The Drum of Grievance
5:00 AM (卯时).
The drums in front of the Jingzhao Prefecture gate resounded deafeningly.
One sound, two sounds, each one reaching the ears; each strike was like a heavy hammer falling on the heart, one after another.
A rhythmic thumping sound.
Before dawn, many people in Chang'an were already busy with their work, and from afar they could see a large crowd standing at the gate of the Jingzhao Prefecture.
Despite the presence of the elderly, women, and children, they never stopped playing the drums.
Some people beat drums, while others knelt at the gate of the Jingzhao Prefecture, pleading their great grievances. Each song was aimed directly at the residence of the Grand Secretary Fang.
Although the common people did not know whether the story in the song was true or false, the girl who sang the song never stopped, even when her voice was hoarse, and continued to tell the sad story over and over again.
There were people on duty at the Jingzhao Prefecture. After hearing that the grievance drums were being sounded one after another, someone went to inform Lu Shiyuan and Cheng Yunfan. The two of them didn't even bother to go to court and came directly to the gate of the Jingzhao Prefecture.
A large group of people were kneeling at the entrance of the government office; at a glance, they were all elderly, weak, women, and children.
Lu Shiyuan adjusted his official hat and stepped forward, saying, "I am the Prefect of Jingzhao Prefecture. If you have any grievances, please speak up, and I will certainly help you." As he spoke, he bowed to them.
"I want to sue Fang Ye, the Grand Secretary, for murdering my granddaughter and grandson."
"I want to sue Fang Ye, the Grand Chancellor, for murdering my son and daughter."
"I want to file a lawsuit against Fang Ye, the Grand Chancellor..."
Everyone spoke of their past grievances with Fang Ye, the Grand Secretary. To put it simply, the Grand Secretary had harmed their children and dumped their bodies in an unknown place.
Unknown place.
Lu Shiyuan's eyes darkened.
Legend has it that there is a Zhenshan Pagoda fifty miles east of Chang'an City. It is said that the Zhenshan Pagoda was built with funds from Fang Ye, the Grand Secretary. Even the person who built the pagoda said that it was a geomantically auspicious place.
Lu Shiyuan glanced at the constable beside him and casually instructed, "Go to the west gate and tell Eunuch Chen that once the grievance drum sounds, he will hear the grievances, judge right and wrong, and request leave from the morning court session today."
After instructing the yamen runners, Lu Shiyuan opened the gates of the Jingzhao Prefecture and led them inside.
He instructed Cheng Yunfan to summon all the clerks and record everything the people were saying.
Regardless of whether the matter is true or false, as the Prefect of Jingzhao, he would naturally go to investigate.
If it is true, he will naturally stand up for the people and seek justice for them;
If it were false, he naturally wouldn't make things difficult for the people.
After everyone had recounted their experiences, Lu Shiyuan compiled all the information.
Besides Fang Ye, there is also Fang Yuanchao, but their beastly behavior can already be felt from the text.
"Lord Lu, you must do justice for us." The old woman was in tears. "I still haven't found my son's body. He often appears in my dreams and tells me that he is very cold. Lord Lu, you are an upright and just official, you will surely be able to find their bodies, right?" After the old woman finished speaking, she kowtowed to Lu Shiyuan.
“Lord Lu, my husband was a purchasing agent for the Fang family, the Grand Secretary. Fang Yuanchao took a fancy to me and tried to force me into his possession. My husband was so angry that he went to confront them. Unfortunately, my husband has not returned yet, and I think he is probably in grave danger.”
Cheng Yunfan turned his gaze to Lu Shiyuan. "Lord Lu, this matter should be reported to His Majesty." As he spoke, he closed the file in his hand. "It is of great importance and involves the Grand Secretary."
"Why did you only come to report this now?" Lu Shiyuan looked up at the people standing below the hall. "And who told you that you could beat the drum to appeal for justice?"
“He is a handsome young man. He said we can now bring the injustice to light,” one of the ladies said. “He also said he would definitely give us justice.” The lady’s eyes reddened as she spoke. “We are just women with no special abilities. We only want to find the bodies of our loved ones so that they can return to their homeland.”
