On the 18th of March in the 14th year of Jinghan, after Qin Siyuan was imprisoned, everything unexpectedly took a turn for the worse.
The wind changed so fast that it made people speechless. Even though they were prepared to be beaten, when a few key points suddenly appeared, Ning Yi and the others finally sensed that something bad was about to happen.
On the 18th of March, when Qin Siyuan was imprisoned in the name of proving his innocence, a case was also uncovered in a small place that no one was aware of.
It dated back to more than two years ago. In the winter of the 11th year of Jinghan, Tang Peiya, the Hengshan County Magistrate of Jinghan Road, perverted the law and accepted bribes. At this time, Tang Peiya was handing over his post at the Ministry of Appointments. After arresting him, he was immediately interrogated. On the 19th of March, the case was extended to Yao Zunian's eldest son, Yao Jiyuan.
Yao Zunian was a famous figure in the capital and had a large business in the Bianliang area. He had been immersed in officialdom for many years. From the 18th to the 19th, he had been in charge of sorting out Qin Siyuan's case. On the morning of the 19th, when the yamen sent people to the Yao family to invite Yao Jiyuan, they were quite polite and only said that they would let him return after a few questions. The Yao family did not inform Yao Zunian immediately. By the time Yao Zunian learned of the matter, it was already the evening of the 19th.
The old man immediately sensed that something was wrong. He hurriedly summoned his eldest son, who had been released, and asked about the matter. At the same time, he chose to inform Jueming, Ji Kun, and Ning Yi. At this time, Yao Zunian and Jueming had the most connections in the high-level officialdom, Ji Kun had the most control over the Prime Minister's Mansion, and Ning Yi had the most tentacles and eyes in the marketplace and among the officials.
Before this, everyone had been estimating the scope of the Emperor's attack. In theory, now was the time to reward merit, and it was necessary to give all the officials a way out and an example. No matter how big the problem with Qin Siyuan was, it would be the worst result if it was brought to light. Of course, there was a reason why it was brought to light. But now that this matter was exposed, the nature of it would be different.
They immediately used their connections to reach out to the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Appointments. At the same time, Tang Peiya committed suicide in the prison of the Ministry of Justice and left a blood letter. And the official articles had already connected with the Qin family because of Yao Jiyuan.
A simple line had been connected. The matter could be traced back to the disaster relief two years ago. Qin Siyuan used the power of the government to maintain the trade routes, pushing aside the obstructions of the local powers and allowing food to enter the disaster areas. At this time, there were three people in charge of the case of Qin Siyuan with the government, and there were three people in the court in the government. They were the officials of the government. The officials were the officials of the Ministry of Justice, and there were officials of the court of the Imperial Court. of the court of the Dynasty Dynasty. Dynasty.
At this time, there were three people in charge of the trial of Qin Siyuan's case: Zheng Sinan of the Ministry of Justice, Tang Cheng of the Supreme Court, and Tian Yuqing of the Censorate. Zheng Sinan was an old subordinate of Qin Siyuan, and Tang Cheng also had a relationship with the Qin family. Tian Yuqing worked under Qin Hui, so he was also a member of the Qin family. Because of this, people thought that the imprisonment of Qin Siyuan was just a formality. Even if he was found guilty after the trial, he could be let off lightly. At most, the emperor didn't want Qin Siyuan to be the Right Chief Minister, so he could just retire. But this time, the seven memorials not only involved Qin Siyuan, but also Zheng Sinan and Tang Cheng.
Some were groundless accusations, and some had half a set of evidence. Although the seven memorials were submitted by different people, they were combined quite cleverly. On the 20th of the third month, the atmosphere in the throne room was tense. Many officials finally realized that something was wrong. There were also some who stood up and tried to analyze the memorials rationally. Tang Ke was one of them. The blood letter was suspicious, and the memorials seemed to be connected. Qin Siyuan had made great contributions to the court, so he couldn't let him be disappointed. Zhou Zhe sat on the throne and looked at Tang Ke calmly. He was quite satisfied with him.
"Subject Tang is indeed a pillar of the country. You are selfless. In the past, your family and Prime Minister Qin have always been at odds, but now Subject Tang stands up for Prime Minister Qin. How could I not know that Prime Minister Qin is loyal and upright? There is no need to be so cautious. I have already condemned myself for the Jurchen disaster. There is a problem with this matter. We must find out the truth and bring justice to the people. No problem, we must bring justice to Prime Minister Qin … How about this? Subject Zheng and Subject Tang should avoid arousing suspicion. I will send two other people to deal with Prime Minister Qin's matter. This matter is of great importance. I must send someone with a clear reputation to deal with it. How about this … Subject Yan Zheng, you will temporarily handle this matter for Subject Tang. There is another person, Subject Tang. Since you trust Prime Minister Qin the most, and I trust you, you will handle this matter for me on behalf of Subject Zheng … "
That afternoon, Zhou Zhe summoned Qin Hui.
