Powerful ministers are husbands

The three-day deadline came in a blink of an eye, people from all walks of life gathered in the Yamen of Dali Temple, and the Holy Majesty also came in person.

Everyone is just waiting for the truth of the robbery.

But since Cao Lv forced the city gate open after the curfew two days ago, no one has seen him again.

Although a guard came back to report, General Cao both fell off the cliff in order to save his kidnapped wife, and his life and death are currently uncertain.But it was misrepresented as "the truth could not be found out, and he was afraid of taking responsibility, so he and his wife fled the imperial capital, and the guards sent false news".

For this reason, there was unavoidable arguing among the ministers, causing Zhuansun Yongde a headache.

What he really worries about is Cao Lv's life and death.

"Hmph, it's better to put Cao's family in prison for the time being, and release news to force General Cao to return to Beijing to plead guilty."

"Confession? What crime? I have never heard of any crimes against General Cao? Lu, can you go through your mind before speaking?"

"Hey, stop kidding yourself."

"Everyone, stop arguing, no matter how much you argue, it's meaningless." King Yan stepped forward to stop him, and looked at the blushing and thick-necked people with a kind face, "Why don't we wait a little longer, maybe General Cao will stop by after he leaves the city How about going to find out the truth? If you really don’t come back, please ask the Holy Majesty to convict you. Holy Majesty, do you think what the old minister said is correct?”

Zhuan Sun Yongde raised his face from the palm of his hand, and faced King Yan with a half-smile.

What he said was high-sounding, and it seemed to be peaceful, but it was actually forcing him to convict him immediately if Cao Lu didn't come back.

"Oh?" He raised his tone and looked at Luo Biqing who was beside him.

Luo Biqing calmed down and glanced at King Yan unhurriedly, "His Royal Highness, please don't say a few words at this time, so that the meritorious officials will be chilled."

"Hanxin? I don't understand." King Yan asked modestly.

"The courtiers are exhausted, but you ask the emperor to think about the matter of condemnation. Isn't it chilling, what is it?" His eyes changed, showing a bit of momentum, and he glanced lightly at the officials who were arguing.

The Huihe Luo clan, since the last years of Yongqi, has been loved and reused by the sages for several generations. The Luo clan's children were born in noble families, and their aura is naturally different from that of ordinary ministers.

Several people shrank their necks, King Yan smiled lightly, and cupped his hands, "Zaifu Luo is right, I have been taught."

"Where, where." Luo Biqing pretended to be polite.

The lobby finally quieted down, and they stood on both sides in an orderly manner, looking at the gate in unison, thinking about each other.

As time goes by, some people are happy and others are sad.

Song Zi rumpled his official uniform. Although he found out that the wound was unusual that day, he searched outside the city for two days and found no sign of the Hatchet Gang, let alone who was the mastermind who colluded with them. question.

Jia Shangshu's complexion became even uglier, he wished he could find a crack in the ground, and crouched in it obediently holding the official seal.

"General Cao is back!"

A loud cry suddenly exploded, like a thunderbolt.

Not long after, Cao Lv's figure appeared in everyone's eyes. His robe was stained with dust and blood, and iron-blue stubble appeared on his chin. It was obvious that he hadn't rested for several days.And he was dragging a person in his hand, and when he walked to the center of the hall, he ruthlessly threw that person in front of the case. This mighty aura made some officials shrink their necks in fright.

"Your Majesty, Cao Lv, sees His Majesty." He knelt down and saluted, with a calm and calm tone, "I have lived up to my Majesty's entrustment, and have brought the mastermind of the robbery to the Majesty."

The person kneeling in front of the table moved, brushing away the messy hair that covered his face, revealing an old face with blood-red eyes like a wild beast, scaring the few people who were closer to him back again and again.

"Xue Weikai, former servant of the Ministry of War?!" Someone screamed in surprise.

Jia Shangshu, who was hiding behind the crowd, stood on tiptoe to see, it was really that old boy who missed his appointment!

"Xue Weikai is... the mastermind behind the scenes?" Zhuan Sun Yongde couldn't believe it. In his impression, the former minister of the Ministry of War was not only a bit stubborn, but also a conscientious, kind and amiable person, and also had deep affection.

"Aren't you mistaken, General Cao?" The official surnamed Lu said in a strange tone, "Many people here know Mr. Xue, and they all know that he is a good person. How could he have anything to do with the robbery? Don't you Could it be that the time limit is up and you can't find out the truth, so you just grabbed one and handed it over?"

Cao Lv didn't bother to pay attention to him, and began to talk about the case unhurriedly, "Your Majesty, Xue Weikai knew that the imperial court would distribute relief money after the flood in the south of the Yangtze River, so he colluded with the Hatchet Gang running around the outskirts of Gyeonggi to conspire on this matter. On the grounds of returning home, I asked my former friend Shangshu Jia Kun to drink, intentionally got him drunk, and set out the departure time and route of the team escorting the relief money. Jia Shangshu, maybe you don’t remember what you said, but Xue Weikai invited you Drinking, is it true?"

