Chapter 242 Upright and Loving-the-People
When the officials went to court, they saw Pei Jinnian standing in front of the Dengwen Drum with a bruised and swollen face.
Beside them was a pregnant woman beating the petition drum.
Huo Qing came out to pick them up.
He saw the fleeting look of disdain in Pei Jinnian's eyes.
He then said to the two of them, "Pei Shaoqing, please."
Pei Jinnian bowed and said, “This young lady is currently pregnant. The people have suffered injustice. I am a servant of the emperor, and I am willing to take the thirty blows in her place.”
There was a hint of admiration in Huo Qing's eyes.
"Lord Pei will be a good official in the future."
Pei Jinnian received the thirty blows of the disciplinary rod in full view of everyone, in front of the palace gate where the officials were passing by.
Pei Jinnian would certainly suffer physical pain, but he knew that Qin Jinzhi wouldn't really let anything happen to him.
When the court officials saw the large beads of sweat dripping onto the ground, they knew that things would not end well today.
Pei Jinnian is the eldest son of the Pei family and the most valued among the younger generation.
Now that he holds an official position, he petitions on behalf of the people, regardless of the outcome.
After today, the reputation of Pei Jia's son, a man of integrity and love for the people, will spread throughout the capital.
After Li Chuan finished carrying out the execution, he said to Pei Jinnian, "Young Master Pei, the thirty strokes of the rod to intimidate are complete."
Huo Qing looked at the horribly disfigured face, and said, "Young Master Pei, please." Even though the face was as black as coal, you could still see that it was devoid of color.
Pei Jinnian endured the pain and took a deep breath as he walked towards the palace.
The sounding of the Dengwen Drum signifies an impending storm.
When Prime Minister Cui watched Pei Jinnian lead the woman into the main hall, his expression remained unchanged.
But what he saw was that Pei Jinnian had actually taken thirty blows of the disciplinary rod for this woman.
This is a declaration of war against the Cui family.
Pei Jinnian walked to the front without looking to the side.
"Your subject, Pei Jinnian, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture, pays his respects to Your Majesty."
The emperor looked at the two kneeling men and said, "Didn't someone beat the Dengwen Drum? What's wrong, Pei Shaoqing?"
Pei Jinnian said respectfully:
"Your Majesty, the one beating the drum to appeal is the young lady behind me."
This young woman was nearly murdered; the perpetrator's family was extremely powerful, so she had no choice but to come and beat the drum to appeal to His Majesty for justice.
But she is already pregnant, and if she were to receive those thirty lashes, she would surely die along with her unborn child. At that time, the people of the world would surely think that His Majesty was protecting the wicked.
"I receive the emperor's bounty, and I am willing to plead for the people and share Your Majesty's burdens."
Upon hearing this, the emperor's face showed an expression of admiration. "As expected of the grandson of Grand Tutor Pei, if all officials in the court were like you, how could the people of our Great Jin not live in peace and prosperity! In that case, tell me what grievances you have, and I will certainly uphold justice for you!"
The woman prostrated herself on the ground, her face filled with sorrow, and said, "I, Rongyue, want to sue Cui Ting, the second son of Prime Minister Cui and Vice Minister of Rites, for abducting me, imprisoning me in Changning Lane, forcing me to become pregnant, and then trying to kill me after the marriage proposal. Fortunately, I met Lord Pei when I was escaping, otherwise I would be a corpse by now!"
An uproar erupted in the hall, and everyone's expressions varied.
The position of Vice Minister of Rites had been vacant for a long time, and Qin Jinzhi preferred Lang Mingyue's father to take it.
Unexpectedly, Prime Minister Cui did not arrange for Cui Ting to take the route through the Secretariat.
Instead, he was assigned to the Ministry of Rites.
The Ministry of Rites was not as important as the other five ministries.
Therefore, no one said anything when Cui Ting was appointed as a vice minister at a young age.