The first image that popped into Lu Shiyuan's mind was Xie Sili's face.
He composed himself.
a long time.
He turned his gaze to Cheng Yunfan beside him, "Yunfan, take some constables to the Zhenshan Pagoda in the eastern suburbs and see if you can find any clues there."
As soon as Lu Shiyuan finished speaking, a familiar voice rang out.
“How dare a lowly commoner frame the Fang family?”
The visitor was none other than Zhao Changgeng, the eldest son of the Zhao family and the Vice Prefect of Jingzhao Prefecture. Relying on his prestigious family background, he was promoted to Vice Prefect of Jingzhao Prefecture as soon as he entered officialdom.
After spending these days together, Lu Shiyuan had come to know Zhao Changgeng's character well.
He is ignorant, lazy, and only capable of theoretical discussions.
"Lord Lu, you don't believe what these lowly people say, and you believe that it was the work of the Grand Secretary." Zhao Changgeng looked at him with a very impolite tone, and even his gaze was sideways, as if he did not take him, the Prefect of the Capital, seriously.
Lu Shiyuan merely glanced at him and snorted coldly, "Whatever the outcome of this matter, I will inform His Majesty myself." He seemed to take his words to heart.
Whether it's true or false, if the Fang and Zhao families really fall, then Zhao Changgeng's good days will be over.
Even if the descendants of the Fang and Zhao families do not become slaves or prostitutes, it is certain that they will never be able to enter officialdom.
"Lord Lu, you're showing no respect for my father and uncle." Zhao Changgeng pointed at Lu Shiyuan angrily, "My father and uncle will not let you get away with this."
"This is none of your business to say." Lu Shiyuan looked down at Zhao Changgeng. "The Emperor will decide. Or is it that the Grand Chancellor can disregard the Emperor?"
Since Lu Shiyuan took office as the Prefect of Jingzhao Prefecture, he has had friends like Cheng Yunfan. Naturally, some people in the prefecture are inclined to support Lu Shiyuan. At Lu Shiyuan's command, these people tied up Zhao Changgeng.
After dealing with Zhao Changgeng's matter, Lu Shiyuan sent Cheng Yunfan with men to Zhenshan Pagoda, while he went to the palace to inform the Emperor of the matter. Before leaving, he did not forget to take Zhao Changgeng with him.
The sounding of the grievance drum caused a great deal of discussion in the court. Xie Chun and others felt that it was just a minor disturbance by the common people and spoke up for Fang Ye everywhere. Of course, while Xie Chun spoke up for Fang Ye, some people felt that the matter of the Grand Secretary could be a big deal or a small deal and needed to be investigated.
The grievance drum has only been sounded three times since the founding of the country: the first time was for floods, the second time for plagues, and the third time is for this matter concerning the Grand Secretary.
The flood uncovered a massive corruption case that implicated more than a dozen powerful families, marking the beginning of their decline.
The plague uncovered a meticulously planned conspiracy, saving the kingdom from annihilation.
Both of these events were recorded by the historians, so they felt that the matter of the Grand Secretary needed to be investigated.
Every time the drum for appealing grievances sounds, it reveals the truth that has been hidden for a long time.
After the court session, the emperor summoned the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, the Secretary of the Imperial Secretariat, the Minister of Justice, and Fang Ye, the Grand Secretary in charge of the matter, to a private audience.
Inside the Imperial Study.
"Your Majesty, I am innocent! I have been loyal to Your Majesty for generations. How could I do such a despicable thing?" Fang Ye quickly spoke up.
"Your Majesty, in my humble opinion, this matter should be jointly tried by the three judicial departments, namely the Court of Judicial Review, the Prefectural Government of the Capital, and the Ministry of Justice. Regardless of whether the matter is true or false, it must be thoroughly investigated to get to the bottom of it," said Jiang Jingze, Secretary of the Imperial Secretariat, stepping forward.
"What Minister Jiang said is true." The Emperor's gaze swept over them one by one, finally settling on Fang Ye. "Minister Fang, do you have any objections?"
"Your Majesty, I have a clear conscience and am not afraid of investigation!" Fang Ye looked at the Emperor and spoke again.
