Chapter 26 Chapter Twenty-Five
The next morning, Mrs. Li was interrogated by Di Gongsheng in the hall.Because Mrs. Li was captured by Ma Rong on the spot, there were all the witnesses and material evidence, and she knew the truth of the crime, but she knew she couldn't deny it, so it was better to confess it quickly, so as to avoid the pain in the hall.
Not long before Ni Shouqian's death, one day Mrs. Li and Mrs. Ni were waiting for Ni Shouqian while drinking tea in a small pavilion in the garden.Mrs. Li took this opportunity to look at some of Ni Shouqian's paintings, and occasionally saw the draft of the landscape painting, and learned from the brief notes Ni Shouqian marked on the draft that this painting was actually a road map for finding the pavilions in the palace.
Mrs. Li originally lived in a neighboring county of Lanfang, her maiden name was Huang, and her father was a gentleman who opened a restaurant.Mrs. Li studied with her father's students when she was young, but she loved painting. When she was sixteen years old, she became a teacher of Wang Chun, a street painter in the neighborhood, and learned painting skills.Seeing Wang Chun's handsome appearance, caring and admiring, he often flirts with him.
The Wang family was originally a well-to-do family, but they lost a lawsuit and lost their property.Since then, the Wang family has been in ruins and has been devastated.After the death of his parents, Wang Chun had to make a living by painting. He was nearly thirty years old and had no money to marry.Wang Chun accepted this high-ranking disciple from the Wang family, and now he has food and clothing to rely on, and he was already happy, now that he has found good luck in a peach blossom, this hungry ghost in love feels even more happy from heaven.From then on, the two of them, one willing and the other willing, made a romantic affair.
The news reached the ears of Huang's parents, so they were very annoyed!However, the ugliness of the family should not be publicized. There are thirty-six strategies, and marriage is the best strategy, so she hastily invited Baoshan to choose a son-in-law for her.Three months later, she married into the family of a member named Li Wen in the north of the city.Li Wen saw that she was no longer in her whole body, and knew that her red lead had already fallen into someone else's body.Naiyin himself was a few years old, so he had no choice but to hold back his breath, while telling her not to commit the crime again, otherwise he would not be forgiven lightly.Unexpectedly, her chronic habits are hard to change, and she and the old guest Wang Chun are still openly and secretly, and the ties are broken.As the saying goes, if you often walk by the river, how can you not get your shoes wet?One night, while her husband was out for a banquet, she invited Wang Chun to a private meeting at home. Unexpectedly, Li Wen suddenly suffered from abdominal pain and returned early.She and Wang Chun were flirting upstairs, but Li Wen crashed into the room and caught both of them on the spot.In a fit of rage, Li Wen picked up a kitchen knife and wanted to cut down the pair of thieves and men.Huang was originally dissatisfied with her marriage, but now the scandal has been revealed, instead of waiting to die, it is better to strike first.Since she was ready to kill, she knelt down and hugged her husband's legs to beg for forgiveness, and at the same time she winked secretly at her lover.Wang Chun understood, and took advantage of Li Wen's unpreparedness, he kicked the kitchen knife from his hand. Seeing this, Huang yanked his leg from below, and Li Wen couldn't stand upright and fell to the ground.Mrs. Huang picked up a bench, and before Li Wen could get up, the bench fell on Li Wen's head, killing him immediately.Huang and Wang Chun then pushed the body down the stairs, creating a fake scene where Li Wen accidentally fell down the stairs and died after drinking.
Mrs. Li thought that she did not know what to do with this matter, but she didn't know that her every move would be seen by the idler next door, Niu Er.This Niu Er was originally a drinking buddy of Zhao Liuzhi, the slave of Li's house, who went whoring and gambling together. That night, he came to find Zhao Liuzhi to drink with him, because Mrs. Li had sent Zhao Liuzhi away, and he didn't meet him, but he heard a noise upstairs. He went upstairs and peeped through the crack of the door, and saw Mrs. Li hitting Li Wen on the head with a bench.
Niu Er didn't say anything, and went downstairs quietly, only secretly happy in his heart.Wang Chun is poor, so he has no income, but there are several hectares of fertile land outside the north gate of the Li family, with hundreds of cattle and sheep. Does he have to worry about gambling, eating and whoring for the rest of his life?This is really a person's fortune, and eight cows can't pull it back!I bought a jug of good wine on Niuer Street, went home to drink alone, drank until the second watch, and went to bed to look for dreams.