Everyone looked at Jia Shangshu who was stunned, and several people around him pushed him, and then he stood up slowly, and said in a voice as low as a gnat: "My lord, there is indeed something... That day I was poured by Xue Weikai." A lot of wine, I don’t remember much, and when I woke up the next morning, I was still lying in his house, and the neighbors in the neighborhood can testify.”

Zhuan Sun Yongde nodded, and Cao Lv continued: "After knowing the time and route, the Chai Knife Gang ambushed in the woods outside the city early in the morning, just waiting to escort the team to the ambush location. As for Xue Weikai, he followed him quietly all the way with his superb martial arts skills. , broke and discarded a ringing arrow at the fork in the road. He had already ordered the hatchet gang to make a gap for Li Dahu to return to the city for help, and then left He Feng alive, just to blame others.

"The Chai Knife Gang took the disaster relief money through a pre-explored road, and went around to hide in the woods in the south of the city. The pursuers all subconsciously chased to the east, so they got nothing. Finally, Xue Weikai, who got part of the disaster relief money, appeared in the In the name of visiting the son of Cao's nursing home, he actually wanted to spread the "Jingzhao Tongbao" in the minister's house, but unfortunately the precautions were too strict, so he had to throw it on the carriage in the end, dragging the minister into robbery In the case, I intend to trap my ministers in an unjust situation."

"Nonsense, I was also at the scene that day, and I clearly saw the wounds of the dead, obviously not caused by ordinary thieves, they looked like well-trained officers and soldiers." Zhou Fuyin jumped out and shouted.

"Yes, it's true that ordinary thieves can't do it." Cao Lv pointed to Xue Weikai who was kneeling quietly on the ground, "This is exactly the illusion he created, misleading us into thinking that it was the officers and soldiers sent by the court."

He made a gesture, and several yamen servants carried the two corpses.

"My lord, the one on the left is an officer and soldier who died in a robbery, and the one on the right is an ordinary person who was killed by the Hatchet Gang. Can you compare the wounds and see if they are the same?"

The yamen servant lifted the straw mat, and the stench of corpses immediately permeated.Someone pinched his nose tightly and went forward to check. The wound was indeed done in exactly the same way.

"There was a sergeant who was dismissed for making a mistake. After joining the Hatchet Gang, he participated in the daily training, and Xue Weikai repeatedly asked him to do so. Therefore, the wounds they slashed with a knife are naturally different from those of ordinary bandits."

As soon as Cao Lu finished speaking, more than a dozen powerful officers and soldiers escorted several young men to the hall, making the hall even more crowded.There were also a few yamen servants struggling to hold a few sacks, and carefully placed them in front of the case, which contained the robbed disaster relief money.

"These are the hatchet bandits that I captured in the woods south of the city." He stepped forward and tore off the sleeve of one of them, and there was a strange hatchet tattooed on his bronzed skin.

Along with the thieves and bandits, there was also a frail young man, supported by the yamen servants, who came tremblingly and knelt down behind Xue Weikai.

Cao Lv introduced: "This is the bodyguard of the minister's family. On the day Xue Weikai kidnapped his wife, he once fought against the Chai Knife Gang."

Xue Weikai looked back involuntarily, and said in surprise, "You're not dead?!" Then, he realized something was wrong, and quickly covered his mouth, but it was too late, and everyone present could hear it clearly.

"I didn't die to testify against you!" Cao's secret guard was furious, pressing his aching chest, "Two days ago, I was ordered to guard the safety of Mrs. Eight Young Masters. He came back alone, and then the carriage suddenly moved. The little one chased all the way, and fought with Xue Weikai’s accomplices on the path outside the city.” He pointed to one of the bandits, “It’s him, he used a hatchet, and it was extremely ferocious. Later, the little one and Mrs. Eight Young Masters escaped by chance, but encountered their accomplices blocking the way on the road to the south. At that time, they thought I was dead, so they dispersed. Fortunately, passers-by rescued me, and I came back with my life."

Zhuan Sun Yongde immediately slapped the gavel, "Xue Weikai, can you plead guilty?!"

Xue Weikai raised his head, "It's clear that Cao Lv framed me."

"Really?" Cao Lu looked at him coldly, and after another gesture, a young man in brocade clothes came up to the hall, holding a dusty sack in his hand.

"Crassman Xue Jinyi pays homage to His Majesty." He knelt down and opened the mouth of the sack, revealing the shiny new copper coins inside, "These are part of the relief money that my father robbed, and I found them under his bed." .”

