Great Song Dynasty Writer

Chapter 345 Bao Gong Investigates the Case
The lingering sound of the chime bells still echoed between the beams. More than three hundred tribute students, following the etiquette previously taught by the Ministry of Rites, held their breath, bowed their heads, and rose in order to straighten their robes.

The tense atmosphere in Chongzheng Hall only eased slightly after the imperial procession had gone far away.

However, they still could not talk freely at this time, and officials from the Ministry of Rites who were waiting for orders stepped forward to guide the candidates to leave Xuande Gate in single file.

As he walked out of the city gate, Lu Beigu looked up at the sky, where the evening clouds were already tinged with gold and purple.

As he walked out, he was talking quietly with Su Shi when a Kaifeng official in a blue robe stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Provincial Governor Lu, please wait. The Kaifeng Prefecture is conducting a routine inquiry. Please follow me."

The surroundings fell silent for a moment.

Several pairs of eyes swept over him subtly. Su Shi frowned slightly, as if about to speak, but Su Zhe stopped him with a look.

Looking at the officials of Kaifeng Prefecture and the constables behind him, Lu Beigu showed no surprise. As a commoner, since he was involved in the case of rioting in the army, he naturally had to be investigated according to the rules.

Song Xiang certainly didn't do nothing today; he probably already sent a message, so there's a high probability he won't actually detain him. Besides, Lu Beigu went to the Kaifeng government office to plan how to take advantage of this opportunity to turn the tables, so he couldn't wait to go.

"Thank you for showing me the way."

He remained calm, nodded, and then bid farewell to his companions.

The Kaifeng Prefectural Government Office is not far from the Forbidden City, located west of the Imperial Street. Just like when he last came, the vermilion gate was wide open, and stone lions stood solemnly.

Although it was nearing dusk, people were still coming and going in the mansion. Clerks hurried along carrying their documents, and the imposing presence of the mansion was evident even without the sound of the drum.

Lu Beigu was led to the west side of the government office, where he saw clean corridors and ancient locust trees with newly sprouting leaves, a stark contrast to the solemn and imposing atmosphere of the main hall.

Upon entering the duty room, I saw a man standing with his hands behind his back by the window.

The man was about sixty years old, dressed in a scarlet robe, and was none other than Bao Zheng, the acting prefect of Kaifeng.

He turned around at the sound, his gaze sweeping over Lu Beigu, but he didn't rush to speak. He simply raised his hand to gesture for Lu Beigu to sit down.

Several seasoned criminal investigators sat at their desks beside him, with paper and pens readily available.

Afterwards, Bao Zheng spent a long time exchanging pleasantries with Lu Beigu.

Only when he himself was tired of talking and picked up his teacup to drink tea did he ask the question.

"Are you aware of the document issued by the Privy Council yesterday?"

The atmosphere suddenly became tense.

In an instant, the air seemed to quiet down, and crows flew past the eaves outside the window, their wings flapping clearly audible.

Although his crime-solving abilities may not be as exaggerated as those in the stories, Bao Zheng was indeed the best in the entire Song Dynasty in this field, and he had a very good set of interrogation skills.

From Lu Beigu's perspective at this point, regardless of whether he knew or not, he could only answer "I don't know."

If he were too honest and answered "I know" directly, he would then have to explain where he learned it from, which would be betraying Song Xiang, and Tian Kuang would also suffer as a result.

If you answer "I don't know," then nothing will happen.

Lu Beigu stood tall and straight as a bamboo shoot, meeting the other person's scrutiny: "I have no idea."

Bao Zheng put down his teacup, stared intently at him, and asked in a deep voice, "If you don't know, how can you tacitly agree to the existence of what I said about 'the Privy Council's document yesterday'? Why don't you ask what this matter is?"

Lu Beigu felt a chill run down his spine. He was well aware that Bao Zheng and Wen Yanbo had a very close relationship, so Bao Zheng's attitude towards Song Xiang was very likely hostile, and he might take this opportunity to make trouble.

However, Bao Zheng had a very poor relationship with conservatives like Chen Zhizhong and Jia Changchao, and had impeached them several times. Logically speaking, he shouldn't have helped Jia Changchao take advantage of his misfortune. Although Jia Changchao wasn't involved in the case at all, his deliberate avoidance was a form of proof of his presence.

Lu Beigu believed that someone as intelligent as Bao Zheng would surely see through the oddities in this case.

