Ji Zhibai looked at Shopkeeper Gong and then looked at Fang Yun. He closed his mouth and didn't say anything.
Afterwards, the Gong family's neighbors testified one after another, recounting what they had heard.
Fang Yun was very calm at first, but later on, his face was full of dark clouds. He was as powerful as a mountain, like a volcano that could erupt at any time. It was as if there were thick dark clouds pressing down on the court. Many people were so scared that they didn't even dare to breathe loudly.
After waiting for the neighbors to finish speaking, Fang Yun said, "Can Gong Liushi's relatives and friends, as well as Gong Wu's son's schoolmates and friends, testify in court!"
Ji Zhibai hurriedly said, "Confucius taught that relatives should hide from each other. Relatives are not allowed to testify."
Relatives should hide from each other was an important idea in Confucianism. The original meaning was that it was proper for relatives to hide crimes and not expose them. Thus, if they were exposed, they would be punished. Children were not allowed to expose their parents, and servants were not allowed to sue their masters. Otherwise, it would be a crime.
Fang Yun coldly said, "The crime of treason is not allowed to hide from each other. This has already been decided. In this case, Shopkeeper Gong treated his wife like an enemy and didn't care about family. Who can hide from him? "
Ji Zhibai immediately said, "Relatives should hide from each other. Confucius' words are a matter of great benevolence and righteousness. Confucius' words are a matter of etiquette and cannot be abolished!"
Fang Yun coldly said, "Preposterous! What is etiquette? From the Notre-Dame's national order, such as the rites of sacrifice and the rites of a monarch and his subjects; to social customs, such as weddings and funerals; to the behavior of scholars, such as their words and actions, they are all within the scope of etiquette! A father killing his wife is not a matter of national etiquette and goes against the customs of the people. It is forbidden by the etiquette of scholars! It goes against human etiquette and ignores the etiquette of the human race. It's not this county, but someone who offended Shopkeeper Gong! This county is a test site for the human race. If you are not convinced, let the Notre-Dame decide! "
Ji Zhibai clenched his teeth. Fang Yun was currently a popular figure in the Disciplinary Hall and the school of Legalism. Let alone Ji Zhibai, even if Left Prime Minister Mount Liu or the patriarch of the ancestral clan went to accuse Fang Yun, they would still be rejected.
The Punishment Hall had long been dissatisfied with the idea of keeping relatives hidden. In the eyes of the Fa family, the idea of keeping relatives hidden was a stumbling block to the advancement of the human race. The Punishment Hall had been working hard on this matter. However, the resistance from the Hall of Rites was extremely great, and many aspects had to be done step by step. Now, Fang Yun was pushing this process forward. The Punishment Hall didn't even have time to protect him, so how could they possibly stop him?
Ji Zhibai replied, "I have already sent a letter to the Hall of Rites. The Hall of Rites will definitely investigate this matter!"
Fang Yundao said, "The elders of the Hall of Rites must be reasonable. They definitely won't twist Kong Sheng's words for a mere deranged scum! What's more, the Book of Rites said so. Cultivating one's body to rule the country and bring peace to the world. Shopkeeper Gong is incapable of cultivating his body and managing his family. In Second Sage Ceng Zi's eyes, he is naturally unworthy of discussing etiquette! Shopkeeper Gong killed his wife and son, ruthless and unjust. He tarnished his father's name and broke the love of his family. He destroyed the family of etiquette and broke the bonds of humanity. Who would want to protect such a beast? Even if this county does not accept the court examination, I will fight to the end! "
Fang Yun's voice was powerful and resonant, reverberating throughout the Disciplinary Hall.
Ji Zhibai wanted to speak, but before he could, he had a bad feeling. It was as if the entire Disciplinary Hall and the entire county were rejecting him. He had no choice but to shut his mouth.
Ji Zhibai sighed inwardly. Fang Yun seemed to be speaking to the people around him, but he was actually speaking to the Confucians in the Disciplinary Hall. "Etiquette" had always been a rule. This was the behavior of scholars in all aspects. The changes in the Three Rites were also proof of this.
The Three Rites were the Rites of Zhou, the Rites of Rites, and the Book of Rites.
Currently, the one with the greatest influence was the Book of Rites, which was the latest to be completed. This was because the Book of Rites recorded the opinions of the Saints of the Pre-Qin period, including the works of Second Sage Ceng Zi and Zi Si Zi. These two's works just so happened to emphasize personal etiquette.
