After two cups of tea, the yamen servant took what Chu Nanzhi asked for into the lobby and placed it on a newly moved wooden table.
Although the monthly salary of the county magistrate is not much, he can still get one tael of gold.
As for mercury, Chu Nanzhi had already thought of it.
There were many idiots in this dynasty who pursued immortality, so they also believed in making elixirs to extend life.
In the memory of the original owner, the little Taoist priest he hooked up with was quite good at refining elixirs, so he was respected by the county magistrate and invited to his home.
Since you are refining elixirs, you must have solidified cinnabar or preserved mercury in your house.
Chu Nanzhi looked at what the yamen servant had brought in. In addition to the few items he wanted, there was also a very small and exquisite ceramic tile altar made of adobe.
I think it contains mercury.
Chu Nanzhi took the gold from the table and squeezed it in his hand. The texture was excellent.
It's really a good thing.
Thinking that I was now penniless, I immediately had the same feeling as yesterday when Mrs. Chen held the money and refused to let it go.
After she and Lin Jinxiao reconciled, she should always find some money for herself, which would be her first pot of gold in this world.
Although the remaining money in the family was given by the original owner's mother, she really couldn't bear to let the four little guys lose their way of life.
She glanced at the county magistrate with some humor, and said with a playful smile: "If the citizen woman helps you solve the case, can you give these two pieces of gold to the citizen woman?"
"You woman are so greedy and shameless."
The county magistrate cursed lightly, thought for a moment, and waved his hand helplessly: "As long as you really solve the case, not only will this ingot of gold belong to you, but I will also reward you with an additional ten taels of silver."
"It's a deal."
Chu Nanzhi happily opened the lid of the altar and dropped a few drops of mercury into the porcelain bowl. Then she put the gold into the porcelain bowl, held it with tweezers and rolled it back and forth. When the gold surface touched the mercury, it immediately turned into white flowers.
one slice.
Chu Nanzhi raised the whitened gold in front of the county magistrate.
The county magistrate was stunned and said: "Is it that simple?"
"It's that simple. It's just a small deception. Don't break your promise, sir."
Chu Nanzhi smiled.
This kind of chemical reaction was actually not very common in her era.
Gold reacts with the mercury element in mercury to produce a white substance that adheres to the surface of the gold.
In this way, gold becomes white.
However, if she hadn't thought of the little Taoist priest last night, she might not have taken this aspect into consideration.
It can be seen that there are many experts here.
The county magistrate was already a little regretful that he allowed others to make money from him so easily.
But he was so excited that the case was about to be solved, and he was smiling from ear to ear: "If you don't break your promise, go get the silver quickly, and bring me one tael of gold for me. I want to test it myself. Today
It was an eye-opener for me.”
Not long after, the yamen servant took twelve taels of silver and handed them to Chu Nanzhi, and then handed the newly obtained gold to the county magistrate.
After the county magistrate touched the gold to mercury, it turned into a snow-white color. He suddenly became enlightened and asked the young official: "Liu County Lieutenant, those fake golds that were brought back a few days ago, oh no,
It’s still real gold, where did you place it?”
Chu Nanzhi held the silver in her hand and turned her eyes to the little official again. Only then did she realize that this person was the county captain who wanted Lin Jinxiao to take over for him.
Lieutenant Liu showed fear on his face and said hesitantly: "Xiaoguan, I thought those were just stones, so I ordered them to be thrown away."
"Throw it away?"
The county magistrate put down the gold and glared at him with a livid face: "You are so brave. The case has not been closed. How dare you handle the evidence privately? Why don't you go and get it back for me?"
"yes."
Liu Xianwei was about to go out in a panic, but Chu Nanzhi had already seen through his mind.
From the moment she entered the government office, this man started to create difficulties in every possible way to prevent her from finding out the truth. Considering the fact that he asked Lin Jinxiao to take the blame, I am afraid that this case is closely related to him.
And as the county magistrate said, even if the gold brought back is fake gold, it is a key evidence. The case has not yet been closed, so how can it be disposed of at will.
Unless there is something wrong in your heart.
She immediately stopped County Lieutenant Liu: "I wonder if the County Lieutenant wants to run away to report the news or is he really going to find the lost gold?"
"Escape?"
Liu County Lieutenant pretended to be calm: "You woman, don't slander anyone. What can I do to escape? I have nothing to do with this case. Now even the person behind the scenes has not been found. Who can I tell the news to?"
After a pause, he added: "Besides, I also begged for mercy on behalf of Lin Dalang when he committed a crime."
"That's good. Naturally, the lady of the county will not forget the kindness of the county captain."
