Zhang Yi didn't know how he got out of Situ's mansion, and walked back to the government office in a daze.
It was already dark, and except for a few night watchmen, the other government officials had already gone home.
In the quiet yamen hall, Zhang Yi sat in his own seat, recalling the scenes that happened during this period.
What happened to Song Bin was not accidental, but carefully planned by him.
Lu Bu was kind to him and gave him a higher level of heaven and earth. However, in the long run, the weakening of scholarly power destined him to not have as much influence as the three ministers and nine ministers in the future, even if he was ranked among the nine ministers in the future.
He was not old yet and could still work in officialdom for at least twenty years. He was worried that when he reached this point in the future, he would lose the military power he once envied.
Therefore, he wanted to overturn the new law and re-establish the power of civil servants, so that he would not have power over the government in the future, but his descendants could enjoy the huge benefits brought by the power of civil servants.
For example, at worst, a member of the clan can become a prefect. For example, he can obtain a huge amount of wealth in a reasonable name, so that he can live a carefree and prosperous life when he becomes an official. For example, no matter where he goes or what he does,
It will be much easier just to give your name.
However, these cannot be achieved under the new law, at least in my generation. Many regulations in the new law are aimed at and weaken the power of civil servants.
In Zhang Yi's opinion, the plan to kill Song Bin was a rare achievement in his life. The greatest significance lies not in the death of Song Bin, an insignificant person, but in Lu Bu's attitude towards handling this matter. As long as
In the end, Song Bin was rescued, which was a shock to the new law.
It is true that one shake cannot shake the status of the new law, but it can damage its foundation. Although the damage is not great, what about ten times or a hundred times?
He also wanted to rely on Lu Bu's big tree to climb up. The new law was currently beneficial to him, so he never thought about overturning the new law at once.
Unfortunately, after Song Bin died, the new law was not shaken. Instead, it became known and trusted by more people because of this incident.
But he didn't expect that Lu Bu would settle the blame on him. No matter from every aspect, what he did was right. Song Xian should have owed him a favor for the previous indulgences. Even if Song Bin died, he would still hate him.
It's right to put it on your own head.
However, Song Xian came and did not hold him accountable, but arresting his son already showed that the other party had seen through his plan.
Who saw through it?
Chu Nan? Chen Gong?
These two Lu Bu think tanks appeared subconsciously in Zhang Yi's mind, but no matter who they were, he was exposed in this incident. As a betrayer, Zhang Yi did not dare to go to Lu Bu to plead for mercy after the incident!
He had no position and no reason to plead for mercy. As for his old superior Man Chong, Zhang Yi didn't consider it at all. He was too clear about his old superior's character.
That is a ruthless man who can't even buy his own lord's face. If you go to him to beg him yourself, you might as well go to Lu Bu.
He could only put his last hope in Zhao Wen.
Because although he initiated this incident, he was obviously not able to do things like promoting public opinion and buying off the victims, etc. as a Xuchang County magistrate.
A county magistrate may be a god in other places, but in a place like Xuchang it's okay if he has a background, but if he doesn't have a background, he is really nothing.
He started by throwing out the certificate of surrender to the nobles, and their subsequent reactions also showed that they understood and accepted his certificate of surrender. This was a tacit understanding among everyone.
But because of this, he lost his biggest supporter... Lu Bu!
If this incident hadn't happened, Lu Bu would have been his biggest backer. After all, when Lu Bu entered Xuchang, he was the first person to take the initiative to show favor to Lu Bu and successfully get a promotion. This was of special significance to Lu Bu's power.
Therefore, if nothing like this happened, Lu Bu would be his backer.
The only thing he can count on now is the person behind the scenes this time.
But the result he got made him fall into the abyss.
He couldn't save his son, and even risked his own life.
Thinking of Zhao Wen's sinister look when he finally left, Zhang Yi had no doubt what would happen to him if he didn't 'sacrifice' as he wanted!
But his son is about to die!
Zhang Yi didn't go home. He didn't know how to face his wife's eager and expectant eyes. At this moment, he understood a lot of things. For example, he was just a nobody. Thinking too far was not only meaningless, but might also bring trouble to himself.
Come the catastrophe.
It's ridiculous to think about it now. I am a newcomer who has just stepped into a new world, but I have to consider that the sky in this world is not high enough!
He is just a small person, and this is true for Zhao Wen, and even more so for Lu Bu. How high the sky is at the top is not something he should consider. Not only does he think about it, he also wants to make the sky higher.
If he didn't get involved in this matter, he might still have some future. As the first Xuchang scholar to take refuge with Lu Bu, among other things, he could have been a prefect of a county in the future. Unfortunately, at the moment he was found out,
, these all left him.
As for the circle of scholars, if this plan works, they may still be accepted, but when the plan is discovered and revenge is ushered in, those people... those people who were unattainable in their eyes in the past will not care at all.
I can't control it myself.
