When Meng Zimo brought Niu Zhi outside the county magistrate's office, it was already dark. Fortunately, there were two lanterns hanging under the porch, which made me see clearly.

Several officials were already whispering outside the county magistrate's office. Meng Zimo could see at a glance that these people were all officials from the Zheng Cao.

The six Caos of Zhen County and the Duwei Mansion are nominally subordinate to the County Magistrate's Mansion, but everyone knows that the county magistrate of the County Magistrate's Mansion does not have much power.

The reason for the establishment of the county magistrate's office in Zhen County was actually to make Zhen County at least nominally still belong to the territory controlled by the Tang Dynasty, and half of the six cavalry below were in name but not real.

The households are nominally responsible for taxes, but in fact, the taxes in Zhen County are collected by the Zhenhou Mansion. The households cannot even collect one tael of silver. Instead, they often send people to help the Zhenhou Mansion calculate the accounts. As for the four chiefs of soldiers, rituals, labour, and officials, it is even more useless.

Among the six Caos, the only one with real power is Xing Cao.

However, as we all know, the official of the Zheng Cao Cao Cao, Lu Siyuan, was directly recommended by the Zhen Hou Mansion to the court. This person was originally from the Xiling clan. Although the Zhen Hou Mansion pretended to behave and did not directly use the Zhen family, the Lu family was also a powerful family in Zhen County, and directly clinged to the feet of the Zhen Hou Mansion. The Zheng Cao controlled by Lu Siyuan was equivalent to the Zhen Hou Mansion's own territory.

When Meng Zimo saw the officer of the Zheng Cao whispering in front of the county magistrate's palace, a sneer appeared on his lips.

When the people of Xingcao saw Meng Zimo and a few people coming over, they naturally recognized him as the people of the Duwei Mansion. Each of them had no good looks. If it were in the early years, they might have deliberately provoked him. However, Han Yunong is in charge of the Duwei Mansion. Han Yunong is also famous in Zhen County. Zhenhou Mansion is a little afraid, so the people of Xingcao naturally dare not provoke the Duwei Mansion easily.

Meng Zimo went forward and saw that the gate of the county magistrate's mansion was open. Four sword-like guards lined up in front of the mansion and bowed, saying, "Men Zimo of the Duwei Mansion, was ordered to lead the prisoner Niu Zhi to come and talk."

The escort of the county magistrate's office had obviously received the order long ago. When he heard Niu Zhi's name, he immediately made a way out. Meng Zimo was about to step forward, and a guard reached out to stop him: "Niu Zhi comes in, you are waiting outside."

Meng Zimo didn't argue, and turned around and nodded to Niu Zhi.

Niu Zhi was nervous and did not dare to look directly at the guards. After entering the mansion, someone led him directly through the front yard to the main hall.

The lights were brightly lit in the main hall of the county magistrate's mansion. Niu Zhi walked outside the main hall gate. The person leading the way had already reported: "Sir, the prisoner Niu Zhi brought it here!"

"Let him come in!" A voice came from the hall.

Seeing that the man who led the way made a gesture to him, Niu Zhi hurriedly bowed his hand and entered the hall half-beared. He saw the adult on the main seat wearing an official back on the chair. He knew that the position he could sit in was the county magistrate Du Hongsheng. He stepped forward a few steps and knelt down on the ground: "Little man Niu Zhi, pay homage to the county magistrate."

"Niu Zhi, I ask you, what is the reason for Qin Xiao's resignation without permission?" The voice was not heard from the front, but from his left head, which made Niu Zhi turn his head and look over. He only saw an official staring at him with a chill face, recognizing that it was Lu Siyuan, the official of the Cao Cao.

Before Niu Zhi could answer, he heard Han Yunong's voice coming from his right head: "Mr. Lü, the county magistrate is here to preside over this case, so be at ease."

Han Yunong has a very high reputation in the Duwei Mansion, one of the reasons is that he is particularly protective of his shortcomings.

When Niu Zhi saw Han Yunong beside him, he calmed down. Seeing Lu Hong and Qin Xiao standing at Han Yunong's head, he thought to be careful in every word he said here.

The county magistrate Du Hongsheng coughed and then asked: "Niu Zhi, I asked you, did Qin Xiao leave the Jiazi Prison early yesterday morning?"

"Report to the Lord, that's true." Niu Zhi replied respectfully.

Du Hongsheng nodded and said, "Then where did he go?"

"He went out of the city to chase the head of Lu."

"Why do you want to pursue Captain Lu?"

Niu Zhidao: "Captain Lu took away Wen Budao, the prisoner who was imprisoned in the A-shaped prison yesterday. Although he signed the letter, he forgot to take the documents with him when he left." He looked at Qin Xiao and continued: "Without the documents being brought to Fenggan Mansion, even if the prisoner was escorted, he could not prove that Wen Budao was escorted and could not hand over. Qin Xiao was worried that the prisoner Lu would have gone for nothing, so he took the documents and chased him."

"Is this true?" Du Hongsheng said in a deep voice.

Niu Zhi kowtowed to the ground: "The villain dares not lie."

Lu Siyuan sneered: "Sir, what this person said is not worthy of trust. It must be that the people from the Duwei Mansion secretly colluded with each other, so they made up lies."

"Mr. Lu, you are an official in the Criminal Cao. You should understand that there is no evidence and you can't swear." Han Yunong said lightly: "If you think what Niu Zhi said is untrue, you must always come up with evidence."

Lu Siyuan was about to speak when footsteps came from outside. Everyone followed the sound and saw Zhen Yujiang, a young master in the Zhen family, strode into the hall surrounded by several people.

Everyone present was surprised.

