Chapter 5: Which Family Owns the Luxury Car Series (5)
After the woman entered, she smiled before speaking and respectfully bowed to Li Xiaoshou. Although she appeared dignified, her eyes quickly darted around, taking in the situation of the young men in the office.
Haha, hahaha!
The fierce light in the eyes of this high official not only did not dissipate, but rather intensified!
Having spoken until my throat was dry, I noticed that Li Xiaoshou's expression had turned gloomy, and he was already somewhat impatient. He changed the subject: "However, although Bao Gong is remarkable, I have heard that Li Gong is equally impressive. I once spoke of Li Gong's wise judgment in cases to a scholar residing in the capital..."
Zhou Quan spoke nonsense, secretly glancing at Li Xiaoshou a couple of times. He found that he was comparing him to Bao Zheng, yet he did not exhibit any particular reaction.
Zhou Quan felt a chill in his heart and immediately shouted, "Thank you, great magistrate. If it were not for your keen judgment, I would have surely suffered an unjust accusation. Today, I have been fortunate to escape, all thanks to your wisdom. After I leave, I will certainly spread the word far and wide that you are indeed a virtuous magistrate, worthy of being mentioned alongside Bao Gong!"
However, these few words of his did bring some joy to Li Xiaoshou, for Bao Zheng ultimately received the prestigious Qingliang umbrella and became a high-ranking official.
It is said that the first person to be executed by Bao Gong's three executioners was a certain prince consort, this person...
Is this kid crazy
Are you Li Yun from the Money Workshop? Yesterday, you were the one who reported Zhou Quan at the military patrol shop, weren't you? Today, you are going back on your word and want to withdraw the charges, and that is still you, isn't it?" Li Xiaoshou was not deceived by the smile on Li Danniang's face, and he questioned sternly
As a ruthless official, what I despise the most is the inability to act freely. To kill a few unruly commoners, I still need to secretly bribe the executioners. If he also had these three guillotines, let alone anything else, those clerks and jailers kneeling in the courtyard today would surely have their heads rolling!
Although he felt that Zhou Zang's arrival was of no use, the jailer still nodded and then slipped to the side. As for whether he went to inform Zhou Zang, Zhou Quan was not certain.
Ascend the hall
In the midst of a rapid shift in thought, Zhou Quan suddenly burst into laughter, his laughter resonating around him, causing those who were either kneeling or standing to turn their heads in surprise
Li Xiaoshou chuckled, this kid thinks he can escape using such tricks
Hearing Zhou Quan speak of this proud achievement of his life, Li Xiaoshou stroked his beard and smiled, suddenly finding this young man before him rather pleasing to the eye
Zhou Quan felt a sense of curiosity towards Li Yun, the woman who had put him in danger. Therefore, when Li Yun walked in, he turned his face slightly to steal a glance at her
These should be the clerks and jailers implicated in the Lü Shou case. They have been brought here to kneel, clearly for the purpose of examination, and at this moment, I am being brought up...
Zhou Quan then breathed a sigh of relief, as his strategy of delaying time had finally succeeded
This is a woman in her forties, still dressed with grace and charm, accompanied by a little girl of about ten years old.
Things are not looking good, there has been a change! Zhou Quan felt a surge of anxiety in his heart; he certainly did not want to face punishment. He immediately signaled to the guard with a glance, then shouted, "My lord!"
"You treacherous scoundrel, how dare you roar in the courtroom, showing such disrespect during the proceedings... Bring him in!" Li Xiaoshou spoke.
"The great magistrate has ascended to the court, and he still dares to make such a commotion; this is indeed seeking one's own demise"
Li Xiaoshou cleared his throat and was about to order the dragging out of Zhou Quan when, at that moment, a voice from outside reported: "Master Dajin, Li Yun from Jinqian Alley in Zhen'an Fang requests to withdraw the case"
Having received his signal, some constables came forward and dragged Zhou Quan into the main gate. After entering, Zhou Quan continued to laugh heartily.
