Strange Records of Xijing

"It's all here," the emperor in dragon robe looked at the courtiers standing in front of him in the study and said, "It's time for Pei Jingxing to kill Niu Chunhui."

"Your Majesty," Niu Guogong was the first to come out when he heard the words, and said fiercely, "Then Pei Jingxing killed the only grandson of the old minister, and asked His Majesty to be the master for the old minister!"

The emperor asked indifferently: "What do you think Duke Niu wants?"

Niu Guogong gritted his teeth: "Killing for life is justified."

If these eight words come from the mouths of ordinary people, it would make some sense.But as the Duke of the State, Niu Guogong has been in the court for decades. If he wants to convict a person, even if he doesn't spit out lotus flowers, there should be reasons and evidence, not just summed up in these eight words.

For no other reason than that Niu Chunhui who was hacked to death was his only grandson.

Sometimes Niu Guogong would reflect before going to sleep, whether it was because he didn't accumulate virtue in his previous life that he ended up with a son who died early and a grandson who didn't live up to expectations in this life.Because her son passed away early, Mrs. Niu Guogong transformed her grief into deep love and poured it all on Niu Chunhui when she was sad.

Not only Mrs. Niu Guogong, but Niu Chunhui's mother, who had become a widow early, also regarded Niu Chunhui as her lifeblood.In addition, the wife's natal family is also a respectable family in Xijing, which further fueled Niu Chunhui's arrogance.

Niu Guogong originally saw that Niu Chunhui lost his father at a young age, and he felt sorry for him. In addition, he was old, and like everyone else, he loved his grandson a little more.When Niu Guogong found out that Niu Chunhui was crooked, thinking that this was his only grandson, Niu Guogong could only sigh, and while disciplined him strictly, he was also ready to clean up the mess for Niu Chunhui.

It is always easier for people to do evil than to do good. Once Niu Guogong is prepared for these two methods, the so-called strict discipline will be greatly reduced.When Niu Chunhui's big mistake was made, Niu Guogong had long been unable to recover, so he had to try his best to cover up these unworthy descendants together with Zhu Guogong and the then Minister of the Ministry of Punishment.

Fortunately, the crown prince was also involved in that incident, which meant that the emperor helped them cover it up. An evil deed against human relations that shocked the government and the public was silently concealed for four years.

But just like Xu Shilang said to Pei Jingxing that "people's hearts are unpredictable", although they concealed the truth, they were always worried that it would be spread out one day - that Pei Jingxing, who has always refused to join forces with them, is still alive!

Now that Niu Chunhui was "killed" by Pei Jingxing, Niu Guogong believed that this was Pei Jingxing's revenge, and made up his mind to let Pei Jingxing pay for his grandson's life.As for Zhu Guogong and Zhao Yuanrui, who is now the Secretary of the Ministry of Punishment, they are naturally happy to be a favor - Pei Jingxing is dead, so they can rest assured.

But among the people present, there was another Minister of Rites, Xu Jingzong.

Xu Jingzong's background is not small. His ancestors were married to the royal family many times. His father Xu Jinming served as the chief examiner of the imperial examination three times.

In the early years, he joined the army and went south three times, beating Ye Nanguo in the southwest of the Zhou Dynasty, which had not been very peaceful. He bowed his head to the Zhou Dynasty and paid tribute every year.Later, he abandoned martial arts and followed literature, all the way from an official to a minister of the Ministry of Rites.

The Ministry of Rites is in charge of matters such as sacrifices and imperial examinations, so it can be said that they are high-spirited. After Xu Jingzong entered the Ministry of Rites, he rarely intervened in other political affairs. Whenever he went to court, he was happy to be a gourd.

In fact, it was purely because Xu Jingzong was used to the atmosphere in the barracks, and he didn't want to spend more unnecessary thoughts on this eccentric hall.There are many talents in the imperial court, one more than him is not too many, and one less than him is quite a lot. In addition, Xu Jingzong was more willing to be his minister of rites in peace and contentment because of his old illness on the battlefield.

