Guide to Traveling through the Northern Song Dynasty.

Chapter 237 0232 [Five lives]

After taking him back to Pingli County, Li Bao interrogated him directly at the inn.

The confession and testimony obtained in this way actually have no legal effect, but they can be handed over to judicial officials for reference.

And Li Bao tried the case purely for the purpose of quietly arresting key figures.

The family of four was already paralyzed with fright, asking what to say.

Han Shun said: "I was five years old when I fled famine. I don't remember anything except my name and my brother's name. I can't even remember my parents' names. It's a ten-year contract, and I won't be let go for more than thirty years. I also got a wife, but I couldn't bear a child, and the mother and child died together."

Li Bao quickly recorded the confession, besides Zeng Xiaoduan, he was the one with the highest level of education in the room.

Han Shun continued: "Since then, I feel that life is meaningless, and I go to drink every day after work. I spent a lot of money and delayed my work. I was beaten and scolded by the master and punished as the lowest labor. Back, when I heard someone calling Han He, I remembered my lost elder brother. Looking for an opportunity to tell the truth, my elder brother still remembered me, saying that he was sold to the Zeng family in the eastern suburbs..."

Zeng Xiaoduan was eager to know the inside story, interrupted: "Tell me how you escaped with your sister-in-law and nephew!"

Han Shun quickly said: "One day when I was off work, my elder brother suddenly came to the store and dragged me to talk in the dark. He didn't explain what was going on, so he stuffed a silver collar and a few strings of copper coins, and asked me to bring my sister-in-law and nephew. Run away. I asked him what kind of trouble he was in, but he refused to tell. Later, I asked my sister-in-law, but my sister-in-law also refused to tell."

Zeng Xiaoduan looked at the woman: "I still remember, your name is Zou Sanniang, right?"

The woman knelt on the ground and huddled into a ball: "Lang Jun remembers correctly."

Zeng Xiaoduan asked: "What do you know?"

The woman stammered: "My lady...the lady and Zeng Erlang had...that matter."

"Nonsense, blood spouting!" Zeng Xiaoduan was furious.

"Lady" is his wife, and "Zeng Erlang" is his cousin.

Zou Sanniang shivered in fright: "I dare not talk nonsense. That year when Mr. Lang went to the city to take the exam, he was also admitted to Juren. When Mr. Lang took the exam, the lady was at home...I bumped into her, and Zeng Erlang beat me. If I dare to talk nonsense, I will kill my son. I was frightened and dare not tell anyone."

Zeng Xiaoduan originally intended to avenge his mother and wife, but just after asking some clues, he learned that his wife had committed adultery with his cousin.

He was angry and angry, his whole body was trembling slightly, and he had already lost his ability to organize words.

Li Bao could only interrogate himself: "How did Zeng Xiaoduan's wife die?"

Zou Sanniang shook her head: "I don't know."

Li Bao asked again: "Your missing husband, did you collect money and make false accusations?"

Zou Sanniang said: "When the case came to the state court, Zeng Erlang suddenly came to me and asked the head of my family to surrender to the government, and lied about having an affair with the mistress of the family. If you listen to him, you can get a lot of money. Come out. If you don’t listen to him, you will kill my son. Zeng Erlang has friends with scoundrels, and his family has money. He is the tyrant in the village. We are all frightened by him.”

"What else do you know?" Li Bao asked.

Zou Sanniang shook her head.

After asking again, they couldn't find anything, so Li Bao quietly returned to Jinzhou City with everyone.

……

These days, dozens of letters arrive in the opinion box.

"What do you think?" Zhu Ming asked.

Liu Shiren said: "I didn't have a single letter before, but suddenly there are more than a dozen letters every day, and they are all anonymous letters that were secretly stuffed in at night. I feel that someone may have done it on purpose."

Zhu Ming ordered: "Put away all the anonymous letters, mark the date of receipt, and don't bother with anything else."

Liu Shiren said: "Wang Jia has recruited many strong men, there are 26 of them. I tested it a bit, and I'm afraid some of them are not good people."

