It's easy to be a villain, but hard to be a princess

Chu Muqing picked up a black piece from the chess urn and dropped it, and the two played chess quietly.

In the end, Han Zixiao lost.

Han Zixiao put away the chess pieces on the chessboard, "Your Majesty's chess skills are superb, and the lower officials can't match them."

Ever since Han Mingde resigned and returned to his hometown, Chu Muqing seldom played chess with others, and now playing chess with Han Zixiao can be regarded as a bit of fun.Chu Muqing raised her eyes, "Do you want to come again?"

"That depends on what the prince wants."

"If you are not lacking, we will play another game."

"The next official will accompany you."

Chu Muqing picked up the chess piece and asked casually, "When do you plan to go to Yunzhou?"

"Accompany the prince to worship at the grandfather's tomb tomorrow, and leave in the morning of the day after tomorrow." Han Zixiao has always suspected the real purpose of Chu Muqing's long journey to Suzhou, so he asked, "Where is the prince?"

"This king also intends to leave the day after tomorrow."

"My lord is going back to Beijing?"

"It's rare to come to Jiangnan. It's a pity to go back like this. Therefore, I plan to visit an old friend along the way."

Visiting an old friend?Naturally, Han Zixiao would not ask the regent who the old man wanted to visit, but as far as he knew, Suzhou was under the jurisdiction of his elder brother King Ling when he went west.If it is an old friend, then King Ling is definitely one of them.

Han Zixiao was leaving only two days after her return, Mrs. Han was very reluctant to part with her and bid farewell with tears in her eyes.

From Suzhou to Yunzhou, it takes less than two days to ride a horse.

Since it is a secret investigation, of course the identity cannot be revealed.Han Zixiao was still in casual clothes, but fortunately Zhang Mian, the magistrate of Yunzhou, had never met Han Zixiao face to face, even if he looked at him eye to eye, he would not be recognized.

Han Zixiao took Ye Qing and two guards dressed as entourages around the Yunzhou Yamen.First, let Ye Qing deliberately go to the street to talk to the local people.

The news that got back was also very consistent. When Mr. Zhang Mianzhang, the magistrate of Yun, was mentioned, the common people all applauded.

"Master Zhang works for the people and relieves their worries. He is a well-deserved parental official in Yunzhou!"

"Master Zhang is a clean and honest official with a clean sleeve. It is a blessing for the people of Yunzhou that he can come to Yunzhou to be an official."

……

Han Zixiao had a headache now, and the regent suspected that the prefect of Yunzhou was corrupt and taxed, but the people of Yunzhou respected and loved the prefect of Yunzhou very much.Is this something in the regent's heart, or is the prefect of Yunzhou hiding too deeply?

Ye Qing next to him whispered: "My lord, when I just inquired about it, I knew there was a case to be tried in the yamen today, why don't we go to the yamen to have a look?"

When Han Zixiao heard it, he felt that the proposal was good, "It's okay to go and have a look, I also want to meet the magistrate who is known by the people as a gentleman."

The Yunzhou yamen was crowded with people, all of whom came to see Zhang Mian's trial.Han Zixiao couldn't squeeze in, so he had to stand on tiptoe outside to take a look.The 40-year-old man in the court has a goatee beard, an official hat and robes, and his powerful voice can be heard clearly outside.

This case is also very interesting, but a farm family raised a cow. The cow often grazes with the bull of another family in the village and is very close. The next year the cow gave birth to a calf, and now the calf has grown into an adult. ox.The farmer who raised the bull will ask the farmer who raised the cow to return the calf of their bull.

The two families kept arguing, so they went to court.

The farmer who raised the bull said plausibly, "My lord, there is only one cow in their family. If their cow hadn't seduced our bull, how could there be a calf born? My lord, this is like a grass farmer's child who shows up outside. No matter what, the flesh and blood must always recognize the ancestors and return to the ancestors, and now the cubs of our bulls are taken by other families, you must be the master for the grass people!"

The farmer who raised the cow was also very reasonable, "My lord, it's true that Caomin's family had only one cow before, but since Wu Shan believed that the calf was the breed of their bull, why didn't he come here to beg for it when the calf was just born?" ? You have to wait until a year later? The calves that Cao Min worked so hard to raise for a year are going to be taken away, what's the point of this day!"

The people watching the trial whispered outside, "In my opinion, this bull should be half of each of the two families. There is no arguing."

"How can that be done? The calf was raised by someone for a year. It is easy for a family to raise a livestock. It takes a lot of effort to take care of it every day. In my opinion, it should be awarded to the family who raised the calf."

The people nearby were all discussing, Ye Qing asked in a low voice: "My lord, how do you think this case should be judged?"

Han Zixiao said: "This case is obviously caused by the farmer who raised the bull. But he will play tricks and let the bull cub recognize his ancestors. It's a bit difficult to handle. Let's see how this clean and honest magistrate will do." Sentence."

In the courtroom, the farmer who raised the bull gave way, "My lord, since he has raised the bull for a year, and the peasants won't let him suffer, it is better to kill the bull, and the family will have half of it."

The cow-raising farmer gritted his teeth and argued further that he would lose everything for the calf he had raised for a year, and was about to agree to one and a half.

Zhang Mian, the magistrate in the court, scolded: "You also have cattle in your family, so you should not know the hard work of raising cattle. Now they have to share half of the cattle that have been raised for one year with you. What's the reason?"

