Cai Quan, the minister of the Ministry of Justice, has been very busy recently, because after the Xuanjing Division existed in name only, several unfinished cases were handed over. The methods and procedures of the Ministry of Justice in investigating and filing cases are completely different from those of the Xuanjing Division. After listening to it, Emperor Liang personally sent it down to investigate, and when he received it, all of them were red-hot charcoal circles. However, Cai Quan is a natural stubborn person. Xia Jiang's escape from the prison has already made him take a breath. Now, even if it is difficult to bite him, he must take it down.
Fortunately, he has the support of King Jing, and there are quite a few very useful people under him. From time to time, he goes to Su's house to talk to the talented Qilin, and often can get useful advice. Therefore, after a month of hard work, it is actually very effective.
Unexpectedly, Ye Shizhen, the new official of the Dali Temple, was such an eccentric and picky person. After the case file was moved for re-examination and supervision, he suddenly picked out several loopholes, except for the "non-standard style of writing". , the use of vague words" can be regarded as nothing to find trouble, other loopholes are really real, so that Cai Quan, who has always been high-spirited and never frustrated since taking office, was disgraced for a while, and all the top and bottom of the Ministry of Punishment entered the knowledge. The state of being ashamed and then brave, vowed to fight back to this tone. According to Shen Zhui's words, "I'm going crazy..."
A madman naturally has the effect of a madman. In the second review, Ye Shizhen did not pick out anything for a long time, so he had to sign the same seal and transfer to the inner court. After his strict inspection, Emperor Liang was naturally satisfied, and the idea of choosing another person to be in charge of the Xuanjing Division was naturally dismissed, and King Jing was allowed to start abolishing and subdividing his powers, partly into Dali Temple and partly into Dali Temple. the penal department.
So far the dust has settled. As soon as the young Minister of Punishment was relieved, Meng Zhi, the commander of the Imperial Guard, came to the door with two arresting heads. It turned out that these two people were not angry at the fact that Dali Siqing always made things difficult for the Ministry of Punishment, and this day they took the opportunity to arrest a prisoner. Deliberately rammed Ye Shizhen's sedan chair, and happened to be met by Meng Zhi. It was stopped in advance, and there was no chaos, and it was quietly dragged to the yamen of the Ministry of Punishment and handed over to Cai Quan to deal with, and the Shang Shu was so angry that he was speechless.
After summoning the whole company to sternly declare that they should not have any personal complaints against Dali Temple, Cai Quan thanked Meng Zhi again and again for calming the situation. The two had no personal relationship before. After chatting about this for a while, they found that they were still in good agreement with each other. It happened that the two mansions were not far apart. Cai Quan stayed in the yamen for more than half a month and did not go back to see his wife and children, so he decided to go back to the mansion together in the carriage of the Punishment Department.
On the way, they found a new topic, and they talked about Mr. Su, who is now only Keqing. As he was talking happily, Meng Zhi glanced out of the screen window inadvertently, and suddenly burst out laughing.
Cai Quan followed his gaze and couldn't help but smile. I saw it on the lively street outside. The Minister of the Ministry of Housing, Shen Chai, was dressed in plain clothes, holding a watermelon as round as his belly in his arms, and was strolling around the various stalls. Every now and then I stopped to chat with the stall owner.
"Shen Shangshu has always been concerned about the price of people's livelihood, and he is indeed a good official. But what is he doing with a watermelon?" Meng Zhi said with a smile.
"Maybe you just bought it?" Cai Quan shook his head and smiled. The driver was ordered to stop, and the two were about to get out of the car to say hello. The accident happened suddenly.
In front of a carriage full of wood, the rope broke unexpectedly, and all the logs with thick bowls all rolled down at once, smashing in the direction of Shen chase. The others screamed and dodged, but Shen Zhui was obese and moved slowly, Meng Zhi jumped over and flew over, and it was difficult to save near fire. The minister's book was taken away like a sack and placed under the eaves of the street beside him.
"Fei Liu!" Meng Zhi was instantly overjoyed, "Fortunately you passed by!"
