The morning light had just moved over the four gilded characters "Longcheng County Government" on the plaque.
The spacious door below the plaque has an endless stream of people coming in and out.
On Luming Street, the chill that had accumulated overnight was dispersed by the lively flow of people from all over the county.
Some government officials skillfully moved out the public case stools and chairs that were originally placed in the county government hall.
Placed outdoors.
The scribe placed the gavel, the sign box, and the tea cup on the desk.
The layout is complete.
The standing guards stand neatly on both sides, holding black and red sticks.
Another case on the street.
If I remember correctly, this was the third event for a young county magistrate since he took office.
However, it was a little different from the petty fights in the previous two games.
This time, the Longcheng County government convened a county-wide public trial.
Natural pomp and influence are greater.
What's more, there is also Shangguan from Jiangzhou who came to inspect.
It's the second quarter of the morning.
People arrived one after another.
Ouyang Rong, Shen Xisheng and Wang Lengran entered the stage.
Ouyang Rong is the local chief official, so he will naturally preside over today's public trial.
Wearing an aqua official uniform, he walked forward calmly and sat at the top of the table behind the case table.
Shen Xisheng and Wang Lengran were both wearing red-brown official attire and sat down on two specially prepared chairs on both sides of the public case table.
Most of the gentry, civilians, businessmen and gentry in Longcheng County gathered outside the venue and surrounded the entire street.
In front of the public case table where Ouyang Rong was sitting, there were two rows of Zaoli standing in a row, shouting loudly and maintaining order. There was an open space between them, and today's suspects came on stage one after another.
Liu Ziwen was escorted by Yan Liulang and other arresters, while Liu Zi'an, Liu Zilin and others stood in the crowd outside the court waiting.
Liu Ziwen stood in the open space in the middle, and the noise of pointing and pointing from all directions made his face gloomy.
The principal criminal on trial today is Liu Ziwen, and the Liu family is represented by him.
Ouyang Rong and Liu Ziwen looked at each other.
One is above and the other is below.
I remember that the first time the two met was at a fund-raising dinner at Yuan Ming House. At that time, they were warm and polite to each other.
But no one could have imagined that in just over two months, their positions would have changed dramatically.
One is a high-ranking public judge, and the other is a prisoner who will be criticized by thousands of people.
The different gazes from all directions made Liu Ziwen's hands under his sleeves tremble slightly and the corners of his eyes twitched.
When had Liu Ziwen ever been treated like this by untouchables who watched and commented on him?
What a shame.
Ouyang Rong's expression remained normal, and he skillfully raised the gavel in his hand.
boom--!
"Ascending to the Hall!"
There was silence.
The public trial officially begins.
And in the open-air court, witnesses and evidence were brought up one by one.
Not far away, behind a red wall belonging to the Su Mansion on Luming Street, two heads were sticking out of the wall, looking around.
"Miss, how are you? Is the height just right? I guessed that you were coming too, so I specially set up a stool for you this morning. The height is just right."
"Then should I praise you?"
"Okay... No, no, no, miss, this is what a slave should do!"
Seeing the girl with plum blossom makeup next to her, with lazy sideburns and black silk hair hanging down her shoulders, tilting her head to look at her, the little maid with a bun face quickly changed her words, waved her little hand, and spoke righteously.
The girl with plum blossom makeup curved her mouth, then lowered it.
At this moment, the master and the servant were both standing on stools, lying on the wall, watching the hall in the street not far away.
Thanks to the height of the station, I could see over the dark crowds of people on the street and see what was happening in the open space in front of the county government office.
Cai Shou seemed to think of something, turned around curiously and asked:
"By the way, miss, didn't you say before that you didn't want to pay attention to Mr. Ouyang's affairs?"
Su Guoer suddenly fell silent.
This time, she did not have a venomous tongue. She shook her head slightly, looking at what was happening on the street outside the wall, and whispered thoughtfully:
"This time is different."
"Oh." Cai Shou didn't ask any more questions and nodded.
She was used to her young lady's changeable moods. If she had to investigate and inquire about any changes in her young lady, wouldn't it be exhausting to death?
Take the maid's money and fuck with the lady, right?
This is not something that a maid with a monthly salary of 180 yuan should consider!
