Ming Dynasty 1566

Chapter 78

The interrogation resumed as usual, but it seemed that it was not the same as before.

The trial here is Zheng Bichang.

On a large table, Tan Lun sat in the middle, with Jin Yiwei sitting on the other side and another Jin Yiwei sitting on both sides of him.The scribe who recorded the confession sat in front of a small case on the side, sweating and writing it down quickly.

Zheng Michang was speaking slowly, but Tan Lun, the two Jinyiwei and the scribe became more and more surprised as they listened.

Tan Lun didn't dare to move, but stared at him with twinkling eyes.

The two Jin Yiwei, who were always as cold as a stone, couldn't hold their breath anymore, and they both held tea bowls in their hands.Jin Yiwei took off the lid of the tea bowl and kept catching the floating tea on the water without taking a sip.The other Jin Yiwei drank his tea one gulp at a time, picked up the pot and drank it again when he was done.

Zheng Michang didn't know what he said, and the clerk stood up in fright, his eyes covered with sweat, he wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his left hand, looked at Tan Lun, and said in a trembling voice: "My lord, my lord , such words are true, I really dare not remember, record..."

Tan Lun's face was already livid, and he didn't know how to answer the scribe's words, so he looked at Jin Yiwei.

"Then stop first, and don't want that part just now. Retrial." Jin Yiwei said on the other end, and put the tea bowl on the big case, and the tea splashed out.

"I said the same thing in the retrial." Zheng Michang slowly opened his eyes, looking at Tan Lun and the two Jinyi guards, "Being an official in the same dynasty is like riding in the same boat. When the wind and waves are together, no one will be spared if he falls into the water first and then falls into the water. My lords, Zheng Michang was not the only one in the Ming Dynasty. Anyone who replaces me as an official can only do what I said just now. Mr. Tan, you are now the inspector of Zhejiang. Understood."

"Shut up!" Tan Lun was also irritated by him, "You are a beast in clothes, are the officials of the Ming Dynasty all beasts?"

Zheng Michang: "The civil servants' robes are embroidered with birds, and the military officials' robes are embroidered with beasts. Mr. Tan, you two are on the job. My annual salary for a bachelor in the Ming Dynasty is only 150 taels. I became a governor. The annual salary is only more than one hundred taels. An eagle and a tiger can't get enough to eat with these salaries. Wearing this robe, which one of you is not a beast in clothes?"

With a bang, the bowl of tea in Jin Yiwei's hand flew into a waterline with the tea leaves and splashed on Zheng Michang's face.Immediately, his face was covered with water and tea leaves!

Sitting there, Zheng Michang slowly wiped off the tea from his face, and looked towards the Jin Yiwei who splashed him: "Sir, if you treat me like this today, someone else might treat you like this tomorrow, why do you do that?"

Jin Yiwei quickly threw the tea bowl at Zheng Michang's face, and the tea bowl hit Zheng Michang's mouth with a strong wind, and Zheng Michang fell on his back.

Startled, Tan Lun quickly stood up and looked at Zheng Michang who was lying on the ground.

Zheng Michang lay on his back on the ground, bleeding from his mouth, and then his mouth became swollen just looking at it.

On the other side of Jin Yiwei: "You son of a bitch! You are full of greed and fat, and now you are talking about things everywhere, and you dare to talk about the emperor! I tell you, the Tang and Song dynasties at most exterminated nine clans, and my Ming Dynasty Can destroy your ten clans!"

Zheng Michang, who was lying on the ground, was still gurgling blood from his mouth, his mouth was swollen even more, and his body was also twitching.

Tan Lun had to control the situation, and immediately ordered the scribe: "Help him up and see how he is doing."

The clerk hurried over, held Zheng Michang's head in his hands and supported him to sit up with his back.Zheng Michang spat out a mouthful of blood, and there were several teeth in the blood!

With a gloomy face, Tan Lun ordered to the clerk: "Let the prisoner put his hand on the confession, seal it up immediately, and hand it over to Zhao Zhongcheng!" After speaking, he waved his hands and walked out first.

He Maocai knelt there, his face was terrifying!His face was full of blood, and his eyes seemed to be bulging out of their sockets.

It turned out that one Jin Yiwei pinched his left wrist from behind to his right shoulder, and the other Jin Yiwei pinched his right wrist from his chest to the back of his right neck. The two wrists were getting closer and closer on the right neck, shoulder and back, and there was a crackling sound of joints. I can hear you all!
He Maocai was curled up by the two Jinyi guards, and his two protruding eyes stubbornly looked up at Hai Rui and Wang Yongji who were sitting in front of the big case.