When Niu Erwai found out that Li's family had finished the funeral, he came to blackmail him and ordered Mrs. Li to control him from eating, drinking, whoring and gambling. If he refused, he would go to the Yamen to report her crime of adultery and murder to the government.Mrs. Li had no choice but to obey.In order to show that he is committed to death and will never marry again, he secretly hangs out with Wang Chun.
Birds fly away, rabbits fly away, stars move, and ten years pass by in a blink of an eye.After Wang Chun died, Niu Erepile Toad wanted to eat swan meat, so he came to pester Mrs. Li.Mrs. Li looked down on him, so Niu Er asked him to buy a stunning woman as his wife.Since Mrs. Li lost Wang Chun's attachment, she was even more afraid that Niu Er would be greedy and greedy. If she continued to pester her, the consequences would be disastrous.
After Mrs. Li moved to Lanfang, although she avoided Niu Er for a while, Niu Er's villainous appearance appeared in front of her all the time. The fact that Niu Er ordered her to send beautiful women was always a heart problem for her.Once she ran into Mrs. Ni, who was still a virgin, and thought to herself that the peasant girl was out of the world, young and ignorant, why not make friends with her, and then trick her into marrying Niu Er, and remove a stone in her heart.However, soon after Ni Shouqian married her, Mrs. Li's wishful thinking came to nothing.But on another thought, Ni Shouqian will not live for a few years sooner or later, and when he dies, Ni Qi will definitely kick her out of the Ni family.Mrs. Ni was originally a village girl with hands and feet, what kind of experience does she have!When she's cornered, she's using an old relationship between them to lure her into the bait.She is young and beautiful, Niu Er will definitely be satisfied.Therefore, Mrs. Li hid this plot in her heart, and only made friends with her, hoping to attack her one day in the future.After Ni Shouqian's burial, Madam Li rushed to the Ni's courtyard in the eastern suburbs, but she saw a pair of Weng and women guarding the gate, and Madam Ni had long since disappeared.Mrs. Li visited all the tenants, but Mrs. Ni told them not to tell anyone where her mother and son were hiding.Mrs. Li couldn't visit Mrs. Ni for a while, and didn't see Niu Er coming to look for her. After a long time, she thought that everything was all right, so she gradually forgot about sending Niu Er beautiful woman.
Unexpectedly, Niu Er took it seriously, visited her for ten years, and finally found her three years ago in Lanfang Dongfang, wounded her leg, and asked her to send the beauty to him within a deadline.Mrs. Li swallowed her anger, and only said that she accidentally broke her leg, while secretly collecting some silver taels to send Niu Er back temporarily, vowing to try her best to fulfill his good deeds.She was afraid that Niu Er would come to mess around again, and even more afraid that his yamen would sue her, so she deliberately tried to give him a daughter.The money she brought from her husband's house when she moved was quite a lot, but she bought a luxurious mansion in Lanfang, plus the expenses for the past ten years, she can only go out but not in, how can she afford to sit and eat?So gradually, my inner pockets became empty, and I had to teach a few students to support their livelihood and support their appearance, and then they were powerless to buy beautiful women with a lot of money to give away.After much deliberation, the only way to go is to kidnap ignorant and weak women!Mrs. Li once thought about her students, but after thinking about it again, they are all the daughters of wealthy officials and eunuchs, so she really can't afford to offend them.Mrs. Li lost the charter for a while.
Niu Er didn't see the beautiful woman, so he came to Lanfang several times to press her. Mrs. Li could only comfort her with kind words, and gave some silver taels to delay the time.More than two months ago, Niu Er came to ask for someone again, saying that he would come to get her within three months, and if he couldn't hand it over by then, he would have to sue her to the government and punish her.Mrs. Li became anxious, for fear that Niu Er would really do it, if so, her life would be over!So do everything possible to find opportunities to start.
A month ago, Mrs. Li revisited the other courtyard in the eastern suburbs of Ni’s family, hoping to inquire about Mrs. Ni’s whereabouts from the old family, but she saw that Weng and women were dead, so she took the opportunity to enter the maze. According to the sign of the landscape painting, she found a shortcut. Cross the small pond and enter the pavilion.
