The people in the Fengtian Palace were furious, and they all pointed at Gu Tinglan, the former Imperial Academy's sacrificial wine.
Baili Longteng looked at Gu Tinglan: "Gu Qing, what do you have to say?"
Gu Tinglan lowered his hands and sighed: "I don't know the person, please forgive me."
As soon as he finished speaking, Yaxiang Zuo Fengyuan hurriedly stood up and said: "Your Majesty, how can Gu Shangshu recognize all of the thousands of students in the Imperial College? As the saying goes, you know the person, the face, but not the heart. Gu Shangshu was just deceived by that villain. Please ask your Majesty for your clear understanding. .”
Zhou Qing chuckled when he heard this: "What Mr. Zuo Ge said is not true. Gu Tinglan is the greatest Confucian in our Daqian Dynasty. He has a photographic memory and is quite familiar with the identity, place of origin, and even family affairs of the Imperial Academy students." I understand, how can Mr. Zuo Ge excuse Gu Tinglan like this?"
Zuo Fengyuan added: "Gu Shangshu just made an oversight. What's more, Li Xiao took the position of his brother. The fault lies with Li Xiao, not Gu Shangshu."
Zuo Fengyuan knew Zhou Qing's purpose in dealing with Gu Tinglan, so he stood up to argue for Gu Tinglan.
Ye Ling, who was sitting aside, didn't quite understand the whole story. Zhu Wanquan only told him the case itself, but neither he nor the courtiers knew the actual matter.
…………
On that day, after Zhu Wanquan took over the case, he first imprisoned Li Sheng and Ruilian. Thinking that Sai Da Chong was old, he released her, but she was beaten by his second son Li Xiao again. Quickly going crazy.
Zhu Wanquan didn't take the case seriously at first, but a few days later, a chief of the Criminal Department came to Taiyue Mansion, reviewed the case, and warned Zhu Wanquan: "This case does not need to be tried, let alone sentenced. Just lock them up like this, and if anything goes wrong, you will definitely be blamed!"
As an official and as a person, Zhu Wanquan was always polite and did not offend anyone. After hearing this, he naturally agreed and no longer cared about this matter.
As for why Li Xiao replaced his brother and entered the Imperial Academy, it was all because of Gu Shuci.
Because his father, Gu Tinglan, served as a liberator in the Imperial Academy, Gu Shuci was considered a leader in the Imperial Academy, and he usually handled some matters on his father's behalf.
On that day, a supervisor, Zhou Yuanxiong, came to Gu Shuci with Li Xiao and said that his brother Li Sheng had to return home to take care of family affairs, so he wanted to give up this position to his younger brother Li Xiao.
This matter was originally out of order, but Gu Shuci had just been sulking a few days ago because his father forbade him from serving as an official, and he had made friends with Zhou Yuanxiong, so he agreed and pulled off this trick.
Gu Tinglan was busy helping Li Taiyue revise the new law at the time, so he didn't care about the Imperial Academy, let alone doubt his son. This allowed Li Xiao to succeed, and because of this, the scene at today's court meeting happened. .
Right Prime Minister Jia Chengdao, Ya Prime Minister Zuo Fengyuan, Assistant Prime Minister He Lanyi, and Sixth Prince Baili Hanran all turned their attention to Liang Jingyi. They all knew that Grand Master Liang had done this, and they all understood why he did this.
But except for Ya Xiang Zuo Fengyuan who said a few words in isolation, everyone else stood aside and ignored him.
Gu Tinglan knew that he had fallen into the conspiracy, but it was too late. He looked at Li Taiyue silently, hoping that he would not implicate his friends.
"Your Majesty!" The old censor with all white beard and hair said: "Gu Shangshu was so careless. If he were to serve as a civil servant, he might have made mistakes in the appointment, dismissal, promotion and scheduling of officials. We need to investigate carefully!"