This shot was entirely because of his friendship with Zhang Feiran, when Pei Jingxing practiced martial arts with Zhang Feiran, Xu Jingzong had met him a few times and knew that he was a man to be made.After Pei Jingxing came back from the Western Regions, Zhang Feiran saved his name, but he couldn't stay in Xijing for long.In desperation, Zhang Feiran had no choice but to entrust his beloved apprentice to Xu Jingzong, asking Xu Jingzong to take care of him for a while.

Xu Jingzong was lazy, Zhang Feiran couldn't stay in Xijing for a long time, both of them forgot to tell Pei Jingxing about this matter.But to be honest, Niu, Zhu and Zhao's family wanted to get rid of Pei Jingxing quickly, even the emperor didn't fully believe that Pei Jingxing could keep this secret forever, if Xu Jingzong jumped out early, he might not be able to enter this study at all today.

No, after Zhu Guogong and Zhao Shangshu finished expressing their opinions, it was Xu Jingzong's turn to speak.

"Your Majesty, yesterday, in the name of His Majesty, I took advantage of the late night to suddenly visit the prison where Pei Jieshi was being held, only to find that there were people there who tortured Pei Jieshi in private. A perfect place."

Xu Jingzong's words were actually exaggerated. Although those jailers were backed by people, they did not dare to torture the Pei family's children.

"What courage!" Although the emperor also wanted Pei Jingxing to die, for the sake of Pei Jin's contribution to saving her back then, he still wanted Pei Jingxing to die happily and leave a whole body.

Hearing Xu Jingzong's words now, the emperor felt uncomfortable - if Pei Jin hadn't stepped forward, he would have been the one who died under the sword of the deposed prince.Although the courtiers usually say that they will do their best before they die, but when their lives are at stake, not everyone can do what Pei Jin does.

Now, for the sake of his own son, he wanted to kill the son of his savior without any trace, which was already a matter of great guilt for this man who picked up a leak and became the emperor.

Of course the emperor can't be wrong, it can only be someone else.

The emperor looked at Zhao Yuanrui, Shangshu of the Ministry of Punishment, and asked directly, "What's going on?"

Zhao Yuanrui scolded Xu Jingzong in his heart, but he pretended to be surprised: "Your Majesty, I don't know that there are jailers in the prison who torture prisoners in private."

That is, those jailers have been aggrieved for a long time, and they finally entered a majestic Jinwuwei Street Envoy, and took all the anger they usually received on him.

The emperor deliberately ignored those obvious doubts, and blamed the jailers for Pei Jingxing's torture, and planned to punish these jailers severely in the future, so it was considered as a vent for Pei Jingxing.

Xu Jingzong didn't want these things. After seeing the emperor's question, he let Zhao Yuanrui go. He knew that this matter was more difficult than he thought.But facing up to difficulties can show his ability of Xu Jingzong.

"Your Majesty, I read the testimony that day, and both sides insist on their own opinions..."

"What are you sticking to? It's clearly Pei Jingxing's sophistry!" Niu Guogong interrupted Xu Jingzong, and said angrily, "Xu Jingzong, don't you want to speak for the murderer?"

Xu Jingzong didn't argue for himself because of Niu Guogong's aggressive attitude, and said unhurriedly: "Since Your Majesty wants us to settle the case, we should investigate all doubtful points. Niu Guogong wants to close the case without investigating the case, don't you want to Is it okay to make everyone in the world think that the court is full of trash? Or is it that Duke Niu wants to bully others and cover up the sky with one hand?"

These words were heartbreaking, even if Duke Niu wished to tear Pei Jingxing into pieces right now, he could only show his loyalty to the emperor above: "Your Majesty, I have no such intention."

"Okay," the emperor became a peacemaker, "Xu Shilang is right, but there were only Niu Chunhui and Pei Jingxing in the room at the time. Unless Niu Chunhui committed suicide, who else could be the killer?"

