Chapter 338 Xiao Jun
"What's going on?" When Xiao Jun, the Imperial Counselor, saw the Jinwu Guards dragging Lu Wencao, but they kept shouting that he was not guilty of the death penalty and that the emperor should spare his life, Xiao Jun felt that something was a little strange, so he stepped forward to stop them and ask.
"Master Counselor, save me, Master Counselor, save me." When Lu Wencao saw Xiao Jun, he was like a drowning man who had found a straw. He hurriedly shouted that whether he could survive depended on whether Xiao Jun could help.
This was Lu Wencao's last hope. Although he did not expect Xiao Jun to really persuade the emperor to take back his decision, at least having a little more hope was good.
This rekindled his hope, and it was also his good fortune that he met the Imperial Counselor Xiao Jun.
If it were someone else, they might not have meddled in his affairs.
Seeing that the person coming was the Counselor Xiao Jun, one of the Jinwu Guards said, "This man is called Lu Wencao. He was originally a special officer of the Zuo Wuhou. Because he stole while on duty, he climbed over the wall and stole things from the Zuo Zangshu Ku and was caught. The emperor was furious and ordered him to be executed."
"What? Execution? This man just stole property and committed the crime of theft. According to the laws of our Tang Dynasty, all thieves shall not be punished with fifty lashes for property; sixty lashes of one foot of stick..."
"He is just a thief. Even if he has committed the crime of theft while on duty, it is not a crime punishable by death. How can he be sentenced to death so easily?"
"You wait here. I will go to see the emperor and ask him to make a new judgment." Xiao Jun said.
"This, Doctor Xiao, isn't it making things difficult for us? We dare not disobey the will of the sage, please forgive us!" said the Jinwu Guards.
They were the imperial guards guarding the palace, the emperor's personal soldiers, and naturally only obeyed the emperor. The emperor ordered them to execute Lu Wencao directly, so they had to do it.
"When the late emperor was alive, he issued an edict that anyone sentenced to death could be repeatedly reported before the death penalty could be carried out."
"Let me ask you, was it judged by the Dali Temple, or was it executed by the Ministry of Justice?" Xiao Jun asked.
"No, the sage directly ordered the execution." said the Jinwu Guards.
"In that case, you will wait here. It won't be too late to deal with it after I meet the saint. Where is the saint now?" Xiao Jun said. "
The saint is in the Liangyi Hall." The Jinwu Guard said.
Xiao Jun left with a wave of his sleeves. He had said everything he needed to say. He believed that the Jinwu Guard would listen to him and wait here.
Xiao Jun came to the outside of the Liangyi Hall and said to the eunuchs waiting outside the hall: "Thank you for reporting that the Imperial Counselor Xiao Jun has something to see the saint."
"The Imperial Counselor is waiting here. I will go and report it now." The eunuch on the right said, turning around and entering the Liangyi Hall.
"My lords! The Imperial Counselor Xiao Jun is outside the hall asking to see you!" the eunuch saluted.
"Why is he here?" Li Chengqian asked in confusion, "Call him in."
"Yes!" The eunuch took the order and withdrew, and came to the outside of the hall. "The sage summons the minister to see you!
"
Xiao Jun hurriedly tidied up his clothes, and then followed the eunuch into the Liangyi Hall.
"I am Xiao Jun, the counselor, and I am here to see the sage!" Xiao Jun bowed.
"I wonder what you want to see me for?" Li Chengqian asked.
"I came here to advise the sage about the theft of Lu Wencao, the concubine of Zuo Wuhou!" Xiao Jun said.
"Lu Wencao stole the goods from Zuo Zangshuku, and all the stolen goods were captured. I have already ordered him to be executed. What are you doing here? Are you begging for him?" Li Chengqian frowned and said with some dissatisfaction.
As the emperor, he was executing a criminal, so how could anyone dare to speak out and make irresponsible remarks? Where was his majesty?
"Your Majesty, Lu Wencao was the Zuo Wuhou Bieji, and he had the duty of supervising and correcting. However, he stole things while on guard, climbed over the wall to steal things from the Zuo Cangshuku, and it is understandable that he was sentenced."
"However, although Lu Wencao was guilty, his crime was not punishable by death. Your Majesty directly issued an edict to sentence him to death without trial, which was too severe." Xiao Jun said.
"Ridiculous! Lu Wencao stole things while on guard, climbed over the wall to steal, and I can't punish him? Can't such a person be let off?" Li Chengqian was furious.
"Lu Wencao's crime is indeed unforgivable. I'm afraid that after hearing about it, people will definitely think that the saints despise the law and human life, and let their anger decide everything."
"And they value money very much, so they don't take human life seriously. Although Lu Wencao deserves the punishment, according to the law, Lu Wencao should not be sentenced to death."
"My duty is to advise and remonstrate. I dare not not report what I think in my heart." Xiao Jun said. After hearing
what Xiao Jun said, Li Chengqian calmed down a little. To be honest, what Xiao Jun said really made some sense.
He, Li Chengqian, often said that princes who break the law are guilty of the same crime as common people, and everything should be handled fairly according to the law.
If he really killed Lu Wencao today, wouldn't that be a slap in his face!
Even if he killed Lu Wencao, it wouldn't be a big deal, but wouldn't the image he worked so hard to build be destroyed?
What's more, if you think about it carefully, stealing is not a crime punishable by death, but killing is a bit too much!
I always talk about justice, but now I can't handle it fairly because of my anger and shame. How can I ask the judicial office to be fair, just and open in the future?
By then, there will be a lot of unjust, false and wrong cases.
Don't do to others what you don't want others to do to you, that's what it means.
"Your words have made me realize that I really shouldn't sentence Lu Wencao to death because of my anger and shame." Li Chengqian said, and sent eunuchs to convey his order to hand Lu Wencao over to the Dali Temple for punishment.
"Mr. Xiao, your duty is to correct my mistakes. I am very happy that you can do this. I will reward you with ten pieces of silk and brocade." Li Chengqian said with a smile.
"This is my duty. I dare not accept the reward from the saint." Xiao Jun said.
"I reward you with silk and brocade to commend you for fulfilling your duty and responsibility, so that more people will speak out and not hide anything from me."
"If I have any mistakes, you can tell me and prove my mistakes." Li Chengqian said.
In this way, he can establish a noble image of being willing to accept advice in the hearts of the people of the world.
"I dare not refuse the gift from the elder! I, Xiao Jun, thank the saint for the gift." Xiao Jun said in gratitude.
"My dear minister, please stand up!" Li Chengqian said, stepped forward and took Xiao Jun's hand, encouraging him a few words.
Seeing that there was nothing else, Xiao Jun said goodbye and left the Liangyi Hall.
After Xiao Jun left, Li Chengqian said to the eunuchs around him: "Look, people like Xiao Jun are the real counselors of our Tang Dynasty!"
Wang Quan and others could only agree.
In the ninth month of the leap year, Zhangsun Wuji and others presented the revised laws, decrees, rules and regulations to Li Chengqian. After reading them, Li Chengqian discussed them with relevant personnel.
Finally, he issued an edict to promulgate them throughout the country, so that all the subjects of the Tang Dynasty would abide by the revised laws.