The joint investigation of the three departments of justice usually only accepted cases for re-examination. However, this time the Golden Well of the Emperor's mausoleum was of great importance and involved many government offices. The Ministry of Punishments, the Inspectorate, and the Dali Monastery were ordered by the Emperor to jointly investigate this case. In a short period of time, rumors spread throughout the capital.
Right Assistant Minister Wei Shen of the Ministry of Punishments had just escorted Yang Ling, Ni Qian, and the others to the prison of the Ministry of Punishments when Minister Xu Guan of the Ministry of Works and Minister Wang Qiong of the Ministry of Rites received the news and came to visit the Ministry of Punishments. Although the two did not talk about the cases of the people involved, they wantonly advocated the importance of the damage to the Dragon Vein and the importance of the Emperor on this matter. Listening to them, Minister Hong Zhong of the Ministry of Punishments felt uneasy.
The people locked up in the prison involved many government offices. The ones that gave him the most headache were the people from the Bureau of Rites and the Emperor's favorite, Yang Ling. For a moment, he could not figure out how severe the Emperor's intention was and was at a loss. Now that he heard the words of the two ministers, it was as if a lamp had been lit in his head and he immediately thought that he had an idea.
Right Assistant Minister Wei Shen of the Ministry of Punishments unloaded Yang Ling and the others from the prison cart and personally sent them to the prison. After the proper arrangements were made, he had just walked out of the prison door when he saw two officials in brocade uniforms arguing with the head of the prison. Wei Shen immediately rushed over and asked, "What's the matter, arguing in front of the prison of the Ministry of Punishments?"
The head of the prison bowed and said, "Master Wei, these two are the officials in charge of punishment of the Discipline Commission. They want to interrogate the suspects of the Emperor's mausoleum."
Wei Shen glanced at the two Imperial Bodyguard officials in flying fish robes. Seeing that it was Wei Shen, they did not dare to be as arrogant as they were in front of the head of the prison. One of the Imperial Bodyguard officials came forward and bowed, "This lowly official Cui Ti greets Master Wei. According to the Law of Ming Destiny, any case that offends His Majesty or involves the officials of the court, the Discipline Commission has the right to interrogate and even torture. However, since His Majesty has already handed this case over to the three law divisions, we, the Discipline Commission, will no longer contest the trial. However, we will be attending the trial. Whether it is the trial or the interrogation of the prisoner, please inform us that we will be present. "
Wei Shen had long been dissatisfied with the arrogance of the Imperial Bodyguard and was furious. He said, "Although this involves the Emperor's mausoleum and the royal family, it is caused by corruption and has nothing to do with rebellion. Moreover, His Majesty has fully handed this case to the three departments. Can the Bodyguard handle of punishment?"
Cui Ti smiled insincerely and said, "Master, this is your duty and you should handle it impartially. But this is also the duty of the Imperial Bodyguard. His Majesty did not say that the Imperial Bodyguard is not allowed to supervise this case. "
Wei Shen looked up to the sky and laughed. Stroking his long beard, he said, "Dai Yi is from the Department of Rites. Everyone knows that the Imperial Bodyguard and the Department of Rites in Dongchang are one family. Please tell Admiral Zhang and Discipline Commission Master Mou that it is better to avoid suspicion!" Wei Shen finished speaking and left with a flick of his sleeve.
The two officials in embroidered robes came to the bottom of the stairs and looked at Wei Shen's back. For a moment, they did not know what to do with this old man. Cui Ti frowned and said, "The Ministry of Punishments has sent the case to Magistrate Wei. I am afraid that this will put the Discipline Commission in a difficult position. This old man does not even care about the Imperial Family. Why would he care about us?"
The other official in embroidered robes, Huang Ziwei, smiled and said, "Brother Cui, the King of Hell is easy to see, but the little devil is difficult to deal with. Hong Zhong, that old man, is cautious and cautious. He likes to change his direction according to the wind. If we present the invitation directly to him, I am sure that he will not dare to offend Master Mou."
