Chapter 613
The Dust Settles
Prince Jing and General Wen Tao were exonerated.
Outside the main hall of the Ministry of Justice, hundreds of people stood silently in the courtyard, including peddlers, porters, men, women, and the elderly, unable to recover for a long time.
These people who were attending the hearing originally wanted to see why Chen Ji had broken into the prison, but now they have all become witnesses for Prince Jing to exonerate him.
In the courtroom, behind the judge's desk, the Minister of Justice, the Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review, and the Right Vice Censor-in-Chief all wore different expressions, each harboring their own secrets. The three judge's desks were placed side by side, and although the men were still sitting there, their imposing presence had collapsed, like three hollowed-out clay figures in a temple.
How did the Liu family fall from grace?
Back then, when the Liu family's relatives held power, the Liu family members acted tyrannically and arrogantly, leaving behind a lot of evidence of their crimes.
It was Qi Jia who used the law and righteousness to punish the maternal relatives, and used the three judicial departments of the Ministry of Justice, the Censorate, and the Court of Judicial Review to send the Liu family's maternal relatives to the execution ground one by one.
The Qi and Liu families had long been irreconcilable enemies in the imperial court.
Therefore, when the Liu family lost power, the three judicial departments under the Qi family couldn't wait to convict the Liu family and also convict Prince Jing, who was on good terms with the Liu family, for fear of causing any further complications.
Now, those very things that convicted Prince Jing have become evidence used by the Three Judicial Offices to frame him.
The three ministers behind the case began to whisper among themselves.
A moment later, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review suddenly launched an attack: "Wu Xiu, the case of Prince Jing's treason is irrefutable, with witnesses and evidence to prove it. You eunuchs should not try to confuse the public."
"People die for wealth, birds die for food. It seems the three of you want to protect your official hats," Wu Xiu said calmly. "Where are the witnesses in the Prince Jing's treason case?"
The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review announced in a loud voice: "Xi Tang, Consort Yun's personal nanny, confessed that Consort Yun had been instructed by Prince Jing to collude with the Jing Dynasty's military intelligence agency."
Chen Ji's heart stirred.
happy Tang?
He remembered clearly that in Luocheng, Xitang had been instructed by Consort Yun to inform the Secret Service. This person should be in the hands of the Secret Service, so how did he end up in the hands of the Ministry of Justice?
It seems that the Grand Chancellor and Wu Xiu have made more preparations to exonerate Prince Jing.
Wu Xiu arrogantly said, "Do you gentlemen intend to call Xi Tang out to testify? I advise you gentlemen not to humiliate yourselves. If she recants her testimony in court, it will be even more embarrassing for you all."
The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review's expression changed: "I also have a confession written by Consort Yun herself!"
Wu Xiu smiled and said, "If I remember correctly, the confession is dated the 17th day of the first month of the 32nd year of Jianing?"
The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review was taken aback; Wu Xiu actually knew the details of the case files within the Three Judicial Offices.
Before they could answer, Wu Xiu asked again, "Where is Consort Yun?"
The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review stammered, "Consort Yun is an important witness for our three judicial departments, and cannot be shown to others casually."
"Gentlemen, your methods to convict Prince Jing are rather clumsy," Wu Xiu said with a smile. "Consort Yun died in November of the thirty-first year of the Jianing era in an alley in the East Market of Luocheng. No one knows who killed her. Her body was discovered by her neighbor, Wang Chun, who informed the village head. Because Consort Yun's identity was unknown, the village head could only transport her body to the Luocheng Mortuary for temporary burial. The Mortuary has records of the body's characteristics that can be corroborated with the daily records of Prince Jing's residence. Furthermore, three servants from the Prince's residence have identified her as Consort Yun without a doubt."
Chen Ji looked at Wu Xiu.
It turns out that the Secret Service already knew that Consort Yun was dead.
Yes, Consort Yun has been missing for a long time, and the Secret Service has searched everywhere without success. Naturally, they must go to the mortuary to check the unidentified female corpse, compare it with the daily records of Prince Jing's mansion, and then ask the servants of the mansion to identify it.
The other party had long discovered Consort Yun's existence but kept it a secret, waiting for today.
At this moment, the people outside the hall were somewhat confused. After listening for a long time, they could no longer tell who the military intelligence agents were and who had framed Prince Jing. It was clearly the three officials behind the case who should be the ones.
