Chapter 154 Zhao Duan: Your Majesty, I want to enter...
At noon, the major government offices in the capital were dismissed and classes in the academies were over.
In teahouses and taverns, the explosive news about today's "Three Courts Trial" began to spread wildly in official circles and among scholars.
"Everyone, you will never imagine what happened during today's trial!"
An official who had watched the whole process from outside the hall sat down and began to talk to his colleagues and friends about what he had seen and heard.
Not surprisingly, almost everyone was shocked.
"What? Zhao Duan produced evidence in court that Zhou Tingwei was plotting to murder him? And he was acquitted?"
"So, he really didn't touch that singer? This..."
This result obviously far exceeds people's stereotype of Zhao Duan.
In the official circles and literary circles of Dayu, visiting prostitutes was a common practice.
Unlike the "personal style issue" in later generations, in Dayu, this was a romantic affair.
But Zhao Duan actually maintained his "innocence"... It's unbelievable.
And if the above news is just gossip.
Then, the news that Zhao Duan accused Zhou Cheng in court and overturned the old verdict from thirteen years ago was like a bomb exploding in deep water.
"Bang!" A scholar stood up and slammed his hands on the table, his expression excited:
"The death of Shaoqing Xue was already suspicious. Who would have thought that it was this traitor surnamed Zhou who deceived the emperor and killed an important official? Alas, today his injustice has finally been redressed!"
As he spoke, his eyes turned slightly red. Someone recognized that he was the scholar who was close to Xue Lin in the past.
Xue Lin originally studied under Grand Tutor Dong and was quite famous among scholars.
Now that the verdict has been overturned, many "old people" who experienced what happened back then have spoken out.
"Prime Minister Zhou is extremely greedy and has long had a bad reputation. I have always said that God is watching what you do." Someone spoke after the fact.
"It was that thief Zhao who cleared Xue Shaoqing's name..."
Some people also couldn't accept that Zhao Duan, who was usually cursed and despised, would do such a righteous thing.
However, as more details were revealed, everyone realized that Zhao Duan was not doing this for "justice" at all, and the Xue Lin case was purely a tool for his revenge.
"It's truly terrifying. I've heard that Envoy Zhao is extremely vindictive. Anyone who has offended him will be punished... the Zhang brothers, the Pei family father-in-law and son-in-law, and even the princess and marquis...
Until now, Zhou Tingwei had only impeached him once in the court a few days ago, and he had been retaliated against like this..."
Everyone looked at each other, shut their mouths, and cursed in their hearts:
He is indeed a vindictive villain!
There was a lot of discussion in the restaurant.
…
In a compartment, a group of young scholars were also gathering in the building. They were stunned when they heard the discussion outside.
"Is this really the work of Zhao Duan? How can a mere soldier have such a strategy?" one person doubted.
Another person shook his head and said:
"Who knows? I haven't heard that Mr. Yuan also took action in this case? Maybe it was a joint effort, and he was just pushed to the front."
"Brother Li is absolutely right. A cruel official who came from a military background may indeed have some abilities. But to say that he has such strategies is too unbelievable." Someone echoed.
At this moment, a gentle voice suddenly spoke from the table:
"Brothers, please do not underestimate the people of the world. I have heard a little about this Envoy Zhao. It is true that he has a bad reputation, but given your majesty's wisdom, if he really only has a good appearance, you will definitely not give him important positions.
In my opinion, even if the plan to deal with Zhou Cheng this time did have the help of others, it was probably led by this person."
As soon as this person opened his mouth, the scholars at the table immediately changed their tone and said:
"Brother Banshan is right."
"Brother Banshan is truly magnanimous and noble, while we are the ones who are petty and mean-spirited."
The man nicknamed "Banshan" was a scholar in his thirties, dressed in a scholar's robe. He looked a little frail, with his hair neatly combed behind his head, clear eyes, and a very literary air.
