The cells of the Council of Censors were packed with people.
Led by Lai Junchen, the Left Censor of the Imperial Censor, and the many experienced and capable officials worked tirelessly day and night. The 'traitors' were all caught.
The eunuchs in the inner palace, the ministers in the court, the officials who had retired and returned to their hometowns, the heads of the prefectures, and even the generals in the army were all caught and sent to the 'Imperial Gate'. The 'traitors' who had just been caught could no longer be stuffed into the cells. The Council of Censors had no choice but to vacate the row of rooms at the back of the west wing that stored firewood, charcoal, office tools, and other sundries. The results of the Imperial Censor were brilliant.
However, there were still a few cells in the prison that were very spacious. These cells were, of course, where the Prime Ministers were kept. In the beginning, these Prime Ministers were kept separately. However, as the number of cells in the prison grew more and more limited, and these Prime Ministers were the main targets of surveillance. If they were kept separately, they would need more people to look after each of them. Therefore, their cells were moved closer together.
However, they had already confessed to their crimes, and the Emperor believed that they had confessed to their crimes. In Lai Junchen's eyes, these people were already waiting for death, and it was impossible for them to rebel. Therefore, he didn't care much about keeping them together.
Judge Wang Deshou paced back and forth outside Di Renjie's cell. Many times, he looked at Di Renjie's cell as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he lowered his head and walked away with a heavy heart. Di Renjie sat cross-legged in his cell, leisurely eating his lunch, as if he didn't notice anything. However, Wang Deshou's hesitant expression caught every detail of it.
According to the prison system of the Tang Dynasty, the food and drink of the prisoners had to be sent to the prison by their families. This law was originally made to prevent some poor people from treating the prison as a charity and committing crimes just to eat in prison. However, in China, there was a tradition of 'sympathizing with the prisoners'. If the prisoners had no family, then the prison would provide them with food and drink. However, the quality of the food was unimaginable.
These prisoners were all Prime Ministers. Naturally, their families would send them food, and their families wouldn't let them eat the disgusting food of the prisoners. However, when their families brought the food in, they would be inspected a hundred times more strictly than normal prisoners.
After Di Renjie finished his meal, he took out a water bottle and poured a bowl of water. He slowly drank it. At this time, Wang Deshou went out for a stroll and came back. He kept walking around Di Renjie's cell as if he was inspecting it, but his eyes were constantly on Di Renjie.
Wang Deshou wasn't Lai Junchen's trusted aide. He came from the right path and learned the law at a young age. After many years of hard work, he became a judge. and became a judge. Wang Deshou was very envious of how others were able to easily get promoted just by digging out the conspirators of the traitors.
Even if Lai Junchen let him interrogate these Prime Ministers, he wouldn't be able to interrogate them.
Di Renjie, Pei Xingben, and Ren Zhigu were all high-ranking officials. They were the leaders of the hundreds of officials. They had cultivated a dignified manner for many years. Their every action, and even their gaze, could give people great pressure. Lai Junchen's ruffians might not be able to feel this, but Wang Deshou, who had climbed his way up from a lowly official, could not ignore it. The pressure formed by the difference in rank had already seeped into his bones.
Seeing others getting promoted, Wang Deshou was tempted. He wanted to find a few accomplices of the traitors through the Prime Ministers under his watch. He wasn't young anymore. If he didn't seize this opportunity, it would be very difficult for him to get promoted in the future. He didn't want to give up this opportunity, but he didn't know how to start.
After some thought, he set his sights on Di Renjie. Di Renjie had a nickname in the officialdom: Old Fox. Old Fox meant smart, and smart people liked to make deals with others. Smart people had many tricks up their sleeves, but people with many tricks up their sleeves weren't as firm as simple and simple people.
When Deputy Prime Minister Lai interrogated the three Prime Ministers, Di Renjie was the first to plead guilty. This point confirmed Wang Deshou's analysis, so he pinned the opportunity to be promoted on Di Renjie. But thinking was just thinking. When it came time to face Di Renjie, he still couldn't muster up the courage.
