The next day, the court was opened to question the case.

'Dong Dong Dong' sounded three ways with the startling drums, twelve burly figures, wolf eyebrows and vertical eyes, wearing black and red hats, pheasant feathers in sideburns, soapy red official clothes, and high-soled black boots; The officials holding the long sticks of water and fire stood at the foot of the hall in two columns, facing each other.

Dressed in a five-grade official uniform, he sat behind the big case, with a plaque of 'Mirror Hanging' above his head, and behind him was the Jianghai Tooth, and the huge screen of the rising east made the young Fuzun Lord look majestic incomparably!

Shen Mo took a deep breath, picked up the startling wood on the table, 'snapped', and slapped it heavily: 'Rise...... Hall! ’

'Wei ...... Wu ......'s water and fire sticks of the three classes of officials smashed on the ground.

"Bring someone to commit Huang Qi'......," Shen said in a loud voice.

There was a sound of chains scraping the floor, and an unkempt blind man, who was caught between two officials, one left and one right, took him to the lobby, kicked his knees back, and knelt straight on the ground.

There was a buzz in the crowd...... The trial is in the second hall, and it is not visible to idle people, but today it is said that it is a major human ethics case of 'the son killing the father', and it is an earth-shattering event, so according to the rules, every street and every square must send a representative to observe, and when he goes back, he has to preach to his neighbors to set an example.

Shen Mo frowned slightly, and slapped the shocked wood and said, "All kinds of people stay quiet!" ”

The officials poked the water and fire sticks on the floor tiles together, making a shocking 'click' sound, which made the spine of the people outside tingle for a while, as if they were about to be spanked, and they immediately fell silent.

'Damn, I want to be an official if I can't complain, this feels so cool. After pondering for a while, he said with a straight face: "Come, bring the bitter lord ......."

A man who looked the same as the blind man, but was of a similar age, was also brought into the lobby, kneeling on Huang Qi's left, and saying, 'Lord Qingtian is in charge!' ’

"Who is the bitter master?" Shen Mo asked out loud, although it was a superfluous move, but the procedure could not be abolished.

"The third household in the east of Shiqiao Street, Tong'anfang, Xiaomin Wu County, is called Huang Shi." The bitter Lord said.

"What is the complaint?" Shen Mo asked.

"The villain's brother Huang Qi, who is not as good as the beast, kills his father!" Huang Shi said with a crying voice: "The day before yesterday, I killed my old father!" ”

The crowd immediately became noisy, although the matter had been spread one after another, but it was still extremely shocking to hear the bitter master say it himself.

The crowd quieted down again. Silence asked the blind man again, "Who is the one who wears the yoke?" The main function of this question is to verify the correct body.

The blind man said: "Sinner Huang Qi." ”

The onlookers outside said 'huh' together, and the original reply should be 'grass people Huang Qi' or 'grass people don't know what crime they have committed', etc., and this Huang Qi's reply was "Sinners Huang Qi." 'The eldest master hasn't judged the case yet, why did he plead guilty himself?'

Shen Mo's face sank and said, "What crime are you committed?" Recruit from the truth. ”

I only heard that Huang Qi lowered his head and said: "The sinner is guilty of killing his father, and he knows that he is guilty of deep sin, and he does not dare to hide it in the slightest. Lord Qingtian, the crimes committed by the criminals are true, and they should be cut with a thousand knives. ”

Judging from their years of experience, as soon as they went to court, almost all the defendants denied it in every possible way, and they refused to admit it if they fought unreasonably.

Why did the defendant become the plaintiff today and rush to admit it? Are you afraid of being reincarnated by mistake? But everyone was confused, but he said silently but quietly: "The criminal Huang Qi, according to the Ming criminal law, anyone who murders his parents will be executed by Ling Chi. Are you ready to take these three thousand six hundred cuts? Although the tone is flat, the killing atmosphere between the lines still makes people shudder.

That Huang Qi was really frightened like chaff, and the beads of sweat were dripping to the ground, but he still didn't change his original intention and said: "The sinners know that the crime is true, please send it down." ”

It's really Tang Seng sitting on Zhu Bajie, it's strange, everyone said in their hearts that they have convicted themselves before they have seen anyone commit it. But they are also disappointed, this case will definitely not need to be retried, it is really boring.

