Chapter 120：

Lou Ben looked at everyone downstairs with a smile. He clearly saw Wan Songbai's master and servant, but he didn't seem to have any grudges, and he said generously: "I met Zicheng in the next sentence, but I never had the opportunity to talk deeply. I am fortunate today. ,how?"

Wan Songbai was still at a loss and asked what was going on. Shaoshang did not want to participate in the 'deep talk' between the two of Linglou, so he planned to lead everyone to a remote place to talk about it in detail. Don't hurt the little heart of Uncle Wan; who knows that Ling Budo has already promised Lou Ben aloud, and went up to the second floor with Shaoshang.

Wan Songbai and others had to follow the guards to rest first.

The young businessman put on his skirt and climbed the stairs, and smiled apologetically: "If you guys talk about things, it's better for me to stay away."

Ling Budo kept silent, carrying her upstairs as if carrying a grass carp into the kitchen.

Lou Ben saw Shaoshang also coming, he was slightly startled, then he bowed and saluted: "Zisheng, Mrs. Cheng, please take a seat."

Lou Ben turned around and said, "Young Master, you and I are also destined to become a family. If there is no accident in the He family, you have to call me uncle-in-law."

Shao Shang was bitter, thinking that if you knew that you had been noticed by Ling Wuxuan because you went to Cheng's house to drink betrothal wine, I am afraid you would not be so polite.

Ling Budo stopped laughing, and said coldly: "In those days, Emperor Rui wanted to take Lou's daughter into the palace, and everyone was on the way. Fortunately, the Rebel Army invaded the capital of Emperor Rui first. Let's put it this way. Come on, Lou Family and Emperor Rui almost became a family."

Lou Ben smiled: "It's the middle of winter now, why is Zisheng so angry? Come on, sit down first."

Shao Shang: "I'm a little bored, so go to stand by the window." The fiancé has been dry for some days, so she has to be careful with the candles.

"I don't like drinking." Ling Budo raised his hand and declined, "Let's get down to business."

"Business?" Lou Ben slowly put down the copper pot with a smile on his lips, "It was a big break for Shouchun two days ago, but it's a pity that Zisheng is not here, otherwise he can make a great contribution."

Ling Budo was silent for a moment, then said: "I heard that you have been out of ideas for a long time, no matter in field battle or siege city, you can be said to be invincible in battle and invincible in attack, now everyone is invincible. It is said that you are unparalleled in the country, Ziwei."

Lou Ben said: "This is not the 'business' that Zisheng wants to tell me."

Ling Budoubt said: "I hurried to play your majesty yesterday, and the body of the former Tongniu County magistrate Yan Zhong's family has been found under the Wangfeng Pavilion outside the city - it seems that , Yan Zhong's surrender to the enemy and treason is subject to discussion."

Lou Ben looked like he heard it for the first time: "Oh, there is such a thing. But Zisheng is arbitrary, even if Yan Zhong's family died, it is not necessarily that Yan Zhong did not defect to the enemy and betray the country. Besides, at the moment of the war, everyone is busy planning countermeasures against the enemy, yet Zisheng actually went around to investigate a suspect who stole copper and abandoned the city?"

Ling Bu-doubt said sarcastically: "You Zi is the only one who can make plans for the war, so I can take time to investigate Yan's case."

Lou Ben put away his smile. Shaoshang walked around by the window, wanting to climb out of the building along the outside wall.

Ling Budoubt said: "I don't know when, Yan Zhong befriended a son of an aristocratic family, and the two were like-minded and had a good conversation, but others in the county didn't know about it..."

"Since no one knows, how do you know that person is a child of a noble family?"

"If that person is as ordinary as Yan Zhong, Yan Zhong doesn't have to hide it, he can be taken to the county and introduced to his family. He has a stubborn temperament, and he is still brooding to this day, for fear of being told that he surrendered to the aristocratic family, he has been hiding his friendship with the son of the aristocratic family."

Lou Ben smiled: "Zisheng thinks well, um, that's fine. Master Ling, please continue."

"Yan Zhong and the son of that noble family would get together in secluded places from time to time, and the two of them were very similar in terms of their ambitions for the current situation." Ling Budo continued, "Both of them have the same hope not to It was seen, but the son of the aristocratic family had a plan, and Yan Zhong had a good temperament. Therefore, every time we met, the son of the aristocratic family rode lightly and alone, and although Yan Zhong did not want to be known to outsiders, he I didn't try to hide it, I just picked some small roads and walked around." That's why I carelessly continued to use the ox cart.

"Since these two have been friends for a long time, is there no letter left?" Lou Ben asked.

Ling Budo shook his head and said, "I don't know the reason, maybe the two never wrote the letter, maybe the letter has been destroyed, in short, I didn't find a word in Yan Zhong's mansion. ."

"Since I can't find even a few words, how can Zi Sheng conclude that there is such a non-existent son of a noble family based on his own guess?" Lou Ben sneered.

Ling Budo was unmoved: "Naturally, it's not just a guess, because Wan Songbai, the prefect of Xu County, saw this person in the Dieshui Temple four months ago."

Lou Ben couldn't help laughing.

