The next morning, Shen Zhixiu got up early and went to court.
According to the rules, he could rest at home for nine days after his wedding. However, the court was full of complicated matters, and Chen Ge Lao replaced Xu Ge Lao as the chief minister of the cabinet, so many personnel regulations needed to be reorganized.
It is said that a new emperor appoints new ministers, but for the ministers, the shock caused by the replacement of the prime minister is no less than the ascension of a new emperor.
Su Qingyu also stood up and helped Shen Zhixiu tidy up his court clothes while thinking about what he would face today.
Shen Zhixiu noticed that she was a little worried, so he rubbed her head and comforted her, "Don't think too much, it's not a big problem."
"If there's anything you can't handle, send someone to find me."
Before leaving, Shen Zhixiu pinched Su Qingyu's waist again and kissed her delicate lips.
"I'm leaving."
Su Qingyu saw him to the door and watched him leave before going back into the house to dress and change.
"You don't have to dress too ostentatiously, ordinary clothes will do." Su Qingyu instructed Zhenzhu.
Pearl was puzzled. "Madam, why don't you dress more prominently? Then when the officials know your identity, they won't dare to look down on you."
Su Qingyu shook her head and said, "The higher the Third Master's status, the more low-key I have to be when I'm out in public."
Besides, they were prepared today and didn't need to use their status to pressure others. As long as the officials from the Ministry of Justice didn't bully others, the Su family would not succeed.
The carriage slowly left the Shen family's house. Su Qingyu looked outside through the curtains. The morning was filled with vendors, and the carriage was moving slowly, stopping from time to time to make way.
When she was almost at Yushu Hutong, Su Qingyu suddenly heard the voices of two women talking outside.
"Have you heard? The people from Lin's Trading Company forced my daughter to divorce yesterday and robbed the storehouse of the Pingning Marquis' Mansion."
"I've heard that too. Is it true?"
"It might be true. I heard that the Marquis of Pingning wanted to take a concubine, but his wife refused. Not only that, they also took away the family's money and emptied the treasury."
Su Qingyu's face darkened. These rumors must have been spread by the Su family all morning. They were trying to discredit her mother and the Lin family. What a calculated plan.
There is no doubt that this idea must have come from my second uncle Su Chengyan.
Her father couldn't think of such a sinister idea.
This time, the two brothers, one is vicious and immoral, and the other is easily influenced, and they cooperate well.
Soon the carriage entered Yushu Hutong. When Su Qingyu got off the carriage and entered the door, Lin Wanli and Lin Wuchen had already arrived.
Several large camphorwood boxes lay on the ground. Lin wore a pale blue hemlock skirt embroidered with twined branches, her hair neatly combed into a simple bun. Her face showed no trace of dejection or fear, but rather a clear fighting spirit.
Lin Wanli called a few people over and said in a deep voice, "I won't say anything else. Today, our Lin family will fight against the powerful people in the capital."
"I just don't believe it. How can a marquisate confuse right and wrong?"
After that, he instructed Su Qingyu, "Unless it is absolutely necessary, you and Zhixiu should not interfere in this matter."
Su Qingyu pursed her lips, a warm feeling welling up in her heart. Her uncle was still thinking about her at this time. He was afraid that this matter would affect her and Shen Zhixiu.
As they expected, at the beginning of the morning hour, the Ministry of Justice sent an official to announce that Pingning Hou Su Chengye had sued the eldest and third young masters of the Lin family and that the case would now be heard in court.
Fortunately, the officials from the Ministry of Justice were all very friendly, especially when it came to Lin Wanyin. Lin Wanli had been in business for many years and was very generous. After just two bags of silver, the officials from the Ministry of Justice started to treat him like brothers.
It would be more accurate to say that they went to the Ministry of Justice on their own in a carriage rather than being informed.
After arriving, Su Qingyu found out that today's court hearing would not be open to the public.
She whispered a few words into Lin Wuchen's ear, and Lin Wuchen nodded slightly with a calm expression.
The Minister of Justice Wang Jian personally went to the court and all the members of the Lin family were brought up.
The Su family members who came today were Su Chengye and Su Chengyan, and they also brought a lawyer named Qian.
Su Chengye and Su Chengyan both held official positions, so they sat in the hall.
Since the Lin family members had no official status, they could only stand.
Su Chengye raised his chin slightly. Even though they were just standing and sitting, there was a difference in status and rank.
What’s wrong with the Lin family being rich? No matter how much money they have, they can only stand there.
No, I'm afraid I'll have to kneel again in a while.
Thinking of this, Su Chengye's smile deepened, and he felt that Su Chengyan's idea was really good.
Seeing that everyone was present, Wang Jian picked up the gavel and was about to knock it down.
Lin Wuchen stepped forward and said loudly, "Sir, the Lin family has something to say. We cannot begin the interrogation yet."
Wang Jian was startled, looked at Lin Wuchen and asked, "What do you mean?"
Lin Wuchen said, "Our Lin family requests a joint trial by the three courts because this matter involves the Pingning Marquis' Mansion. They are officials, and you are also an official."
"I believe that a joint trial by three judges is fairer."
"Our second request is that the trial be open to the public so that the people of the capital can watch."
No one had ever made any request before the Ministry of Justice tried a case. If it were someone else, Wang Jian would have had Lin Wuchen dragged away and beaten up first.
But although the Lin family is a merchant family, they are also imperial merchants. Those who can do business with the royal family have people backing them.
Wang Jian narrowed his eyes again and looked behind Lin Wuchen, where Su Qingyu stood with her head bowed. If he was not mistaken, this should be the newly married wife of Elder Shen. He had seen her once before, when he was helping with disaster relief outside the city.
She stood with the Lin family...
Wang Jian had already begun to consider Shen Zhixiu's position in his mind.
He looked at Su Chengye and asked, "Marquis Pingning, does the Su family agree to a joint trial by the three courts and a public hearing?"
Su Chengye said without hesitation: "I have no objection. Not to mention the joint trial by the three courts, I am not afraid even if it is an imperial trial."
"The Lin family isn't afraid of losing face, so our Su family is naturally even less afraid. This is a good opportunity for everyone in the capital to know the true face of the Lin family."
He and his second brother, Su Chengyan, had spent the entire night studying the plan, and it looked like they had a sure win. The Lin family had only received the news that morning, so they were certainly unprepared. The more you speak in a panic, the more mistakes you make.
Moreover, Lin Wuchen's words were exactly what the Su family had planned. They had already smoothed relations with the Dali Temple and the Censorate early in the morning, and spent a lot of money.
So when the Ministry of Justice proposed a joint trial by the three courts, the Dali Temple and the Censorate immediately sent officials.
Wang Jian originally thought that the retrial would have to be postponed, but he did not expect that in less than half an hour, he was sitting in the court with Wen Rong, the Shaoqing of the Dali Temple, and Liu Taiqing, the Deputy Chief Censor of the Censorate.
Of course, the presiding official was still Wang Jian.
The door to the Ministry of Justice's lobby also opened, and Su Qingyu retreated outside. She ordered Zhenzhu to go out and spread the news, while she watched the movements in the hall with cold eyes.
Before the formal interrogation began, several layers of people gathered outside the lobby of the Ministry of Justice.
Lawyer Qian stood in the middle of the lobby and spoke first.
"Sir, student Qian Ming is representing the Su family of Pingning Marquis Mansion and is suing the Lin family for theft of their property."
"The main culprit is Lin Wuchen, the third young master of the Lin family. I suggest that Lin Wuchen should be detained until the case is fully investigated."
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