Bastard's Counterattack [Rebirth]

"Who? Come out!" shouted the head of the imperial guard, drew his sword with a slap, and rushed forward to protect the imperial envoy.

Qi Zhiyang opened his mouth thoughtfully, but didn't speak, thinking to himself: who is here?Brother Rong had a secret conversation with Xie Ting for a long while today, Xie Ting is His Royal Highness Prince Qing's effective guard, so I am inconvenient to ask more questions...

"What's going on in the room?" Rong Youtang frowned in doubt.

Qi Zhiyang said cautiously: "It's hard to say."

After the four asked questions, the "russling" sound in the ear room disappeared instantly, and there was a deathly silence.

Huang Li picked up the knife, landed silently, quickly dodged behind the pillar of the ear room, kicked the door suddenly, and said angrily: "Who is playing tricks inside? Come out immediately, or you will be welcome!"

A moment later, a steward of Ji's family and two young servants crawled out, shaking like sifting chaff, kneeling softly, kowtowing repeatedly, begging: "My lord, spare my life, my lord!"

"The little one was just confused for a moment, and reached out for the first time, begging for forgiveness."

"My lord, please forgive me, I won't dare again in the future, I swear I will put the things back as they were!"

Among them, when the steward kowtowed, he accidentally threw out two small gold cups inlaid with red emeralds from his sleeves, and the gold and jade glistened in the lantern light.

Oh, it turned out to be a house thief.

Seeing that Ji Ping was going to be in bad luck, some bold and greedy servants began to steal and resell the items they could get in these two days.

"What else is hidden on the body? Take it out by yourself, don't ask us to do a body search." The head of the guard ordered.He's seen this a lot, so he's not surprised.

Holding the lantern, Rong Youtang quickly walked into the ear room and walked around:

Small pieces of exquisite porcelain, bundled scrolls, gold and silver utensils, etc. were piled up on the table in a mess. The three of them were dividing up the spoils just now, and the dispute became a little louder, so outsiders noticed.

Qi Zhiyang followed closely behind and glanced around, and the two looked at each other helplessly.After returning to the eaves of the corridor, the three house thieves took out many gold, silver and jade rings, earrings, hair accessories, etc. from their arms, sleeves, shoes, and waistbands, etc., and put them in a small pile on the ground. His head was almost retracted into the cavity, sobbing and begging for mercy.

"Did the monkeys scatter when the tree fell?" Qi Zhiyang was expressionless.

Rong Youtang looked around the pavilions in the backyard, and asked in a deep voice, "Where's your housekeeper?"

"Reply, back to the words of the imperial envoy: the steward follows my lord, and they handle official business in the front hall."

"Oh? Still dealing with business in the middle of the night?" Qi Zhiyang raised his eyebrows.

"Yes, yes, my lord and Mr. Gan, they are assisting the imperial envoy to solve the case." The steward replied against his will.

Although Ji Ping and Gan Hongxin will definitely not be able to escape severe punishment, the key evidence has not yet been obtained. For the sake of the safety of Guanzhou, the imperial envoy temporarily stands still and sends people to closely monitor Ji and Gan.

Rong Youtang smiled and nodded: "I see. So, you took advantage of the dead of night to steal his property?"

The steward immediately kowtowed like garlic, "呯呯呯", lowered his voice tremblingly and begged: "My lord, please forgive me, I beg your forgiveness, the little one was just confused for a while, and I was arrested without taking one thing out. Huh, huh, come on, villain." There is a seventy-year-old boy, and a three-year-old child, and the family really can't get rid of it."

The two servants also suppressed their throats as much as possible, crying hard:

"The little family is poor, and my old lady has been sick for many years. I can't find a good doctor to get rid of the root cause of her disease. I was greedy when I was in a hurry. It's really a last resort."

"I swear by the villain, I swear! The three of us are purely wicked. Seeing that others took so much away, we took the courage to do it a little bit, but we were caught before we took it away."

