Yang Lun felt depressed, so he walked very fast by himself. In a blink of an eye, he was out of the Duanmen Gate and headed straight to the Ministry of Revenue.
On this day, the Ministry of Revenue was distributing salaries. The hall was under renovation, so the officials in the Ministry of Revenue temporarily built a shed in front of the hall for the officials waiting for their salaries to stay. The wealthy families in Beijing rarely rely on salaries to support their lives, but the lower-ranking officials in the low-income government offices such as the Hanlin Academy and the Supervisory Office all rely on salaries to support their families. Every time the Ministry of Revenue distributes salaries, these people are young, energetic, and come the earliest. At this time, the head of the inner hall has not yet sat in the hall, and the young officials are already standing in the shed.
The sun was high, and the shed was filled with the stench of human habitation, which made people's faces red. A few people got angry and couldn't help but complain. The others gradually followed suit. A chief clerk from the Ministry of Revenue stood in front of the shed with sweat all over his forehead and explained, "My lords, you came too early. It will take an hour to move all that money and grain..."
As he was speaking, he saw Yang Lun stepping in, and hurriedly picked up his robe and stepped forward to bow.
The officials in the shed came out one after another to pay their respects.
Yang Lun glanced at the sun, and said with a folded hand: "You have suffered."
A scholar from the Imperial Academy said, "Suffering is a small matter. We will be thankful if our salary debts can be paid off."
"That's right. You said you would pay off our debts at the beginning of the year, but even after paying them off, we haven't even reached the third floor. My mother is now seriously ill in bed and is counting on the money to hire a doctor. If I don't get paid anymore, I won't be able to live or die."
As soon as he finished speaking, the general, the scholar-official, said, "Minister Yang, don't say that we are resentful."
He pointed outside and said, "Several thousand households of the East Depot have been buying up land and houses on the street. Now they have caused the death of women and children outside the city, but they have not been arrested by the authorities. They are still living happily in the capital day by day."
Someone nearby echoed, "Yes, it is said that the cabinet has spared no effort to eliminate the evil left by the eunuch party, but in the end, He Yixian died. With his death, it is difficult to open up old cases. We are not unaware of this, but can't they handle new cases involving human lives?"
Yang Lun stood in the sun without saying a word.
He was a person who sweated easily, and at this moment his back was wet and his palms were damp.
The chief clerk wanted to help his minister out of the siege, so he stepped forward and said, "Minister Yang, we have a meeting today."
Yang Lun waved his hand and said, "Stop it now. Urge the inner hall to pay out the salaries as soon as possible."
After saying this, he turned around and walked out of the Ministry of Revenue, abandoned his sedan chair, rode his horse, and rushed towards the Shuntian Prefecture government office.
Many people gathered outside the hall gate of Shuntian Prefecture to listen to the trial.
Before the prefect took his seat, the deceased's mother was kneeling in the court. She was dressed in plain clothes, had white hair, and was so thin that only a layer of old skin was left, hanging loosely on her bones.
"Oh... That's miserable."
"Yes, the case cannot be overturned and the person is dead."
"These people from the East Factory are really not human!"
"Shh... keep your voice down."
"What's there to be afraid of? Now that their leader is dead, the cabinet leaders are determined to purge them. Even if they are powerful, they are just a spent force!"
Yang Lun stood in the crowd, listening to everyone's discussion. He remembered the words of the cabinet minister, "We can't let others feel disappointed with the cabinet." His throat choked up. He pinched his sleeves and stepped out of the crowd at the gate of the government office, heading towards the west side gate. The judge at the side gate recognized him, stepped forward and greeted him, "Yang Ci Fu."
Yang Lun paused and looked inside the door, "Why hasn't your prefect taken his seat yet?"
"this… "
The judge opened his mouth and said hesitantly, "The official from the East Factory has arrived and is talking to the prefect in the inner hall."
Yang Lun blurted out: "What is he doing here?"
"I don't know about this."
As he spoke, he looked at Yang Lun, noticed that he was wearing a regular official robe, and added, "Please go into the inner court and take a seat. I will go and tell the prefect."
The main hall of Shuntian Prefecture's inner court.
The prefect of Shuntian Prefecture held his chin and paced in front of Deng Ying. The eunuch was at the door urging the time. The prefect of Shuntian Prefecture stopped and looked at Tan Wende, a captain of the East Depot standing beside Deng Ying, and said, "There is no evidence in this case. I didn't want to intervene, but the chief inspector of the Inspectorate came three times in one day, so I had to intervene. I went to the East Depot to arrest someone, and I also expected that the seal holder would question him, but this is no longer a matter for my Shuntian Prefecture. The seal holder knows who died. If the situation is calmed down now, I can still refute this case, but now it has become like this. If the case is transferred to the Ministry of Justice, I will also have to write a letter of apology."
"I see."
Deng Ying stood in the shade and turned to Qin Wende, "You..."
"Don't worry, Lord Governor."
Tan Wende judged him and said, "I, Tan Xian, have been with the governor since I was young. I have taken a lot of bribes, but I have never taken the lives of ordinary people. I will still say the same thing when we are in court."
Deng Ying didn't say anything.
Shuntian Prefecture Governor said: "Captain Qin, please go out first. I have something to say to your governor alone."
Qin Wende withdrew in response, and Shuntian Prefecture Governor walked up to Deng Ying and said, "Teacher, you pointed out something to me yesterday."
The teacher he was talking about was Bai Huan.
