Ming Dynasty 1566

Chapter 68

Zhao Zhenji is the governor and the presiding judge of this case. The standard of board and lodging he arranged for the jurors is understandable, but Wang Yongji puts the word "Weaving Bureau" very seriously, and there is something in it.

Hai Rui immediately became vigilant: "It's been five days since the decree was issued. If we come here, we'll convene to handle the case immediately, and we'll start making fuss about the specifications."

Wang Yongji: "Actually, Zhao Zhongcheng has already come and waited for you for an hour and just left."

"Really?" Hai Rui turned around immediately, "Then let's go see him now."

"What time is it?" Wang Yongji pulled him back, "Zhao Zhongcheng said that we will meet at the Governor's Yamen at Maoshi tomorrow morning." Then he closed the door, and then pulled Hai Rui to the chair against the wall: "Come on." , sit down and say."

Hai Rui was let by him to sit down on the chair by the wall.Wang Yongji dragged the chair next to him and sat down opposite him: "Let's not talk about the specification. Brother Gangfeng, when did you receive the edict?"

Hai Rui: "One day ago in the early morning."

Wang Yongji: "Jiande is closer than Chun'an. I received the edict two evenings ago. I followed the arrangement of the province and was busy handing over the affairs of the county government during the day. In the past two nights, I couldn't close my eyes and couldn't sleep. .”

Hai Rui smiled: "That's right. With such a big case, the person being interrogated can't sleep, and of course the adjudicator can't sleep either."

Wang Yongji: "You can't sleep either?"

Hai Rui: "That's not true. The case can be tried as it should be, and it can sleep as it wants."

"You can sleep well." Wang Yongji sighed, "Haven't you thought about why Zhao Zhongcheng is the presiding judge in this case, and why are you and me, two newly transferred magistrates, the two jurors? "

Hai Rui looked at him, "It makes sense."

Wang Yongji lowered his voice: "Zhao Zhongcheng is a student of Mr. Xu Ge, and you and I are recommended by Mr. Gao and Mr. Zhang. If you want to talk about factions, the three of us are all from Prince Yu's side!"

Hai Rui still looked at him quietly.

Wang Yongji: "Why does the emperor agree to use Prince Yu's people to investigate such a big case? There is only one intention." At this point he stopped again.

Hai Rui: "Go ahead."

Wang Yongji stood up, went to the desk, picked up a pen and wrote two words on a piece of paper, then came back and stretched it out in front of Hai Rui.

Hai Rui looked closely, and there were two large characters written on the paper: "Dao Yan"!
Hai Rui nodded, and Wang Yongji immediately lifted the lampshade beside him and lit the piece of paper. When it was almost burnt, he put it into the tea bowl beside him. Then he sat down again and stared at the sea. Rui.

Hai Rui also looked at him closely, as if waiting to hear.

Wang Yongji: "But I thought again, since the emperor has this idea, the next decree is, why do you have to go through such a big effort to start from Zhejiang? There are only two reasons, one is that this party is too powerful, If they are moved by the imperial court, they will immediately affect the two capitals and thirteen provinces. Second, the emperor has other scruples and has not yet made the final decision to defeat them. Brother Gangfeng, leave this kind of matter to Zhejiang, to us, on your shoulders What you bear is the great relationship, but what you are stepping on is thin ice."

Hai Rui obviously agreed with his point of view, and became very serious: "Then how are you going to shoulder this burden?"

Wang Yongji: "In a word, don't be confused about small things, but be confused about big things."

A hint of disapproval flashed in Hai Rui's eyes immediately: "What do you mean by not being confused about small things, but being confused about big things?"

Wang Yongji lowered his voice: "Is there anything I don't understand? How many things those people have done in the past 20 years have involved the palace and the emperor. So many officials in the court know it, but no one ever said Just a word? Besides, there are many other things that only God knows! Starting from Zhejiang is to throw rats and not to avoid weapons. We can strictly investigate when "rats" are involved, and we can't ask a word when "tools" are involved, let alone Can't check."

Hai Rui began to look at Wang Yongji in a different way. He suddenly discovered that this kind and easy-going person still had such deep thoughts. For a while, he couldn't figure out whether he admired him spontaneously or suddenly With a trace of separation, the eyes revealed this complexity.