Without saying a word, Rong Youtang flicked the piles of precious jewelry with his toes, pondered for a while, and said softly: "How many valuable items have been stolen? It's not good."

"Hey, I'm so busy that I don't have enough manpower. Fortunately, I found it in time!" Qi Zhiyang muttered to his companion for a while, then strode up to the three thieves, and stopped majestically: "Okay, okay! Stealing is stealing, sophistry." What? There are a lot of poor people in the world, but others are working hard to make a living, but you are a thief, and you have the nerve to cry?"

With a wave of his hand, Rong Youtang ordered simply and neatly: "A Li, call some arrests to come quickly, interrogate them thoroughly, and recover the stolen items as much as possible."

Once Ji Ping and Gan Hongxin are convicted, at least they ransacked their homes and beheaded them. They must also collect the stolen money from the He family's filial piety and the unscrupulous business. Those who will be confiscated in the future will be confiscated. ——Those who didn't know the inside story thought they were being enriched by imperial envoys!

"Yes!" Chief Huang Lichui led the three thieves to the brightly lit front hall.

The remaining three continued to move forward, preparing to go through the garden and through the waist gate to the prison not far away.

Qi Zhiyang grieved, and couldn't help but mutter: "There is not enough manpower, there is not enough manpower."

"General Sang probably has received a secret letter, I hope he will bring someone to help as soon as possible." Rong Youtang couldn't hide his worry, and said with joy: "I really didn't expect that we brought such a large group of people out!"

"Haha, it's my first time as an imperial envoy, and to have this experience, no matter how hard I work, it's worth it!" Although Qi Zhiyang looked tired, he was full of enthusiasm, and said gratefully: "Qi is fortunate to be appreciated and supported by His Royal Highness Prince Qing in this life, If not, where would it be my turn to be an imperial envoy?" If I didn't have the encounter at the beginning of the year, I should still be waiting for the opportunity in Guanzhong.

Rong Youtang smiled, raised his hand and pushed aside a bunch of flower branches, and said sincerely: "Brother Qi was promoted to general when he was in Guanzhong. Take care, when we return to Beijing, we must set up a table of beer wine, let's have a drink to our heart's content!"

"It's a deal!" Qi Zhiyang quickly slapped his companion across the face.

The head of the imperial guard smiled and said: "Master Rong's banquet will naturally have to go, and you have to bring your brothers with you, so that our rough warriors will have the scholarly atmosphere of the champion."

Rong Youtang nodded happily: "My father must be very happy if you all come!"

Running around for days and having a rare free time, the three of them chatted and laughed in low voices as they walked quickly through the back garden.

The night is as dark as ink, the first quarter moon is covered by clouds, only revealing a hazy jade light, and the sky is lonely with a few stars, twinkling and dimming.

Just as they were about to reach the waist gate, a timid call suddenly came from behind the rockery: "Master Imperial Envoy, please stay!"

In fact, needless to say, the three imperial envoys had already stopped, and the head of the imperial guards habitually "swished" his sword and asked, "Who?"

Ji Xue's heart was beating like a drum, her palms were covered with cold sweat, and she walked out slowly with her maid's forearm on her arm. She was only fifteen years old, and she had only a pearl hairpin inserted obliquely on her head. She had no jewelry other than that, and was dressed in a primrose color. Cloak, elegant and beautiful.

"Minister Ji Xue, I pay my respects to the two imperial envoys." Ji Xue bowed profusely, with a gentle and timid voice.

The imperial envoy and his party looked at each other: In the middle of the night, you, a boudoir girl, ran out to intercept three strange men? !

Qi Zhiyang frowned immediately. He has two sons and a daughter, and he didn't appreciate the little girl's behavior very much.

"Miss Ji, please." Rong Youtang was full of doubts, and asked straight to the point: "What's the matter, miss?"

"Thank you, sir." Ji Xue got up, did not dare to raise her head, raised her eyes to quickly glance at the young and handsome imperial envoy, her heart beat like a deer, her voice was like a mosquito, and she said in an inaudible way: "Ministers know that they are rude, but there is really no other way." The only way to do this is to make a bad move.”

