If the Xinye County Order was someone else, Liu Xin would have ordered the guards to lead Chen Laohan's family to the back office to search. But the county order is Kuai Liang's son Kuai Xiu, Liu Xin has to be cautious, after all, there may be a female dependant of the Kuai family living in the back office.

The reason why Liu Xin is cautious is not because the Kuai family is the leading big family in Xiangyang, and there are not a few scholars who are more powerful than the Kuai family who were wiped out by Liu Xin. Liu Xin is completely because when he first arrived in Xiangyang, whether it was Kuai Liang, the Kuai Yue brothers or the entire Kuai family, they all gave him a lot of help, and he had to save some face for the Kuai family.

Since Chen Laohan said that his eldest son was injured by the officials, as long as Chen Laohan's family can identify the officials who committed the murder, this matter can basically be determined, and there will be no way for Kuai Xiu to deny it at that time.

At the beginning, Chen Laohan's eldest son did not come alone, and he came with Chen Laohan's grandson, who is now also standing in the lobby. When Chen Laohan's grandson heard the order, he stepped forward tremblingly, stared at those servants for a long time, and finally shook his head and said, "No." ”

Seeing the disappointed expressions of Chen Laohan's family, Liu Xin asked in a deep voice, "Kuai Xiu, are all the officials here?" ”

In the process of Chen Laohan's grandson's identification, Kuai Xiu has always been quite calm, and when he heard Liu Xin's question, he said unhurriedly: "Back to the lord, they are all here." ”

For a long time, servitude was not a formal occupation, but only a form of servitude for the common people, and their labor was unpaid. But after Liu Xin came to power, he made a radical change to the system.

Nowadays, the officials of all counties under Liu Xin's rule have become a formal profession, and they must be evaluated by their superiors every year, and those who pass will continue to stay in office, and those who fail will be laid off. It is not the county order that evaluates the officials, but the county government sends a special person to be responsible. Despite the extremely strict evaluation, the officers were still reluctant to give up the profession, because the pay of the officers was equally generous, basically not much different from that of the soldiers of the regular army, but the danger was greatly reduced.

In order not to affect the results of the evaluation, the officials will be conscientious in their work, except for the days of vacation, even if they are not on duty, they will take the initiative to stay in the yamen, and do not return to their homes until dusk, which is to prevent things from going wrong and being dismissed.

According to the rules formulated by Liu Xin, when the county government evaluates the government officials, the words of Kuai Xiu, the county order, can only serve as a reference, and what really determines the future of these government officials is their performance and the people's comments. Therefore, Kuai Xiu said that the officials were all here, and Liu Xin still believed it. Even if Kuaixiu deliberately concealed it, the officials in the county were all registered, and this list was also available to Cai Mao, the Taishou of Xiangyang, so Kuaixiu couldn't hide it if he wanted to. In the same way, Liu Xin even suspected that it was impossible for these servants to commit murder and beat people on behalf of Kuaixiu.

Of course, it is not ruled out that these officials may be bought by Kuai Xiu. And Liu Xin also saw that Chen Laohan's family were honest ordinary people, not like treacherous people who would blackmail county orders.

After pondering for a long time, Liu Xin still said: "Kuai Xiu, in order to confirm your innocence, Liu can only be sorry, and let the guards go to your back office to search." ”

Kuai Xiu hesitated for a moment and said: "Back to the lord, the back offices of the lower officials are indeed the family members of the lower officials, and there is no outsider. If the lord doesn't believe it, the lower officials are willing to call out all the family members and let them identify them. ”

Although it is a little embarrassing to call out the female dependents and show their heads in front of people, it will be even more humiliating if these soldiers are allowed to go to the back office to search and make chickens and dogs jump. The lesser of two evils, Kuaixiu can only compromise and seek perfection.

Liu Xin nodded and asked Kuai Xiu to go back to the back office by herself. The entire county government has been surrounded by the Flying Tiger Guards, and it is difficult for Kuaixiu to fly. Besides, the local army stationed in Xinye was also notified and strengthened the inspection at the city gate. And the local army has no subordinate relationship with the county order, even if Kuai Xiu escapes from the county office, he will not be able to get out of Xinye City.

Kuai Xiu really had no intention of escaping, and soon gathered all the female dependents in the family and brought them into the lobby. At this point, there weren't many people in the lobby anymore. Liu Xin still pays attention to humanity, in order not to make the scene too embarrassing, he drove out the officials and most of the guards, and even Chen Laohan's family only left Chen Laohan and his eldest daughter-in-law, that is, the mother of the robbed girl.

As soon as these ladies entered the lobby, Liu Xin noticed that something was wrong. A dressed woman, who was surrounded by several handmaidens, was obviously reluctant and almost carried out, and Kuaixiu had been beside her in a whispered voice. Needless to say, this woman must be Kuaixiu's wife. The Kuai family is a famous family in Jingzhou, Kuai Liang and Kuai Yue are important ministers under Liu Xin, and Kuai Xiu's wife must also be from a famous family, and now she is being pulled out to confront her, and it is normal to have this reaction.

