However, after Zhang Fei agreed, Su Che's face did not show joy. Instead, he looked a little struggling and said hurriedly: "Sanlang, don't rush to agree. If you do this, it will definitely make Prefect Cai and others dissatisfied." In fact, Su Che was also very conflicted about whether he should re-examine the case even if new evidence was found.
Because he also believed that this case was extremely difficult to judge. In any case, it was Zhang who took Wu's mother to the river and helped her commit suicide, which was absolutely against filial piety.
Based on this, a heavy sentence is not excessive. However, he also believes that sentencing him to ten heinous crimes is indeed a bit unfair, and it may not be what Wu's mother wanted before her death, and it will completely destroy the family.
However, they had just arrived here, was it really a good idea to do this? He took the initiative to mention this case to Zhang Fei, instead of secretly collecting evidence and then directly prosecuting, in fact, he wanted to consider Zhang Fei's ideas.
He knew very well that it was not easy for the public security, procuratorial and judicial organs to gain a foothold here. They needed cooperation now, and this had to be considered carefully.
Zhang Fei smiled and said, "We have come all the way here, not to please others. In this kind of criminal case, which will not harm the national interests, we in the royal court do not need to consider anyone's feelings. The only thing we have to consider is whether the evidence provided by your procuratorate meets the standards for a trial." Su Zhe could not help but look at Zhang Fei with a little surprise, because Zhang Fei was very smooth when he was acting as a spy, and it was hard to tell whether he was good or evil.
Su Zhe felt a little ashamed of himself after hearing this, and he hurriedly bowed and said, "I'm sorry, I think too much." Zhang Fei raised his hand and said, "No need to apologize, Mr. Su is also thinking about me." Zhang Fei's attitude also made Su Zhe determined.
"Don't worry, I will try my best to find enough evidence." Zhang Fei nodded and suddenly asked, "Mr. Su, have you ever met with Prefect Cai?" Su Zhe said hurriedly, "I visited Prefect Cai on the third day after I arrived here." Zhang Fei asked again, "I wonder what Prefect Cai thinks of our public security, procuratorial and judicial organs?" Su Zhe pondered for a moment and said, "Prefect Cai and I don't know each other. It was just a very ordinary visit at that time. Prefect Cai didn't express too many thoughts and his attitude towards me was also very calm. But..."
"But what?" Zhang Fei asked. Su Zhe said, "But I think that whether Governor Cai agrees with or disagrees with the public security, procuratorial and judicial organs, he is unlikely to get too close to us, nor is he likely to provide us with any help."
"Why is this?" Zhang Fei asked.
...
...
"Because Magistrate Cai also has to consider the opinions of his subordinates. After all, if we, the public security, procuratorate and courts, come here, we will still encroach on the power of many officials."
"Yes!" Zhang Fei nodded, and then asked: "Mr. Su, do you think I should still visit the prefect Cai?" Su Zhe hurriedly said: "You must go. At present, the judicial power of Hezhong Prefecture is still in the hands of the government office. If you don't go, how can the transfer of judicial power be completed?"
"That's true." Zhang Fei nodded thoughtfully. He was indeed not very familiar with the etiquette of officialdom, so he had to ask Su Che clearly.
Su Che suddenly said: "By the way! I heard that you were assassinated in Pinglu County?" Zhang Fei nodded with a smile and thought to himself, you just remembered it now!
It seems that you are not surprised by this. Su Che asked, "Have you found any clues?" Zhang Fei shook his head.
"It's probably going to be difficult, but I'm definitely going to keep investigating."
"Of course." Su Che nodded, and then said, "But I think it is unlikely that this was done by someone from Hezhong Prefecture." Zhang Fei shrugged and smiled, "Everyone thinks so, but before the investigation results are out, I will remain suspicious of everyone." Su Che was slightly stunned, then reacted. This matter can indeed be used as a preparation to give local officials some fear, because this is a very serious crime. Assassinating an official of the court is slapping the emperor in the face, which is no different from treason. As long as it is found out, there is no doubt that they will die. He nodded and said, "Of course, everything depends on the evidence." Zhang Fei smiled and nodded, and said, "Mr. Su, let's go visit Prefect Cai tomorrow, oh, and Cao Yanei." Su Che said, "We have to post a notice first."