"If you have something to say, please speak up." Rong Youtang urged patiently.They are in the same boat as Ji Pingshi, but there is no need to make things difficult for Ji's family members at present.

"Minnv, Minnv want to tell the two imperial envoys: Minnv, mother, and brothers have no idea what my father is doing outside the country. My father left us many years ago. If he didn't worry about divorcing his wife and affecting the official voice, we would be here in this courtyard. I can't stay here anymore." Ji Xue's voice trembled with nervousness at the beginning, then gradually calmed down, and she spoke a little faster with excitement.

"What exactly does Miss Ji want to say?" Rong Youtang was confused, and said euphemistically: "There is no conclusion yet, we are investigating."

"It's late at night, girl, go back quickly." Qi Zhiyang said with a stern look: "I'll be busy with business, if there is nothing important—"

"Yes, yes!" Ji Xue quickly raised her head, exchanged a glance with Rong Youtang, then hurriedly lowered her head, her cheeks blushing, and her fingers tightened her handkerchief.She was so old, and it was the first time she saw such a talented young master Pianpian, at the age when she was in love, so she couldn't help thinking about it.

Seeing this, Rong Youtang took two steps back in embarrassment, turning his face away—thanks to Zhou Xiaotong, he was instinctively wary of girls with delicate and delicate appearances.

Qi Zhiyang smiled secretly, he had already married, and he was focused on making achievements. He only treated the little girl like a child, and asked dignifiedly: "Miss Ji, we are really involved in official business, what is your important matter? If it is not convenient to speak, you can ask someone else to convey it. "

"This matter is considered a family scandal, so it is not appropriate to publicize it, lest my mother will be irritated." Ji Xue explained calmly, seeing Rong Youtang's avoidance and retreat, she couldn't help feeling deeply melancholy and disappointed.Gathering her mind, she plucked up her courage, and with the blood and fearlessness unique to fifteen or sixteen years old, she resolutely said: "My mother was poisoned and ill, and she has lost her vitality. My brother is a man, so I have many scruples, but I am not afraid to bear the burden." Notoriety, let’s kill relatives righteously! What I want to expose is: About ten years ago, my father Ji Ping accidentally rescued a beautiful Jianghu girl named Xia Xiaoman, who was fascinated by it. I once heard my father and mother quarreling with my own ears. It is said that the woman made poison without authorization and raised poisonous insects. She poisoned and murdered my mother but failed, and then my father took it to Shangfeng. I don't know what to do with it. In addition, before Xia Xiaoman appeared, every During the holidays, strangers would always give generous gifts, and they were all sent to the summer house, and over the years, it is estimated that the walls have been built with silver and the floor has been paved with gold."

"..."

The three imperial envoys had weird expressions and were silent for a long time, shouting in their hearts:

What a righteous girl!

However, a Jianghu woman who is good at making drugs?

"Ahem." Rong Youtang cleared his throat, inexplicably wanting to laugh, he probably understood the other party's thoughts: Ji Ping would most likely let go of his wife and daughter, neglected for many years, causing resentment from his wife and children.Ji Xue was holding back hard, and now there is still a possibility of being convicted, she might as well make a meritorious service by exposing her and saving her mother and child.

"Xia Mansion on Tong'an Street?" Rong Youtang quickly calmed down, and asked seriously, "Does Xia Xiaoman still live there?"

"Yes!" Ji Xue nodded affirmatively, anxiously urging: "She can't run away even if she wants to, but adults, please hurry up and arrest her."

"Why can't she run away?" Qi Zhiyang asked with a straight face.He is also a father. Facing the daughter of someone else's family who righteously killed his relatives, his mood is really complicated.

"She has a heart of snakes and scorpions, and she will never do bad things. She suffered retribution a few days ago!"

