Due to Assistant Minister Zhou Zhong's public confession, the Left Assistant Minister Li Yi of the Ministry of Personnel, who was framed for treason 14 years ago, was finally vindicated today.
A Rank Four official of the imperial court was exterminated because of false accusations. This was a great insult to the imperial court and the Great Zhou.
Although His Majesty had issued a decree to declare Lord Li's innocence, what had happened could never be undone.
Outside the Imperial City, the commoners were filled with righteous indignation when they saw the notice posted on the city wall.
"The culprits from back then could have been pardoned with the death exemption medallion. Why was Lord Zhou banished?"
"Lord Li was loyal to the emperor and his country. In the end, the lives of his family were worth less than a few broken medallions?"
"The reality is even more absurd than the dramas. How sad, how sad..."
"Have you seen the new drama, 'Zhao's Orphan'? It's clearly about Lord Li!"
"Not yet. Hearing you say that, I'll have to go and take a look..."
...
In a mansion in the southern courtyard.
The Duke of Nanyang, who had been pardoned with the death exemption medallion but lost his position as the Minister of Personnel, frowned deeply and said in a gloomy voice, "Zhou Zhong is only banished. These crimes are enough for him to die twice. His Majesty is obviously siding with him..."
A person beside him said, "Forget it. It's just a matter of time. How many of the criminals who have been banished have been able to live for more than half a year?"
The Duke of Nanyang said indignantly, "I can't take this lying down. It took me more than ten years to climb to this position. Because of Zhou Zhong, I have nothing now. I can't wait to kill him..."
That person was silent for a moment before saying, "Even if you want to kill him, you can't do it now. Once he leaves the capital, no one will care if he's dead or alive. Right now, there's another important matter."
The Duke of Nanyang asked, "What is it?"
The person said, "Have you forgotten that Li Yi's daughter is still imprisoned in the Imperial Clan Temple?"
After being reminded by him, Commandery Prince Nanyang recalled that this matter had started because Li Yi's daughter had assassinated five imperial court officials to avenge her father. This had triggered the old case. However, in recent days, his attention had been focused on the old case and he had completely forgotten about this matter.
That person continued, "During this period of time, that Li Mu went in and out of the Zongzheng Temple many times. He would visit this woman almost every day. It seems that they knew each other before. The reason he wanted to reverse the verdict for Li Yi was probably because of this woman."
Royal Prince Nanyang narrowed his eyes and said, "These are two completely different cases. I would like to see how Li Mu will save her, unless he can convince His Majesty to grant him a death-exemption medallion..."
The person next to him had a playful smile on his face as he said, "A large part of the reason for Li Yi's death was because he opposed the Death Exemption Golden Medallion. If he used the Death Exemption Golden Medallion to save that woman, then it would be the biggest joke. If he didn't use the Death Exemption Golden Medallion, then the woman would be dead. Hehe, what choice would he make?
Royal Prince Nanyang asked, "What if he really begs His Majesty to grant him the Death Exemption Golden Medallion?"
"Bewitching the Son of Heaven, treacherous officials who will harm the country!" Murderous intent appeared in that person's eyes as he said, "Clean up the Emperor's subordinates and punish treacherous officials!"
…
Northern County.
County.
Countless people gathered under the city walls and looked at the notice posted on the city walls. They were pointing and discussing.
Most of the commoners were illiterate and only came to join in the fun. They did not know what was going on. Someone scratched his head and asked, "Is there anyone who is illiterate? Help me take a look. What is written on this notice?"
"Let me take a look." A middle-aged scholar squeezed into the crowd. After looking at the notice, he said, "It says that more than ten years ago, there was a high-ranking official who served the country and the people in the Divine Capital. Because he offended the nobles, he was framed for treason and his entire family was executed. A few days ago, the imperial court cleared his name."
The Northern County was far away from the Divine Capital. The commoners did not know what happened in the Divine Capital, nor did they know the high-ranking officials in the Divine Capital. However, someone was confused and said, "Why does this sound like the play that the Yunyan Pavilion put on a few days ago …"
The middle-aged scholar sighed and said, "This play was actually written for him. This Lord Li used to be a good official who was loved by the commoners. In the Divine Capital, he was called Li Qingtian by the commoners. Unfortunately, he always worked for the commoners and went against the nobles. After offending the nobles, he was framed and his entire family was exterminated. He was wronged for more than ten years. If not for his daughter avenging her father by killing the officials who framed him back then and alerting the imperial court, no one would have cleared his name."
"There's actually such a thing?"
"It's even more dramatic than a play …"
"Even I want to watch that play. Unfortunately, I don't have the money …"
…
Who did not like to listen to plays? However, to the commoners, being able to eat and wear was already a luxury. Wouldn't it be better to spend a few coins to buy steamed rice? Spending money to listen to plays was the life of the rich …
At this moment, someone asked, "Don't you know that the Yunyan Pavilion is not paying for the plays these days …"
Someone was shocked. "There's such a good thing?"
