A foot square word "滚" (get out) was suspended in front of Shen Ming. Beads of sweat kept dripping down from his forehead. His face turned from red to purple, from purple to blue, and from blue to white.
It was quiet inside and outside the main hall, and nearly a hundred officials stretched their necks to look at the word "get out".
Ji Zhibai was the top scholar of Jing State and a disciple of the Left Prime Minister. The fact that he was forced to say "get out" shows how serious the situation was.
Tao Dingnian, Lu Hong, Wen Gu and others hurriedly held the official seals.
After a moment, Tao Dingnian suddenly raised his head and gnashed his teeth and said, "Shen Ming! You, an old killer, actually have a niece who is worse than pigs and dogs. She dared to poison and murder the Prime Minister's two legitimate grandchildren!"
"Beast!" Lu Hong shook his head slightly.
Wen Gu's eyes turned red, and he said, "It's a pity that Prime Minister Zuo and Lord Ji trusted you so much and let you take up such an important position. Who knew that you Shen family members are so inhumane! I really want to smash that bitch to death!"
"I heard that the Left Prime Minister was so angry that he left the capital. No one knows where he went!"
"What, is it true?" Wucuo Novel Network does not skip words.
"My old friend in the capital said that the Ministry of Personnel is in chaos right now, and I'm afraid that the Left Prime Minister will be upset by this matter!"
"Lord Zuo Xiang has been so kind to us. I wish I could kill this beast Shen Ming!"
"Even if your whole family dies, it won't be enough to bury the grandson of the Left Prime Minister!"
"This is a house of sins that cannot be described in words!"
"The sentence must be severe, no leniency!"
Many officials shouted and cursed. If this was not the main hall of the county government, who knows what ugly words they would have uttered.
Many officials were so angry that they went crazy, not to protect Zuo Xiang, but for themselves!
The left prime minister originally had high hopes for Ning'an County, hoping that the officials of Ning'an County could overthrow Fang Yun, or at least prevent Fang Yun from taking the palace examination.
But now, not only did everyone fail to stop Fang Yun, but the people of Ning'an County killed Zuo Xiang's grandson. From now on, whenever Zuo Xiang heard about the officials of Ning'an County, he would definitely think of the pair of grandsons who died in the womb.
Shen Ming's niece's poisoning this time almost cut off the promotion path of officials from Ning'an County!
Many young officials were not only angry but also panicked.
"It's over, our future is over..."
I don't know who said the first sentence and was blocked by someone, but invisible panic spread among nearly a hundred officials.
Anyone who dares to say that Fang Yun was wrong now is tantamount to saying that the grandson of the Left Prime Minister deserved to be put to death, and is trying to exonerate Shen Ming Lanxiang!
Fang Yun was not wrong, so it was definitely the officials who were wrong!
Some officials looked at Fang Yun, who was sitting on the Diaoyutai in the main hall, and were terrified. Now that everyone had been dragged aboard by Shen Ming, it was neither right to stay nor to leave.
The person sitting opposite was Fang Yun, a man who had the audacity to take down a county governor on his first day in Ning'an County, a man who attracted great scholars and ministers from various halls to come and go frequently. If he did not take action, it would be fine, but once he did, it would be earth-shattering.
Turn your hand and it becomes clouds; turn your hand back and it becomes rain.
Some officials couldn't help cursing themselves in their hearts for being blind. They had looked down on Fang Yun before. They thought Fang Yun couldn't beat these officials at all!
Now it seems that Fang Yun doesn't take the officials present seriously at all!
Fang Yun had been tolerant before in order to lay out the plan for the palace examination, but now the plan was complete. On the same day, Shen Ming was brought to trial with lightning speed, and Shen Ming was even deliberately used as bait. All the officials in Ning'an County took the bait!
Shen Ming lowered his head, his face pale. The reason why he was so arrogant before was just because he was a relative of the left prime minister. Now, this support is gone.
Some officials who were on good terms with him sighed inwardly. Shen Ming was completely finished, as if all his energy and spirit had been drained away.
Snapped…
Fang Yun suddenly slammed the gavel and said, "Where is the head secretary of the household department? Come forward and answer the question."
