Qiu Yizi saw Zheng Xin's serious expression when he spoke, and knew that he must have something important to tell her, so she said seriously: "Why don't we go to my brother's study first, and then we can discuss it."
Zheng Xin said, "It's not a secret. The scenery here is nice and the breeze is cool. You and I can talk about it here, brothers."
Before he could finish his words, a cool breeze blew over the pond, bringing a hint of moist coolness, and the branches of the pine trees above began to sway comfortably.
Qiu Yizi felt refreshed by the cool breeze, nodded and said, "Since big brother is so interested, I will accompany you to chat. I just wonder if there is anything you need me to do?"
Zheng Xin said with a smile, "The Jiangnan case is almost settled. I have dealt with the 284 officials listed by Yin Chengliang, and I have dealt with the other 72 people who were implicated. I have also dealt with them. I have been sending you excerpts of the case files these days. I wonder if you have read them?"
Seeing Qiu Yizhi nodded slightly, Zheng Xin continued, "The corruption case in Jiangnan officials involves a wide range of people, which is unprecedented since the founding of the Han Dynasty. My brother has been sick for the past few days, and I can only do my best. There are bound to be some mistakes. I wonder if you have any advice for me?"
Qiu Yi was stunned, then reacted immediately, thinking: My elder brother is really eloquent. In just a few words, he said that this case was extremely difficult to handle, and it was extremely difficult for him to handle it alone. Even if there were some unfair treatments, it was not due to his own selfishness. The merits outweigh the flaws. We cannot use this as an excuse to question his contribution to this trip to the south.
However, Qiu Yizi couldn't say what was in his heart in front of Zheng Xin, so he thought for a while and said, "I have read what you sent me. I think it's amazing that you can handle so many cases every day. I didn't find any of them were handled improperly, and there is nothing to teach you."
Zheng Xin was originally worried that Qiu Yizhi, who was clever and clever, had seen through his tricks. He was relieved to hear what he said. He did not go into details on this topic, but said, "In several cases involving a wide range of people, such as the 'Suzhou Two Warehouses Surplus Grain Case', the 'Yangzhou Water Policy Case', and the 'Hangzhou West Lake Dredging Project Case', the officials involved have all been sentenced. I'm sure you have heard about it, my dear brother?"
Qiu Yizi nodded hurriedly and said, "Yes. After these major cases, more than a dozen people were killed, and the atmosphere in Jiangnan officialdom was boosted. Even children praised my brother for his swift and decisive work and uprightness!"
Zheng Xin was delighted to hear this and said with a smile, "This is all my responsibility. However, the 'Thirteen Deadly Case' in Liaochen Palace, which has exposed a long-standing case in the Jiangnan officialdom, has not yet been resolved. Among them, the three main culprits, Miaozhen, Li Shenshi, and Cai Min, are still in custody. How should they be dealt with? I wonder if my dear brother has any rules?"
Qiu Yi was extremely indignant about this case at first, and he wanted to kill these three people as soon as possible. However, after a few months of delay, he had lost interest in the case and shook his head and said, "Although these people are still alive, they are already like walking corpses. They should be dealt with according to the law. It's all up to you, brother."
He thought for a moment and said, "Li Shenshi and Cai Min must be killed. However, they were more or less coerced by Yin Chengliang, and what they did was not necessarily out of their heart. I hope that big brother can take this into consideration and only execute these two people, and not implicate others."
Zheng Xin smiled and said, "I didn't expect that you, who have been through so much blood and blood, would have such a kind heart. Okay. I understand. I'll do as you say."
He then asked, "How should we deal with the officers who besieged Shanyin County?"
Qiu Yizhi thought deeply for a while and said, "Our dynasty has always had the rule of controlling the military with the civil. Although the generals at all levels are the chief military officers, they actually have no power to mobilize a single soldier. They are just following orders. I hope that you can show some leniency and not embarrass these generals."
Zheng Xin was stunned when he heard this. He lacked military power, so he deliberately won over several newly admitted military scholars when he was in the capital. He wanted to take advantage of the shock in the officialdom of Jiangnan Road to place them here, and then promote them step by step after they had gained some experience, so as to gain control of a little military power in a roundabout way.
However, he did not expect that Qiu Yizi's simple words would destroy most of his long-planned plan.
However, if Zheng Xin insisted on handling the matter according to his own wishes, he was afraid that this smart and clever brother in front of him would find out something, and then he would be in big trouble.
So Zheng Xin smiled awkwardly and said, "My dear brother, you are so kind-hearted. If the emperor knew about this, I'm sure he would praise you again."
In fact, Qiu Yizi only knew that Zheng Xin wanted to seize the throne, but he never thought that he would make a fuss about fighting for military power - he wanted to give these generals a lenient sentence, but he took into account that the Jiangnan Road was also responsible for shielding Lingnan King Zheng Gui. If he completely cleansed the Jiangnan military at this time, it would shake the morale of the army and give Lingnan King an opportunity to take advantage of.
This mission was handed down to Qiu Yizi in person by Emperor Zheng Rong. He was not sure whether his elder brother knew about this, so he simply did not mention it at all. He only said, "I only ask that the emperor not punish me, and I will be thankful." After that, he laughed out loud.
Zheng Xin also heard it and started laughing.
