Survival countdown

Chapter 46

Although everyone in the officialdom is in danger nowadays, not everyone is happy to see the current chaotic situation. Every time there is a big turmoil in the officialdom, someone can stand out from it.

For example, Zhang Shuoling, the servant of Menxia Province, is responsible for refuting the judgments of the Ministry of Punishment and Dali Temple, and has the opportunity to intervene in this major case in Huainan.

It happened that two of the jurors who participated in the prison were students of Zhang Shizhong. Before the execution of the prison, the two visited Zhang Shizhong as usual to ask if they had any suggestions on how to proceed.

Although Zhang Shizhong is the third rank, he has the power of prime minister. He also holds the position of prime minister, but he is not as good as Zhao Boyong in the court.

The current prison is like rain from the sky, hundreds of vacancies are vacated, and there is no king of Qin or the prince to fight with him. As for Zhao Boyong, who just presided over a big prison last time, he didn’t dare to show his head too much to avoid being caught, so basically No one is competing with him for this opportunity.

It can be said that this is a great opportunity sent to him by God to let him go straight to the sky!

"You want to ask if you should keep it a little tighter, for fear of offending the East Palace, Central Palace and Duke Zheng's Mansion at the same time?"

The two adults nodded again and again: "That's right! My mentor is wise."

Zhang Shizhong: "I served two dynasties successively. I caught up with the two stages of the late emperor and the early days of His Majesty's ascension to the throne. At that time, the homes of court officials were raided every now and then. There would always be one or two unjust prisons, right? Which unjust prison have you ever seen overturn the verdict? That is the big prison raised by the emperor, and the emperor opened his mouth, that is the golden rule that cannot be changed! Regardless of whether you are guilty or not, as long as it appears on the list, the emperor will not tolerate it."

When he talked about the excitement, he tapped on the table and said earnestly: "As a courtier, obeying orders is the most brilliant way of an internal official."

The two looked at each other, and they both cupped their hands together: "I would like to follow the teacher's teaching."

The atmosphere was set in place, Zhang Shizhong revealed his purpose, took out a piece of paper from his cuff and said: "After years of observation, these people are all qualified as good ministers and officials. If there are vacancies, they may be able to fill them. Read more Look, don’t accidentally injure or arrest them, ah, it’s really an unjust prison, and the impact is not good.”

The two have been officials for many years, and instantly understood the purpose of their mentor, but they are both cronies, so it is natural that the more people they have, the better, so they both agreed.

"It's just that Zheng Chu is the presiding judge. If we act recklessly, I'm afraid we won't be able to presume."

"He can't protect himself, he will only think of ways to protect himself wisely, how dare he act aggressively?" Zhang Shizhong stroked his beard and said, "No one dares to take the lead now, and you have His Majesty's will to escort you. When will it be?"

The two were instigated so excitedly that they were ready to move, wishing they could go back to the Ministry of Punishment to extort a confession from their former colleagues.

Farewell to the mentor, the two talked about the list on the way back to the Ministry of Punishment: "Did you find any coincidences in the list?"

"Those colleagues who are ready to be absent seem to be from Liangjiang... are they officials from Liangjiang?"

"Could it be that the Qin Royal Party—"

"No! The officialdom in Liangjiang is more complicated than that in Huainan. There is more than one Qin royal party there."

Don't say much else, as long as we know each other well.

***

After Zhao Baiyu and the new Shaoyin of the Kyoto Prefecture handed over, he went to the Ministry of Officials to report on his duties. The new vacancies did not come down so quickly for a while, and he was instigated by Huo Jingtang to go to the Shanhe Tower on the outskirts of the city for vacation after he had nothing to do. progress of the case.

As soon as he returned to the mansion, Zheng Chu came to visit him, but Zhao Baiyu didn't realize it at first.

"What did he come to see me for?"