Moreover, the Privy Council was able to expedite this matter thanks in no small part to Pei Degu's tireless efforts, and it was no secret that Pei Degu was transferred to the Privy Council because of Jia Changchao's recommendation.

So what exactly was Bao Zheng's decision? Did he intend to use this incident to implicate Song Xiang? Or did he not intend to help Jia Changchao, and therefore planned to protect Lu Beigu?
Lu Beigu couldn't guess, so he could only take it one step at a time.

However, he was certain that with so many officials from Kaifeng Prefecture present, regardless of Bao Zheng's attitude, they would certainly interrogate him seriously out of duty.

After all, their conversations would be recorded and archived, and someone like Bao Zheng wouldn't allow anyone to find even the slightest fault in him.

Lu Beigu's mind raced; these thoughts were fleeting.

His expression remained calm, and his reaction was quick. He simply said, "Since I have come to be questioned, I will answer whatever Judge Bao asks. If I do not know, I do not know, and I will answer. I do not think it is my place to ask any questions."

Lu Beigu's answer was flawless, but Bao Zheng still did not give up, staring at him as if advising him.

"If you conceal anything, you will be punished even more severely. It's not too late to speak now."

Although, as the person involved, he did conceal the fact that he knew about the matter when questioned by Bao Zheng.

Putting yourself in Lu Beigu's shoes, you can't help but feel a lot of psychological pressure.

However, he also knew that when Tian Kuang sent someone to deliver a letter to Song Xiang's residence, he must have sent a trusted confidant who would not leak the information. Therefore, even if Kaifeng Prefecture really knew about this matter, it could not use it as evidence, let alone arrest and interrogate Tian Kuang's confidant.

When Bao Zheng said those words at this time, it was purely to put pressure on him and scare him.

Therefore, Lu Beigu simply stopped talking.

Saying too much will lead to mistakes, and saying nothing will be fine; it's not something he has to answer anyway.

Seeing that he hadn't managed to extract any information, Bao Zheng wasn't discouraged. He took a file from beside his desk, unfolded it, and threw it to Lu Beigu with a "bang."

"The Privy Council clerk reports that your brother-in-law, Jia Yan, a Japanese army captain, sneaked into the Privy Council yesterday with a knife, intending to commit treason. He was apprehended by the guards, and his signed confession implicated you. Take a look."

Lu Beigu looked at it carefully and noticed many illogical points, but he didn't say anything.

Jia Yan is a soldier, belonging to the Imperial Guard system.

The department in charge of interrogating Jia Yan is the Rear Division of the Three Offices, which has nothing to do with Kaifeng Prefecture. Therefore, it is meaningless for Lu Beigu to defend Jia Yan here, as Kaifeng Prefecture has no jurisdiction over Jia Yan.

For him, the most urgent task is to clear his name of suspicion.

Only after he regains his innocence can he find a way to help his brother-in-law and get him released.

If he gets caught up in it, then nothing else matters.

Therefore, since he truly didn't know about this matter, he decided to remain silent.

If you raise questions at this point, you won't save your brother-in-law; instead, you'll get yourself into trouble, which will be detrimental to him.

"The innocent are innocent. I know nothing about this matter and only believe that the court will investigate thoroughly."

"They're quite composed."

Bao Zheng took back the case file and then nodded to the official beside him.

Afterwards, Bao Zheng left the duty room.

The head magistrate, Wang, coughed lightly and took over the interrogation.

These seasoned criminal investigators were no pushovers; they interrogated Lu Beigu in detail while observing his expressions.

"Tell me in detail about your meeting with Jia Yan during the New Year. What time did you meet? Were there any other people present? What color clothes was Jia Yan wearing? Did you mention the affairs of the Privy Council during the meal?"

Lu Beigu replied calmly, "I met her on New Year's Eve. My sister and nephew were there. I don't remember what they were wearing. We just chatted about everyday things."

Because he was indeed framed, Lu Beigu answered with confidence, stating what he meant and only saying he couldn't remember if he couldn't recall something, without making it up himself.

What follows is a series of repeated interrogations, and they often ask the same questions from a different angle after a period of time.

They only stopped when they were sure that Lu Beigu was not lying, after asking him every question they could, and when they were tired of asking.

Magistrate Wang's gaze swept over the detailed case file, and his tone softened slightly: "That's all for now, but please stay in the yamen for further questioning. We still need to wait for the results of some other investigations. If it can be confirmed that you are not involved in this case, you can leave at dawn tomorrow."

"Are you able to sleep peacefully?" Consultant Lu Bei asked.