The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review was about to plead his case when the Minister of Justice grabbed his wrist tightly.
The Minister of Justice lowered his voice: "Stop arguing with him. The people below are watching. If we continue arguing, we will be the ones who framed Prince Jing. If we let him exonerate Prince Jing, we will only be guilty of dereliction of duty. If we insist on arguing about this matter and he finds something else, we will have our property confiscated!"
The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review turned pale: "What should we do then?"
The Minister of Justice solemnly said, "Execute him immediately. We will earn prestige for the Qi family. The rest is up to His Majesty to decide."
Chen Ji stood below the hall and turned to look at Wu Xiu.
Wu Xiu stood proudly with his hands behind his back, his python robe fitting him perfectly. The sea and cliff patterns beneath the golden python's feet were faintly visible, as if they were about to surge out from the hem of the robe.
Chen Ji suddenly remembered an old saying: "He who is near a true dragon for a long time will also have the aura of a dragon."
He asked curiously, "Lord Wu Xiu, aren't you afraid of making a mistake? If something goes wrong, I'm afraid you'll be doomed forever."
Wu Xiu looked up at the plaque above the Ministry of Justice that read "A Bright Mirror Hangs High": "Traces of the past! We, the sons and daughters of Han, spend our entire lives waiting for an opportunity worthy of our death. Whether we are wrapped in horsehide or buried in the green hills, as long as we die in the right place, that is enough. We are all born martyrs..."
He turned to look at Chen Ji and smiled, "I won't die this time, but I think it wouldn't be so bad if I did die this time."
Chen Ji could tell that Wu Xiu was truly unafraid of death.
The next moment, the Minister of Justice slammed his gavel: "Wu Xiu, the Director of the Directorate of Ceremonial, colluded with the Jing Dynasty's Military Intelligence Bureau to frame Qing Wentao, the General of the Guyuan Border Army, and our dynasty's vassal kings... He shall be executed immediately!"
Wu Xiu suddenly said, "Wait."
The Minister of Justice's expression changed: "What, is there anything else you want?"
Wu Xiu shook his head: "Now that I have made my judgment, shouldn't Qing Wentao and Prince Jing be exonerated?"
The Minister of Justice hesitated and said, "We need to discuss this further..."
Wu Xiu interrupted with a smile, "Minister, think it over before you speak. Don't end up like me, with your family's property confiscated and your entire household wiped out."
The hall fell silent for a moment.
The Minister of Justice sat behind his desk, his face alternating between pale and flushed. Hundreds of eyes outside the hall were fixed on him, like needles pricking his skin, leaving him nowhere to hide.
The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review said in a low voice, "The injustice cannot be redressed today."
The Minister of Justice turned and glared at him fiercely: "Do you know what else he has in his possession?" The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review was speechless.
After a long silence, the Minister of Justice spoke in a hoarse voice: "After investigation by the three judicial departments, the case of Qing Wentao... is a wrongful conviction and is hereby overturned."
The Minister of Justice remained silent for a long time, so long that the people outside the hall began to whisper among themselves, and so long that the Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review tugged at the hem of his robe under the table.
He finally spoke again: "The case of Prince Jing's treason... was also a wrongful conviction, and it should be overturned."
Chen Ji heard Wu Xiu let out a soft sigh of relief beside him, as if exhaling a mountain, and his shoulders relaxed a bit.
Just as the Minister of Justice rose to leave the court, Wu Xiufu looked up again, pointed at Chen Ji, and asked, "Gentlemen, what about this man? Since Prince Jing has been exonerated, his prison break was a good deed, so why not release him?"
The Minister of Justice said in a deep voice, "We cannot release them."
Wu Xiu raised an eyebrow: "Oh?"
The Minister of Justice stared at Wu Xiu: "Even if there is a great injustice, breaking into prison is still a serious crime. Take this person into the Ministry of Justice prison to await judgment!"
“No,” Chen Lizun stepped into the hall from outside.
The Minister of Justice no longer gave Chen Lizun a friendly look: "Lord Chen, you should avoid suspicion due to kinship and it would be best if you didn't speak."
Chen Lizun stepped forward a few more times: "Regardless of whether we want to avoid suspicion or not, we must first follow the rules. Officials of the fifth rank and above, as well as nobles of our dynasty, regardless of their crimes, must be detained in the Censorate, not in the Ministry of Justice's prison. Has Your Excellency forgotten?"
