The Famous Detective of the Red Mansion

Seeing Sun Shaozong reading the memorial and looking up at himself thoughtfully, Zhou Ruqing calmly asked, "What do you think this memorial is, Lord Sun?"

"It's bullshit!"

Xiang Yi once again rushed to scold and said, "It's clear that you intended to kidnap the Korean envoy to escape with the stolen funds that were embezzled. It was only because Brother Sun sacrificed his life to stop you!"

"As for Vice Governor Lin, he turned a blind eye to your various actions. When we went to ask for help, he repeatedly delayed sending troops, so it was clearly a case of futility!"

"All these things show that you all are truly unworthy of being a Governor and a son of man!"

"But you still have the audacity to say sneaky information and command us like that. Spat!"

This perseverance, despite its long, quiet, and delicate appearance, has a strong foundation, with a thick stream of phlegm spraying out of it, which fell on Zhou Ruqing's official hat!

Zhou Ruqing was not upset either. He calmly took off the black gauze hat and placed it on the side of the tea table. He sighed and said, “Lord Xiang, you have passed your thirties, but why are you so irritable?"

Xiang Yi was waiting to answer back, but he heard him saying, "If we follow what you said and report today's events truthfully, how many officials in Lin and this Zhili Province can be left alone?"

"There is a saying that we should forgive others. Since I am ready to confess my guilt and Chief Provincial Judge Hu has already died with a vengeance, why do you two have to hold onto a small offense and insist on offending the officials of this province?"

Xiang Yi was even more annoyed at his insincere argument. However, Zhou Ruqing insisted on killing himself, seemingly pleading with other officials in the province. Therefore, although he wanted to refute it, he didn't know where to start at the moment.

While pondering hard to find a breakthrough point, Zhou Ruqing said again, "Moreover, according to Lord Xiang, is it necessary to report the fact that someone intends to hijack the North Korean envoy so that everyone knows about it?"

Xiang Yi said angrily, "What intention? It's you..."

"Lord Xiang!"

Zhou Ruqing once interrupted him and asked sharply, "Do you know that the North Korean State, because of the repeated invasions of Heishui, and the Imperial Court was unable to prevent it, had started to hold a grudge against the Great Zhou Dynasty?"

"If this matter is learned by the North Korean envoy, the North Korean State will definitely become even more estranged!"

"At the moment, the North Korean envoy is not aware of it, and the Great Zhou Dynasty is already condemned to death. Why does Lord Xiang have to make this matter big?"

"Is it not for the sake of merit, fame, and profit that Lord Xiang must fall into a dilemma between the Court and the people?"

This glib and eloquent succession of blows really spooked Xiang Yi. He was not a person fishing for fame and reputation and naturally didn’t want to put the Zhou Dynasty at a disadvantage for any ”credit.”

Therefore, after hesitating, he was shaken by what Zhou Ruqing said.

"Hehe."

At this moment, Sun Shaozong shook his head and said with a sneer, "Governor Zhou is indeed good at speech. It seems like we are making trouble out of nothing after hearing your statement that inverts black and white."

As he spoke, he suddenly lowered his face and sneered, "If you want to save the lives of your family, you might as well just say so. Why do you need to use these empty heads and brain excuses to fool me?"

“Yeah!”

This time, Xiang Yi also reacted. This guy kept saying that he was willing to recognize the law and be punished, so the size of the crime didn't matter. But the punishment that he accepted to serve individually couldn’t be compared to the punishment of executing the entire family?!

Thinking that he had just been foolishly played by him, Xiang Yi couldn't help but rage, saying, "What a dog thief, even at this moment, you dare to do this..."

Putong~

This time, he still couldn't finish speaking, because halfway through, Zhou Ruqing, who had been as motionless as a mountain full of majestic aura, actually fell on his knees and knelt before the two of them!

The Governor of Zhili actually kneeled to him?!

Xiang Yi was a bit confused at the time and stared blankly at Zhou Ruqing as he walked a few steps on his knees. He wailed loudly and said, "I have an 80-year-old mother on top of me and crying grandchildren below me! I wouldn’t spare my own death, but I would just ask you both to show mercy and let go of my Zhou family!"

As he spoke, he grabbed the ground with his head and banged the slate.

Within a few moments, his forehead was already flooded with blood, and Xiang Yi's heart couldn’t help but shake.