Deng Ying closed her eyes and remained silent for a while, then walked sideways to the window. The spring outside was like a dream, and the sound of wind and birdsong could be heard.
Shuntian Prefecture Governor did not speak, but sighed and said, "Although I am older than you and have never been your classmate, since the teacher has spoken, I have to think about it no matter how reluctant I am. The cabinet's move is to confiscate the power of the East Factory. It doesn't matter if this case is sentenced to death. What matters is that you cannot interfere. If you don't interfere, there is still room for you to handle this case, but once you interfere with the judiciary, the cabinet's desk will be filled with impeachment memorials against you."
Deng Ying raised her head and asked, "Teacher wants to save me?"
Shuntian Prefecture Governor did not comment, but said: "Teacher has retired, and it is rare to see an official still in office. Yesterday was an exception."
As soon as he finished speaking, the eunuch urged him to get up three times.
The governor of Shuntian Prefecture straightened his robe and said, "It is already late, please return."
Deng Ying and the prefect walked out of the hall together. Tan Wende had already had his sword removed from his waist and was struggling to be tied up. The prefect shouted, "Captain Tan, if you refuse to be tied up, the crime that this prefecture will investigate will not just be yours."
Qin Wende looked at Deng Ying, then stopped struggling and shouted, "Damn it, tie her up, you are taking advantage of our governor's good temper, but you don't know that those hard-core bastards on you make me sick!"
After he finished speaking, he stretched his neck and said to Deng Ying, "Master, don't worry. Even if they want to judge a muddled case, I, Old Tan, will take full responsibility for my own actions. Master, you can go back to the factory office and sit down. Their subordinates said that Miss Wan bought some beef to stew today. Please ask them to leave a bowl for me. Hiss... tie it gently!"
He shrugged his shoulders to loosen the ropes on his shoulders, raised his head and said to Deng Ying, "Master, what I said just now is nonsense. We have never committed any indiscriminate killings while following you. I have a say in every murder case. The Shuntian Prefecture cannot convict me."
Deng Ying still didn't say anything.
The prefect walked forward with his hands behind his back, and Tan Wende was also escorted to the main hall in front.
"Wei Fu Yin."
Deng Ying suddenly stopped Tan Wende and walked back to the prefect. "I am here as the eunuch in charge of the Eastern Investigation Bureau to investigate this murder case. You cannot go to court today. Wait for the letter from my magistrate."
The prefect turned around and said, "What I just said, the seal..."
"I understand."
"That… "
"Tell them to untie you."
Qin Wen broke free from the people who were holding him, stumbled a few steps towards Deng Ying, and said, "Master, there is no need to do this. I have a tough skin and flesh. Even if they want to torture me, I will not bring trouble to you."
Deng Ying lowered her head and said, "Speak less."
"But… "
Tan Wende retorted, "The survivors of Tongjia Academy scolded you because of us."
"Stop talking!"
"I… "
Qin Wende slumped his shoulders, let out an angry "ah", turned to the side and stopped talking.
Shuntian Prefecture Governor said: "If that's the case, then this prefecture will wait for the letter from the Eastern Investigation Bureau."
After that, he raised his voice and said, "Tell the front to remove the court, dismiss the people outside the court, and untie Captain Tan."
As soon as the front hall heard that the court was going to be closed, there was an uproar.
The kneeling old woman suddenly vomited a mouthful of blood, her body tilted and she fell to the ground. The bailiffs in the hall rushed out and stopped the people who were getting increasingly angry.
Yang Lun was originally at the west gate and was also alarmed. He signaled the judge to go in first and turned to walk towards the hall. Before he got close, he heard someone say, "Can't the people from the East Factory conduct the trial? Didn't the master say that he wanted to help the victims to overturn the verdict?"
The yamen runner said, "The yamen has its own rules for hearing cases. If you don't leave, you will all be kicked out."
Yang Lun was about to step forward when he heard someone calling him from behind.
"Zi Xi, come back."
Yang Lun turned around and saw Deng Ying standing beside him. "Those people in front are Donglin's scribes. If you open your mouth today, you will not be able to escape, no matter if you want to protect me or not."
Yang Lun walked quickly towards Deng Ying, the anger he had been holding back for a day suddenly burned on his face, "What the hell are you doing? You're not going to try me again?"
Deng Ying lowered her head, "The Eastern Investigation Bureau will investigate..."
"Deng Fuling!"
Yang Lun clenched his fist and interrupted him, angrily asking: "Why did you save him?"
Deng Ying raised her head and asked, "Then why did you save me?"
"you… "
Deng Ying coughed and said, "Look for yourself."
Yang Lun turned around and looked towards the gate of the government office. People were surrounding the old woman who was vomiting blood outside the hall and slowly walking onto the main street. The bereaved family members were crying all the way, which was heartbreaking to hear.
"The cabinet cannot suppress the public anger. How can the life of a thousand households in my East Factory quell it? Besides, he is so innocent."
Yang Lun unclenched his fist, "Deng Ying, if you don't let me speak, I can't do anything in this position."
"I told you so."
Deng Ying lowered her voice, "Step back, don't get too close to me."
Yang Lun looked at Deng Ying in silence, and suddenly said, "Did you expect this day to come?"
Deng Ying smiled and said, "Since the day I became an official of the East Factory, I have never expected to be treated well in the end."
He coughed a few more times and said, "I was the culprit in the Liulichang case. Don't stand in the way of the Ministry of Justice in clearing my teacher's name."
"What about the Tongjia case? How do you defend yourself by stepping on Baigu to ascend to the position of the East Factory?"
"No more arguments."