Zhao Tong entered the room and saw that the man was sweating profusely. Except for the dense holes in his back, there was no visible injury elsewhere.
The member shrank in fear, and when he heard the footsteps, he lowered his head, completely different from his previous resolute image with thick eyebrows and big eyes.
Zhao Tong looked at him. There were always heroes in this world who would rather die than surrender and could endure torture, but this man was obviously not the one.
He asked: "What's your name?"
The member outside said in a trembling voice: "Yuan Chao."
Zhao Tong nodded. The surnames of Xixia were far more complex than those of Liao and Jin, and second only to the Song Dynasty. The Yuan surname was not among the eight major surnames of Xixia, but a small one.
After sitting down, I looked around and saw that there was neither a bookkeeper nor a penman. Although the prison warden could recognize and write, he could only do so. How could he write something involving such a major event?
Zhao Tong had no choice but to take out a piece of paper and ask questions while writing. After a long time, he looked at the three confessions on the table and couldn't help but fall into deep thought.
This Xixia spy named Yuan Chao has been lurking in Tokyo for more than three years. The leak of his identity this time was nothing more than a coincidence. The letter from Xixia was not from the Secret Service Beifengtang, but just a letter from home.
But as Yuan Chao's spy, how could his family know where he was? There are only two possibilities: he revealed it to his family himself, or the Yuan family was an unusual family in Xixia and learned about it from other channels.
The letter said that Yuan's father was seriously ill and asked him to find a way to go back. As for the Beifeng Hall, the family would have to deal with it, and he would have to ask for leave.
Yuan Chao's identity in Tokyo was the boss behind several large carriage and horse racing shops, but he was in the criminal department's path. He was run by generations of spies and made money along the way. He penetrated deeply into the criminal department and even spent a lot of money to buy a car. He was a sinecure, under the Ministry of Punishment, and was known as a high-ranking official of the Yuan Dynasty.
On this day, someone came to his home to deliver a letter, and naturally he was very careful. After all, life and death were a matter of great importance, but he had no choice but to meet the thief Shi Qian. Shi Qian heard about the ring and came to Tokyo to fish in troubled waters. He was so clever that he didn't even need to intimidate him in front of Yuanzhai. The trick is to steal the burden by stealing it.
When the messenger found out and went in to report in a panic, someone from the Ministry of Punishment, Du Guanshi, and others were drinking tea at Yuan's house. Even if Yuan Chao wanted to suppress it at this time, he couldn't do it. Du Guanli and his people were eager to help chase the thief, so he could only He complained secretly, just asking not to show his flaws.
Shi Qian was naturally fast-footed, but firstly, he was not familiar with the roads in Tokyo. Secondly, although the Yuan family's gate looked luxurious, he didn't know the details. He only thought that it was the gate of an ordinary wealthy family, and those who walked by seemed to be servants. The package ran down a street and then stopped. Unexpectedly, there were people from the Punishment Department chasing after him. The people from the Punishment Department were very familiar with the capital, and they were sure that he was the package thief after a few seconds. Encounter with Zhao Tong on the road.
Zhao Tong read the transcript again and saw that there were no mistakes. He asked Yuan Chao to sign and stamp it. Niu Abao ran in from outside and said that someone was here again. This time, it was not from the Ministry of Punishment, but from the palace chamberlain and the Privy Councilor Dali. Eunuchs and others.
Zhao Tong knew that his secret letter had been read by the Taoist Emperor, and now he was arranging the handover, so he went out to listen to the order. When all the handovers were completed and everyone in the prison was taken away, he felt relieved.
But he still couldn't be free at this moment. Emperor Daojun announced that he had entered the palace, so he had to follow the chamberlain into the imperial city. After all this trouble, it was already dark.
After leaving the palace, Zhao Tao did not go home, but went straight to the government department. The only thing he concealed about the whole thing was catching Shi Qian. Shi Qian was also an important link in this matter. The case would go smoother if he confessed. But Zhao Tong never thought of handing over this person from beginning to end.
Among the people gathered in Liangshan, there are only four types in terms of skills: good at fighting, skilled in craftsmanship, special skills, and useless.
