Do You Know?: I, the Little Cabinet Elder, Regent of the World.

Chapter 45 Trial (4k)

Ministry of Punishment.

noon.

Three zhang of vermilion lacquer seemed to flutter in the air, and two rows of armored imperial guards stood solemnly with their guns at their sides.

The vermilion plaque, over ten feet tall, bears the four large characters "明正典刑" (meaning "Upright and just punishment"), inspiring a sense of solemnity and a feeling of utmost composure.

"Bring the prisoner in!" A stern shout echoed throughout the courtroom.

The sound of chains clanging could be heard.

A short while later, Huang Jing, panting heavily and covered in sweat, crawled into the Ministry of Justice's courtroom.

The iron chain was as thick as a wrist and was so heavy that prisoners had to crawl to get into the courtroom.

"Snapped!"

In the courtroom, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice slammed his gavel down and shouted, "Do you know your crime?"

Huang Jingwei lowered his head and breathed heavily, without answering.

The road from the imperial prison to the Ministry of Justice is too long!
"Humph!"

"Huang Jing, you have committed treason and disobedience. The Emperor takes this matter very seriously and has ordered several officials to thoroughly investigate this case. If the officials have any questions for you later, you must tell them the truth and not lie!"

After speaking, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice stood up and pointed to a purple-robed official on his left: "This is Minister of Justice Ouyang Xiu."

He then pointed to a purple-clad eunuch on his right: "This is Eunuch Li Qi, the Grand Master of Ceremonies."

The Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice looked at the second seat on the left and continued to introduce, "This is Lord Feng Yuan, the Right Censor-in-Chief."

"This is Lord Huang Sheng, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review."

"This is General Rong Xian, the Deputy Commander of the Palace Guard."

"This is Jiang Zhao, a compiler in the Hanlin Academy."

These judges were all handpicked by the emperor, and the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice introduced them one by one.

Ouyang Xiu, Minister of Justice, was a second-rank official.

Li Qi, a eunuch, was the head of the palace officials.

Feng Yuan, Right Vice Censor-in-Chief, is a second-rank official.

Huang Sheng, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, is a third-rank official.

Rong Xian, the deputy commander of the Palace Guard, is the younger brother of Consort Rong.

Jiang Zhao, a compiler in the Hanlin Academy, was a newly appointed top scholar, holding the rank of sixth grade.

Huang Jing looked at each of them, finally gazing at Jiang Zhao for a long time, his heart sinking.

He was unaware of what was happening in the temple.

However, Jiang Zhao took the congratulatory letter from him and presented it to the emperor.

Logically speaking, Jiang Zhao should be punished!
If all else fails, at least he should be demoted, right?
No matter what, it's not his place to preside over the case, is it?
How did Jiang Zhao become one of the judges?
Huang Jing struggled to look away, only one thought in his mind:
Could it be that Lord Liu has been defeated?

How can it be? !
In fact, from the moment he submitted his congratulatory memorial, he was already prepared to be questioned and interrogated.

If someone submits a memorial containing disobedient words, the emperor will surely be furious and will question and punish them.

However, none of this matters.

The law does not apply to officials and scholars. At most, the judges can only subject them to appropriate mental torture. No one would dare to do anything physically, as there are Liu Xiangong's men watching them from the outside!
Since the body is not tormented, then both demotion and dismissal are acceptable outcomes.

Once this matter is over, merchants will naturally offer him money, property, and business, and both of his sons will pass the imperial examinations and become Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations), ensuring a life of wealth and prosperity.

Advising against the establishment of an heir aligns with the expectations of the common people and might even earn one a reputation for "loyal and upright advice."

In a few years, when His Highness the Prince of Yan ascends the throne, he will have rendered meritorious service in supporting the emperor. Even if his official career is not guaranteed, he should at least be able to obtain a fourth-rank official position.

It's just a temporary, patient investment; there's no loss at all!
As a result, it's possible that Prime Minister Liu might actually lose?
Huang Jing panicked and quickly asked, "Jiang Xiuzhuan is only a sixth-rank official. Why is he allowed to be ranked alongside you gentlemen and judge cases together?"

As he spoke, Huang Jing looked at the group, his heart filled with both anticipation and fear.

"River"

Right Vice Censor-in-Chief Feng Yuan was about to speak when Jiang Zhao interrupted him, glancing at him indifferently: "When did it become a prisoner's turn to be questioned?"