"At a time like this, it's good to use it," Zhu Ming said, "Let Wu Mao send an official document to the Deputy Envoy of Tuanlian, ordering the Deputy Envoy of Tuanlian to recruit local soldiers to suppress the bandits. The 26 people recommended by Wang Jia went to the Deputy Envoy of Tuanlian to apply for recruitment." Be a soldier."

Liu Shiren is a private secretary and cannot actually participate in any official duties. Currently, he is purely serving as Ju Ming's personal entourage.

Wu Maocai is the official secretary, and formal orders need to be issued by him.

I don't know how many people can use the Yaqian in the state and the archers in the county. In the name of suppressing bandits, Zhu Ming ordered the deputy envoy of the regiment to recruit villagers.These 26 people became township soldiers, and followed Qian Chen to patrol the counties, claiming to investigate information about bandits.

Everything is in compliance with laws and regulations, and Zhu Ming did not act recklessly.

"Sir, Yang Pu is back."

"Let him in."

Yang Pu handed over the confession and said, "San Li and the others are still outside the city, guarding the family of four."

After Zhu Ming finished reading the confession, he called Zhang Tong and said, "Give this to Huang Gui, the manager of the army. After you catch him, don't beat him up. Just interrogate."

"What kind of fatigue interrogation?" Zhang Tong asked.

Zhu Ming said: "Ask the same question over and over again, and ask those questions in confusion. After a quarter of an hour, he repeats it again suddenly. The interrogation does not stop, and the interrogate is not allowed to sleep. It doesn't matter if you wake it up or prick it. , boil him for two or three days."

Zhang Tong felt that this method was novel, cupped his hands and said, "Yes!"

Zhu Ming also said: "If the state court comes to pick someone up, don't let anyone go, absolutely no one can be picked up by the state court."

"Yes!" Zhang Tong took the order.

Zhu Ming said to Yang Pu again: "You go to contact Wang Jia and others, and ask them to summon trusted public officials, and they all go to the Sili Yuan to follow Huang Gui's orders. The arrest and interrogation must not involve the Si Li Yuan's officials. "

The two left Huang Tang and went to work separately.

After Huang Gui read the confession carefully, he went to read the dossier of the year.

The officials in charge of the case had already been transferred away, and even one of the senior officials who handled the case died of illness.

Huang Gui has no right to arraign the officials on the state court, but the officials on his side can do it.He didn't arrest people immediately, but said: "Call the prison officer Zhou Hui."

Zhou Hui came to meet soon: "What's your order, Manager?"

Huang Gui said helplessly, "The prefect ordered a retrial of the case of adultery and murder of a daughter-in-law six years ago. How can the iron case that has been completed long ago be overturned? You have handled this case before, do you have any suggestions?"

Zhou Huidao: "Is there any suggestion? The trial was over that year."

"Call all the public officials who know about the case, maybe they can ask for clues." Huang Gui sighed, "It's really troublesome, and it's difficult for the prefect."

Zhou Hui did not doubt that he was involved, so she called the officials involved in the case, there were more than a dozen of them.

Huang Gui said: "I want to ask you about the case, I hope you will cooperate."

"I'll tell you everything!" said the officials.

Huang Gui said again: "It is inevitable that someone will talk to you, so you have to inquire separately. You can free up more than a dozen rooms, and each choose one to go in."

These guys didn't take it seriously, talking and laughing all the way, and went to choose the room by themselves.

After they all went in, more than [-] people including Wang Jia and Guo Wenzhong suddenly broke into the room respectively.Moreover, Zhang Tong and Bai Sheng also appeared and locked the door from the outside.

"What is this for?" Zhou Hui was shocked.

Guo Wenzhong was in charge of interrogating Zhou Hui, while the other was resting in the room, and the two came in rotation.

Guo Wenzhong said with a smile: "Don't worry about Zhou Du, just ask a few words."

Zhou Hui said angrily: "I recognize you. You are a criminal case deputy investigator, how can you have the right to interrogate me, who is a dignified person?"

