As the tabloids spread throughout the streets, two tabloids were delivered to the door of the Sentencing Division by a chambermaid in blue.
The dark door plaque is engraved with the words "Gyeonggi Tidian Penal and Prison Division" in golden characters. Under the moonlight, it disappears and appears. Two stone lions stand silently and quietly.
Huang Ting came out of the door, took the tabloid, and without saying much, turned and entered the Punishment Department, then entered the prison through the rite gate and entered the Prison Temple.
In the Prison Temple, the King of Jin discussed Li Lin's case with the criminal envoy Shen Zhijie and the deputy envoy Deng Zhonglun.
While the two envoys were chatting, Huang Ting walked in quietly and looked at King Jin. King Jin immediately said to the two envoys: "Please wait a moment."
The two people quickly shut up. Seeing that Huang Ting seemed to be handing something like documents to King Jin, they all sat down to drink tea and wait.
The King of Jin took the tabloid and looked at it carefully. Behind him, Gao Tao, the prison god, was reading it with him.
This green-faced Gao pottery sculpture is even better than the resplendent Arhat statue in the Daxiangguo Temple. It is lifelike and full of righteousness. It seems that there are endless slaps in its hands. As long as the prisoner enters the Prison Temple, he will receive two slaps.
The text in the tabloid was so dense that King Jin could read it for a long time. After reading it, King Jin folded it with an expressionless face and gave it to Huang Ting. Then he looked at the Chief of the Criminal Division and the Second Deputy Envoy.
"Where did we end up talking?"
Deng Zhonglun said quickly: "Speaking of Liu Qiuyu's admission and approval of Yanyin Tiaozi, he trusted Li Lin very much, so he did not inquire in detail, which was a dereliction of duty. As for what Li Lin did, he did not know about it."
The King of Jin looked at him with a smile but not a smile, his face was like a crown jewel, but like Gao Tao, he looked majestic and solemn: "What else?"
"Li Lin knew nothing about Li Lin's affair with the private salt dealer. According to our verification, he has indeed been in Kyoto. It is impossible to get to know these people. That Wu Yang doesn't know Liu Qiyu's name either."
"So what is your conclusion?"
Shen Zhijie said: "We dare not come to a conclusion. His Majesty asked you to supervise this matter. Naturally, we all listen to the prince."
After speaking, he handed the dossier signed by Liu Qiuyu to the King of Jin.
King Jin opened it and read it carefully from beginning to end. Finally he rolled up the file and asked Shen Zhijie, "That's all you asked?"
Shen Zhijie was puzzled for a moment and asked, "I don't understand what the prince said."
King Jin sneered: "You are all asking about trivial matters, what use are they in this case?"
Shen Zhijie said politely: "Your Majesty, when you ask the Criminal Division for questioning, you only know the slightest. You have never interrogated a prisoner, so I'm afraid you don't understand the reasoning. As for the Li Lin case, I think the trial has been completed."
The King of Jin pushed the file back to him, tapped the table with his fingers, and said in a low voice: "How did Li Lin get the green and white salt? Is he collaborating with the enemy and betraying the country, or is Li Lin himself a Xia Guoxizuo?
Where did the millions of taels of silver that Li Lin sold go? Was it given to the Zhang family or to someone else?
Li Lin was able to do such a big trick, who helped him hide it from Dong Tongying?
Since Liu Qiuyu has admitted this case, he must be aware of the collusion involved. Why don't you ask?
This is obviously a major case, not only suspected of corruption, but also suspected of treason. You just mentioned this to the Criminal Division and intend to close the case?"
Having said this, King Jin's face darkened, and his peach blossom eyes didn't even have a trace of warmth as he looked at the two of them coldly.
"Are you complaining about the incompetence of the Criminal Division, or are you trying to excuse Liu Qiuyu, or are you yourselves accomplices of the Zhang family?"
When he came to the last question, his voice was horribly low, and Gao Tao on the altar also stared angrily.
Deng Zhonglun couldn't help but shiver, feeling the chill in the hot summer, and a layer of goosebumps appeared on his arms: "Your Majesty, we are neither excusing Liu Qiuyu nor anyone's accomplice, but Li Lin is dead.
This case is inherently strange, and there are many things in it that cannot be verified, confronted, or fully believed."
"Confrontation?" King Jin frowned coldly, "Who do you want to confront the prisoner? Let alone Li Lin's death, even if he is still alive, it is impossible for him to confront a prisoner! Since ancient times, no prisoner has ever had the opportunity to confront a prisoner.
This right allows you to confront the accuser!"
He simply stood up and stood in front of the statue of the prison god: "You mentioned the punishment and did not interrogate him, but you actually gave the prisoner a chance to confront him. Does it mean that if the prisoner wins the confrontation, he is not guilty?"
Gazing across the two people with red faces, he and the statue of the God of Hell almost merged into one, weighing heavily and ruthlessly on the hearts of these two people.
"You are unable to take into account the general outline and observe the details clearly. Instead, you cut out the flesh to mend the sores and do the job perfunctorily. Is it possible that the punishment department has lost its talent to this point? Tomorrow, the king will explain this to His Majesty and let His Majesty make a decision!"
The King of Jin's words were sonorous, full of truth, and his words were correct. The second-in-command was defeated and his momentum was greatly reduced.
Shen Zhijie became angry with embarrassment, stood up and folded his hands: "Since the prince has said that the punishment department is useless and always asks for orders, then the prince should go and ask Liu Qiuyu on his own!"
After that, he walked away, obviously not believing that King Jin could hear anything useful from Liu Qiuyu's mouth.
As long as Liu Qiuyu wants to survive, he will not talk too much. Being able to punish him for neglecting his duty is already the best result.
Deng Zhonglun, who stayed where he was, apologized in embarrassment, stood up and left this bleak place.
Deng Zhonglun caught up with Shen Zhijie: "Shen Ti Xing, are we really going to give up? If the King of Jin goes to see us tomorrow, our life will not be easy."
Shen Zhijie snorted from his nostrils: "Since he wants to be tried, he will go to trial. We will wait here to see what tricks he can come up with. How can a barefoot prince still handle the case?"
The anxious Deng Zhonglun followed him out of the prison, ate a late-night snack in the front hall, and drank two bowls of strong tea to survive the long night.
While drinking, they listened to the goings-on in the prison, and asked people to go inquiring about the news.
The government officials sent out returned in vain, because the guards and chamberlains brought by King Jin blocked the Hell Temple and they could not enter at all. They only knew that Liu Qiyu and King Jin were talking inside.
No torture, just talking.
Deng Zhonglun became more and more uneasy, wondering what might happen.
Li Lin's case can be said to be an open case. Although it was exposed by the King of Jin in the court, the lid of the Zhang family has always been firmly sealed, and there is no intention to lift it.
They did not intend to offend the Zhang family by mentioning the punishment, and judging from Jin Shang's intention, it seemed that they wanted to take the matter up high and put it down gently, so they asked perfunctorily.
If Liu Qiuyu had identified him himself, then the files they had just written would become evidence of the incompetence of the Sentencing Department.
Deng Zhonglun took a sip of tea, feeling bitter in his mouth. He glanced at the tea and realized that two hours had passed.
Shen Zhijie couldn't sit still anymore and wandered around in the front hall, looking outside constantly.
Just when the two of them were anxious and uneasy, the government servant who was inquiring about the news again rushed over: "Come out! Liu Qiuyu has come out of the Prison Temple!"
Shen Zhijie and Deng Zhonglun immediately walked out.