Seeing that Jin Yiwei was about to come in to get someone, Zhang Zhouxin asked what was going on?
Didn't we agree that today we would have the two parties involved in an on-site confrontation and debate, so as to clear my suspicion and settle the material dispute at the same time? I haven't said a word yet, and I haven't been given a chance to express myself. Why, Your Majesty, have you finished speaking for me?
"Your Majesty, I have something to say."
The royal guards had already gone to the palace, and Zhang Zhou suddenly held up his hands and shouted loudly in greeting.
The scene was a little out of control. The civil servants felt that the emperor's actions were arbitrary, and Wu Xun was also discussing it privately. However, when Zhang Zhou spoke, the scene suddenly became quiet.
It’s not about how loud Zhang Zhou is or how powerful he is and how powerful he is.
But everyone remembered that today's protagonist should be Zhang Zhou. This kid was just a "legendary figure" before and was unknown. Wu Xun felt that he was an enigmatic "half-immortal".
In addition, Zhang Zhou took the initiative to ask for the petition and argued for it as a non-official. Naturally, others wanted to hear what he, the client, had to say.
Zhu Youtang said: "Zhang Qing's family, what can you say?"
Zhang Zhou didn't care about the narrow looks of others. He acted as if there were no other people present. He straightened his back and said, "Your Majesty, I have some opinions on this case and would like to discuss it with Hua Gai."
Including the emperor, everyone present was a little confused about Zhang Zhou's behavior.
The emperor has already settled the matter for you. Hua Chang is about to be sent to Jinyi Guard Prison and even interrogated. Why do you still have any objections?
Zhang Zhou actually had to say this.
Just relying on the emperor's impassioned speeches to calm the public opinion of the government and the public, it is obvious that the emperor took it for granted.
It may be that Zhu Youtang was eager to protect him and clear his grievances, and forgot what arrangements he had made in advance. He rushed to take Hua Chang to trial.
In Zhang Zhou's opinion, this is of no use except intensifying conflicts.
Next, there is no need for those scholars to go to the crying temple. It is estimated that other officials will bang their heads against the pillars and play the trick of admonition. The so-called Qingliu civil servants play with their lives for the sake of so-called solar terms, even nine oxen can't pull them back.
"explain!"
Seeing Zhang Zhou's stubborn attitude, Zhu Youtang probably realized that he might have been a little over the top just now, and he was also thankful that Zhang Zhou poured a basin of cold water on him to calm him down.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
After Zhang Zhou got the emperor's permission, he finally had room for his performance. He turned around and looked at Hua Chang, whose official hat was already soaked through.
With a vague smile on his face, Zhang Zhou asked: "Hua Gieshi, my next name is Zhang Zhou, and my courtesy name is Bingkuan. I am from Yingtian Mansion in Nanzhili. I am a student from Nanyong Gong and a candidate for this examination."
"..."
Hua Chang glared at Zhang Zhou.
Tell me who you are?
The ministers in the palace didn't understand what Zhang Zhou was going to do, but seeing Zhang Zhou's slightly arrogant look, they were somewhat prejudiced.
This kid clearly saw the emperor's favoritism towards him and was showing off his power!
But the ministers had nothing to do. They also knew that if anyone had this kid's ability and could peek into the secrets from above and save the princess from below, he would also gain the emperor's trust, and he could walk sideways here today.
Zhang Zhoudao: "Hua Gong, you went to the impeachment report and said that Hanlin Bachelor Cheng was involved in the issue. I have nothing to say about this because I have never met Bachelor Cheng..."
"You said you haven't seen it before?" Hua Chang also suddenly became hardened.
You kid is exposing yourself.
You and Cheng Minzheng have never met before, but you can't tell it clearly with your words.
Zhang Zhou shrugged: "If I haven't seen it, I haven't seen it. If you want to say that I have seen it, there must be some physical evidence, right? First, I have not set foot in Cheng Xueshi's house, second, I have not sent a greeting card, and third, I have not visited the Hanlin Academy. , you don’t think that there is any other way for us to meet each other that can avoid the eyes of the world, do you?”
Hua Chang was speechless for a moment.
Regardless of who Zhang Zhou is, at least Cheng Minzheng is a celebrity.
When a celebrity meets someone, he always has to show some signs, and he is exactly as Zhang Zhou said... there is no evidence as to whether they have met.
Xiao Jing came out at this time and said: "Dongchang can provide evidence for this. Ever since Zhang Gongsheng entered the capital, he has never left Jinyiwei's sight. He has seen whom he has not seen, and Dongchang and Jinyiwei also know it clearly. It is true that he did not pay a visit to the Process Bachelor."
This was originally only told to Liu Jian, Xie Qian and Xu Qiong.
Now everyone in the court knew that the treatment Zhang Zhou received after entering the capital was completely different from those of ordinary candidates. Zhang Zhou belonged to the VIP class and was protected and assisted by Dongchang and Jinyiwei throughout the process.
