The Shanghai Tribunal is not far from the Shanghai Municipal Government.
However, there is still a certain distance from the emperor's palace in the north of the Huangpu River.
Riding a horse-drawn carriage on the busy streets of Shanghai is not a fast journey.
Now Shanghai has also begun to list horse-drawn carriages.
After all, with the increase in population, traffic problems have also become a difficulty for Shanghai municipal government.
For the Shanghai government, there is nothing simpler and more crude than restricting the issuance of horse-drawn carriage photos.
Arriving in a horse-drawn carriage.
Zhu Daohua, Luo Fangbo, Zhao Si and others got out of the car, and then entered the court surrounded by Shanghai magistrate and Jiangsu governor Dai Quheng and others.
The court is a hall.
The top podium is where the referee and his assistants sit. On the left is the defendant's seat and on the right is the plaintiff's seat.
At this time, people were already sitting on the seats.
Behind the defendant's dock and the plaintiff's department were a row of Shanghai patrol officers.
The patrolmen were dressed in black, wearing triangular hats, and had knives and pistols hanging on their bodies.
Looks very energetic.
This means that Shanghai's finances are relatively good, so it can equip patrol officers with pistols.
The patrol officers in most places don't even have a few knives, not to mention pistols. Most of them just carry the whistle sticks they used during the Qing Dynasty and forget about it.
Behind these two patrol platoons.
It's the auditorium.
There are probably more than 300 seats in the auditorium.
But not many people came.
Those sitting on the left were holding pens and notes. Some were wearing Confucian robes and some were wearing Taoist robes. They seemed to be reporters from some newspapers.
When Emperor Zhu came in, he heard the reporters talking.
"Huang Simazi is in trouble now."
"Isn't that right? The one who arrested the person was the Jiangsu Patrol Department, and the one who tried was the presiding judge sent by the higher authorities, but he didn't use the one from Shanghai. It's clear that this case must be completed!"
"I heard that Huang Simazi had a lot of connections, but they didn't even dare to accept his money. It seems that this case is settled."
"You deserve it. The Cao Gang bullies the market and deserves to be punished."
"You deserve it. Don't the Hongmen gang who are against them do the same? This is dog eating dog."
"What a mouthful, Huang Simazi just doesn't know how high the sky is. Look at how many Cao Gang bosses have chosen to join the Hong Gang over the years. It's good for him. He even does business at La La Ba Wharf. There are people in the Hong Gang. It's so easy to punish him, a small gangster from the Cao Gang!"
"Yes, who doesn't know how powerful the Hong Gang is now? The red, green and white lotus are far away in the Western Regions. Behind the red is the Emperor of Heaven. The green gang deserves to be bullied."
"What? They usually bully others. Now they are being bullied. It's just right."
A group of reporters were talking about it.
Hearing this, Emperor Zhu, who was sitting on one side of the auditorium, frowned slightly as he walked in.
He turned to look the other way.
Sitting on the other side were some bystanders.
Judging from the clothing, most of them are from the Caogang. Wearing forged sweatshirts, they look like working people.
A middle-aged man wearing a long gown gathered among a group of working people. The middle-aged man's face was a little gloomy. It looked like the victim, Huang Sizhi, was the victim.
The hall that can accommodate more than 300 people is now filled with these two groups of people, and it seems very empty.
Because the trial hasn't started yet.
Everyone was whispering to each other.
Emperor Zhu and his party entered and attracted everyone's attention.
Huang Si originally looked worried, but his apprentices were all comforting him, saying that Lawyer Wu was capable and could definitely help the young master escape the crime.
In fact, it is impossible to escape guilt completely.
But Huang Si also knew Wu Wanghai’s defense strategy.
It means confessing small sins and denying major sins.
Crimes such as drug abuse and possession of drugs can be recognized.
Based on the amount of opium found in Master Huang's residence, the maximum sentence would be one or two years.
According to the legal provisions of the Ming Dynasty.
Imprisonment in non-criminal cases up to three years may be replaced by a fine.
Although the fine was hefty, it was nothing to Huang Simazi.
As long as he can fish out his only son, everything will be easy.
As for the crime of drug trafficking, that is absolutely unacceptable.
This crime is at least an exile.
And there is no way to get away with it.
Therefore, the two crimes of drug abuse and possession of drugs can be admitted.
Although he will have a criminal record, he will not even think about becoming an official or running for parliament in the future.
