Rebirth of the Tang Dynasty's strongest consort

Chapter 408 Confession
Seeing Mei Zhusheng, the old fox, speak, Fang Yiai paused and turned to look at Fan Jin beside him, with a sly smile on his lips.

"Master Fan, you were injured by the villain just now, is it okay? Why don't you go back to the inner office to bandage it first?" Fang Yi'ai was half out of concern and half out of acting, which completely dispelled Mei Zhusheng's doubts.

Fan Jin covered his shoulders, nodded and said: "Thank you for your concern, the students are fine."

The two turned over and went back to the cell, looking at Wang Tong who was leaning against the wall and fainted due to shock and severe pain, Fang Yiai said to the policeman behind him: "Take him to another cell and let the doctor give him a hand." He looks."

After Wang Tong was quickly carried down by the arresters, Fang Yiai asked the rest of the arresters and jailers to avoid him, leaving only Fan Jin by his side to take care of him.

Mei Zhusheng turned around slowly, looked at Fang Yiai who was in casual clothes, cupped his hands and said, "Master, if the student confesses, can you let me go away?"

"It's just wishful thinking. If you let you go far away, how will the souls of the former two county magistrates rest in peace? How will the people of Meiwu County, who were skinned and sucked by you, be convinced?"

Fang Yiai naturally wouldn't say these words, after cursing secretly in her heart, she said kindly: "This matter was originally done by Master Mei, why talk about going away? Could there be something else hidden in it?"

Mei Zhusheng stroked his beard and pondered for a while, then said hesitantly: "Master Xian, this fact was not done by the student alone."

"This county knows that there is something about Wang Tong inside." Fang Yiai asked knowingly, knowing that the person Mei Zhusheng was referring to was most likely the prefect of Caozhou, but at this moment Mei Zhusheng was hesitating, any word would be wrong. It may have influenced his thinking, since Fang Yiai had experienced the trial by the procuratorate, Fang Yiai had figured out some truths.

Mei Zhusheng glanced at Fan Jin who was beside Fang Yiai, his expression was cloudy, and finally he whispered: "I'm afraid Master Fan is a little bit here."

Fang Yiai raised his hand to interrupt, and said generously: "Master Fan is the confidant of this county, if you have something to say, it's okay to say it."

"Xianzun, students go get the brush and ink." Fan Jin was deeply moved after hearing these seemingly unintentional and convincing words, and thoughtfully found an excuse to avoid it for the time being.

After Fan Jin left, Mei Zhusheng said again: "The county lords don't know, the reason why the students dare to corrupt ink and set up tax banks is all the idea of ​​the prefect of Caozhou."

Seeing that Mei Zhusheng said it himself, Fang Yiai stopped holding it, "Well, this county has seen it. If this matter hadn't been related to the prefect of Caozhou, he didn't need to send assassins to risk the prison at night."

"However, although this matter was secretly manipulated by the prefect of Caozhou, the students do not have his handle on the books." Mei Zhusheng said resentfully.

"Then what about the money you've earned over the years? You didn't hand it over to the prefect of Caozhou?" Thinking of the 10 taels of silver, Fang Yiai's eyes lit up. , Meiwu County is afraid that it will get rid of the title of "the poorest in Meiwu County" in one fell swoop.

Mei Zhusheng sighed, shook his head and smiled wryly, "The magistrate of Caozhou does not leave any traces of his work. The bank notes are handed over to him by merchants from Huguang, and the students are only responsible for keeping accounts."

Knowing the way of reselling tax money, Fang Yiai cursed secretly, "I didn't expect this old fox to have an old loach on its head!"

"In this case, we will make a confession later." Fang Yiai patted the dust on his cuffs as he spoke, and a trace of treachery flashed in his starry eyes, "Let's talk about the causes of death of the previous two county magistrates? "

Seeing that Fang Yiai really asked about this matter, Mei Zhusheng seemed to have aged a few years in an instant, and shook his head: "That's all, that's all. The student just said it."

"Five years ago, the first county magistrate arrived in office. After two months of open and unannounced visits, he discovered the clues of taxation and grain. However, in comparison, he had only vision but no skill or courage. Then he was detained by the magistrate, and then the first county magistrate died in a river project."

Hearing Mei Zhusheng's narration, Fang Yiai thought to herself, "It seems that playing on the surface will not work, but the post station has always been under the direct control of the imperial court. Even though the magistrate of Caozhou has good hands and eyes, he would not dare to make an idea of ​​the post station, right?"

"Three years ago, the second county magistrate came to office. Because of the bizarre death of the previous magistrate, he also saw the clues of the tax bank within a month. However, this person has some cities, and the prefect of Caozhou has killed him several times. He hid in the past, and was finally forced to have someone strangle him to death, and then sank into the canal overnight."