Guo Wenzhong cupped his hands and bowed in the direction of the state government: "The prefect noticed that there was a major injustice case. You and other public officials who handled the case back then were all suspected of favoritism, fraud, and framing. I was temporarily transferred by the prefect and the manager. If the innocent , I will let you out!"

Zhou Hui sneered: "Ask, let's see if you can find out what's good or bad. If you dare to beat me up...huh!"

"If torture becomes a trick, you will be sent to prison. How can there be any need for interrogation in the Sili Yuan?" Guo Wenzhong said.

Zhou Hui was even more reassured. Since it was a normal interrogation, she could just beat herself to death and not tell the truth.

The 26 strong men recommended by Wang Jia have not yet formally applied to be rural soldiers, but it is too late to go through the formalities, and they are all called together for work.

Li Bao took several people to the suburbs to arrest Zeng Xiaoduan's cousin's family.

Qian Chen took the rest of his staff and went straight to the Xicheng County Government Office.

Zheng Hong's fat, which is called short and strong, does not delay his actions.

Qian Chen was really fat. He was fat and began to pant after walking tens of meters.He will also visit the counties on behalf of Ju Ming, and it is estimated that after walking around, he will see the effect of losing weight.

"Why don't you bring people to my yamen?" Gao Chuanshi, the county magistrate of Xicheng, didn't show a good face.

He is a serious Jinshi county magistrate, while Qian Chen is just a casual official who donates food.Normally, Gao Chuanshi would feel that he would lose his place if he talked to Qian Chen a few more times.

Qian Chen took out the documents issued by the state government and the Sili Yuan: "The prefect discovered a serious injustice case, and all officials who participated in the case will be temporarily detained and not allowed to leave."

Gao Chuanshi was furious: "Even if there is an unjust case, even if the subordinate officials of the county government commit fraud, it should be tried by the county itself!"

Qian Chen smiled and said, "Of course the magistrate Gao will personally interrogate, I'm just assisting."

"Assist you in bringing so many people here?" Gao Chuanshi pointed at the soldiers who hadn't completed the formalities.

Qian Chen explained: "The officials of the county government are colluding and are afraid of covering each other. The prefect is also afraid of making mistakes, so he asked me to bring someone to help."

The reasoning made sense, Gao Chuanshi had nothing to say, and held back his resentment in his heart.

It didn't take three days at all, after only two days and one night, Zeng Xiaoduan's cousin Zeng Xiaosu couldn't bear it anymore.

This guy spent a night in the brothel, sleeping until half the morning, and was taken away in a daze.

"Let me sleep for a while..." Zeng Xiaosu drooped his face, looking like he was about to fall down at any time.

Liang Ping fell asleep beside him.

Now it was Li Bao's turn to interrogate, Li Bao slammed the table and said, "Sit up straight, don't bend down!"

Zeng Xiaosu straightened his waist, and then bent down after two seconds.

Li Bao picked up a sewing needle and stabbed it fiercely at his thigh, the pain caused Zeng Xiaosu to wake up instantly.

Then continue to boil.

In addition to sewing needles, he occasionally uses an oil lamp to burn his fingers for a few seconds.

After interrogating for a while, Li Bao went to sleep, and Liang Ping continued.

Falling asleep, Li Bao was woken up by Liang Ping's patting: "Brother Li, this guy is starting to tell the truth."

Li Bao jumped up and stood up, interrogated himself and asked, "Have you committed adultery with your cousin's wife, Feng Shi?"

"It's clear." Zeng Xiaosu was already in a daze, at the moment he just wanted to finish answering and go to sleep.

Li Bao asked again: "Do you know how Feng Shi died?"

Zeng Xiaosu was shocked, instantly sobered up, and quickly denied: "I don't know."

"If you still dare to speak hard, then continue to suffer!" Li Bao said angrily.

After another full half an hour, Zeng Xiaosu suddenly fell down and fell asleep on the spot.

Liang Ping lifted the bucket and poured out cold water.

Li Bao grabbed his left hand and stabbed him twice in succession.

The guy finally woke up slowly, and the tired interrogation continued.

A few minutes later, Li Bao asked, "How did Mrs. Feng die?"

