Wei Ming asked Wang Nai Ling: "County Magistrate Wang, do you know how many station attendants there were originally in Gan Tang Station, and who they were?"
Wang Nai Ling recalled for a moment and replied: "Gan Tang County is a small county located at the junction of the Jingji Dao of Guanzhong and the Shan Nan Xi Dao. There aren't many travelers passing through, so after establishing the station, there weren't many people serving the station. In my memory, there was only one old station attendant, who was older than me."
Wei Ming nodded: "What about this old station attendant?"
"This..." Wang Nai Ling shook his head: "Your official servant doesn't know."
"I'm afraid he was already devoured by the python!" As he spoke, Wei Ming's gaze swept across Liu Shi Jiu and landed on Liu Shi Ba.
Liu Shi Ba nodded: "My father arranged a job for me, it was approved by County Lieutenant Su."
"It's because this County Lieutenant is kind-hearted and has compassion for his subordinates." County Lieutenant Su proudly said.
Fei Ji Shi couldn't bear it anymore: "Didn't you just say you didn't know Liu Shi Ba's family? How come you're kind-hearted now?"
County Lieutenant Su snorted: "Who are you? An old servant dares to question this official?"
"You!" Fei Ji Shi was furious.
Pei Xi Jun comforted him: "Master Ji Shi, don't get angry, don't get angry with bad people, just watch Lang Wei punish the wicked and eliminate evil."
Liu Shi Ba continued: "When I first arrived at Gan Tang Station, I was very disappointed. I thought there was no future for me. But later, I found out that there are often wise and noble people from all over the country passing through this station."
"Their manners and speech always made me feel enlightened. There were even high officials who, for a little bit of care, would treat me with courtesy. I was very satisfied."
As he spoke, Liu Shi Ba's expression was one of enjoyment. However, it was Lu Ling Feng who felt uncomfortable and deeply touched. He was born into a high-ranking noble family. His first official appointment was as a Lieutenant General of the Jin Wu Guard, a fourth-rank official, and he was deeply trusted by the Crown Prince. No one dared to disrespect him.
"So the common people at the bottom have it so hard..." Lu Ling Feng's mind was in a daze.
Speaking of which, Liu Shi Ba's gaze towards Wei Ming was also filled with respect: "Just like you. You are the Imperial Inspector, holding the power to evaluate and supervise a whole path, and you come from a noble family. Your ancestor was the famous minister Wei Zheng, and you are also the number one scholar of this generation, the champion of the Imperial Examination. Yet you don't disdain my humble origins and are willing to call me brother, "Shi Ba, brother." It warms my heart greatly!"
Wei Ming waved his hand: "Origins are not something we can choose, but how we live and what kind of people we become is up to us. It is clear that Brother Shi Ba is a good man with a conscience."
Liu Shi Ba shyly shook his head: "A good man... I'm not worthy."
Then he continued: "But the good times didn't last. Soon, strange things started happening in the Gan Tang Station. The old station attendant said it was because I came that things became like this. I didn't know at the time that my younger brother had been secretly following me all this time."
"He was thrown into the back mountain that year, but he didn't die. He grew up with a nest of pythons. He recognized the way home and would often sneak back, but he was afraid of my father and didn't dare to show himself."
"It wasn't until I came to Gan Tang Station that the old station attendant discovered that the chickens in the yard were being stolen every time. He thought it was a weasel at first, but then he found out it was my younger brother."
"He was going to kill my younger brother, but the python entangled him and killed him instead. That was the first time I saw my younger brother in years, and the first time I saw his fingers tear human flesh, one by one."
"I rushed to stop him..." Liu Shi Ba looked down at his severed index finger.
Su Wu Ming doubted: "So he bit off your finger?"
"No!" Liu Shi Ba vehemently denied: "It was an accident!"
With tears in his voice, he narrated: "He was so remorseful at the time, his eyes bled a lot."
As if to confirm his words, Liu Shi Jiu, who was bound hand and foot, roared and shed blood tears.
This scene shocked everyone. Human eyes could actually bleed tears... How heartbroken must one be!
Wei Ming sighed. One was more tragic than the other, one was more pitiful than the other.
Liu Shi Ba cried bitterly: "I didn't dare to report it to the officials. I ran back to tell my father in the middle of the night. My father sharpened the knife again and again, saying he would personally kill the demon..."
Suddenly, his voice stopped. He glared fiercely at Liu Shi Qi: "But my father was killed by Liu Shi Qi!"
"He found my younger brother first and persuaded him to kill!"
