Li Qinzai looked at Wang Shifu with regret, but he actually admired this man.
Bai Qisi found out that Wang Shifu was a good official with an honest reputation and good deeds for the people. He had indeed done many practical things for the people during his tenure.
However, people all have two sides after all. Li Qinzai had doubts about him when he first took office in Bingzhou, and this suspicion has never been dispelled.
"Wang Farewell, call out the people behind you, I can save your life." Li Qinzai stared into his eyes and said.
Wang Shifu smiled bitterly: "I can't do it, I... have my own reasons."
Li Qinzai smiled: "The reason is... Taiyuan Wang family?"
Wang Shifu was surprised: "You, how do you..."
Li Qinzai said slowly: "I checked on you and found that you were born in the Taiyuan Wang family. Later, I heard that your elders separated you from the woman you loved, so you cut off contact with the Taiyuan Wang family from now on. Ha, the story is quite bloody, but I don't believe it.
.”
"In this era, no one can completely cut off all ties with the family. It is a mark that has been imprinted on one's body since birth. What's more, Bingzhou is the ancestral home of the Wang family in Taiyuan, and you are an official in Bingzhou. If you say
Completely cutting off contact, I really find it hard to believe..."
Wang Shifu said bitterly: "Is it because of this that Li Qishi doubts me?"
"Not only that, Baiqisi heard that you are flawless as an official. You are simply a contemporary saint. But I, the last person in my life, believe in saints. If there is a saint in the world, then he must be a hypocrite and must have done evil things.
"
Wang Shifu was silent for a long time, then lowered his head and said, "I'm convinced..."
Li Qinzai sighed: "You come from a wealthy family, how can you bear to harm the people? The people are already suffering enough. You have no shortage of food and clothing, and you have many ways to make money. Why don't you let the people take a breather in the year of great disaster? Wang Biejia
, if I forgive you easily, I would be sorry for the suffering people."
Wang Shifu whispered: "I am willing to plead guilty and obey the law."
Li Qinzai waved his hand and ordered the soldiers to capture Wang Shifu and take him to the prison.
Wang Shifu was dejected and was taken away. Liu Asi then said with admiration: "Fifth Young Master has a clever plan. He actually calculated that someone would burn down the official warehouse and even suspected Wang Shifu early on. He is really clever."
Li Qinzai did not look happy. The Tang Dynasty during this period was good. There were not so many scandals in the court and the people were simple and impeccable. However, no dynasty was perfect. There were always a few people in power who exploited the people for their own gain.
Bingzhou is like this, and other cities may not have it.
…………
It was almost dawn when he returned to the Governor's Mansion, and Li Qinzai simply sat in front of the hall and drank alone.
He seemed to be waiting for someone.
In the early morning, the officers of the Governor's Mansion carefully walked around the central hall and began to clean the courtyard.
At three o'clock in the morning, a member of the tribe hurried over to report, and the Korean lady asked to see him.
Li Qinzai smiled. He would be really sleepy if he kept waiting. Fortunately, the person who was supposed to come finally came.
The Korean lady was carried in a soft sedan. Her face was pale and her clothes were disheveled. She seemed to have lightly applied makeup before going out. A woman would never let her face down.
Li Qinzai looked at her carefully. Mrs. Korea was seriously injured. Many parts of her body were wrapped with strips of cloth, and her ribs were wrapped like a rice dumpling. She could only lie weakly on the soft sedan, frowning and moaning from time to time.
Li Qinzai stepped forward to welcome her and ordered his people to put her down carefully. Then he retreated from the hall and ordered his troops to patrol around to prevent anyone from getting close to her.
The two of them sat and lay down in the hall, looking at each other for a long time.
Mrs. Han sighed sadly and said: "After all, I didn't escape. I originally planned to go back to Chang'an after the incident, but I didn't dare. I didn't expect that someone in Bingzhou had already attempted murder."
Li Qinzai smiled and said: "Madam, if you recite Buddhist scriptures more often, you should know that everything in the world has a cause and effect, and if there is a cause, there will be an effect."
Mrs. Korea sighed: "Yes, this is probably my retribution. Ever since my sister was canonized as queen and everyone in the Wu family became prosperous, we have gradually become arrogant. Looking back on what we have done in the past few years, it is really... a hundred deaths."
Don’t redeem yourself.”
Li Qinzai smiled and said: "I have no control over what Madam has done in the past few years. I only care about what Madam did in Bingzhou."
Mrs. Korea avoided answering, looked directly into his eyes and said slowly: "Li Shi, I just want to get the truth. Before you went to Bingzhou, did my sister have a secret order for you to kill me?"
Li Qinzai smiled and said: "Why are sisters like this? Madam, you are too worried."
