Chapter 37 Judgment

〖The bandit wind blows, and the bandit car verses.Gu Zhan is thoughtful, but the center is embarrassing. Bandit wind blows, bandit car purine.Gu Zhan said thoughtfully, hanging in the center. Who can hunt fish?The cauldron of irrigation.Who will return west?The good voice of Huai. 〗 Bian sang and danced to the end of a piece of "Bandit Wind", and said with a smile: "'Who can make a fish? The cauldron of irrigation' is sung by you!" "Then 'Who will return to the west? Huaizhi's good voice.' Of course you are the one who said it!" Cao Cao couldn't help smiling.Bian held the food table, knelt down in front of Cao Cao respectfully, held the food table high and handed it to him.

Cao Cao took it over, and stroked her hand: "You have to learn from Liang Hong and Meng Guang, ah!" "I don't dare..." Bian's face flushed, and she looked more and more charming. "I don't think Meng Guang can compare to you," Cao Cao stuffed a chopstick of vegetables into his mouth, "Although Meng Guang is a talented woman, she is not beautiful after all, and she is older than Liang Hong. You are different. Being good at singing and dancing, I am very blessed to have you." Bian pursed her lips and smiled: "Look at what you said!"

"Although there are all kinds of good things, how can the two of us last long?" Cao Cao chewed a few mouthfuls, and then said seriously, "I also have a decent family, and I have two decent families, Ding and Liu. My wife and concubine are at home, and they bring you by my side, they are neither masters nor servants, and they are accompanied by an insignificant brother-in-law, what is going on?" Hearing what he said, Mrs. Bian immediately pursed her mouth: "Are you happy that this is already the case? You snatched me back at the beginning! We have been hiding in Qiao County for so long, if De'er and Xiahou brothers Zhou Ji, It was taken away by the government long ago. Our siblings have suffered so much for you, don't you take it to heart?"

Cao Cao originally teased her on purpose, seeing her coquettish look, he secretly smiled inwardly, but said unchanged: "I can't help it... You don't know, until now Huan Shao and Bian Rang are still talking about this matter everywhere." Loud, if father finds out, how can you let you into the house in your capacity? Our Cao family is also a duke after all, do you want to have a good reputation?" "Cao A lie!" Bian was angry, "I thought I was in the arms of a dignified gentleman. It turns out that you are also a heartless man who is full of benevolence, righteousness and morality, full of male robbers and female prostitutes! How much did our siblings suffer in the hut to protect your fame? Bitter? You are going to Beijing, and you ran to me and swore you would be with me forever. It makes me sick to think about it...Even if I am a kabuki, how many times have I ever done dirty things? Haven’t you Man! You are a beast! Huh..." After saying that, he covered his face and began to cry.

Seeing that the joke was getting too big, Cao Cao quickly changed his smile and said, "Don't cry, I'm just kidding you! How can I do something wrong? Besides, I'm not willing to let you go... Don't cry... I just The eyebrows you draw for you won't look good when you cry..." Mrs. Bian threw herself into his arms all at once, knocking over the cups and plates, she ignored it, sobbing in a low voice: "You are not allowed to talk nonsense... people miss you so much... it will be several years since we left, I Living in a place where there is no smoke... All the food is delivered by De'er in a car, only once or twice a month... In winter, I stay in the hut with A Bing, and I can hear wolves howling when it is quiet... It's all for to be with you……"

"I know..." Cao Cao hugged her waist tightly with one hand, and stroked her hair tenderly with the other, "I will never say such things in the future, and I will always take you by my side... I will see Ding in the future." Shi and the others want to be harmonious, do you understand?" "Yes. As long as I can follow you, I will agree to anything." Shi Bian raised her head, and suddenly leaned on Cao Cao's not-so-strong shoulder.Cao Cao was burning with desire at this moment, he kicked the food table lightly with his feet, slowly pressed Bian under him, and kissed her cheeks and temples...

At this time, Lou Yi's heavy voice came from across the door: "My lord, the criminal Liu Lang has been taken! Please ask your lord to ask the question!" Cao Cao cursed secretly that it was not the right time, slowly got up and straightened his clothes and shouted: "Got it! Why are you howling at noon? I'm going to be promoted!" As he spoke, he touched Bian's charming face, Push the door and go. As soon as he came out, he saw Lou Yi knelt at the door profusely, and Cao Cao slapped him hard on the head, jokingly said, "You've grown up too! The Liu family is such a hard-working family, if you want to take someone, you can take it." It's not easy!"

