The next day was the morning and night of the fifteenth day of the month. No matter how busy Xue Shao, the Minister of War, had to go to court to follow the government in person.

When Xue Shao and two or three hundred civil and military ministers walked into Zhenguan Hall together, they were all attracted by a big bronze guy placed in the center of the court.

It is shaped like a mailbox but is larger than a mailbox, weighing more than a thousand pounds in square shape, and each side is painted in a different color.

The ministers kept speculating about this thing, but Xue Shao could not know it anymore. He thought, if I remember correctly, this game should be called "Copper Tu". Although it is inconspicuous now, it has epoch-making significance in Chinese history. The "Preliminary System" and "Preliminary Institute" derived from it are still being used in the 21st century, and of course the names of the systems and institutions have been changed to "letters and petitions".

Wu Zetian came and sat in the pearl curtain pavilion behind the dragon throne as before. When the civil and military officials visited, another person walked into the court and stood next to the bronze treasure.

Xue Shao looked sideways like everyone else and was a relatively eye-catching middle-aged scholar.

"The ministers must be curious about what this huge bronze ware is, right?" Wu Zetian took the initiative to express his doubts and immediately answered. "It is called Tongtu, which is a newly created object specially designed by the palace to accept the demands of the people. Standing next to the Tongtu is its designer, Yu Bao's family Yu's beloved minister, introduced the Tongtu to the ministers."

"Yes, Queen Mother,"

Yu Bao's family agreed and pointed to the green side first and said, "Please look, this green side is called Yan'en, but if someone recommends himself or who has talents in sing and lyrics, the letter will be put into this pavilion."

"The red side is called Zhao Jian. As the name suggests, any person who wants to advise the court can put letters into this pavilion."

"The white side is called "revenge". This is better understood, but those who have grievances can trust them."

"This black side..." Yu Bao's family deliberately paused when they said this, and then said, "It is called Tongxuan."

Of course, someone immediately asked, "What is the purpose?"

Yu Baojia said: "Whenever you know about the abnormal movements of astronomical things, or if there are ministers who are illegal or unlawful, or if there are illegal people who are plotting a rebellion, you can put the letter of informing into this pavilion!"

The whole court was in an uproar!

The copper pot on all sides and the other three sides seem too secondary to the "Tongxuan" Pavilion. Thinking of the beheading of the Yulin Guard yesterday, all the ministers were terrified that the storm of informing each other was full of horror. Who can still live in peace?

"Why are all the ministers shocked?" Wu Zetian asked, and the whole hall suddenly became silent.

"Among the twelve suggestions put forward by the Palace in the past 30 years, there was a plan for broad-language roads." Wu Zetian said, "Now the creation of Tongkou is just to broaden the way of speech, and to hear more voices. Listening to both sides is both hidden and clear. Can't the ministers understand?"

Who can argue with Wu Zetian's words?

"This palace ordered the order to place the bronze trunk in front of the gate of the imperial city Zetian. A special envoy was appointed to collect the bronze trunk letters every day." Wu Zetian said, "In addition, officials in the court are not allowed to submit letters. This is the privilege given to ordinary people by the palace. From now on, all the beloved ministers must be kept clean and accept supervision from the people and the people."

All officials were shocked and inexplicably. Some even sweated coldly since ancient times, but the people did not fight with the officials. Could it be that from today, officials would still be afraid of the common people?

"In addition." Wu Zetian's voice suddenly increased, "It is not easy to cast a copper trunk, and it is temporarily set up in front of Zetian Gate of the Shendu Palace. If the people of local prefectures and counties want to come to Beijing for advice or inform the informant, the prefecture officials and county magistrates are not allowed to interrogate. They must arrange for the postmaster to send him to Shendu, and the palace will personally receive the question in person. The postmasters along the way must be regarded as fifth-rank officials and hospitalized with diligent care. If the premasters or postmasters dare to obstruct or be condemned, they will be severely punished for blocking the way of speaking and deceiving the emperor! ... Once the informant is verified, they will be highly appreciated; if nothing is done, they will be sent back on the same route without asking them. There are still no ones that have not understood among the ministers, and then read the book."

The whole scene was silent.

Wu Zetian's words today are too tough. They are not the usual tone of discussing politics and discussing politics. They are completely an unquestionable and arbitrary attitude. This is extremely rare in Wu Zetian's ruling life. For a long time, the court where Wu Zetian ruled has never been a one-man rule, and it is normal for civil and military officials to speak freely.

Xue Shao and the civil and military ministers have already understood that she is going to use this "unordinary" to show her tough determination to implement the "prosecutorial system". Anyone who wants to raise objections to this matter will be useless.

...

After the dynasty was dispersed, all the civil and military officials walked out of the court without saying a word, and their steps were scattered in a hurry. A terrifying aura of everyone's own danger quietly spread.

Xue Shao returned to the Ministry of War and sat alone for a while. Wang Yu had a little bit of official business and wanted to report, but when he saw that Xue Shao's expression was very different from normal, he didn't dare to come in and bother.

Until Yao Yuanchong broke in.

"Shangshu, the minister, just passed by Zetian Gate, saw a large bronze ware placed in the road, and countless people watched and discussed it. What was the purpose?"

Yao Yuanchong was ordered to go to Luoshui Daying to handle military affairs and did not attend the morning court, so he asked this question.

Xue Shao briefly introduced the bronze pot to him.

Yao Yuanchong was stunned, "When this happens, will everyone be in danger of being in danger?"

