Several waves of people came during this period, but they were too far away to hear the voices clearly, and An Ying didn't understand who was who. Until it got dark, An Ying rubbed his numb legs and heard Zhong Tianfu's voice above his head.
"Girl, you've been here all afternoon, that's enough."
An Ying stood up staggeringly and said, "Brother Zhong, do you know I'm staying here?"
Zhong Tianfu said with a smile: "I have been on duty at the prison gate of the Ministry of Punishment for three years. We know exactly where the gate can be seen and where the words at the gate can be heard."
An Ying reached for the silver in his purse again, and Zhong Tianfu still smiled and said: "Okay, girl, don't touch your few pieces of silver. There is a restaurant in front, go and have something to eat, I'll treat you."
The restaurant is very small, with only two tables. On one table, there is already a plate of white-cut mutton, fat and thin, which looks crystal clear. There is a plate of dipping sauce and a plate of meatloaf on the side.
An Ying took the initiative to walk to the empty table next to him, but Zhong Tianfu waved to An Ying. He sat on the table and said to the old man in the shop: "There is a little friend today. Old Pan will give me another bowl." Bamboo shoots and fern wontons.”
An Yingcai smiled and said: "It turns out to be the restaurant where Brother Zhong often comes."
Seeing An Ying relax, Zhong Tianfu pushed the mutton and meat pie over and said, "Eat something first. Seeing as you have only drank a few sips of water since you stood up in the morning, it's not easy."
An Ying was indeed very hungry. She ate a few pieces of mutton and took a bite of the meat patty. The juice flowed out and she was embarrassed to wipe it with the back of her hand.
Zhong Tianfu didn't take it seriously and just said: "You are working hard to stay in the prison of the Ministry of Punishments like this. I advise you to go home early."
An Ying raised his head in surprise: "No, I've been observing for a few days. Don't you sometimes sneak people in through the side door?"
Zhong Tianfu shook his head and said: "I just heard you say that your father was just escorted from Huzhou, and that was the Gongcha case. This case is quite big, and all the criminals were put in cells of size B alone. The ones we brought in before were all ordinary cells. . These cells of Class A, Class B, Class B, Class B, Class B, Class B, Class B, and Class B must be approved by the doctor of the Ministry of Punishment before you can enter. You are not very old, is there anyone else in the family?"
The just-cooked wontons had just been served, and when I sat in front of me, a wave of hot steam hit my face, mixed with the aroma of various vegetables. It was cheesy but gave me a strong sense of satisfaction.
An Ying carefully stirred the wonton soup and replied: "My mother has passed away a long time ago. I still have a brother and a sister at home. I can still walk, but they are still too young." After thinking about it, An Ying asked: " Then can I ask about the tribute tea case? Mr. Fu Yin of Huzhou said that the tea cakes my family gave to the government this year were big and small, and the weights were also different. He said that we were short by a pound. But this year in Mindi Our tea cakes are made into two molds, the big one is called Datuan, and the small one is called Xiaotuan. We also tried our best to make them according to the molds in Mindi. Logically speaking, the tea cakes are all made in Fujian. Mr. Yin has seen it, and he shouldn’t suddenly accuse us teakeepers,”
Zhong Tianfu scratched his head and said, "I don't know about this. How about I go to the government office tomorrow and ask. It just so happens that I won't be on duty tomorrow and will go back to the Criminal Department to work."
An Ying quickly thanked her and took off her baggage. Zhong Tianfu stopped her and said, "Girl, you are alone outside. Don't show your wealth outside."
Unexpectedly, what An Ying took out from the bag was a tea cake, "Brother Zhong, my family has been making tea for generations, and there is nothing valuable. Even though I can still get my own tea cake, you don't have to be polite to take it and try it." I have come all the way from Huzhou to Beijing, and there has never been anyone as warm-hearted as you."
