"What is the name of son? If you are not close to me, you should call yourself my minister. If you recognize me as your mother, you should call yourself child... Come and sit next to me."
"My child will obey your orders."
In the Funing Palace, Empress Dowager Xiang was still sitting on the imperial couch, but Zhao Ji sat next to her for the first time. The mother and son held hands and talked, showing the intimacy of a loving mother and a filial son.
The eyes of Empress Dowager Xiang indeed showed a touch of love. She had no children in her life, and her only daughter was smart and smart since she was a child. Unfortunately, she died of illness at the age of twelve. She was so sad that she almost collapsed. Shenzong left the court for five days to make love to her in person.
Female funeral.
After that, Zhezong, who was not her biological child, ascended the throne, and her relationship with him was very cold and often suppressive. Until now, when the tragedy happened, she experienced the unprecedented affection between mother and child from Zhao Ji.
In this atmosphere, Gongsun Zhao and Ren Boyu walked into the palace: "I pay my respects to the Queen Mother! I pay my respects to the officials!"
Zhao Ji immediately stopped talking and fell silent. He was very satisfied with seeing the Queen Mother. He patted his palm gently to show encouragement, and then said solemnly: "No courtesy!"
The old Ren Boyu stood up first and said: "Old minister, I have something to report!"
The news in Bianjing spread very fast, not only from inside the palace, but also from outside the palace. Empress Dowager Xiang already knew Ren Boyu's purpose at this time, and said calmly: "It's accurate!"
Ren Boyu's long sleeves fluttered slightly, and his back, which usually looked rickety due to poverty, straightened up, immediately adding a sense of justice: "I have heard that Gongsun Zhao, the judge of the Kaifeng Prefecture, has a ferocious talent, can control people with his wit, and hides his evil deeds.
, specializes in making threats for his own purposes, and also uses evil tactics to gain favor..."
Empress Dowager Xiang listened expressionlessly, going in with one ear and out with the other.
As a person in power, the words of the Taijianyanguan can sometimes be selectively listened to, but many times they can only be regarded as farts. Otherwise, all the courtiers in the dynasty except the censor will be guilty of serious crimes, especially the prime minister, who is the favorite of the Yanguan.
They just focused on the prime minister's faults and even used the contents of folk rumors to impeach him without regard to the truth or falsehood.
In comparison, Gongsun Zhao was able to enjoy the impeachment of Yan Guan, which shows that his status has been improved and he is no longer the low-ranking official. This change is undoubtedly brought about by her appreciation as the Queen Mother.
The Empress Dowager looked up Gongsun Zhaolai.
Yesterday, I was so excited that I gave the reward on impulse. When I calmed down, Empress Dowager Xiang couldn't help but regret it. If there were any twists and turns in this case, it would be her empress dowager's face that would be damaged, but the scarlet robe she was given was not worth it.
It might be taken back immediately, so it would be appropriate to let Ren Boyu hammer it.
Ren Boyu quoted the arguments and spoke in a cadence for a full quarter of an hour, and finally concluded: "Everything the old minister said about the crimes is true. I hope the Queen Mother will prevent it and put the Gongsun thief in prison. Such thief must not be left in Kaifeng Mansion."
Take office!"
Queen Mother Xiang just asked: "Judge Gongsun, what do you have to say?"
In her expectation, the Kaifeng Prefecture judge should be sincere and frightened, kowtow to plead guilty, be magnanimous, and refute Ren Boyu's impeachment. Then the judge would swear a poisonous oath to quickly solve the case and arrest the culprit, and the process would be complete.
However, Gongsun Zhao had a cold face and said without hesitation: "I think that what Ren Zhengyan said is just a sophistry to defend his own mistakes. As a judge, I have no power to impeach, but I still want to denounce it as false.
Talking about wasteful affairs will harm the country and the people!"
The hall suddenly became quiet.
Empress Dowager Xiang was stunned, Ren Boyu was stunned, and even Zhao Ji, who was sitting on the couch and had nothing to do with him, looked over.
What a ferocious group of people the officials are. You, a mere magistrate of Kaifeng government, actually impeached them?
How dare you?
The first one to jump up was undoubtedly Ren Boyu. He pointed at Gongsun Zhao's nose, opened his mouth and shouted angrily: "Traitor, how dare you? How dare you!!"
Gongsun Zhao took a step back to avoid the saliva sprayed towards him.
He was not retreating, on the contrary, because when Bao Zheng was the censor, he spat on Renzong's face, and Renzong could only accept it. It became a good story for a while. In history, the official tore Zhao Ji's dragon robe, and Zhao Ji could only
If you can endure it, comparing it with the officialdom, this is an unmistakable confrontation.
Even the emperor is subject to my saliva, why do you avoid it?
Ren Boyu was so angry that he was shaking all over, while Gongsun Zhao looked back at the old man coldly.
What he found most unacceptable was Ren Boyu's heartfelt tone when he was impeached.
If he is a treacherous villain who is inconsistent with his appearance, then that's fine. Gongsun Zhao has also been scolded a lot and has long since ignored it, but Zuo Zhengyan's attitude makes him feel sincerely disgusted.
It was clearly his fault, so why would he confidently confuse right and wrong?
It was only then that Empress Dowager Xiang fully realized that the situation seemed to be getting out of control. Thinking of the reputation of these remonstrances among scholars, her first thought was to retreat and suppress the matter.
But when he was about to speak, he noticed a gaze looking at him. It was Zhao Ji who was sitting next to him.
He opened his mouth to the Queen Mother and hesitated again.
And at this moment, Gongsun Zhao had already reported: "I have a case file to submit, which is related to the truth about the murder of Prince Yongyang. I hope the Queen Mother will investigate it in detail!"