Among the scholars in Beijing, he was a first-class celebrity named "Han Zhou".
He is also recognized as the top talent among the young generation in Beijing today.
Born in a poor family, he studied books from various schools of thought since childhood. Later, he became the top scorer in the imperial examination and entered the Hanlin Academy as an editor.
Being praised by all the scholars at this moment, he just smiled indifferently, as if he was accustomed to such scenes.
“Speaking of which, although Zhao Duan has become quite famous recently, he is only a military officer after all. So what if he has some skills?
At most, he will be the next Ma Yanwang.
"Brother Banshan is said to have been accepted into the Xiuwen Academy by the Grand Master. It will open in a few days, and his future achievements are limitless," someone at the table boasted loudly.
Xiuwenguan?
In an instant, some scholars outside the box turned their heads to look over, unable to hide their shock.
The hottest topic in the literary circles these days is that the empress wants to recruit young talents to join the new government office, the Academy of Literature, to assist the sage in governing the country.
It is said that the selection of the first batch of scholars entering Xiuwenguan was extremely strict.
There are even rumors that Xiuwenguan is the prototype of the future "new cabinet".
Anyone who can gain entry and become a close minister to the emperor can achieve great success in the future.
Has Han Banshan entered the museum?
This news was still circulating in a small circle, but now that it was publicized, it immediately overshadowed the topic of Zhao Duan eliminating Zhou Cheng among the scholars sitting there.
Han Zhou frowned slightly, feeling somewhat displeased with this kind of behavior of praising one and criticizing the other.
But it was difficult to say anything, so I could only exchange a few words of greeting and leave.
This scene aroused envy, jealousy and hatred among many people.
"It's Han Zhou, Han Banshan,"
At the same restaurant, at a table in the lobby, an official looked at the departing Hanlin in blue robes, unable to conceal his envy:
"Another young talent who will rise to prominence."
After saying that, he turned his head to look at Lu Zhi who was sitting opposite him and said jokingly:
"Look at him, after a few years in the Hanlin Academy, he directly entered the Xiuwen Academy.
"You were in the Hanlin Academy before, right? What about now? You've wasted nearly ten years as a minor official. If you had been more tactful earlier, how could this have happened?"
Lu Zhi was drinking and eating in silence. Upon hearing this, he said calmly:
"If I had been slick and flattering, I would have been implicated along with Zhou Cheng, He Zheng, and the others today."
The friend at the same table was speechless and said with a wry smile:
"You're right... that's true."
Today, the Dali Temple was shaken. After the three courts held a joint trial, although the case had not yet been reported to the emperor, Zhou Cheng and He Zheng's group were only temporarily "confined to their homes".
But everyone knows that within an hour or two, the saint's will will come down, and then the wind and rain will be severe.
Lu Zhi was lucky because he held a low official position and was not close to Zhou Cheng, so he was not implicated for the time being.
My friend sighed and said:
"But who could have imagined something like this would happen? That Zhao Duan is truly ruthless. Last time, he captured you, but then released you alone, leading to you becoming even more isolated and therefore disliked by Zhou Cheng and his gang.
But unexpectedly, I escaped a disaster because of this. I can only say that fortune and misfortune go hand in hand. However, you really should change your temper."
Lu Zhi said unhappily:
"I enforce the law impartially and have a clear conscience. I'm not as greedy as they are. I have money to support those bigwigs. My current salary is enough to support my family. At worst, I can live like this for the rest of my life, and that's fine."
His friend stared at him and said, "Are you really willing to be a small judge for the rest of your life? In the past, you and I had lofty ambitions..."
Lu Zhi was silent.
The friend sighed and said no more.
After the two of them had their fill of food and drink, they walked out of the restaurant hand in hand. They were met by a middle-level official from the Dali Temple, leading a group of imperial guards. Upon seeing him, his eyes lit up:
"Lord Lu!"
Lu Zhi was stunned, seeing this group of people coming, and he didn't understand why.
