Chapter 1089
: The Confession is a True Record
Chapter 1089: The Confession is a True Record
"How dare you, Ma Guangcheng! Aren't you afraid of death?"
With another loud shout, he stormed off.
Song Zhen's face was grim as he looked at Ma Guangcheng and Hu Wenxuan, who seemed to have gone mad. A bad feeling crept into his heart.
"Oh dear, my Lord Song, you've fallen to such a low position, do you still have any room to fear death? You've been a dog your whole life, and in the end, you're nothing more than a lackey who cooks a good bow and puts it away. I wonder if the Emperor Emeritus knows of our loyalty, or if he simply doesn't care about our lives at all. Hahaha."
The moment the words were spoken, the entire hall fell silent. Even Zhang Jinyu, sitting at the door, had to admire the man's audacity. He looked up at the Marquis of Xiangyang sitting opposite him, just as Bai Guangju also looked over. Bai Guangju bowed slightly.
"You audacious scoundrel, how dare you falsely accuse the palace! You're tired of living!"
A loud, hoarse voice rang out, and Chen Hui, the eunuch sitting in the main seat, changed his expression, stood up, pointed at Ma Guangcheng, and began to berate him.
Little did he know that his anxious demeanor caused many to frown, especially the eldest son, Li Chaosheng, who looked at him with displeasure. Having entered the Grand Secretariat, he had learned that it too was subject to the control of the Directorate of Ceremonial. This interference in the case was particularly egregious, so he remarked…
"Eunuch Chen, this case is to be heard by Lord Song; no one else is allowed to interfere."
As if to remind him, the princes also turned their gazes in that direction. Chen Hui's heart skipped a beat; he knew he had overreacted, but he didn't regret it. Anyone else could tolerate it, but he couldn't. He slightly clasped his hands in a fist salute.
"Young Grand Secretary is absolutely right. I was just anxious. This scoundrel's baseless accusations are extremely disrespectful,"
“Continue the investigation,”
Li Chaosheng did not answer, but only spoke. Chen Hui felt awkward and embarrassed, and then slowly sat down.
Song Zhen snorted coldly, it was unclear whether he was dissatisfied with Ma Guangcheng or with Eunuch Chen.
"Ma Guangcheng, enough nonsense. The case in Jiangnan has witnesses and physical evidence, it's irrefutable. What else do you have to say? Do you plead guilty or not?"
Seeing that it wasn't a retrial but a direct conviction, Ma Guangcheng's last hope was extinguished. His face was filled with despair, yet he still refused to give up.
"Haha, Lord Song, Minister Song, I cannot bear such blame. I am just a minor prefect, doing my best for the court. Tell me, why would I do such heinous things? Lord Hu, what kind of behavior did you have to go to Jiangbei to mine?"
"Haha, oh dear, Ma Guangcheng, can't you see clearly? They're making us take the blame for what they've done."
Hu Wenxuan chuckled; the scene was truly tragic.
Zhang Jinyu observed the two's behavior, then looked up at the people in the main seats. At the front was Song Zhen, followed by Meng Li from the Censorate, Feng Yongwen from the Court of Judicial Review, and Chang Zuo, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice. At the very back were the two eunuchs from the Directorate of Ceremonial, and the eldest son, Li Chaosheng.
It's fair to say that Song Zhen had absolute power in handling the case.
"Then tell me, how did you suffer any injustice, Ma Guangcheng? You can't say that the order to destroy the dike and flood the fields wasn't given by you, can you?"
This is beyond doubt.
"Yes, it was my order. It was also Eunuch Yang from the Textile Bureau who brought a letter, and Inspector Jing also brought a message. This matter must be expedited without leaving any room for maneuver. These pieces of evidence have already been submitted. Why didn't you question Eunuch Yang?"
"Hmph, who can argue with that? When I went to the Jiangbei Jade Mine to open it, it was with documents from the Imperial Household Department and a warrant from Eunuch Yang. I personally escorted prisoners from various county offices to mine the jade, with the Imperial City Guards supervising and soldiers from Yangzhou Prefecture guarding them. Without these, how could I dare to do it? By the way, the jade sent from the capital was obtained by me by extorting money from the people. It was all transported into the capital and is probably shining brightly in the Emperor Emeritus's palace. Hahaha."
Another burst of laughter followed, causing the expressions of the civil and military officials in the hall to become somewhat strange. They were hearing these words for the first time. The Emperor Emeritus had actually unsealed the jade mines that had been sealed off by the previous dynasty! Many officials from the Six Ministries stared intently at the two men.
Only a few vassal kings were furious.
