Zhu Ming, the magistrate of the state, Li Daochong, the general judge, Song Ning, who joined the army for recording, Huang Gui, who joined the army as manager, Li Yang, who joined the judiciary, and Wu Mao, the observation envoy, gathered together to discuss the case.
The confession was not only Zeng Xiaosu's, but also the confessions of many officials, as well as the confessions of Han Shun and Zou Sanniang.
Although it came from a fatigue interrogation, this was nothing in ancient times. The key point is that these confessions can correspond to each other.
"They committed a murder, how could they tell it so easily?" Li Daochong first questioned.
Ju Ming said with a smile: "How did you tell it? Li Daquan doesn't need to ask more. The criminal Zeng Xiaosu forced Feng to rape and bribed a monk. I have sent people to arrest the monk and bring him to justice. There are also the bones of Feng, the maid and Han He.
We have also sent people to search for and excavate. The reason why I called Li Dajian today is because one of the officials involved in the case is working as an inspection clerk in your Tongpan Hall."
Li Daochong looked at the confession again and said angrily: "Since the evidence is conclusive, just arrest him."
Inspecting the scribes is a very important civil servant position, and it is not advisable to go to the public prosecutor's office to arrest people rashly. If Zhu Ming dares to do that, the impact will be worse than seizing the gold, and it will be equivalent to completely breaking up with Li Daochong.
You have to say hello in advance.
Although Li Daochong was very unhappy, there was no need to get involved in the murder case. At worst, he would be promoted to another one.
Zhu Ming added: "This case has been approved by the Criminal Division. Once it is retried, it will be very important. Therefore, I propose that the prefects of the state review it together. The power of review lies with the Judicial Court, with Mr. Huang as the presiding officer. I and the governors
Jun will adjudicate the case, Li will provide judicial assistance, and Wu will record the case."
Huang Gui quickly suggested: "Since it is a joint trial of state officials, the prefect should be the chief judge. Although I have the power of review, I dare not entrust it to the magistrate."
Ju Ming immediately looked at Wu Mao.
This coward and honest man had already made up his mind to fight against the traitors, but now that Li Daochong was sitting in front of him, he was suffering from rickets again.
After being glared at by Ju Ming, Wu Mao could only bite the bullet and said: "It is indeed the prefect who should preside over the trial."
Ju Ming then asked Li Yang, a member of the judicial army: "What do Li Judi think?"
Li Yang is purely a transparent officialdom. He only provides legal basis for the judge when sentencing. He does not have any actual power at ordinary times. He immediately said that no one would be offended and replied: "It is a joint trial, the prefect can preside over it, and the general trial can also preside over it."
Yes, the recorder and the manager are also available."
Song Ning, who joined the army as a recorder, said: "The prefect has just arrived and is not familiar with Jinzhou. I think Li Dazheng should be the one to preside over the case."
Huang Gui immediately retorted: "If it is based on my own duties, you and I should preside over the trial. If it is based on official duties, the prefect should preside over the trial. I would like to ask what is the basis for the chief judge to preside over the trial in the case of Song Lu?"
Song Ning was speechless. No matter from any angle, it was not Tong Jing's turn to preside over the case.
Ju Ming looked at Li Daochong with a smile.
Li Daochong curled his lips, he understood what Ju Ming meant.
If the case was tried and concluded quickly, it would only frighten the subordinate officials. But Zhu Ming insisted on dragging it out and called everyone to discuss whether there would be another trial. This was an opportunity to assert his authority among the officials.
The right to review the case rests with Huang Gui. If Huang Gui gives up his qualification as the chief judge, it will inevitably go to Zhu Ming. Li Daochong cannot object at all.
"Since you have no objections, we will review the case immediately after finding the bones," Zhu Ming said with a smile, "At that time, we will invite all the Cao officials."
Li Daochong said quickly: "Every official has his or her own political affairs, so there is no need to waste their time."
Ju Ming waved his hand and said: "Otherwise, for such a major case, all state officials should be present to see the faces of these old officials, so that they can be alert in the future and no longer be deceived."
Ju Ming plans to establish his power in front of all the state officials and let everyone watch him judge the case!
Li Daochong smiled and said: "It's just an unjust case. Just retry it. There is no need to make a big show."
Ju Ming immediately gave in: "Then I will send an invitation to all the officials. Those who are willing to come and watch can come. Those who don't want to come don't have to come."
Now that we have talked about this, who the hell dares not to come?
If you don’t come, you won’t give Zhizhou face!
