I was compiling the daily records during the Wanli reign

Chapter 166 It's him! It's him! It's him! The truth comes to light.
August 29th, near noon.

Emperor Wanli's desk was piled high with memorials impeaching officials from the Three Judicial Offices and the Hejian Prefecture.

A death row inmate's file was tampered with.

This led the young Wanli Emperor and his cabinet ministers to make incorrect judgments upon seeing the fake case files, resulting in a death row inmate with twelve lives on his hands being spared the death penalty.

This is a grave error in the current judicial system.

This refers to the case files of death row inmates across the country.

The imperial court first had the Ministry of Justice conduct the general review, the Court of Judicial Review review the case, and the Censorate supervise the case. Then, the Ministry of Justice submitted a third review, and finally the emperor checked the names of the defendants. The purpose of this was to prevent wrongful convictions and miscarriages of justice.

now.

The files stored in the local prefecture and the three judicial departments were altered without authorization.

This kind of wrongful conviction and miscarriage of justice is a complete slap in the face to the imperial court.

After the execution is completed.

The people of Hejian Prefecture who knew about the murder committed by the death row inmate Shang Qudong, and how they would feel about the court if they knew that the young Wanli Emperor had spared such a heinous person from the death penalty.

Some people even automatically associate it with—

"The emperor spared the death penalty for the most heinous crimes because of his wedding."

If this is the standard of the imperial court's laws.

It is likely that around the time the young Wanli Emperor is about to give birth, a series of acts of arson, murder, looting, and blatant disregard for human life will occur among the common people.

Because the criminals knew.

If they can survive until the birth of a dragon child, they can be spared the death penalty. Once spared the death penalty, they have various means to regain their freedom.

And this moment.

Cao Wei, the pacification commissioner of the Northern Garrison, along with Liu Yingjie, the Minister of Justice, Lu Guangzu, the Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review, and Chen Zan, the Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, are frantically investigating this case.

The officials in charge of the three judicial departments were under immense pressure.

They searched for clues and suspects despite the pressure of being impeached by officials and the risk of being suspended at any time.

Even if the perpetrators and manipulators of this incident are not from the three judicial departments, they cannot escape responsibility for inadequate supervision.

……

It was the first day of the ninth lunar month, around noon.

Inside the Wenhua Hall.

The young Wanli Emperor sat on the throne.

Shen Nian, the official in charge of recording the emperor's daily activities, stood to the right front, while Feng Bao, who was on duty, stood to the left rear, and the three cabinet ministers Zhang Juzheng, Lü Diaoyang, and Ma Ziqiang stood below.

soon.

Cao Wei, the pacification commissioner of the Northern Garrison, along with Liu Yingjie, Lu Guangzu, and Chen Zan, the chief officials of the Three Judicial Offices, also arrived in the hall.

Three days have passed since this incident.

Emperor Wanli wanted to hear about the progress of the investigation by the three judicial departments, so he summoned them to report and ordered three cabinet ministers to listen in.

"Stop talking nonsense and get straight to the case investigation!" Little Wanli said to the three of them.

Shen Nian looked at the four people and noticed that they all had dark circles under their eyes, obviously they hadn't slept much in the past three days.

At this time.

Liu Yingjie, the Minister of Justice, stepped forward.

The imperial prisons arbitrarily arrested, detained, and interrogated prisoners; the Court of Judicial Review and the Censorate arbitrarily reviewed and supervised cases.

However, the Ministry of Justice still primarily handles the review of such cases.

"Your Majesty, after summoning Wang Ji, the Supervising Secretary of the Ministry of Justice, the four of us have confirmed that the death row inmate Shang Qudong in the Three Judicial Offices has indeed been altered. The alteration occurred around August 25th, before we presented the death row inmate's file to the Cabinet!"

"Afterwards, we interrogated the condemned prisoner Shang Qudong and the officials from the three judicial departments involved in the matter, and they all claimed to know nothing about it!"

As Xiao Wanli and the others were listening, they suddenly realized there was no sound and couldn't help but look at Liu Yingjie.

"That's all!" Liu Yingjie bowed deeply.

Hear this.

The young Wanli Emperor's face darkened.

"You investigated for three days and found that the missing line in the death row inmate's file wasn't an oversight, but rather that someone deliberately altered it?"

Liu Yingjie quickly explained, "Your Majesty, the clues and confessions we have gathered so far are exactly what we are talking about. However, I have a bold speculation, but I don't know if I can share it or not?"

"Speak!" the young Wanli Emperor said, raising his voice.

Liu Yingjie took a step forward, paused, and said, "The culprit who orchestrated this matter was able to simultaneously tamper with the archives of the Three Judicial Offices and the archives of Hejian Prefecture in such a short period of time. His magical powers are extraordinary, and even I would find it difficult to do so."

"There are only two government departments in the current court capable of accomplishing this, and the murderer is either the head of these two departments or a powerful figure who can command them. These two departments are the Grand Secretariat and the Directorate of Ceremonial. I suspect that the murderer involved is either one of the three Grand Secretaries of the Grand Secretariat or a powerful eunuch in the Directorate of Ceremonial who has multiple inside contacts!"

As soon as these words came out.

Zhang Juzheng, Lü Diaoyang, Ma Ziqiang, and Feng Bao all looked at Liu Yingjie, never expecting that the other party would suspect them.

