Su Hao led people around the counties for seven or eight days. When he returned to Luoshan County, Runing Magistrate Liu Qichang also arrived after a long journey. Du Weiming was blocked from Xinglong Gambling House by a false confession.
, could only watch helplessly as Su Hao sent people to search for powerful people and businessmen who colluded with gambling houses. After Liu Qichang got the news, he could no longer sit still. He quickly arranged to get off the official sedan and rushed to Luoshan to attack Su Hao.
condemn.
"Xueshi Su, what do you mean?"
Standing outside the heavily guarded Xinglong Casino, Liu Qichang asked Su Hao without hesitation.
Su Hao also had a heavy expression on his face. He stepped forward and saluted Liu Qichang and said: "Prefect Liu, it was only when we arrived at Luoshan that we realized how bad things were at Xinglong Gambling House. So many people were killed and injured at the scene. If we don't figure out the cause and effect.
If the truth comes out, I'm afraid it will be difficult to explain to the court in the future."
"Of course the case needs to be investigated, but you kept the criminals in your own hands and did not let Runing's local officials intervene. Could it be that you don't believe us?" Liu Qichang asked.
Su Hao said: "Prefect Liu didn't know something. Su Hao didn't let Magistrate Tan and Du Tongzhi intervene because he wanted to protect them. The boss of Xinglong Gambling House was biting everywhere, including officials from Luoshan County and Runing Prefecture.
After going through it all, if Magistrate Tan and Du Tongzhi don’t avoid it, I’m afraid they won’t be able to explain clearly in the future.”
"Climbed them all over? So, they also climbed up the mansion?" Liu Qichang said.
Su Hao nodded and said: "Exactly, Shopkeeper Xia of Huguang Bank said that you are his brother-in-law."
"Fart!" Liu Qichang was furious. Well, shopkeeper Xia does have a pretty sister who has been a widow for a long time, but she has already been away for five years, okay? Liu Qichang once went to Xia Shushen's house for a drink, and Xia Shushen once shouted
Her sister came to accompany the drink, but would Liu Qichang be tempted by such an old guy? You can insult my personality, but you can't insult my aesthetics!
"The official has investigated this matter and confirmed that it is a rumor. For this reason, I have asked shopkeeper Xia to be beaten 30 times to set the record straight." Su Hao introduced thoughtfully, and Xia Shushen was beaten.
It was the truth, but it was to extract a confession. With this foreshadowing, Liu Qichang would no longer be able to hold Su Hao accountable for the indiscriminate punishment.
"In that case, can the government enter the Xinglong Gambling House now and meet these criminals?" Liu Qichang was too lazy to argue with Su Hao, so he asked directly.
This time, Su Hao didn't stumble. He readily agreed: "Of course, I will lead the way for Magistrate Liu."
Under the guidance of Su Hao, Liu Qichang finally walked into the Xinglong Casino, which had been closed for many days. Following him were Du Weiming and Luoshan County Magistrate Tan Yizhong. Since Liu Qichang was in charge, Du and Tan had to avoid
It's no longer necessary.
The lobby of the gambling house still looks like it did after the gang fight. Su Hao called a gambler who participated in the fight and asked him to introduce the scene to Liu Qichang and others. According to the gambler, Xinglong Gambling House was gambling
He cheated, and after being found out, he tried to kill and silence him. This triggered a violent conflict between the two parties. Su Hao also promptly handed over the transcripts of their interrogations of both parties over the past few days to prove that what the gambler said was completely true.
"Judging from the results of Master Su's interrogation, Xu Rendi behaved badly and used thousands of tricks to harm the people. He also supported thugs to beat innocent guests. He should be severely punished according to the law!"
After inspecting the scene, the group came to the gambling house's accounting room, which was used as a temporary office. Liu Qichang sat down, patted the table, and said with an expression filled with indignation.
"Master Fu, this Xu Rendi is the cousin of Xiaguan. Xiaguan has been lax in discipline, so I would like to ask Fusun to punish him." Tan Yizhong quickly knelt down and criticized himself bitterly.
Du Weiming sat aside, frowning and said: "In order to escape the crime, Xu Rendi actually lied that the official was also his cousin, which is really deplorable. If you want to punish him, this can also be included.
.But..."
"It's far-sighted but it doesn't hurt to say it." Liu Qichang called out Du Weiming's words and encouraged him to say what he said next. The group of them forced Su Hao to let them into the gambling house today just to say this "nothing".
"Follow your orders!" Du Weiming said. He turned to Su Hao and said, "Scholar Su, please forgive Brother Yu for speaking bluntly. Appropriately, what we have seen and seen are just one-sided remarks. This matter is of great importance. Is it okay?
Let the person involved speak out for himself?"
"Well, this is natural." Su Hao was not surprised by Du Weiming's request. He ordered his subordinates: "Bring up the criminal Xu Rendi."
"Yes!" Several soldiers agreed, turned around and left. After a while, they actually came over with Xu Rendi. The soldiers threw Xu Rendi to the ground, and then stood aside majestically, asking Liu Qichang to wait.
People also feel a little bit of pressure.
"I said it, I said it all!" Xu Rendi has been interrogated many times these days and has developed a phobia of interrogation. After he was thrown to the ground, he quickly turned over, knelt on his knees, and stared blankly.
He shouted: "Prefect Liu asked me to do this. I don't know anything."