"How can I have this ability? If I followed my advice and beat in and captured people, the surnamed Liu would have run away long ago... This is all thanks to my uncle." Lou Yi replied with his head bowed. At this time, Bian Bing also came over with a smile: "It was my idea. You need to use your brains to take such local tyrants. I think Dong Xuan, who was famous for his strength back then, was so powerful that he ate up a local snake in Beihai. Unfortunately, the yamen was almost smashed! Can we be careless?" "You really have made progress!" Cao Cao nodded again and again, "You still know the history of this dynasty. The local tyrants in these places are indeed too domineering."

"Haven't you ever eaten pork, haven't you seen pigs run away? To deal with such rich and heartless people, I have to use my beggar's tricks!" Bian Bingyi clenched his fists, "I dressed up and ran to his house, saying that the new county magistrate His brother-in-law begged to see his master. No, he thought Pidianpidian came out when the master saw his joy, and Louyi and the others took it down without any effort! His lackeys are still fucking trying to rob people , I put the blade on Liu's neck, which frightened his parents and ancestors to scream, and those dog legs didn't dare to come over. Now that he is locked in prison, I'm afraid he doesn't understand anything at this moment What's up!"

"It's yours!" Cao Cao smiled at him, "The plenum for catching and handling cases is over." "That's right! We're half-skilled now!" Bian Bing patted his back, "Shouldn't we be able to grow up with my brother-in-law? Otherwise, wouldn't the food be swallowed into the dog's stomach? I'm begging for food. , if you hadn't smashed that old turtle egg of the Huan family with a stick back then, I wouldn't know where the hell I would have buried it now!" Cao Cao shook his head again and again: "I said when will your problem be corrected? What a swear word! You are considered an official relative now, and the market is full of such nonsense, you don't want face, I want more!"

