Fang Yun and Dong Wencong led all the officials of Baling City to the outside of the South City Gate, waiting for the special envoy from the Criminal Palace.
The special envoy had not arrived yet. Fang Yun was talking in a low voice with Dong Wencong, Fang Shouye and others. The other officials who were familiar with each other also gathered together and talked in a low voice.
During the conversation, Fang Yun looked at the people around him and found that except for the Director of the Ministry of Rites Nie Changju and a few minor officials, most people from the Ministry of Rites were not present. They had previously excused themselves by saying they were busy.
Fang Yun remained calm, obviously someone had tipped him off, but this was actually a good thing for him.
Soon, a white cloud appeared from the sky, and an old man dressed in the uniform of a Grand Secretary of the Criminal Palace descended quickly.
Fang Yun took a closer look and found that this person was none other than Han Zhengyang, the Grand Secretary of the Han Feizi family. He thought to himself that the people in the Criminal Hall were not all old-fashioned. It was well known that he had a close relationship with the Han Feizi family. Simply helping the Han family find the lost volume of the holy book "Han Feizi" would be enough to make the Han family remember it for hundreds of generations.
When Fang Yun was visiting various families in Kongcheng, he met Han Zhengyang, who was Han Shoulu's second uncle. They had a very pleasant conversation when they met.
Although Fang Yun was a virtual saint, Han Zhengyang represented the Criminal Court and the Holy Court. The moment Han Zhengyang landed, Fang Yun stepped forward, bowed and said, "The special envoy of the Criminal Court has come to us, which makes Xiangzhou proud."
The other officials did not dare to bow. They all bowed obediently and bent their waists 90 degrees. Even the old Hanlin Nie Changju, who wanted to cause trouble for Fang Yun the most, did not dare to be negligent in the slightest.
Han Zhengyang had a blank expression on his face. He bowed and said, "I greet Fang Xusheng! Please don't be too polite. I am here only to perform my duties in the Criminal Court. I don't need any welcome. Please disperse. Please ask Fang Xusheng, Dongzhou Mu and Fang Dudu to lead the way and assist the Criminal Court in thoroughly investigating the Xiangzhou Dibao."
The officials present had different expressions. No one dared to speak. They all stared at Han Zhengyang.
Fang Yun smiled slightly and said, "May I ask, Grand Secretary Han, is this Xiangzhou Dibao a newspaper under the name of the Holy Academy?"
When Fang Yun said this, not only the ordinary officials were shocked, but even Dong Wencong and Fang Shouye were horrified. Fang Yun's tone was very ordinary, but his intention was too obvious. He was questioning the jurisdiction of the Holy Court or the Criminal Palace!
Although a dignified virtual saint can question the Criminal Court, this is not necessary. If one were to oppose the Criminal Court or even the Holy Court, the situation would get out of control. Damaging one's literary reputation would be a small matter, but affecting the holy way would be a big matter.
To attack the Punishment Hall or even the Holy Court is something that has only happened once in a hundred years. Even if it did happen, the Holy Court would ruthlessly destroy it without mercy. The absolute authority of the Holy Court must be established, otherwise those evil spirits would inevitably think that the Holy Court can be bullied.
Dong Wencong and Fang Shouye repeatedly winked at Fang Yun, and Fang Shouye even secretly sent an expedited letter to Fang Yun to remind him, but Fang Yun remained unmoved and looked at Han Zhengyang calmly.
Seeing that Fang Yun was confident, Dong Wencong was no longer anxious but fell into deep thought.
Han Zhengyang's eyes widened slightly when he heard Fang Yun's words. After a few breaths, he found that Fang Yun's expression was still calm. After a little thought, he said, "The Xiangzhou Gazette is originally a publication of the Xiangzhou government, but the Holy Court has a clear regulation that before the publication of each country's gazette, it must be reviewed by the Holy Court's Wen Bao Editorial Office before it can be published. This supplement to the Xiangzhou Gazette has not been reviewed, which violates the laws of the Holy Court and should be investigated by the Criminal Court."