All the officials were startled by the sound of the gavel, and became even more frightened after hearing Fang Yun's words.
Fang Yun is going to take action against the officials of Ning'an County!
Even if it was a day ago, if Fang Yun dared to take action, they would collectively disobey his orders, but now they don't dare to do so.
The Left Prime Minister was so angry that he left the capital. Who dares to say anything
"The head secretary of the household department is here!" Then an old scholar who was over fifty years old walked slowly to the door of the main hall, his legs shaking uncontrollably.
The household department is under the charge of the chief clerk, and the chief clerk of the household department is Shen Ming's confidant.
Fang Yun looked at the head secretary of the household department coldly and said, "I heard that you have a close relationship with Shen Ming. Is it true that your daughter is marrying someone from the Shen family?"
"That's true." Secretary Hufang swallowed hard.
"Oh, then, is it true that the anonymous report said that you and Shen Ming teamed up to embezzle two county-owned workshops, resell grain, and pocketed the money in the land survey?"
"Your humble servant..." The head secretary of the Household Department did not dare to continue.
Fang Yun said slowly: "The policy of the county's administration is to punish past crimes and prevent future ones, and to cure diseases and save lives. The policy of treating suspects is to be lenient to those who confess and strict to those who resist. If you confess truthfully, I can give you a light sentence. If you are stubborn and unyielding, the county will punish you severely."
As an experienced official, the Secretary of the Household Department naturally understood the implicit meaning of Fang Yun's words. The so-called punishment for the past and warning for the future meant that all the people related to Shen Ming should be arrested. The so-called curing the disease and saving the life meant that if they truly repented and helped Fang Yun expose Shen Ming, their sentence would be reduced, which was equivalent to saving them. The death penalty would never be used.
It is obvious that Fang Yun is well versed in the art of governing officials. He can compromise on sentencing, but will never give in on right or wrong!
"Your humble servant... confesses!" The head secretary half-knelt on the ground.
"You..." Before Shen Ming could finish his words, Fang Yun suddenly slapped him in the air, and the official seal mobilized the power of the holy temple and hit Shen Ming in the face from a distance.
"Snapped… "
The slap made Shen Ming stagger back three steps, his face swollen and blood slowly flowing from the corners of his mouth.
“Hiss…” Shen Ming glared at Fang Yun angrily, covering his left cheek with his hand, but dared not say a word.
All the officials remained silent. After all, Shen Ming was a juren chief clerk. Fang Yun said to fight and he would fight. This was to show his determination. Anyone who dared to jump out to protect Shen Ming would be ruthlessly suppressed!
"Just confess your crimes one by one." Fang Yun looked down at the head clerk who was half-kneeling below.
"yes… "
Next, the head of the household department began to confess, telling all the stories between him and Shen Ming, but he cleverly said that he was forced by Shen Ming and he had no choice. Finally, he confessed some of the things he had done, although the crimes were not light, but they were not as serious as the previous ones.
During this process, Shen Ming just snorted coldly and said nothing.
After the head of the household department confessed, Fang Yun thought for a moment and made a verdict. His house was searched, all property was confiscated, he was caned 40 times, paraded through the streets, and then exiled to the army for ten years. If he made great contributions, his sentence could be reduced. His three sons participated in the division of the spoils, and they were all caned 60 times and sentenced to three years in prison. His wife also participated in the violation and was caned 20 times and sentenced to one year in prison.
"Thank you, sir!" The head secretary of the Household Department felt extremely complicated. Fang Yun did what he said and followed the policy of "curing illnesses and saving lives". He allowed him to reduce his sentence by making meritorious contributions, but he did not let go of his family members who participated in the crime.
The head secretary of the household department raised his head again and said, "Sir, I have confessed voluntarily. Can I be exempted from parading through the streets?"
For scholars, parading through the streets was a more severe punishment than imprisonment or exile, and some scholars would rather die than be paraded through the streets.
Fang Yun said, "From today on, all corrupt officials must be paraded through the streets! If you don't want to be paraded through the streets, just don't steal!" (To be continued...)