Tang Dynasty: The seventh rank of official residence, and you will be given the Ten Thousand People

Chapter 154 Wu Zetian’s decision!

"Master, what do you call that person just now?" Zhou Tong asked in disbelief on the way to Shangyang Palace.

If he remembered correctly, wasn't the guard named Zhang Huan a businessman who forged official seals? How could he turn into a general?
Jiang Wen glanced back at him and frowned: "General Zhang Huan is the bodyguard sent by the Queen Mother to Fan Siqing. He is a fourth-grade Qianniu Guards Lieutenant General."

"Stop talking nonsense and leave quickly!"

"Even the bodyguards are senior members of the fourth rank. Doesn't that brother have a higher status..."

Thinking of this, Zhou Tong suddenly shuddered all over, as if he had realized something.

The main hall of Shangyang Palace.

Li Yuanpei glanced at the sun and said with a straight face: "Fan Xin, the sun is almost setting. When will your witness arrive?"

"Yeah, it couldn't be true." Wu Changnan sneered.

"Queen Mother, I am impeaching Fan Xin for wantonly slandering the court ministers. Please punish him!" Cheng Shan stepped out of the queue and said righteously.

All the ministers echoed in unison: "I second your opinion!"

Looking at the palace full of ministers, Wu Zetian sighed secretly and looked at Fan Xin.

"Fan Aiqing, it has been two hours since noon. If your witness does not show up, I will have no choice but to announce my withdrawal from the court."

The Tang Dynasty had strict regulations regarding court meetings. Once the time was up, if there was no important matter, the court must be dismissed on time, allowing officials from various ministries to return to their respective yamen to handle government affairs.

Although Fan Xin was unwilling to give in, he could only bow and respond.

Just when Wu Zetian stood up and announced his withdrawal from the court, a guard suddenly ran in from outside the hall.

"The Empress Dowager is informed that Jiang Wen, the young minister of Dali Temple, is bringing witnesses to see you!"

Hearing these words, the ministers who were about to leave all stopped and looked at Fan Xin in surprise, as if they did not expect that he actually had a witness.

Especially the expressions on the faces of Li Cheng, Wu Lai and the four others were extremely ugly.

In order to prevent witnesses from entering the palace, they deliberately deployed a large number of officials at the palace gate. Unexpectedly, even this did not stop the witnesses.

Wu Zetian stood on the stage and saw everyone's expressions one by one, and an imperceptible smile appeared on the corner of her mouth.

"Come in, the proclaimer."

"Yes, Queen Mother!"

The chamberlain bowed, turned around and spoke in a high-pitched voice.

"The Queen Mother has decreed that the proclaimer should come to the palace!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Jiang Wen led a young man into the main hall of Shangyang Palace and bowed to him.

"I, Jiang Wen, Shaoqing of Dali Temple, see the Queen Mother. Long live my queen, long live, long live!"

"Jiang Aiqing, please be free."

"Thank you Queen Mother!"

After straightening up, Jiang Wen took out a thick stack of files from his sleeves and presented them with both hands.

"Queen Mother, Dali Temple recently received a report that someone was selling military supplies as substandard goods."

"According to my multiple investigations, I have finally determined that all the inferior armor used by the soldiers on the front lines of Yingzhou comes from Shaofujian and Weiwei Temple!"

"The real utensils have been resold to the Turks, the Western Regions, and the black-clad eaters!"

"The total amount of money involved in the case is 300 million yuan! Corrupt officials are all over the Shaofu Prison, Weiwei Temple, Ministry of War and frontline troops!"

As soon as these words came out, there was an uproar in the hall, and everyone was shocked.

At first, they thought it was Fan Xin who deliberately fabricated it to attack his political opponents, but they never expected that it was true.

Cheng Shan and these guys dare to sell weapons and armor to the enemy just for money. This is so courageous!
Feeling everyone's gaze, Cheng Shan's face turned blue and white, then he shook his sleeves and swore angrily.

