Chapter 85: Execution of Prime Minister, Su Dynasty (2)
The news of Yan Wen's dismissal as prime minister spread throughout the court and abroad. Although the ministers had expected it, they were not completely relieved until the emperor's decree came down.
Needless to say, the person who succeeded Yan Wen as the second-in-command naturally had to be Feng Xiang Nioyuan. Many people who wanted to advance took advantage of this opportunity to attach themselves to Liu Dang and congratulate him on his victory one after another. The latter also wanted to use this to recruit more people.
In order to satisfy people's hearts, he ordered his confidants to hold a banquet at the house to celebrate the success of eradicating traitors.
Compared with these idle officials, the chiefs of various ministries are obviously much busier, especially Gao Jizhi of the Ministry of Personnel. In addition to dealing with the documents sent by the Zhongshu Ministry, he also has to take care of Chen Tongpao who stays in Shandong and write letters to persuade him.
Return as soon as possible and say only that "there is a big change in the court" and keep everything else secret.
Chen Tongpao got the letter, read it over, and knew that something happened to Yan Wen in the court. He immediately handed the letter to the two secretarial offices to read, but the two secretarial offices did not take it seriously. They never believed that the imperial court would stop the new policy, so they insisted on staying in Jinan.
, refused to go back with him. Chen Tongpao didn't say anything. He waited for the two to leave before secretly discussing with the magistrate: "According to what the noble man said in his letter, Yan Shenzhen may have been dismissed.
In this case, we must settle his old accounts and clean up his party members. Those two clerks are the minions and confidants of Prime Minister Yan, and they must not be let go. After I leave, you can deploy troops to monitor them. If
After hearing the exact information, we will arrest them quickly without mercy! Once we let them escape, you and I will be guilty of a great crime!" The prefect nodded solemnly and sent him out of the city.
The prefect immediately followed Chen Tongpao's instructions and secretly placed several officers and soldiers in the government office. They all dressed up as ordinary government servants and took turns patrolling in front of the guest rooms where the two secretarial offices lived. At the same time, he used the excuse that people in the outside world were disturbed.
, dissuading the secretary not to go out and blocking the news, which made the two of them panic all day long and feel uneasy.
An. Within two days, the edict to remove Yan Wen came from the capital. The magistrate was so happy that he ordered people to lay down his men by the roadside and called two clerks to come and listen to the announcement. The two clerks did not know that there was a fraud and were calm.
When they went there, the officers and soldiers seized the opportunity, rushed out halfway, tied them up with hemp ropes, and handed them over to the prefect, who would be brought back to the capital for trial by special personnel.
"You said it or not!"
In the prison of the Ministry of Punishment, the minister in charge of the interrogation roared angrily, and the loud sound of the tree echoed in everyone's ears.
"I've said enough..." Yan Liang was hung on the wall, his clothes were torn, revealing more than a dozen deep blood stains; he weakly opened his eyes and glanced at the notebook next to him.
Jailer, "There is no one left..."
The minister was very dissatisfied. He curled his lips and asked the jailer: "Look, how many people did he mention?"
The jailer took out the list under the confession, read it for a while, and then reported: "There are a total of one hundred and twenty-six people. After checking the description, there are eighty-four officials, all over the capital, prefectures and counties."
Shangshu turned around and cursed: "You, the Yan family, have been in charge of the government for many years, and you have focused on cultivating party members as your top priority. It is really shameless! It is so deeply entrenched that you will not be able to find out all the traitors. Since you don't know anything, I will be lenient. Please forgive me.
If you don't die, please come and submit all the confessions and the list to Zhongshu Province, and ask the Prime Minister to make a personal decision!"
The ministers and ministers in the hall all turned their eyes to Niu Yuan. When they saw him reading a confession, he sighed and frowned once, and then his sigh became heavier and his frown became deeper, showing a very worried look.
The appearance of caring about the country and its people.
"Alas, alas... Everyone, please take a look." Niu Yuan reluctantly picked up the list and stretched out his hand, "As you all know, I, Niu Yuan, have always been a true-hearted person. I have always had nothing to say.
What, there is no taboo. Although Prime Minister Yan and I have been colleagues for many years and have a deep friendship, who would have thought that he is such a villain who only cares about the world for his own selfish interests. He is so secretive..."
"In this list, there are countless students, fellow villagers, relatives and friends, and people with whom we have various contacts. And most of them can hold an official position, so what are they if they are not friends?"
"Mr. Niu, I think this statement is a bit arbitrary." When Niu Yuan spoke, Li Wenshou had already read through the list. "Yan Wen may have formed a party for personal gain, but he has presided over many spring affairs in the past.
Of course not
There are few members. If this proves that they are party members, I'm afraid it won't be able to stop Youyou's mouth. Moreover, there are many people from the same hometown, and they may not have met them, so why should they be included in this list? The confession reported by the Ministry of Punishment is simply nonsense, and it should be
Call back for retrial!”
Niu Yuan immediately put away his sad face, and his expression showed some displeasure. He rolled his eyes, coughed twice, and then managed to laugh: "Deputy Political Consultant Li is right. I don't want to affect innocent people."
This person has damaged the face of the imperial court, so he took matters into his own hands
Understanding everything is more important than anything else. However, something happened suddenly and the time left for us is very tight, so we are deeply troubled. It is better to kill Yan Wen, the traitor who brought trouble to the imperial court, and his followers will disperse like birds and beasts, and the situation will be easy.
But it has calmed down. What do you think?"
Li Wenshou was caught off guard by this move. Only then did he understand Niu Yuan's true purpose, and he tried his best to dissuade him: "Once Yan Wen resigned as prime minister, he was no longer harmful to the government. If he kills him again, wouldn't it be disturbing the situation?"
Human heart? Besides, we don’t have a single piece of evidence that is enough to convict him of death.”
"Deputy Li joined politics, what benefits have you received from him, and now you are still speaking for him?" Niu Yuan finally couldn't hold back his anger. He said hurriedly, "If you want evidence of guilt, harming the country and the people is evidence of guilt. Let him die because of the New Deal.
The officials and the people will pay with their lives!"
"Niu Fengxiang..."
"Stop talking," Niu Yuan interrupted, "This matter is not my decision. I still have to ask Duke Liu for instructions. If you have any grievances to complain, just go to Duke Liu and see him.
Will the old man give you a good face?"
After saying that, he stood up directly and ordered outside: "My servants will take the sedan chair, and I will go to the Prime Minister's Mansion again!" Then he left without looking back, leaving Li Wenshou alone in full view of the public, very embarrassed.
Niu Yuan walked out of Zhongshu Province with his hands behind his back. He got on the sedan absentmindedly and urged the bearer: "Let's go!"
"Sir," the bearer of the sedan chair looked into the distance, glanced at another person, then opened the curtain, bowed and smiled at him, "I dare to ask you to get off the sedan chair. This sedan chair... can't move now anyway.
.”
"Why can't you leave?" Niu Yuan stamped his foot and opened his eyes angrily, "He Li Wenshou wants to deal with me, so you also want to run against me, right?"
"I don't dare think like this! It's just that the imperial troops in front are still blocking the way and refuse to leave. I'm afraid I can only leave if I ask you to come forward."
"Still blocking the road?" Niu Yuan stroked his beard, pondered for a moment, and actually smiled.