Dafeng Night Watchman

Chapter 13: Chapter 13 Interrogation



Xu Qian'an looked at his back, not very optimistic.

After many days, it was too difficult to collect evidence.

"It is almost impossible to collect evidence without fingerprints. The shoe prints are definitely not Zhang Xian's own... Well, apart from these, what other methods are applicable to this era and can help solve the case..." He racked his brains to think of a solution.

...

"This bunch of incompetent clerks, when they are trying to make money, they are as smart as monkeys, and they can squeeze money out of stones. When it comes to doing real work, they are all incompetent dogs."

The county magistrate was angry in the inner hall. The murder case was a big case, and the deceased was related to Lord Xu of the Imperial Censor.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

Who is the Imperial Censor?

They are self-proclaimed clean officials, mad dogs that bite whoever they catch, and they impeach anyone they dislike.

Xu Zhubu, who has a goatee and a thin face, accompanied them and said with a smile: "If you keep forcing them like this, they will have to slack off."

They are all old hands, and the boss knows what the clerks under his command are up to. When it comes to the tricks in the officialdom, the clerks are at most at the level of elementary school students. The highest level is in the temple, followed by the frontier officials.

"Slacking off?" County Magistrate Zhu snorted, "It would have been fine in the past, but the imperial court is about to investigate. If someone impeaches me for confessing under torture, how will I deal with it?"

As he was talking, hurried footsteps were heard. Captain Wang entered the inner hall, stepped over the threshold and stopped. He was respectful and excited, saying, "Sir, I have already found out about Zhang's case. Please give me a ticket and I will arrest him right away."

County Magistrate Zhu and Chief Secretary Xu looked at each other. The former sneered, while the latter smiled as expected.

Seeing that the two looked wrong, Captain Wang urged, "Sir? Time is running out."

County Magistrate Zhu slapped the table and cursed, "Stupid, it's already this time, and you're still thinking about slacking off. Do you have a pig brain?"

Confessions under torture can be used on weekdays, but there is a problem here.

After the prisoner confesses, the confession and the files must be submitted to the Ministry of Justice, which will verify and give a verdict.

The Beijing inspection will be held at the end of the year. The atmosphere in the officialdom of the capital is tense. Everyone is cleaning up their own tails while monitoring each other,

hoping to catch the flaws of their political enemies.

This is a period when the verdict can be overturned.

Captain Wang hurriedly explained: "Your Excellency has misunderstood. I am really sure that I can catch the real murderer. I am definitely not slacking off. Please believe me."

Don't I know what level you are at... County Magistrate Zhu is not reassured about this and glanced at Lao Wang: "Tell me in detail."

Captain Wang thought to himself that it was time for me to show my prowess in front of others.

"My Excellency, listen to me carefully. There are many doubts in the Zhang case..."

Lao Wang reproduced Xu Qian'an's inference verbatim and told the two adults.

County Magistrate Zhu sneered at first, but as he listened, his back straightened unconsciously. In the end, he said nothing, but his face was serious.

He was thinking.

"Great!" Xu Zhubu clapped his hands, and the sound of 'pa' was loud, and he seemed very excited: "He was able to deduce the whole case from these inconspicuous details. The veterans of the Ministry of Justice are no better than this."

Although it still needs to be verified!

But this set of reasoning undoubtedly pointed the way forward for the confused people in the county government.

Wang the police chief smiled and said, "Thank you for your praise."

Zhu the county magistrate sneered, "Tell me, who taught you that."

Wang the police chief pondered for a moment, suppressed the idea of taking credit, and said truthfully, "Kuaishou Xu Qi'an."

Kuaishou is not a live broadcast platform, and Xu Qi'an is not a broadcaster. Kuaishou is the name of a clerk in the Kuaiban class, also called a constable.

Xu Qi'an... Zhu the county magistrate was the first to react: "It's him."

Zhu the county magistrate had drunk with Xu Pingzhi several times, and they had some friendship. A few years ago, Xu Pingzhi spent 20 taels of silver to get the lucrative job of Kuaishou for his nephew.

In the Dafeng Dynasty, the position of an official could be passed on to one's son.

A golden rice bowl as stable as an old dog.

"It must be him." County Magistrate Zhu smiled.

Xu Zhubu's eyes flashed, and he thought of the tax silver case involving the Xu family, and immediately asked: "What do you mean?"

Wang Quetou also listened attentively.

County Magistrate Zhu smiled: "The tax silver robbery case caused a lot of trouble in the city, and the Xu family was the first to bear the brunt and should have been held accountable. Do you know why the Xu family was able to escape the crime?"

Wang Quetou immediately said: "I heard that it was Lord Xu of the Imperial Sword Guard who assisted in the investigation and the emperor was lenient and pardoned his crime."

