Zhang Zhou has not yet passed the Jinshi examination, but he is going to the court for the first time.
He didn't feel very honored either.
Because he went to Fengtian Palace that day, not to observe or discuss state affairs. He just went to Fengtian Palace as a "criminal suspect" to defend himself in the court to clear himself from suspicion.
Xiao Jing was responsible for introducing Zhang Zhou into the palace. On the way, he mentioned to Zhang Zhou that the emperor specially summoned Liu Jian, Xie Qian and Xu Qiong last night. He also explained that as long as Zhang Zhou refused to admit that he had any dealings with Cheng Minzheng today, Even if this matter is in the past, Zhang Zhou will have nothing to do with the case.
"Eunuch Xiao, if I say this, will those ministers really let me go?"
Zhang Zhou didn't feel any discomfort during the conversation, but he still had some expectations.
This was something Xiao Jing didn't expect.
Ordinary people may get stage fright when they think about going to court, meeting the emperor and ministers, or going to court debates, and being questioned by many people, but this... seems to be afraid that the matter is too small, there is no stage for him to perform, and it is not decent enough.
After all, Xiao Jing was a good person. He saw that Zhang Zhou might be looking for trouble, so he quickly reminded him: "Enough is enough. Your Majesty is in charge. Mr. Liu Ge and the others will also speak for you, so there won't be any trouble."
Zhang Zhou nodded: "Your Majesty is really thoughtful. I'm afraid things won't go as planned, so it's better to be prepared."
"what to prepare?"
Xiao Jing asked with wide eyes.
Zhang Zhou said: "Of course I have to prepare more reasons to excuse myself. Ever since I came to Beijing, I expected that such a day might happen, but I didn't expect that I would come anyway!"
…
…
Fengtian Temple.
All the ministers have filed into the palace to wait, with civil servants and military officials on both sides.
As for the door of Fengtian Hall, there were three people standing there. In addition to the two parties involved in the impeachment incident, Zhang Zhou and Hua Chang, there was also one... Zhang Yanling who had just come out of Fusi, Beizhen.
The emperor asked him to go to Piantou Pass to serve as a general on the same day. As usual, he had to come and listen to the holy teachings before leaving. However, as a "sin-wearing minister", he could not go in directly to take the rank of minister, and could only wait outside. .
"snort!"
Zhang Yanling arrived earlier than Zhang Zhou.
It was also because he was taken out of the cell before dawn, which was not the time he chose to enter the palace.
When he saw Zhang Zhoulai, he still snorted coldly.
Probably he looked down on Zhang Zhou a little.
As for who was standing on the other side... Zhang Yanling didn't want to know and didn't bother to ask.
…
"Xuan Jian Changbo, Hua Chang, and Zhang Zhou enter the palace!"
The meeting inside had just begun.
After the minister finished saluting, he was about to summon the three people outside.
The three of them entered Fengtian Hall side by side.
In the spacious Jinluan Hall, the emperor is high above, and ministers in official uniforms stand on both sides, giving people a very solemn feeling.
Zhang Zhou had entered the Forbidden City before, and the furnishings were very different, mainly because it had been renovated later.
Others were cautious, but Zhang Zhou came to experience history and culture personally.
"I see your Majesty."
The three of them saluted.
Zhu Youtang's expression calmed down slightly when he saw Zhang Zhoulai.
"You three nobles don't need to be polite!"
Zhu Youtang said, "Uncle Jianchang, in the past few years, there have been treacherous people in the local area who have plundered people's property in your name and caused chaos. Although we cannot prove that you are responsible for this matter, it is difficult for you to get rid of it. You are ordered to arrive at Piantou Pass within ten days, and as a general, assist Wang Yue, who is in charge of military affairs, to resist the invading Di Yi. I will give you one hour to go home and pack up, let's go!"
With that said, Zhu Youtang gestured to Dai Yi beside him: "Give him the order!"
The implication is that if you come and see me today, you can get out!
"One hour, ten days...Your Majesty..."
Of course Zhang Yanling has to fight.
He still wants to redress his grievances, so why should he accuse me of being related to those local troublemakers? Is there any evidence? Bring out the witnesses and evidence! I have suffered from this cowardice for so many days, and I want an explanation!
Zhu Youtang said with an angry look on his face: "If you don't leave, I will relieve you of your military duties and let you carry your sword and go to the city to be a soldier!"
Zhang Yanling originally wanted to say that it is a thousand miles from the capital to Piantou Pass. It takes me ten days to get there... without exhausting me to death?
But being threatened like this by his brother-in-law...
He could only resign in despair.
…
The first thing of the court meeting was passed off smoothly.
Later, it seemed that we were not going to talk about Hua Chang's participation in the impeachment case. After saluting, Hua Chang was listed behind the civil servants of the East Class. After all, he was a minister, and there was always room for him to stand.
But Zhang Zhou was more embarrassed.
He has no official position or title. He is just a tribute student and a suspect. No matter how you look at it, there is no place for him in the court.
However, the British Duke Zhang Mao, who was the leader of Spanish martial arts, turned back to look at him with a smile and moved aside to make room for him.
It means, Bingkuan, come here and let’s stand together.
Compared with the indifference of civil servants towards Zhang Zhou, Wu Xun was very polite when he saw Zhang Zhou, and almost nodded and bowed to Zhang Zhou to introduce himself.
It seemed that they also welcomed Zhang Zhou to stand with them.
Zhang Zhou, on the other hand, continued to smile. He didn't go anywhere, he just stood in the middle... It felt good to have the whole audience watching.
Anyway, I'm here to debate. I will stand wherever the emperor tells me. If I stand according to your instructions, some people will definitely say that I don't understand the rules.
But even so...
