My book friend Long Aotian

Chapter 201 Prison Horse
Won.

Triumph.

Parading in public!

Director Li of Tongwen escorted the suspect Ma Fulong into the government office.

Serious cases involving human lives have clear responsibilities and must be heard by the prefect.

Of course, Li Bailong could also forcibly take over the trial rights on the grounds that "the three businessmen who were killed were loyal entrepreneurs under the management of this bureau", but... why should he do this?

Such good things as not fearing power and upholding justice are naturally done by the people in officialdom!
The witnesses and suspects were brought to the court.

Even though the prefect, Lord Shi, was mentally prepared, he couldn't help but feel a headache.

Trying the powerful and wealthy people from the six major factions can naturally add a strong stroke to your official reputation, but the problem is that the six major factions may also make a strong note of you in their notebooks, and the gains and losses are really difficult to evaluate... Especially since Lord Shi is Meng Gong's man and has nothing to do with this matter!

However, as it was within the prefect's authority, he was helpless and Lord Shi had to go to court.

It was the first time for him to interrogate such a high-ranking official from the six major factions, and he was shocked as soon as he met them.

The suspect Ma Fulong looked dazed and dazed, with his lips trembling slightly at times as if he was mumbling to himself, and sometimes he listened attentively, but no one was talking.

——Damn it, how could Governor Li turn the nobles of the six major sects into this state!

I remember him before...

Oh, it turns out that he was showing mercy.

Thinking of this man's previous brilliant achievements, Lord Shi couldn't help but sweat, thinking that in just two or three months, he had offended Feng Lin and Cao Gang successively. Fortunately, Lord Meng still wanted to recruit this man and poach King Zhao.

Wouldn't it be better to put him on King Zhao's side if he is so capable of causing trouble?
He was complaining in his heart while the court was in session.

The case itself is relatively clear.

First, the core witnesses are very complete. The businessmen in Qu Shiwen Society are almost all intellectuals with strong expressive ability. They can explain the causes and consequences and details clearly without any ambiguity.

This saves a lot of time.

After all, the most time-consuming part of a government case is listening to both parties explain their experiences.

Secondly, the suspect Ma Fulong seemed to have suffered a severe blow. He just didn't answer any questions, didn't cooperate but didn't resist, and had no objection to any charges.

However, there are still some gaps in the chain of evidence.

For example, the victim’s body is missing and there is a lack of more convincing evidence.

Otherwise, with Qi's highly developed martial arts forensic medicine, as long as the victim's body was found and the wounds were examined and tested, combined with the testimonies of witnesses and a martial arts profile of Ma Fulong, they would be able to directly confirm his suspicion of murder from the residual Qi flow, marks of blows, and force-generating habits.

Appearance can be disguised, fingerprints can be erased, but a warrior's martial arts habits are unique.

As the matter involved the powerful people of the six major factions, Lord Shi knew the procedures and rules, and examined the case very carefully. He also sent clerks to record the confessions of each person in detail, and had each of them put their fingerprints on them, and entered them into the register in preparation for compiling a report.

Although Ma Fulun kept his eyes closed and said nothing the entire time, this was only a preliminary trial, and as long as the witnesses' testimonies were complete, it would be sufficient... After all, the case was indeed extremely clear and straightforward.

After doing all this, the trial came to a temporary end.

Lord Shi exhaled a breath and ordered, "Imprison him!"

The jailer of the government office came to take over and prepared the supreme suite in the martial arts prison for Master Ma.

When the jailer approached, Ma Fulong withdrew his gaze from the endless void.

His scattered pupils focused again and he looked around the hall, ignoring the officials of his own state as if they were nothing. His gaze fell on Director Li, who was listening in, and his eyes overflowed with endless resentment and hatred.

He said in a hoarse voice: "I can sign and I can plead guilty."

Lord Shi was cheered up.

Although Huazhou Prefecture is only qualified to conduct a preliminary trial when someone of this level commits a crime, and the case must be sent to the capital in the future, it is also his ability to investigate the case before the transfer.

So the prefect asked amiably, "What do you want?"

Ma Fulong ignored the minor official and just stared at Li in the hall, squeezing out words from between his teeth.

"Let her come to me!"

She? Who? The prefect looked at Li Bailong.

Li Bailong stood up and said, "Goodbye, Lao Ma."

The rejection without hesitation aroused the most intense emotions in my heart.

Ma Fulong suddenly roared: "Who saved Zheng Xiuyuan! How dare he testify in court? Who gave him the confidence? Was she involved? Li Bailong! Answer me! Was it her?"

Earlier, Zheng Xiuyuan's evasive gaze had confirmed Ma Fulun's guess.

The inquiry at this moment is nothing more than a helpless struggle to avoid facing the truth.

Li Bailong frowned slightly.