Being able to fight is of course valuable, and having special skills can also be used. Of course, there is nothing to say about being useless, but this special skill is also useful.
Such people often have special methods that are extremely difficult for others to learn. They may not be very impressive in the world, and are at most a household item. But if used in the military, they may not be able to achieve special effects at special times.
Such is the case with Dai Zong, Shi Qian, Jie Zhen, and Jie Bao. Zhang Qing and Li Ying's hidden weapons can barely be counted. None of these people have a very dark background. Naturally, they cannot let go when they meet Zhao Tong.
Sitting in the hall, lighting bright candles, Zhao Tong looked down. Shi Qian was not wearing any pipa bone by Yang Zhi at this moment, but he had been hungry all day, looking languid and weak.
Zhao Tao looked at him. He was unattractive, thin and withered, and there was nothing pleasing about him. However, how can one always judge a person by his appearance in this world? Appearance cannot judge a person, not even poetry, calligraphy, and painting. He said: "Times have changed."
Shi Qian wilted and said: "Your Majesty, if I am begging for mercy, the crime of stealing is a serious crime, and if I am a minor, I will obey the law."
Zhao Tong nodded. Theft this time was a serious crime. He looked at Yang Zhidao and said, "Get him some food and a pot of wine."
When Shi Qian smelled the wine, his eyes lit up at first, and then he shuddered and said with a bitter face: "Could it be the Guanhead Bar."
Yang Zhi kicked him away and shouted: "How dare you confront the prince!"
Shi Qian immediately lowered his head and said, "I am from a green forest. How can I speak? I hope the prince will forgive me."
After a while, Yang Zhi took half a goose, two cooked lamb chops, a few meat buns and a jug of wine from the kitchen of the mansion, and put them on the ground.
Zhao Tong said: "Shi Qian, I will untie the rope for you, and you can talk and eat. I always like to listen to stories. Since you are a traveler, you might as well tell me about your family background. If I am happy to hear it, I will not forgive you." That’s it for you.”
Shi Qian was full of gratitude. After Yang Zhi untied the rope, he took a sip of wine and then started eating and talking.
Zhao Tong could clearly hear it, it was nothing more than a sad story of struggling to survive since childhood, not fighting for face, doing whatever it takes, just to survive.
The slight difference is that when Shi Qian was eleven or twelve years old, he rescued a seriously injured snitch. After serving the snitch for a while, the snitch passed on his skills to him, and even taught him the housekeeping footwork before he died.
After drinking a pot of wine, all the meat and steamed buns were eaten, and even the roasted goose and mutton chops were only left with bones. Shi Qian was drunk and knelt down and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your generous gift. I can't thank you enough."
Zhao Tong said: "Hearing you talk about the past, I feel deeply in my heart that life is difficult and struggle is not easy. You have a poor physique and appearance. No one is willing to use you even if you work hard. Even if you want to be a servant and bartender, you will probably be rejected. , But, if you work hard, why do you want to be a thief?"
Shi Qian said: "I know my own business, so I'm not lazy. It's just like what the king said. I don't have much strength and I'm ugly. Where can I work? If I can have a few acres of thin farmland, it would be great. I want a stable life. I just want land." But it was even more difficult than doing work. The kid felt depressed for a moment, but since he had the skills, he gritted his teeth and started doing it."
Zhao Tong said: "Even in the green forest, such methods are not honorable, they are probably low-grade."
Shi Qian got drunk and cried: "It's like this. I'm not afraid that your Majesty will know that I committed a crime years ago. I ran around trying to find a good man to seek refuge with. At first, I thought of the official Chai of Cangzhou Prefecture. I heard about him." I am used to accepting heroes from all walks of life, but when they are in danger, they all help each other. Later I went out, but I didn't dare to go into the village to say hello, I just asked around. I think my kind of guy is a very good guy, but he is just a thief. It may be difficult for the high officials to look down on him. , had no choice but to leave in panic."
Zhao Tong nodded and suddenly said: "Shi Qian, I ask you, do you want to live like this for the rest of your life, live a humble life and even die a humble death?
