Tibet

A four-party investigation team composed of a hundred people finally arrived in Heyang County. Zou County Prime Minister had already arranged for the post house and two nearby inns.

In the meeting hall of the post house, Peng Haiyan also formally handed over the case file bag to the investigation team.

Special officials will inspect and confirm that they are all originals before handing them over to Fang Guan.

Fang Guan is about forty years old. He was born as a Jinshi. He is elegant in temperament and cautious in his official duties. He is a typical civil servant. He belongs to the prince faction. Li Linfu promoted him to the Minister of Justice last year.

This time he came to Heyang County to handle the case, and he was the chief prosecutor.

Fang Guan distributed the documents in the dossier bag to everyone for review. He smiled and asked, "What do you think? Feel free to speak freely!"

Liu Yandao, the judge of Jingzhao Prefecture: "The record of this case is too brief, with no details at all, and it is impossible to see what happened at the beginning? I think on-site investigation and visits are needed."

Zheng Ang shook his head and said: "There is no need to be so troublesome. The duty of our investigation is to confirm the authenticity. Did this happen? Did so many people die? Was there a conflict between the arrester and the people? As for how people died , In fact, it doesn’t matter. For example, people trampled each other to death, and it was indeed not killed by the catcher. Doesn’t the county magistrate have no responsibility?”

Peng Haiyan said: "I don't agree with Zheng Yushi's statement. I have investigated at the scene and found that the reason for the death of more than 60 people was that they were ambushed. The ambush was two miles away from the catchers. The number of people was about a hundred. , and I visited more than a dozen injured people, and they described being injured by arrows, which were actually crossbow arrows.”

Peng Haiyan put the three crossbow arrows on the table, "These are the three crossbow arrows I collected. They come from military crossbows, but the catchers in Heyang County are only equipped with water and fire sticks and knives, and there are two other people equipped with them." However, these two archers escorted the county magistrate Li Yu away and did not participate in the action of driving away the crowd. So the question is, who are these nearly a hundred men in black who suddenly appeared? This is the key to the entire case. .”

Zheng Ang snorted, "These are all your words. Who knows if you have tampered with your confession or faked the scene?"

Peng Haiyan suppressed his anger and said: "I am a dignified official of the imperial court. I am a judicial officer of Jingzhao Prefecture appointed by the Ministry of Civil Affairs. All major cases that occur in Jingzhao Prefecture must be reviewed by me. In the eyes of Zheng Yushi, officials of the Tang Dynasty are Are they all so despicable?"

Zheng Ang sneered and said: "Other officials are very good. I'm just talking about you. You are a stakeholder and should not be here!"

Peng Haiyan retorted unceremoniously: "The emperor appointed Jingzhao Mansion to participate. Is Zheng Yushi blaming the emperor?"

"Okay! Stop arguing."

Fang Guan interrupted the quarrel between the two unhappily and said to everyone: "If there is no need for on-site investigation, we will not come to Heyang County. Let's finalize the plan today. First, we will go to the scene and restore it." The situation at the time of the crime; second, we have to visit the family members of the deceased and the injured; third, we have to conduct an autopsy; fourth, we have to question the arrester. Through these investigations, the truth of the case will basically be clear."

In this case, Prince Li Heng only told Fang Guan four words, ‘Fair and true. ’ Since I am not biased towards Li Linfu, I am not biased towards Zhang Jun either.

But when Gao Lishi gave him an explanation, he mentioned that the reason why the emperor requested a retrial was that there were military crossbows that were not equipped by the county government in this case, and the emperor must be given an explanation.

So the focus of Fang Guan's investigation this time was the military crossbow, but he didn't tell everyone.

At this time, the county captain Wang Bin said: "There is a trouble. The thirty-two catchers at that time have all escaped and they can't be found."

Fang Guan was startled, "Why did you run away?"

"They probably fled for refuge because they were afraid of taking responsibility."

"Zou County Cheng, is that so?" Fang Guan looked at County Cheng Zou Ju again.

Zou Ju hesitated and said: "They escaped at that time, but my official did a count yesterday and found that many people came back again. A total of eighteen catchers were found."

Fang Guan nodded, "Eighteen people are already more than half, which is enough."

Zheng Ang looked at Dali Temple Secretary Cheng Xiao angrily. His eyes were asking, 'Is this one of yours? Who are you helping? ’

Cheng Xiao also looked stunned. He couldn't figure out why Zou Xiancheng would speak for the other party. Is there something wrong with these catchers and they are not real catchers?

