Chapter 97 Confession
Xie Chongjun stepped forward and saw only the uneven ground. It had obviously been dug up, but now it has been filled up.
He turned to look at the yard again.
There are twenty or thirty hired workers standing in the yard, let alone a mine, even if there are two more, it won't be a problem.
The veins on Xie Chongjun’s forehead were floating, and his eyes were about to burst into flames.
He knew that something would go wrong, and sure enough, just one night later...
"Sir," Xie Chongjun looked at the county magistrate, "How could a good mine be filled up suddenly? There must be something inside There is a problem, Mrs. Xie is clearly covering up the facts.”
“Water seeped under the mine. The lady was afraid of digging deep and causing trouble, so she asked us to seal it up overnight,” Meng Jiu said, pointing to her side, “I don’t believe it. The county magistrate called all the people in the mine to see if no one was hurt here."
Xie Chongjun said coldly: "Who asked you this..."
As soon as he finished speaking. , the crowd around him gave way, and then a woman's figure appeared in front of him.
Xie Yuyan held up the hem of her skirt and moved forward step by step. She didn't look at anyone, but said calmly: "Isn't human life more important than anything else? It's just a mine, seal it up, and then find another place to dig it again, but you will lose some money. . ”
“But if a person is injured, how can he start over? Isn’t this how Mr. Xie treats his employees?”
Xie Chongjun looked at that face, thinking His anger was almost uncontrollable. It was this person who had harmed Brother Zhang and made his decades of hard work go down the drain. He wanted to kill this woman immediately.
In front of the county magistrate, Xie Chongjun could only suppress his emotions: "There is no need to be in such a hurry. Filling the land in such a panic is obviously a deliberate cover-up."
Xie Yuyan did not Look at Xie Chongjun, but he looked at the county magistrate: "What are you covering up?"
When the county magistrate was glanced at by that look, his heart sank, and cold sweat ran down his spine. He suddenly understood why he felt strange when he saw Madam Xie yesterday. Madam Xie's eyes naturally revealed a coercion.
The county magistrate calmed down and said: "Someone accused you of digging out copper mines, but they concealed the truth."
Xie Yuyan said: "Is there any evidence?"
The county magistrate immediately took the copper ore from the clerk's hand.
Xie Yuyan did not argue: "How to prove that it was obtained from the mine in Sanhe Village?"
The county magistrate looked at Xie Chongjun, and Xie Chongjun said with a stern face: "I could have known it once I checked, but you sealed the mine..."
"Did Mr. Xie give this copper ore to the Yamen?"
"Exactly."
"When did Mr. Xie come to Sanhe Village? Where did he see the copper ore? And who took it away? Is there any witness?"
Xie Chongjun was left speechless for a moment as he pressed questions one after another.
Xie Yuyan looked at the people behind him: "Have any of the Xie family members been here in the village these past two days?"
Meng Jiu resolutely said: "No."
Shi Yongniang also stood up and said: "Every day we They are all guarding the entrance of the village. I remember clearly all the people who came in and out of the village in the past two days."
As if to prove herself, Shi Yongniang pointed to a few government servants around the county magistrate: "This. Several officials came here yesterday, are the women of the country right?"
"Sir," Xie Yuyan looked at the county magistrate, "This is clearly a deliberate false accusation and frame-up, and I ask you to make the decision for the women of the country. ”
"Please, sir, make the decision for us."
The villagers and employees of Sanhe Village spoke together, and their voices were loud.
Xie Chongjun said sternly: "It's obviously a clever argument."
The county magistrate looked at Xie Chongjun: "Master Xie, why don't you explain clearly first, how did you get this copper ore?"< br>
Before Xie Chongjun could speak, Xie Yuyan said: "It is the law of this dynasty to commit theft to Wenzumo if the stolen goods exceed five guan. Mr. Xie wants us to believe that the copper ore comes from Sanhe Village. Hand over the thief first." "
Xie Chongjun stared at Xie Yuyan. There was no trace of fear or panic on the woman's face. Instead, she slightly curved her lips, seemingly with a sarcastic smile.
It seems to be a provocation.