Wang Yongji was looking into his eyes, and of course he felt his expression: "Don't look at me with such eyes. If we don't think this way, Zheng Michang and He Maocai will think more clearly than us. In order to avoid crime, they He will bring everything up in the palace and on the emperor. This way, the case will not go through a single word. You and I, as well as Mr. Zhao, are more sad than Zheng Michang and He Maocai! "

Hai Rui still looked at him closely: "Does Zhao Zhongcheng think the same way!"

Wang Yongji thought for a moment: "He didn't say that when he came, but it can be expected that he thought the same way."

Hai Rui: "How can you predict that?"

At this time, Wang Yongji's eyes slowly scanned the high-end furnished room: "Now we can talk about our specifications. You and I are only rank seven, why did the Weaving Bureau personally come forward to arrange such a high specification for us?" ? Don’t you understand.”

Hai Rui: "Is the Weaving Bureau involved in this case?"

Wang Yongji: "It's not just meddling. The imperial decree ordered us to confiscate Shen Yishi's family property and return it to the national treasury, but the Weaving Bureau has already sold Shen Yishi's family property to other businessmen."

"They dare!" Hai Rui stood up abruptly, his eyes sparkling immediately.

"Don't get angry, just don't get angry." Wang Yongji signaled Hai Rui to lower his voice, then stood up and lowered his voice even more, "Do you know who signed the agreement with those merchants who bought Shen Yishi's property? ?”

Hai Rui: "Who?"

Wang Yongji: "Zhao Zhongcheng!"

Hai Rui froze for a moment.

Wang Yongji: "What's even more unbelievable is that the businessmen who took over Shen Yishi's family property are all relatives of Hu Butang."

Hai Rui stared ahead blankly, without any expression on his face, and his body was motionless, standing there like an old monk in meditation.

Seeing his appearance, Wang Yongji wanted to speak but stopped, so he just stayed there quietly.

A voice slowly came from Hai Rui's ear. It was the voice of Gao Hanwen reciting the accounts of the weaving bureau to him before leaving: "In May of the 39th year of Jiajing, new silk was launched. In June, the weaving bureaus of Nanjing, Suzhou, and Jiangnan rushed to weave 39 pieces of high-quality silk, all of which were sent to the Inner Court Needle Industry Bureau...July 39, Jiajing, purchased 20 pieces of high-quality silk with tax money from the two provinces, 220 pieces of medium silk, and [-] pieces of Songjiang fine printed cotton cloth, and gave them away Beijing...In October of the [-]th year of Jiajing, the Weaving Bureau negotiated the trade of [-] bolts of silk with merchants from the Western Regions, equivalent to [-] million taels of cash, and handed over all of them to the key storehouse of the Inner Court Secretary..."

Then, Hai Rui moved, paced back and forth, and read out the number Gao Hanwen told him: "In February of the 40th year of Jiajing, I received an edict from the Supervisor of Rites that year, the silk produced in Yingtian and Zhejiang should be traded with Western merchants sealed up all the 12 bolts of silk they had saved in the previous year, and when the newly produced silk this year makes up 50 bolts, the silver they bought will be escorted to the household department to make up for the shortfall..."

Wang Yongji saw that he acted like no one was around, and suddenly said these shocking numbers, he was stunned, and looked at Hai Rui with wide eyes.

At this time, Hai Rui's eyes also gradually flashed light, showing an expression of hearing the drums and thinking about breaking the formation!
Wang Yongji looked at his aura and called out timidly: "Brother Gangfeng..."

"Don't say any more!" Hai Rui turned to look at him quickly, "The Holy Order Huanghuang expressly stated that Shen Yishi's family property will be confiscated, and the stolen money of Zheng Michang and He Maocai will be returned to the state treasury. Now the Weaving Bureau has Shen Yishi If this is the case, copying Shen Yishi’s home is equivalent to not copying it, and recovering the stolen money is equivalent to not pursuing it. The treasury is still in short supply, and the corruption is still grand. Runlian, I want to investigate this matter! Do you dare to investigate with me?"

Wang Yongji: "This is a contract signed by Zhao Zhongcheng, who do you ask for investigation?"

Hai Rui: "Who called these merchants?"

Wang Yongji: "I heard that Zheng Michang and He Maocai called..."

Hai Rui: "Then interrogate Zheng Michang and He Maocai overnight!"

"This is inappropriate!" Wang Yongji was anxious, "Zhao Zhongcheng is the presiding judge, and you and I are the jurors. The case has not yet been tried, so there is no reason for the jurors to investigate the presiding judge!"

