Yang Lian ignored Wei Zhongxian who came to listen.
To him, Wei Zhongxian was a powerful eunuch. Although Yang Lian and Zou Yuanbiao had different positions on the case of framing Xiong Tingbi, Yang Lian would never tolerate Xiong Tingbi, and he would be even less tolerant of Wei Zhongxian. Moreover, the two of them were showing signs of forming a clique.
After Yang Lian sat down, he slammed the gavel on the table and said loudly, "Court is open!"
As Yang Lian finished speaking, the yamen runners below banged their sticks and shouted loudly, "Mighty!"
This is a way of showing off one's power.
The Sansi joint trial naturally used the Dali Temple’s yamen, and these yamen runners were all from the Dali Temple.
Wei Zhongxian curled his lips in disdain for these people. However, he knew what he had to do, so he drank his tea and watched with an expressionless face.
In any case, Wei Zhongxian had made up his mind that no matter what the final result was, he would not speak today.
"Bring Yao Zongwen." Yang Lian slammed the table and said loudly, his face extremely serious.
Soon someone brought Yao Zongwen in from outside.
At this time, Yao Zongwen was naturally no longer as embarrassed as he was in the East Factory, and he was not wearing prison clothes. Obviously, this was a preferential treatment given by the Three Departments.
When Yao Zongwen came up, someone brought him a stool for him to sit on.
Seeing all this, Wei Zhongxian, who was sitting on the side listening, raised his eyebrows slightly, and subconsciously smiled. It seemed that there would be something exciting to watch today.
It was not surprising that Yang Lian sat there. After all, Yao Zongwen had not been convicted, his official position had not been dismissed, and his status as a scholar had not been deprived. Under such circumstances, it was natural to give him a decent treatment.
After Yao Zongwen sat down, Yang Lian spoke, "Master Yao, this is the interrogation record submitted by the East Factory."
"You confessed to colluding with Liu Guojin to frame Xiong Tingbi, and it bears your signature. Do you have anything to say?"
"Yes!" Yao Zongwen stood up suddenly when he heard this. He was very excited and said loudly, "I am innocent."
"This is all a frame-up by the powerful eunuch Wei Zhongxian." Yao Zongwen pointed his finger at Wei Zhongxian, and then said angrily: "Xiong Tingbi, the country's biggest thief! Xiong Tingbi is in Liaodong, and Liaodong is bound to be in disaster. I wrote a letter to impeach Xiong Tingbi. I am wholeheartedly serving the country and the public. The heaven and earth can testify to this, and the sun and the moon can bear witness to it. I am doing this for the Ming Dynasty and for Your Majesty!" Yao Zongwen became more and more excited as he spoke, and finally shouted.
Hearing what Yao Zongwen said, everyone frowned, even Yang Lian.
Yang Lian didn't believe what Yao Zongwen said at all.
Of course Yang Lian knew who Yao Zongwen was.
This person was originally a member of the Zhejiang Party, and he, along with Xiong Tingbi and Liu Guojin, had frequently attacked the Donglin gentlemen in the Censorate. However, after the fall of Fang Congzhe, the chief minister of the Zhejiang Party, Liu Guojin and Yao Zongwen launched a desperate attack on Xiong Tingbi, completely switching sides, and thus avoided being liquidated along with the Donglin Party.
Now, people like him who claim to be serving the country and the people are really shameless.
"Your signature is on this." Yang Lian looked at Yao Zongwen and asked, "Could it be that you couldn't stand the torture? Did the East Factory force you to confess?"
This sentence seems to be speaking for Yao Zongwen, but in fact it is not the case.
He confessed because he could not bear the punishment, and even blamed his colleagues. This is something that will be despised by others.
What scholars need is integrity. You actually confessed it just because you were beaten? You just want to bite someone?
How can you be called a gentleman with such behavior? Where is your integrity? Where have all your reading of the sages gone?
Although I have never been punished, I can talk big.
