Chapter 47 The Law He would not want to see himself either.
The next day at court, the Imperial Counselor made a memorial: "Your Majesty, Queen Mother, I have a memorial to make."
Queen Mother Jiang's pearl curtain swayed slightly, and she opened her red lips slightly: "My dear minister, please play."
"Recently, the people of Kyoto are agitated. Rumors are circulating in restaurants and teahouses that the Vice Minister of Justice is enforcing the law with great force, and that the laws of Dalan are ruthless and unjust."
Li Tingfeng asked, "Oh? Why is this rumor spreading in Kyoto?"
The Imperial Counselor continued, "The incident stemmed from a farmer who borrowed money at high interest rates. After failing to win a lawsuit against Jingzhao Prefecture, he appealed to the Ministry of Justice. After investigation, the Ministry found the complaint to be true, but the final verdict failed to gain public support, leading to this rumor."
"Your Majesty wants to leave a name that will last forever, so how can you allow the people of Kyoto to criticize you?"
Upon hearing this, Empress Dowager Jiang said, "Surely there's such a thing. The Ministry of Justice is supervised by Cheng Pushe. Now that this case has sparked public controversy, is Cheng Pushe aware of this?"
Cheng Xianzhi stepped out of the court and said, "Your Majesty and the Queen Mother, I was present at the trial, and every word the Grand Counselor said is true."
"Last time, Cheng Pushe was very careful in handling the property tax case, but he never made such a mistake," said Queen Mother Jiang solemnly. "Why did he make such a mistake this time?"
Cheng Xianzhi said, "The Ministry of Justice followed the rules, and there's nothing wrong with that. It's just that the petitioner was a farmer from the outskirts of the capital, and he had no recourse when he beat the drum to file his complaint. The defendant's crimes were based on the Dalan laws, and there were some oversights. Therefore, while the verdict may be unpopular, it's also in accordance with the law."
"I, your humble servant, oversaw the trial with the intention of restoring justice to those involved in the case. The law has been passed, but it is merciless."
Lu Mingqian said, "From what I heard, this farmer's daughter was sent to Chunfeng Tower by a moneylender to pay off a debt. She was unable to get the money back and was even severely beaten by the brothel's men."
"The people are angry about the verdict because the crimes committed by the culprit behind the scenes don't match the sentence they received, which has sparked public outrage and anger. Cheng Pushe is praised by everyone in Kyoto for his stern and impartial behavior, but his unforgiving nature has failed to quell the public anger."
"Then according to Lord Lu, what decision should Cheng make that day?"
"If the law enforcers themselves believe that the law is not right, how can they convince the public when they investigate and judge cases in the future? If the law is not good, it can be fixed, but it is not the time to openly admit in front of the people that the law of Dalan is unreasonable when the result is judged in court." Cheng Xianzhi said calmly.
"Cheng Pushe enforces the law with an unwavering integrity, self-sacrificing devotion to the public good, and an upright character. He is a blessing to our Dalan," Li Tingfeng said. "Lord Cheng is doing his duty, and there is nothing wrong with that."
"But Your Majesty, now that public outrage has arisen, if the court does not take drastic measures to appease the people, I'm afraid it will get worse and worse. By then, it may shake the foundation of the country and become a laughing stock for the whole world." The censor pleaded.
At this time, the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Justice came to the Hanzhang Palace to ask for an audience with the emperor. In the morning, the gate of the Ministry of Justice was surrounded by people, who threatened that the court should thoroughly investigate the case. The Ministry of Justice was partial and perverted the law, had selfish motives, and assisted the tyrant in his evil deeds. The law of nature is clear. Cheng Pushe was negligent in his jurisdiction and he should be removed from his post to appease the people's anger.
Within three days after the Ministry of Justice made its final decision, the news spread like wildfire in Kyoto, with everyone accusing the Ministry of Justice of making too many accusations. Even Cheng Xianzhi, who was attending the trial, could not stay out of the matter.
It's probably impossible to just brush this matter aside.
Faced with the questioning and pressure from the court officials, Li Tingfeng hesitated again and again and could not come up with a plan. Empress Dowager Jiang said calmly: "Since this was caused by the Ministry of Justice, this matter can only be resolved by Cheng Pushe and his ministers."
"In my opinion, it would be better to temporarily detain the presiding judge, the Minister of Justice, and the assistant judge, Cheng Pushe, and have the case reopened by the Dali Temple. Since there is injustice, it should be redressed and justice should be done to the people."
Zhongshu Ling Gongsun Yin said, "The Empress Dowager wants to appease the public anger, and I, an old minister, have no objection. However, the Ministry of Justice has always ruled in accordance with the law and has done nothing wrong. If this method is used to appease the public anger, it will undoubtedly be a disgrace to the court, Your Majesty, and the Empress Dowager."
"Then according to what the Minister of the Central Secretariat said, how should this matter be resolved?" asked Queen Mother Jiang.
