Jian Zhaoxing

Chapter 384 The three judicial authorities re-examine the case; the court is in session!
Although the retrial was brought forward very suddenly, the number of people gathered outside the Dali Temple was no less than the number of people who had gathered there.

When the Lin family arrived, they happened to run into the carriage of the Marquis of Zhenyuan.

Lin Zhiqing glanced at Jiang Yunhe, who was laughing and talking, and then turned and went into Dali Temple.

The Dali Temple is still the same Dali Temple, but every time Lin Zhiqing comes, it's a completely new experience.

For example, nowadays, there are case files, gavel, and divination sticks on the table, and a plaque with the words "Enlightening the Mind and Enabling Education" hangs in the hall.

The lobby was lined with signs that read "Avoidance" and "Silence," creating a very solemn and respectful atmosphere.

Before she could take a closer look, Jiang Yunhe and Jiang Liuyun walked in.

Unlike the quiet atmosphere when the Lin family entered, the atmosphere inside the Dali Temple seemed to ease considerably after Jiang Yunhe arrived.

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

Three drumbeats sounded outside the hall, and the people below shouted in unison, "Silence!"

The Minister of Justice, the Minister of Justice, and the Vice Minister of the Censorate, dressed in scarlet official robes, entered the hall through the side door in turn and sat in the main seats.

Below them sat officials from various departments, including the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, and the Censor.

The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review and the Minister of Justice were both "old friends" with firm stances, so Lin Zhiqing didn't examine them closely.

She focused all her attention on Wang Yuan, the Imperial Censor.

Hmm... At first glance, Lin Zhiqing could tell that Wang Yuan had the shadow of her own uncle.

Wang Yuan's official robes were perfectly smooth, as if without a single wrinkle, and he sat upright with his back straight.

Like Lin Congli, he was an extremely polite person.

This was Lin Zhiqing's first impression of Wang Yuan.

However, when Wang Yuan saw the Lin family members enter, he didn't even blink, but the corners of his mouth turned down slightly.

Lin Zhiqing could tell that this was an expression of dislike for the Lin family.

Before she could glean any further information, Zhou Chongzheng rose, holding the jade tablet, and announced loudly:
"There is a serious case now, which concerns the correspondence between Wangshu Bolin and the Great Liang Kingdom when he joined the army. This correspondence exposed the troop deployment of our Great Sheng, which led to the annihilation of the Great Sheng army."

"His Majesty has now issued an edict ordering the Court of Judicial Review, the Ministry of Justice, and the Censorate to retry the case of Lin Congrong's treason and collusion with the enemy."

"Now that my colleagues from the three judicial departments have arrived, I shall uphold justice and make a clear judgment, neither wrongly accusing nor letting anyone off the hook—let us into court!"

"Mighty~"

The people below the steps shouted in unison again, their voices resounding throughout the hall.

Lin Zhiqing held his breath slightly. The Dali Temple presided over the trial of criminal cases, the Ministry of Justice was in charge of the application of the law, and the Censorate supervised and investigated. The three forces each performed their respective duties.

However, the presiding judge, Zhou Chongzheng, was in cahoots with the Zhenyuan Marquis's family, and the Censor-in-Chief also disliked the Lin family.

The current situation is very uncertain for the Lin family.

Lin Zhiqing and Lin Congli stood in the hall, while Jiang Yunhe sat quietly to the side.

He was, after all, the Marquis of Zhenyuan; his status was undeniable.

Jiang Liuyun's gaze did not sweep over Lin Zhiqing; he simply stared silently ahead.

The Minister of Justice nodded slightly: "According to the laws of Dasheng, the case file should be checked first, and there is nothing unusual in the case file."

After he finished speaking, Zhou Chongzheng followed closely behind:
"The evidence against Lin Congrong for treason is conclusive. If the Lin family feels there are hidden circumstances, they should confess the facts of the case as a statement."

Upon hearing this, Lin Zhiqing stepped forward:
"Greetings, esteemed sirs. My father, Lin Congrong, once led troops to attack Daliang. His flank and rear were suddenly attacked. He was surrounded by enemies, which forced his army into a desperate situation."