How do you know that when the woman saw Chen Laohan's father-in-law and daughter-in-law, she suddenly broke free from the maid beside her like crazy, and suddenly pounced, and cried bitterly: "Grandpa, mother, why are you here?" Daddy, are they okay? ”

Liu Xin's face sank, and he shouted angrily: "Kuai Xiu, what else do you have to say!" ”

Kuai Xiu's face was full of astonishment, and he said with a sigh of relief: "Lord, when did Humble Jing know them, and the lower officials don't know, I really don't know where to start." ”

The woman suddenly turned around and said loudly to Kuaixiu: "How many times have I told you, my name is Yu Niang, I don't know you at all, let alone your wife, but you just don't listen, now I want to go home!" ”

Liu Xin looked at Kuai Xiu, and then at the woman who called herself Yu Niang, and couldn't help sneering, and said, "Interesting, Liu has to be tried clearly today." ”

After speaking, Liu Xin strode behind the table in the middle, sat down on the Taishi chair, slapped the startled wood hard, and said loudly: "Come on, take Kuaixiu!" ”

Kuai Xiu was in the hall, and he didn't need to be escorted, so he hurriedly walked to the front, knelt on the ground, and kowtowed: "The lower official is here." ”

Even when you see the emperor, you don't have to bow or bow, except for criminals, even suspects must kneel when questioned. As a county magistrate, Kuai Xiu often has to deal with some disputes and try some cases, so he naturally knows the rules.

Liu Xin pointed at the woman with his hand and said, "Who is this woman?" ”

Kuai Xiu replied: "She is the wife of the lower official. ”

The woman suddenly shouted, "Nonsense, I don't know you at all!" ”

"Smack", Liu Xin slapped the shocked wood and shouted: "There must be no noise in the lobby, otherwise it will be pulled down and the twenty boards will be heavily responsible!" ”

The woman didn't dare to say anything, but she was pulled into her arms by Chen Laohan's daughter-in-law, and the two cried together, which didn't seem to be a fake. Judging from the performance of Chen Laohan's family and the woman, Liu Xin is more willing to believe that this woman is Chen Laohan's granddaughter, called Yu Niang, rather than the Kuai Su family. But Kuai Xiu's death was still stubborn, which made Liu Xin a little puzzled, there must be something strange in this.

Liu Xin frowned, then turned to Kuai Xiu and asked, "You are the commander of Xinye County, you don't know these people, how can you know your wife if you don't go out of the door?" Kuaixiu, Liu wants to hear your explanation. ”

Kuai Xiu sighed and said: "The ugliness of the family should not be publicized, the matter has come to this, and the lower officials have nothing to hide." Humble Jing is a native of Jiangxia, married into the Kuai family two years ago, and went to Xinye with his subordinates last year. But Humble Jing has always been dissatisfied with this family business, and has repeatedly made trouble to go back to her parents' house. Six days ago, she ran out of the county office while the maid was not paying attention, but fortunately, the lower officials got the news in time and chased her back. Humble Jing had never been out of the county government before, so it must have been that time that he met the family. ”

"It turns out that your wife is from the Jiangxia Fei family." Liu Xin nodded, and then looked at the woman, only to find that the woman was quite beautiful, but she was not as beautiful as everyone else, so she couldn't help but have a plan, and said, "Old man Chen, when was your granddaughter snatched into the county government by Kuai Xiu?" ”

Chen Laohan hurriedly knelt down next to Kuai Xiu, pointed at Kuai Xiu, and said, "Back to my lord, Xiao Lao'er's granddaughter was snatched by him six days ago. ”

Liu Xin bowed his head and said: "The time is right." Kuaixiu, what evidence do you have to prove that this woman is your wife? ”

Kuai Xiu was stunned for a moment and said, "What proof do you need to prove, doesn't the lower official's own wife know him?" Besides, even if the lower officials admit that they are wrong, will all these servants and subordinates in my family also admit their mistakes? ”

Liu Xin let out an "oh" and turned her head to ask the female relatives of Kuaixiu's family, and these female dependents unanimously proved that this woman was Kuaixiu's wife. In addition to some lowly maidservants, these female dependents also have a two-room concubine married by Kuaixiu. It stands to reason that Kuaixiu's wife is gone, and these concubines have the possibility of ascending to the throne, so it is more reasonable not to recognize her as their own wife.

After pondering for a moment, Liu Xin was still puzzled, and then turned to Chen Laohan's ancestors and grandchildren, and said, "You say that she is Chen Yuniang, what evidence do you have?" ”

Hearing Liu Xin's question, the two women also quickly knelt down. The older woman said: "Lord Hui, the jade lady is the meat that fell from the people's woman, how can the people's woman admit her mistake?" The woman remembered that there was a small birthmark on Yu Niang's waist......"

"That's great, you'll find out when you check it!" Liu Xin was overjoyed, pointed to an older maidservant and said, "You, take her to the back for a test." ”

After a short time, the two of them turned back from the back office, and the maid knelt on the ground and said, "Master Hui, she does have a birthmark the size of a fingernail on her waist." It's just that she looks too much like my wife, and the slave really can't see any difference. ”

Liu Xin laughed and said: "Now that the truth has been revealed, she is Chen Yuniang, not Kuai Fei's." ”

The three of Chen Laohan's ancestors and grandsons kowtowed together: "Thank you, my lord!" ”

"No, it can't be!" Kuai Xiu suddenly jumped up hysterically and said loudly, "They must have colluded!" Didn't they just say that the officials instructed the officials to injure their families? But they could not identify who had done it. How can this be explained? ”