However, Qin Jinzhi understood his intention in doing so.
Prime Minister Cui was the head of all officials and had many protégés, but he also had many political enemies.
Therefore, he must ensure that the next prime minister also comes from the Cui family.
Although Prime Minister Cui cherished Cui Ting, the one who was truly regarded as his successor was his eldest son, Cui Hao.
Cui Ting's role was to pave the way for his elder brother.
Coincidentally, Qin Jinzhi also needed this position to pave the way for her.
Upon hearing this, the emperor's face darkened. "Cui Ting, is what this woman said true?"
Cui Ting looked at the woman's back and wished he could tear her apart and devour her.
"Your Majesty, everything this woman says is a lie."
Cui Ting gritted his teeth, "Your Majesty, I redeemed this woman from a brothel. She is not from a respectable family. The accusation of abduction is pure slander! As for the murder to cover it up, that's utter nonsense. This woman was a slave, yet she tried to escape on her own. According to the laws of the Great Jin Dynasty, a slave who tries to escape is punishable by death by caning!"
Pei Jinnian retorted sharply, "Minister Cui dares to distort the truth before His Majesty! If this girl were truly a slave, why would you order me to kill her to silence her? If the city patrol hadn't been passing by, I would have already been killed by your treacherous servant!"
Cui Ting immediately retorted, "You're talking nonsense! My servant didn't even touch you with a single hair!"
Pei Jinnian endured the pain in his back and moved forward a few steps while kneeling.
"Your Majesty, look at my face!"
The emperor frowned as he looked at Pei Jinnian's face. "Cui Ting, you say you had no intention of killing him to silence him, then how do you explain Pei Shaoqing's face? Did he slap himself?"
Cui Ting was also puzzled. Rong Yue suddenly ran away. He had just led his men to chase after her when he ran into Pei Jinnian and happened to encounter the patrol team.
Now that the Patrol Division has been incorporated into the Zhenbei Army, it is no longer the Patrol Division that can serve the Cui family.
Before he could react, Pei Jinnian took him away.
To everyone's surprise, when I went to court today, I saw Pei Jinnian with a bruised and swollen face, leading Rong Yue to beat the Dengwen Drum!
Honestly, the injury on Pei Jinnian's face has absolutely nothing to do with him!
Cui Ting said somewhat anxiously, "Your Majesty, my Cui family is a clan with a history of hundreds of years. I would never do such a heinous thing. I served in the same court as Pei Shaoqing. How could I kill him to silence him? I don't know why Pei Shaoqing slandered me!"
The two men each held their own version of events, and the emperor remained sullen.
"Since you both have conflicting accounts, do you have any evidence to prove that what you say is true?"
Cui Ting immediately said, "Your Majesty, I have this woman's slave registration documents. Please send someone to my home."
With tears streaming down her face, Rong Yue said, "Your Majesty, I am a woman from a respectable family. My parents did not sell me into slavery. Your Majesty may have someone check the official slave register to see if I am listed."
The emperor nodded. "In that case, investigate there."
Prime Minister Cui remained unfazed, as if Cui Ting had nothing to do with him.
He glanced at Qin Jinzhi with a detached look, a hint of disdain in his eyes.
If this is Qin Jinzhi's method, then it is far too childish.
At most, Cui Ting would be charged with the same crime as the previous official who frequented prostitutes, and would be suspended from his post and fined.
She's too naive to think she can use this to kill Cui Ting.
Qin Jinzhi looked at the composed Prime Minister Cui and a slight smile appeared on her lips.
Just then, a voice rang out from the main hall.
"Your Majesty, I have something to report."
Everyone looked over and saw a person step forward from the position belonging to the Hanlin Academy.
"Your subject, Qingfeng, requests that you impeach Cui Ting, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, for condoning his subordinates' encroachment on estates, killing tenants, and massacring villages!"
Before anyone could react...
Several more people stepped forward from behind him.
"We, your humble servants, also have something to report!"
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