"As for why someone of the mere sixth rank like Jiang is here to judge this case, it is naturally because the deeds of the people behind you have been exposed. The Emperor is good at distinguishing between loyalty and treachery, so he specially sent me to judge this case."

Huang Jing's mind was in turmoil, and he could no longer fake his facial expressions. Jiang Zhao saw through his thoughts at a glance.

Lost?

Huang Jing's heart sank. He glanced at Feng Yuan, the Right Vice Censor-in-Chief, but received no response. A chill ran through him.

"Next, we will proceed with the trial. You must confess the truth!"

Jiang Zhao glanced at Huang Jing indifferently, his attitude extremely firm.

Fortunately, he was skilled enough to successfully defend himself; otherwise, this guy could have killed him.

Since he had the opportunity to try the case, his decision not to resort to private punishment was simply because he was abiding by the rules of officialdom and was kind-hearted!

At the same time, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice looked at the group of people.

In this trial, he was just a tool; how the trial should proceed was up to these few people.

Or rather, Jiang Zhao and Feng Yuan were in charge.

The remaining officials, such as Ouyang Xiu, Minister of Justice, and Huang Sheng, Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review, were both professional judges, but they certainly wouldn't actively get involved in the political struggle between the Han and Liu factions.

Li Qi, the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, was the emperor's eyes and ears, mainly to ensure that there was no foul play in the trial process.

Rong Xian, the deputy commander of the Palace Guard, was a military officer who presided over cases. In reality, his role was similar: to ensure that there were no shady dealings during the trials and to simply go through the motions.

Only Jiang Zhao, a compiler of the Hanlin Academy, and Feng Yuan, the Right Vice Censor-in-Chief, were the main figures in this political struggle at court.

"You used the guise of a congratulatory message to conceal your malicious intentions. The message you wrote was a treasonous statement, like a mad dog barking at the sun. From the highest officials to the cabinet, the six ministries, the ninth rank, and even all the civil and military officials, everyone was filled with righteous indignation and found it extremely difficult to understand."

"Let me ask you, who instructed you to submit those disobedient words, or were you simply driven mad by greed to gain fame?" Jiang Zhao asked.

The moment you leave, it's a multiple-choice question.

Huang Jing's expression changed slightly.

To say that you were acting under someone's orders is absolutely unacceptable.

If one were to seek fame directly, one would be utterly disgraced.

"Speak!" Jiang Zhao said coldly.

Huang Jing swallowed hard: "I am wholeheartedly devoted to the people, how could I be acting under someone's orders?"

He shook his head repeatedly: "The Emperor has no son, and this is not something that will happen overnight. If the monarch has no son, the country and the state will be in turmoil."

"Shut up!" Jiang Zhao interrupted him directly, not giving him a chance to talk nonsense.

The authorities wanted Huang Jing to confess.

"If he was not acting under someone's orders, then he was using this as an excuse to gain fame."

“You have disobeyed and defied your superiors. Your memorial is called a congratulatory message, but it is in fact a rebellious statement. It is both disobedience and deception of the emperor.”

"May I ask, Vice Minister Zuo, how should this crime be judged?" Jiang Zhao looked at the Vice Minister Zuo of the Ministry of Justice.

The Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice sighed.

He didn't want to get involved in this kind of thing at all.

But there was no other way; the trial process had to be presided over by officials from the Ministry of Justice.

The Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice pondered for a moment before replying, "The crime of deceiving the emperor can result in demotion and imprisonment at the very least, and exile or even execution at the most serious level. Disobedience and rebellion can be punished with caning in court, exile, or dismissal."

Generally speaking, scholar-officials and those who submitted memorials to the emperor were not killed.

This matter is also governed by the ancestral instructions of Emperor Taizong.

However, there are also some precedents of using the guise of "granting death" to carry out executions.

"it is good!"

Jiang Zhao nodded and looked at the others: "Huang Jing has confessed his crimes and sought fame through honesty. Why don't we all submit a memorial to the emperor and have him executed? We can also ban his descendants for three generations from taking the imperial examinations."

Huang Jing was startled.

That's how it was decided?
Can you be a little more professional?
Originally, according to his expectations, it was Liu Xianggong who would win and send people to investigate the case.

In this case, going through the proper procedures and dismissing the official from office is not out of the question.

This is already a serious crime!
As a result, Jiang Zhao was a man who would commit capital crimes and implicate his descendants for the slightest disagreement.

"Of course, it would be somewhat frivolous to make a judgment so hastily."

