(3)
"Who is this person in the hall?"
"I am Zhao Kuo, a native of Yuyi Town in the north."
"Oh?" The judge before the case hesitated a little and asked, "What is your relationship with the Yuyi Zhao family?"
Zhao Kuo replied: "Zhao Wei, the head of the Zhao family, is my father."
The judge slowly stroked his long beard and exclaimed: "It turns out to be Mr. Zhao! The Yuyi Zhao family and I, Yangcheng, have always had trade activities, and your father is a good friend of mine! I just didn't know that the eldest son was here alone. What do you do with me in Yangcheng?"
"My father has encountered something. Let's wait until the current matter is resolved."
The county government office at night was completely different from the deserted scene that Bai Feng and his party had seen when they first entered the city. This was all because five unknown outsiders and three captured bandits gathered here.
"Then those around Mr. Zhao are..."
"They are my disciples, you can rest assured."
"Xu is confused about something." Prefect Xu softened his tone and said, "Are these two Xianbei people also the young master's disciples?"
Zhao Kuo was respectful and replied: "My lord, don't worry about it. They are indeed my disciples."
Xu Taishou recalled with sincerity: "You must know that the 'Seven Towns Rebellion' ten years ago had a profound impact..."
"Then I'm afraid you don't know the word 'Yuyi' in 'Yuyi Town' because the Han and Xianbei people there understand and tolerate each other."
"Without further ado, do you know who those three people are?" Xu Taishou pointed at the three people beside Zhao Kuo and said.
Zhao Kuo shook his head and denied: "I really don't know."
"Those three people are the thieves who have harmed Yangcheng in recent months - the 'Three Black Wind Evils'! The city's guards have been chasing them for many times without success. This time, they all rely on Mr. Zhao to catch them and bring them to justice!"
"Don't dare to take it, don't dare to take it."
On the left side of Zhao Kuo and his party are the "Three Black Wind Demons" being tied up by Wu Hua Da, while the little beggar who sneaked away is on the right side.
"Kill or behead, it's up to you!" the sturdy man wielding the knife roared, and kept baring his teeth in the direction of the little beggar. His face was so ferocious that the little beggar kept lowering his head and dared not speak.
Xu Taishou took the token on the table, threw it out, and said: "Slap, thirty times!" The sturdy man was severely punished, but he did not utter a painful wail. Only the "slap" of the slap came from his body. Voice. The two companions beside him lowered their heads, not daring to follow him in defying the court.
"Little beggar, don't be afraid. Tell me your name and what happened." Xu Taishou lowered his voice and asked the little beggar.
Unexpectedly, Zhao Kuo suddenly said: "Sir, you can't believe him. It was he who led me into the deep alley and fell into the ambush set by the thieves!" Zhao Kuo walked up to the little beggar and tore off the "scar" ", and said with confidence: "Look, this scar is fake, not to mention the sores on my hands!"
"No, the sores on this hand are real." A cold voice interrupted Zhao Kuo's words.
Zhao Kuo looked puzzled and asked: "Brother Bai, why can't you even tell the truth from the lies?"
"It's because I've seen it that I know these sores are real." After saying this, Bai Feng stared at the little beggar from a distance across Zhao Kuo and said nothing.
"You two young men, please be patient." Xu Taishou said: "What Mr. Bai said is quite reasonable. If this little beggar is an accomplice of the 'Three Black Wind Evils', then he will definitely not come. County government reporter."
"What! Is he the official he reported to?" Zhao Kuo said in surprise.
Bai Feng said to Zhao Kuo: "Brother Zhao, sometimes we can't just look at the appearance of things without knowing the connotation. We should listen to his explanation."
"Little beggar, don't be afraid to answer the question just now." Xu Taishou continued.
The little beggar took off his rag hat, and his fluffy black hair fell down to his shoulders. He pulled down his cuffs to cover the sores on his hands and wiped the dirt from his cheeks with them. Zhao Kuo on the side could not turn his eyes away, and his slightly opened mouth revealed his inner surprise. Everyone else in the court was the same - the little beggar was actually a young girl! Although her clothes were ragged, they could not hide her exquisite facial features; although her face was bloodless and dusty, the youth and innocence shining in her eyes could not be erased.
"Sir, the girl's name is Jiang Ling, and she is from Xiangyang Village in the outer city of Yangcheng. I didn't mean to deceive Mr. Zhao, but because I am a daughter, I wanted to avoid the inconvenience when I went out to beg. So I picked up a piece of pig skin. , made to look like a scar..."
Xu Taishou frowned, wanting to know the cause and effect as soon as possible, and said, "Go on."