Cai Quan had also rushed over at this time to support his friend. Shen Zhui was shocked for a moment, and hurried over to thank Fei Liu, but the boy Binghan had a handsome face and only said "um". Due to frequent visits to Su's house recently, Cai and Chen knew about Fei Liu's condition and didn't take it seriously. They looked around and saw that although many stalls were damaged and the scene was in chaos, luckily no one was injured. . The owner of the carriage was already sweating profusely and his face was pale, and he was surrounded by various stall owners in the claim area after a while.
"Fei Liu, where are you going?" Meng Zhi saw that everyone was just arguing about the amount of compensation, and there was no major conflict, so he ignored it, turned his head and asked the boy with a smile.
Fei Liu snorted, turned his face away from him, and the commander of the Imperial Army had no choice but to smile bitterly. Ever since the proposal to confess to King Jing made Xiaoshu angry that day, Feiliu, who guarded Brother Su, regarded him as a bad guy and refused to pay attention to him.
But it's really strange to think about it. No matter how wrong he suggested in the past, Xiaoshu would always patiently explain to him why he couldn't, but that day he didn't say anything, just turned his face and walked away, showing he was quite tired and emotional.
So every time I think about it, even Mengzhi who thinks he is a rude person will feel a little uneasy.
"Brother Shen, are you injured?" Cai Quan suddenly asked in shock.
"No… "
"Then this red land..." Cai Quan reached out and touched it, "Oh, Xi Feiliu tilted his head and glanced at it, took out a piece of broken silver from his arms and stuffed it into Shen Zhui, which made the Minister of the Household Confused. : "What is this for? "
"Pay you!"
All the three present tensed their faces in an instant, desperately trying to stretch back the burst of laughter, and enduring it until his stomach hurt, Shen Zhui breathed out and put the silver back in the boy's hands: "Liu Fei Liu Brother, you saved my life, and you have to pay me for knocking out a watermelon, what have I become?"
"I'll knock it out!" Feiliu said earnestly, "I'll pay!" Well, Lord Shen, let's take it," Meng Zhi said with a smile, "Fei Liu's tutor is so good, you'll be angry if you don't accept him. "
Shen Zhui looked at the broken silver that was stuffed over again, and was about to speak when a light voice suddenly came from beside him.
"Little beauty, such a jade hand can't touch spicy things, come come, I'll help you choose..."
The three of them turned their heads and saw the vegetable stall on the side of the street that had been knocked down by a log. A twenty-eight-year-old girl was picking up the rolled garlic. She blushed suddenly because she was approached by a strange man, even though she was Xiaojiabiyu. If you look closely, it's really amazing.
"What a beauty..." The frivolous prodigal who was squatting beside her, looked at the dress should come from a wealthy family. His appearance is actually quite handsome, but the look on his face ready to drool at any time really detracts from his image, and what he said next was even more exaggerated, "Little lady, may I ask your name. Have you promised someone?"
The girl blushed and wanted to dodge, but just turned around, but was stopped by the swinger, "Don't be in a hurry, I'm not going to be abrupt and beautiful, let's have a chat?"
Cai Quan couldn't stand it any longer, so he snorted coldly, "It's sunny and bright, this young master should be more restrained."
The swinger's peach eyes picked up. He turned halfway to look here, and said in his mouth, "What are you holding back? I'm talking to the little beauty, are you jealous?" I just said this. He suddenly saw Fei Liu, and his eyes lit up.
"Wow. This little brother is so pretty, too. He looks solid, come on. Let me pinch it..."
Meng Zhi and the other three saw that the swinger sensuality came over and reached out to touch Feiliu's face.
However, the next scene made their eyes fall to the ground. Fei Liu's thin lips were tightly pursed, and his whole body was stiff. He even let the swinger gently squeeze his face. claw.
"Hehehe, Fei Liu is so good, he seems to have gotten a little fatter, I told Changsu long ago, and told him not to feed you like that, he won't be pretty if he is fat..." The swinger was talking when he suddenly remembered something. He seemed to turn his head and sighed, "Where's the little beauty? She ran so fast... It's been a long time since I've seen such a pure jade. It's a pity, it's a pity."
"Over there!" Fei Liu pointed in one direction.
