"Your Majesty." Meng Zhaoxiang, the assistant minister of the Ministry of Justice, bowed and saluted. "The truth of the case of Yangwu Marquis Xue Lian has been found out. This is the evidence of his crime."
After saying this, he raised the thick stack of documents in his hand high above his head.
Wang Chengen was about to take it when Chongzhen stopped him with a look.
He shook his head and said, "It is the job of you three judicial officials to try the case. I just want to know what crime Xue Lian committed."
Meng Zhaoxiang swallowed his saliva and took a deep breath: "Your Majesty, after the joint trial of the three judicial departments. In addition, there are testimonies from the people of Tongzhou, confessions from the servants of Yangwuhou Mansion, the confession of Tongzhou Governor Wang Aoyong, and the identification of the East Factory Governor Wang Zhixin."
"Yangwu Hou Xue Lian was guilty of occupying civilian land, killing three or more people in a family who were not subject to capital punishment (commonly understood as exterminating an entire family, provided that the people killed were not subject to capital punishment), bribing officials, and slaughtering civilians."
"According to the Great Ming law, he should be stripped of his title, be executed by slow slicing, his property should be handed over to the deceased's family, and his wife and children should be exiled 2,000 miles away. His followers should be beheaded."
As soon as Meng Zhaoxiang finished speaking, Li Banghua, Fan Jingwen and Fang Yuegong immediately took half a step back quietly.
According to Meng Zhaoxiang's meaning.
The family of Yangwu Hou Xue Lian was finished.
Xue Lian was originally sentenced to lingchi, and all people related to him were beheaded, his family was exiled, and his property was compensated to the victim's family.
Things have gotten too serious and they don't want to get involved.
Qiu Yu was the slowest to react. Just as he was about to take a half step back, he noticed that Chongzhen was looking at him, so he could only stand there motionless.
Chongzhen looked at Qiu Yu who had stepped forward half a step and thought that he had a different opinion, so he asked, "Minister Qiu, just speak directly if you have anything to say."
Qiu Yu was completely confused.
What does that have to do with anything!
I didn't want to say anything, I just backed away a little slower.
Think of this.
Qiu Yu glanced at the three old foxes behind him with great resentment.
But the atmosphere had reached this point, and in order not to embarrass Chongzhen, Qiu Yu could only say: "I think...the sentence imposed by the three judicial officials is too severe."
"Everything else is fine. Xue Lian's family is completely unaware of this. I don't think it's necessary to exile them."
Chongzhen thought Qiu Yu was pleading for Xue Lian, and just as he was about to get angry, he remembered another relationship.
Xue Lian's son was married to Concubine Yuan's niece.
And Concubine Yuan was Chongzhen's favorite concubine.
This matter is more complicated.
If Concubine Yuan's niece was really exiled, the news would cause controversy.
As the emperor's woman, who had such a close relationship with the emperor, she could not even protect her own niece.
It would be even more impossible to change it to anyone else.
In this case, who would be willing to work for the emperor?
Although killing all these people could boost public support, it would not win the loyalty of civil and military officials.
Officials are not ignorant people. They serve as officials in the court not only for wealth and glory, but also to enjoy privileges.
Power is law!
There have been two sets of laws in every dynasty.
On the surface, there is a set of severe punishments for the people, and secretly there is a set of laws for the officials.
Severe punishments like to kill people, while the king's law likes to show mercy.
This is also the emperor's way of winning over talents from all over the world!
After Chongzhen ascended the throne, he liked to use severe punishments instead of royal laws, which led to officials not supporting him.
This is the root cause of the problems in the court!
Chongzhen looked at the cabinet: "What do you think?"
Just as Fan Jingwen was about to speak, Li Banghua poked him with his elbow.
He then said: "Your Majesty, I think the crime should be convicted according to the laws of the Ming Dynasty, otherwise it will not convince the public."
"Your servants believe that he should be convicted according to the laws of the Ming Dynasty." Fan Jingwen and Fang Yuegong bowed in agreement.
Chongzhen narrowed his eyes and his gaze wandered.
The cabinet’s attitude was very clear: Xue Lian must die, and his family must be punished as well.
Chongzhen also had the same attitude.
The nature of Xue Lian's case was so bad, even worse than the looting during the Qing Dynasty, that short of capital punishment it would not be enough to appease the public anger.
But he was thinking about another problem.
After a moment, Chongzhen waved his hand and said, "Everyone, please leave first. I will think about this matter carefully."
"I will take my leave."
After leaving the Palace of Heavenly Purity and returning to Wenyuan Pavilion, Fan Jingwen quietly pulled Li Banghua aside and asked in a low voice: "Lord Li, why did you stop me from speaking just now?"
Li Banghua raised his eyebrows: "Fortunately I stopped you, otherwise something serious would have happened."
Seeing that Fan Jingwen was puzzled, Li Banghua began to ask: "Were you planning to plead for Xue Lian's family just now?"
"Yes, Xue Lian's daughter-in-law is the niece of Concubine Yuan. Pleading for her is also giving His Majesty a way out and not making things difficult for him. Is there anything wrong with that?" Fan Jingwen said with confidence.
"You!" Li Banghua sighed, "Your awareness is too low."
Fan Jingwen was stunned for a moment, then he bowed and saluted: "Please give me your instructions, Lord Li!"
Li Banghua coughed a few times, and his already hunched body became even more bent: "Qiu Yu has already pleaded for mercy. If Your Majesty really wants to spare Xue Lian's family, just follow Qiu Yu's words. Is it necessary to ask for your and my opinions?"
"Don't always try to please His Majesty against your will, obey His Majesty, and don't guess what His Majesty is thinking."
"That would only harm myself, His Majesty, and the Ming Dynasty."
"Say whatever you want to say, and be consistent in what you know and what you do."
Fan Jingwen stood there in a daze, half believing and half doubting.
The next morning, news was sent from the palace.
"Xue Lian, the Marquis of Yangwu, was guilty of a heinous crime. He was stripped of his title and executed by slow slicing. His wife, children, and all his accomplices were beheaded in public, and his property was confiscated and given to the victim's family."
Li Banghua jumped up immediately after hearing this.
Yes, you read that right, Li Banghua, who is already in his seventies, jumped up.
"Eunuch Wang, where is His Majesty now? I want to plead for Xue Lian's family." Li Banghua broke out in a cold sweat.
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