"Miss, Miss Ouyang, Mr. Ouyang is so handsome." Cai Shou's eyes brightened.
"Is this your focus?"
"Otherwise, isn't the young lady looking at this, or is she looking at Miss Xie?"
Su Guo'er shook her head, "I'm watching a public trial."
"What's so interesting about a public trial, and it's quite strange. The power of the local county magistrate is so great. Mr. Ouyang can just find an excuse to confiscate the Liu family's house. Not to mention that he already captured people during the ribbon-cutting ceremony yesterday..."
Cai Shou's face was puzzled and she muttered:
"Anyway, there are many ways to rectify the Liu family. He has so much power, and with the help of Madam Xie, there are a hundred ways to punish evil, promote good, and please people's hearts to rectify the Liu family. Why does it have to be so troublesome, and there is a public trial and so on.
"It was the same with the previous audits and two promotions. Well, Mr. Ouyang is good at everything, but his methods are too gentle. Miss, is this the bookishness mentioned in the book?"
Su Guoer's clear eyes reflected the calm figure behind the public case on the street.
In fact, she was a little surprised when she learned last night that Ouyang Rong was going to put the Liu family on trial, but she fell silent immediately.
Su Guo'er shook her head gently:
"Is Leng Touqing a bookish person? I thought so a few times before. I felt that he did not take advantage of the Liu family's opportunity, but insisted on doing unnecessary things. He was a scholarly arrogant...
"Now it seems that it is the opposite. Ouyang Lianghan knew exactly what he was going to do, or what he was doing. Ouyang Lianghan was calm from beginning to end, even a little scary."
Cai Shou was stunned, as if she had never heard such a comment from her own lady, and couldn't help but ask: "What do you mean?"
Su Guoer sighed:
"As a local official, the county magistrate does have great power, even if he has just taken office. Moreover, he not only has the assistance of the Longcheng County Government, but also has Sister Xie, a Qi practitioner, to help him. The power he holds is not in vain. How big is the Liu family?
"And the Liu family has indeed made people in Longcheng County angry over the years, and Liu Ziwen and others have also committed many crimes."
Su Guo'er paused and nodded:
"Logically speaking, to deal with such an angry enemy, Ouyang Lianghan can use any off-site means. For example, he could find an opportunity to make the Liu brothers commit suicide last night, even if it is unreasonable. Thunder suppression can make most people applaud.
"But Ouyang Lianghan didn't do this. He exercised restraint every time and controlled the boundaries of his power without abusing it."
Cai Shou nodded blankly, "Yes, so Mr. Ouyang is still kind-hearted and a little too gentle, isn't it right?"
"Perhaps he was soft-hearted once or twice, but he has always been like this from the time he investigated the case in the East Treasury until now. Even when he heard yesterday that he was suspected of being assassinated and impersonated by the Liu family through some unscrupulous off-site tactics, he was not angry or impulsive. He was lynched In retaliation, we even held a county-wide public trial today..."
Su Guoer shook her head:
“That only explains one point.
"Ouyang Lianghan is always sober and clear that the name of punishing evil and promoting good and the instinct of hating evil cannot bring him any freedom of action beyond the legal power of the county magistrate.
"Not to mention that he is not exempted from his obligation to treat all tax-paying subjects in Longcheng - even the Liu brothers who were tried - equally to a fair trial.
"Maintaining this consciousness from beginning to end, the power of a county order is in the hands of Ouyang Lianghan, and it is force, not violence.
"That day when he took office again, he went to court for the first time. He said that he only came to Longcheng to do one thing. Now it seems that he has always done it and never deviated from it."
The little maid with a steamed bun was stunned for a while, then she nodded her chin and recalled, "What the lady is talking about...are the disaster relief, flood control, and justice that Mr. Ouyang said?"
Su Guo'er didn't answer, turned her head towards Cai Shou and sighed:
"I somewhat understand what Sister Xie said before. Only such a person can transform power into unrivaled force. All bystanders, and even some enemies, will secretly hope for his victory."
After a pause, the little girl of the Su family, who had been raised in a boudoir and had no one known her, stared outside the wall. She did not care at all about the outcome of the public trial or whether a certain young county magistrate would succeed. With a clear voice, she took the lead in asserting:
"Ouyang Lianghan can enter the Shendu Political Affairs Hall."
