Liaozhai: A scholar should draw a sword

Chapter 146 Ning Caichen solves the case in the street

"Mr. Cai, you should truthfully recruit what happened back then. If you cheat, you will be punished!"

"Yes, my lord!"

Now that things are going on, Mrs. Cai doesn't care about her face, and starts to talk about her experiences back then.

From going to Zhang Butcher's stall to get rich and talk, until the two hang out together, and finally Zhang Luer returns home and forces her to marry Zhang Butcher...

"That day, the woman was sick in bed, and Dou E specially made a pot of chicken soup and brought it over.

The woman felt a little nauseous at the time, so she didn't drink the soup.Later, Butcher Zhang came into the house and said that the soup was cold, so he drank it, and died of poison not long after.

Zhang Lver insisted that the women and Dou E colluded to poison his father..."

At this time, Ye Mo was sitting on one side, with a relaxed look.

He knew very well that no matter how the case was tried, it would be a muddled one, missing a lot of key evidence.

If Zhang Donkey poisoned it, who can prove it?

The important thing is that Zhang Lv'er has fled the county seat now, and he can't even find anyone. The defendant, Dou E, is dead long ago. There is no plaintiff and no defendant. How can this case go forward?
But what Ye Mo never expected was that Fang Danian suddenly shouted: "Bring a donkey to the hall!"

Hearing this, Ye Mo couldn't help being stunned, and then his expression changed... because he saw two yamen servants walking over with Zhang Donkey.

He didn't know the two yamen servants.

Speaking of the yamen servants in the county yamen, he couldn't remember the full names, but he must have seen them all, and he had no impression of these two yamen servants at all. Obviously, they were people close to Fang Danian.

As a result, Ye Mo's heart sank...

"Zhang Lv'er, back then you said Cai's mother-in-law and daughter-in-law conspired to poison your father. What evidence do you have?"

"My lord, Dou E brought over a bowl of chicken soup. My father was poisoned to death after drinking it. It must be their conspiracy."

"Every murder has a motive, why did Dou E poison your father?"

"It's... this little one is hard to guess, maybe it's trying to seize my family's property."

Anyway, Dou E was dead, and Zhang Lv'er was right, since there was no proof of death anyway.

In the end, Fang Danian said: "Since that's the case, let Dou E come out and confront you."

"What?"

Zhang Lv'er thought he had heard wrong.

The people around couldn't help but look at each other... Didn't Dou E die a long time ago?How to confront?

Fang Danian yelled in the direction of Chenghuang Temple: "Dou E, come out and confront yourself."

"Thank you sir!"

A voice floated out, which immediately caused a commotion.

Immediately afterwards, Master Chenghuang came out, and at the same time brought a woman in a plain white dress...

"Master Chenghuang has appeared!"

"Master City God..."

Many people knelt down when they saw Master Chenghuang.

At the same time, some people exclaimed in low voices: "She is really Dou E..."

Cai looked at Dou E blankly, as if she couldn't believe it.

Ye Mo was in a cold sweat, he didn't want to leave, and he didn't want to leave.

Zhang Lv'er was so frightened that his face was ashen...

"Dou E kowtows to Master Qingtian!"

Dou E walked into the arena and kowtowed to Fang Danian.

Fang Danian first got up and saluted the City God, and invited the City God to sit down on the stage, and then said to Dou E: "Dou E, what is wrong with you? It happens that there are many people present today, you can be Speak out in front of everyone."

"Yes, my lord."

Dou E responded and began to talk about the past.

"Zhang Lv'er came to pester him many times, and even forced the women to marry him, saying that if he didn't agree, he wouldn't make our mother-in-law and daughter-in-law feel better.

How can women obey him?Then he snapped.

That day, when she heard that her mother-in-law was ill, the woman asked a neighbor to help her kill a chicken that was still laying eggs at home, and stewed a pot of soup for her mother-in-law..."

When he heard this, Fang Danian asked: "Did you send it there personally?"

"Yes."

"You served the soup to your mother-in-law?"

"No..." Dou E shook her head: "When I sent the soup, Zhang Luer was at home. The woman didn't want to talk to him, so she put the soup down and asked him to give it to my mother-in-law, and then I left."

"Donkey Zhang, is that right?"

Fang Danian asked Fang Lu'er again.

Fang Lu'er rolled her eyes and denied it flatly: "My lord, she lied. I was not at home at the time, and she served the soup herself."

"Crack!" Fang Danian slapped the gavel: "Since you said you were not at home, how did you know that the soup was served by Dou E?"

"I..." Zhang Lv'er pretended to be clever and added a sentence, but finally put himself in it, and stammered: "This... villain, the villain guessed."

