In the afternoon, the lobby of Kyoto Prefecture had a solemn atmosphere.

When Qin Xiao came to the lobby, he immediately saw the Bohai officials sitting in the left row of the lobby. Bohai envoy Cui Shangyuan was at the head, followed by deputy envoy Zhao Zhengyu. There was a row of seven or eight officials where Qin Xiao entered the lobby.

For a moment, everyone cast resentful glances at Qin Xiao.

In the row on the right side of the lobby, there are also old acquaintances. At the top is Lu Junzhong, the official of the Ministry of Justice, and Su Yu, the minister of Dali Temple, is below. Qin Xiao, the two officials under Su Yu's command, does not recognize him, but Xia Yanzhi, the governor of Kyoto, is also here.

Sitting in a row.

Lu Junzhong did not even look at Qin Xiao, and seemed to be concentrating with his eyes closed. Su Yu nodded slightly to Qin Xiao, and the two unfamiliar officials also smiled at Qin Xiao.

Tang Jing, who was following Qin Xiao, said cautiously: "Sir, please take a seat!"

In the middle of the lobby, there was a stool, which was naturally arranged for Qin Xiao.

Qin Xiao glanced at everyone, but without saying a word, he turned around and left. Zhao Zhengyu's voice came from behind him: "Where to go?"

Qin Xiao turned around, stared at Zhao Zhengyu, and sneered: "Where I go in the land of the Tang Dynasty is none of your business as a Bohai man."

"Qin Shaoqing." Su Yu coughed: "The sage has a decree. Today there will be three confrontations to find out the murder of Prince Bohai. Sit down and listen."

Qin Xiao shook his head and said: "Sir, I apologize that I cannot stay."

"Qin Xiao, this is the sage's will." Lu Junzhong said with a cold face, "You turned around and left before the confrontation started. Are you trying to resist the order?"

Qin Xiao said calmly: "Lu Budang, don't rush to criticize me." Pointing to the stool, he asked: "Let me ask you, what does this mean?"

Lu Junzhong was startled, frowned and said, "It's the kindness of some adults to set up a seat for you. If you don't want it, you can remove it. You can stand and talk."

"A joke." Qin Xiao sneered: "Sit on this stool, does it mean that I have to be interrogated? This is the treatment of prisoners. I wonder what crime I have committed to deserve this treatment?"

"You...!" Zhao Zhengyu was furious and pointed at Qin Xiao: "You killed the prince, isn't it a big crime?"

"Did I talk to you?" Qin Xiao didn't even look at him, but rolled his eyes.

The official sitting next to Su Yu had already said harmoniously: "Master Qin, you have indeed received the sage's will today. Everyone will tell you clearly about the prince's murder in person. Before the results come out, no one dares to accuse you.

Please be patient and don't be impatient."

Qin Xiao saw that this man was over sixty years old and had a pleasant appearance. He cupped his hands and said, "Sir, who is...?"

"This is Qian Butang, the official of the Department of Rites!" Su Yu introduced.

The Ministry of Rites was the first yamen to send someone to visit him, and Qian Butang was naturally in charge behind him. Qin Xiao immediately stood up and saluted respectfully. Qian Butang nodded slightly and said: "Today, the Prime Minister is in charge. If you have any questions, I will wait for you."

You can bring it up when the date comes, no need to worry."

As soon as he finished speaking, someone from the side door shouted loudly: "The Prime Minister is here!"

Everyone present, including the officials of the Bohai Mission, also stood up, and then saw Xiahou Yuanzhen, the Prime Minister of the Tang Dynasty, walking out from behind, smiling, raising his hands and saying: "Everyone, sit down." The host in the Tang Dynasty

He sat down in the interrogation seat and said with a smile: "The sage has a purpose. Today, we must find out who is responsible for the murder of the Prince of Bohai. The Ministry of Punishment, Dali Temple, Ministry of Rites, and Honglu Temple...as well as officials from the Bohai Mission.

You are all here too. I have been ordered by the sage to preside over today's meeting, but I am impartial and you can tell me what is right or wrong."

Cui Shangyuan had already stood up and bowed his hands to the Prime Minister and said: "Your Excellency, your official Qin Xiao killed the crown prince of my country on the ring. Everyone saw it. Please give this person to our Bohai Mission to bring him back."

!”

"No rush!" The Prime Minister smiled and said, "Sit down first." He looked at Qin Xiao and said, "Qin Xiao, sit down too."