"That's outrageous!"
"Bullshit."
"nonsense."
Before the others could speak again, Zhang Jinyu scolded them;
"What are you doing? Lord Song is handling the case. Gentlemen, please calm down. Whether it is true or not, an investigation will tell. It's not your place to say!"
The sarcastic remarks made King Song and his entourage feel somewhat stifled.
Even the two people kneeling on the ground turned their gazes over.
"Our cases all stem from the Textile Bureau and the Imperial Household Department. Yang Chi's warrants are involved in all of them. Since Eunuch Yang is not here, the Textile Bureau is not here, and the Imperial Household Department is not here, I wonder what you gentlemen intend to interrogate us about?"
“If you show favoritism, the court and the public will have their own judgment. We are just officials doing our jobs. If we make a mistake, it will cost us our lives. In that case, it doesn’t matter whether we keep our positions or not. Why get involved in this mess?”
Hu Wenxuan sighed. The atmosphere was rather desolate. Many officials in the hall were discussing amongst themselves; it seemed there was more to the story. Even the princes looked thoughtful, especially the three princes, who harbored many doubts. It seemed the two men's words were reasonable and well-founded.
"Snapped"!
Another loud bang echoed through the hall. Song Zhen stroked his chin and turned to look at the two chief eunuchs of the Directorate of Ceremonial behind him.
"Gentlemen, since they have mentioned Eunuch Yang of the Textile Bureau, could you please invite him out to meet with them?"
This rhetorical question stumped Chen Hui and Ma Fei. They knew Yang Chi was insane, but whether he was truly mad or feigning it remained to be seen. Bringing him in now...
The two exchanged a glance, Chen Hui considered for a moment, and then nodded.
Then, Song Zhen slammed his fist on the table.
"Bring Yang Chi from the Textile Bureau into the hall."
"Bring Yang Chi from the Textile Bureau into the hall."
The announcements were made, and everyone in the hall was incredulous. That was the Grand Master of Ceremonial, and he was being escorted in like this. Only Zhang Jinyu looked at the figure with some pity. It was a dead end.
The two men kneeling on the ground jolted, exchanged a glance, and were overcome with grief. They feared that Yang Chi, too, would not escape death.
Footsteps sounded at the entrance of the main hall, and a group of eunuchs carried in Yang Gonggong, who was tied to a chair, on a bamboo stool. Everyone was shocked when they saw Yang Gonggong, who was disheveled and had a vacant look in his eyes.
"Hahaha, hahaha."
A chilling laugh rang out from the two men. It's said that for every step the devil takes, the devil takes ten; their deaths were imminent.
"Lord Song, I never expected Eunuch Yang to end up like this. You must know something about who did it. Since Eunuch Yang can't speak, I happen to know where the silver was sent. Would you like me to reveal the name?"
These words completely shut him down. Song Zhen's face turned ugly, and he hesitated to strike with the Jingmutang hammer, gritting his teeth.
"Lord Song, I am also a wounded man. If you dare to ask, I dare to say that the jade on that ship probably went not only to Chang Le Palace, but also to the Knitting Bureau, the Laundry Bureau, and many other places. Please ask."
Hu Wenxuan was not agitated, but every word he uttered was precious. He didn't name anyone, yet every sentence implied connections to the palace. Just as the hall fell silent, Song Zhen suddenly roared in anger.
"These two are talking nonsense. Take them back immediately, and bring Yang Chi, that madman, back for treatment as well."
"Yes, sir,"
In an instant, before anyone could react, armored guards dragged the men away, leaving the officials looking at each other in bewilderment. The princes, in particular, couldn't agree on what to say. Seeing the two men's confident demeanor, and knowing full well that the supplies for cultivation at Chang Le Palace were indeed sent from Jiangnan, how were they supposed to investigate?
"This case still requires final review. We will discuss it later. Now, summon Zhuang Shouzhi, the Provincial Administration Commissioner of Jiangnan, and Jing Cunliang, the Inspector General of Jiangnan, to the palace."
"Annoying! Zhuang Shouzhi, the Provincial Treasurer of Jiangnan, and Jing Cunliang, the Inspector General of Jiangnan, enter the hall!"
Another announcement was made.
Outside the palace,
Upon seeing the figures of the two officials, many civil and military officials sat up straight. These two were undoubtedly high-ranking officials in charge of a region.
The two entered together, their expressions calm, and they hadn't even taken off their official robes. After entering, someone had already asked for permission and brought them two stools. After sitting down, Song Zhen also asked in a friendly manner.
