Peng Cheng walked to the table and drank the bowl of wine in one gulp.
In his early years, he failed to become a scholar and got an official position due to his kindness. He served as an official in Pucheng for nearly ten years and moved his family here. He turned from a dragon across the river to a local snake.
Peng Cheng's eyes flashed and he strode into the inner room, followed immediately by Peng Jingyi. Several people who were sweating profusely saw him and immediately stood up with a tremble.
"What's your mission, young master?" Several people asked, bending their backs.
"Who knows where that guy Qiao San from Zhang's family on Chema Street is?"
One person took the lead and said: "Young Master, I know this Qiao San is not the one who was causing trouble in the city yesterday."
"Where are people now?"
"Because of forced buying and selling, he was taken to the store and locked up in a back room. He was starved for a whole day and a night."
Peng Cheng and Peng Jingyi looked at each other, how could it be such a coincidence?
Zhang Yue waited outside for a short time, and after learning about Qiao San's whereabouts from Peng Jingyi's mouth, he felt the same way. It was really hard to find anywhere, and it took no effort to get it.
Zhang Yue was politely invited to the official wine shop.
Here, where donkeys, horses, and mules are kept, a man is chained to the railing.
That's right, Zhang Yue immediately remembered the other person's appearance in his mind. This person was his own friend Qiao San who followed him sneakily when he entered the city that day.
"Let me go! Let me go! I still have a wife and children waiting for dinner at home!"
The other party did not recognize Zhang Yue, but shouted at the visitor.
"What are you doing, you bastard? Are you going to be beaten again?" Peng Cheng's men cursed loudly.
The other party shrank back as if he was afraid of being beaten.
Zhang Yue checked again and found that the man had a birthmark as big as a copper coin on his right face. He was wearing a paper jacket and lying on the ground, half lying on a straw mat. His right hand was handcuffed to the railing.
It is undoubtedly Qiao San.
Zhang Yue imitated an adult, coughed slightly and said, "Qiao San, do you still recognize me?"
When Qiao San saw the person in the room, he looked up and said in surprise: "Sanlang-kun!"
Then a look of shame appeared on Qiao San's face, and he kowtowed: "Mr. Sanlang, you know everything, right? I, Qiao San, have failed the Zhang family, and I have failed you all."
Peng Jingyi glanced at Zhang Yue and said with surprise, he really got it right.
Zhang Yue was confident and asked in a tone of 'hating iron that cannot be made into steel': "Why didn't you tell the truth to your brother in the first place?"
"No, no...I won't explain to Mr. Da Lang, but Shopkeeper Wu forced me to do so." Qiao San burst into tears.
Shopkeeper Wu is probably the silk merchant named Wu.
The true resemblance came to light, but Zhang Yue didn't seem to take it to heart and asked in no hurry: "First of all, how did you end up in this situation?"
Qiao San said with shame: "Yesterday, my family couldn't eat, so I borrowed some money from my neighbors and went to the street to buy some food for my wife's children. The villain came to the meat stall and wanted to bet on the big one, so he asked the stall owner to buy it. As a result, the villain My hand was not going well, and I won seven or eight games in a row. Not only did I not allocate my capital, but I also lost all my money. The family had no way to explain it, so the villain had no choice but to beg for sidelines, but in the end he got the money."
There is no rice to cook at home, yet you are still hungry for meat? How dare you go shopping?
"Master Sanlang, please do me a favor and help me go back and take care of my wife and children. They haven't eaten for a few days and don't know my whereabouts. I'm afraid they are dying of anxiety at this moment."
Are you anxious now?
Zhang Yue said: "I had already settled your wife and children yesterday, otherwise I wouldn't have found them here today."
"Thank you, Mr. Sanlang, thank you, Mr. Sanlang!"
Zhang Yue said: "You need to explain clearly what happened with Shopkeeper Wu first. How do you know Shopkeeper Wu?"
Qiao San kowtowed repeatedly and said: "They are all villains who are fond of gambling and can't hold back. If they have some money, they will pounce on the possibility of buying. Last year, shopkeeper Wu also had a place to sell silk in the shop. That day, the villain asked Da Langjun to buy it. I lost all the money I spent on the wine, and the villain had nothing to care about. It was shopkeeper Wu who lent the villain the money to avoid the punishment of the big man."
"Later on, every time shopkeeper Wu came here to rest, he lent some money to the villain for expenses. The villain thought that shopkeeper Wu was kind-hearted. Until a few days ago, shopkeeper Wu stayed at the shop with his waiter and six loads of raw silk. "
"At that time, Erlangjun escaped from marriage, and the eldest husband had no intention of taking care of the general affairs in the store. The villain barely managed the store. At night, he bought wine and food for me to eat and drink. He told me that he would make a big deal with the villain. The villain was then I don’t know what he means, but I just heard him say that our Zhang family has hated Zhao Asi... and wants me to follow him."
