"Don't be sad, everyone. The Fuman Building burned down and can be rebuilt, as long as everyone is safe."
Zhang Lichen comforted her first, and then asked:
"Who released you? Did all the guests come back too?"
She couldn't ask more about Xu Qin, she just glanced at the shopkeeper and the waiter.
"Miss, please don't worry. The yamen officer said that he was ordered by the Imperial Envoy to release all the imprisoned people."
The waiter glanced at Zhang Lichen and understood what she was most concerned about in her eyes.
"By the way, miss, when we came out, more than a hundred armored knights came from outside the city with flags flying. I heard they were the Yilin Guards of the imperial court."
"Oh, are there more than a hundred armored knights?"
Zhang Lichen was shocked and obviously didn't believe it.
Because she learned from Xu Sanlang that there was only one general-flag armored knight following the young master, and there were only fifty or so.
How come there are more than a hundred riders?
"What the waiter said is correct, miss. I also saw it with my own eyes. The leader is an official from hundreds of households."
Seeing that Zhang Lichen didn't believe it, the shopkeeper quickly confirmed it.
Zhang Lichen was surprised and happy after hearing this.
Timely rain.
It turned out that Xu Qin dug three feet of ground in the Wu family compound in Gushan Town and handed over a total of 3 million taels of gold, silver and jewelry to the treasury, as well as more than 10,000 stones of food.
After Zhu Di heard this, Long Yan was overjoyed, and all personnel were promoted to one rank.
The chief flag officer, Li Xiaoqi, was immediately promoted to the rank of 100 households. He had two general flags under his command, and a total of 115 Yilin Guard knights, officers and soldiers, which was certainly majestic.
This really shocked the elders of the Qingzheng Church who were hiding in the dark and ready to make a move.
This news seemed to be more powerful than any stimulant. All the Zhongshan Guard members present were happy that the young master was safe and sound.
"Hey, I know this guy, why is he here?"
The waiter found the unconscious injured person beside him.
"This guy's name is Zhang Dalang. He came to Qinghe County many years ago and often visited our Fuman Building. He sat in the east corner of the front hall, eating and drinking by himself."
"Before yesterday evening, he ordered a few dishes and borrowed a food basket from the store, saying it was for a friend."
"I didn't expect that the food basket and several dishes were placed on the table in the inner hall of the county magistrate's office, untouched."
There is no need to say any more, everyone knows it.
This damned comatose man who was cut into pieces by a thousand cuts was the major suspect in the assassination of the county magistrate Zhang Yunji last night.
"Damn, it turns out this kid is the bad guy who framed our Fumanlou."
"It was probably him who set the fire. Not only did he burn down the entire Fuman Building, but he also burned Old Man Yuan to death in the building..."
"???"
The seven or eight Fumanlou clerks were all choked with pain.
A few of them didn't know the truth, so they pounced on them to take revenge.
"Don't touch him. He is an important witness in the county government murder case. Only he knows who is behind the scenes."
Zhang Lichen shouted and stopped everyone.
She had a premonition from the beginning, so she tried her best to treat him.
Now, her hunch was confirmed, and she couldn't help but feel a little excited.
"Second servant, please go and go to the county office to report to the imperial envoy. Tell him that the suspect is in the Xiaofo Temple and invite him to come."
"As commanded."
The waiter ran out of the small Buddhist temple in a hurry.
…
When Xu Qin rushed to the Small Buddhist Temple, Zhang Dalang suddenly woke up.
His eyelids slowly opened, and his vision gradually became clearer.
Looking at the faces of everyone surrounding him, he knew almost all of them.
Especially the handsome, young face sitting in the pavilion, wearing a purple official robe.
Countless times he silently memorized the portrait, even when it was burned to ashes.
This was the target he had been trying to assassinate for months.
Frustratingly, he's only met him in person.
Now we meet again for the second time, but things have changed, and the winner and the loser are looking at each other.
Last night, after discovering that his assassination failed, he followed the rope and prepared to escape, but he was hunted by more than a dozen masked men in black.
After cutting down two people, he broke out of the encirclement and ran away to the edge of the Qinghe River desperately, regardless of the knife wound on his shoulder.
But the masked killer is in pursuit.
They seemed to have planned it in advance, setting fire to the building and killing people to silence them.
The masked killers started firing arrows, but he couldn't dodge and was hit by two arrows in the back.
Fortunately, his luck did not allow the arrow to penetrate too deep.
He staggered to the river, and the pursuers came up and chopped him twice.
He jumped into the river desperately.
The Qinghe River was flowing rapidly, and in the dark, the pursuers could only fire arrows blindly on the bank, but to no avail.
He drifted with the tide, his wounds bleeding, and slowly he passed out.
But now...
Zhang Dalang moved his neck with difficulty, grinning in pain.
"Let's talk about it when you wake up. What's your name?"
asked the presiding judge Yang Shiqi.
In most cases of interrogation, questions are knowingly asked just to get the criminal to speak out, which is tantamount to admission.
"Caomin Zhang Dalang."
Zhang Dalang responded weakly.
"You are lucky and lucky."
Yang Shiqi said almost jokingly:
"In that encounter at Tongshan Mountain in Yizheng, you were lucky enough to slip through the net, but you met at the border of Huai'an. You threw yourself into the trap. Tell me, what happened all of this?"
"Be honest and explain clearly, and strive to make atonement through meritorious service. Perhaps Imperial Envoy Master Xu can give you a lighter sentence."
The words were not loud, but they were heavy and tempting.
Especially someone like him who committed a murder and was unwilling to do so.
It was difficult for Zhang Dalang to move his head, but his eyes were still flexible and did not prevent him from scanning around.
What he saw was not the young master Xu Qin in subtle clothes, but the imperial envoy Xu Qin in official robes.
There were also several officials wearing official uniforms of different colors.
The most important thing is that there are more than a dozen well-dressed soldiers wearing armor and helmets present, staring eagerly and fiercely.
The energy and wisdom of this young imperial envoy far exceeded his imagination.
It seems that Mr. Fu Cheng and the people behind him may not be the opponents of this imperial envoy.
Originally, he could have kept silent, resigned to death, and preserved Wu Qingfeng's reputation and safety.
What is abominable is that Wu Qingfeng was not at ease with him and thought of killing him and silencing him afterwards.
This greatly insulted his dignity as a hero and his reputation as a righteous man.
If you are unkind, don't blame me for being unjust.
"Say it, don't have any illusions!"
It was obvious that Xu Qin, who had been watching with cold eyes, was a little impatient.
After hearing the secret report from the waiter, he handed over the cleaning and inventory work of the county government office to Su Zecheng, and he and Yang Shiqi rushed here.
He didn't want to waste time here.
"Okay, give me a sip of water."
Now that things have happened, Zhang Dalang has completely let go, and feels a lot more relaxed.
He is not a person who is greedy for life and afraid of death.
He also knew that even if he gave a clear explanation, he might not be able to survive.
After drinking the water, he recounted what had happened from beginning to end, without reservation.
"..."
"Well, Zhang Dalang, you were ordered by Wu Qingfeng, the prime minister of Huai'an Prefecture, to pretend to be a delivery boy at Fumanlou, sneak into the Qinghe County government office and kill the county magistrate Zhang Yunji, right?"
The presiding judge Yang Shiqi asked emphatically.
"Yes." Zhang Dalang confirmed.
Yang Shiqi's swordsman and penman were taking notes carefully.
