Jia Heng and Qin Keqing were comforting Tanchun, Xiangyun and Daiyu when suddenly a servant from outside came in and bowed to report: "Uncle Heng, the second master is waiting for you in the front hall."
When Jia Heng heard this, he just thought he was here to discuss matters of ancestor worship during the New Year, so he wasn't too surprised.
Because today is the New Year, the old and young men of the Jia Mansion will have a banquet in Ning Mansion to celebrate, which is a preview of the New Year's Eve sacrifice at the ancestral hall. The head of the Ning Mansion will also distribute new year gifts to the clan members.
"Husband, go and do your work." Qin Keqing said softly.
Jia Heng nodded, stood up, and walked towards the flower hall in the front yard.
In the flower hall, Jia Zheng and Jia Yucun were seated under the reception of the servant. The servant served tea and talked together.
Jia Yucun was sitting upright, without squinting, holding a teacup in his hand, chatting and laughing with Jia Zheng in a low voice, his expression respectful and polite.
At this moment, a clear voice was heard from behind the bead curtain, and then a tall and tall young man in an azure cotton robe walked into the hall and said, "Second Master, here you go."
When Jia Yucun heard this voice, he quickly stood up and went away in a show of prestige, and couldn't help but be startled.
The first feeling is that you are young, too young.
When I looked at him again, I felt that my eyes were sharp, and my whole body seemed to be enveloped in an aura of calmness and self-power.
"Ziyu."
When Jia Zheng saw Jia Heng, he stood up with a smile to greet him.
Jia Heng's eyes didn't stay on Jia Zheng for long. He turned to look at the person next to him and felt that he was unfamiliar. However, seeing that he was tall and handsome, he couldn't guess his identity for a while.
"Ziyu, this is the Jia Yu Village I often mentioned to you. Now I am the governor of Jinling Mansion." Jia Zheng introduced with a smile.
Jia Yucun's spirit perked up, and a warm but not too flattering smile appeared on his broad face. He cupped his hands and said, "Student Jia Hua, whose nickname is Shi Fei, has met General Yunhui."
It's ridiculous to say that even though Jia Yucun is twenty years older than Jia Heng, Jia Yucun still calls himself a student and underachiever. This is not only due to Jia Heng's official title, but also because of Jia Heng's Jia clan leader, Rong Ning. The identity of the head of the mansion.
Jia Heng looked at Jia Yucun, his eyes narrowed slightly, and he thought to himself, what a coincidence.
But then I thought about it, and it was normal. The end of the year was approaching, and Jia Yucun was going to Beijing to report to the Ministry of Civil Affairs, and then he would stop by Rongguo Mansion to expand some old friends and contacts.
"It turns out that it's Jia Fuyin who is in front of me. I have admired his name for a long time." Jia Heng's face was calm and his tone was neither salty nor cool.
Jia Yucun didn't notice any difference in the young powerful man's tone for a while. Of course, it was because he talked with Jia Zheng and learned about the cold temperament of this uncle Heng. He smiled and said: "The reputation of a humble student is insulting Yun Hui Qingting, Yun Hui His name is well-known in the world, he has resigned his title, his virtuous character is admired by others, his students are like thunder, and he has been a close friend for a long time."
Jia Zheng twirled his beard and said with a smile: "Ziyu, Yucun came to Beijing this time to report on his work at the Ministry of Personnel. He was thinking of celebrating the New Year, so he paid a visit. It was also because of something that was on his mind."
This is a prelude to Lian Zong's matter.
Jia Heng nodded and said without comment: "Jia Fuyin, please sit down first."
When Jia Zheng heard this, he felt something was wrong, because Jia Heng still regarded him as an official, and his politeness revealed alienation and indifference.
Jia Yucun and Jia Zheng sat down one after another, their faces smiling and not dissatisfied. In other words, he had already realized that he was asking for help this time.
It's just that the evaluation of this head of the Jia clan has inevitably declined in my heart. People respect me as much as I respect others.
How come Jia Hua, who is also a second-ranked Jinshi and a serious scholar, is this young and energetic leader of the Jia clan so bossy?
But a man can bend and stretch, and he can endure temporary anger.