"Ah, our little Feiliu is still the best. Then I'll go after the little beauty. You go and tell Changsu that I've brought him a generous gift. He must be happy. Let's see you in the evening." With a shake of the fan, it flies away.
"This... this person... Who is this?" Shen Zhui stammered, staring at the rather handsome back.
"Sounds like Mr. Su's friend... He would make such a friend?" Cai Quan frowned in confusion.
However, Meng Zhi thoughtfully looked at the man's not very fast footwork, and his expression was serious.
Fei Liu was probably hit by the words "see you at night". After staying there for a long time, he suddenly pouted and disappeared in a flash. He didn't know whether he returned to Su's house or fled to another place.
As soon as the two of them left, the three people who remained at the scene would of course not continue to stand in the street like this. Meng Zhi was originally with Cai Quan, but he became interested in this swinger who he met, and planned to have a look in the past, so he suddenly remembered a date that had to be gone, and said he wanted to leave. It happened that Shen Zhui also hinted that Cai Quan had something to say to him, so everyone politely broke up, Meng Zhi left alone, but Shen and Cai got into the carriage of the punishment department together.
"Have you heard?" Shen chased after the car curtain and said in a hurry, "The auspicious day of the Si Tianjian has been predicted, and the crown prince's coronation ceremony is scheduled for June 16."
"Really?" Cai Quan suddenly smiled, "I've been so busy these past few days that I didn't pay attention to any news. So Prince Jing will be the crown prince in more than half a month... It seems that the court situation is promising! "Yeah, I just hope that there will be no more chaos before this..."
"Why do you say that? I think everything is in place, so what kind of chaos can there be?"
Shen Zhui glanced at him, "Have you not noticed that His Royal Highness Prince Jing has been depressed recently, as if he has something on his mind?"
"No... I've always been dizzy... Why is Your Highness unhappy?"
"I want to know and discuss with you?" Shen Zhui frowned with two stubby eyebrows, "The government is smooth, there is no danger at the border, and the emperor's attitude is also a holy favor, I really can't think of whether His Highness still has it. Where's the shortage?"
Cai Quan raised his head and thought for a long time, but couldn't think of it, and said, "Could it be that you are sick?"
"I just heard the day before yesterday that he surrendered a fierce horse from the southern border in the Imperial Garden. How could he be ill..."
"Then maybe he is about to become the heir, I'm a little scared..."
Shen Zhui was silent for a while, and said, "It's still not like... but for no reason, and I don't know how to ask him. I just hope that after the coronation, maybe it will be better. Now that the crown prince's canon has been established, the edict of Prince Yu's death is only afraid of this. It will be awarded in a few days. I heard that he has written a letter of repentance and pleaded for forgiveness. His Majesty has not allowed it."
"How can you avoid death when Xingbing rebels?" Cai Quan shook his head. "King Yu should also understand in his heart. The risk he took, if he wins, he will be the world, if he loses, he will be completely defeated. How can there be a third way?"
"Thinking about it this way, it would be better to lose the former crown prince in his hands first," Shen Zhui said with emotion, "Although he is a prisoner outside the city and not close to the imperial capital, he has saved his family's lives. It's really hard to tell whether it's fortunate or unfortunate. what."
Cai Quan suddenly narrowed his eyes and said slowly, "You said... Your Highness's thoughts are for King Qi back then?"
Shen Zhui was taken aback. For a moment, I forgot that the two were in the carriage, and instinctively looked left and right: "Why do you suddenly mention this?"
"It's the same case, because this one reminds me of what's so strange about that one?" Cai Quan gave him a strange look. "Why are you so nervous?"
"You don't know..." Shen Chai breathed a sigh of relief, "Back then, during the King Qi's case, the imperial capital almost bleed into a river. The ministers of civil and military affairs interceded for bailouts. Instead, things got worse and worse, and batches of people were killed. Several mansions were served with pots. My mother entered the palace at that time and saw with her own eyes that the concubine Chen, who was once a favorite, was wrapped in a white silk and carried out when she died... In the years since then, who has Dare to mention King Qi easily?"
Shen Zhui was the son of the Qinghe County Lord, and he was close to the clan. He was naturally much more aware of the bloody and tragic situation back then than Cai Quan, who was a local official at the time. He just said a few words, and he felt a little chilly. Cai Quan was stunned for a long time, his expression suddenly turned solemn, and he said solemnly: "But the case of King Qi was investigated by Xia Jiang, right?"
