Chen Deng's arrival was somewhat beyond Deng Ji's expectation.
He also couldn't understand Chen Deng's purpose of coming, but he could vaguely feel that Chen Deng would never come to Haixi for no reason. There must be a reason.
According to the rules, Chen Deng should inform him in advance when he comes, and then Deng Ji will go out of the city three miles to greet him.
But he came to the door without saying a word, what exactly was he thinking?
Deng Ji played the drums somewhat.
When Cao Peng walked out of the yamen hall, he saw a strange smile on Wang Cheng's face. He rolled his eyes and motioned for Puyang Kai and others to follow him first, while he himself walked two steps slowly and waved to Feng.
He stepped forward and dragged Wang Cheng over from the prison door.
"Mr. Wang!"
Cao Peng sighed.
Wang Cheng's face turned sallow and his complexion was extremely depressed.
It's just that he doesn't seem too frustrated, but rather a little proud.
"Mr. Cao, is something wrong?"
Cao Peng waved his hand, signaling Feng Chao and others to retreat.
"Actually, I really didn't expect that you would be Xue Zhou."
"so what?"
"And you will never guess that I already know that you are Mai Xiong Mai Juwei."
Wang Cheng trembled and tried his best to remain shocked.
But his expression betrayed his inner thoughts. He was obviously extremely horrified and even a little bit fearful.
Cao Peng ignored him and said to himself: "Do you know how I guessed it?"
"Mr. Cao, I really don't understand what you mean by this."
"According to the documents I have reviewed, Mai Juwei was also an extremely elegant person in Guangling County in his early years. He was one of the four outstanding figures along with Chen Gong, Hanyu and others."
"So what?"
Cao Peng smiled, looked at Wang Cheng and said: "This means that the county government's records of Mai Juwei are very detailed.
Including when he was promoted as Xiaolian, when he entered the capital as a minister, when he became a doctor of admonishment, when he became a doctor of Taizhong, etc."
Cao Peng's speaking speed is very slow, but the rhythm is very rhythmic.
Ordinary words, but there is a hidden power that shocks people's hearts.
trial!
It is also a required course for Cao Peng, who was a criminal policeman in his previous life.
The interrogation is not a simple matter of asking you your name and your place of origin, nor is it a slap on the table like in some TV series of later generations: you will be treated leniently if you confess, and you will be treated harshly if you resist.
There is extremely superb skill here.
To capture the other person's mind and know the other person's intentions.
Cao Peng's words were not hasty or slow, but they made Wang Cheng feel the pressure.
He simply closed his eyes and stopped talking.
"The complete record means that I know very well about Mai Juwei.
He was known for his noble integrity. When he was a sales official in Shichang, he once asked him for 800,000 yuan, saying that he could continue to serve as Taizhong doctor. What was the market price of Taizhong doctor at that time? 1.2 million yuan.
In other words, Shi Changshi still valued Mai Juwei very much.
But Mai Juwei finally resigned and returned to his hometown... He didn't have 800,000 yuan?
I won't believe it. Looking at the Mai family's property, even if it doesn't cost 800,000 yuan, it's almost the same. This person likes chrysanthemums, especially black chrysanthemums. A person who likes rare black chrysanthemums suddenly gets better in his later years.
Instead of ordinary red plums? This change is too big. And Xuezhou, a native of Meixiang, Langya County, Qingzhou... It is said that in the early years, red plums were everywhere in Meixiang, and it was also a very famous place in Langya County. I am
I also specifically asked Mr. Puyang about this. You should know that Mr. Puyang’s knowledge is still better than that of ordinary people.”
Wang Cheng's body couldn't help but tremble, but he couldn't tell whether it was from pain or fear.
“As I get older, I always feel homesick.
So I pulled up the chrysanthemums in the courtyard and planted a garden full of red plums, which could also express my homesickness. At the same time, I would not be suspected...
Am I right? Doctor Mai!"
Wang Cheng opened his eyes and looked at Cao Peng complicatedly.
"Are you really only fourteen?"
"Well, there are still two months to go until we are fifteen years old."
Wang Cheng closed his eyes again, but it could be seen from his twitching eyelids that his heart must not be peaceful.
"One more thing... Yiluwan, my two sworn brothers are leading three thousand warriors and are ready to go."
"What does it have to do with me?"
“I’ve also heard that Yuzhou’s mountain and sea roads are complicated and not easy to find.
But you may have forgotten one thing. Since my two sworn brothers can take over the troops from Wei Mi, they will naturally not be afraid of the complicated sea route. It is said that there are more than 30,000 people on Yuzhou Mountain. Mr. Wang originally
Did they bring them out from Qingzhou just because they wanted them to die?"
