Zhu Dongshan's expression suddenly changed, and he couldn't help but take a step back, and said in a deep voice: "Who are you? Master Bu Tang has been so kind to me. Even if I am broken into pieces, I can't repay Master Bu Tang's kindness."
"Don't worry, Mr. Zhu, I'm not sent by Lu Junzhong to test you." The man smiled and said, "You don't have to show your loyalty to him in front of me."
The corners of Zhu Dongshan's eyes twitched, and for a while he really couldn't figure out the other party's details.
The man in front of him was in his twenties. Zhu Dongshan had an excellent memory and was certain that he had never seen this man before.
The man walked over and sat down on the bench next to him, and then said: "Since Mr. Zhu is here, there is no need to leave in a hurry."
"I advise you not to act rashly." Zhu Dongshan sneered: "Around the Tutu Temple, the elites of the Criminal Department have already laid an ambush. As long as I give the order, they will come and kill them immediately."
The man laughed and said, "Since I dare to let you come, am I still afraid of your soldiers and generals?" Then he sighed: "Master Zhu, you don't know that you are in trouble, it's really pitiful."
"What do you mean?"
The man said: "Master Zhu, have you ever thought about what will happen in the future if you follow Lu Junzhong and kill innocent people, with blood on your hands and countless enemies?" He smiled faintly and said: "More than ten years ago, you bloodbathed Kyoto.
, the Li family was almost completely killed by you. Now you have raised the hell again and formed a life-and-death feud with the Xiahou family. Mr. Zhu, if your Zhu family can die in peace like this, then God will really not
Eyes open."
These words hit the nail on the head and hit Zhu Dongshan's pain point.
"I invite you to come and meet me tonight. Actually, I want to give your Zhu family a way to survive." The other party sighed softly: "There are more than thirty people in the Zhu family. If Mr. Zhu can't find a way out, today the Dou family will
The fate will be the fate of the Zhu family tomorrow."
The corners of Zhu Dongshan's mouth twitched and he finally said: "What is the retreat?"
"Master Zhu, have you ever thought about it. Although the Ministry of Punishment is also investigating major rebellion cases this time, it is completely different from that of back then." The man said calmly: "Back then, you were trying to kill the Li family, who were the real enemies of the saint, so the Ministry of Punishment helped.
The saint has certainly made great contributions by killing the Li family, and the saint naturally values you very highly. But what you want to investigate now is the Xiahou family. Although you and I are not sure why the saint wanted to be so cruel to the Xiahou family, we are all
I know that the saint comes from the Xiahou family, and if Mr. Zhu really follows Lu Junzhong and attacks the Xiahou family, I can guarantee that Mr. Zhu will die without a burial place before long."
Zhu Dongshan's body was shaken.
Although he didn't know where the other party was coming from, every word he said was straight to the point.
"No matter what the reason is that causes the saint to be cruel to the Xiahou family, when the Xiahou family is really destroyed and the saint calms down, she will not think that it is her fault when she thinks that her family has ended like this, even if she really thinks that it is her fault.
If you make a mistake, you will find a scapegoat to vent your anger." The man sighed: "So the punishment department is of course the best scapegoat."
Zhu Dongshan slowly walked to the bench opposite and sat down, and said calmly: "It seems that you are really aware of the affairs of the court."
"May I ask Mr. Zhu, who will preside over the trial after the Prime Minister's family members are imprisoned?" The man asked: "Did Lu Junzhong personally go into battle, or did he appoint someone else to preside over the trial?"
This is an internal matter of the Ministry of Punishment. It should not be mentioned to outsiders, but for some reason, Zhu Dongshan said out of nowhere at this moment: "The Lord of the Ministry of Justice has appointed me to preside over the trial of the Xiahou people."
"That's it, that's it!" The man opposite nodded slightly, seeming to understand something.
Seeing this, Zhu Dongshan couldn't help but said: "What on earth do you mean?"
"Master Zhu is considered a very intelligent person, but why did he become confused on this matter?" The man sighed softly: "Do you really not understand, or do you understand in your heart but can't do anything about it? I just said that Xiahou rebelled
The major case will be handed over to your Ministry of Punishment for trial. Since many rebels have been killed, the Xiahou family, as the main culprits, will definitely not be spared. The Xiahou family will be exterminated. In the future, the saints will settle accounts, and the Ministry of Punishment will inevitably become the scapegoat." The body moved slightly forward.
Qing, asked softly: "Why did Lu Junzhong let Mr. Zhu take charge of the investigation of the Xiahou family? Mr. Zhu really doesn't understand the reason?"
Zhu Dongshan changed color slightly.
"It seems Master Zhu has understood now." The man smiled and said: "That Lu Butang is really far-sighted. In the future, when the saint pursues the case, he will make the punishment department a scapegoat. Lu Junzhong certainly expected that day, so he took precautions.
