such as Yue Linyuan

The candlelight in the interrogation room reflected swaying shadows on the wall, and behind the half-hundred old man kneeling on the ground, a huge black shadow dragged out. In contrast, Si Yuanting and Chu Yuezhi stood in their respective positions. Concentrated shadows, and Wei Yunxiao stood behind Chu Yuezhi, infinitely close to the darkness but always standing in the light.

"It didn't start with you, but you can continue those evil deeds with peace of mind. When you do evil yourself, you think that others will be like you. Interesting, your words are really interesting!" Chu Yuezhi stood up, and the pure gold walnut was heavily pressed by him Knocking down on the desk, there was a deep pit. Chu Yuezhi laughed because of the absurdity and anger in his heart, his eyes were filled with moisture. After laughing, he walked up to Shi Huai and said: " People who are greedy are indeed not as good as you, but people who are not greedy will definitely be able to do better at what you can do! If you are really capable, you should think about the people, not the people who are already living in hardship. Grabbing money that does not belong to you! The greed of others is not the reason for your greed, and the evil deeds started by others are not an excuse for you to disregard human lives! Dam repairs cut corners, so many people have died in recent years because of this; human trafficking has destroyed many people’s homes. , how many innocent innocent women have been trampled on, life is worse than death; although all the evil deeds were not caused by you, but your connivance and complicity have exacerbated the development and deterioration of the evil deeds, resulting in more innocent victims, and you , but actually indifferent to it. This king really wants to know, what is your original intention to be an official, and what is this court to you?"

"Original intention? Prince An asked this question, don't you think it is too naive? The officials who can stand in the court are not relying on their families or clinging to the powerful, who would care about the people? Ever farmed? Did you ever sell and sell in the street? None. Prince An was born to be a prince, and Mr. Si came from a famous family. Rao was in trouble once, and now he is not one person under ten thousand people. What are you talking about folks? Suffering, have you two really experienced it? Whether it’s the old minister, Fang Shangshu, or the officials who fell this time, we just don’t want to be ants at the mercy of others, so we try our best to climb up, fight for the power we desire, and get He has a higher status than others, and enjoys more glory and wealth." Shi Huai seemed to be incredulous about what Chu Yuezhi said. Under the imperial power and above a high position, who would care about the common people? The common people are just the common people. There are so many people in the country, they will not die, so why bother to care about it, it is enough to ensure that those who hold power and wealth in the high place will not fall.

For the country and the people?It's just a good word to deceive the people, who would really do such a thankless thing?What's more, most of the people are ignorant and short-sighted. They only care about food and clothing. As long as they see something good, they will follow blindly. Even if there are voices of reflection and opposition, they will soon be submerged in the tide and disappear.

"Is there a shortage of people with lofty ideals in this world? Prince An, take a look, where are the so-called people with lofty ideals now? Are they in their prime?" Shi Huai turned his head and saw that he was still sitting beside him, with a serious look on his face. Staring thoughtfully at Si Yuanting, who was looking at him, he said: "Mr. Si, your father and ancestors were indeed virtuous men, but what happened to the Si family in the end? Asked to be exiled, and you, the son of the dignified minister, are not here now. You have also become the eunuch with the handprint of the servants of Israel, how did you rise to the position all these years, how many people were killed during this process, and how many people's bones were trampled under your feet, do you still remember?"

"If the old minister's guess is correct, Prince An and Mr. Si must have a very close relationship now, and His Majesty's power has been left behind. Prince An has the idea of ​​replacing him, so he will start to get involved in politics again." After all, Shi Huai spent most of his life in the officialdom, He is even more slick in party disputes, otherwise he would not be able to become the Minister of the Household Department. He is very sensitive to the slight changes and unusual things in the court. I want to make a deal with Prince An and the company. The veteran is willing to confess all the dignitaries who participated in the two cases, and the evidence in his hands will naturally be handed over. In exchange, I ask Prince An and the company to save the old minister. "

"Shi Shangshu is right. Those who know their fate do not stand under a rock wall. Shi Shangshu has been an official for many years and has been an official of the second rank. It seems that he is well versed in this." Si Yuanting picked up the still hot cup again. Tea, holding the bowl holder and teacup in one hand, picked up the tea cover with the other and brushed off the tea leaves on the tea surface, took a sip to moisten his throat, and said: "When the Si family fell from power, many ministers saw the joke and also One after another, they stepped on a few more feet. This past really made our family sober up a lot, and I also realized everything that I didn’t understand before that. If a gentleman is not a party, there will be no disaster; There is no punishment for the loss of morality, and disasters without solutions will inevitably be trapped. A gentleman cannot change it, but a villain may be forgiven."

The so-called gentleman is unwilling to form a party for personal gain, and will be in a situation of isolation and helplessness when encountering a disaster; while the villain gathers for the benefit and helps each other for the benefit; There is no one to help you out of the trumped-up crimes; the gentleman has a sense of morality and high values, but is often unable to change the cruel status quo, but the villain will get the support and support of more people because of the relationship he developed for his own benefit. understand.

With a movement of his hand, Si Yuanting dropped the tea lid he was holding on the ground. He raised his eyes and glanced at Chu Yuezhi who had a frosty complexion, smiled at Shi Huai very lightly, and continued: "If you want to talk about our family It's not bad to serve people in Israel. After all, Prince An really likes our face. Not only Prince An likes our face, but many people like our face over the years. Fortunately, so many people love it. Our family knew the importance of this face being usable, so we didn’t destroy our appearance on the spur of the moment. How our family came to power in these years is inseparable from the teachings of your courtiers. After all, our family was only 14 years old when we entered the palace as eunuchs. If I hadn't become an eunuch of Bingbi later and learned a lot from the courtiers, I am afraid that I would not be able to sit in the positions of eunuch of palm print and admiral of Dongchang now. Regarding this point, our family should thank all courtiers for giving us There are many opportunities to experience at home."