"Bold!" Fang Danian angrily reprimanded: "It is clear that you are holding a grudge, and took the opportunity to poison the chicken soup to poison Cai's death..."

"My lord, I have been wronged. What reason does the young one have to poison Mrs. Cai to death? At the beginning, the young one tried her best to bring her into marriage with her late father."

"The reason why you have arranged this matter is nothing more than finding an excuse to get close to Dou E and want to occupy her as a wife.

If Dou E refused, you held a grudge and wanted to poison Mrs. Cai first, so that Dou E would have no one to rely on, so you can take advantage of the situation, is this official correct? "

How could Zhang Lu'er admit it, and shouted for injustice: "My lord, the little one is wronged. The grown-up just speculates that the young one is the murderer, and the little one refuses to accept it."

Hearing this, Ye Mo breathed a sigh of relief.

Indeed, this case is hard to decide. If Zhang Luer pleads not guilty, no one will be able to testify against him for poisoning.

"Hehe, conjecture? Do you really think that the judge has no evidence? Come here, pass witnesses to court."

Soon, a yamen servant brought two of them up to the arena.

These two people, one named Agou, was Zhang Lver's friend, and the other named Hu Er, a herbalist who often set up a stall in the north of the city to sell medicine.

Seeing these two people playing, Zhang Lv'er couldn't help being dumbfounded on the spot.

Next, two witnesses began to testify.

Agou said: "One day, Zhang Lu'er was drunk, and he told me that he couldn't sleep every night. I smiled and asked him if he had done something wrong again.

He said that Dou E's death was terrible, and he was afraid that Dou E would turn into a ghost looking for him...

Then, he said a lot more, saying that he was responsible for the poison, that he bought the medicine from Hu Er, and that he did not expect to poison his father to death..."

Hu Er also testified that Zhang Lv'er did buy a pack of medicine from him, saying it was used to poison rats.

After the witnesses were brought out, Fang Danian slapped the gavel suddenly: "Donkey Zhang, what else do you have to say?"

"Small... small injustice..."

Now that the matter has come to this point, Zhang Lv'er still wants to quibble.

In a rage, Fang Danian ordered someone to torture him.

As soon as the splint was put on, Zhang Luer couldn't stand it anymore, so he had to do it obediently.

"Your confession, the poison was indeed poisoned by the younger one. When I bought the poison, I really wanted to use it to poison the rats at home.

That day when Dou E came to deliver the chicken soup, she was confused for a moment, so she secretly poisoned the chicken soup to kill Mrs. Cai..."

The truth of the case finally came to light, and all the people shouted and cursed angrily.

Dou E burst into tears.

After Zhang Lv'er signed and pledged, Fang Danian sentenced Zhang Lv'er to death in court and ordered him to be put in death row first.

Then, he glanced at Ye Mo and said coldly, "Master Ye, what do you say?"

Ye Mo was so frightened that he quickly got up and cupped his hands: "The lower official is guilty. The lower official didn't notice for a while, and was deceived by that donkey, and misjudged the case."

Guilty, this is an official saying, but Fang Danian continued to say: "Since you also know that you are guilty, then take off your official robe and let the higher authorities punish you."

"Yes, my lord!"

Ye Mo's eyes suddenly went dark, and he fainted to the ground.

Because he knew that this life was completely ruined, and his superiors would definitely investigate him thoroughly. After an investigation, many things would inevitably be found out.

"Thank you, Lord Qingtian, and thank you, Lord Chenghuang."

With tears streaming down her face, Dou E knelt down in front of Fang Danian and the City God to thank him repeatedly.

Back then, she was even more grateful to Zhou Yu in her heart. After all, she also knew that if Zhou Yu hadn't written the complaint for her, how could she have had the chance to wash away her grievances?

"Okay, Dou E, I will take you to the underworld right now, intercede for you, and try to let you reincarnate as soon as possible, so that you can find a good family in your next life."

"Thank you, Lord Chenghuang..."

Afterwards, this anecdote spread rapidly among the people, and was compiled into storytelling, and operas were widely circulated.

For such a result, Bai Min'er and Ying Ning were naturally very pleased. After all, they were the two who saved Dou E, so they naturally hoped that she would have a happy ending.

Before I knew it, another year passed, and the good news came again:
After several years of hard study, Ning Caichen finally pulled out the clouds to see the moon, passed the Jinshi examination, and was appointed as a seventh-rank official in Guangping Mansion soon after.

When the new official took office, Ning Caichen naturally wanted to make some political achievements. He read official documents and files every day to understand the local folk customs, geography and landforms.

On this day, Ning Caichen had nothing to do, so he put on casual clothes and went for a stroll in the street, and took a look at the people's sentiments by the way.

When I walked to a busy city, I found that there were many people surrounded in front of me, and there was a noise, so I hurried over to see what happened.

