Chapter 45 Times have changed [Happy New Year's Day everyone]
Outside the prison.
Yang Lin, the Minister of Punishment, shook his head at Wei Peng and said: "It's useless. When we get to the Golden Palace, we just need to search his soul and the truth will be revealed. Have you forgotten what happened five years ago?"
Wei Peng patted a thick copy of "Dazhou Law" in his arms, looked at the Minister of Punishment, and said meaningfully: "Sir, times have changed."
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The Minister of Punishment sighed and said: "The times have changed. I don't know. I only know that in this tribute year, Shen Guo has hidden agendas and will definitely use the topic to play out. He will definitely not miss this opportunity this time."
…”
He patted Wei Peng on the shoulder and said: "Let's go, you will come to the palace together. You know more about this case than me. When we get to the palace in a while, be careful what you say."
The young man looked at Wei Peng nervously and asked: "Sir, I, I haven't entered the palace yet, what should I do in a while?"
Wei Peng said calmly: "It's very simple. When you get to the palace, don't say anything or do anything..."
Royal Palace, Ziwei Hall.
Today's luncheon was already coming to an end. After the emergency incident involving the death of a member of the Shen Kingdom in the Divine Capital of the Great Zhou Dynasty, the important ministers of the Great Zhou Dynasty in the palace moved to the Ziwei Palace one after another, and the envoys from various countries also followed.
At this time, most of the court officials did not know what had happened.
Soon, the Minister of Justice led the two people into the palace. After the report, everyone knew what happened.
This native of Shen State stole a precious piece of jewelry from a jade shop in Shendu. After being discovered by the shopkeeper, he ran away from the door.
The shopkeeper went out to chase the thief, but because of his old age, he was pushed further and further away. A pedestrian saw an injustice on the road and helped the shopkeeper chase the thief from Shen Kingdom. Unexpectedly, the thief was panicked and fell down. What a coincidence.
He hit the tip of the stone steps on the street, his brains splattered out, and he died.
In this way, the people of Zhou who acted bravely became the murderers who indirectly killed this man.
In the main hall, many Zhou officials looked extremely gloomy.
Every time when various countries pay tribute, in addition to the envoys, some merchants will also accompany them, bringing goods from various countries to sell in the divine capital.
In the beginning, when the national power of the Great Zhou Dynasty was at its peak, all countries, whether they were envoys or merchants, behaved well, abided by the laws of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and did not dare to do anything illegal or disciplinary.
However, in the past fifty years, as the national power of the Great Zhou Dynasty declined, the intervals between tributes from various countries gradually increased, and the tribute items gradually decreased. The actions of foreigners in the Great Zhou Dynasty became more and more unbridled. By the time of the first emperor, the Great Zhou Dynasty
It has completely lost its spirit as a great country.
Even in order to win over these small countries and prevent them from leaving the Zhou Dynasty during his reign, the late emperor also gave them great preferential treatment.
From the beginning of exempting merchants from various countries from all taxes in the Great Zhou, to allowing them to violate laws and disciplines and even commit crimes within the Great Zhou, the "Laws of the Great Zhou" could govern the people of the Great Zhou, but could not govern the people of other countries, making the period of the first emperor...
It was the most aggrieved period for the people and officials of the Great Zhou Dynasty.
This frustration reached its peak five years ago.
Five years ago, when the other countries paid tribute for the last time, a businessman from the Shen Kingdom raped a woman in the capital of the gods and was injured by a righteous man. The Shen Kingdom envoy was furious and threatened to fight with the Great Zhou Dynasty if he did not give them a satisfactory explanation.
After severing the tributary relationship, the late emperor publicly beheaded the righteous man in order to maintain stability, but let the criminal prisoner from Shen go free. This became the most humiliating diplomatic incident in the history of the Zhou Dynasty. It broke the backbone of the people of the Zhou Dynasty and made other countries especially
It was the people of Shen who acted wantonly in Da Zhou, but the people of Da Zhou dared not speak out in anger.
Five years later, this scene happened again, perhaps it was Shen Guo who did it deliberately.