"What do you mean?"
"It's not interesting. I just want to remind you that the lives of 30,000 people are in your hands."
Wang Cheng opened his eyes again and stared at Cao Peng.
"You have two ways now. If you cooperate with me, you will inevitably die, but I will try to save the lives of those 30,000 people and resettle them properly; or, I will send someone to Yilu now to tell me the two
A sworn brother, there are 30,000 people on the island, not a single one will be left alive."
"you……"
Wang Cheng looked at Cao Peng in shock, with a look of horror in his eyes.
He would never have imagined that the weak young man in front of him could be so ruthless.
His actions and words were not at all the temperament a fourteen-year-old boy should have. However, Wang Cheng had to admit that Cao Peng hit his mark.
"Mai Ren doesn't want to kill you."
"so……"
"So he went to Guangling and asked Governor Chen to come forward and drive you away."
Wang Cheng said with a bitter smile, "He even asked for my opinion at that time, but he didn't know that I had already promised others to take your lives.
Mr. Cao, don’t you want to know who wants to harm you?
As long as you can..."
"Liu Bei!"
"ah!"
Cao Peng's words caused Wang Cheng's words to stop abruptly.
"how do you know?"
"Since I can deduce that Mai Xiong is Wang Cheng, why can't I deduce who wants to kill me? Some people have monopolized the Lianghuai Salt Road and used private salt to purchase military supplies and weapons. I am rectifying business in Haixi
City, the more forceful I am, the more dangerous they will become.
Not only that, I also know that Mai Ren has been helping Liu Bei smuggle salt, right?
Mr. Wang, if you cooperate with me well, I can at least ensure that your death will not be too painful. But if you are smart, don't blame me for being ruthless."
"I..." A bright red appeared on Wang Cheng's sallow face.
He looked at Cao Peng and suddenly smiled bitterly.
"Master Cao, I made a big mistake."
"oh?"
"Everyone, including me, thought that Magistrate Deng was the person in charge of this trip, and Pu Yangkai and others were his staff. In fact, you are his staff... It's just because you are young that all
Everyone has ignored you. Among the people brought by Magistrate Deng this time, you are the most dangerous one. If I had set my target on you at the beginning, maybe the outcome would have been different."
"Mr. Wang, there is no if in this world..."
"So, I didn't lose unjustly!" Wang Cheng laughed, "Because I don't even know who my opponent is!"
This time, Cao Peng had no interface.
Wang Cheng suddenly said: "Master Cao, if you can protect the lives of my thirty thousand brothers, I will take you to dig for treasures."
"The treasure is under the tower."
"ah?"
"Actually, you have found the entrance, but you have not taken action because you are missing one important thing."
“Fish kisses Copper Town!”
"You tried to dig a tunnel out, but failed.
A few years ago, people often jumped into the water by the lotus pond, but no one ever found a dead body. In fact, what jumped into the water was not a dead body, but the soil dug out when you dug a tunnel. You have nowhere to throw away such a large amount of soil.
, so you came up with a trick to build a statue of a saint. You set up a library in Xili and found someone to build a statue of the saint, saying it was a sign of respect for the saint. In fact, after you made the clay into an embryo, you ordered someone to build it that night.
By the pool, throw it into the pool. Since it was night, no one could see it clearly.
Hence the legend of an innocent soul thrown into a pond...
It wasn't until a few years ago that you discovered the secret of Yuki Copper Town and stopped digging tunnels."
"you you……"
Wang Cheng felt that the hairs on his spine stood up.
What Cao Peng said hit his vital points.
In an instant, all his support was gone, and only endless fear remained.
Cao Peng glanced at him and said, "Whether you cooperate or not, I will not kill those 30,000 people.
In order for Haixi to recover, it needs a large population, and they can just serve as villagers... I may be vicious, but I will not kill innocent people indiscriminately."
"Master Cao, I will take you to open the entrance."
Wang Cheng's heart suddenly calmed down at this moment.
From Cao Peng's eyes, he read sincerity.
He had been a bandit all his life and had killed countless people; he had even killed officials who had become officials. Wang Cheng also knew that he definitely had no chance of survival.
Since Cao Peng made the guarantee, maybe he can really bring a way of life to those poor people.
It is not a long-term solution for 30,000 people to gather in the small Yuzhou Mountain. Although Yuzhou Mountain is hidden, it is not a long-term solution after all.
Being able to return to land has been the idea of Wang Cheng and others for many years.