"Post...post?"
"Don't you need to send a note when you visit someone in the capital?"
"Uh..." Zhang Fei said embarrassedly: "I seldom visit officials. It seems that there is not much need among us businessmen." In fact, when he visited Wang Anshi and Sima Guang's homes, he did not send a letter. He just went when he had something to do. However, Wang Anshi and Sima Guang did not care about it, so he developed this bad habit. But in fact, in the officialdom, especially in the literati, if you want to visit, you must send a letter.
Su Che nodded in understanding.
"Then I'll write it. When do you think you're free?" Zhang Fei said, "The sooner the better. I don't have much to do lately anyway." Su Zhe nodded and said, "Okay, I'll arrange it. I'll let you know when the time comes."
"Thank you!" Zhang Fei bowed. After talking about this matter, Su Che saw that it was getting late, so he stood up and said goodbye.
Just after Su Che was sent away, Cao Dongdong, Ma Xiaoyi, Fu Shichun and a group of bandits appeared out of nowhere. They came here half an hour ago and had already toured the palace.
"Zhang San, are we going to live here too?" Cao Dongdong asked. Of course not. Living with them would be torture.
Although Zhang Fei was reluctant, he couldn't refuse directly, so he asked tentatively: "Are you willing to live here?"
"Of course not!" Cao Dongdong immediately shook his head like a rattle and said, "Although it's nice here, it's too boring. We want to live in the city." They were all wealthy and didn't care about the palace. They still liked the atmosphere of the city very much.
Lively! Ma Xiaoyi was even more reluctant to live here, but he felt that he was being disloyal, so he said, "Third brother, I want to accompany you, but I heard that the police station is located in the city, and it's not very convenient for me to live here." Fu Shichun smiled and said, "Xiao Ma, your third brother may want you to live in the city."
"I didn't say that." Zhang Fei glanced at Fu Shichun unhappily, and pretended to be helpless and said to Cao Dongdong and Ma Xiaoyi: "It's up to you. But Yanei, you have to go to the government office with me and Mr. Su Xiao to visit the prefect Cai."
"You guys just go, I'm probably very busy and don't have time." Cao Dongdong shook his head. Zhang Fei saw his old-fashioned look and said angrily, "What are you busy with?" Cao Dongdong said, "Just now my uncle Qin sent someone to come over and told me to go to his house if I'm free tomorrow."
"Uncle Qin?" Zhang Fei looked at Cao Dongdong with curiosity. Fu Shichun said, "It's Qin Zhongshou, the commander of the cavalry and infantry of Hezhong Prefecture. His grandfather was a family general of Yanei's great-grandfather." Zhang Fei frowned slightly, then looked at Fu Shichun and said, "What do you think?" Fu Shichun smiled and said, "The Qin family and the Zhong family have been staying in the border to fight against Xixia, and they seem to have a good relationship. Qin Zhongshou is eager to invite Yanei over. I think he must want to test Yanei's attitude." Some people are paying attention to the power changes brought about by the public security, procuratorial and judicial organs, but more people are paying attention to Zhong Yan's lawsuit, especially the military generals here.
Because in the northwest, the dispute between civil and military officials is always the main theme. Since Zhao Xu asked Zhang Fei to re-examine the case, it means that the imperial court has the power to intervene in military and political affairs. What they are worried about is whether the public security, procuratorial and judicial organs are biased towards military generals or civil officials.
No wonder they didn’t go to look for Su Zhe before. It turns out they were waiting for Cao Dongdong here. That’s right, how could their generals believe me and Su Zhe.
Zhang Fei looked at Cao Dongdong,
"Yanei, if Qin Zhongshou tests you, how will you answer?" Cao Dongdong immediately said, "I don't know. This matter is not my business. If anyone wants to ask, they should ask you." Zhang Fei asked with a smile, "Then will you brag?"
"Of course not." Cao Dongdong looked at Zhang Fei warily. Zhang Fei just stared at him without saying a word.
