The back hall of Shuntian Prefecture Yamen.
Wang Chengen walked in quickly, bowed and said, "Your Majesty, the Pacification Office has sent a secret letter."
Chongzhen said without hesitation: "Read it."
Wang Tingmei, the prefect of Shuntian Prefecture, straightened up and said, "Your Majesty, I...I will go out for a while."
"No need, just listen here."
Under Wang Tingmei's embarrassed look, Wang Chengen quickly opened the envelope and read out the contents.
"According to investigation, Yangwu Hou Xue Lian not only had financial dealings with Tongzhou Governor Wang Aoyong, but also with the Left Commander of the Front Army Commander's Office Wang Xiantong, the Left Commander of the Central Army Commander's Office Liu Wenyao, and Zhu Chunchen, who has been executed."
"It lasted for several years and the purpose of the money was unknown."
Chongzhen was stunned after hearing this.
Wang Xiantong...
Liu Wenyao...
Zhu Chunchen...
These three people have one thing in common: they are in charge of the capital's garrison troops.
Zhu Chunchen was the governor of the Beijing camp before his death, and Liu Wenyao was in charge of one-fifth of the troops in the capital before the prince moved south.
Wang Xiantong also had a lot of troops under his command.
Wang Xiantong himself is not very famous, but he has a very powerful great-grandfather - Wang Shouren (Wang Yangming).
In the 13th year of Chongzhen, Wang Xiantong inherited the title of Xinjian Earl and served as the Left Commander of the Front Army Commandery. He was in charge of the Left, Middle and Right Guards of Tongzhou and was also responsible for garrisoning the capital.
"Xue Lian actually had financial dealings with them... It seems that Xue Lian's matter is not that simple." Chongzhen muttered to himself.
Wang Chengen nodded, but he didn't continue the conversation because he was afraid of disrupting Chongzhen's train of thought.
Wang Tingmei was in a more miserable situation.
He stood there stiffly, not knowing what consequences the information he had just heard would bring to him.
Want to leave...can't leave.
If I don't leave, it will be very uncomfortable to stay here.
torment!
The trial in the front hall is still going on.
Wang Aoyong insisted that it was Xue Lian who ordered him to massacre the people.
Xue Lian flatly denied it.
The two sides attacked each other in the lobby and argued until their faces turned red.
"What does it have to do with me if your soldiers kill people? Besides, you do whatever I say. You are my son, right?" Xue Lian pointed at Wang Aoyong's nose with his right finger.
"Bullshit, you have the leverage over me, how can I not listen to you?"
"I'm your father!"
"I'm your father!"
The quarrel between the two sides became louder and louder, and there was even a tendency for a physical fight to break out.
With the intervention of the officers, the two sides stopped arguing.
As the case progressed, the expressions of the three officials investigating the case became increasingly solemn.
This case is more complicated than I thought.
After interrogating him for a while, the three of them discussed something in a low voice.
Meng Zhaoxiang, the assistant minister of the Ministry of Justice, stood up and said, "Let's stop here today. The case is complicated so we can try it another day."
The people outside the door wanted to continue watching the excitement: "Don't worry, the trial result hasn't come out yet."
"Yeah, where are we now?"
The guards in the yamen immediately drove them away with knives and sticks: "Go away, go away. That's all for today. Come back tomorrow."
As the people left, the gate of the yamen closed.
The three officials investigating the case finally breathed a sigh of relief.
The first day of the three-court trial finally passed peacefully.
Meng Zhaoxiang looked around: "My Lords, you have all seen the situation of this case. Do you want to close the case hastily or continue to investigate further?"
Ling Yiqu, the Minister of the Dali Temple, shook his head and said, "Wang Aoyong said that Xue Lian has evidence against him. There must be something illegal going on here. We must investigate it thoroughly and give an explanation to His Majesty."
Zuodu Yushi Shi Bangyao held a completely different view: "Your Majesty wants us to thoroughly investigate the case of Xue Lian occupying the people's land and slaughtering the people."
"Let's just check these two things! We won't check anything else."
"Why?" Ling Yiqu frowned.