The bull-raising farmer was not convinced, "My lord, their cows are from our bulls, so why not grass farmers account for half of them?"

Zhang Mian said: "The official asked you, when the calf was born, you knew it was the breed of your bull, why didn't you take it back?"

The bull-raising farmer was speechless, but still insisted on arguing, "But no matter what, the grass farmers have regressed and only asked for half of the calves, and left the other half for their family. Isn't that okay?"

Zhang Miandao: "Livestock are no better than people. There is no regulation in our court that livestock must be recognized as ancestors. This cow was raised by Liu Er and naturally belongs to Liu Er's family. However, the cow of Liu Er's family is from Wu Shan's family. Bulls only breed, and Wu Shan has suffered a disadvantage in this regard, so the judge judged Liu Er’s cows to breed with Wu Shan’s bulls again, and the cubs born will belong to Wu Shan.”

When Liu Er heard this, he was overjoyed and hurriedly prostrated himself, "Thank you, Master Qingtian, thank you, Master Qingtian!"

Wu Shan had nothing to say, so the case was closed.

Thinking of solving the case, Han Zixiao had a plan in mind.No matter how he resolves some petty quarrels among ordinary people, he won't get any benefits. If it is a case that can get benefits, this corrupt official will definitely show his true colors.

Early in the morning of the third day, a middle-aged woman in front of the Yunzhou Yamen beat a drum to express her grievances.Zhang Mian, who is still using his breakfast, puts down his bowl and chopsticks and puts on his official robes and is about to come out to be promoted.

The woman Yang Yumei knelt under the court, crying: "My lord, the daughter of the civilian woman went to wash clothes by the river yesterday and has not returned yet. I heard from Second Sister Shen who was washing clothes by the river with the daughter of the civilian woman yesterday. His daughter was abducted by the son of Ma Yuanwai in the west of the city, my lord, you must make the decision for the daughter of the people!"

Zhang Mian in the courtroom frowned, looked at another woman beside Yang Yumei, "Are you Second Sister Shen?"

"Go back to your lord, it's the folk woman."

"Yang Yumei's daughter was abducted by the son of the horseman in the west of the city, but you saw it with your own eyes?"

Second Sister Shen lowered her head and said, "My lord, it was indeed a woman who saw it with her own eyes."

"Then tell me the details at that time."

Second Sister Shen recalled, "Yesterday, the women were washing clothes by the river in the morning, and it happened that Sister Yang's daughter also came to the river. After a while, the women heard shouts from the other side. When they looked up, they saw the horseman outside the city. The son took Sister Yang's daughter away with a servant."

The magistrate Zhang Mian said loudly: "Summon the son of the horseman!"

It was already an hour after the official office passed on the son of the horseman in the west of the city.The horseman's son was named Ma Yuan, and he looked like a fool, and when he came to the court, he was still waving a fan leisurely.

The master on the side said to him: "Bold, don't kneel down when you see the magistrate!"

Ma Yuan raised his chin, "Why does my young master kneel down?"

"you……"

Zhang Mian motioned the master beside him to silence, looked at Ma Yuan and asked, "Yesterday someone saw you kidnapping Yang Yumei's daughter with his own eyes, is it true?"

Ma Yuan smiled disdainfully, "My lord, this is clearly framing, my young master has a lot of money, if you want to play with women, why do you need to use strokes, go to that flower street and willow alley, no one will rush to serve this young master."

Zhang Mian glared angrily, and slapped the gavel, "In the courtroom, who would allow you to be so presumptuous!"

Ma Yuan was still fooling around, "My lord, I'm telling the truth."

Second Sister Shen raised her head and pointed at Ma Yuan, "You abducted Sister Yang's daughter, I saw it with my own eyes, don't die and pay for it!"

Ma Yuan glared at Second Sister Shen, "Which eye did you see?!"

"I can see clearly with both eyes, it is you who kidnapped Sister Yang's daughter!"

"You spit out blood!"

Zhang Mian patted the gavel again, "Quiet!"

The courtroom immediately fell silent, Zhang Mian looked at Ma Yuan, "You keep saying that Second Sister Shen slandered you, so do you have an alibi? Where were you yesterday morning? Can someone prove it?"

"I... I was idle at the house yesterday, and I didn't step out of the house all day."

At this moment, someone on the periphery suddenly said: "My lord, he is lying, Cao Min met him on the street yesterday!"

Ma Yuan glared at the person who had just spoken.Zhang Mian asked sharply: "Ma Yuan, you just said that you didn't step out of the house all day, and now someone testifies that you were seen yesterday, how do you explain it?!"

Ma Yuan was at a loss for words for a while, "Yes, I did go out, but I just didn't go to the river, let alone abduct Zhu Yuxiang!"

Zhang Mian's eyes became sharper, "Just now the name of Zhu's daughter Yang Yumei was not mentioned in the courtroom, how do you know her name is Zhu Yuxiang? Could it be that they are acquaintances?"

"I..." Ma Yuan really had nothing to say now.

Yang Yumei burst into tears, "My lord, Minnv is just such a precious girl, and now her whereabouts are unknown, you must make the decision for Minnv!"

"This matter has yet to be investigated, and when the truth comes out, I will definitely give you justice!" Zhang Mian slapped the gavel, "Come here, put Ma Yuan in the dungeon first, and try again at another day!"

So Ma Yuan was taken into the dungeon.