A few days later, several corpses were exhumed. Officials at both the state and county levels went to perform autopsies and each produced an autopsy report.
Ju Ming also sent people to publicize the case inside and outside the city, inviting people to come and watch the trial.
"Xiangong, the man named Zhu has no good intentions. Officials, subordinates, and people are all present to see with their own eyes that he has overturned an unjust case. How high will his prestige be in the future?" The attendant said, "After this case, who still remembers Xianggong?
Everyone only knows that there is Zhizhou, but they don’t know that there is Tongjian.”
Li Daochong was so angry that he slapped his thigh: "He takes over all the emotions, laws and regulations, so what can I do?"
The personal attendant said: "I still have to write to Mr. Cai (Cai You), either to transfer the person named Zhu out of Jinzhou, or to transfer Mr. Xian away from Jinzhou. This person is too powerful, and he is Mr. Xian's immediate boss.
It’s hard to do things with him in the same place.”
Li Daochong is in Jinzhou to make money, not to fight against anyone.
What's more, since Ju Ming is protected by the emperor, it is impossible to defeat him.
Just as this person said, either Ju Ming should be transferred or Li Daochong should be transferred, otherwise their corruption plan would be delayed.
Li Daochong thought about it and found that he really had no better way, so he wrote to Cai You again. He gave up...well, it wasn't really giving up. He was just too lazy to fight with Zhu Ming and wanted to make money quickly.
pursuit.
…
On the day when the case was tried, due to the effective publicity and the scandal, it attracted a large number of people's attention.
The trial took place in the lobby of the Court of Justice, where nearly a thousand people gathered early in the morning, and some people even came from outside the city.
Even the state schools were closed for one day, and the state professors came with their scholars to watch the fun.
Wang Jia was responsible for leading people to maintain order. He said to the onlookers: "The prefect has an order to select twenty people to stand outside the lobby and watch. The rest must stand outside the gate and cannot step beyond the gate. Draw lots!"
Several government officials, each holding a wooden box, asked the onlookers to draw lots.
There are a total of five hundred small pieces of paper, only twenty of which have the word "jin" written on them, and the rest are all blank.
The common people did not expect such a thing to happen, so they happily drew lots. The scholars from the state also rushed forward crazily, intending to try their luck.
A wealthy businessman grabbed the blank paper and immediately shouted: "For fifty cents, I can buy a spectator spot. Let me know who is willing to sell it!"
"I want to buy it too!" said another rich man.
The transaction was really successful, and the officials in front of the government didn't bother to care. The seats became more expensive as you went to the back, and it was sold to 160 Wen each on the spot.
All I can say is that Jinzhou is really poor.
If I were in Yangzhou, I would probably get 500 Wen.
Seventeen of the twenty spectators were from wealthy households, and most of them were bought with money.
Dai Chengsi was both a businessman and an official. He spent money to buy a place and followed everyone in. He thought he could only stand outside the lobby, but he saw a handyman bringing chairs and placing them at the door of the lobby for them to sit down.
"I heard that many were arrested, but I don't know how many will be killed today."
"The new governor wants to establish his authority when he takes office. Maybe more than five of them will be killed on the spot."
"If five of them are beaten to death, they will be fined more than 100 guan."
"What is a hundred dollars worth to a prefect? ​​Only by killing him many times can he establish his authority."
"..."
These wealthy businessmen came to hear the trial. Not only were they interested in the case, they were also guessing how many people Ju Ming was going to kill today.
Submission is not allowed in principle, but it is tacitly accepted in execution.
Moreover, relevant laws have been specially formulated. If an official kills a prisoner or witness during a trial, he will be punished as manslaughter. The penalty for killing a prisoner or witness is 120 kilograms of copper. Calculated based on the normal price of five kilograms of copper, if a person accidentally kills a person during the trial, he will be fined.
24 strings will get rid of the crime.
Ju Ming was very merciful by letting his subordinates fatigue for interrogation. He could have beaten him to death.
"Officials are in place!"
State officials entered the hall one after another, and even the principal of the state school was there, filling both sides of the hall.
Li Daochong, the general judge, is sitting in the first place on the left.
Wu Mao, the envoy, sits first on the right. He is responsible for recording the trial process.
The recorder and the manager are respectively sitting on the left and right of the main seat. They are considered to be the assistants of the chief judge.
The judicial officer sat alone in the corner, and he had to provide legal basis for sentencing.
"The prefect ascends to the throne!"
Ju Ming strode out of the inner hall and sat upright in the main seat.
"Shout Tangwei!"
To be continued...