"Your Majesty, I have a few questions. I would like to ask Niu Chunhui's personal servant. Please allow me to ask your Majesty."

The personal servant that Xu Jingzong referred to was the one who was the first to rush in and yell "Jin Wuwei kills".

The emperor looked at Niu Guogong: "Where is that boy now?"

Niu Guogong replied: "This man failed to protect the Lord, he was beaten up by the servants, and now he is locked in the woodshed."

"bring it here."

The emperor issued an order, and not long after, the boy was carried over by someone—the beating was too heavy, and there was no doctor to treat him in time, the boy's legs were already useless.

This young servant, surnamed Chai Mingtou, entered the palace for the first time and was terrified. He kowtowed to the emperor tremblingly, and stammered, "I have seen Your Majesty, long live long live Your Majesty."

Chai Tou learned this gesture of greeting from opera.But at a critical juncture, no one had time to care whether Chai Tou's courtesy was appropriate or not.

The emperor looked at Xu Jingzong and said, "Xu Shilang, you can ask."

Xu Jingzong stepped out, walked up to Chaitou, and asked, "Why did the Pei Street envoy seek Niu Chunhui that day?"

Chaitou didn't dare to answer, but Niu Guogong on the side snorted and shouted: "You can answer whatever Xu Shilang asks. Hesitating, what a shame!"

Chaitou had no choice but to reply: "The young master saw Pei Jieshi's good friend and wanted to snatch him over, so he made an appointment with Pei Jieshi."

When these words came out, everyone was stunned.

It is well known that Niu Chunhui is not taboo about meat and vegetables, but everyone did not expect that Pei Jingxing also had this hobby, even the emperor couldn't help but stroked his beard.

Xu Jingzong asked again: "Since it's for robbing people, why did you allow Niu Chunhui to meet Pei Jieshi alone? In terms of fighting alone, the three Niu Chunhuis are no match for Pei Jingxing."

"This... this..." Chaitou didn't dare to tell the truth. In desperation, he had no choice but to push the matter to the dead Niu Chunhui, "This is the order of the young master, and the servant dare not disobey."

Niu Chunhui was dead, so Xu Jingzong didn't go into it, and instead asked: "Then tell me about the situation in the house. Was Niu Chunhui already dead when you entered?"

"When I rushed in, the young master was already lying in a pool of blood. Street Envoy Pei was standing in front of the young master. The knife... the knife was not far from the young master."

"The knife wasn't stuck in Niu Chunhui's body?"

"No." Chai Tou shook his head, "I can see clearly that the knife fell not far from the young master, and it is also because of this that the young master lost too much blood and died."

"You know a lot." Xu Jingzong walked around Chaitou and asked again, "Is the saber that killed Niu Chunhui the saber of Pei Jie?"

"No." Chai Tou knew that he couldn't lie about this matter, so he had to answer truthfully.

"Then how did this knife come from?" Xu Jingzong looked at the people present, "If it is true that according to what this boy said, the two of them disagreed, and Pei Jie was so angry that he did it, why didn't he carry it with him? Use the knife you are used to, but use another knife instead?"

"It belongs to the young master!" Seeing Xu Jingzong asking these two questions, Chaitou quickly answered, "That knife belongs to the young master, and it is usually kept in the house. As for why he doesn't use his own knife, it may be because the envoy Pei Jie deliberately Yes, this way the grown-ups will have this question, and Street Envoy Pei can take the opportunity to get away with it!"

Only Chai Tou could say this, not to mention Xu Jingzong, even Niu Guogong, whose grandson died, did not believe that Pei Jingxing was so stupid, and came up with this method to clear his charges.

But Xu Jingzong didn't bother to waste time with Chai Tou, he asked one last time: "Did you really see with your own eyes that the knife was not stuck in Niu Chunhui's body, but fell beside it?"