"Your Excellency, Prime Minister, I am about to report to you." Qin Xiao raised his finger and pointed at the stool and said: "This is the lobby of Kyoto Prefecture. There are three halls to testify. Sitting on this stool, I immediately became a suspect.

Therefore, no matter what, I will never sit on this stool."

The Prime Minister frowned and said, "Then what do you want?"

"Since it's a confrontation, let's make it clear face to face." Qin Xiao pointed to the row of officials from the Tang Dynasty, "I also ask the Prime Minister to add a chair there, so that the officials and the Bohai people can make it clear face to face."

"You are a murderer, what qualifications do you have to argue with us?" Zhao Zhengyu sneered.

Qin Xiao laughed and said: "It's ridiculous. When will it be the Bohai people's turn to convict officials of the Tang Dynasty? This is called transgression. In our country, the Tang Dynasty, it is a crime of rebellion."

Zhao Zhengyu was startled. Qian Butang of the Ministry of Rites had already stood up and bowed to the Prime Minister: "Prime Minister, I would like to speak bluntly. The purpose of gathering officials from various ministries here today is to find out a result. Before the result comes out, we really cannot prejudge the murderer."

Treatment. If the final result shows that Qin Shaoqing did kill someone intentionally, then he will be punished according to the laws of the Tang Dynasty. Before that, the lower official thought that he must be treated as an official of the Tang Dynasty."

"Xia Guan and Qian Butang have the same meaning." Su Yu stood up immediately.

At the head of the Qian Budang Hall was the Minister of Honglu Temple, who stood up and held his hands in his hands: "I second the proposal!"

"I second the proposal!" Xia Yanzhi also stood up immediately.

Lu Junzhong from the Criminal Department hesitated for a moment, then finally stood up and said: "I second the proposal!"

All the officials in Bohai had angry expressions on their faces, and the Prime Minister pondered slightly before saying to everyone in Bohai: "Everyone, I also believe that Qin Xiao should not be treated as a murderer directly before the results come out. Those who are pure will be cleansed by themselves, and those who are dirty will be clean.

Zi Zhuo, it is the sage's will that everyone explain the matter clearly. Once the results are obtained, you can do whatever you want." Without waiting for the Bohai man to speak, he ordered: "Add a chair to Qin Xiao."

Immediately, someone added a chair under Xia Yan. Qin Xiao then straightened his clothes, walked over and sat down, looking at the Bohai officials opposite with a half-smile but not a smile, all of them glaring at him.

"The Bohai envoy sued the sage, the young minister of Dali Temple, for murdering the prince of Bohai." The Prime Minister calmly said, "Qin Xiao, what do you say?"

Qin Xiao cupped his hands and said: "Reporting to the Prime Minister, justice lies in the hearts of the people. Many things are self-evident. I feel there is no need to say more."

"You have nothing to say." Zhao Zhengyu, who was obviously the main force of the Bohai Mission, said sternly: "You stabbed through the intestines and killed the prince in an extremely cruel way. In full view of the public, the crime was heinous. Of course, you have nothing to say."

Qin Xiao smiled and said: "When Yuan Gai Wushuang killed Liu Zhenquan, I don't know why you didn't say that your prince's crimes were heinous."

"The two things are completely different." Zhao Zhengyu said: "The prince accidentally killed Liu Zhenquan during the martial arts competition. He also signed a life and death contract. You will bear the consequences."

Qin Xiao took out the life and death contract signed that day from his arms, waved it in his hand, and said with a smile: "If it is a life and death contract, I have it here too."

"You didn't make a mistake." Cui Shangyuan finally said, "You stabbed through the intestines because you were determined to kill the prince."

Qin Xiao held the life and death contract and said calmly: "As we all know, Yuan Gai Wushuang has practiced outer martial arts, and his body is made of copper skin and iron bones. If I want to defeat him, I can only find his weak shield. If I don't use that move

, there is no way to win. In a martial arts competition, the winner is determined. Just like your prince killed Liu Zhenquan just to win, I had no choice but to stab Liu Zhenquan through the intestines, also to win."

"If it was just one kill, and there was a life-and-death contract, we wouldn't pursue it." Cui Shangyuan said coldly: "But everyone has seen that after the prince lost the ability to resist, you continued to chop him dozens of times. If it was fatal,

One knife is a helpless move during a martial arts competition, so how do you explain the next dozens of knifes?"

