Daming: Internship also counts as work experience

Chapter 68 Meeting an old friend again
Haishou patted Jia Chuan on the shoulder and said earnestly:
"The Emperor sits high above the clouds, unable to see many things clearly, and the people he can use are even fewer. You've never been honed in officialdom, and while you may not understand the rules, aren't these rules a form of constraint? The Emperor wants you to be free from entanglements and have a pure mind. You can give it a try, and the Emperor will back you up. Besides, you're the Emperor's lucky star, and you'll surely be able to turn misfortune into fortune."

Jia Chuan sighed and asked, "Just because I'm not involved now doesn't mean I won't be involved in the future. From what you said, the Emperor doesn't think I have a future, does he?"

Hai Shou smiled and said, "Which of those famous generals didn't risk their lives to achieve their feats? This is a different time now. Just complete your current assignment. The Emperor will make arrangements for the future. I know what you're afraid of, so don't be afraid!" Hai Shou leaned close to Jia Chuan's ear and whispered, "The Emperor will cherish the crickets he's raised for two years like a treasure. You've performed meritorious deeds in his time of need, and he'll remember you. You'll undoubtedly enjoy wealth and glory in the future. Then you can just hold a nominal position and be a leisurely wealthy man. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

Jia Chuan thought to himself: How can I compare with those crickets?
……

Jia Chuan sat alone in the carriage he came in. Qian Guan was with him when he came, but he was alone when he left.

He sat in the car and thought, if the person the King of Han had sent could get into the car at this moment... it would save him a lot of trouble.

Jia Chuan sighed and sorted out Zhu Zhanji's intentions.

The most important task was to send him to Le'an, which was under the jurisdiction of Jinan, to muddy the waters in Le'an and quarrel with the prince, forcing him to have no time to plan carefully and raise the banner of rebellion in advance.

Even so, Haishou said it was a trivial matter!

Jia Chuan didn't know what he had done to deserve to stand before the King of Han. Instead of bowing, he was cursing at him, cursing in a way that would irritate the King and make him rise up in rebellion. The prerequisite for accomplishing this was that he could see the King of Han alive...

maybe!
Jia Chuan shook his head, and only forced the King of Han to speed up his rebellion. Perhaps there would be no need for them to meet, as he would collapse on the way to do his job. Perhaps there would be someone to succeed him and then someone else to complete his unfinished business.

Over forty lives lost were not worthy of being mentioned by the Emperor, and the mastermind who subsequently tucked his tail between his legs was still a prince...

Jia Chuan silently took note of this matter. He had always wanted to fight for something for his forty-odd brothers, but he never had the chance. After the case in the Ministry of Justice was resolved, he wanted to raise the issue, but after he went to Jinan, he might no longer have the chance.

Secondly, the Ministry of Justice said that this case was reported by Shuntian Prefecture, which means it happened in the capital, and the investigation has been carried out back to the Yongle period. It can be seen that this case has been dug up again and again. Do the investigators want to clear the name of Anping Earl or do they want to find evidence?
But one thing is clear, Zhu Zhanji wanted to be the Earl of Anping and wanted some officials to move to other positions.

Jia Chuan felt like a rat dropping, and Zhu Zhanji wanted to use him to stir up the already cooked porridge.

This is overestimating him, but if he can really figure out this case in the Ministry of Justice, the King of Han will naturally pay more attention to him.

Jia Chuan thought about it for a long time, hammering here and there, seemingly figuring something out, but he had no direction in his mind. He thought it would be better to focus on the present and first understand the case of the Ministry of Justice related to the Earl of Anping. If he was allowed to frame a wrongful case, Jia Chuan took a deep breath, it would be better for him to go to Jinan and die.

The carriage took Jia Chuan back to the Gao family's door and left.

Jia Chuan stood in front of the door, watching servants from some unknown mansion carrying various daily necessities and small furniture in and out. He was stunned for a moment, and suddenly saw a familiar face appear at the gate of the courtyard, his idol Kuang Zhong!

Jia Chuan hurried forward to pay his respects, then asked, puzzled, "How did Doctor Kuang know I was in Beijing?" He then answered himself, "The Emperor must have sent someone to inform me, and even sent Doctor Kuang here..." Jia Chuan glanced at the servants carrying things in and out and said, "Thank you for your expense."

Kuang Zhong's face lit up with joy when he saw Jia Chuan. He immediately walked over to greet him. While Jia Chuan was asking and answering his own questions, Kuang Zhong looked him up and down. When Jia Chuan finished speaking, he smiled and said, "I'm leaving for Suzhou to take up my new post in two days. I have some things at home that I can't take with me, and I've brought them here because they just happen to be of use to you."