Hai Rui: "I'm not investigating Zhao Zhongcheng, I'm investigating Shen Yishi's family property, and the greed behind his property! Are you coming with me or not?"

Wang Yongji: "If I don't go, you can't either."

"That's good." Hai Rui waved his hand, "You still live in your room, and I will live in mine. I don't care what you do, and you don't care what I do!" He said and strode to the door. , opened the door and went out.

Wang Yongji stood there in a daze for a long time.After thinking about it a few times, and considering Hai Rui, he still felt that it would be appropriate to report it to Zhao Zhenji.

As Hai Rui said, with such a big case, the interrogators couldn't sleep, and neither could the judges.Especially Zhao Zhenji, who was both the presiding judge and the governor, was shoved by the weaving bureau as soon as he took office.Before the big case, he was carefully looking through the piles of case files, thinking hard about the next things, when Wang Yongji came, and immediately interviewed him.

Wang Yongji told him about Hai Rui's interrogation in the shortest and most cautious words, and then sat quietly on a chair beside him, waiting for Zhao Zhenji to stop him.

Zhao Zhenji also sat quietly in front of the pile of case files, only his head without a cap was exposed, and he could not see any surprise or anxiety in him.

"He is a juror and has the right to arraign criminals." Zhao Zhenji said such a sentence very calmly.

Wang Yongji was stunned, and then said: "Lord Zhongcheng, this is an imperial court case. It seems that Zhongcheng should decide it, and we will be jurors. Otherwise, the low-ranking officials are worried about disrupting Zhongcheng's deployment, and Haizhi County can't bear it." take this responsibility."

Zhao Zhenji: "You have read the imperial decree, that is the deployment. As long as the trial is according to the decree, there is no responsibility."

Wang Yongji stood up: "Zhongcheng, the decree ordered us to confiscate Shen Yishi's family property and return it to the national treasury, but now it has been sold to other businessmen. How can Zhongcheng tell us to interrogate according to the decree? What if it involves the Weaving Bureau?"

Zhao Zhenji slowly looked at him again: "You are still a seasoned person. Nothing you said is wrong. But it is not wrong for Haizhi County to interrogate the prisoners. Well, if you are worried about involving the Weaving Bureau, go to Tell Eunuch Yang. He can go and listen."

Wang Yongji is such an understanding person. After some conversations, he could tell that Zhao Zhenji was just letting Hai Rui go poke a hornet's nest, and he also got serious: "If Zhongcheng thinks it should be like this, then Zhongcheng should also send someone to inform Eunuch Yang. .”

This is contradicting, but Zhao Zhenji didn't care at all: "It's fine if I send someone to inform Eunuch Yang. Come."

The book office on duty came in immediately following the call: "What orders does Mr. Zhongcheng have?"

Zhao Zhenji: "You immediately go to the Weaving Bureau and report to Eunuch Yang, saying that the new Haizhi County has gone to the jail to interrogate Zheng Michang and He Maocai alone."

The book office: "Yes."

Zhao Zhenji asked Wang Yongji again: "Is there anything else?"

Wang Yongji was softened by him, and after a while he replied: "There is nothing else to do with a humble job."

"Then go and have a rest first. Come here tomorrow morning at Maoshi, and let's hear what's going on in Haizhi County's trial." Zhao Zhenji still said amiably.

"Yes." Wang Yongji was so confused, he answered this, turned around and backed out.

It was an ambush day, the climate was hot and hot, and Yang Jinshui couldn't sleep even when he lay on his side on a big red sandalwood couch.Fortunately, a three-foot-square "ceiling fan" made of water bamboo is hung on each beam of the beam. There are four fans in total. On the wheel, the end of the rope was hanging down and was being pinched by the fat eunuch. When he pulled it once and for all, the four "ceiling fans" would fan back and forth at the same time, and the breeze would come slowly. Wouldn't it be nice!But Yang Jinshui still couldn't fall asleep, and turned over: "Come and feel it, is my head a little hot?"

The fat eunuch stood up immediately, first washed his hands in the silver basin, then dried them, went to the side of the couch, and gently touched Yang Jinshui's forehead with his hand.

"Is it hot?" Yang Jinshui asked.

The fat eunuch: "Godfather, don't worry, my son will use this hand to probe again." He changed his hand and touched Yang Jinshui's forehead lightly.

"Is it hot?" Yang Jinshui turned over and sat up.

