This time, Du Zhongxiao was surprised by the success of the people, such a big case, there was no resistance. Looking at the few people who came out of the thirteen Lang Xiong, it was clear that they were ordinary farmers who farmed the land, Du Zhongxiao was a little curious.

After tying people aside, Du Zhongxiao took people to search in person.

In the master's room, more than a dozen copper basins, copper kettles, and copper mirrors were found, most of which were cast and not polished. In the firewood room, several ge, spears, chisels, and shovels were found, all of which were small bronze objects, apparently dug out of the ground.

Du Zhongxiao was a little disappointed, although these are also cultural relics, but they are not heavy weapons. The heavy weapon is not necessarily large, but it must always be a ritual weapon, indicating the status of its owner during his lifetime. Each ritual vessel represents a certain historical significance, which can most stimulate the nerves of those in power.

Just as he was about to tell everyone to go back, a soldier took out a bronze vessel more than a foot long from the haystack under the window, and said to the people beside him: "This pot looks strange, thin and long, I don't know whether it is for wine or water." ”

Du Zhongxiao saw it and hurriedly said: "That piece is a goose, it is extremely valuable, quickly bring it to me!" ”

Seeing Du Zhongxiao's solemn expression, the soldier didn't dare to slack off, so he hurriedly walked over with the bronze in both hands and handed it to Du Zhongxiao.

Du Zhongxiao took the bronze goblet in his hand, flipped through it and looked at it for a while, but he couldn't see anything famous. He recognized that this was a goose, or because he made up ancient books before being admitted to the Jinshi, and he had some impressions of the ritual vessels of the previous dynasties. Confucianism attaches great importance to rituals, and it is a must-learn content for the rituals of previous dynasties, and Du Zhongxiao knows a little about fur. If you change to another kind of bronze, Du Zhongwei will be difficult to recognize.

Checking the goblet in his hand, Du Zhongxiao handed it to the thirteen lang beside him and said: "This thing is valuable, you take it carefully, don't break it!" ”

Seeing that Du Zhongxiao said solemnly, Thirteen Lang didn't dare to slack off, and carefully held the bronze goblet in his arms.

Du Zhongxiao said to Li Zhengtian: "Outside, there are so many forbidden things in this family surnamed Sun, this case is serious. I will escort the people back, and you will send people to guard this place, and no one will be allowed to enter the gate without the orders of the government. If something goes wrong in this matter, I only ask you! ”

Tian Yuan looked at the bronze utensils piled up on the ground on the side, there were no valuable things, and he didn't know how much of a crime Sun Ran's family had committed, so Du Zhongxiao commanded, so he agreed. It's nothing more than sending a few young men to guard this place.

Since the Tang Dynasty, bronzes have often been dug out of the ground, and the villagers do not take it seriously. What kind of forbidden things, treasures dug up by yourself, handed over to the government but there may be a few dollars, who will do such a stupid thing? Most people will take it to the coppersmith, and after it is melted, they will recast a household utensil, such as a bronze mirror, or sell it.

At this time, it was already dark, Du Zhongxiao ordered his subordinates to light torches, escorted Sun Ran and his son and two villagers, and went back to the post house. Sun Ran's daughter-in-law and grandson are not daughters, and the young and strong people selected by the field staff are kept in his hand.

Back at the post house, Du Zhongxiao ordered his subordinates to escort the others, and singled Sun Ran to his room.

Let Shisanlang stand behind him, Du Zhongxiao looked at Sun Ran in front of him, his appearance was not amazing, he was just an ordinary old farmer in the countryside, and he really had nothing to do with the words "big thief". Although people can't be disguised, if such a person is a repeat offender, Du Zhongxiao himself doesn't believe it. He had already asked, there were many bronzes unearthed nearby, and recasting them after turning them into them was an industry that had been passed down here for hundreds of years.