"It's not just the Yunyan Pavilion. In the past few days, there's also a stage set up by the official road outside the city. It's free to perform. Those who have the money can attend it. Those who don't have the money can also attend it …"
"So the stage at the city gate is for watching plays. If they said that it's free, I would have gone to watch it."
"Let's go together …"
"Wait for me …"
…
The commoners did not have much entertainment, so they were naturally happy to watch a play that they could watch for free. The Yunyan Pavilion's theater was filled to the brim. The area around the stage outside the city was also filled with commoners.
It was the slack period, so there were not many opportunities like this. The commoners in the surrounding area carried stools before the sun rose.
The play was called "The Orphan of the Zhao Family." It told the story of an official of the Zhao Family from the previous dynasty. Because he often sought justice for the commoners, he offended the nobles in the capital. He was framed by a treacherous official and his family was exterminated. The surviving orphan of the Zhao Family endured for many years to avenge his family …
The story of the play was twisted and bizarre, with climax after climax. At the end, the orphan of the Zhao Family killed the treacherous official with his own hands to avenge his father. It was so satisfying that the commoners could not help but think of "Dou E's Injustice."
The commoners loved to watch plots where good had good karma and evil had evil retribution.
This was not the only reason why the play was so popular. It was also because the content of the play was not fabricated. Instead, it was based on the original. The official of the Zhao Family in the play was Li Yi, the assistant minister of the Ministry of Personnel, whose entire family was exterminated because of the crime of treason. The Empress had already informed the 36 counties of the Great Zhou of his injustice. Most of the commoners knew about it.
"Sigh, he's already dead. What's the use of redressing the injustice?"
"Why can those people still use the death-exemption golden medallion to save their lives? They should all be buried with that Lord!"
"It's a pity that the imperial court is controlled by those people. That Lord's daughter had no way to redress the injustice. She was forced to take revenge on those corrupt officials. I wonder how the imperial court will deal with her?"
"What else can they do? They'll definitely give her the death penalty. After all, she violated the law …"
"Bullsh * t the law. Is the law used to protect the murderer? The law can't give justice to others, but it doesn't allow them to seek justice for themselves. Why can those people continue to enjoy glory, splendor, and wealth after framing others and destroying their families? Why can't even leave behind the last bloodline of those who were wrongfully killed?"
"What kind of bullsh * t justice is this?"
…
The imperial court announced this to the world and let the commoners of the 36 counties know about this matter. They originally wanted to give justice to Li Yi.
Unexpectedly, after the commoners learned about the inside story, they became even angrier.
The official who was framed for treason was redressed, but what about those who harmed him back then?
They were still alive and well and continued to be people above others. However, that Lord's only descendant was going to be executed …
What was the point of such redressing?
The so-called law was only used to restrain the commoners. Those nobles could treat the law as nothing. With a token, they could avoid the death penalty. In their eyes, the commoners were no different from livestock that could be killed at will.
Under such anger, someone finally could not help but say, "If that Lord's bloodline is cut off, there will really be no justice. Why don't we protest the imperial court with blood and protect that Lord's bloodline?"
As soon as this was said, it immediately received the response of many people below the stage.
"I agree!"
"Count me in!"
"My family sells cloth. I'll pay for the cloth used for the blood letter …"
"I'll go back and ask the village chief to mobilize the entire village …"
…
In just a short day, there was a blood letter movement in the North County. The angry commoners ran around and tens of thousands of commoners pressed their fingerprints on the white cloth …
Regarding this, the North County government watched from the sidelines.
At the same time, in Yantai County.
A few commoners walked out of the theater and discussed among themselves.
"So County Officer Yu is the prototype of the villain in the play. He really deserves to die. To think that I felt sad for him."
"He framed a good person in exchange for a promotion. Too hateful."
"I heard that someone outside the city wrote a blood letter to protest the imperial court. I'm going. Do you want to come?"
"Let's go!"
Yushan County.
"So this is the reason why the two Lords died …"
"The case back then has been investigated. Even if they didn't die, they would be beheaded by the imperial court."
"Pfft, they deserved it!"
Danyang County.
Nanyang County.
Yuntai County.
…
In just a few days, similar things happened in the 36 counties of the Great Zhou.
After the local government learned of the inside story, to prevent civil unrest, they ordered the commoners to stop gathering. However, the letter was secretly passed down from village to village …
Shendu.
After the case was revealed, the punishment for the people involved in the case back then was quickly implemented.
Other than a few main culprits, the officials who joined forces to impeach Li Yi back then were just following the trend. Now, they were only fined their salaries and were not punished too much.
Just by punishing a few main culprits, there was already a huge loophole in the six ministries. The three provinces were also in a mess. If the accomplices were to be held accountable one by one, the imperial court would probably completely collapse.
The left assistant minister of the Ministry of Personnel, Chen Jian, had already been executed. As for the others, because they had the death exemption token, no one could do anything to them.
In the Hall of the Secretariat, Li Mu opened a letter. The contents of the letter were about an official urging the imperial court to quickly deal with the assassination of the five officials …
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