"Imperfect laws can be fixed. Your Majesty, in this case, why not order a revision of the laws? Since it was Cheng Pushe and the Ministry of Justice who started it, they should work together with the veteran law revisionists to revise the laws. Cases of loan disputes resulting in deaths have always occurred. The root of the people's anger isn't the Ministry of Justice's partiality or perversion of justice, but rather the unsatisfactory judgments, ultimately due to poor laws. Last year, the Secretariat proposed a revision of the Dalan laws, but it was rejected by the Ministry of Personnel. This outrage is an opportunity to show the world that Your Majesty is not ignorant of the suffering of the people."
"But the people will not pay attention to your revision of the law. They only care about the outcome of the case at hand. If you want to sentence the defendant severely, you must re-examine the case." Lu Mingqian said.
Cheng Xianzhi followed suit: "Your Majesty, I have considered what the Minister of the Central Secretariat and Lu Pushe have said. I am willing to use my own body to appease the public anger."
"Your Majesty, please detain me and the Minister of Justice, and have the case reexamined by the Dali Temple. I have only one request."
Li Tingfeng finally waited for Cheng Xianzhi to speak, wanting to see his opinion. "You say."
"While I beg to be imprisoned in the Imperial Prison, I also request that Your Majesty appoint me as the primary officer for this legal revision. This is the best way to completely quell public anger."
He went to jail voluntarily to fulfill people's wishes and to appease the people. He asked to revise the law. No one knew the loopholes in Dalan's laws better than him in solving cases in recent years, and today's drama was already a part of his plan.
The words spread by Han Zhou were able to resound throughout Kyoto in just one night, and this was not without the help of secret agents in various parts of Kyoto.
The news of Cheng Xianzhi's imprisonment also spread throughout Kyoto. The people were eager to hear about it and waited for the case to be retried.
Lu Tingwan, dressed in men's clothes, entered Chunfeng Tower and met Uncle Zhou's daughter.
Let her wait patiently, she will see the light of day again after the case is retried.
Lu Tingwan was busy with important matters in Zhichunli, running back and forth in and out of the city. The rumors in Kyoto were getting more and more intense. The court's detention of Cheng Xianzhi and the Minister of Justice could temporarily calm the public anger, but some shocking rumors were spread among the people.
The Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice and Cheng Pushe were in cahoots with each other, protecting each other and accepting bribes, so they gave Gao Heng a light sentence. Such remarks once again caused turmoil in Kyoto.
The people blocked the streets on the way to court and stopped the carriages of the censors. During the court meeting, the officials were arguing endlessly. Some people suggested that a thorough investigation be conducted to prove that Cheng Xianzhi and the Ministry of Justice had bribed someone. If the evidence was true, he should be severely punished.
Some people also suggested that the court should not be led by rumors and should show due dignity.
After the court meeting ended, Lu Mingqian was summoned to Jinhua Palace.
Lu Mingqian bowed respectfully and said, "Cheng Xianzhi asked to be imprisoned, so he will definitely not let it go. He is a calculating person. If there is no way to escape unscathed, he will definitely not take such a risk."
Queen Mother Jiang was so clever, how could she not see this? "He wants to take the job of revising the law as an opportunity to use it as a credit for his position as Shangshu. But if this Dali Temple case is not thoroughly investigated, Cheng Xianzhi will not only lose his ambitions for the Shangshu position, but he may even lose his position as Pushe."
Lu Mingqian narrowed his eyes and said grimly, "Then he will never have a chance to turn things around."
"I heard that it was your second daughter who brought that farmer to the Ministry of Justice to file a complaint," Empress Dowager Jiang's voice, as thin as a thread, slowly passed around the screen. "She was also present at the trial that day. Lu Tingwan was involved in the entire case. If she could testify at the Dali Temple as the second wife of the Cheng family..."
She didn't say anything else. Hong Zhanggong handed her some hot tea and waited for Lu Mingqian's answer.
"The Queen Mother wants my daughter to testify so that people will be more convinced."
"The tide is turning against Cheng Xianzhi right now. If Lu Tingwan can step forward, the people will not only trust her words more, but will also praise Lu Pushe's daughter for her understanding of justice. This is because Lu Pushe raised his daughter well. After the Dali Temple makes a judgment, I will ask His Majesty to select Lady Lu as the new Minister of State."
"Even if Your Majesty is hesitant and wants to avoid discussing this matter, due to the pressure from the people, if this matter is to be finally settled and peace restored to the capital, the Emperor must issue an edict promoting Lord Lu to the position of Shangshu, to show the world that the monarch is strict and lawful."
Queen Mother Jiang wants Lu Tingwan to expose Cheng Xianzhi's bribery and shielding of criminals. Even if she can't severely punish him, she can at least prevent him from becoming the Minister of State. The key lies in Lu Tingwan.