Although Zhong Tianfu was a rough man, he could see that this tea cake was smooth and white and must be of high quality. It would be sold several times in an ordinary tea shop. He returned the tea cake and said: "You are about the same age as my little daughter, and so am I. It’s not easy to look at you. You have only been in the capital for a few days, and you will spend a lot of money later. I have seen several wealthy families. The cases have been tried for several months, and the people have not come out yet, and the money has been scattered. "
An Ying shook his head and said: "Brother Zhong, to be honest, I actually squatted in front of the prison of the Ministry of Justice for a few days. Some of the family members who came to visit the cell looked like they were rich and powerful, and some were civilians from other places. Some of the guards at the door were obviously looking at people. When serving food, you will flatter and please the rich people when you meet them. When you meet the common people, you will not ignore them or speak harshly. A few days ago, there was an old woman in ragged clothes. The other guards ignored her and sometimes chased her away. Only you I sent her to a cool place and told her the procedures of the yamen. So I originally planned to put money into your hands today, but who knew I put it into the wrong person."
At this point, Zhong Tianfu couldn't help but laugh, "That's it. You lowered your head and walked towards the gate suddenly, which shocked me. I thought you were waiting for Mr. Su. But the tea cake case is in Mr. Su's hands. , you can rest assured, Mr. Su is the youngest minister of the Ministry of Punishment. He has solved several major cases at a young age. He is a fair man. The people in the capital have nicknamed him Su Qingtian. I will go to the Ministry of Punishment tomorrow to work. , let me ask the brother who is handling this case to find out what is going on."
The next day, An Ying went to the restaurant to wait for news about Chung Tim Fook.
Not only did Zhong Tianfu come by himself, he also brought a young man with him.
"This is Yang Ye, the clerk of our Ministry of Justice, who is also from Huzhou. He is a scholar and knows better than me. We just happened to be on duty together, so I came over to tell you."
An Ying quickly saluted and asked, "Thank you, Mr. Yang."
Yang Ye waved his hand and turned around and shouted: "Old Pan, give us three bowls of cardamom-scented soup and add some mint. It's getting hotter and hotter today." He then said: "Miss An, this is how it is. All states. The governor is also aware of the issue of this year's new model. He has no interest at all and wants to make it fresh and auspicious. However, the palace has issued a message requiring that the sizes and specifications should be consistent. Many tea households have replaced the old models. There are a few tea households who probably I didn't receive the news, but I still used a new model. Not only you in Huzhou, but also in Mindi. The nobles in the palace insisted on strict punishment, so you and your father were arrested. The magistrates of Huzhou and Minzhou were also suspended, etc. Get off the ground."
At this time, the cardamom soup was cooked and served. Zhong Tianfu was afraid that An Ying would be sad, so he quickly asked her to drink some first. An Ying thought about it and said: "I still have a few questions here. Why do all the houses in the first palace have the same specifications this year and can't use the Mindi mold? In previous years, each family used their own mold. I just asked for a new word. This matter is not a serious crime, and there is no need to be thrown into the prison of the Ministry of Punishment. Secondly, why have other families in Huzhou received instructions from the officials, but my father has not? The transfer envoy is responsible for all matters concerning imperial tribute. Over the years, I have been delivering orders to each door, and I have never missed an order. Generations of my family have been making this tea cake, so competition among peers is inevitable, but I can’t handle this thing that has cost people’s lives and ruined their lives and property. I really can’t think of any tea shop that would do this.”
Yang Ye was drinking soup. Hearing these words, he immediately raised his head and glanced at the little girl. He originally thought that he would be able to dismiss her with a few words. Generally, this kind of inquiry is nothing more than listening to the government officials explain the matter and then spending some money to take care of her. It is rare for people in jail or the doctor of the capital to be gentle when imposing punishments. It is rare for people to think so clearly. He couldn't help but sit up straight and said in detail: "There are so many people involved in this case. Originally, this case The noble man in the womb directly asked the Zhejiang transit envoy to sign for it, but for some reason it fell into the hands of Mr. Su from the Ministry of Punishment. I went to Cheng Sizhi to help them sort out the documents. I heard that several tea shops were also arrested in Fujian. I heard that they all used Because of the new model. Also, something happened to the tea shop in Huzhou this time. Including your father, there are three tea shops in total. There are two more, one is Hongshengji in Huzhou, and the other is Huzhou. Quanxiangji, those two families were both thrown into jail last night. I heard that Chu Quanxiang, the boss of Quanxiangji, is still a brother-in-law with the Minister of Household Affairs. He doesn’t even have this relationship, so it’s useless to say anything.”