He spoke incessantly, without pause, and for a time, the sound of his voice filled the grand hall of the Kaifeng Prefecture.
The other party's murderous intent has not been eliminated
"Young sir, keep your mouth shut; even if you receive some blows, do not speak recklessly," the jailer muttered softly.
At this moment, the situation was pressing, and Zhou Quan could no longer care about any notions of dignity or etiquette for future generations; he fell to his knees in the main hall and exclaimed loudly
Although he is the authority in charge of the Kaifeng Prefecture, he cannot dominate everything here.
However, when he slightly raised his head and stole a glance at Li Xiaoshou, the joy in his heart instantly vanished.
"Remember my instructions, do not hold back," Li Xiaoshou said淡淡地.
This is indeed a ruthless official, exceedingly harsh. This is his second term in the Kaifeng Prefecture. During his previous term, he was a henchman of Cai Jing, notorious for his extreme cruelty, making him truly difficult to deal with
The commoner woman Li Yun pays her respects to the magistrate
Bao Xiaosu is indeed Bao Zheng. At this time, although he had not yet been promoted or praised by later scholars, nor had he become the subject of legends in storytelling and novels, Bao Zheng was genuinely well-liked and had a significant reputation among the people
Now, if he wants to kill a few criminals to intimidate others, he must offer generous rewards to these two enforcers; otherwise, it will be difficult to achieve his goals
Li Xiaoshou was originally the one who ordered the punishment, but upon hearing the inexplicable words of the young man, he too became curious
Is there hope?" Li Xiaoshou asked淡淡地.
To scare the monkey, a chicken is needed
If Zhou Quan were to speak of something else, Li Xiaoshou's patience would have been exhausted, but when he mentioned these three guillotine blades, Li Xiaoshou's eyes immediately lit up
Upon seeing these individuals, Zhou Quan's mind shifted, and he immediately understood the purpose for which he had been brought here
The individual was originally filled with anxiety, but upon seeing the Grand Magistrate, he finally felt at ease. Since the Grand Magistrate is renowned alongside Justice Bao, he must possess the same extraordinary ability to adjudicate cases with remarkable insight, surely able to restore the individual's innocence... With this thought in mind, the individual could not help but feel overjoyed and burst into laughter, and humbly requested the Grand Magistrate's forgiveness.
He was taken aback, his steps faltering slightly, but the constable beside him did not dare to delay, directly kicking him, causing him to stumble and fall.
Zhou Quan knelt on the ground, his knees aching, yet he felt nothing. He understood deeply that his life now depended entirely on his words. If he could not keep Li Xiaoshou listening, he might very well be beaten to death next.
It is said that in this grand hall, Judge Bao possesses three executioners' blades, bestowed by the late emperor. The first blade, shaped like a dragon's head, is capable of executing kings... The second blade, shaped like a tiger's head, can execute ministers. The third blade, shaped like a dog's head, is used to execute those who commit crimes and wrongdoing. These three blades have the authority to execute first and report later.
Esteemed Lord Dajin, please do not be angry. Upon seeing you, I realized I was saved, which is why I could not contain my joy. I am truly overwhelmed with happiness!
The prison guard immediately understood his meaning; this was to inform Zhou Zhang.
His words caused Li Xiaoshou to retract the reprimand that was on the tip of his tongue
"Rest assured, my lord, we are accustomed to dealing with people. Whether he lives or dies is entirely at your discretion," one of the constables replied, waving the fire and water staff in his hand.
This Li Yun is the one who has filed a lawsuit against Zhou Quan, right? Bring her up here
After this incident, the scholars residing in the Kaifeng Prefecture applauded with delight, and their servants no longer dared to bully their masters. This brought great fame to Li Xiaoshou, and indeed, it was the most gratifying achievement of Li Xiaoshou.
