If the Xinye County Magistrate had been someone else, Liu Xin would have ordered his personal guards to lead Chen Laohan's family to the Houya for a search. But the County Magistrate was Kuai Liang's son Kuai Xiu, so Liu Xin had to be more cautious. After all, Houya might
The female relatives of the Kuai family live here.
The reason why Liu Xin is cautious is not because the Kuai family is the leading big family in Xiangyang. There are also many nobles who are more powerful than the Kuai family who were confiscated and exterminated by Liu Xin. Liu Xin is entirely because when he first arrived in Xiangyang, no matter Kuai Liang or Kuai Yue
His brothers and the entire Kuai family have given him a lot of help, and he must save some face for the Kuai family.
Since Old Man Chen said that his eldest son was injured by a government officer, as long as Old Chen's family can identify the responsible government officer, this matter can be basically confirmed, and Kuai Xiu will be unable to deny it.
Old Chen's eldest son did not come alone. He was accompanied by one of Old Chen's grandsons. This grandson is also standing in the lobby. After hearing the order, Old Chen's grandson stepped forward tremblingly.
, stared at the government officials for a long time, and finally shook his head and said: "No."
Seeing the disappointed expressions of Old Chen and his family, Liu Xin asked in a deep voice: "Kuaixiu, are all the government servants here?"
During the process of identifying Old Man Chen's grandson, Kuai Xiu remained calm. After hearing Liu Xin's question, he said calmly: "Back to my lord, they are all here."
For a long time, yamen service was not considered a formal profession, but just a form of corvee service for the common people. Their labor was unpaid. However, after Liu Xin came to power, he completely changed this system.
Nowadays, under the rule of Liu Xin, yamen servants in various counties and counties have become a formal profession. They must be evaluated by superiors every year. Those who pass the test will continue to serve, while those who fail will be eliminated. It is not the county magistrate who evaluates yamen servants, but the county magistrate.
The government sent a dedicated person to take charge. Although the evaluation was extremely strict, the government officials were still unwilling to give up this profession because the treatment of the government officials was equally generous, which was basically the same as that of regular army soldiers, but the dangers were greatly reduced.
In order not to affect the evaluation results, the yamen servants will work conscientiously. Except for vacation days, even the yamen servants who are not on duty will take the initiative to stay in the yamen until dusk before returning home, just to prevent things from going wrong and being dismissed.
According to the rules formulated by Liu Xin, when the county government evaluates government officials, what the county magistrate Kuai Xiu said can only serve as a reference. What really determines the future of these government officials is their performance and the comments of the people. Therefore, Kuai Xiu said
Liu Xin still believed that all the government officials were here. Even if Kuai Xiu deliberately concealed it, all the government officials in the county were registered. Cai Mao, the prefect of Xiangyang, also had this list, so Kuai Xiu couldn't hide it if he wanted to.
By the same token, Liu Xin even suspected that it was impossible for these government servants to commit murder on behalf of Kuai Xiu.
Of course, the possibility of these government servants being bribed by Kuai Xiu was not ruled out. Moreover, Liu Xin could also see that Chen Laohan and his family were ordinary people who were honest and friendly, unlike treacherous people who could blackmail the county magistrate.
After pondering for a long time, Liu Xin finally said: "Kui Xiu, in order to prove your innocence, Liu has no choice but to apologize and ask the guards to search your back office."
Kuai Xiu hesitated for a moment and said: "Going back to my lord, the yamen of Xiaguan are indeed the family members of Xiaguan, and there are no outsiders. If my lord does not believe it, Xiaguan is willing to call all the family members out and let them identify each other."
Although it would be embarrassing to call out the female family members to show themselves in front of others, it would be even more embarrassing if these soldiers were allowed to search the back office and cause chaos. It was the lesser of two evils, and Kuai Xiu had no choice but to compromise.
Liu Xin nodded and asked Kuai Xiu to return to the back office. The entire county government office had been surrounded by flying tiger guards, making it difficult for Kuai Xiu to fly. Besides, the local army stationed in Xinye was also notified and strengthened the security at the city gate.
Check. However, the local army has no subordinate relationship with the county magistrate. Even if Kuai Xiu escapes from the county government, he will not be able to leave Xinye City.
As expected, Kuai Xiu had no intention of escaping, and quickly gathered all the women at home and brought them into the lobby. At this time, there were not many people in the lobby. Liu Xin still paid attention to humaneness in doing things, in order not to make the scene too embarrassing.
, he drove out the government servants and most of the personal guards, and even Old Chen's family was left with only Old Chen and his eldest daughter-in-law, the mother of the girl who was robbed.
As soon as these female relatives entered the lobby, Liu Xin noticed that something was wrong. A woman in costume who was surrounded by several maids was obviously reluctant and was almost carried out, while Kuai Xiu kept whispering and persuading beside her.
Needless to say, this woman must be Kuai Xiu's wife. The Kuai family is a famous family in Jingzhou, and Kuai Liang and Kuai Yue are important ministers under Liu Xin. Kuai Xiu's wife must also be from a famous family, and now she is being pulled out.
When confronted, it is normal to have this reaction.
Unexpectedly, when the woman saw Old Man Chen, his father-in-law and his daughter-in-law, she suddenly broke away from the maid beside her like crazy, rushed over at once, and cried bitterly: "Grandpa, mother, why are you here? Are daddy and the others okay?
