It wasn't until the general's loud report sounded outside the door that Xu Ping pulled his thoughts back to reality.

The door was opened, and the miscellaneous officer ushered in two officials.

An official in his fifties in front of him bowed his hand to Xu Ping: "The new Imperial History Governor Sima Chi came to the Salt and Iron Division on the order of the Taiwan Lord to jointly try the case of the three divisions of the public officials colliding with the Prime Minister Yushi yesterday. “

Another person: "Wu Zunlu, the official of Kaifeng Prefecture, came on the order of the prefect." ”

Xu Ping hurriedly stood up and saluted the two.

Sima Chi was transferred back to Beijing from the prefect of Fengxiang, and only took office after the year. Originally, he was going to be transferred to the Beijing Governor's Yuan a year ago, but he repeatedly humbly excused himself and waited until now to enter Beijing. However, it is precisely because of this that he escaped the catastrophe of the Taiwan counselor who abolished Empress Guo a few years ago, and he was blessed by the disaster.

Wu Zunlu offended the Queen Mother in the year of Tiansheng and went out of Changzhou. In Changzhou, he was able to deal with the locust drought effectively, and was transferred to Kaifeng Prefecture because of Fan Zhongyan's recommendation.

Both of them are Jinshi during the Zhenzong period, and their qualifications are much older than Xu Ping, but their official positions are far apart. Yushitai and Kaifeng Mansion sent these two people, which also meant that Xu Ping was the main thing in this matter.

After a few polite words, Xu Ping briefed the two on the current situation.

Sima Chi said: "When I came to the third division, Wang Xianggong personally handed over the name of the troublemaker I wrote down yesterday, and asked the deputy envoy to send someone to take people according to the list. ”

Xu Ping smiled: "There is only one list, in case of accidents, how about copying another copy?" Both of you were ordered to participate in this case, and it is not easy to hide anything from you, so together with Judge Liu Xin, while copying the list, while checking the names of the three public officials according to the list, and at the same time sending soldiers out to get people, okay? ”

The two of them bowed their hands together: "But by the orders of the deputy envoy!" ”

Xu Ping asked the military general outside the door to summon Liu Xin over and said to him: "You take Zhiza Yushi and Wu Tuiguan to inspect the name, prepare the manpower, and obey Sima Yushi's orders." Who should take it, how to interrogate, don't be sloppy. ”

Liu Xin promised.

Sima Chi said to Xu Ping: "The deputy envoy is polite, please ask the deputy envoy to preside over this matter." ”

"It's the official of the third division, and I don't want to ask too much, Sima Zhiza bothered a lot."

This kind of thing is nothing to do, so why should Xu Ping get involved and arouse suspicion. Let the people of Yushitai and Kaifeng Mansion do it themselves, see it with their own eyes, and let them know how outrageous this thing is.

Although the official position of Zhiza Yushi is not high, as the deputy governor of Yushitai, his status is extremely respectful, and his entry and exit guide is much more majestic than Xu Ping, the deputy envoy of salt and iron. Since Xu Ping did not participate, Sima Chi was the main among the three.

The three of them said goodbye to Xu Ping, and Liu Xin took them to the official hall of the military case to check the list first, and then arrest people according to the list.

The spring sunlight crept in through the window of the door, and the warmth made the military officer hall a little lazy.

The officials on duty cheered up and shuttled back and forth with various names for the three officials on the middle desk to consult.

Sima Chi held the list recorded in front of Wang Zeng's mansion yesterday in his hand, and called his name loudly in the middle, who was the surname, and the positions in the three divisions, and read them one by one.

Wu Zunlu and Liu Xin were lying on the desk, searching for the famous books one by one. After matching the name, he casually approved a summons and asked the officer of the box army next to him to take someone to arrest someone back.

Putting aside the name book in his hand, Wu Zunlu sighed: "What's going on?" However, only more than 20 people were checked, and five of them were found to be none! Could it be that there were a lot of names made up casually yesterday? ”

At this time, Sima Chi said in a straight mind: "Liu Sanshui, the Salt and Iron Division set up a case to move forward-"

Liu Xin couldn't help laughing when he heard it: "Don't hide it, I was also in front of the Prime Minister's Mansion yesterday, and I reported the name of this Liu Sanshui." At that time, no one checked it, and no public officials were allowed to protect each other, and they said whatever they wanted, and it is estimated that there were many people who were just like me, and they made up a name at that time to fool things. ”

Wu Zunlu shook his head: "What is this picture?" ”

"Who knows what the prince is going to do when he writes down people's names? If you have doubts in your heart, you will naturally make up a name casually for the scribe to write it down, and you can't find his head after the autumn settlement. Speaking of this, Liu Xin's face became serious. Moreover, those who take the lead in making trouble have ghosts in their hearts, but I am afraid that they will not leave their real names at all. In other words, if we just take people according to the list of Wang Xianggong, then most of the main culprits will be released! ”

This reason is very clear, only those who are afraid of being laid off, and have no idea what they did yesterday, will leave their names behind, these people are the most innocent.

Sima Chi and Wu Zunlu are both people who have been crawling at the bottom for many years, how can they not know this truth?

The two glanced at each other and asked Liu Xin: "You accompanied you all the way yesterday, and you know much more about what happened than us, and the Salt and Iron Division must have a countermeasure here." Why don't we tell us and act together! ”

"Where there are any countermeasures, it's just a matter of taking one step at a time." Liu Xin just shook his head, "Now the only way to do this is to arrest the person who can be confirmed first and interrogate him slowly." Hundreds of people, as long as they work hard, can always ask something. ”

At the same time, in a small side room next to the Xu Ping Chief's Hall.

Two strong men were tied hand and foot on the ground with ropes, stretching their necks to look around at their surroundings.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door, and the two men rolled on the ground almost at the same time, turned around, and looked at the door.

Xu Ping raised his feet and entered the room, looked at the two of them, and closed the door casually.

Seeing Xu Ping wearing a purple official robe, the two big men couldn't help but be nervous. After living for decades, I haven't dealt with the purple-robed officials, and I heard that these people all know astronomy and geography, and it is extremely difficult to coax, and I don't know if it's true.

Xu Ping didn't speak, walked to the depths of the hut, and sat down on a chair.

The bodies of the two big men were dripping and turning on the ground, and their eyes kept following Xu Ping's body, and they didn't leave for a moment.

When Xu Ping sat down, the two of them found that there were six soldiers standing in the corner of the room, looking at them with fierce eyes.

Seeing Xu Ping sitting there just looking at them and not speaking, the two couldn't help but feel furious in their hearts. After a while, a black-faced man couldn't hold back any longer, and asked sharply: "We are both good citizens, and we have never committed adultery and crime, why did the officials send someone to bring us here?" What is this place? It doesn't look like a court! ”

Xu Ping dusted off the hem of his official robe and said casually: "Of course, this is not a public court, but just the Yamen of the Salt and Iron Division." As for whether you are good citizens—"

Speaking of this, Xu Ping bent down slightly, looked at the two of them and said, "Yesterday, the two of you pretended to be the officials of the Third Division, mixed in the crowd of troublemakers, shouting and shouting, so lively!" Why, today you are a good citizen again? (To be continued.) )