Unexpectedly, Hong Zhong thought that he had seen through the Emperor's intentions and accepted the invitation from Discipline Commission Mou Bin. After thinking for a long time, he said to the Left Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Punishments, Cheng Wenyi, "Go and tell the two officials in embroidered robes that this case is very important. The relevant criminals have not been gathered yet, so they cannot be interrogated. Ask them to return."
The Left Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Punishments, Cheng Wenyi, worriedly said, "Your Excellency, we can delay it for a while, but we cannot delay it for a lifetime. When the case is being interrogated in court, if the Imperial Bodyguard forcefully interferes, what should we do?"
Hong Zhong, a crafty old fox, chuckled and said, "When the time comes, the three departments will jointly interrogate the case and the entire court will be watching. We can just ask Wei Shen to find an excuse to stop them outside. Would Mou Bin dare to break the taboo of the world and force his way into the court?"
Hong Zhong, who had always handled matters smoothly, dared to challenge the Imperial Bodyguard today. Cheng Wenyi was very surprised. He responded with a "yes" and quietly left.
Hong Zhong smiled and thought to himself, "My Ministry of Punishments is not a match for the Imperial Bodyguard. But when the three departments of law interrogate the case together, would Mou Bin dare to offend the three ministers at the same time? If the case is investigated clearly, I'm afraid the Interior Minister will be replaced. At that time, my reputation and position will be unparalleled. Would Mou Bin still be so arrogant when he sees me? "
In Discipline Commission Mou Bin's room, the Commander of the Admirals, Zhang Xiu, had his hands behind his back and was pacing back and forth in the room. After a while, he snorted loudly and said, "How stupid. The construction of the Emperor's mausoleum is a rare opportunity. With this capital, Yang Ling can go one step further. Why would he get involved in such a big case? I just rushed back to the capital and still don't know the details. Did water really seep into the mausoleum? "
Mou Bin smiled and said, "It's not important whether water seeped into the mausoleum or not. What's important is that when the Former Emperor was still alive, he ruled the world with kindness. The reputation of our Imperial Bodyguard is not as great as before. Now, if we let the civil officials of the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Works topple the Bureau of Rites and the Brocade Guards, then the civil officials will be even more powerful."
Zhang Xiu glared at him and scolded, "If that's the case, is it true? The damage to the Dragon Veins is related to the fate of the country. How important is that? How can you be so calm? Do you still want to support that troublemaker? "
Although Mou Bin was the Commander of the Discipline Commission under the Imperial Bodyguard, he was in charge of the most important department of the Imperial Bodyguard. His power and status were not inferior to Zhang Xiu's. Hearing Zhang Xiu's words, he couldn't help but laugh and said, "Your Excellency, digging up a piece of land is related to the fate of the country? Do you really believe the words of those fools and common people?
Haha, years ago, Emperor Huizong of Song did not have many descendants. He listened to the advice of a Feng Shui master and raised the terrain in the northwest corner of Bianliang by several times. He said that from this point on, his descendants would prosper and the country would prosper. But what happened in the end?
He was superstitious about Feng Shui. He carried out large-scale construction and cultivated to become an immortal. In the end, he became the ruler of a subjugated country. Even his son, Emperor Qinzong of Song, was captured by the Jin soldiers. Two Emperors were captured. It is a strange story in the world. And this dynasty … "
"Enough!" Zhang Xiu's face twitched. After a while, he said, "As the saying goes, one is fate, two is luck, three is Feng Shui, four is Yin Karma, and five is education. Although these things are illusory and can't be trusted, we have to believe them. Now that things have come to this, we can only do our best and leave the rest to fate. Send someone to contact Yang Ling and see what he has to say. If you can save him, do your best. If it doesn't work and implicates the Imperial Bodyguard … Do you understand? "
Mou Bin nodded and said calmly, "I understand. I have already sent someone to do it."
* * *
Wei Shen treated Yang Ling and the others as imperial court criminals. They were put in separate cells and could not see each other to prevent them from colluding. Yang Ling was locked alone in a cell with a bad smell. He was sitting in a daze. A jailer used the hilt of his knife to look at the iron bars and said, "Time to eat." As he said this, he handed over a rice bowl.