Tilting his hand, under Shi Huai's slightly suspicious gaze because he couldn't figure out what he meant by these words, Si Yuanting also poured the tea and tea leaves in the teacup on the ground, saying: "A gentleman's life is not different. , Good and false are better than things. This truth was not taught by my father back then, and our family only realized the importance of this truth after going through many detours."

Whether it is governing the country or governing the ministers and the people, wisdom and all the people and things around you need to be utilized. People and things should be discarded as much as possible. What he had to do, he fell into a pool of helpless blood.

Let go, and the last teacup and bowl holder were also smashed to the ground. Si Yuanting clasped his hands in front of him, and said to Shi Huai: "How long Shi Shangshu can live depends on how many people Shi Shangshu can confess. How much evidence is really useful. Shi Shangshu also knows that our family has never kept useless people. As long as there is value, Shi Shangshu will still be a cup of tea in our hands. If it is broken on the ground, our family will not feel sorry for it, let alone take a second look."

There was joy in Shi Huai's eyes, he glanced at Chu Yuezhi who was standing silently in front of him, kowtowed and said: "Prince An and Mrs. Si are willing to save the old minister's life, and the old minister should clearly explain everything that needs to be explained. Prince An and the company are disappointed."

Si Yuanting waved his hand and said, "Take it down."

The sound of chains mopping the floor disappeared as Shi Huai was taken away by the guards, and the interrogation room fell into a long silence.

Chu Yue insisted on not opening his mouth, and Si Yuanting also remained silent, and it was Wei Yunxiao who finally broke the suffocating silence.

"Mr. Si, Fu... Huangfu Liangzhen's father and Huangfu's family were framed by this person to exterminate the family?" He never mentioned his past to him, it was impossible to tell him during the two years of deceiving him, and he never gave him an excuse during the period since his identity was revealed. Regarding Huangfu Liangzhen's past, he was the one to find out by himself. of.

"Yes." Si Yuanting raised his eyes and looked at Wei Yunxiao with a penetrating look, and said, "Don't think about killing Shi Huai by yourself, Huangfu won't thank you for doing so. Pleading guilty is more useful."

Chu Yuezhi walked back to the desk, reached out and picked up the pair of pure gold walnuts again, the walnuts made of gold were extremely hard, even if he knocked them heavily on the desk, there was no trace left.He plated the pair of walnuts in his palm again and again, and finally said after a long time: "I know what you mean, rather than spending time and effort to find out those who committed crimes, it is better to save Shi Huai's life for the time being." Use the evidence he gave to find out those wealthy businessmen and officials who bought women, and then use them to track down the villains who actually operate the business in the shortest possible time, and rescue those kidnapped and trafficked women."

The Ministry of Households did collect money from buyers who bought women by changing their household registrations, but the Ministry of Households was not the source of human trafficking, and only later became involved in making such crimes more systematic. Whether it is the Ministry of Accounts or the buyer It's just the tip of the iceberg. If you want to investigate human trafficking, you have to go down through the household department, uncover the fig leaf layer by layer, and find out those sellers who are hiding underneath and kidnapping women. Only in this way can you really fight and punish evil.

Chu Yuezhi could understand and understand what Si Yuanting did, but he just felt uncomfortable and disgusted.

Shi Huai had been enjoying himself for many years, and he didn't even have the slightest bit of shame about his crimes, and he didn't even take the people seriously, but now they still have to make deals with such people to save their lives.And this undoubtedly runs counter to the justice and axioms he believes in.

"Chu Qi, you should know that people like Shi Huai have long since lost their sense of morality, and their values ​​of right and wrong are also different from yours. Since he has no remorse for what he has done, he will not give up because of your few words. Instead of arguing, it is better to let him use his remaining value to save those who are waiting to be rescued." Si Yuanting knew that Chu Yuezhi would not like this kind of use, but this is the reality. It is meaningless for villains to talk about reason and ideals. On the contrary, it is more effective to use them to achieve their own goals.

The death of sinful people can only bring temporary pleasure and endless emptiness afterwards, but more often, keeping these sinful people alive can give their filthy lives a little more meaning, even if such atonement is essentially a kind of transaction.

Si Yuanting got up and said softly: "The law does not deceive people, and those who deceive others are also people. The affairs of the court are inherently dirty. I told you before that I will do for you what you don't want to do. You don't have to make yourself like me."

Chu Yuezhi's expression was a little cold and solemn. He knew that the pain he felt at this moment was the pain that Si Yuanting had struggled with many years ago. For Si Yuanting, this was the most painful blood training. .

Looking straight into the depths of Si Yuanting's unwavering black eyes, Chu Yuezhi replied: "I am going to take the throne myself. Now that I have made such a decision, I have never expected that I will return it." Can be a pure and innocent sage. In this world, there is no one who is innocent until death. I, Chu Yuezhi, do not seek to be a saint but to be worthy of my heart."

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The author says:

Quoted in the text:

"Those who know their fate do not stand under a rock wall" ——— "Mencius·Devotion" Mencius

"If a gentleman is not a party, he will have no help in his misfortune; if a villain makes friends, he will benefit others. If there is no punishment for the loss of morality, there will be trouble if there is no solution to the misfortune. A gentleman can't change it, but a villain may be forgiven."—— ——Feng Dao in "A Mirror of Prosperity and Withering"

"A gentleman's life is not different, and he is good at what is false." ———— "Encouraging Learning" Xunzi