The pavilion was a basic unit of the Qin State, mainly set up beside the road, in charge of the public security within a radius of ten miles. The pavilion had a "tingzhang", or "tingshoufu", who was responsible for patrolling the village, investigating violations, arresting thieves, etc., just like the chief of the police station in later generations.
Under the pavilion chief, there were some subordinates, called thieves-seekers and pavilion soldiers, who could carry military standard weapons such as bows, crossbows, halberds, swords, etc.
When Heifu met his colleagues in ancient times, he was not happy at all, because he did not feel the kindness of these "policemen from the police station". They surrounded Heifu and Jiying and brought their weapons a few feet in front of them.
With help, the Huyang Pavilion Chief became more powerful. He asked in the tone of interrogating suspects: "Who are you? Do you have any proof or evidence?"
Ordinary people are inferior to officials. There was no other way. Hei Fu and Ji Ying had to hand over their "identity cards" and "letters of introduction" for him to check again.
The head of Huyang Pavilion just took a casual look and sneered: "It turns out that they are just two soldiers who went to the county to serve. How dare they challenge me!"
He looked down on the humble status of the two and raised his head and said: "Did you really capture this thief?"
Ji Ying replied: "Let the head of the pavilion know that we two worked together to capture him and were about to send him to the county to hand him over to the government."
The head of Huyang Pavilion rolled his eyes and asked someone to bring his two-foot-long board and rope. He said in an official manner: "As the head of a pavilion, it is my duty to chase and capture thieves."
He pointed to the three tied thieves next to him and said: "Since this case happened in this pavilion, I should be the one to interrogate and escort them. Aren't you two going to serve in the county? Go quickly, and leave this thief to me..."
Hei Fu and Ji Ying looked at each other, stunned by the request of the pavilion chief. Ji Ying quickly leaned over to Hei Fu's ear and said, "Is this Huyang Pavilion Chief trying to steal our credit? Don't agree! If he escorts the thieves to the county town by himself, the more than 20,000 yuan will have nothing to do with us!"
Hei Fu nodded, deeply agreeing.
The Qin State's reward system made the competition for heads and merits very fierce. When he was at home, he often heard his elder brother Zhong say that on the battlefield, sometimes in order to fight for a head, comrades would draw their swords against each other! Not to mention normal times. This pavilion chief must be targeting the three thieves. If he agrees with him, the huge reward will be gone!
So Heifu clasped his fists and said, "It's not far from the county town. We can escort them by ourselves. No need to bother the pavilion chief."
Ji Ying also shouted, "That's right, please go back, pavilion chief! Let the merchant go with us to the county town to testify."
"How can you have the final say on this matter?"
Huyang Pavilion Chief's face was stern, and he was about to get angry, but his deputy, the short man with a bow and arrow, Qiudao, rolled his eyes and whispered in his ear. The pavilion chief suppressed his anger, walked around the three thieves, and said disdainfully, "The thieves are cunning and have great martial arts. Can you two subdue them? I don't believe it!"
At the same time, Qiudao winked at the merchant. The merchant was from Huyang Pavilion and was familiar with the pavilion chief and Qiudao, so he immediately understood.
He then pulled Heifu and Jiying aside and said to them: "Two warriors, don't be too greedy. When the head of Huyang Pavilion heard that there was a thief, he brought the thieves and guards in the pavilion to come all the way. Even if they didn't make any contribution, they still worked hard. How can we let them run for nothing?"
Heifu said coldly: "Then what should we do?"
The merchant smiled: "There are three thieves anyway, why not share them with everyone in the pavilion! Just say that we captured them together, what do you think?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Jiying cursed in a low voice: "You ungrateful profiteer, I saved you with kindness, but you want to cheat us. Just now, Heifu and his brother risked their lives to fight and captured the thief with their skills. Why should we share them with others? Don't even think about it!"
The merchant couldn't be a good guy after being spit on by Jiying, so he had to retreat in disgrace.
