Chapter 215 Heading to Dali Temple to retrieve the case files!
Before Shen Lanxi left, Cheng Zheng wrote the character "好" (good) for her.
After returning to the city, she went straight to Dali Temple.
The case of Wei Jiajun was investigated jointly by the Court of Judicial Review and the Ministry of Personnel, and both places should have case files.
Just then, Che Mingyuan sent a letter, which she gave to Wei Jie, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review.
She had already asked around beforehand, and it turned out that Wei Jie would be on duty at the Dali Temple all day today.
Wei Jie had been waiting for Shen Lanxi ever since she said she wanted to retry the Wei family army case.
He thought she would find him immediately, but unexpectedly she went to the Prince of Zhennan's door to ask for her dowry.
What an extraordinary woman!
What he was thinking was beyond the comprehension of ordinary people like him.
After Shen Lanxi met Wei Jie, she first handed him Che Mingyuan's letter. Only after he had read it did she explain her purpose.
Wei Jie had been somewhat businesslike before, but his attitude changed drastically after reading the letter.
"I have already prepared the files on the Wei family army, and I am just waiting for the general to arrive!"
After Wei Jie finished speaking, he subconsciously glanced towards the door.
Shen Lanxi stated directly, "Every move I make now is under scrutiny. Lord Wei, please feel free to speak your mind!"
Wei Jie understood. Since he had received His Majesty's permission, he no longer needed to worry.
On the way to the archives to look at the files, Wei Jie had already told Shen Lanxi about the contents of the files.
"The files are all superficial, basically the same as what the outside world says. The only useful thing is the archives of the allocation of food and salary to Wei's army."
Wei Jie took out the case file and all the evidence, and placed them all in front of Shen Lanxi.
"This is a register of all the officials who handled that batch of pay back then, including the soldiers. Their whereabouts over the past two years have been under the surveillance of the Court of Judicial Review and the Ministry of Personnel, and their behavior has been normal!"
After looking through them one by one, Shen Lanxi asked, "Lord Wei, are all the files here?"
Wei Jie: "This is only part of it; the rest is with the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Revenue. Because these are all official documents with seals, each ministry needs to keep them as evidence, and we at the Court of Judicial Review can't just keep withholding them!"
Shen Lanxi didn't make things difficult for him, and said, "May I make a copy of this evidence?"
Wei Jie: "Sir, please have someone copy it!"
She had a group of people with her, each person taking a copy, and they finished copying them all in about fifteen minutes.
"Lord Wei, I don't see any confessions or anything like that inside. Did the Court of Judicial Review and the Ministry of Personnel summon anyone to take statements from the people who escorted the silver? Did they send anyone to question anyone they came into contact with along the way?"
Wei Jie glanced at her, recalling his friend's instructions in the letter, and truthfully said, "After the Shen family was exiled, there was a drought in the north, followed by a mob uprising, then turmoil in the northwest, then a winter snow disaster and the rebellion of the rebellious king... the turmoil never stopped!"
Shen Lanxi nodded in understanding.
"Originally, the plan was to summon the people who were escorting the grain and provisions, but due to unrest in various places and insufficient military strength of the court, they had to send them out as well."
Shen Lanxi: "Where were they sent?"
Wei Jie: "I paid special attention to it; they were all sent to the Northwest!"
Shen Lanxi noted it down; the list of names on both sides was with her, and she could investigate it along her journey to the Northwest.
"Lord Wei, I won't bother you any longer. I still have to go to the Ministry of Personnel!" Shen Lanxi prepared to take her leave.
Wei Jie hesitated, then looked at Shen Lanxi and understood something more or less.
"My lord, stay!"
Wei Jie gritted his teeth and said recklessly, "You might not be able to see anyone even if you go to the Ministry of Justice!"
Shen Lanxi raised the corners of her mouth: "Thank you for the reminder, Lord Wei. I was prepared!"