Shi Bangyao's expression was solemn: "The deeper we investigate, the more people will be involved. If we find people we shouldn't investigate, the three of us will be in danger."
"Not necessarily?" Meng Zhaoxiang, the assistant minister of the Ministry of Justice, had an expression of disbelief.
"Not necessarily? Do you believe that there is already a petition impeaching us on His Majesty's Dragon Book Case?" Shi Bangyao asked confidently.
"this..."
"Let's not talk about impeachment for now. How will this case be judged?" Meng Zhaoxiang asked again.
"The evidence is solid that Yangwu Hou Xue Lian occupied the people's land. He can be convicted according to the law."
"As for the massacre of civilians, it is an indisputable fact. The only uncertainty is who is the mastermind! I don't think Xue Lian had any need to do this, so it should have nothing to do with him." Ling Yiqiu raised his head and said.
"How can it be unrelated? He just told Wang Zhixin that he wanted to kill those civilians, and then Wang Aoyong sent people out of the city to kill people. It can't be a coincidence, right?" Meng Zhaoxiang argued.
"Xue Lian may be a madman but he is not a fool! He will not tell others his plan before killing someone, especially someone like Wang Zhixin." Ling Yiqiu tried to explain.
Of course Meng Zhaoxiang would not believe such remarks and started arguing with Ling Yiqiu.
After arguing for a while, Shi Bangyao stood up and interrupted them: "Is it possible that Xue Lian really asked Wang Aoyong to kill those people, and at the same time deliberately leaked the news to Wang Zhixin?"
"Intentionally?" Meng Zhaoxiang was a little confused, "Why would he do this?"
"Maybe he wants to get rid of Wang Aoyong."
"Do Xue Lian and Wang Aoyong have a grudge against each other?"
"I don't know. Regardless of whether there is hatred or not, it is a fact that Wang Aoyong allowed his soldiers to massacre the people. He will definitely die!"
......
Palace of Heavenly Purity.
Chongzhen received a letter from Yan Yingyuan as soon as he returned from Shuntian Prefecture.
"Your Majesty, Yan Yingyuan's trade with the Mongols is still ongoing. As of the night before yesterday, he had exchanged 4,000 horses, 1,000 cattle, and more than 2,000 sheep from the Mongols, as well as a number of cow and sheep skins. They are ready to be shipped in Xuanfu Town and will arrive at Juyongguan in a few days for transportation to the capital."
"Yan Yingyuan has done a good job and is very pleasing to me. I am planning to grant him the Feiyu Suit."
In the Ming Dynasty, the colors of clothes bestowed upon officials varied according to their ranks.
First-grade python, second-grade flying fish, third-grade fighting bull, fourth and fifth-grade unicorn, sixth and seventh-grade tiger and leopard.
Governor Yan Yingyuan was given the title of Vice Minister of the Ministry of War, which made him a second-rank official, corresponding to the second-rank Feiyu clothing.
Of course, the emperor can give rewards beyond the level of others, but it is still against etiquette.
"I obey your command."
As soon as Wang Chengen left, Li Ruolian arrived, "Your Majesty, there are new clues in the case of Yangwu Marquis Xue Lian."
"explain."
Li Ruo Lian looked around and whispered, "The Jinyiwei found a secret compartment in the study of Yangwuhou Mansion. There are some letters in it."
"The content of the letter..." Li Ruolian looked around again, "The content is related to Wang Xiantong, Liu Wenyao, and Zhu Chunchen who has been executed."
"Handle?" Chongzhen asked, raising his eyelids.
Li Ruo Lian was surprised by Chongzhen's reaction speed. After a moment of pause, he replied, "Your Majesty is right. The contents of the letter are indeed unfavorable to them."
"Where's the letter?"
"After taking a quick look, my people didn't dare to look at it again. The letter and the person who read it were all in Yangwuhou Mansion, staying where they were without moving."
Chongzhen squinted his eyes and thought for a while, then raised the corners of his mouth slightly: "Xue Lian actually dared to play a conspiracy with me, he is still a little naive!"
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