Cao Dongdong said with a guilty conscience: "Why are you asking this?" Zhang Fei said: "If Qin Zhongshou is testing you, just say something big to put their minds at ease."
"Why is that?" Cao Dongdong asked curiously. Zhang Fei sighed, "Because among the public security, procuratorial and judicial organs, the most difficult to build is your police station. I can't give you too much support. If you can make them feel at ease, they will also support you. With the support of the army, everything will be twice as effective with half the effort." Cao Dongdong said cautiously, "I did learn some of these big words from Xiao Ma and Xiao Chun, but if you make a different judgment than what I said, then you are harming me. Uncle Qin and the others will definitely think I am lying to them." Zhang Fei sighed, "You are my employer and my big client. I will never harm you!" Cao Dongdong's eyes lit up and he was relieved immediately.
"Okay then, if Uncle Qin asks me about it, I'll just say a few big words." Brother, you can't be casual about this, you have to take some of the credit for yourself!
Zhang Fei was still a little worried and said, "When the time comes, you can take Brother Xiaochun and Xiao Ma with you." As he said that, he glanced at Fu Shichun.
Fu Shichun understood what he meant. Cao Dongdong saw it, but he also enjoyed it. This was the purpose of him tricking Fu Shichun to come. He said, "Even if you don't tell me, I will take them with me. We will definitely drink. I can't drink as much as them by myself." After all, this police station is on the front line and is an armed force. Without this armed force, the imperial court and the procuratorate will become harmless and lack deterrence.
The establishment of a police station is of vital importance and also the most difficult. Building a royal court or a procuratorate is relatively easy.
However, the police station still has to recruit a large number of royal police officers, train royal police officers, and face local forces directly.
Whether in Kaifeng Prefecture or local provincial capitals, important positions in the government, both civil and military, are held by the sons of local gentry, and the prefects generally rely on them to stabilize the local area.
These people are definitely against the public security, procuratorial and judicial organs, because they will break the tradition that the imperial power does not extend below the county level, and will also destroy their privileges in the local area.
If we try to please them and continue to use them, the public security, procuratorial and judicial systems will not be developed, and the situation will be no different from now, because they work for the government, which is an exchange of interests and has little to do with the judiciary.
But it is impossible to do it without local forces. As for the recruitment of police officers, they had already discussed it before coming. They would use the same routine as setting up a police station in the capital, and convert some local Yaqianyi into royal police.
Most of these yamen runners were children of local wealthy peasants. They had some money and knowledge at home and belonged to the middle class, but they were also the most exploited class.
Zhang Fei wanted to use this group of people to build the public security, procuratorial and judicial system. This was very successful in the capital. Currently, all the squad leaders in the capital were Yaqianyi, that is, the first recruits of the royal police.
Transforming from yamen servants to royal police officers allowed them to avoid being exploited while receiving generous remuneration, which made them cherish this identity very much.
More importantly, they can use their identity as royal police officers to increase their family's wealth.
It is not about corruption or bribery, but relying on one's own ability. These exploited yamen servants are actually very capable. If they had connections and backgrounds, they would not be exploited. They were able to become rich peasants by relying on their own abilities.
The success in the capital depends on the support of the three yamen, so we can follow suit here and use Zhong Yan's lawsuit to hang these generals in exchange for their support for Cao Dongdong.
......At this time, Gao Wenyin was leading Xiaotao, Li Si and others to put away all the pots, pans, clothes and beddings they brought.
Xu Zhiqian was only in charge of the study. He took Qingmei to the study to place many documents and books on the bookshelf.
But the difference is that Gao Wenyin arranged everything according to Zhang Fei's habits, while Xu Zhiqian arranged it according to her own habits. Because Zhang Fei seldom looked at these things, she was the one who looked at them all, and Zhang Fei was only responsible for asking her.
A pair of big hands gently embraced her slender waist from behind.
"Thank you for your hard work, my lady." Xu Zhiqian glanced back with her beautiful eyes and rolled her eyes coquettishly at her husband.
"What's so hard about this?" That pretty face didn't look tired at all, but rather seemed very excited. She came here to work, which was something she had never dared to imagine as a woman. But she didn't expect that this happiness came so suddenly. She even wished she could start work today.