"Sure, but if anything comes up, I'll call you later."

Afterwards, the officials of Kaifeng Prefecture led Lu Beigu to a room next door, which was actually where they usually slept and rested at night when they were on duty. As for guards, there were none at all.

If you want to run away, then run away.

Anyway, barring any unforeseen circumstances, they'll be out in no time. But if they have something to hide and run away and get caught, they won't just get the treatment of being summoned and questioned; they'll be directly taken to jail as suspects.

Although the guardhouse was simply furnished with just a couch and a small table, it was clean.

Lu Beigu knew that his anxiety was useless at this moment. Besides, he had barely slept a wink during the tumultuous day and night of yesterday, and today's palace examination had exhausted his mind and body. So he blew out the oil lamp and lay down on the bed fully clothed.

With my thoughts in turmoil, how could I possibly fall asleep?
In the darkness, only the sound of the water clock could be heard, and the faint sound of a wooden clapper could be heard from the distant streets.

The moonlight outside the window was like water, shining through the lattice and onto the blue brick floor, looking like a layer of frost at a glance.

He closed his eyes, but the words he had written in the palace during the day floated into his mind. He also thought of his brother-in-law Jia Yan, who was imprisoned and whose fate was unknown. Suddenly, he remembered the vague but concerned gaze of Princess Fukang behind the curtain.

A mix of awe and tenderness washed over him. As he tossed and turned, his eyelids grew heavy, and he finally drifted into a light sleep.

Just as I was getting drowsy, I suddenly heard a flurry of footsteps in the courtyard, the light of torches leaping through the window, and the low, intermingling voices of people.

Lu Beigu suddenly woke up, sat up and listened intently.

"The prince has returned!"

Is it Wang Anshi? Why would he return to the Kaifeng government office at this time?
His heart tightened, and he quietly put on his coat and walked to the door, peeking through the crack.

In the courtyard outside the gate, Wang Anshi, looking travel-worn, passed by with a solemn expression in the flickering firelight.

Wang Anshi's assignment was to oversee the affairs of the counties and towns within the Kaifeng Prefecture. In fact, he returned so late today because he had rushed to investigate a murder case outside the city in the afternoon.

Bao Zheng was obviously aware of this sudden case, so he did not go home to rest and stayed at the government office that night.

Wang Anshi arrived at the place where Bao Zheng was resting.

"Jiefu is back."

"Bao Gong".

Bao Zheng was already a 60-year-old man. As he got older, his energy was naturally not as good as Wang Anshi's, who was only 36 years old. He also didn't sleep well at night, so he immediately felt dizzy after being woken up.

He sat on the edge of the tatami mat for a long time before he finally returned to normal.

"Tell me, what happened this afternoon when there was a reported murder outside the city?"

Wang Anshi hadn't urged him earlier, so he took the opportunity to lean on the table and catch his breath.

“In the afternoon, a man was running on the official road outside the city, covered in blood, with two armed thugs chasing him. Luckily, our patrol officers ran into him and rescued him. However, the officers were busy rescuing the man and the two thugs were armed and outnumbered, so they didn’t give chase and the two thugs got away.”

Generally speaking, the counties and towns around Kaifeng are relatively peaceful. You might not encounter a murder case for a month. The constables responsible for patrolling the official roads are naturally not elites. This practice is understandable. They only get a few copper coins a month. It's just a patrol. Why risk their lives?
Bao Zheng nodded, signaling Wang Anshi to continue.

Wang Anshi said, "But this man was stabbed several times and was bleeding profusely. He was only able to escape to the official road by sheer willpower. So after being rescued, he passed away before he could say anything."

"Have the identities of the deceased and the two perpetrators been confirmed?"

Bao Zheng astutely pressed on, "Since this person was seriously injured and fled, the place where he was rescued should not be far from the crime scene. Has the crime scene been thoroughly investigated?"

Although Wang Anshi was not a professional criminal investigator, after passing the imperial examination at the age of 22, he served as the judge of Huainan, the magistrate of Yin County, the vice-prefect of Shuzhou, and the prefect of Changzhou. Having spent a lot of time in local areas, he had a general understanding of these matters, so his investigation was quite orderly.

"The deceased has been identified as an accountant in Kaifeng. He lost a lot of money gambling a few days ago and even mortgaged his house. The two murderers have not been caught. As for the crime scene, it was a long-abandoned lumberyard."

This case seems to be about a cashier who was stabbed by professional thugs because he couldn't pay back the money he owed.