Jia Zheng smiled, twirled his beard with his hand, and said: "Ziyu, Yucun came here for the matter of two consecutive clans. Now at the end of the year, the clan members gather together. If it is cheaper, can we handle this matter?"
Jia Heng looked at Jia Yucun and said, "Lian Zong? What did Jia Fuyin say?"
Jia Yucun suppressed a trace of unhappiness in his heart and said with a smile: "Yunhui, since the time of Jia Gong in the Eastern Han Dynasty, the Jia clan's branches have been prosperous and the population has been large. The students are from the Jia family. Now, after hundreds of years, I admire the prosperity of the Jia clan's poetry, calligraphy and etiquette." , I wish to connect with my family."
As he spoke, he took out the written list of ancestral lines and the simple genealogy preface from his sleeve and handed it over.
At this time, the servant bowed and took the note and handed it to Jia Heng.
Jia Heng's face was silent. He took the zhazi but did not look at it carefully. Instead, he put it on the nanmu table next to him. He straightened his face and calmed his expression and asked: "Jia Fuyin, Lian Zongzhi won't rush to discuss it in advance. I will ask first." Can you answer a few of your questions truthfully?"
When Jia Yucun heard this, his expression changed slightly, he smiled and said, "Yunhui just asked, and I will tell you everything I know."
There was a vague feeling in my heart. I didn't seem to have offended Jia Ziyu, right?
To humiliate him so much?
Jia Zheng also noticed that something was not right about the atmosphere and opened his mouth, "Zi Yu."
Jia Heng looked at Jia Zheng with a solemn expression and said, "Second Master, Jia Fuyin was recommended to the Ministry of Personnel by the Second Master, right?"
After suppressing the rebellion, he was promoted to the rank of Commander-in-Chief in Imperial Clothes, holding the Emperor's Sword in his hand. Compared with when he was granted the title of General Yunhui, his power was greatly reduced. He did not have the power to depose civil servants, but he had the power to secretly report to the Emperor and the Emperor. The right to correct and impeach lawlessness.
If you could still say you were ignorant about Xue Pan's matter before, then after the previous investigation of Xiang Ling's life experience, you can no longer pretend to be confused and wait for others to find out.
Xue Pan, this pustule, must take the initiative to open it at the right time, otherwise it will be instigated by someone with ulterior motives, and the Jia family will most likely be implicated.
As for Xue Pan, can he survive this disaster?
A careful review of the case revealed that Feng Yuan was not beaten to death on the spot, but died three days after being taken home. Two families were competing to buy a maid, and Xue Pan allowed the slave to beat her and cause her death by negligence. The original crime did not lead to death.
Kuang Xuepan was an only son and was still young, so his feelings were pitiful. The laws of the Chen and Han Dynasties even included the law of "keeping him for support and offering sacrifices".
In short, Xue Pan will not be sentenced to death, but will most likely be sentenced to exile. If he is lucky, he will be released after a general amnesty.
Jia Heng stared at Jia Yucun with aggressive eyes and asked, "Does Jia Fuyin recognize Zhen Shiyin?"
As soon as these words came out, Jia Zheng couldn't help but be stunned and thought to himself, who is this Zhen Shiyin?
Could it be that he is from the Jiangnan Zhen family?
However, Jia Yucun's expression suddenly changed, his heart skipped a beat, and he asked, "Does General Yunhui recognize Mr. Zhen?"
Jia Heng said coldly: "Back then, Jia Fuyin settled in the Calabash Temple before taking the scientific examination. During this time, he went to Beijing to take the examination without any financial problems. This old Mr. Zhen Shiyin will give you money to go to Beijing."
"Then, I didn't expect that the Zhen family was abducted during the Lantern Festival because of their daughter Yinglian, the Hulu Temple was bombed, and suffered the disaster of Zhurong. Fast forward eight or nine years, and you were waiting for you to be promoted to an official position. Just a few months ago, in Jinling, When I was in the government, I received a case."
"But a kidnapper invited a girl to be sold to two families. As a result, the two families fought over a maidservant, and a fight broke out, resulting in a life-threatening lawsuit. As the governor of Jinling, you should have dealt with justice and dealt with the daughter of your benefactor. Yinglian should come to the rescue to repay the kindness of that day! However, you have no heart to express gratitude, and you still misjudge an unjust case and pervert the law for personal gain! Jia Fu Yin, the ancients said that the kindness of a drop of water should be repaid by a spring. You Is this how you treat Mr. Zhen Shiyin, who has been so kind to you?"
