Outside Fangshan County, the identity screening of nearly two thousand thieves has been carried out.
Nearly half of them were people from Fangshan County or surrounding areas who were kidnapped by thieves. Some of them were returning refugees who had been to the capital. Most of the remaining people were thieves from Dafangshan, and a small number came to them after hearing the news and wanted to make a fortune.
The Yongwei Battalion escorted them to the county town. The majestic scale naturally attracted the attention of the surrounding villages. In addition, the Jinyiwei came to notify them. Therefore, this early in the morning, all villages also sent people to the city to see the situation.
No, by the time Zhang Mingwei started hearing the case in public, the county office was already crowded with people.
Not to mention anything else, just the identity of the commander of the Jinyi Guards and the title of Duke of Xingguo is something that has probably never happened in this county and will probably never happen in the future. If you don't join in the fun, there will be nothing to talk about in the future.
At this time, in the county government hall, there were soldiers from the Yongwei Battalion standing on the outside, and the captain of the Jinyi Guards standing on the inside. This imposing manner was far beyond the usual sight of the government officials.
Under the high-hanging plaque, the commander of the Jinyi Guards and the resettlement envoy for refugees in the capital region, Zhang Mingwei, the Duke of Xingguo, wearing a python suit, took the throne. Two captains of the Jinyi Guards arrived in front of the hall carrying the magistrate of Fangshan County who had taken off his official hat.
When the main show started, everyone who was whispering fell silent.
"I dare to ask, my lord, I don't know what the crime of being a low-ranking official is, but I am treated like this?" Fangshan County Magistrate obviously knew that things would not go well, so he boldly defended himself.
After hearing this, Zhang Mingwei shouted with a cold face: "The governance in this county is not good, so that the people have to leave their homes and go to the capital to seek survival. Do you know the crime?"
Hearing this, the Fangshan County Magistrate was a little dumbfounded, but he was obviously unwilling to admit guilt and immediately defended: "Now that the world is in chaos, this kind of thing is not unique to this county! Besides, thieves are raging, and there is no rain for a long time. Fortunately, It’s hard for a woman to make a living without rice, so what can a lower-ranking official do?”
After hearing this, many people in the crowd looked at the county magistrate with sympathy in their eyes, because they felt that the magistrate was right.
"Sophistry!" Zhang Mingwei listened and sneered, "Not to mention the corpses, the refugees returned to their hometowns and took refuge in the city according to the court's resettlement method to find a way to survive. Why don't you accept them? Don't tell me that you didn't Received the decree from the imperial court! Half of the tax exemption is to reduce the burden on the local people, and the remaining half of the tax is left in the local area to help the local government settle the people, stabilize the situation, and not give opportunities to thieves. Don't you know?"
Not to mention what he said, many people in the crowd didn't know it. When I heard this, I was very surprised. And although some people have heard about it, they don’t believe it at all. If this really happens, what will the court do? So everyone thought it was a rumor.
"There are thieves outside, and I am afraid that there will be thieves among them to steal the city. For the sake of the people of the county, I have to do this ruthlessly!" The Fangshan County Magistrate evaded the situation. After the initial nervousness, he returned to a little normal. He quickly answered with the reasons he had already prepared.
After Zhang Mingwei heard this, he immediately ordered: "Pass Ma San!"
Ma San, who had been waiting for a long time, immediately stepped forward and told them about the situation in Majiagou, in order to refute the possibility of thieves among them that the Fangshan County Magistrate had slandered!
After he finished speaking, Zhang Mingwei stared coldly at the Fangshan County Magistrate and shouted: "What do you have to say? Take a step back and ask, don't you know what's going on with the thieves outside?"
The Fangshan County Magistrate was surprised when he heard this and had a bad feeling. Didn't he just arrive? Why does he seem to know everything?
While he was thinking, Zhang Mingwei ignored him and shouted: "Bring it up."
Most of the people watching were residents of the city. To be honest, they actually have a good impression of the county magistrate's refusal to accept those outside the city.
At times like this, if people don't do it for themselves, they will be punished by heaven and earth. Although they are not to this extent, it is normal to have similar thoughts.
But after they heard it, they felt that something was wrong, so none of them said anything and continued to watch the follow-up.
When they saw clearly who was coming to the hall, many people couldn't help but exclaimed: "Excuse me Zhu!"
In terms of influence, the outside magistrate of Fangshan County is really no match for Zhu Shiwen, a local snake. In ordinary days, if anyone dared to offend the county magistrate, they would never dare to offend Zhu Shiwen.
You know, in the past in Fangshan County, no matter whether you were local or foreign, as long as you opposed Zhu Yuanwai, you would either be arrested by the government, or you would attract thieves or something, and there would be absolutely no good end. Over time, this deterrent effect emerged.
So, they pricked up their ears and concentrated on listening to everything about Yuan Wei.
What they never expected was that the Duke of the Ming Dynasty actually found out that the Dafangshan bandits were colluding with Zhu Yuanwai. Not only was the rebellion this time under the orders of Zhu Yuanwai and others, but he had also not done anything for Zhu Yuanwai before. Do dirty things!
Watching the prisoners in the hall being brought in one by one, including Yuan Yuan's concubine, servants, and the leader of the Dafangshan bandits, Wu Heizi, the eldest brother of Yuan Yuan's concubine, was confessing there. At this moment, they all recognized Zhu The members of the Communist Party of China actually took both black and white.
Slowly, the causes and consequences were revealed to everyone.
What happened in Fangshan this time was actually caused by the collusion of officials, gentry and thieves.
Officials want to please the princes in the court and seek promotion.
The local gentry wanted the benefits from the court but did not want to bear the corresponding responsibilities. They also tried to steal the people's grain fields.
Needless to say, thieves plunder property.
When the people watching understood this, they were all very angry. If the officials and gentry are like this, how can the world not be in chaos? What do ordinary people look like in their eyes?
Zhang Mingwei did not delay. He asked for the Wang Ming flag and announced on the spot:
Fangshan County Magistrate, behead him!
Zhu Shiwen, ransacked his house and beheaded him!
Wu Heizi, the bandit leader of Dafang Mountain, will be executed!
Some other participating squires, as well as other thieves in Dafangshan, were also confiscated or exiled according to the severity of the crime.
It can be said that almost all the officials and gentry in Fangshan County were involved and uprooted by Zhang Mingwei. We also sent people to the old nest in Dafangshan.
With the army at hand, there is the advantage of having nothing to worry about.
Wu Heizi and others, because they knew that Zhu Shiwen wanted to visit their lair while they were out and kill his sister, not only did they cooperate in the confession, but they actually led the Yongwei camp to their lair. For no other reason than to take revenge on those officials and gentry who were more evil-minded than them, and of course, because Zhang Mingwei gave their families a way to survive, they had to do this.
Under the power of Zhang Mingwei's thunder, he used a sharp knife to cut through the mess. In just three days, the matter in Fangshan County was almost settled.
Princess Kunxing witnessed all this, but she still had questions, so she asked Zhang Mingwei: "Sir, from various signs, there must be something wrong with Duke Cheng Guo of the capital, but we have no evidence, and Zhu Youfu didn't speak. what to do?"
Yes, Zhu Youfu fell into the hands of Jin Yiwei again, but he didn't confess anything, he just said that he was ordered to visit relatives.
In response, Zhang Mingwei sneered. If there is no evidence, nothing can be done to him? As long as you have a goal, everything will be easy!
At this time, a person suddenly broke in from the outside, but it was the eunuch Wang Erbiao who was very familiar with them. He looked anxious, and he knew at a glance that something big had happened in the capital!