The Minister of Justice's face flushed with anger: "Go ahead and do as you please."
After saying this, the Minister of Justice hurriedly left.
Wu Xiu smiled and looked at Chen Ji: "The Censorate's prison is a private compound, much more comfortable than the Ministry of Justice's prison."
Chen Ji asked curiously, "And you?"
Wu Xiu thought for a moment, then looked through the lobby door and into the sunlight outside: "I have somewhere I need to go."
……
……
Outside the Ning Emperor's Mausoleum, someone lifted the carriage curtain and glanced at the sky: "It's about time, let's go."
Shan Niu lifted the carriage curtain for him, and the inner minister stepped out, a black jade pendant dangling from his waist. The jade pendant wasn't of the best quality, with a small patch of cotton wool at the edge, as if it had been worn for many years, worn smooth and shiny from being rubbed.
The mountain ox offered to help him up, but the inner minister smiled and said, "I'm not old enough to need anyone's help."
The minister alighted from the carriage and limped past the stone archway. The archway stood there, five bays, six pillars, and eleven stories high, carved from white marble. The dragon patterns on the pillars had been somewhat blurred by centuries of wind and rain, but its imposing presence remained, pressing down heavily.
The Grand Chancellor passed under the archway and entered the sacred path. He walked alone among the military, civil, and meritorious officials standing on both sides, slowly making his way into the mountains.
Behind him, Shan Niu and Jin Zhu carried a coffin up the stone steps.
The coffin was made of ordinary cypress wood, without any lacquer or carvings, as simple as a farmer's coffin.
Behind the mountain ox and the golden pig, four secret agents carried a newly carved tombstone.
However, the inner minister did not go to the Ling'en Hall, but instead wandered around the mountain, eventually choosing a place with a high vantage point for a panoramic view.
He stroked the black jade pendant at his waist with his right hand: "This will do. He doesn't like to join in the fun with others. When we set off to Jingchao, he will see our iron cavalry, strong and powerful, with banners waving."
The spies dug a small pit where the Secretary of State pointed, and the Secretary of State stood aside, watching them dig it down shovel by shovel.
The soil was yellowish-brown and damp. When it was turned up and piled up at the edge of the pit, it emitted the distinctive fishy smell of the soil.
After digging about two feet deep, the mountain ox stopped and looked up at him.
The Prime Minister nodded, and the Mountain Ox and the Golden Pig jumped down and continued digging. They dug until they were waist-deep before stopping. The Mountain Ox used a shovel to flatten the bottom of the pit and then laid a layer of pine branches on it before climbing out.
The inner minister walked to the coffin and reached out to touch the lid. It was made of cypress wood, rough, with a few splinters sticking into his fingertips. He didn't pull them out, but just left his hand there for a while.
"Brother," he said softly, "you're too tired, you should take a rest."
The mountain ox and the golden pig lifted the coffin and slowly lowered it into the grave. The sound of the coffin hitting the bottom was muffled, a soft thud that echoed across the hillside before being dispersed by the wind.
Shan Niu carried the tombstone over and placed it in front of the new soil.
It is made of bluestone, polished very smooth, with eight characters engraved on it in clerical script, each stroke meticulous and neat: Tomb of the late Prince Jing, Zhu Youxiao.
There was no posthumous title, no honorary title, no inscription praising his achievements, and no record of his life.
There are only these eight characters.
The minister walked to the tombstone, squatted down, and wiped the dust off the surface with his sleeve. Stone dust fell in a flurry, sticking to his sleeve, but he didn't mind: "I knew you didn't like those empty things, so I didn't carve anything else."
The sky gradually darkened.
The last rays of sunset sank behind the mountains, leaving only a thin strip of red and blue light on the horizon. The wind in the mountains picked up, making the pine branches rustle.
Standing before the tombstone, the Grand Secretary suddenly asked, "Do you know what the first word the Prince taught me was?"
Neither the mountain ox nor the golden pig responded.
The Minister smiled and said, "It's 'human.' He said the character for 'human' is composed of two strokes, one left and one right, which support each other to stand firm. There are people, there is a home, and there is a home, there is a country."
The mountain ox and the golden pig exchanged a glance, puzzled.
The Prime Minister turned and limped down the mountain: "Let's go, he can rest now. We still have a lot to do." (End of Chapter)