But such a punishment is nothing to Young Master Huang. As long as he is not exiled and can continue to live in Shanghai, everything will be fine.
Just such a pile of mud.
He is still an official and a member of parliament.
It would be nice to not be a loser.
At this moment, a large group of people walked in from the main entrance of the tribunal.
Huang Si turned around and saw a tall man in his thirties who was wearing a military uniform but without any epaulettes on his shoulders.
This kind of dress is still quite common in the Ming Dynasty today, and many military officers after retirement are dressed like this.
But what surprised Huang Si.
Song Xiang, the magistrate of Shanghai, is also among them, and it seems that his status among this group of people is not too high. He ranks behind several people.
In front of him was even Dai Quheng, the governor of Jiangsu.
Huang Si often interacted with Song Xiangda.
In fact, the relationship between Caobang and Shanghai Municipal Government is not that bad.
What they can't deal with are distinguished officers with Hongmen background.
Song Xiang was a scholar-bureaucrat, an official with a Confucian background. To him, Caobang and Hongmen were the same.
The only difference is.
There was someone in charge of Hongmen, and Song Xiang did not dare to offend him easily.
The Cao Gang is a local snake here in Shanghai, and the relationships between all parties are intricate. Dragons and snakes are mixed, and Song Xiang will not easily go against the Cao Gang.
If you offend Hongmen, it is easy to involve the big shots from above.
If you offend the Caobang, it may be unsafe to work in various places in Shanghai.
So on weekdays, Song Xiang was always polite to both Hongmen and Caogang bosses.
These two groups of people usually receive generous gifts from the Shanghai magistrate during festivals.
This collusion went very smoothly.
But this time the arrest of Huang Simazi had nothing to do with him.
Catchers were sent directly by the Jiangsu Provincial Public Security Department to arrest people, and the trial was conducted by magistrates directly sent by the Zhongdu Magistrate's Office. The judiciary of the Ming Dynasty was independent, and he, the Shanghai magistrate, could not interfere.
Huang Si looked at the leader of the group.
"Who is this? He is so powerful that even the magistrates of Shanghai act like slaves. Is he a prince?"
Huang Si thought to himself.
"Master, do you want to say hello to Master Song?" a disciple reminded.
"No need." Huang Si shook his head, "Master Song is here in casual clothes, and there is a noble person around him. It's not convenient for him to talk to me. I don't know who that noble person is."
What about the Shanghai Tribunal?
With a scream sounded.
The chatter subsided.
The magistrate began to conduct the trial according to the procedure.
First, the defendant appears.
The defendant was a thin, pale, and frightened young man.
Emperor Zhu also looked at the defendant.
He had already learned everything about the defendant Huang Mu through Jin Yiwei Shanghai Wei.
This man's name is Huang Mu, and he is the only son of Huang Si, the leader of the Cao Gang.
He is a veritable black second generation.
But Huang Si didn't expect this kid to inherit his underworld career. Instead, he sent him to school. However, before he even finished elementary school, he learned a lot of bad habits from some underworld elements.
Forget about eating, drinking, whoring, and gambling.
Also contaminated with opium.
But this guy just smoked opium, and he didn't dare to be so bold as selling opium - this guy was framed.
Needless to say,.
There must be some of Emperor Zhu's old brothers behind this kid's frame.
However, Emperor Zhu didn't need Jin Yiwei's investigation to know that this boy was definitely not a drug dealer.
If Huang Simazi, a gangster, puts drug trafficking in charge of this kid.
Even if he gets kicked in the head by a donkey.
The magistrate of the court also saw Song Xiang, and he also saw Dai Quheng. He even saw Luo Fangbo, Duke of Lan. When Luo Fangbo was training some grassroots officials, he also met the first prime minister of the Ming Dynasty.
There is only one man in his thirties who can make the first prime minister of the Ming Dynasty, Duke Luo Fangbo of Lan State, so respectful.
That is Zhu Daohua, the great emperor of tomorrow! !
Did the emperor also come to see this trial?
Is there anything special about this case?
No!
There's certainly nothing special about the case.
The emperor must have just come to take a look,
And before coming to see it, he would definitely know about the case. Jin Yiwei is not just for a living.
Originally, the superiors had said hello that the boy must be exiled to Siberia.
but now.
The magistrate hesitated.
The emperor is watching!
If he dares to make arbitrary penalties.
Maybe the future is gone.
Come on.
