"Yes, yes, I have witnesses who can prove that Liu Heng, the proprietor of Tiger Flag, is the bandit leader of Hutou Village." Xu Shunqing shouted loudly as if he had grasped a life-saving straw.
Zhang Huai raised his fist towards Governor Liu and said, "Sir, Xu Shunqing's words cannot be trusted."
"Sir, the bandits from Hutou Village occupying other people's property is not a trivial matter. Please be aware of it." Li Kaiyang also gave Governor Liu a fist.
Governor Liu looked at Zhang Huai, then at Li Kaiyang, thought for a moment, and said, "Bring the witnesses."
Hearing this, Zhang Huai's expression changed in vain.
Li Kaiyang, who was sitting on the other side of the seat, looked happy.
Butler She and Zheng Dahu were brought to the lobby by the officer, and they heard the officer say: "Kneel down."
The two men knelt down on the ground at the same time and shouted: "The common people kowtow to the governor, and the two general soldiers."
His head hit the ground.
Governor Liu put one hand on the gavel tree and asked, "Who is kneeling in the hall?"
"Caomin She Fu."
"Caomin Zheng Dahu."
Governor Liu said: "Do you know the two people kneeling in the lobby?"
Butler She turned around and looked over.
The one closest to him was Xu Laifu who was kneeling on the ground, and across Xu Laifu was Xu Shunqing who was lying on the ground.
Immediately, he said: "The common people know them. One is the eldest young master of the Xu family in Lingqiu, and the other is Xu Laifu, the eldest steward of the Xu family."
"The common people also know each other." Zheng Dahu added in a timely manner.
"I would like to ask you this," Governor Liu said, "Xu Shunqing said that Liu Heng, the proprietor of Tiger Flag, is a bandit from Hutou Village, and said that you two can prove it. Is this true?"
Butler She whispered: "It's true, the common people can confirm it, and the common people have personally seen Liu Heng leading people to rob."
"My lord, the evidence is conclusive and we can issue a signature to take the person." Li Kaiyang looked at Governor Liu behind the desk.
Zhang Huai said: "Sir, this is just their one-sided statement. It cannot be taken seriously. Liu Heng needs to confront them face to face."
"Now that everyone has witnessed that all the victims are here, there is no need to confront him anymore. The Commander-in-Chief has repeatedly protected a bandit. Could it be that there is some shameful deed?" Li Kaiyang looked at Zhang Huai with cold eyes.
Zhang Huai sneered and said: "I'm afraid Deputy General Li made a mistake. Xu Shunqing himself made a false accusation. Where did the culprit come from? As for the witness, it may not be credible. You can't be convicted just because of one family's words. Deputy General Li can't wait to do so." To convict a businessman from Lingqiu is even more suspicious."
"You..." Li Kaiyang looked at Zhang Huai coldly.
"Okay, this matter really requires a face-to-face confrontation between both parties." Governor Liu slapped the crowd in shock and said, "The proprietor of the Tiger Flag is Liu Heng."
Liu Heng has been living in Datong these days. Today, he went to court for questioning. He was outside the crowd and heard the governor calling him. He walked a few steps quickly and came to the lobby, where he knelt down on the ground.
"The common people have met the governor and the two general soldiers."
Governor Liu was curious about this businessman who could cause a fight between the commander-in-chief and the deputy commander-in-chief, so he said: "Raise your head!"
Liu Heng raised his head.
After seeing the appearance clearly, Governor Liu looked disappointed.
The proprietor of the Tiger Flag in front of him was younger than he expected, and he was also dark-looking. He didn't feel like a businessman from his body, but more like a soldier in his Fubiao Camp.
"I want to ask you, can you admit that you told Xu Shunqing, She Fu and others that you are a bandit in Hutou Village?"
"This is an unreasonable thing. The common people are not bandits at all, and they don't know any bandits. The common people have been wronged. I hope you will learn from it." Liu Heng defended himself with excitement, and at the same time, his face showed a hint of grievance after being wronged.