Chu Nanzhi was speechless.
I'm afraid that this person's plea is not sincere, and he has done so many dramas, which is nothing more than doing and standing up.
She looked at the county magistrate and said with a warm smile: "My lord, there is no need to rush to recover the gold. Since the county magistrate is so concerned about the people behind the scenes, it is better to wait until the real culprit is captured, and the tax money will naturally be recovered."
"The real murderer?"
The county magistrate stroked his chin, looked interested, and asked quickly: "Who is this real culprit, who dares to calculate the county's tax money?"
"Your Excellency, you have just seen it. This gold changes color immediately when it meets mercury. Last night, the woman asked Lang Jun's colleagues, and they checked it before sealing it. So the only ones who could do it were those who were present at the time, and they were deeply involved.
Only the elite dare to use this deception method."
Chu Nanzhi reminded him very clearly that the county magistrate was not stupid. On that day, when the tax bank was inspected, apart from the government servant who deposited the money, he and the Taoist priest in the mansion were the only ones.
Naturally, the officers did not dare to play with their own lives, so the Taoist priest immediately told the officials: "Go quickly and bring Taoist priest Ximen to the county government office."
Lieutenant Liu saw the truth coming out layer by layer, and he was so frightened that he quickly knelt down and said, "My lord, this matter has nothing to do with the lower officials."
The county magistrate was confused: "It's none of your business. Why are you kneeling?"
Chu Nanzhi was also very puzzled. This was not self-inflicted.
"I just feel aggrieved for Taoist Ximen."
County Lieutenant Liu glared at Chu Nanzhi with resentment. Seeing the gold he was about to get fly away, he cursed unwillingly: "It must be her, it must be she who seduced Taoist Ximen, who made Taoist Ximen immortal."
I have evil thoughts and want to frame the elder brother of the Lin family and seize this bitch."
"I don't have the leisure and elegance."
Chu Nanzhi remembered that the original owner and the Taoist had no shameful dealings. They just had contact with each other a few times, and their words were a little frivolous, so a lot of gossip spread.
She pretended to remind Liu County Lieutenant: "The County Lieutenant has been ill at home a few days ago and has nothing to do with this case. Why bother to mess up here and arouse suspicion? It is better to tell the whereabouts of the gold quickly and find the tax return."
Mr. Yin County Magistrate is tolerant and generous, and I won’t criticize you harshly even if I think about it.”
"Yes, Lieutenant Liu, please tell me where you threw the gold?"
The county magistrate also couldn't wait to ask.
County Lieutenant Liu looked annoyed and was so anxious that he could not speak.
He has been in office for many years, so how could he really not know that he cannot handle the evidence privately before the case is closed? He was just trying to prevaricate the county magistrate.
But he never thought that someone in a small Luyan Port could find the doorway, so the gold brought back by the truck is still in the county government warehouse, and there is no time to transfer it.
And he knew very well that when Taoist Ximen was arrested, he would definitely confess under torture.
After pondering for a long time, he had no choice but to confess to the county magistrate with a grimace: "The tax money stained white is still in the warehouse in the backyard."
"What, still in the warehouse?"
The county magistrate looked surprised: "Then why did you lie to me just now?"
"Xiaguan.xiaguan"
When the county magistrate saw that he was so submissive at this time, he suddenly realized and pointed at him and said:
"Oh, I understand. You must have colluded with Taoist Ximen to embezzle the tax money. No wonder you strongly recommended me to exchange the tax money into gold, and also recommended Lin Dalang to escort the tax money so that you could stay out of the matter. It seems that you
He has ulterior motives."
One is for wealth and the other is for sex. The truth couldn't be simpler.
Lieutenant Liu knew that he could no longer hide the truth, so he immediately knelt down and begged for mercy: "Xiaguan fell into the trap of that man because of his obsession. I just ask you to forgive me."
"You are so brave. Come here and take this thief away."
The county magistrate turned red with anger.
But knowing that the tax money was still there, I felt a lot more relaxed now.
Waiting for the hall to return to peace, the county magistrate picked up the ingot of gold dyed white, but he felt worried: "I have recovered the tax money, but I can't just send it to the county government like this."
As he spoke, he looked at Chu Nanzhi with a pleading look on his face: "Ms. Chu, do you have a way to restore the gold to its original state?"
His voice immediately became much more tactful and polite.
"Of course there is."
Chu Nanzhi played with the gold and silver in her hands carelessly.
"Tell me quickly."
"That won't work. You have to pay more."
Gold turns white when it meets mercury. Have you lost all your knowledge?