"stop."
I don't know how long it took before Cui Yi said these words. The jailers suddenly stopped holding sticks in their hands and stood upright.
"I...I am willing to testify for you," Lan Yuan's face was half-blooded, and he could not lift his eyelids as he said angrily, "I hope the master can spare my life..."
"What if it's perjury?" Cui Yi wiped the dust on his cheeks and asked.
"Well, you can hear whatever you want."
Cui Yi was overjoyed and ordered someone to help Lan Yuan sit up, gave him paper and pen, and said in a low voice: "I won't embarrass Lan Shidu. You only need to explain one or two sentences, saying that you are in Henan and Huguang." Is it okay for the province to maintain private soldiers who use the officers and soldiers as their eyes and ears to monitor the state affairs? If you agree, Cui can be more generous in the future and pin these charges on Cun Zhao."
At this time, Lan Yuan still dared to put on his original airs. He just nodded and followed his request. He finished writing the confession, signed it, and handed it over.
Cui Yi saw that although his handwriting was trembling, he could still read it and his meaning was very clear, so he comforted him with kind words and allowed him to go down without wearing the shackles.
Everyone wanted to take the opportunity to rest for a while, but Cui Yi didn't seem to be ready to leave. Instead, he asked them to make one more trip to bring Cun Zhao for retrial. Everyone was very confused and had no choice but to bring Cun Zhao to him again.
However, Cui Yi changed his strategy this time and actually showed Lan Yuan's confession to him, instigating him with words: "Although you treated him like a friend and tried your best to protect him, that guy didn't care at all and falsely accused you of raising livestock for selfish purposes." Soldier, I will betray you; why should such a heartless and unjust person accept the humiliation!" He was instigated to retaliate with tooth, saying that this incident was done by Lan Yuan alone.
Cun Zhao knew very well that Lan Yuan had always been ruthless and seemed to be someone who could do such a thing. When Cui Yi said this again, he couldn't help but not believe it. Cunzhao personally witnessed Tai Su's tragic death, and his desire to survive became even stronger, so he hurriedly wrote a "false accusation" confession, pushing the blame to Lan Yuan.
Without any effort, Cui Eul got the confessions of the two people. He felt that he had done a good job and was eager to take credit, so he ignored the minister Minghui Guang and ordered someone to send the case file to the Ministry of War.
Gu Zheng, the supervisor, walked out of the prison with the case file in hand. He took a quick look and saw Ming Huiguang sitting and playing chess in the east wing. He thought: 'If I walk in front of Mr. Ming, I will be questioned by him. Once it is learned that Chief Cui has overstepped his duties and surrendered, won't it trigger civil strife? Why not sneak out...'
After thinking about it, he tiptoed to the base of the wall and saw Minghui Guang staring at the chessboard. He bent down and hurried away, hiding under the window. He felt relieved after thinking that he was already a few steps away.
"stop!"
Before Gu Zheng could breathe a sigh of relief, he was suddenly so frightened that he straightened his back and sweat broke out on his neck.
"What are you holding in your hand?" Hearing the door move, Ming Huiguang walked out, his footsteps gradually approaching, "Let me take a look."
"Yes..." Gu Zheng turned around and swallowed two mouthfuls of saliva in a panic, making his throat sound loudly. "It's... we just tried the case file of the second criminal."
Ming Huiguang's eyebrows knitted together, and his eyes were particularly fierce: "Why don't you give it to me to read?"
Gu Zheng's eyes were evasive and he answered hesitantly: "This is Master Cui asking me to give it to Lord Ye..."
"Nonsense!" Minghui Guang's sleeves were almost thrown into his face, "No matter who it is to be presented to, I am the official of this yamen, and I am the only one who has the power to make decisions! If I am not around at ordinary times, that's fine. "I'm waiting here well, why don't you repay me!"
"Master Gu, Cui Yi is on the same level as you, and you don't feel useless even if you are being bossed around by him like this? All the laws and regulations have been completely ruined by Cui Yi!"
"The official is wrong. The official deserves death..." Gu Zheng lowered his head and gritted his teeth.
Ming Huiguang shouted angrily: "Since you know you are wrong, please quickly call the officials of the Criminal Department to the main hall to listen to me reviewing the case files and issuing orders!"
Gu Zheng did not dare to disobey, so he quickly went to each room to summon officials and gathered in the hall. After a while, they were all there, but Cui Yi was the only one missing. Minghui sat high on the chair with a solemn face. He immediately took the case file, asked Cui Yi what he had asked again, approved a few lines of text, and then sent another person to report to the Ministry of War.
But Cui Yi still had confidants in the ministry. After the meeting was over, he hurriedly brought the news to Cui Yi. Cui Yi was extremely angry and cursed: "This power of control was granted to me by Mr. Ye. I am not the one who can control it myself. How can he, Ming Huiguang, take it away at his word! He wants to use this to establish his authority and act arbitrarily. It is simply unreasonable!" You quickly choose a fast horse to chase back the people sent by Minghui Guang, and I will assign them separately!"
The confidants obeyed the order and rushed out of the Yamen on horseback. They caught up with the man halfway and scolded him to return the files one by one. The man was at a loss, and was snatched away by Cui Yi's henchmen, and he swaggered back to the Criminal Department.
When Ming Hui saw this scene, he was so angry that he had stomach trouble again. He retched several times, but he still endured the pain and took people to find Cui Yi to ask for an explanation. The yard suddenly became noisy.
"Cui Hexun!" Ming Huiguang walked into Cui Yi's squad room, pointed at him and shouted, "Forcibly intercept the people sent by the superior. What do you mean? Do you want to quarrel with me!"
"Master Cui! You'd better give me an explanation!" Many officials followed behind to build momentum.
Cui Yi glanced coldly and saw that they were approaching fiercely, but he was not timid at all. He walked over and said, "I don't know who picked the matter first. Mr. Ye wrote the document in his own handwriting and gave me the power to handle the matter. Are you the chief? Who is Mr. Ye?"
After saying that, he took out a piece of paper from the cabinet and slapped it on the table: "The writing is clearly written in black and white! It seems you have all read it!"
"Master Ye just ordered you to assist in official affairs, but he didn't ask you to act recklessly and disobey the superior's orders!" Minghui Guang also slapped the table, "If you don't believe it, you can ask him now! Could it be that Master Ye wants a little The chief is riding on the neck of the servant?"
"Yeah, it doesn't make sense!"
Everyone became more and more excited. They rushed forward and rolled up their sleeves, as if they were going to attack Cui Yi.
"Everyone should calm down," Cui Yi reminded loudly, "Maybe this matter of power is really unclear, and his minister Ming still has words to quibble... But this time, you must not forget about this big case, Ye Your Excellency didn’t say a word to Your Majesty the Minister, he only asked me to assist him in handling the case!”
Ming Huiguang was shocked, his expression suddenly stunned, and his eyes widened.
When Cui Yi heard that they were all quiet, he coughed solemnly, and then said: "In other words, Ming Huiguang has no right to interfere with any case file I am trying!"
Everyone looked at each other and took two steps back in unison.