"Yes yes yes!" Bian Bingnuo repeated, not daring to say anything more. "I'm going to be promoted. You are not from the gate of the yamen. What kind of words does the master ask the case and uncle? Go to the side room and talk to the officials of Dong'e County!" After speaking, he led Lou Yi to the front yamen. Cao Cao has been in office for more than half a year, but there is still a legacy case that has not yet been closed. The tenant farmer Wang San sued Liu Lang, the landlord of Dunqiu County, for murder. Four generations of Wang San’s family have been farming for the Liu family. Just because Wang San’s father lost two of the Liu family’s cattle, Liu Lang instigated his servants to beat Wang’s father alive. die.Wang San went to argue, was beaten up by the Liu family, and was expelled from the field and cut off his livelihood. In desperation, he went to the county government to sue the Liu family, but the former county magistrate did not dare to provoke Liu Lang, so he only gave him some money It's over.It turned out that Liu Lang was not only a landlord, but also the descendant of the Liu family's clan, and ordinary county magistrates dare not take care of him.Wang San refused to accept and sued several times, but the county magistrate refused. It took a whole year and a half until the county magistrate died of a sudden illness. Cao Cao is well aware of the harm of local tyrants now, and Liu Lang is the most arrogant landlord in Dunqiu County. If he wants to establish his prestige and heal Dunqiu, he must first pull out this nail.Zheng worried that he couldn't catch the topic, and the case would be settled as soon as Wang San complained.But arresting people is a problem. There are many adults in the Liu family's mansion, and they have seduced the upper-level officials. Not to mention that they can't go in and arrest them.Thanks to Bian Binghua, who has a lot of guts, he managed to trick Liu Lang out without any effort. "Ascension hall!" Lou Yi yelled towards the entrance of the hall. For a short time, Yuan and Fang, the dunqiu county team leaders, led the yamen servants in two rows, all of them stood upright in all uniforms of green clothes and hats.Cao Mengde sat in the middle of his clothes and sleeves, and the county meritor Cao Xu Tuo stood by to watch the trial, and the hall was dignified and quiet.There was a lot of trouble outside the county government, not to mention the people in the county, even people from ten miles and eight villages who had been oppressed by the Liu family flocked here. Although the weather is in August, after all, the autumn tiger has surpassed the volts, the weather is really gold and fire, the sky is clear and the clouds are gone, a round of red sun shines down, scorching the ground, hundreds of people block the gate of the yamen to go in Looking around, people are crowded by everyone, and they are so hot that they sweat through their thin shirts.The gate of the outer courtyard of the Yamen Temple was open, and the people who came early crowded into the entrance of the hall. Lou Yi led a few soldiers to guard the gate to maintain order, and kept shouting: "Don't push! Stop pushing! The entrance of the hall must follow the rules. Who wants to squeeze in again, watch out for my whip!" It took a long time for the people to gradually calm down. Cao Cao smiled slightly, and said to Xu Tuo: "The sky is hot and the people are hot too! Look at me, the new county magistrate, breaking this case, and make a good start!" After saying this, he turned his face away, opened his eagle eyes, and shouted: "Take the prisoner!" Several yamen servants went away in response, and in an instant they escorted Liu Lang in, pressed him to the ground, and told him to kneel down.Liu Lang was still ignorant up to this moment, but vaguely felt that the new county magistrate was planning to kill him, so he kept his head down and dared not speak, secretly thinking about how to deal with it.At this time, thunder was deafening to my ears, and Cao Cao asked coldly, "Liu Lang! Are you guilty?" "The grassroots don't know what the crime is." Liu Lang forced himself to retort with the mentality that he is not afraid of taking cold medicine when he is not sick. "I don't know what's the crime?" Cao Cao suddenly became amiable, and he didn't seem to be asking the case at all. He leaned over the case and asked, "Do you really don't know what the crime is, or have you done too many sinful things? I don’t know which one committed the crime? You look back at the people outside the hall... Poor people from tens of miles around have been recruited, and you, Mr. Liu, are very popular! Look at the fellow villagers, what expression do you see on your face? If I put you in a stew right now, it might not be enough." Liu Lang really shuddered and turned his head to take a look-it was so dark!There are a few familiar faces in the front row, all tenant farmers who have been squeezed by him, and the others must not be friendly.His heart trembled, but after all, the tiger's dead body won't fall down, so he immediately calmed down: the more soft you are, the more you will suffer!Then he turned around and shouted tremblingly: "My lord said that the grassroots don't understand. If someone sues me, I should ask him to confront him. Your lord has put up such a situation, is he trying to deceive me, Liu?" "I've only deceived celebrities and important ministers, but a snob like you? You deserve it too! Take Wang San!" Wang San rushed to the hall, and hurriedly