Chapter 26: Fake

Looking at the tears sliding down the corner of Su Xiaoxi's eyes, Tang Zheng only felt that the softest part of his heart suddenly shattered. He couldn't help but shout: "No, Miss Su, I didn't mean to lie to you."

Su Xiaoxi didn't speak, while Li Sheng shook his head and interjected from the side: "But you still lied. It's a pity that Miss Xiao Xi trusted you so much. You really are not a good person."

Then he faced Zhou Yunqing and said loudly: "Prefect, this Tang Zheng sneaked into the grain transport warehouse last night, holding a torch and wanting to commit arson. Fortunately, he was discovered by my subordinates, and both sides had a conflict. This gold medal and broken knife were left by him. This humble one found something wrong, so he came to report overnight, just to prevent the Prefect from being kept in the dark by this liar."

"You did a good job." Zhou Yunqing praised.

Li Sheng replied hurriedly: "Sharing worries for the Prefect is my duty."

At the same time, he glanced at Tang Zheng, his eyes full of pride and showing off.

At the same time, Zhou Yunqing stood up from his chair, supported the table with both hands, his expression angry, and shouted at Tang Zheng: "Bold commoner, you dare to impersonate the Embroidered Uniform Guard to swindle. If it weren't for the evidence provided by Deputy Commander Li, this Prefect would still be kept in the dark by you."

"Come here." Zhou Yunqing pointed at Tang Zheng and shouted: "Throw this bold commoner into the prison and try him later."

Several yamen runners heard this, dragged Tang Zheng up from the ground, and prepared to take him away. Just at this moment, Tang Zheng suddenly shouted: "Wait."

Being shouted at like this by him, several yamen runners subconsciously stopped their steps.

Zhou Yunqing: "What else do you have to say?"

"I admit, I impersonated the Embroidered Uniform Guard Commander, and I have no complaints about how to punish me." Tang Zheng said loudly, while struggling to break free from the yamen runners behind him, and pointed at Li Sheng: "But this Li Sheng is not a good person either! The previous water transport corruption case was instigated by him."

Zhou Yunqing sneered when he heard this: "Hmph, still dare to talk nonsense here..."

"I'm not talking nonsense, I have evidence!" Tang Zheng interrupted Zhou Yunqing, took out the account book he got from the shipyard last night from his bosom, and said: "I didn't go to the grain warehouse to commit arson last night at all, but went to the abandoned shipyard opposite the River God Altar at Xijin Ferry. This is the account book we found there. It has the truth about Li Sheng's sunken ship insurance reporting. There is also a lot of grain transport in that shipyard. Prefect, you can send someone to check it."

Immediately after, he took out the account book recorded by Su Shanhe that he got at Hongfu Restaurant from his bosom and said: "This account book is the account flow of the water transport recorded by Su Shanhe over the past few years. You can compare the dates of the sunken ship insurance reporting and the amount of grain and grass on the two account books, and it will naturally be clear."

While speaking, the secretary came to present the two account books in Tang Zheng's hand to Zhou Yunqing. The latter began to flip through them slowly, while Tang Zheng took the opportunity to look at Li Sheng, but found that the latter's expression was relaxed, and he didn't seem to be worried at all.

A moment later, Zhou Yunqing put the account book in his hand aside and asked: "You are a fake Embroidered Uniform Guard, why should I believe your words?"

Tang Zheng: "This account book was obtained by me and Miss Su Xiaoxi together. At that time, we also had a fight with Li Sheng's subordinates. She can prove it."

Zhou Yunqing looked at Su Xiaoxi again: "Is that so?"

"Yes, Prefect." Su Xiaoxi wiped away her tears when she heard this and said: "I saw a lot of grain transport piled up in the shipyard, and that account book was also snatched by us from Li Sheng's subordinates."

"Hmm?" Zhou Yunqing pondered for a moment and looked at Li Sheng.

And the latter said unhurriedly: "Prefect, Su Xiaoxi and Su Shanhe are siblings, her words are not enough to be trusted."