The next day, Mrs. Li ran into Bai Lan in the market. Seeing that she was beautiful and docile, she tricked her into her home and put her under house arrest.Mrs. Li threatened and lured her, and she used both soft and hard tactics. When she learned from Bai Lan that Fang Hu was taken captive by Qian Mou, she made a big fuss about it.It is said that she and Qian Mou have a deep old relationship. If Bai Lan is honest and obedient, she will guarantee Fang Hu's safety. If she doesn't obey her orders, if she just says a word in front of Qian Mou, Fang Hu will be beaten to death.Bai Lan is an immature and ignorant girl who is naturally timid and fearful. She can't stand Mrs. Li's fright. For the sake of her brother's survival, she has no choice but to listen to Mrs. Li's will.In this way, Mrs. Li resigned from the students and dismissed the slaves, only hoping that Niu Er would come to lead them as soon as possible.
When Mrs. Li learned that Bai Lan had sneaked out of the house to meet a young man at Sanbao Temple, she became furious, dragged her to a warehouse, hung her hands on the beam, and repeatedly asked her if she had told the stranger about her whereabouts. speak.Every time Bai Lan said no, the crutch in her hand would slam her body, cursing continuously.Bai Lan couldn't bear the pain, so she begged for mercy loudly, which aroused Madam Li's suspicion even more, so she swung her arms and beat Bai Lan with her head and face, until her arms were sore and numb.Then he pulled the silver hairpin from Bailan's head and stabbed her until blood flowed from her body.Bai Lan was tortured, but she still insisted that she never leaked the news.
However, Mrs. Li would not believe it. At dawn the next day, she dressed Bai Lan as a nun and sent her to Ni Shouqian's Dongxiao Bieyuan, where she was locked in the room where Mending and his wife lived.In order to prevent her from escaping, all her clothes and pants were taken away, leaving only a torn cotton bed for her to keep out the cold at night.Mrs. Li sent her a pot of boiling water and a few pieces of pancakes every other day, hoping that after a few days of calm and calm, she would be brought back after proving that Bai Lan hadn't lied.However, the officers of the county government searched Dongfang upside down to find Bailan. Mrs. Li was terrified, fearing that the secret had been leaked out, and fearing that the government would send people to search in the other courtyard of Ni's house in the eastern suburbs.In order to silence her, she rushed to the eastern suburbs early the next morning, chased Bailan away with a cane, entered the maze and took a shortcut to the pavilion, and killed the girl with a knife. Because of the haste to escape, she came to see the jade girl on the stone table in a panic.
After Mrs. Li made a confession, she drew a charge on the confession form and was taken back to the prison again.
Three more shopkeepers were interrogated in Di Gongtang.These three accomplices were obsessed with making money, they only thought that Urjin was causing chaos in the city and looting several big companies, they could also take advantage of the chaos to fish out of it, but they committed the crime of treason without knowing it.
Di Gong punished each person with fifty large sticks, cut off their hair and heavy shackles, and displayed them on the street for ten days.
In the afternoon of the same day, the steward of Ding's house came to the Yamen to report the case, claiming that Ding Yi hanged himself to death, and Ding Huguo's fourth wife also died of poisoning, and no one left a word.People in the world say that these two people were pessimistic and hopeless because of the tragic death of General Ding, so they both committed suicide.There are even more conservative and good people who say that Wang Yuehua died in the year of youth, and she died with her husband. She is a martyr, so she raised donations to erect a monument for her.
In the next ten days or so, Mr. Di went all out to secure Qian Mou's case, and dealt with all matters in Ni Qi's case that were not capital crimes.
Qian Mou's two strategists, clung to by fate, Jie Dog barking Yao, should have been sentenced to exile, tattooed, and sent to the prison city of Beizhou, Nai Yin confessed willingly in the hall, and the hall confirmed the many crimes of Qian Mou's denunciation by the people. Each was fined five hundred taels of silver, which was used to buy new drums and repair the Drum Tower.The rest of the disciples under his command acted like a tiger and oppressed the common people. They were punished with twenty lashes and released.Di Gong also passed on Ni Shouqian's real will to Mrs. Ni, and once the capital came to approve the document, he would call her into the yamen to wait for the ruling.
Di Gong solved the three strange cases, and killed a war in the country in the cradle. He should have been relaxed for a while, but he was still worried, moody, sometimes closed and refused, and his teacher's heart was for his own use, and sometimes he was in a hurry. , Change from day to day.Hong Canjun didn't know what was still pressing in his master's heart.However, Di Gong hid his thoughts deeply and never revealed a word to the outside world.
