The Red Mansions

Chapter 500 The crowded Rongguo Mansion
General Secretary Yamen

Early in the morning, Cheng Xin, the envoy to the government, got off the sedan chair in front of the stone lion in front of the Yamen. There was a lot of noise in his ears, he was taken aback, and said in a low voice: "Why are there so many people?"

As far as the eyes can see, there are seven-rank official robes, the censor, the chief minister, and the sixth- and seventh-rank officials from Dali Temple and the Ministry of Punishment, gathered around and discussing in secret.

At this time, as Cheng Xin entered the official office of the General Secretary, the officials under the corridor of the General Secretary all bowed to Cheng Xin, one of the nine ministers of the current dynasty.

Cheng Xin arched his hands, as a unified reciprocation, and then walked towards the Secretary of the General Administration Zuo Tongzheng Zheng Xulin and his party who came out from the archway of the yamen.

The Canon of the Great Han Dynasty contains: "The general government envoys were closed and refuted by the internal and external chapters."

"Let's talk in the yamen." Seeing what Zheng Xulin wanted to say, Cheng Xin waved his hand, signaling that he needn't say more, and then, surrounded by his entourage and followers, he entered the official hall.

Cheng Xin just sat down behind the table and asked, "Why are there so many people here?"

"Isn't it because of the turbulence of the earth and the collapse of the imperial mausoleum yesterday? Jin Yiti rode a big cable across the city and arrested officials from the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of Households, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs. This morning, these scientific roads came in front of the door. Pass it on." Zuo Tongzheng Zheng Xulin, who was wearing a fourth-grade scarlet official robe, had gray hair, slender eyebrows, and a thin face, said in a low voice: "Just now someone from the cabinet came over and said that the cabinet has just drawn up an imperial edict, and because of being loyal to the prince, Supervising the construction of the imperial mausoleum is corrupt, and has been abolished as a commoner!"

Cheng Xin's complexion changed slightly when he heard the words, and he said, "No wonder."

As he spoke, he waved his hand and said, "Bring me the classified memorials, and I will see what they are all about?"

In the early Tongzhengsi system, even the envoys had no right to read the memorials, but could only forward them to the imperial court. However, with the passage of time, the prevalence of the system of "unpacking and classifying" and "copying for photos" made some memorials Before entering the palace, it was known by the Tongzheng envoy, and it may be leaked to the parties involved.

Of course, once the impeachment trend has formed, if you want to cover up for the parties involved, the risk of getting involved is very high.

Of course, after passing through Jia Hengjian's Military Aircraft Department, the military aircraft's memorials were all sealed in the casing, and delivered directly to the Military Aircraft Department without going through the Tongzheng Envoy. For this reason, the Military Aircraft Department and the inner prison set up a receiving memorial near the palace gate.

Cheng Xin was flipping through the playbook, frowning, and suddenly felt that the playbook in his hand was extremely hot.

Because this is a memorial to impeach the court minister Zhao Yi.

Clearly, following the imperial decree of King Zhongshun's disposal, the cabinet issued an edict, and the officials and people in Shenjing all knew that the current elder brother was punished by the Supreme Emperor, deposed as a commoner, and sent to the imperial mausoleum for hard labor.

The imperial mausoleum corruption case also replaced the capital's recent turmoil in the capital, and entered the field of vision of all officials in the court, and a series of impeachment memorials were handed to Daming Palace.

Who to impeach?

The one who bears the brunt of it is Zhao Yi, a scholar of the cabinet and secretary of the Ministry of Industry. He slack off his responsibilities in the affairs of the ministry, so that the two servants and hall officials are involved in the case. Wing is to blame!
It seems reasonable for a cabinet minister to resign or relegate.

Underneath are the two ministers of the Ministry of Industry, who should be handed over to the Sanju Division for a strict discussion and careful investigation of the evil, and it can be said that there are the most such memorials.

Without him, the prison was built with factories and guards, which seriously damaged the normal judicial process.

No civil servant is willing to live in an environment where imperial power is unrestricted and can kill people wantonly.

On the contrary, it was King Zhongshun, who had already been discussed and dealt with by Emperor Taishang and Emperor Chongping, so there was almost no suspense. Few civil and military officials impeached him. The Ministry of Internal Affairs dismissed the mine and tea envoys of all provinces, and did not compete with the people for profit.

