However, after Zhang Fei agreed, Su Zhe did not look happy. Instead, he looked a little struggling and said hurriedly, "Sanlang, don't rush to agree. If you do so, it will definitely make Prefect Cai and his men unhappy."
In fact, Su Che was also very conflicted about whether he should re-examine the case even if new evidence was found.
Because he also believed that this case was extremely difficult to judge. In any case, it was Zhang who took Wu's mother to the river and helped her commit suicide, which was absolutely against filial piety.
Based on this, a heavy sentence is not excessive.
But he also thought that sentencing him to the ten heinous crimes was unfair and might not be what Wu's mother wanted before her death, and it would completely destroy the family.
However, they have just arrived here, is it really a good idea to do this
He took the initiative to mention the case to Zhang Fei instead of secretly collecting evidence and then directly prosecuting, in fact, he wanted to consider Zhang Fei's ideas.
He knew very well that it was very difficult for the public security, procuratorial and judicial organs to gain a foothold here.
They need to cooperate now, and this must be considered carefully.
Zhang Fei smiled and said, "We have come all the way here, not to curry favor with others. In a criminal case like this, which does not endanger national interests, we in the Royal Court do not need to consider anyone's feelings. The only thing we need to consider is whether the evidence provided by your procuratorate meets the standards for a trial."
Su Che couldn't help but look at Zhang Fei with a little surprise, because when Zhang Fei was acting as a spy, he was very smooth and it was hard to tell whether he was good or evil.
Su Zhe felt a little ashamed of himself after hearing this, and he hurriedly bowed and said, "Sorry, I think too much."
Zhang Fei raised his hand and said, "No need to apologize. After all, Mr. Su is thinking about me."
Zhang Fei's attitude also made Su Zhe determined, "Don't worry, I will try my best to find enough evidence."
Zhang Fei nodded and suddenly asked, "Has Mr. Su ever met with Prefect Cai?"
Su Che hurriedly said, "I visited Magistrate Cai on the third day after I arrived here."
Zhang Fei asked again: "I wonder what Governor Cai thinks of our public security, procuratorate and courts?"
Su Zhe hesitated for a moment and said, "I don't know Prefect Cai. It was just a very ordinary visit at that time. Prefect Cai didn't express too many thoughts and his attitude towards me was also very calm. But...!"
"But what?"
Zhang Fei asked.
Su Che said: "But I think that whether Governor Cai agrees with or disagrees with the public security, procuratorial and judicial organs, he is unlikely to get too close to us, nor is he likely to provide us with any help."
"Why is this?" Zhang Fei asked.
"Because Magistrate Cai also has to consider the opinions of his subordinates. After all, if we, the public security, procuratorate and courts, come here, we will still encroach on the power of many officials."
"Um!"
Zhang Fei nodded and said, "Mr. Su, do you think I should still visit Magistrate Cai?"
Su Che hurriedly said, "You must go. Currently, the judicial power of Hezhong Prefecture is still in the hands of the government office. If you don't go, how can you complete the transfer of judicial power?"
"That's true."
Zhang Fei nodded thoughtfully. He was indeed not very familiar with the etiquette of officialdom, so he had to ask Su Che for clarification.
Su Che suddenly asked, "Oh, right! I heard that you were assassinated in Pinglu County?"
Zhang Fei smiled and nodded, thinking, you just remembered it now! It seems that you are not surprised by this.
Su Zhe asked: "Have you found any clues?"
Zhang Fei shook his head. "It's probably difficult, but I will definitely keep investigating."
"Of course."
Su Che nodded and said, "But I think it is unlikely that this was done by someone from Hezhong Prefecture."
Zhang Fei shrugged and smiled: "Everyone thinks so, but before the investigation results are out, I will remain suspicious of everyone."
Su Che was slightly stunned, then he realized that this matter could indeed be used as a preparation to give local officials some fear, because this was a very serious crime. Assassinating an official of the imperial court was like slapping the emperor in the face, which was no different from treason. Once it was discovered, the person would be killed without a doubt. He nodded and said, "Of course, everything depends on the evidence."
Zhang Fei smiled and nodded, then said, "Mr. Su, let's go visit Magistrate Cai together tomorrow, oh, and Cao Yanei."