And... the other party actually called him "Sir", not "Pingshi" or "Lao Lu"...
"Lord Wang, this is..." He frowned.
The boss who used to dislike him came forward enthusiastically, shook his hand, and said with a smile:
"I've found you. Come and receive the order quickly."
"Receive the order?" Lu Zhi was even more confused.
At this time, a eunuch from the imperial guards came over and said with a smile:
"Lord Lu, don't panic. This is not an imperial decree. We are only here to convey His Majesty's oral instructions.
His Majesty said that the Dali Temple is now in turmoil and many officials are unable to perform their duties, but the government has a lot of affairs to deal with and cannot do without people.
I've heard that Judge Lu is very fair in his law enforcement, so I'm ordering you to temporarily take over as the Dali Temple Assistant Secretary. I'll make further arrangements after the case is concluded."
Lu Zhi seemed to be in a dream. His friend beside him also sobered up and looked stunned:
"Brother Lu..."
Lu Zhi's eyes suddenly turned red, and tears began to fall.
Because he refused to go along with the corrupt crowd, he was stuck in this position for nearly ten years. Is he finally going to be promoted?
But how does Your Majesty know a small person like yourself?
He couldn't figure it out.
…
…
Inside the palace.
Zhao Duan was unaware of the turmoil in the outside world and didn't care.
After Xu Zhenguan left, he strolled around the imperial garden and was then led by a female official to rest.
At noon, I had a meal in the imperial kitchen and stayed there until dark.
During this period, it was heard that important officials of the court had entered the palace and convened a small court meeting to discuss the follow-up of the Xue Lin case.
This small meeting will last until the evening.
He thought he would be able to meet the empress soon, but his wish was dashed and he had dinner alone again.
When it was completely dark, he waited in the palace and almost thought he was forgotten, but then he received the summons from the empress.
"Your Majesty, Lord Zhao is here."
At the door of the imperial study, the elderly female official who led the way said respectfully.
With the word "please" coming from inside the house, Zhao Duan finally saw the female emperor he had been thinking about again after half a day.
The house was brightly lit.
Xu Zhenguan was bent over his desk, and as usual, he raised his head and smiled at him, motioning to a chair in the room:
"Sit down, it will only take a while."
Zhao Duan was reluctant at first, but it was only after the empress ordered him a second time that he reluctantly sat down.
Suddenly, he felt as anxious as if he was sitting on the sofa waiting for his boss when he was doing business in his previous life... Zhao Duan complained in his heart and looked around bored.
There are many precious artifacts on the antique shelves in the imperial study, and the rock bonsai are also the work of masters.
But after looking around, his gaze finally fell back on the empress.
If ordinary people worked this hard, they would definitely not care about their image.
But Xu Zhenguan, a cultivator in the celestial realm, seemed to have never lost any appearance no matter when or where he was.
Even though the profile looks a little tired under the dim lights and candlelight, it only adds to the charm.
The white dress hung loosely, and the shoes and socks under the skirt were faintly visible. I sniffed and smelled a faint scent of roses... Hey, did she spray the perfume she made herself?
"alright."
After a long time, Xu Zhenguan finally put down his pen, closed the paper scroll, and stretched his waist lazily.
She turned to look at the only man in the room who was distracted, with a hint of apology in her eyes:
"It's been a long time."
"Not long." Zhao Duan came back to his senses and lied with his eyes open:
"Your Majesty is busy with countless affairs every day. In comparison, I have much less to do."
Xu Zhenguan smiled and shook his head, too lazy to expose his lies. He stood up suddenly and walked lightly:
"It's been a busy day, come take a walk with me."
…
The so-called walks of the emperor were naturally different in style.
At night, the palace is brightly lit.
Xu Zhenguan and Zhao Duan walked almost side by side. After leaving the bedroom, they came to a spacious square that could accommodate thousands of people for martial arts performances.
