After a night of interrogation, the grain merchant was used as a breakthrough point, and things soon became clear.
Seeing that in the year of the great disaster, drought in several counties spread to Xingyang, Ji Kui came up with a plan. He reported the disaster to the court, lied about the disaster, embezzled huge sums of money, colluded with profiteers, and stole the official grain and sold it to the hardest-hit areas. Unexpectedly, Bai Mi Yi Shu , on the sacks containing grain, there was a flaw.
the next day.
Looking at the confession of the grain merchant in his hand, Liu Changqing frowned slightly and said, "Did you use torture?"
"This." Yang Zhao hesitated for a moment and replied truthfully: "If there is no need for punishment, I'm afraid that the grain merchant will be tough. Only in this way can we make a quick breakthrough."
He then added: "Based on the public opinion survey and the confessions of the grain merchants, I believe that Ji Kui can be interrogated in public."
Liu Changqing shook his head: "Things are a bit troublesome."
After a pause, he immediately said: "Now that the matter has come to this, we can only take the wrong approach. In this way, next, we must separate Ji Kui and Xingyang officials to prevent them from communicating with each other and interrogating them individually."
"Yes, I'll do my humble job now." Yang Zhao accepted the order with his fists clasped.
When the inspector comes here, he carries Wang Jian and has administrative power. Not only are the Qingyi Guards accompanying him for protection, but all the officers and soldiers of the local Wuwei Mansion must also obey the orders.
Therefore, the individual arraignment was quickly arranged.
The first person to be interrogated was naturally Ji Kui, the governor of Xingyang County.
After being summoned to the hall, he was dressed in official uniform without any panic. He bowed his hands towards Liu Changqing and said, "I don't know what you have ordered, sir."
"Ji Kui, as the governor of Xingyang County, you lied about the disaster, deceived your superiors, embezzled relief money, and stole and sold official grain for profit. Do you know your crime?" Liu Changqing got straight to the point.
Hearing this, Ji Kui was stunned, and then said with a confused face: "I really don't understand what the Lord is saying."
"Then I'll make you understand better!" After finishing his words, Liu Changqing also shouted: "Come here, take Tongfa with you!"
Following his order, the grain merchant was escorted up by officers and soldiers and knelt in the center of the hall.
His hair was disheveled, his clothes were dirty and torn, and there were a few blood stains on them. After kneeling down, he couldn't help but look at Ji Kui, and shouted with aggrieved expression: "Master Ji..."
Hearing him call her name, Ji Kui's expression changed. She knew in her heart that she could no longer pretend not to know him, so she said first, "Isn't this the shopkeeper Tong in the city? Lord Liu, this is..."
He had a puzzled expression on his face, not to mention how similar he was to pretending.
Liu Changqing raised his eyebrows and said, "What? Do you admit that you know this person?"
"Of course." Ji Kui said calmly: "This man is a well-known big businessman in Xingyang. As a county guard, he sometimes has to deal with them. I know him for sure, but I don't know... what crime did he commit? ."
This was so careless that Liu Changqing couldn't help but look at Yang Zhao, who was standing below, and then stared at Ji Kui and said coldly: "Ji Kui! This Tong Fa is the official who was ordered by the court to allocate funds for disaster relief. He secretly converted the grain and sold it to other counties! Now, he has told the truth! You still don’t get it!"
"Sir! You can't unjustly accuse Xianguan!" Ji Kui's eyes widened on the spot, and he said seriously: "Although Xianguan knows him, it is only for official business. He has dealt with him before. You can't rely on just one person." The merchant's lies are false, and he framed me falsely."
"False accusation?" Liu Changqing sneered: "He is just a grain merchant. If the evidence is not conclusive, what reason does he have to frame you?"
"This, this, one-sided words cannot be trusted! I am not convinced!" Ji Kui panicked at first, and then calmed down forcefully.
"Then let you come up and decide this matter!" Seeing that he refused to admit it, Liu Changqing directly attacked.
Unexpectedly, Ji Kui was not willing to be outdone: "The lower official agrees. Mr. Liu can report it. The lower official will also write to the king. You tortured the grain merchants to extract confessions. It is obvious that you were beaten into submission and deliberately wanted to frame me!"
"What reason did I have to frame you!?" Liu Changqing asked sharply.
"That is a false political achievement that Mr. Liu wants to investigate in order to seek promotion for himself! So he wants to be demoted as a stepping stone! The subordinate will definitely report this memorial to the king!" Now that the matter has come to this, Ji Kui will certainly not sit still and wait for death. Obviously desperate.
Yang Zhao couldn't help it anymore, pointed his finger at Ji Kui, and yelled angrily: "You fart! If the grain merchants hadn't colluded with you, how could you get official grain? You, a corrupt official, are still thinking about enriching your own pockets now that the country is in crisis. You deserve to die!"
"Master Yang." Ji Kui's face darkened. After all, he was also a county chief, so he naturally had to have his own confidence. "This shopkeeper Tong has obviously been tortured. He is just a businessman. How can he withstand it?" , How dare you disobey me under your deliberate persecution?"
"You!" His words made Yang Zhao furious.
When the grain merchant saw this, he rolled his eyes and cried sadly: "Yes, yes, they were beaten to death and insisted on letting me testify against Master Ji. I really can't bear the torture, so I have no choice but to do it..."
"The Sheriff has to make the decision for the villain..."
Ji Kui took a deep breath and ignored the grain merchant, but looked at Liu Changqing and said: "Master Liu, I understand that you are eager to investigate the case, but malicious false accusations are a bit too much. If we don't all become ministers of the same court, this matter will not be solved. I'm afraid I will never give up."
Yang Zhao was dumbfounded.
Liu Changqing secretly shook his head. He had already thought of this result, otherwise, he would not have said it was troublesome before.
The scene fell silent for a while.
After a long pause, Liu Changqing laughed out of anger: "In this case, I have wronged Lord Ji."
"Of course, Mr. Liu is the inspector, and the subordinates dare not offend him, but he will not let anyone frame him and humiliate him!" Ji Kui waved his sleeves and robes, and his meaning was clear.
Liu Changqing shook his head again and said nothing more, but waved his hand and said: "Push Tong Fa down first."
"No!" The guard took the order, one on the left and the other on the right, pulling the grain merchant away.
Ji Kui once again faced Liu Changqing and said, "Master Liu, is there anything else? If not, I have some official business to deal with."
"Master Ji, it's your choice." Liu Changqing stretched out his hand.
"Farewell." Ji Kui cupped his hands and left angrily, pretending to be displeased.
After he left, Yang Zhao became anxious and couldn't help but stepped forward and said, "Sir!"
Knowing what he wanted to say, Liu Changqing raised his hand to stop him, and said quietly: "No matter how bad Ji Kui is, he is the highest official in the county, and he is of the third rank of the imperial court. Without ironclad evidence, we cannot deal with him."
"As he said himself, the grain merchant was tortured and beaten into submission, and he was the only witness. I sent a memorial, and Ji Kui also sent a memorial. Even if the king is wise, under this situation, he still cannot be convinced. His crime."
"This Ji Kui is so cunning! What a complete loser! What should I do now?" Yang Zhao asked anxiously.
"Don't be anxious. I said you have to take the wrong approach." Liu Changqing was happy: "What Ji Kui wants to do most now is undoubtedly to deal with the aftermath and deal with the tail end of the official grain issue."