As soon as these words came out, some people finally understood their intention to attack Gu Tinglan. Everyone in the civil and military circles of the dynasty knew that Gu Tinglan was transferred to the position of Minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs because Baili Longteng wanted to use him to help Li Taiyue implement the reform.
In the past few months, the civil servants have issued countless documents regarding the promotion and scheduling of officials. The most important of them is to re-appoint the reformists and remove the conservative officials who oppose the new law.
If Gu Tinglan really engaged in malpractice for personal gain, then the appointment and dismissal of officials in the past few months would probably be overturned.
Zuo Fengyuan quickly said: "Your Majesty, these two things have nothing to do with each other. They shouldn't go to the same place."
"Why doesn't it matter?" Chen Canghai said with a smile: "Gu Tinglan himself is not clean, and the officials he appoints and removes must also be dirty!"
"you……"
Gu Tinglan was so angry that she was shaking all over, but there was nothing she could do.
At this time, Baili Longteng suddenly said: "I am a little tired, this matter..."
"Your Majesty!"
Liang Jingyi, who had always been with the old god, suddenly opened his eyes, stood up and said: "As for Gu Shangshu, I have sent people to investigate. Just ask the Minister of Civil Affairs and you will know."
When Baili Longteng heard this, he said with a smile: "Mr. Liang Ge is not in good health, but he still cares about the affairs of the court. I am very relieved!"
"As the chief minister of the cabinet, I naturally don't dare to take it lightly." After speaking, Liang Jing turned around and greeted: "Shilang Zhou, come and talk to the Lord!"
From the ranks of civil servants, a young man with a light green beard came out. This man's name was Zhou Ding. He was the son of Zhou Qing, the left prime minister, and the current minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs.
Zhou Dingyan said: "Reporting to your Majesty, I was ordered by Mr. Liang Ge to investigate the list of official promotions and transfers in recent months. I found that Li Xiao, the Imperial College student who was just mentioned by Master Zhu, was also on the list. He was transferred to Hongzhou. A county magistrate, this is a document, please see it before your Majesty!"
The ministers were in an uproar. If it was just a mistake to appoint Li Xiao to the Imperial College before, but now to grant him an official position, it would be malpractice for personal gain.
Xiliang King Chen Canghai and Dongxing King Su Xunwen looked at each other and smiled, then looked at Li Taiyue who kept his head down and remained silent.
Ye Ling didn't know why, so he looked at Xu Zheng, only to see that Xu Zheng had closed his eyes and was concentrating, but he didn't even look at it.
Under the attention of all ministers, Wang Jin presented a memorial to Baili Longteng. Baili Longteng didn't even look. He waved his hand to signal Wang Jin to step aside. He looked at Gu Tinglan and said, "Gu Qing, do you have anything to say?"
Gu Tinglan was naturally speechless, because he didn't know about this matter at all.
The whole incident happened to his son Gu Shuci again. The matter of Li Xiao being admitted to the Imperial Academy not only received no thanks from Zhou Yuanxiong, but instead became a lever in his hands.
Zhou Yuanxiong used this to threaten Gu Shuci and obtain various conveniences in the Imperial College.
Gu Shuci thought that this matter was not a long-term solution, but he did not expect that for some reason, the sixth prince Baili Hanran found out about it.
Baili Hanran said to him: "This matter is easy. Your father is currently in the Ministry of Civil Affairs. Recently, officials have been promoted and transferred frequently. You can take the opportunity to release Li Xiao to serve as an official. In this way, Li Xiao's matter will be settled. It is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Personnel, and as soon as Zhou Yuanxiong comes to supervise the students, there is nothing he can do."
Gu Shuci was worthy of being blocked by his father and not allowed to enter the officialdom. He really didn't know the dangers of government affairs and actually listened to Baili Hanran's words.
It is a coincidence that among the officials promoted by Li Taiyue to be reformed, there was a person with the same name and surname as Li Xiao. Taking advantage of the convenience of being around Gu Tinglan and Li Taiyue, Gu Shuci carried out this trick so that Li Xiao from the Imperial College could get the official position.