Behind her were two long lines of palace servants, each holding a lantern in one hand and various objects in the other, in case the empress needed them.
At the same time, it is not too close, giving a sense of distance that is just right.
"This minister saw the gentlemen enter the palace this afternoon."
The night wind was negative, and Zhao Duan's nose seemed to be filled with the faint fragrance of a woman. He walked in silence for a while and then took the initiative to start a conversation.
After Xu Zhenguan walked out of the study, he felt much more lazy. Hearing this, he said "yes" softly and smiled:
"I know what you want to ask. Zhou Cheng and his accomplices have been formally arrested and thrown into the Taiwanese prison.
Regarding Xue Lin's case from back then, it's being tried by Princess Yuan. The evidence you provided is already very solid, and Wang Shan has already confessed, revealing a lot of incriminating evidence against Zhou Cheng...
These are all evidences left over from when Wang Zhen was in power in the past. Haha, it’s an unexpected surprise.
With all this information, it no longer mattered whether Zhou Cheng admitted his guilt or not. At the small court meeting in the afternoon, he was sentenced to beheading, his family was exiled, and his property was confiscated.
Marquis Xia Jiang was in prison, saying that he alone had given Zhou Cheng a great many benefits. If you add up the sums over the years, I'm afraid it's a staggering amount. If that's the case, the national treasury will have a large sum of money coming in."
The verdict was made so quickly? No struggle... Zhao Duan was surprised.
But on second thought, with so much solid evidence before me, it seems unnecessary.
A high and mighty official who had just wanted to put him to death was gone in just one day...
Even as the "initiation", I can't help but sigh.
"Congratulations, Your Majesty, on getting what you wished for," Zhao Duan complimented.
"With Prime Minister Zhou's fall, the obstacles facing Your Majesty in forming a new cabinet will surely be greatly reduced."
Xu Zhenguan glanced at him and said in surprise:
"Did Yuan Li tell you?"
Zhao Duan decisively sold his teammates:
"Mr. Yuan said that Prime Minister Zhou was particularly opposed to the new cabinet. I heard that Grand Tutor Dong was in charge of the new cabinet?"
Xu Zhenguan's beautiful eyes flickered as she looked at the loyal dog beside her and said with some amusement:
"There's one cabinet after another. How come you, a military attaché, are interested in this?"
Zhao Duan pretended to be embarrassed and said with a wry smile:
"I heard from Lord Yuan that the new cabinet prohibits ministers from entering, and mainly consists of young scholars... Of course, I have no other intentions, I just want to share your worries."
He wants to improve so much!
Although he was praised and criticized secretly by Grand Tutor Dong when he entered the palace in the morning, Zhao Duan really had no interest in being an official.
But that doesn't mean he has no ideas about this "new cabinet".
Firstly, the new cabinet means greater power and higher status in exchange for stronger protection of imperial power.
How long will it take to become stronger after practicing so hard?
Resist the threat of the great monk?
A few years? Or more than ten years?
If you can get a higher status, you can directly arrange for a great monk to be your bodyguard, and that will be accomplished in one step.
Those who work with their minds rule others, and those who work with their hands are ruled by others... He understood this principle very early on.
Secondly…if he could enter the “new cabinet”, wouldn’t he have a legitimate reason to be with the empress all day long?
If you want to become your boss's confidant, you can't just run business outside all day long. You need to make your presence felt more!
Under the night.
Xu Zhenguan smiled after hearing this, shook his head, and looked at him helplessly:
"You also know that those who enter the cabinet to assist in government affairs are young scholars. You only have the word 'young' in your name, so what does it have to do with scholars?"
Thanks to "There is a Place Called Penglai" for its 10,000-point reward! Thanks to book friend Xiangshan 5 for his 5,000-point reward, Jijiu Qiufen for his 5,000-point reward, God loves fools, and Sakuyou for his 500-point reward!
(End of this chapter)
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