Zhao Baiyu came to the front hall full of bewilderment, and when he saw Zheng Chuzhi, the latter immediately rushed over and called for help: "Master Zhao, I am sorry for the incident in Yangzhou, if you want to beat or punish you, just do it, I am Zheng Chuzhi If you dare to return your hand once, you will break your arm on the spot!"

Zheng Chuzhi pulled out the ring knife and stuffed it into Zhao Baiyu's hand: "Master Zhao, stab me twice to vent your anger!"

Uncle Wei Bo and Uncle Hai appeared silently like door gods, and stood in front of Zhao Baiyu. The former slashed his hands and grabbed the blade, while the latter smiled like a tiger and said, "Our adults are weak, and it is not suitable for us to see blood and sharp weapons. Please bear with me."

Just now, Zheng Chuzhi knew that the two in front of him were masters after a small fight with Dao Dao, and they wanted to ask others, so how could they dare to make a mistake now?

Zhao Baiyu sat in the main seat: "Master Zheng is not in the Ministry of Criminal Justice to decide the case, what are you doing here?"

Zheng Chuzhi showed eagerness: "Master Zhao, I am begging you to save 380 seven court officials and their families and relatives, a total of more than [-] people. I really can't bear to look at the bones and ghosts all over the place to beg on you. Are you With a heart of great mercy and great compassion, and the wisdom to save suffering, I beg you to save them on behalf of more than [-] lives."

Zhao Baiyu subconsciously let go of the prayer beads on his wrist, and then he continued to fiddle with the prayer beads on his left wrist and looked at Wei Bo.

Wei Bo came to him and whispered a few words, explaining the recent changes in the court.

Zhao Baiyu was surprised: "You didn't think of a way to break the situation?"

Hearing this, Zheng Chuzhi showed joy: "Master Zhao, you really know the inside story of the case!"

Zhao Baiyu: "How did Your Majesty know about the garrison?"

Zheng Chuzhi blurted out: "Didn't your lord tell you the secret?"

"It's not me. I originally hoped that the matter would be peaceful and that there would be less murder, so why would I go so far as to inform you?" Zhao Baiyu frowned.

Zheng Chuzhi smiled awkwardly: "Ah, yes, my lord has a kind heart."

You can tell by his expression that he doesn't believe it. Maybe he thinks that Zhao Baiyu directed and played such a show by himself, and he is waiting to finally turn the tide and reap the benefits of the fisherman.

Zhao Baiyu didn't bother to explain, just said: "I can't help it."

Zheng Chuzhi's complexion changed, and he prayed repeatedly: "Master Zhao, please help me for the sake of implicating many innocent people in this case. I know that you are resourceful and have the power to turn corruption into magic. At the beginning, Chen Shilang's death penalty was a certainty. Didn’t I ask you to save me? The mastermind of the Huainan case deserves death, and some people who are not benevolent officials are naturally worthy of death, but do you know how many innocent people are implicated in this big prison raised by His Majesty’s wrath? Let’s say that the old wife died in court, and the whole family was imprisoned in Zhongshu Sheren. There were ancient mothers, and a woman who was pregnant for eight months, men over 16 years old, women under ten years old, and family members. Relatives add up to more than two hundred people!"

"Although I am the presiding judge of this big prison, I also obey orders. The real leaders are the three jurors sent by His Majesty. They are good at extorting confessions by torture. Two fourth-rank officials have been killed in the torture hall. If people from Zhongshushe are tortured and confessed to crimes, then more than two hundred people will be convicted one by one! More than 200 lives, Mr. Zhao!"

"Do you know why Zhongshusheren is on the list? Because his mother receives gifts from Sima Jiao every year on her birthday, and one of the gifts is a painting by King Jing ten years ago. Party. There are so many court officials like this on the list. Nearly half of the list is in the Huainan officialdom. Many small officials have no power or power. What's the point?"

"Master Zhao, do you think they deserve to die too?"

Zhao Baiyu stared at him with clear black and white eyes: "Why don't you ask some of the ministers in the court?"

Zheng Chuzhi: "They...they didn't dare to lend a helping hand, perhaps, they also had a will to help..."