"Country girls are crouching in the west of the city to beg as usual. I am lucky enough to meet Mr. Zhao who is willing to give away money and the steamed buns given by Mr. Bai. I will remember your kindness for the rest of my life." As soon as she finished speaking, Jiang Ling knelt down. On the ground, he kowtowed. When she was about to kowtow for the second time, Bai Feng stopped her and helped her stand up.
"Miss Jiang, this is just a small matter, you don't have to worry about it."
Jiang Ling suddenly raised her voice, even though her voice was still so delicate and weak: "No, without the money and food donated by our benefactors, my brother and I might starve to death on the streets. This great kindness will never be forgotten!"
Zhao Kuo took a look at the graceful figure just now and felt extremely ashamed in his heart. Jiang Ling continued her words and said: "After being separated from my benefactors for a moment, these three people appeared in front of me. I looked at them dressed in black and holding weapons, and I thought of the rumored 'Three Black Wind Evils'. I suddenly felt fear in my heart. It turned out that these "Three Black Wind Evils" had been hiding in the dark and observing, intending to get Mr. Zhao's money. They threatened with life and death. I thought of my younger brother at home, so I took away the money from my benefactors. The whereabouts told them..."
"Then you informed the county government of what you saw and heard?" Xu Taishou asked.
Jiang Ling nodded, glanced sideways at Zhao Kuo, then nodded quickly and said nothing.
Prefect Xu asked again with concern: "Let me tell you a little more. What's the matter with the sores on Miss Jiang's hands?"
"This... this is a disease I suffered from before." Jiang Ling grabbed her left elbow with her right hand and tightened her body, as if unwilling to answer this question.
Prefect Xu sighed and said, "Okay. Now that the witnesses and physical evidence are complete, I have pronounced the verdict: The 'Three Black Winds' will be imprisoned and will be executed on the same day!"
After retreating from the court, Zhao Kuo and Bai Feng came to Xu Taishou's study to discuss business, while the other three went back to the inn to pack their bags. After Xu Taishou lit the oil lamp in the room, he skillfully signed official documents and answered Zhao Kuo's questions.
"Sir Xu, do you know that a caravan has been attacked by bandits near Yangcheng in recent months?" Zhao Kuo stepped forward and asked eagerly.
"Is that the Zhao family's caravan?"
"Exactly! Both my father and my sister-in-law were kidnapped by thieves, and they were helpless and had no choice but to turn to the government for help."
Governor Xu sighed and said helplessly: "To be honest, Xu had already recruited all the city guards in Yangcheng to attack the bandits half a month ago. Now there are only a few dozen militiamen in the city."
"Is there any news about that group of thieves?"
"For detailed information, you can ask the militia leader Wu Yi. But if you want to borrow troops or manpower, it will be difficult for you to do so. Yangcheng has just solved the case of the 'Three Black Winds' and is in urgent need of manpower to consolidate public order and restore the people. normal life..."
"Then...okay." Zhao Kuo replied.
"It's getting late, let's talk tomorrow!" Prefect Xu said firmly, and Zhao Kuo and Bai Feng had to make other plans.
Jiang Ling stood there waiting for a long time under the stone lion outside the county government office. Seeing Zhao Kuo and Bai Feng finally come out, she walked over, stopped them halfway, and said, "Mr. Zhao, Mr. Bai, Jiang Ling has once again thanked these two benefactors here."
"Without you reporting to the official, we would never have been able to get out of trouble so easily, so Miss Jiang is also kind to us!" Bai Feng said with a smile.
Jiang Ling raised the corners of her mouth and looked at Zhao Kuo with slightly sideways eyes. Zhao Kuo seemed to lower his head deliberately, pretending to be an outsider. Jiang Ling continued: "Mr. Bai, Jiang Ling has something to ask of me."
"Say it."
"Since Mr. Bai has seen the sores on my hands, he must know that my life is not long. So, could you please help my brother Jiang Ming find a good family to take care of him..."
Bai Feng frowned and said, "Okay, I will try my best..."
After hearing this, Zhao Kuo felt that what he had just said was so ridiculous that he could not forgive himself. Bai Feng seemed to have remembered some past events, and the three of them stood there in silence for a while. It was not until Jiang Ling said the next words that she was able to break the heavy atmosphere: "Mr. Zhao, can you tell me this year? How old are you?"
"Me? I...I'm nineteen." Zhao Kuo said hesitantly.
Jiang Ling said playfully: "I saw that your temples were covered with white hair, so I thought you were an old man! I didn't expect you to be younger than me, hehe."
Zhao Kuo said regretfully: "Miss Jiang, I'm sorry. I was impulsive and said something wrong just now..."
"It's okay! Hehe." Jiang Ling's smiling face, even on that sickly little face, was enough to warm Zhao Kuo's heart and prevent him from blaming himself so much.