"That's nonsense. It's clear that the frontline soldiers are afraid of the enemy and won't fight. What does that have to do with us!"

At this point, Cheng Shan and others knelt on the ground with a plop and cried to Wu Zetian.

"Queen Mother, I am unjustly accused!" "Unjustly accused?" Zhou Tong sneered and took out a tattered armor and clothes with bloody fingerprints from the bag.

"Your Majesty, this is the statement made by the brothers on the eve of the war with the Khitans. Everything said above is true and there is absolutely no lie!"

After ordering the servant to present it, Wu Zetian opened the blood-stained clothes and looked at it again.

Finally, he took a deep breath and said calmly: "How many people in your camp survived?"

"Except for the villain and a few brothers from other battalions who came back to complain, all the other brothers died on the battlefield and no one survived!"

"Okay, I understand." Signaling Zhou Tong to step back, Wu Zetian looked at Cheng Shan and the others.

"Cheng Shan, Li Yuanpei, Wu Changnan, what else do you have to say now?" The voice was as cold as thousands of years of ice.

"The Queen Mother was also confused for a moment!" Cheng Shan and the others lowered their heads.

Seeing several people confessing their crimes, Wu Zetian could no longer hold back the anger in her heart, and suddenly slapped her palm on the major case.

"You beasts, in vain of my trust in you, you even dare to get your hands on weapons!"

"If I don't kill you today, how will I explain to the soldiers who died in vain, and to the people of the world!"

"Come here, drag these daring guys down and kill them all!"

"Anyone who has anything to do with him will be thrown into jail and held accountable!"

With an order, dozens of Qianniu Guards rushed into the hall and escorted Cheng Shan and others out.

When he was about to leave, Cheng Shan suddenly broke free from the restraints and said with disheveled hair.

"Queen Mother, I have committed a crime and deserve to die, but I will impeach Zhou Tong before I die!"

"This person pretended to be Fan Xin and hijacked the execution ground to release the prisoners on death row. According to the law of the Tang Dynasty, it is a crime for the whole family to be executed!"

"As the Minister of Dali Temple, Jiang Wen not only failed to investigate impartially, but also knowingly broke the law and personally brought him to Shangyang Palace."

"There must be someone behind this. I hope the Queen Mother can kill these two people to rectify the law!"

I have to say that these words were extremely sharp and got to the point right away.

Wu Zetian originally wanted to expose this matter, but now she can only treat everyone equally.

At this thought, Wu Zetian said coldly: "I have my own opinions on matters of law, and it is not your turn to interfere."

"Take it off!"

After Cheng Shan and his party were led down, the hall became eerily quiet.

Di Renjie walked out of the queue and said: "Your Majesty, although Cheng Shan's death is not a pity, his words have some truth. No matter what the reason is, pretending to be a Marquis of the imperial court is a capital crime."

"I thought that the death penalty could be carried out directly in accordance with the law.

In his opinion, this is the best way to keep Fan Xin, otherwise if Zhou Tong cannot withstand the interrogation and confesses Fan Xin, the loss will only be greater.

As for Jiang Wen, there is no need to worry too much. At most, he will be dismissed from office.

As if he knew what he was planning, Wu Chengsi sneered.

"What Mr. Di Ge said is wrong. There is no reason in this world to kill people without even trying them."

"Queen Mother, I think we can hand over Zhou Tong to the Senate and the Ministry of Punishment for joint interrogation. Maybe we can dig out the person behind the scenes."

"I second the proposal!" Nearly a hundred officials of fifth rank and above knelt down on the ground, almost as if they would not get up if they disagreed.

Destroying someone's wealth is like killing one's parents. Fan Xin caused them heavy losses, so how could he not take revenge?

Looking at Wu Yangyang's head, Wu Zetian knew that the aristocratic family's counterattack had begun.

But she had no choice. Zhou Tong pretending to be a marquis was indeed a serious crime according to the law.

Thinking of this, Wu Zetian slowly stood up and looked at Fan Xin.

"Fan Xin listens!
(End of this chapter)