Jia Chuan took Kuang Zhong's hand and walked towards the courtyard, saying as he walked, "No matter how simple the place is, there is always a place to sit. I just saw Hai Shou in the palace, and now I see Doctor Kuang. Oh, it's a pity that we can't drink. Let's... who is this person?"

There was a young man in his twenties standing in the yard, holding a large stack of documents in his arms, and timidly avoiding people coming in and out.

Kuang Zhong hurriedly introduced, "This is Wei Wenliang, a clerk from the Ministry of Justice's Office. He said he's here to deliver the files to you."

Jia Chuan remembered Hai Shou's words that someone from the Ministry of Justice would come to see him, so he quickly said enthusiastically, "How can we let Wei Siwu stand in the courtyard? Let's..."

Jia Chuan looked around the front yard and saw that the doors of all the houses were open. People were coming in and out to put things away, and someone was busy patching holes on the roof.

Kuang Zhong said with a smile: "The backyard is almost cleaned up. I asked him to go there first, but he refused and insisted on waiting here."

Just by listening to Kuang Zhong's tone, Jia Chuan knew that this clerk's official position was not high, and what he was holding in his arms must be the case file.

"Let's go to the backyard." Jia Chuan waved his hand.

The backyard was indeed much quieter. Jia Chuan hadn't expected the three people who had been shopping to have already returned. Dong Yuanyuan, her face flushed, was busy running around. Gao Yunduo was holding a basin of dirty water and was about to pour it into the yard. When she saw Jia Chuan and the others, she hurriedly said, "This room is almost cleaned up. Come in and sit down. I'll make some tea."

Jia Chuan's mouth curled up, and he thought to himself: "How sensible!" But then he thought that this had nothing to do with him, and he couldn't help but sigh.

Kuang Zhong asked in confusion, "Is this new job difficult?"

Jia Chuan smiled bitterly and shook his head, motioning for the two to go into the house.

The tables and chairs had already been set up in the living room, and had obviously been wiped by Gao Yunduo. Jia Chuan had no time to be surprised at how quickly the arrangement was made, and he arranged for the two of them to sit down.

Wei Wenliang hadn't dared to utter a word. He hadn't wanted to be on this errand, but there weren't many officials smaller than him, and his job was to receive and dispatch documents, managing case files. These were usually reviewed by higher-ups, and even when they left the Ministry of Justice, they were sent to the Dali Temple or the Censorate. This time, they were being brought to a private residence. How could Wei Wenliang not be nervous? He feared something might go wrong, and his tenure as a ninth-rank official would be over.

Wei Wenliang placed the case file on the table, gently pushed it in front of Jia Chuan, and said awkwardly, "This is the file of the Jade Shop Murder Case. Hmm, I don't know what to call it..."

"You can just call me Jia Chuan."

"Oh, well, I need to take it back home after I finish watching it, so..."

Jia Chuan nodded, looked at Kuang Zhong and said, "Doctor Kuang, please sit for a moment. I'll take a look first. We can't delay Wei Siwu's time."

Wei Wenliang quickly waved his hand and said, "No, no, I just need to take the documents back and I'll be done with my work."

"The Ministry of Justice official...didn't he tell me who to contact after I finish reading it?" Jia Chuan asked as he flipped through the book.

Wei Wenliang blinked, then shook his head and said, "No."

Jia Chuan raised an eyebrow. Kuang Zhong said, "This case should have been tried by the three judicial departments, but the emperor pressed it down and asked you to look at it first. Oh, by the way, the emperor ordered a re-investigation of this case before he ascended the throne. Now he wants to re-investigate it again, which shows that the case is of great importance. It doesn't matter whether the Ministry of Justice is involved or not. On the contrary, someone from Shuntian Prefecture should be involved."

Jia Chuan nodded, frowning and flipping through the pages with great effort.

Soon, Shunzi came in with a tray and poured tea for the three of them.

"Shunzi, make a copy of this file." Jia Chuan pushed the file aside seriously.

Shunzi was stunned at first, then looked at Jia Chuan with a questioning look in his eyes: I am just an archer, how many words do you think I can write?

Jia Chuan glanced outside the door, and Shunzi immediately understood. He walked to the door and called Gao Yunduo.