"The villain said that the Zhang family was kind to me, and he would never be ungrateful. After drinking here, he suddenly changed his face and said that if I didn't listen to him, he would tell his boss that the villain stole Da Langjun's wine money to go shopping. And Zhao Yasi will not let go of the villain's family. The villain is extremely scared. What kind of person Zhao Yasi is, he can take the lives of the villain's family with just a finger."
"The villain has no words, so what if he just says he doesn't want you? As long as you get drunk and get into trouble, you will give the villain ten guan of money afterwards. That night the villain only drank, and became confused. He didn't wake up until there was a fire in the middle of the night. He escaped. Later, the Yamen came to question the villain. At that time, the villain was also blinded by lard. He thought that his boss was kind to the villain, but he was really afraid of death and did not dare to offend Zhao Asi..."
"After what happened, I always wanted to tell my boss the truth. That day when Mr. Saburo came to the city, I wanted to find an opportunity to tell the truth, but after much thought, I really didn't have the courage."
Zhang Yue was silent when he heard this and asked, "Have you ever gone to shopkeeper Wu?"
"I looked for it." Qiao San lowered his head.
Zhang Yue said: "The ten pieces of money are also missing?"
"Shopkeeper Wu is not a thing. He only gave him more than a hundred dollars and sent it away. He wants the villain to stop talking too much, otherwise the life of his family will be in danger."
Peng Jingyi said with disdain on his face: "If shopkeeper Wu gives you ten guan of money, I'm afraid you won't talk about it for the rest of your life. Come on, give me a greeting."
"No, no, don't fight, Mr. Sanlang, please have mercy!" Qiao San cried.
But seeing Qiao San crying with tears and runny nose, Zhang Yue was about to speak. Peng Jingyi immediately said: "Such a person is unjust and unjust. If you don't give him a meal, he will probably retract his confession. You can't be merciful."
Zhang Yue said: "I want you not to break your body."
When the two returned to Guanjiu Shop, Peng Jingyi asked, "Please tell my second uncle about this in advance and let him make the decision!"
Zhang Yue said: "Uncle, I can't thank you enough for finding Qiao San for me and clearing my family's grievances. Now I plan to go to the Yamen to complain and ask you to advocate for me. But if your uncle can help me, I will This kindness will never be forgotten."
"good!"
Peng Jingyi asked Zhang Yue to wait first and walked behind the curtain.
It was almost dusk now, and there were more singing girls and prostitutes meditating and sitting. The yamen who acted as bartenders were even busier. In the alcove, they were warming wine and making steamed buns by the kitchen stove to add firewood.
Some ruffians surround wealthy and powerful gamblers, flattering them and asking for some benefits. Many people stretched their heads and watched others playing with red eyes. Every time a 'Chun Hun' was played, they were so happy, as if they were sitting at the table.
Zhang Yue stood aside for a while, then Peng Jingyi lifted the curtain and came out, leading Zhang Yue to a side room next to the staircase.
But I saw a slightly fat man in his fifties sitting in the side room with his hands on the table. A yamen next to this person sifts the wine from the wine vat, and the other yamen scalds the sifted wine, then brings it to the table and arranges it bowl by bowl.
The other party didn't move a single chopstick from the table full of food, and just drank by himself.
As soon as Zhang Yue saw this person, he knew that he was not someone who was easy to talk to. At the moment, all my hopes are tied to the other person. The feeling of relying on someone's breath is really not good.
This person looked at Zhang Yue and waved his hand to the two yamen to step back and said in a low voice: "What's the matter?"
Peng Jingyi said: "Second uncle, this person is Sanlang Zhangjia."
Zhang Yueshang sang: "My nephew Zhang Yue has met the young master."
The other party glanced at Zhang Yue and ignored him, and asked Peng Jingyi, "How's it going?"
Peng Jingyi told the truth what Qiao San just told him.
Finally, Peng Jingyi added: "Second uncle, I think this shopkeeper Wu was not ordered by Zhao Yasi, but deliberately took advantage of his power to burn the fake silk, and then went to the Yamen to extort Zhang's family's money."
Peng Cheng smiled and said, "You have made the decision for me?"
Peng Jingyi laughed twice.
Peng Cheng looked Zhang Yue up and down, then picked up the wine and drank it all in one gulp, then put down the bowl and asked, "What are your plans for the future?"
Zhang Yue said: "Reporting to Young Master, the Zhang family has fallen into this situation. I have nothing to take care of, so I can only risk everything."
Peng Cheng sneered and said: "The villagers are trying to get things done, you don't know anything."
Zhang Yue lowered his head and said: "You are frivolous and ignorant, please give me some advice!"
Peng Cheng squinted his eyes and suddenly slapped the table and cursed: "The matter between your family and Zhao Yasi has already been discussed. Now if you try to bend the rules and bring the two things together, you really think that Zhao Yasi is a big boss." Can a good person become a good person?”
Isn’t this about you?
Zhang Yue said with a look of instruction: "If it hadn't been for the young master's advice, the boy almost made a big mistake. But Qiao San has confessed, and the profiteer Wu has been contacting him since last year. He has clearly planned this for a long time, and today he used Zhao Yasi He has the potential to blackmail the Zhang family's money."