“My father practiced martial arts from a young age. Fortunately, he survived and then infiltrated the Liang army alone, beheading enemy soldiers.”

“But a year later, the former Censor-in-Chief suddenly accused my father of treason and produced some fabricated letters as evidence.”

"My father was framed and lost his life; it was a complete injustice!"

"I implore you, sirs, to investigate this matter thoroughly and clear my father's name!"

Hearing these words, Jiang Yunhe frowned slightly.

Zhou Chongzheng remained unmoved: "Lin Zhiqing, what you said is far from the facts in the case file and has no reference value."

"Bring forth the evidence from that year."

The Minister of Justice's eyes flickered slightly, and soon someone presented the evidence of Lin Congrong's treason. Shortly after, several yellowed letters were also presented.

This was the first time Lin Zhiqing had seen these things. She stared intently at the letters, afraid of missing any detail.

However, there was nothing wrong with the letter.

His handwriting was exactly the same as Lin Congrong's, and his writing style was also very similar.

Zhou Chongzheng spoke again: "The evidence is here. Does anyone in the courtroom have any objections?"

Lin Zhiqing knew, of course, that the letter was a forgery, but she couldn't prove it.

Zhou Chongzheng had this in mind, which is why he asked this question.

"The handwriting in this letter is exactly the same as my father's, and I have no objection to it."

If there were truly no objections, why add that preceding sentence?

Zhou Chongzheng's expression remained unchanged as he looked at the Minister of Justice once more.

All of this evidence comes from the Ministry of Justice.

The Minister of Justice didn't react much to Lin Zhiqing's words; he simply spoke:
"The Ministry of Justice still has witnesses and their testimonies. Summon the witnesses."

Then, an elderly man with a full head of white hair, a young man, and a young girl were all led to the lobby.

It was clear that this was not the first time the group had witnessed such a scene, as they knelt down and bowed in one smooth motion.

Upon seeing the young man, Lin Congli's breathing quickened, a detail that Lin Zhiqing noticed.

As far as Lin Zhiqing knew, most of the key witnesses to what happened back then were dead, and these three now seemed to be just "leftovers".

She turned her gaze to the young man.

If she remembered correctly, then according to her previous investigation, this man was the son of the servant who used to follow Lin Congrong.

Back then, Lin Congrong's servant was the key figure in the former Censor-in-Chief obtaining the evidence from the letters.

It was that servant who personally handed the evidence to the former Censor-in-Chief.

In other words, he betrayed the Lin family and Lin Congrong.

However, he died in an accident.

Lin Zhiqing had previously tried to find out the truth about the servant's death, but his information had been completely cut off.

But now, his son has come.

This is something worth considering.

The other two were the same.

The white-haired old man was a cook from the great battle many years ago, and the young girl was the daughter of a soldier who died in the battle.

These three individuals were key pieces of evidence in Lin Congrong's conviction years ago, and are now his only remaining witnesses.

The main evidence, of course, is the letters and the witnesses who have already died.

Currently, no problems can be found in the letters, so Lin Zhiqing can only brace himself and try to start with these three people.

Lin Congli had previously told Lin Zhiqing about the characteristics and deeds of some witnesses.

Lin Zhiqing had tried his best to find the remaining witnesses, but apart from the deceased, he received no information about these three people.

The Ministry of Justice kept these three people very well hidden.

Thinking of this, Lin Zhiqing took a deep breath.

The Marquis of Zhenyuan had made thorough preparations, even protecting the witnesses, while the Lin family was now being forced into this situation.

The situation is truly dire.

At the same time, all three began to recount events that could directly or indirectly prove Lin Congrong's treason and collusion with the enemy.

They had said these words many times; some of the people present had heard them many times, while others were hearing them for the first time.

But everyone was very serious, afraid of missing even the smallest detail.

Outside the main hall, some people were watching the spectacle.

Lin Yangyang and others were also in the crowd, their expressions very serious.