The chamberlain handed over the case file and when he saw the thick pile, he frowned and said to the Queen Mother: "Judge Gongsun, why don't you speak frankly, what is written in it?"
Gongsun Zhaodao: "Long before the death of Prince Yongyang, his servant Xiang Ba Shen died. The female Qi under this man was bought from Wuyou Cave. Recently, there are five more people in Bianjing who have connections with Wuyou Cave.
The evil people who came and went died, so I speculate that Prince Yongyang is also connected with Wuyou Cave."
Empress Dowager Xiang's expression changed. Wuyou Cave was the place where Bianjing women's expression changed. Her voice became sharp: "My brother has always been a good man, how could he have anything to do with that thief's cave?"
Gongsun Zhao pursed his lips and did not argue about the character of the prince, but continued: "Now that the prince has been killed, it can be inferred from various signs that the murderer probably came from Wuyou Cave. All the previous cases in the capital are omens!"
Empress Dowager Xiang's expression was solidified, and she spoke every word authentically: "You mean, my brother can be saved?"
Gongsun Zhaodao: "I dare not say anything, but it may change if this matter attracts attention and is not hastily dismissed by Ren Zhengyan!"
Ren Boyu's anger was still raging, and his pupils shrank suddenly when he heard this: "What did you say? Do you dare to shirk the responsibility for the death of the prince on me?"
Gongsun Zhaodao: "Isn't it clear to Ren Zhengyan whether the official has shied away? Before the incident, the official visited the government and presented the case file. Did Ren Zhengyan read it carefully?"
Immediately looking at the Empress Dowager with eyes mixed with sadness and anger, Ren Boyu's expression changed several times, but he finally snorted coldly: "I have a clear name all my life, how can I lie like a thief like you? Yes, I have not looked at the case file carefully, but
Because you are confusing the public with your monstrous words, pretending that nothing is something, and pretending to be reality, this is the usual method of the Imperial City Department, I don’t believe what you say at all!”
Gongsun Zhao said coldly: "I was favored by the late Emperor and entered the Kaifeng government office as a judge. It has been eight years now. Ren Zhengyan ignored my performance as a judge for eight years and only looked at my background in the Imperial City in my early years. How can I talk about such partiality?
Clear your name?"
Ren Boyu was furious: "That's nonsense. You were a minion of the Imperial City in your early years and were greedy for profit. How could it change? The eight-year-old judge also harbored evil intentions and waited for the opportunity. I will not tolerate you as a scheming thief like you!"
Gongsun Zhao was very angry: "How do you know what I am thinking? I have been a judge for eight years and I have worked diligently and never complained. How could it come to your mouth that I would harbor evil intentions and wait for the opportunity?"
"okay!"
The quarrel between the two was about to turn into an angry scolding. The chambermaids and maidservants secretly looked sideways at the brave man who dared to confront Yan Guan. They did not stop until they shouted loudly at the Queen Mother.
Ren Boyu's face turned blue and he gasped angrily: "Evil thief! Evil thief!!"
Gongsun Zhaoze said: "The Queen Mother and the officials will decide what is right and wrong!"
After shouting to the Queen Mother, he looked at the two people and hesitated again.
Logically, she supports Gongsun Zhao and realizes that Gongsun Zhao is right. However, it seems not worth it to offend the huge group of officials and the scholarly trend behind them for the sake of a judge in the Kaifeng government office.
But if you support Ren Boyu, when you think of your younger brother who is separated from the yin and yang, Queen Mother Xiang's eyes turn red and she is filled with sadness, murmuring: "It turns out that my younger brother should not have been harmed by the thief. He was so unjust! Ren Zhengyan
, as the chief minister, you are related to the safety of the county king, why don't you take a closer look at the case file?"
Ren Boyu's heart sank. The Queen Mother only thought about her younger brother and completely ignored justice and morality?
Thinking that he was here to impeach Gongsun Zhao, but was criticized by this traitor in turn, Zuo Zhengyan's eyes were sharp and he suddenly shouted: "The traitor's evil words have deceived the public and confused the Queen Mother. I have been innocent all my life, how can I accept this?"
Such a stigma!”
As soon as he finished speaking, he moved his old body and hit a pillar next to him.
Die to make your ambition clear!
"ah!!!"
There were exclamations in the palace. Zhao Ji's eyes flashed, implying expectation, and he screamed to the Queen Mother: "Stop it! Stop it!"
Yan Guan hit her head against a pillar and died. The government and the public were still in a state of shock. How the history books would record her is unimaginable.
The one who reacted fastest was undoubtedly Gongsun Zhao, the strongest martial artist.
In the past, he would have turned a blind eye, and when he saw that the impeachment failed, he would have killed him head-on. He couldn't afford to lose at all, so why did he stop him? However, he has personally experienced the ugly faces of these people who sell their names, and thinking that this person will be punished if he dies like this.
Touted as a loyal minister of the Song Dynasty, he immediately took action and pounced on him.
His path is to take the straight path instead of asking for it in the twists and turns. Faced with this group of domineering officials, he can still resist!
But similarly, only by paying attention to methods in dealing with people and having a greater voice can we better punish rape and eradicate evil!
This is what his brother taught him, which is to have firm beliefs and be flexible at the same time.
So, in the chaos, Gongsun Zhao pushed Ren Boyu to the ground, and got his wish when he heard the old man underneath him cry: "Let me go! I will live my life with a clear name, how can I be stained! How can I be stained?"
!”
Gongsun Zhao lowered his head and quietly made a hey voice.
The cold-faced judge laughed out loud for the first time.