Interest is the motivation for everything.
Businessmen spend large sums of money to buy young men from the county government in order to create greater profits.
It is faster than farming to make money, and it requires a lot of young people. I am afraid that the only place to do it is in mines. In the Ming Dynasty, no one could perform surgery to remove kidneys. People themselves are not valuable. What is valuable is energy and labor.
The stronger you are, the more money you have. The work Ming does requires a lot of physical strength, which means that the work is heavy and heavy. Mining fits this point.
Liu Boqin looked at Gu Zhengchen with some confusion and asked, "What does the county magistrate understand?"
Gu Zhengchen's eyes were slightly cold, and he walked back to the desk and sat down: "Every time you Chen Zhong and Zhou Hong are looking for businessmen, you always leave the county office at night, right?"
Liu Boqin and Zhao Doubei nodded.
Gu Zhengchen asked again: "When do you usually leave the county government office and when do you return to the county government office? Is there a specific date?"
Liu Boqin thought for a while and said: "Most of the time he leaves the county office at the third watch and returns to the county office before the fourth watch. As for the date, it is not fixed."
Zhao Doubei added: "Although the date is not fixed, it is often chosen to be held on a moonless, starless, gloomy night, and several times it is even on a rainy night."
Gu Zhengchen thought about it and said seriously: "Although Jurong is a fence wall, it also has four opening and closing gates. The county town is not as rigorous as the big city of Jinling, but at the second watch, why are all the city gates closed?"
Zhao Doubei nodded heavily: "Jurong usually closes the city gate half an hour after sunset, and the city gate will be closed before the second watch at the latest."
Gu Zhengchen picked up the tea bowl: "So, the so-called transactions actually happened in Jurong City. That is, the businessman either lived in Jurong City, or entered Jurong City in advance during the transaction. No matter what kind of transaction , he has a residence in Jurong City."
Zhao Doubei frowned: "Could it be outside the city? The city gate is closed at night, but Chen Zhong is a classic, so he may not be able to take people out of the city."
Gu Zhengchen shook his head firmly and asserted: "It can't be outside the city, and neither are you. They mostly choose to go on dark nights, and mostly during the third watch. This shows that they want to avoid people's eyes and ears as much as possible, If you leave the city at night, the gatekeeper will definitely be able to see you and know the direction in which you are leaving. If this is the case, why do you need to act in the dark night?"
Liu Boqin and Zhao Doubei thought for a while and nodded in approval.
Gu Zhengchen asked a few more questions and asked the scribe to hand over the call sheet to the two of them.
Liu Boqin looked at Gu Zhengchen and said solemnly: "I would like to have a few words with the county magistrate alone. Is that okay?"
Gu Zhengchen nodded and arranged for someone to take Zhao Doubei down, and Lin Shan also walked out of the second hall.
Seeing that there was no one else, Liu Boqin stood up with difficulty and knelt in front of Gu Zhengchen's desk.
Gu Zhengchen frowned slightly: "What do you mean?"
Liu Boqin knelt down and said painfully: "Your Majesty, I know that my sins are serious and the law cannot tolerate it, and I am destined to die. But you also know that the emperor is cruel and has an unpredictable temper. If he knows about us, Long Yan will be furious." , when I die, my son will be exiled, and my wife and women will be sent to the Jiaofang Department and become playthings in the hands of nobles and businessmen!"
Gu Zhengchen looked at Liu Boqin, stood up and said, "You probably want me to save your family, are you overestimating my ability?"
Sitting together was popular in ancient times.
When an official is sentenced to death, his family members will also suffer bad luck. Most of the men are sent to the army and most of the women become prostitutes.
Liu Boqin raised his head bitterly: "I know my wife's temperament. If I die, she will definitely go with me. As for my son, he is in his hometown and will be exiled to the army. A person cannot die. The only thing I can't let go of is mine. Nu Qian’er!”
Gu Zhengchen stared: "He is your adopted daughter!"
Liu Boqin sighed: "Yes, Qian'er is my adopted daughter, but the county magistrate must not be mistaken. Qian'er is not my slave, she is my eldest brother's daughter. Eight years ago, my eldest brother and sister-in-law passed away one after another. , there were no descendants anymore, so when my wife and I saw that Qian'er was alone, we adopted her, took her with us, and raised her as our biological daughter."
Gu Zhengchen did not expect Qian'er to have such an identity.
Liu Boqin kowtowed heavily: "I deserve to die, but Qian'er is innocent! She is the only bloodline left by my eldest brother. I can't see her being humiliated and living an unforgiving life. I only ask the county to keep her safe!"
Gu Zhengchen rubbed his eyebrows.
No matter what Qian'er's identity is, she is currently Liu Boqin's daughter, at least according to her household registration. If the court wants to arrest his family members, they must arrest them together. No one cares whether this person is Liu Boqin's niece.
"I can't help you with this matter."
After Gu Zhengchen thought about it, he answered seriously.
Liu Qian'er is a living person, and both Zhang Pei and Yao Zhen know this person exists.
If he reaches out to fish for someone, this matter may not reach Lao Zhu's ears. When the time comes, the consequences will be unpredictable.
Liu Boqin raised his head and begged: "County Lord, can you bear to let Qian'er be humiliated?"
Gu Zhengchen shook his head: "This is not a matter of tolerance, but where the laws and regulations are. I have my difficulties. You don't know. I am in a situation where I don't dare to go beyond the limit!"
Liu Boqin didn't understand Gu Zhengchen's so-called situation, so he stood up with difficulty and said sadly: "If an envoy really comes to arrest her, please ask the county magistrate to buy some time and let her commit suicide."