knelt down: "I beg you to be the master of the grassroots!" "Don't worry, speak slowly." Cao Cao's attitude towards him was quite good. Wang San had long held back his grievances, and his enemy was extremely jealous when he met him. He pointed at Liu Lang's nose and told how he oppressed the tenant farmers, how he rented the cattle, how he beat his father to death, how he beat him out of the farm, etc. After reading about the rotten millet in someone else's house, I made it clear in every detail. Cao Cao didn't interrupt, and after he had finished speaking, he slapped the gavel: "Liu Lang! Is there something about beating Wang San's father to death?" "I don't know about this matter. It was my servant who killed his father. Last year, these people left my house and went to other places." Liu Lang shook his head and said nonchalantly. "Oh? To another family?" Cao Cao smiled, "Who did he vote to?" "I don't know about that. The legs are on their bodies, so it's up to me where I want to go?" "Nonsense! You bastard in human skin!" Seeing his denial, Wang San was furious, got up and grabbed Liu Lang by the belt, and punched him.Liu Lang is someone who has been supported for a long time, and his cheeks have been blackened with two punches.Suddenly there was a commotion in the hall, and the officials on both sides hurriedly pulled the two apart. "My lord! This lunatic made a false accusation first, yet dared to disturb the court and beat people in public. Does he still have the law in his eyes? Why don't you bring this lunatic down for questioning!" Liu Lang covered his face and raised his voice Yelling. "It's up to me to talk about it." Cao Cao said calmly, "Quiet! Shut up... Liu Lang! You indulged your family members to commit crimes, and at least you are guilty of lax family management. Tell him to beat you twice It’s okay to vent your anger.” "What kind of official is your lord doing? Indulging lunatics and beating innocent people?" "Shut up!" Cao Cao yelled, "Are you really innocent? You said you didn't know the whereabouts of those servants, but I know, bring them up!" A few yamen servants left in response, and in an instant they walked in with four prisoners in chains.I don’t know how many times these four people have passed through the church, limping and limping, their clothes are ragged and can’t cover their bodies, their hair is messed up like dry grass, sweat and blood are all over their bodies, all of them are pale and dejected, lying on the ground with their heads hanging half dead. . "Liu Lang! Open your eyes and see if it's them?" Cao Cao said with a half-smile. When Liu Lang saw them, half of his body was already numb, and he was about to deny it, but he heard Cao Cao laughing: "I didn't expect that! You think it's over if you give them money and send them away? You can only blame them for not being up to date. County Magistrate Wan Qian caught the crime in A County. Didn’t you ask people to wear red and hang gifts and send them back?” After laughing, he asked those people, “You guys also talk about it! It’s your personal grievances. Did you kill old man Wang, or did you follow your master's orders?" "I listened to my master's order." These four people were tortured twice by Dong Ah Ling Wanqian for causing trouble, and they were taken back to Dunqiu with shackles and chains, and Cao Cao was asked to live again. Huizi has been tidied up a long time ago. "You guys are talking nonsense! You spitting blood!" Liu Lang's eyes showed fear. "Sir, don't deny it anymore..." a servant whose face was covered with blood stains urged, "Pay attention to the pain of flesh and blood... We were worse than you when we first came in? Now look... ..." Liu Lang's face turned white for a moment, but he still spoke plausibly: "I plead guilty... But my lord, this case happened last year, and there was an amnesty at the beginning of the year. Even if the crime of murder is true, you can't stop me." stunned.The amnesty at the beginning of the year is true, what should we do?Turning his head to look at the two squad leaders surnamed Fang and Yuan in the yamen, they both shook their heads slightly, signaling him not to punish him.Cao Cao was annoyed for a while: the old man in this yamen must have been involved with the surnamed Liu on weekdays!At this point, he slightly turned around, glanced at Xu Tuo, and asked casually, "Xu Gongcao, what do you think?" Xu Tuo is the name of an old criminal, how exquisite is he?Before Cao Cao took office, he inquired about Cao Cao's background, experience, and temperament.At this moment, he heard him asking himself so eccentrically, Cao Cao would break the rules if he decided before the amnesty, but he didn't care about it and deliberately followed his mind and said: "National amnesty, we must investigate...but the former county magistrate in this case It has not been reviewed, and the lower officials believe that today's time should be used as the deadline for filing the case, and the crimes of Liu Lang and others will not be pardoned." This is what I want! Cao Cao gritted his teeth and said with a sinister grin: "Liu Lang allowed his domestic slaves to kill people, and yelled at the court to deny them in every possible way. He and his four accomplices were paraded through the streets for three days, and then... put on death row!" .The soldiers dragged a few people down to the hall. Liu Lang was so frightened that he kicked his legs and shouted: "My lord, please forgive me, please forgive me... Captain