After hastily filling their stomachs, the distinguished guests went back to the imperial court to rest. It would be fine if they were not given a simple meal. It would be really unjustifiable if they were not allowed to rest.
Of course, Zhang Fei wouldn't dare to do something so extreme, and there would be no money for rest.
However, no one was taking a nap. After all, it was rare for these officials to get together. Naturally, they had to seize the time to catch up on old times, but the topic still revolved around the lawsuit.
This kind of trial method is something they have never seen before. Cases like this before were, to put it bluntly, a struggle for power. Why was Zhong E punished in the first place?
Zhao Xu was very angry about his behavior, and Zhao Xu had just taken office and did not dare to offend the ministers, so he ordered Zhong E to be dismissed from his official position, and Xue Xiang was also punished.
But later, the reason why Zhonge was reinstated was because Zhao Xu insisted on promoting him without any reason, just relying on imperial power.
In essence, it is still a battle between imperial power and ministerial power.
But today is different. At least so far, it is entirely based on the process and background of the case, without any power involved.
Whether it is Guo Kui or Zheng Xie, they only stated the facts above and have nothing to do with their status and power.
Zhang Fei expressed their claims directly and they were meaningless.
Therefore, at this point in the trial, they couldn't even tell which side had the advantage.
It is precisely because of this that they are all worried about this. As the saying goes, the unknown is the most disturbing.
After noon, the trial continued.
At the invitation of the court police, the distinguished guests came to the valley again. After a short rest, their faces were not too tired. Only when they saw Zhang Fei going up to the court president's stage, everyone's face was a little more tired.
At least there is some resentment.
If the government doesn't allocate money, that's the government's fault, but if you can do better, if you can provide a simple meal, then we will naturally favor you instead of using this method, let us remember the government.
It's you we blame.
What a rookie!
I don't even know how to be an official.
Zhang Fei didn't care. If there is a next time, you will still come, and I will still not provide simple meals. I will just give it a light knock and say, "Let's continue hearing the Suizhou case."
The tone was more casual, without the solemn ceremony in the morning.
After saying this, Zhang Fei suddenly looked around, and the distinguished guests also followed his gaze and found that compared to the morning, Zhong E and Lu Shen's seats were closer to the middle, and they could be regarded as sitting directly in the court.
Just listen to Zhang Fei's loud voice: "After the interrogation in the morning, we have a general understanding of the process of regaining Suizhou, the court's decision-making, and the environment and background at that time. In the afternoon we will hear the specific process of the case. Therefore, I will
The seats of Magistrate Lu and Deputy Commissioner Zhong are placed in the court to facilitate the president of the court to have a clearer understanding of the entire process."
As he said that, he looked at Zhong E and Lu Shen and said: "But the rules are still the same. I hope that neither Magistrate Lu nor Deputy Zhong will interrupt the witness's testimony or use any look or action to affect the witness' testimony. If
If this happens, it will not only affect the judgment of the president of the court, but also involve the procuratorate, which will be very detrimental to both of you. If there is any doubt, the president of the court will ask the two of you personally.
Is the position clear?"
Zhong E and Lu Shen nodded at the same time, but this completely unfamiliar method made them feel inexplicably nervous, just like primary school students on their first day of class.
But those VIPs just thought it was something new.
Are you reviewing a case or giving a lecture?
However, Cai Yanqing, Wei Yingfang and other Hezhong officials were already used to this kind of explanation.
After explaining, Zhang Fei tapped the gavel lightly and said loudly: "It is reported that Chief Li Shui of Wushan County, Qinzhou appears in court."
Hearing this person's name, Zhong E couldn't help but frown, while Lu Shen looked surprised, as if he didn't expect that Li Shui would also be called as a witness.
Many distinguished guests were also whispering to each other, asking who was this Li Shui?
But after all, it is a chief registrar. Does a case like this still require a chief registrar to testify in court?
After a while, a thin middle-aged man came into the court.
After asking him to sit down, Zhang Fei asked: "Master Li, when did you go to Wushan County to serve as chief clerk?"
Li Shuidao: "In June of the first year of Xining."
Zhang Fei lowered his head and glanced at the copy, and said: "As far as I know, my county chief registrar is not transferred often. This is to allow the county magistrate to better understand the local situation. I don't know why the imperial court wants to transfer you to Wushan, Qinzhou."
county?"
Li Shui replied: "I don't know the specifics, but maybe it was because of the battle in Suizhou, because I was transferred to Qinzhou with the prefect Lu at that time."
Speaking of this, he also glanced at Lu Shen.
