Tibet

Li Dai really didn't expect his son's ability to be so powerful. In just one day, the emperor issued an order to investigate Li Yu's case, which undoubtedly gave Li Yu another chance of survival.

However, his name was mentioned in the decree, and Gao Lishi made it clear that the emperor asked him to participate in the investigation because he trusted his integrity and impartiality.

Although the evaluation made Li Dai excited, it also made Li Dai a little embarrassed. The New Year was approaching and it was the busiest time for Jingzhao Mansion. He was so busy that he couldn't find time to go to Heyang.

Besides, as an uncle, it was really inappropriate for him to investigate his nephew's case. Although everyone didn't dare to say anything, they were definitely dissatisfied.

"Ye'er, it was your suggestion to let me join the investigation team!"

"How does father know?" Li Ye asked with a smile.

Li Dai sighed, "Usually it's a joint trial of three departments. There are four departments involved. It's obvious that I was forced into it. It makes people feel very weird. I guess there will be a lot of people gossiping!"

Li Ye shook his head, "It concerns Li Yu's life, no matter what other people say? Zhang Jun will definitely intervene in this case, and Yang Guozhong will also add fuel to the flames. Although the presiding judge Fang Guan is from the prince's faction, who knows whether the prince will add insult to injury, if his father If you want to save Li Yu’s life, you must participate in the investigation!”

Li Dai said: "I really don't have time!"

Li Ye smiled slightly and said: "I made a request to the emperor, and my father also participated in the investigation. It does not mean that my father must go in person. The main reason is that if I only mention Jingzhao Mansion without mentioning my father's name, it must be Jingzhao Mansion." Yin Xianyu Zhongtong makes the decision, he is Yang Guozhong's confidant, but since he mentioned his father's name, even if he can't go, he can arrange for someone to take his place, and Xianyu Zhongtong can't interfere."

Li Dai nodded and praised: "This is a very thorough consideration. Although the arrangement of officials must be approved by Xian Yu Jing Zhaoyin, at least he cannot overstep his authority. That's right! Most people really can't think of this detail."

"Who is father going to let go?"

"You know Liu Yan and Peng Haiyan. They are both my people. Especially Peng Haiyan, who has clear thinking and is good at investigating cases. Liu Yan is like a needle in a cotton wool. He is gentle on the surface but hides murderous intent."

Li Ye smiled and said, "I heard they were promoted?"

Li Dai smiled bitterly and said: "The Yunyang case was handled well. Liu Yan was promoted to a judge. Peng Haiyan was appreciated by the emperor and made an exception. He was promoted from a clerk to an official. Now he joins the judiciary and the military."

"But my father has also been promoted. Doctor Taizhong must have been promoted from the fourth rank!"

Li Dai smiled gratefully at his son and said, "Thanks to you for this promotion! If you hadn't arrived in Yunyang County in time, I would have been miserable."

At this time, their mother Pei Sanniang was calling them to eat in the yard.

Li Dai stood up and asked, "When will you set off?"

Li Ye pondered for a moment and said, "I'll go see Li Yu early tomorrow morning, and then set off in the afternoon!"

Li Yu was imprisoned in Qianniuwei's military camp. This was a special prison with only two tents, one large and one small. It was surrounded by a two-foot-high fence. There were soldiers standing guard all around, and there was only one soldier delivering meals every day. When you go in, the interrogating officer will also go in. The small tent is the interrogation area.

Family members were generally not allowed to visit, but Li Ye had special permission from Gao Lishi and he went in.

Li Yu is only more than 20 years old. He is the eldest grandson, but he is not the eldest grandson. He has three cousins ​​above him, but they are all born to concubines.

Although Li Yu was jealous of Li Ye like his father and thought his grandfather was partial, but now that he was in trouble, he also knew that only Sanshibalang could save him. Whether he could survive or not, he depended on his brother in front of him.

"Why do you have to plead guilty?" Li Ye asked dissatisfiedly.

Li Yu lowered his head and whispered: "I want to bear the responsibility myself, and don't want to implicate my father and grandfather."

"Don't you know that once you confess your guilt, you will be executed by the emperor's decree?"

Li Yu raised his head, his eyes full of horror. "They told me that the most they could do is dismissal from office and exile. No official has ever been executed for suppressing peasants' troubles."

Li Ye suddenly understood. This guy really thought that he had ordered the killing of those farmers, but he didn't find anything fishy. Could it be that his officials were collectively hiding from him?

"Weren't you at the scene when the incident happened?"