Wang Yongji couldn't bear to watch, and slowly closed his eyes.

Hai Rui said: "Loosen the sentence and let him confess."

The two Jin Yiwei didn't listen to him, they were still exerting their dark energy.A Jin Yiwei also asked: "When you say Yan Song, you say Yan Song, when you say Yan Shifan, you say Yan Shifan, why are you talking about the emperor!"

"Don't talk about it anymore!" Another Jin Yiwei then shouted.

He Maocai couldn't answer, the sweat dripped down his face like rain.

Hai Rui: "I told him to ease the sentence and let him confess."

"Do you dare to talk about it!" The two guards in Jinyi did not let go, and shouted at He Maocai.

With a "pop", Hai Rui slammed the gavel and stood up: "Relieve the punishment, let him confess!"

Only then did the two guards look up at Hai Rui.

Hai Rui: "Here, Wang Zhixian and I are the presiding judges. If you don't talk about the king's law, how can you say that you violated the law? Relax your sentence!"

Wang Yongji also opened his eyes and helped Hai Ruiyan to look at the two Jinyi guards: "The imperial decree ordered us to handle the case, you two should follow the decree."

Only then did the two guards throw their hands resentfully, and He Maocai fell to the ground.

The two guards in Jin Yi sat back on both sides of Hai Rui and Wang Yongji with grim faces.

Hai Rui looked at Wang Yongji, and of course Wang Yongji understood, "Continue to interrogate."

Hai Rui turned to He Maocai who was lying on the ground: "He Maocai, get up and answer."

He Maocai's two arms were no longer strong, so he put his head on the ground and raised his body little by little, kneeling there: "What do you want me to say?"

Hai Rui: "Tell me the truth."

He Maocai: "There is no truth under heavy punishment."

Hai Rui: "That's right. You have been in charge of prisons in Zhejiang for four years, how many severe punishments you have used, and how many innocent souls you have suffered! If you want to avoid retribution, you must tell the truth. There is no severe punishment under the truth."

He Maocai: "I'm telling the truth."

"Is it the truth? We know." Hai Rui's eyes stabbed at him like two knives, "I ask you, you just said that you did everything for the emperor, when will the emperor give you a slap in the face?" Has the will?"

He Maocai: "There is no will."

Hai Rui: "If there is no will, how can you say you did it for the emperor?"

He Maocai: "The Weaving Bureau is working for the palace, and the cabinet is also working for the palace. What the Weaving Bureau and the cabinet tell us to do is not for the emperor, but for whom."

Hai Rui said to the record clerk, "It's on record."

"Don't remember this!" A Jin Yiwei stood up again.

The scribe stood there in a daze.

Hai Rui: "Give me the confession and pen and ink."

The clerk quickly brought over the confession, pen and ink, and placed them in front of Hai Rui's case.

Hai Rui: "It's none of your business here, you can go out."

As if the scribe had received an amnesty, he quickly withdrew.

Hai Rui picked up a pen and started to record by himself.

Both Jin Yiwei stood up: "Haizhi County, you have to understand the consequences of doing this."

Hai Rui: "You can withdraw if you are afraid of the consequences."

The expressions of the two Jinyiwei suddenly changed.One Jinyiwei said to the other Jinyiwei: "Let's go!"

The two strode out with the wind.

At this moment, Wang Yongji stretched out his hands to grab the paper offering and inkstone in front of Hai Rui: "You ask questions, and I'll record them."

Hai Rui blocked him and showed him his eyes: "No need. I'll ask one person to remember, and you just listen to it."

Wang Yongji still grabbed the paper supply and the inkstone: "Qin cases cannot be asked to be recorded by the officials. Even if they are recorded, the case cannot be filed." Then he reached out for his pen.

Hai Rui glanced at him gratefully, and handed over the pen, "Okay, I'll ask you to write it down."

Zheng Michang's unfinished statement was sent to Zhao Zhenji's desk.

Even though he was mentally prepared in advance, Zhao Zhenji was still shocked after reading the confession, fine beads of sweat oozed from his forehead.He picked up the handkerchief on the case and wiped off the sweat from his forehead. After reading this page, he opened it and read the last page.

Tan Lun, Jin Yiwei and the other Jin Yiwei all sat there silently, waiting for Zhao Zhenji to read the confession.

