Chapter 1495. Catch them all in one fell swoop (2).
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Just as Huo Zhengyuan expected.
Three consecutive days of hard work and two consecutive nights of no rest left Xu Shengying and Xi Cheng exhausted both physically and mentally, making them extremely sleepy.
When Huo Zhengyuan stepped into the side hall of Zhanyuan, he saw Xi Cheng yawning continuously, while Xu Shengying drank a lot of strong tea to refresh herself. Both of them had extremely obvious dark circles on their faces.
At the same time, Zhu Hejian's eunuch Jia Lun accompanied him respectfully.
Obviously, Zhu Hejian left Jia Lun in Zhanyuan nominally to entertain and serve Huo Zhengyuan, Xu Shengying, and Xi Cheng, but his real intention must be to monitor the progress of the tripartite joint trial.
The most important thing is that during the tripartite joint trial, Jialun could also intimidate those "Chaofeng" dead soldiers who were captured alive on behalf of Zhu Hejian.
Jia Lun is the most trusted confidant around Zhu Hejian, so when Zhu Hejian secretly raised the dead soldiers, this Jia Lun must have played a key role, and maybe he was one of Zhu Hejian's contacts with the dead soldiers organization.
Under such circumstances, those "Chaofeng" dead men who were arrested must know Jia Lun's identity and origin, and also know very well that Jia Lun represents Zhu Hejian's personal visit.
If Jia Lun is allowed to stay at the interrogation scene and watch, those arrested "Chaofeng" dead soldiers will definitely be intimidated by Jia Lun's existence, and then they will shrink back and have many scruples, and will not dare to confess the truth at all.
After thinking about this, Huo Zhengyuan immediately frowned and wanted to find a reason to send Jia Lun away.
But before Huo Zhengyuan could speak, he heard Xi Cheng's complaint.
"Master Huo, you are really late! We and Xu Shoubei have been waiting for you for nearly half an hour! You must have had enough sleep last night, but in order to stabilize the situation in Nanjing, our family and Xu Shoubei have already
You have been exhausted for several days in a row and have no chance to rest at all... Under such circumstances, you have the nerve to let us two wait for you!"
Huo Zhengyuan smiled and retorted: "Since both Xi Zhenshou and Xu Shoubei are exhausted, and I am relaxed, then let the idle man work more and the laboring man rest more, and leave the interrogation to me. How about that?"
?You two can also seize the opportunity to take a rest."
Xicheng's expression froze, and he snorted coldly: "Since we have agreed that it will be a three-party joint trial, how can our family hide in peace and quiet? What we mean is that Academician Huo should come to the garden a little early to discuss with our family.
Together with Xu Shoubei and Xu Shoubei, we should discuss all the details of the tripartite joint trial. We should not show up at the last moment before the trial starts, leaving the three of us with no time to even discuss consensus...
Academician Huo Da has always been of noble status when he was in the center of the capital. He has served in the Hanlin Academy for a long time. Unlike our family and Xu Shoubei, who have heavy responsibilities and heavy powers and responsibilities, it seems that he is really used to being leisurely and at ease. As for the specific work,
I also have no understanding of the various actual procedures! In this case, our family cannot leave the interrogation to you!"
Xi Cheng's series of statements had two main intentions. The first was to use Huo Zhengyuan's late arrival to try to arouse Xu Shengying's common hatred, and to try to win over Xu Shengying and isolate Huo Zhengyuan; the second was to show Huo Zhengyuan's experience in doing things.
If he is not rich enough, he is just a noble Hanlin. He wants to use this excuse to reduce Huo Zhengyuan's right to speak during the interrogation.
Huo Zhengyuan still refused to give in, and still smiled calmly, and counterattacked again: "Oh? So the three of us still have a chance to reach some consensus? Then... Xi Zhenshou and Xu Shoubei both arrived early, saying that they had already
After waiting for me here for nearly half an hour, did the two of you reach any consensus during this time?"
After hearing this, Xicheng's expression couldn't help but froze again.
As Xu Shengying changed her position and wanted to fully investigate the masterminds behind the captured gangsters, unlike Xi Cheng who wanted to hide the truth, it was naturally impossible for the two people to reach any consensus.
Seeing that Xi Cheng was unable to answer, Huo Zhengyuan spread his hands and said with a smile: "After I was promoted to a bachelor's degree, although I had a noble status and did not have clear rights and responsibilities like Xu Shoubei and Xi Zhengshou, I still had some foresight. I had already guessed the three of us.
