The minister began to wipe the sweat from his forehead: It is obvious that Zhu Yuanzhang does not intend to punish Li Shanchang, so even if he supports Zhu Bai to pursue the case to the end, it will not cause any harm to Li Shanchang, but will only cause me to have endless shoes to wear in the court in the future.
But if Zhu Bai is not allowed to investigate, Zhu Bai will go to Lao Zhu to complain. I might not be able to eat today...
Seeing that he didn't speak, Zhu Bai asked in a slightly raised tone: "Huh?!"
The minister hurriedly said: "This person has performed meritorious service and will be given a lighter punishment. He will be sentenced to hard labor in Yingtian Waicheng." He decided to follow this little king of hell first and see what he could find out in the end.
Zhu Bai nodded slightly: "I want to say a few words to Lantian alone, without anyone else present. Could you please help me arrange it."
------
After half a stick of incense, Lan Tian was tied to a chair in the torture room.
The others retreated and closed the door.
Lan Tian closed his eyes and pretended to be dead, planning to remain silent no matter what Zhu Bai asked him.
Now he only regrets that he underestimated this child and only focused on dealing with Zhu Fan. As a result, the "business" that he had worked hard for several years was uprooted.
Zhu Bai climbed onto the chair opposite him and sat down, watching him silently without making a sound.
Lan Tian thought he was asleep, but Zhu Bai suddenly said: "Mr. Lan, you are not the mastermind, because you don't even have the right to set the price. You are willing to kill yourself to keep Li Shanchang and Li Cunyi, so that even if they don't take care of them in the future,
Your family won’t trouble them either.”
Lantian pretended not to hear.
Zhu Bai added: "But you are wrong. Both Li Shanchang and Li Cunyi think this matter has nothing to do with them. Therefore, your death will be in vain."
Lantian still didn't make a sound.
Zhu Bai jumped down from his chair, walked over, and whispered in his ear: "In the past few years, they have not received even a single piece of silver from the more than one million taels of silver you gave to Li Shanchang and Li Cunyi."
Lan Tian opened his eyes and stared at him.
Zhu Bai paused and then said: "Oh, that's not right, except for the gifts you and others sent to my door during the Chinese New Year and holidays."
Lantian stared at Zhu Bai.
Zhu Bai said: "Because it is not Li Shanchang or Li Cunyi who sends you blank receipts and price lists every month, you have been fooled."
Lan Tian lost his voice and said: "It's impossible. The handwriting on that price list belongs to Mr. Li Cunyi. I even confirmed it with Li Cunyi personally."
Zhu Bai tilted his head and asked: "Confirm face to face?"
Lantian realized that he had let slip and closed his eyes again.
Zhu Bai said: "Is there a possibility that someone else has impersonated Mr. Li? That person is hiding somewhere now, waiting for you to be beheaded. After this matter is over, he will take dozens of you for a few years."
The money earned through hard work and life has gone away to live a happy life."
After Zhu Bai finished speaking, he couldn't help cursing in his heart, Damn it, if I had one million taels of snowflake silver, why would I need to interrogate prisoners in this death row and go out to enjoy myself?
Lan Tian frowned and thought about this matter.
Zhu Bai added: "In fact, the emperor also thought that Li Cunyi and Li Shanchang were the masterminds behind the scenes, but he only fined them 60,000 taels of silver. So your persistence is meaningless."
Lan Tian suddenly cried: "I am wronged, I am wronged. I was also instigated and forced to do this."
Zhu Bai: "Don't panic. Speak slowly. If you can really help me find him, I might be able to reduce your sentence."
Lantian: "I was brought to the side hall by a servant at Mr. Li Cunyi's family banquet a few years ago. Then Mr. Li instructed me through the screen how to behave."
Zhu Bai: "So, you never discussed this matter with him face to face."
Lantian: "Yes. Later, Mr. Li will send someone to take away the banknote, and then put the blank receipt and price list at the place we agreed on."
-----
Zhu Bai came out of the Criminal Department and looked up at the bright and sunny sky above his head. It was best not to come here again.
If people stay here for a long time, they will become mentally ill even if they are not sick or injured.
He was a little depressed. After interrogating for an afternoon, he seemed to know a lot, but he seemed to know nothing at all, because this information was of no use in finding the mastermind.
There is a rice store next to it that is changing its prices.
Zhu Bai stopped and stared at the price: fine white rice costs eight qian and one stone.
The image of Zhu Fan's confident quotation that day suddenly came to mind.
This mastermind knows the prices very well, and he is also a person who can come in and out of the Central City Army and Horse Department at will without being suspected.
Moreover, he will never be implicated, otherwise all the tricks will be useless.
-----
News came out from the Ministry of Punishment that Lantian committed suicide out of fear of crime.
Zhu Yuanzhang was so angry in the morning that he cursed: "This thief is just a big rat who steals the treasury, and he deserves to die! He is smart and knows how to commit suicide, otherwise we will have to cut him into pieces to satisfy our hatred."
The main culprit committed suicide. This matter is basically settled and will be settled after the Dali Temple review is completed.
A few days later at night, a figure quietly appeared in the courtyard next to the temple in Nancheng.
The black shadow fell silently, lit the candle in his hand, went to the lobby and pried open the floor, revealing the box inside.
The box was full of gold, glistening in the candlelight.
The man sighed: "It's a pity that I can't take you all away. I can only force you to stay here for a longer time."
"Boom!"
The door was suddenly kicked open by someone from the outside.
This kick is extremely powerful, and it looks like it has been held in for a long time.
The man immediately turned around and was about to run over the wall. A circle of torches lit up outside the wall with a "hoo" sound.
Surrounded, there is nowhere to run.
Zhu Bai slowly came in with his hands behind his back: "Gu Cheng, I advise you to just surrender and capture us. We have been guarding you for a month, how could we let you escape?"
Gu Cheng didn't say anything, but Zhu Yuanzhang's voice rang out in the yard: "Asshole. Gu Cheng is the insider arranged by us. Why don't you just get out of the way when you take matters into your own hands?"
The soldiers were stunned and turned around to look around.
Gu Cheng took advantage of this opportunity and rushed towards Zhu Bai, clearly intending to kidnap Zhu Bai so he could escape.
Zhu Bai was well prepared and took out his gun without haste and pointed it at Gu Cheng.
Gu Cheng had heard about the power of this thing, so he changed his direction and ran towards the door.
Zhu Bai picked up a twelve-weight silver ingot and threw it towards Gu Cheng.
The silver ingot hit the back of his leg.
Gu Cheng fell forward and was held down by the soldiers, who tied him up tightly.
bi
go!
Zhu Bai walked over slowly, looked down at Gu Cheng and said, "I wasn't sure at first, but you just used ventriloquism to imitate my father's speech, which explained all the doubts."
Gu Cheng yelled as if he was crazy: "Damn it, you little brat, you actually tricked me!!"
"That's right, Lan Tian is not dead at all. The Ministry of Punishment and my father are all cooperating with me." Zhu Bai said proudly, "What's wrong with me, my king, who is plotting against you? Haha. Who asked you to plot against me for hundreds of thousands of dollars first?
The surname is the same as the treasury of the Ming Dynasty."
