The sun is rising high. In the lobby of the Criminal Department Yamen located on the west side of the square outside Chengtianmen, the air gradually becomes hot and anxious. The hot weather is part of the reason, but more of the reason is a case to be heard today, that is
A case in which Zhu Lin, the young prince of Chengguo Palace, and Zhang Yanling, the Marquis of Jianchang, had a dispute at Cuiping Tower, resulting in Zhang Yanling being seriously injured.
Dozens of soldiers have been in place early to maintain order inside and outside the yamen. Many people have gathered around the yamen gate, most of them are people from the Chengguo Palace. Zhu Lin's younger brother Zhu Feng and several government officials are standing there.
They were waiting for the start of the case trial under the big tree outside the lobby. Their expressions were all serious, because they knew that today's case would be very detrimental to Zhu Lin. In the lobby, the master's clerk had prepared paper and pen and sat down.
They all looked nervously waiting for the ceremony.
At the end of the day, Min Gui, Minister of the Ministry of Justice, walked out of the side door of the lobby. Although he was almost seventy years old, he was still full of energy and steady in his steps. However, his gray beard and the vertical and horizontal wrinkles on his face gave him away.
He was old enough. Also accompanying him was Wang Jianzhi, the right minister of the Ministry of Punishment.
Min Gui did not sit down directly, but walked slowly to the yamen door and looked out at the square illuminated by the white flowers of the sun.
"Have Master Wu and Master Dai arrived yet?" Min Gui asked in a deep voice.
Wang Jianzhi, the Minister of Punishment, said hurriedly: "It should be soon. We agreed to go to court for the trial at that time. Both of you are punctual people, so they should be here... Oops, they say Cao Cao is here. Sir, look, that's not the case.
Do they drive their cars? Hahaha."
Wang Jianzhi pointed to the intersection at the entrance of the square on the right and laughed. In the direction he pointed, two carriages were slowly driving towards the Yamen Gate escorted by several accompanying soldiers.
"These two old guys never come early." Min Gui cursed, but a smile appeared on his face and he went out.
The two carriages came to a stop at the entrance of the government office at the same time, the curtains were opened, and two officials, one fat and one thin, got out of the car one after another.
"Master Dai, Master Wu, I thought you wouldn't come. Could it be that you forgot that today is the day of trial." Min Gui said with a smile and cupped his hands.
The fat official stepped forward quickly and saluted: "How dare you forget to review the case after seeing Mr. Min. I went to the Metropolitan Procuratorate first to ask for a cup of tea while waiting for Mr. Dai to deal with some urgent matters. Now I am still here
Not here, right? We’re not late, right?”
Min Gui smiled and said: "I see, why did you guys arrive together?"
The thin official smiled and stepped forward and saluted: "Old Min, are you scolding us behind our backs again? I guess you can guess it."
Min Gui spat: "That's nonsense. What did I scold you for?"
The thin official smiled and said: "Don't deny it, who doesn't know that you, Mr. Min, like to curse people behind their backs? But that's okay. I see how much older you are than me and you will be buried soon, so I don't care about it."
Min Gui laughed and scolded: "Bah, who can see the Lord of Hell first? I don't know for sure. I have a body like this, and I will be safe for a hundred years."
The three of them laughed together.
The two officials who came here are the fatter and younger one named Wu Yiguan, who holds the post of Prime Minister of Dali Temple, and the older and thinner official is Shi Dailin, the Zuodu Censor of the Metropolitan Procuratorate. Today, the three chief officials of the Three Laws Division of the Ming Dynasty gathered together.
It is commonly known as the three-court joint trial among the people. A case that can be tried by the three chief officials of the Ming Dynasty's judicial supervision agency is naturally not an ordinary case. In other words, it is not a treatment that ordinary people can enjoy.
The three of them entered the lobby. Dai Lin fanned the wind with her sleeves and shouted that it was too hot. Wang Jianzhi hurriedly ordered people to serve tea to the three adults. The three of them sat down behind three desks, with Min Gui in the middle, Dai Lin and
Wu Guanyi stood on both sides. Although it was a joint trial of three chambers, the main trial of the case was still a matter of the Ministry of Punishment. Dali Temple was responsible for review and assistance, while the Metropolitan Procuratorate was responsible for supervising and supervising the review and judgment process of the Ministry of Punishment and Dali Temple.
Correction.
"Two adults, what do you think of this case?" Min Gui asked in a deep voice before the case started.
"Well... I have also read the case file. Yesterday evening, Marquis Shouning went to Dali Temple and talked to me for a long time. He was very angry. Judging from the facts of the case, it seems that the evidence is conclusive. Marquis Jianchang and the Young Master of Chengguo Palace
Zhu Lin had a dispute, and several witnesses testified that Zhu Lin pushed Jianchang Hou off the third floor of Cuiping Tower, so the facts should be clear." Wu, the Prime Minister of Dali Temple, said in a deep voice.
