By the time the constables returned with their men, an hour had passed.
Xue Shen glanced at the prisoners kneeling in the courtroom and asked, "Where is Zhou Qing?"
Of the Zhou family members who were brought in, only Zhou Qing was missing.
The constable replied, "Zhou Qing is not at home."
Xue Shen raised an eyebrow and looked at Zhou Nian: "That's quite a coincidence. Anyone who didn't know better would think that the Zhou family got wind of the crime and fled to avoid punishment."
Zhou Nian glared at him coldly: "My Zhou family is upright and honorable. Your Highness, do not make false accusations. We are only here to cooperate with the investigation."
Xue Shen smiled noncommittally and said to the Minister of Justice, "Your Excellency, please continue the trial."
*
This case involves many people, is complex, and has a long history.
Even with all the witnesses and physical evidence, and with the entire Dali Temple and the Ministry of Justice mobilized, it still took five days to get the case straight.
When the memorial was presented to Emperor Cheng'an, he was not surprised by the condemnation at the end. What truly surprised him was the amount of military funds embezzled by the Zhou family, which amounted to several million taels.
The national treasury's annual surplus was only a few million taels.
Emperor Cheng'an then truly harbored murderous intent.
The Zhou family has done a lot for him, and to prevent them from taking drastic measures, he will not easily take action against them unless absolutely necessary.
But now, seeing the amount the Zhou family had embezzled, he could no longer suppress his anger.
By confiscating the Zhou family's property, the Empress's future prospects would be cut off, and one less person would know his secret. Most importantly, what had the Zhou family done with all the money they had embezzled over the years?
Emperor Cheng'an's expression darkened slightly, and he picked up his brush to write a reply on the memorial: "The crimes of Zhou Nian and others are unforgivable, and they should be executed according to the law."
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