One morning, the sound of gongs and the sound of horseshoes on the street approached from far away. It turned out that two hundred officers and soldiers marched into Lanfang at the invitation of Duke Di.The leading officer is heroic and heroic. He fought against the Fan army in northern Xinjiang back then, and he was very brave.The officer came to Yazhong, performed the military ceremony, and presented a corner of the official document.Mr. Di took it over and took it apart and looked at it. It turned out to be a military order from the Ministry of War. In addition to sending the town army to garrison Lanfang, it also clearly stated that the county magistrate Di Renjie and the new town army will jointly control the military affairs of the county.
The official and army camp was set up in Qian Mou's old house. Qiao Tai returned to the county government after handing over the general affairs.
When the officers and soldiers entered Lanfang, Duke Di was very happy, but within a day, he frowned and remained silent.Except for one trip to the yamen for Bai Lan's funeral, he lived in seclusion all day long, immersed in trivial yamen affairs.
Everything about Bailan's funeral was handled by Wu Feng. Needless to say, the coffin was exquisite, and there was even a seven-day water and land dojo, which helped the dead to escape from the sea of suffering early.The funeral was also very grand and cost more than 300 taels of silver. Wu Feng insisted that he alone undertake it.Bai Lan's tragedy made Wu Feng a completely different person.He quit drinking. For this reason, the shopkeeper of Yongchun Hotel had a red-faced quarrel with him, and the drinking friends in the neighborhood said that their old relationship with Wu Feng had come to an end.Wu Feng took away all his calligraphy and paintings, and rented a small house next to the Confucian Temple. He sleeps up every day and sleeps at night, not looking at the garden.Wu and Fang seem to have become irresistible, and the conversation is naturally speculative, and Wu Feng can sit for an hour or two.
One afternoon, Mr. Di was looking through the official documents in the study of the Nei Yamen. Hong Canjun came in, presented a large envelope, and said: "Master, the postman from the capital has just arrived. I would like to respectfully invite the master to watch this."
Di Gong looked happy, and hurriedly opened the envelope to read. After reading it in a while, he folded the official document, nodded, and said to Hong Canjun: "This is the case of Ni Qi's conspiracy, Ding Huguo's murder, and Mrs. Li's abduction and murder in the lobby of the Ministry of Criminal Justice." According to the approval document, Urjin and others gather a crowd to make trouble, which will damage the friendship between Han and Hu. After the court sends envoys to negotiate with Fan Wang, they will also be punished. In this way, the war will be turned into jade, and Lanfang will be safe and peaceful. Tomorrow I will After these three cases are concluded, I will be a free idler from now on!"
Hong Canjun didn't understand the meaning of Di Gong's last sentence.Without waiting for Hong Canjun to inquire, Duke Di hastily ordered to prepare for the morning hall the next day.
At the time of Yinpai the next day, all the government officials and officials got busy.The torches were all lit in front of the Yamen, and all the Yamen soldiers were using the torchlight to set up the carts, just waiting to take the prisoners to the execution ground outside the south gate for questioning and beheading.Even though it was not yet clear, a large group of people came to the county yamen early and set up three floors inside and three floors outside the yamen. Each one stretched their necks and stretched their feet, pushing each other and competing for novelty.A team of patrolling cavalry was led by the new town soldier to the county government office, and surrounded the caravans.
Half an hour before dawn, a yamen beat a big round drum three times at the gate of the yamen, and then the yamen opened wide, and the crowd poured into the lobby.
The halls and halls were brightly lit with candles. Di Gong was dressed in a green official uniform, with soap shoes on his feet, black gauze on his head, and a scarlet ribbon on his shoulders.The hall was quiet and quiet, and the spectators in the corridor and veranda saw the county magistrate sitting on the public seat with a red belt on his shoulders, and they knew that the criminal was definitely dead.
Ni Qi was the first to be escorted to the hall, and knelt on the slate floor in front of the public case.The old book office will submit the approval document to the official case.Di Gong moved the candle closer, and loudly declared: "The investigator Ni Qi is treasonous and treasonous. According to the "Laws of the Tang Dynasty", he should have been sentenced to Ling Chi and died with a thousand swords. I also left a suicide note, personally acting as a rebellious son, so Ling Chi was dismissed and the sentence was reduced to beheading. In order to protect the sound and light of Ni Shouqian's death, Ni Qi's head will not be hung on the city gate for public display, and his property will not be confiscated."