When the voice came out, Liu Qichang's face suddenly turned into an eggplant color. He slammed the table and shouted: "Bold maniac, look up and see who the official is!"
Xu Rendi was stunned for a moment, raised his head, and saw Liu Qichang, Du Weiming, and Tan Yizhong in front of him. Tears and runny nose suddenly flowed from his eyes. At an astonishing speed, he crawled forward several steps on his knees and came to
In front of Liu Qichang, he hugged Liu Qichang's legs and shouted: "Prefect Liu, help me!"
Needless to say, the embarrassment of being an official in the Runing Prefecture. A gambling shop owner in a county town was so familiar with the prefect of a prefecture that he seemed to have something to hide. Liu Qichang was ready to say something like, "The government is here for you."
There is no way to say things like "make the decision" now. If Xu Rendi shows that he doesn't know Liu Qichang, then Liu Qichang is handling the case impartially by making the decision for Xu Rendi. If it is like this, it can only be said to be a cover-up.
"Presumptuous!" Tan Yizhong had no choice but to take the blame, "Rendi, you only met Magistrate Liu once at your cousin's house, so Magistrate Liu doesn't know who you are. Magistrate Liu came to Luoshan County today to interrogate someone who was involved in Xinglong Gambling House.
You must tell the truth about Qianhe's beating of guests and not hide it. If it were your fault, my cousin would never protect you. You must ask the prefect to severely punish you. If you have other difficulties,
If you tell me now, your sentence may be reduced."
"Why, Magistrate Tan, is this your cousin that I met at your house that year?" Liu Qichang quickly followed Tan Yizhong's words, "I really can't remember anything about him."
"That's right. I just introduced it to you at that time. There are so many people in the family, so you can't remember them all." Tan Yizhong said.
The two sang and harmonized, which can be regarded as clearing up the relationship between Liu Qichang and Xu Rendi. In fact, everyone present was very clear about this issue, but with such a clearing up, Su Hao could not make use of the topic.
This is just like Su Hao taking Xu Rendi’s confession a few days ago and saying that Du Weiming is Xu Rendi’s cousin. In fact, everyone knows that this confession must have been tricked by Xu Rendi and made up according to Su Hao’s intention.
, but with such a piece of paper in hand, Du Weiming could not insist on asking for a trial. This is the so-called conspiracy.
Xu Rendi also understood the mystery. Only then did he realize that Su Hao was sitting next to him with a smile and looking at him. There were several soldiers from the Kanyu camp beside him, with short muskets in their waists.
This was a prop that made Xu Rendi's balls ache when he saw it. He quickly let go of Liu Qichang's legs, took a few steps back, still kneeling, and kowtowed repeatedly: "Your Majesty, please forgive me. I am eager to redress my grievances. I have offended you."
Sir."
"There was a crook in the gambling shop you opened, and you killed and injured so many people. What qualifications do you have to complain?" Liu Qichang asked in a desperate manner.
"It's unjust, Magistrate Qingtian!" Xu Rendi has been looking forward to Liu Qichang to save him these days. He has thought about how to cry injustice countless times in his mind, and now he basically said it:
"The villain was framed! Xinglong Gambling House has always been famous for its integrity and has never committed any fraud. That day, several people came to the gambling house..."
Xu Rendi did not completely lie. He told the story from beginning to end about how Xiong Minyang brought Mo San to come for fishing and law enforcement. He also said that the dice smashed by Liao Yiming were actually brought in by Xiong Minyang and others.
It wasn't from the gambling house. As for the fight, according to his statement, Xiong Minyang incited the gamblers to smash, smash, and rob, and he and his guards from the gambling house fought tooth and nail to protect the property, and that's when there were casualties.
During the process of his narration, Su Hao kept smiling and did not interrupt. On the contrary, Du Weiming took a stack of paper and recorded it desperately, preparing to use it as evidence in the future and bite Su Hao back.
After Xu Rendi finished speaking, Liu Qichang nodded, turned to Su Hao and asked, "Xueshi Su, do you think what Xu Rendi said is true?"
Su Hao shook his head and said: "It's complete nonsense, not a single word of truth."
"How can you see it?" Liu Qichang asked.
Su Hao said: "The officer also asked him the same question. What he said then and what he says now are completely different. The officer has the transcript at that time as evidence, and there is also a pledge drawn by Xu Rendi himself."
"Prefect Liu, you're wronged. This villain is just beating him into submission!" Xu Rendi interrupted Su Hao's words and shouted that he was wronged again.
"You were forced to surrender? Then those account books and books that you handed over on your own initiative were also forced to do so?" Su Hao asked.
"Account books..." Xu Rendi felt guilty and his voice suddenly dropped an octave. Of course he knew what these account books contained. It would be great if Liu Qichang knew that he took the initiative to hand over the account books to Su Hao.
"You're talking nonsense. I didn't hand over those account books on my own initiative. You found them yourself." Xu Rendi decided to deny it.
"No way, your account books are so well hidden. If you hadn't taken the initiative to explain them, how would we have found them?" Su Hao continued to ask.
Xu Rendi said: "No matter how well I hide it, can I withstand you digging three feet into the ground to find it? There are so many of you, but you can't find it anyway."
"In other words, you did hide these account books, and you don't want anyone to find them. Is that what you mean?" Su Hao asked with a smile.
"This..." Xu Rendi was dumbfounded. He never thought that Su Hao would be waiting for him here.