Northern Song Dynasty Justice

Chapter 523 Civil, military and law (eight)

There is a good saying, don't take it seriously, once you take it seriously, it will be so ridiculous that all this will happen.

The appearance of Ding Xiang made the previous judgment a big joke.

Because at that time the imperial court instructed Lu Shen and Xue Xiang to co-chair the matter, Lu Shen opposed sending troops, but Xue Xiang supported it, but it was precisely because Xue Xiang supported Zhong Er that he was also demoted.

From a legal point of view, the court did not make a final decision at that time, but only let Lu Shen, Xue Xiang, and Zhong Er decide the matter. Lu Shen and Xue Xiang were the planners, and Zhong Er was the executor.

Of course Xue Xiang has the power to support it.

From this point of view, this is clearly a political judgment.

Only the doves won the final victory.

However, judging from Ding Xiang's confession, Xue Xiang obviously didn't want to get entangled in this matter anymore, but just expressed his views at the time, and didn't say that he wanted to blame Lu Shen.

This is not surprising, Xue Xiang is now implementing the New Deal, which is a bunch of troublesome things, but for him, this matter is already a thing of the past, and he doesn't want to cause extra trouble, cause trouble for himself, and affect his current responsibilities.

Zhang Fei also had a clear mind about this, and he didn't dig deep into Ding Xiang, he just asked Xue Xiang's attitude and actions at that time, and let Ding Xiang go to court.

At this time, Xu Zhiqian came forward and poured a cup of tea for Zhang Fei, while quietly putting a small note on the table.

Zhang Fei looked down and looked at Xu Zhiqian very puzzled.

Xu Zhiqian just shook her head slightly.

"I see."

Zhang Fei nodded.

Xu Zhiqian returned to her seat.

Zhang Fei pondered for a while, then glanced at the sky suddenly, then knocked on the hammer, and said in a loud voice: "This morning's trial will end here, and the trial will continue after noon."

As soon as these words came out, all the distinguished guests were stunned.

This trial is in full swing, you stopped it abruptly, didn't you intend to hang our appetite.

But looking at the sky, it was indeed noon, but they didn't feel very hot in this valley.

Even if you don't rest, you still have to eat!
rice?
Ha ha!

They think too much.

I saw Zhang Fei stood up and was about to leave when he suddenly remembered something, turned around again, and said with eyes full of guilt: "Ladies and gentlemen, I am really sorry, due to the temporary lack of funds of our imperial court, we cannot provide You are providing a luncheon, so please help yourself."

The implication is to solve it by yourself.

".!"

All the distinguished guests looked at Zhang Fei in disbelief.

Hey!
We are all the leaders of the Hezhong Mansion, people with a head and a face, and this time we come to your imperial court as guests, it will make your imperial court flourish, why don't you even prepare a simple meal.

Is this the way of hospitality?
If you do this, you will have no friends.

But Zhang Fei didn't care so much, he just got up and left, leaving them there.

Xu Zhiqian, Cai Bian and the others suppressed their smiles, lowered their heads and packed the paperwork, not daring to meet the angry eyes of the distinguished guests.

"This Zhang San has become the president of the court, and his personality has not changed at all. He is still so narrow-minded, and he will take revenge."

Chen Qi complained to Su Zhe while packing up the paperwork.

Su Zhe could only smile wryly.

At this time, Li Si suddenly came forward and whispered, "Chief Prosecutor Su, our imperial court has prepared lunch for your procuratorate and witnesses."

Su Zhe was stunned for a moment, then nodded and said, "Thank you."

Sure enough, it was precise revenge.

"No reason!"

Wei Yingfang was furious and said, "The next time he comes to the government office, if I give him a cup of tea, I, Wei Yingfang, will die a terrible death."

Cai Yanqing said: "Keep your voice down, don't come when we come in the afternoon and just stand and listen to the trial."

Wei Yingfang was taken aback, looked around guiltily, and said firmly, "He dares."

"This President Zhang is really as rumored, arrogant and conceited."