It's really ridiculous that I actually think these people can win in the end?
They may have good means to deal with little people like themselves, but for people like Lu Bu... they are like Sun Tzu.
Want to sacrifice yourself for them?
Why?
In this way, Zhang Yi sat there until early the next morning. Today was the day for Zhang Yuan to ask for help. Zhang Yi waited in the government office with the last bit of hope.
But what he was waiting for was the body that was sent back.
There are many more of the same corpses, just like when he killed Song Bin. This time, Man Chong did not show any mercy. Even if these people were related to most of the powerful people in Xuchang City, the seemingly emotionless person would not even frown.
.
His wife's shrill cries and curses came from the back hall. Zhang Yi stood up numbly and walked numbly outside the government office without looking at his son. He was going to...'sacrifice', but not for
Those scholars sacrificed their lives.
I have been passed down to only three generations, my son is dead, and now I have to ‘sacrifice’ myself for them, ha~
Why?
He bypassed the back hall, went back to the study, brought some things with him, and then took these things to the Ministry of Punishment, where he wanted to meet his old superior.
In the office of the Ministry of Punishment, Man Chong was approving the dossier on this beheading. These files must be filed so that if someone wants to investigate in the future, they will have enough basis. When he heard Zhang Yi asked to see him, Man Chong frowned. This son is dead.
, what to do now?
After all, he is his old subordinate. If he had come to see him yesterday, Man Chong would not have met him. But today, when he came, Man Chong thought about it and chose to meet him.
Soon, Zhang Yi came in with a box in his arms. When he saw Man Chong, Zhang Yi's dull eyes became brighter and he bowed slightly: "I have met Man Lingjun before!"
"No need to be more polite." Manchong asked someone to show him his seat and said calmly: "My son's affairs have been settled. If you are not at home to take care of the funeral, why are you here?"
"Xiaguan is here to report to the official!" Zhang Yi placed the box in front of Man Chong and opened it, then sat back in his seat and bowed: "Here are some unusual things from the time when Xianguan was the county magistrate of Xu County until now.
Among the well-known evidence of crime are Tai servant, Taichang, Situ Zhao Wen’s son Zhao Chang and others, but I don’t know if your Majesty dares to prove it?”
Man Chong frowned slightly, glanced at Zhang Yi, and silently opened a volume of files to read. These were recorded by Zhang Yi himself, some with evidence, and some without. If he wanted to investigate, the Ministry of Punishment would have to investigate.
.
But that's not important. What's important is that the things recorded in these files include Zhang Yi's own.
"What do you mean?" Man Chong asked with a frown.
"Without him, I know this plan and I will kill myself with Marquis Wen, but the other side wants me to sacrifice." Zhang Yi sighed: "The sky is so big and the earth is so big, there is no way for me to survive. Sooner or later, I will die because I charge into battle for them. If I encounter
When he noticed something happened, he directly wanted to push me out. If my son had not died, I would have accepted my fate. But my son is dead, and my family has only three generations to pass on! In today's world, humble positions are brought on by oneself and cannot be blamed on others, but they...
…Don’t even think about it!”
Finally, he looked up at Man Chong and said, "I don't know, do you dare to accept these things?"
"Why don't you dare?" Manchong said solemnly: "Come on, take it down!"
"Here!"
An official from the Ministry of Punishment stepped forward and restrained Zhang Yi.
Zhang Yi was stunned for a moment, then shook his head with a wry smile and said: "As expected of your Majesty."
"Send to the prison." Man Chong looked at the contents of the file and waved his hand.
Zhang Yi did not resist. When he stood up, he looked at Man Chong and hesitated for a moment and said: "Your Majesty, I have a favor to ask of you."
"You can do whatever you can!" Man Chong signaled to the officer to wait.
Zhang Yi sighed and said: "I have no complaints at all. But for the sake of my past friendship, can I not embarrass my wife? She has been with me for half her life, and now she has lost her husband and son. She has lost everything."
"I will take care of you wherever I can." Man Chong nodded and promised.
"If others say this, I won't believe it, but if you say this, I will believe you." Zhang Yi breathed a sigh of relief, bowed to Man Chong and said, "I take my leave."
"No!" Man Chong nodded.
Zhang Yi has left. Judging from the files he sent, he will definitely die. Not counting this, Lu Bu's group of generals will not let him go if they plot against Song Bin this time. This choice may not be bad, at least.
There is no need to suffer anymore, and these things donated will be very useful to Lu Bu.
Nowadays, there are many people defecting to Lu Bu, and the official positions in the court are beginning to be insufficient. This time to clean up the court, there is also the idea of gradually eliminating some scholars from the court.
Those who are not involved in this matter can still stay, but those who are involved will probably be miserable. The scholars under Lu Bu's rule may be the worst group of scholars in the world today.
Man Chong closed the box and went straight to the Ministry of Finance. Chu Nan still needed to make a decision on this matter...