Min Gui nodded and said with a smile: "Then Zhang Heling also came to see me, asking me to punish the murderer severely. Hehe, I sent him back. The two brothers from the Zhang family are very domineering. They came to my punishment department to instruct me on what to do. I'm afraid
I'm not crazy. I don't have a good impression of these two brothers. If it weren't for the protection of the emperor and queen, the things these two brothers did in the palace before would have been enough to deprive them of their rank and imprison them."
Dai Lin waved her hand and said: "Old Min, don't mention the previous things. Let's keep it one by one. The case being heard today has nothing to do with the past. Don't say anything complaining. It won't be good if it spreads. The emperor is also in the empress's way.
To save face, we also have to think about the Emperor."
Min Gui spat: "Bah, this is what I despise most about you. You are the same as Xi Ni. So are the laws of our Ming Dynasty just for show? The prince who breaks the law is guilty of the same crime as the common people."
Dai Lin smiled bitterly and said: "Come on, I won't argue with you, let's just try the case. How do you think Mr. Min should try this case today?"
Min Gui said: "If a dog bites a dog, how can it be tried? The evidence is conclusive. Zhu Lin hurt someone, so it will be dealt with according to the law. If it weren't for the fact that these two are descendants of honorary relatives, how could this kind of case be tried by our three courts? It's a pity that it hurt people.
It's Zhu Lin, not Zhang Yanling, otherwise I will never allow the Holy One to be partial this time."
Dai Lin and Wu Guangyuan looked at each other and smiled bitterly. Master Min seemed to have never forgotten what happened to the Zhang brothers.
The Zhang brothers did some things that were against etiquette and law in the palace a few years ago, which was indeed too much. The emperor favored them, downplaying major issues and not pursuing them, which made Min Gui and other ministers in the outer court very angry.
In fact, the three of them had no idea about the case, so there was nothing to discuss. Seeing that the time had come, Min Gui raised the hall wood and hit the table with a bang, and shouted in a deep voice: "Shengtang!"
"Shengtang!" All the government officials echoed in unison, which was quite powerful.
Outside the lobby, Zhu Feng, everyone in the Zhu family, and some spectators gathered around and stood at the front of the lobby to listen.
"Shengtang! Bring someone to attack Zhu Lin!" Wang Jianzhi shouted loudly.
Zhu Lin, who had already been escorted to the waiting room, walked into the hall dejectedly, escorted by two government officials. Although he was not shackled, his face was pale and his expression was dejected. He obviously knew that something serious had been done.
"Brother!" Zhu Feng shouted.
"Second brother, daddy isn't here?" Zhu Lin looked around and didn't see Cheng Guogong Zhu Fu's figure, and felt cold in his heart.
"Dad didn't have time to come back and ordered someone to go to Nanjing to report it. I asked the Sanfa Division to postpone the trial, but they didn't allow it," Zhu Feng shouted.
Zhu Lin's face was ashen. His father served in the Nanjing Chinese Army Governor's Office. After the accident, the Zhu family had immediately gone to Nanjing to report the incident. But there was thousands of miles between Beijing and Nanjing, so it would take time for his father to get back. If his father could rush back to the capital, things might have happened.
There was a turning point. But it was obvious that the other party would not give him this chance. It was only the third day after the incident, and the three-court trial was about to begin to decide the case.
"People in the hall are not allowed to make noise, and please pay attention to the order of the court. Anyone who roars in the court will be arrested immediately by the officer." Wang Jianzhi, the Minister of Punishment, shouted in a deep voice.
Zhu Feng had no choice but to step back and did not dare to say anything. Zhu Lin was also pushed to stand in front of the case by the Yamen servant.
"Who is in the hall? Tell me your name." Min Gui shouted.
Zhu Lin bowed to the three adults dejectedly and said sadly: "I am Zhu Lin, and the Duke of Cheng, Zhu Fu, is my father!"
Min Gui shouted coldly: "Have I asked you who your father is? Cheng Guo has a high moral character and is loyal to his country. You are his son. How could you commit murder? I received a report here and sued you three days ago.
You pushed someone down from the third floor of Cuiping Tower with the intention of killing someone, right or wrong?"
Zhu Lin hurriedly shouted: "I didn't mean to kill anyone. I just accidentally pushed Jianchang Hou."
Min Gui smiled and said: "So you admit to pushing someone?"
Zhu Lin was shocked to realize that he had made a mistake and quickly shut up, not knowing how to respond.
