The Ming Dynasty started with caution

Chang Yuanxi was at a loss as to how to solve the case.

Hearing that the Metropolitan Procuratorate had sent witnesses, he came to the gate suspiciously and saw Fang Xue escorting a pretty maid.

"Sir Chang, I have found a clue and am here to report it."

The maid said timidly: "I am Mr. Xu's maid, and I didn't know about it. But my good friend told me when I left the capital that Mr. Xu had people steal the scholar's Confucian clothes and framed an official in the court. When I was about to leave the capital, that day... Master Xiong came to my house. "

Chang Yuanxi's eyes widened. Xiong Gan, the Minister of the Ministry of Justice, and Xu Mu, the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, all got involved.

He couldn't believe that, as Yan Chengjin said, it was related to Xiong Gan, the Minister of the Ministry of Justice, and the matter was of great importance.

"If there is no evidence, it is slandering an important official in the court. The light punishment may be a hundred punishments, and the worst may be exile to the border. You must be careful what you say!"

When the maid heard this, she panicked and said hurriedly: "Slave... I dare to risk my life as a guarantee, I know this for sure."

…

Xiong Mansion,

Xiong Gan saw the maids wiping the decorations and household items in the main hall, and was upset: "Everyone, get out!"

In the past two days, guards in imperial robes appeared in the duty room of the Ministry of Justice and outside the palace gate. Although His Majesty did not express his intention to investigate him in the palace, his decree was very honest.

He could understand His Majesty's thoughts. Investigating an official from the Sixth Ministry would cause a stir in the government and the public, so he let Jin Yiwei act secretly.

I'm afraid that some Jin Yiwei have already gone south to Prince Ning's Mansion.

"Go ahead and tell me that from today on, I won't see any guests."

He was afraid that his colleagues would come looking for him without knowing it, and an unprovoked trivial matter would turn into a big deal.

The housekeeper went down to give orders to his servants. After a while, he ran back quickly: "Master, Master Xu is here..."

"No, doesn't he know that there are guards in royal robes outside my house?!"

"But he said...there is something very important..."

Xiong Gan weighed the left and right. Xu Muming knew that there was a Jinyi guard outside the house and came to look for him, which meant that something big had happened.

"Let him in."

…

Dongnuan Pavilion,

Emperor Hongzhi couldn't stand it after reading the memorial for a while: "Is Qiu Wei's answer sheet still sealed in the Gongyuan?"

"Here, I heard that the scholars in the capital gathered in front of the gate of Gongyuan to let the Ministry of Rites review the papers as soon as possible." Xiao Jing said cautiously.

If the case is not solved, the test papers cannot be reviewed, and the list can be published in ten days.

But it has been delayed for two days now.

"Today is my last day for Dali Temple. Is there any news about Yan Chengjin's case?"

As the owner of Dongchang Factory, he has handled many cases. Xiao Jing estimates that 80% of them will not be found out.

It was done even more secretively than Cheng Minzheng did before, and Yan Chengjin could not be arrested for interrogation, and Yan Song was proven innocent...

I really can’t think of where to start checking it out.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, there is no news yet."

Liu Jian raised his head and said: "Your Majesty, if the case cannot be solved, you should first come up with countermeasures. You can never retake the exam."

Li Dongyang nodded and asked Chang Yuanxi to find out within three days in order to mark the papers as soon as possible.

But if Dali Temple cannot find out, they can only read the papers first.

At this time, outside the wide courtyard of the Meridian Gate, Chang Yuanxi held up the hem of his clothes and ran toward Fengtian Hall with broken steps and a spring breeze on his face.

Xiong Gan fell, and someone needed to replace him as Minister of Punishment.

Now that the answer sheet is locked in the Gongyuan, he is taking care of His Majesty's urgent needs. He is also a third-rank official... I hope he can be promoted to the second rank and ranked in the sixth rank.

"Quick report, I want to be interviewed."

Chang Yuanxi hurriedly arranged his clothes, took a deep breath, and walked into the hall after a while.

Suddenly, the atmosphere in the hall became tense.

Emperor Hongzhi took a deep look at Chang Yuanxi: "Chang Qing's family, is there any clue about the case? Who did it?"

Li Dongyang and Liu Jian both had expectations deep in their eyes.

Except for the morning court, there were not many opportunities to meet the saint. Chang Yuanxi held the fluorene tablet respectfully: "I have found out about the official affairs, Xu Mu!

He hired an old scholar in the market to write the words on the Confucian clothes. He was no longer in the capital, so I sent someone to chase him. "

Emperor Hongzhi's face suddenly turned pale.