Di Renjie drank water and quietly observed Wang Deshou's movements. Suddenly, he coughed and calmly said, "Magistrate Wang, this old man has finished eating. I'll have to trouble you to take the basket out for me."
"Ah? Okay, okay! "
Magistrate Wang quickly moved to the front of the cell door. Di Renjie lifted the basket and handed it out through the door. Suddenly, he whispered, dusted his robe, and said, "This old man's court robe is a new one I got at the beginning of the year. Look, it's all wrinkled and muddy now. It's really a pity. I'll have to trouble you to take it back and have my family clean it up. Tomorrow, send me some lighter clothes. This cell is hot and humid, it's really uncomfortable. "
"Okay, okay, okay! It's really inconvenient for Prime Minister Di to sit and lie down in this court robe! "
Wang Deshou finally talked to him, so he quickly agreed. Di Renjie slowly took off the clothes and handed them to him. Wang Deshou took the clothes, lifted the basket, and attentively said to Di Renjie, "Prime Minister Di, I'll take it out now!"
Di Renjie smiled and calmly said, "Thank you, Magistrate Wang."
Ren Zhigu and Pei Xing were in the cells on the left and right side of Di Renjie, so they saw the conversation between Di Renjie and Wang Deshou. As soon as Wang Deshou left, the two of them quickly approached Di Renjie's cell and said excitedly, "Grandpa Di, you are really astute. You actually did it this way!"
It turned out that yesterday, Di Renjie tore off a piece of his underwear when the jailer wasn't paying attention. He bit his finger and wrote something on it. Then, he pretended to rest and lied down with his back facing the cell door. As long as the jailer wasn't in front of the cell, he would use a hairpin to carefully pick out the thread of the patch of the court robe. Finally, he stuffed the bloody letter in and spent a long time smoothing out the thread. In the end, the robe looked normal.
These things took him the whole afternoon. The two prime ministers who were locked in the cells to the right and left of Di Renjie could clearly see everything through the bars. Naturally, Di Renjie's actions couldn't be hidden from them. Just now, when Di Renjie and Wang Deshou were talking, the two were so nervous that their hearts were in their throats. Only when Wang Deshou left did they become wild with joy.
Di Renjie's expression was still very calm. He lightly sighed and said, "Lai Junchen has captured more and more people. The more people there are, the more it seems like it's the case. The greatest taboo for an emperor is rebellion. Lai Junchen is not the only one stirring up trouble here. There are also the kings of the Wu Clan. Even if they don't show up themselves, they will take this opportunity to incite others to stir up trouble in front of the Empress. I'm afraid that with all of them working together, the Empress will no doubt believe it. "
Di Renjie gently stroked his beard and said worriedly, "Although the bloody letter has been sent out, I don't know if my family will find it. If my family finds it, will they have a chance to send it to the Emperor? If not, we won't even have a chance to live. Now, we can only do our best and leave it to fate … "
… …
At this moment, Lai Junchen was personally interrogating the General of the Left Jade Seal Guard, Zhang Qianxun. Zhang Qianxun's feet were shackled and his hands were also shackled. When he was escorted into the main hall, the two rooms immediately shouted, "Might … Wu …"
The rod slammed on the ground, causing the ground to tremble slightly. Zhang Qianxun was a veteran general who had been through hundreds of battles. How could he care about such a situation? He stood there steadily and looked at Lai Junchen with a cold smile.
Lai Junchen slammed the gavel and shouted, "Sinner Zhang Qianxun, kneel!"