"Lord Zhuang, were there any discrepancies in the tax revenue of Jiangnan at the beginning of the year?" "Reporting to Lord Song, at the beginning of the year, the tax revenue of Jiangnan was stable. Land tax, commercial tax, and the grain and fodder allocated to the official granaries by households were all complete, fully registered, and not a single penny was missing."
Lord Zhuang already knew all of this by heart; the account books had been sent to the capital long ago, and a simple check would reveal the truth.
"Very well, the Ministry of Justice has received the account books and has sent clerks to verify them. The amount is not less than expected. Now, I ask you, why has Jiangnan been plagued by disasters to this day?"
Song Zhen continued, "Since you're asking, all the officials should listen."
"Naturally, after several officials came from Jiangnan, first the Inspector General Jing, then Eunuch Yang, and then Inspector General Su Chong, they all wanted to convert farmland into mulberry fields as soon as they arrived in Jiangnan. The people did not comply and caused trouble. In addition, five counties in Jiangbei were illegally mining jade, causing the people to suffer. Once the Xinbei Dike breached, disasters continued."
The arguments are clear, logical, and well-supported; that's all I can say.
"Do you know the specifics?"
"Your Excellency Song, I am unaware of the details, and I oppose converting farmland into mulberry fields. However, Lord Jing has a cabinet order, so I have no choice but to recuse myself."
When it comes to shirking responsibility, who can compare to Lord Zhuang's laissez-faire approach? Song Zhen squinted, thinking to himself, "It seems Lord Zhuang was prepared all along." He stopped asking questions and turned his gaze to Jing Cunliang.
"Lord Jing, could you tell me what's going on inside?"
Jing Cunliang gently shook his head, smiled without saying a word, and waited a moment before replying.
"Reporting to Lord Song, regarding this matter, all I know is that the land was converted to mulberry fields. When I went to Jiangnan to take up my post, I carried with me the decree for this conversion. Upon arriving in Jiangnan, I immediately sent people, including several officials from the prefectural government, to the four counties of Jinling to verify the number of acreages, all for the purpose of raising silkworms to supply raw silk to the weaving bureau. But what I found was shocking."
In the Jiangnan region of Jinling, the taxable land has decreased by less than half since the Tianbao era. Furthermore, powerful families have been illegally cultivating the land, causing the imperial tax revenue to decline year after year. Therefore, the imperial decrees are ineffective.
His words of lamentation brought these things, which everyone already knew, into the open, causing many officials from Jiangnan to look uneasy. After all, who hadn't encountered some of these issues?
The imperial court's fig leaf was thus removed once again.
"Do you know anything about what happened in Jiangbei?"
Song Zhen's face was ashen. He dared not ask, yet he couldn't refuse. He could only continue questioning another case. Jing Cunliang nodded, seemingly unconcerned.
"In reply to Lord Song, it's impossible for me to say I don't know. I do know, but this matter is not within my jurisdiction. I've only heard that someone from the Imperial Household Department came to supervise and unseal the jade mine. As for the specifics, I'll need to ask Eunuch Yang, since he was the one who issued the order."
"Do you know that Yang Chi has gone mad?"
Song Zhen's eyes sharpened as he looked at Jing Cunliang, only to see the man pause for a moment, then shake his head.
"I don't know. If he's gone mad, well, if he's mad, so be it, sigh."
He sighed and remained silent.
Only the clerk beside him was quickly taking notes, word for word.
"Make them sign and put their fingerprints on it,"
"Yes, sir,"
The clerk, carrying the confession, pen, ink, and seal, went over. The two officials looked competent, and both signed and affixed their fingerprints. Song Zhen waved his hand, and a constable was already there to take them away. But the case had reached a dead end. If they were to investigate, how could they investigate, and where would they even begin?
Song Zhen was now in a difficult position. He clasped his hands in a fist salute to the surrounding princes.
"This case has largely yielded results. I wonder if you princes wish to continue investigating this case?"
"this,"
Prince Bei Jing, Shui Rong, and Prince Dong Ping, Mu Shi, remained silent, their eyes slightly closed, adopting an attitude of indifference. Even the three princes lowered their heads, staring at the tea on the table. Only the faces of the vassal kings alternated between white and green. This was no trial; it was a slap in the face.
King Zheng glared at Song Zhen with displeasure. This man acted without any sense of propriety.
"Why are you in such a hurry, Lord Song? Since everyone is here, let's interrogate them all. The whole story started with those two county magistrates suing Ma Guangcheng. We'll talk about it after we've finished questioning them. Keep these files safe and report them to the cabinet."
"Yes, Lord Song, the case is right here. It's never a bad thing to ask more questions."