After taking a sip of tea and moistening his throat, Du Zhongxiao said to Sun Ran: "You secretly hide forbidden things at home and cast them into bronze tools for profit, can you be guilty?" ”

Sun Ran said: "Official, Xiao Lao'er just relies on a little craftsmanship to sell some bronze utensils to supplement the family, where do you know that you have violated the ban?" ”

Du Zhongxiao sneered: "If you just cast some bronze tools, why should I arrest you?" Most of these bronze artifacts you have made come from the ground, and perhaps many of them have been dug up from other people's graves. Digging graves and robbing graves is a capital offense! ”、

Speaking of this, Du Zhongxiao slammed the table with a loud voice.

Sun Ran was so frightened that he hurriedly said: "Official, the little old man only collects bronze ware, and then sells it after casting, I don't know where it came from!" Someone else took the bronze ware to sell, who knows where it came from? What kind of thing is tomb robbing, it has nothing to do with the little old man! ”

Du Zhongxiao pointed to the bronze yao on the table next to him and said, "If you are in this business, you should naturally know the shape of bronze ware. Just like this one, the bronze goblet is from before the Qin and Han dynasties, and the Zhou Dynasty is rare, and most of them are utensils from the Shang Dynasty, which can be known to be precious. You don't know? ”

Sun Ran said with a bitter face: "Official, Xiao Lao'er knows Qin and Han, and he has never heard of any Shang Zhou, so how do you know what this is?" I know the shape of bronze ware, it is nothing more than copper basins, copper kettles, and copper mirrors, but I have never heard of it. ”

Where was Du Zhongxiao willing to believe his words, and said: "This kind of utensil is rare, you don't know it, don't you know it?" How do you think we caught you? Today, I happened to take two people who had stolen the bronze tripod and said that they would sell it to you, so they touched you. ”

Sun Ran shook his head again and again: "The official said Ding, isn't it used to cook meat?" That's not unusual—"

"Nonsense!" Du Zhongxiao slammed the table. "Is the copper tripod used by ordinary people? Which family do you cook with Ding here, you tell me, I'll get people! Since ancient times, the tripod is a heavy weapon, which is cast casually and used casually? You don't know about other rituals, it's excusable, if you don't know what it's used for, you understand it's pretending to be stupid! I'm not a local official, and you're being honest with me, and there's room for manoeuvre. If not, tomorrow, when Zhizhou arrives here, you will be so guilty again, and you will have to be punished! ”

Du Zhongxiao, a passing official, actually has no authority to try cases, let alone use them. Even if Zhizhou came, it was nothing more than to arrest Sun Ran's family back to the state city, and the trial of the case should be handed over to the Administrator's Yuan. This is the same as the court arresting people, you can't interrogate, that's the job of the public security bureau.

Sun Ran had little to do with the government, how did he know that there was still a division of labor in the yamen, and when he saw Du Zhongxiao's stern expression, he panicked in his heart. He is in this business, how can he not know ordinary bronze common sense. Other bronze artifacts are just that, a tripod, a bell, it is definitely not used by ordinary people. Don't say that what is dug up in the ground is a new artifact, and I don't dare to cast it casually. Especially Ding, which has no practical value in this era, as long as it exists, it is almost certainly a ritual vessel. As long as it is a ritual vessel, there are serious legal issues involved.

After being silent for a while, Sun Ran said: "Official, the small one is indeed to collect some bronze utensils, and after melting them, they will be cast into utensils for money." Most of the cast utensils are bronze mirrors, which are mostly brought to other states by the children of the family and sold. In this business, others take bronze ware to sell, and we practice not asking the origin, but only counting the money according to the weight of the utensils. It's the rule, not my family. ”

Although Du Zhongxiao didn't know the truth of their line, according to common sense, Sun Ran's words were still credible. His face softened a little, and he said, "So, the copper tripod we intercepted today was also sold to you?" Have you ever received such artifacts in your home before? ”

Sun Ran said: "Huiguanren, I have received it before, but they are all ordinary utensils. ”

"How do you know it's an ordinary artifact? Didn't you just say you couldn't make out it? ”

Sun Ran sighed: "Don't hide from the officials, the small ones do this business, just to make a living, and they don't dare to commit serious cases." Although I don't know where the bronze I received came from and what it was used for, there is one rule, and if anything with an inscription on it is not dared to be reforged—"