Mrs. Han, however, said reluctantly: "Please ask Governor Li to speak frankly."
Li Qinzai remained silent.
After a long time, the Korean lady smiled sadly.
Although she didn't wait for the answer, Li Qinzai's expression already gave her the answer.
"It's me who deserves to die, I shouldn't be with the emperor... I've really lost my mind in the past few years." Mrs. Korea murmured with tears in her eyes.
Wiping her tears, Mrs. Korea said proudly: "Li Cishi, I won't let you be in trouble. Since you have obeyed the queen's order, please take action."
Li Qinzai did not move, but poured himself a glass of wine, drank it, took a long breath, and said: "Madam's life and death are in your own hands. Whether it is life or death depends on what you did in Bingzhou. Madam is willing to talk about it."
What?"
The Korean lady struggled to get up, endured the severe pain in her body, gritted her teeth and knelt down in front of Li Qinzai, and said slowly: "Li Qinzai, I have a report. Bingzhou grain merchants are driving up grain prices. I am involved, but I am not the mastermind. I am the mastermind.
There are many people, and they are all powerful people, does Li Jishishi dare to listen?"
Li Qinzai smiled: "If you dare to speak, of course I dare to listen."
The Korean lady's eyebrows were lowered and her expression was indifferent. Her once alluring little cherry mouth was turning up and down at this moment, and a long string of names came out of her mouth.
After a long time, Mrs. Korea finally finished speaking, and then looked at Li Qinzai provocatively, as if asking him with her eyes, do you dare to question such powerful people?
After hearing this, Li Qinzai's heartbeat suddenly accelerated, but he still wanted to save face and keep smiling.
This list really frightened him.
It involves not only Bingzhou, but more than 20 cities in the entire Hedong Road.
The governors of each city, the garrison generals, the nobles of the aristocratic families, and even the ministers of the Chang'an court, Zuo Cheng, Si Qing and so on.
This is an extremely secretive and complex web.
At this moment today, Li Qinzai and Mrs. Korea finally tore this net open.
"Li Cishi, I know everything has been said, but I wonder if Li Cishi dares to do anything?" Mrs. Han's face was pale, and she did not forget to get her hair cut.
Li Qinzai smiled: "As I said before, if you dare to say it, I will do it."
The Korean lady's eyelids drooped: "I'll wait and see."
"From what Madam said, although you were involved in this case, fortunately it was not serious. At most, you invested money to earn some dividends and did not participate in the planning and execution. In addition, you have meritorious service in the expose, so you can be exempted from the death penalty." Li Qinzai said slowly. .
Mrs. Korea's eyes widened in disbelief and she said in a daze: "You...won't kill me?"
"If the crime is not punishable by death, we can't stop it." Li Qinzai said with a smile.
"But, the Queen's secret order..."
Li Qinzai rubbed his face and said: "It is indeed a trouble, but not a big trouble. Besides, I will forgive your death. If the queen still has the intention to kill, if someone else comes to kill you, you will still be unable to escape death."
The Korean lady's face became increasingly pale.
Li Qinzai was silent for a long time and said, "May I ask, madam, if the old lady of your house is also in Bingzhou?"
The Korean lady was startled and nodded subconsciously: "Of course mother is taking care of herself in my house."
Li Qinzai said with a smile: "The old lady is the one who untied the bells. Madam, why don't you hurry up and ask the old lady to go to Chang'an? You sincerely admit your mistake. Old lady Xiao Xiao is a brother-in-law. I heard that the queen serves her relatives with filial piety. Maybe it can save your life." .”
The Korean lady suddenly understood and hurriedly thanked him gratefully.
Li Qinzai helped her up with a smile.
As for what Li Zhi said before taking office to save her life, Li Qinzai didn't mention a word in front of her.
If she told her, she might be able to rely on her, and she would have a conflict with Empress Wu when she returned to Chang'an. With Empress Wu's cold heart, even the gods could not save Mrs. Korea.
As for whether Mrs. Korea and Li Zhi will continue to live side by side in the future, or whether they will break off from now on, that is a secret matter in the palace. Li Qinzai has no interest in knowing, let alone meddling in it casually.
Order Buqu to carry Mrs. Korea away and send a team of people to protect her.
After Mrs. Korea left, Li Qinzai stood alone in the hall and meditated for a long time, and suddenly shouted: "Ah Si, summon the officers and soldiers of the Ningshuo Governor's Mansion and take someone!"
Half an hour later, Bingzhou City was in chaos.
Groups of soldiers came out holding halberds, broke into the doors of many officials and aristocratic families in the city, and captured the prisoners and carried them away without saying a word.
The whole city was shaken, and the cries were heard far away.