Zhang Qianxun curled his lips and said proudly, "This marshal has swept across the battlefield and made countless contributions to the empire. This great empire is partly due to this marshal's contributions. Who do you think you are? In terms of contributions, you are not even one ten-thousandth of this Zhang. In terms of official position, you are also far behind this Zhang. This Zhang was imprisoned unjustly, what crime did I commit? Why should I kneel to a lowly person like you who only knows how to flatter others? "
Lai Junchen had arrested so many people, but he had never seen such an arrogant one. He couldn't help but fly into a rage and shouted sternly, "Zhang Qianxun, this official is here to interrogate you. You are a criminal who is guilty of treason, yet you dare to roar in court with such arrogance? If you don't plead guilty, this official will have to serve you with torture! "
Under Lai Junchen's order, his subordinates rumbled as they pulled out those strange-shaped, bloodstained torture devices. Zhang Qianxun didn't even look at them. Looking up at the sky, he coldly said, "Who doesn't know of your infamy, Lai Junchen? If you want to interrogate this marshal, you can! But this marshal doesn't trust the Censorate! If you want to interrogate me, you will have to be interrogated by all three departments … "
After saying that, Zhang Qianxun turned and walked down the hall. As he walked, he coldly said, "When all the officials from all three departments are here, invite this marshal to the court!"
Lai Jun Chen was so angry that his entire body was trembling. He thought that he was already arrogant enough, but he didn't expect to meet someone even more arrogant than him in his territory. Lai Jun Chen slammed the wooden block in front of him and roared: "Men! Seize Zhang Qianxun and serve him with torture! "
"Who dares!"
Zhang Qianxun's leopard eyes widened as he roared, scaring the servants who had just surrounded him into taking a step back. Seeing this, Lai Junchen angrily shouted, "You bunch of trash, his hands and feet are tied and he is just a cripple. What are you afraid of? Take him down and torture him! "
Lai Junchen's words reminded the servants, and they suddenly rushed forward again. Zhang Qianxun fought with the servants, but his hands were tied and the shackles on his legs were too short, so he couldn't even take a big step forward. At first, he used his brute strength to knock away a few servants, but he was soon beaten down by a club. His head was beaten until it bled and his hair was disheveled. He was in a sorry state.
As the commanding general of an army, when had Zhang Qianxun ever been humiliated by a group of lowly servants like this? His eyes were bloodshot from anger, and he roared, "Even if this marshal has to die, I will kill you for the imperial court!"
Zhang Qianxun turned around and pushed aside a few servants, charging straight for Lai Junchen who was sitting behind the trial platform. Seeing the furious and ferocious Zhang Qianxun, Lai Junchen's heart also palpitated. He hurriedly left his seat and dodged while shouting, "Fools! All of you are a bunch of fools! Hurry up and stop him! "
The court was instantly thrown into chaos. Lai Junchen ran around the hall while Zhang Qianxun chased after him. Another group of servants chased after Zhang Qianxun and struck him with their rods like a torrential rain. Zhang Qianxun didn't care and only gritted his teeth as he chased after Lai Junchen.
Lai Junchen ran around the 'silence' and 'retreat' boards while shouting, "Zhang Qianxun has no respect for the law and wants to assassinate the chief judge in the court. Hurry up and hack him to death! Kill him for me! "
As soon as the Imperial Bodyguards in front of the hall heard Lai Junchen's order, they immediately barged in. Wei Suizhong snatched the saber from one of the Imperial Bodyguards and in one big stride caught up with Zhang Qianxun, and fiercely hacked down with his saber. "Ah!" Zhang Qianxun screamed as his back was hit and blood gushed out like a fountain.
At this moment, Zhang Qianxun only cared about Lai Junchen and didn't care about anything else. Enduring the pain, he continued to chase after Lai Junchen. After taking two steps, his steps were a bit too big and he almost fell to the ground. At this time, another guard took the opportunity to strike again, almost chopping off one of his arms.
When the guards attacked, they didn't care whether Zhang Qianxun was the commander-in-chief of an army or not. They only cared about chopping down the sabers in their hands. In just a short moment, Zhang Qianxun was cut into a bloody man. Zhang Qianxun's body was bathed in blood and his eyes were spitting fire. Glaring at Lai Junchen, he hissed, "Lai Junchen! This marshal can't wait to eat your flesh and drink your blood! "
He kicked off the ground with both feet and abruptly left his original position. Using himself as a weapon, he threw himself at Lai Junchen like a spear. Seven or eight 'Wind and Fire Cudgels' were thrust in front of him, blocking his arms. Then the cudgels flicked downwards, forming a net of cudgels. Lai Junchen's entire body was impaled in the air, unable to move.