"
Liu Xin's face darkened and she shouted angrily: "Kuaixiu, what else do you have to say!"
Kuai Xiu's face was full of astonishment, and she said in a calm voice: "My lord, when did Zhuo Jing know them, I don't even know, so I really don't know where to start."
The woman suddenly turned around and said loudly to Kuai Xiu: "How many times have I told you that my name is Yu Niang. I don't know you at all, let alone your wife, but you just don't listen. Now I want to
go home!"
Liu Xin looked at Kuai Xiu and then at the woman who called herself Yu Niang. She couldn't help but sneered and said, "Interesting, Liu will have to investigate clearly today."
After saying that, Liu Xin strode behind the middle table, sat down on the imperial chair, slapped the gavel hard, and said loudly: "Come here, bring Kuai Xiu!"
Kuai Xiu was in the hall, and he didn't need anyone to escort him. He hurriedly walked to the front, knelt on the ground, kowtowed and said, "I'm here."
Even if you see the emperor, there is no need to kneel down or prostrate, except for criminals. Even suspects must kneel down when being questioned. As a county magistrate, Kuai Xiu often has to deal with some disputes and hear some cases, so he naturally knows
rule.
Liu Xin pointed at the woman and said, "Who is this woman?"
Kuai Xiu replied: "She is the wife of Xiaguan, Kuai Fei."
The woman suddenly shouted: "Nonsense, I don't know you at all!"
"Pa", Liu Xin slapped the wooden door and yelled: "No noise in the lobby, otherwise you will be pulled down and punished twenty times!"
The woman didn't dare to speak anymore, but she was pulled into the arms of Old Man Chen's daughter-in-law, and the two cried together. It didn't look like she was being hypocritical. Judging from the behavior of Old Man Chen's family and the woman, Liu Xin was more willing to
I believe that this woman is the granddaughter of Old Man Chen, called Yu Niang, and not the Kuai Su family. But Kuai Xiu is still stubborn even when she is about to die, which makes Liu Xin a little puzzled. There must be something fishy in this.
Liu Xin frowned, then turned to Kuai Xiu and asked: "As the magistrate of Xinye County, you don't know these common people. How can you know your wife if she doesn't leave home? Kuai Xiu, Liu
I want to hear your explanation."
Kuai Xiu sighed and said: "The family scandal should not be made public. Now that the matter has come to this, Xiaguan has nothing to hide. Zhuojing is from Jiangxia. He married into the Kuai family two years ago and went to Xinye with Xiaguan last year. But Zhuojing
She has always been dissatisfied with this marriage and has made many quarrels to return to her parents' home. Six days ago, she ran out of the county office while the maid was not paying attention. Fortunately, the official got the news in time and chased her back. Zhuo Jing had never left the county before.
Yamen, I must have met this family during that trip."
"It turns out that your wife is from the Fei family of Jiangxia." Liu Xin nodded and looked at the woman again. Then she realized that the woman was quite beautiful, but she didn't look like a lady in her movements, so she couldn't help but care.
He said, "Old man Chen, when was your granddaughter snatched into the county government office by Kuai Xiu?"
Old man Chen hurriedly knelt down next to Kuai Xiu, pointed at Kuai Xiu, and said, "Sir, the little old man's granddaughter was snatched away by him six days ago."
Liu Xin nodded and said: "The time is right. Kuai Xiu, what evidence do you have to prove that this woman is your wife Kuai Fei?"
Kuai Xiu was stunned and said: "What kind of proof do you need? Don't you know your own wife? Besides, even if the official admits his mistake, do all the maids and servants in my family also admit their mistake?"
Liu Xin said "Oh" and turned around to ask the female relatives of Kuai Xiu's family. As a result, these female relatives unanimously proved that this woman was Kuai Xiu's wife Kuai Fei. In addition to some low-status maids, these female relatives also had Kuai Xiu.
He married two concubines. It stands to reason that after Kuai Xiu's wife is gone, these concubines have the possibility to rise to the top. It would be more reasonable not to recognize her as his wife.
After pondering for a moment, Liu Xin still couldn't figure it out, so she turned to Old Chen Chen's grandparents and said, "You say she is Chen Yuniang, what evidence do you have?"
Hearing Liu Xin's question, the two women quickly knelt down. The older woman said, "Sir, Yu Niang is the flesh that fell from the body of a civilian woman. How could a civilian woman admit her mistake?"
I remember that Yu Niang had a small birthmark on her waist..."
"It's so good, you'll know it once you test it!" Liu Xin was overjoyed, pointing to an older maid and said, "Take her to the back to test it."
After a short time, the two people turned back from the back office. The maid knelt on the ground and said, "Sir, she does have a birthmark as big as a fingernail on her waist. It's just that she looks too much like my wife.
I really can't see any difference."
Liu Xin laughed loudly and said: "Now the truth has been revealed, she is Chen Yuniang, not Kuai Fei."
Old Han Chen’s ancestors and grandson kowtowed together and said, “Thank you, sir, for taking the decision!”
"No, this is impossible!" Kuai Xiu suddenly jumped up hysterically and said loudly, "They must have colluded with each other! Didn't they just say that the officials ordered the government officials to injure their family members? But they couldn't identify them.