"The matter of the Right Prime Minister will be investigated by the three departments at the same time. Originally, Subject Censor was the most suitable person. These years, Subject has been the Deputy Prime Minister of the Imperial Censor and has been loyal and upright. Do you know why I didn't assign you this task? "
"I have to avoid arousing suspicion." Qin Hui replied frankly.
"Yes, you have to avoid arousing suspicion." Zhou Zhe, who was sitting behind the long table in the imperial study, raised his head. "But it is not as you think."
"I don't understand."
"The Imperial Censor impeaches all the officials and purges the bureaucracy. As the Deputy Prime Minister of the Imperial Censor, you must be impartial. Let's not talk about the fact that the Right Prime Minister isn't really from your family. Even if he is, I trust you and will let you go for the trial. Otherwise, you would have lost your head long ago. How can anyone be the Deputy Prime Minister of the Imperial Censor? "
Qin Hui bowed respectfully. He was neither servile nor overbearing. "I thank Your Majesty for your trust."
"I trust you because I trust what you've done. I said that I want you to avoid arousing suspicion because if the Right Prime Minister resigns, I will replace you. You must avoid arousing suspicion here. It wouldn't be good for you to take over the Right Prime Minister's position as soon as you finish the trial, right? "
Qin Hui hesitated for a moment. "Your Majesty, Prime Minister Qin has always been an upright official. I believe that he is innocent …"
Zhou Zhe waved his hand. "Don't try to play dumb with me when it comes to official matters. How could I not know who the Right Prime Minister is? He is knowledgeable and upright. I believe that he has never formed a clique. Alas … I don't have that much confidence. Of course, I will only be impartial in this trial. If the Right Prime Minister is unharmed, it will be a great fortune for the country. If anything happens, I will choose between you and Tan Zhen to replace him. "
"The Jurchens have just invaded the south. Our first priority is to build up our military strength. Lord Tan used to be in charge of military affairs. He can be the Right Prime Minister."
"I know who can be the Right Prime Minister." Zhou Zhe glanced at him. "You are good. You may leave."
When the news of the replacement of the chief judge reached the Right Prime Minister's residence, Ji Kun, Wenren Bu 'er, and the others were still a little optimistic. The Imperial Censor, Qin Hui, was an honest and upright man. If Tang Ke was added to the mix, there might be a chance to turn things around. Yao Zunian, on the other hand, was not optimistic. He had a better understanding of Qin Hui, but he lacked confidence. Among the three of them, Tang Ke was incorruptible and upright, but frankly speaking, the peace faction had been suppressed over the years. Tang Ke's faction was basically scattered like sand. In the court, apart from having a clean reputation, he basically had no real influence. Jueming was running around in the royal family, trying to change the Emperor's mind.
"They are going to kill us all." Only Ning Yi was stunned for a long time. He said this in a low voice. Some people who were still hoping for a fluke looked at him and fell silent.
Like the emperor's new clothes, this matter had already revealed so many clues. Everyone already had extremely bad guesses about many things. It was only human nature to hope for a fluke. Ning Yi's words broke this silence. At this time, someone ran in from outside to report that the constable of Six Fan School had entered the Yao family to officially arrest Yao Jiyuan. Yao Zunian frowned. "Let him endure it." Then he said to the crowd, "I am going to the prison to see Old Qin. Let's assume the worst. "Everyone then dispersed.
The Right Prime Minister's residence's resistance and activities had only increased to the point where they only wanted to save their own lives. But it was too late. Under the push of Zhou Zhe, Cai Jing, Tong Guan, and Wang Ke, the positive wind of rewarding merit and punishing demerits in order to reinvigorate the people in the capital had already spread.
*****
The people who frequented Fan Lou had suddenly changed.
It was always like this when the capital was in a state of panic. The change in the people who came to the brothel often meant that the core of power in the capital was changing. This change happened under a wave of positive and positive praise. Some people clapped their hands and some were filled with righteous indignation.
"… I really didn't expect that the Right Prime Minister would be such a cunning person!"
"… The Imperial Court hasn't concluded this matter, don't spout nonsense!"
"How am I spouting nonsense? Do I even need to say what kind of people are going to prison every day …"
"The young master of the Qin family is a righteous person who died in Taiyuan …"
"Taiyuan City is surrounded like an iron bucket, it is true that he can't escape. Moreover, even if he is a family, it is hard to guarantee that loyalty and treachery are the same. Look at the Grand Tutor and his son, aren't they on different paths …"
"The storyteller downstairs talked about the young master of the Qin family every day. These two days he didn't talk about it anymore …"
"The Right Prime Minister's faction isn't any weaker than Grand Tutor Cai's. This time he chased people up the city walls and didn't command well, causing those righteous people to all die there. He didn't say a single word and just burned the corpses. Tell me, when did he treat people like people …"
"Speaking about this Seven Tigers, I think he and … no, he is the tiger that caused the most harm …"
Recently, when Shishi was in Fan Lou, she heard such conversations every day.