Su Che said: "We need to post it first."
"Post...post?"
"Don't you need to send a note when you visit someone in the capital?"
"Well... ."
Zhang Fei said awkwardly, "I seldom visit officials. It seems that there is no need for us businessmen to visit each other."
In fact, when he visited Wang Anshi and Sima Guang's homes, he did not send a note. He just went when he had something to do. However, Wang Anshi and Sima Guang did not make a fuss about it, so he developed this bad habit. But in fact, in the officialdom, especially in the literati circle, if you want to visit someone, you must send a note.
Su Che nodded in understanding, "Then I'll write it. When do you think you're free?"
Zhang Fei said: "The sooner the better. I don't have anything to do recently anyway."
Su Che nodded and said, "Okay, I'll take care of this matter and let you know when the time comes."
"Thank you for your help!"
Zhang Fei bowed.
After talking about this, Su Che saw that it was getting late, so he got up and said goodbye.
Just after Su Che was sent away, Cao Dongdong, Ma Xiaoyi, Fu Shichun and a group of bandits appeared out of nowhere. They came here half an hour ago and had already toured the palace.
"Zhang San, do we live here too?"
Cao Dongdong asked.
No, living with them would be torture. Although Zhang Fei was reluctant, he couldn't refuse directly, so he asked tentatively, "Are you willing to live here?"
"Of course not!"
Cao Dongdong immediately shook his head like a rattle and said, "Although this place is nice, it's too boring. We should live in the city."
They are all very wealthy and don't care about the palace. They still like the atmosphere of the city.
lively!
Ma Xiaoyi was even more reluctant to live here, but he felt that he was being disloyal, so he said, "Third brother, I want to accompany you, but I heard that the police station is located in the city, and it's not very convenient for me to live here."
Fu Shichun smiled and said, "Xiao Ma, your third brother might want you to live in the city."
"I didn't say that."
Zhang Fei glanced at Fu Shichun unhappily, and pretended to be helpless and said to Cao Dongdong and Ma Xiaoyi: "It's up to you. But Yanei, you have to go to the government office with me and Mr. Su Xiao to visit the prefect Cai."
"You guys just go. I may be very busy and don't have time." Cao Dongdong shook his head.
Zhang Fei saw his old-fashioned look and said in a funny way, "What are you busy with?"
Cao Dongdong said, "Just now my uncle Qin sent someone to come over and told me to go to his house if I'm free tomorrow."
"Uncle Qin?"
Zhang Fei looked at Cao Dongdong with curiosity.
Fu Shichun said, "It is Qin Zhongshou, the commander of the cavalry and infantry of Hezhong Prefecture. His grandfather was a retainer of Yanei's great-grandfather."
Zhang Fei frowned slightly, then looked at Fu Shichun and asked, "What do you think?"
Fu Shichun smiled and said, "The Qin and Zhong families have been staying on the border to fight against Xixia, and they seem to have a good relationship. Qin Zhongshou was eager to invite the young master over, I think he must be trying to test the young master's opinion."
Some people are paying attention to the power changes brought about by the public security, procuratorial and judicial organs, but more people are paying attention to Zhong Yan's lawsuit, especially the military generals here.
Because in the northwest, the dispute between civil and military officials is always the main theme. Since Zhao Xu asked Zhang Fei to re-examine the case, it means that the imperial court has the power to intervene in military and political affairs. What they are worried about is whether the public security, procuratorial and judicial organs are biased towards military generals or civil officials.
No wonder they didn't go to find Su Zhe before, it turns out they were waiting for Cao Dongdong here, that's right, how could their generals trust me and Su Zhe. Zhang Fei looked at Cao Dongdong, "Yanei, if Qin Zhongshou tests you, how will you answer?"
Cao Dongdong immediately said, "I don't know. This matter is not my responsibility. If anyone wants to ask, they should ask you."
Zhang Fei asked with a smile: "Then are you good at bragging?"
"Of course... no."
Cao Dongdong looked at Zhang Fei warily.
Zhang Fei just looked at him without saying a word.
Cao Dongdong said with a guilty conscience: "Why are you asking this?"
Zhang Fei said: "If Qin Zhongshou is testing you, just make some big promises to reassure them."