Yuan! Captain Fang! Why didn't you save me after paying the money?" ?” "Wait a minute!" Cao Cao immediately stopped and glanced at the two squad leaders.Fang and Yuan were looked down upon by him!Yuan Ban's blue face turned pale from bluffs, and he knelt down in a hurry, muttering in his mouth: "It's unreasonable... spouting blood...the crime cannot be punished...don't listen to him, my lord." Cao Cao ignored him and said to Liu Lang: " Finish your sentence!" "Bantou Yuan and Bantou Fang, why did you agree to me? You will never ask the county magistrate to punish me. Did you say that?" Liu Lang's words sparked a fire inside and outside the door.Xu Tuo also gasped: It's dangerous!It is common for the head of the yamen servants to eat black money. I used to do this kind of thing, but fortunately, I stopped doing it since Cao Mengde took office. Otherwise, I would have run into Cao Cao like Yuan and Fang. Sure enough, Cao Cao looked at Yuan and Fang with a smile and said, "No wonder you urged me to settle this case as soon as you took office, and later you said that the Liu family is powerful and advised me to postpone it!" "My lord! Let me explain it for them." Xu Tuo also smiled, "The reason for uncovering this case is to spread rumors and tell the Liu family to stuff money. Of course, I want to persuade you to do it quickly. Later, when the money arrives, I want to eliminate the disaster with others. Naturally, it is advisable to postpone it." Cao Cao nodded: "It's a scheming... Can you two be convicted?" "Young one, I'm convicted." Yuan Bantou hurriedly kowtowed, "I beg your lord to spare us what happened, we won't dare in the future." "It's a pity that there is no future..." Cao Cao stood up abruptly, "Each play 20 boards, parade for three days, and then... pack your bags and go home! You all listen, whoever dares to accept bribes in the future, forty boards , Paraded the streets for six days! And again, 80 boards, paraded the streets for twelve days! I don’t believe that a small greedy vulgar official in Dunqiu County can’t stop fighting! Everyone inside and outside the hall listen to me, who will listen to it in the future? If you say that the yamen has received corruption, report it to me, and I will deduct the salary of the corrupt person and reward him!" "Okay!" I don't know which commoner took the lead in shouting, and suddenly the crowd became lively, and the joyful voices of the common people came and went one after another. Lou Yi personally beat the two squad leaders to pieces with a stick, and then a group of criminals were escorted out to parade in the streets with shackles and chains.The common people don't hate bullies and vulgar officials when they see them—one throws stones, another kicks them up, and Liu Lang and others are beaten into melons in a short while! All the people in the yamen followed to the gate, and seeing the people rushing away excitedly around the criminals, Xu Tuo hurriedly reminded Cao Cao: "Master County Magistrate, I'm afraid this is not the right way to deal with it. In two days, these people will not be beaten to death." You have to be tossed to death." "What you deserve!" Cao Cao gritted his teeth, "If they hadn't committed so many crimes, the common people would have made things difficult for them. They couldn't survive these three days—they deserved their death!" "This……" "Needless to say! If a prisoner dies and is held accountable by the court, I will take the responsibility alone! I have seen Yang Qiu and Wang Ji's skills. As long as it works, it doesn't matter to learn from them to be a cruel official... Don't talk about it, you can follow me Sit in the back." Xu Tuo knew his temperament, and it would be useless to talk too much, so he followed him to the back office.Just after the second gate, I saw Bian Bing talking and laughing with an official who seemed to be in his thirties. "Come, come, Xu Gongcao." Cao Cao pulled the young official over, "I introduce for you, this official's name is Cheng Li, his name is Zhongde, he is a meritorious officer of Dong'e County, and the magistrate of Wan County sent them here. The person who sent the prisoner... this is Xu Tuo, the county meritorious Cao." Xu Tuo heard that he was sent by Wan Qian, so he didn't dare to be negligent. He stepped forward to pay respects and looked carefully. "Xu Gongcao, I've been listening behind you just now. Your explanation for the slow and strict punishment of the two squad leaders is really penetrating!" Cheng Li said with a smile, "But since you are an old criminal, you can see people I haven’t seen it yet, why didn’t I remind Mr. Cao when I saw the clue?” Xu Tuo was taken aback: This man is shrewd and mean!Hastily knelt down and bowed his head and said: "The lower official is guilty!" "It's not a crime, but it's just that you have bad intentions." Cao Cao took over the words, "Although you didn't take bribes, you helped them to bully you. Now I'm an official here. In the past, you Under the hands of others, it may not be clean!" Xu Tuo was so frightened that he didn't even dare to vent his anger, but he listened to Cheng Li's reassurance: "It's almost a matter of course for officials to make money now. It's rare for Xu Gongcao not to intervene in such a big case. Besides, this is also a nasty thing from the time of the former county magistrate, so let it go! You have risked the lives of the two squad leaders, do you really want to drive out all the old staff in this county government? Who will dare to be under