Xie Chongjun's blood surged: "It was a domestic slave who sneaked into Sanhe Village and discovered copper ore. I can hand him over to the Yamen, but your mine must be dug."
" Then please send Mr. Xie to prison first." Xie Yuyan thought of something, "I remember this is the second domestic slave." After saying that, without waiting for Xie Chongjun to respond, she looked at the county magistrate: "There is someone in the government office. I will definitely not stop you from writing documents and mining mineral deposits. Neither I nor the Sanhe Village Coal Mine will abide by the laws of Daliang. Please give us justice.”
Seeing that Xie Yuyan failed to stop him, the mine would be dug again. Even if a domestic slave was sent in, it would be nothing.
He was supposed to win the next round, but Xie Chongjun felt as if his legs were tied.
Xie Yuyan kept filling the pit for human life, but in order to dig the pit, he threw the slaves into prison.
If he loses to Xie Yuyan again this time, he will be disgraced.
Unconsciously, he had no way out.
"Go home and bring someone here." Xie Chongjun coldly ordered the steward.
As soon as the manager of the Xie family left, Xie Chongjun heard the voice of the servant: "I'm afraid it's difficult to dig this mine. When they filled it back, they nailed wooden wedges into the hole and mixed in glutinous rice. And water, even if the glutinous rice is not completely dried in this weather... it will all be frozen together."
As soon as one thing was dealt with, another problem appeared in front of us.
"Master, do we still want to sue Mrs. Xie?"
The steward couldn't help but ask in a low voice.
"Sue," Xie Chongjun said, "the more you cover it up, the more problems there will be. Try every means to open this mine for me." Before that, he had to sort everything out.
"Lord County Magistrate," Xie Yuyan looked at the County Magistrate, "The imperial court is here to dig a mine, can we stay in the village?"
"Of course we can," the County Magistrate said, "This is This place is where the villagers live, so how can we force people to leave?"
Xie Yuyan nodded and looked at Shi Yongniang: "Then welcome the guests to your home!"
Shi Yongniang responded.
Xie Yuyan ordered the villagers and employees of Sanhe Village to stay away from the mine, and then left with his mother and others.
"Go and see who is coming to Sanhe Village?"
......
Not far from Sanhe Village, several carriages were walking on the official road.
In the carriage, three people talked together.
There is a clay stove at the foot, with two pieces of lotus root charcoal burning in the clay stove.
Fourth Master Xu spoke first: "The Li family asked me to come to Daming Mansion, saying that I would do a favor for a noble person. We don't have to do anything. We just listen to what others say and drink along with it. "It's the money and money you need to get back and forth."
"That's what I said," Mr. Zheng said, pointing to the clay stove. "It's related to the lotus root charcoal trade."
Mr. Zhao nodded: "It sounds like this thing shouldn't be difficult."
It just takes some time, but it can sell the Li family a favor. Yuan Wai came from a scholarly family. Although few of his descendants have served as officials in the government over the years, he still owns fertile land and is good at calligraphy and painting. There are many scholars coming to visit him on weekdays. They are just small businessmen. They can have friendship with the Li family. That is You can't ask for it.
What’s more, it’s just to help sing the big show.
“It’s hard to do any kind of business these days,” Fourth Master Xu sighed, “Especially for those of us, if we don’t want to be driven by others, we have to be punished everywhere. I want to sell some land. , Back to the village to live a steady life. "
Mr. Zhao followed: "I also borrowed money from the family, how can I just go home like this? Let's wait for this. Go back to spend Zhengdan and survive the winter. When the weather gets warm, you have to go out to look for business again."
Listening to the two people talking, Zheng Sanye flicked the charcoal in the clay stove: "You guys said, this lotus root. Can we do charcoal trading? ”
There was silence in the carriage. Mr. Xu first smiled and said: "You are so good that you want us to help support the show? People have spoken first, and we are just here to show off. Don't take it seriously."
"How many people have been vying for the good deal, is it our turn?"
"It's not like you haven't seen the methods of those people."
Zheng Sanye nodded: " What the two brothers said makes sense." Just now he saw that the charcoal had been burning for a long time, and he really thought he had found a good deal.
(End of this chapter)