Zhu Yu turned his head to look at Zhang Zhongcheng, and saw Wei Tingzhi, the Minister of Justice, who came in right after him. He immediately realized that Yu Qizhe had been prepared, otherwise Wei Tingzhi and Zhang Zhongcheng would not have come so quickly.
Yu Qizhe had two chairs brought over, and he said, "Master Zhang, Master Wei, the Second Prince said that General Ji is a loyal minister, and his case should be tried by the three courts, so I invited you two masters here."
Zhu Yu was so angry that he was speechless: "You...you, I...I originally thought that General Ji's case was a serious matter, and we should have discussed the rules with the adults in the court earlier, and then have a joint trial by the three courts."
After Zhang Zhongcheng and Wei Tingzhi paid their respects to Zhu Yu, they sat down on the chairs. It was still Zhang Zhongcheng who spoke first: "The Second Prince's idea is very comprehensive, but even if Ji Wudao's case was discussed in the morning court, it would still be handed over to the three courts for trial. This way, it would be tedious and complicated. Criminal interrogation is different from state affairs. The Dali Temple and the Ministry of Justice specialize in this matter. With the supervision of the Censorate, there is no need to waste manpower going back and forth. Since Lord Wei and I are here today, why don't we try this case and convict those who should be convicted as soon as possible, so as not to chill the loyalty of the three courts to the emperor and the country."
Zhang Zhongcheng was experienced and spoke in a tactful manner, so Zhu Yu could not find any fault with him.
Ji Wudao sneered, "I am loyal to my king and my country. Heaven and earth can bear witness to my sincere heart. Zhou Li is deliberately framing me, and the Dali Temple is gathering evidence. If I cannot prove my innocence, it will chill the hearts of the officers and soldiers in Taiyuan Prefecture and Xuan Prefecture."
When Zhu Yu heard him mention the military power of the two prefectures, he immediately regained his courage and argued with Zhang Zhongcheng: "I remember that General Ji was recommended by Lord Shen. Xiao Ning colluded with the enemy and betrayed the country, so General Ji took over his command of the military power of the two prefectures. How could General Ji follow in his footsteps? Moreover, Lord Shen is devoted to the country and loyal to the court. How could he fail to supervise people? My father also rewarded General Ji generously. If such a loyal minister and good general is convicted because of Zhou Li's barking, wouldn't it be a slap in my father's face? My father is a wise monarch. How could he employ people who are disloyal and colluded with the enemy?"
Zhang Zhongcheng said calmly, "Guilty or not, it all depends on the evidence. The Dali Temple and the Ministry of Justice also need solid evidence to convict, otherwise I, the Censorate, will also be guilty of negligence. Whether General Ji will follow in the footsteps of General Xiao Ning is not something that Yu Shaoqing, Wei Shangshu, or I can decide. How can a case be judged by one person?"
"As for the claim that General Ji was recommended by Elder Shen, I just came from the Cabinet. Chief Minister Shen and Second Minister Liu have discussed this matter with several other elders and decided to submit the case to the three courts for trial. Chief Minister Shen said that he is old and busy with official duties, so he might have overlooked the personnel. Moreover, Taiyuan Prefecture and Xuan Prefecture are too far from the capital, and some people may have become wild. People's hearts are always unpredictable."
"Your Majesty is a wise ruler. He sympathizes with the soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the country and always rewards them generously. However, people's hearts are unpredictable. With power, they may be rebellious. And since you are far away from the border, there are also cases where you may conceal the truth from your Majesty."
Zhang Zhongcheng's rebuttal left Zhu Yu speechless.
Ji Wudao frowned, looking down upon his useless appearance.
Anyway, the court meeting was doomed to fail, but fortunately he still had a backup plan. He had never expected Zhu Yu to succeed.
He glanced around the Dali Temple, but if he went into the Dali Temple's Zhaoyu today, there would be trouble.
Ji Wudao gave Zhu Eunuch a look. Zhu Eunuch was racking his brains over how to proceed with the court meeting. Ji Wudao suddenly trembled all over, his hands and feet twitched, and then he fainted on the ground.
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