Both Wang Anshi and Sima Guang regarded Zhang San as their sharp weapons, but the effects of force were mutual. In fact, Zhang Fei also regarded Wang Anshi and Sima Guang as his right-hand men.
Regarding the process of judicial reform, Zhang Fei promoted it through Sima Guang, and in terms of policy, Zhang Fei promoted it through Wang Anshi.
It's just that Wang Anshi and Sima Guang used Zhang Fei more casually. After all, they were superiors and subordinates.
When Zhang Fei used them, he had to use his brain more and use his interests to persuade them during the turmoil and during their struggle with each other.
Regarding the policy of side troops, Zhang Fei had already mentioned it to Zhao Xu and obtained Zhao Xu's consent, but that was only in private, and on the surface it still had to be promoted through Wang Anshi.
He cannot allow any force in the DPRK to become the dominant one, because that is very detrimental to the current public security law. Once a single power dominates the situation, there are only two possibilities, either the public security law will disappear completely, or the public security law will be destroyed. A single family is a big one, but this is also a dead end!
How could the emperor allow the public prosecutor, procuratorate, and law to dominate?
After Wang Anshi finished talking with Zhang Fei, Sima Guang came over immediately.
"Did that man threaten you?"
Sima Guang asked seriously.
Wang Anshi has always supported the expansion of the powers of the Imperial City Division, trying to use his authority to suppress public opinion, because he knows that public opinion will definitely be unfavorable to him. Secondly, this lawsuit has something to do with him. If it goes to trial, it will be very detrimental to him.
Zhang Fei smiled and said: "It's not a threat, it's just an education from the critic."
Sima Guang said nervously: "Don't be influenced by him. This lawsuit will have a huge impact on the entire public security system. It is a lawsuit that you cannot afford to lose."
Zhang Fei pretended to be ignorant and said: "Is it so serious?"
Sima Guang opened his mouth at first, and then sighed: "I don't want to put any more pressure on you, but once you lose this lawsuit, the president of the court will most likely be forced to take the blame and resign, although we will also help. , but at that point, no one knows what will happen, so it’s best to win the case.”
Zhang Fei nodded and said with a smile: "Don't worry, Bachelor Sima, I won't lose."
Hearing these words, Sima Guang breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile, "I knew your boy was sure of victory."
After saying that, he coughed and said, "Okay, I won't delay you, just get on with it."
"yes."
Back at the table, Li Guozhong happened to come over, and the two of them bowed to each other.
Li Guozhong said with a smile: "I guess Prosecutor Zhang must have been forced to prosecute this case due to pressure."
Zhang Fei pretended to be curious: "How do you say that?"
Li Guozhong said: "Because of this lawsuit, it is almost impossible for your procuratorate to win. I even think that we are somewhat defeated."
Zhang Fei smiled and said: "I hope you can win, lest the people think that our procuratorate is cheating and winning every battle will also lower the people's expectations of watching the lawsuit."
Li Guozhong said confidently: "We will definitely win this lawsuit."
"Maybe."
Zhang Fei said very low-key.
A flash of disappointment flashed in Li Guozhong's eyes, he exchanged a few words and returned to his seat.
Zhang Fei also returned to his seat.
The young prosecutor Zhou Zheng was very unhappy and said: "How dare you be so arrogant when you have a defeated general?"
Zhang Fei chuckled: "Calm down, he is not here to show off his power, but to test me."
Qi Ji said: "Testing?"
"should be."
Zhang Fei nodded and said: "Maybe he, like you, doesn't know how to prove this lawsuit, so they came to test me to see if I have any hidden tricks."
Wang Gong asked with a smile: "Then do you have any secret tricks?"
Zhang Fei couldn't help but shook his head and smiled bitterly: "Wherever it is hidden, it has been used tens of thousands of times, but you have never learned it."
"What's the trick?"
"major!"
"???"
"cough!"