Seeing Mei Zhusheng's narration, which corresponded to what Fan Jin said before, that the former magistrate's dead body had strangle marks on the neck, Fang Yiai believed the old fox's words.

"In this way, the magistrate of Caozhou also did this matter? But I'm afraid the master also has no evidence, right?" Fang Yiai smiled on the surface, but in her heart she had the right to use the "act of expediency" bestowed by Emperor Taizong of Tang Dynasty.

"What a cruel and ruthless prefect of Caozhou. The privately printed rice paper given by Long Live when I left Beijing has never been used. If it is really urgent, what if the county picks your black yarn?"

Fang Yiai thought about it, and Mei Zhusheng gave a wry smile, "What the county lord said is right, and the students also have nothing to do with this matter."

As he said that, Mei Zhusheng changed the subject, and said in a begging tone: "But the student still has a reason, which is enough to make the prefect of Caozhou sentence the prisoner to death! Ling Chi or cut in half!"

Mei Zhusheng's resolute tone instantly attracted Fang Yiai's idea, took a step forward, and asked urgently, "What?"

Seeing that Fang Yiai was hooked on greed, Mei Zhusheng suddenly stopped talking, "This matter is very important, students should think about it carefully, why not confess to the corruption of ink and tax first?"

The four eyes met, Fang Yiai's teeth were itching with hatred, "What an old fox, he wants the county to be cleared of the crime of murdering the county magistrate's accomplice with an illusory excuse."

"That's all, let's talk about it first. Anyway, this old fox can't escape!"

Having made up her mind, Fang Yiai nodded slightly, and called out to Fan Jin. Under the watchful eyes of the two, Mei Zhusheng began to write a confession of "corrupting ink, tax and food, and privately setting up tax and bank".

After pressing the fingerprints and writing the signature, the confession was made in duplicate, and Mei Zhusheng respectfully sent it to Fang Yiai.

Reaching out to accept the confession, Fang Yiai glanced at it briefly, then put it in her arms, "Master Mei, when are you going to think about it?"

Mei Zhusheng stroked his beard and pondered for a moment, looked at the moon sky outside the small window and said: "Tomorrow morning, the students will definitely give the magistrate an answer."

"Okay, Master Mei, let's think about it." After finishing speaking, Fang Yiai said to Fan Jin: "Let's go, this county will go back to the inner office to bandage your wound."

Fang Yiai's Qihuang medical skills are well-known, and Fan Jin was naturally grateful for such a generous favor from his boss. In the words of thanks, the two walked out of the county prison in unison, and walked towards the county government office with smiles on their faces.

When the jailer locked the cell door again, Mei Zhusheng, who was standing upright, suddenly slumped on the ground, looking at the full moon covered by dark clouds outside the window, and sighed: "If I helped Fan Jin so wholeheartedly before, how could I help?" As for being reduced to a prisoner!"

After returning to Neiya, Fang Yiai bandaged Fan Jin's wounds, bid farewell to Fan Jin and Baduan, and walked back to the new residence with hands behind her back.

Putting the latch on, Fang Yiai lay down on the couch, all he could think about was what Mei Zhusheng said about the prefect of Caozhou.

"The magistrate of Caozhou is also a fourth-rank civil servant, and one side is a prefect. What kind of handle can make him sentence Ling Chi or cut him in half?"

"Rebel? I'm afraid he doesn't have the guts."

"Greedy ink? It's not such a big crime."

"Could it be a false report of the disaster? But he still has his grandson Anye on his head, so if he wants to leapfrog to the court, it's unlikely."

After repeated speculations, Fang Yiai, who had been traveling all day, fell into a deep sleep, even in a dream, all she was thinking about was the prefect of Caozhou.

Early the next morning, Fang Yiai got up early, washed and dressed, and then walked to the court, ready to go to the county prison to interrogate Mei Zhusheng after the time was over.

"Can there be a null value in the soap slave class?"

"Nothing."

"Is there any empty value in the catch squad?"

"There are three people on duty today, all of whom were beaten by the grandfather last night."

"Okay! The county knows about it, so let's treat it as a vacation for them."

Just as Fang Yiai finished ordering and was about to meet Mei Zhusheng, the police who were sent to guard the prison last night rushed back in a panic.

The catcher knelt down on one knee in the hall, his expression flustered, and he said falteringly: "Report to the county lord, the magistrate of Caozhou arrived at the county government at five o'clock this morning."

"He Will."

"The magistrate of Caozhou executed Mei Zhusheng and Wang Tong on the spot!"

(End of this chapter)