Are you, Hua Chang, numb now?
Hua Chang said: "Then how do you know whether he... obtained the title through other means..."
Zhang Zhou smiled and said: "Hua, let's talk about something more meaningful, such as the piece you participated in. I once discussed the test questions for this conference with others... Is that what you said? Then ask me When, where, and with whom did you discuss the corresponding topic? Why don't you tell me who it was, and it would be better to prove it face to face."
Hua Chang said in his heart, was your kid deaf just now? I told you even if you didn’t listen, I’ll find witnesses or something for you later, but I don’t have them now!
"Zhang, don't be complacent. Are you being criticized for nothing? Who do you think you've met before, so that no one knows about it?"
Hua Chang gritted his teeth and said.
Zhang Zhou was still a little "impressed" with Hua Chang, but now, this guy could actually threaten him, as if he was telling the truth.
He wanted to say, if you bite your lip harder and make it bleed, maybe I will almost believe that I have discussed the test questions with someone.
Zhang Zhou sighed: "Then I have to talk about another thing. After I arrived in the capital, I was so busy that I never met any candidate in the same subject in private. The few times I appeared among the scholars, they were all Anyone who appears publicly can testify that I have not talked to anyone about anything related to the exam questions.”
Xiao Jing said again: "Dongchang can also testify to this."
Hua Chang almost wanted to jump on the spot.
Why is your surname Xiao eunuch involved in everything? Will you die if you stop saying a few words?
Zhang Zhoudao: "Even if I find someone to frame me and say that I mentioned the test questions to him, I also want to hear how he framed it. I'm afraid it's not realistic to just want people to plead guilty to something that has no evidence or evidence? "
Hua Chang's face turned red with anger.
But he couldn't say a word.
He didn't have any evidence to begin with. Historically, the case of the twelfth year of Hongzhi was just a piece of gossip. If Hua Chang hadn't brought it up, this kind of criticism would not have created any atmosphere. But just such an incident ruined his life. The future of Cheng Minzheng, Xu Jing and Tang Yin even cost Cheng Minzheng his life.
In history, Hua Chang was also convicted and released.
It can be said that he was not unjustly convicted.
Xie Qian saw that Hua Chang had been suppressed by Zhang Zhou's momentum. He walked out and said with a smile: "Zhang Gongsheng, since you arrived in the capital, have you not met any scholar in private?"
Zhang Zhou said: "Xie Ge, right?"
Xie Qian was startled, this guy actually knows me?
Zhang Zhou didn't know him at first, but he had secretly heard Xie Qian's voice in the Qianqing Palace. Zhang Zhou could recognize Xie Qian's voice when he spoke.
“Mr.
"I once saw the Second Young Master offering wine in the Imperial Academy Forest. Zhu Feng, the son of Duke Cheng, and the Jin Yiwei were present. There was also a man who wanted to have an academic argument with me many times, named Tang Yin."
"But I didn't meet him in private, because I thought that what I did would definitely arouse a lot of doubts. If I met anyone in private, I was afraid there would be some misunderstanding. So I would rather prepare for the exam alone without meeting outsiders."
Zhang Zhou seemed very calm.
The speech rate is also very slow.
Xie Qian immediately thought that the emperor had said last night that Zhang Zhou had just arrived in the capital and told the emperor that Cheng Minzheng liked to meet scholars and was easily criticized by others, so the emperor arranged for Zhang Zhou to have Cheng Minzheng as his personal trainer. , Zhang Zhou didn't agree, and he avoided suspicion and didn't meet anyone.
This kid had already expected that something like this might happen.
Originally Xie Qian only regarded Zhang Zhou as an eloquent scholar, but after listening to Zhang Zhou's words and matching the emperor's words, he immediately realized that Zhang Zhou was not an ordinary scholar, let alone an ordinary person who was ignorant of worldly affairs. young hairy boy.
Zhang Zhou said: "Hua gave me a job, but he said that the only connection I have with Cheng Minzheng, Tang Yin, and Xu Jing is that I visited the master before this examination, and I met Tang Yin at that time. .”
Hua Chang seemed to be grasping at straws and said, "That's the question you secretly discussed for the general examination."
Zhang Zhou thought to himself, if I give you a sack, you just dig into it? I'll give you a trap and you'll jump down?
At your level, who are you going to impeach?
You are a rotten scholar!
Zhang Zhou shook his head and said: "On the contrary, I did not have any private discussions with Tang Yin. Many Jiangnan scholars heard clearly what I said at that time. After I finished speaking, I walked away without saying anything more to others. In a word, if you don’t believe it, you can ask someone who was there that day.”
"You..." Hua Chang immediately realized that he might have fallen into a trap.