The two laughed for a while, each with their own hidden agenda, and then heard Zheng Xin say, "Oh, and there's that evil Taoist Miao Zhen. According to the law, she should be executed by slow slicing. But I think that this person is extremely charming, and if she is really stripped naked and executed in the middle of a busy city, it will definitely cause a commotion among the ignorant people, and it will be bad if something unexpected happens. I might as well just follow Li Shenshi and Yin Chengliang and chop her off with a knife. What do you think?"
Qiu Yizi thought about it and felt that Zheng Xin's arrangement was appropriate. She also didn't want Miaozhen to make a fool of herself before her death, so she agreed.
Zheng Xin was satisfied and said, "Since you have no objection, there is no need to delay any longer. The execution grounds on Sanshan Street are ready and have not been removed. We will send the three of them off tomorrow."
Although Zheng Xin said this calmly, Qiu Yizi broke out in a few drops of sweat on his back after hearing it. He was stunned for a long time before saying, "Okay. These three people are destined to be with me, so I want to send them off. I'll come visit them again tomorrow."
After saying that, Qiu Yizi found an excuse and resigned.
The next day, Qiu Yizhi changed her habit of not getting up until noon in the past few days. She washed and dressed carefully early in the morning. She also asked Yuchi Jiming to dress neatly and went to Qixia Temple.
Zheng Xin felt quite relaxed because he had been on numerous executions and had killed countless prisoners in the past half month. He talked for a long time with Qiu Yizi and asked him to stay for lunch. Then he looked at the sun high in the sky and said, "It's almost time. You and I should go to the execution ground to carry out this execution." After that, he stood up and walked out the door.
The so-called "Red Cha" is just a polite name given to the job of supervising executions because it is too sinister.
Although Qiu Yizi came from a military background and had grown up in a sea of blood and corpses, it was his first time doing this job and he couldn't help feeling nervous. He followed Zheng Xin closely to Sanshan Street where the execution was to take place.
Sanshan Street is a very prosperous place in Jinling City. Four or five streets converge here. The streets are lined with various teahouses, inns, and hotels. The intersection of the streets forms an extremely lively square.
In order to shock all officials in the world and also to take the opportunity to show his impartiality in front of the people in the south of the Yangtze River, Zheng Xin deliberately abandoned the water gate of Jinling City, which was originally used for beheading, and set up an execution ground here, specifically to behead officials who were caught in corruption cases in the officialdom of the south of the Yangtze River.
In the center of the officialdom, there was an earthen platform about two meters square and more than one person high. On the platform stood a flagpole several meters long, with the dragon flag of the imperial envoy hung high on it, fluttering vigorously in the strong wind.
The platform was surrounded by countless soldiers, each holding a sharp blade or a spear, with a solemn look on their faces. Although exposed to the scorching sun, they remained motionless, like statues of gods.
A canopy was erected to the north of the platform, with seven or eight chairs neatly stacked in the middle for the officials who would supervise the execution. Five or six burly executioners were seen, braving the heat rising from the ground, drinking to dispel the murderous aura, while sharpening their butcher knives on oilstones, making a "ho ho" sound that made people nervous.
Zheng Xin was used to such scenes and was very calm. He walked slowly to the first chair in the middle and sat down slowly. He then gestured to Qiu Yizhi and several other officials who were watching the execution to sit down as well. Then he picked up the gavel on the table in front of him and slammed it hard, saying, "Bring the prisoner!"
The messenger who had been serving outside the tent heard the order and immediately shouted loudly: "Send the order from the Lord: Bring the condemned prisoner!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the soldiers guarding the execution platform shouted in unison: "Bring the condemned prisoner!"
The earth-shaking shout refreshed Qiu Yizhi, who was feeling drowsy under the scorching sun. He sat up straight and looked into the distance. As expected, he saw Miaozhen, Li Shenshi and Cai Min being escorted by soldiers, pushed onto a high platform, with wooden signs inserted behind their heads and forced to kneel on the ground.
The spectators who were resting in the restaurants and teahouses on both sides of the surrounding streets and alleys stretched their necks and watched the bloody scene with bated breath.
But the messenger replied, "Your Highness, the prisoner has been brought in. Please make your decision!"
Zheng Xin nodded, and then said to Qiu Yizi: "Master Qiu, you are the chief officer of this case. Please take two people to identify the criminal."
Qiu Yizi stood up hurriedly, bowed and said, "Yes." After that, he left the shed drowsily and walked towards the platform. A clerk holding paper and pen and a captain with a sword on his waist followed closely behind him.
Qiu Yizi finally climbed onto the platform, sweating profusely. He walked up to the first person and said, "Raise your head."
As expected, the man slowly raised his head, revealing a broad but bony face—it was the former Yuezhou governor Cai Min.
The clerk behind Qiu Yi asked, "Sir, is this person Cai Min?"
Qiu Yizi seemed to be frightened. After hearing this, he quickly agreed, "That's the person."
The clerk nodded and wrote something on the paper in his hand. At the same time, the captain beside him took a half step forward, pulled out the wooden sign with his name on it from behind Cai Min's head, and tucked it under his armpit.
Qiu Yizi walked to the second person and asked him to look up and confirmed his identity in the same way; the clerk also made a record; the captain also took out a wooden sign and put it under his armpit.
Qiu Yizi walked up to the third person and saw that this person was kneeling on the ground in an awkward posture. He knew without a second thought that it was Miaozhen, a lay Buddhist from the "Liaochen Palace".
Even so, the procedure must be followed, so Qiu Yizi also said: "Lift your head." But his tone was inexplicably a little weak. (To be continued)