Fengqi crabapple

Chapter 282 Meridian Gate Imperial Examination
Taking the two confessions from Jin Yiwei and the Ministry of Etiquette, the emperor looked left and right, but could not see anything.It is said that literati have a winding intestine, and it is absolutely true.

The emperor simply slapped the stack of confessions on the case and asked, "Where is Shen Tongzhi?"

"I'm here." Shen Congxi stepped out and said.

"I order you to retry the case." The emperor tapped the confession on the case with his finger and said, "I don't believe it. It's so difficult to find the truth in heaven!"

After receiving the order, Shen Congxi did not dare to delay and went straight to the Jinyiwei prison.

Outside the main hall, Sun Yanxi quickly walked over and stopped him. Sun Yanxi smiled and asked, "Master Shen, are you going to interrogate someone?"

"Yes! The Emperor's Highness has issued a decree. Aren't you here?" Shen Congxi was a little surprised. Why did Sun Yanxi ask this?

"You plan to... still interrogate him in Jinyiwei's prison?" Sun Yanxi asked.

Only then did Shen Congxi hear the implication of Sun Yanxi's words: As long as they were still in Jinyiwei Prison, those three people would not be able to escape the influence of the first two confessions.I dare not say it. I have harmed Jin Yiwei, but I am still alive?

Sun Yanxi is really a veteran. The emperor didn't order him this time, probably because he wanted to give Shen Congxi a chance to make meritorious deeds.He gratefully bowed his hands to Sun Yanxi, turned around and went back to Wuying Palace to ask for the emperor's order.

The next day, Shen Congxi was ordered to bring all three suspects to the prison of the Ministry of Punishment for a new trial.

Sure enough, in the prison of the Ministry of Punishment, the three men changed their confessions again.Shen Congxi did not rush to hand over the confession this time. Instead, after a few days, he was suddenly interrogated late at night.

The three of them were all in a daze, and all of a sudden the torches in the cell were shining so hard that they were almost cooked. The confessions of the three of them this time were almost the same as last time.Shen Congxi then asked them to put their fingerprints on the confession.

In this way, the emperor obtained the third confession.The emperor smiled when he looked at the confession. Alas, it is really not easy to judge the case of the scholar, because they want to save face and always cover up.However, what the emperor wants is not just a truth, what the emperor wants is the hearts and minds of the people of China.

"According to my decree, I will personally interrogate you at the Meridian Gate in three days. Shen Tongzhi, Wen Cunzhi, Hou Zhengxiong and you will be on the jury together."

For a time, the Meridian Gate Examination Fraud Case became the most sensational news in the entire capital.

First, the examination fraud case has been fermenting for many days. Various versions have been circulated. Storytellers are busy and everyone wants to know the rights and wrongs.The second is the Meridian Gate, where the case is being tried. It is the place where heads are beheaded. The case is being tried next to the guillotine. Do you think it is exciting or not?The most important thing is that this is an imperial trial, and the emperor is personally judging the case!How can you meet the emperor and brag about it for half your life?
On the day of the imperial trial, the front of the Meridian Gate was crowded with people eating melon seeds and watching the excitement.Didn't you bring a small bench?It’s not that I forgot, but there were too many people and there was no space for the bench.But the eyes of Jinwu Guard and Jinyi Guard were all dazzled.

Shen Congxi verified the identities of the three of them in public, and said: "Today you are waiting for the three of you, life and death are only a matter of one thought. Your Majesty is wise, and if you open the retrial, you will not be wronged. What the Majesty wants is the truth."

Xu Jing and Tang Ning never expected that when they came to Beijing to take the exam, their biggest hope was to meet the emperor during the imperial examination. They did not expect that they would meet the emperor in such a situation. It was obviously an innocent disaster, but they could not explain it in words. People can only keep kowtow.

When they stopped, the emperor asked: "The Meridian Gate is right in front of you, don't you have anything to say?"

Xu Jing told the truth: "Last year, Tang Ning and I went to Beijing to prepare for the exam. We admired Mr. Kun's talent and knowledge, so the two of us privately sent money to Mr. Kun's house to study. Mr. Kun was not the examiner at that time, and we were not It's bribing the examiner."

