Leng Moran raised his hand and said: "No need, I am on an incognito trip this time, but I happened to encounter this murder case, so I decided to stay here to supervise and ask Magistrate Song to investigate the case thoroughly."
Magistrate Song's wrinkled forehead was covered with a thin layer of sweat. He had been a magistrate here for decades, and this was the first time he saw officials from the capital coming. It would be impossible to say that he was not nervous.
Magistrate Song raised his hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead and said respectfully: "I will open a court hearing right now."
Leng Moran nodded lightly.
…
In the courtroom, Magistrate Song sat at the head of the table, and Leng Moran sat on the specially added chair next to him.
Xiao Xixi and Feng Yan stood beside him, one on the left and one on the right.
This trial did not allow the public to watch, so all those present were those related to the case.
Magistrate Song was shocked. He first asked Xinghua's parents about her disappearance and her relationship with people in the village, and then interrogated Tiejiang Hu.
"When you met the deceased that day, were there any outsiders present?"
Hu Tiejiang shook his head: "No, no one else knows about Xinghua and I, so we avoid outsiders every time we meet."
"Since you want to marry her, why are you afraid of being known?" Magistrate Song asked sharply.
Tiejiang Hu fearfully knelt on the ground and said, "Xinghua is shy and said she was afraid that others would know that she was embarrassed, so I didn't follow her wishes."
"Do you know what the crime is for lying in court?"
Tiejiang Hu raised his head and said: "Sir, everything Cao Min said is true. Cao Min wants to marry Xing Hua, so he built a new house this year. Now he is living frugally just to save more money, so that when Xing Hua gets married, she can
Live a good life. The common people have no reason to harm her, and they will not harm her."
Magistrate Song asked: "Is it true that no one else knows about you and Xinghua?"
Blacksmith Hu thought for a while and said: "Yes, I told Carpenter Sun in the town that he opened a carpentry shop next to the blacksmith shop. We have known each other for many years. We knew each other when my parents were still here. Carpenter Sun is considered
Elder, he asked me when I was going to get married, so I told him that I liked Xinghua. Carpenter Sun also said that when we two get married, he would build us new furniture."
The county magistrate of Song Dynasty ordered the government officials: "Go and find Carpenter Sun."
The county seat was not far from the town, and soon the yamen officials called for Carpenter Sun.
There is no difference between the confessions of Carpenter Sun and Tiejiang Hu.
But this cannot prove Hu Tiejiang's innocence, and there is no evidence that he is the murderer.
Magistrate Song had no choice but to withdraw from the court first and wait until he visited the villagers before rising again.
Hu Tiejiang was about to be imprisoned in the county government office. He didn't care about his own situation at the moment, he was more concerned about Xinghua's body.
"Where will you place the apricot blossoms?"
The government official said: "The deceased will be temporarily placed in the county government morgue."
"Xinghua is afraid of the cold, so you must cover her with a quilt. She is also afraid of the dark, can you light a few more candles?"
The officer stopped talking nonsense to Tiejiang Hu and pushed him into the cell.
Xinghua’s father and mother were sent home by the government officials.
Magistrate Song asked Leng Moran: "I wonder if Mr. Hu is suspected in this case?"
Leng Moran glanced at him and tapped the handle of the chair with his fingers, "Don't you have any judgment, Mr. Song?"
Magistrate Song became nervous again and said hurriedly: "The official thinks that Hu Tiejiang had no motive for killing, but he had an emotional entanglement with the deceased, so it is difficult to rule out the suspicion."
Leng Moran asked: "How does Mr. Song plan to handle the case?"
"Visit the people who knew the deceased and the suspect after hearing the news, and confirm whether there are any enemies between the deceased and the suspect, as well as the suspect's reputation and whether he could commit murder."
Leng Moran raised his hand: "Then Master Song, go and get busy."
Magistrate Song asked hurriedly: "Where do you want to live, sir? Why don't you give me a good reception and give you a warm welcome?"
"No need," Leng Moran looked at him coldly, "This time the investigation is more important."
After saying that, Leng Moran and his party left the county government office and rented a courtyard to stay.
Xiao Xixi looked around at the setting of the courtyard. It was a courtyard with three entrances, and it was not crowded with people like them.
He didn't stay at the inn. It seemed he planned to wait until the case was cleared up before leaving.
After sitting down in the main room, Xiao Xixi asked: "When did the prince become an official of Dali Temple?"
"The emperor gave it to me before I left."
"Why Mr. Xiao?"
"I'm too lazy to think about it, so I just picked it up casually."
Xiao Xixi: "..."
She asked again: "Your Majesty rented this courtyard because you want to stay here for a long time?"
"The inn is too eye-catching. I asked Feng Yan to rent the courtyard for a month. It's quiet and peaceful to live here."
After he finished speaking, Feng Yan and several guards came in carrying food boxes.
Feng Yan said: "Your Majesty, I bought this from the county restaurant. You can eat it as you please."
Xiao Xixi then remembered that they hadn't eaten lunch yet because of the case.
I don’t think so, but I’m quite hungry.
Xiao Xixi and Leng Moran sat down to eat together, while Feng Yan and others ate outside.
Xiao Xixi took a few bites and felt like she was alive. She asked again: "What does the prince think of this case?"
Leng Moran was too lazy to talk to her: "You can't say anything when you eat."
Xiao Xixi curled her lips at him and said, hum, if you don't want to say it, you won't say it.
Don’t give him something delicious to eat at night!
Thinking of Xinghua's case, she felt that Hu Tiejiang didn't look like the real culprit. He seemed like a pretty honest man, and he shouldn't be able to commit murder.
She was quite curious as to what the truth of this case was.
[Ding! Please ask the host to help Leng Moran investigate this case. You will receive 200 points for completing the task. If you fail the task, you will be punished. 】
Xiao Xixi was frightened.
Leng Moran frowned: "What's wrong?"
Xiao Xixi held her chopsticks and shook her head immediately: "It's okay."
It's a rubbish system, just scare her if nothing happens.
"Next time, please keep your voice down!" Xiao Xixi gritted her teeth in her heart.
…
As soon as Xinghua's parents arrived at the entrance of the village, they were surrounded by villagers asking about the situation.
"Ms. Xinghua, what's going on?"
The news about Xinghua's accident had already spread in the village, and the villagers just wanted to know who the murderer was.
Xinghua Niang didn't say anything, and Xinghua's father was also in a bad mood at this time. The government officials asked the villagers to disperse and sent the two of them home before leaving.
The villagers started discussing at the entrance of the village.
"I heard that Xinghua was pregnant with Tiejiang Hu's child. I think it was probably Tiejiang Hu who forced Xinghua to death."
"I didn't expect that Tiejiang Hu, who seemed to be honest and capable, would do such a thing to Xinghua."
"People should not be judged by their appearance. Tiejiang Hu and I are still neighbors. Fortunately, he was arrested by the government, otherwise I would not even dare to go home."
There were several young people squatting on the ground.
A short, skinny man with dark, rough skin in the crowd frowned imperceptibly.
His companion patted him on the shoulder: "Daqun, the afternoon is still long, squatting at the entrance of the village is so boring, go to my house for a drink."
Hai Daquan threw all the complicated thoughts to the back of his mind and went back to drink with his companions.