Upon careful consideration, Shen Nian realized that Liu Yingjie's words made some sense. In the entire Ming Dynasty, anyone who could tamper with the archives of the Three Judicial Offices in such a short time must hold immense power; they either have protégés or former associates within the Three Judicial Offices, or they have informants within them.

The Cabinet and the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs certainly possessed this capability.

Little Wanli curled his lips slightly.

"Why don't you suspect me? You can suspect them without evidence, but you must have a motive! What was the purpose of the Cabinet and the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs in rescuing a small merchant from Hejian Prefecture who had killed countless people?"

"I do not know for the time being. I only know that if all impossible situations are eliminated, what remains, however improbable, is the truth!"

"Your Majesty, I suggest that Your Majesty issue an edict ordering the Northern Garrison and the Three Judicial Offices to immediately conduct a joint investigation of the three Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet and several powerful eunuchs in the Directorate of Ceremonial, and to have them fully cooperate."

"I do not accept your suggestion! Without any evidence, you're even investigating three Grand Secretaries? Is there no order left? Continue the investigation. If you still cannot find a suspect in three days, you will all come to receive your punishment!"

The young Wanli Emperor was furious.

There is no basis for it.

He would never allow the Cabinet and the Directorate of Ceremonial to be investigated, because these two departments were his right-hand men.

at this time.

Shi Qing, a Hundred-Household Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and a favorite of the young Wanli Emperor, suddenly requested an audience.

He was also investigating the matter on imperial orders, but he was focusing more on the news from Hejian Prefecture.

"Xuan!"

Shi Qing strode into the main hall, cupped his hands, and said, "Your Majesty, I have discovered some clues that I must report to Your Majesty privately!"

Little Wanli frowned slightly.

"They are all family, so please speak freely!" The young Wanli Emperor trusted everyone in the palace, including Feng Bao.

Shi Qing immediately reported: "I have investigated in Hejian Prefecture many times and found that after Shang Qudong was imprisoned at the end of last year, his wife took their daughter back to her parents' home and severed ties with him. However, he has a mistress named Xu Sanniang!"

"At the end of July, Xu Sanniang sold her house and shops in Hejian Prefecture and left the prefecture. Then someone discovered that she had been to... the residence of the Marquis of Wuqing on August 21st. I am currently ordering people to search for her!"

"Furthermore, the day after she went to the Wuqing Earl's residence, the Wuqing Earl went to the Forbidden City to pay homage to the Empress Dowager. As for who else he met in the inner court, I have no idea!"

……

Upon hearing the words "Earl of Wuqing".

Almost everyone would think of three words: greed, lust, and stinginess.

The Empress Dowager's biological father, the maternal grandfather of the young Wanli Emperor, already lived a life of luxury and enjoyed all the riches and honors, but he still regarded money as his life.

this moment.

The young Wanli Emperor was somewhat bewildered, then looked at Feng Bao not far away.

"My lord, when the Marquis of Wuqing met with the Empress Dowager that day, was it he who suggested canceling this year's autumn executions under the pretext of 'praying for blessings for my wedding'?"

Emperor Wanli suspected that this matter was the work of the Earl of Wuqing.

"Yes!" Feng Bao hesitated for a moment, then continued, "The Earl of Wuqing paid his respects to the Empress Dowager and chatted for a long time with Sun Desheng, the eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial.

When Wang Ji, a supervising secretary of the Ministry of Justice, reported this matter to the young Wanli Emperor, Feng Bao had already thought of the Earl of Wuqing, but he was thinking of keeping it a secret for Empress Dowager Li.

Now, it's time to choose sides.

As a eunuch serving the young Wanli Emperor, he naturally chose the young Wanli Emperor over Empress Dowager Li.

this moment.

The officials in the hall all had a mental record of the case's events.

Xu Sanniang, the mistress of the death row inmate Shang Qudong, sold all her family property and went to the capital to bribe the Earl of Wuqing, hoping to save Shang Qudong before his execution in the autumn.

After Wu Qingbo took on the task.

First, taking advantage of Empress Dowager Li's love of Buddhism, he suggested that she issue an edict to abolish the autumn execution punishment this year.

Then, when that failed, he instructed the eunuch Sun Desheng to use his inside connections to alter the death row files of the three judicial departments and local authorities.

At present, Sun Desheng controls many of Empress Dowager Li's informants, and these informants are distributed in various government offices in the capital. In addition, Sun Desheng can act in Empress Dowager Li's name, so it is not difficult for him to do this.

Empress Dowager Li would not have dared to tamper with the records, because she was aware of the seriousness of the matter.

But it is highly likely that Wu Qingbo was involved.

"Send word to Sun Desheng!" the young Wanli Emperor said angrily.

He never expected that his investigation would eventually lead him to the inner court, to Empress Dowager Li, and to Empress Dowager Li's father, Earl Wuqing.

this moment.

The three Grand Secretaries, the three judicial officials, Cao Wei, the pacification commissioner of the Northern Garrison, and Shen Nian all wore bitter expressions.

If this matter was indeed done by Li Wei, the Earl of Wuqing, for money...

How to determine the sentence will be a very thorny issue.

At this time.

Emperor Wanli also regretted not having Shi Qing report to him separately. He gave Feng Bao a look, and the latter immediately walked quickly toward the side door.

(End of this chapter)