"I'm not afraid that you won't admit it. Come here and call the witnesses to the court. Bring Qiu Yue, the girl from Cuiping Tower, Sister Feng, and Zhang Cheng, the handyman, to the court to identify them."
Min Gui suddenly felt very boring. This kind of case was neither complicated nor challenging, and the criminal was not cunning at all. The secret was revealed in just two sentences. It was really boring. But it would be better to end it early so as not to waste time on this matter.
.
Several witnesses were brought to the court. Min Gui first preached some truth, telling them that perjury would be severely punished, and told them not to be afraid no matter who puts pressure on them. If they tell them the true situation they saw, he will make the decision for them.
After saying this, Min Gui was going to go through the motions one by one to question the witnesses and obtain confessions. At this moment, a burst of noise suddenly came from the yamen door. Someone laughed and entered the lobby.
Min Gui and others frowned and looked, but Shouning Hou Zhang Heling came with someone. What was even more surprising was that two strong men also came supporting Zhang Yanling, who had a white cloth wrapped around his head.
"What's going on with the Ministry of Criminal Justice's trial? Did the trial start before the plaintiff arrived? Why didn't you notify us?" Zhang Heling asked loudly.
Min Gui's face darkened and he shouted in a cold voice: "This is the court of the Ministry of Punishment. Marquis of Shouning and Marquis of Jianchang, please stand aside and listen to the trial. Don't make any noise."
Zhang Heling shouted: "I asked you why you didn't wait until the plaintiff came to try again?"
Min Gui shouted: "It has already started. How can you blame others for not being punctual? The plaintiff was not present, and the evidence was conclusive, but it did not hinder the trial. Furthermore, didn't Shouning Hou say it yesterday, because Jianchang Hou was seriously injured and was not on time?"
Hey, I asked to be exempted from going to court, but now I’m blaming myself, what’s the point?”
Zhang Heling was speechless for a moment and argued forcefully: "I...have we changed our minds? We have to watch the person who harmed my brother be tried with our own eyes, so that we can relieve our anger. In addition, we are also worried that someone will spend money to gain access to the case and make this trial a complicated one."
unfair."
Min Gui slapped the table and said sternly: "Marquis Shouning, please pay attention to your words, otherwise I will think that you are slandering the Tribunal of Justice, and you will be held responsible."
Zhang Heling waved his hand and said, "Come on, I won't say anything anymore, lest you find a reason to bite me."
Zhang Heling turned to look at Zhu Lin standing aside, and sneered: "Young Master, you can't be so majestic this time. You're finished. Hehehe, no one can save you."
Zhu Lin was extremely angry, but there was nothing he could do.
"The plaintiff stepped aside. The Third Judiciary Division is reviewing the case and is listening and waiting for questioning." Min Gui shouted loudly.
Zhang Heling swayed to the side, stood next to Zhang Yanling and said with a smile: "Yanling, take a good look at Zhu Lin's fate. You almost died because of it. Let him pay the price today."
Zhang Yanling didn't speak, just stood quietly.
"Witness Qiuyue, come forward to listen. I want to ask you, on the evening of the third day of June, were the defendant Zhu Lin and the plaintiff Zhang Yanling in your room on the third floor of Cuiping Building? Who else was present and what happened.
How did Zhang Yanling fall downstairs? You have to tell the truth and don't hide anything. If you are not telling the truth or giving perjury, you will be severely punished by the law. Do you understand me clearly?" Min Gui shouted.
A woman with a coquettish figure stepped forward to salute and shouted: "Sir, how dare you talk nonsense? I only talk about what I see and know. I didn't expect that things would be like this. I..."
Zhang Yanling frowned and looked at the woman. The woman was very young and had a good figure, but she had such a vulgar air about her and her words were so sweet that it made people tingle all over. Zhang Yanling couldn't believe that Zhang Yanling before actually liked this.
It's really puzzling that he would get into disputes with others because of this woman.
Zhang Yanling originally wanted to hear how the Ministry of Punishment tried the case, but now she couldn't bear it anymore. She stepped forward and shouted in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, I, the plaintiff Zhang Yanling, have something to say."
Min Gui frowned and looked at Zhang Yanling and said: "Marquis Jianchang, although you are the plaintiffs, you are not allowed to disturb the court. Your two brothers are already very unruly. I am warning you one last time to step aside and not to make any noise."
"
Zhang Yanling smiled and said: "Master Min, I just want to say one thing. This case does not need to be tried because I have decided to withdraw the case."
"ah?"
"What?"
"Withdraw the lawsuit?"
Hundreds of people in the hall were all stunned on the spot, and more than a hundred pairs of eyes were fixed on Zhang Yanling.