Lu Siyuan immediately showed joy on his face, and he was the first to greet him and bowed, "Young Master!"

Du Hongsheng also got up and walked out of the hall to bow.

Zhen Yujiang was not an official, but his father was Changxin Hou, who was the master of Zhen County. Logically, Du Hongsheng, as the governor of Zhen County, did not have to salute Zhen Yujiang, but he was obviously very afraid of the Zhen family and did not dare to lose courtesy towards Zhen Yujiang.

"Mr. Du continues to try the case." Zhen Yujiang smiled and said, "I heard about this case, so I came here to see what was going on."

Han Yunong did not pretend to be rude to Zhen Yujiang and bowed: "Young Master, this case involves the Duwei Mansion and the Zheng Cao, and has nothing to do with the Zhenhou Mansion, so...!"

"The Duwei Han was wrong." Aide-attack Lang Shenshui stood up from behind Zhen Yujiang, took a documentary deed from his arms, and raised it and shook it: "This is the land deed of Jingou Gambling. In fact, Qiao Leshan had already handed the Jingou Gambling to the Hou Mansion two months ago."

Everyone was shocked.

"Don't get me wrong, it's not that the Hou Mansion wants a gambling house." Lang Shenshui smiled and said, "In order to facilitate the circulation of silver for the people, the Hou Mansion opened a money house in the city many years ago. Qiao Leshan urgently needed a sum of silver and used the Jinhook Gambling House as collateral, so the Jinhook Gambling House is now actually owned by the Hou Mansion." He glanced at Han Yunong and continued, "I heard that this case involved Qiao Leshan. The Hou was worried that the silver borrowed by Qiao Leshan could not be repaid, so he came over to find out what was going on."

Lu Hong couldn't help but say, "We just returned to the city and just explained to the county magistrate about what happened last night. How could the Marquis' Mansion know so quickly that Qiao Leshan was involved?"

"The Zhenhou Mansion was instructed by the saint to guard the people of Zhen County." Lang Shenshui sneered: "At the morning of the morning, some people found many corpses near the inn, and some people recognized that one of them was Qiao Leshan from Jinghook Gambling. Of course, some people reported this horrific murder immediately to the Hou Mansion."

Qin Xiao sneered in his heart, knowing that Lang Shenshui's excuses were nonsense.

Although Jinhook Gambling is quite famous in Turtle City, not many people really know Qiao Leshan.

It is not surprising that several corpses are near the inn, and it is not surprising that people can recognize Qiao Leshan, but it is really incredible.

He knew Qiao Leshan's actions last night, and Zhen Hou's Mansion must have known it clearly in advance, but Qiao Leshan has not come back to report the results for a long time, so Zhen Hou's Mansion will naturally send someone to find out what the situation was.

Although it takes a day to hike from Turtle City to the Inn, if you ride a horse, it will be much faster.

When he returned from the inn, he, Lu Hong and others also returned on foot. If the other party sent someone to ride a horse back and forth, Zhen Yujiang would naturally get the news in advance.

"Come here, let's see the young master!" Du Hongsheng ordered the Yamen to bring a big chair and asked Zhen Yujiang to sit down. Then he said: "Young master, yesterday, the Duwei Mansion sent someone to escort the prisoner Wen Budao to Fenggan Mansion. But halfway through, he encountered a ferocious bandit and kidnapped the prisoner away."

"Kill the prisoner?" Zhen Yujiang asked lightly: "Mr. Du, I don't understand this very much."

Du Hongsheng said to Lu Hong: "Lu Hong, what is going on? Please explain it to the young master in person."

Lu Hong bowed and said, "Young Master, we arrived at the inn last night. Because we were tired from traveling, we drank some wine. After everyone went to bed, I took the prisoners alone. In the middle of the night, Qiao Leshan suddenly led people into the inn."

"What did they do when they broke into the inn?"

"Qiao Leshan wants to ask Wen Bulao's whereabouts." Lu Hong's face did not change: "Wen Bulao's mouth was stubborn and did not surrender."

"You are the officer who escorted the prisoners, so you let Qiao Leshan do whatever he wants?" Lang Shenshui said in a deep voice: "How do you prove that Qiao Leshan is trying to force Wen Budao?"

"Because I am also a participant." Lu Hong said calmly: "Qiao Leshan found me privately a few days ago and asked me and him to ask the whereabouts of the silver from Wen Budao. Once it succeeds, I will give me a silver. I was confused for a moment and agreed to him."

Han Yunong obviously just knew about this situation and his face changed slightly.

Du Hongsheng was also a little surprised and said in a deep voice: "Did you have a private agreement with Qiao Leshan?"

"That's right." Lu Hong said: "The salary of the Duwei Mansion is small, and my family lives a hard life. So when Qiao Leshan promised a lot of money, I was obsessed with greed and agreed to ask Wen Budao with him. We planned in advance that no matter whether Wen Budao informed the whereabouts of the money, we would kill people to silence them. Then I would make up an excuse, saying that a bandit attacked and killed Wen Budao, and then this matter could be covered up."

Zhen Yujiang smiled and said, "Then it's natural that Wen Budao is kidnapped by the thieves."

"This is exactly what we didn't expect." Lu Hong sighed: "We asked for a long time, but Wen Budao never explained it, so Qiao Leshan became interested in killing. It was just at that time that we heard the sound of horse hooves, and immediately guessed that it might be a bandit. Qiao Leshan and I held Wen Budao hostage and escaped from the post station."

"No." Lang Shenshui immediately said: "As far as I know, the firewood in the inn was burned, so why?"

Qin Xiao took a step forward, raised his hand and said, "I burned it."
Chapter completed!