"You killed three innocent people, and now you're just trying to find someone who ruined your life?"

"Innocent as hell!"

Ma Fulong hissed, "This bunch of bullies, greedy, cunning, despicable and short-sighted fools! Were they innocent when they took my money? Were they innocent when they boarded my ship? I only showed a little bit of interest, and they helped me to oppose you without hesitation. Are they innocent? Now that they are killed, they know they are innocent?"

Zheng Xiuyuan and other witnesses in the court were frightened, angry and guilty when they heard such nonsense.

"Look at them. They are against you for their own interests, and they are my lackeys for their own interests. Now they turn around and help you sue me. Do you think they are doing this for justice? They are so innocuous. Let me tell you, such stupid and pathetic ants will never have a good ending!"

He chuckled, his eyes like a wolf, and scanned the crowd, saying grimly, "You are very brave to sue the Cao Gang. I am the royal blood of the Ma family. How can a mere Huazhou prefecture be qualified to judge me? If you want to judge and sentence me, you must send me to the capital. You witnesses must also come to the capital to testify!"

When he said this, he showed his bloodstained teeth in a mad smile.

"But—will you live to see that day?"

"Even if you can, can you continue to live after this is over?"

As one of the six major factions of the Cao Gang, would it bring disgrace to the Cao Gang by allowing these lowly merchants to serve as witnesses and go to Beijing to identify the murderer?

How much wealth do they have at their disposal? How many elites can they mobilize?
Even if the trial is difficult to stop...what about afterwards?
The merchants felt as if they had fallen into an icy cave, and their faces were filled with fear and terror.

The indignation of being nearly silenced and the pleasure of having his enemy taken prisoner all disappeared at this moment.

Only then did they recall the horror of being targeted by the six major sects.

A weak businessman, a long time, and the murderous intentions of the six major sects.

Li Bailong may be able to protect them for a while, but can he protect them forever?

——Moreover, such a cruel fate will not be affected by Ma Fulong’s life or death.

It would be better to say that if Ma Fulun was brought to justice, the Cao Gang’s revenge would be carried out more resolutely.

"You see, we have no choice. Everything is determined when we make the initial choice."

"They were greedy in the past, and that's why they are in this situation today."

"If they refused to drown today, they would have suffered the same fate as now!"

"Li Bailong, this is their fate!" Ma Fulong laughed happily and suddenly said, "However, if you raise your hand to me slightly, I will allow them to live and prevent them from being retaliated by the Cao Gang... What do you think?"

The looks of Zheng Xiuyuan and others changed.

They looked at Li Bailong with complicated expressions, with a hint of hope in their dullness.

"Look, if you don't agree, they will hate you... No, they already hate you in their hearts, because you forced them to identify me, which led to the revenge and murderous intentions of the Cao Gang!"

Ma Fulong laughed loudly, "They are indecisive, wavering, undecided, and they criticize heroes. This is what people are like! This is the person that Big Brother Wan Yunlong is protecting! This is the person that Zhu Haishan wants to protect! They were like this hundreds of years ago, and they were like this eight years ago, and they have always been like this!"

Li Bailong showed a look of surprise and doubt.

——Ma Fulong seems a little different.

"You say they are innocent? They deserve to die! These people are like this, those canal workers are like this, they are greedy, they are stupid, they are easily persuaded by bad people, and they are easily invaded by external forces!"

Ma Fulong laughed loudly: "If I don't teach them a lesson, they will never recognize themselves! You say I killed innocent people? Li Bailong, these businessmen have been against you and obstructed your great cause every day. When you found out that several of them were killed, didn't you feel happy and died a good death?"

Li Bailong said calmly: "I don't think so."

Ma Fulong was startled and said disdainfully: "Hypocrisy."

But the next moment, his expression suddenly changed, as if he realized something, and his face twisted violently.

He burst out laughing.

"Wait, wait..." He almost laughed out tears, "Li Bailong, you don't, you don't really want to seek justice for those three dead ghosts and let me kill people to pay for their lives, do you?"

"What justice do the dead need?" Li Bailong said calmly, "Killing someone requires retribution."

"Another Zhu Haishan." Ma Fulong laughed for a long time, and his face slowly turned cold: "What are you talking about three lives... If it weren't for the time difference, three lives would be nothing? Are you crazy? Do you really think you are acting for the people? You can use the king's laws to suppress me, but it's just King Zhao arguing with Yun Gongdao. The time is on your side, and the rules are for you to use!"

Li Bailong shook his head and said, "There's nothing much to say to you. Just wait for death... Fork it down."

There was a fierce light flashing in Ma Fulong's eyes.

"I am a descendant of the Ma family. Even if I am convicted and imprisoned, as long as I am not guilty of the ten high treason crimes, I will still enjoy honor and privilege. Who dares to deprive me of this? Who dares to offend me!"