The fat eunuch took a step back immediately, and replied: "It seems a little hot, and it seems a little not hot."

"You're a pig!" Yang Jinshui was annoyed, "Touch someone else."

"Yes." The fat eunuch replied and left. Just as he reached the door, the accompanying eunuch just walked in.

Fat eunuch: "Brother is well, godfather feels that his body is not suitable..."

"Where is it inappropriate?" The accompanying eunuch hurried over, "Godfather, it must be windy?"

"The wind hasn't blown for several days, where can I catch the wind?" Yang Jinshui was very impatient.

"That's right." The accompanying eunuch immediately stared at the fat eunuch, "Could it be that you don't know the importance, and you are pulling the fan too fast?"

"No!" The fat eunuch burst into sweat as soon as he heard it, "Godfather is here, but I'm pinching my pulse, not too much, not too much..."

The accompanying eunuch: "Come on, you go out first."

The fat eunuch walked out very quickly as if he had been pardoned.

Yang Jinshui knew that he had something to report: "What is it?"

The accompanying eunuch picked up an ivory folding fan on the table beside the couch and fanned it lightly for Yang Jinshui: "Hai Rui, the county magistrate of Chun'an, went to the prison to interrogate Zheng Michang and He Maocai."

"Trial is the trial." Yang Jinshui turned to him, "Is that the case?"

Follow the eunuch: "He went alone."

"So what if I'm alone..." Yang Jinshui felt something was wrong just now, "Where's Zhao Zhongcheng?"

The accompanying eunuch: "It was Zhao Zhongcheng who sent someone to report to godfather. Zhao Zhongcheng said that Hai Rui arrived at Xushi in the evening, and he didn't even see him, so he went to the prison alone for interrogation at Zishi."

Yang Jinshui: "Zhao Zhongcheng just leave him alone?"

The accompanying eunuch: "Zhao Zhongcheng said that Hai Rui is also a hand-picked interrogator and has the right to interrogate prisoners, so it is inconvenient for him to intervene."

Yang Jinshui rolled his eyes: "Well, he used Zhong Kui to fight ghosts..."

The accompanying eunuch did not dare to answer, but just fanned the fan gently.

"I knew something was up!" Yang Jinshui turned over suddenly and walked outside without even wearing his shoes, "Hurry up and find those brothers from Jin Yiwei, and go to the prison of the yamen!"

"Shoes! Godfather, you haven't worn your shoes yet!" The eunuch with his shoes hurriedly chased him out.

According to historical records, in the Ming Dynasty, there were two interrogation rooms in yamen prisons above the provincial level.The interrogator was in the open room outside, and the person who recorded the statement was in the dark room next door.It is said that this way of asking questions is convenient for making confessions. Prisoners often say things they did not want to ask because they see that no one has recorded them.It can be seen that the judicial system of the Ming Dynasty was also full of conspiracy.

Hai Rui has a decree on his body, so he can go all the way without any hindrance. At this time, he has already sat down in the interrogation room, waiting for Zheng Michang to be brought out of the prison.

Zheng Michang was still dressed in plain clothes and without instruments of torture, and was ushered in by a jailer.The eyes of the two met immediately.

Naturally, Zheng Michang's eyes did not have the condescension that he was the governor at that time, but he also did not have the fear and begging that he often had when he was a criminal. He looked at Hai Rui calmly and gloomyly.

Hai Rui was originally a very murderous person, but at this moment his gaze was not as severe as it should be, and he looked at Zheng Michang honestly.

Seeing his gaze, Zheng Michang's eyes brightened up.

Hai Rui looked at the jailer, "Get a chair for the tanner."

The jailer hurriedly moved the chair against the wall to the opposite side of the big case.

Hai Rui: "Move further. Don't face the big case, but move east."

The jailer froze for a moment, then moved the chair over and placed it facing east.

Hai Rui: "Move another chair and place it opposite."

The jailer seemed to understand what Hai Rui meant, and hastily moved another chair from the wall and placed it opposite the chair.

"Go, close the door." Hai Rui called the jailer away, and then walked over from the big case, looked at Zheng Michang, and stretched his hand to the chair to the west: "Sit."

Zheng Michang looked at him and sat down.

Hai Rui was still standing by the chair, and did not sit down immediately. He turned his gaze to the closed door on the side of the interrogation room, and said loudly, "Come here, come here to make a statement in person."

(End of this chapter)