The reason why he wants to open the treasure is also to provide a proper settlement for those who follow him.
As for Wang Cheng himself...
"Cao Peng, you did a good job!"
When Cao Peng walked out of the gate of the government office, he saw Chen Deng standing in front of the door.
However, he was surprised to see that there was an acquaintance behind Chen Deng. He was the young man who had talked about food with him that day in Xiapi.
"Prefect Chen!"
"You knew the pirates were coming, why didn't you inform me in time?"
"I……"
"Do you think you can do whatever you want just because you are a little smart? If these pirates attack Haixi, the newly restored vitality of Haixi County will be destroyed. How dare you be so bold?"
Cao Peng was stunned!
I originally thought that Chen Deng came here to cause trouble for Deng Ji.
But looking at his words, does he mean to cause trouble?
The young man behind Chen Deng made a face at Cao Peng, and then said loudly: "You are indeed brave, but Cao Peng is young and is not sensible. How can you, County Magistrate Deng, allow him to behave like this? Also, Cao Peng is young and ignorant."
, Mai Ren... As a Haixi gentry, at this time, you did not stay in the county, but ran to Guangling. How can you be worthy of your father Mai Gongjuwei, who has a reputation of uprightness in this life."
Mai Ren stood aside, a little at a loss.
Chen Deng glared at the young man, and then looked at Cao Peng.
"Cao Peng!"
"The official is here."
"Are you willing to follow me to Guangling?"
"ah?"
Cao Peng raised his head in astonishment and looked at Chen Deng.
But I saw a faint smile on Chen Deng's somewhat rigid face.
Chen Deng turned his head and looked towards Deng Ji again.
"County Magistrate Deng, are you willing to give up your love?"
"Xiaguan... If Youxue is willing, Xiaguan will not stop you."
There was a trace of ecstasy in Deng Ji's heart.
Ah Fu, was spotted by Chen Deng?
If you stay in Haixi, you won't have a better future than Guangling.
The most important thing is that Ah Fu can make more friends when he arrives in Guangling, which is a hundred times better than staying in Haixi.
Cao Peng hesitated for a moment and said: "Prefect Chen, please allow me to think twice before making a decision. I believe that the top priority is to open the treasure house left by Li Guangli as soon as possible."
"treasure?"
Chen Deng was startled and exclaimed: "Are you saying that the legendary sea treasure is indeed a real thing?"
"Exactly."
"You..." Chen Deng pondered for a moment, "I have heard people say since I was a child that there was a batch of treasures in Haixi, which were left behind by the Marquis of Haixi.
Until now, no one knew about it, so they thought it was just a legend.
Unexpectedly... Long article, it seems that we really came to the right place today... Zi Ai, why don't you come with us?
I know you feel a little uncomfortable, but it's just a trivial matter. I don't know much about Magistrate Deng's character. But my father once said that Magistrate Deng is a prudent person. If there is any misunderstanding between you, you might as well talk about it.
Clearly, it’s no big deal…”
Mai Ren, his face turned red.
He ran to Guangling to complain, hoping to drive Deng Ji away through Chen Deng.
Who would have known... As soon as he walked away with his front foot, the pirate with his back foot broke into trouble.
When he walked into the Haixi city gate and heard the cheers of those Haixi people, Mai Ren knew that his plan might be in vain!
How could Mai Ren not know the reason for this?
He couldn't help but secretly rejoice that he had not contacted Xue Zhou rashly at the beginning, otherwise he would have no place in Haixi if the incident was revealed.
After all, the crime of colluding with pirates...
Cao Peng glanced at Mai Ren and then at Chen Deng.
He suddenly sighed and said softly: "Prefect Chen, you came just in time. There is an old case. Let's solve it together today."
"An old case?"
Deng Ji looked at Cao Peng doubtfully.
Chen Deng asked: "What old case?"
"Feng Chao!"
"Here!"
Feng Chao walked in from outside the crowd and stepped in to salute.
Cao Peng said: "This Feng Caoyu... no, actually he should be called Feng Gongzi. He is the son of Feng Yuan, the commander of Haixi who was killed three years ago. He is now in Haixi and is serving as a soldier. What I said
The old case is the real culprit who killed Magistrate Feng three years ago."
Feng Chao couldn't help being stunned when he heard this.
"The real murderer of my father?"
When Chen Deng heard what Cao Peng said, his face immediately showed a solemn look.
He asked in a deep voice: "Cao Peng, could it be said that it was not done by pirates? Do you know who did it?"
Cao Peng took a deep breath and said, "Masters, please follow me!"