Lai Junchen pointed at him and shouted, "Kill him! Kill him for me! "
A servant carefully approached and saw that Zhang Qianxun was still in the position of pouncing forward with the cudgels. His body was motionless and his eyes were wide open, but they were lifeless. The servant tested Zhang Qianxun's breathing and reported, "Deputy Premier, he is dead!"
Lai Junchen let out a breath of air and adjusted his official hat and robe. He said hatefully, "It's good that he's dead! It's good that he's dead! This Zhang Qianxun is lawless. You all saw how he attacked the chief judge in the court! Bring out the corpse! Bring out the next criminal! "
… …
County Commandant Zhu Bin was brought into the court. Seeing the blood all over the floor, his legs turned to jelly.
He already knew that Zhang Qianxun, the General of the Left Jade Imperial Guard, was killed by Lai Junchen. After Zhang Qianxun, the person to be brought to trial was Chief Chamberlain Fan Yunxian. Fan Yunxian had served the previous Emperor, Li Zhi, so he didn't put Lai Junchen in his eyes at all. The moment he entered the court, he began to list the injustice he had suffered and his contributions.
Lai Junchen had just been humiliated by Zhang Qianxun and was filled with anger. How could he be willing to listen to Fan Yunxian's rambling? He slammed the gavel twice but still couldn't shut Fan Yunxian up. Enraged, Lai Junchen ordered someone to cut off Fan Yunxian's tongue. He even dared to kill the General of the Left Jade Imperial Guard, so why would he care about a eunuch?
Squatting in the waiting room, Zhu Bin had seen Zhang Qianxun hacked to death and Fan Yunxian's tongue cut off.
Lai Junchen sat behind the table and glared at Zhu Bin. He shouted in a deep voice, "Zhu Bin, all of you have colluded and rebelled. The facts are clear. In the court, confess obediently and you will be spared physical pain!"
Zhu Bin was so frightened that his knees turned to jelly. He knelt on the floor and said, "I confess! I confess! Deputy Prime Minister, please do not use torture! "
Wei Suizhong moved to Lai Junchen's side and whispered into his ear, "Deputy Prime Minister, this person is just a small shrimp picked up along the way. He … used to be Yang Fan's superior!"
"Oh?"
Hearing this, the anger on Lai Junchen's face vanished. He slowly turned his head and looked Zhu Bin up and down. He smiled and said, "Sinner Zhu Bin, according to the information this official has found, that General of the Yulin Woods, Yang Fan, is also your accomplice. Is this true?"
Zhu Bin was even more afraid when he was smiled at than when he was glared at. When he heard Lai Junchen's words, he nodded as if his soul had left his body. "Yes, yes, yes. Deputy Prime Minister is wise, Deputy Prime Minister is wise. Yang Fan is my accomplice. Yang Fan … Yang Fan? "Zhu Bin only remembered who Yang Fan was after he said this. He couldn't help but raise his head and stare at Lai Junchen.
Lai Junchen nodded with a smile and said, "Yes! A wise man submits to circumstances. Zhu Bin, you can be considered one who understands the circumstances. As long as you are willing to honestly confess, this official will not make things too difficult for you. "
Lai Junchen put his elbow on the table and leaned forward. He said softly, "Yang Fan has seventeen shops in the most prosperous part of Nan City. His wealth is truly comparable to that of the nobility! How can someone like him, who has just been promoted to General, possess so much wealth? You are his accomplice. Do you know who gave him so much wealth? Why did they give him such a large sum of wealth? What do they want him to do? "
At this moment, Lai Junchen really looked like a patient teacher. However, in Zhu Bin's eyes, this expression seemed to be a devil smiling at him. Zhu Bin was even more afraid. He trembled and thought for a long time before hesitantly saying, "According to what this sinner knows, this Yang Fan … is highly appreciated by Shangguan Weizhi!"