"Ah." Cai Shou sighed and leaned back: "Then isn't this the talent of the Prime Minister?"
Su Guo'er didn't reply. She looked straight ahead and didn't know what she was thinking.
Cai Shou had no choice but to give up and continue to wait and see through the wall.
Just as the master and servant were chatting, the open-air court on Luming Street was caught in a difficult fight.
"quiet!"
Ouyang Rong patted the table and looked around. After the court fell silent, he said directly:
"Liu Ziwen, do you know your guilt?"
Liu Ziwen's eyes drooped and he stared at the floor, "Excuse the ignorance of the common people, I don't know what crime you are talking about?"
Ouyang Rong turned around and ordered:
"Come here, go and present the witnesses and physical evidence."
Not long after, Yan Liulang led a group of detectives to bring a heavy wooden barrel and placed it in the open space of the court hall.
Facing the attention of everyone, Ouyang Rong looked around and said loudly:
"Everyone, please see, this object was found from the main chamber of the inner gate of Dickong Gate. It is filled with demon oil. There are hundreds of wooden barrels like this in Dickong Gate. Once they are all detonated, they can be easily blown up. Water gate, I suspect that it was this object that caused the gate to collapse several times in the past.”
After saying that, Ouyang Rong raised his chin towards Yan Liulang and others, who took out some oil-like liquid from the barrel and briefly demonstrated the power of Burning Sky Shark Oil in front of everyone in the audience.
Immediately, under the sun, there were radiant fires and deafening explosions, which made the onlookers look stunned.
This is just a little bit taken out. If there are hundreds of barrels of this stuff, no matter how strong the water gate is, it won't be able to withstand it... In an instant, a wave of indignant discussion swept the entire place.
This time, Ouyang Rong didn't waste any time asking Liu Ziwen if he knew this thing. He directly sent for Diao County Cheng and several of his followers.
That day, they were taken to Longshou Mountain by Ouyang Rong and Xie Lingjiang to watch the secret transportation of oil.
Diao Xian Cheng and several elders arrived at the scene and immediately vividly explained the story of the Liu family craftsmen smuggling shark oil into the gate that night.
Liu Ziwen's face became increasingly gloomy.
Ouyang Rong ignored him and continued to give instructions:
"Come here, bring up the Liu family craftsman who repaired the gate, and the official named Yuan!"
"As ordered." Yan Liulang and others retreated. After a while, Mr. Chen and other Liu family craftsmen were brought on stage, but the chubby official named Yuan was nowhere to be seen.
Yan Liulang came close to Ouyang Rong and whispered: "Mingfu, when we rushed there, this person had disappeared... Maybe he was dealt with by the Liu family."
It was handled so quickly... Ouyang Rong frowned slightly and glanced at Liu Ziwen.
However, he glanced at Mr. Chen and the others who were brought up, temporarily held back his expression, nodded and said:
"Nothing, that's enough."
As soon as he finished speaking, Ouyang Rong suddenly slapped the table and stood up.
boom--!
He shouted at the craftsmen below: "How dare you, why do you want to smuggle monsters to blow up the gate? Don't you know that this is a capital crime of beheading? Ten thousand lives are not enough!"
"Sir, this is unfair!"
Mr. Chen and other Liu family craftsmen were so frightened that they knelt on the ground, shaking their bodies and kowtowing desperately:
"Young people don't know that this oil is used in this way. Young people... all the young people are following the instructions of the Yuxi Fairy and Master Liu. They say that this oil is a powerful thing and can protect the new gate for a long time. Peace, the little ones don’t know anything, they just do as they are told... Sir, please spare your life."
"That's it." Ouyang Rong curled his lips and turned to look at Liu Ziwen:
"Liu Ziwen, as we all know, the craftsmen of the sword shop and the priests of the Dragon King Temple are all funded by your Liu family and work for the Liu family. You are behind your back to trick them into transporting the demon oil, and you still want to be tough? If you continue to deny it, you have lied in front of all the adults. , will you be punished later?"
