After the court session, the ministers were all whispering. Even Zhao Huan still didn't know what the cheating case was, who leaked the test questions, and how they did it.
When Zheng Xian left court, the officials kept their distance, fearing they would get into trouble. Everyone was in awe of the Tiger Court, but Meng Gurao stepped forward and said, "Sir Zheng, congratulations! The Tiger Court is incredibly efficient, having solved this case in just three days. I admire you!"
Kaifeng Prefecture had supervisory authority over the Tiger Yamen, but that was strictly limited to oversight. Zheng Xian smiled and said, "Thank you, Lord Meng, for your kind words. It is the Tiger Yamen's responsibility to share His Majesty's concerns."
Meng Gu Rao said sternly, "Master Zheng has misunderstood. I am not praising you. I am reminding you that you can solve the case, but you cannot slander officials without reason."
Meng Gu Rao was vexed by the arrest of two-thirds of the officials in the Secretariat, and He Li knew this, and he would never engage in such corruption. However, as a minister of the Secretariat, He Li was also to blame for the fact that such a major case had occurred in the Secretariat.
Zheng Xian smiled. He understood Meng Gurao's thoughts very well. So he said, "Don't worry, Lord Meng. The Tiger Court will not wrongly accuse a good person, nor will it let a bad person go."
"Hmph!" Meng Gurao flicked his sleeves and walked away.
Looking at Meng Gurao's receding figure, Zheng Xian smiled bitterly and said, "I didn't expect that there was still someone this Meng Juelu cared about. He was worried about He Li, ah!"
Among the crowd leaving the court was a man named Qin Hui, who floated home. That's right, he literally floated, for he himself had no idea how he made it home. He simply felt like his legs were filled with lead.
When he got home, Qin Hui's wife Wang Guixiang was wiping her tears. When she saw Qin Hui coming back from court, she rushed over and grabbed his sleeve, "My husband, what happened?"
Qin Hui wanted to cry but had no tears. He sighed and said, "Prepare for your funeral!"
Wang Guixiang stood there in a daze, unable to move like a clay statue.
All the officials involved in the case were arrested. For a while, the torture chamber was filled with ghosts howling and groans of pain.
Zheng Xian sat on the imperial chair, with Fan Guangtu and Wang Dabao standing nearby. Fan Guangtu sighed, "These corrupt officials, knowing full well that being caught would be a fate worse than death, why do they keep going after them?"
Wang Dabao beside him said, "When it comes to money and power, even if you torture them to death and confiscate their property, there will still be people who will dare to risk their lives and test the law."
Zheng Xian nodded. "Dabao is right. His Majesty established the Tiger Yasi in order to put officials under high pressure. But look at these people. They don't take it seriously at all."
"Your Majesty has arrived!" Cao Dongsheng's voice suddenly sounded outside the door.
The officials of the Hu Ya Si hurriedly knelt down to greet them, and the officials who were tied to the pillars and being tortured also stopped struggling.
Zhao Huan brought Linghu Yunlong and Cao Dongsheng to the interrogation room. Zhao Huan unceremoniously sat down on the armchair where Zheng Xian had just sat. "I can't wait any longer. I want to know the progress of the case now."
During the morning court session, Zheng Xian said that he would report the case the next day, but Zhao Huan really couldn't wait. He was also very curious about how the Hu Yasi solved the case so quickly, so he brought Cao Dongsheng and Linghu Yunlong to see it in person.
Zheng Xian seemed to have anticipated this. He bowed and said, "Your Majesty, the Tiger Court has copied all the criminal files from the Ministry of Justice, so the investigation will be faster. In addition, those insiders stationed outside have provided some clues. This is also thanks to the report. Your Majesty, please follow me."
Zheng Xian led Zhao Huan and the others to another room. This room was huge and filled with people. Each of them had a pile of files in front of them. Some were calculating accounts, some were recording, and some were flipping through them.
Zheng Xian clapped his hands and said, "Bring Wang Zhongkui's files here!"
Someone started to look through it, and soon Wang Zhongkui's file was sent over.
Zheng Xian bowed and said, "Your Majesty, these are all the intelligence provided by our insiders. They are filed in order of the Hundred Family Names for easy reference. Insiders outside the court usually record the words and actions of officials from all departments. There is nothing wrong with Wang Zhongkui's records, but when compared with the imperial examination cheating case, clues will emerge."
Zheng Xian pointed to a page of records and said, "Your Majesty, please read this. On the 17th of last month, Wang Zhongkui visited the Zheng residence. Normally, this wouldn't be suspicious for officials to visit each other. However, combined with Zheng Yinian's involvement in the case and the testimonies of various witnesses, we can uncover some clues. Then, the Tiger Yasi can follow the clues and lead to a thorough investigation."
Zhao Huan was shocked: "Do you send people to monitor the words and actions of these officials every day?"
Zheng Xian smiled and said, "Not entirely. Some merchants, peddlers, and farmers are all informants of the Tiger Yasi. If they discover any unusual activity, such as someone forming a clique for personal gain, they must report it to the Tiger Yasi. As long as the clue is valuable, they will receive a valuable reward."
Zhao Huan was shocked and said, "No wonder your Tiger Yasi's daily expenses are so huge. I thought you were embezzling money, but that's what's going on."
Zheng Xian hurriedly said, "How dare I?"
Zhao Huan nodded and sat down at a table. "I know you wouldn't dare. Tell me briefly how you uncovered this fraud case."
Zheng Xian hurriedly bowed and said, "It was a scoundrel who resold exam papers who first reported the case. Following this lead, I discovered that Niu Chengye, the owner of the Niu family oil mill, was implicated in the case. Niu Chengye was once an employee of Prime Minister Zheng Juzhong's residence. After Zheng Juzhong's death, he opened an oil mill in Bianjing, which in itself aroused suspicion. Sure enough, upon investigation, it was found that Niu Chengye had close ties with Zheng Yinian. When I arrived at the Zheng residence, I happened to catch a group of black-clad men who had killed Zheng Yinian's family. In their confessions, these black-clad men said that Wang Zhongkui, the councilor, was the culprit."
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