Chapter 804 Different Ideals (I)
Jiang Qi hesitated for a moment before lowering his head in agreement.
Even though he had only listened to the bald man's confession, he could sense something was amiss. It sounded like Zhou Yin wasn't the robber, but rather the one being robbed.
A person who has been smart, grateful and kind since childhood, turned into a bandit after returning home in glory?
On the contrary, what Zhou Yin said, that he relied on his father-in-law to gain a foothold, seemed more credible.
County Magistrate Tang was very pleased with his attitude and said, "Changbo has mentioned you to this county. He said you are smart and kind, and your future is limitless."
Jiang Qi lowered his head and said, "That's a favor from the Lord."
County Magistrate Tang asked, "Do you believe what Baldy said?"
Jiang Qi: “I believe it.
"Then do you believe what those officials said? Zhou Yin is a bandit."
Jiang Qi lowered his eyes and said after a while, "Sir, criminal charges require evidence. We have no evidence at this moment, so I dare not make any speculations."
County Magistrate Tang smiled and said, "No wonder Changbo likes you. You are right. Criminal cases require evidence, so we must find evidence now."
Jiang Qi was very curious, "Why are Lord Tang and our Lord so obsessed with this case? We didn't know Zhou Yin was involved in the banditry before."
"Me?" County Magistrate Tang thought for a moment and then said, "If I say this is for the sake of ensuring that there are no wronged people or cases in the world, would you believe me?"
Jiang Qi bowed and said, "Of course I believe it."
Magistrate Tang looked at his face and smiled, "But your face and eyes tell me that you don't believe it."
Jiang Qi's body stiffened slightly.
County Magistrate Tang walked out of the room and stood in the courtyard, gazing up at the azure sky. He breathed a sigh of relief and smiled faintly, saying, "This courtyard is square, but the walls are still a bit low. I remember when I was a child, my favorite thing to do was squat in a high-walled square courtyard and look at the sky."
Jiang Qi listened in confusion and did not express any opinion.
County Magistrate Tang said, "I can roughly guess what your Excellency is up to in this case. He's a... well, very clean person, a disciplined person both himself and others. As for me, firstly, your Excellency's confession is riddled with holes, clearly indicating an injustice; secondly, I'm genuinely curious."
"Just based on the initial confession of the bald head, can you be so sure that there is an injustice? That longevity lock can't be given by someone, or picked up..."
County Magistrate Tang laughed and said, "There are only two kinds of things in this world: those concerning others and those concerning oneself. They can also be divided into those that can be spoken of and those that cannot. It's difficult for one person to keep a complete secret for another, unless they possess a very high moral sense. Do you think Baldy is such a person?"
"I've given you so many reasons simply because you don't understand. My original reason is that I knew Baldy was lying. My intuition tells me there's a deeper hidden story, and it involves a criminal case." County Magistrate Tang said, "And this feeling is the result of years of experience I've accumulated solving cases."
Jiang Qi paused. He knew that County Magistrate Tang's father was the Left Censor-in-Chief, who came from the Ministry of Justice and was a well-known expert in criminal law. He once traveled around the country as the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice and solved strange cases. He became famous because of this and was later promoted to the Left Censor-in-Chief.
"Then, what about our adults?" Jiang Qi still didn't understand why their adults inexplicably started to investigate the longevity lock and Zhou's gold and silver?
Although Yang Heshu didn't tell him the reason, County Magistrate Tang could guess it with his toes, but why did he tell Jiang Qi?
He looked Jiang Qi up and down and asked, "I don't think you should follow Changbo. You're more suitable to follow me. How about coming to Huayang County to work as a clerk?"
Jiang Qi was stunned, his heart began to beat wildly, and his mouth was dry. He couldn't make up his mind whether County Magistrate Tang was testing his ambition and loyalty to County Magistrate Yang, or if he really liked him and wanted to win him over.
Jiang Qi swallowed and said, "My orders are all made by Lord Yang, so I will obey you."
County Magistrate Tang burst into laughter upon hearing this and said, "Okay, when he gets married and comes back, I'll tell him and ask him to assign you to me."
He said with a hint of meaning, "You are very curious, and you dare to ask questions and think about things. This county thinks you are more suitable for the Ministry of Justice."
After County Magistrate Tang finished speaking, he left. Jiang Qi lowered his head and bowed to see him off.
Only after County Magistrate Tang disappeared did Jiang Qi stand up straight.
Mingli hurriedly caught up with County Magistrate Tang. Seeing that it was already past noon, he quickly asked someone to go to the kitchen to prepare food.
"Master, do you want to write a letter to Young Master Yang? It will also help Young Master Yang to feel at ease."
County Magistrate Tang thought for a moment and said, "That's fine. I also have something I want him to investigate."
After finishing his meal, County Magistrate Tang asked Mingli to go to the county office in front and fetch the funeral notice. He nodded and said with a smile, "Mianzhou Zhou Yin married Shangzhou Xia Shi. How could it be such a coincidence?"
Mingli poured him some tea and listened quietly.
"I still have to go to Mianzhou and check the household registration to see how many people of the same age in Mianzhou are named Zhou Yin. But Changbo also needs to help me check the connections between the governor of Liangzhou and the county magistrate of Guo County."
Mingli's scalp tingled. "Master, this case is too complicated, isn't it? Wouldn't it be better to just go to Qili Village and investigate?"
"Of course we have to go to Qili Village, but we have to gather the necessary evidence and investigate the necessary matters. This document is not correct."
"But Master, you are the magistrate of Huayang County. You are here only temporarily. Moreover, this is something Young Master Yang and the Ming Governor have agreed to privately. There is no official document yet. If this gets out of hand and the officials in the capital know about it, even the old master in the Censorate will not be able to protect you."
County Magistrate Tang smiled and said, "So we can be quiet and come quietly."
"Master, why don't you discuss this with your wife?"
County Magistrate Tang turned his head and said, "Don't talk too much. If you don't say it and I don't say it, she won't know. So if she finds out in the end, it must be because you talked too much."
Mingli was choked and speechless, and his heart was as desolate as a branch blown by the autumn wind.
County Magistrate Tang then picked up his pen and wrote a letter to Yang Heshu, saying as he wrote, "You know what, his bad habit finally paid off this time, and he actually uncovered such a case. But he still needs to change this bad habit."
Mingli said: "Young Master Yang said that he didn't want to investigate Miss Man and the others. After all, they are friends. It's just that Miss Man's family has planted new wheat seeds, so he investigated more."
"You believe him?" County Magistrate Tang snorted. "He's been like this since he was a kid. That's why he's so annoying. Can you tell me how many good friends he has?"
After that, County Magistrate Tang simply lectured Yang Heshu in the letter. Mingli was very worried. "Master, Young Master Yang is getting married. You'd better not quarrel with him now."
"It's okay. If he's in the mood to argue with me, it means he's quite satisfied with this marriage."
Next update at 8pm
(End of this chapter)
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