In the crowd, an old man held on to a young man in a suit, saying that he had stolen his purse.

"Damn old man, you spitting blood, why do you say that I stole your purse?"

The young man had a fierce expression on his face, shouting and cursing angrily.

"You bumped into me, and as soon as you left I found that my purse was gone."

"Nonsense, what proof do you have?"

The two were arguing fiercely, and all the common people were also confused, not knowing who was right and who was wrong.

Ning Caichen observed outside for a while, and he had an idea in his mind.

So, he squeezed into the crowd and said with a smile: "You two don't need to argue, I have a way to prove what one of you said is right."

The young man was stunned: "How do you prove it?"

Ning Caichen first asked the old man, "Are you selling oil cakes?"

"Yes son, I was carrying a burden and was going to change places. This kid walked past me and bumped into me. I felt something was wrong. I quickly touched my waist, and the purse was gone."

"Then what are the characteristics of your purse? How much money is in it?"

"The money bag...is just an ordinary money bag. In terms of money...it seems to have forty or fifty copper coins."

"Hehe," the young man smiled disdainfully: "Your name is not written on your purse, and you can't tell the exact amount, so why do you say I stole it? Be careful, I will report to the police to arrest you."

"In this way, I have a way to let the copper money speak, and it can tell everyone whose money it is."

As soon as this remark came out, all the people couldn't help being surprised: Money still talking?

Obviously, the young man didn't believe it either, he laughed and said, "What are you bragging about? I'm not afraid that the wind will flash your tongue."

Ning Caichen smiled: "Why don't we make a bet?"

"Just bet, I'm afraid of you?"

"Okay, uncle, please bring me a basin of clean water."

"Ok."

There was excitement to watch, and the uncle cooperated, and quickly brought a basin of clear water over.

Ning Caichen poured clear water on the ground, and said to the young man, "Please take some copper coins out and put them in the basin."

The young man stared: "Why?"

"Only in this way can you prove your innocence. Besides, you also bet with me just now."

"Hmph, okay, I want to see what tricks you can play."

After finishing speaking, the young man took out a money bag as if he had no fear...

"Yes, this is the money bag." The old man shouted loudly.

"Hehe, old man, take a closer look. There are street stalls all over the Qiandai street, and there are probably quite a few people present, right?"

"Yes, yes, this purse is very ordinary, and there is no way to prove who it is."'

Someone chimed in.

"Don't be impatient, old man..." Ning Caichen persuaded: "I said that copper money can talk, and it will tell everyone whose money it is."

"Just let it go, I'm afraid you won't succeed?"

The young man took out a few copper plates and threw them into the basin.

At the same time, he snorted coldly: "If this copper coin can't talk, see how I will deal with you today."

The copper coin was thrown into the water, floated a few times and then sank to the bottom.

After a while, a lot of oily flowers appeared on the water.

At this time, Ning Caichen couldn't help laughing and said: "Okay, the copper coin has spoken, everyone listen carefully, it is clearly saying that it is the money of the old man who sells oil cakes."

"Nonsense, where's the sound?" the young man shouted angrily.

However, at this time, some people came to their senses and said loudly: "I understand. Look, everyone, there are oily flowers on the water. The old man sells oily cakes. The copper coins he collected will inevitably be stained with oil, so they will flood when they are soaked in water." oil flower."

"So that's how it is..."

Hearing this, the young man's face was startled, and he quibbled: "I've eaten deep-fried dough sticks before, can't I?"

"Hehe, then you stretch out your hand for everyone to see. Except for the three fingers you just pinched the copper coin, I dare say that your hand is not oily."

The young man retracted his hand subconsciously: "Why should I show it to you? I'm lazy to talk to you..."

After speaking, he turned around and wanted to run away.

After all, being exposed by others, it is hard to cause public outrage.

In the end, he was grabbed by Ning Caichen: "Don't leave, return the money bag to the old man."

"Damn things!"

The guy became impatient and kicked Ning Caichen.

"What are you doing? What are you doing together?"

At this time, three yamen servants rushed over.

"Master, it's good that you are here, this man is playing tricks to cheat everyone's money..."

The young man came and the villain first complained.

At this time, Ning Caichen unhurriedly took out his waist card, and said to the three yamen servants: "I am the newly appointed official in the government. This person stole the old man's money. You three quickly arrest him." Take him back to the Yamen and interrogate him."

The three yamen servants looked at the badges and hurriedly cupped their hands in fright: "The little one has seen the adults."

At this moment, the young man couldn't help being completely dumbfounded, his legs went limp, and he collapsed to the ground...

The old man who sold oil cakes was very grateful, and hurriedly saluted: "Thank you, sir, thank you, sir, you are really an upright official..."

……

(End of this chapter)