Jiang Zhao added, "This person is disobedient and rebellious, and his crime is unforgivable. It would be better to set the maximum penalty as death and barring his descendants from taking the imperial examinations, and make him vomit something. If he vomits a lot, the sentence will be reduced; if he vomits little, the sentence will remain the same."

"Gentlemen, how is it?"

Jiang Zhao looked at the group with a gentle expression.

The Right Vice Censor-in-Chief rubbed his temples, his mind in turmoil.

“What Jiang Xiuzhuan said just now was a bit too much,” Feng Yuan said in a deep voice.

“It’s not a problem for Lord Feng to conduct the interrogation; just make him reveal who’s behind it all.” Jiang Zhao shook his head indifferently: “Anyway, as long as the Emperor is satisfied before the Emperor, that’s all that matters.” Upon hearing this, Feng Yuan’s heart sank.

How can one satisfy the officials? Naturally, it's by having a powerful figure behind the scenes.

More than three hours have passed since the political struggle began at dawn.

By this time, Feng Yuan had realized his mistake and knew he had done something wrong.

There was no problem with his appearance. If he could put Jiang Zhao in a weakened state in just a few moves, then his appearance would have been worthwhile.

But the problem is he failed to win over Jiang Zhao!

As time went on, the waters remained undisturbed, which naturally led the officials to realize the situation and make some guesses.

This trial was almost like searching for the process while already having the answer.

The difference lies in whether the person behind this answer was involved with the two kings.

"Tell me the truth!" Feng Yuan said in a deep voice. "This court has always treated scholars well. If you, a fifth-rank official, tell the truth, your wife, children, and elderly parents will have no worries about making a living."

"Did you submit this memorial at the behest of someone, to sow discord between the emperor and his subjects?"

After speaking, Feng Yuan closed his eyes.

That's all the advice he can offer.

If nothing unexpected happens, Liu Xiangong will collapse in a few days.

As one of Liu Xiangong's men, he was now in a predicament—like a clay bodhisattva crossing a river—barely able to save himself!

The bond between ruler and subject?

Huang Jing looked over.

The "relationship between ruler and subject" mentioned here could refer to Jiang Zhao and the Emperor, Minister Han and the Emperor, or Prime Minister Liu and the Emperor.

But it could also be the two kings and the emperor!
Both kings were subjects!
Furthermore, the congratulatory memorial he submitted stated that the Prince of Yong was suitable to inherit the throne, a scheme intended to flatter him and ultimately destroy him.

Could it be?

Huang Jing had an answer in his mind.

"Is what Jiang Xiuzhuan said about reducing the punishment true?"

Even though he had the answer, Huang Jing didn't say it directly, but instead deliberately deflected the question.

The trial process was recorded by the Ministry of Justice and the eunuchs. It could not be too abrupt, otherwise it would have the opposite effect.

“That is the truth.” Jiang Zhao nodded.

All these words were recorded, and at that time, they would simply be repeated to the officials.

Furthermore, Huang Jing's crime was nothing more than being instructed by someone to submit an untimely memorial recommending the Prince of Yong, which was almost certainly not punishable by death.

Emperor Taizong decreed: Do not kill scholar-officials or those who submit memorials to the emperor!
This statement is quite significant. It is rare for someone to die from illness, and even being sentenced to death is uncommon. More often, the punishment involves repeated exile and transfers, or making someone fall ill.

Of course, Huang Jing's case was special because the emperor was furious, and Huang Jing could not guarantee that the emperor would not order his execution.

Since he couldn't guarantee it, even the slightest probability was worth taking seriously.

Huang Jing felt relieved; the winning side's promise was quite valuable.

He couldn't help but sigh: "I have always been devoted to the public good and concerned for the wise king. I admit that I may have made some inappropriate remarks in my memorial!"

At this point, whether or not one pleads guilty will no longer significantly affect the outcome.

From the moment Liu Xianggong failed, his guilt was already established.

Upon hearing this, Li Qi, the Grand Master of Ceremonies, and Rong Xian, the Deputy Commander of the Imperial Guards, both breathed a sigh of relief.

Now that the results have been obtained, it's easy to report back.

After all, even if they don't actually handle the case, the two are still on the case-handling list and are considered "case-handling personnel." If there are no results, they will be held accountable.

With the Emperor's birthday celebration approaching, which will be the 26th in two days, this case definitely needs to be resolved into an ironclad case before then.

"Who ordered this?" Jiang Zhao asked again.

The main purpose of this trial is twofold.