your hands in the future? What about the effect?" "Hey... get up!" Cao Cao helped Xu Tuo, "Forget about it, but as I said in class just now, from tomorrow onwards, there must be no more fuss in this yamen! Lao Fang, Lao Fang Yuan has fallen, send some money to the two families, don't let people say that working with me will not end well, get up tomorrow and make up for the shift." Xu Tuo made repeated noises, and finally heaved a sigh of relief: "This subordinate must act loyally in the future, and never dare to lie to your lord again." "Okay, buddy, take it easy!" Cheng Li patted him on the shoulder, "It's your blessing to follow Mr. Cao! Do all kinds of errands boldly, no matter what clan or local tyrant, just do it! Which supervisor dares to say no when he comes down? Cao Laoqing's eldest son, can they afford to offend him?" After saying that, he burst out laughing. Xu Tuo had a smile on his face, but secretly complained in his heart: "Well, you Cheng Zhongde, slap a sweet date with a slap, you really deserve it!" Cao Cao didn't notice it, and was immersed in his own thoughts: "Although I walk straight and straight, I still rely on my father's care... I am also the magistrate of Wan County in Guixian County, an official who is as clear as water and as bright as a mirror. Ah Zhi did not close the door at night, and Cao was convinced." "Using the words of our Master Wan, he has suffered all his life from going straight up. If he can curry favor with his superiors and not offend the dignitaries, he would have been a minister by now... But if he can benefit the people of one side, he must work hard. What's wrong with being practical? Now that he is loved and loved by others, he won't go even if he is given a decent Beijing official!" Cheng Li said with emotion, "Come on, I've finished my work, so I'll go back to deal with business. Mr. Cao , Xu Gongcao, Mr. Bian, we will have a meeting later, and I will take my humble leave.” "Go all the way, I must visit Mr. Wan when I have a chance in the future!" Cao Cao said a few words and wanted to send him out, but Bian Bing took his hand and whispered: "Qin Yilu sent a letter to the master and came back. I didn’t tell you the case, but he brought the master’s reply letter and is waiting for you in the house.” When Cao Cao heard this, he asked Xu Tuo and Bian Bing to see him off, and he hurried in to read the letter. "Say hello to the grown-up, little one!" Qin Yilu was the most knowledgeable, "I haven't seen you for a few days, lord, you seem to have lost weight." "Sincerely doing things for the people, I should work hard. Since I have made a wish, it is better to lose weight than break my promise and gain weight." "What you said is that your lord is a good and honest official." Qin Yilu will never forget to flatter. "Did you get the things you bought from the capital?" "Master Hui, all food and clothing are ready!" Qin Yilu replied with a smile. "Get up! The errands have been done well, and I'll be back so soon. Get up early tomorrow, take your things to the mulberry garden in Changyuan County, and give them to Mr. Guo Jingtu, and say good things!" Cao Cao smiled slightly, "Give me another You have a new job, when you come back, I will be the shift leader with Lou Yi... Remember, keep your hands clean!" "Thank you for the cultivation." "Hmm. How is father? How is your mood? Did you see Bao Xin when you came to Beijing this time? Is there any news about Mr. Qiao?" Cao Cao kept asking after taking Cao Song's letter. "My lord is in good health, and was quite pleased to read your letter." "That's good." When Cao Cao left Beijing, his father was behind closed doors, but now he heard Qin Yilu say that he was happy, and finally he felt relieved. "In addition, this time I paid a special visit to Mr. Bao. His elder brother Bao Hong just became an official last month, and he is celebrating!" Qin Yilu continued, "Mr. He deliberately asked him to switch to Dr. Guanglu and Yang Gong. Also, Mr. Wang Jun was confiscated by the three princes, but he didn't accept it at all. It seems that he doesn't plan to be an official anymore..." "Crack!" Cao Cao looked at the half of the letter and suddenly jumped up, "Slave! What did you say when you went back? How did my father know that I took in the Bian brothers and sisters?" "I don't know the little one!" Qin Yilu fell to his knees with a plop. "You don't know? Dunqiu Luoyang is thousands of miles away, how can he know if you don't tell me?" "I really don't know, how can I have such guts?" Qin Yilu told Cao Song about this, but he pretended to be innocent, "Besides, it is of no benefit to me to tell the master about it! You must be clear about it. " Cao Cao stared at Qin Yilu, his usual flattering smile confused his judgment, he took a long time to say: "It should not be you... Then how did he know it... He can't escape his old man's palm until here... ..." After all, Cao Song has long eyes, and he knew it when he was escorting He Yong, so Cao Cao no longer doubted Qin Yilu, but contacted his second uncle Cao Chi about this matter. "Don't worry too much," Qin Yilu heaved a sigh of relief, rolled his eyes and said, "I guess the master just wants to do something for you!" "Ah..." Cao Cao put the letter on the case, "Zhou Quan? Really Zhou Quan! He told me to expel the Bian family siblings, how could I be so unjust..." At this moment, there was a voice outside, probably Xu Tuo, When Bian Bing came back, he quickly rolled up the letter and stuffed it in his sleeve.