Shunzi smiled and said to Gao Yunduo, who was standing outside the door, "Just now on the street, you said you wanted to buy pens, inkstones, paper, and inkstones. I even asked what you were going to use them for. I never thought you would actually use them."

Gao Yunduo entered the room and glanced at Jia Chuan. Jia Chuan said, "It's not easy to take the Ministry of Justice's documents elsewhere to copy them. We should copy them in front of Wei Siwu so that he can report back."

Jia Chuan spoke casually. Gao Yunduo glared at Jia Chuan fiercely, said nothing, and took the file from Shunzi's hand.

Wei Wenliang wiped the sweat from his forehead. He had read the case file and found it indeed not thorough enough. The report from Shuntian Prefecture was also the same. There were slight changes after re-investigation, but they were not major changes. No one expected that the emperor would pay so much attention to this case. When he came out, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice deliberately called him over and told him to pay attention to Jia Chuan's expression and words after reading the file, and to repeat it word for word when he came back.

Wei Wenliang had been puzzled as to why this person wasn't allowed to come to the Ministry of Justice to look at the case file. Or perhaps he could just send a copy over, which would save him a lot of trouble. But when he heard Jia Chuan's order, he suddenly understood a little. He wanted to stop it, but his face flushed red as he couldn't think of a reason to stop it.

"Don't worry, I'll say you stopped me when I get back, but I insisted on copying it down. You told me the rules of the Ministry of Justice, but I brought up the Emperor. The Emperor ordered me to investigate the case, so I thought the Ministry of Justice would take it seriously and at least let me review the files. But I can't keep bothering the Ministry of Justice, so I copied it down for convenience."

Wei Wenliang subconsciously exhaled, then felt something was wrong. He quickly sat up straight and said, "I'm just following orders. Um, I wonder... what do you think after reading this?"

"Is this also a mission?" Jia Chuan picked up the teacup and took a sip of tea.

A blush rose on Wei Wenliang's cheeks.

Kuang Zhong smiled and said, "It's normal for the Ministry of Justice to be concerned about your opinion."

"What's abnormal is how they have the nerve to care!" Jia Chuan said angrily: "The file is full of loopholes!"

Wei Wenliang wiped the sweat from his forehead again.

Kuang Zhong said:
"I've heard about this case a long time ago. After the jade shop's craftsman was murdered, Shuntian Prefecture quickly apprehended the murderer. However, a few days later, the shop's owner was also tragically found dead at home. I felt at the time that Shuntian Prefecture must have arrested the wrong person, allowing the real murderer to continue committing crimes. This craftsman wasn't from the jade shop, but from a small workshop in the jade shop. Shuntian Prefecture should have investigated the relationship between the two and arrested a number of people. In the end, it seemed that the crime was committed by colleagues in the jade shop..."

"Both of these men had their throats cut by sharp weapons. How much blood would have been lost? If the bodies were found at the original crime scene, they should have been lying in a pool of blood. But the files say the bodies were fully clothed, lying on the bed, as if fast asleep. The investigators don't understand this, and the coroner can't tell that they were placed there after the murder. If they were placed there, we have to find a way to find the crime scene and why they were placed there. Who had the opportunity to place them there? There's nothing in the files. It only says that a colleague was jealous of Lord Anping's order for a batch of jade ornaments at a high price, so he took the opportunity to kill the craftsman and the owner of the jade shop, hoping that Lord Anping would place an order with them after they were killed."

Jia Chuan stood up and began to pace around the room, saying as he walked:
"This case happened in March, when spring was in full bloom and the days were warm, but the nights could still be chilly. The files state that both victims died at night. What's the basis for this? There's no mention of rigor mortis or mortis, and the bodies are simply found lying on the bed. So, they died at night? Then how could they have slept fully clothed? Old Kuang, can you explain to me what "slept fully clothed" means? The files contain the coroner's testimony, and it's interesting. It doesn't mention the cause of death, but it details the deceased's clothing. The craftsman wore a short coat on the upper body, and... what's that called?"

Gao Yunduo added, "Binding pants is the same as binding."

Jia Chuan coughed lightly, looked at Gao Yunduo and said, "You used a word I don't understand to explain another word I don't understand." Gao Yunduo frowned and asked, "You don't understand? Haven't you seen trouser legs tied with cloth tape?"

"Oh, if the deceased was asleep, why would he be dressed like this? And he was wearing an apron..."

"That's called 'knee-covering'." Gao Yunduo corrected.

Kuang Zhong said hurriedly: "From this point of view, this craftsman must have had his throat suddenly cut while working..."