Ever since Yang Ling was taken to the capital and locked in this dark cell, he had not eaten anything. He was already hungry. When he heard this, he quickly stood up and walked over to take the rice bowl that was handed in through the crack of the door. The jailer lowered his head and looked around vigilantly. Suddenly he raised his head and laughed in a low voice, "Mr Yang, long time no see. Sir Mou asked me to ask you a question. You must listen carefully."
When Yang Ling saw the jailer raise his head, he was surprised and happy. He couldn't help but say, "It's you? How did Sir Qian sneak in? Be careful not to be discovered. "
Qian Ning smiled and said, "If I didn't come and send any of my brothers, I'm afraid you would think that the Ministry of Punishments is punishing you. Don't worry, we have people in the Ministry of Punishments. We can't take you out, but there's no harm in coming in and taking a look. Sir Mou wants to ask you, did you do it flawlessly? "
Yang Ling was shocked and thought, "Mou Bin is asking this because he is sure that the mausoleum has entered the water. From his tone, he doesn't seem to care much about fengshui."
Yang Ling didn't dare to speak the truth. He and Mou Bin didn't have a deep relationship. If Mou Bin wanted to trick him, he would be seeking his own death. So Yang Ling said vaguely, "I don't understand what Sir means. The Golden Well didn't make any mistakes. How can we find any flaws?"
Qian Ning raised his thumb and smiled, nodding his head and saying, "That's for the best. But there are people in the court who are trying to frame us. This matter is hard to explain." He then said, "If Sir has any plans, please let me know. I will report to Sir Mou and do my best to help."
Yang Ling thought for a while and discussed a few methods with Qian Ning. But they were all about pressuring the three law enforcers to go easy. It was impossible to remedy this situation. Qian Ning frowned and thought for a while before saying, "Difficult, really difficult. This matter has become so big. I'm afraid it won't be easy to solve."
Yang Ling smiled faintly and said, "I know. Brother Qian, just do your best. The ancients said, 'The whispers of mortals are like thunder to the heavens.' Yang believes that there are gods three feet above his head. As long as I can face heaven and earth, that's all. Since things have come to this, I'll do my best and leave the rest to heaven! But … I hope that Brother Qian will send someone to inform my wife. If the Emperor is angry and implicates my family, tell her to bring the offerings in the inner hall to ask the Emperor for forgiveness. If Brother Qian can deliver the message, even if Yang dies, I will be grateful in the underworld! "
Qian Ning stared fixedly at him for a while and sighed. "Even if you don't say it, I know the reason. Brother, I can't be such a good person. But I also respect a person like Brother Yang very much. Rest assured, Sir Yang. I've already sent someone to pass the message to the other officials, telling them to grit their teeth and refuse to admit it. Sir, take care. "
When Wei Shen returned to the Ministry of Punishments, he thought about the close relationship between the Imperial Bodyguard and Dongchang, and that Dongchang was a direct descendant of the Department of Rites. Could it be that the Imperial Bodyguard had interfered to rescue the head eunuch of the Department of Rites, Dai Yi?
When Wei Shen thought about this, he was worried that the Imperial Bodyguard had bribed the prison guards to collude. He hurriedly rushed back to the prison of the Ministry of Punishments and arranged for four prison guards to guard the prison door. He also personally guarded the prison and did not leave.
Qian Ning had just left when Wei Shen came back. The four prison doors were guarded day and night by prison guards. Even if the Imperial Bodyguard was everywhere, it was as difficult as ascending to heaven to send a message. Qian Ning tried several times and almost aroused Wei Shen's suspicion. He could only follow Yang Ling's instructions and report to Mou Bin.
After that, the three departments of Justice suddenly held two joint trials. As expected, the Imperial Bodyguard was excluded. Seeing that the power of the Imperial Bodyguard was being challenged and excluded, even Zhang Xiu was furious. Immediately, the Imperial Bodyguard sent out secret agents to create rumors and slander the officials of the Department of Rites, the Ministry of Works, and the Ministry of Punishments. At the same time, they searched for evidence that could be used against them.