Suddenly hearing a cough from behind, Fu Bi looked back and saw Han Qi slowly walking over with the support of his son. After looking at him for a while, Fu Bi stroked his beard and said with a smile: "You look better than before. "
Han Qi sat down and said with a self-deprecating smile: "After listening to your words, I stay away from drinking and sex, and I hope to live for two more days."
".!"
Fu Bi laughed twice.
As you are, you can't understand the wine and sex in front of you.
Han Qi glanced at the battle and said with emotion: "Now I no longer think highly of the public prosecutor's office!"
"Oh?" Fu Bi asked curiously, "Why?"
Han Qi said: "It seems that the public prosecutor's office is very glamorous, but to me, it feels like a trapped beast still fighting."
He was the prime minister of three dynasties, and he had a thorough understanding of the relationship between power. After this series of events, he also discovered that the public prosecutor's office was also detrimental to the imperial power.
Any idea that is not conducive to the imperial power will be frowned upon.
Fu Bi nodded and said, "Actually, I have felt this way before."
Han Qi asked: "Has it disappeared now?"
Fu Bi replied: "A trapped beast still fighting will never see the light of day, which makes people feel desperate. But the public prosecutor and the law are different. After every conflict, people will always feel that the dawn has come. It is not like a trapped beast still fighting, but more like It seems to be over the mountains one after another, and the end seems to be close at hand, but also seems to be far away in the horizon, just like that.”
"Mirage."
Han Qi said first.
Fu Bi nodded.
Han Qi thought for a moment, "That's right."
Like Han Qi, many ministers here, whether they support the Public Security Bureau or oppose it, actually feel this way to some extent.
In fact, many new ideas came out and grew up in the struggle. But unlike the public prosecutor's law, those ideological battles are limited to the verbal battles of literati. The public prosecutor's law is directly reflected in reality, just like walking on a tightrope, and it is over if you are not careful.
However, the people outside the hospital were completely opposite to what they thought. Their eyes were full of expectations. They always firmly believed that the public prosecutor, procuratorate, and law could give them justice.
The Imperial City Division was not only disliked by the ministers, but also by the common people.
Since time immemorial, no one has liked this institution.
After a while, Zhao Pian finally appeared at the president's seat, but today there was an assistant beside him, it was Cheng Yi.
Strictly speaking, this is the first court hearing that Cheng Yi has participated in. Although he has been compiling Zhang Fei's court trial records recently, Cheng Yi's face will inevitably show a trace of uneasiness and hesitation if he really participates.
Zhao Pian was not a person who dawdled. He asked Cheng Yi to briefly introduce the lawsuit, and then announced the start of the trial.
This was just a one-way lawsuit. The Imperial City Division did not initiate a lawsuit to sue the two soldiers. Logically speaking, this should be the case, but they did not do so. They were just responding to the lawsuit.
Because judging from the proceedings in the Procuratorate, as long as they prevent the prosecution from giving in, it can indirectly prove that the two soldiers are guilty, so why distract their energy to attack. In the trial, it would be wrong to say more.
Next, if they initiate a prosecution, it means that the Imperial City Division will be in contact with the Public Security Bureau. Things are so deadlocked, and they are even more unwilling to contact the Public Security Bureau. As long as they win the lawsuit, they will still hand over the case to Dali Temple.
As the prosecutor, Zhang Fei stood up first and said: "I kindly ask the president to call the first witness Hu Changbai and the second witness Qiu He."
"pass!"
After a while, a burst of exclamations was heard outside the courtyard.
When the officials heard this, they all turned their heads to look, and saw four court policemen carrying two bamboo sedans up to the court. On the bamboo sedans lay two men in their thirties and forties, with their shoulders hunched and tilted. His neck, from his feet to his shoulders, was fixed with splints, and his whole body was bandaged like a big rice dumpling.
The people outside the courtyard immediately pointed and commented.
This image preconceptions led the people to directly believe that this was a trick made by subjugation!
Suddenly, someone was heard shouting angrily: "They are all pretending to deliberately win everyone's sympathy. They all walked out of the Imperial City Division by themselves a few days ago. How can it be so serious?"
