My book friend Long Aotian

Chapter 128 The matter is unfounded
"Are Fenglin Huoshan willing to believe it?"

The light question shocked Gao Bijin's heart.

He was recruited into the Tongwen Bureau by Li Bailong, and he thought that this fellow had no other choice but to do something desperate. He originally planned to remain silent and endure all the humiliating interrogations. When the Huazhou officials found out that he was missing and the matter could no longer be covered up, the matter would become a big deal, and then the Shangguan Censor would investigate the matter thoroughly.

Then the Fenglin faction's court forces could take the opportunity to support and add insult to injury, charging Li Bailong with the serious crime of framing his colleagues and detaining officials.

At that time, all of Li Bailong's actions today will become evidence in court to nail him.

Even with the protection of the Emperor's uncle and the Lingyu Sect, he will definitely not be able to escape imprisonment.

Because he broke the rules in officialdom!
however.

Li Bailong's words were like swords, pointing directly at his greatest reliance.

If the facts that Gao Bijin forced Xiao Nanyue to lie in ambush, hinted to Huazhou officials and businessmen to encircle Li Bailong, and even broke into the Tongwen Bureau at night with a knife were exposed, and his label as a member of the Fenglin faction was known to everyone, when the truth was exposed, would Fenglin Huoshan protect him at the risk of angering King Zhao and restarting the national war?

Or will they treat him as a discarded pawn, cut him off quickly, or even have to accept the claim that Beining was instigating a rebellion?
These words were extremely hurtful, and Gao Bijin was shocked and angry.

——Li Bailong is so cruel and ruthless!

However, after many years of ups and downs in the officialdom, Gao Bi Jin was panicked for only a few breaths before he realized the huge flaw in this vicious plan.

I only heard Gao Tongzhi gritting his teeth and saying, "What Fenglin Volcano, what Beining, I have no idea and I don't understand! You framed the officials, but can you provide evidence? You want to make up a story and then judge that a high-ranking official in a state is colluding with the enemy. Li Bailong, the imperial court is not yours! Whatever you say is true, it is true!"

He shouted loudly: "I asked Xiao Nanyan to follow you because I heard that you are Mo Feng and want to have a good relationship with the most profitable author under your company and the rising star of Da Qi. What's wrong with that?"

"As for my tacit approval of the officials and businessmen of Huazhou to attack you, and even my secret push, it was because you bullied my brother-in-law and beat my concubine. This is a personal grudge. If you accuse me of using public tools for personal grudges, I will admit the crime of dereliction of duty!"

"I broke into Tongwen Hall tonight because I was drunk! Thinking of the personal grudge from the day before yesterday, I was angry and kicked the door open. This is immoral and insubordinate! I will write a letter to apologize right now!"

Gao Bijin said this with a vicious expression: "That's it! I did something wrong, please punish me according to the law. What you said about Feng Lin instigating and Bei Ning inciting rebellion is completely false. I went to the Censorate, the Dali Temple, and even the Golden Palace, and they all said the same thing!"

"I have bad personal ethics and have not performed my duties properly, so it is only natural that I should be punished! You want to accuse me of colluding with foreign countries because of my minor mistakes. Go ahead and dream on!"

At this point, he began to struggle again: "Let me go! I will imprison myself in the government office and write a letter to apologize. After all, even if a fifth-rank local official has committed a crime, there is no reason for the Tongwen Bureau to interrogate him!"

——I laugh at Li Bailong because he is too naive!

He does whatever he wants. How could he understand the rules of the officialdom?

I just gritted my teeth and held on, taking all the blame on myself. Even if I was fired and punished for it, the Bafengtai would still remember my kindness, and after two years, I would have a chance to be reinstated!
Still want to frame me? Ridiculous!
Just then, he heard Li Bailong shout, "Take him to the two-limit room to write materials!"

The Tongwen runners responded immediately and lifted Gao Bijin up. Several temporary workers with spiritual cultivation came forward and pressed their palms against the Tongzhi's Qi points and meridians, starting to drain his internal energy.

Gao Bijin's face turned pale and he groaned until his expression gradually became exhausted.

Before he was taken away, he spoke sinisterly, "I am still an official, a fifth-rank official. Even if the Tongwen Bureau has the power to judge within its authority, this power will never include officials from other departments. You have violated the rules by detaining and interrogating me, and the Censorate will not tolerate you. I broke into the house with a knife at night, which is indeed a crime. You sent someone to detain me, and it was not wrong. But after this, you should hand me over to..."