Ji Xue no longer concealed it, and lifted her head happily to relieve her hatred, the desire to protect her mother and brothers overwhelmed all worries.Enduring her shame, she explained in detail: "Xia Xiaoman has been married for many years, but none of them survived. This year, she had another one, but a few days ago, she had a difficult labor again and gave birth to a stillborn baby. She was severely injured, unable to move, and could only stay in bed. Recuperate. However, according to reliable sources, several large carriages drove away from the back door of the Xia residence in the middle of the night yesterday, and their whereabouts are unknown. I suspect that they are transferring stolen goods, and I beg the imperial envoy to investigate thoroughly!"

"Is this serious?" Qi Zhiyang raised his eyebrows.

Ji Xue bit her lip, blushed, and admitted in embarrassment: "It's absolutely true! I sent someone to watch the Xia Zhai day and night to inquire about the news."

Rong Youtang and Qi Zhiyang met to discuss a few words, and said gently: "Thank you Miss Ji for reporting the important news, we already know, you go back."

Ji Xue hesitated to speak, she was smart and quick-witted, through the dim light, she could feel some appreciation in Rong Youtang's eyes, she was in a good mood immediately, and she was indescribably happy and satisfied.

"I have something important to do, so excuse me." After Qi Zhiyang finished speaking, he had walked a foot away, Rong Youtang nodded politely, and hurried to the prison.

"My lord, go slowly." Ji Xue couldn't help but catch up two steps, bowed her head and bowed her knees, solemnly blessed her, and suppressed a small smile.The night wind blows, and the primrose-colored cloak wraps tightly around the exquisite and graceful girl's body, making her look graceful.

a quarter of an hour later

The three of Rong Youtang rushed to the prison.

The head catcher Yao Sheng who was dozing on the table was startled awake, rubbed his eyes hastily, and said very tiredly: "Ah? Ouch! The little one knocked on the imperial envoy."

"Get up."

"No need to be polite."

"It's the middle of the night, what's your lord doing here?" Yao Sheng raised his sleeves to wipe away the drool that drool in his sleep, stretched his uniform nervously, and trotted towards him diligently with a lantern.

Rong Youtang asked casually: "Are the prisoners safe?"

"An Fen, they are very honest! The little ones keep an eye on them, please rest assured." Yao Sheng patted his chest firmly.

Qi Zhiyang walked straight towards the depths of the prison, scanning left and right, and carefully looked at the sleeping, weeping, or numb criminals in each cell.

"Keep an eye on it, it's a critical juncture right now, and nothing can go wrong." Rong Youtang solemnly urged.

"Yes, yes." Yao Sheng and several guards nodded and bowed, learning to lower their voices.They knew each other well, and led the way to He Shuo's cell spontaneously without ordering.

Yamen prisons all over the world may be different in shape and size, but they have one thing in common: lifeless.

This smell, this feeling...

Rong Youtang had mixed feelings, sighed silently, and he thought of the time when he was imprisoned in his previous life and his life was worse than death.

Immediately, the group walked to the deepest part of the prison. The cell at the end was also gloomy and gloomy during the day, and He Shuo was currently being held alone.

The two guards stayed outside the door, set up a table and two chairs, drank strong tea to watch the night, and held their sabers. When they saw the imperial envoy and the leader, they hurriedly stood up to greet them: "My lord?"

"But He Shuo is going to be interrogated?"

Rong Youtang nodded, and said with a smile: "Thank you for your hard work, wait until tomorrow and get a good sleep."

"It's not hard, we also watch the night in the palace."

"Aren't the two adults resting too? Come, please sit down."

"No need." Rong Youtang shook his head again and said, "Xiao Shan, open the cell door."

"Yes."

"How is he?" Qi Zhiyang nodded He Shuo, who was hidden in a dark corner.

The companion took out the key and opened the prison door, which was wrapped in layers of iron chains. Li Xiaoshan quickly replied: "Since we took over, we have gone in to check every two quarters of an hour. He doesn't eat, drink or talk, and has been sitting in the corner."

"Oh?" Qi Zhiyang was a little surprised. He thought that the captured thief leader would yell and curse in disbelief.