An Ying thought thoughtfully and asked, "By the way, are all the sales lists of this tea shop kept on file in the Yamen?"
Yang Ye thought for a while and said: "If you want to sell it to the government, you have to have a list, and you have to draw a record and keep it. If you sell it in your own shop, it will not be available in the yamen. The marketing lists of these imprisoned tea households are all kept in the Ministry of Punishment Hold on, I’ll make a copy for you next time.”
An Ying stood up and bowed, "Thank you Mr. Yang for your help." Yang Ye waved his hand and said, "It doesn't have to be like this. We are all fellow villagers. It is rare for your family to come to save your father alone. I just made some inquiries. Miss An doesn't need to be polite.
The three of them ate meatloaf and side dishes and chatted.
"Yang Ye is a student of Songhe Academy, a scholar, and a first-class student. After passing the provincial examination and Jinshi examination in a few years, he can become a high official. It is different from those of us who come from the military."
An Ying said in surprise: "Students can still work in government offices?"
Yang Ye picked up Lao Pan's newly made meatloaf and took a bite. He had a mouthful of oil and water. He also ate some pickled vegetables to clear his mouth. When he heard what Zhong Tianfu said, he smiled and continued, "My family is poor, so earn some money." Money, otherwise I wouldn’t even be able to afford food. As soon as Lao Zhong asked me to have dinner, I came immediately because I just want this meal.”
An Ying didn't know much about government affairs. Seeing that Yang Ye and Zhong Tianfu were willing to talk more, he asked, "Why can you study in the academy and work in the Ministry of Justice at the same time?"
"Recorders are junior officials with no rank in the Ministry of Justice. There was a rule in the previous dynasty that officials were not allowed to serve as officials. In our dynasty, there is no such nonsense rule. At the beginning of the founding of the People's Republic of China, there were not enough officials. Anyone who can read and do things can be an official. Now there is no such thing. Like before, you usually had to take the Jinshi exam before you could be assigned to the official department. But each ministry had some chores that needed people to do, so they would hire some literate people to do some copying work. I only worked five days a month in the Ministry of Punishment. , but as long as I have a pound of money and a stone of food every month, I can earn a lot more money than ordinary work. The academy also knows my situation, and other poor students also have their own livelihoods."
An Ying nodded, that's it.
Then he asked: "I was in Huzhou before, and I heard from our Lord Fu Yin that Lord Su is the Minister of the Ministry of Justice, second only to the Minister of the Ministry of Justice, so what other officials are there in the Ministry of Justice? I'm not afraid of your ridicule. I used to only know Mr. Yin He, the Governor of Huzhou. Lord Zhizhou. I don’t know much about the other officials.”
Yang Ye did not make fun of An Ying, but explained patiently: "The Ministry of Punishment has one minister and two ministers, divided into left and right. The left minister is Mr. Su, who is responsible for criminal law. The right minister is Chen Dong, Mr. Chen, who specializes in prison law. They are in charge of auditing internal and external account books and road bans. Under the Minister of Justice, there are four more Langzhong of the Ministry of Punishment, who specifically manage the review of criminal cases, and eight of the Doctors of the Duguan, who specifically manage the punishment of criminal cases, such as imprisonment, exile, exile, and service."
"Then there is Dr. Bibu, who is responsible for reviewing the accounts inside and outside the imperial court. Dr. Simen is in charge of the prohibitions on gates, bridges, and roads, as well as the removal, reconstruction, and restoration of abandoned buildings."
"After that, there are the seventh-rank chief register in each department, the eighth-rank judge, starting from the eighth-rank secretary. Finally, there is me, the recorder with no rank."
Zhong Tianfu smiled and punched him, "You are the one who will take the imperial examination in the future. Then don't forget me, old guy, and give me a good position."
Yang Ye laughed loudly, scratched his head again, and said: "By the way, I heard that the manager of your Huzhou Tea Shop is also in the capital. You can ask him for information. This thing is quite strange, and it is reasonable for tribute tea to come out. If something goes wrong, the tea shop managers cannot escape the involvement, but the tea shop managers in Mindi and Huzhou are all doing well."