Lu Tingwan had just returned to Zhichunli from the farm. Luo Yunchu waited for half an hour. Seeing that she looked haggard, he raised his hand and stroked her hair, as if to help her drive away the fatigue from running around in recent days.
Lu Tingwan sat at the desk, feeling exhausted. Luo Yunchu asked with concern, "Is everything going well at the farm?"
"It's all working fine, except..."
When she thought of this, her temples stung. She lowered her head uncomfortably and shook it twice: "It's just that it's also being spread on the farm..."
Luo Yunchu walked around the desk and stood beside her, holding her shoulders and leaning against him. He said gently, "You've done your best. With our limited strength, we can at least send evildoers like Gao Heng to prison. It's not easy."
"You don't need to put so much pressure on yourself. It hurts me to see you worrying about this every day."
"The Dali Temple is going to conduct a thorough investigation of the case," Lu Tingwan said, regaining his spirits. "Perhaps there will be a turning point."
"Even if the Dali Temple conducts a thorough investigation, the best outcome would be Gao Heng being sentenced to death, Uncle Zhou's daughter being released from Chunfeng Tower, and the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice and Cheng Pushe being demoted and convicted."
Lu Tingwan's beautiful eyes sank slightly, not quite understanding what he meant.
"Cheng Pushe?" Although he was an observer in the case, this incident was not caused by him alone. Lu Tingwan did not understand the reason. He had not stayed in the city for long in the past few days and had not heard the important news.
But after the quarrel with Cheng Xianzhi that night, he never saw anyone else again.
He wouldn't want to see me either.
"Why is he involved in this matter?" Lu Tingwan asked tentatively.
Luo Yunchu walked a few steps away and found a chair to sit down, observing Lu Tingwan's every movement and expression. "Cheng Pushe was sitting in on the trial. Some say it was because he condoned his subordinates' actions that the Ministry of Justice and Cheng Pushe accepted bribes from Gao Heng, commuting the original death sentence to three years in prison."
"Even if he accepted bribes, there must be evidence, right? Has the Dali Temple found evidence of his crime?" Lu Tingwan suddenly felt suspicious. Considering Cheng Xianzhi's character, how could he get into trouble for that little bit of silver?
"It's still unknown, but this matter has already aroused public anger. The court will certainly not let him off lightly. He has been imprisoned in the Dali Temple for several days. Under such severe punishment, he will definitely confess something." Luo Yunchu said calmly, "In the past, Cheng Pushe was the one who judged cases and people. I wonder if he can still keep his position after this incident."
"How could this be?" Lu Tingwan murmured.
That night he said the law was bad, and if the court investigated, they wouldn't pin all the blame on him. And now rumors of corruption and bribery are circulating, could it be...
A thought flashed through Lu Tingwan's eyes.
Could it be that the Queen Mother took action?
Just as she was lost in her reverie, Feng Xin knocked on the door, interrupting their conversation.
She glanced at Luo Yunchu, then at Lu Tingwan.
Luo Yunchu immediately understood, turned around and walked to the windowsill, looking at the maple tree outside the window. After autumn, Maple Forest Alley was filled with bright red fallen leaves. Now that early winter has arrived, Maple Forest Alley looks like an ancient city surrounded by dead trees.
Feng Xin whispered in her ear, "Second Madam, the master has sent someone to the Cheng family with a letter, asking you to return to the Lu family."
Lu Tingwan sensed unease as soon as he heard it.
Lu Mingqian's contact with her at this time must be inseparable from Cheng Xianzhi's case.
"I understand." She told Feng Xin to go down, stood up and walked to Luo Yunchu. The cold wind blew around the maple forest and blew in her face. She took a deep breath of the cool air.
"Yun Chu, the second batch of Jade Dew Cream that the shop is selling will be almost ready in the next few days. I have instructed Feng Xin to take charge of the follow-up matters. I'll have to trouble you to put in some effort."
"You forgot." Luo Yunchu turned around and stood opposite her, hiding her in front of his chest where the cold wind could not reach her. "You said that within a year, I still have a three-tenths profit in Zhichunli. Naturally, I will not stand idly by."
Lu Tingwan smiled sweetly and felt a little relieved.
After nightfall, the carriage left Fenglin Lane and headed for the Lu family. When Lu Tingwan returned to the Cheng Mansion, it was already past midnight and the place was unusually quiet.
When she passed by the study, it was dim and dark from the garden path. The people in the mansion should have known about Cheng Xianzhi's imprisonment a long time ago, but she only learned from Luo Yunchu today that Lu Mingqian called her back tonight, and his purpose was almost the same as she thought.
The Queen Mother wanted her to come forward and confess her inaction and cold-eyed attitude during the court trial, and also wanted her to give false testimony to frame Cheng Xianzhi.
Lu Mingqian handed her an account book that he had prepared in advance and asked her to put it in the study when the opportunity arose.
After entering Yansheng Hall, she drove away Feng Xin and burned the account book in the charcoal brazier alone, turning it to ashes.
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