From the moment Crown Prince Zhu Haogan appeared, Wei Shuwan's heart was in her throat, especially after he said, "If you don't use severe torture to try this kind of case, how will the criminal confess?" It was clear that he was up to no good, and that good people don't come here.
Having already been warned once, Wei Shuwan dared not look up easily now, but even without looking at Zhu Haogan, she could guess that Zhu Haogan's gaze was fixed on her younger brother, Axiu.
"Ah Xiu, be careful later."
Wei Shuwan spoke in a very low voice, reminding her younger brother who was kneeling to her left, afraid that any inappropriate words would be seized upon by Zhu Haogan to make a big fuss.
"Yes, don't worry, sister."
Although Wei Chengxiu was blind, his mind was as clear as a mirror. Ever since he heard his elder sister say that His Highness the Crown Prince had taken a liking to Ayun, he had a premonition that this confrontation would come sooner or later.
He never expected that he would arrive in such a wretched state as a prisoner.
After Zhang Jian left the hall, he asked Crown Prince Zhu Haogan for a few words in a low voice. Wei Shuwan and the others kneeling below could not hear what he said. However, when Zhang Jian returned to the main hall and sat down, his tone seemed even sterner than before.
"Wei Zheng! His Majesty has ordered an investigation into this case, and His Highness the Crown Prince has personally attended the hearing, which shows how seriously he takes this case! If you still refuse to tell the truth today, I can no longer tolerate you!"
Wei Zheng slowly raised his head and looked directly at Zhang Jian in the hall, his deeply furrowed brows revealing endless despair.
He didn't know anything more than anyone else! When he went to Wu County, the dam in that section was almost finished. He seemed to have only the title of supervisor of the construction. How could he have the opportunity to pass off inferior goods as superior ones?
Since arriving in Wu County, he has been patrolling the dam area every day. However, the dam area in Wu County is dozens of miles long. Even if he doesn't eat, drink, or sleep, how many miles can his naked eyes possibly cover? He has barely even met the subordinates he sent there, so how can he be expected to be loyal and trustworthy?
When news of the dam collapse reached him, he rushed to the scene, but the guards responsible for protecting the area had vanished. Some said they had been swept away by the surging floodwaters, but when he led a search party, they found neither the dead nor the living.
It was at that time that Wei Zheng began to suspect that he might have been framed. Although he tried his best to make amends and evacuate the people downstream, he knew in his heart that he was most likely doomed.
"Question the government! I'm asking you a question! Are you deaf?"
Faced with Zhang Jian's questioning, Wei Zheng suddenly burst into laughter, but the laughter was filled with bitterness and helplessness:
“Lord Zhang, I was appointed a fifth-rank official by the Emperor back then because when Wu County was flooded, the national treasury was empty and the local government was unable to provide disaster relief. I donated 100,000 taels of silver to assist the government in disaster relief.”
Upon hearing this, Zhang Jian's face turned awkward, revealing a hint of embarrassment at not knowing how to respond.
Wei Zhengyi retorted righteously, "May I ask, Lord Zhang, if I were a greedy person, why would I need to spend 100,000 taels?"
After all, the amount of silver embezzled by the imperial court in this case was only 30,000 taels. What fool would risk stealing someone else's sesame seed and abandon their own watermelon?
As the presiding judge in this case, Zhang Jian was naturally displeased to be questioned by a prisoner. However, he couldn't answer, leaving him feeling utterly helpless and frustrated.
Crown Prince Zhu Haogan knew the Wei family far better than Zhang Jian; he often heard about them in casual conversations with Sheng Yun. He then offered a reasonable deduction:
“Wei Zheng, when you assisted the government in disaster relief, you were still in Wu County. As a leading figure among the wealthy merchants of Jiangzuo, it was only right that you contributed your share, especially since 100,000 taels was just a drop in the ocean for you at that time. However, later your second branch moved to Shengjing separately, leaving all the business in Wu County to the eldest branch. Unfortunately, the eldest branch was not good enough and the family fortune quickly declined. Now the Wei family of Wu County is gone, and 50,000 taels is no longer a small amount for you. It is not surprising that you had the idea of embezzling it.”
Wei Zheng gritted his teeth, unable to refute these words.
After His Highness the Crown Prince's suggestion, Zhang Jian's thinking was immediately enlightened, and he then shared his own insights:
"Wei Zheng, do you know that this dynasty forbids the sale of official positions and titles? This is precisely to prevent those who first exchange gold and silver for official titles and titles, and then use those titles to amass wealth? How are you any different from these parasites of the court?!"
The two of them, one after the other, fabricated charges and motives without any evidence, and they even made it sound so vivid! Wei Zheng felt utterly speechless and almost ground his teeth to powder.
Seeing that Zhang Jian's psychological defenses were about to collapse like a dam, he became even more confident and authoritative, and pressed him again in a stern voice:
"Wei Zheng, will you admit it or not? If you continue to be so stubborn, I will have no choice but to use severe torture on you!"
Wei Zheng's hands, shackled in iron chains, clenched into fists, veins bulging on the back of his hands, as he stubbornly repeated the first sentence:
"Wei only admits to the crime of dereliction of duty in supervision, but he will never admit to the crimes of embezzling government funds and passing off inferior goods as superior ones!"
"Alright! Use torture!" Zhang Jian immediately decided.
As soon as the words fell, two yamen runners holding instruments of torture stepped forward to begin torturing Wei Zheng.
At this moment, Wei Shuwan's hand was still holding her mother's hand. She could feel her mother trembling and crying, but she could no longer remain silent. Wei Shuwan suddenly raised her head and looked at her father.
One of the two constables brought over a wooden stool, lifted Wei Zheng up, and pressed him onto it, while the other clamped his legs with a torture device. Just as the two were about to pull the ropes to inflict the torture, a sharp shout suddenly came from below the hall:
"stop!"
The two yamen runners, along with Imperial Censor Zhang Jian and Crown Prince Zhu Haogan, all turned their gazes toward Wei Shuwan in response to the sound.
Sun Lurong also took her daughter's hand in return and whispered a reminder: "Wanwan, don't forget what your mother told you on the way!"
Even if her father is being tortured, she cannot interrupt; not only will she not save anyone, but she will also be a hindrance.
Wei Chengxiu remained silent beside Wei Shuwan. Although she was as worried as her mother, she knew that her older sister was not a reckless person and must have her own reasons.
"How dare you! Who would dare to make a scene in the courtroom!" The official behind Zhang Jian shouted at Wei Shuwan.
Wei Shuwan then replied truthfully: "I am Wei Zheng's daughter, Wei Shuwan, and I have a grievance to appeal!"
"Heh." Zhang Jian let out a cold laugh, thinking to himself, "He's really asking for trouble, but he's deliberately heading straight for it!"
When Prince Jing conspired with him on this matter, Princess Yun'an privately requested that he make things difficult for Wei Zheng's daughter, Wei Shuwan, during the court trial. He did not agree at the time.
The scandal involving Princess Yun'an and the Wei family's daughter was widely known, from the palace to the common people. Zhang Jian had also heard about it and knew that Princess Yun'an hated the Wei family's daughter intensely. But in the end, this was just a dispute between women. How could he, a grown man and a dignified third-rank imperial censor, get involved in such matters?
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