Faced with Liu Shi Ba's accusation, Liu Shi Qi didn't deny it. Instead, he chuckled with a hint of pride and admitted: "When I was thirteen years old, I didn't have that much strength. Otherwise, how could I have let that old man live for so long?"
"You beast!!!" Liu Shi Ba cursed.
Pei Xi Jun was appalled: "That was your father!"
"Father? Hahaha... From the day he drove me out of Gan Tang County, I've had no father!" Liu Shi Qi laughed wildly.
"What about your younger brother, Liu Shi Ba? He was willing to stay in Gan Tang Station for you. And your little brother, Liu Shi Jiu. If you hadn't instigated him, how could he have repeatedly intercepted travelers passing through the station?"
"You have ruined the futures of your two younger brothers. Don't you feel even a little bit of guilt or gratitude for the brotherhood?"
But instead of showing any remorse, Liu Shi Qi was filled with anger. He sneered fiercely: "Guilt? Gratitude? Brotherhood? Hahaha... What a joke!"
"He didn't stay in Gan Tang Station for me. He stayed to stop my plan to get rich. I absolutely hate him!"
"If he hadn't interfered, we would have killed more people and robbed more gold and silver treasures."
"As for Liu Shi Jiu, he's just a monstrous freak. If he hadn't been of some use to me, I would have found a chance to poison him long ago."
"Look at him. From head to toe, he doesn't look human at all. He's a complete beast!"
Then he began to fantasize with a morbid look: "If only my mother had just given birth to me, I would have been so smart and I would have been loved by women. I would have lived a life of wealth, glory, and carefree joy."
Liu Shi Ba looked at Liu Shi Qi with disgust and hatred. Liu Shi Jiu was roaring and screaming on the ground, hissing and shedding blood tears. He was obviously furious.
At that moment, there was a faint rustling sound from the roof beams around them.
Wei Ming realized that the group of pythons was approaching, summoned by Liu Shi Jiu.
"That's basically the story of you three. Next, you became murderous blades for profit, but the executioner was someone else!"
Everyone looked at County Lieutenant Su.
"The case in Gan Tang Station at that time was handled by County Lieutenant Su, who had just taken office, right? And then you used the three brothers to kill and make money for you at the Gan Tang Station."
With Wei Ming saying this, County Lieutenant Su had nothing to hide or continue denying.
"That's right." County Lieutenant Su narrowed his eyes, staring coldly at Wei Ming, and said: "At the time, I saw these three brothers were pitiful, so I took them in and let them work for me."
But Wei Ming smiled: "Liu Shi Qi was merely paying lip service to you, and Liu Shi Ba was secretly keeping a record of every blood debt you had made from your greed."
Xue Huan took out a roll of ledgers: "Sir, this was found in Liu Shi Ba's room."
County Lieutenant Su didn't care: "It doesn't matter. Whether he pays lip service or keeps a secret ledger, you're all going to die tonight, not a single one of you will survive!"
With that, he waved his hand, and his personal guards and law enforcement officers, including the county guards brought by Wang Nai Ling, all pointed their weapons at Wei Ming and his companions.
Lu Ling Feng brandished his spear and stepped forward. Xue Huan, full of courage, held his short dagger and was not afraid.
Wang Nai Ling reprimanded: "Su Yun, why are you doing this? I believe I treated you well, and I never wronged you or offended you!"
"County Magistrate, you're a good man, and you treat us well. But even if you're good, my brothers need to eat, don't they? Just like Liu Shi Ba's father, Liu San. Wasn't it because he was poor that he caused all this mess?"
"Our Gan Tang County is a small county and has always been poor and miserable. But what happens? Those higher-ups withhold our monthly salaries and rewards, and even the public funds for the daily activities of the county office. "
"You tell me, even your own monthly salary is always in arrears. How about me and the rest of my brothers? "
"All the income of the Gan Tang Station, I didn't keep it all for myself. I divided it among everyone, everyone got a share. That's why everyone was willing to work with me and turn a blind eye to the murders that happened at the Gan Tang Station over the years."
"Everyone is crazy with poverty! Who doesn't have a wife, children, and parents to support?"
Wang Nai Ling was silent for a while, but he still shook his head in sorrow and anger: "But as an official appointed by the court, you have committed crimes and become a murderer. You have killed to make money and abused your power."
"There may be corrupt officials among the passing officials who stay at the station, but there are also talented and virtuous people. You use such methods to make money and divide the spoils, disregarding the laws of the Tang Dynasty. This is a heinous crime!"