deputy general He Youbao official price is from the second grade, Dai Yutang and Shi Rong are the third grade, and Tang Jian is only the fourth grade. But the official price is not important, the important thing is that they are all Xu Zhiming's subordinates, and Xu Zhiming means the holy decree, that is, no matter whether it is right or wrong, whether it is right or wrong, whether it is right or wrong, it must be carried out.

"Then Deng Erheng really has an account book, where is the account book now?" Shen Tianpeng asked tightly.

"This, Xia Guan really doesn't know, and no one has mentioned it. But ......," Tang Jian said after thinking about it.

"But what?" Shen Tianpeng asked.

"According to the speculation of the lower officials, the person who killed Deng Erheng did not get the account book, otherwise, there would be no rumors in the white and underworld that someone paid 100,000 silver and was willing to buy this account book with a lot of money. The governor's yamen also told the state capitals and county officials to do their best to investigate the whereabouts of Deng Erheng's concubine and Deng Erheng's daughter. In this way, therefore, if you find Deng Erheng's sister and Deng Erheng's daughter, you can know the authenticity of the account books. ”

"Your analysis is reasonable!" Shen Tianpeng nodded and said, paused for a moment, and then asked, "Then where are Deng Erheng's sister and Deng Erheng's daughter now?"

"This is the governor of the yamen first-class urgency, the lower officials do not dare to slack off, the day before yesterday the hand to report: there is a man and two women, are fleeing along the mountains and dense forests, fleeing to the west of Guizhou, according to the time calculation, at this moment has entered the border of Guizhou. Among them should be Deng Erheng's sister and Deng Erheng's daughter. There are officers and soldiers on the main road, and there are people in the rivers and lakes who are greedy for heavy rewards on the trail to chase and kill, it seems that the future of these three people is unpredictable, and there are many bad lucks. If you want to catch the three of you before the others, I'm afraid it is urgent. ”

"One last question: The night before, when I was secretly inspecting the field in the side courtyard of the government, I was raided by several masked black-clothed people, didn't you do it?"

Tang Jian thought for a moment and asked, "May I ask my lord, how are those masked men in black martial arts?"

"Although he is not a top master, he can retreat from our subordinates, and he is not an ordinary person!"

"So, even if the lower officials have the guts, they don't have the ability!"

"Yes...... But you probably know the origin of these masked men in black, right?!"

"Who is the most powerful on the ground in Yunnan? Who is most afraid of revealing the truth about Deng Erheng's murder? Who dares to attack and disturb Lord Qincha to handle the case? Can't you guess who it is?"

"Got it. Lord Yan, you will record the confession just now and ask him to draw it. After watching Tang Jianhua press his handprint, Shen Tianpeng said again, "Take him down and hand him over to Lord Yuan, take him into custody alone, and tell Lord Yue, Lord Zhang, with a little preparation, we will go to Guizhou immediately." ”