He left the task of investigating the Xiahou people in Master Zhu's hands. When the day came, Lu Junzhong only needed to push Master Zhu out, and Master Zhu became a ready-made scapegoat. In this way, the saint also had a place to vent, and Lu Junzhong
Junzhong also has a way out, which benefits both sides, but it's a pity that Mr. Zhu has become a pawn that can be sacrificed at any time."
This time Zhu Dongshan changed his expression even more, and said in horror: "You...you are talking nonsense." But he understood in his heart that what the man in front of him said was not unreasonable.
Although it was the Xiahou family that was the main culprit this time, Lu Junzhong did not actively investigate the Xiahou family from the beginning. Even though many Xiahou clan members were imprisoned, the Ministry of Punishment began to investigate other party members.
, none of the prisoners dragged to the execution ground came from the Xiahou family.
From this we can see that Lu Junzhong was extremely cautious in how to deal with the Xiahou clan.
Although the interrogation of the Xiahou clan began recently, Lu Junzhong did not directly intervene in the matter. Instead, he left the task of investigating the Xiahou family in the hands of Zhu Dongshan, claiming that this arrangement was because of Zhu Dongshan's outstanding talents and because of his
Zhu Dongshan’s trust.
Although Zhu Dongshan thinks this matter is indeed difficult, after following Lu Junzhong for more than ten years, Lu Junzhong has always regarded him very highly. The two have had a good personal relationship over the past ten years, so Zhu Dongshan really has not gone too deep.
I thought, but never thought that this was an arrangement Lu Junzhong made early with the intention of using himself as a scapegoat in the future.
At this time, he was reminded by the other party's words, but he immediately woke up and felt a chill on his back.
"Whether I'm talking nonsense or not, Mr. Zhu knows very well." The man smiled and said: "My son is only four years old this year, and he is at a carefree age. I know that Mr. Zhu gave birth to two daughters before he got the son. In order to
To seek a son, he would go to the Guanyin Temple every year to worship. With the blessing of the Bodhisattva, Mr. Zhu would have a son in his old age. Naturally, Mr. Zhu hoped that his son would grow up healthily, be successful in his studies, marry a wife and have children when he becomes an adult, and advance step by step in his official career. This is
A father’s best expectation for his children.” At this point, he shook his head and sighed: “It’s just a pity. Judging from the current situation, Mr. Zhu will definitely not be able to see that day...!”
"Shut up!" Zhu Dongshan was furious.
The man smiled lightly and did not continue.
There was silence in the Tutu Temple for a while. After a while, Zhu Dongshan finally said: "You designed to lure me here tonight and rambled a lot. Of course you have some agenda. I don't have time to talk nonsense with you here, so I opened the skylight
Tell the truth, what do you really want?"
"It's very simple. I want to make a deal with Mr. Zhu." The man stared at Zhu Dongshan and said, "This is a good deal, good for both you and me."
"What deal?"
"Su Yu, the Minister of Dali Temple, was slandered by your Ministry of Punishment as a traitor to the party. Su Yu was forced to commit suicide by the Ministry of Punishment because of this." The man said coldly: "Su Yu's family members were also detained and imprisoned by the Ministry of Punishment in the name of rebelling against the party.
, Mr. Zhu, you should know everything about this, right?"
Zhu Dongshan was startled, looked at the other person up and down, frowned and said, "Are you looking for me for the Su family?"
"You know in your heart that the Su family has been framed and wronged." The man said calmly: "It's not just the Su family. There are countless innocent people implicated in the Xiahou family this time. Lu Junzhong engaged in favoritism and took the opportunity to eradicate dissidents. The entire Ministry of Punishment even used this opportunity to eradicate dissidents.
The government avenged private revenge. Although there are indeed many people who are members of the Xiahou family, in the prison, there are more innocent people who were framed by the Ministry of Punishment." He stared at Zhu Dongshan, his eyes as sharp as a knife, and said slowly: "My request
It's very simple, the Ministry of Punishment cannot frame innocent people, you must find a way to release those innocent people, including the Su family, and clear their names."
Zhu Dongshan was startled, then let out a strange laugh and said: "You really dare to speak. I will tell you the truth. I can't do your request. I am not the head of the Criminal Department. I have the final say on some things.
But there are some things that I can't control at all. If it were just the Su family, I could try to say a few words for them in front of the Lord, but even so, there is no guarantee that the Lord would let them go. As for the other victims
The implicated officials, it is simply unreasonable for me to try to clear their names with my own strength." He snorted coldly and said, "You really think too highly of me."
"It's not a high opinion." The man opposite smiled slightly and said, "If you were to be in charge of the Ministry of Punishment, you would naturally be able to fulfill the requirements I put forward."