In the Ziwei Palace, the envoy of the State of Shen looked grim and said, "We, the people of the State of Shen, died in your Great Zhou Dynasty. The Great Zhou Dynasty must severely punish the murderers and give us an explanation!"
At this moment, under the gaze of everyone in the court, a figure slowly took a step forward.
Wei Peng looked at the Shen envoy and asked, "Who is the murderer?"
The envoy of Shen State said: "Of course he is the murderer who killed our people."
Wei Peng shook his head and said: "A businessman from your country committed a theft in the Great Zhou Dynasty. When he was escaping, he accidentally fell down and hit the steps and died. What does it have to do with others? How can there be any murderer?"
The envoy of Shen State said coldly: "Who are you and what do you have to do with this case?"
Wei Peng said calmly: "The head of the Criminal Department, Wei Peng, has been invited by my client to serve as his defender in this case. All his speeches will be made by me."
The envoy of Shen State thought about it for a long time before he realized that this Zhou official was the one who got away with it. He looked even more sinister and said: "Even if he stole first, according to your Zhou laws, he will not be punished until death."
, if that person hadn’t chased him, he wouldn’t have died. In the final analysis, this person was still his murderer!”
As soon as the envoy of the State of Shen said this, all the officials in the DPRK were sure that the State of Shen came well prepared this time and actually knew the laws of the Zhou Dynasty so well. It was a little unclear that this kind of thing happened to the people of the Zhou Dynasty.
, let alone a foreigner, the case becomes a little difficult to judge.
At this moment, Wei Peng looked at the Shen envoy calmly and asked: "Who said that my client is chasing him? My client is just in a hurry. Your businessman is panicking in his heart and bumping into the stairs.
If he dies, what does it have to do with my client?"
As soon as Wei Peng said this, both the officials in the court and the envoys from various countries were stunned.
This reason is really amazing...
King Shou opened his mouth in surprise and said unexpectedly: "This boy is a talent..."
The envoy of the State of Shen reacted quickly and said coldly: "He was running and shouting "stop" and "don't run". Is it because he was in a hurry?"
Wei Peng said calmly: "He was hungry and thirsty on the way. He happened to see a vendor carrying tea and wanted to ask for a cup of glutinous rice to quench his thirst. Isn't it okay?"
The envoy of the State of Shen glanced at him and said coldly: "You can make your own excuses. As long as we search for his soul, the truth will naturally come out!"
"presumptuous!"
Another figure walked out of the crowd. Zhang Chun said with a sullen face, "Who do you think you are, a barbarian country, and you are worthy of searching the souls of the people of Zhou Dynasty?"
After the envoys from various countries came to the Great Zhou Dynasty, they found that the Great Zhou Dynasty had undergone tremendous changes in the past few years, so they naturally conducted a detailed investigation of the Great Zhou Dynasty.
The identity of the person who was reprimanding Shen's envoys was also known to them.
Zhang Chun, then serving as the Left Minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs and the Prime Minister of Zongzheng Temple, was loyal to the Empress of Zhou Dynasty and did not belong to the old and new parties. He was also the most loyal dog under the powerful minister Li Mu.
The Shen envoy's face was extremely cold, and he gritted his teeth and said: "The people of Shen died in the divine capital of the Great Zhou Dynasty. Is this the attitude of your Zhou Dynasty?"
After a brief silence, a majestic voice finally came from behind the curtain at the front of the hall.
"The Shen people committed the theft first and accidentally fell to their death while escaping. It was really their own fault. We cannot blame others. There is no need to discuss it further." The Queen's voice echoed in the palace, and in the end she only left two words: "Retreat!"
The Queen's words undoubtedly clarified the case completely.
After the dynasty dispersed, the officials of the Zhou Dynasty walked out of the Ziwei Hall and straightened their backs involuntarily.
Although the Great Zhou Dynasty has been the most powerful country in Zuzhou for hundreds of years, they have not stood up in front of envoys from these small countries for a long, long time.
At this moment, many officials had only one thought in their minds.
The Queen is mighty!
The envoys from various countries followed the officials of the Zhou Dynasty and walked out, with different expressions on their faces.
It had been a long time since they had seen such a strong Da Zhou.