The Prince of Song echoed this sentiment. They had come to punish the two county magistrates, but it seemed their plan would come to nothing.
"Very well, as Your Highness wishes, summon Jia Yucun, the Prefect of Jinling, Xu Changwen, the Magistrate of Chunyang, and Xu Dongjin, the Magistrate of Yongning, to the palace."
"The Prefect of Jinling, Jia Yucun; the Magistrate of Chunyang, Xu Changwen; and the Magistrate of Yongning, Xu Dongjin, entered the palace,"
Another shout rang out.
At the entrance of the palace,
The three somewhat thin figures had already entered the hall.
Zhang Jinyu looked up and saw that Xu Changwen, who had left earlier, had long lost his sharp edge and appeared much more reserved. However, his proud and unyielding spirit had only increased. Xu Dong behind him was the same. These two were probably not experiencing setbacks in their official careers. On the other hand, Lord Jia Yucun looked much older, and his energy and spirit had all faded.
The three men entered the hall, bowed respectfully, and then took their seats. Since they were all wearing official robes, according to court regulations, even during interrogation, they were entitled to seats.
"Prefect Jia, do you have anything to say?"
Song Zhen naturally saw the faces of the three men. He first asked the prefect of the prefectural government, and Jia Yucun smiled bitterly and replied.
"My lords, there's nothing more to say. I've done everything under orders. I've followed the instructions of many people. All correspondence has been handed over. If there's anything I haven't said, there isn't. I've done my best to prepare the disaster relief supplies and sold all the official land in Jiangnan, but the taxes can be retained. My only thought is to know how the court's taxable land ended up in the names of those powerful families. Now, no matter who goes to Jiangnan to serve as an official, they can't plug this hole."
The words were spoken softly, as if they had been spoken, yet also as if they hadn't. Many officials from the Six Ministries had originally thought that the vacant positions after the incident in Jiangnan would be lucrative posts, but they never expected the hole to be so large. It was almost a blow to the head. Fortunately, there had been no prior instigation. It seemed that they would have to wait and see.
“These words should be recorded, and he should sign and put his fingerprint on them,”
Without asking any questions, Song Zhen directly sent the clerk over, and then looked at the two "culprits of the crime." Although their clothes were a bit wrinkled, they were neatly dressed, and they had an upright demeanor. Suddenly, he felt that they were familiar with each other, and his expression became complicated. This was just like himself back then.
The clerk approached Jia Yucun and handed him the interrogation record. Jia Yucun didn't hesitate; he picked up a pen, wrote his name, pressed his fingerprint on it, and then calmly sat down in his chair, closing his eyes to rest.
Thus, only Xu Changwen and Xu Dong remained in the center of the hall.
"Very well, in this trial, I am also acting in accordance with the laws of the Great Wu Dynasty. No one is allowed to engage in favoritism or malpractice. The Emperor Emeritus's birthday banquet is approaching, and I have calculated that it will be in three days. This is a grand occasion for the whole country, so some cases need to be both tried and investigated. There is no need to rush in terms of time."
These words, spoken to someone present, sent a deep shock through many officials. The Emperor Emeritus's birthday banquet was held in the Qianqing Palace, a scale rarely seen in the current dynasty. Even those of lower rank had to submit congratulatory memorials, but such auspicious omens were not their concern.
Just thinking,
Song Zhen stroked his white beard, his gaze falling on the two of them, as if offering a hint.
"Therefore, the case being investigated is the case itself. Nothing else should be involved, and certainly nothing related to the case. Ma Guangcheng and Hu Wenxuan were guilty of embezzlement and bribery, and the six million taels of silver obtained from their property were an outrage to both gods and men. They deserved their punishment. Xu Changwen and Xu Dong, you two are newly appointed scholars who have received imperial favor and have been granted this honor. What do you two think?"
The question was ostensibly a challenge, and everyone in the hall understood it. The only question was Xu Changwen's choice. Even Censor Zhong Yugu couldn't help but offer his advice; now that things had come to this, as a censor, he too had to do so.
"Xu Changwen, Lord Song's instructions are heartfelt words. You should obey them and not make a mistake."
The voice echoed in the hall, causing everyone to frown. Zhang Jinyu was inevitably displeased. In the imperial court, any Tom, Dick, or Harry could speak out. He asked in a cold voice.
"Lord Zhong, tell me, what do you mean by 'misleading oneself,' and how exactly did you mislead yourself? A case is a case, so why are you making other comments? Could it be that the Censor-in-Chief also pulled some strings behind the scenes?"
"Lord Luo Yun, you..."
(End of this chapter)