Chapter 147 The three divisions jointly tried and went to court
"I thought the person coming would be Zhou Cheng."
Zhao Duan sat on the floor, looking through the bars of the cell at the green-robed civil servant outside.
The brazier on the wall burned quietly, and the light slanted down on the face of the Dali Temple prime minister, giving his facial features a more sinister look.
He Zheng led two scribes from Dali Temple, followed by two jailers from Taiwan.
"Oh, are you worthy of Mr. Tingwei to interrogate him in person?"
He Zheng sneered, his beard turned up, and his eyes showed undisguised joy.
Being beaten up repeatedly by Zhao Duan was a humiliation he had never experienced in his life.
Nowadays, the situation is changing, how can we not feel happy and proud?
At this moment, standing in the corridor with his hands behind his hands, looking down at the prisoners in front of him, He Zheng felt light and airy, and he felt happier than ever before.
However, the next sentence that came from the cell made his good mood disappear.
"Hey, why is your face so swollen? I don't remember the last time I slapped you in the face." Zhao Duan suddenly said.
Then he shook his head with undisguised disdain: "You clown, you think you can convict me before the case is even tried? Or do you think you want me to plead guilty just based on your words?"
He Zheng took a deep breath, suppressed the urge to get angry, and sneered: "You don't know it when you are about to die.
Hehe, I came today. I didn’t expect you to obey the law. I just came to help you understand the reality.
You know, the decree to arrest you was issued by a saint. Now countless people outside are looking forward to your death. This is what people want!
Do you still think you are His Majesty’s celebrity?
Master Zhou asked me to bring you a message. He will wait for you in the court where the three divisions will be tried, and personally send you, the traitor, to the execution ground. "
"Finished?"
Zhao Duan closed his eyes:
"Get out of here right away. Zhou Cheng is stupid, you are even stupider than him."
"You...good! Very good! Let's see if you can still be tough on your words when you go to court!" He Zheng walked away with a puff of sleeves.
Today, he was originally ordered by Zhou Cheng to impose a punishment on Zhao Du in the name of interrogation, but Yuan Li refused.
The meeting was just a formality, and the interrogation was never important.
"Hmph. I'll just let you survive for a few more days."
He Zheng was in a happy mood again and was looking forward to the court hearing in two days.
…
In the next two days, public opinion continued to ferment.
As Dali Temple began to investigate, pieces of "evidence" were found one after another.
As for the case of "Wang's Concubine", more and more details have become the talk of many people after dinner.
Zhao Duan's situation became increasingly worse, and with the disclosure of the evidence, many people who did not know the truth also joined the ranks of denouncing "Zhao Thief".
Everyone believed that Zhao Duan was really going to die.
But the only one who could possibly rescue him, the empress, never spoke up from the beginning to the end.
So, on the evening of the third day.
Empress Dayu, who was in the imperial study, received the latest progress of the case from the Three Law Divisions.
"Your Majesty, these are the files sent from Dali Temple."
Wearing a female official's robe and a wingless black gauze on her head, the neutrally dressed "female prime minister" bowed through the door and handed the documents to the empress' desk.
Xu Zhenguan sat behind the big bright yellow table, with her usual fairy-like face, cold and pure.
When she was in the Jinluan Palace, she was a majestic emperor, but in private, people always felt that she was like an immortal, wanting to ascend to heaven and leave.
"oh?"
Xu Zhenguan closed a volume of memorials, put the thin hair of the jade dragon's pole on the pen holder with her slender jade fingers, and opened the file casually.
After a while, I turned to the last page, which was a sentence announcing the trial that would be held tomorrow.
"knew."
Xu Zhenguan's tone was cold and authentic, and he had to keep his head down and continue to manage politics.
After a moment, she raised her head with confusion:
"Is there anything else?"
Female officer Mochou's expression changed, and she finally said:
"Your Majesty, there has been a lot of talk about Zhao Jisi in the city recently."
Xu Zhen looked puzzled: "So?"
Mochou hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said:
"I believe that the current direction of public opinion is different, and there are many signs of being led by others. Zhou Cheng has a grudge against Zhao Duan, so it would be unfair for him to hear the case."
Xu Zhenguan's plain white face showed an unexpected look. She slowly sat up straight and said with interest: "You can actually speak for him?"
Don't worry about Zhao Duan.
This was no secret in the palace. She had spoken ill of Zhao Duan several times.
This time the public opinion was fierce, but Mochou, who should have applauded, remained silent.
"Your Majesty," Mochou said seriously with a straight face: "This servant does not like him. But Mochou is first a female official who shares your Majesty's worries, and then she is herself who has her own likes and dislikes.
Public is public, private is private. The slaves used to say bad things about him, but they are doing their duty as ministers to correct His Majesty's hearing and hearing.
If Zhou Cheng said that Zhao Duan had bad conduct, was corrupt, took bribes, bullied the weak, was unscrupulous...etc., the servants would believe him.
But the slave girl didn't believe him when he said he defiled, tortured and killed women. "
Xu Zhenguan asked curiously: "Why? Didn't you investigate him and always said that he is a villain who bullies his subordinates and flatters his superiors? Isn't it normal to do such a thing?"
Mochou shook his head and said:
"It is precisely because I have investigated him that I believe that this person is at least admirable for his loyalty to His Majesty."
The strange smile in Xu Zhenguan's eyes became stronger and stronger, and he nodded gently:
"I understand, please step back."