"The file only says that there was blood on the deceased's body, but it doesn't say where or how big the blood was. None of these clues that could help with the inference were mentioned. Instead, they wrote a bunch of nonsense. The same goes for the owner of the jade shop." Jia Chuan said angrily.

Kuang Zhong asked, "You haven't finished reading it yet?"

"No, I'll read it after I copy it down. I'm afraid I'll get mad if I read it all at once, and it won't waste Wei's time either."

Kuang Zhong said: "I heard that Shuntian Prefecture found out that the craftsman had no household registration, which means the deceased was not a craftsman. During the re-investigation, it seems that the investigation went back to Nanjing and the Yongle period. In the end, whether the identity of the craftsman was found out or not was unknown. I only know that Shuntian Prefecture reported that the murderer was the owner of another jade workshop."

Jia Chuan stopped strolling and sat down on a chair to start thinking. The room suddenly became quiet.

Wei Wenliang was on pins and needles. It would have been fine if Jia Chuan had said something, at least he would have something to say when he got back. But what would he say when he got back? What had Jia Chuan said about the deceased's clothes?

Wei Wenliang couldn't help wiping his sweat, just hoping that Jia Chuan would say something else.

Unfortunately, after Gao Yunduo finished copying and Shunzi placed the original in front of Wei Wenliang, Jia Chuan sent him away without saying another word.

……

Shunzi sent Wei Wenliang away, and Kuang Zhong and Jia Chuan did not move.

Kuang Zhong asked, "You knew he would definitely pass on the message when he got back, so you kept quiet?"

"What is the rank of a steward?" Jia Chuan asked curiously.

"Nine grades."

Jia Chuan snorted and said, "Is the Ministry of Justice trying to make me give up? They don't understand the Emperor's temperament. Since the Emperor wants to investigate, he must see the truth. Can they stop him with these little tricks? Aren't they afraid of being exposed?"

Kuang Zhong looked Jia Chuan up and down scrutinizingly. Jia Chuan turned and asked, "It's been over a month since we last met. Do I look a lot more handsome?"

Kuang Zhong smiled and said, "That girl just now was pretty good."

"How did you get it?"

"How can it be bad if you like it?"

"Is it so obvious?" Jia Chuan asked in surprise.

"I don't know how many times you've peeked at me. Even someone who doesn't know much about love affairs can tell. I've been there before."

Jia Chuan sighed and said, "I'm just thinking about it in my heart. People look down on me. Putting aside this, you said that the emperor knows that there are problems with the case, and the Ministry of Justice also knows that the emperor knows that there are problems with the case. What good will they get in the end by working against each other like this?"

Kuang Zhong restrained his smile and said seriously:
"When this case occurred, the Emperor was still the Crown Prince. Both Shuntian Prefecture and the Ministry of Justice had already made their decisions, waiting for the three judicial departments to jointly review the case and for the late Emperor to make the final decision. But the late Emperor... now that the Emperor has ascended the throne, who could have imagined that the Emperor would take this case so seriously? It's difficult for either the Ministry of Justice or Shuntian Prefecture to make any changes. They can only hold on, hoping that with compromise, the matter can be resolved. Sometimes, even the Emperor needs to yield to his ministers."

Jia Chuan raised his eyebrows and said, "What I saw was the file after the retrial."

"That's right, right? I only know that it was re-examined, and I found out about things that happened during the Yongle period. The purpose was, of course, to clear my relationship with the Earl of Anping."

Jia Chuan took the paper Gao Yunduo had copied and flipped through it while asking, "Do you have relatives in the Ministry of Justice or acquaintances in Shuntian Prefecture? How do you know so much?"

"The Emperor wanted me to investigate, but I'm in the Ministry of Rites. How can I do that?"

"Hmph, I can do that?"

"The news of your investigation into the Huang Luling case has spread throughout the capital, otherwise how could you have been attacked?"

Jia Chuan looked up at Kuang Zhong, sighed softly and said, "I thought you didn't know about this."

"Officials, especially those in the capital, all try to guess the emperor's intentions. I am no exception. The emperor intends to spread your story. He must have some further plans."

"From the Crown Prince to the Crown Prince and then to the Emperor, how could the Emperor not have someone he trusts and can use? I've only known the Emperor for a few days."