Zhe Jizu stood up slowly, and said in displeasure.

This lunch is second to none. The key is that you are so insulting!

But Zhong Gu smiled and said, "That's all! That's all! As long as he can try the case fairly, that's enough. It's just a meal. Where can I not eat it?"

Zhang Fei, who left first, did not go to rest in the backyard, but went to a lounge on the side of the valley.

Not long after he arrived, Li Si invited someone into the house.

This person is Wang Shao.

"Zhang San met Wang Jinglue."

"Chairman Zhang is polite."

Wang Shao also bowed his hands.

"Wang Jinglue, please sit down."

"Thank you."

After the two sat down, Zhang Fei asked, "May I ask, why did Wang Jinglue suddenly decide not to testify in court?"

Originally the next witness was Wang Shao to appear in court, but Xu Zhiqian suddenly told Wang Shao that he was unwilling to appear in court, which made Zhang Fei very confused. In addition, it was already noon at that time, so he simply chose to leave the court.

Wang Shao pondered for a while, but asked instead: "I have little to do with this case, why does President Zhang want me to testify in court?"

Zhang Fei said: "Because as far as I know, Wang Jinglue traveled the entire Northwest region in his early years, and now he is serving as an envoy of the Northwest Economic Strategy. He is very familiar with the situation in the Northwest and has nothing to do with this case. Wang Jinglue's opinion will be more convincing. Therefore, I hope that Wang Jinglue can provide some professional advice, for example, the status of our country and Xixia, and for example, the geographical location of Suizhou."

Wang Shao was born as a civil servant, but he also served as the chief of staff. He is relatively neutral, and he has seen the scenery of the Northwest in his early years, and he is very familiar with the customs of the Northwest, so Zhang Fei planned to let Wang Shao appear in court as an expert and give some advice. professional opinion.

It was also the first time that Wang Shao had seen the trial methods of the imperial court. He didn't know much about Zhang Fei's explanation, so he asked, "Is my confession important to this case?"

Zhang Fei hesitated a little, and said: "That's not very important, if Wang Jinglue hadn't come, I wouldn't bother Wang Jinglue on purpose."

The role of Wang Shao's appearance in court is purely to strengthen the persuasion of some theories.

Wang Shao said: "Then I will not testify in court."

"If Wang Jinglue is unwilling, then I will naturally not force it." Zhang Fei asked curiously again: "But can Wang Jinglue tell me why?"

Wang Shao hesitated for a while, very confused: "Because I have a direct interest relationship with this case, so it is not convenient to testify."

Zhang Fei asked in surprise, "Wang Jinglue has an interest in this case?"

Wang Shao nodded.

Zhang Fei said: "What interest relationship?"

But here I am extremely puzzled, thinking that this is unlikely.

Because he has collected a lot of information, if there is a direct interest relationship, he will send someone to invite Wang Shao in advance, instead of inviting him to testify in court after Wang Shao comes.

Wang Shao hesitated for a while before saying, "You said just now that you planned to ask me about the importance of Suizhou."

Zhang Fei nodded.

Wang Shao asked again: "Then how much do you know about Suizhou's problems?"

Zhang Fei thought for a while and said, "Suizhou was originally my homeland in the Central Plains, but at the end of the Tang Dynasty, it was occupied by the Dangxiang people. However, since the Dangxiang people had always been attached to the Central Plains in name at that time, Suizhou was naturally counted as the territory of the Tang Dynasty. But in the early days of the founding of our dynasty, Li Jiqian, the leader of the party, rebelled, and Suizhou was occupied by the party, and in the following decades, it also became an important place for offensive and defensive competition between our country and Xixia."

Wang Shao nodded and said: "It is precisely because of this that in Xixia's view, Suizhou belongs to their territory, which is why, these years, Xixia has been trying various methods to return to Suizhou, but Any move by our army in Suizhou will make Xixia panic, and they will continue to send troops to harass, and in terms of foreign affairs, they will continue to exert pressure, which has caused Suizhou to have not been well built.