The negotiation failed, and the head of Huyang Pavilion also showed a vicious face. With a wave of his hand, his subordinates, the thieves and the guards, came up with weapons, which scared Ji Ying: "What do you want to do?"
The head of Huyang Pavilion said coldly: "Hand over the thieves to me! You leave on your own, otherwise..." He raised the board and rope in his hand, which meant to rob by force.
Ji Ying was a little scared. He looked back at Heifu, wanting him to make a decision.
Heifu didn't say anything. He was thinking about what to do.
Before leaving home, his honest elder brother Zhong repeatedly told him that when he was out, he should be tolerant in everything and not quarrel with others, especially not offend officials with titles.
Although the head of Huyang Pavilion was just a small official, he was an official after all. According to Qin law, civilians who fought with officials would be punished regardless of whether they were right or wrong. Once they served their sentences, their lives would be over.
But the arrogant look of Huyang Pavilion Chief made Heifu furious. He was unwilling to give the thief away or to share the credit with Pavilion Chief and others.
What should he do? Heifu was in a dilemma.
Just at this moment, he saw a carriage slowly approaching on the road. The carriage was painted black and red, and the two horses were black and white. Wasn't it the carriage of the "doctor" who stayed in the same guesthouse with them last night?
Heifu's eyes lit up immediately.
"If you really encounter injustice, the best way is to report to the police!" This is what the eldest brother repeatedly told him. At this point, Heifu had only this way left.
He immediately found an opportunity, suddenly broke through the encirclement of the thieves and pavilion guards, rushed out, ran to the middle of the road, opened his arms, and stopped the carriage!
Pavilion Chief, Merchants, Ji Ying and others were stunned by this change and did not react for a while.
The driver did not expect that someone would block the road, so he quickly pulled the reins and the carriage barely stopped a few feet in front of Hei Fu. The driver cursed: "Where did you come from? How dare you block the road in the open? Do you know whose carriage this is?"
"Of course I know!"
Hei Fu was not polite at this time. He bowed in the dusty road and shouted loudly: "I have a grievance, I hope the doctor will make a decision!"
After a while, the bamboo curtain of the carriage slowly opened, revealing a hand holding a bamboo scroll and the face of a middle-aged man. He was wearing a crown and a long gown, with two thick arrow-shaped beards on his lips and brocade shoes. He was indeed a well-mannered official.
The clerk glanced at Heifu and asked slowly: "What is your grievance? Tell me."
Heifu said: "I am going to the county to serve as a soldier. I stayed in the guesthouse with the doctor last night. This morning, I was traveling with my comrades. On the road, I encountered thieves robbing and killing merchants. I stepped forward to stop them and captured three thieves. I was about to send them to the county to hand them over to the government, but who would have thought..."
At this time, the pavilion chief and others also came to the middle of the road. Heifu pointed at him and said: "Who would have thought that the local Huyang Pavilion Chief wanted to seize the thieves and take the credit for himself!"
After saying this, Heifu's heart was pounding. He just hoped that he had not made a wrong bet. The clerk doctor in front of him was a good official who could judge right from wrong!
"Your Excellency, please be clear!"
The Huyang Pavilion Chief was very flustered. He recognized the doctor in front of him and bowed his head repeatedly: "Your Excellency is just asking questions according to the usual practice. I have no intention of stealing the credit and reward! This Shi Wu, he made a false accusation!"
The two sides were arguing, but the doctor on the carriage was not in a hurry. He held the bamboo scroll in one hand and touched his beard with the other hand. His eyes wandered back and forth between Hei Fu and the Pavilion Chief, and then looked at the others and the three thieves who were tied up. He soon came up with an idea.
"Which is true and which is false? You can escort the criminals and follow me to the county, and you will know."
Finally, he revealed his identity: "This case is within my jurisdiction. I am the prison official of Anlu County. I am XI!"
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