After hearing the verdict, Ni Qi's face was ashen.
Di Gong handed over an official matter to the head of the clerk, and said: "The criminal himself can read the posthumous letter of his biological father."
Fangzheng handed over the suicide note to Ni Qi.Ni Qi bowed his head and read it without saying a word, and handed it back to Fang Zheng.The second hall officer stepped forward and tied Ni Qi's hands, and Fang Zheng inserted the white French standard that he had prepared earlier into his back.The criminal's name, crime and punishment are written in large characters on the legal label. The criminal's surname is omitted for Ni Shouqian's reputation.
The second hall guard escorted Ni Qi to the hall.Di Gong also announced: "King Fan has sent his eldest son to Chang'an to apologize to the court for the trouble caused by Urjin and other criminals in Lanfang. He reiterated that he will live up to the previous agreement and form a good alliance forever. In the past, Urjin and other six criminals were handed over to the king of Fan for punishment. He also treated the prince as a guest of honor and invited him to visit Huaqing Pool in Lishan Mountain, Ci’en Temple in Xingyuan, the Mausoleum of the Yellow Emperor in the north of the city, and the forest of steles of the Six Dynasties.”
The people watching the trial in the verandah cheered immediately.Some people commented in a low voice: "The imperial court, as a landlord, invites Prince Fan to stay in Chang'an to enjoy the scenery of the imperial capital. I really want to detain him. With Prince Fan as a hostage in the capital, there is no fear of King Fan's remorse. Urjin and others Offenders will be severely punished." Everyone around scolded: "Don't talk nonsense! This is an act widely spread by my great Tang sage, Long En, and King Fan feels his sincerity and wants to punish Urgin's criminals even more."
Di Gong gave a heavy blow to the Jingtang wood, and shouted: "Silence!" All the hall guards also hurriedly shouted Tang Wei to suppress it.
The hall gradually fell silent.Di Gong signaled to the head of the class, and Mrs. Ni, mother and son were led to the hall.
Di Gongdao: "Mrs. Ni, your deceased husband Ni Shouqian left a will in the maze before his death. According to this, all the family property of the Ni family will be inherited by your mother and son. This county firmly believes that Ni Shan has you to take care of her, and she will be able to have a good future with him in the future." Like his biological father, he has accomplished a lot.”
Mrs. Ni, mother and son thanked each other again and again to express their gratitude.
The two left the hall.The book office also presented an official document to Di Gong's case.Di Gongdao: "This county is now announcing the approval of Ding Huguo's murder case."
"I checked the hidden weapon in the body of General Hu Guo and died. This hidden weapon was hidden in a pen tube, and the name of the study was engraved on the pen tube. However, it can be concluded that the hidden weapon was hidden by the owner of the study. General Ding Huguo did it for him. This person was harmed, and this theory is insufficient, so Ding Huguo's death was registered as an accidental death."
Hong Canjun whispered to Di Gong when he was scrolling through the official document: "The approval document only mentions a study, but it doesn't specify who is the owner of the study."
Di Gong nodded, and said in a low voice: "It is clear that Ni Shouqian's name was intentionally omitted when he came to the stage."
Di Gong threw another fire stick, and the second hall servant immediately brought Mrs. Li to the hall.
While Mrs. Li was awaiting trial in death row, the fear of impending death gradually came to her.Her face was haggard, and she opened her eyes wide only to see the red belt on Di Gong's shoulders and the executioner standing beside the case.The executioner had no expression on his face, he carried a shining ax on his shoulder, and two assistants stood behind him with steel knives, hand saws and ropes.Seeing this situation, Mrs. Li was frightened out of her wits, her legs were numb and she couldn't stand upright.The second hall servant put her on her knees in front of the case.
Di Gong declared: "The criminal woman Li Huang used to kill her husband in fornication, and now she abducts the women of the people, plots to commit crimes, and then murders and exterminates her. The blood debt is heavy, and she commits a capital crime. She is sentenced to beheaded and executed. For three days, to serve as an example to others. All the family property of the convict wife Li Huang will be owned by Fang Zheng, the sufferer, as a compensation."
Mrs. Li screamed strangely when she heard the judgment, and a servant put a piece of oiled paper plaster on her mouth.The other two tied her hands behind their backs, and inserted the French standard behind her.
