Empress: Your Majesty, please respect yourself, I don't want to be promoted

Having said this, he suddenly turned his head and looked at Fang Ping aside.

"Master Fang, do you think so?"

However, under his normal gaze, Fang Ping shook his head unexpectedly.

"I think Lu Guisheng is right. There is indeed something hidden in this case."

.........

I'm feeling sunburned and feel dizzy...I really can't write today. I'm sorry, dear readers. I'll make up for it when I get better.

Chapter 49 Inquiry

Fang Ping's words were like thunder on the ground. Everyone present was startled at the same time, and then looked at him in surprise.

Lu Chen's heart skipped a beat, and his expression changed slightly.

Could it be that...this...is impossible...

Zhao Bingliang reacted quickly, and then looked at Fang Ping in disbelief.

"Master Fang, you just said that there is another hidden story in this case?"

"Yes."

Fang Ping glanced at him and said calmly: "There are indeed doubts in this case that cannot be ignored. I guess that there must be a hidden secret, otherwise it will be impossible to explain. I believe that Lu Guishi's judgment is correct, and Xia Yan is indeed A good official, even if his actions are a little treacherous."

Hearing this, Qian Yiqian couldn't help but narrowed his eyes.

"Master Censor, there is something I need to remind you."

After hearing these rather profound words, Fang Ping's expression did not change at all.

"Oh? Mr. Qian, please speak."

Qian Yiqian fiddled with the brush in his hand and said slowly: "There is no room for jokes in the court. Everyone must be responsible for what they say, especially in the court where the three courts will hear the case. There cannot be any mistakes. Before speaking, you need to Think carefully and think twice before you act, otherwise once you speak, no matter what the outcome is, it will be irreversible.”

"Master Du Yushi has been an official for many years. I think there is no need to elaborate on this principle."

As a veteran of three dynasties with decades of ups and downs in officialdom, Fang Ping naturally understood the meaning of Qian Yiqian's words at once.

He narrowed his eyes slightly, and then cupped his hand towards Qian Yiqian.

"Thank you, Mr. Qian, for reminding me, but I will never make random remarks, nor will I speak carelessly in court. Every judgment, every sentence, and even every word I make is the result of my careful consideration. Since I dare to say this , I have enough confidence, otherwise I will never say anything hastily, as long as it is what I said, I will definitely take responsibility to the end!"

Hearing this, Qian Yiqian didn't know why, but a hint of gloom quietly flashed through his eyes.

"Since Mr. Fang is so confident, I won't say more."

As he said that, he suddenly turned his head, glanced at Xia Yan, who had a complicated expression, and then continued: "Then, Mr. Fang, please help us clear up any doubts about this case, and what evidence can prove Xia Yan?" That this person is not a corrupt person who violates the law and commits many evil deeds? Why did he confess to these crimes and willingly plead guilty and obey the law? "

After saying this, almost everyone looked at Fang Ping.

Among them, naturally included Hu Yan, the official of the Ministry of Justice, Jingxiang and Qing officials, standing not far from Qian Yiqian's head.

When Fang Ping stood up just now, he was really shocked. After all, Fang Ping was a second-rank official in the court, and he was also the chief official in charge of the Metropolitan Procuratorate, a key department that had many privileges such as hearing the news and making reports. He was really A powerful and top boss!

Such a big shot openly supports Lu Chen and believes in his ridiculously wrong judgment. It would be a lie for Hu Yan, a small-time official of the fifth rank, to say that he is not afraid.

After all, Yongchuan is a county under the jurisdiction of Jingyang Prefecture in Jingxiang Province, and he is the criminal official responsible for the entire Jingxiang punishment. If this case is really overturned, it will be equivalent to a huge crime within his jurisdiction. Unjust case!

When such a big thing happens, he must be the first to be unlucky.

Maybe he will be beaten to the end immediately, and he will never be able to recover.

How could he not be afraid of such serious consequences?

However, after thinking about it carefully, he quickly felt at ease.

During this period of time, when he was sorting out the case files in the public office, he had already dealt with all the errors and omissions. Moreover, the origin and whereabouts of the bribes and illicit money that Xia Yan had collected since he became the magistrate of Yongchuan County were extremely clear. Every account was correct, and he was definitely not wronged.

So, nothing to worry about.

Xia Yan was already corrupt and colluded with the Demon Queen's gang. His crime was unforgivable and there was no possibility of overturning the case.

No matter what Fang Ping says, it will never change Xia Yan's ending!

"Humph!"

Hu Yan, who couldn't find any flaw in this case after much thought, snorted coldly in his heart.

"I want to see what else this old man can do to overturn Xia Yan's case now that the matter has come to this!"

In the eyes of everyone with different expressions, Fang Ping habitually stroked his long beard, then turned his head, no longer paying attention to the people around him, and only looked at Xia Yan below, and slowly said:

"Magistrate Xia, please answer my question honestly."

Xia Yan nodded.