Zhang Fei asked: "You may be talking about the battle in Suizhou, but in the fourth year of Zhiping, Vice-Chancellor Zhong regained Suizhou in the battle."
"Yes."
"Why do you think this has anything to do with your transfer?"
"At that time, I was serving as the chief secretary in Qingjian City, and the day before Deputy Zhong sent out troops, I questioned it and wanted to stop Deputy Zhong from sending troops."
"What are you questioning?"
"Because at that time Deputy Ambassador Zhong said that he had received an imperial edict from the imperial court, allowing him to send troops, but I thought this was very suspicious, because if an edict was really issued, as the chief secretary, I could not possibly be unaware of it.
"
"And after that?"
"After that, Deputy Zhong ignored me and relied on the prestige of the Zhong family in Qingjian City to command all the troops to attack. So I quickly wrote to Magistrate Lu."
"Um."
Zhang Fei first turned his head and looked at Lu Shen, "Prefect Lu, is this something?"
Lu Shen nodded and said, "It is indeed true. I still keep the letter from Chief Li to this day."
"Can you bring it?"
"have."
Lu Shen immediately took out a well-preserved letter.
He has always believed that he was treated unfairly in this matter. With his qualifications and merits, if it had not been for this matter, he would probably have entered the central government. Therefore, he is very eager to seek justice one day. He carefully protects these evidences.
The trial at that time did not care about this evidence.
After the letter was presented, Zhang Fei read it carefully, then handed it to Cai Bian, and then turned to look at Zhong E, "Deputy Zhong, are the words of Director Li true?"
Zhong E glanced at Zhang Fei with a slight guilty conscience, nodded and said, "It is true."
Zhang Fei asked again: "Then have you received the imperial edict?"
Zhong E hesitated and said nothing.
The whole place was completely silent. Everyone was holding their breath and looking at Zhong E with their eyes wide open.
"Deputy Ambassador Zhong?"
Zhang Fei asked again.
Zhong E shook his head and said, "No."
As soon as these words came out, the expressions of the civil and military officials changed instantly.
During the morning trial, the civil servants thought that Zhang Fei was partial to Zhong E and that the situation was favorable to Zhong E. Zhong Ji, Zhe Jizu and other generals also thought so and were a little relieved.
I never thought that things would change at the beginning of the second half!
Zhong Xie's heart jumped directly into his throat.
This is just the beginning, don't you want it to be so exciting?
Zhang Fei said: "Does Deputy Zhong know that this is a crime of perverting the imperial edict and can be sentenced to death according to the law?"
Zhong E nodded and said, "I know."
Zhang Fei asked: "Why do you still do this when you know it is a capital crime?"
Zhong E said: "As I said in the morning, Weiming Yishan had already sent a message to me, and his brother had agreed to surrender, but the imperial edict had not yet arrived. If Xixia knew about this, things might change.
It would also put Weiming Yishan in danger, but if I didn't have an order, I couldn't command the troops to attack. I couldn't think too much at that time, so I could only tell the soldiers that the imperial court had issued an order."
Zhang Fei asked again: "I wonder if Deputy Zhong has preserved Weiming Yishan's letters?"
Zhong'e shook his head and said, "Wei Mingyishan doesn't know how to write Chinese characters. He just delivered oral messages."
Zhang Fei couldn't help but ask Lu Shen again: "Prefect Lu, what Deputy Envoy Zhong said is true. He must obtain the imperial edict before he can send troops."
Lu Shen nodded and said, "Of course."
The civil servants who supported Lu Shen breathed a sigh of relief. If you had asked this earlier, it would have been over and you would have wasted so much effort in the morning.
They didn't know that Zhang Fei was from the emperor. They only knew that Zhang Fei had a very good relationship with Wang Anshi and Sima Guang, and that he was more inclined to Sima Guang. You must know that judicial reform came from Sima Guang and was recommended by Sima Guang.
He came.
They have always been unable to figure out Zhang Fei.
If you knew that Zhang Fei was the emperor's man, you would probably have a different mood.
Zhang Fei asked Li Shui again: "Master Li, were you involved in luring Brother Wei Ming to surrender?"
Li Shui nodded and said, "Yes."
Zhang Fei asked again: "Then do you know about the oral message from Weiming Yishan?"
Li Shui nodded and said, "I know."
Zhang Fei said: "Is what Vice Envoy Zhong said true? He did receive a message from Weiming Yishan at that time, indicating that Weimingshan had agreed to surrender?"
Li Shui hesitated for a while and said, "I didn't hear it with my own ears, but it should be true."