Peng Jingyi helped by saying, "Second uncle, my brother was defrauded of more than two hundred dollars for nothing."
Peng Cheng continued to drink a bowl of wine: "Your Zhang family is the first to deal with the issue of breaking off the engagement. If Zhao Asi really burns down your shop, it will only be in vain."
Zhang Yue said: "For my information, young master, my second brother escaped from marriage more than ten days ago, but according to the file, it was said that shopkeeper Wu left Zhejiang to move silk at this time. How could it be such a coincidence?"
"Young man, I think that the young master is a man with a long history, and he will see through the reality of this Jia Nu at a glance."
Peng Cheng put down his wine bowl and asked, "How do you think the case will be overturned?" "
Zhang Yue said: "When silk merchants enter the city, they must inspect the goods at the city gate. In the past, there was a precedent in the county of using distiller's yeast hidden in inferior silk, so the search must be extremely strict. There is no doubt that the silk is real silk. And shopkeeper Wu has already If you want to frame someone up, the silk will have to go somewhere else."
"As far as I know, the yamen case has been decided and the money has been paid, but shopkeeper Wu still stays in Huanghua Temple and refuses to leave. Most likely, he is waiting for the silk to be sold. As long as we follow this line to investigate, the silk After being found, coupled with Qiao San's confession, there is irrefutable proof that all the stolen goods were stolen. This way, Zhao Yasi's face is not harmed."
At this point, Peng Cheng and Peng Jingyi both looked at Zhang Yue with admiration.
Zhang Yueyan said: "My Zhang family is willing to use half of the two hundred thousand dollars to honor the young master. I only ask the young master to seek justice for our Zhang family."
Peng Cheng sneered and said: "Reversing the case does not look good on the Yamen's face. Why should I help you for a few dollars?"
Zhang Yue said: "Reporting to the young master, I have read the files on this case. The fifteenth day of the last month to the fifteenth day of the next month is the month of Wu. The county suspends litigation to facilitate farming. Any lawsuits among the people are judged by the subordinates. Waiting for the month of Wu I'll submit it to you once it's over."
"According to the law, the case can only be reported to the state after the month of Wu. If the young master vindicates the unjust case for Lingjun, not only will Yu Lingjun's reputation be intact, but he will be able to clear his name and be able to intervene in future lawsuits. Tell the truth. Not only your Majesty, but also the Young Master can intervene in future lawsuits in the Yamen."
Most of the lawsuits in the yamen are controlled by subordinate officials such as the custodian and post secretary. In order to break this situation when Chen Xiang was the magistrate of Pucheng, he would have several officials stand in front of him every time he heard a lawsuit. Those who visit privately are not allowed to speak, and old traitors restrain their hands.' This is the same as the purpose of establishing county schools, which is to take power from subordinate officials.
The duties of county captains in the Song Dynasty were to be thieves, fight lawsuits, and appoint generals in advance.
Thieves are to catch thieves, lawsuits are civil lawsuits, and town generals are the establishments assigned to local areas by military envoys during the Five Dynasties to handle military, political and security matters. During the Song Dynasty, this power was taken back and the county captain was responsible for managing public security. However, in Pucheng, Lieutenant Peng was only responsible for catching thieves and maintaining local security, while the affairs of civil litigation were still under the control of subordinate officials.
In this matter, both the county magistrate and Peng Xianwei had the advantage of overturning the case for the Zhang family.
Pengxian Lieutenant asked: "Who told you these secrets in the yamen?"
Peng Jingyi on the side said honestly: "Yes, my nephew told him..."
Peng Cheng said: "How did my nephew know that he is so real? He can peel off the cocoons and reveal these truths..."
"Young Master's praise is unworthy of it."
Zhang Yue's heart felt relieved, but Peng Cheng said: "Why are you so shameless and so arrogant that you imitate the words of your elders?"
Zhang Yue said: "I dare not."
Peng Cheng finished another bowl of wine and said, "Sift through the bowl of wine."
After listening to Peng Cheng's instructions, the Yaqian outside the door was about to come in to serve, but he scolded Peng Cheng: "You are the one who wants you to sift the pickled goods."
The Yamen hurriedly exited. Zhang Yue hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward and said, "Young Master, I'll come."
Peng Cheng was noncommittal. When Zhang Yue poured the second bowl, Peng Jingyi on the side took over and poured a bowl of wine for Zhang Yue.
At this moment, Peng Cheng laughed and said: "Sanlang, you are my nephew's friend. Although I have never met him before, I have heard him mention you. And today your family is in trouble, and it is my nephew who brought you here." , it would be easier for you to ask for help.”
"But you really have no sense, and you treat me as an outsider. It's a small case, and I just turned it over. You thank me for letting you sift this bowl of wine. As for Wu Jianu's fraud from your house, Not a penny of the money left will be yours, but if you take half of it, you'll be out of sight."