The clear voice spoke one word at a time, with a ringing sound, telling what happened as if it were witnessed with one's own eyes. It fell in the hall, and there was silence for a long time. You could hear a pin drop.
At this moment, Jia Yucun was exposed to the scandal by the young man opposite him. He was frightened, his face turned pale, and he could not argue a word.
How did this young man know these secrets?
There was only one thought in my mind, "It's over."
I wanted to open my mouth to defend, but I heard a cold snort in my ear, and my heart suddenly stopped.
Jia Heng said in a deep voice: "I am the Commander-in-Chief of Jinyi, wielding the Emperor's Sword. Does Jia Fuyin still want to quibble and deny?"
Jia Yucun's body trembled, as if a bucket of cold water had been poured down on him, and he was so shocked that he could not speak.
Jia Zheng's face changed slightly, he looked at Jia Yucun and said urgently: "Yucun, is what Ziyu said true?"
Although there are some speculations in my mind, why is this case similar to Pan'er's case?
Jia Yucun looked ugly and was speechless for a long time. After a while, he suddenly looked at Jia Zheng with a bitter look on his face and said: "Mr. Zheng, students also have difficulties. The daughter of Yinglian is already Zhenggong's nephew Xue Pan bought it, and because he allowed his slaves to beat Feng Yuan to death, the lower officials are in a dilemma, so they can only deal with it like this, otherwise how can they be punished?"
He made up his mind that as long as he got involved with the Jia family and the Xue family, he would be tied to the Jia family, and the Jia family would need to protect him!
"Pan'er? This" Jia Zheng opened his mouth, his face looked ugly, and he was speechless for a moment.
Jia Heng's face was slightly cold, and he shouted: "Did you do this on your own, or was there someone behind you who instigated it? Until now, if you still don't tell the truth, I will report this case to the top to punish you for your favoritism. Violation of the law!"
When Jia Yucun suddenly heard this, he was a little confused for a moment, and defended: "Yunhui, I also have my own difficulties. I wrote a letter to Wang Jieshuai at that time, and Wang Jieshuai approved it."
Jia Heng frowned and said, "Wang Jieshuai? Do you have any letters?"
Jia Yucun's face changed slightly, and he hesitated: "This letter was placed in my old residence in Jinling by my subordinate. It is not with me."
He didn't believe it. The Jia family didn't even care about the Xue and Wang families and insisted on reporting it to the Holy One.
Jia Heng's face paused, and he said in a deep voice: "Jia Fuyin, I want to go to the palace to meet the Holy Emperor to explain the matter. If the Holy Lord sends someone to inquire, you must tell the truth and you are not allowed to conceal the truth. Do you understand?"
If the case is not settled proactively, it may fall into the hands of political opponents such as King Zhongshun, and it will definitely be used as a means to criticize him.
Although he has nothing to do with this matter, many things often affect the whole body. As he becomes more powerful and famous, and there are more and more political enemies, King Zhongshun will definitely deliberately target him. lead.
At that time, would people who didn't know the truth think that he was interfering with the judiciary?
They would not use their brains to think that when Xue Pan committed the crime, he was just a third-class Yunhui general, and he was not related to Xue Pan.
In addition, the official administration will be refreshed next year
As for whether this matter caused Aunt Xue's resentment, I can only say that it depends on what Aunt Xue thinks.
In fact, Aunt Xue should be grateful to him, because he helped the Xue family to clear the air in advance.
When Jia Yucun heard that Jia Heng was still playing to the Holy One, he froze on the spot and said in horror: "Yunhui is going to play to the Holy One?"
Jia Zheng was surprised and said: "Ziyu, this Pan'er"
Jia Heng said in a deep voice: "Second Master, it's okay if I don't know about this matter. Now that I know it, there is no reason to hide it. I must report it to the Holy One for judgment."
When Jia Zheng heard this, he sighed.
Jia Yucun's hands and feet were cold and his heart was filled with fear.
If he reported this to the emperor, he would probably be dismissed from office. If he wants to be reinstated next time, he doesn't know when.