He was a dignified Governor of Zhili. However, the way he acted now…

Just as he was feeling a little soft-hearted, Sun Shaozong sneered again and said, "Lord Zhou's official residence is second grade. Haven't you even read the laws of the Great Zhou Dynasty well? The founders of our dynasty respected the old and cared for the young most, so it is stipulated that, except for the great crime of treason, anyone over 80 and under six years old should not be included in the list of plagiarism in the whole family."

As he spoke, he leaned down slightly and stared at Zhou Ruqing with a somber expression, saying, “So you don't have to worry about your old mother and young grandchildren at all. But you can rest assured that you will die with your whole family!'"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Ruqing immediately collapsed on the ground, raising his head like a pestilent chicken, and indignantly said, "I beg you so much, but you are still going to kill everyone! Is there any hatred between me and you?"

"No hatred, no resentment!"

Sun Shaozong straightened his back and sneered, "But when you acted boldly and embezzled the money for disaster relief, you should have known today!"

After a pause, he couldn't help but add, "There aren’t many innocent and straight officials in this Court, but officials who wanted to fill their own pockets with life-saving money are worthy of death!"

Zhou Ruqing looked at him for a while, and the resentment on his face gradually faded, turning into a dead and decadent mood.

Sigh~

He leaned back and changed his kneeling position to a sitting position. He wiped the blood off his face with his sleeve and said with a bitter smile, “It's not that I boasted. I used to be a clean official, and I didn't dare move around with this disaster relief silver."

"However, last autumn, the news from the Capital came suddenly that His Majesty was dissatisfied with me and intended to choose another person to serve as Governor of Zhili. He is seeking advice from important officials in the Court!"

"This position is the best in the dynasty! How many years have I waited for this opportunity to come? How can I be willing to miss it?! Therefore, I can only covet this deadly silver and face a deadly fight!"

"After all, I am still greedy, but what I am greedy for is not money, but power!"

"Are you not greedy for money?"

Xiang Yi couldn't bear it when he heard this and said crossly, "If you weren't greedy for money and just ran away overnight, how could you still have today?"

Zhou Ruqing knew that he was referring to his actions in sending people around to hunt down the powerful gentry. He couldn't help but spread out his hand with a bitter smile and said, "Without official status, I can't get any more generous rewards. What can I do to secure my trusted ones? If the hearts of the people below are dispersed, my future fate at sea may not be better than pleading guilty and being punished."

As he spoke, he said to Sun Shaozong, "Your Honor Sun, I have no more extravagant hopes now. If you have anything else to ask, just cross-examine me."

Sun Shaozong and his ”sincere” gaze met for a while, but he shook his head decisively and said, “I have nothing to ask."

Xiang Yi hurriedly said, "Brother Sun! You..."

Sun Shaozong raised his hand to interrupt his speech, flipping the memorial in his hand and saying, "In addition, I will also return this memorial to the Vice Governor, who will submit it to His Majesty."

"Brother Sun! This..."

"But!"

Sun Shaozong interrupted Xiang Yi's words again and continued, "I will also draft another secret note, inviting Lord Lin, who is ”well instructed,” to sign it together and then report the matter to the Northern Town of the Dragon Guards in its original form."

After all, he compromised a bit and didn’t prepare to fight with the officials of this entire government anymore.

Sigh~

After hearing this, Zhou Ruqing was silent for a while and then shook his head and sighed. "It's a pity that you are indeed a person who knows how to advance and retreat timely. Unfortunately, I have no luck, and I won't get to see the day that you become a top minister, Lord Sun.

As he spoke, he staggered as he walked out.

Sun Shaozong watched as he walked out of the gate of the East Cross courtyard, surrounded by officers and soldiers. Only then did he withdraw his gaze and smile at Xiang Yi, who was full of frustration, saying, "Brother Xiang, do you have something to ask just now?"

"Of course, I have something to ask!"

Xiang Yi angrily said, "Zhou Ruqing had just confessed and used the greedy money for disaster relief to bribe this Governor's position. Brother Sun should have worked hard to straighten out the situation, why should you be merciful?"

"Straighten out the situation?"

Sun Shaozong laughed, shook his head, and said, "Brother Xiang, don't look up to me. I also have one head and two shoulders, and I have more wives and children to support at home. I can't afford to learn from Hai Rui!"

As he spoke, he leaned back lazily and said, "It's just a coincidence that we can beat Zhou Ruqing this time. As for those Masters who even have to be careful to ingratiate themselves with Senior Officials of the second grade, it's better to wait for me to achieve the rank of a second grade or above before fighting against them."

Xiang Yi couldn't help feeling discouraged after hearing this. He sat down sullenly beside him, but suddenly asked, "Who is Hai Rui? Why don't you dare to learn from him?"