However, Bao Zheng's intuition told him that things were not that simple.

Because there is a big question in Jia Yan's case, which is how Jia Yan got into prison.
To commit a crime, especially to infiltrate the Privy Council with a knife and intend to do something wrong, whether it is to assassinate someone or to steal some confidential documents, there must at least be a motive, a process, and a result.

However, the Privy Council documents only state that "Jia Yan was discovered and arrested by the guards," leaving the motives and process vague.

Even if Jia Yan went mad and impulsively grabbed a knife and went there, that could be considered a motive, but what about the process?

—That's the Privy Council!

It's probably close to being the most heavily guarded place in the entire Song Dynasty, if not the most heavily guarded.

How could a low-ranking officer of the Imperial Guard, without any travel documents, just swagger in with a knife?

How could Bao Zheng possibly believe such a thing? It's clearly illogical.

In reality, the Privy Council documents were written by Pei Degu, so naturally there would be no record of someone bringing Jia Yan in with Privy Council documents.

Therefore, Bao Zheng immediately realized that there was something fishy going on.

But Bao Zheng was only the prefect of Kaifeng, and he had no authority to investigate soldiers; that was the business of the Three Military Offices. So even if he knew something was wrong, he couldn't do anything without strong evidence. But this murder case, which occurred at such a suspicious time, made him suspicious.

Could someone be planning to kill me to silence me?
Bao Zheng sat on the edge of the couch, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper into thought. After a long while, he finally looked up at Wang Anshi and asked a question.

"What's your opinion? Is there any connection between this case and the Jia Yan case?"

"I dare not guess, but if it were just a regular debt, it wouldn't have escalated to the point of murder."

Wang Anshi said, "Although the two thugs have not been caught, judging from the physique, clothing, and boot prints on the ground described by the constable, they are probably not ordinary thugs."

"Tell me in detail," Bao Zheng said, intrigued.

"The constable described the two thugs as being about six feet tall. Although their faces were not clearly visible from a distance, they were all quite robust. Not only were their clothes unpatched, but they were also wearing leather boots."

One Song dynasty foot is approximately 31.6 centimeters in modern measurements. The two thugs were quite tall for the Song dynasty at that time, even in the north.

Ordinary young men who mingle in the streets and alleys can only afford to eat meat a few times a year. If a person wants to have and maintain a strong physique, they need a lot of money just to eat meat; it's impossible to eat only rice.

Moreover, ordinary people in this era wore homespun clothes, which were not durable and would inevitably require many patches.

"Judging from the material of their clothes and boots, these two must be well-off. What's their motive?"

Bao Zheng muttered to himself, deep in thought.

If their economic conditions are not bad, then where does the money for their food and clothing come from?

Is it possible that their family is wealthy? Of course it is. In Hebei, Hedong, the Central Plains, Shandong, Guanzhong, and other parts of the North, there are plenty of well-bred young men who are wealthy and also enjoy practicing martial arts.

But "those who have stable property have stable minds"—generally speaking, it is these wealthy landowners who will not easily get their hands dirty. At most, they will bully the villagers or bully the market. If they are asked to kill or injure someone to death, they will have to consider whether it is worth sacrificing their good life for it.

Therefore, from a logical standpoint, Bao Zheng believed that the two men were paid by someone else, and their motive for the crime was to get paid to do something rather than to commit a crime out of passion. Thus, there was actually someone else behind this incident.

"I do have some leads."

Bao Zheng whispered some instructions to Wang Anshi, who nodded slightly.

After giving the instructions, Bao Zheng felt a little relieved.

It appears the victim is dead, but the most crucial confession was not obtained.

However, the combination of various factors has actually greatly narrowed the scope of the investigation.

"By the way, Lu Beigu is in the duty room on the west side of the courtyard where he takes turns resting. You can go and ask him again to see if he has anything to say. When you interrogated him tonight, he was very tight-lipped, so he must have known about this and made preparations in advance."

Is he involved in the Jia Yan case?

Wang Anshi had a very good impression of Lu Beigu, considering him a rare young man with ambition and insight, so he made a point of asking him about it.

"They shouldn't be involved, but they might know something."

Bao Zheng rubbed his temples and said, "Don't you still have a relationship with him? I'm getting old, and in this position, there are many things I can't control. Go and ask him yourself, don't bring any subordinates to record it. Just treat it as a heart-to-heart talk. If you can't get any answers, it's alright."

(End of this chapter)