The hall guard escorted Mrs. Li down.The spectators and judges were about to leave the hall, when Mr. Di slapped the startled tree, he said loudly: "The officials of this yamen listen to the announcement!" Then he read the names of Fang Zheng and others.Everyone was puzzled, and they all stood in front of the case.
Di Gong looked around at the crowd and said: "Fang Zhichao, you waited for everyone to reunite with this county, to help this county in times of crisis, to be loyal, to work tirelessly, to help this county through difficulties, this county is very grateful. Now the demon Qi is calm, Lanfang Anlan, this county lives up to its promise, you wait for everyone to go if you want to go, and stay if you want to stay, each according to his own convenience."
Fangzheng said respectfully: "Master has a boundless heart and treats people generously. We have escaped from the brink of death and lived in two lifetimes. We and others are deeply grateful for the kindness of Master, and I should be even more so. Why do you want to leave Master? How could Bai Lan die in this city, if I stayed, I would often be touched by the scene and cause old pain, it would be better to leave this place sooner, and save a lot of troubles in my heart. Furthermore, Wu Feng's biological father in the capital had a close friend, and the house was short of a housekeeper , Wu Feng has already submitted a letter to Chang'an, intending to recommend me to take up this position. Also, Wu Feng has entrusted a matchmaker to come to marry me and make a promise that he will be welcomed by Batai Caiyu as soon as the top high school is listed on the Dragon and Tiger List next year. The little girl Heilan is returning. In view of the above reasons, I intend to go to the capital as soon as possible, and I also live up to Wu Feng's kindness.
"I also ask the master to allow Fang Hu to stay here. Although the child is dull, lacking in talent and ability, it seems difficult to be competent for government affairs for a while, but he still has the heart to repay his kindness, and he will do his best when he is on duty. Even more like the master, a virtuous county lord , it is hard to find in the world, I entrusted the child to the master, and I let go of my heart. Master Wanwang was very kind and accepted the child."
After hearing this, Mr. Di said, "Don't talk like that. You and I have been in the same boat through thick and thin these days. Now that we are done, how can I cross the river and tear down the bridge? If you want to keep Fang Hu behind, I agree. It is arrested. There is a saying that happiness begets sorrow, but not happiness. A crime finally brought two families to celebrate. net.
"You are determined to leave. Even though I don't want to, I won't force you to stay. I appointed others to fill your vacancy. I originally wanted to entrust you with the post of Captain. Even though you are leaving today, you will still be conferred with this title. Starting tomorrow, You can hand over official duties with the new arresting general, and the accountant will receive Sichuan funds, so you can set off with Qianyuan as soon as possible."
Fangzheng and his son knelt down together and kowtowed to thank each other.
The three yamen servants said that they were willing to leave their current jobs and return to their old jobs, while the rest of the people were asked to stay and continue to work in public affairs.
Mr. Di—once he agreed, he announced his withdrawal from the court.
There are huge crowds of people outside the yamen.Ni Qi and Li Huang were locked into the car, and their names and crimes are clear at a glance.
The yamen opened wide, and Di Gong's green woolen official sedan chair, surrounded by all the yamen officials, left the yamen and went up the street.On the left are Ma Rong and Hong Liang, and on the right are Qiao Tai and Tao Gan. The four riders line up side by side.There are also slave servants holding tooth sticks and walking in front of the sedan chair and behind the sedan chair.There are four more people in the yamen, gongs and shouts at the front, and a team of officers and soldiers guards the sills and cars, and they break the back and go.The party marched slowly towards the south gate, while the people of Lanfang closely followed behind the sedan chair battle.When the sedan chair passed the stone bridge, the White Tiger Pagoda in the lotus pond was already bathed in the morning light.
The Dharma field is located outside the south gate, surrounded by railings.Di Gong dismounted from his official sedan chair in the execution ground, and the Zhenjun dismounted from their horses, clasped their fists and marched in salute.
The town army led Di Gong to sit down behind the public case set up at night, and ordered all the soldiers to form a square in front of the case.The executioner stuck the ax on the ground, rolled up his sleeves, tightened his belt, and held the torture knife in his hand.Two pairs of hands pulled the second prisoner out of the carriage, and knelt down in the center of the execution ground.
The executioner stood beside Ni Qi, and only waited for Di Gong's order before he opened the knife to kill.After a while, Di Gong shouted loudly: "Cut!" The executioner raised the knife and dropped it, Ni Qi didn't make a sound, a human head rolled into the dust, and blood spurted more than a foot from the neck.Mrs. Li was so frightened that she passed out, and the people outside the circle saw the horrific torture, and many of them covered their faces with twitches.
