Zhao Defang's road to the virtuous king

So Defang issued a list to collect grain, listed the remaining four families together, and asked his second son Weixian to supervise the grain collection. If any of the four farmers with problems came to sell the grain, all the people who transported the grain would be locked up. Let the eldest sons Weixu and Jiajun arrest all six households with problems and the people who transported them at the same time.

Defang notified Zhao Yuanxi (the second son of Emperor Taizong) of Xu Wang, who was the Yin and servant of Kaifeng at that time, and Yuanxi personally brought the pusher to cooperate with the trial.

The household guards came to report, "Report to the lord, Xu Wang is here"

Yuan Xi came in and saw De Fang clasped his hands and said, "Brother Xian Wang!"

Defang cupped his hands in return, "King Xu."

Yuan Xi smiled and said, "It's rare that Brother Wang is looking for younger brother for something, it seems that it must be a big deal."

"Indeed." Defang nodded, "Sit first."

The two sat down, and Defang continued, "The Gu Wang ordered to set up the Changping warehouse this time. He originally bought surplus grain with good intentions and used it in case of emergency. Unexpectedly, someone stockpiled grain and sold it backhand to earn money from the court."

"It's abominable that such a thing happened, and it must be severely punished!" Yuan Xi said

"The people involved in the case have all been arrested, and we only need to confess to them"

"Okay, it shouldn't be too late, let's start the trial right away." Yuan Xi immediately asked the officials to be promoted to the court for interrogation, and he and Defang sat aside to listen to the trial.

The yamen servants brought several peasant households into the hall, under the gavel tree, several peasant households were terrified, kowtowed and begged for mercy before asking, and the pusher shouted, "Quiet! People under the hall, report your name!"

Several farmers reported their names once, and the pusher asked, "Why did you lie about the remaining grain?"

A farmer said, "My lord, the grass people are wronged, this is not what the grass people mean"

"You guys were present in person for the registration, and the amount of surplus food you reported was what you said yourself. Who else did it if it wasn't for you!"

"My lord, my lord, the grassroots are also threatened by others. If we don't register to report surplus food, they will hurt our family." A farmer cried

"Who is so bold? Dare to threaten your life and deceive court officials!" the tweeter asked

"It's Wangcheng and Eucommia who entered the grain store together"

The pusher patted the gavel "Bring Wangcheng, Eucommia"

After a while, the two came to the hall and knelt down, and the pusher asked, "Are you two guys who entered the grain store together?"

"The villain is" Wang Cheng and Du Zhong replied

"Have you two met the farmers under the hall?"

Wang Cheng and Du Zhong looked at the farmers and said "no".

"You're talking nonsense! My lord, he's talking nonsense, it's them" the farmer pointed at Wang Cheng and Du Zhong

"Quiet! My lord, please don't interrupt!" The pusher yelled, then looked at Wang Cheng and Du Zhong and asked, "Are you two sure you haven't seen these farmers?"

"Are you sure?" Wang Cheng and Du Zhong said

The pusher looked at Wang Cheng and Du Zhong, and said to the yamen servant, "Bring up the witnesses."

A few people came in after a while, and Wang Cheng and Du Zhong were a little panicked when they saw it. The pusher asked a few people, "Do you know Wang Cheng and Du Zhong?"

"Little man... know" several people nodded and said

"How do we know each other?"

"The villains are hired by Wang Cheng and Du Zhong, and they only need to deliver food."

"Where does food come from?"

"It is Tongjin's granary outside the city"

"What was the situation that day? Tell me in detail."

"The villain is a hunter outside the city. One day, Wang Cheng and Eucommia came to the village and said that they hired us to deliver food. When we came to the city, we helped carry the food and followed the farmers to the government. Unloaded, I was arrested, sir, the villain did nothing, please let the villain go." Several people knelt down and begged for mercy