At this moment, a military general in the hall wearing a third-grade official uniform stood up and pointed at him and said: "Liu Heng, you still dare to quibble in the hall. Now that someone has confirmed your identity as the bandit leader of Hutou Village, why don't you hurry up and recruit him for real?" , otherwise I will be punished."
Liu Heng was not an ordinary Ming Dynasty citizen. He would not be scared to death just because he saw an official, nor would he say anything if he was frightened.
However, before he could open his mouth to complain, Zhang Huai said: "Master Li, the governor is still sitting in the hall. When will it be your turn to ask questions?"
Hearing this, Li Kaiyang shivered and realized that he had overstepped his bounds.
Just now, I just wanted to scare Liu Heng into telling him everything. I forgot that the case was being tried by the governor.
He raised his head and looked behind the desk in the lobby. Sure enough, Governor Liu had a gloomy face.
"My lord, the general is in a state of emergency. I hope you won't blame me." Li Kaiyang stood up and admitted his mistake to Governor Liu.
Governor Liu didn't even look at him, just put him aside, and said directly to Liu Heng who was kneeling below: "I am not that kind of confused county magistrate. Since some people say you are a bandit, and you say you are wronged, Then I will give you a chance to prove your innocence."
Li Kaiyang on the side looked embarrassed, neither sitting nor standing.
After listening to what Governor Liu said, I had a bad feeling in my heart. It was obvious that the Governor was biased because of what happened just now.
"The grassroots have thanked you, sir." Liu Heng kowtowed, and then said, "Please allow the grassroots to ask a few words to the person who falsely accused the grassroots of being a bandit."
Governor Liu raised his palm and said, "That's right!"
Liu Heng's eyes fell on Butler She and said: "I just heard from you outside that you saw me leading people to rob, I wonder when it happened? Where did it happen?"
"Last May, you led people to rob Zhengjiazhuang of hundreds of stones of food." Butler She said without thinking.
Liu Heng asked quickly: "Where is Zhengjiazhuang?"
"Zhengjiazhuang is in Huai'anwei, our master..." Butler She suddenly stopped talking.
Liu Heng turned his head and said to Governor Liu: "Sir, you also heard it. He said that the grassroots were the bandit leaders of Hutou Village, and he also said that the grassroots led people to Zhengjiazhuang in Huai'anwei to rob. The two places are far apart. If the grassroots were the bandit leader, How could you leave Zhuangzi nearby and go to Huai'an Guard to rob you instead?"
"No, no." Butler She said in a panic, "You were a bandit before, and then you became a bandit in Hutou Village."
Liu Heng said: "Please make a clear decision, sir."
"She Fu." Governor Liu said, "One moment you say he is a bandit, the next moment you say he is a street bandit, how can you make me trust you?"
Butler She said eagerly: "Sir, the common people did not lie. This man is indeed a bandit. In June last year, a group of more than 2,000 bandits were wiped out in Tianchengwei. He was the leader of that group of bandits."
Liu Heng said: "Sir, he also said that the bandits were wiped out by the Tiancheng Guards in June last year. If the common people were bandits, their heads would have been killed by now. How could they reach the spiritual world hundreds of miles away? mound."
Governor Liu behind the desk nodded slightly, agreeing with Liu Heng's words.
Butler She said anxiously: "Sir, he must have escaped by chance."
"Sir," Liu Heng said, "according to what he said, Zhengjiazhuang was robbed by bandits, and I believe you should also know what the place where the bandits looted looks like. As long as you send someone to Zhengjiazhuang to take a look, you will know. Who the hell is lying to Cao Min?"
"No, sir, the common people did not lie." Butler She's face turned pale.
I had sent hundreds of stones of food to the bandits in exchange for the peace of Zhengjiazhuang, but I couldn't say this, otherwise Zhengjiazhuang would be accused of collaborating with the bandits.
But if the governor really wants to send someone to Zhengjiazhuang and see the intact Zhengjiazhuang, even if what he tells is the truth, it will become a lie in the eyes of the governor.