Make Huang Jing confess.

Get Huang Jing to reveal who's behind it all.

This time, the person behind the scenes even included the government.

Throughout history, there have been many instances of scheming against rulers, yet almost never the rulers themselves realize they have been targeted.

This time, such blatant scheming is unprecedented.

The emperor was furious about such scheming against the monarch and would not allow it to happen.

He wants to kill the chicken to scare the monkeys!
As of now, this chicken is either Liu Hang or one of the two kings.

Huang Jing shook his head. "Nobody's here."

Jiang Zhao frowned.

"Tell me the truth!" Before Jiang Zhao could ask any more questions, Feng Yuan snapped, "Stop talking nonsense and quickly reveal who's behind this."

"It's all for the sake of the people!" Huang Jing said calmly. "Previously, I advised the emperor on the matter of establishing an heir, but the emperor did not take it seriously. Grand Secretary Liu Hang is a man of insight."

Liu Xiangong has already lost, and the answer Jiang Zichuan wants is Liu Xiangong.

Huang Jing slowly began to explain.

However, in his own words, Liu Hang was merely someone who helped him achieve his goals.

He said that he had submitted memorials for a long time but had not received the emperor's attention. Liu Hang took pity on him and gave him a suggestion.

He was instructed to take advantage of the Emperor's birthday celebrations to submit a memorial advising him to establish an heir.

Grand Secretary Liu Hang's intentions were good, but unfortunately, he misunderstood them as "presenting a congratulatory memorial to the emperor," thus doing more harm than good.

After speaking for a while, Huang Jing sighed, seemingly from the bottom of his heart: "Prince Yong is virtuous and capable of ruling the world. In ancient times, there was the beautiful story of Yao, Shun, and Yu abdicating their positions to each other."

"shut up!"

Jiang Zhao gave Huang Jing a deep look, and a guess formed in his mind.

By now, he had put together most of the plan.

That phrase "abdication" is really off.

The Prince of Yan had already bribed Huang Jing and secretly set a trap, making Huang Jing appear as "selfless" and seemingly biased towards the Prince of Yong, but in reality, he was planting a thorn in the Emperor's side.

The one who was sacrificed was Liu Hang, a Grand Secretary of the Cabinet, who was already very likely to "fail".

In fact, the favoritism of Grand Chancellor Fu Bi had already made the competition less of a suspense.

However, Liu Hang was somewhat unwilling to give up and chose to take a gamble!
Huang Jing's congratulatory letter, intertwined with the conflict between the two kings, dragged Han Zhang into the fray.

Han Zhang and Huang Jing are direct superiors and subordinates. Once Han Zhang is implicated, Huang Jing's congratulatory letter will be enough to cause a great deal of trouble.

At the very least, Han Zhang's entry into the cabinet will be delayed by several years.

In severe cases, Han Zhangde could be demoted again.

The price was that Huang Jing and Han Zhang were traded one for one.

Even in the worst-case scenario, Han Zhang cannot be dragged down with him.

Thus, in the struggle between the two kings, Huang Jing, who was on trial, would become a key figure, using words to frame the Prince of Yong and lower the Prince of Yong's image in the emperor's eyes.

The price, however, was the exposure of Liu Hang, a Grand Secretary of the Cabinet who had already lost the political struggle.

Because of Huang Jing's embellishment, Liu Hang didn't even need to pay any price; at most, he would be demoted and his reputation would be slightly tarnished.

Two ways to cook one fish!

Liu Hang lost this political struggle; he may suffer a huge loss or he may gain a small profit.

If the emperor favors the Prince of Yong, then he will suffer a great loss.

If the emperor favors the Prince of Yan, then he has gained something.

Han Zhang won, so naturally he couldn't possibly lose.

The real losers are actually the Emperor and the one of the two princes whom the Emperor suspects.

Jiang Zhao shook his head and waved his hand: "It's on record!"

The person behind it all is either the Prince of Yan or the Prince of Yong, but he doesn't care who it is.

At that time, all trial procedures will be submitted to the authorities.

The government can decide however it wants!
Anyway, the Korean brands have already won!
"Since you have shown remorse, write another congratulatory letter."

On June 26th, the emperor's birthday, a sacrifice to Heaven is held, and the congratulatory memorials from officials are among the offerings.

"The specific judgment will be determined after consulting with the officials."

"Retire!"

After speaking, the six judges stood up and rushed into the palace.

All the officials are waiting for the verdict!
(End of this chapter)