Zhang Fei asked: "Since you didn't hear it with your own ears, why do you think it's true?"
Li Shuidao: "Because Deputy Envoy Zhong's deployment at that time was based on a thorough understanding of the opponent's troop deployment, and the subsequent attack went very smoothly, so I guess there should be a verbal message sent to Deputy Envoy Zhong."
"I see." Zhang Fei continued to ask: "When you wrote to Magistrate Lu, did Magistrate Lu respond?"
Li Shui nodded and said: "As soon as Deputy Zhong occupied Suizhou, Prefect Lu sent an order to Deputy Zhong to lead his troops back to Qingjian City."
Zhang Fei continued to ask: "Has deputy envoy Zhong returned?"
"No!"
Li Shui said immediately.
Zhang Fei said: "Shall deputy envoy Zhong ignore it, or refuse it directly?"
Li Shui shook his head and said: "None of them. Vice Envoy Zhong is adopting a delaying strategy. He is writing back to Magistrate Lu, asking how to arrange the Weimingshan headquarters."
Zhang Fei said: "Why do you think this is a delaying strategy? Is there anything wrong with this reason?"
Li Shuidao: "There is nothing wrong with this reason, but while Deputy Zhong was replying to the letter to Magistrate Lu, on the other hand he was arranging troops and deploying the troops on the front line of Suizhou. It was obvious that he did not intend to return to Qingjian City immediately.
"
Zhang Fei nodded and asked Lu Shen: "Prefect Lu, is what Mr. Li said true?"
Lu Shen nodded and said, "It's all true."
Zhang Fei said: "Then what measures will you take after receiving the reply from Deputy Ambassador Zhong?"
Lu Shen couldn't help but sigh and said: "Although the deputy envoy sent troops without an imperial edict, or even sent troops under the imperial edict, I think that the matter has reached this point and must be properly arranged, because this may already lead to the outbreak of war. How should Wei be arranged?
Mingshan Department, we need to wait for the imperial edict."
"Why?"
"If the imperial court is determined to regain Suizhou and is ready to go to war with Xixia, it will naturally not give up Suizhou and must also accept the Weimingshan troops. But if the imperial court is not determined, then it will have to be based on the specific situation.
, discuss carefully.
Therefore, after waiting for the imperial edict, I sent another message to Deputy Envoy Zhong, asking him to lead all the troops back to Qingjian City. As for the Weimingshan Division, he will make his own decision."
"Is this clearly stated in the imperial edict?"
"No."
Lu Shen shook his head, "But according to the imperial edict, it is obvious that there is no preparation for war with Xixia, but I think the surrender of the Weimingshan brothers will not trigger a war with Xixia. At the same time, I don't know.
As for the specific situation on the front line, I, the deputy envoy, will make my own decision."
Although he was a dove with a solid foundation, he had rich commanding experience. Under the circumstances at that time, how to arrange the Weimingshan headquarters was indeed a problem.
If we abandon it easily, who will dare to surrender to the Song Dynasty in the future?
Although he is a pigeon, the solution is relatively mature and he is not in a hurry.
Zhang Fei continued to ask: "Will the deputy envoy obey this time?"
Lu Shen shook his head and said, "No."
Zhang Fei asked: "Why?"
Lu Shen said: "Deputy envoy Zhong used the enemy's attack as an excuse to express that he could not withdraw his troops."
As soon as he finished speaking, Li Shui said excitedly: "There was enough time for our army to withdraw."
Faced with Li Shui's interruption, Zhang Fei was very tolerant and asked, "Really?"
Li Shui nodded and said: "Because the Xixia army arrived on the seventh day after the letter from the prefect Lu reached Suizhou, with the strength of our army at that time, we could calmly retreat to Qingjian City and then deploy."
Zhong E immediately said: "He is fundamental!"
"Deputy Ambassador Zhong, don't interrupt the witness's testimony." Zhang Fei stopped him directly.
Zhong E couldn't help but be stunned. His resolute face showed all kinds of grievances. He just interrupted. If you don't talk about him, I can't interrupt.
Am I a sinner?
It's not fair!
Zhang Fei seemed to see what he was thinking, so he explained: "Deputy Ambassador Zhong, you have to understand that this case started with you, and now it has nothing to do with Director Li. He is willing to come to testify in court. Our emperor
The court should express gratitude and respect for this, and what he just said was what I intended to ask, so I did not warn him. However, you are the party involved and your status is much higher than Chief Li. Any interruption by you will
It will be regarded as tampering with witnesses by the president of the court, the presiding officer, and the prosecutor, so please strictly abide by the rules."