Ling Budoubt said: "Actually, it's not that no one has ever seen Yan Zhong and his friends from aristocratic families get together, but since the place where they meet is remote, the people who catch a glimpse of them are also villagers, peasants and women. It’s okay to see commoners who are far away from the court, but Wan Taishou is different... Now I’m in a hurry, and when I free up my time, I will send my hands to investigate carefully, and I can always find Yan Zhong and the children of that noble family in the fields and mountains What would Zi Wei think of the village people?"

Lou Ben looked gloomy: "Even if Yan Zhong does have such an aristocratic friend."

"Last month Cui Hou's army arrived, and Wan Taishou led people to greet him. The son of the aristocratic family saw him in the crowd, and only then did he realize that he had left a big hidden danger. I know, if no one mentions some things, then everything will be fine, and once someone thinks of it, there will inevitably be flaws everywhere. So these days, Wan Taishou has been assassinated many times and almost lost his life several times."

Ling Budo sternly said: "Ziwei, let me ask you, do you know Yan Zhong?"

whitened.

After a long time, Lou Ben suddenly smiled and said cheerfully: "I know Yan Zhong, so what? I see him often when I can't show great plans. But I don't know anything about his private actions."

—This is the problem, even if it can be confirmed that Lou Ben and Yan Zhong have mutual relations, it cannot be insisted that Yan Zhong acted with his knowledge.

However, Ling Budo's answer was very good, he said: "It's like I know you, Ziwei, but I don't know anything about your actions. It has nothing to do with me either.”

Shao Shang heard the creaking noise from the corner of the case, and secretly hoped that Lou Ben would not vomit blood.

"In the end, Yan Zhong did not stick to Tongniu County, but abandoned the city to steal copper and fled. What does Zisheng mean by me?" Lou Ben's tone gradually became sharp, " I am ashamed of greed and greed—everyone has heard of Yan Zhong's words, and it is clearly what he was exposing his crimes. Now that the evidence of his crime is conclusive, why should Zisheng be entangled?!"

"Okay, how should Zisheng explain those eight characters!" Lou Ben sneered.

"Since Peng Zhen rebelled three months ago, several counties in the eastern part of Chen County have fallen into the hands of thieves. While Tongniu County was in turmoil, someone told Yan Zhong that there was a good plan to protect his old mother. The safety of the children is safe. If Yan Zhong's nature is followed, he must defend the city with the whole family, but Yan Zhong's heart was shaken at that time, and this was the first time he asked the county magistrate how to arrange his wife, children and children. , not for wealth and silk, but for the safety of the mother and the young son! His 'ashamed' is not because he was unable to defend the city and would be loyal to the enemy, but because he was ashamed of his reputation for giving up his life and being loyal to the family for decades. !"

Shao Shang couldn't help but look back and quietly glanced, and found that Lou Ben's facial features are somewhat similar to Lou Yao, but Lou Yao's eyebrows are full of hearty and heroic spirit, but he has a little more scheming - that's it A seemingly harmless man who repeatedly sent killers to assassinate Uncle Wan? Really unbelievable.

"Yan Zhong believed this friend's words, not only entrusted the mother and the young son, but also the two thousand catties of fine copper, thinking that even if his city was destroyed in the future, he would have the power of protecting copper. , I can say it. Who knows..." Ling Budo paused, "In the hole dug under Wangfeng Pavilion, only the pieces of the winter coat and woolen pocket of Yan Zhong's mother and young son were found, but there was no Yan Zhong and his wife. That's about it."

"Li Feng, the chief of Zuo County, should have been bribed in advance, and its use was to publicize Yan Zhong's robbery and defection. After Yan Zhong's crime was confirmed, he was useless, so he died In prison, his wife and children died at the same time."

Lou Ben laughed yin and yang strangely: "Dead in prison? That Zisheng should find the person who occupied Tongniu County at that time. Who is that person? I think..."

Ling Budo didn't wait for him to pretend, and said straight: "It's General Ma Rongma. Since he won the county seat, he has been acting as an agent in the county seat. But a few days ago, he also died. "

Lou Ben's eyes were full of pride and cruelty: "That's a pity, Zi Sheng's guess can only be guessed... However, it is so easy to trust others, and entrust your net worth and two thousand catties of fine copper to In the end, he died and his name was wiped out, and the magistrate of Yan County could not avoid a charge of negligence and neglect."

"This is because Magistrate Yan couldn't think of a reason why that noble family friend would blame him." Ling Budo didn't give in.

"I thought about this for a long time, but I still can't figure it out. That Yan Zhong is not a ignorant young person, and he has been up and down for many years, how can he be so gullible? Until thinking of you, Ziwei, everything suddenly suddenly see the light."

Lou Ben said coldly, "Zisheng speaks carefully."

"Okay, then I'll put it another way—because Magistrate Yan didn't think that the friend of the noble family had a reason to betray him and betray the court."