Except for Lu Junzhong, a Tang official with a calm face and a hint of schadenfreude in his eyes, the other officials had solemn expressions.

What Cui Shangyuan said does make sense.

One stabbing fatality can be explained, but the dozens of stabbings that followed were clearly deliberate murders.

"Qin Xiao, this martial arts competition is not for life and death." Lu Junzhong coughed and said slowly: "I am very aware of this incident. If it was just the fatal blow, no one can fault you.

But you continued to use the sword after the prince fell to the ground, and it was not two strikes. It cannot be justified in any case. It is not unreasonable to say that you committed murder deliberately."

Several other officials frowned, thinking that the Blood King really hated Qin Xiao. With his cunning, it was impossible not to know that it was best not to say anything at this time, but he chose to speak for the Bohai people.

, clearly intending to put Qin Xiao to death.

Resentment can make people faint, but it seems that the Blood King of Hell has lost his head because of resentment.

Qin Xiao asked Lu Junzhong with a smile: "Lu Butang, have you seen Yuan Gai Wushuang's body?"

"The prince was killed. Although the case was not handed over to the Ministry of Punishment, I am in charge of the punishment. Of course, it is necessary to go and see it. At the same time, I also want to express my condolences to the Bohai Mission." Lu Junzhong said calmly.

Yesterday, there was an endless stream of people who went to Kyoto Prefecture to visit Qin Xiao, but not all yamen ran there. No one from the Criminal Department went to visit him from beginning to end, but it turned out that they went to Sifang Pavilion to see the dead person.

Qin Xiao calmly asked: "Since Lu Butang has seen the body, I wonder if he can determine which blow the prince died from?"

"Why ask when you know it?" Lu Junzhong sighed: "If it enters the intestines from a dirty place, even the Great Luo Immortal will not be able to survive."

Qin Xiao said: "So the prince must have died with that knife?"

"good."

"Prime Minister, gentlemen." Qin Xiao stood up and cupped his hands and said: "In the martial arts competition, the Bohai Crown Prince's martial arts are far superior to those of the lower officials, and his body-protecting skills are invulnerable. If you can't find the Crown Prince's weakness, it is almost impossible to win.

The Crown Prince had killed Liu Zhenquan before, so the official was naturally afraid. If he couldn't win, he would die under the Crown Prince's sword. So in that case, he took the risk. He just felt that the dirty gate was very weak, and it might be a cover, so

He just took out the sword. The sword was just to break the magical power of protecting the body. He had no intention of killing, but he didn't control the strength well, so he accidentally killed the prince."

Lu Junzhong frowned and said, "I didn't ask you to explain the first stab. I said before that if it was just that one stab, no one would be held accountable."

"Yes, if it was just that one knife, we wouldn't pursue it." Cui Shangyuan said immediately.

Qin Xiao said solemnly: "My lords, I understand that the knife that penetrated my intestines was a mistake in the arena. The Bohai Mission will not pursue it, and no one will punish me."

"I'm talking about the dozens of knives later." Lu Junzhong said coldly.

Qin Xiao smiled calmly and asked: "Dare I ask Lu Butang and the officials of the Bohai Mission, except for the one that penetrated the intestines, were the other thirty-odd stabs fatal? To ask more directly, the thirty-odd stabs in the

, is there a knife that can take the prince’s life?”

As soon as this statement came out, everyone present was startled.

"What do you mean?"

"The more than thirty blows that followed were all flesh wounds, and they all avoided the vital parts." Qin Xiao looked directly at Cui Shangyuan and said slowly: "In other words, among those dozens of blows, none of them could kill the prince.

If you are in doubt, you can ask officials from the Purple Clothes Prison to check. There are so many experts in the Purple Clothes Prison. They can clearly check when each wound appeared on the corpse and whether it was fatal." He smiled slightly and said: "But

I don’t think this is necessary, because the adults including the Bohai Mission were all sure that the prince was killed by a knife through the intestines, and this was the real cause of death.”

Dali Temple Su Yu's eyes flashed with light, and he nodded slightly and said: "In this way, the matter will be clear. The fatal sword was missed during the martial arts competition, so Qin Shaoqing cannot be held responsible for it. The next dozens of swords, but

There was no fatal blow, so it cannot be said that Mr. Qin intended to murder."
To be continued...