“Your Majesty, I have something amusing to tell you.” Guan Lingsong, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, stepped forward and spoke.
Noticing the Emperor's gaze, Guan Lingsong stepped forward and said, "Your humble servant heard yesterday that Lord Fang's son forcibly took a girl in a restaurant. When he failed, he drove the girl's maternal grandfather to his death."
That girl was strong-willed. When she saw that Young Master Fang had forced her maternal grandfather to death, she wanted to jump off a building to follow him, but she was saved by another girl. And guess what happened next?
The young master Fang took a fancy to the girl, but she refused and hit him. As a result, the girl was arrested by the yamen runners of the Jingzhao Prefecture.
"Your Majesty, you be the judge! It's clearly Young Master Fang's fault, so why take the girl away?"
Guan Lingsong changed his tone, "Your Majesty, isn't this just nonsense? It's true that the young lady wanted to save the girl who jumped off the building, and it's also reasonable for her to hit Young Master Fang, but she was arrested by the Jingzhao Prefecture. Isn't this just making people feel disheartened for no reason?" He spread his hands with a helpless expression.
"Nonsense! Utter nonsense!" Upon hearing this, the emperor grabbed the memorial beside him and threw it at Fang Ye.
"Your Majesty, I am innocent! I did not do it!" Fang Ye did not dare to dodge when the memorial was thrown at him, and could only let it hit him.
"If a child is not taught, it is the fault of the father and son; if the teaching is not strict, it is the teacher's laziness." Guan Lingsong looked at Fang Ye and said earnestly, "This is something even a three-year-old child knows, so why don't you know it, Lord Fang?"
Just as the emperor was about to speak, he heard a eunuch outside announce that Lu Shiyuan, the prefect of the capital, had arrived.
When Lu Shiyuan entered, he glanced at the people present, and then knelt down in front of the Emperor with a thud.
"Lord Lu, what has happened?" The Emperor looked at Lu Shiyuan and quickly said, "Get up quickly, don't perform such a grand ceremony."
"Your Majesty, the people's words have been recorded in detail. I have compiled these documents and would like Your Majesty to review them." He then held the booklet above his head.
Liang Huaien stepped forward, took the booklet, and handed it to the Emperor. Just as the Emperor was about to look through the booklet, Lu Shiyuan spoke up.
"Your Majesty, before you look at the booklet, please settle another matter first." He glanced outside the door and saw two eunuchs throwing Zhao Changgeng, who was bound hand and foot, in.
“Zhao Changgeng, the Vice Magistrate of Jingzhao Prefecture, is the son of the Grand Secretary. Since taking office, he has been abusing his power in Jingzhao Prefecture by relying on the Fang and Zhao families, and has been protecting others. Yesterday, he even arrested an innocent girl and brought her to Jingzhao Prefecture. The girl has been wronged and is now unwilling to leave the prison. She also said that she hopes His Majesty will give her justice.” After Lu Shiyuan finished speaking, he kowtowed to the Emperor.
“The girl said she was only acting in self-defense to save someone. If this is also a wrong thing, how can the world be at peace? Or is it that someone is acting as an accomplice to the tyrant and taking advantage of his power?” Lu Shiyuan said, then kowtowed again.
"Your Majesty is the father of all people and a wise ruler. Do not let the hearts of the people be broken."
Jiang Jingze, Guan Lingsong, and the Minister of Justice spoke at the same time, "Your Majesty, please have the 'Three Judicial Offices Joint Trial' investigate this matter! Give the young lady and all the people justice." After saying this, the three of them kowtowed in unison.
While they were talking, the emperor had already glanced through the compiled booklet. Even without reading it in detail, he could feel the despair of the people rushing towards him.
Such a scandal could happen right under the emperor's nose, within the country under his jurisdiction!
The emperor was furious, almost speechless with rage.
"Your Majesty, anger is bad for your health. Don't hurt yourself." Huai En patted the Emperor's back. "This old servant thinks that since the 'Three Judicial Offices Joint Trial' has already been established, why not let Your Highness handle it?"
After listening to Huai En's words, the Emperor took a deep breath to compose himself and then decisively said, "Since the fourth prince is free these days, let's assign this task to him!"
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