The executioner raised the head and brought it to Di Gong's case.Di Gong slapped a sentence on the forehead with a Zhu pen, and the executioner then lifted the head back and threw the body fragments into a bamboo basket.
The second deputy carried Li Huangshi aside, burned incense to wake her up, and dragged her to the center of the execution ground.
The executioner approached Li Huang with a bamboo-jointed steel whip.There are several barbs on this whip, which can only be seen on the execution ground. No matter how strong the murderer is, he will die within ten whips.When Li Huang saw this kind of torture whip, he was frightened and shouted for mercy.However, the job of the executioner is to execute sentences and kill people in the court, so how can Mrs. Li cry and cry.A pair of hands scattered Li Huang's cloud temples, gathered them into a net and held them in his hands, pulling his head forward.The other pair of hands stripped off her top and tied her hands again.
When Di Gong gave an order, the executioner raised his right hand and whipped Li Huangshi's back fiercely. With a crackling sound, the skin and flesh on Li Huangshi's back had long since cracked, and blood spattered everywhere.If the deputy hadn't held the long hair firmly, Li Huangshi would have been slapped and gnawed on yellow mud.
It took Li Huangshi half a day to catch his breath, screaming strangely.The executioner didn't care that she howled like a pig, and whipped her five times in a row. Li Huang's spine was exposed, blood gushed out from her back, and she passed out again.
Di Gong raised his hand and ordered the torture to stop.The second pair of hands re-ignited the scented nose, Li Huangshi woke up half a day later, they dragged her up to kneel on the ground again.The executioner held the ax high and stood aside, as soon as Di Gong said the word "cut", the torture knife in his hand chopped off with a click, and Li Huang's head fell to the ground.
Di Gong still drew the forehead with the ink brush. The executioner also threw the human head into the crucible, and ordered his assistant to bring it back and hang it over the south gate of the city.
Di Gong left his seat and took a sedan chair back to the Yamen.At this time, a round of red sun has just risen from the eastern sky.Di Gong's official sedan chair stopped in front of the Town God's Temple, and the town army arrived on horseback at the same time.The two burned incense and worshiped in front of the city god, and told the Bodhisattva about the crimes in the city and the death of the Dharma.After the report, the two bowed to each other in the temple courtyard, and each went back to the public house.
When Di Gong returned to the county government office, he went to the study of the inner government office to rest for a while.After drinking a cup of strong tea, he said to Hong Canjun, "Hong Canjun, you go to the dining room to have a meal. After the meal, we have to prepare a document to submit the details of the execution to the government."
When Hong Liang left the inner office, he saw Qiao Tai, Ma Rong, and Tao Gan standing in a corner of the compound, talking long and short, so he stepped forward to listen carefully.It turned out that Ma Rong was complaining about Hei Lan's ungratefulness, and said: "I married Hei Lan as a matter of course. When I met in the mountains that day, she almost killed me with a knife. She was trapped in Li Huang's family, and she was about to become a ghost. It was I who arrived in time, so she chose a small life. You say, isn't this fate? Also, she called me Brother Ma Rong in the Li family..."
Qiao Tai interrupted him and said: "Brother Ma Xian, don't worry about it. According to Brother Yu, it's your luck that Hei Lan married someone else. That hot pepper has always been sharp-tongued and soft-spoken. If you offend her , your ear can never be quiet in this life."
Ma Rong raised the amount with his hand, suddenly realized, and said: "You reminded me of a word! In this way, I bought Turbei. She is plump and strong, has a good temper, and she can't speak Chinese. What a shame for her." Worried about restlessness at home?"
Tao Gan shook his head and said, "Otherwise, it's just your wishful thinking. In my opinion, it won't take a month or two for that Hu girl to learn Chinese, and your ears will not be quiet either."
Ma Rong didn't think so, and said, "I'll go to Beiliao to look for her tonight. You might as well go with me, there are many virtuous ladies there, you can choose naturally."
Qiao Tai tightened his belt, and said angrily, "You don't leave your skirt with three words, don't you think you're not hungry? I think it's more serious to drink three cups at a hotel to quench your hunger and thirst first!"
Everyone nodded in agreement, and went out of the yamen together to the market.