Zhao Baiyu: "Master Zheng, I thank you for your praise and trust in me. As for the matter that you set me up in Yangzhou Prefecture, I really forgot. I have always been big-hearted, and I am not to the point of murdering and arson I won't hold grudges lightly, I can't do it, there's no need for that. You, just don't wear a high hat for me, it doesn't matter how much you wear, I really can't help it. "

Zheng Chuzhi didn't have time to complain about Zhao Baiyu's words that he was an oriole and compared himself to a mantis, so he anxiously persuaded: "Didn't you say that the gate of the county prince's mansion was waiting at any time in Yangzhou? Doesn't it mean that you are confident and the situation is under your control?" In the middle, you think it should be easy to break the situation, right? Master Zhao, please show mercy, do good deeds, and save everyone?"

Zhao Baiyu: "Let me tell you the truth, if I had a way to break the situation, I wouldn't have left this mess in the first place."

Zheng Chuzhi's cheeks and eyelids were twitching, and Zhao Baiyu finally admitted that he pretended to be tricked in order to get rid of the mess, but Zheng Chuzhi would rather he didn't say anything, and he would rather have a trick waiting for him.

Zhao Baiyu suddenly asked: "Master Zheng, tell the truth, do you want me to solve the problem for more than 2000 innocent people or for yourself?"

Zheng Chuzhi: "Naturally for others!"

Zhao Baiyu smiled and said nothing.

Zheng Chuzhi faltered: "For others... also for my own good."

The fundamental purpose lies in self-interest, which is human nature. In the end, Zheng Chuzhi could be more ruthless, take the opportunity to deal with the princelings, and then support his own people to be in power. Morality to restrain others.

Zhao Baiyu lowered his eyes, there was no smile on his face, and he said in a dispirited way: "I really have no other way, no matter if it's Sima Jiao, An Huaide, Prince Jing or his like, everything they do is jumping across your majesty's bottom line. , when you actively took over this case, you should have thought that many people would die."

Zheng Chuzhi's face was pale: "I didn't expect so many people to die unjustly... Xiao Zhao, to tell you the truth, I have fought in the battlefield for decades, and I have thousands of lives in my hands. The souls of the dead are asking for their lives, because I know that what I killed was not innocent, and I am famous as a teacher. But this time, I am really afraid."

Standing up, Zheng Chuzhi bowed to Zhao Baiyu, "I still say the same thing, Mr. Zhao, if you have any complaints, just come to me, I beg you to show mercy."

After finishing speaking, Zheng Chuzhi left.

Looking at Zheng Chuzhi's hunchbacked and much older back, Zhao Baiyu suddenly wanted to understand why Zheng Chuzhi, a doggy official like Zheng Chuzhi, had been a general in the Jizhou Army for decades.

Uncle Hai replaced Zhao Baiyu's tea, and said softly: "Zheng Chuzhi is quite kind, but the officialdom is intriguing, which is dangerous. This time it is about King Jing and Huainan's troops, and everything has stimulated Emperor Yuanshou's murderous intentions. Right now, everyone wants to climb out of the muddy water, lest they will be drowned in it. Mr. Zhao, you have already stayed out of the matter, so don't look back, those people's unjust deaths have nothing to do with you."

Zhao Baiyu held the teacup in a daze, and asked after a while, "Are more than 2000 people innocent?"

Uncle Hai: "At least half of them are innocent, and [-]% of the remaining half will not deserve death."

Zhao Baiyu asked blankly, "Are they all going to die?"

Uncle Hai looked at him lovingly: "The king wants the minister to die, and the minister has to die."

After a long time, Zhao Baiyu drank the cold tea and murmured to himself in a low voice: "No one can kill others without taking the law as the criterion."

Uncle Hai didn't hear clearly: "Master Zhao, what did you just say?"

Zhao Baiyu raised his head and smiled: "Where is Huo Jingtang? I haven't seen him today."

Uncle Hai: "Maybe I went to deal with the task."

