Liaozhai: A scholar should draw a sword

Chapter 176
With the clues in hand, it is relatively easy to follow the clues to investigate the case.

Song Zhi secretly laid out two lines, one line, and secretly sent people to investigate Qi Chuan's whereabouts and his details.

The other line is to secretly investigate the whereabouts of Miaojing and Mingkong, the master and apprentice, and who they often come into contact with.

Because Song Zhi believed that the two masters and apprentices often walked by the river, how could their shoes not get wet?
Although the two were cautious and only accepted merchants from other places, but after a long time, some clues would inevitably be revealed.

It is also a coincidence.

On this day, some people caught a thief who broke into the house and turned it over to the county government.

A small thief is nothing at all, the people below will deal with it by themselves, so how can there be any need to alarm the county magistrate?
But the little thief named Ah Er kept saying that he wanted to see the county magistrate, saying that he had something important to explain.

As soon as he heard that there was an important matter to explain, his subordinates did not neglect, so they went to report it.

Song Zhi went to interrogation.

As a result, it was really rewarding.

As soon as he saw Song Zhi, Ah Er repeatedly kowtowed and said, "My lord, the younger one has an important situation to explain. I hope that the elder will be lenient and let the younger one go. The younger one will definitely change his ways in the future."

Song Zhi snorted coldly and said, "You started talking about conditions with me before you even started to explain?"

Ah Er was so frightened that he hurriedly begged for mercy: "Don't dare, dare not, the little one doesn't dare..."

"You explain the situation first, and the officer will make a decision after listening."

How can a majestic county parent official be threatened by a little thief?

Ah Er was helpless, he had to struggle no matter what, and he believed that the county magistrate he was talking about would be interested.

"The little one knows that the adults have been investigating the case of Zhihua'an..."

"Oh?"

Hearing the word Zhihua'an, Song Zhi got excited, and immediately waved away his subordinates, leaving only the master to accompany him to interrogate.

"Ah Er, tell the truth, if you can really provide clues to solve the case, I can decide to punish you lightly."

"Thank you sir, thank you sir!"

Ah Er was overjoyed, he sorted out his thoughts and began to explain everything.

"The little one lives in the countryside of Dongli Town, because the family is very poor, so..."

"So you're going to steal?"

"My lord, I know I'm wrong..." Ah Er hurriedly replied, and then said: "That day, I saw Mingkong from Zhihua Temple shopping on the street, and I suddenly thought about it.

I thought to myself, there are often pilgrims donating money in Zhihua Nunnery, and how much their master and apprentice have to spend, I think they must have saved a lot of money in the nunnery.

So, in the middle of the night that day, the little one sneaked into the nunnery.

I thought that the two of them, the master and the disciple, had already fallen asleep, but they didn't know that the light was still on in the meditation room, and there were people talking.

When the little one heard it, it wasn't right, why is it a man talking, could it be a pilgrim staying here?
Curious for a while, the little one sneaked to the window and looked through the window...and couldn't help but be surprised.

A little discovery, Miao Jing actually... actually had a relationship with a man..."

"Who is that man? Is it a local or a foreigner?"

"I don't know the young one, but that man looks like a scholar, and his accent... should be a bit like the accent in Guanzhong.

Moreover, the little one also heard the conversation between the two, and heard Miao Jing calling that person, Young Master Qi..."

"Master Qi?"

Hearing this, Song Zhi and Master couldn't help but looked at each other in surprise.

Could it be Qi Chuan?
So, Song Zhi asked the man's age and appearance in detail, and compared with the time when Qi Chuan left, he could basically confirm that the man was Qi Chuan.

Next, Ah Er confessed: "Besides, I have heard them mention a woman many times..."

"Who?"

"Madam Chang!"

"Madam Chang?"

Song Zhi couldn't help frowning, it seems that Mrs. Chang was talking about the Zhuo family.

"Then?"

After a pause, Song Zhi asked again.

"After that... nothing... it's nothing, the little one left."

Song Zhi's face darkened: "Ah Er, I advise you to honestly tell everything you know and do. If you conceal anything, don't blame me for severely punishing you!"

Ah Er was taken aback, and hurriedly said: "Yes, yes, sir, please tell me all about it."

After being frightened by this, the guy explained what happened next.

After witnessing Miaojing's deeds with his own eyes, Ah Er had a bad idea, and he did leave at that time.

However, went again the next afternoon.

Although Miaojing is over 30 years old, she still has charm, and Ah Er peeked at it for a while last night.

When I arrived at the nunnery and found Miaojing, Ah Er told the story straight to the point, Miao Jing was frightened, and begged Ah Er not to tell, saying that she could give him some money.

Ah Er finally caught the handle, how could he give up so easily?
Of course he wants money, but he also wants people.