What I hate the most is the fight between the king and his ministers, the fight between officials and the fight between officials, and the people of the world are destitute and rich.

Liu Jian looked miserable. Seven years ago, he was the one who transferred Xu Mu from Southern Zhili to Northern Zhili. He said: "This man's character has changed so much that I did not expect. He is responsible for negligence! He is voluntarily fined for one year." ”

Chang Yuanxi bowed and continued: "Xiong Gan, the Minister of the Ministry of Punishment, may have something to do with this!"

It was obviously an extremely calm sentence, but the sound was like a bell, as if it was winding around the beams, and it still echoed in my ears for a long time.

Emperor Hongzhi looked directly at Chang Yuanxi.

Li Dongyang and the other three looked miserable.

Xiong Gan was already the Minister of the Ministry of Punishment, so why did he still want to frame Yan Chengjin? Yan Chengjin was the Censor of the capital. Could it be that... there was something wrong with him?

"Chang Qing's family, please be careful what you say."

"What I said is true. According to what the maid told me, when Xu Mu was talking to Xiong Gan, he dismissed his servants. It seems to be related to the Salt Law..."

Chang Yuanxi didn't dare to talk nonsense. It was the maid who said it herself, and there were people who corroborated it. When the servants of the Xu family who left Beijing were caught, the truth would come to light.

He came to the palace this time to ask for instructions from His Majesty whether to arrest Xu Mu or not.

If you can go to jail and force him to interrogate, the interrogation will be much faster.

"Your Majesty, do you want to put Xu Mu in prison?"

Emperor Hongzhi nodded.

After Chang Yuanxi left, he frowned and said: "It has been more than half a year since the salt policy was changed to court sales. Why are there still officials resisting?"

Not to mention half a year, even ten years, there are still officials who will criticize.

The longer the days go by, the more I feel that the old salt policy is better.

Liu Jian sighed in his heart. Since he could no longer sell salt, the monthly income of the government office has been greatly reduced.

"The salt system makes more money than silk. They wish they could change the salt system to the old system." Li Dongyang said it in one sentence.

Xie Qian agreed deeply.

When the news came out from the palace, all the officials were dumbfounded. They didn't expect Xu Mu to be imprisoned, which made people uneasy.

Yan Chengjin still couldn't figure out why Xu Mu wanted to harm him.

Thinking about it carefully, he and Xu Mu had no feud, and even in the court, they had never argued.

Doesn't that mean that all the officials in the court could harm him?

"It seems that it is better to find a tool person to change the system in the future."

In the morning court, Xiong Xi was seen standing in the team of the Ministry of Justice, like a person with nothing to do.

When he entered the Fengtian Hall, before the court discussion began, the eunuch at the door came in and reported: "Your Majesty, Lord Chang wants to see you."

All the officials turned their heads and looked in front of the hall door.

Chang Yuanxi walked in wearing a red official robe and said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, Xu Mu confessed that he was the only one who did it! Yan Chengjin did not commit any fraud."

Although Xiong Xiu had been to Xu's house, Xu Mu insisted that he was the only one who did it. It was up to Your Majesty whether to investigate Xiong Xiu.

It was not that he did not dare to investigate, but he did not know Your Majesty's intentions.

If Your Majesty was willing to protect him, even if he found out that Xiong Xiu was an accomplice, he would be innocent, but he would get himself into trouble.

Xiong Xiu looked calm, but he was in a panic.

He was an official in the second year of Chenghua. When Your Majesty was still the prince, he was a reading companion and had some favors to Your Majesty.

If Your Majesty thought of his favor and closed the case and announced it to the world, it would mean that he was let go.

"I think that since we have reached a conclusion, we should let the Ministry of Rites review the papers as soon as possible."

"Your Majesty, it has been delayed for four days, and the papers should be reviewed as soon as possible."

Zhang Sheng bowed and seconded the motion. The Ministry of Rites was the most anxious. The test papers were locked in the Imperial Examination Hall. He was worried that something might go wrong.

At this time, there was a different voice in the Censorate.

"I want to impeach Chang Yuanxi, the Minister of the Supreme Court, for his laziness and dereliction of duty."

It was so sudden that the ministers were dumbfounded and looked at Yan Chengjin.

Mr. Chang cleared your name and showed you great kindness. You, you are so heartless!

Li Dongyang looked at Yan Chengjin with his eyes wide open.

Chang Yuanxi was stunned.

This official has not had a drop of water for a day. He has been interrogated in the cell for a whole day. He is as tired as a donkey in a millstone, but he is still accused of laziness and dereliction of duty?

Suddenly, anger filled his chest, and he said to Yan Chengjin angrily: "Master Yan, no one can say such a thing!"