"What you say also makes sense." Zhou Yunqing looked at Tang Zheng again: "Do you have any other witnesses?"

"There is also Lin Zuo." Tang Zheng said immediately: "The loopholes in the account book were analyzed by him. By the way, Li Sheng once sent me three thousand taels of silver in your name, Prefect, asking me not to investigate this matter anymore. Lin Zuo can also testify to this."

"Bring Lin Zuo." Zhou Yunqing ordered, and looked at Li Sheng again: "Is there such a thing?"

"Absolutely not." Li Sheng said immediately: "This is all the framing of this little thief. At this point, he still wants to drag others into the water. Prefect, please investigate."

Although he spoke righteously, Tang Zheng keenly observed that his forehead seemed to be slightly sweating, not knowing if it was fear or nervousness.

A moment later, Lin Zuo was brought in. He was still dressed as a scholar, carrying the black umbrella that never left his side.

Tang Zheng kept looking at him, but from the moment he entered the hall, Lin Zuo never had any eye contact with Tang Zheng, which made Tang Zheng have a bad premonition in his heart.

"Commoner Lin Zuo pays respects to the Prefect."

"Exempt." Zhou Yunqing waved his hand and said: "Recognize this person?"

While speaking, he pointed to Tang Zheng.

"Recognize." Lin Zuo nodded: "He claims to be the Embroidered Uniform Guard Commander Tang Zheng."

"Fake!" Zhou Yunqing interrupted Lin Zuo, and then said: "This person impersonated the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and his crime is heinous. Perhaps you were kept in the dark before, which is excusable. If you still help him deceive now, then you are accomplices."

He tapped the table lightly with his fingers, and his voice gradually became severe: "You are very familiar with the Great Ming Code, right? Do you know what crime this is?"

"Know." Lin Zuo lowered his head and said: "Before, this humble one was deceived by this fake Embroidered Uniform Guard. I hope the Prefect will forgive me."

Tang Zheng was dumbfounded.

"Good." Zhou Yunqing seemed very satisfied with Lin Zuo's attitude and said loudly: "Lin Zuo, this official is asking you now, you must answer truthfully. If there is half a lie, this official will definitely punish you severely."

"Yes, Prefect."

"This official asks you." Zhou Yunqing pointed at Tang Zheng and asked: "Do you know the background of this person?"

"Commoner met him on a merchant ship not long ago. He claimed to be an Embroidered Uniform Guard. Commoner doesn't know anything else."

"Then have you seen these two account books?" Zhou Yunqing said, while showing the two account books Tang Zheng had just presented to Lin Zuo.

The latter identified them carefully and said: "Commoner has only seen one of them. According to Tang Zheng, it was the account book recorded by Su Shanhe that he found at Hongfu Restaurant."

"Is there a problem with the accounts inside?"

This time Lin Zuo hesitated slightly, but still shook his head: "From the accounts, there is no problem."

"Lin Zuo, are you crazy?" Tang Zheng couldn't help but shout: "You are a scholar, don't you understand the truth that poverty cannot be moved and power cannot be bent?"

"Commander, you are wrong." Lin Zuo looked at Tang Zheng expressionlessly and corrected: "It should be poverty cannot be moved."

Tang Zheng was speechless.

"Tang Zheng said before that Li Sheng sent you three thousand taels of silver in my name." Zhou Yunqing looked at Lin Zuo and asked: "Is there such a thing?"

After this sentence was asked, the atmosphere at the scene suddenly became tense. Even Li Sheng, who had always been calm, stared at Lin Zuo, waiting for his answer.

And the latter hesitated slightly and said: "Tang Zheng did tell me about the three thousand taels of silver note, but I didn't see it with my own eyes, so commoner dare not speak nonsense."

Although it sounded impartial, such an answer was spoken, Li Sheng relaxed, and there was a smile at the corner of his mouth, while Tang Zheng was struck by lightning, and the whole person was stunned. ===== CHAPTER 27 =====