"That's right," Chaitou insisted, "it was because the envoy Pei Jie committed a malicious attack and stabbed him with a knife, so that the young master lost too much blood and died."

Xu Jingzong clapped his hands and turned to Zhao Yuanrui, Shangshu of the Ministry of Criminal Justice: "Shangshu Zhao, when Pei Street Envoy was arrested that day, his clothes and the knife should still be in the prison of the Ministry of Criminal Justice, right?"

"That's right," Zhao Yuanrui nodded without knowing it, "it's still there."

"Is there any damage?"

Zhao Yuanrui glared at Xu Jingzong: "Of course not!"

Xu Jingzong turned to look at the emperor: "Your Majesty, please give your Majesty an order to bring these two things up."

"What does Xu Shilang mean by this?"

Xu Jingzong put it off on purpose: "Of course it's useful."

Knives and clothes were quickly brought up.The blood was still on the knife, and when Niu Guogong saw the knife that killed his grandson, he began to cry.

Xu Jingzong stepped forward, unfolded the coat that Pei Jingxing was wearing that day, and asked Chai Tou: "Is this the coat that the envoy of Pei Street wore that day?"

Chai Tou didn't know, so he went in and replied, "Yes."

"There are no other sets outside?"

"No."

"Are there any clothes, fabrics, quilts, etc. in the house?"

Chai Tou thought for a while, then shook his head and said, "Not at all."

Xu Jingzong looked at the crowd: "This knife is only three feet away. If you draw the knife at this distance, the blood from the knife will definitely splash on the people in front of you. Pei Jingxing was wearing this dress that day. If he is really a murderer, After killing Niu Chunhui, he drew his sword, why was there no blood on his clothes?"

Xu Jingzong spoke so eloquently that the emperor remembered that day when Pei Jin stood in front of him and was pierced through the heart by the former prince of the deposed prince. The blood from the old minister's knife splashed on his face. This kind of fear was only one step away from death. Feeling, he never wants to experience it again.

But in this study, the emperor thought of Pei Jin's face when he was about to die, and felt flustered in his heart——

Is he doing something wrong?This case is full of doubts, should he let Xu Jingzong continue talking?

"Perhaps Niu Chunhui pulled it out by himself?" Zhao Yuanrui said, "When a person is about to die, his mind is disordered, and Niu Chunhui feels a pain in his chest. It is also possible that he stabbed the knife."

Xu Jingzong looked at Zhao Yuanrui with a half-smile: "Niu Chunhui has been in the prince's guard anyway, and has been on the battlefield."

Zhao Yuanrui blushed and stopped talking.

Zhu Guogong saw Zhao Yuanrui deflated, and said, "Perhaps Pei Jingxing used a demon method to kill him with a knife."

"If Pei Jie knew how to demonize, would he be discovered if he killed someone?" Xu Jingzong asked back, "If I were a murderer, I would know how to demonize. After I killed someone, if I had time to draw my sword, I would have Run away."

Having said that, no one can refute it.

Xu Jingzong continued his efforts: "Your Majesty, according to my observation, this young man is acting furtively and hesitating in his speech. There must be something hidden in it. This case cannot be left alone!"

The emperor was still immersed in the fear of the past, when he heard Xu Jingzong's words, he stopped thinking about it, waved his hand and said, "Leave this matter to Xu Shilang."

"Your Majesty, this is unreasonable!" Zhao Yuanrui stepped forward and said earnestly, "Xu Jingzong is just the servant of the Ministry of Rites. When will the case be settled?"

Xu Jingzong glanced lightly at Zhao Yuanrui, but said nothing.

On the contrary, the emperor blew his beard and stared, and scolded: "Leave it to you, do you want to lynch Pei Jingxing again! Those who are not successful enough to be ruined, shut up!"

Zhao Yuanrui's face turned pale, Zhu Guogong and Niu Guogong also trembled.

With the emperor's approval, Xu Jingzong became the person in charge of this case even though he was the Minister of Rites.

The author has something to say: Waiting for a long time