The civil servants looked at Zhang Zhou with mocking eyes, and they seemed to regard Zhang Zhou as a commoner who did not know etiquette.
…
Seeing this posture, Zhu Youtang didn't talk about anything else.
He waved his hand and asked Xu Jing, the Minister of the Ministry of Finance, who had walked out of the court to prepare for an event, to go back.
"Dear gentlemen, yesterday, the household department was responsible for Zhonghua Chang. Cheng Minzheng, a Hanlin scholar and the chief examiner of this examination, asked questions in advance. There were also examination candidates Zhang Zhou, Tang Yin, Xu Jing and others, who may be involved. Among them, today I called Gongsheng Zhang Zhou to confront Hua Chang."
When the emperor said this, Hua Chang hurriedly walked out of the courtroom and said: "Your Majesty, I have evidence of Cheng Minzheng's title."
"Send it up!"
Zhu Youtang is not polite, you have evidence, right? Take it!
Hua Chang hurriedly changed his words: "There are witnesses."
This almost gasping statement made many people, even civil servants, frown.
There's no shame in saying it's just hearsay. If you don't say you have evidence, the emperor wants it from you, but you say you're a witness. You know your feelings, even if you go to find someone right away, you won't be able to come back for a while.
So you want to express that the words "paraphrased" from your mouth are equivalent to witness testimony?
At this time, Bai Ang, Minister of the Ministry of Punishment, came out and said: "Who are the witnesses? But they listed the confession and signed it? Let it be handed over to the judicial department to make a decision together."
Hua Chang said: "It is not there, but it can be added at any time. Please also ask Your Majesty to issue an order that all those involved in the case be put in jail and held accountable in court. Then everything will be clear."
There was no evidence in the first place. In fact, even the civil servants probably knew that Hua Chang was basing his memorial on hearsay.
Although from a legal point of view, gossip cannot be considered a fault, but when it comes to such a big matter as the Ministry of Etiquette exam, without going through detailed verification, it was rashly reported and turned into a major case. , this approach is a bit excessive.
At least Wen Chen felt that Hua Chang was too impatient.
Zhu Youtang said: "If you have no evidence of guilt, it makes no sense to put the person you impeached in jail. Your so-called witness testimony can be supplemented later. You can list them all together. I will Let Dongchang go to capture him and discuss the matter face to face in the court."
As soon as the emperor's words came out, Hua Chang was a little confused.
Is the emperor so serious?
Isn’t it said that there is a problem outside? I'm just sorting out the rumors from outside and reporting them. Logically speaking, shouldn't we put everyone in jail, interrogate them strictly, and then give an explanation to the world?
How do you say that you have to be brought to the court for a face-to-face confrontation?
"Your Majesty... I... I can't remember who they are at the moment. I will check again after I go back... However, the scholars in the capital have already discussed this a lot. If it continues to be spread, I'm afraid it will cause a commotion among the scholars and it will go bad. Tsunade rules!"
Hua Chang was in a dilemma and continued to argue for himself.
Not only do I have no witness testimony, I don’t even know who the witness is. I only talk about the matter with broad principles, and people outside are talking about it. The court should calm public opinion, and the people involved in the case should be jailed and tortured.
At this time, Hua Chang was already sweating profusely.
Zhang Zhou stood next to him, smiling in his heart.
Before I could say anything, you, Hua Chang, were already in such a mess. You probably don’t know where you went wrong... If you had only reported Cheng Minzheng, Tang Yin and Xu Jing, the emperor would have already sent Jin Yiwei to arrest them. As a result, you Well, if you insist on adding me, you probably don’t know who you can and cannot offend, right?
Zhu Youtang's face was calm and he said calmly: "Just because of a few comments from civilian scholars, you openly accused a Hanlin bachelor and three candidates for the imperial examination, criticizing the important event of promoting talents in Chunwei. But you still want to use this as evidence to bring the case to trial? Do you know how involved it is?"
Hua Chang knelt down and said, "Your Majesty, my sincere heart can be seen from the sun and the moon!"
By not mentioning the evidence anymore and just talking about his loyalty, he is also emphasizing that this is his duty.
"Dongchang!" Zhu Youtang shouted.
"Here!" Xiao Jing has long disliked Hua Chang. He had no choice but to let Hua Chang offend Zhang Zhou?
If you dare to impeach a person whom the emperor values highly without evidence, you are asking for your own death.
Going to jail will not make you feel better.
Zhu Youtang said: "Capture him and send him to Bei Town Fusi to find out if there is any reason..."
Before Zhu Youtang could finish his words, Min Gui, the censor of Zuodu, hurriedly came out and said, "Your Majesty, no! Please think again."
Many civil servants also realized that the emperor's actions were intended to intensify the conflict between the court and the civil servants. Instead of arresting the suspect, arrest the informant? close
They didn't even check it, they just turned it to one side. What do the scholars who are making trouble outside think?
Zhu Youtang glared at Min Gui and said, "Min Qing's family, do you have any objections?"
Min Gui said: "Your Majesty, the scandal has been going on for a long time. If it were all based on speculation, it would definitely not have caused such an uproar. If Hu Ke was brought to Zhonghua Chang for questioning without verification, it would definitely lead to more scholars. In view of the widespread nonsense, I ask Your Majesty to put the overall situation first and give an explanation to the scholars!"
Zhu Youtang almost gritted his teeth and said: "If we are just afraid that the scholars will make arrogant opinions, we must conduct a thorough investigation on the matters they discuss and hand over the courtiers who they arbitrarily discussed to justice. What prestige and dignity does the imperial court have? How can the imperial court rely on the Chunwei Examination to recruit talented people?"
"My dear gentlemen, do you hope that in the future, all major affairs of the court will be influenced by the opinions of the scholars, and that everything will be led by the nose?"
(End of chapter)