It can be said that for a while, public opinion on the corruption case of the imperial mausoleum collapse gradually fermented, and discussions began to boil in Shenjing City.

"Sort these into categories and deliver them to Daming Palace." Cheng Xin instructed Zheng Xulin, sighed secretly, and thought, if Mr. Zhao Ge was dismissed.

In the current Chen Han cabinet, not counting Li Zan, who is outside the governor, there are still five people in the cabinet, and the collapse of the imperial mausoleum, it is impossible that no cabinet minister is not responsible for such a big event, so Zhao Yi, one of the two Zhaos, Naturally, he became the right candidate to take the blame, and it was regarded as a person sitting at home, and the disaster came from heaven.

Jinyi Mansion

At the moment in the hall, Jia Heng is sitting behind the case, with a majestic and majestic downhill tiger carved in brass behind him. On the black lacquered paulownia case, there are inkstones, brushes, sticks, official paper and other things.

On the brightly lit floor, Jinyi Mansion generals in flying fish suits were reflected.

Not far away, Dai Quan in the Daming Palace led a few inner eunuchs, sitting on a nanmu chair beside him, holding a teacup in his hand, sipping with his head bowed.

Jia Heng glanced at Beizhen Fusi, which responded to thousands and hundreds of households, pondered for a moment, and said loudly: "The sage has ordered that the criminals involved in the imperial mausoleum be confiscated to make up for the shortfall. First arrest the officials yesterday, guard the mansion with Jinyi Tiqi, and seize the property to prevent their family members from hiding and transferring."

This is preparing for copying the house. In the original book of Dream of Red Mansions, the Zhen family in Jiangnan was copied, so they transferred a lot of property to the Jia family in advance, and the Jia family actually dared to help hide it, so that it later became the Jia family's crime. evidence of.

Sometimes he has to admire the IQ level of some people in Rongguo Mansion, how dare they bully the king?

Qu Lang, the envoy of the Beizhen Fusi, and the two in charge of Qianhu embraced their fists and took orders.

At this moment, a hundred households in brocade clothes entered the official hall quickly from under the eaves, cupped their hands and said: "My lord, Pan Bingyi, the minister of the Ministry of Industry, heard that King Zhongshun was deposed as a commoner, and I have something to report to my lord."

Jia Heng said in a deep voice: "It seems that I have figured it out."

King Zhongshun was abolished as a commoner, and the relevant criminal evidences were already under the control of the Jinyi Mansion. No matter how much Pan Bingyi tried to quibble, he couldn't justify himself. During the overnight interrogation in the Jinyi Mansion, he began to relax.

However, there is only one request, to see Jia Heng.

Jia Heng said in a deep voice, "Bring Pan Bingyi over here."

Not long after, I saw the criminals in the torture room of Jinyi Mansion carrying Pan Bingyi to the yamen hall.

The former third-rank official of the imperial court is now wearing a prison uniform and reduced to a prisoner. After just one night, his cheeks are sunken, his eyes are bloodshot, and his face is unkempt.

"Your Majesty!"

With a deep shout, the captain of the Jinyi Mansion behind him pressed Pan Bingyi tightly.

"The lower official is the third-rank official of the imperial court. According to the law of the Han Dynasty, he should be tried standing up!" Pan Bingyi raised his neck and said loudly.

The servant of the Ministry of Industry is one of the two highest-ranking officials in this case, so he was not sentenced to punishment in the imperial prison last night, but was the subject of Jia Heng's key breakthrough interrogation today.

And this undoubtedly gave the servant a certain illusion, Jin Yi Mansion had scruples!
Jia Heng said coldly: "I am ordered by the emperor to interrogate Er and other criminals. There are no third-rank officials here, only prisoners of lower rank. Pan Bingyi, kneel down!"

Do you think you are Hai Gangfeng?

Still claiming that the law of the Han Dynasty stood up for trial?

There are no civil servants such as Xu Jie and Gao Gong secretly giving thumbs up here, only factory guards like wolves and tigers.

