At this time in the capital, all the officials had already dispersed, but the Criminal Department, one of the six departments, was busy.
The location of the Criminal Department is not far from Li An's Shangshu Mansion, and is adjacent to the three highest judicial offices of the Imperial Court and Dali Temple.
For major and important cases in the court, or cases that are quite controversial, they will usually be tried in three chambers.
But today, the emperor has called his name, and the left and right ministers of the Ministry of Rites beheaded them in public, wiping out the nine tribes. Therefore, being in the Ministry of Punishments was just a formality.
In the lobby of the Ministry of Justice, Li An was sitting in the presiding position with a serious look on his face, staring at the kneeling ministers of the Ministry of Etiquette, feeling filled with emotion in his heart.
If he hadn't met Xiao Chen by accident, his fate would be the same as the other two.
Although he understood that today's Criminal Department did not need to carefully review anything, Li An still gathered all the officials of the Criminal Department in place one by one, not for work, but for ostentation.
On the 13th battle, Xiao Chen was lying on his little bed with his clothes on, staring straight at the roof.
He unintentionally saved Li An's wife and children, and persuaded Li An to cooperate with him. He was one step closer to dismantling the power of Han King Zhu Gaoxu and eliminating the turmoil in the court that might be caused by the competition between princes.
The door creaked, and two figures walked in. They were factory bosses Lin Shangli and Duan Tianming.
"Mr. Factory Master, why are you here?" Xiao Chen stood up and saluted hurriedly.
"Okay, okay. There are no outsiders, why are you so reserved?" Lin Shangli waved his hand and sat down by the stove in the middle of the room.
Duan Tianming hurriedly took two stools, handed one to Xiao Chen, and placed the other under his butt.
"Today, during the morning court, the emperor was furious. Not only did he hold Cang Cheng accountable and punish the nine tribes, but he even implicated the nine tribes, including the left and right ministers of the Ministry of Rites. The prince could not watch, and he pleaded for mercy, but was kicked out of the hall by the emperor.
They are not allowed to go to court for a month." Staring at Xiao Chen, Lin Shangli said with a smile.
"Hey, these civil servants, I really don't know if they have read their books to death or what. The entire Ming Dynasty, the emperor does not understand the biggest truth. If I don't wear purple clothes, it's okay to gang up on me, one by one.
Team bravely hit Ziyi, aren't they waiting to be beaten? It's better now, everyone should be honest." Xiao Chen said as he reached for the wine bottle on the table and handed it to Lin Shangli.
"Is there soju in your wine pot? I won't drink it, I won't drink it." Lin Shangli waved his hand hurriedly.
Xiao Chen took back the wine bottle, raised his head and took a sip, then handed it to Duan Tianming.
Duan Tianming was not polite, took it and took a few sips, then put the wine bottle at his feet.
"I heard from Tianming that there is new progress on Li An's side?" Lin Shangli said.
"Yes." Xiao Chen nodded, "I have basically won Li An over now. The next step is to use Li An to draw out the forces hidden in the court of the King of Han and capture them all."
Lin Shangli frowned slightly: "We still have to be more cautious when it comes to matters involving the prince."
"I know this well, so I just need to dismantle his power in the court and cut off his wings. By the way, Mr. Factory Master, how did the emperor deal with Li An today? Don't forget that I just won him over, and he was killed by the emperor again.
Pack it away?" Xiao Chen asked eagerly.
"Hahaha..." Lin Shangli laughed, "This Li An seems to be a different person today. Not only is he eloquent, but he has also learned to play a trick. Not only does he praise you vigorously, but he also feels that he is taking the lead in targeting you.
Feeling guilty, I took off my official hat in court and wanted to resign to apologize. I really don’t know what kind of ecstasy you poured into him to make his attitude change so drastically."
"Praise me? He has some conscience. Our Dongchang saved the lives of his wife and children." Xiao Chen said lightly.
Lin Shangli patted his head: "How could I have forgotten this? However, in my impression, Li An was timid and fearful, and was not good at words, but today's change was quite astonishing. The entire court was
, of all the people who participated in accusing you, he is the only one who escaped unscathed."
"Yesterday afternoon, I called Li An to a tavern on the street to chat for a while and corrected some of his inappropriate views on things. I didn't expect that he learned very quickly and was a talented person." Xiao Chen couldn't help laughing.
Follow the path.
"Please correct me for any inappropriate views on how to deal with things." Duan Tianming, who was opposite, couldn't help but said when he saw that Li An had become a "talent" through Xiao Chen's guidance.
"You are self-taught and don't need to be corrected." Xiao Chen raised his head and rolled his eyes at him.
Just as Lin Shangli was about to say something else, the door to the room creaked and was pushed open again. Xiao Lizi walked in with a blushing face.
"Mr. Factory Lord, the Emperor has summoned you and Xiao Chen to the palace." Xiao Lizi said, breathing heavily.
"And me? Why does the emperor want me?" Xiao Chen frowned.
"Why are you thinking so much? Why don't you go? Come on, you will know when you meet the emperor." Lin Shangli stood up.
In the Qianqing Palace, Ming Chengzu sat at his imperial dining table, holding a dessert in his hand and taking a bite.
This morning, I was very angry. I ate a dessert and used the sweet taste to relieve my depression.
"Your Majesty, Xiao Linzi wishes to greet you." After walking through the door, Lin Shangli's waist was almost bent at a right angle and he bowed.
Xiao Chen, who was following behind him, also hurriedly knelt down on one knee: "Xiao Chen, the captain of Chendong Factory, please see your Majesty."
With the dessert still in his mouth, Ming Chengzu waved his hand and said vaguely: "Get up, get up."
Lin Shangli hurriedly stepped forward, picked up the tea bowl on the table, and handed it over with both hands: "Your Majesty, take a sip of hot tea and don't choke."
Taking the tea bowl and washing down the dessert in his mouth, Ming Chengzu said: "Today, are you satisfied with how I handled the issue of the officials in charge of holding Xiao Chen accountable?"
Xiao Chen was stunned. Was he mistaken? The emperor was showing his merit to Dongchang?
Lin Shangli, a cunning old man, hurriedly expressed his position: "Dongchang is working for the emperor, and it depends on the owner to beat the dog. Some courtiers despise the emperor's authority. Targeting Dongchang, it is helpless for the emperor to kill him as a warning to others."
"Huh?" Ming Chengzu smiled slightly, "Kill one to serve as a warning to others. Do you want me to kill all my ministers?"
Looking at the smile on Ming Chengzu's face, Lin Shangli understood that the emperor was joking with him. Even so, he hurriedly waved his hands: "No, no, that's not what I meant. The old slave said that the emperor is wise and this is the only way to do it.
Only then can the ministers maintain a sense of reverence for the imperial power."
Ming Chengzu turned his eyes and looked at Xiao Chen: "That's the truth, but I feel bad for killing two officials of the Ministry of Rites at once. The imperial court is in the midst of hiring people, but there is no decent official in the entire Ministry of Rites.
, I have paid so much for Dongchang, should you compensate me a little?"
Looking at Xiao Chen, Ming Chengzu's eyes were a little strange.