After reading Zheng Michang's confession, Zhao Zhenji looked at Tan Lun, and then at Jin Yiwei: "Desperate. You two are right to stop the interrogation. Such a confession must never be handed in. But the prisoner can't do without a confession." , how to interrogate next, I don’t know if you two have thought about it.”

"Zheng Michang can't speak anymore." Tan Lun was obviously a little disturbed at this time, "I can only let him write the confession. But in my opinion, it is still these things to ask him to write."

"Then hurry up and try He Maocai first." Zhao Zhenji also felt that the difficulty of the trial was beyond imagination, "How is the trial of He Maocai going?"

Of course, Tan Lun and Jin Yiwei didn't know about it, but the clerk on duty at the door answered, "Master Zhongcheng, the two officers who interrogated He Maocai are here, and they are waiting to see you."

Zhao Zhenji, Tan Lun and the two guards in Jinyi felt something different when they heard it, and they all looked at each other.

Zhao Zhenji: "What about Haizhi County and Wangzhi County?"

The clerk on duty: "Master Hui Zhongcheng, Hai Zhi County and Wang Zhi County did not see it, only two envoys are waiting to see you in the front hall."

Zhao Zhenji: "Come in, please."

The two Jin Yiwei who were co-trialing the case with Hai Rui came in, they didn't care about the etiquette, they hurriedly told the story of Hai Rui's trial, and then sat aside with livid faces.

Zhao Zhenji and Tan Lun sat there silently after listening.

At this time, it was getting dark, and the crows on the big locust tree in the backyard of the signing room had all returned to their nests, and bursts of noise came in.

"Come on!" Zhao Zhenji shouted suddenly.

Several people were shocked by his sudden yelling, and all looked at him.

The clerk on duty came in quickly: "Zhong Cheng, what are your orders?"

Zhao Zhenji looked at the scribe: "Immediately ask a few people to remove all the crow's nests on the locust tree!"

The clerk didn't wake up for a while, and stood there in a daze.

"Did you hear that?" Zhao Zhenji's voice became more severe.

"Yes." The scribe hurriedly withdrew.

After Zhao Zhenji sent out this ignorant fire, he slowly suppressed his temper, and looked at Tan Lun and the four Jinyi guards: "Zheng Michang has made up his mind that he will not write a true confession even if he dies. Now the case can only fall on He Maocai." Mr. Tan, you should go to Hai Zhi County and Wang Zhi County to seal He Maocai's confession immediately and send it here immediately."

Tan Lun stood up slowly: "I'll go."

The four Jin Yiwei also stood up: "Let's say goodbye too."

Several people walked out.

The sound of crows in the backyard outside the window was loud.

Wang Yongji also sweated while recording.After recording this paragraph, he also picked up the handkerchief on the case and wiped his sweat.

Hai Rui looked at He Maocai again: "You said that Yang Jinshui was instigated to destroy the embankment, what evidence do you have?"

This is the last card of He Maocai, of course he killed him: "There is no evidence. If you want evidence, you can ask Eunuch Yang."

He Maocai was so cunning and stubborn that Wang Yongji was also angered: "He Maocai, you are also a second-ranked Jinshi, don't you feel ashamed to push the evidence of guilt on a lunatic at this time?"

He Maocai: "Whether he is crazy or not is none of my business."

Hai Rui: "You are the procurator of Zhejiang. At that time, Hu Butang was the governor of Zhejiang Province and the governor of Zhejiang. Hu Butang didn't know about such a big matter, and you didn't ask Hu Butang for instructions. Instead, you listened to the director of the weaving bureau? You Do you think you can get away with a confession like this?"

He Maocai gritted his teeth and thought about it again: "Eunuch Yang said at the time that we were ordered to do this based on the orders of the superiors. I have to listen."

Hai Rui: "Who's up here?"

He Maocai was stopped by the question.

Hai Rui: "Who is it!"

He Maocai: "How do I know what he said?"

Hai Rui turned to Wang Yongji: "Please record it."

Wang Yongji felt better, and quickly recorded.

Hai Rui: "He Maocai, let me sum up your confession just now. You heard clearly. You said that it was Yang Jinshui's idea to destroy the embankments and flood the fields in May this year. But Yang Jinshui is just the director of the Weaving Bureau and has no power to mobilize According to the soldiers of the inspector's yamen, you said that Yang Jinshui was ordered by his superiors, so you didn't dare not listen. When you asked who he was ordered by, you said you didn't know. In fact, you knew. Yang Jinshui directly returned to the department The supervisor of ceremonies, the supervisor of ceremonies has always acted according to the order. The order you mentioned is the supervisor of ceremonies, the emperor. Isn’t it? Lord Wang, please record my words.”