The Empress of the Great Zhou Dynasty did not give any face to the State of Shen, and did not even search for the soul of the commoner of the Great Zhou Dynasty. She directly ended the case, not afraid of the threats from the envoys of the State of Shen, and did not give them a chance.
They used to think that when women came to power, they would disrupt the yin and yang and turn the world upside down. The fate of the country in the Great Zhou Dynasty would be in decline and would not last long.
No one expected that the Queen of Zhou Dynasty would be so powerful. In her body, they once again felt the aura of the Overlord of Zuzhou.
The envoys of the State of Shen left without saying a word. Only at this moment did they realize that the Great Zhou Dynasty now is no longer the Great Zhou Dynasty five years ago.
The man from the Yong Kingdom breathed a long sigh of relief and said: "Five years ago, the people of the Zhou Dynasty were indifferent and ruthless. They would not help the elderly when they met on the road, and they would not get out when they saw rough roads. I once saw with my own eyes that the people of the Shen Kingdom dragged a large Zhou woman into the
In the dark alley, the onlookers ignored them. Unexpectedly, five years later, a weak scholar would have the courage to stand up. Times have indeed changed. The seriously ill lion of Da Zhou stood up again...
"
The young man next to him took a deep breath. The majestic voice of Queen Zhou was still echoing in his ears. He raised his head and said firmly: "One day, I will become such a person..."
After the envoys from various countries returned to Honglu Temple, they stayed behind closed doors. This trip to the Great Zhou Dynasty was full of surprises, and they needed to plan carefully.
Li Mu did not go to Changle Palace, but walked out of the palace with all the ministers.
Outside the palace, there were already many people waiting and looking around.
They didn't dare to approach other officials. When they saw Li Mu coming out, they immediately gathered around him and asked all kinds of questions.
"Master Li, how is it?"
"How did His Majesty judge this?"
"Will that righteous man pay with his life?"
…
Li Mu looked at their earnest eyes and smiled: "It has been so long, and you still don't understand your Majesty's temperament. How could she let us Zhou people be bullied by outsiders at our doorstep? Your Majesty has already said that the people of Shen will apologize.
First of all, it is your own fault. You deserve to die and have nothing to do with anyone else. The young man who acted bravely has been acquitted and will be released from the palace soon. You don’t have to worry."
When the people around him heard this, they all cheered and jumped.
"Very good!"
"Your Majesty is mighty!"
Some people were thinking further and asked Li Mudao worriedly: "Master Li, what should we do if the Shen people stop paying tribute to the Zhou Dynasty on this grounds?"
Li Mu said calmly: "If you love paying tribute or don't pay tribute, wouldn't it mean that if they don't pay tribute, then our Great Zhou Dynasty would no longer be the largest country in our ancestral continent? The Great Zhou Dynasty has a vast land and rich resources, but we lack their tribute?"
The people were stunned for a moment, but after thinking about it, they quickly woke up.
"Master Li is right!"
"My Zhou Dynasty has a vast land and abundant resources. Do we need them to pay tribute? By paying tribute, they can ride on our heads and dominate us. It's okay not to pay such tribute!"
"If you take their tribute, you will be bullied by them. We don't want this tribute anymore. We will pay tribute to whomever they like!"
…
In order to have a better record of him in the history books, and to prevent the other countries from leaving the Zhou Dynasty, the late emperor was extremely tolerant to all the countries. I don't know how much bullying the people of Shendu suffered and how much suffering they suffered.
Businessmen from other countries bullied and dominated the market in the capital of God, but the people dared not speak out in anger.
The people of Shen raped women, and the foolish late emperor actually executed a righteous man who saw injustice on the road.
The Great Zhou was a huge country, and as the people of the Great Zhou, we could have been proud and arrogant. However, under the late emperor's foolish policies, the people of Shendu were at a lower level than the people of other countries. The people had already had enough of this.
Li Mu originally wanted to retain the tributes from various countries. After all, this was the symbol of the Great Zhou Dynasty as the Celestial Kingdom.
After this incident, his mind changed.
It is better not to ask for the tribute. The late emperor wanted to gain a good reputation in the history books in this way. Instead, he was scolded even more severely by the historians and was completely nailed to the pillar of shame in history.
