Walking into Dingxihou's cell, Xiao Chen couldn't help but frown.
It was pitch dark in the cell.
The ashes of burning straw covered the entire cell.
Even the small bed in the corner was half burned.
Gongchang Tongzhi Wei Li, with seven or eight Gongchangwei soldiers, stood in the cell with their heads lowered and did not dare to raise their heads.
"Who discovered the fire first?" Xiao Chen asked coldly.
"Sir, it's me." A soldier took a step forward.
"Tell me about the situation at that time."
"I was standing guard nearby when I suddenly heard Dingxihou's cry for help. When I ran over, the fire was already very strong, all the straw was burned, and the fire had spread to the small bed." The soldier said clearly.
"You mean, it was Ding Xihou who called for help, and you didn't discover it?"
"Sir, yes."
"In the prison, the only source of fire was the oil lamp, which was fixed on the wall. Didn't Ding Xihou explain why it fell?" Xiao Chen's eyes were fixed on the other party.
"Seeing the fire in the cell, my subordinates were very nervous. They hurriedly opened the cell door and let Dingxihou out first. Then he started asking people to put out the fire without asking him how the fire started."
Xiao Chen turned his head and looked at Wei Li next to him: "Wei Tongzhi, did you ask me about it afterwards?"
"My lord, I asked my subordinate. Ding Xihou said that when he was stretching, he accidentally knocked down the oil lamp." Wei Li replied in a low voice with his body hunched over.
After looking at the place where the oil lamp was placed, Xiao Chen walked forward.
He raised his hands and made a stretching gesture.
But no matter what, what my hand touches is the bottom of the lampstand, and it is impossible to touch the top of the lampstand.
Xiao Chen stepped lightly again, raised his right hand high, and then touched the upper part of the lampstand.
"I bumped into it accidentally. I couldn't bump into it accidentally. This Ding Xihou deliberately knocked over the oil lamp and set it on fire." Xiao Chen snorted coldly.
"The Marquis of Dingxi asked to have dinner with Wang Kuan?" Xiao Chen asked again.
"Yes. You are not here. Wang Kuan is the prefect of Gongchang and the marquis of Dingxi. He is Wang Kuan's father. He made a request to see Wang Kuan, and Commander Zhang agreed." Wei Li lowered his head and said.
"Their food is cooked in the government office kitchen?"
"yes."
"Call the cook."
"Yes." In response, Wei Li winked at a soldier next to him.
After a while, an old man wearing an apron walked into the prison. He was the same old man who cooked dried vegetables for Dingxihou yesterday.
"How is the food today different from the past?" Xiao Chen asked.
"There is no difference. They are all dry rice with dry vegetables."
"Wang Kuan was poisoned to death, do you know?" Xiao Chen stared closely into his eyes.
Although Xiao Chen was most suspicious of Ding Xihou, he was unwilling to ignore any possibility.
"I know, Lord Tongzhi has already gone to the kitchen to question me."
"Have you ever poisoned the food?" Xiao Chen smiled faintly, looking extremely mysterious.
"No." The old man said without fear, "The villain has a big family behind him, and he feeds them by cooking in the government office. The food may not taste good, but there will definitely be no poison."
"How many years have you been cooking in the government office?"
"About five or six years ago."
"Well, it's none of your business, go down." Xiao Chen said calmly.
Watching the old man leave slowly, Wei Li whispered: "Lao Zhang is a real person, he will not poison."
"He did not inflict this poison, but his calmness made me look at him in a new light."
"My lord, you don't know something. He is not calm, but he has hatred in his heart."
"Hate? Hatred with whom?" Xiao Chen couldn't help but ask.
There are so many things involved in a small Gongchang Mansion, which seems to be more complicated than the capital city.
Even the cook in the kitchen looked calmer when faced with his questions than those of the high-ranking officials in the capital.
And this is actually because of hatred.
What kind of hatred would make him look down on life and death?
"With the prefect Wang Kuan." Wei Li whispered.
"Wang Kuan? He has a grudge against Wang Kuan?" Xiao Chen was startled again.
If this is the case, doesn't it mean that he has a serious motive for poisoning?
"Boss Zhang has two daughters. If the older one were alive, she would be twenty-six this year."
"Wait, wait." Xiao Chen interrupted Wei Li, "What do you mean should be alive? You mean, his eldest daughter is already dead?"
