Not long after Zheng Banqiao became the new prefect of the county, he brought three yamen, disguised as business people, to visit the people in depth.

One day, four people, tired and hungry, came to a ruined temple to rest. At this time, a salt seller passed by. Officials saw four eggs in the salt basket and bought them with money.

After the salt seller left, a yamen named Wang Laohei said, "Grandpa, you three lie down and rest.

Zheng Banqiao said, "Okay." He unpacked his luggage, spread it on the altar, and lay down.

Wang Laohei found a few stones to support the pot he brought, added water, found some dry wood, and boiled the pot of eggs, which were ready in a while. He fished out the eggs and put them on the altar, intending to let everyone eat them. When he saw that the three of them were asleep, he knew that Grandpa was tired and didn't want to alarm him. He wanted to take a nap himself, but he said to himself, just sleep for a while, and wake up and eat again. He lay down on the ground and fell asleep with his eyes closed.

At this time, two mice drilled out of the hole in the wall behind the shrine to steal eggs. One mouse hugged the egg with its four legs, and the other grabbed its tail and stole one egg.

Wang Laohei, who had just fallen asleep, heard Zheng Banqiao cough and knew that Grandpa was awake, so he quickly turned around and looked at the eggs he boiled first. Not good! Why is there one less!

He went out and looked around, but there was no one near or far. He was bored: four eggs, just one for each person, and now there are three left, how can I eat them? Yes, let the grandpa eat alone. "

Zheng Banqiao turned around and got off the altar, calling the other two yamen servants up. He asked Lao Hei, "Are the eggs cooked?"

Blackie said, "Grandpa, it's already cooked."

"Just one for each person, let's eat them all."

"Grandpa, I lost one."

"What? Lost one? This dilapidated temple is not in the neighborhood, and there is not even a shadow. Where will it be thrown? Did it get into your stomach?"

"Yes."   Another yamen said, "If someone else comes to steal, how can they steal only one?""

"Wang Laohei," Zheng Banqiao was angry, "An egg is a small matter, but it can test a person's quality. Tell the truth, what's the matter?

What's the matter? I have no room for liars in this county yamen! "

"Grandpa, I don't know why you lost it. Even if you kill me and scrape me, I can't tell."

"I will not kill you, nor will I scrape you? Come! Use a pole to serve! If I don't speak, you just beat him hard and see if he 's telling the truth."

The other two yamen did not dare to be negligent, so they pressed Wang Laohei down, pulled out their poles and beat him. Just after hitting him twice, Wang Laohei cried and said, "Grandpa, I said I stole the eggs."

"Why didn't you tell the truth just now?"

"Grandpa didn't eat it, I ate one first, and said I was afraid Grandpa would blame me for being rude."

"Where did you hide the egg skin?"

"Buried outside the temple."

"Let me take a look!"

Wang Laohei walked out the door and came back. He fell to his knees and cried, "Grandpa, I chewed the egg skin. I said it again; lie, you can fight again!"

At this moment, with tears in his eyes, Zheng Banqiao hurriedly picked up Wang Laohei and said, "Laohei, I have wronged you. This official has doubts about the saying of "ubjugation." Since he took office, he has always wanted to conduct an experiment of "ubjugation." Who will experiment with it? I can't bear to let a common man be beaten and wronged. Today I lay on the altar and did not fall asleep. After you boiled the eggs and put them on the altar to sleep, I saw two mice come out of the hole in the wall and steal one egg. That gave me an opportunity to try it on our law enforcement officers to see if you can subdue and if you confess, I will believe it. This is wrong with you. I did not expect you, an upright man, to confess in a fight, and to make up nonsense to wrong yourself. But you're lying, after all, it's not true, and I don't believe it if you confess. "Speaking of this, he hesitated for a while," What if I fell asleep today and didn't see the mouse steal the egg? Of course, I won't use you as an experiment, but the three of us will think that you stole the egg, and then you will be wronged for the rest of your life. Alas, it seems that official can't be done, so it's better for us to go home. "

When Wang Laohei heard this, he was very touched and said to Zheng Banqiao: "Grandpa, you beat me well, and I won't be angry with you if you beat me to death. I used to beat people to extract confessions, and many people were beaten by me. This time I know what it's like to be beaten into a confession. In the future, we will have to investigate more and find evidence to end the lawsuit, and we must not force people to confess. Don't leave. People like you are not officials, and people should be wronged again."

"That's good!Zheng Banqiao smiled with tears in his eyes, "In the future, let's handle cases as Old Hei said!"