During his reign, the national power of the Zhou Dynasty declined the fastest, and the people's morale declined the most. Even the Xiao family lost the throne. Not surprisingly, he will be the most humiliating emperor of the Xiao family.
He retained the tribute, but the people would not praise him. The Queen did not want to pay tribute, but she saved the people's dignity, and the people would not scold her.
The tributes from various countries should be voluntary tributes. They use tributes in exchange for the protection of the Great Zhou. This is a kind of transaction and their recognition of the strength of the Great Zhou.
Li Mu must let the people understand this truth. Even if they stop paying tribute in the future, the people will not think it is the queen's fault.
He looked at the people in front of him and said in a deep voice: "Everyone remember, it has been five years since the death of the late emperor. Dazhou is no longer the same as before. From now on, no matter where you are in Dazhou, you can stand up
Your backbone, you are the people of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and behind you is the most powerful country in the ancestral continent..."
He said this with a trace of magic power, and his voice kept echoing in the ears of the people around him.
"Yes, the late emperor has been dead for five years..."
"Now our Majesty is Her Majesty the Queen..."
"What qualifications does a small barbarian country have to ride on our heads?"
"It's long overdue!"
…
The people were thinking about this, and many of them were breathing rapidly and their eyes were starting to turn red. "You are the people of Da Zhou. No matter where you are, you can stand upright..." They have been waiting for this sentence.
a long time.
Mr. Li is right, the late emperor has been dead for five years.
People of Zhou Dynasty can stand up.
At this moment, all the people present subconsciously straightened their spines.
Looking at the two people walking out of the palace gate, Li Mu said: "Master Yang."
The Minister of Justice immediately stepped forward and asked, "What are your orders, Master Li?"
Li Mudao: "The Laws of the Great Zhou Dynasty are used to protect the people of our Great Zhou Dynasty. From today on, no matter which country you are from, anyone who dares to violate the laws of the Great Zhou Dynasty in our Great Zhou Dynasty will be severely punished!"
The Minister of Punishment immediately bowed: "I understand."
Li Mu patted him on the shoulder and whispered: "You are a senior official, you don't need to be called a lower official in the future..."
The Minister of Justice just smiled honestly. Rank does not explain everything. Everyone in the government and the public does not know that Mr. Li wears the same pants as the Queen. It is not an exaggeration to respect him like the Queen. What's more, he still wants to rely on Li Mu for the rest of his life.
Upgrade one level and get a bigger house...
At the entrance of the palace, the people had already dispersed.
Li Mu's words just now were still echoing in their minds.
The common people spread the word to tens and hundreds, and it won't take long for what he said to be known to all the gods.
Not long after, there was a restaurant.
It was lunch time, the restaurant was doing good business, and the tables were full of customers.
At a certain moment, several men with dark skin and strange clothes walked into the restaurant. They glanced at the guests who were eating in the restaurant. One of them walked up to the counter and said to the shopkeeper in lame Dazhou dialect: "We are from Dashen. Let's go."
Others here go out, arrange a private room with a good location, and serve all the dishes you have here..."
The owner of the restaurant just listened to Mr. Li's words at the entrance of the palace. His heart was surging and he couldn't control his excitement. Hearing the words, he glanced at those people and said coldly: "I have only heard of Da Zhou, not Da Shen. Are you?
From that small barbarian country, there is a seat in the corner over there. If you can sit, you can sit. If you can't, just leave. Don't delay our business here..."
The Shen merchant was used to running rampant in Dazhou. This time he brought his friends with him. He didn't expect that the lowly people of Dazhou would dare to be so presumptuous to him. His face instantly darkened and he said sternly: "Bold, you know what you are following."
Who can speak!"
Snapped!
"Want to stir up trouble?" The shopkeeper slammed the abacus on the table and sneered: "Guys, report it to me!"
Inside Honglu Temple.
In the courtyard where the envoys of the Yong Kingdom lived, a middle-aged man stood on the roof, overlooking the entire divine capital.
A strange light flashed in his eyes, and the Great Zhou Divine Capital, where thoughts surged, shone with golden light in his eyes.