The sale of women in brothels was illegal, but it was not against the law. In the Qian Dynasty, men were superior to women, and nobles could give concubines to each other or buy and sell women at will. No one cared about brothels.
Emperor Cheng sat on the dragon table, with a splitting headache and tinnitus in his ears, and he remained silent for a long time.
Fu Kun was also standing there in a daze. The case was of great importance. If the case had fallen into his hands first, he might have been able to keep his position as Minister of Justice by sacrificing the chariot to save the king.
But now, no one can protect...
"Left Prime Minister..." Emperor Cheng spoke tiredly. He felt exhausted as if he had been hollowed out. His chest was still aching. The pain he felt last night had worsened today because of this case. "This case... what do you think..." Emperor Cheng asked weakly, his hand on his forehead. His voice was a little hoarse from not sleeping all night.
Fu Kun was also unable to stand steadily. When Emperor Cheng asked him, he knew that these people were his people, so he asked him to express his position himself.
Fu Mingrui looked at his father with some worry, and he sighed silently in his heart and lowered his head. He knew that his father had lost a lot of troops and an important force in this investigation. When the emperor appointed the Minister of Justice in the future, he would not hire the person recommended by his father.
At least, in the next few years, my father's situation with the emperor will enter a freezing point.
"I will obey... the Holy Judge..." Fu Kun said these words weakly.
The entire imperial study fell into silence again for a long time. Emperor Cheng only felt that he was particularly exhausted today. He forced himself to be alert and looked at Fu Mingrui: "Fu Mingrui, this case has been investigated. How do you think it should be judged? How should the people be informed?"
Fu Mingrui's whole body tensed up, he lowered his head and pursed his lips. This case must not be announced as it is. Believing in evil gods, raping and killing girls to sacrifice to evil gods, and eating hearts alive, every plot will be infinitely magnified by the people, causing panic among the people in the capital, not to mention that these perpetrators are all sons of important officials in the court, which will magnify it even more.
If someone with ulterior motives takes advantage of this and public outrage is aroused, the entire capital city will be plunged into chaos, with unimaginable consequences!
"Come and judge for rape and murder!" Suddenly, a clear and loud voice came into the depressing and quiet imperial study, and Duanmu Qingchen strode over.
When Emperor Cheng heard Duanmu Qingchen's voice, he finally raised his face from his palms, but his expression became even more gloomy and uglier.
Duanmu Jinhong was slightly surprised. Duanmu Qingchen was not there last night, so why did he suddenly appear at this time
Yao Guang glanced secretly at Duanmu Qingchen. The two of them had already agreed on their statements last night.
"**, rape and murder, is also a death penalty." Duanmu Qingchen stood beside Duanmu Jinhong. Duanmu Jinhong instantly felt an invisible pressure, which came from the pressure brought to him by his identity as the crown prince.
Emperor Cheng finally slowly looked at Duanmu Qingchen, secretly surprised that he seemed to know a lot about the whole case.
"As for the part about the evil god, it's better not to mention it." Duanmu Qingchen also looked solemn, "The important officials in the court believe in the evil god. How can the people trust the officials of our Celestial Empire? Such foolish behavior is simply damaging the prestige of our Celestial Empire! It will also lose the support of the people!"
Emperor Cheng nodded in agreement, and the depression in his heart from last night until now was finally relieved a little.
Duanmu Jinhong stood beside him with a gloomy face. Duanmu Qingchen came to class at the right time. Humph! He stole the credit just like that!
Emperor Cheng looked at Duanmu Qingchen with a sullen face: "You knew you were back." Although his voice was dull, it no longer contained the anger of last night.
Duanmu Qingchen didn't dare to smile anymore, because this case was serious and made him angry and sad. He didn't want to argue with Emperor Cheng anymore. He said seriously, "Last night, when my third brother was supervising the Eight Gates Fu Mingrui to solve the case, I was actually in the Nine Gates to help Mingrui solve the case. Fu Mingrui, was it Yunyao who came to inform you of the location where Miss Lin was kidnapped?"
Fu Mingrui nodded in response to Duanmu Qingchen's words, because it was the fact. Afterwards, Yun Yao's hairpin disappeared at some point, and it must have returned to Lian Youyou's hands.
Duanmu Jinhong was immediately shocked and felt unwilling. He did not expect that Duanmu Qingchen had taken the lead again last night! What on earth is this Nine Gates
Fu Mingrui fell into a trance after thinking of Lian Youyou. He didn't hear what others said. This was the first time he was like this, just because Duanmu Qingchen said he had been in the Nine Gates, but he... had his memory wiped and was thrown outside the Nine Gates...
"Father, after all, they raped and murdered eleven girls, so they still need to be sentenced severely. You should behead those five people, dismiss the Minister of Justice and others, demote them to commoners, and never enter the capital. This is the only way to appease the anger of the people." Duanmu Qingchen said indignantly, "Although the crime does not affect the family, the nature of this case is so bad. If you don't educate your children, it's the father's fault! Qi Feng and others would do such a heinous thing, how can their father not be responsible?! This severe sentence is also a warning to the officials in the court not to neglect the education of their children, otherwise, they will be implicated and lose their official hats!"
Duanmu Qingchen's clear voice pierced Fu Kun's heart. Today, it was not only Qi Feng and the others who were being tried here, but also him, the Left Prime Minister Fu Kun! How could he have thought that the officials he had carefully selected and cultivated would one day be severely betrayed by his own son! This betrayal also cut off one of his arms. How would he gain a foothold in the court in the future? !
Resentment filled his chest. First, he hated Qi Rui for his lax family tradition. Second, he realized that the prince had obviously grown up. Even if Fu Mingrui was his good friend, he would not favor Fu Kun in the slightest because of Fu Mingrui.
He was filled with gloomy resentment and unwillingness. Suddenly, he realized something. He stole a glance at Duanmu Jinhong, who had not glanced at him since Duanmu Qingchen entered. He exuded the same unwillingness as him.
In fact, he should have thought earlier that he and Duanmu Jinhong were of the same kind.
After Duanmu Qingchen finished speaking, the entire imperial study fell silent again.
Emperor Cheng felt that the prince was right. This incident was entirely the fault of Qi Rui and others! If they had strictly disciplined their children, how could they have done such an inhumane thing! Qi Rui and others were responsible!
However, he was reluctant to leave. Although Qi Rui was Fu Kun's left prime minister, he was indeed reliable and talented.
When he was hesitant, he looked at the Right Prime Minister Lin Jingzhi. The Right Prime Minister's expression was not much better than his. The Right Prime Minister was older than him and was considered to have a child in his old age. Especially his daughter, she was like a treasure. If you ask him, he would definitely agree.
"The prince is right!" Suddenly, the old general Yuchi Gongshan spoke in anger. As a veteran minister of three dynasties and the emperor's father-in-law, even Emperor Cheng was extremely respectful to him.
Yuchi Gongshan was so angry that he blew his beard and glared: "Raising a child without educating him is the fault of the father! If we don't punish those fathers, all the civil and military officials in the court will not know how to properly discipline their children! This is called killing the chicken to scare the monkey, and the people of the Qian Dynasty will have confidence in us again!"
Since Yuchi Gongshan said so, Emperor Cheng no longer hesitated. (To be continued)