"Mr. Kun gave me two answers to some policy questions. We didn't expect that after he became the examiner, he would use three of the questions as questions for this general examination. The two of us had received guidance from Mr. Kun to answer the questions. Naturally, I am familiar with the topic." Tang Ning also said.

What Shen Congxi said was right. Tangning was the most wronged. He was a man with a bold personality and a family of merchants. He had no status in the heavenly court, so he only wanted to seek fame.With his talent and learning, not to mention the top pick on the gold list, he will always get one of the top picks.Now, as a result of this incident, I have no chance of having an official career in my life.

Kun Yu was already in tears at this time: "Your Majesty, I'm sorry for your great trust! I accepted students to promote learning, but I didn't expect that I was negligent and used old questions as exam questions, which led to today's situation What a disaster!"

This statement was consistent with the confession asked by Shen Congxi. The emperor nodded, but said to the two adults standing next to the jury: "A slightest mistake is a thousand miles away. Hou Zhengxiong and Wen Cunzhi, you two are careless in what you say." , I sentence you to redeem the rod. Do you have any objections?"

Hou Zhengxiong and Wen Cunzhi hurriedly knelt down to express their gratitude: They spent money to buy punishment with a cane. How could they dare to object to such a good thing? !

The emperor looked at Kun Yu and said: "Kun Yu, you have ruined the coffin. Because of your dereliction of duty, the people have become resentful and the credibility of the court has been damaged. I sentence you to be dismissed from your post to serve the people. Do you have any objections?"

Kun Yu was so ashamed that he burst into tears.To save my life, what does it matter whether I am an official or not?However, the most important thing for literati is face. After Kun Yu retired to seclusion, he died in depression after a year and a half.This is something.

"As for the two of you, you have misbehaved and tried to conceal the truth. I will sentence you to redeem yourself as disciples, and at the same time remove you from your status as a judicial officer. However, I promise that your descendants will not be affected by your official career." The emperor finally said to Xu Jing and Tang Ning.

The onlookers threw melon seeds in their hands and applauded.

As long as they see high-ranking officials being punished and ordinary people not losing their lives, they think it is a great good thing.Yes, what a good emperor!

Among the crowd of onlookers, there were many of their colleagues who played the same game. Seeing the emperor playing fifty big boards each, they had nothing to say.After all, the emperor personally interrogated the matter in public and did not protect the examiner for personal gain. This was already the best outcome.

A case of cheating in an examination was finally solved by the emperor at the Meridian Gate.

Haitang smiled and said: "My Majesty, today he became the great master of Qingtian. This Kun Yu is a stupid person with no position at all. He has read all the books in his stomach. This time, by some strange combination of circumstances, he got into trouble for no reason. A public grievance does not count as an injustice to him.”

"Yes, he was mainly punished. Hou Zhengxiong and Wen Cunzhi were just to give the people a look. It also meant that they were allowed to spend some money and learn a lesson." Xie Ruitang also said with a smile.

Haitang leaned in Xie Ruitang's arms. Xie Ruitang touched her gradually bulging belly and suddenly said seriously: "This time I will give birth to a boy, next time we will give birth to a girl."

Haitang couldn't help but laugh: "This is not up to me!" She remembered that when she was pregnant with the prince, it was Tang Yu who diagnosed him as a boy, so she asked again: "Has Clan Master Tang contacted you?"

Xie Ruitang nodded.When Tang Yu first entered the palace as an imperial doctor, he originally wanted the prince to have more eyes and ears to help him in the palace. Now that he has succeeded, he has retired and returned to the Tang Sect to take over as the head of the sect.

Not long ago, he also sent a letter saying that he had merged the contact points in various areas of the Tang Sect with the nearby Fusheng Hall.Fushengtang in densely populated areas has also opened Fusheng Medical Clinic to recruit doctors and jointly operate medicine.

"Who would have expected that the Tang Sect, which used poisonous and concealed weapons to kill people, would now become a medical sect that helps the world and saves people. It's all thanks to you, who came up with the idea of ​​opening resurrection halls everywhere in the Celestial Empire."

Xie Ruitang hugged the crabapple from behind, and the two looked out the window together: the white crabapple tree moved from the cold palace had grown new leaves.

Next year, I should be able to kick it and it will rain petals...

(End of this chapter)