Zeng Xiaosu said: "I accidentally strangled to death."

Li Bao asked, "Why are you arguing?"

Zeng Xiaosu said: "She has never been pregnant, and she doesn't want to commit adultery anymore. I was very angry, so I quarreled with her. Later, she scratched her first, and I was so angry that I strangled her neck. For some reason, I accidentally strangled her to death..."

Half an hour later, the case was basically clear.

Zeng Xiaoduan and his wife have been married for several years, but they have not been pregnant. The relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law is not harmonious, and the mother-in-law does have the saying of divorce and remarry.But it was more out of anger than action.

His wife, Feng Shi, was under great psychological pressure, so she went to the temple to worship Buddha and pray for a child.

Zeng Xiaoduan's cousin, Zeng Xiaosu, has long admired Feng's beauty.He first seduced Feng's personal servant girl, and by relying on sex and money offensive, he turned the servant girl into his internal support.

Prayer to Buddha to ask for a child was also instigated by the maid.

On that day, Zeng Xiaosu bribed a monk and asked a maid to trick Feng Shi over there, and raped Feng Shi in the meditation room.

Feng was so ashamed and angry that he wanted to commit suicide, Zeng Xiaosu and the maid tried to dissuade him from brainwashing him.It is said that her reputation will be lost if she dies, and her mother-in-law complains that she cannot conceive, so it is better to have fun a few times, maybe she will be able to conceive.As long as she is pregnant, Zeng Xiaosu will not bother her anymore, and Feng can still deal with her mother-in-law and husband.

Out of nowhere, Feng Shi had an affair with Zeng Xiaosu.

It is estimated that Feng himself suffers from infertility, and he has committed adultery for more than half a year, but he has not yet conceived.The more she thought about it, the more she blamed herself, feeling sorry for her husband, so she wanted to cut off contact with Zeng Xiaosu.

The trigger was that the maid was pregnant, but it was unclear whether it was Zeng Xiaoduan or Zeng Xiaosu—because his wife had not conceived for a long time, Zeng Xiaoduan took the maid in, hoping to give birth to a son and a half.

I don't know if it's out of jealousy or guilt, anyway, Feng doesn't want to continue.

Zeng Xiaosu accidentally strangled Feng Shi to death, and made it look like he committed suicide together with the maid, just to fool the murder case.

Unexpectedly, the appeal was made to the state court, and it was found out that he was strangled to death and then hanged himself.

Everyone in the Zeng family was interrogated repeatedly, and some servants were forced to confess.

The maid was pregnant and was not beaten, but the more she thought about it, the more frightened she became, and she went to discuss with Zeng Xiaosu, saying that she would be given a lighter punishment if she surrendered.

Zeng Xiaosu was afraid that the servant girl would turn herself in, so she said that she would take the maidservant away.He first asked the servant girl to steal Feng's jewelry, then tricked her into killing her in his own home, and buried it in his backyard.The maid disappeared, the mistress' jewelry was stolen, and the government decided that the servant stole the money and fled.

After two consecutive murders, Zeng Xiaosu was out of his mind all day long.

The officials in charge of investigating the case saw that Zeng Xiaosu's situation was wrong, so they ran secretly to blackmail him.

Zeng Xiaosu gave a lot of money, and simply gave some more, forcing his servant Han He to surrender, and falsely accused Zeng Xiaoduan's mother of adultery and murder of his daughter-in-law.

To bribe those officials, Zeng Xiaosu spent more than 2000 guan, and the family did not have enough cash, and even mortgaged the shop and land.His parents also knew about it, but they were murdered, so they could only spend money for their son to eliminate the disaster.

Afterwards, the more I thought about it, the more heartbroken I was, and I simply bribed the county government officials to forge a deed to occupy Zeng Xiaoduan's family property.

Except for the master book of Xicheng County who helped usurp the family property back then, no officials participated in it.

Servant Han He was killed as soon as he was released from prison!
Back and forth, three lives.

Including the child in the servant girl's stomach and Han's mother who was sentenced to be hanged, a total of five people died unjustly.

(End of this chapter)