He nodded slowly and leisurely:
"However, if you plead guilty immediately and have a shy attitude, you can consider reducing the crime and punishment with a little discretion. At least, you can leave an heir to your Liu family so that you will not be extinct."
Liu Ziwen twitched the corner of his mouth and did not speak immediately.
Under the gaze of Ouyang Rong, Shen Xisheng, Wang Lengran and all the officials, civilians, merchants and gentry present, Liu Ziwen's expression was a little uncertain.
At a certain moment, the young head of the Liu family suddenly glanced at Wang Lengran who was above him, and then with a "plop", he immediately knelt down with a look of remorse on his face:
"Master Ouyang, Master Wang, Master Shen, the common people plead guilty. It is because the common people are confused and do not know people well, and they became accomplices in ignorance."
Ouyang Rong raised his eyebrows slightly, "Unknown person? Accomplice?"
Liu Ziwen nodded vigorously:
"It's because of the unknown charlatan that the Jade Lady Fairy deceived the common people. She told the common people at the beginning that these demon oils were used to clean the sluice gates, and asked them to transport them to the inner gate, saying that they could protect the newly built Duke Dee. The gate is safe."
Ouyang Rong smiled and said: "Then why did you smuggle it in secretly? You could have reported it to the government, but you chose to smuggle it in at night and concealed the report? What's your intention?"
Liu Ziwen shook his head: "It was all under the instigation of the witch, and she also told the common people to keep quiet. The common people didn't know why, but they had good intentions, but they didn't expect to be used by the witch! Fortunately, Lord Ouyang saw through her tricks!"
Ouyang Rong couldn't help but look at Liu Ziwen's sincere and tearful expression. He sighed:
"So, this alchemist named Yuxi Female Fairy used evil magic to transform herself into an official and assassinate Lord Shen. Is this her own decision?"
Liu Ziwen nodded vigorously, with a sincere look on his face: "That's right, the common people didn't know anything about it before."
Ouyang Rong stared at him for a while, then suddenly laughed: "Liu Ziwen, Liu Ziwen, okay."
After finishing his words, the young magistrate suddenly turned his head and raised his chin to signal somewhere in the crowd ahead.
Suddenly, the crowded wall of people parted, and a figure in white clothes walked out first.
"Kneel down!" Xie Lingjiang personally pulled up a fat woman in black robe with unkempt hair and threw her on the ground in front of everyone.
Last night, Xie Lingjiang personally guarded the prison in order to prevent the Liu family from jumping over the wall and killing people, or from the witch running away.
And today, Ouyang Rong also specially asked Liu Ziwen to appear separately from these witnesses to prevent threats and collusion.
Ouyang Rong sighed towards the depressed Jade Fairy:
"Did you hear what Liu Ziwen said just now? He assassinated me at Donglin Temple, pretended to be me and tried to assassinate Master Shen again at Di Gong Gate, smuggled demon oil into the inner gate of Di Gong Gate, and carried out various beheadings. Are you the one who decides on the death penalty?
"You... are a good eighth-level Qi practitioner, and you want to be Liu Ziwen's scapegoat?"
The Jade Fairy who had been temporarily untied from the rope struggled to get up from the ground. She was trembling all over and turned her head to glare at Liu Ziwen.
The latter's eyes showed no intention of avoiding them at all, and he spoke first with an innocent look on his face:
"Why does the female fairy look at me like this? Do you still want to make excuses? Aren't you taking advantage of the Liu family in all this? I advise you to explain it clearly to the county magistrate and don't bite randomly. Hey, our Liu family has been so harsh on us all these years. You are respectful and treat us like a distinguished guest, but these are not the reasons for you to frame us..."
Ouyang Rong said coldly: "Shut up and let her speak first."
Liu Ziwen sighed, and the Jade Fairy immediately opened her mouth and cursed: "You Liu Ziwen..."
But the next second, her voice suddenly stopped.
In the center of the open space, a woman in black robe with her face covered in paint opened her mouth very wide and made a sound of "Uh-huh". Her body was swaying and her orifices began to bleed.
boom! The Jade Fairy fell down in front of Liu Ziwen, whose expression remained unchanged.
The whole audience was shocked.
At this time, there was a hint of inaudible fragrance in the air.
Well, my tooth has been hurting for the past two days...
(End of chapter)