It's better to enforce the law impartially. The evidence of that kid's drug trafficking is not sufficient at all, only his confession.
As long as he retracts his confession in court, no one can do anything to him.
For this chief referee, he knew very well which one was more important, the reputation of the boss behind the Hong Gang, or establishing an image of a impartial and impartial judge in front of Emperor Zhu.
Although the Ming Dynasty is now a semi-capitalist society.
But the king above his head still followed his words.
So, for any bureaucrat.
"Meditating on the Holy Will" can be said to be a basic skill that can be learned by oneself without a teacher.
What Huang Si didn't know was.
Unintentionally.
Emperor Zhu has really become his nobleman.
Of course, he himself didn't know this.
However, it was different from what the referee thought.
Emperor Zhu does not care about the truth of this case.
What he is concerned about is the position of the judges of the Shanghai Tribunal.
This court is similar to the Western judicial system.
Where do they stand?
Are you standing to protect the interests of the Ming Empire, or are you rigidly violating the law?
In court.
War of words.
That Wu Wanghai is indeed an eloquent lawyer.
Such people will be able to get along no matter now or in the future.
In fact, Emperor Zhu didn't care about the process of the court's decision.
While standing up to everyone's arguments and engaging in a modern legal defense.
What Emperor Zhu was thinking about was the advantages and disadvantages of the imperial judicial system.
as well as
The remedy!
The current problem is before Emperor Zhu.
A difficult multiple choice question.
The first is to choose a more independent and fair legal system.
Or establish a legal system that is less independent and less impartial, but can strike hard at the enemies of the Ming Empire.
A relatively independent and impartial legal system may be necessary to build a strong capitalist country.
Because such a system can protect private property and personal safety from infringement to the greatest extent.
This is also a necessary condition for the development and growth of a country's bourgeoisie.
Otherwise, if it were the same as before the Qing Dynasty and the Ming Dynasty, a small county magistrate could destroy a big businessman with a fortune of hundreds of thousands.
Does capital still dare to circulate in the market openly?
But at the same time.
A legal system that is too independent.
And he was too weak when dealing with the internal enemies of the Ming Empire.
The law should serve the emperor and the interests of the country.
This is something that every judge and even lawyers must know. Of course, this legal system must be independent and fair on the surface, and it must be a legal system that can protect everyone on the surface.
Otherwise, the capital guarantee will be scared away, and who will dare to invest.
Emperor Zhu is now in the dilemma of "having both and wanting".
To use an analogy.
in history.
The rebels in Tsarist Russia, including the great Taoist master and the female father, were all arrested by the Tsarist law enforcement agencies.
If the tsar's law enforcement agencies knew that they could not pay attention to procedural justice against these enemies who threatened the tsarist empire, they could just lay some charges on these people without paying attention to evidence and kill them all.
Can this ensure that Tsarist Russia’s power will last forever?
seem
Neither can.
The fundamental reason for the collapse of Tsarist Russia was not that the Russian bureaucracy was not loyal enough.
question.
It's multifaceted.
The biggest problem was that the living standards of serfs and workers in Tsarist Russia were too poor.
Always on the verge of an existential threat.
This gave the revolution its suddenness.
No matter how hard the Tsar's eagle dog works.
I'm afraid I can't protect the raging fire and oil cooking underneath.
"Your Majesty, it's time to stand up."
Luo Fangbo whispered in Emperor Zhu's ear.
It turns out that the verdict has already been announced.
Now everyone is standing up.
Emperor Zhu is visiting privately incognito, so he cannot act like an emperor.
So he also stood up.
The chief judge inadvertently looked at Emperor Zhu's position and said loudly: "After deliberation in this court, the defendant Huang Mu was not found guilty of the charge of selling opium due to insufficient evidence. The defendant was charged with smoking opium and hiding opium. The evidence was conclusive. This court pronounces the verdict: According to the provisions of Chapter 8, Article 17 and Article 22 of the [Criminal Code], defendant Huang Mu will be sentenced to one year in prison or a fine of 30,000 yuan!"
The referee is fair.
The magistrates are also very capable.
But Emperor Zhu was not very satisfied.
Or.
In his opinion.
The best way to deal with a union-like group like the Caogang is to use this case to carry out special operations and uproot this gang!
but
Emperor Zhu was also thinking a little bit.
Later countries such as the United States and Europe were also capitalist countries.
Why do their workers have no motivation to rebel?
Perhaps the problem isn't just about the law.
(End of chapter)