Rong Youtang patted the shoulders of the two guards affectionately, and said with a smile: "A Li has made noodle soup, and it is warm in the pot. You go to pad your stomach, walk around, and loosen your muscles and bones. The three of us will interrogate the thief." head."

"Yes."

"Thank you, sir." The two guards nodded gratefully, and walked away quickly, holding their knives side by side. They have been guarded since the evening until now, and they are dizzy and chest tight due to the unique suffocating smell of the dungeon.

There was a long and piercing sound of "creak", accompanied by the crisp sound of the heavy iron chain "cracker", and the cell door was slowly pushed open.

Qi Zhiyang stepped in first, and Rong Youtang casually lit the spare candlestick on the table, and brought it in.

The night in the second half of August is very cool, and it is even colder in the depths of the prison.

It was probably because the imperial envoys were waiting to interrogate the thieves at any time, the ground was swept clean, and the three-foot-wide wooden bed was covered with a layer of hay.

He Shuo was lying on the bed, leaning against the corner of the wall, motionless. To prevent him from committing suicide, he was handcuffed and fettered, his mouth was gagged, his hair was disheveled and his body was dirty, and he bowed his head and closed his eyes.

"He Shuo?" Qi Zhiyang leaned forward, reached out and tore off the gag.

"What are you doing here?" He Shuo asked in a hoarse voice, unable to detect any emotion.

Holding a candlestick, Rong Youtang approached, fixedly inspecting the prisoner, and said softly, "I want to talk to you."

"You Guanying, Ji Ping, and Gan Hongxin, the three of them bit dogs and exposed each other. In the end, they all said that they were coerced by you and forced to become accomplices." Qi Zhiyang made nonsense with dignity.

"Don't cows drink water and forcefully press their heads?" He Shuo kept his head down, as if all the strength in his body had been exhausted during the scuffle during the day.

Rong Youtang said slowly: "Of course not. They already have a lot of greed, they have the same smell, they deceive the people above and below, and make a lot of black-hearted money. Now that something happened, they desperately shirk their responsibility."

"Your surname is Rong, you will die badly." He Shuo said in a flat tone, cursing every word, with a pale face.

"You—" Qi Zhiyang stared, but was stopped by Rong Youtang:

"Everyone is mortal. Anyway, no one has the ability to leave this world alive. It doesn't matter if you die a miserable death. When the time comes, close your eyes and kick your legs, your soul will have a place to go. I don't care what the body does?" Rong Youtang Ask calmly.

He Shuo finally raised his head, his eyes were lifeless, like two pools of stagnant water, the bags under his eyes were terribly swollen, his cheekbones were high, and he smiled mockingly: "You are young and still young, but you have such open-minded views, no wonder the old man and his son lost to you together .”

"You are not losing to me, but to justice. Since ancient times, 'If you do many injustices, you will die yourself', don't you know this truth?" Rong Youtang clearly pointed out.

He Shuo sneered, and the shackles clanged, and scoffed: "Rong, you are still too young. Yes, my father and son are indeed heinous in the eyes of the world, murdering and arson is beyond conscience - but if there are not many of you If you meddle in other people's business, we will always be able to get away with it! You have cut off other people's lives, and you are doomed to die a bad death."

Qi Zhiyang curled his lips indifferently: "I crawled out of the dead on the battlefield, I'm so scared!"

"Everyone in the You Party agrees that you have been coerced by your influence and succumbed to doing evil." Rong Youtang spoke nonsense solemnly, and stated slowly: "They said that you forced gold, silver, treasures, wine and beauties during the holidays. Threatening and threatening to hurt their family members by drawing knives, they had no choice but to accept it.”

After working together for many years, He Shuo knows You Guanying and others very well, and knows that the other party has long wanted to withdraw and stop. He used the handle to tie the four of them firmly into a boat of grasshoppers.

"Reluctant to accept bribes?" He Shuo shook his head sneeringly, and said contemptuously, "Why don't they say that the old man used a knife to persecute his lecherous beauty? If you don't play, you will be a coward?"