Sure enough, Lord Seeing Fuzun seemed to believe it, he said to the blind man Huang Qi: "You are really a great crime, you deserve a thousand cuts, this official has decided, as soon as possible, you will be killed." ”

Huang Qi was so frightened that he collapsed to the ground, shivering like chaff.

Then he heard the silence and said: "You don't expect to be reborn!" Who else would you like to meet? This official is extrajudicial and gracious, so let's call you to say goodbye. ”

Huang Qi burst into tears and said: "No, I have nothing to love." ”

"Don't you even miss your own son?" He said silently, "He's outside." Regardless of whether Huang Qitong agreed or not, he ordered someone to bring Huang Qi's son up.

After a while, Huang Qi's son was heard, standing beside his blind father with a cower. I only heard a silent and deep voice: "If your father and son have anything to say, just say it, today is the last chance!" ”

Hearing this, the son grabbed Huang Qi's hand and lowered his head and sobbed. Huang Qiyi's godless eyes had muddy tears, and he trembled and groped his son's face and said: "Son, you have to be a good person in the future, as long as you live in peace in the future, Daddy and I have nothing to worry about." Saying that, he choked in a low voice: "Don't miss me, I'm blind, and it's not worth missing......" may have remembered the terrible thousand cuts, the back of his hand was bruised, and he clutched his son's arm tightly, as if he wanted to vent something, his son still looked sad and flustered, and lowered his head without saying a word, letting his father pinch it.

Shen Mo immediately ordered his son to retreat. The blind man did not let go, so the two servants stepped forward and dragged the child out, but the child did not say a word, and let the servants drag him away.

Huang Qi thought that the next sentence was to be announced, and he knelt on the ground tremblingly and waited, Huang Shi and the audience also waited with bated breath, but they didn't expect that Lord Fuzun was not in a hurry at all, he actually picked up a book and read it with relish, as if he had forgotten that this was above the lobby.

After waiting patiently for a moment, the crowd began to turn their heads to each other, and their hearts said, 'Which one is this singing?' How do you look at the book? Gui Youguang, who was making the transcript, couldn't stand it, and reminded in a low voice: "Fuzun, shouldn't we pronounce the verdict?" ”

"Oh......" silently put down the book and said unhurriedly, "Take the prisoner to the back hall." ”

Then Huang Shideng was anxious: "My lord, why don't you pronounce the sentence?" ”

"This official decides the case, how can the grass people intervene?" Shen Mo glanced at him and said, "Palm!" Then two officials went up, grabbed him firmly, and used a small board one foot long and one inch wide to slap Huang Shi's mouth.

After two strokes, he beat his lips into meat sausages, and Huang Shi whined in pain: "Don't fight, I'll shut up, I'll shut up......" The official beat him a few more times before letting him go, and the pain made him squirm on the ground holding his head, but he didn't dare to make any movement.

After a while, Shen Mo ordered someone to call the son of Huang Qi back, and as soon as he came to the court, he ordered him to take it down left and right, press him to the ground, pull off his pants, and hit the board.

The boy was so frightened that he shouted, "Why did you hit me? ”

"Why?" Shen Mo slapped the shocked wood heavily, and roared angrily with a blue face: "Just now your father confessed everything, it was you who killed your grandfather, and you still want your father to atone for the crime, and you still don't invite it from the truth, so as not to suffer from the flesh and skin!" ”

As soon as these words came out, the hall was quiet, and even Huang Shi, who was holding two meat sausages, stared at his nephew in disbelief.

The officials slammed the water and fire sticks together at the right time, and shouted: "Move! ”

The son of Huang Qi was so frightened that he fell to his knees with a thud, and said in a trembling voice: "It is true that I killed my grandfather, but it was his own idea that my father came to surrender and confess, this has nothing to do with me, please spare my life!" After speaking, he kowtowed again and again.

There was an uproar in the very quiet field, and everyone was in disbelief about this sudden change, and there was a lot of discussion for a while, and the noise was like a vegetable market!

"Silence! Quiet! Shen Mo slapped the shocked wood and said: "There is no more noise, a wisp of palm!" ”

Seeing the duck-like Huang Shi, everyone suddenly stopped their voices, lest they also receive two large meat sausages.