But if that were the case, County Captain Wang Bin wouldn't say he couldn't find it.

What happened here?

Fang Guan knocked on the table and reminded everyone: "That's it! It's still early today. Let's ask the eighteen catchers first and then go to the scene tomorrow."

Fang Guan then ordered the county magistrate Zou Ju: "Zou County Magistrate, please go and bring all the eighteen people together first."

"I obey my orders!" Zou Xiancheng left in a hurry.

At this time, Liu Yan, who had been silent for the whole time, asked: "Excuse me, Mr. Fang, is it necessary for everyone to investigate the dead and injured?"

Fang Guan looked at the list and said: "There are too many people, let's pick 30%!"

Liu Yan smiled again and said: "How to choose and who to choose are also very particular. There is a fair way for humble positions. Would you like to hear it, Minister of Housing?"

Fang Guan looked down on Peng Haiyan, who was promoted from a civil servant, but he still respected Liu Yan, an orthodox civil servant with a professional background. He smiled and nodded, "Can you tell me, Judge Liu?"

Liu Yan said with a smile: "I see there are numbers on the list, so let's draw the lottery! Whoever is drawn will be the winner."

"This is a good idea, very fair!"

Fang Guan asked the other two people approvingly: "What are their opinions?"

Zheng Ang and Cheng Xiao looked at each other. The other party's move really left them speechless. In fact, as long as Fang Guan supported it, it was useless for them to object. Fang Guan was the minister of the Ministry of Justice and the presiding judge. His vote Equivalent to two votes, as long as he stands on the side of Jingzhao Mansion, it is useless for Dali Temple and Yushitai to oppose him.

"I support the lottery!" Cheng Xiao was the first to express his position.

Zheng Ang had no choice but to nod his head, "I have no objection due to my humble position!"

The plan has been finalized. At this time, eighteen catchers were also brought to the hall. These catchers were deceived by the county magistrate and county lieutenant. They did not see the murderer killing people. They always thought that the people were trampling on each other, resulting in a large number of people. The casualties, all afraid of taking responsibility, fled to hide in other places.

Now they know that the murderer is someone else. In this case, the catchers naturally want to clear their names.

Fang Guan walked out, glanced at everyone, and turned back to ask the county captain Wang Bin, "Are they all catchers from this county?"

These people were all brought by Zou Xiancheng. Wang Bin did not dare to lie and could only nod his head, "Exactly!"

"Let me ask you, who among you is the head catcher?"

One of them raised his hand and said, "My humble duty is to catch the head!"

"May I have your name?"

"My name is Wu Feng, from this county!"

Fang Guan nodded, "How many archers are there among you?"

Wu Feng raised his hand, and so did the other catcher.

"Are you two the only archers?"

Wu Feng bowed and said: "Your Majesty, we are not country soldiers and are not worthy of crossbows. The two archers are just backup."

"Oh? If you didn't remind me, I would have forgotten about it. Are there any country soldiers?"

Wang Bin, the county captain, was startled and suspected that if the village soldiers were involved, it would be difficult for him to get away with it.

He hurriedly explained: "Please inform me, there are 150 rural soldiers in this county, but only a few are left to guard the city gate. The other rural soldiers are concentrated in Fengyi County, the prefecture, and are led by the captain of the prefecture. It’s the court’s regulations.”

Rural soldiers are local state soldiers. There are about a thousand people in each state. They fight against thieves and maintain public order. They are led by the captains of the state capitals. The captains and school captains of each state capital are actually the ladder for promotion of the children of the powerful.

First, he went to the palace as a bodyguard. He worked as a bodyguard for seven or eight years, working his way up to an official position. Then he was sent to the local state capital to command the state soldiers and served as an official for vacancies. In this way, he could not only control the local state soldiers in the hands of the court, but also deal with the powerful. Regarding the career of his children, it can be said that he kills two birds with one stone.

Finally, find connections, enter the regular military system, and work your way up step by step. This is how Yuan Yuan, Dugu Lie, Yu Wenjing and other high-ranking officials and dignitaries came out.

Fang Guan did not ask any more about the rural soldiers. He said to the eighteen catchers: "Tomorrow morning, we are going to the scene to check, and you should follow. I need you to restore the situation at that time."