He let out a loud shout.

Even though they were already guilty prisoners, and even though they were restrained in restraints and all their physical strength was suppressed, the accumulated power of the six major sects still frightened the officials in the hall, and the jailers could not help but stop.

"Did you see that?" Ma Fulong sneered at Li Bailong, "This is the rule you have been taking advantage of."

"You've done a good job in Huazhou. You've always been taking advantage of the rules. But if you take advantage of the rules, you have to endure their disadvantages... Just like I'm a prisoner now, but I still enjoy honor. You can't do anything to me on this point."

"Don't forget, the rules you have been using and benefiting from were set by the six major factions." He said gloomily, "If the Cao Gang plays with you within the rules, can you stop them?"

Resentful, sarcastic, and mocking.

"The Cao Gang wants to take revenge on these dog-like bastards. Can you protect them forever?"

"What do you mean by life for life...will I really die?"

Li Bailong said indifferently: "Then we'll just wait and see."

"You will know soon." Ma Fulong said sinisterly, "If Lord Yun makes a deal with King Zhao, and wants to save my life on the condition that Dao Zheng gives in and helps Tong Wen, do you think King Zhao will agree?"

"How do the insignificant lives of three greedy businessmen compare to the great cause of Tongwen?"

Li Bailong's eyes changed for a moment.

"You have been successful in Huazhou because of the influence of King Zhao. So, I am very curious." Ma Fulong laughed sarcastically, "When your ideas conflict, who will compromise?"

The once innocent and sincere boy is now a powerful noble with a twisted mind. His bloodshot eyes seem to see through the dust of history and see the shadow of another person.

Anyone who is full of hope and ideals has simply not met or experienced it yet.

He looked at the person in front of him with sarcasm, as if he had already seen the ending.

"Stupid."

Li Bailong said calmly: "Your aunt doesn't want you anymore."

Ma Fulong’s sinister smile froze on his face.

Then, it was replaced by endless rage and madness.

He roared and rushed towards Li Bailong with all his strength, but the restraints on his body made him less powerful than an ordinary person. Li Bailong hooked his foot and threw him to the ground, saying lightly: "Take it away, and don't give him food tonight."

The jailers were suddenly awakened by Director Li's glare and stepped forward to do their work.

Ma Fulong was carried out, and the curses and roars could still be heard from afar. Li Bailong stood there for a while, came to his senses, and walked towards Lord Shi in the hall.

Prefect Shi was watching a play. He didn't expect that there would be such a small theater after the boring trial.

Ma Fulong's last words even gave him inspiration.

After all, Meng Gong has been thinking about how to pry Li Bailong loose.

These days he reported the battle records between the Cao Gang and the Tongwen Bureau in real time. Every attack and defense of Li Bailong made Meng Gong astonished and admired him more and more. His words revealed his wolfish heart of "I want to get this man"... If what Ma Fulong said is true, and Li Bailong really has a rift with King Zhao, then doesn't that mean there is an opportunity!

Just as he was thinking about this, he heard Lord Li say, "Your Excellency, I have something to ask you."

Wow! It’s been a long time since I heard you call yourself a subordinate!

Lord Shi was flattered and said hastily, "You and I are brothers, so you can talk."

Li Bailong asked sincerely, "May I ask, is it possible that Ma Fulong hanged himself with a towel in prison?"

"This... this is not appropriate!"

The Palace Master was startled and quickly advised: "This is unacceptable. The Cao Gang will definitely make a fuss and cause great trouble. Moreover, King Zhao will be in a very passive position..."

At this point, he asked cautiously, "Brother, do you want to kill this man?"

Li Bailong was surprised and said, "Why do you say that, sir? I am just worried that this person will commit suicide or be forced to commit suicide, and then frame me. Then I will be unable to defend myself, and I will be wronged, right?"

Lord Shi was half-believing and half-doubting, and then he heard Li Bailong muttering to himself: "No, I have to tell everyone in advance, so that everyone knows that if this happens, I must be wronged..."

etc! Wait a moment!
Lord Shi always felt that something was wrong, but he saw that Governor Li had already left.

He smacked his lips suddenly.

...Is this guy picking on me?

After leaving the government office and returning to Tongwen Bureau, Li Bailong went into the back hall to grind ink. In short, he had to report the matter to King Zhao first.

The room in the government office, which was a prison for armed prisoners, was clean and tidy. Ma Fulong sat against the wall, his head slightly lowered, most of his face hidden in the shadow, and his ear slightly tilted, as if he was listening to a voice.

"Yes, I have done it... Let Li Bailong divert his attention..."

"The destiny... is mine... it must be me... I want..."

He listened to what was in his heart and repeated it.

"——Kill you...you."

(End of this chapter)