Zhao Baiyu: "Does Your Majesty often arrange tasks in private?"

Uncle Hai: "It's not aimed at the county king. The tasks are directly assigned to the Tanghe iron cavalry. The county king is the leader of the iron cavalry. Some tasks have to be handled by himself. But this year is a bit busy, and the first two years were spent in the mansion all year round. "

"Is that so..."

What task Huo Jingtang took, Zhao Baiyu had the answer in his heart.

Someone reported to King Kang about the ledger and the garrison of troops. Zheng Chuzhi thought it was him who did it, but he didn't know that Huo Jingtang was also involved.That day Huo Jingtang received a letter from Yangzhou, saying that Zheng Chuzhi and Donggong had thought of a way to break the situation, but the rest refused to say more.

Zhao Baiyu guessed that Zheng Guogong's mansion and Donggong teamed up to hide the two matters of garrison troops and account books, but Huo Jingtang wanted to expose it. He wanted to force Emperor Yuanshou to kill Prince Jing in a rage?

It shouldn't be difficult for Huo Jingtang to take Prince Jing's life, but it is not in line with the result he wants to see that Prince Jing died so easily, was buried in the tomb of a prince, and could be left in history.

He hoped that King Jing would be demoted to a common man, and die a miserable death in the name of a rebellious official and a traitor amidst the castigation of the people all over the world.

Zhao Baiyu understood Huo Jingtang's thoughts, and was shocked that he hated Prince Jing so much.

He rubbed the Buddha beads thoughtfully, Huo Jingtang's position in His Majesty's heart is very important, he can go directly to the palace to face the saint, why bother to inform Emperor Yuanshou through King Kang?

Unless Huo Jingtang is sure that King Kang is soft-hearted and will hide something.

And once these things are said, it will create a bigger and bloodier prison than it is now.

Zhao Baiyu opened his eyes wide, and the shock in his heart can be imagined. Could it be related to the method of breaking the situation in Zheng Guogong's mansion and East Palace?They wouldn't be so confused as to cooperate with Prince Jing to conceal the matter of the troops and the ledger, right?

Should I say it or not, Zhao Baiyu guessed it right.

If Huo Jingtang did not inform, this situation would really break the East Palace and the others.

While hesitating, Zhao Baiyu heard the knock on the door and looked up, but it was Uncle Hai who knocked on the door frame and said, "Master Zhao, the king of the county is hiding in the Buddhist hall and copying Buddhist scriptures."

"hide?"

Uncle Hai was satisfied with the sensitivity of Princess Xiaojun, and said happily: "When the king of the county is irritable, he will hide in the Buddhist hall and copy Buddhist scriptures over and over again. In the past, every time after a battle, he would go to the nearby temple in his free time. Offering a long-lived lamp for the dead soldiers, copying Buddhist scriptures and silently reciting Buddhist scriptures in the Buddhist hall. The king of the county actually doesn’t like dead people.”

Zhao Baiyu was silent.

Uncle Hai quietly glanced at Zhao Baiyu, and struck while the iron was hot: "The prince is stubborn by nature, and even His Majesty can't talk to him. Ever since he learned of the cause of his mother's death, he has secretly hated Prince Jing, and he will not stop until he is ruined. .But the Iron Book of Alchemy in Prince Jing's hands is too tricky, if you want to achieve your goal, you will definitely hurt innocent people... Xiaojun Wang must be very uncomfortable right now."

Didn't Huo Jingtang's biological mother die in childbirth?

Zhao Baiyu asked doubts.

Uncle Hai hesitated for a moment, and told him honestly: "It's hard to say, if the little prince is willing to tell you personally."

Zhao Baiyu sighed: "I'll go to the Buddhist hall to find him."

As soon as the words were finished, a brass key was immediately placed in front of him. Zhao Baiyu raised his eyes and faced the face of Uncle Hai who was smiling very kindly.

"..." It's been planned for a long time.

The Buddhist hall is located deep in the backyard, in a remote location, and it was the first time for Zhao Baiyu to come in.