"Since the Xiangzhou Gazette only needs to be reviewed by the Holy Court before publication, the supplementary issue of the Xiangzhou Gazette today will be reviewed by the Criminal Court after verification by Xiangzhou. Finally, the results will be jointly announced by the Criminal Court and Xiangzhou." Fang Yun said.
Han Zhengyang suddenly narrowed his eyes slightly and said slowly: "The rules of the Criminal Court cannot be changed! This matter can only be investigated and judged by the Criminal Court alone!"
"As the governor of the two states, I command the officials and citizens of the two states. The Xiangzhou Gazette is also under my jurisdiction. As long as the Xiangzhou Gazette has not betrayed the human race, I cannot let the Criminal Court handle the internal affairs of Xiangzhou alone!"
Fang Yun's words were powerful. Although the officials present were worried about Fang Yun, they also felt that what Fang Yun said was very reasonable.
Even the celebrating officials nodded slightly, admiring Fang Yun's courage. The officials of the ten countries not only feared the Criminal Court, but also resented it. In many matters, once the Criminal Court intervened, all previous efforts were wasted, and in the end, no one knew why the Criminal Court intervened. Even if they asked, the Criminal Court would not answer on the grounds of confidentiality.
Han Zhengyang looked at Fang Yun and didn't speak for a long time.
Fang Yun just kept looking at Han Zhengyang quietly, without moving.
The other officials did not dare to move and could only watch the two men cautiously.
After a moment, Han Zhengyang slowly said: "Governor Fang, you are against the Punishment Hall! Against the Holy Court!"
As soon as the four characters "Oppose the Holy Court" came out, the backs of all the officials present bent slightly, and they became a head shorter than before.
Only Fang Yun remained calm.
"For the sake of the officials and the people of Xiangzhou, I will not hesitate to fight against the Criminal Court! Today, as the governor of the two states, I request the Criminal Court not to confiscate the supplement of the Xiangzhou Dibao. I will not participate in the trial until the results of the investigation are out! Otherwise, I will risk my life to seek justice for Xiangzhou."
Dong Wencong sighed softly, stepped forward helplessly, and said, "Please think twice, the matter of Xiangzhou Dibao should be decided by the Governor's Office."
When Fang Shouye saw that even Dong Wencong had shown up, he could not stand by and watch as Fang Yun's uncle, so he stepped forward and said, "Special Envoy, please think twice!"
The other officials saw that the situation was not right. The three most powerful officials in Xiangzhou had stood up. If they did not stand with the three, they would definitely be bullied in the future. However, the person opposite was a senior official of the Criminal Hall, a university scholar from an aristocratic family. If they stood up, what would they do if they were punished later
After a few breaths, some officials who were transferred from outside Jingguo to Xiangzhou came forward one after another.
Many officials, including Xue Li, Director of the Engineering Department, Jiang Zhengming, Director of the Law Department, Jia He, Director of the Criminal Department, and Cai Yuan, Director of the Supervision Department, stepped forward and stood behind Fang Yun.
Those Qing officials who secretly opposed Fang Yun kept thinking that if the matter was allowed to be investigated by the Criminal Court, the unlucky ones would be Guan Yi and other Qing officials, and most of the people in the Ministry of Rites would be implicated. The methods used by the Criminal Court would definitely be much more ruthless than those used by Fang Yun.
Soon, Nie Changju, the director of the Ministry of Rites, stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Please think twice, Special Envoy of the Criminal Hall!"
Nie Changju, the leader of Qingguan, did the same, and the others quickly followed suit.
Soon, all the officials present stood behind Fang Yun and expressed their opposition to the Criminal Court's investigation into the Xiangzhou Dibao supplement.
Han Zhengyang's face became darker and darker. Until this moment, he had already guessed that he was very likely to be used by someone to become an enemy of Fang Yun. Now he was in a dilemma. Even if he became an enemy of Fang Yun, he had to consider the face of the Criminal Hall.
In his heart, Han Zhengyang cursed the ancestors of the mastermind behind the incident for eighteen generations.
Han Zhengyang took one last look at Fang Yun and found that Fang Yun never explained to him in secret. He snorted coldly and said, "Since the officials of Xiangzhou are resisting the investigation of the Criminal Court, I can only report to the Criminal Court! You will pay the price for what you did today!"
.(To be continued.)