The strange behavior of Zhou Zhong, the Minister of Justice, caused the atmosphere in the hall to explode.
"What is Minister Zhou talking about?"
"Is he guilty?"
"What's his crime?"
"This, this can't be..., good guy, does he want to die?"
…
Above the court, someone soon realized what was happening and looked at Zhou Zhong with extremely stunned eyes, showing shock on their faces.
There were very few fools among the courtiers, and in an instant, countless people guessed Zhou Zhong's purpose.
Where the officials from the Ministry of Personnel were, the expressions of the three people changed drastically. Zhou Chuan, the minister of the Ministry of Industry, also changed his expression. Chen Jian turned pale and said in his heart: "It's impossible, it's impossible, he himself will die..."
At this moment, Zhou Zhong, who was kneeling on the ground, spoke again.
Zhou Zhong spoke in a deep voice: "Fourteen years ago, I was bewitched by Chen Jian, the official's doctor. Together with Gao Hong, who was also the official's doctor, and Xiao Yun, the right servant of the official, they jointly framed Li Yi, the left assistant of the official, for treason...
"
Chen Jian couldn't let him talk anymore, so he strode out and said loudly: "Zhou Zhong, what are you talking about? Do you know what the crime is for falsely accusing an official of the imperial court?"
Zhou Zhong said calmly: "So you also know that it is a serious crime to frame an official of the imperial court..."
He raised his head and said: "Everything I said is true. I am willing to accept the soul search."
The fact that a dignified fourth-grade official is willing to have his soul searched is enough to prove the authenticity of what he just said.
As soon as Zhou Zhong said this, the court became noisy again after a moment of silence.
"Since he wanted to plead guilty, why did he wait until today?"
"You can't tell this. Before today, who would have thought that the imperial court would actually re-investigate this case?"
"But why did he frame Li Yi together that day, but today he confessed..."
"What happened back then? If Zhou Zhong is more, not more, and if Zhou Zhong is less, Li Yi's ending will not change at all even without him. In my opinion, he wants to use this to gain the trust of the old party and win the trust of the old party.
I entered the old party in order to strike back today..."
"Fourteen years? How could he be so forbearing and loyal to the old party for fourteen years just to commit crimes for his brother?"
…
King Shou looked at Zhou Zhong and sighed: "You have tolerated it for fourteen years? This Zhou Zhong is a real man..."
Realizing the current situation, he covered his mouth and coughed lightly, then gritted his teeth and said, "This person is really insidious!"
Li Mu was standing in the crowd. His face was also a little shocked.
Zhou Zhong's move was completely beyond his expectation. He thought of what Zhou Zhong said to him in front of Zongzheng Temple yesterday. He seemed to have some understanding.
It turned out that at that time? He had already made a decision.
Li Mu believed that Zhou Zhong was a man who could give up everything for his political ideals and commit crimes for Li Yi. Li Qing's life and death, and even his own life and death, were nothing compared to some of his ideals.
carry.
However, Zhou Zhong's actions today overturned Li Mu's understanding of him.
Behind the curtain, the Queen's voice came slowly, "Take Zhou Zhong and all the others involved in the case and take them to Zongzheng Temple for trial by the three provinces..."
Li Yi's case will not be investigated until it is investigated. Once something is discovered, no one can cover it up in full view of the public.
This morning, in the court hall alone, two ministers and three ministers were imprisoned. In addition, there were also some people involved in the case who were not in the court hall, and the internal guards were immediately ordered to arrest them.
No one expected that this matter would take such a big turn.
Those who framed Li Yi thought they were sure of victory, but they didn't expect an undercover agent to be found among them. Zhou Zhong was not of the same mind as them from the beginning to the end. He endured it for fourteen years, waiting for today!
His counterattack caught both the old and new parties off guard.
Although fourteen years have passed since he framed a fourth-rank court official and caused extremely serious consequences, none of these people can escape death according to the law.
In Zongzheng Temple, several people have been deprived of their magical power and thrown into the sky prison, waiting for the joint trial of the three provinces. The case involves so much that no one department has the ability to investigate alone.
Li Mu walked into the luxurious prison in the innermost place. Li Qing woke up from his breath control and asked softly: "What happened outside? Why is it so noisy?"
Li Mu opened his mouth, not knowing what to say for a moment.
After organizing his words for a while, he slowly said: "Just now in the court, Zhou Zhong admitted in front of His Majesty and hundreds of officials that he participated in the incident that framed your father. Now, the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, the Minister of the Ministry of Industry, and the Minister of Officials
The ministers on the left and right were all arrested..."
