Nan's Mansion in Quanzhou County.
Gu's mother almost fainted when she heard the news that Gu Zhengchen was imprisoned. Gu Qingqing and Zhang Xiwan burst into tears. Liu Qian'er collapsed on the ground, thinking that it was all her fault.
There was no man in the family to make up his mind, which plunged the entire county's men's house into panic and uneasiness.
Yao Zhen and Zhang Pei were at a loss and didn't know what to do.
"do not Cry!"
Zhang Xiwan wiped her tears and looked at Gu Qingqing and Liu Qian'er, her expression became stern and fierce: "From now on, no one is allowed to shed a tear! My husband will be fine, absolutely not!"
In the chaos, Zhang Xiwan had to stand up and show the strong side of the hostess!
The sky cannot fall!
Even if it is about to collapse, I will support my husband and this family!
At this moment, the gentle Zhang Xiwan disappeared and turned into a vigorous and resolute woman.
If the maid should go and buy something, if Zhang Pei should go home and see his mother-in-law, go home and see. If Yao Zhen wants to help chop firewood, go and chop firewood. Gu Qingqing, you are the shopkeeper of the sugar shop, you can't stay at home all the time. Go out and continue being your shopkeeper.
Liu Qian'er, your husband's imprisonment has nothing to do with you. It is the result of a frame-up by officials. If you cry, it will not be good for others to see you. Hold back your tears. Stay at home if you want to, and do things if you want to go out. Just don't shed tears. Tears!
Mother, don't worry, Zhengchen does things with a clear conscience and is never selfish, so nothing will happen to him.
I will go to Mrs. Feng to ask about the situation and ask her for help.
Zhang Xiwan knew the relationship between the Gu family and the Mu Mansion. Gu Zhengchen was the master of Mu Chun and Mu Sheng. If something happened to him, the people in the Mu Mansion would not remain indifferent.
The Gu family was very close to the Mu Mansion. Not long after Zhang Xiwan arrived outside the Mu Mansion, she saw an astonishing scene.
Two government officials grabbed Wu Rong, and Mu Ying was still yelling at him, scolding Wu Rong for his ambition, cheating, and daring to steal his own things. He would not be able to do anything without being thrown into the dungeon. He must be put in the dungeon, interrogated, and asked about the emperor's reward. Where did the jade pendant that came down go?
It stands to reason that Yingtian Mansion can handle this kind of stealing without bothering the Ministry of Justice. However, because Mu Ying is a co-president of the Governor's Mansion and His Majesty's adopted son, and what the five soldiers stole was given by the emperor. The nature of the object was much more serious, so the Ministry of Punishment had no choice but to send people to arrest it. Because this was a major case, naturally they could only send them to the dungeon...
Zhang Xiwan didn't believe that Wu Rong would steal the imperial gifts from the Mu Mansion, but the Yamen officials actually sent Wu Rong away. When Mu Ying saw Zhang Xiwan, she shook her head slightly and signaled her not to come.
Facing this scene, Xiao He almost collapsed. Even her last hope was shattered. They wouldn't even let her in. How could she save her uncle?
Zhang Xiwan looked at the closed door of Mu Mansion, then looked at the direction in which Wu Rong left, relaxed, and said to Xiao He: "Send someone to buy a fish. Later we will go to the Ministry of Punishment to visit the prison. Remember to buy a bigger one, enough for two people." Just eat.”
Xiaohe was very puzzled. Where did the two people come from?
Zhang Xiwan returned home and took care of her mother. After the others left, she whispered: "Mu Ying sent Wu Rong to the dungeon of the Ministry of Punishment."
Mother Gu's heart tightened, and she was about to get up when she suddenly realized something and asked quickly: "You mean, Mu Ying sent Wu Rong to the dungeon of the Ministry of Punishment?"
The words are the same and the meaning is the same.
The difference is that Gu's mother understands that the reason why Mu's family is not allowed to come is because they are not just standing by and watching, but are already taking action to protect Gu Zhengchen, and other things will naturally be arranged. At this time, people from the Gu family come to visit instead. It will be true to the population.
Wu Rong, that was Mu Ying's closest guard, and they had a life-long friendship. Mu Ying used them as soon as he wanted to use them. This was not sacrificing Wu Rong, but sending Wu Rong to do things.
Stealing something given by the emperor would lead to beheading in serious cases, but if you want to resolve the "misunderstanding", all you need is Mu Ying to stand up and say a word.
With Zhang Xiwan's support, the Gu family quickly returned to normal.
Qianqing Palace.
Zhu Yuanzhang sat down tiredly, looked at Queen Ma who brought the soup, and said first, "I hope you won't intercede for Gu Xiaozi. We have already lost our temper in Huagai Palace once, and we don't want to lose our temper here with my sister. "
Empress Ma smiled, put down the bowl, and said gently: "Why do you need to intercede for him?"
Zhu Yuanzhang's brows moved slightly: "After Biao'er left Huagai Hall, he did not go back to the East Palace directly, but went to your place. We don't believe that he would not tell you that Gu Xiaozi has been imprisoned."
Empress Ma sorted out some scattered documents on the desk and said without any emotion: "Biao'er did tell you about Gu Zhengchen's imprisonment, but I believe you. Chongba treats Gu Zhengchen as his nephew, so what?" He will be punished severely without any evidence. Now I am sending him to the dungeon. It seems that you have other plans. It doesn't make any difference if I ask or not."