Before he could finish his words, he was slapped in the face.

"Are you teaching me what to do?"

Li Bailong scolded: "The ghosts and gods have taken away your soul! In front of the iron fist of the Tongwen Bureau, there is no need to shake your fading official power, nor to show off your ridiculous knowledge... Take it away!"

The Tongwen Bureau was silent at night, with only the crackling sound of torches and chaotic footsteps. Li Bailong took the lead, and everyone forced Gao Bi to the back hall and pushed him into a side room.

Gao Bi Jin thought he was going to enter a prison cell, and was considering whether to take the opportunity to hurt himself so that he could accuse Li Bailong of "lynching an official". But after entering the room, he was startled.

This room is very strange. The candlesticks are nailed to the table top, all the tables and chairs are covered with thick soft cloth and cotton, and the window sills have all been specially treated... It looks very weird.

And the things on the walls are even stranger.

In ordinary rooms, the decorations on the walls are either famous paintings and calligraphy, or ceremonial weapons. Only in this room, the walls are covered with all kinds of words and slogans like paper.

“If you confess, you will be treated with leniency, if you resist, you will be treated with severity.”

“Limited time, limited place.”

"Instead of reporting bitterly to your backers, it is better to be honest with the bureau chief."

"If you resist today and write a defense, you will fill out a form in the underworld tomorrow."

In addition to these urging words, there are also some dirty words that mess with people's mentality.

"It's so urgent, I'm so urgent, what should I write here!"

"I haven't finished writing it yet. I don't know how severely I will be punished!"

"I don't want to write it. I think they will understand me!"

All this nonsense is like the ravings of a madman.

Gao Bi Jin thought it was a joke at first, but as he watched, he became a little agitated. Although he spoke arrogantly and confidently to Li Bailong, who knew how panicked he was inside?

After all, when the situation was going well, Li Bailong found his weak spot and pinned him down on the spot!
Moreover, what Feng Lin had secretly told him was eventually discovered by Li Bailong. If the matter really came to the attention of the court, how would the matter end? It would be questionable whether Bafengtai was willing to protect him.

His heart was in turmoil. Li Bailong had already walked up to him and said solemnly, "You are still a fifth-rank official of the court. You still hold your position and dignity. This bureau has not tortured you or put you in jail. We have only placed you here and ordered you to explain the suspicion of colluding with the enemy and secretly communicating with Bac Ninh at a specified time and place..."

"Pooh!"

Gao Bijin said flatly, "I didn't! Besides, the Tongwen Bureau is just a cultural and educational department. What qualifications and authority do they have to intervene in a major case of collusion with foreign countries?"

Li Bailong said proudly: "Among the powers of the Education Department, there is also the responsibility of 'strictly investigating the evil cults in Beining'. To resist the rebellion and ideological invasion of Ningguo, the Tongwen Bureau is also responsible!"

Gao Tongzhi shouted: "What does this have to do with me!"

"You are a Tongzhi who is in charge of local water conservancy, salt, grain, river defense, and household registration. Not only do you love to listen to operas, but you also instruct your family to swallow up bookstores and control theaters. You show extraordinary enthusiasm for literary and artistic work, and even take the initiative to participate in the compilation of opera scripts. You instruct officials to exclude you and seize the power of the Tongwen Bureau. What are you thinking? After controlling the mouthpiece of Huazhou, are you trying to weave the people of Huazhou into an information cocoon?"

Li Bailong questioned, "Tell me! Did you accept money from the Ning people? After usurping the authority of the Tongwen Bureau, did you selectively implement the court's strategic deployment of Tongwen for the whole country? Did the script you participated in revising and directing the rehearsal contain any content that advocated for the Ning people? Did it discredit our ancestors of Da Qi? You were instigated by the Ning people to form cliques and small circles in Huazhou. Are you secretly planning something?"

Gao Bijin roared: "Do you have any evidence for what you said?"

Damn it! So annoying! How could I accept money from Ningguo people! It’s obviously Bafengtai… Shit! I want to say it! But I can’t say it directly to refute him! Damn it!
Li Bailong waved his sleeves lightly, and said with his hands behind his back: "Although it is unclear, it is not necessary."

"..."

Gao Tongzhi broke through his defense instantly, suddenly roared, broke free from the officers' restraints, and pounced on Li Bailong.