Ling Budoubt said, "Yan county magistrate's family friend must be like the only one. Not only does he have a good reputation, but he has a lot of help in the rivers and lakes, and his father, brother and family are officials in the court. , is greatly used by His Majesty. That Peng Zhen is obviously just a clown jumping on the beam for a while. Under such circumstances, how could the friend of the aristocratic family go to Peng Zhen? Isn’t that a waste of pearls and jade?! Therefore, the magistrate of Yan naturally treats the noble family. My friends believe it! I want to come, and I still didn't understand it until his family was slaughtered in front of Wangfeng Pavilion."

"And that General Ma Rong. I have met him a few times, and I know a little about him. Since he took over Tongniu County, he has not committed any crimes in the autumn. His reputation, now it seems, is waiting for the court to call for peace."

Lou Ben's face turned pale and pale, and after a while, he forced a smile and asked, "These are all Zisheng's assumptions, what proof is there?"

Ling Budoubt said: "There is no evidence, it is indeed all speculation."

"You're going to convict me of these assumptions?"

"I can't talk about conviction, I just want to hear Zi Wei's opinion."

Lou Ben sneered: "My opinion is that Zisheng should stop thinking about it, and hurry back to the Cuihou camp to receive the merits and wait for the reward."

Ling Budo frowned slightly, turned her head and said, "Don't walk around, why didn't you say a word today." This was said to the girl walking around by the window.

Shao Shang stopped, expressionless: "If you want me to say, that's fine—" She turned slightly sideways, facing Lou Ben.

"Second son Lou, did you lie to the magistrate of Yan to bring copper out of the city, then slaughtered the whole family of Yan's family, then blamed the magistrate of Yan for treason and betrayal of the country, and then colluded with the generals to cooperate with each other. In the end , General Ma was able to escape from Peng Ni's camp, abandon the dark and turn to the light, and you have gained a lot of credit and you have risen step by step... Do you admit it or not! Although I don't have any direct evidence, you'd better admit your guilt! "

& nbsp; And to be honest, she is not as sure as Ling Budo, although she has the same suspicion, but what if, if there is an emergency, wouldn't it mean that Lou Ben has been wronged? !

After listening to Shaoshang's words, Lou Ben raised his head and laughed loudly, Ling Busu's face darkened.

Lou Ben laughed enough before he said, "Okay, since Zisheng has guessed for such a long time, why don't you ask me to guess too." He got up and walked a few steps, his sleeves erect. , after deliberating for a while before speaking.

"At that time, Tongniu County was already a small boat in the ocean. Seeing that it was difficult to preserve it, Yan Zhong couldn't bear to suffer together with his mother and children, so he secretly joined with Ma Rong, intending to exchange two thousand catties of refined copper for his mother The young child survived, and then went back to defend the city by himself, which is considered to serve the country with his own body. Who knows that Ma Rong is ruthless, and directly kills the whole family of Yan's family, earning money and opening the gate of the county, and using this as a pathway for promotion, in exchange for future prosperity... This is how Can't you talk about it?"

"Ma Rong is dead, he was originally a murderous and narrow-minded person, and it is not a pity to die. These remarks can not only complete the reputation of the county magistrate's loyalty, but will not be too implicated. , what does Zisheng think?"

Shao Shang knows that this is the ladder for Lou Ben to step down for Ling Budo.

But Ling Budo said nothing.

If you want me to confess my guilt just based on these speculations, that's absolutely impossible!" After saying this, he fluttered his long sleeves, pushed open the door of the private room, and strode out.

Only Shaoshang and Ling Budo were left in the room, she twisted and sat beside him: "What am I saying?

"When did you say you wanted to make a plan and then move!" Ling Budo turned his face, "Didn't you always want to find out the real culprit behind the scenes! But once you know it's related to the Lou family, you Immediately retracted into the turtle shell!"

Shao Shang Gan smiled and said, "I'm taking a long-term view. It doesn't matter if you clean up the building, but what about the servant of the building? It's customary in the world that a good thing may not benefit the whole family, but if something bad happens, no one in the family can escape. ."

"His Royal Highness was opened by the servant of Lou when he was young, and he has always been close to the servant. If something really happened to the Lou family, what should His Royal Highness do? I am not Why are you worried about this! Let's take a long-term view..." Shao Shang looked worried about the country and the people.

Their children can't be held accountable for committing crimes?! Well, Mrs. Cheng, I can't see that you have the ability to be a minister! Disrespectful!"

Shao Shang couldn't get rid of the ridicule on his face, and said angrily: "Then what can you do! Yan Zhong's whole family is dead, Li Feng Ma Rong is also dead, there are no witnesses, physical evidence I didn't find it either, do you really want to 'bullying others'? - Because I'm higher in official rank than you, and I'm more trusted by Your Majesty than you, so what I say is what I say!" She learned to speak with a thick throat.

"There's no need to bully others!" Ling Budo straightened up and smiled proudly, "I've never lost the handle I want to hold!" , Angrily kicked the verdict a few times.

"In his eyes, all the women and children of the Yan family are nothing but pigs and dogs. For his career advancement, it doesn't matter if he kills and sets fire to save lives! How can such a person become an official in the court! Never thought that two years ago I I also recommended Lou Ben to His Royal Highness, but fortunately the Crown Prince did not listen to me. This beast who acts with impunity and acts recklessly, I must bring him to justice!"