The captain in Jinyi, who was pressing Pan Bingyi's shoulder behind him, heard Jia Heng's words, kicked his legs, and Pan Bingyi immediately groaned, "Plop", and knelt down.

Dai Quan picked up the teacup and watched the scene quietly without saying a word.

Jia Heng said coldly: "Officer Pan Bingyi, a relevant official of King Zhongshun's Ministry of Internal Affairs, has made a confession, stating that the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the Ministry of Household Affairs are all involved in the matter of the imperial tomb. It has been searched and found in the secret room of Prince Zhongshun's mansion, and King Zhongshun has also been disposed of and deposed as a commoner! Master Pan, until now, he still hasn't recruited him for the court's favor, when will he wait!?"

When Pan Bingyi heard the words, his heart was shocked, and he shouted: "Your official is wronged."

Jia Heng sneered, and asked: "I want to ask you, according to Luo Chengwang's confession, the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Ministry of Corruption paid for the supervision of the imperial mausoleum. You are the left servant of the Ministry of Industry, and you get [-]% of it. no?"

According to the testimony of Luo Chengwang, the construction secretary of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, [-]% of the money corrupted by ink belongs to the Zhongshun Palace, and the remaining [-]%.

Because only the Ministry of Accounts can transfer money, without the cooperation of Liang Yuan, the right servant of the Ministry of Accounts, it would definitely not be so smooth.

Pan Bingyi faltered and hesitated, not daring to respond.

Jia Heng said in a deep voice: "It seems that you don't shed tears when you don't see the coffin, come here, and serve you with great torture!"

There has been evidence, and it is not wrong to say that people have been wronged.

Pan Bingyi's heart shuddered, and he said urgently: "Lord Jia, let me say..."

Once tortured, how could he survive with his body?
Dai Quan looked at this scene with a sneer on the corner of his mouth. These civil servants are very soft-boned.

Just when Jia Heng signaled the experience department to record the statement, suddenly, a school captain in Jinyi quickly walked into the official hall and said in a low voice: "The governor, Xu Zongxian from the Metropolitan Procuratorate has arrived in the front hall and said he has something to see grown ups."

Jia Heng paused, looked at the captain in Jinyi, and thought to himself, what is Xu Lu doing here at this time?
There are some guesses in my heart.

Pan Bingyi's eyes rolled when he heard the words, but his thoughts quickly became lively, and he said loudly: "Lord Jia, the imperial mausoleum is corrupt, and the officials are honestly ignorant of the details, and have never distributed the stolen money!"

He knew that all officials in the court would not tolerate the rampant and unscrupulous factory guards.

And Xu Deqing is a well-known straight minister, once he was watching from the sidelines, he would not just sit back and watch the Jinyi Mansion "be beaten into a trick"!
When he survives this period, his wealth and life may be preserved.

Jia Heng was stunned when he heard the words, and said indifferently: "Go and tell Mr. Xu, I'm under the emperor's order to do business. If there is no military or state affairs, no one will be seen!"

Pan Bingyi: "???"

"Get on the stick!"

Jia Heng patted the gavel, and immediately two captains in brocade clothes came from both sides, one on the left and the other on the right, holding sticks, and came to Pan Bingyi.

"what……"

Not long after, there was a sound of painful moaning in the yamen hall, Pan Bingyi was sweating profusely from being pinched by the stick, and he groaned in pain.

"I recruited...I recruited, recruited."

Pan Bingyi yelled feebly, his fingers were swollen a whole circle, there is a saying that ten fingers connect to a heart, let alone this kind of corrupt officials who have no faith.

Jia Heng nodded, motioning for Pan Bingyi to continue.

With Pan Bingyi's confession recorded, the chain of evidence for the corruption case in the imperial tomb has become more and more complete.

However, in the front hall of Jinyi Mansion, a middle-aged official wearing black black gauze and scarlet gown embroidered with Xiezhi Buzi official robes was sitting on the tea table, waiting quietly.

Xu Lu had thin cheeks and a gloomy complexion. He raised his eyes and looked at the orderly captain in brocade clothes, flying fish suit and embroidered spring knife, his eyes were in a trance for a while.