Fang Yun used Ceng Zi's "Cultivating one's body to rule the country and bring peace to the world" in the Great Learning of the Book of Rites to insist that Shopkeeper Gong was the first to be disrespectful. This way, the case could continue to be investigated.
The Disciplinary Hall was not afraid of scholars using etiquette to deny anything. What they were most afraid of was not talking about etiquette at all. They did not even care about this layer of skin.
The Disciplinary Hall resisted the changes in etiquette, but this did not mean that they were completely against it.
Ji Zhibai was worried. There was originally a shackle on the "family hiding from each other", which was that traitors could not hide their family members. Now, Fang Yun added another shackle, which was that if a family member went against "benevolence, righteousness, propriety, and love", they could also give up on the "family hiding", which could lead to a battle of the Divine Path. If Fang Yun's side was established, then this matter would be a great help to Fang Yun.
Ji Zhibai was hesitant, but Fang Yun was calm. Restricting the "family hiding from each other" was the trend of the times. Starting from the Tang Dynasty, it became more and more strict. Not to mention Ji Zhibai as the Left Prime Minister, even Zong Sheng could not stop this trend.
The Court Examination was the best time for this trend to explode!
Fang Yun had long realized that if he could become a Saint, then the Court Examination would become his greatest foundation!
"The witness continues to answer!" Fang Yun said.
Next, Gong Liushi's family members used Gong Liushi's words to accuse Shopkeeper Gong. The child's classmates and friends also used his words, completely confirming Shopkeeper Gong's motive. Everyone's words became solid evidence.
After everyone finished speaking, Ji Zhibai raised his head and said, "Even if Shopkeeper Gong wanted to kill Gong Liushi and her son, it does not mean that he killed them this time. He once told me that he was just venting his anger, so it was an accident."
Fang Yun suddenly sighed and said, "Ji Zhibai, oh Ji Zhibai, you have been studying for so many years, but you have lost your humanity. If you are a traitor, you will become a great scholar."
"Magistrate Fang, please do not attack me in court!" Ji Zhibai suppressed his anger and said.
Fang Yun retracted his authority and looked at everyone present. He said slowly, "If the children are really naughty and have done all kinds of bad things, then the father can punish them. After all, their bodies, hair, and skin are from their parents. But! Think about it carefully, what is the premise of parents punishing their children? The children are in the wrong first! What is the other premise? The parents want the best for their children! But what about Shopkeeper Gong? Even he admitted that he was just venting his anger! If he had the slightest bit of love between husband and wife, and the slightest bit of fatherly love, then he would not beat his wife and children all year round! In his eyes, they are not his wife, not his flesh and blood son, but tools to vent his anger. They are not even human! "
The whole court was silent. Gong Liushi's family members and the child's classmates cried softly. Even the unrelated neighbors had red eyes. A few female neighbors lowered their heads and wiped away their tears.
Ji Zhibai looked at Fang Yun and did not know how to refute. He even suspected that if he opened his mouth, he would be scolded by everyone present.
Fang Yun pointed at Ji Zhibai. His eyes were as sharp as knives as he said, "As a scholar, as a dignified Zhuangyuan, you actually said that he was' just venting his anger 'without a care in the world. What kind of terrifying thing is this? The human race has existed for ten thousand years, and its etiquette has lasted for a thousand years. Just venting your anger? You are all animals! "
Fang Yun said the last few words with all the strength in his body. His anger and loathing could almost materialize.
"Animals! Animals like demons and barbarians! "Ao Huang could not help but roar.
"Ya ya ya ya …" In the corner of the court, Nuu's angry voice could be heard.
Everyone was stunned at first, then looked at Ji Zhibai and Shopkeeper Gong with strange eyes. Everyone seemed to be saying that the two of them were worse than animals!
Ji Zhibai was so angry that his guts were shaken. He opened his mouth and spat out a mouthful of blood.
"Pu …"
Blood spilled over the court.
Fang Yun took a deep breath and calmed down a little. He said, "Come, wipe the dirty blood. The yamen is a place even dirtier than the latrine. It is a sinful place where even the sun cannot shine. However, this mouthful of dirty blood is even dirtier. "
Ji Zhibai's eyes darkened and he almost fainted.
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