The crowd gathered around the two men and walked up the mountain. Long Chen and others followed the team up the mountain together.
The Qingshan sect is very large, and the mountain gate is very grandly built.
"This Qingshan sect is quite rich. Where does their money come from?"
Long Chen has always been curious, where do those people who travel in the world come from?
Qi Wenhai said: "Most of the money from the Qingshan Sect is collected from business travelers passing by here. It is regarded as protection fee. After paying the money, you can get a road guide so that bandits from the surrounding three hundred miles will not dare to rob."
Long Chen nodded slightly and then asked: "What about other sects?"
Qi Wenhai said: "Everyone has his own way. Some rely on large rivers and lakes to control fisheries. Anyway, they all have their own way."
Long Chen sneered and said: "It's just to compete with the people for profit."
Qi Wenhai nodded and said: "It's almost the same. It also depends on the strength of the sect. Some sects are not strong enough and live very hard."
A penny stumps a heroic man, and it is ugly to walk around the world without money. When you meet a friend, and you can't afford to pay for dinner and drinks, you may have to lower your head and walk over, pretending not to see him.
After entering the imposing mountain gate, we arrived at the front yard of the Qingshan sect, where many disciples were practicing sword skills.
Seeing everyone going up the mountain, a leading disciple immediately yelled: "If you want to solve the case, go to the side, don't affect our martial arts practice!"
Everyone went to the side yard very respectfully.
This yard is relatively quiet.
Entering the yard, a man picked up a drumstick and played the drum.
"Hey, is there still a surprise?"
Qi Wenhai couldn't help but complain.
The situation here is just like in the yamen, where drums are played to complain about grievances.
After knocking for a while, an old man wearing a corrugated hat came out and sat on a chair to the north. A child poured tea for the old man.
This person is Fan Cheng, the elder of Qingshan Sect.
"What's the matter? It's so late and you keep disturbing my practice." Elder Fan Cheng was a little impatient.
The crowd pushed the two men to the front. A man with a lean build, a dark complexion and a sparse beard said, "Greetings to the elder. The younger one is a business traveler passing by. He just arrived here today. He was thirsty during the journey, so he drank at the well at the foot of the mountain."
The water and baggage were placed nearby, but I didn’t expect that this person would steal them.”
"The younger one searched everywhere to no avail, so he returned to the well and happened to bump into this man. He said he had picked up the baggage and returned it to me."
"However, I clearly had 100 taels of silver earned from business in my bag, but when I returned it, I only had 20 taels left."
"It's clear that he stole 80 taels of silver, but he said that he originally only had 20 taels."
"The little Feng dian slept in the open and finally made money, but it was stolen by thieves here."
"The younger one is a foreigner. He is passing through this place. How can he speak to a local like him? Why should I ask the elders to make the decision for the younger one?"
After listening to this, everyone felt that this man was pitiful.
After Qi Wenhai listened, he turned to look at another slightly fat man.
To decide a case, you must listen to the confessions from both sides, and you cannot favor one person's confession.
"Don't worry, our Qingshan faction has always been fair in doing things. If he really stole your money, I will naturally give you justice."
The elder Fan Cheng stroked his beard, picked up the tea cup and took a sip. He looked at the slightly fat man and said, "Aren't you that Huang Ming who sells tofu down the mountain?"
The slightly fat man immediately replied: "Elder has a good memory. I am Huang Ming. The tofu in your sect is all ground in small sizes. You always like to drink soy milk, which is also ground in small sizes."
Elder Fan Cheng looked unhappy and said: "Huang Ming, what do you mean by this? Are you saying that I will favor you after eating your tofu?"
The man Huang Ming immediately said: "That's not what I meant, I live in Qingshan City
Everyone has known me for decades, so how could I steal money?"
"I went to fetch water today to prepare the beans for soaking, and I saw a baggage dropped by the well. I wanted to go back to soak the beans, so I took the baggage back."
"After soaking the beans, I took the bundle and returned to the well to wait for the owner."
"After this man came, I returned the baggage to him. Who would have thought that he would say that there were originally 100 taels of silver in the baggage, but now there are only 20 taels left, and he falsely accused me of stealing the silver."
"If I had the intention to steal the money, why should I return the baggage to him?"
"I am really unjust. Please let me make the decision, elders."
Both sides have finished talking, and each has his or her own opinion.
After listening, the people watching were talking a lot, not sure who was telling the truth.
"Elder, it was clear that he took the baggage home to steal the money because he saw the money. Later, he tried to throw the baggage back to the well when no one was paying attention, but he was caught by the younger one."
The capable man cried out that he was the victim and Huang Ming stole his money.
Elder Fan Cheng scratched his head and thought for a while, then asked: "What is your name?"
The capable man said: "The younger one's name is Wei Cai."
Elder Fan Cheng nodded and said, "Wei Cai, has a third person seen your affairs?"
Businessman Wei Cai shook his head and said, "No, it's just me and him."
Elder Fan Cheng nodded again, looked at Huang Ming, his face suddenly darkened, and cursed: "Huang Ming, as a local, you have been educated by my Qingshan Sect since childhood. Instead of grinding tofu honestly, you started stealing money.
, you go back immediately and return the stolen silver to Wei Cai!"
The man Huang Ming was scolded incomprehensibly. He knelt on the ground and kowtowed and cried out: "Elder, I, Huang Ming, have been doing my duty honestly for decades, how could I possibly steal his money?"
"If I really wanted to steal, why should I return the baggage to him? Isn't this unnecessary taking off my pants and farting? ?”
The people watching felt that the matter did not make sense. If Huang Ming wanted to steal the money, why should he take the baggage back?
Elder Fan Cheng sneered and said: "Huang Ming, if you really picked up the money, why did you take it home?"
"Besides, how much does it cost to grind tofu in a day? Stealing 80 taels of silver in a day is enough for you to work hard for several years."
"Stop denying it, go back and get the money back, and forget about it."
"If you still insist on being stubborn, then I will have no choice but to punish you severely."
Huang Ming cried loudly and said: "How can there be such truth in the world? I have done good deeds but I am framed. I have only saved 80 taels of silver in half my life. I am so unjust!"
Businessman Wei Cai said angrily: "I lost 80 taels of silver, and you just saved 80 taels. How can there be such a coincidence?"
Huang Mingshen had no choice but to get up and go down the mountain in tears.
In Qingshan City, the Qingshan Sect has the final say. Elder Fan Cheng made the ruling, which is more effective than the imperial edict. Huang Ming dare not violate it.
"It's pretty cognizant."
Elder Fan Cheng swore coldly and said to businessman Wei Cai: "Don't worry, our Qingshan sect will do things fairly and will never bully you just because you are a foreigner."
Businessman Wei Cai bowed movedly: "I've heard that the Qingshan sect is fair in doing things. Thank you to the elders for upholding justice. If it weren't for the elders, I would definitely not have my money back today, and I won't be able to go back."
Elder Fan Cheng chuckled and said, "Sit down, and when Huang Ming brings the money, you can go home."
Businessman Wei Cai sat down and waited in the yard, and everyone was also waiting for Huang Ming to come back with the money.
Long Chen listened on the side and asked Qi Wenhai: "What do you think?"
Qi Wenhai frowned and said: "There is no way to tell whether it is true or false. If Huang Ming is really greedy for money, why would he send the baggage back?"
Zou Cailiang said: "But who can prove that Huang Ming did not steal money?"