Miaojing was afraid that the matter would be exposed, so in desperation she could only obey Ah Er, and returned him two taels of silver afterwards.

Ah Er tasted the sweetness, and went there every now and then.

I thought I would be blessed from now on, but suddenly something happened to Zhihua Temple.

He dared not tell anyone, for fear that the government would suspect him of being a murderer.Until he was arrested this time, in order to reduce the crime, he had to confess the matter.

"My lord, that's all the little one knows, I've said everything I need to say, please let the little one go..."

"Well, let's take him into custody first, and wait for the officer to solve the case and make sure that you are not involved in the case, and then handle your matter as appropriate."

Back in the inner office, Song Zhi and the master carefully sorted out all the clues, and finally concluded that even if Qi Chuan was not the murderer, he still had something to do with the case.

In order to avoid long nights and dreams, Song Zhi decided to arrest Qi Chuan directly.

However, Qi Chuan was not in Qiantang County at this time, but went to Gusu.

Fortunately, Song Zhi had a classmate in the Gusu government office, and Song Zhi sent the county office arrester and a few men to go to Suzhou with his secret letter.

After receiving the secret letter, the classmate immediately sent several servants from the government office to assist, and it took only one day to find Qi Chuan and arrest him.

After being escorted to the county government, Qi Chuan was still very arrogant, saying that he had read sage books since he was a child, and that he had fame and so on.

In short, he threatened Song Zhi to let him go, otherwise he would sue Song Zhi for framing him.

Song Zhi was already prepared for this.

He is very clear about the law, and Qi Chuan cannot use punishment if he has a reputation, so he does not use punishment, but arrests people first, and then speaks with evidence.

So, he called Ah Er over, mixed Qi Chuan with several other prisoners, and asked Ah Er to debate who he saw that night.

As a result, Ah Er immediately recognized Qi Chuan and testified against Qi Chuan face to face.

In the end, Qi Chuan still refused to accept it, saying that it was deliberately arranged by Song Zhi.

Song Zhi was furious, and shouted at Qi Chuan: "You really think that I can't do anything to you? I will write a letter to deprive you of your fame now!"

Although this is a risky matter, if the judgment is misjudged, Song Zhi's future will be greatly affected, and he may even lose his position.

After all, depriving a person of fame is not a trivial matter, it is related to the status and reputation of scholars in the world.

However, based on the clues he possessed and the testimony of Ah Er, Song Zhi believed that Qi Chuan was inseparable, so he wrote a letter requesting that Qi Chuan be deprived of his reputation.

The superiors also attached great importance to this case, so the approval was quick. Within a few days, Qi Chuan was dumbfounded.

His fame was cut and he became a pudding.

Now, Song Zhi can let go of the interrogation...

"Come on, use torture!"

"My lord, I'll recruit, I'll recruit..."

The punishment has not yet been used, and Qi Chuan confessed as soon as he saw the torture tool.

After all, his psychology is close to collapse, his fame has been taken away, and his greatest support is gone, so how dare he be arrogant?

With this confession, the truth of the matter finally began to surface.

The reason why Qi Chuan went to Jiangnan to study is because there are many talented people in the south of the Yangtze River. He wanted to get some luck for the talented people, and strive to successfully pass the provincial examination next year.

After coming to Jiangnan, I first went to visit my cousin Chang Wenshan.

Aside from the relationship with his cousin, Chang Wenshan was originally a Juren, and Qi Chuan also wanted to ask his cousin to help introduce him and meet some literati.

The purpose at the beginning was very one-sided, but when Qi Chuan saw Zhuo Shi, he felt as if he had lost his soul.

Zhuo's appearance is already beautiful, and she has read a lot of poetry and books, her family conditions are good, and her speech and behavior are quite ladylike.

Moreover, her figure is also exquisite, slightly plump, fair skin, coupled with her mature charm, makes Qi Chuan a little fascinated.

Therefore, this guy couldn't help being jealous of his cousin, wondering why he couldn't meet such a beautiful woman?

At the same time, he started to have a crooked mind.

Because, he has always been obsessed with his appearance, thinking that Zhuo Shi might be tempted by him.

As a result, after some trials, he found that Zhuo was very disciplined, never talking to him alone, and either had a husband or a maid by his side.

Moreover, this guy is a seasoned veteran, and he could tell that Zhuo Shi didn't pay any special attention to him.

However, Qi Chuan still did not give up.

The more he can't get it, the more his heart is like a cat scratching, vowing to kiss Fangze no matter what, otherwise he will regret it for the rest of his life.

So he inquired about Zhuo's hobbies from the side, and prepared to match his preferences.

After inquiring, it seemed that there was nothing special about it. After all, the Chang family was well-clothed and the Zhuo family did not lack anything, so giving gifts and the like would not work.