Duke Di changed into a light suit, ordered the groom to bring out a good horse from the stable, leaped up, wrapped his mouth and nose with a scarf, and went out into the street with a whip.
The people on the street were talking about the second criminal, so they naturally didn't pay attention to who was sitting on the horse.After Di Gong passed the south gate, he whipped several times, and the steed under his crotch galloped south.All the yamen soldiers are still cleaning up the execution ground, some are dismantling temporary public cases, and some are covering the blood stains with clean sand.
Di Gong and his horse came to the outskirts of the wilderness, Fang reined in his horse and walked slowly.In the early morning of autumn, the golden wind is refreshing and the jade dew is cool. However, in this countryside where the air is fresh and the surrounding fields are quiet, Mr. Di is still restless.Every time a person is stabbed and killed in the execution ground, Duke Di is always uneasy.When investigating the case, he has been chasing it fiercely, never showing mercy, and never showing mercy. Once the bloody case is investigated and the criminal confesses, he always wants to forget everything.The execution ground is horrific, bloody, and cruel, and he really doesn't want to take on the job of supervising punishment and beheading.
Mr. Heyi's conversation with him in Wanshou Mountain made him feel disheartened, so the idea of resigning from office gradually arose, and now that all the cases are closed, this idea is getting stronger.I thought it would be better to abandon my official position as soon as possible and go back to my hometown. From then on, I will guard my ancestors and leave a few acres of Susukida, a few shabby rooms, write poems, write articles, and raise children.There are so many beautiful things in the world, but why bother to always pretend to be cruel.Evil and sin?There are even more talented servants in the court, and there will be someone to replace the lord of Lanfang County.He had long wanted to revisit a subset of classics and history and write classic commentaries for the benefit of all people.Now Fang is in his early forties and full of energy. After becoming an official, he can work hard at his desk. If he fulfills this long-cherished wish, he also serves the country?
However, Duke Di hesitated again. What did he learn from reading the books of sages?Receiving from the temple and serving the king is the foundation of people's animal husbandry.If the high-ranking officials and subordinates of the Manchu Dynasty were so clean and self-conscious, and they enjoyed traveling in the forest, what would happen to the country?Furthermore, since Erlang is still young, isn't it his father's duty to teach them that one day they will become officials and serve the country faithfully?Thinking of this, he shook his head again and again, wanting to solve the doubts in his heart, the answer must be found on the single piece in Mr. Heyi's thatched cottage:
Tianlong lifts into the sky and becomes a fairy fruit
Earthworm digs the soil and lives long
Ever since he visited Mr. Heyi in the mountains that day, Mr. Di has been obsessed with this frame of banner.He let out a long sigh, and immediately gave him a whip, Mr. Shangxu Heyi pointed out what to do.
Duke Di came to the foot of Longevity Hill and dismounted from his horse.A farmer on the side of the road was hoeing grain in the field, and Mr. Di showed him his mount.Just as he was about to go up the mountain, he saw a woodcutter coming down the mountain along a narrow path.The woodcutter was originally an old man with a face like bark and a few sticks in his hands.Walking in front of Duke Di, he put down the firewood, wiped the fine sweat from his forehead, glanced at Duke Di, and said, "May I ask where you want to go, sir?"
Di Gong replied: "Since the old man asked, you might as well tell me that I will go to the mountains to see Mr. Heyi."
The old man slowly shook his head and said: "Sir, please go back, Mr. Heyi may not be found. Four days ago, the little old man walked by his door, and saw the rain destroying all the flowers, and the wind blowing the door. Go in and have a look, and you will know the house." There was no one there. From then on, Xiao Lao kept the dry firewood inside."
When Di Gong heard this, he suddenly felt lonely.
The farmer listened to him, handed the reins back to Duke Di, and said, "Sir, if this is the case, it will save you a lot of hard work over the mountains."
Di Gong ignored it and asked the woodcutter: "What happened to Mr. Heyi? Have you ever seen his dead body in the mountains?"
The old man smiled secretly, shook his head and replied: "Sir, how can such hermit immortals die of old age under the door like you and me? Wings soar up to the blue sky and heaven, leaving nothing behind!" The old man picked up the dry sticks and walked away slowly.
After hearing this, Duke Di's heart brightened, and the answer is here!Smiling to the farmer, he said, "That's right, I'm a man of this world, and I'm going to bury my head in the soil like I always did, digging incessantly."
Di Gong was relaxed, stepped into the saddle, whipped the horse back to the city.
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