The prefectural government office had been leaking during the tenure of the previous prefect, and Chen Yuanze did not repair it after taking office. However, this does not prove that Chen Yuanze was not corrupt, lawless, or negligent in the treatment of human life.
Shen Ziyu looked at Cai Wuping's petition with clear eyes: "Chen Yuanze, it's no use telling me these things. If you can prove your innocence, I will release you immediately."
He had to prove his innocence himself. What was the Marquis of Ping Le playing at? Did he forget about her when he was making arrangements in the capital, and was she holding a grudge against him? Was she trying to make things difficult for him? "My lord, I truly did not embezzle or break the law! Please, my lord, see the truth!"
Shen Ziyu said indifferently, "Since Lord Chen cannot prove his innocence, guards, lock Chen Yuanze in the dungeon. We'll talk about it again when he can prove his innocence."
Chen Yuanze was furious. How could the dignified Marquis of Ping Le make such a judgment? He was afraid of being laughed at!
As he was being led away, Chen Yuanze shouted in protest, "This humble official is not satisfied! This humble official is not satisfied with the way Marquis Ping Le has ruled!"
Not only was he dissatisfied, but Cheng Qingyan, standing below the court, was also dissatisfied. What kind of case was Shen Ziyu judging? Was it a joke? But it really pushed Chen Yuanze to the edge, and he started shouting and yelling without any regard for his image.
Shen Ziyu waved his hand again, and the constables released Chen Yuanze: "Lord Chen, if you are not satisfied, you can continue to appeal, but what's with your shouting in court? Is this contempt for the law?"
"Guards, Chen Yuanze is shouting and yelling in the courtroom. Drag him out and give him thirty strokes of the cane."
Then came Chen Yuanze's wails, the sound of being hit with a board, and the murmurs of discussion outside the hall.
Cheng Qingyan and Ye Lingyu finally understood that Shen Ziyu was trying to find a way to punish Chen Yuanze. No matter whether Chen Yuanze roared in court or not, he couldn't escape the thirty strokes of the cane.
Jiangjiang ran over and hugged Cheng Qingyan: "Father, Mother, look, the bad guy is getting a beating. Humph, who does he think he is, daring to try to hit Father and Mother with a beating. This time, let him taste what it's like to be beaten."
Cheng Qingyan picked up Jiang Jiang and said, "My daughter really knows how to care for her parents. But why did you let your Uncle Shen fool around with you?"
Jiang Jiang whispered to Cheng Qingyan with a grin, "I told Uncle Shen that if she doesn't let the bad guys get punished, I'll go back and tell Grandma she bullied me!"
"This little rascal," Ye Lingyu said, reaching out to gently pinch Jiang Jiang's little nose. "Naughty."
Inside the courtroom, Cheng Qingyan and her family were all smiles, while outside, Chen Yuanze wailed incessantly.
When Chen Yuanze was brought back to court, his official hat had been removed and thrown onto the courtroom floor.
He finally understood that the Marquis of Ping Le was in cahoots with the two men in the hall. No wonder the Marquis of Ping Le came up to cause him trouble as soon as he arrived!
Since he has already been targeted, if the case continues to be tried by the Marquis of Pingle, he will have no way to defend himself.
Despite the pain, Chen Yuanze, who had been flogged, demanded a change of presiding official in court: "I am a fourth-rank prefect appointed by His Majesty. Even if you, Marquis, are a favorite of the Emperor and a general who protects the country, you have no right to torture me."
“If I am guilty, I will be escorted back to the capital and tried by the three judicial departments before my conviction can be made. It is not enough for you to strip me of my official robes and remove my official hat based on a few innocuous words from you, my lord.”
"The Marquis of Pingle is so abusing his power and bullying others, colluding with other unrelated people to target me. Isn't he afraid that I will risk my life to remonstrate with the Emperor and damage the reputation of the Marquis of Pingle's family for generations?"
Shen Ziyu sat high in the main hall, as if she had heard a joke, a smile playing on her lips, but the words she uttered instantly deflated Chen Yuanze's last bit of momentum.
"Lord Chen, are you saying that I have entanglements with the people in the hall and am intentionally protecting them?"
"This humble official dares not."
Clap clap clap Shen Ziyu's applause rang out: "Very good, I wouldn't dare, it's not that it didn't happen. So it did happen, so you said that I, the Marquis, was biased and protected someone, did the Imperial Envoy hear that?"
The crowd watching the commotion outside suddenly parted to let in a few people.
The older man was about the same age as Ye Zongzhi, in his forties or fifties, and was accompanied by several young people in their twenties or thirties.
Cheng Qingyan and Ye Lingyu glanced outside, then looked at Shen Ziyu, who remained seated in the hall, unmoved.
The person who arrived was none other than Bai Ruoxuan, a first-rank official who was on imperial inspection tour. He was also Bai Ruosu's elder brother and Ye Lingyu's maternal uncle.
It wasn't until Bai Ruoxuan entered the courtroom and held up the imperial edict that Shen Ziyu rose from her seat and leisurely stood beside Cheng Qingyan and Ye Lingyu.
Bai Ruoxuan glanced at the scene in the courtroom, raised the imperial edict high, and said loudly: "Today, Bai Ruoxuan, the Grand Secretary, is ordered to inspect the affairs of various regions. Furthermore, His Majesty has granted me the power to act expediently. No matter who commits a crime, I may execute them first and report later. Marquises, princes, officials, and commoners are all treated equally."
"Since Lord Chen says that the Marquis of Pingle has abused his power and bent the law, then I have no choice but to step forward and uphold justice. Lord Chen, do you have any further questions?"
Chen Yuanze has now escaped one danger only to fall into another. What can he say? If he utters even a single extra word, he could be labeled as disobeying the imperial decree and have his family and clan wiped out in an instant.
However, he was unaware of Bai Ruoxuan's relationship with Ye Zongzhi and Ye Lingyu. He figured it was better to have Bai Ruoxuan interrogate him than Shen Ziyu. He believed that Bai Ruoxuan would at least maintain a neutral stance.
Who would have thought that the first county Bai Ruoxuan inspected would be Yuanning County?
Upon seeing Bai Ruoxuan begin the trial, Chen Yuanze knelt down and cried out his innocence: "Your Excellency, I am truly innocent! I did not accept any bribes. During my tenure, I was diligent in my duties, loved the people, and was incorruptible. I donated almost all of my monthly salary."
"If you don't believe me, look, my official robes are all patched."
Bai Ruoxuan smiled, appearing very kind, but his words sent a chill down Chen Yuanze's spine: "Lord Chen is indeed penniless, after all, all his wealth is at home. Even if Lord Chen goes out without money, it doesn't prevent him from buying and selling things, does it?"
Chen Yuanze's heart pounded. Impossible. How could anyone know that he hid the money at home?
To make it easier to hide his money, he acquired a plot of land near the prefectural government office and built several houses. The roofs leaked, the walls were moldy, and apart from necessities, there were no valuable decorations inside.
Those who did not know the truth thought he was poor, but in fact he lived in a house full of gold and silver every day.
But Bai Ruoxuan could never know any of this. He had only been in Yuanning County for one day, how could he possibly discover his secret?
It must be a trap. He can't afford to lose his composure, after all, he hasn't squandered any of the money he embezzled.
After thinking it through, Chen Yuanze decided to play dumb and deny it to the death: "This humble official does not understand what Your Excellency means. My incorruptibility is well-known. If Your Excellency does not believe me, you can go and inquire around near the prefectural government office."
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