"No problem, Mr. Fang, just ask. As long as I know something, I will tell you everything."

"it is good!"

Fang Ping smiled slightly, and then said directly without any more nonsense: "County Magistrate Xia, when I looked through the case files, I paid special attention to the testimonies of the victims. As for what was mentioned in it, you collected bribes and used clever names. Mr. Xia, what impression do you still have of the money, property, etc. collected from them through other methods, their approximate amounts and reasons? If I check the money with you now, can you recall it and give me a positive answer? "

Xia Yan did not answer immediately, but after thinking for a moment, he nodded slightly.

"can."

As soon as he finished speaking, Qian Yiqian, Zhao Bingliang, Hu Yan and others from the next department sneered in their hearts.

Things are already obvious.

Xia Yan's case of corruption and bribery is a certainty. Even the person involved has made such a statement. This crime cannot be evaded.

Therefore, in their eyes, Xia Yan at this time was almost the same as a dead person.

After all, even Xia Yan himself had given up treatment. No matter how busy Lu Chen and Fang Ping were, it was of no avail and would only add to the laughing stock.

Fang Ping didn't pay any attention to their strange looks. After hearing Xia Yan's answer, he breathed a sigh of relief.

"That's good."

Then he suddenly waved his hand, and with a flash of light, a scroll appeared out of thin air on the table in front of him.

Fang Ping opened the scroll and then continued: "Then let's start checking now."

After a pause, he looked at the first column of information in the scroll.

"In the fourth year of Shenghe, on the seventh day of the third lunar month, Li Mingde, a wealthy businessman from Wuchuan, threw a hundred taels of silver at Zuixian Tower to host a banquet for you. He then gave you 5000 taels of silver and 100 taels of gold, asking you to help him with the matter of Yan Yin. Convenient, right?”

Xia Yan didn't hesitate at all, nodded directly and admitted: "Yes, I remember it very clearly. It is indeed 5000 taels of silver and 100 taels of gold."

Still no denial.

Fang Ping was not surprised at all, and then continued to read: "In the first year of Shenghe, on the third day of February, a Wuping wine merchant came to visit with a heavy gift. For 5000 taels of silver, he asked you to open the wine to him, right? "

It seemed that this matter was too long ago, and Xia Yan couldn't remember it clearly, so he didn't answer so simply this time.

He frowned and thought for a while before finally nodding.

"Sir, it's 5000 taels."

............

My body is feeling a little better, but I'm still dizzy. I barely managed to write a chapter. I hope you readers won't be offended...

Chapter 50

One by one, Fang Ping read out the amount of money Xia Yan had embezzled and bribed when he was the magistrate of Yongchuan County, as if to accuse Xia Yan of his guilt.

Xia Yan did not deny this at all, just as he had previously admitted the crimes listed by Zhao Bingliang and Qian Yiqian without hesitation.

"So."

Fang Ping closed the file, with an inexplicable meaningful smile on his face.

"In other words, in the six years since you, Magistrate Xia, have been magistrate of Yongchuan County, your income from accepting bribes and punishing wealthy families in various ways has been converted into money, and the total amount is 15 taels. Is this correct?"

Hearing this, Zhao Bingliang and Hu Yan couldn't help but chuckle.

Zhao Bingconscience thought to himself: "This old man looks so upright, but he didn't expect to be so cruel and ruthless. He only kills people, but he wants to kill people! What a cruel heart!"

In his opinion, Fang Ping checking the stolen money with Xia Yan in public was like whipping a corpse, which can be described as murder and heart-wrenching.

Not only the two of them, but most of the judicial officials present could not help but smile knowingly, obviously having similar thoughts to Zhao Bingliang.

However, they did not notice that when Fang Ping verified the stolen money one by one and accurately stated the total amount of stolen money, Qian Yiqian on the side frowned inexplicably.

Lu Chen's expression below also changed slightly.

He inexplicably felt something was wrong, and the source of the uneasiness caused by this was Fang Ping's stated total amount of stolen money.

"This number... feels a bit familiar..."

Yes.

One hundred and fifty-three thousand, seven hundred and sixty two strings... He always felt that this number had a subtle sense of déjà vu.

Xia Yan didn't think much about it, he just thought about it for a while, calculated it several times in his heart very carefully, and then nodded slowly.

"That's right, not bad at all."

Seeing him admit it, the smile on Fang Ping's face became deeper and deeper.

But in Lu Chen's eyes, his smile became even more perverted.

The unknown feeling in Lu Chen's heart that arose from Ping's words before the trial started was inexplicably stronger at this moment.

"Not right!"

He stared intently at Fang Ping's old face that looked full of life for some reason, as if he wanted to see something from Fang Ping's expression.

After a moment, as if to confirm his guess.

"In that case."

Fang Ping suddenly stood up.

"Magistrate Xia, I have a question and I need to ask you for advice."

Hearing this, Xia Yan couldn't help but be slightly startled.

Um, please tell me?