Lai Junchen's expression immediately changed. His goal was only to bite Yang Fan to death. He did not want to bite out such a great bodhisattva. Shanghai Wan 'er was His Majesty's favorite. Even when His Majesty went to Five Phoenix Brothel at night, he did not forget to bring her along. This person was not so easy to bring down. Not waiting for Zhu Bin to finish, Lai Junchen slammed the gavel on the table and shouted, "How dare you! Shangguan Weizhi is loyal to His Majesty. How can he be an accomplice of a rebel? You cannot indiscriminately accuse others! "
Zhu Bin jumped in fright and quickly corrected himself, "Yes, yes, yes. This sinner did not say that Shangguan Weizhi is Yang Fan's accomplice. I only said that Yang Fan used glib words to seek Shangguan Weizhi's appreciation in order to get close to His Majesty. He did not have good intentions …"
Lai Junchen impatiently said, "Alright, alright. Don't mention Shangguan Weizhi anymore. You just need to tell me who used so much money to bribe him!"
"This …" Zhu Bin swallowed. After thinking for a long time, he carefully said, "Assistant Minister Di Renjie …"
Lai Junchen coldly glared at him. Zhu Bin immediately shut his mouth. Lai Junchen endured and endured, but finally, he could not take it anymore. He muttered loudly, "You idiot! Everyone knows that Di Renjie has no money! If he had that much money to give to Yang Fan, would he need to move to the southern part of the city and wake up early every day to come to the palace? "
Zhu Bin hurriedly said, "Yes, yes, yes. This sinner was afraid of the Deputy Minister's might and was momentarily confused. Please give this sinner some time to think about it …"
Zhu Bin thought to himself, This person needs money. Hmm … Xue Huaiyi is rich! When Yang Fan got married, Xue Huaiyi even gave him a huge gift … No, even Shangguan Weizhi is not enough. If I give up Xue Huaiyi, Lai Junchen will tear me apart! Who else? Even King Liang … is not enough …
Zhu Bin couldn't think of a suitable candidate even after thinking for a long time. He wanted to cry, but no tears came out. "It's hard for others not to confess, but it's hard for me to confess even if I want to! Just who should I recruit? "
Lai Junchen looked at his stupid expression. He closed his eyes and steadied his breathing. Then, he suddenly opened his eyes and tried his best to maintain a pleasant expression. He patiently said, "Among the rebels that I have arrested, there is a Minister of Works, Li Youdao. This Li Youdao comes from the Li Clan of Zhao Commandery, and his wealth is comparable to that of a noble. Moreover, as the Minister of Works, he is in charge of engineering, water conservancy, salt ponds, gardens, weapons, farming, mining, and coinage. He has a lot of money in his hands … "
Zhu Bin was a good student. He immediately understood what Lai Junchen was trying to say. He hurriedly said, "Deputy Minister, this Yang Fan holds an important position and commands the Yulin Army. They … Ah! No, no, it's us! We want to rebel, but we won't be able to open the palace gates without a capable person like him. That's why … Li Youdao promised him great benefits, and also promised to make him a great general once the rebellion was over. That's why he bribed Yang Fan to act as a spy in the palace. Once the army arrives, he will coordinate with Yang Fan from the palace and lead his trusted aides to open the palace gates, welcome the rebel army into the city, and force the emperor to abdicate! "
Lai Junchen sat on his side and raised his head with a smile. He stroked his beard in a leisurely manner.
His eyes gazed at the dust on the ceiling. It was as if a beautiful and charming woman in a light yellow dress was slowly flying down and throwing herself into his arms. The young married woman was beautiful and charming. She was like a fresh flower after the rain, and also like the most plump grape on the branch.
He raised his head and closed his eyes slightly. It was as if he could pluck that juicy grape with a single stretch of his hand.
Even though the great hall was still filled with the stench of fresh blood, his nose seemed to catch a whiff of the beautiful woman's faint, enchanting body fragrance. Lai Junchen's soul was intoxicated.
Everyone had their own pursuits. Some worked for the country and the people, some for a thousand years of meritorious deeds, some for high positions and generous salaries, some for wealth and glory, and some were intoxicated by power. Lai Junchen felt that compared to these people, he really didn't want much. In fact, he just liked to moan. He wanted men to moan under his torture tools, and he wanted men's women to moan under his penis …
…
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