"Please wait a moment. I will go and inform the county magistrate right away." The bailiff went to report.
"Sir, Zhang Hulan from Daping Village has come to report a crime again. She said that thieves broke into her house and she caught four people."
Wu Deyong just came back from outside. Recently, he has been going to the countryside almost every day to check on the situation in each village. He is considered a very qualified official.
When Wu Deyong heard that Zhang Hulan had come to report the case again, he was stunned for a moment, then he said, "Let's go to court."
A yamen runner shouted in the hall: "Open the court..."
Soon after, the lobby of the county government office was filled with the sounds of batons stomping on the ground and the mighty voices of the yamen runners.
The bailiff walked to the door and summoned Zhang Hulan and others in.
Zhang Hulan, Zhao Guoliang and the three people who were tied up all knelt down and saluted, "Greetings, Mr. County Magistrate."
There was another person who did not kneel down, and could only sit on the ground and salute, saying: "Please forgive me, my legs are broken, and I cannot kneel down and salute you."
Seeing the man in pain and with scars on his face, Wu Deyong asked, "Who hit him?"
Zhang Hulan replied: "Your Excellency, I was the one who beat him."
Wu Deyong took another look at Zhang Hulan. This woman seemed to like beating people? And she liked to hit people's legs, and she would break their legs with one hit. She seemed to be cruel and ruthless...
Wu Deyong slammed the gavel and asked loudly, "Zhang Hulan, you said that the four of them broke into your house and robbed it. Please tell me the details."
Zhang Hulan pointed at the man who was arrested first and said, "Sir, this man disguised himself as a peddler and came into the village to sell things the day before yesterday, but he was actually scouting the area. That night he sneaked into my house and tried to steal something, but I found him and caught him.
The woman was worried that they were a gang, so she did not report the case immediately, hoping to use him to lure out the others.
As a result, three more peddlers entered the village this morning, and they were caught by the villagers.”
After Zhang Hulan finished speaking, Wu Deyong hadn't said anything yet, and the old peddler immediately shouted, "Your Excellency, we are innocent... We are just selling goods in the countryside, not thieves."
Wu Deyong slammed the gavel and rebuked loudly, "Don't interrupt me when I didn't tell you to. Speak only when I tell you to speak."
After Wu Deyong reprimanded the old peddler, he sorted out the matter and asked, "Zhang Hulan, how do you know they are in the same group?"
As soon as Wu Deyong finished speaking, the young peddler said, "That's right, we don't know them."
"Shut up..." Wu Deyong glared at the young peddler, "I didn't ask you."
The young peddler's head shrank and he quickly shut up and stopped talking.
Zhang Hulan said, "Sir, I am not sure if they are in the same group. It is normal for a village to have traveling merchants, but it is not normal for several merchants to come in two or three days.
I used the first person I arrested to lure out his accomplices. I would be suspicious of any strangers who appeared in the village. So I arrested the next three people and sent them to you for your investigation. If I arrested the wrong person, I would apologize to them in person. "
Wu Deyong nodded, then looked at the people who were tied up and asked, "What do you have to say? I'll give you a chance to explain."
"Sir, I am innocent..." The old peddler immediately said, "Sir, my father and I are honest businessmen. We arrived at their village this morning. As soon as we entered the village, we were knocked down and tied up before we could say a word."
The young peddler kowtowed repeatedly, "I explained to them that we are just selling goods, not thieves, but they didn't listen. They are too unreasonable. I hope the county magistrate will take a closer look."
Wu Deyong asked: "What proof do you have that you are peddlers?"
"Sir, I have proof." The old peddler puffed out his chest and said, "Sir, I have a merchant certificate issued by the government in my arms. You can check it."
The yamen runner stepped forward and took out a folded paper from the old peddler's arms. After opening it and reading it, he handed it to Wu Deyong, "Sir, this is indeed the certificate issued by our county government."
Wu Deyong looked at it and nodded, "Your name is Gao Guangtian?"
The old peddler nodded immediately, "Yes."
The old peddler pointed at the young peddler and said, "His name is Gao Xiaoli, and he is the son of a commoner."
Wu Deyong nodded again and said, "This is indeed a merchant certificate issued by the county government."
Wu Deyong then looked at the other person and asked, "What about you? What's your name? What's your proof?"
The man stammered, "My Lord, my name is Ma San'er. I haven't had time to get a business license yet..."
"Not in time to do it?" Wu Deyong sneered, "I see you have never thought about doing it?"
"Someone, check their shoulders. Peddler has to carry loads for a long time, so his shoulders must be full of calluses."
The old peddler and the young peddler cooperated with the inspection honestly, and it was found that both of them indeed had calluses on their shoulders.
The man named Ma Saner kept moving his body, not daring to let the guard check him. The guard hit him with his scabbard and said, "If you dare to move again..."
The bailiff tore off Ma Saner's clothes from his shoulders. His shoulders were white and smooth, without any calluses.
The man with a broken leg was also examined, and found no calluses on his shoulders either.
Ma Saner was still trying to argue, "My Lord, I am just starting to learn how to do business, so I don't have calluses on my shoulders yet. That's why I haven't applied for a business license yet. I want to try first to see if I can do business. If I can, I will go to the government office to apply for a license."
Wu Deyong said, "What you said makes sense. Where do you live? Who else is in your family? I will send someone to inquire about the situation. You want to do business. Your family members are willing to know, right?"
“Little one, little one…” Ma Saner hesitated again.
"Bang..." Wu De slammed the gavel down heavily, "You are so bold that you dare to lie in front of me."
"Come here, drag him away and beat him until he tells the truth..."
Two yamen runners came forward and dragged Ma Saner out to be beaten with a stick.
Wu Deyong then looked at the man whose leg was broken, "What's your name?"
The man replied: "My Lord, my name is Wang Qiang..."
Wu Deyong asked, "You broke into a house and were caught stealing. Do you have anything to say?"
Wang Qiang replied: "I have nothing to say. I accept the punishment."
Wu Deyong asked again: "Was that man your accomplice?"
Wang Qiang shook his head, "No, I don't know him."
Wu Deyong narrowed his eyes slightly and looked at Wang Qiang. "You really don't know him? If you tell me who your accomplices are, I can give you a lighter punishment. If I find out that you are colluding, I will definitely increase the punishment. You should think carefully before answering."
Zhang Hulan remained silent, allowing Wu Deyong to interrogate her slowly.
"Your Excellency, I really don't know that person." Wang Qiang's eyes flickered and he didn't dare to look into Wu Deyong's eyes.
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