This is what he just heard from Xu Qian'an.

Xu Zhubu glanced at County Magistrate Zhu's expression and tried to say: "Is there any inside story in this case?"

Xu Zhubu's level is not enough to get to the details of the tax silver disappearance case, but County Magistrate Zhu is the parent official of Changle County, although in a place like the capital where powerful people gather, he is just a younger brother.

But he can't hold this position without a backer.

County Magistrate Zhu sneered: "Xu Pingzhi is just a crude warrior. He is just a scapegoat in this case..." Suddenly he paused, as if he didn't want to reveal too much, and said: "It was not him who really turned the Xu family around."

"Who is it!" Captain Wang asked subconsciously.

The answer flashed through Xu Zhubu's mind, waiting for County Magistrate Zhu's follow-

up.

"It was Xu Qi'an. He solved the truth of the tax silver case. This matter is recorded in the files. One of my classmates worked in Jingzhao Prefecture in the same year." County Magistrate Zhu said: "The son takes the father's place, and the father's debt is paid by the son. Although he is a nephew, the principle is the same."

Xu Zhubu took a breath: "After the case, Xu Qi'an should have been locked up in the government jail. How did he do it?"

County Magistrate Zhu pondered and said: "I also thought it was incredible, but now I

understand."

Xu Zhubu also thought of it and couldn't believe it: "Only based on the files?!"

Only based on the files... Wang Jue was confused. This kind of official secrets can occasionally

be heard from the three officials above him.

He couldn't believe that Xu Qi'an played a huge role in the tax silver robbery case and saved

the Xu family.

Wang Jue thought to himself, this is not right, it doesn't make sense.

At the beginning, this kid had just arrived, his character was honest and stubborn, he only knew how to do things silently, and he was a real rookie.

How could such a young man become such a genius in solving cases in the blink of an eye?

...

When Captain Wang took the ticket and returned to the lounge, Xu Qi'an fell asleep on the table. He thought too much about the mess last night and didn't go to bed until after

midnight.

Someone reached out to push Xu Qi'an, but Captain Wang immediately stopped him and lowered his voice: "Let him sleep."

He picked two people at random, "You come with me to Zhang's house."

The three quick hands, with their own white servants, a total of nine people, left Changle

County Government quickly.

White servants are temporary workers, a kind of corvée, composed of ordinary people,

without wages, food and accommodation.

But there is also a very conscientious place: they don't have to take the blame.

Xu Qi'an was awakened by the "mighty" voice, wiped the saliva from the corner of his mouth,

and walked towards the lobby of the county government.

It is estimated that the person has been arrested and the county magistrate is interrogating in

front of the court.

In the court, County Magistrate Zhu sat behind the case, with the court officials and servants

on his left and right.

Below the case, three groups of yamen runners stood on both sides, and two people knelt in

the middle, one was a young man wearing a green robe with embroidered cloud patterns, and

the other was a beautiful woman in a purple silk skirt.

The woman looked terrified, while the young man was relatively calm.

"Bang!" County Magistrate Zhu slammed the gavel angrily and said loudly: "Who is in the court!"

The woman subconsciously glanced at the young man, who gave her a calm look and straightened his back: "I am Zhang Xian, a commoner."

The woman said softly: "I am Yang Zhenzhen."

County Magistrate Zhu shouted: "How did you two kill Zhang Yourui? Tell the truth!"

The woman trembled with fear, her long eyelashes trembled, and her face showed panic.

The young man Zhang Xian was shocked: "Why do you say that, sir? How could I kill my own

father?"

County Magistrate Zhu asked: "Where were you when it happened?"

"I was in the study."

"Why didn't you sleep with your wife?"

"I was looking at the accounts."

"Do you have any witnesses?"

"Where can I get any witnesses in the middle of the night?"

Zhang Xian's answer was clear and orderly, and he was either innocent or he had prepared a

plan in advance. Based on his own logical reasoning, Xu Qian'an preferred the latter possibility. Although he had no alibi, there was no evidence to prove that he had committed murder.

Reasoning is reasoning, but if there is no solid evidence, the presumption of innocence is presumption...

The county magistrate turned to look at the woman and said, "Ms. Zhang Yang, I want to ask

you, you have been married to Zhang Yourui for ten years, but you have no children. Why are

you pregnant now? Tell me the truth, did you have an affair with your stepson and murder your husband?"

Ms. Zhang Yang was startled and cried, "Sir, I am innocent. I am not in good health. I have been taking care of myself every day in recent years. I finally got pregnant with my husband's

child. How can you accuse me of murdering my husband based on this?"

She cried.

How could the truth be found out by such an interrogation? Xu Qian'an looked at the water- loving woman for a moment, and a good idea came to his mind.