The three departments of Justice held two joint trials. Yang Ling and the other three refused, allowing the Centurion to testify against them. They only said that he had framed them out of anger, leaving the three departments of Justice at a loss. Hong Zhong, the Minister of the Ministry of Punishments, had no choice but to report to Emperor Zhengde during the morning court session. "Reporting to Your Majesty, your subject, along with the Inspectorate and the Dali Monastery, is investigating the case of water seepage in the Emperor's mausoleum. The witnesses will be confronted in court, but the four guilty officials insist that the Centurion is suffering from mental illness. His eyes are blurred, and he refuses to admit it. Your subject requests Your Majesty to issue a decree to allow the Ministry of Punishments to punish the four guilty officials."
Although the preferential treatment of "doctors cannot be punished by torture" had been completely destroyed by Zhu Zhongba, the cowherd boy, other than the Imperial Bodyguard's Imperial Prison, it had never been heard that the Ministry of Punishments could use torture to extort confessions from officials. Once this precedent was set, the Ministry of Punishments would wield the power of life and death, and would become the second Imperial Bodyguard. When the officials heard this, they couldn't help but raise their eyebrows.
The Grand Scholar Liu Jian immediately reported, "Your Majesty, this must not be done. Whether the four guilty officials are guilty or not, at present there is only one witness, there is no material evidence to prove it. Your subject heard that the Centurion was once whipped by the Imperial Envoy Dai Yi for some reason. Since ancient times, there have been unruly people who, because of a small personal grudge, have the audacity to frame the court officials. If they are tortured to confess under heavy punishment, won't they be wronged?"
Xu Guan hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, the Brocade Personal Guards have the authority to carry out punishment on behalf of the Emperor, but this matter involves the Department of Rites. In order to avoid suspicion, Your Majesty has handed the guilty officials over to the three departments for interrogation. Those guilty officials know that the Dragon Vein has been damaged and the fate of the country is affected, so their fate is extremely grave. They have the thought of dying, so naturally they are cunning. Without heavy punishment, they will not confess.
I beg Your Majesty's permission. "Xie Qian reported," A scholar does not speak of strange powers and confusing gods. I, Ming Destiny, obtained the world because it is the mandate of heaven. If one can obtain the world and lose the world because of Fengshui, wouldn't it be wrong to obtain it and absurd to lose it? The Sages have always regarded Fengshui as a demonic art. After the 'Li Guang Case', the Former Emperor expelled thousands of Taoist priests, foreign monks, and magicians, thinking that they were misleading the public with their demonic words. How can Your Majesty punish a minister because of one person's words? "
The orthodox Confucian disciples had never believed in Fengshui. They believed that those who obtained the Dao would obtain the world, and those who won the hearts of the people would obtain the world. They believed that the key to fortune and misfortune lay in the cultivation of one's heart. If one could have a kind heart and understand the will of heaven, one could turn misfortune into fortune and change one's fate. Therefore, the majority of the civil and military officials in the court were opposed to Fengshui.
However, the Emperor's funeral, finding a good place to be buried, and finding a Fengshui master to investigate had nothing to do with the affairs of the court. Therefore, they had always turned a blind eye to it. However, now that the Ministry of Punishments wanted to use this as an excuse to exercise power, the three Grand Scholars were somewhat dissatisfied.
Moreover, rumors were spreading among the people that because the Former Emperor had moved his tomb, the court was going to impose heavy taxes. Many people were anxious and uneasy. Those who were not in charge of the household did not know the cost of fuel and rice. The three Grand Scholars were in charge of the affairs of the court. Although they were not strapped for money and food, they knew that they could not afford such extravagance. Moreover, there were signs of civil unrest in several places that had suffered disasters in Ming Destiny. Raising taxes now was tantamount to adding fuel to the fire. Therefore, the three Grand Scholars, who had always advanced and retreated together, had the same opinion. They believed that the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Rites were making a mountain out of a molehill and that it was someone else's intention. Therefore, they were determined to oppose it.
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