Everyone turned their heads and saw that it was the eunuch Li Zhien. They saw that his face was filled with anger and his eyes were wide open.
MD
I have always been the only one who has wronged others, but now you are doing this to our family as soon as you come up. We are experts in this field!
"quiet!"
Zhao Pian angrily rebuked: "You are not allowed to speak out without asking, otherwise, the president of the court will order you to be expelled from the imperial court."
Li Zhien snorted and sat down again angrily.
Li Guozhong also turned his head to look at Zhang Fei, his eyes full of contempt. You, the great prosecutor, are you going to do this with us? What's the deal?
Zhang Fei, however, raised a copy and said seriously: "Five days ago, the police station invited the best doctor in the capital to treat the first witness and the second witness. This is their medical certificate.
They can indeed walk on the ground now, but there is a high possibility of falling. At the same time, their shoulder bones and ribs have fractures of varying severity. Once they fall, the consequences will be disastrous. The doctor told them to rest in bed for a few days, but because They are the key witnesses in this lawsuit and must be present. Therefore, to be on the safe side, we can only carry them here carefully. "
Li Guozhong couldn't help but muttered: "As for that."
It's just to gain sympathy. If you put in so much effort, you are afraid that others will think you are not professional enough.
"Submit."
Zhao Pian said immediately.
Cheng Yi, who was in court for the first time, felt that this trial was really different. Even this small detail, he took out the medical certificate.
After Zhao Pian carefully read the two medical certificates, he asked the two witnesses: "Two witnesses, can you be sober and testify now?"
"Can."
They both answered at the same time.
Zhao Pian nodded and said to Zhang Fei: "The prosecutor can conduct questioning."
"yes."
Zhang Fei first asked Hu Changbai: "Hu Changbai, do you remember the evening of the 18th day of last month, from about 1:10 to 2:00, what were you doing during this period?"
Hu Changbai replied weakly: "At that time, I made an appointment with Brother Qiu to drink at Chen's Tavern in Xiangfu County."
Zhang Fei continued to ask: "Is the Brother Qiu you are talking about the second witness Qiu He?"
"Yes."
Hu Changbai just nodded slightly.
Zhang Fei asked: "Why did you invite the second witness Qiu He to Chen's Tavern for a drink that day?"
Hu Changbai said: "It's because we received our full monthly salary that day, so we met for a few drinks."
Zhang Fei pretended to be puzzled and asked: "Full monthly salary? Does this include bonuses?"
"That's the monthly salary." Hu Changbai said.
Zhang Fei was even more curious: "Is this something worth celebrating?"
Hu Changbai said: "Because it was difficult for us Xiang soldiers to receive a full monthly salary in previous years, but last month we received a full monthly salary, so we thought we should celebrate."
Zhang Fei asked: "How much is this full monthly salary?"
"Three hundred coins."
"Do you soldiers only pay three hundred coins per month?"
"That's not true. This is the salary, as well as grain, cotton wool, and pickles."
"Based on the full amount, how much money can you get every year?"
"If we count the full amount, we can probably get just over twenty-three guans every year."
Guanzu means one thousand fens, and Guansheng means between 770 and 820 fens. In the imperial court, only Guanzu is counted, not Guansheng, because there is no accurate number of Guansheng.
Zhang Fei asked again: "How much can you actually get?"
"Usually it's about twenty strings." Hu Changbai said.
"Didn't you report it to your superiors when you took so much less money?"
"Some people went and complained, but to no avail."
"Why?"
"Because the superiors will find various reasons to say that we have not worked hard and will reduce our salary."
"Did you really not work hard?"
"of course not."
"Do you have proof?"
"There are tens of thousands of Xiang soldiers in Xiangfu County, but few of them can receive sufficient salary."
"Can this money meet your daily needs?"
"This little money is not enough in the capital. We still do some crafts in the camp on weekdays to earn a little money to support our family."
"be opposed to."
