"Your Highness, I have been wronged!"
As soon as he entered the hall, Zheng Ke knelt on the ground, showing an innocent look.
Liu Qi sneered.
"Zheng Ke, you still dare to quibble after things have come to this?"
"Do you really think that I don't know about the shady things you do in private?"
But even in the face of the prince's stern questioning, Zheng Ke still insisted on an attitude.
"Your Highness, I am really unjust. Since the bandits appeared, I have led troops to suppress the bandits several times and killed countless bandits in Wutang Mountain. How is it possible for me to collude with Song He!"
"Your Highness, Ming Jian!"
In fact, Zheng Ke was not the only one who felt that he was wronged.
Including Jiao Huang and others in the lobby, they were also very surprised when they learned that he had been arrested by the prince's men and designated as a traitor.
Zheng Ke was right. From beginning to end, he had fought with Song He the most times. Song He hated him before it was too late, so how could he conspire with him?
"Your Highness, do you think there might be some misunderstanding about this matter?"
After all, after following him for many years, what if he was really wronged? Jiao Huang thought about it again and again, but decided to step forward to intercede for Zheng Ke.
Seeing this, other officials also stood up one after another.
"Your Highness, General Zheng Ke has worked with Xiaguan for many years. Xiaguan still knows his character. It is absolutely impossible that he has anything to do with those bandits."
"I hope His Highness will understand clearly!"
Liu Qi was not surprised at all by what happened at this time, nor did he give any explanation to them. He always looked at Zheng Ke who was kneeling on the ground.
"Zheng Ke, I want to ask you, when the bandits were not strong yet, you clearly had many opportunities to annihilate them, why did you continue to lose in battles? If not deliberately waterproof, what else could it be?"
Zheng Ke put on a bitter face.
"Your Highness, this is indeed the general's fault. I underestimated them too much."
"There was indeed a chance to annihilate them, but Song He was really too cunning. Every time he was encircled and suppressed, they would sneak into the mountains and disappear without a trace. We led our troops to search for several days without any results, so we could only return without success. There is no other way!”
This is a very appropriate reason.
At best, it is just Zheng Ke's incompetence, but it cannot be used as evidence that he colluded with Song He.
But Liu Qi nodded and continued to ask.
"Okay, since you have said it, Song He is extremely cunning and very cautious. How could you easily believe me as soon as you went to the mountain to talk to him? How do you explain this? ?”
Hearing this, Song He swallowed hard and spit.
"Your Highness, I went to Wutang Mountain Stronghold and just relayed what you said to Song He. When he heard that it was your promise, the prince, Song He became greedy, so he came down to meet you. This has nothing to do with the official!"
At this point in the questioning, all the local officials felt that the prince's accusation of Zheng Ke was just their own speculation without any actual evidence.
The reason is probably that the sarcastic words Zheng Ke said to some military attachés behind their backs made the prince feel unhappy. After thinking deeply, he felt that Zheng Ke had colluded with Song He.
At this time, Jiao Huang stood up again and defended Zheng Ke.
"Your Highness, I think this matter must be a misunderstanding. If Lord Zheng Ke has relations with the bandits, it is impossible for the people of Yongcheng to be unaware of it, whether it is through the bandits' crime report or the people of Yongcheng."
Another official stood up and echoed.
"Yes, Your Highness, if Mr. Zheng Ke has contact with the bandits, he will definitely go to the mountain frequently. Even if he doesn't go, he will still communicate in private and through letters."
"But in the search of Song He's belongings, there was no secret correspondence about Master Zheng Ke. Even if it was burned, there should be bandits who would know about their secret correspondence. But so far , but not a single bandit reported him to Master Zheng Ke!"
At this time, the more people talked, the more they felt that this must be the prince, and Master Zheng Ke had been wronged.
Jiao Huan couldn't help but think.
The prince's ability is indeed great, but his mind is too small.
But what surprised everyone was that the prince actually laughed to himself at this moment.
This state of affairs made everyone feel frightened.
What happened to the prince? Could it be that Zheng Ke was depressed because he was innocent?
"Zheng Ke, Zheng Ke, now, I am really impressed by you. It is really rare for you to be able to act like this in front of me."
Zheng Ke thought that the prince didn't know why, so he said this. He immediately felt confident, raised his head, and looked like he didn't understand.
"Your Highness, why have you ever pretended to be a lowly official? Everything you said is true!"
"That's right, I said some disrespectful words when you guys came here, but you can't hold a grudge against your subordinates and accuse me of some unfounded charges because of this, right?"
In this way, it really makes people think that the prince holds a grudge, so he charged Zheng Ke with colluding with bandits.
At this time, Jiao Huan frowned, and when he stepped forward, he deliberately kicked Zheng Ke.
"Master Zheng, what are you talking about? Your Highness, how can you be such a petty person?"
"Today's investigation of you is just because the prince is careful about things. How could he have any intention to target you? Why don't you hurry up and apologize to His Highness?"
In any case, he is the prince, and you are just a local official. If you make the prince unable to come to power, isn't this just to make him unhappy?
Zheng Ke is also a smart person. With one kick and the words Jiao Huang said, he immediately understood.
He quickly kowtowed to the prince.
"I'm wrong, I'm wrong! Your Highness, you don't remember the faults of villains, please spare me!"
Feeling that it was not enough, as soon as Zheng Ke finished speaking, he suddenly raised his body and slapped himself in the face.
The beating was quite severe, and within a few blows, both faces were already red.
However, the prince looked at him with amusement as if he were watching a play.
After a while, Zheng Ke felt that it was almost done and stopped what he was doing.
But at this moment, the prince laughed and raised his palm towards Zheng Ke.
"Fight, keep going! I am watching."
Zheng Ke was stunned immediately. He was about to raise his hand, but when he continued, Jiao Huan grabbed his arm.
Although he is a prince, it is too much to treat a local official like this!
Jiao Huan frowned, took two steps forward resolutely, and bowed deeply to Liu Qi.
"Your Highness, Zheng Ke's ability is not very good. Whether it is with General Bai or General Qin, it is naturally incomparable. He is a rough man, he does not understand any etiquette, and his speech is not as good as that of a scribe. Sounds good.”
"But no matter what, he is still an official from our Daqing side. Because of the crime of being disrespectful, the prince punished him with a small amount of punishment. The subordinate official has nothing to say."
"But like this, Jiao has no choice but to stand up and say, please, Your Highness, please spare Zheng Ke."
Looking at Jiao Huan's resentful look, she looked like an angry little daughter-in-law.
Liu Qi laughed.
"Jiao Huan, if you can show such an attitude towards thieves, why would you ask me to come here to help?"
After saying that, he suddenly pointed his finger at Zheng Ke and looked at him with a smile.
"Zheng Ke, I will ask you again, do you admit your guilt or not?"
