Have you ever heard of the "Zhuozhou River Strange Case" during the Yongzheng period? It was a story full of wisdom and strategy, which took place on a river between Chaoyang and Puning in Guangdong. How the county commander covered the sky with one hand, the Jedi fought back, and cracked this bizarre robbery is not just a story that tests wisdom and courage. Do you want to know how this mysterious Lan County Commander brought a group of cunning bandits to justice? Why did the two suspects who volunteered to surrender completely deny the charges? How deep is the trick in between? Let's slowly unveil the veil of this history.
One day, Lan Dingyuan received a report from Guo Yuanzang, a commoner, saying that he was robbed by water bandits in Zhuozhou Creek and lost paper, cloth shoes and other items and 8,000 copper coins. Guo Yuanzang also described the characteristics of the boats used by the robbers, which made Lan Dingyuan realize that this was no ordinary thief, because the ancient ship of the eight-oared boat in the description was a large vessel designed for rapid transportation, usually used by salt sellers.
Due to the busy waterways and high population movements, there has been no progress for several days. But Lan Dingyuan was a man who would not give up easily, and he decided to start with this special kind of ship and began to search intensively in the places frequented by salt dealers.
Faced with the sudden accusations, the four men looked blank and insisted that they were just ordinary fishermen, occasionally smuggling some salt, and had never committed robbery. Despite this, with years of political experience and life observation, Lan Dingyuan is keenly aware that some of these people are lying.
He deliberately let out the news that he had mastered an important witness and would soon be able to solve the case. This psychological tactic worked, and soon after, the two shipwrights turned themselves in with panicked expressions, hoping to mitigate their crimes by confessing to their accomplices. Surprisingly, the two boatmen, while detailing the circumstances of the case, completely denied the previous robbery.
This situation confused Lan Dingyuan, but it also strengthened his determination to pursue it to the end. Through further interrogation and investigation, Lan Dingyuan discovered that the two shipwrights were actually manipulated by someone behind the scenes, and that behind their actions was a larger salt smuggling ring. The gang took advantage of the complexity of the waters of Zhuozhou Creek for smuggling and occasionally worked part-time as bandits, carrying out robberies to cover up smuggling.
In the subsequent trial, the criminals were punished in accordance with the law, and peace was restored to Zhuozhou Creek and the surrounding area. The successful resolution of this case not only reflects Lan Dingyuan's wisdom and courage, but also highlights his concern and sense of responsibility for people's livelihood.
His actions effectively cracked down on criminal activities, protected the lives and property of ordinary people, and restored the normal order of local commercial activities and water transportation.
The Zhuo Chau Xi case is not just a simple story of the capture of water bandits, it is a more profound demonstration of how a promising official uses wisdom, courage and deep concern for the people to solve seemingly complex problems. Through indomitable efforts and careful layout, Landingyuan finally uncovers a huge conspiracy hidden beneath the calm waters.