Xue Shao nodded, "Maybe someone has already sent anonymous letters to Tongpu at this moment to report that you and me have acted as illegal and unjust."

Yao Yuanchong smiled bitterly, "Not it?"

Xue Shao smiled, "Who does not have one or two enemies in the court? Even a good man can't resist the jealousy and scheming of people with ulterior motives. I think no one can get peace in the future. The respect and trust between the king and the ministers, and between colleagues will no longer be the same as before."

"Ah..." Yao Yuanchong sighed repeatedly and whispered, "The Queen Mother thinks that there are too many people opposing her, right?"

Xue Shao acknowledged Yao Yuanchong's statement, lowered his voice, and whispered: "The heroine is in power, which is not tolerated by the world. Since the death of the late emperor, the empress dowager was at its peak, and more and more people opposed her. The Yangzhou mutiny and Pei Yan's imprisonment had already shocked the world. After that, the Yangzhou mutiny pacified Pei Yan and was also disgraced. The empress dowager was still forced to temporarily abdicate and return to the emperor under the pressure of the prime minister and the court officials. Although she re-administered the court again, there was an assassination of Zetianmen immediately. In addition, the court officials and the ministers wrote to discuss the memorials of giving her power to return to the inner court, which was almost every day. Faced with such a powerful opposition force, which was spread throughout the court and the country, and was open and dark, if the empress dowager did not make a little counterattack, she would not be the Empress Dowager Wu who had ruled the Tang Dynasty for decades."

"Listen to what the Secretary said, if you are a subordinate, if you don't want to sit and wait for death, you will definitely have a counterattack." Yao Yuanchong frowned tightly when he said this, "But, the wind of encouraging informants is ultimately..."

"Stop talking." Xue Shao waved his hand, "You and I can't solve any problem. This time the empress dowager's attitude is so tough that it is unprecedented."

"What should we do in the future?" Yao Yuanchong was quite worried.

Xue Shao frowned and pondered for a moment, and said, "We have said a lot just now. The core is that the Queen Mother has to deal with only those forces that oppose her."

Yao Yuanchong was slightly shocked, and a look of fear appeared in his eyes when he looked at Xue Shao.

Xue Shao knew what he had thought of.

The one who most wants to oppose Wu Zetian's rule is of course the current Li Tang royal family. Isn't Xue Shao himself also a member of the foreign relatives of the Li Tang royal family?

"I won't have anything to do." Xue Shao looked at Yao Yuanchong calmly, his tone was relaxed, but he was determined, "You can't."

...

A few days later, the major case exposed by the First Brown was alarmed by the government and the public.

The cause of the incident was that someone submitted a letter to Tongli to report a court official who helped him build many weapons during the rebellion of Xu Jingye in Yangzhou. Wu Zetian personally dismantled the letter, and after receiving the letter, he immediately ordered the first "Guanli envoy" Suo Yuanli to supervise the case immediately.

It sounds a bit ridiculous. The first official to be investigated for the Tongpu report was the fish protector who offered Tongpu.

This man can probably be regarded as an "inventor", especially good at making various exquisite mechanisms and making knives. He was praised by Wu Zetian and became more and more successful overnight. He was very glorious for a while. But he certainly did not expect that he would become the first pioneer to be dismissed because of a copper pot and to "enjoy" the preferential treatment of cruel officials for the first time.

Suo Yuanli was ordered to investigate the case for the first time, and he showed enthusiasm and determination to win. He immediately caught Yu Bao's family.

Of course, the Yu Bao family refused to admit that they had built weapons for Xu Jingye. But Suo Yuanli was obviously not an ordinary judicial official. He had his own unique way of asking questions.

Not many people know about this "unique method". Xue Shao also heard a Qianqi Guard who cooperated with Suo Yuanli to handle the case privately and learned the details.

Suo Yuanli might have wanted to mock the inventor Yu Baojia, and he also invented a "iron cage" specially used to interrogate criminals. This iron cage can be put into a human head. As long as the prisoner is put into the head, he will insert a wooden wedge into the hole reserved by the iron cage to insert the prisoner's eyes, ears, noses and mouths. If he asks, he will insert a wooden wedge into it. Blood flows through life and death!

This iron bridle can also be pulled and tightened with a rope, which can directly press the head until the brain bursts and dies on the spot.

Before the Yu Bao family could insert the wooden wedge, they had already admitted their crimes.

So Yuanli was very satisfied with his new invention and gave his famous name to this new set of "severe torture and forced confession" trial method, called "prison control".

In fact, before using "Zhuo Ji", Suo Yuanli also used another magic weapon for trial, and also had a well-known name called "Suqiu".

To put it bluntly, it is mental torture.

When Yu Bao's family was just locked up, Suo Yuanli locked him up in a small dark cell, not giving him food or water, and sent people to ask questions day and night. Yu Bao's family was sleepy and wanted to sleep, so Suo Yuanli sent someone to beat drums and drums in his ears, not letting him fall asleep.

After less than two days of torture, Yu Bao's family completely collapsed and they were kneeling down and crying to give him a happy ending. If Suo Yuanli hadn't been anxious to test the "iron cage" magic weapon he had been in the box, how could Yu Bao's family survive the "limited prison" level?

Although Xue Shao was mentally prepared for the cruelty of the cruel officials of the Wuzhou dynasty in history, Suo Yuanli's extreme viciousness still made Xue Shao feel creepy.

Just imagine, if you suffered from the torture of "living prisoners" and "prisoners", how many days would you survive?
Chapter completed!