And even if he gave a gift, Zhuo Shi probably wouldn't accept it.

However, he finally found out that the Zhuo family still has a habit, which is to often go to Zhihua nunnery to offer incense and fulfill their vows.

Therefore, Qi Chuan went to Zhihua Nunnery alone to find out the details.

Unexpectedly, this trip turned out to be the right way, Miaojing's master and apprentice are not serious people, Qi Chuan's arrival moved the master and apprentice's heart.

Firstly, Qi Chuan speaks with a foreign accent, and secondly, this boy is indeed handsome and attractive to women.

Qi Chuan is an old hand, and the two sides quickly hit it off...

After that, Qi Chuan inquired about the Zhuo family.

Miao Jing knew that this kid must have taken a fancy to Zhuo Shi's beauty, and was a little jealous.However, in order to please Qi Chuan, he still told some things about the Zhuo family.

It's just that it's a topic among some women.

Qi Chuan was also too lazy to inquire too much, so he discussed with Miaojing, promised him to benefit, and asked her to think of a way, saying that he must get the Zhuo family.

Miao Jing couldn't think of any good solution after much deliberation, because Zhuo Shi is indeed a more responsible woman, it would be difficult to pull her into the water, and it might be self-defeating.

In the end, I simply came up with a bad idea, to cook the raw rice first.

In her mind, a woman like Zhuo cherishes her face very much, and she must not dare to show it if she is taken advantage of.

But Qi Chuan was obsessed with sex and couldn't care less, so he agreed to Miaojing's plan.

So, he pretended to leave Chang's house, but in fact he did not leave, but was waiting for the opportunity for Zhuo to go to Zhihua nunnery again.

After waiting for seven or eight days, Zhuo finally brought her maid to Zhihua Nunnery again.

As everyone knows, this time he stepped into the fire pit.

Master Miaojing and his apprentice had already made preparations and prepared props in advance.

Alcohol is not allowed in the nunnery, but this is not a problem for Miaojing. She prepared some glutinous rice cakes in advance. The glutinous rice cakes are mixed with wine koji and some special ingredients. of booze.

If you eat a few without realizing it, you will be hit.

How did Zhuo know that Miaojing would plot against her?At Miaojing's grand invitation, she ate glutinous rice cakes with her maid.

As a result... both fell into a state of drunkenness.

Zhuo had a dream in a daze, dreaming that she and her husband...

When she finally woke up, she realized that it was not a dream at all, she was actually with another man...

And this man is actually her husband's cousin.

At that moment, Zhuo was filled with embarrassment and anger. She knew that she was being tricked by Miao Jing and Qi Chuan, and all thoughts were lost for a while, and she wanted to commit suicide on the spot.

Qi Chuan had expected it a long time ago, and stopped Zhuo Shi in time. First, he pretended to admit his mistake, saying that he fell in love with Zhuo Shi at first sight, and he really couldn't forget her. That's why he decided to make Zhuo Shi forgive him.

But, how could Zhuo Shi forgive?He said that he must report to the official, and then he will show his ambition with death.

In the end, Qi Chuan said brazenly: "Even if the reporter arrested me, I would say it was consensual. I never forced you, and you took the initiative to hug me before..."

When this matter was mentioned, Zhuo was so ashamed and angry that he almost vomited blood.

She was caught in the trick at the time, and she didn't know what happened. She only thought that she was with her husband, so she might have made some active cooperation subconsciously.

In the end, it was distorted by this guy.

"You have to think clearly, first, you came to the nunnery by yourself, and second, Master Miaojing and his disciples will not testify for you, they will only say that you came to me on your own initiative.

Once this lawsuit is fought, no matter what the result is, your reputation will be completely ruined.Even if you commit suicide, your death will become the talk of others, you know, people always talk about this kind of thing, I don’t know how far it will spread..."

These words hit Zhuo's weakness thoroughly.

Fame means more to her than life.

She can choose to die, but what about Mingjie?At that time, the natal family will also become a joke.

Seeing Zhuo's hesitation, Qi Chuan hit the iron while the iron was hot and said, "You also know that I came here to study, and I will go to the capital to take the exam when the imperial examination starts.

After the exam, I will go back to my hometown, and no one will know about the two of us.

However, before I go to the capital, you have to accompany me for a while..."

Poor Zhuo finally had to submit in order to keep his reputation.In her mind, as long as she endured it for a while, she would be relieved when this guy left.

At first, Qi Chuan only asked Zhuo to come to the nunnery during the day.

Later, it got worse and worse, and Zhuo was allowed to stay overnight.Zhuo's family was already in the quagmire and had no choice but to find an excuse to go to the nunnery to fast.

Chang Wenshan knew that his wife often went to the nunnery to offer incense, but he didn't become suspicious.

……

(End of this chapter)