It is impossible to have any consensus during the interrogation, and the reason why I came late was because I considered the physical and mental fatigue of Xu Shoubei and Xi Zhengshou. I thought that there was no need for us to waste time on useless work, and it would be better to leave more time for the two of them to rest.
…I originally thought that Xi Zhenshou would be able to understand such a simple truth, but I didn’t expect that Xi Zhenshou still misunderstood my good intentions!”
Huo Zhengyuan's implication is that although he has a noble status and lacks relevant experience, his intellectual level is crushing yours, Xi Cheng. Therefore, his right to speak during the tripartite joint trial should not be reduced, but should be greater than yours.
Xi Cheng is even bigger!
Xi Cheng understood Huo Zhengyuan's hint and immediately became furious and glared at Huo Zhengyuan.
But Huo Zhengyuan ignored Xi Cheng's angry reaction and just strolled not far from Xi Cheng and Xu Shengying.
This side hall has been rearranged by Zhu Hejian. It initially looks like a courtroom. Not only has all the furniture been vacated, but a large official case has also been placed at the top of the end of the side hall. There are pen and ink on the official case.
Paper inkstones, gavel wood, ink sticks and other items and trial tools are all available. Under the gongan, there is a temporary layer of bluestone slabs, allowing Huo Zhengyuan, Xu Shengying and Xi Cheng to sit behind the gongan and interrogate the prisoner from a high position.
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At this time, Xu Shengying and Xi Cheng had already sat side by side behind the koan in advance.
Among them, Xi Cheng sits on the left and Xu Shengying sits on the right.
In ancient times, the left was respected, and Xu Shengying was placed on the right because as a garrison in Nanjing, he would be nominally under the control of the eunuchs who guarded Nanjing.
Huo Zhengyuan walked up to the public case and immediately raised a key question: "Xu Shoubei, Xi Zhenshou... who among the three of us will sit in the middle?"
This chapter is not over, please click on the next page to continue reading! From ancient times to the present, seating arrangement has always been an extremely sensitive matter.
Specifically speaking of this tripartite joint trial, the person sitting in the middle is equivalent to the presiding judge and has a greater right to speak, while the people sitting on both sides are equivalent to the jury, and the right to speak will be weakened invisibly.
Xi Cheng naturally wanted to compete for the position of chief judge at this time, but before Xi Cheng could express his position, Xu Shengying, who had been silent, had already taken the initiative to move to the right, freeing up the middle position, and said slowly: "Since
We have not received your majesty's imperial edict. People from the inner court like Xi Zhenshou are not suitable to sit in the middle. As a military commander, I am also not suitable to sit in the middle. Therefore, this position is still held by Academician Huo.
It would be more appropriate for civil servants from other dynasties to come sit here!"
Xi Cheng's expression changed slightly. He didn't expect Xu Shengying to give up the position of chief judge to Huo Zhengyuan so easily.
In fact, this is a matter of course. Although Xu Shengying and Huo Zhengyuan are not the same person, at least during this tripartite joint trial, their interests and goals are more similar, and Xu Shengying knows that she is not only a military attache, but also nominally subject to
Xicheng's control meant that he had no chance to compete for the position of chief judge, so he directly gave this position to Huo Zhengyuan.
Huo Zhengyuan did his part, and without waiting for Xi Cheng to express his objection, he walked directly to the middle position behind the gongan and sat down, and used his body to push Xi Cheng to an even more peripheral position.
Xi Cheng is an old eunuch, and although Huo Zhengyuan is just a scholar, he is still in his prime. Therefore, even if Xi Cheng is unwilling to do so, he is helpless in the face of Huo Zhengyuan's forcible fight given Xu Shengying's intentional favoritism.
At the same time, Jiang Zheng silently walked to the side and stood with many of Xu Shengying and Xi Cheng's subordinates.
Finally, after being squeezed to a position further to the left, Xi Cheng snorted: "For this interrogation, let's let Academician Huo sit in the middle for the time being! But there can't be only one interrogation, and the next one must be changed.
Location."
Xu Shengying was still expressionless, Huo Zhengyuan was still smiling, and neither of them responded.
Seeing that Xi Cheng was suppressed repeatedly and was about to burst into anger, Jia Lun, who had been standing beside him, finally stepped forward and asked respectfully: "Are the three adults satisfied with the layout of this court? If there is no
If you are dissatisfied, it is now Chenshi, and the three adults should interrogate the prisoner."
Huo Zhengyuan finally found a chance to talk to Jia Lun and asked: "The various arrangements in the court are quite appropriate, but I wonder...are all the torture instruments ready?"