The vermilion courtyard door was locked with a rusty brass lock, and there was no trace of opening it. I heard from Uncle Hai that Huo Jingtang used to climb over the wall when he entered the small courtyard. The brass key in his hand is still useless. Pass.

With a click, the brass lock was smoothly opened, and Zhao Baiyu pushed the door in. He saw a dense bamboo forest, and a stone path in the middle led to a quiet meditation room.

The door of the meditation room was not closed, and Huo Jingtang's back could be seen at a glance.

There are two futons on the ground, and an Eight Immortals table in front of it. On the wall above the table is a calligraphy and painting, with only one word "forbearance" written on it.

Huo Jingtang had his hands behind his back, and a string of Buddhist beads was hanging on his right hand, and he was fiddled with them in an orderly manner. He didn't turn his head when he heard the sound: "My mother's words."

"Ask for yourself, move your heart and endure. Good words."

Huo Jingtang held Zhao Baiyu's hand, looked at the calligraphy and painting on the wall and said, "Mother overheard Prince Jing colluding with a group of people from the rivers and lakes in the spring of the second year after giving birth to me. The road that must pass through Beijing is in ambush. When Mother found out, she rode her horse and left the mansion, rescued her fleeing father, put on his clothes and transferred the killer, and died when thousands of arrows pierced her heart. Mother's body was taken away by His Majesty, and Prince Jing Her name must also be restrained, and she must be buried under the name of Princess Jing after her death. For this reason, my birth time was pushed back by half a year, and the cause of my mother's death was dystocia, and it was I who killed my mother. .”

Zhao Baiyu subconsciously held Huo Jingtang's palm with his backhand, and clasped his fingers tightly, unable to hide his distress.

"When my mother left, I was still too young. When I returned to Prince Jing's mansion when I was ten years old, I found that there was hostility towards me everywhere, and there was also the hidden hatred from my nominal father from time to time, which made me suspicious. , so I went to look for my mother's old ministry. I learned from them the grievances between my mother, Your Majesty, and King Jing, and how my mother was humiliated and bullied after she married in. King Jing's turning a blind eye is connivance."

Huo Jingtang's expression was indifferent: "If His Majesty hadn't been enthroned back then, taking hostages as an excuse, and Prince Jing chose to send me into the palace with evil intentions...I'm afraid I would have died in those secret schemes in the palace backyard."

Zhao Baiyu: "So you want revenge?"

Huo Jingtang: "Son of man, shouldn't I?"

Zhao Baiyu moved his lips, he didn't know what to say, after all, Prince Jing was the chief culprit who killed Huo Jingtang's biological mother, he didn't give birth or support, but instead brought endless murderous intentions, it is not an exaggeration to be an enemy .

Whether it is for himself, for those innocent people who died because of King Jing's selfishness, or for the biological mother who died because of King Jing's selfishness, Huo Jingtang's revenge is understandable.

It's just that if Huo Jingtang could really be as cruel and cold-blooded as he showed in order to get revenge, he wouldn't lock himself in the Buddhist hall and copy the Buddhist scriptures over and over again.

Zhao Baiyu looked at the stove next to him, there was a lot of paper ashes inside, it was the Buddhist scriptures that Huo Jingtang had written and burned.

"Is Xiao Lang here to persuade me to stop?"

Zhao Baiyu stretched out his hands to hold Huo Jingtang's face, and touched his brow with his fingers: "It's not too late for a gentleman to take revenge, not to mention my husband has been waiting for more than ten years, how could I cruelly demand that he be kind?" ? But I know that my husband is the most principled person in the world and the least willing to kill. He is not afraid of death, and he does not like to kill innocent people indiscriminately."

Huo Jingtang looked down at him, his glass-colored pupils reflected Zhao Baiyu, who was as gentle as water.