"You have to take care of your body, come on, sit down and rest for a while."
"I think you want to take a rest." Having said that, Xu Zhiqian still came to the chair beside her and sat down with Zhang Fei.
"I heard that Mr. Su is here." Xu Zhiqian asked as she pushed a few strands of Zhang Fei's hair behind his ears.
"Um."
"Did he mention the case of matricide?" Xu Zhiqian asked again. Zhang Fei was stunned and said, "You seem to be very interested in this case?" Xu Zhiqian looked around and saw no one.
"I think this case is not that simple, there may be something else going on."
"Maybe." Zhang Fei nodded, and told Xu Zhiqian what he had found out from Su Che's investigation.
"It is true." Xu Zhiqian nodded, as if she had thought of it before, and looked up at Zhang Fei.
"Then what are your plans?" Zhang Fei did not answer but asked, "What do you think?" Xu Zhiqian thought for a while and said, "Since there is a hidden story, we should retry the case." Zhang Fei said, "Then if it is really as Mr. Su said, and there is solid evidence, how will you sentence her?" Xu Zhiqian said, "I... I will definitely give her a lighter sentence." Zhang Fei smiled and said, "In any case, it was Zhang who assisted Wu's mother in committing suicide. Maybe she was helpless, but you have to consider the impact it will have on society. There is no filial son in front of a long-term sick bed. If Zhang is given a lighter sentence, it is estimated that the number of cases of matricide may increase day by day. This son and daughter-in-law will force their mother to commit suicide every day to reduce their burden. But if the sentence is heavier, what is the point of retrial? Not only will it cause dissatisfaction among the prefects Cai, but it will also make many people feel that our imperial court trial is unfair, because they may sympathize with Zhang." Xu Zhiqian frowned slightly, thinking that what Zhang Fei said made sense. This case seemed simple, but it was really difficult to try. She asked, "In other words, you don't plan to retry it?"
"No!" Zhang Fei shook his head and smiled, "As long as Mr. Su finds evidence, I will definitely re-examine this case." Xu Zhiqian was surprised and said, "But didn't you say..." Zhang Fei smiled and said, "What I just said was not the reason why I rejected this case, but the reason why I took it. It is precisely because this case is more complicated, and there are no clear regulations in the Song Dynasty Criminal Code. If we can try it clearly and give a different verdict, it will be able to demonstrate the fairness of our imperial court. This is only one reason. Secondly, this case is known to everyone and it is related to filial piety. If we want to re-examine it, it will inevitably lead to There is no better way to get widespread attention. We will have to create an atmosphere to attract more people to pay attention to this case. The third is to overturn the ruling of Governor Cai. There is no better way to explain why we are here. Anyway, General Zhong and his men haven't come yet, so we might as well try this case out. "He made sense, but Xu Zhiqian didn't understand what he said: "But you just said that if you give a lighter sentence, it will have a bad impact, and what you are worried about is very likely to happen." Zhang Fei said: "So we have to think of a way to eliminate this negative impact."
"What method?" Xu Zhiqian asked curiously.
"Still thinking about it." Zhang Fei laughed and suddenly asked, "By the way! Did you bring Song Xingtong with you?"
"Of course I brought it!" Xu Zhiqian asked, "What do you want to check?" Zhang Fei said, "Check the regulations on the six murder charges. Mr. Su may sue for manslaughter or negligent homicide." Xu Zhiqian said in disbelief, "You don't even remember the six murder regulations?" Zhang Fei did not answer but asked, "Do you know why Mr. Su and Mr. Fan lost the lawsuit to me?" Xu Zhiqian asked, "Why?" Zhang Fei said, "It's because they trust their memory too much. For things like laws and regulations, a difference of one word can make a world of difference. Whether you remember it or not, you have to read it carefully before using it. In this case, why should I remember it? Just have a general impression." Xu Zhiqian snorted softly, "You always find excuses to be lazy."
"Wrong!" Zhang Fei shook his head and laughed, "This is not an excuse, but a fact. Because I am the winner, what I said is right. If I can't win the case, I am afraid everyone will sneer at me for saying this."
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