Discussions suddenly sounded all around, Xue Weikai looked at his son in astonishment, and pointed angrily: "You—"

"Father, don't make any more mistakes." Xue Jinyi looked at his father with hope. He did not expect that one day he would stand up and testify against his father's crimes, but the state has state laws, and mistakes must be punished. He must kill relatives righteously and let dozens of innocent people die lives rest in peace.

Xue Weikai trembled slightly, shaking his head in disbelief.

Cao Lu asked in a cold tone: "Xue Weikai, the facts are the same, what excuse do you have?"

Xue Weikai looked at Cao Lv again, suddenly complacent, with cruel viciousness, "I plead guilty, I did indeed commit the robbery."

The one surnamed Lu is still holding on to his last hope, "Then I don't understand. You used to be a fourth-rank military servant who was disciplined and knew the law. Why did you join forces with bandits to rob disaster relief money? You don't have to be afraid. If you feel wronged, just go Say it, our colleagues for so many years will avenge you."

Cao Lu sneered, "Why don't you ask His Royal Highness King Yan to ask in person? Your Highness is approachable, and Xue Weikai will definitely not be afraid."

Pretending to be a good person is the trick that King Yan is best at. In the eyes of everyone expecting him, he naturally walked forward without disappointing expectations, and asked softly: "Old Mr. Xue, you can say whatever you want. call the shots."

Xue Weikai stared at King Yan, and the surroundings became quiet, waiting for his answer.

King Yan felt a little uncomfortable being stared at by his blood-red eyes, especially the complex and indescribable emotions revealed in the eyes, he resisted not to back down.

"Yes, is it?" Xue Weikai lowered his head, laughing non-stop, his shoulders trembled, and he became more and more crazy.

The uneasiness in King Yan's heart became more and more intense.

Suddenly, Xue Weikai raised his head again, with a fierce look in his eyes, "What I want to say is that you go to die!" Wang's neck, "It's your fault. Why did you frame Cao Lv, eh? If you don't frame Cao Lv, will I be sent back to the imperial capital? Will I not be able to save the woman I love the most? I can't kill Cao Lv, I'm going to kill you too!"

Seven or eight guards swarmed up, some grabbed their arms, some grabbed their shoulders, and with all their strength, they managed to pull the crazy Xue Weikai away.

King Yan covered his neck, tore off his mask of kindness, and pointed at Xue Weikai angrily, but he couldn't say a word for a long time.

Zhuan Sun Yongde took the opportunity to order, "Come here, send King Yan to the backyard to rest quickly, and send the imperial physician over immediately!"

Headless flies just fly around.

He just wanted to send King Yan away.

King Yan was taken away, and the trial continued. After a while, Xue Weikai realized that he might never meet King Yan again, so he calmed down in disappointment.

"Xue Weikai has already confessed the reason for committing the crime, which colleague is still meaningful?" Cao Lv turned around and looked at the people present, his black eyes were calm but sharp.

The official surnamed Lu shook his sleeves, regretting that he had asked too much.

"By the way, what about the rest of the disaster relief money?" Zhuan Sun Yongde still had concerns.

Cao Lv replied: "In the past few days, the thieves and bandits fled in batches from the forest in the south of the city with relief money. When I captured them, only these were left. I believe that as long as these thieves are interrogated carefully, the whereabouts of the rest will be found out."

"En." Zhuan Sun Yongde nodded in satisfaction. The robbery finally came to light, and it had nothing to do with Cao Lv. It was what he wanted to see the most. Although there was a delay and the people of King Yan could not be involved, it was a good ending. that's it.

Song Zi submitted the written indictment to the sage for review, and then put it in front of Xue Weikai and his accomplices, "After you have read it, if it is correct, please mark it."

Several people signed their names and pressed their fingerprints.

Zhuan Sun Yongde ordered Song Zi to review the case, and strictly interrogate the thieves, find out the whereabouts of the lost relief money, and dispatch officials to cooperate in the arrest.

When Xue Weikai was taken down, he was surprisingly quiet, turning a deaf ear to his son's calls, and only stared at the silent Cao Lv.

"Did you see your wife fall off the cliff with your own eyes?" He whispered with fanatical viciousness.

Cao Lu didn't even look him in the eye, "He's alive."

Xue Weikai's face froze, and he became irritable again. Four officers and soldiers escorted him, who shouted "this is impossible", to the cell.

"... will always be in my heart." After Xue Weikai left, Cao Lu said the second half of the sentence slowly.

Zhuan Sun Yongde frowned, and hurriedly asked: "Cao Aiqing, is your wife okay?"

"My wife..." Cao Lu closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, they were covered with mist.

No one had ever seen General Cao show such a mournful expression, and everyone's hearts were clouded.

"...my wife fell off a cliff and died of serious injuries."