Zhao Baiyu: "You asked Uncle Ten to inform you because you didn't want to make trouble out of control. The Huainan case was reported, and the Shengshangxing Prison was expected, and it was bound to happen. But you told me about it before. At the time, the answer you gave was basically not certain. So I guess you just want to kill Prince Jing, and you don't want to implicate innocent people."

Huo Jingtang: "There is no way not to implicate the innocent."

Zhao Baiyu looked at him with a smile: "Is there really no way?"

Huo Jingtang stared at him fixedly, as if he had compromised for a long time, sighed imperceptibly, held Zhao Baiyu's hand that was placed on his face, and the Buddha beads hit the back of his hand lightly, "Xiao Lang knows I."

Zhao Baiyu: "Tell me, I can help you."

Huo Jingtang: "It's very risky, and I'm not sure if it can be done."

He led Zhao Baiyu and sat on the two futons on the ground, facing the bamboo forest outside the meditation room, the bamboo leaves rustled with the breeze.

"It has something to do with the Danshu Iron Coupon."

The key lies in the death-preventing gold medal in Prince Jing's hand. Only by getting rid of it can Emperor Yuanshou's anger that cannot be vented be eliminated.

"Your Majesty's killing intent is mainly due to the inability to get rid of Prince Jing. Sima Jiao's corruption and An Huaide's garrison only added fuel to the fire, but it also amplified His Majesty's killing intent, making him suspicious of every court official and worrying about them. They are all old troops left behind by King Jing, and I suspect that they are actually loyal to King Jing, only by killing them all can we feel at ease."

Zhao Baiyu analyzed: "The way to stop the prison is to kill King Jing in front of the world, so as to dispel His Majesty's suspicion of other court officials. An Huaide is Prince Jing's former subordinate. I don't really believe that His Majesty didn't find out, or didn't take precautions." , so the main trigger that made him suspicious was Sima Jiao. Sima Jiao is too close to the East Palace and the Central Palace, which is equivalent to letting people sleep soundly next to the couch, and His Majesty has such a big reaction."

Huo Jingtang traced Zhao Baiyu's palm print: "Continue talking."

Zhao Baiyu: "It's not difficult to dispel doubts, just solve the root cause."

Huo Jingtang looked up at him: "How to solve it?"

Zhao Baiyu pursed his lips and smiled: "The ledger. The ledger in An Huaide's hand is a fake one. I replaced it with the real one. It's fine for Sima Jiao to refuse to admit it. You can easily find the problem by checking with Mr. Accountant."

Huo Jingtang laughed, "Xiao Lang is planning for a rainy day."

Zhao Baiyu: "It's just a mistake. Last but not least, how to have the most legitimate reasons in front of the people of the world, reject the teachings of the ancestors and kill King Jing." After hesitating for a moment, he said: "I remembered what you said before. In the past sentence, the imperial power lost to the imperial power."

Huo Jingtang smiled a little more cheerfully, and said again: "Xiao Lang knows me and me. The legacy of the ancestors is not impossible to break, the key lies in whether the courtiers are willing and support it. This is the war between the imperial power and the imperial power. The courtiers are against it. The Holy Majesty broke the legacy of the ancestors because he was afraid that one day he would break the laws of the country, lose control, and kill indiscriminately. Once the courtiers were in danger and found that breaking the legacy of the ancestors could save their lives, they would in turn push His Majesty to abolish the ancestors and stay. Danshu Iron Coupon."

Zhao Baiyu: "All mouths make money, and accumulation destroys bones." The so-called King Jing can't be killed is because public opinion is difficult to control and people's hearts are unpredictable. They can save King Jing, and they can also kill King Jing.

In the past, the courtiers repeatedly forced Emperor Yuanshou to follow the teachings of the holy ancestors, and Emperor Yuanshou had to let Prince Jing go aggrieved.

"Let the courtiers force His Majesty to kill Prince Jing now... Oh, no, it's not an exaggeration to say 'begging'."

The author has something to say:

In the past, Emperor Yuanshou: aggrieved.Been holding back for a long time and perverted.

Now, Emperor Yuanshou: MD is so cool.