Zhu Yuanzhang laughed heartily and said with great relief: "Look, a son doesn't understand us as well as a sister."
Seeing that Zhu Yuanzhang was in a good mood, Queen Ma persuaded him: "Gu Xiaozi is a man of merit after all. As long as he is honest and honest, his title will be stable. Your Majesty promised that he will be hereditary and he will not have any heirs at present. There's no way his life is in danger, right? What's worrying is that there are a lot of rats in the dungeon, and if a few of them come out and frighten him..."
Zhu Yuanzhang took a few mouthfuls of the soup and glanced at Queen Ma: "For this boy, Mu Ying even sold five soldiers to the Ministry of Justice. Why are you worried about what he will do? Besides, I still don't believe it. Who dares to attack officials privately? , once such a thing is done, haha, it will be a very bad start."
Anyone who works in the imperial court may stumble at some point.
If the Ministry of Punishment cannot even guarantee the safety of prisoners, and there is a dark hand that takes away the lives of officials at will, then when they are imprisoned one day, they will die there without even a place to cry out for injustice.
This kind of head cannot be opened, and no one dares to open it.
Many times in history, even if the power is overwhelming, and under one person, there are more than ten thousand people in control of the power. They will put political opponents in dungeons, torture them over and over again, and interrogate them over and over again, but they dare not let them die easily, and even punish them. Some people broke their legs, exposed the bones, and made him die of pain and illness, but they did not dare to directly give the order "Shut up forever".
Some things are agreed by convention. In a dungeon made of iron, and as a prisoner in the water, everyone must abide by some rules, so that when it is their turn to be unlucky, they can still have a way to survive.
Besides, in the world, the only one who has the power to kill and can bring about death is the emperor!
Privately issuing orders to get rid of criminals, especially officials and influential officials, is not only contempt for the imperial power, but also an act of acting on behalf of the imperial power. Few people dare to call themselves emperors and secretly kill people before they are convicted.
If there is, either the means are particularly clever, or the person is overconfident and thinks he can deal with the aftermath, or the emperor is indifferent. No matter which one it is, the person who breaks this collective agreement usually has no good consequences, because he threatens everyone.
Zhu Yuanzhang knew the secrets and didn't believe that Gu Zhengchen would have any problems in the Ministry of Punishment. Now that the five soldiers had passed, there would be no danger.
"Chongba, Gu Zhengchen contributed the most to the matter of raising the treasure banknotes. Why was he sent to prison before the matter was completed?"
Queen Ma was a little puzzled.
Zhu Yuanzhang took out a document and took a deep look at Queen Ma: "My sister asked too many questions."
Empress Ma smiled calmly: "I see that Gu Zhengchen, like Mu Ying, is my own child. What's more, I am a queen, and my mother is the king of the world. Now that something has happened to my child, is it really too much for a mother to ask a few questions?"
Zhu Yuanzhang had no choice but to lower his head and read the memorial.
Seeing that Zhu Yuanzhang was silent, Empress Ma was inconvenient to ask too much, which aroused Zhu Yuanzhang's disgust, so she bowed and prepared to leave.
"It's useless!"
Zhu Yuanzhang said in a deep voice.
Empress Ma turned around and looked at Zhu Yuanzhang. He seemed to be just reciting the words in the memorial, but it was obvious that these words had a meaning.
Ineffective?
Is this a curse word, a blaming word, or what does it mean?
Queen Ma thought about it and understood.
It is useless because the jade is not polished.
Obviously, this was Zhu Yuanzhang's test, tempering and carving for Gu Zhengchen.
Queen Ma left easily.
Since it's carving, let's carve a few more. The prince should be more stable, and Mu Ying should be more calm.
Punishment Department Dungeon.
Zhao Yihui leaned against the wall and looked at the young man sleeping peacefully, his eyes full of doubts.
All prisoners who enter the dungeon are charged with serious crimes. Except for the old, weak, sick and disabled, there are basically few who can be exempted from shackles or shackles, or even wear both at the same time.
But the guy in front of me has neither shackles nor shackles. It seems that he is not in a prison, but in a comfortable room, and he just falls asleep soundly!
"What a strange young man."
Zhao Yihui was a little curious.
The cry of grievances sounded again, and the jailer made a noise and pushed a man over. This guy was not wearing shackles, but his feet were rattling.
The cell door opened and Wu Rong was pushed in.
Wu Rong glanced at Zhao Yihui, then walked to Gu Zhengchen, leaned over and shouted, "Mr. Gu, can you sleep in this place?"
Gu Zhengchen squinted and saw Wu Rong's appearance clearly. He sat up and looked at the shackles on Wu Rong's feet. He smiled and said, "Let me guess, did you hit someone or steal something?"
Wu Rong was filled with admiration and sat down. Under Zhao Yihui's shocked eyes, he easily unlocked the shackles and threw them aside. He said sincerely: "Like you, I was wronged."
Gu Zhengchen smiled.
They were all wronged. The difference is that he was wrongly accused by a group of people and came here, while Wu Rong was tricked by Mu Ying.
Unexpectedly, Mu Ying would do this again.
"How did you let them send you to my cell?"
Gu Zhengchen asked.
Wu Rong shrugged, leaned next to Gu Zhengchen, and whispered: "Among the jailers, there are inspectors."
"oh?"
Gu Zhengchen understood.
This was arranged by the school inspection, no, it was a scene arranged by Lao Zhu.