Gu Zhengchen looked at Liu Boqin walking toward the door, feeling a little bitter in his heart. He shook his head and said to Zhang Pei who walked in: "Call Yang Liang."
After Yang Liang arrived at the second hall, Gu Zhengchen had already written a letter: "Guo Baobao instructed others to poison and kill people. He committed a heinous crime. He should be arrested immediately. He must not be allowed to escape. Let Zhang Pei go with him."
During this period, the county government has been sealed off and no one is allowed to go out. The lives of Liu Boqin and Zhao Doubei are unknown to the outside world.
Yang Liang took the order and left.
Gu Zhengchen picked up the confessions of Liu Boqin and Zhao Doubei, examined them for a long time, and then found the missing files of Sun Yi and Sun Er. He frowned: "The ancestral graves of the Guoliang family - sealing off Wucheng Mountain, young and strong - Wu Chengshan - Minerals, could it be that these people were sent to Wucheng Mountain? There are tigers and leopards there, and there have been several murders. People will not easily enter the mountain. It is an isolated place, but what kind of mines are there in Wucheng Mountain? "
What makes Gu Zhengchen even more puzzled is that if people are really bought and sold and sent to mines, how many people can there be in a year among the missing people secretly obtained and the young people sent under the yin and yang contract?
With that kind of capital, wouldn’t it be more productive and less risky to recruit people to mine?
Wouldn't it be better to make money openly?
Gu Zhengchen couldn't figure it out, so he found a map of Jurong and looked at Wucheng Mountain. Whether it was the disappearance of Sun Yiyi or Sun Erkou, or the body crushed under the stone, Guo Liang's ancestral tomb blocked the entrance to the mountain, and the presence of the beasts in the mountain. There is no way around Wucheng Mountain!
It seems that I must go to the mountains to see the talent school.
Half an hour later, Yang Liang, Zhang Pei and others returned to the county government office and reported: "Guo Baobao has been captured and is currently being held in a prison cell. Will he be interrogated overnight?"
Gu Zhengchen asked: "Can poison be found in Guo Baobao's home?"
Yang Liang shook his head.
Zhang Pei said seriously: "I searched and found no poison. Maybe it has been disposed of or hidden in a secret place."
Gu Zhengchen leaned back on the chair and sighed: "This Guo Baobao is a good swimmer. I have seen his prowess. Now that no evidence has been found, I may not be able to identify him just by Chen Jie's identification." crime."
"Ah, this..."
Yang Liang felt a little aggrieved.
Gu Zhengchen thought for a while and said relaxedly: "It doesn't matter. This person can understand Taoism and his methods are different from ordinary people. He will not be insignificant to the Guo family. Even if he is locked up in the prison cell, he cannot be dealt with, but it is still important to detain him for a period of time." No problem, during this period, it depends on whether the Guo family will take action again. Send a message to Wang Ren that the jailers in the cell are not allowed to leave the cell. However, if there is an emergency and need to leave, they must report to my officer for permission."
Yang Liang's eyes lit up: "Does the county magistrate want to block the news and let them get into trouble?"
Gu Zhengchen nodded slightly.
After Yang Liang left, Gu Zhengchen looked at Zhang Pei and looked him up and down.
Zhang Pei was a little embarrassed when Gu Zhengchen looked at him, so he took two steps back and said, "Is there something wrong, sir?"
Gu Zhengchen looked at Zhang Pei and said slowly: "I've seen you take action several times. Five or six people can't get close to you, right?"
Zhang Pei patted his chest: "I'm not boasting, even ten ruffians may not be able to get close!"
Gu Zhengchen praised repeatedly: "Then you are more powerful than a tiger."
Zhang Pei smiled heartily and said rather arrogantly: "Of course, when we galloped on the battlefield and chased over mountains and ridges, tigers and leopards had to flee hundreds of miles away when they saw us!"
Gu Zhengchen clicked his tongue and nodded with a smile: "Good man, there are tigers in Wucheng Mountain. How about helping me get some tiger skins?"
"No problem - what, tiger skin?"
Zhang Pei, who was high-spirited just now, suddenly widened his eyes and had an unnatural look on his face.
Gu Zhengchen nodded seriously: "Yes, tiger skins and leopard skins are also acceptable. Winters in the south are very wet and cold, so you have to prepare some winter supplies..."
Zhang Pei looked helpless: "Master, are you kidding me?"
Gu Zhengchen shook his head: "Of course it's not a joke. Not only do you want to fight the tiger, I also want to go with you."
"Absolutely not!"
Zhang Pei broke into a sweat.
Tiger, can that thing be bullied casually?
A good soldier in the army is on the battlefield, fighting face to face.
But the tiger is hiding in the deep mountains and dense forests. It jumps out from who knows where. This thing can also climb trees and jump down suddenly. Not to mention its sharp teeth and claws, it is so huge that no one can carry it if it hits it. Liveable.
If you fight with a tiger, you will probably be eaten.
Gu Zhengchen said firmly: "I am going to Wucheng Mountain to hunt tigers. This matter has been decided. You can think of a way."
Zhang Pei was speechless.
Master, you are cheating.
Seeing that Gu Zhengchen was not joking, Zhang Pei gritted his teeth and said, "The Jurong County government officials cannot hunt tigers and leopards at all, and I have never heard of Jurong people killing tigers. I guess there are no powerful hunters. Yao Zhen and I Even if we work together, we can't definitely kill the tiger, so I'll protect you. If I insist on going into the mountain, I can only ask the emperor to send a group of elites with bows, crossbows, and muskets to help!"