More than ten years ago, he had come here to visit a senior in the imperial examination who was deposed for fighting for the crown prince. The bloody smell of more than ten years ago seemed to linger in the air, and the screams were faintly heard.

"Jinyi revitalizes the great prison, whether it is a network of weaving plants, lingering grievances, or distinguishing right from wrong, and punishing it as the crime, it is only a matter of thought." Xu Lu put down the tea cup and thought.

The scribes accompanying him were a little curious, wondering what the Chief Constitutional Lord was thinking.

At this moment, a captain in Jinyi came in and hugged: "Master Xu, my lord is on an imperial mission, it's not easy to see each other right now, if your lord is not in a hurry, can you wait here?"

Hearing this, Xu Lu's complexion changed, as if he was a little surprised at the result. He raised his eyes to look at the captain in Jinyi. Although the eyes of the second-rank officer were calm, his demeanor was not angry and majestic, which made the captain in Jinyi slightly He lowered his head, not daring to look at each other.

Xu Lu was silent for a moment, then said, "I have a letter here, please pass it on to Jia Ziyu."

As he spoke, he took out a letter from the armhole and put it on the small table.

"Don't worry, my lord, I will pass the letter to the governor." The captain in Jinyi cupped his hands.

After Xu Lu finished speaking, he didn't say any more, got up, and left the official hall of Jinyi Mansion with a group of scribes.

Not long after, Jia Heng, who was recording the statement in the yamen hall, received the letter, opened it and looked at it, his face moved slightly.

The letter is not long, only a short paragraph.

The general meaning is that although the great prison is caused by corruption, it should not be intertwined, and the country's laws and regulations will be severely damaged.

"Really, if others see it, I'm afraid they will feel disgusted... Are you teaching me how to do things? But Xu Deqing is this kind of person." Jia Heng put down the letter slowly, thinking.

Originally thought that Xu Lu was arguing for him to handle the case, but he didn't expect it to be a letter of remonstrance, the intention was nothing more than to let him keep his heart and make a decision according to the law.

"This is an era when imperial power is supreme. I can guarantee that no innocents will be implicated, but that's all. Besides, dealing with extraordinary people requires extraordinary means." Jia Heng shook his head, thinking.

There was no need to meet Xu Lu, this time, he had no intention of spreading the net widely, but none of the people in the net could escape.

Although both belong to the imperial party, he and Xu Lu are destined to be unable to walk together, not only because they have different ways and do not conspire with each other, but in the eyes of the emperor, the relationship cannot be too close.

"Let him sign and draw a deposit." Jia Heng looked indifferently, staring at Pan Bingyi below, ordered, and then said in a deep voice: "Come here, bring Lu Chengan, the servant of the Ministry of Industry, to the court for interrogation!"

The sooner this case is concluded, the less trouble it will cause. Otherwise, if it continues like this, I am afraid that those who ask for mercy will step through the threshold. At that time, they will not be able to respond to their requests and will easily suffer resentment.

Because, as the presiding judge, as long as he has a priority in the final performance, and even speaks a word for any prisoner, he can survive.

On the contrary, if he wants to implicate Luo Zhi, the relevant officials of the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Internal Affairs will be arrested one by one.

In fact, just as Jia Heng expected, when the news that King Zhongshun was deposed as a commoner spread to Shenjing, around noon, some edicts from Ningguo Mansion and Rongguo Mansion had come to visit, and even Princess Nanan also asked Jia Mu here.

After many years, Jia's mother once again realized what it means to be crowded with cars and horses.

Even the wife of Zhao Yi, Shangshu of the Ministry of Industry, also begged Jia's mother through the Jia family's old relative, Princess Zhen of Beijing.

Without him, I hope that Jia Hengshang will defend her husband and not be involved in the Huangling case, and know nothing about Pan Lu's fraud case.

If Jia Heng, an important minister of the emperor, even said a word, maybe things would turn around.

Rongguo Mansion, Rongqing Hall

Jia Mu sat on the Arhat bed, with Yuanyang and Hupo serving behind her. Mrs. Wang, Aunt Xue, Fengwan, Chaidai, Yingchun, Tanchun, and Xiangyun were also sitting on the bottom to accompany her.