Li Lei suddenly stood up and said with excitement: "These questions asked by the prosecutor have nothing to do with the case. They just want to win everyone's sympathy, and their behavior is very despicable."
Cheng Yi was the only one in the audience who was frightened. He had never seen such a cruel Erbi, and their tone of voice would not be recorded in the court hearing.
Zhang Fei argued rationally: "These questions are related to why they said those words in the tavern. They are the cause of this case and are crucial."
After that, he did not forget to sarcastically say, "Our procuratorate does not like to cut off the beginning and end like some people do."
Li Lei also said in a strange way: "If this is pretending to be pitiful and the other is seeking sympathy, then we are really ashamed of ourselves!"
Zhao Pian glanced at the two of them and asked, "Do you want to make some time so that you can have a fight first?"
The two of them were silent.
Zhao Pian snorted majestically and said immediately: "The president of this court also hopes to clarify the causes and consequences of this case. If the objection is invalid, the prosecution can continue to inquire."
Li Lei sat down very unhappy.
Cheng Yi asked in a low voice: "President, what is the meaning of their opposition?"
Zhao Pian had told him before that if he didn't understand anything, he could ask immediately. This would help him understand that it was just improvising and extraordinary means had to be used. Moreover, during the trial, the chief judge was relatively relaxed.
Zhao Pian replied: "He just wants to remind everyone that the other party is trying to gain sympathy, so as to reduce everyone's sympathy for the two witnesses."
"I see."
Cheng Yi nodded slightly, feeling even more uneasy. These people are so cunning, but the chief judge can only negotiate with them according to the rules. Can he judge them?
He highly admires the rule of virtue and educates people with morality, which is very similar to Sima Guang's philosophy. However, this court trial is all about means and no moral ethics. If you are not careful, you will fall into it. If you use morality If you look at it, you will basically see it crookedly.
If he was asked to come to the trial, he would definitely reprimand Li Lei. Why not let others tell him? That would be tantamount to following Zhang Fei's advice. The chief judge was their target.
Zhang Fei took advantage of this stall to take a sip of tea, adjust a little, and then continued to ask Hu Changbai: "Do you know why you were given a full monthly salary last month?"
Hu Changbai replied: "The specific reason was not mentioned above, but there are rumors in the camp that it was because of the hearing a few days ago."
"Is it a hearing about the Daimyo river defense?"
"Yes."
"But what does this have to do with your monthly salary?"
"Because our camp has also been building river channels recently, the superiors said they were afraid of being investigated, so they paid us a full monthly salary that month."
"I see."
Zhang Fei lowered his head and glanced at the copy, then raised his head again and asked: "No matter what the reason is, you guys got the full salary last month. You must be very happy to drink this wine, right?"
"Not really."
Hu Changbai said aggrievedly.
Zhang Fei asked: "Why?"
Hu Changbai said: "Because we know that once this news is over, it will return to the original state. And I think that the people above have the money to pay the full salary, and I have complained a few times because of the wine."
Zhang Fei asked: "Do you remember what you said?"
Hu Changbai said: "Because I drank too much at the time, I really only remember a few things."
Zhang Fei asked: "What did you probably say?"
"I."
Hu Changbai looked around anxiously, hesitated for a while, and then plucked up the courage to say: "We were talking about what happened at the hearing first. The sailors were not given food and clothing in the middle of the winter. They didn't treat us as soldiers at all. People see that every day they get up early and work late, work more than anyone else, are more tired than anyone else, but get less than anyone else. If they take a break for a moment, they may be beaten with a whip. There are often people who work to death from exhaustion, but only get less. It’s really unfair that you can’t get a full salary for such a small amount of money.”
Zhang Fei nodded and asked Qiu He: "Qiu He, when Hu Changbai said this, what was your reaction?"
Qiu He said with a sad face: "I was also drunk at the time, so... I just echoed a few words."
Zhang Fei said: "So you agree with what he said?"