She had already understood the development of the capital. The Right Prime Minister's faction had already been pried up from its foundations and was starting to collapse. When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter. When the wall falls, people push it. The officials of the Right Prime Minister's faction were frequently sent to prison. On the side of the three-division trial, the implications of the case were getting bigger and bigger every day. Although it hadn't formed a situation where they were going to be convicted, how could they escape from the current situation? It was just a matter of how big or small the conviction would be.
Public opinion started to turn towards the rumors from the Imperial Court. Takeshi's storyteller seemed to be under pressure and didn't mention anything about the Prime Minister's residence anymore. Two days ago, there seemed to be news of the storyteller being beaten up and arrested. Takeshi's business started to have problems. This wasn't a rare piece of news in the circle of businessmen.
However, the people at the bottom seemed to be fighting against the people at the top. It was said that a few shopkeepers of Takeshi were involved in the aftermath of this matter and were sent to the prison of Kaifeng Prefecture. Then, they were dug out. Shishi knew that Ning Yi was behind this. She went to look for him once, but she couldn't find him. Ning Yi was too busy.
Every time Mama Lee talked about this matter, she would sigh, "Why is there always such a thing …" Shishi felt complicated. She knew that Ning Yi's business was collapsing. Once it was over, he would leave. She was thinking when he would come to say goodbye, but Ning Yi didn't come in the end.
It was the 27th of March. In the Fan Building, everyone was talking about Li Gang's appointment and Qin Siyuan's case. Shishi found a person in the building. The person was dressed in blue and looked thin. He seemed to be injured and coughed from time to time. Shishi had some impression of him. She vaguely remembered that this person used to be an advisor of the Prime Minister's residence. His name was Cheng Zhouhai. He probably invited someone to the Fan Building to discuss some matters. Maybe he was also running errands for the Prime Minister's residence. Not long after Shishi found him, someone rushed in and said a few words to Cheng Zhouhai. Then, Cheng Zhouhai left in a hurry.
Later, someone told Shishi, "Something big happened, something big happened …"
"What happened?"
"Something happened in the Right Prime Minister's residence. The Ministry of Justice wants to put the second son of the Qin family in prison. The Old Madam of the Qin family is blocking them. Both sides are fighting. Something big is going to happen … "
Shishi's face turned pale, "Not a single one of them? This is … this is … after all, the Qin family has made great contributions to the country … "
"Hey, the merits and demerits are still unknown …"
After that person reported the news, he went to watch the scene. Shishi thought for a while, then quickly asked someone to drive a carriage to the Right Prime Minister's residence. When they arrived there, there were already many people gathered around. This time, it was another case involving Qin Shaoqian. The Ministry of Justice was in charge of it. Two chief arresters of the Ministry of Justice came with documents and a team of constables. However, they were blocked by the Old Madam of the Qin family. At this time, she called many children and relatives of the Qin family to hold hands and block the door. Cheng Zhouhai had also rushed over. Both sides were talking and negotiating. Occasionally, the young people and the constables would curse at each other.
In the past, the Qin family was so powerful, but when there was a problem, it could be solved with just a word. At this time, it was like this, giving people a feeling of desolation of power. Even though Qin Siyuan hadn't condemned them, a sense of dejection had already appeared. In the Qin family, Qin Shaoqian seemed to want to come out. The Old Madam who blocked the door hit him with her walking stick, "Go back — go back — if you come out, I will die immediately —"
Chief Arrester Tie Tianying shouted outside, "Old Madam, this is the law of the country, it is not something you can resist —"
Some constables outside said softly, "Humph, he is used to having power and influence, he is so unreasonable …"
There were also people in the crowd who were filled with righteous indignation and whispered to each other. At the door of the residence, the crowd started to push and shove. Cheng Zhouhai blocked in front and said, "Young Master Qin Shaohe was killed by the golden dog in Taiyuan and his body is still warm. Second Young Master once led the army outside the city to fight against the resentful army. He is a hero and also the only descendant of the Prime Minister. I have just returned from Taiyuan, if you want to destroy my family, why don't you step over my body. "
Tie Tianying said, "Merits are merits, demerits are demerits, how can you talk about them together? This time, I only invited Young Master Qin over to clarify, I did not say that I wanted to punish him. You all obstruct me like this, is it because you have a guilty conscience? Moreover, Qin Shaohe died in Taiyuan and Taiyuan was massacred by the Female Zhenrens, almost no one survived. How did you come back, you are greedy for life and afraid of death … "
"Greedy for life and afraid of death —" Cheng Zhouhai shouted and tore open his shirt. His skinny body was densely covered in bandages. He tore the bandages outwards, "You all know what the situation is like in Taiyuan, there is no help on all sides! There is not enough rations! When the Female Zhenrens attacked, in order to kill the enemy, the rations were only given to the soldiers. I am an official, my daily rations are halved. My injuries have not healed, constable, take a look and see if this injury is caused by being greedy for life and afraid of death — "
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