Li Yu shook his head, "I was originally at the scene, but the scene was very chaotic, so the police officers protected me and evacuated first."

"Then the other detectives didn't tell you how the sixty farmers died?"

"I didn't ask in detail. Later Zou Xiancheng told me that more than 60 people died, and many policemen were scared and ran away. I was also very scared at the time and didn't know how to deal with this matter. Zou Xiancheng and Wang Xian The captain advised me to block the news first to prevent the people in the county from becoming angry and triggering a bigger riot, and then report to the court after the situation calms down."

Li Ye nodded, "So you ordered the news to be blocked because you were worried about causing greater riots."

"Exactly!"

Li Ye understood that this Li Yu had been tricked by the county captain and the county magistrate, and he didn't know anything about it.

Li Ye shook his head, "If I told you that those farmers were not killed by your agents at all, would you believe it?"

"What?"

Li Yu was stunned for a moment, "How could it be possible? Who did that?"

"It should be a group of thugs ambushing in the middle of the road. Taking advantage of the chaos, they shot people with crossbows and then fled quickly."

"Crossbow?"

Li Yu murmured to himself: "We are not equipped with military crossbows."

Li Ye said calmly: "That's why I asked you, have your men told you how those farmers died?"

Li Yu scratched his hair in pain, "No one told me, why didn't they tell me?"

Li Ye looked at him and said, "I hope I'll ask you why you confessed during the next interrogation? Tell him that you always thought you killed him and you feel guilty."

"I remember."

Li Ye nodded and said: "I will set off to Heyang now to find evidence that can exonerate you, but I want to know, do you not have a single confidant in the entire Heyang County Government?"

Li Yu thought for a while and said: "I brought Tian Cao and Chen Huan to Heyang to take office. He is the only one I can trust now. I dare not speak to others."

"I see."

Li Ye turned around and left, and Li Yu shouted: "Thirty-eighth Master!"

Li Ye looked back at him, and Li Yu said gratefully: "Thank you very much!"

Li Ye smiled and left quickly.

Li Ye left Chang'an that day with Zhang Ping and a group of his subordinates from last time, and rushed to Tongzhou again. There was another female subordinate beside him, the huntress Wang Chenghua.

At the same time, the joint investigation team headed by Fang Guan, the Minister of Punishment, also set out for Tongzhou. The representative of Yushitai was Shi Zhengang, recommended by Yang Guozhong. The representative of Dali Temple was recommended by Zhang Jun, and Si Zhicheng Xiao. He is Zhang Jun's confidant.

Also, the representative of the Jingzhao Mansion was originally Shaoyin Li Dai, but Li Dai was busy with affairs and could not leave, so he recommended Liu Yan, who had just been promoted to judge, Peng Haiyan, a member of the judicial staff, and a dozen capable police officers to go there.

In fact, it's the same. Liu Yan and Peng Haiyan are Li Dai's confidants. They go there on Li Dai's behalf, but it won't be true. After all, Li Dai is Li Yu's uncle.

On the surface, it was an official four-way investigation team, but secretly it was another battle. Zhang Jun sent his nephew Zhang Huan to lead a dozen Zhang family warriors to Heyang in advance. Qingshan Tower did not watch, and Yang Jian He personally took more than fifty of his subordinates and rushed to Tongzhou.

They also wanted to search for evidence before the authorities, but their purpose was to find and destroy the evidence, especially Zhang Jun. This time, they wanted to deal with Li Linfu's eldest son and grandson. How could Zhang Jun let go of such a good opportunity?

This is not just a matter of handing over the name certificate to the Yang family, Zhang Jun also wants to take revenge on Li Linfu for holding him back.

Three days later, Li Ye rushed to Heyang County with a dozen of his men.

At noon, Li Ye and his men were eating and resting in a restaurant outside Heyang City. The restaurant was very large, with more than twenty tables on the first floor. Although it was winter and the ground was covered with a thick layer of snow, The room was steaming hot and almost full of guests. The bartender kept bringing out plates of roasted lamb that was still sizzling with oil.

Tongzhou's Kuquan mutton is quite famous, so restaurants in Tongzhou are selling Kuquan mutton. It doesn't matter whether it is genuine or not, as long as the meat is tender and delicious when grilled.

Li Ye and his companions occupied two tables. Li Ye ordered seven or eight plates of mutton and ten jugs of milk wine, and everyone ate happily.

Zhang Ping stepped forward and whispered: "Brother, just now a brother saw Yang Jian in the restaurant diagonally opposite us!"