Kuang Zhong pursed his lips, hesitated for a moment, and asked softly:
"A few days ago, the Emperor summoned me to the palace to discuss his transfer to Suzhou. I heard what the Emperor meant... well, the officials are all well-read. If the Emperor wants to be a wise ruler, he must allow them to speak freely. You haven't seen him in the court, where he sometimes gets so angry that his face turns blue. The other day, the Emperor lamented to me that only the eunuchs who grew up with him are the most trustworthy, and they are the only ones who truly care about the Emperor."

Jia Chuan first subconsciously felt his crotch tighten, and then he realized that the flames of the Ming Dynasty's drama of relying heavily on eunuchs were ignited at this time.

But in Jia Chuan's mind, those famous eunuchs didn't seem to be from the Xuande period?
Seeing Jia Chuan deep in thought, Kuang Zhong assumed he had understood, so he patted him on the shoulder and said, "The Emperor is using you to muddy the waters of the capital, largely because you have no connections in officialdom. But after this incident, even though you haven't even entered officialdom, you've already made countless enemies. Which of these officials in the capital isn't entangled with a vine? It's not that the Emperor doesn't have anyone else at his disposal, but you're the most suitable person!"

"Suitable for sending oneself to death?" Jia Chuan laughed at himself and then sighed, "I just feel like I'm dreaming. Yesterday I was searching for rabbits everywhere, and today I'm in the capital investigating a case. The emperor can't bear to see someone close to him die."

"Just complain to me and don't tell anyone else about this! Remember?" Kuang Zhong asked seriously.

Jia Chuan nodded and said, "I know."

Kuang Zhong patted Jia Chuan again and said, "A blessing in disguise."

Jia Chuan rubbed his face and asked, "The Emperor is worried and wants you to help me?"

"Without the Emperor's words, whether you look for me or not, as long as I know, I will come. The Emperor said that you don't know anyone in the capital, which is a good thing and a bad thing. He asked me to help you settle down. You have the Jinyiwei Qianhu by your side when you investigate the case. Whether it is Shuntian Prefecture or the Ministry of Justice, you will be able to walk on flat ground. But I don't know why the Emperor didn't just throw you into the Jinyiwei directly?"

"Please don't transfer me in!" Jia Chuan waved his hands quickly, and then said, "The emperor has transferred me to the Shandong Judicial Inspection Office as an experienced officer. It wouldn't be a good idea to serve in the Jinyiwei for five days and then be transferred immediately, right?"

Kuang Zhong was shocked and asked the reason. Jia Chuan did not hide it and told him about his subsequent assignment.

Kuang Zhong took a deep breath after hearing this.

After Jia Chuan finished speaking, Kuang Zhong couldn't help but say, "Could it be that you are really the one who deserves to die?"

"Really? I said these two jobs are not done by humans."

"But...if you succeed in both tasks..."

Jia Chuan picked up the paper in front of him and handed it to Kuang Zhong, saying, "Look at how many loopholes there are in it. I want to bring Captain Chen to your house, but I don't know who to contact first!"

Kuang Zhong took it and looked through it carefully.

……

When Gao Yuntian and Chen Mo came back, Kuang Zhong had finished reading the copied files and was deep in thought.

Gao Yuntian initially thought he had walked into the wrong house, but after seeing Dong Yuanyuan, he confirmed that this was his home. Puzzled, he pulled a servant from the Kuang Mansion and asked, only to find out that Jia Chuan actually had acquaintances in the capital.

Chen Mo felt a little resentful towards Xu Gong. Why hadn't he come yet? He had already sent the message.

It’s not that Xu Gong didn’t want to send someone, but he had already entered the palace. By the time he sent someone after leaving the palace, the small Gao family’s house would have been almost repaired.

It’s not that Kuang Zhong is so powerful. Don’t forget that he has Hai Shou’s help. Renovating a small house and buying some furniture and daily necessities is not a problem at all.

So when the people arranged by Xu Gong arrived, there was nothing left to do.

……

Kuang Zhong did not stay any longer and only left a few servants to help with the cleanup. He told them to be lazy and finish as soon as possible. He also asked them to help with the preparation of dinner. They would go back after everything was cleaned up.

Then Kuang Zhong pulled Jia Chuan aside and whispered a few words in the dark night, which were nothing more than letting go and doing it, following the emperor was the right thing to do, and it was all about time and fate, etc. Finally, he said:
"You need to be smarter and put your life first. Before, I was worried that you wouldn't be able to see clearly, thinking that you had the emperor behind you and were getting cocky. Now it seems that you know how to be respectful and know that fear is a good thing. I feel much more relieved. I'm not afraid of difficult tasks, but I'm afraid of not being able to see clearly, not knowing where I am!"

(End of this chapter)