Shen Mo looked at Huang Qi's son and said, "If you don't recruit from the truth, you won't have to suffer from a meal of flesh and skin." ”

The boy was not yet sixteen years old, and he was already frightened and stupid, so when he heard this, he poured beans into a bamboo tube and told the truth of the matter: it turned out that their family had no other business, and lived on a workshop and a few looms, but because his father was blind and his grandfather did not like it, he always preferred his uncle and handed over the workshop to his uncle. And his uncle is even more mean, and he doesn't give a son to his father who can't work...... The disparity between the rich and the poor in his uncle's family was very painful for the boy, so he put the account on his grandfather, who favored his uncle and discriminated against his father, and the relationship between the grandfather and grandson was extremely bad, and finally one day, after a violent quarrel, he sharpened his wooden sword and attacked his grandfather from behind. At that time, his father was the only one in the family, and he was frightened to find out about this, but for the sake of his son, he came up with a way to make a scapegoat.

Seeing that his son had recruited all the people, Huang Qi couldn't hide it anymore, and confessed to the fact that he was guilty of taking the place of his son, and finally bowed his head and cried: "My lord, it is said that it is the fault of the son who is not the godfather, please spare his surname for the sake of the son who is still a minor and ignorant and punish me, the father who has no way to teach his son." ”

Shen Mo glanced at the young man with a dead face, and said in a deep voice: "The facts of the case are clear, and the father and son will be taken into custody for the time being. Saying that, he looked at the yellow eleven eyes meaningfully, and patted the wooden hall and said, "Retreat!" ”

Although everyone was still unsatisfied, they had to kneel down together to send the lord to the mansion.

In the signing room, Shen Mo, Wang Yongji, and Gui Youguang sat opposite each other, and Gui Youguang asked with a smile: "How can you be sure that it is Huang Qi's son?" ”

After the first big case, he was silent, and he had already taken off his official uniform, changed into a light blue plain robe with a big placket and a right side, took a sip of fragrant tea and said: "That's Ling Chi's crime, if it weren't for the sake of his closest relatives, who would want to suffer on behalf of others?" Saying that, he put down the teacup and said: "Yesterday at noon, I called the daughter of the deceased, that is, Huang Qi's sister, I inquired in detail about the relationship between their family, and guessed that the real murderer was his son, so today I deliberately let them live and die, and when I saw the young man's unnatural behavior and unreasonable expression, I had a spectrum in my heart, and then asked while he was restless, and it naturally came to light." ”

"Your Excellency is wise!" The two were convinced: "I can't wait." ”

"Don't talk about this," Shen Mo shook his head and said, "Let's talk about how this case should be judged first, right?" ”

"According to the Great Ming Law, those who kill their grandparents are guilty of the same crime as killing their parents, and they should be executed by Ling Chi." The king said, "And whoever knows his companion and wants to do something against another person, and does not immediately hinder him from receiving help, and does not report after being killed, he will have a hundred rods. After a pause, he said: "So Xia Guan means that Huang Qicane is one hundred, and he will not be held accountable for the crime on behalf of others...... After all, tiger poison does not eat children, and it is normal for fathers to want to protect their sons. ”

"That's right," Gui Youguang said, "I agree with Runlian's verdict." ”

"And what about his son?" Shen Mo asked.

"This ......," Wang Yongji hesitated, "he will soon be fourteen years old, and the article of 'caring for the young' can no longer be applied, so there is no reason for a light sentence." ”

"It seems that you support Ling Chi?" Said silently.

"Yes." Wang Yongji nodded and said: "This is a great crime of human ethics, if you don't sentence it severely, it will be difficult for the people to be angry and edifying." ”

"Where's Zhenchuan Gong?" Silently asked, there is a path of light.

"Xia Guan basically agrees with Runlian's opinion," Gui Youguang pondered for a moment and said, "But after all, it's a teenager, and it seems a little inappropriate to use Ling Chi...... Remember that he is young, and sentence him to hanging. Saying that, he said in a deep voice: "This case is already like this, report it to the province, and according to the judge, the verdict will definitely be increased, and in the end, it should be 'a 'decisive decision'." ”

After speaking, he asked Shen Mo with Wang Yongji: "What do you think, my lord?" ”

"Its sins are hateful, but its feelings are pitiful......" Shen Mo shook his head and sighed.