Following the constable through several courtyards, they arrived at the main courtyard of the Kaifeng Prefecture, and Zhou Quan was momentarily taken aback
That cheap old man, I do not know what method he used to summon Li Yun in such a short time
Cold sweat broke out again, which was inconsistent with his plan. He originally thought that by laughing so heartily, the other party would surely ask, "What is the reason for your laughter?"
At this moment, Li Xiaoshou, who was in the hall, was also taken aback. He then stroked his beard and squinted his eyes, with a fierce glint flashing in his gaze
Since he was a harsh official, it was inevitable that he would enjoy probing into matters. Therefore, Li Xiaoshou lightly cleared his throat, and the two attendants who were originally about to pull Zhou Quan out temporarily halted their actions
Zhou Quan was baffled, but before he could make sense of the situation, he was forcibly taken out of the prison by the bailiffs. The jailer could only watch helplessly, silently praying that Zhou Quan would not speak recklessly
This is the most famous anecdote about Li Xiaoshou that Zhou Quan heard from Fang Zhuo.
Zhou Quan felt a chill in his heart: It seems that Li Xiaoshou still has not given up on the idea of killing the chicken to scare the monkey
"Withdraw the situation?" Li Xiaoshou frowned
At this moment, Zhou Quan's anxious heart could finally be set at ease, as he had temporarily reclaimed his life
Li Xiaoshou was fond of power, and for this reason, he did not hesitate to act as a henchman for Cai Jing. However, he was equally fond of reputation, and although he was well aware that the young man before him was a cunning character, he could not help but feel a sense of amusement in his heart
In the courtyard, over forty individuals were kneeling, each one covered in dirt and grime, with many of them still wearing the official garments of the yamen.
At this moment, in front of Li Xiaoshou, two constables bowed and greeted him, smiling broadly as they received the reward money from him
At this moment, Zhou Quan had been brought to the entrance, where he received a kick to each knee and could only kneel before the threshold. He heard the calls of the bailiffs, and shortly thereafter, the official he had seen the previous day entered from the side, ascended to the court, and took his seat.
At this moment, Zhou Quan was already drenched in cold sweat
Li Xiaoshou frowned slightly in disgust, then strode towards the main hall
However, it is merely somewhat pleasing to the eye. This fellow has been rambling on for half an hour, and now it is time to bring this all to an end
When Li Xiaoshou was serving as the Prefect of Kaifeng, there was a scholar residing in the capital whose servant wronged him. The scholar intended to report the servant to the authorities, but his fellow students advised him otherwise. They suggested he take a piece of official paper and imitate Li Xiaoshou's handwriting to write a judgment stating, "Twenty strokes of the rod for the offense." As a result, the servant took this document to the Kaifeng Prefecture the next day, accusing his master of impersonating the Prefect and administering punishment unlawfully. Li Xiaoshou summoned the scholar, and after clarifying the matter, he said, "The judgment is exactly to my liking," and indeed ordered the servant to receive twenty strokes of the rod, allowing the scholar to escape unharmed.
Zhou Quanzheng and Fang Zhuo were dining when suddenly several bailiffs burst through the door. The jailer who had just received favors from Zhou's father appeared pale, following closely behind these bailiffs
At this moment, he finally felt pain in his knees and a chill in his back
His cries of pain startled Li Xiaoshou in the side room
It is said that commoners, born in the marketplace, often hear people speak of Bao Xiaoshu in front of the Kaifeng Prefecture and Li Xiaoshou behind it, with the Chief Magistrate being of equal renown to Lord Bao
As long as it is not disliked and one is willing to listen on
When Zhou Quan looked over, he met the gaze of the young girl, who was staring at him with her cheeks flushed and her eyes filled with hatred
He is a wise man, aware that if he does not find a way to save himself, it will be a dead end. In a moment of rapid thought, he recalls the stories about Li Xiaoshou that he heard from Fang Zhuo from last night to today
Zhou Quan's heart skipped a beat; they were about to impose punishment on him without distinguishing right from wrong