After all, he is a military scholar. Although he only practiced martial arts after becoming an official, his foundation is still there, and he is constantly enjoying martial arts. Once he rushes up and collides with Director Li, the temporary workers' performance rewards will be deducted!
Director Li was not in a hurry and watched Gao Bijin's crazy behavior coldly. Everyone present reacted quickly and immediately clamped Gao Tongzhi and pressed him into the chair with their hands and feet.

Li Bailong personally handed the soft brush into his hand.

"Explain your situation clearly." He urged, "If my doubts have wronged you, you can also write down the truth, and I will definitely clear your name."

Gao Bijin's eyes were spitting fire. Write your mother's head! Can you write about the Fenglin Volcano?

"Let's start with Xiao Nanyan."

Li Bailong said patiently, "Since the incident in Lin County, the Ning people have been targeting me and want to kidnap me to Beining, ordering you to find a way. You came up with a vicious plan, using the high-ranking officials of the Ministry of Rites who were instigated by the Ning people to get you a note, and also found out the information of the courtesan's family, using it to threaten and force Xiao Nanyue to invite me for a chat and drug me."

"After knocking me unconscious, you can hand me over to the Bac Ninh people. As for my disappearance, you can put the blame on the courtesan. You can stay out of it and continue to be the Tongzhi of Huazhou and the spy of Bac Ninh..."

Bullshit! Bullshit!
You are such a good storyteller! It's not true at all! I was just following my boss' orders to drive a wedge into your side... That's not the truth!

"As for the siege of me by Huazhou officials and businessmen, that is..."

Li Bailong spoke slowly and conscientiously. Gao Bijin had a lot to say in rebuttal, but he couldn't say it. He could only stare at Li Bailong with hatred, wishing he could eat him alive.

After telling the truth, Li Bailong urged: "Now that you understand the details, just write it down."

Gao Tongzhi just looked at him coldly.

“If you disagree, you can write your own version.”

Ah.

Gao Bijin laughed out of anger and suddenly started writing.

Okay, okay, I’ll write it. I’ll write a charge that you framed me and detained my colleagues, and I’ll see if you’ll accept it. He wrote down a few words and suddenly thought of the previous "The Injustice of Dou E That Moved Heaven and Earth".

Damn it, the poor guy who wrote this play, what does he know about the injustice that moved heaven and earth!
Filled with indignation, Gao Tongzhi wrote quickly.

"There is no need to scold the treacherous and flattering people in front of the historian. The thief Li in front of me is a dog and a donkey. I am Gao Bijin, a native of Xingzhou..."

Just as I was about to write about Li's treacherous plot to frame loyal officials, I suddenly felt a gust of cold wind. I didn't know when all the servants in the house had left. The night was silent and a faint sound appeared. A creature that was neither male nor female, neither human nor spirit, appeared.

"Brother, please write more..."

A round of powerful clapper sounds rang out, seemingly the beginning of a martial arts scene.

Gao Bijin is a senior amateur opera fan, and he looked up suddenly when he heard the voice.

Wow! There were three clowns in robes and belts, squatting and holding their feet, swinging their arms back and forth, and swaying in square steps. Their steps were very floating, their minds were restless, their eyes were erratic, and their faces were poorly painted. At first glance, you could tell that they were the worst clowns in the worst troupe!

They walked over in a comical manner, making sharp laughs and untying their robes: "Master, the good times are short, so let us serve you!"

There was also an ugly old woman, who followed behind with a limp, singing the words of a tiger and wolf in a long-winded manner: "Don't you see the good hot dog trapped in the giant mouth? The eight-foot-tall man sheds tears, shouts to the sky and the earth but no one saves him, cries to the benefactor but no one touches him, the sky and the earth are trapped in the boundless jungle, and it is difficult to find it even with a divine sense..."

——After Huazhou Tongzhi Gao Bijin was given two limits, he was urged to update his work the most severely.

It was not until after five o'clock in the morning that the field staff sleeping in the Tongwen Bureau were awakened. They dressed in silence, ate the martial arts feast, awakened their spirits, issued weapons, and lit fires.

The door of Tongwen Bureau opened, and people came out one after another, standing solemnly in black clothes, with flames blazing.

Under their gaze, Director Li stepped out of the main gate and issued orders as the dawn was about to break.

"Send troops to the government office to govern Huazhou!"

(End of this chapter)