"Why is that?"
Cao Dongdong asked curiously.
Zhang Fei sighed, "Because among the public security, procuratorial and judicial organs, the most difficult to build is your police station. I can't give you too much support. If you can make them feel at ease, they will support you. If you have the support of the army, everything will be twice as effective with half the effort."
Cao Dongdong said cautiously: "I did learn some of these big words from Xiao Ma and Xiao Chun, but if you decide differently from what I said, then you are harming me. Uncle Qin and the others will definitely think that I am lying to them."
Zhang Fei sighed: "You are my employer and my big client. I would never harm you!"
Cao Dongdong's eyes lit up, and he immediately felt relieved. "Okay, if Uncle Qin asks me about it, I'll just say a few big words."
Brother, you can't be casual about this. You have to take some credit for yourself! Zhang Fei was still a little worried and said, "When the time comes, you can take Xiaochun and Xiaoma with you."
As he said this, he glanced at Fu Shichun.
Fu Shichun understood what he meant.
Cao Dongdong saw it all, but he was also happy to see it happen. This was the purpose of him tricking Fu Shichun into coming. He chuckled, "Even if you didn't tell me, I would have brought them along. We would have definitely been drinking, and I can't drink as much as them by myself."
After all, this police station is on the front line and is an armed force. Without this armed force, the royal court and the procuratorate will become harmless and lack deterrent power.
The establishment of a police station is of vital importance and also the most difficult. Building a royal court or a procuratorate is relatively easy.
However, the police station still has to recruit a large number of royal police officers, train royal police officers, and face local forces directly.
Whether in Kaifeng Prefecture or local provincial capitals, important positions in the government, both civil and military, are held by the sons of local gentry, and the prefects generally rely on them to stabilize the local area.
These people are definitely against the public security, procuratorial and judicial organs.
Because the public security, procuratorial and judicial organs will break the tradition that imperial power does not extend below the county level, and will also destroy their local privileges.
If we try to please them and continue to use them, the public security, procuratorial and judicial systems will not be developed, and the situation will be no different from now, because they work for the government, which is an exchange of interests and has little to do with the judiciary.
But it is impossible to do this without any local forces.
As for recruiting for the police station, they had already discussed it before they came. They would use the same approach as when they established the police station in the capital, converting some local yamen runners into royal police.
Most of these yamen runners were children of local wealthy peasants. They had some money and knowledge at home and belonged to the middle class, which was also the most exploited class.
Zhang Fei wants to use this group of people to build the public security, procuratorial and judicial systems.
This has been very successful in the capital. Currently, all the squad leaders in the capital are yamen soldiers, that is, the original recruits of the royal police.
Transforming from yamen servants to royal police officers allowed them to avoid being exploited while receiving generous remuneration, which made them cherish this identity very much.
More importantly, they can use their identity as royal police officers to increase their family's wealth.
It’s not about corruption or bribery, but relying on one’s own abilities.
These exploited yamen servants were actually very capable. If they had connections and backgrounds, they would not have been exploited. They were able to become rich peasants relying on their own abilities.
The success in the capital depends on the support of the three yamen, so we can follow suit here and use Zhong Yan's lawsuit to harass these generals in exchange for their support for Cao Dongdong.
... ...
At this time, Gao Wenyin was leading Xiaotao, Li Si and others to put away all the pots, pans, clothes and beddings they brought.
Xu Zhiqian was only in charge of the study. He took Qingmei to the study to place many documents and books on the bookshelf.
But the difference is that Gao Wenyin arranged everything according to Zhang Fei's habits, while Xu Zhiqian arranged it according to her own habits. Because Zhang Fei seldom looked at these, she was the one who looked at them all, and Zhang Fei was only responsible for asking her.
A pair of big hands gently embraced her slender waist from behind, "Thank you for your hard work, my lady."
Xu Zhiqian glanced back with her beautiful eyes and rolled her eyes at her husband coquettishly, "What's so hard about this?"
That pretty face didn't look tired at all, but rather seemed very excited. She came here to work, which was something she had never dared to imagine as a woman. But she didn't expect that this happiness came so suddenly. She even wished she could start work today.
