Linghu Defen was already distressed about the loss of goods, but now that he was "shocked to learn the inside story", he became even more furious and filled with anger. He immediately said angrily: "Fang Jun is so brave! He actually dared to set fire to the East Market and burn countless goods. It is a crime for you to die!"
"
As soon as these words came out, all the officials in the palace were shocked!
Could this old guy have lost his mind and gone crazy?
Even if the fire was really started by Fang Jun, what evidence do you have? You suffered a secret loss this time, just remember to find it back someday. Even if you can't find it, you have to admit that Fang Jun did it.
pretty!
But if someone with red lips and white teeth slanders a high-ranking official of the second rank, the head of a feudal official, do you still need the laws of the imperial court?
So lackluster!
What's more, people are just waiting for that idiot to jump out in such a hurry, so that he can shoot the first bird and show off the bad breath of being detained by the Ministry of Punishments and labeled as a murderer...
Sure enough, as soon as Linghu Defen finished speaking, he saw the gentle Du Chuke reached out and took off his black gauze hat, turned to the side of Sun Fujia, the minister of Dali Temple, who was standing solemnly, and said loudly: "A certain Du Chuke is suing Linghu De, the Minister of Rites.
Fen spoke freely in the Taiji Hall and framed Yin Fangjun in Jingzhao, just to avenge his personal grudge that his family's property was burned down. There is no evidence for what he said or did. His character is extremely low, his morals are extremely corrupt, and he is extremely shameless!"
The ministers in the Taiji Palace were stunned.
Regarding Fang Jun, everyone just impeached him.
What is impeachment?
Impeachment refers to reporting a minister who has acted in a wrong way, which is a power given to officials by the law. However, in this era, impeachment does not mean prosecution or prosecution. Therefore, the Yushi Yanguan of the Tang Dynasty had the "rumor"
If the emperor must accept the impeachment once it is initiated, then the so-called "heard report" naturally cannot exist. Just imagine, impeaching an official based on hearsay, but in fact there is no evidence at all. If the emperor had to go through it one by one
If accepted, the seventy-two concubines of the three palaces and six courtyards in the harem would not be favored...
But the lawsuit is different!
This must have real evidence, and once the relevant yamen accepts the case, the case must be filed for trial.
Linghu Defen spoke indiscriminately, but Du Chuke immediately caught the evidence and launched a lawsuit. Is the evidence sufficient? It couldn't be more sufficient! They won't accuse you of anything else, they will just accuse you of making false claims and frame your case at will.
, can you just say it’s just a joke?
This is Tai Chi Hall!
Sun Fujia, the minister of Dali Temple, looked solemn and said in a deep voice: "Dali Temple accepts the complaint."
He couldn't accept it. His Majesty the Emperor stared at him from the throne and his eyes flickered deeply. Sun Fujia suspected that if he ignored Du Chuke's complaint, His Majesty the Emperor would probably jump up from the throne and kick him directly...
Moreover, so many people with sharp ears and eyes have heard Linghu Defen's abuse of Fang Junzhi with their own ears. Don't care whether it is slander or not, but if you just talk about it without any evidence, how is it different from slander? It is justified for others to file a complaint, and you must accept it.
.
Linghu Defen's face changed drastically and he said hurriedly: "Sun Siqing, wait a minute, I'm just talking indiscriminately, joking..."
Sun Fujia looked cold and said slowly: "In the Taiji Hall, we make decisions for the country and stabilize the country. Everything we say and do is solemn and solemn. Is this a place for jokes?"
Linghu Defen was so choked that his face turned red. He quickly faced His Majesty Li Er and said urgently: "Your Majesty, it is clear to me that I was just worried and made no words at the moment. I did not mean to accuse Fang Jun. I hope Your Majesty will make a clear decision."
The ministers increasingly felt that Linghu Defen was old and confused, and his skills were really limited. Could it be that as the Minister of Rites, he couldn't even understand the laws of the country?
When Dali Temple accepts the application, it is no longer a question of whether the emperor agrees or disagrees. This is a judicial procedure of the country. Once started, it cannot be changed.
Just like Fang Jun being detained by the Ministry of Punishment, the case of whether he killed Changsun Dan is the same... Unless His Majesty Li Er is willing to use imperial power to intervene in the judiciary, no one can stop it. In order to maintain judicial justice, in order to achieve the goal of becoming an emperor through the ages.
Baye, His Majesty Li Er refused to use his imperial power to intervene even when Fang Jun committed a crime, let alone Linghu Defen?
His Majesty Li Er looked ugly and said coldly: "Are there any jokes in Tai Chi Hall? What does Linghu Shangshu regard as Tai Chi Hall? Have you ever had the slightest respect for the empire and me in your heart? It's your words, and there will be consequences.
