After hearing Xu Benya's words, Lin Zhongmo sneered: "I didn't expect that Xu Jiantai is still a good man. A good man does things like a good man. I admire him."
"I'm just a wretch, how can I be a good man?" Xu Benya said with a sad smile: "I really envy Lin Fantai, who can continue to stand high and interrogate his former colleagues."
"Don't do this!" Lin Zhongmo slapped the crowd hard and yelled: "Tell me, how do those people threaten you? You actually want to fight against them all by yourself!"
"No one threatens me, and I have no allies." Xu Benya shook his head numbly.
"When we ransacked the house, we found that your wife and your children are not at home," Lin Zhongmo asked in a deep voice, "Where are they now?"
"There is going to be a war, and the war is chaotic. I will arrange for them to return to their hometown to stay for a while." Xu Benya said with a trace of worry in his eyes.
"Are they threatening you with your family members?" Lin Zhongmo asked: "What do you mean, if you carry it alone, the whole family can live, but if you give them up, the whole family will die?"
"Haha..." Xu Benya said with a smile: "Lin Fantai is overthinking. No one threatens me, and my wife and children are not in anyone's hands."
"Okay, okay." Lin Zhongmo saw that he was like a bastard eating a weight - he was determined to do so, so he sneered and threw out the fire sign and said: "Just talk harshly and you will be punished!"
The officer clamped sticks on Xu Benya's legs. After a few clamps, Xu Benya screamed in pain, but gritted his teeth and said nothing. Lin Zhongmo got really angry when he saw how stubborn he was, and ordered someone to clamp him again.
Go up and use your hands and feet together.
This time Xu Benya's screams became even more piercing, but he refused to reveal a word until he fainted...
He really has a fighting chance with Daotong.
~~
But not everyone was as tough-talking as he was. The news that Xu Benya was arrested and tortured quickly spread throughout the judicial department, causing an uproar in the yamen.
Especially those officials who participated in the persecution of fellow Taoists and helped to destroy evidence of crimes were all panic-stricken, fearing that they would be next.
In an atmosphere of fear, their interrogation began.
When Zhou Ping, the warden of the Ancha Division, walked into the questioning office, he saw that the person sitting in the hall was not Lin Fantai, but the Daoxian County magistrate with a wound on his face.
Zhou Ping was stunned for a moment, then quickly knelt down and confessed his guilt.
"Brother Zhou, please wake up. What are you guilty of?" Daotong said with a smile.
"It's a villain who beat Daozhi County like this. He deserves death." Zhou Ping kowtowed.
"I told you to get up." Daotong smiled bitterly and said, "I am injured, do you still want me to help you up?"
Zhou Ping repeatedly said he didn't dare and quickly got up obediently.
"Don't be afraid," seeing his cowering look, Dao Tong said warmly, "You are just following orders. If you don't do it, others will beat me harder. I have to thank you for avoiding torture when you do it."
The vital point has been opened, otherwise I wouldn’t be able to sit down and talk to you so quickly.”
Zhou Ping felt a little relieved and said hurriedly: "The villain has been in Yangcheng for several years. The Daozhi County is not afraid of power and makes decisions for the people. The villain sees it in his eyes and obeys it in his heart. The villain also knows that this time the Daozhi County is wronged
, but the villain is despicable and can’t help much, so he can only let it go a little bit."
"Yes, I was indeed wronged." Daotong nodded and said, "The court has cleared my name. I am an upright Han Chinese, not a Mongolian."
"The villain knows that during the torture, Xun He... spoke, and the villain heard it." Zhou Ping nodded, his voice getting lower and lower as he spoke, obviously he was scared.
"Don't be afraid, your problem is not big to begin with, and I will definitely speak for you." Daotong then advised him, "By the way, I saw in your file that you were originally an official."
"Yes." Zhou Ping nodded sadly and said: "The villain was originally from Qingzhou Prefecture in Shandong Province. Because he was in charge of grain storage, he was implicated in the empty seal case and almost lost his life. Later I heard that it was the prince who saved us subordinates.
Officials are exempt from death penalty but cannot escape from living punishment. The lower officials were demoted to civil servants and sent to Guangzhou, where they spent all day dealing with prisoners in prison."
As he spoke, he laughed at himself and said, "I am almost like a prisoner."
"I can help you regain your official status. Although I don't have the ability, I can help you to plead for mercy, and His Highness the King of Chu will probably give you face." Daotong said softly: "But the premise is that you must tell the truth, and you cannot stand for that person.
Help others hide and tuck them in."
Zhou Ping was quite moved when he heard this, but he hesitated and whispered: "They warned us that anyone who dares to talk nonsense will kill our whole family."
Daotong's expression changed and he said calmly: "Have your family members been arrested by them?"
"That's not true." Zhou Ping shook his head and said, "The villain was sent here. His family members are all in his hometown in Henan. Even if they send someone over, they won't be able to arrive now."
"That's easy. When I'm done, I'll ask His Highness to protect your family. Why don't you bring them to the capital? You can also go back to the capital to be an official, and you can reunite with them." Daotong said warmly, his voice filled with emotion.
Show goodwill and let the other person believe that you are thinking about him.
Zhou Ping showed a look of excitement, obviously he was moved by the words.
Therefore, being a county magistrate is the best way to train an official's abilities. People like Lin Zhongmo who serve as Hanlin officials in Beijing and are directly dispatched as chief envoys are not as good as Taoists who will investigate cases.
Of course, it is also because Zhou Ping really has little to do with the case. As long as Daotong does not pursue him, he has no responsibility. But if Daotong holds on to him, His Highness the King of Chu will definitely chop off his head to vent his anger on Daotong.
Under the guidance of Tao Tong, Zhou Ping finally opened his mouth and finally admitted that the person who led the torture and extortion of confessions was the Yongjia Marquis and the commander of the Guangzhou Guard, Zhu Xian.
Of course Daotong knew that it was Zhu Xian who was doing this to him, and that the most serious injuries on his body were caused by the fight, but there was no proof alone. To arrest Zhu Xian, Zhou Ping's confession was needed as evidence.
Zhou Ping also mentioned in his confession that he heard Zhu Xian arrogantly say during the interrogation that he was framed by Dao Tong, but so what? In Guangdong, his father and son are Wang Fa. If you are guilty, you are guilty!
~~
"It's really a lie." In the Eight Directions Pavilion, Lao Liu looked at the confession Dao Tong received and couldn't help but sigh: "From Hu Weiyong to Zhu Liangzu, each and every one of them let his son lie to him. I don't even want to have children anymore."
.”
"But this sentence alone is not enough to arrest Zhu Liangzu, right?" Daotong asked softly.
"Of course, he is General Zhengnan. Without my father's will, I can't touch him." Lao Liu nodded and said: "Don't worry, catch the younger one first, and the older one will naturally become anxious."
"Can Marquis Yongjia make friends?" Daotong worried: "He only needs to hide Zhu Xian in the military camp. Unless the prince comes in person, no one can break into the military camp."
"Understood, on the order of the magistrate, Xiao Wang went to ask for the person in person." Lao Liu originally had a skin injury on his buttocks, but Jiang Yang has recovered in the past few days.
"That's not what I mean..." Daotong quickly explained: "If you give me ten courages, I won't dare to instruct His Highness."
"Haha, don't be so serious, I'm just kidding you." Lao Liu smiled and patted his shoulder and said, "I am going to meet Marquis Yongjia for a while. I shot and injured his son. How can I come to the door?"