"You have to take care of your body, come on, sit down and rest for a while."
"I think you want to rest."
Having said that, Xu Zhiqian still came to the chair beside and sat down with Zhang Fei.
"I heard that Mr. Su Xiao is here."
As Xu Zhiqian asked, she pushed a few strands of Zhang Fei's hair behind his ears.
"Um."
"Did he mention the case of matricide?" Xu Zhiqian asked again.
Zhang Fei was stunned and asked, "You seem to be very interested in this case?"
Xu Zhiqian glanced around to see if there was anyone around, "I think this case is not that simple, there may be something else going on."
"Perhaps."
Zhang Fei nodded, and told Xu Zhiqian what he had found out from Su Che's investigation.
“It is indeed so.”
Xu Zhiqian nodded, as if she had thought of it before, and looked up at Zhang Fei, "So what are your plans?"
Zhang Fei did not answer but asked: "What do you think?"
Xu Zhiqian thought for a moment and said, "Since there is something hidden, we should review the case again."
Zhang Fei said: "If it is really as Mr. Su Xiao said, and there is solid evidence, how will you judge it?"
Xu Zhiqian said: "I... I will definitely give you a lighter sentence."
Zhang Fei smiled and said, "In any case, it was Zhang who assisted Wu's mother in committing suicide. Maybe she was helpless, but you have to consider the impact this will have on society.
There is no filial son for a long-term sick bed. If Zhang is given a lenient sentence, the number of cases of matricide will increase day by day. The son and daughter-in-law will force their mother to commit suicide every day to reduce their own burden.
But if the sentence is heavier, what is the point of the retrial? Not only will it cause dissatisfaction among the prefects like Cai, but it will also make many people feel that our imperial court's trial is unfair, because they may sympathize with Zhang. "
Xu Zhiqian frowned slightly, thinking that what Zhang Fei said made sense. This case seemed simple, but it was really difficult to judge. She asked, "In other words, you don't plan to retry it?"
"No!"
Zhang Fei shook his head and smiled, "As long as Mr. Su Xiao finds evidence, I will definitely re-examine this case."
Xu Zhiqian was surprised and said: "But didn't you say..."
Zhang Fei smiled and said, "What I just said is not the reason why I want to reject this case, but the reason why I want to take this case. It is precisely because this case is relatively complicated and there are no clear regulations in the Song Dynasty Criminal Code. If we can examine it clearly and give a different verdict, it will be able to demonstrate the fairness of our imperial court.
This is just the first reason. Second, this case is known to everyone and it involves filial piety. If we were to review it, it would inevitably attract widespread attention. There would be no better publicity than this. At that time, we would have to create an atmosphere so that more people would pay attention to this case.
The third is to overturn the ruling of Governor Cai. Nothing can better explain why we are here. Since General Zhong and his men haven't come yet, we might as well try this case out."
He made sense, but Xu Zhiqian didn't understand him: "But you just said that if you give him a lenient sentence, it will have a bad impact, and what you are worried about is very likely to happen."
Zhang Fei said: "So we have to think of a way to eliminate this negative impact."
"What method?" Xu Zhiqian asked curiously.
“Still thinking about it.”
Zhang Fei laughed and suddenly asked, "By the way! Did you bring Song Xingtong with you?"
"Of course I brought it!" Xu Zhiqian asked, "What do you want to check?"
Zhang Fei said: "Look up the regulations for the six murder charges. Mr. Su Xiao may sue for manslaughter or negligent homicide."
Xu Zhiqian said in disbelief: "You don't even remember the six kill rules?"
Zhang Fei did not answer but asked: "Do you know why Mr. Su and Mr. Fan lost the lawsuit to me?"
Xu Zhiqian asked: "Why?"
Zhang Fei said, "They just trust their memory too much. For things like laws and regulations, a single word can make a world of difference. Whether you remember it or not, you have to read it carefully before using it. If that's the case, why should I remember it? Just having a general impression will be enough."
Xu Zhiqian snorted softly: "You always find excuses to be lazy."
"wrong!"
Zhang Fei shook his head and smiled: "This is not a reason, but a fact. Because I am the winner, what I said is right. If I can't win the case, I am afraid that everyone will sneer at me for saying this."