If he had known better, he would not have visited Jia's house, and Jia Heng, this would have ruined his career!
Jia Heng said in a deep voice: "Jia Fuyin, please go back first and wait for the court's decision."
Jia Yucun was so devastated that he had to stand up and leave to find a solution.
After Jia Yucun left, Jia Zheng sighed and said, "Ziyu, why are you doing this?"
Jia Heng frowned and said: "Second Master, the arrow is on the string and has to be fired. Once the enemies of my Jia family, such as King Zhongshun, learn about this matter, they will incite public opinion among scholars, build up momentum, and take the opportunity to attack. At that time, the spearhead will be directed at my Jia family, only I am afraid that the case will become more difficult, and even if it is a misdemeanor, it will be punished more seriously. Fortunately, in Wenlong's case, it is not a matter of death. It is better to eliminate this disaster as soon as possible. Since the New Year is approaching, the Holy Spirit may not impose heavy punishment. "
In particular, since he had just withdrawn from the relationship with the King of Chu yesterday, obtained the Sacred Heart, and entered the palace to hide from each other, it was unlikely that Emperor Chongping would be angry and execute him.
After all, this is a society ruled by men. The emperor speaks of the constitution of heaven, takes people's lives when he is angry, and pardons their sins when he is happy.
Jia Zheng was speechless for a while. After a while, he showed struggle on his face and said, "Zi Yu, I will go with you. When Yucun wrote about this matter, I knew his feelings but did not do anything. I am also responsible for covering up. If the Holy Spirit blames you, Get up, I just want to do my best to deal with it and not involve the clan."
When Jia Heng heard this, he couldn't help but be stunned.
What Jia Zheng said was somewhat beyond his expectation, but after thinking about it, he realized that this was indeed a wise move. Otherwise, in the eyes of the emperor, how would he feel about Jia Zheng, who had protected him before?
Moreover, Jia Zheng's move was also to help him share the resentment from Aunt Xue, although he didn't care much.
Daming Palace, inner study room
Emperor Chongping was sitting behind the mahogany imperial desk, looking down at the memorial. The sunlight in the winter morning passed through the window and shone on the emperor, who looked like a strong and resolute thin pine.
Emperor Chongping asked casually: "What did King Chu say?"
Dai Quan bowed and carefully reported back: "Your Majesty has received the four books and handed them to Your Majesty from the servants. This month, he will stay at home and study behind closed doors in order to hand over his thoughts as soon as possible."
Emperor Chongping snorted coldly and said, "Have I told him not to leave the house? In a few days there will be a New Year's Eve palace banquet, where all the vassals will gather to talk about their family relationships."
Compared with King Qi's refusal to admit his mistake, King Chu's attitude of admitting his mistake was acceptable, but his actions were even more audacious.
Dai Quan couldn't help but crouching deeper and deeper, and asked tentatively: "Then this slave will order someone to deliver the Holy Sage's oral instructions to the Prince of Chu's Mansion again?"
Emperor Chongping waved his hand and said: "That's all, that's all. Since he likes reading, let him read it and wait until the palace banquet on New Year's Eve to pass on the oral instructions."
After saying that, he ignored the matter and continued to read the memorial.
Dai Quan responded, lowered his hands and came to serve behind the imperial case.
Emperor Chongping was concentrating on reviewing the memorial. At this moment, an internal eunuch hurriedly came from outside and said: "Your Majesty, General Yunhui handed a sign to the palace to ask for an audience. There is also Wailang Jia Zheng, a member of the Ministry of Industry, also asking to see your Majesty."
When Emperor Chongping heard this, he raised his eyes and said in surprise: "Ziyu, what is he doing in the palace? And Jia Zheng?"
The first thing he thought of was the King of Chu's request to marry Jia Zheng's daughter yesterday.
Are you here to apologize?
This is not impossible. After all, rejecting the Tian family's prince's marriage would inevitably bring down the Tian family's face. Xu Shi was frightened and came over to explain.
Thinking of this, Emperor Chongping forgot that he should give him something to comfort him yesterday.
"Invite them two to come in."
Emperor Chongping gave an order, and immediately the eunuchs went out to summon Jia Heng and Jia Zheng to the palace for an audience.