It's a pity that before Li Xiao received the document, it was already detained by Zhou Ding and used as evidence to impeach Gu Tinglan today.
Everyone's eyes were fixed on Gu Tinglan. Gu Tinglan lowered his head and said: "The guilty minister... I don't know!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the Northern King Yunzhonglu suddenly said: "I heard that these officials were promoted in order to implement the reform. Since Mr. Gu doesn't know, I guess Mr. Li Taiyue and Li should know!"
At this point, everyone here understands that starting from Zhu Wanquan's departure, the final target of this step is none other than Li Taiyue, the Minister of Punishment. And Gu Tinglan was just their breakthrough and victim in order to bring down Li Taiyue.
Li Taiyue stood up, stood beside Gu Tinglan, and said, "I don't know about this. I think there must be something fishy in this, and I would like to ask the Holy Spirit to give me a clear judgment!"
"Your Majesty!" Zuo Fengyuan said quickly: "This case is of great importance. Li Xiao and all the people involved should be arrested immediately and interrogated clearly!"
Baili Longteng nodded and said to Zhao Yu: "Go and arrest Li Xiao and everyone involved in this case immediately. I will wait here!"
"yes!"
Zhao Yu immediately set off and left the hall.
Xiliang King Chen Canghai sat down again, waiting to see what would happen next.
But he didn't expect Zhao Yu to come back soon and said in front of all the ministers: "Your Majesty, Li Xiao has committed suicide by taking poison in the prison cell. Also dead with him is Zhou Yuanxiong, a student of the Imperial College. The slave has already killed Gu Shu, a student of the Imperial College." I have brought my resignation and asked Your Majesty to apologize!"
As he spoke, Gu Shuci, who was tied up with five flowers, walked into the main hall and saw his father and Li Taiyue. He avoided looking at each other and did not dare to look at each other.
Gu Shuci looked at the sixth prince Baili Hanran, but Baili Hanran had a smile on his lips, but there was no mercy in his eyes.
Yaxiang Zuo Fengyuan ran out in a few steps, kicked Gu Shuci to the ground, pointed at him and said: "You are an unfaithful and unfilial person, did you deceive your father and send Li Xiao to the Imperial Academy? Did you also hide Li Xiao’s name from your father and put it on the list of officials? If you want to survive, you must tell all these things honestly!"
Zhou Qing's expression changed when he heard this, but seeing that Liang Jingyi didn't care, he didn't have an attack.
Gu Shuci was stunned for a while, and then he hurriedly confessed: "Yes, I did all these things. It has nothing to do with my father and Mr. Li. Please punish me for my sins!"
Zuo Fengyuan continued: "Your Majesty, this is a crime committed by Gu Shuci. It has nothing to do with Li Shangshu and Gu Shangshu. Please give me your clear judgment!"
Zuo Fengyuan didn't know that this was what Gu Shuci had really done, but in order to protect Li Taiyue and Gu Tinglan, he had no choice but to take this step.
Unexpectedly, Baili Qingfeng, who had been silent all this time, suddenly laughed and said slowly: "It's really easy for Mr. Zuo Ge to judge the case. He can find out the truth in just a few words. But this is just his one-sided words. How can you believe the words of such people?"
Chen Canghai said: "Your Majesty, in my opinion it is better to take this person down and interrogate him strictly!"
Zhou Qing also cupped his hands and said: "This is the imperial system, I second my opinion!"
"I second the proposal!"
Baili Longteng took a deep breath, and then Wang Jin ordered Gu Shuci to be taken away.
Before leaving, Gu Shuci finally glanced at Gu Tinglan, his face full of guilt and regret. But Gu Tinglan just smiled lovingly and shook her head at him, without any blame on her face.
In the main hall, as Gu Shuci left, silence returned. Just when the King of Xiliang was feeling proud, three people suddenly walked in from outside the hall and said, "Your Majesty, I have something to report!"