It’s up to you to bear the responsibility.”
Linghu Defen was about to speak but stopped, his face was gloomy.
All the ministers felt pity and knew that Linghu Defen was finished...
Naturally, even if Du Chuke's accusation against Linghu Defen is confirmed, it is impossible for Dali Temple to accuse a minister of the Ministry of Rites. The crime of slander is not based on whether it is true, but on how serious the consequences are.
This sentencing. Linghu Defen was just talking here, and it did not cause much damage to Fang Jun. Therefore, Dali Temple will definitely let it go in the end. At most, he will give a few words of warning after the conviction.
But how did Linghu Defen get the position of Minister of Rites?
Not talent, but reputation.
This great Confucian of his generation has peaches and plums all over the world. He is a shining figure respected by Confucianism today and one of the only remaining great Confucians. As a result, such a great Confucian who flaunted his morality was sued, slandered and framed, which had a great impact on Linghu Defen's reputation.
To put it simply, it was a devastating blow.
Compared with this, what does it mean to have more goods?
As long as your reputation is there, you can slowly make it back no matter how much money you lose; but if your reputation is damaged, no amount of money can buy it back...
Liu Ji was sweating a little.
He really didn't expect that before he could impeach Fang Jun and fall to the ground, Linghu Defen would get him in first...
He quickly said: "Mr. Du, even so, what does it have to do with Fang Jun not organizing manpower to fight the fire?"
Du Chuke looked at Liu Ji like a fool and said: "The Jingzhao Prefecture has repeatedly ordered merchants and shops in the east and west cities to rectify their heating facilities and standardize the stacking of goods in the warehouses. All the merchants and shops turned a deaf ear to this. As a result, the fire broke out.
He was helpless, so he wanted to ask Jingzhao Mansion for help... Could it be that Liu Yushi thought that the government officials in Jingzhao Mansion were immortals with three heads and six arms who were invulnerable to water and fire? Silk, paper, cloth, and silk reeling could not be saved if they burned.
Even if the Jingzhao Mansion adds more lives, it will not help. In that case, why bother to save it?"
Liu Jie said: "Then why do each merchant store organize their own manpower to put out the fire, and Jingzhao Prefecture still wants to stop it?"
Du Chuke asked back: "In Liu Yushi's eyes, are those servants and maids not citizens of the Tang Dynasty?"
Liu Ji hurriedly said: "The whole world is not the land of the king, and the shore of the land is not the king's ministers. He was born in the Tang Dynasty and grew up in the Tang Dynasty. How can he not be the people of the Tang Dynasty?"
Even though there is still a term for slavery at this time, the masters often beat their slaves to death, but this is no longer the case with slaves in ancient times. Even if the master does not have to bear criminal responsibility for beating his slaves to death, he still has to pay monetary compensation.
What's more, who dares to say in front of His Majesty that the servants in my house are my people and have nothing to do with you, the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty?
So you're not looking for death? What, you want to rebel?
Du Chuke said: "Since we are all citizens of the Tang Dynasty, our lives are equally precious. How can we waste our lives for some goods that are destined to be burned? The families who organized slaves to go to Dongshi to put out the fire last night were all selfish and vicious.
Such inhumane people! Even though they know that the fire is raging and cannot be saved, they still use the lives of their own servants to save even half a piece of cloth or half a knife of paper. How cold-blooded are their hearts and how vicious are their actions?"
The ministers on the side were all helpless.
Du Chuke's words today spread, and as expected, all the aristocratic families who went to Dongshi to put out the fire last night were not safe. Although those slaves were as despicable as animals, they were thinking people after all, not unconscious.
The number of livestock and escaped slaves will definitely increase greatly. Even if they don't escape, they will definitely be alienated and their hearts will be scattered...
I thought that if Fang Jun was not here, I could let the censors and officials do their best, but who knew that Du Chuke would come out, and his sharp words were not inferior to Fang Jun's at all, and his calmness was even better!
Du Chuke continued: "What did your Majesty rely on to wipe out the many powerful bandits Kou Dingding in the world? It was not the piles of goods and property, but the countless warriors who came forward to charge forward one after another! It was people! Among these people, there were children from aristocratic families, and some
Villagers in the mountains also enslaved domestic servants! The Tang Dynasty relied on the lives of countless people to lay down this huge territory, relied on the lives of countless people to conquer the north and south to resist foreign humiliation, and will still rely on the lives of countless people to expand its territory in the future.
Go to sweep away the people and extend the country! The life of every citizen of the Tang Dynasty is the most precious, how can it be arbitrarily damaged just for the sake of mere goods? These people are the cornerstone of the empire, and human lives are greater than heaven!"