Jia Lun raised his head and glanced at Xu Shengying and said: "Originally, I was not prepared. After all, there were really no torture instruments in Zhan Yuan. But when Xu Shoubei arrived at Zhan Yuan, he brought all kinds of torture instruments that guarded the army prison.
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Huo Zhengyuan nodded with satisfaction and said: "In that case... I remember that you are the eunuch of His Highness the Seventh Prince, named Jia Lun, right? You can leave here now! After all, you are only the prince's long-term attendant, even in the inner court
There is no position among them and he is not suitable to participate in official affairs."
This time, Xicheng finally found an opportunity and said first: "He can't leave!"
"Why?" Huo Zhengyuan asked with a frown.
Xicheng snorted coldly and said: "Jia Lun represents His Highness the Seventh Prince and is qualified to watch the three of us interrogate the prisoner!"
"Your Highness wants an eunuch to represent you? Isn't it appropriate?"
"There is nothing inappropriate. Could it be that Academician Huo despises our inner court so much? What's more, Jia Lun is not only a representative of His Highness, but also not an ordinary eunuch. He has always been famous for his proficiency in criminal law in the inner court. If not
He is loyal to His Highness the Seventh Prince and has never been willing to leave His Highness. He has already made a name for himself in Dongchang! So letting him stay here to watch the three of us interrogate the prisoners is not only His Highness's intention, but also our family's initiative.
Suggestion! After all, neither Master Huo nor Xu Shoubei, nor our family, are good at Ming Dynasty criminal law, so we must find someone knowledgeable to provide us with advice!"
Hearing what Xicheng said, Huo Zhengyuan was slightly startled. He couldn't help but take a serious look at Jia Lun, and then turned to glance at Jiang Zheng, who was standing quietly to the side.
Huo Zhengyuan had no idea that Jia Lun was just an eunuch serving the Seventh Prince, and he was not very young, yet he was proficient in the criminal laws of the Ming Dynasty!
Obviously, just like Huo Zhengyuan, the seventh prince Zhu Hejian also expected it in advance and believed that Huo Zhengyuan, Xu Shengying, and Xi Cheng had different positions and different goals during the joint trial. They must be restraining each other and restraining each other. No one could convince them.
If you don't care about anyone, in this case you can only strictly abide by the laws of the Ming Dynasty.
Therefore, Huo Zhengyuan brought Jiang Zheng to Zhanyuan, while Zhu Hejian left Jia Lun in Zhanyuan.
Zhu Hejian and Huo Zhengyuan have similar ideas, and Jia Lun and Jiang Zheng have exactly the same mission orientation, which is to take advantage of their proficiency in Ming law to continuously find relevant French texts that are beneficial to their side to provide support during the tripartite joint trial, or to
It is to use relevant French words that are not conducive to the other party to refute, and then gradually take control of the situation.
At the same time, Zhu Hejian must have trusted Jia Lun's ability very much, so he dared to leave Zhanyuan during the tripartite joint trial and went to Confucius Temple to preside over a public debate between the Jin gentry forces and the Huangzhuang forces, even though he saw Jiang Zheng beside Huo Zhengyuan.
He also recognized Jiang Zheng's identity and background, but did not show any obvious concern.
After thinking of this, Huo Zhengyuan became more and more afraid of Jia Lun, and said slowly: "A eunuch who is proficient in criminal law... reminds me of the Qin Dynasty that died in the second generation! At that time, there was also a eunuch who was proficient in criminal law - the man who called a deer a horse.
Zhao Gao!"
Comparing Jia Lun to Zhao Gao is undoubtedly an extremely serious accusation for the eunuchs of the inner court.
In fact, as an eunuch in the inner court, one of Jia Lun's idols was Zhao Gao.
According to the tacit understanding between Zhu Hejian and Jia Lun, when Zhu Hejian ascends to the throne in the future, Jia Lun will be the head of the inner court and command all the major yamen in the inner court.
Jalen takes control.
Zhu Hejian has always been diligent and self-disciplined, and Jia Lun is naturally the same type of person. In order to be more handy when he takes charge of the inner court in the future, he has been working hard secretly over the years. The criminal law of the Ming Dynasty is the focus of Jia Lun's study, although he has no chance to accept Yang Xun's position.
Although Jia Lun's efforts in studying the Ming Dynasty's criminal law were definitely no less than those of Jiang Zheng's.
In this regard, Jalen is undoubtedly an extremely inspirational figure.