Li Qing said anxiously: "He did not frame his father. He did all this for their ideals, so that one day he could overturn his father's case..."
Li Mu nodded and said: "I know, you don't have to worry. I will report these things to Your Majesty when the time comes. Although this is not enough to pardon him, he should be able to avoid death..."
Although Zhou Zhong's actions were excusable, he could not be forgiven without extenuating circumstances, so he could really be completely forgiven legally.
After all, he was still one of the main criminals back then. Since he took the initiative to explain the facts of the crime and confessed to being a party member, he could be spared according to the law. Of course, no matter what, he would not do anything after this incident.
Maybe he is no longer an official.
After a while, Li Mu walked out of Li Qing's cell and came to another place.
Zhou Zhong is imprisoned here, and he is imprisoned separately from several others.
Li Mu stood outside the cell and said, "I thought you wouldn't come forward."
Zhou Zhong glanced at him and said, "If you can really find something, why should I stand up?"
Li Mu shook his head and said: "This is not your style. If you want to realize your ideal, you must protect yourself. This is what you taught me."
Zhou Zhong was silent for a moment and said slowly: "But this time may be the only chance. If he misses it, he will have no chance of regaining his innocence..."
Fourteen years have passed since the Li Yi case. If the case is concluded for the second time, it will indeed be impossible to overturn the case in the future.
Li Mu looked at him and asked, "So you gave up on your dream?"
Zhou Zhong's eyes were deep and he said calmly: "The fire of dreams will never be extinguished. As long as the fire is still there, the fire will be passed on forever..."
Another cell.
Led by the Minister of Civil Affairs, the faces of several people were ugly. After a while, the door of the cell was opened, and three more people were pushed in.
Chen Jian looked pale and said: "Zhongyong Hou, Ping'an Bo, Yongding Hou..., you were also arrested?"
The three of them were startled when they saw the people in the cell, and then they realized something and said in shock: "Could it be..."
Chen Jian gritted his teeth and said: "That damn Zhou Zhong betrayed all of us!"
After learning the whole story, the expressions of the three people became completely gloomy.
Gao Hong, the right servant of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, sighed and said: "If Zhou Zhong is soul-searched and the events of that year are revealed, all of us will probably be punished with death..."
Chen Jiandao: "We are all grasshoppers on a rope now. We must find a way, otherwise we will all die..."
Marquis Zhongyong shook his head and said: "Death is impossible. My family still has a death-free gold medal given by the late emperor. As long as I don't rebel, no one can punish me."
Uncle Ping An also sighed: "It's a pity that the brand was passed down by my father. I wanted to pass it down from generation to generation..."
Marquis Yongding looked pained and said: "I can't keep my brand even if I think about it. That damn Zhou Zhong, if it weren't for his temptation back then, how could the three of us get involved in this matter..."
Chen Jian said in astonishment: "You all have death-free medals?"
Marquis Yongding nodded, then looked at the three people opposite him and said: "Not only us, the late emperor also gave a piece to the Prince of Nanyang. Although Minister Gao did not have one, Concubine Gao should also have one in her hands. She will never fail to do so.
Save her brother..."
The Minister of Libu glanced at Zhou Chuan in the corner and said calmly: "The Zhou family's two death-free gold medals were used last time. I wonder if the Queen will be open to Zhou Shangshu..."
Zhou Chuan looked at him and said calmly: "Unfortunately, before my father-in-law passed away, he gave the gold medal to his wife..."
Chen Jian looked at the people around him blankly, feeling that he was out of tune with them.
Among the seven people standing here, he is the only one who does not have a death-free medal?
The Minister of Civil Affairs saw his worry and said: "Don't worry, the late emperor gave thirteen gold medals at that time, and now twelve of them have been used. If I remember correctly, the last one should be in the hands of King Shou..."
Hearing King Shou's name, Chen Jian breathed a sigh of relief and immediately said to the jailer outside the door: "Hurry up and report that I want to see His Highness King Shou!"
Not long after, King Shou came slowly and slowly. Chen Jian grabbed the fence of the cell and said quickly: "Your Highness, King Shou, you must save me..."
After a while, after hearing what he said, King Shou smiled and said: "What's our relationship? We are all doing it for the Xiao family. Isn't it just a brand? I gave it to you..."
Chen Jian breathed a long sigh of relief and said, "Thank you, Your Highness..."
King Shou touched his waist with one hand, his expression suddenly changed, and he exclaimed in shock: "Where is my brand? Where has such a big brand gone?"