After listening to the silent words, Wang Yongji said: "My lord, that violent young man is so exterminating people's surnames, he can never be forgiven, and he can't be forgiven!" ”

"I know!" He nodded silently and solemnly: "But it's okay to exchange one life for another, don't pay his father too, and order them to drop the stick lightly when they are executed." ”

Gui Youguang said: "My lord, you just want to save people, and you can't use this method, otherwise outsiders will only think that the people below sympathize with Huang Qi, but they will feel that you are too strict." ”

"What you say makes sense, then thirty rods." Shen nodded silently and said, "Let them not hurt people." ”

"That's fine." Gui Youguang nodded.

"Also," said silently: "According to Huang Qi's sister, in fact, their father has long been ignorant of the accounts, and it is Huang Shi's daughter-in-law who is in charge of money, and it is precisely Huang Shi's daughter-in-law who is harsh to Huang Qi's family, and this woman always uses 'father does not allow' as an excuse not to give Huang Qi the living expenses he deserves, and also instigates the relationship between his father and Huang Qi, which leads to the relationship between father and son becoming more and more stiff, so that Huang Qi's son believes it is true and mistakenly regards his grandfather as an enemy." ”

"Speaking of this tragedy, it is inseparable from the sins of Huang Shi and his woman." Saying that, his knuckles lightly tapped the table and said, "You can't let them be proud, otherwise how can Huang Qi live in the future?" ”

"Even if this statement is true," Gui Youguang said, "we can't punish their crimes, we can only condemn them." ”

"What's the use of condemnation?" Shen Mo said in a deep voice: "Wait, in ten days and half a month, they should give the handle themselves." He said in a low voice: "Send someone to keep an eye on the Huang family, and once Huang Qi's wife is kicked out, find her." ”

"Adult ......" Gui Youguang is old and sophisticated, as if he has woken up and said: "Do you want to fish?" ”

"Not bad." Shen Mo rolled his eyes and said, "I'm Jiang Taigong fishing, and those who wish to take the bait." ”

Seven days later, he passed the hall again, and when the suffering lord Huang Shi stood still in the hall, Shen Mo was just about to lead someone to commit a crime, and drums were heard outside.

Shen Mo stopped the trial of the case, and ordered someone to bring in the person who beat the drum, and when Huang Shiyi saw the person, he couldn't help but change his face, and said in his heart: 'What is this woman doing here?' The person who came was the sister-in-law who had just been kicked out of the house by him! But his mouth has not been swollen yet, and he doesn't dare to talk more when he is killed.

Shen Mo asked her who she was and what she was accusing?

The woman cried: "The woman Huang Li sued her uncle Huang Shiyi and drove me out of the house innocently. ”

"Is that the case?" Shen asked Huang Shidao.

"Her man and son were both guilty and imprisoned." Huang Shidao: "What qualifications does she have to live in our Huang family?" ”

"Oh," said silently, "that's right, well." As he spoke, he patted the wooden and said, "Take someone to commit Huang Qi." ”

Huang Qi was brought up, and the sentence was pronounced silently: "Huang Qi, you shielded the murderer of the ancestors, and tried in vain to take the blame for him, according to the law, you should be punished with a rod of one hundred, but the love of father and son is the great affection of people, as a father, you are willing to accept it on behalf of the son, and it can be regarded as forgivable, so it is reduced to thirty rods, do you have any objections?" ”

With such a light sentence, Huang Qi naturally had no objection.

Shen Mo looked at Huang Shidao again: "After the execution, your brother can be released, don't you want him and his wife to go back?" ”

Huang Shi knew that he couldn't resist, so he backed down and said, "Yes." ”

Shen Mo asked again: "Can your father leave a will?" He bet it wasn't.

"What will?" Huang Shi said ignorantly.

"It seems that there is no more," said in a deep voice: "Come on, submit the list of the Huang family's property." ”

The official presented a piece of paper to the adult, looked at it silently, and said, "Your family has two mansions and nine looms, right?" ”

"My lord, our family only has one property," Huang Shi said with a sallow face: "There are only five looms." ”

"Bold!" Shen Mo patted the shocked wood and said: "You two mothers can hide from that foolish father, do you still want to hide from the official?" ”

(To be continued)