Zhang Zhoudao: "What I agreed with Tang Yin at that time was a bet. The so-called knowledge is not determined outside the examination room. The difference between Jie Yuan and Ya Yuan in the Jiangnan examination room is not that big. They are both candidates and serve the imperial court." , why do we have to tell the difference? But he insisted on comparing, so I made an appointment with him to determine the winner and loser in the general examination. If I beat him, I would let him become my disciple. If I did not do well in the general examination, He also failed in this examination, so he will no longer take the examination from now on, and will accept tribute and be released as an official!"
"ah?"
Information about this bet has only been spread to a very small extent.
There were all important officials of the imperial court and princes and nobles present. How could they know about such a trivial matter?
Now after Zhang Zhou said it, they knew that there was such a thing.
Zhang Zhou actually made a "heavy bet" with Tang Yin. Zhang Zhou said that if he failed to pass the Jinshi exam in this subject, would he not take the exam again? Of course, there is another prerequisite, that is, Tang Yin must win.
How confident is this?
Of course, it is understandable that Jiangnan Xiangxian Jieyuan is so confident and arrogant.
Zhang Zhou continued: "I have no idea whether Xu Jing and Tang Yin have anything to do with Bachelor Cheng, or what they have discussed. But since I have such a bet with Tang Yin, I am equivalent to an opponent, so-called It’s not valid to discuss test questions in private, right?”
"If I didn't get the test questions from Tang Yin, then I should have found a way for me to get the questions. Someone sent me a letter, or someone came to notify me. There must be a witness or physical evidence in the letter, otherwise You shouldn't use hearsay as evidence to attack me. This is not only targeting me, it can even be said to be disregarding the laws of the Ming Dynasty!"
…
…
Zhang Zhou can be said to argue with reason and talk with eloquence.
When he finished speaking, the place was quiet.
It seems that everyone wants to know how Hua Chang will argue with Zhang Zhou, and some people want to know whether Hua Chang can really find physical evidence.
Previously, they thought that Zhang Zhou was the first brother in the officialdom. Maybe they could use some mental pressure methods or something to expose Zhang Zhou's flaws, or even reveal his true colors without any evidence of guilt.
Only now do they know.
It turns out that a Kedao speaker like Hua Chang was not the king of the court, and his eloquence was simply vulnerable to Zhang Zhou.
"Your Majesty, I think what Zhang Gongsheng said is reasonable." At this time, a man came out from Wu Xun's side. It was the British Duke Zhang Mao. He said in a very rich voice, "If you use groundless criticism to make people I was wronged because I disrespected the laws of the Ming Dynasty, so I ask Your Majesty to issue an edict to calm the dispute and clear Zhang Gongsheng's name."
"right!"
Wu Xun seemed to be very supportive of Zhang Mao, and there were voices of agreement.
The civil servants took a look.
Well, you fools, you really just adapt to the changing circumstances, don’t you?
It can be seen that His Majesty has great favor and trust for this Zhang Zhou, and after seeing that Hua Chang's momentum was suppressed, he came out to support Zhang Zhou?
You bunch of wallflowers!
Suddenly, the conflict between Zhang Zhou and Hua Chang became a conflict between civil servants and Wu Xun.
When Zhu Youtang saw something was wrong, he ignored what others said and said loudly: "Hua Chang, what else do you have to say?"
Hua Chang was so angry that he was shaking all over. He probably felt that he had a hundred mouths, but he was speechless on this matter.
Zhu Youtang said: "I have asked Dongchang to investigate. Xu Jing and Tang Yin did indeed visit Cheng Minzheng, but they did so before the scheduled examination last year. Their affairs will be investigated separately."
"But you should also hear what Zhang Qing's family said. If anyone thinks that he is involved in the scandal again, they will produce evidence. I will let Dongchang strictly examine the evidence. I will neither wrongfully accuse anyone nor criticize anyone." Turn a blind eye!”
With Zhang Zhou as the base.
The emperor's tone was softer than before, but his heart was more confident than before.
This is not relying on the emperor's majesty to calm things down, but relying on reason.
The scene was won by Zhang Zhou's calm appearance in the face of danger and Zhang Zhou's eloquence in reasoning.
He also wanted to remind the civil servants present not to think that just finding some far-fetched physical evidence or randomly looking for someone to serve as a witness can bring Zhang Zhou into the case again. I will have Dongchang conduct a strict investigation, and anyone who dares to frame the case will be Let him die badly!
Just ask those scholars, who dares to come out and look for trouble?
Liu Jian came out and said, "Your Majesty, does this case still need to be investigated?"
Zhu Youtang said: "With this order, Li Dongyang, the Minister of the Prince's Shaobao Rituals Department and the Bachelor of Wenyuan Pavilion, re-examined the examinee files in the inner curtain of Gongyuan. Tang Yin and Xu Jing were temporarily detained in Fusi, Beizhen, for verification. Hua Chang ...take them into custody together!”
(End of chapter)