If Xixia wants to send troops in the future, Suizhou must be their excuse. From this point of view, what Zheng Xie said is not unreasonable, and Suizhou may become the source of military disaster.

But you should also know that at present, the country's finances are very difficult, and Wang Xueshi is promulgating new laws. We still need time, and it is not appropriate to conflict with Xixia at this time.

Therefore, I once suggested to the officials that we should use Hehuang as the base point to form a double-team attack on the eastern and southern routes of Xixia.The Hehuang area has always belonged to our Great Song territory. According to the Qingli agreement, both of us have the right to garrison troops and build fortifications on the territory. "

Zhang Fei said: "In other words, Wang Jinglue is unwilling to emphasize Suizhou's strategic attributes, because this conflicts with Wang Jinglue's strategy."

Wang Shao nodded and said: "It can be said so. But in fact, the geographical location of Suizhou is extremely critical. Whether it is the deputy envoy or Guo Xianggong, they are all right, but the Xixia side is also unwilling to give up Suizhou. From the overall situation, the difficulty of managing Suizhou, whether it is domestic resistance or external resistance, is far more difficult than managing Hehuang, and we need time to prepare now."

"I understand." Zhang Fei nodded and said, "Thank you Wang Jinglue for letting me know."

Wang Shao said with a chuckle: "This is actually not a secret. Guo Xianggong and the others also know it, but I am very sorry that I cannot help Chief Judge Zhang."

"Wang Jinglue, don't say that." Zhang Fei waved his hand, "Based on this level of interest, Wang Jinglue is really not suitable to testify in court."

Zhang Fei really didn't expect that behind the case, there were two major strategies of the Northern Song Dynasty against Xixia.

Before the first year of Xining, in the eyes of military strategists in the Song Dynasty, Suizhou on the northern line had always been a strategic location for the elimination of Xixia. This faction was dominated by Fan Zhongyan and Zhong Shiheng.

Zhao Xu also thought so at first, because this strategy has been implemented all the time.

He really wanted to get Suizhou.

But it was precisely because of this case that Zhao Xu changed his strategy and chose Wang Shao's Hehuang strategy.

The reason is that after Zhong Er took Suizhou, the Xixia side was entangled endlessly, using all kinds of means to interfere with the development of Suizhou, and frequently exerting diplomatic pressure, negotiating with the Song Dynasty every day, and exchanging various fortresses for the Song Dynasty In the Song Dynasty, he was fooled twice.

This has also led to the lack of development in Suizhou. If you want to use Suizhou as a base, you must open up transportation lines, farm fields on the front line, etc. If these cannot be developed, you cannot use it as a base camp to attack Xixia.

At the same time, domestic conservatives are very worried about taking back Suizhou. Indeed, the finances of the Song Dynasty are terrible. If another war breaks out, it may never recover.

In their view, Suizhou is a powder keg that explodes at any time.

It's not worth the candle.

The key to the territory of Xixia is to focus on national security, and it cannot bring any compensation for the Song Dynasty's finances.

It was at this time that Wang Shao proposed the "Ping Rong Policy" to the higher authorities, and immediately won the support of Zhao Xu and Wang Anshi. Choosing the Hehuang strategy, at the same time, has been reducing Suizhou's attention, avoiding angering Xixia, and slowly opening up the Hehuang front.

But the military generals Zhong Er, Zhe Jishi, and Guo Kui have always supported the Suizhou strategy on the northern line.

Wang Shao didn't know it would be such a trial before, and he was at a loss when he sat down, because Chong Er and Guo Kui were emphasizing the strategic importance of Suizhou.

Let him go up, he really doesn't know what to say, because he is very aware of the importance of Suizhou, but he is also the chief of staff and the maker of the Hehuang strategy. With the current financial resources of the Song Dynasty, it is impossible to start at the same time These two grand strategies can only be divided into primary and secondary.

If he emphasizes Suizhou's strategic attributes, it will affect his plan.

Therefore, he temporarily decided not to testify in court.

(End of this chapter)