Qiu He said: "We soldiers often encounter the situations those sailors encounter, and they are even worse than them. But no one makes the decision for us soldiers, so we start complaining."
Zhang Fei said: "So you are just complaining about your situation and the injustice you have encountered."
Qiu He nodded.
"I have no problem for now."
Zhang Fei sat down.
Zhao Pian then signaled that the defense could conduct questioning.
Li Lei stood up and said, "Hu Changbai, where are you from?"
Hu Changbai said: "I am from Xuzhou."
Li Lei said: "What did you do before you joined the army, and why did you join the army?"
When Wang Gong heard this, he immediately found a copy and put it in front of Zhang Fei, "This is not easy to refute."
Zhang Fei glanced at him, then picked up the copy and started reading it.
Hu Changbai replied: "I was a farmer before. Ten years ago, my hometown encountered floods and all the fields and houses were washed away. It happened that the government was recruiting soldiers, so I joined the army."
Li Lei asked: "According to what you said, this flood and the government's recruitment of soldiers are just a coincidence?"
Hu Changbai shook his head and said, "That's not true. Because of the flood, people were displaced all over Xuzhou, so the government decided to recruit soldiers."
Li Lei continued to ask: "If the imperial court does not recruit you into the military camp, how do you think you will live?"
"I object."
Zhang Fei stood up and said, "The other party led the witness to speculate about things that did not happen and make a confession that was not conducive to the witness. How convincing is this."
"I take the question back."
Without Zhao Pian opening his mouth, Li Lei spoke first, and then asked Hu Changbai: "How did you make a living before you were drafted into the army?"
Hu Changbai said: "I rely on begging to make a living."
Li Lei said: "Can this begging help you make a living?"
Hu Changbai said: "Of course not."
Li Lei said: "Are there any people around you who are starving to death because they can't get food from begging?"
Hu Changbai nodded and said, "Yes."
Li Lei asked: "Is it much?"
Hu Changbai said: "Quite a few."
Li Lei said: "Are you happy after being recruited into the camp?"
Hu Changbai nodded, "I was very happy at the time."
Li Lei said: "Did your wife and children get food and clothing from this?"
Hu Changbai said: "Yes."
Li Lei asked again: "If I say that this policy at that time saved your family, do you agree?"
Hu Changbai said: "I agree."
Li Lei said: "In the past ten years, have you had the opportunity to leave the military camp?"
Hu Changbai said: "I haven't thought about it."
"Why?"
Li Lei said: "You have such a hard life in the military camp, why don't you want to leave?"
Hu Changbai said: "My family doesn't even have an acre of land or a house now. I also left my hometown early. If I left the military camp, I would have to live a homeless life."
Li Lei said: "So the military camp gave your family a chance to survive, and also gave you shelter from wind and rain, but you are complaining that the military camp treats you unfairly?"
"I object!"
"I take that back."
Before Zhang Fei could get up, Li Lei quickly took it back and then asked Qiu He, "Qiu He, where are you from and why did you join the army?"
Qiu He said: "Brother Hu and I are from the same hometown, and we also enlisted in the army because of the flood."
Li Lei asked again: "During these ten years, have you ever thought about leaving the military camp?"
Qiu He shook his head, "Brother Hu and I are in the same situation, and my wife died in the flood. I don't even have a home and can only stay in the military camp."
"so."
"I object."
As soon as Li Lei opened his mouth, Zhang Fei raised his hand.
Li Lei said depressedly: "I haven't said yet what prosecutor Zhang objects to."
Zhang Fei said confidently: "I object to what you are going to say next."
Zhao Pian couldn't help but laugh. He felt that Zhang San had become the president of the court and prosecutor, but he was still the same as Erbi. His level had not improved at all. He coughed and said, "The objection is invalid. The defense continues to ask."
Li Lei struggled for a moment, then thought about it and let it go. If he said it, he would still be opposed by Zhang Fei, and might even attract ridicule. He then said, "I want Chen Ting, the owner of the Chen Family Tavern, to appear in court to testify."
(End of chapter)