Wei Jie was taken aback. He couldn't understand what there was to prepare if he couldn't even see the person.
Why did Shen Lanxi just leave like that? Didn't she even ask him a single question?
...
"Elder sister, what the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review said just now, could it be true?" Shen Yuanjing asked with a worried expression.
"Don't worry, did you bring the imperial edict I asked you to carry?" Shen Lanxi asked confidently.
Mentioning the imperial edict gave Shen Yuanjing and the others a little more confidence.
When she arrived, the Ministry of Personnel was closed, with only two gatekeepers guarding the entrance.
"Who are you? This is the Ministry of Personnel, a place of great importance; ordinary people are not allowed to approach!"
Shen Yuanjing unfolded the imperial edict and read it aloud!
"...All relevant personnel must cooperate with Shen Lanxi's investigation. Anyone who obstructs the investigation will be considered the true culprit in the Wei family army case!"
The two gatekeepers were caught off guard when the newcomer suddenly pulled out the imperial edict. They were so frightened that they immediately knelt on the ground.
Shen Yuanjing held the imperial edict high in his left hand and shouted, "General Shen wants to investigate the case files of the Wei family army. Will you stop him?"
The two minor officials were terrified. The imperial edict stated that anyone who dared to obstruct the process would be punished as well. Who would dare to obstruct it?
"General, it's not that we're trying to stop you. Our Vice Minister said that without his orders, anyone who dares to enter the Ministry of Personnel will have their entire family killed! We dare not!"
It was quite a coincidence that Qiu Mingjue, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, had just given them instructions yesterday, less than twelve hours ago. They dared not forget them even if they wanted to!
"I'm going in anyway?" Shen Lanxi looked at the two of them.
The two minor officials, their faces contorted with tears, were caught in a dilemma: "General, do you want to go in, or would you rather beat us up first?" That way, they could easily report back.
Shen Lanxi laughed and said, "If I really hit you, I won't be able to explain myself later!"
The two minor officials were so distressed they were almost in tears: "Sir, please, spare our lives! It's just that Lord Qiu instructed us yesterday that if we let you in, we'll be dead the moment you leave. Please, sir, don't make things difficult for us!"
The two of them had clearly been instructed by someone before making these statements; otherwise, they would never have dared to say such things.
Who would dare to haggle after seeing the imperial edict?
They clearly believed she was a woman, and that she would soften her heart if the two of them begged her like that.
"Is your Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel inside today?"
The two minor officials quickly shook their heads.
"He is not here; the Vice Minister is on leave today."
"And what about tomorrow?" she asked immediately.
The two minor officials said, "We don't know about tomorrow. Why don't you come back tomorrow?"
Shen Lanxi smiled at first, then her face fell.
"Anyone who dares to stop me is a criminal who stole the Wei family army's provisions and pay, and will be executed without mercy!"
Without saying a word, Shen Yuanjing and the others drew their weapons!
The two minor officials were terrified. They were fine just a moment ago, how could they suddenly turn on each other while laughing?
"Your Honor, have mercy! We dare not!" The two minor officials were so frightened that they quickly moved aside.
Shen Yuanjing stepped forward, opened the gate, and turned to scold the two men: "Why aren't you leading the general the way?"
The two minor officials were genuinely terrified and cried this time.
Lord Qiu said that Shen Lanxi is a woman, and that they can get away with it by playing the victim.
Why is this different from what Lord Qiu said?
After entering the room, Shen Lanxi saw the people working inside and chuckled.
"The officials in the Ministry of Personnel are so audacious as to openly defy the imperial decree!"
Shen Yuanjing held up the imperial edict in his left hand: "Disobeying the imperial order and obstructing General Shen's thorough investigation into the case of the Wei family army's provisions and pay, your intentions are despicable. You are the real culprits and accomplices in the case of the theft of the Wei family army's provisions and pay. You shall await the confiscation of your property and the extermination of your clan!"
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