Shen chasing a sigh, immediately understood what he meant, and raised his eyebrows.
"His Royal Highness King Jing has always had objections to King Qi's case. Everyone knows this attitude. He has been suppressed for ten years because of this, and often he can't even stay in the capital. If the person in charge of investigating King Qi's case rebelled by himself, what would His Highness feel in his heart? Maybe he has no idea?" Cai Quan said sternly, "I think he has been very worried recently, and he is mostly considering whether to propose to His Majesty whether to retrial the case of King Qi."
"Don't!" Shen Zhui broke down in cold sweat, "The canonization has not yet been done, if it annoys His Majesty, it will be troublesome. Although Xia Jiang's case was in charge of the investigation of King Qi, it was His Majesty who finally dealt with it like that. If he asks for a retrial without strong evidence, His Majesty will only think that he is relying on new achievements and making fun of old things for no reason. You know, what does His Majesty hate most? It is his intention to belittle Junwei! If the retrial of King Qi's counter-case is required, it will be clear. Do you think Your Majesty made a big mistake back then? Your Majesty will never tolerate it!"
"But..." Cai Quan insisted, "It can be seen from Xia Jiang's rebellion that maybe the truth of the year..."
"Why don't you understand?" Shen Zhui said angrily, "What is the truth? Do you think that no one questioned the truth thirteen years ago? But the result, or relegated out of Beijing, or headed down, or... Obediently keep your mouth shut. Perhaps to His Majesty, it doesn't matter whether King Qi really turned against him at the time, the important thing is that if he wants to talk negatively, he can turn against him at any time!"
It was the first time that Cai Quan heard such an argument, and he couldn't help feeling numb, watching Shen Zhui speechless for a long time.
"Anyway, just relying on Xia Jiang's treason to speculate that the case was an unjust case is not enough," Shen Zhui slowed down again, his expression a little helpless, "I think His Royal Highness King Jing probably also thought of this level, so he was so unhappy. yes…”
Cai Quan looked at the roof of the car with heavy eyes, and said coldly, "If I were His Royal Highness Prince Jing, I would not give up."
"What did you say?" Shen Zhui didn't quite understand, and looked at him in surprise.
"What do you mean if you want to rebel, you can rebel at any time? Because of this, tens of thousands of people's heads will fall to the ground?" Cai Quan said, and became angry, "The responsibility of the Son of Heaven lies in raising the people, and the power of the Son of Heaven lies in benevolence and virtue. Yi Fan. There is no retaliation, but there is no doubt that people have rebellious intentions. The emperor has such a mind. How can the ministers come to Ji Yueguangfeng? I originally thought that King Jing was injustice for King Qi, but only because the two brothers had a deep relationship. I heard you say this today. Said, it turned out to be…”
"Okay," Shen Zhui covered his friend's mouth, "When I didn't say anything. But seeing how indignant you are, I can better understand His Highness's mood. But I can't be in a hurry. Son, wait for the future... When that time comes, what can't we do? We still have to find an opportunity to persuade His Highness not to act recklessly."
"I want to persuade you to persuade, but I won't go."
"Okay, you can be your Geng Chen, I'm smooth, I'll persuade myself." Although Shen Zhui said this in a fit of anger, but after thinking about it, it was still inappropriate, "It's not appropriate for me to go, why don't I ask Mr. Su to persuade me someday? Persuade him. This time, he went hunting with His Highness in the spring and went through the crisis of the rebellion. He heard from the people of King Jing’s mansion that His Highness is now more respectful to him. This person is very talented, and if he is willing to dissuade him, His Highness will definitely listen.”
In fact, Cai Quan still knew that Shen Zhui's point of view was more timely than his, so he stalemate for a while, and finally said "um".
Outside the carriage, it happened to pass by the former Yuwangfu at this time. Looking through the screen window, the once splendid prince's mansion has now fallen into dust. The two Shangshu adults remembered the discussion just now, and suddenly realized that the world was Baiyun Canggou. They couldn't help but look at each other and let out a long sigh.