At this time, after hearing Huo Zhengyuan's accusations, Jia Lun's attitude was still low-key and humble, but he also gave people a feeling of being neither humble nor overbearing.
Young eunuchs are all subject to assessments, and smart ones are selected and sent to the inner library to study and learn literacy. If their learning results are good, they will be further taught the Four Books and Five Classics, court laws and other knowledge. Only in this way can outstanding eunuchs be selected and admitted.
The Si Li Jian, Yu Ma Jian and other yamen assist His Majesty in handling court affairs!
Therefore, it is natural for a villain to know a little bit about court laws. You cannot compare a villain to Zhao because of this, otherwise you will completely negate the rules of the inner study hall! The establishment of the inner study hall is based on the instructions of Chengzu. If
Academician Huo is dissatisfied with this rule and should not make things difficult for the villain. Instead, he should directly propose to His Majesty to revoke this ancestral precept!
What's more, the villain is not the only knowledgeable eunuch in the inner court. If the villain knows a little about criminal law, you will be compared to Zhao Gao. Then all the eunuchs in the twenty-four yamen of the inner court are well versed in books.
Wen, which eunuchs of the previous dynasties should we compare them to?"
After hearing this, Huo Zhengyuan, who was always alert, was speechless.
Jia Lun directly brought out the existence of the eunuchs in the twenty-four yamen of the inner court, and also brought out the ancestral precepts of Zhu Di, the founder of the Ming Dynasty. If Huo Zhengyuan continues to argue on this topic, he will undoubtedly be an enemy of the entire inner court, and even openly question
Understand the wisdom and martial arts of Zhu Di, the founder of the Ming Dynasty.
Let alone Huo Zhengyuan, even Zhao Junchen needs to carefully consider the consequences under such circumstances.
So, after Huo Zhengyuan sneered, he finally stopped making things difficult for Jia Lun and acquiesced to Jia Lun's observation of the interrogation. He only glanced at Jiang Zheng, who was standing quietly to the side, again.
After this trial, although Huo Zhengyuan still didn't know how proficient Jialun was in the laws of the Ming Dynasty, he also understood that Jialun was by no means an easy person to deal with, regardless of his reaction speed, the city's scheming, and
Or speaking skills and eloquence are the best choices.
Huo Zhengyuan had a vague hunch in his heart that during the following three-party joint trial, he, Xi Cheng, and Xu Shengying were constrained by each other, and they might not be able to become the protagonists. The key to victory or defeat was the confrontation between Jiang Zheng and Jia Lun.
Then, Huo Zhengyuan turned to Xu Shengying and asked: "In this case, it's getting late, let's start interrogating the prisoners!"
Seeing Huo Zhengyuan change the topic, Xi Cheng immediately sneered, thinking that Jia Lun was angry at him, while Xu Shengying looked helpless.
In fact, Xu Shengying had long thought that Jia Lun's existence would seriously hinder him from interrogating prisoners and finding out the truth. Before Huo Zhengyuan arrived at Zhanyuan, he had also wanted to find a reason to send Jia Lun away, but Jia Lun also had reason to do so.
The evidence-based rebuttal failed, and Jia Lun could only stay and watch the trial.
Therefore, Xu Shengying did not show disdain because Huo Zhengyuan changed the subject. Instead, she nodded very cooperatively and said: "Indeed, it's time to get down to business!"
Afterwards, Xu Shengying picked up an official document and took a look at it. Then she took out a red stick from the public case and threw it down. She shouted an order: "Come here and interrogate the gangster Zhang Sisan!"
Huo Zhengyuan had previously captured eleven "Chaofeng" dead soldiers alive, but due to Zhu Hejian's public intimidation, eight "Chaofeng" dead soldiers soon chose to commit suicide. Fortunately, the Nanjing garrison guarding the prisoners discovered it in time, but in the end
Only three of them were saved, but five still committed suicide.
As a result, only six of the "Chaofeng" dead soldiers who were arrested were left alive.
The "Zhang Sisan" who was first brought to trial by Xu Shengying was one of the six remaining "Chaofeng" dead soldiers, and also one of the three "Chaofeng" dead soldiers who failed to commit suicide.
Following Xu Shengying's order, a Nanjing garrison and a Jin Yiwei turned around and ran out of the side hall at the same time, and soon escorted an embarrassed young man into the Zhanyuan side hall.
After Huo Zhengyuan saw the prisoner, he bypassed all the procedures, went straight to the topic, and asked a question that made everyone look at him.