"Your Majesty..." Mochou wanted to say something else, but swallowed it back: "Yes."
After taking two steps, the Queen's voice came from behind:
"By the way, Grand Master Dong will come to the palace tomorrow. Don't forget it."
…
Taiwan prison cell.
The beam of light passed through the top of the wall and came in through the tall "pin"-shaped vent, a straight beam.
In the beam, dust floats. Zhao Duan sat cross-legged on the ground, letting the beam of light shine on his face.
Beside him, there were dozens of books on the ground, all of which were obtained from the jailers - with Yuan Li's care, this was convenient.
If he remembered correctly, this was the fourth day he officially came in.
For four days, except for someone who disturbed him at the beginning, no one came later, so he was able to study quietly and efficiently.
However, this morning, he closed the book and looked intently in the direction of the city gate.
"It's already the seventh day. If everything goes well, Haitang and Zhang Han should be on their way back to Beijing, or even very close to the capital."
Zhao Duan thought.
The joint trial of the three divisions was enough to make Zhou Cheng focus all his energy on himself instead of paying attention to the investigation of Xue Lin.
But behind bars, he loses control of the outside world.
Even if everything was according to his plan, several days of prison life still made him unable to contain his anxiety and made him feel a little anxious.
"However, Zhou Cheng probably can't wait any longer."
Zhao Duan thought.
While thoughts were swirling, there were footsteps in the corridor, and then the sound of the cell door being opened.
Several jailers walked in, looking at his back sitting cross-legged, holding the shackles on the warrior's hands and feet:
"Zhao Jisi, the three divisions will be interrogated today, please come with us."
…
The court where the trial will be held today is at the Yamen of Dali Temple.
When Zhao Duan arrived wearing prison uniform and shackles and being escorted by the censor and officials of the Metropolitan Procuratorate, he found that many people had gathered outside Dali Temple.
It's not ordinary people - such a major case will not be like in the TV series, where people are allowed to listen outside, and those who gather will be driven away by subordinate officials.
Therefore, those gathered here are mainly people from the Sanfa Si Yamen, and there are also some other officials who do not know which Yamen they are from.
Among them, the most conspicuous group of people was a group of officials in fine clothes headed by Lihuatang.
"grown ups!"
The round face of the cute new confidential secretary Qian Kerou was full of haggardness.
The remaining people, although better, were obviously in low spirits.
Seeing Zhao Duan from a distance, they all shouted loudly, attracting the attention of many people.
Zhao Duan smiled and nodded, then stepped into the familiar high threshold of Dali Temple and was sent to the largest courtroom.
When he entered, he found that the hall was still empty.
The seats prepared for the chief and deputy judges of the Three Laws Division were empty.
In the entire court, there were only two rows of Dali Temple guards standing on both sides holding water and fire sticks.
At this moment, everyone looked at him with complicated eyes.
"Am I the only one?"
Zhao Duan suddenly smiled, looked around, and said to a police officer:
"I haven't convicted you yet. Could it be that I don't even have a chair?"
Do you still want a chair?
All the officers looked at each other coldly.
On the contrary, the young censor who followed behind him and was responsible for escorting him and arresting him that day frowned slightly.
He took a step forward and brought a chair from the corner, placing it behind Zhao Duan.
"Thank you."
Zhao Duan sat down and nodded to the young censor, confirming that this person must be Yuan Li's confidant.
A group of officers wanted to stop him, but due to their status as subordinate officials, they did not dare to offend a censor.
At this moment, as Zhao Duan arrived, the subordinate at the door said loudly:
"Ascending to the Hall!"
"Dong dong dong..."
On both sides of the courtroom, the officers were uniformly beating the ground with water and fire sticks, and the dull and rapid sound of drums could be heard at the door.
Zhao Duan raised his head and saw figures coming out from the back left of the court hall.
Zhou Cheng, the minister of Dali Temple, an old enemy in crimson and black gauze in green, represents Yuan Li, the imperial censor who came to supervise the trial on behalf of the Metropolitan Procuratorate.
There was also an official from the Ministry of Justice who was also wearing a crimson official robe that he did not recognize. Judging from the embroidery on his chest, he should be the Minister of the Ministry of Justice.
The heads of the three divisions took their seats one after another, and in the "jury seats" on both sides, there were several more figures:
He Zheng, young censor...
Also, Gong Ma Yan, the governor of the imperial edict, and Sun Lianying, the supervisor of the White Horse Supervisor.
Zhao Duan was stunned for a moment, but he didn't expect them to come too.
But if you think about it carefully, it's not surprising. After all, he holds the positions of "Emissary of the White Horse Supervisor" and "Secretary of the Chao Yamen" at the same time.
Then it is reasonable for the chiefs of the two yamen to come to assess the case.
Well, it's a pity that Eunuch Hai can't come. Otherwise, it would be a wonderful scene for three men who have had an irreconcilable relationship with him to accompany him in the trial.
Thinking of strange thoughts, Zhao Duan's eyes met with theirs.
Ma Yan frowned, full of worry, as if he was worried about the trial.
But Sun Lianying's face showed no joy or anger, making it difficult to guess.
In the majestic atmosphere, the drumming stopped.
"Open the hall!"
Zhou Cheng slapped the gavel tree fiercely and yelled sternly.
…
Asking for a monthly ticket at the end of the month
(End of chapter)