Not far away, the silver-haired Concubine Nan'an, the so-called concubine, in the sense of Chen Han, is not the concubine of the deceased emperor in the usual sense, but the husband of Concubine Nan'an, the widow of the old Nan'an king— Princess Wang.

Concubine Nan'an said with a smile: "The old sister's body looks tough."

Mother Jia looked at Concubine Nan'an, who had a ruddy complexion, and said with a smile, "Younger sisters are getting younger and younger."

The two old ladies were talking about the past, Nan'an Concubine smiled and said: "The old sister is a lucky one. Now Jia Ziyu's outstanding young man, Junyan, is in the family. He is the head of the family, and he is like the uncle Ning Guogong. .”

These words naturally refer to Jia Heng, so as to facilitate conversation.

In fact, until today, Jia Heng's power has only been fully consolidated.

When Jia Heng was parading in front of Anshun Gate, he was only the commander of the regiment and battalion. When he took over as the deputy envoy of the Jingying Jiedu, he showed a rising trend, but he still didn't see the sign of taking off until he was appointed as Jinyi again. The governor, who entered the military aircraft department again, and heard about the state affairs, has completely become a decisive political force in Beijing.

However, even though Jia Heng is extremely powerful at this moment, the experience for Jia Mu and others may not be very deep. Until now, the officials have issued orders from morning to morning.

Mrs. Wang's expression was complicated when she heard this, and Sister Feng's expression moved slightly. Danfeng's eyes flickered with an inexplicable color, and her eyes fell on Zhenxue, Princess of Beijing, who was sitting not far away, talking with Yuan Chun.

It was clearly the concubine Zhenxue of Beijing Jingshui Rong, who was sitting by the side with several nuns.

This young woman was wearing a light red dress, a green bun with cloud piles, bright eyes and white teeth, and lips like Danxia. She held Yuan Chun's hand and said with a gentle smile, "Sister Yuan Chun has become more and more charming after a long absence."

This second miss of the Zhen family is different from Zhen Qing, the eldest miss of the Zhen family who married the King of Chu, in that she has a cold and even harsh personality.

Zhen Xue has a beautiful face, skin that is better than snow, a gentle and gentle temperament, and even softer speech, like a willow blowing water, and when she smiles, there are shallow pear dimples on her cheeks that are full of girlishness, but there is a lingering pear at the corners of her eyebrows and eyes. The familiarity and charm of a married woman.

Even Zhen Yingjia, the patriarch of the Zhen family, often joked to his wife that the two daughters, in terms of temperament, might change their names, which would be more appropriate.

"Princess is a busy person, I don't want to bother you." Yuan Chun's plump and beautiful face was full of smiles, and in the blink of an eye, he looked at the little girl who was holding the mother's hand. Braids, pink and jade carvings, cute and romantic, looking at Xiangyun and the others curiously.

Xiangyun also smiled and made a face at the little girl. The little girl wanted to go, but she was a little scared.

Then seeing Yuan Chun looking at him, he knew that he was his mother's friend, with bright eyes, childish and lively, and when he smiled, there was also a shallow dimple just like his mother's.

It was Zhen Xue and Shui Rong's daughter, Shui Xin.

Yuan Chun stared at the girl, feeling a little sad in his heart.

Zhen Xuelun is only a few months older than her, but her daughter is three or four years old.

Zhen Xue lowered her head and sat a woman in her early forties, wearing a light yellow silk skirt and a jasper hairpin on her head.

The Wu family was born in the Wu family, a famous eunuch in Jinling, and they have been friends with the Zhen family for many generations. This time, Zhen Xue is here to see Jia Heng.

Of course, Zhao Yi, who regarded himself as a teacher of Confucian classics, didn't know that his wife, who was more than ten years younger than him, would recklessly ask for Wu Xun's Jia's family. If he knew, he would be furious.

And at the head of Nan'an Concubine, there was a young woman with a sad face, Zhou family, Yan Pan, the second son of Wei Nan'an County King, was the concubine.

One of his younger sisters married Yu Congdian, the doctor of Tuntian Qingli, as his wife.

In other words, Yu Congdian, who was involved in the corruption case in the imperial mausoleum, and Yan Pan, the second son of the Prince of Nan'an County, are still brothers-in-law.

(End of this chapter)