"Yes." Wei Li nodded, "Boof Zhang's two daughters were more beautiful than the other. They were spotted by Wang Kuan and were forcibly taken to his home as maids. Two years ago, the eldest daughter died in Wang Kuan's house.
It was said that she died suddenly of a serious disease. However, when Chef Zhang brought her back, the girl was covered in wounds and one of her eyes was already blind."
"For this reason, Zhang Huofu came to Wang Kuan to argue, and Wang Kuan insisted that he died of illness. Finally, he gave him one hundred taels of silver and settled the matter. According to the government servant, Wang Kuan used the lives of Zhang Huofu's two daughters to threaten him and let him
He should keep silent."
Looking at Wei Li, Xiao Chen shook his head in disbelief, his face full of disappointment.
"Wei Tongzhi, Wei Tongzhi, as a Tongzhi of Gongchang Mansion, you can't even redress the grievances of the cook who cooked for you. What kind of official are you?"
As soon as his knees softened, Wei Li knelt in front of Xiao Chen: "This matter has always been in Xiaguan's heart, making it hard for him to sleep or eat well. However, Wang Kuan is the prefect of Gongchang Mansion and Xiaguan's immediate superior. He
His father was the Marquis of Dingxi who was personally granted the title of Taizu. The villain was really unable to repay this injustice. The villain was often worried about this matter, so he took care of Zhang Huofu everywhere and secretly increased his remuneration.
.”
Xiao Chen waved his hand: "Don't talk about those trivial and useless things. Just say, are you unable to avenge him, or do you simply not dare to avenge him?"
"The villain is powerless to avenge himself, and he dare not avenge Mr. Zhang." Perhaps because of the extreme shame in his heart, Wei Li fell to the ground with his whole body.
Turning around, Xiao Chen shook his head and stopped looking at him.
"This Gongchang Mansion is really full of talents. The prefect is corrupt and perverts the law, regardless of the life and death of the people. The commander of the guard station, considering his face, secretly agreed to the prisoner's request, causing an important prisoner to be poisoned and died. And you are still in my mind.
A good government official is actually a coward who is willing to bend to power. With you in charge of Gongchang Mansion, can the people of Gongchang Mansion live a good life?"
Xiao Chen's words were full of disappointment.
"This official is guilty, please punish me."
"Punishment?" Xiao Chen turned around and pointed at Wei Li's head with one hand, "Now is the critical moment for disaster relief. I will put your head on your neck first. When the disaster relief is completed, we will make a careful calculation.
Let’s settle your account.”
"Thank you, sir." Wei Li kowtowed hurriedly.
Although Zhang Huofu had a serious motive for poisoning, he did not dare to poison Wang Kuan under any circumstances, as he had his young daughter as a hostage.
"By the way." Xiao Chen said again, "Wang Kuan was imprisoned as soon as he came back and was busy with disaster relief. We did not search his home. Since Zhang Huofu's little daughter is still at his home, you can lead the way and we will rescue him.
She also used his property for disaster relief in Gongchang."
"Now?"
"Now, gather at the gate of the government office."
After carrying Wang Kuan's body back to the official post, Duan Tianming rushed to the government office without stopping.
At the gate of the government office, a hundred or so Gongchang Guard soldiers had gathered.
Xiao Chen looked at himself seriously.
"Here, what are you going to do?"
"Go and raid Wang Kuan's house." Xiao Chen said.
"Search the house?" Duan Tianming looked excited, "Let's go."
"Why are you raiding a house by yourself? Go and call all the brothers who are idle in the official post. Also, go to the city gate and call Xiao Lizi and bring paper and pen."
"Oh." Duan Tianming turned and left again.
Half an hour later, more than thirty Dongchang captains, led by Duan Tianming, arrived at the gate of the government office.
Little Plum was holding a wooden box in his hand, which contained pens, ink, paper and inkstones.
Xiao Chen took a few steps back and stood on the steps of the government office, his eyes scanning everyone's faces one by one.
"Gong Changwei is responsible for guarding the perimeter and not letting anyone leave. Wei Tongzhi and the people from Dongchang entered the courtyard, registered all the property, and set off."
The group of people exited the city gate in a mighty manner and ran toward the northwest suburbs.
Not long after, a building complex surrounded by blue brick walls appeared in front of everyone.
"Sir, this is Wang Kuan's home." Wei Li raised his hand and pointed.
"What, is it Wang Kuan's home?" Xiao Chen's face was full of embarrassment. "When I went to Shouyang Town, I passed by this place and thought it was a temple or a school. It seems that I am blind."