"Slow! Don't record." He Maocai gasped a little, "I, I didn't say that."

Hai Rui stood up and slapped the gavel, "Then let me ask you one last question, who asked you to do it!"

He Maocai remained silent.

Hai Rui: "Then let him sign this confession and send it to the court immediately. Sign it!"

How could He Maocai dare to put a charge on such a confession, and he was stunned all of a sudden.

Hai Rui: "If you don't want to make a bet, I'll ask someone to make a hand model for you. Come here!"

The door of the interrogation room was slammed open, and two jailers rushed in.

Hai Rui: "The prisoner refuses to draw a bond, so put his hand on the shelf!"

The two guards held He Maocai up one by one.

He Maocai couldn't bear it any longer: "I, I have something else to report!"

Hai Rui and Wang Yongji looked at each other, "Then you go down first."

The two jailers let him go again, retreated, and closed the door again.

Hai Rui stared at He Maocai.

He Maocai lowered his head: "The destruction of the embankment and the flooding of the fields were done by Mr. Xiaoge who wrote a letter asking us to do it. But Eunuch Yang also knew about it and agreed."

Hai Rui: "Does Hu Butang know?"

He Maocai: "I don't know."

Hai Rui: "Does Zheng Michang know?"

He Maocai: "I know."

Wang Yongji took notes quickly, and nodded to Hai Rui when he finished.

Hai Rui looked at He Maocai: "Huabao!"

A few guards were there holding two bamboo poles to poke the crow's nest on the locust tree.

Two crow nests that were within reach of the bamboo poles were punctured, and the crows in the two nests fluttered loudly, making all the crows in Kazuki fly up, flying and screaming in the air in the backyard in the dusk, The shadow of the crow covered the sky, and the courtyard was suddenly dark.

There are also a few crow's nests built on high branches, the sky is dark and the bamboo poles are short, and a few servants are jumping and poking around, but they can't poke them down no matter what.

The clerk on duty was anxious: "Bring the ladder! Bring the ladder!"

Several servants threw away the bamboo poles and ran out through the round door on the side.

Some crows flew back to their nests, and some were still flying and screaming without their nests.The clerk on duty stood there looking up and waiting anxiously.

"Forget it, don't tear it down." Zhao Zhenji's voice came from behind.

The clerk was still looking up at the flying and screaming crows: "If you don't want to dismantle it, you can go and answer Zhongcheng's place!"

Seeing that he didn't recognize it was her, Zhao Zhenji stopped talking, turned around slowly, and was about to go back to the courtyard gate that he had just entered.Another scribe came running from outside panting.

The clerk rushed to Zhao Zhenji and knelt down: "Master Zhongcheng, Hai Zhi County and Wang Zhi County are here. I heard that He Maocai made an important confession!"

Zhao Zhenji's eyes lit up, and he strode out.

The clerk who dismantled the crow's nest woke up and stared at Zhao Zhenji's back.

Several servants came in through the round gate carrying a long ladder, and put it on the locust tree, and one servant climbed up.

The clerk on duty said, "No, don't tear it down!"

The orderly stopped on the ladder and looked down at him.

The clerk on duty said, "Don't tear it down!"

The servant on the ladder still looked at the clerk in puzzlement.

All the lights were lit, and all the people called back again.

He Maocai's confession was placed on the big case. Zhao Zhenji stood in the middle, Tan Lun stood on the left, and Jin Yiwei stood on the right. They all watched each word with wide eyes.

Hai Rui, Wang Yongji and the other three Jinyiwei sat quietly on chairs and waited for them to read the confession.

After reading the confession, all three of them raised their heads, their eyes were bright, but no one spoke.

"I think this confession can be submitted to the court immediately!" Tan Lun broke the silence.

Zhao Zhenji turned his gaze to Jin Yiwei.

On the other side of Jin Yiwei: "Can you send Zheng Michang's confession? Also, can you send it as it is with so many slanderous words about the Holy Majesty?"

Zhao Zhenji: "Then what does it mean to be on a business trip?"

On the other side of Jin Yiwei: "All words involving the Holy Majesty must be deleted."

Zhao Zhenji looked at Tan Lun, Hai Rui and Wang Yongji again: "What do you think?"

(End of this chapter)