If Yao Zongwen admitted it, his reputation would be ruined instantly.
Yao Zongwen wasn't stupid, so he wouldn't admit it. He simply said, "Confucius said to die for one's virtue, Mencius said to pursue righteousness. I, Yao Zongwen, have read the books of the sages. How could torture make me surrender? I, Yao Zongwen, am not that kind of person. The signature was drawn after they knocked me unconscious. I was completely unaware of it. This is all a frame-up and slander by the eunuchs of the East Factory."
As soon as these words were spoken, the hall fell silent. Everyone looked at Yao Zongwen, whose eyes flickered slightly, and then at Wei Zhongxian, who was leisurely and contented.
Unlike Yao Zongwen's excitement, Wei Zhongxian took a sip of the teacup, looking very enjoyable, as if he didn't hear what Yao Zongwen said.
Gently putting down the teacup in his hand, Wei Zhongxian saw that everyone was looking at him and no one in the hall was talking. He immediately smiled and said, "Master Yang, are you not going to continue the interrogation? Or does Master Yang want to interrogate my family?"
"If Lord Yang wants to interrogate me for framing Yao Zongwen, I'm afraid I'll have to ask for permission." As he said this, Wei Zhongxian shook his robe, looking nonchalant.
Interrogate Wei Zhongxian, the eunuch who was ordered to supervise the Eastern Depot, the Imperial Household Department? Who has the qualifications? No one, unless your Majesty gives you the right to do so.
Besides, Your Majesty sent Wei Zhongxian to the Three Courts to attend the trial, but in the end Wei Zhongxian was directly turned into the one being tried. What do you want Your Majesty to think?
Yang Lian's eyes changed when he looked at Yao Zongwen.
In Yang Lian's view, the matter was actually very simple. Yao Zongwen and his men just had to admit their guilt, and then they would be sentenced, dismissed from office, and sent home.
Yang Lian did not expect that Yao Zongwen would actually change his confession, and it was a complete change. Even Wei Zhongxian did not force him to confess, but directly framed him.
This is a serious matter.
Jiang Xu, the Shaoqing of Dali Temple who was sitting next to Yang Lian, felt like he was sitting on pins and needles.
The moment Yao Zongwen changed his confession, Jiang Xu had a very bad premonition.
This matter is unlikely to end well, and will inevitably cause a huge uproar. Meanwhile, Jiang Xu cursed in his heart, wondering who was responsible.
Glancing at Yang Lian beside him, Jiang Xu felt a flicker of doubt in his mind. Could he really be a member of the Donglin Party?
At this point, you still want to protect Yao Zongwen and others? Are you crazy? If this case is overturned, what do you think of His Majesty?
Or do Yao Zongwen and others have some other leverage in their hands?
Thinking of this, Jiang Xu's heart sank. This matter was really going to be troublesome. The most important thing was, what did this have to do with him? He was in trouble for no reason. He was like an innocent person, like an innocent person caught in a fire at the city gate!
Yang Lian stared at Yao Zongwen and said in a slightly lowered voice, "Master Yao, are you telling the truth?"
"Yes, it's the truth." Yao Zongwen continued loudly: "All of this is Wei Zhongxian's conspiracy and trickery, it's his frame-up!"
Yang Lian glanced at Wei Zhongxian, then shouted, "Bring Liu Guojin up here."
Soon Liu Guojin was also brought up.
The result was the same: Liu Guojin also recanted his confession, his account similar to Yao Zongwen's, having been knocked unconscious and forced to sign his name. Wei Zhongxian framed us, saying, "We are all upright gentlemen, ready to face death. We would rather die than confess, even when beaten."
Yang Lian's face was as black as the bottom of a pot, and the officials from the Dali Temple and the Ministry of Justice who were on the jury were so terrified that they dared not even breathe.
On the contrary, Wei Zhongxian was holding a teacup and drinking water. He had a smile on his face even when being scolded, as if he was watching the fun.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