Rong Youtang was stunned, the corners of his mouth twitched, speechless.

"According to their confession, you have detailed accounts of bribery and witnesses you handled, don't you?" Qi Zhiyang asked bluntly.

"So what?" He Shuo smiled, and changed his sitting position, leisurely.

"You murdered the imperial envoy and did a lot of evil, so you will surely die. Don't you want to overthrow the party who betrayed you?" Qi Zhiyang tried his best to persuade.

He Shuo shook his head, full of interest, looking at the imperial envoy who was eager to find physical witnesses, with resentment and excitement shining in his eyes, he stared at Rong Youtang and said: "The old man has already figured out the character of You Guanying and others. Integrity and loyalty have nothing to do with it, otherwise how can we drag it into trouble? So, whatever they do to smear the old man, distort the facts and fabricate evidence, let the dog bite the dog. The old man would rather let them shirk as they wish, than let you solve the case as you wish!"

Qi Zhiyang lowered his face, held his arms restrainedly, and suppressed his anger.

"He Shuo, you are too ridiculous! When you are about to die, you still want to exonerate your enemy?" Rong Youtang sighed pitifully.

"Provocative method? Want to induce a confession? You are too tender!" He Shuo sneered.

"Alas~" Rong Youtang sighed, bent down and grabbed a piece of hay from the wooden bed, straightened the bent wax core, illuminated a dark corner, and said calmly: "Yes, I participated in the investigation of He Zhongxiong's collusion In the case of the bandits, a lot of evidence was seized and handed over. But, you should know that I was just a young man in the army at the time. He was distracted, so he handed over He Zhongxiong to the local government." After a pause, Rong Youtang asked in a low voice: "Do you want to know what happened to He Zhongxiong in the dungeon of the Ministry of Criminal Justice, the night before his conviction, and the night before his execution?"

"What?" He Shuo blurted out and asked, it was about his dead son, he couldn't pretend he didn't care.

Rong Youtang raised his head, his eyes were clear, and he said seriously: "It was only later that I learned that He Zhongxiong was escorted to Beijing by You Guanying himself after he was handed over to Governor Hejian. The night before, You Guanying retired from the prison guards and had a private conversation with He Zhongxiong for [-] minutes. He Zhongxiong pleaded guilty the next day and sent him back to the cell. Did not bite the excursion party."

"My son was tortured and beaten by King Qing, you are Zhao Zeyong's lackey, you will die!" He Shuo shouted in surprise.

Qi Zhiyang's eyes widened in surprise, and he categorically reprimanded: "It's ridiculous! Your Highness is a prince, and he is famously upright. It is absolutely impossible to lynch your son! Besides, the evidence of He Zhongxiong's crime is solid, and he can be convicted after trial. At the time of the handover, hundreds of people witnessed with their own eyes that your son was intact and was not tortured, it was clearly the murder of You Guanying."

"He Shuo, you claim to know You Guanying, but with all due respect, you are being misunderstood by your cleverness." Rong Youtang calmly reminded: "You have never thought about why He Zhongxiong didn't bite You Guanying? It's just because of worry." Are you implicating your family?"

"I—" He Shuo was at a loss for words, his eyes straightened, and he sat limply against the wall.Human nature, he subconsciously believes that his son is willing to plead guilty to save his father.

However, when life is at stake, the human instinct is to preserve oneself, if only to live a few more days.

Qi Zhiyang informed: "He Shuo, even if you refuse to hand over the witnesses, it's okay, because His Majesty ordered us to thoroughly investigate the case of Guanzhou New Deal taxation, not the case of party rioters."

Rong Youtang nodded in agreement, and said solemnly: "However, if you refuse to hand over the evidence, You Guanying will at most be downgraded and fined. He has received a huge amount of bribes from you, which is enough to enjoy prosperity and wealth."

"I, I..." He Shuo was in a turmoil, gasping for breath, his eyes were bloodshot, he suddenly jumped up from the corner of the wall, and rushed towards Rong Youtang.