Since the emperor asked him to visit Zhang Xueyan, Zhang Juzheng could only obey the order. The next afternoon, Zhang Juzheng, in spite of his busy schedule, went to Dali Temple Prison to visit Zhang Xueyan, who was in custody, accompanied by the internal official Li You.
In a simple courtyard in Dali Temple that had been converted into a detention center for prisoners, Zhang Juzheng saw Zhang Xueyan who had been stripped of his flying fish uniform - he almost didn't recognize him.
Privy Privy Zhang, who had achieved the rank of first-class minister in the past, now has a gray beard, a gray face, and a stooped body. How can he still have eight living rooms and look majestic?
When Zhang Juzheng entered the courtyard accompanied by Lu Guangzu, the minister of Dali Temple, Zhang Xueyan was sitting on a stone bench under a pine tree in the courtyard. When he saw Zhang Juzheng waiting, he stood up from the bench in a hurry. There was a crash between his hands and feet, but He was put into restraints.
Zhang Juzheng frowned slightly. Lu Guangzu also showed a look of confusion on his face and shouted: "Why don't you understand the prisoner's restraints?"
The people on the left and right were about to come up and open Zhang Xueyan's handcuffs and shackles. Zhang Juzheng waved his hands and said, "Wait a minute. Let him kneel down and listen to the order first before speaking." Lu Guangzu heard this and said, "That's what the Prime Minister said. It's better to wait until the order is finished before explaining. Kai—it’s rare for a middle official to come to ask questions according to orders, but it’s rare.”
Zhang Juzheng smiled first and said: "The emperor's holy motive is profound, so this move must have profound meaning." Then he coughed lightly and said to Zhang Xueyan, "I have a question for you based on the emperor's instructions."
Zhang Xueyan knelt on the ground and kowtowed to Zhang Juzheng. Zhang Juzheng said: "'The emperor said that the old gentleman should go see Zhang Xueyan and express my regrets'."
When Zhang Xueyan heard this, his shoulders hunched and his throat was choked with sobs. He could not repeat the order, but kowtowed with tears on his face.
Although it was common for Lu Guangzu to communicate with prisoners in tears, Zhang Xueyan was different after all. He felt pity when he saw this. He coughed lightly and said: "Your Excellency, Prime Minister, I have resigned."
Zhang Juzheng nodded and said, "It's better to stay away from Brother Sheng for now. After the interrogation is over, someone will unshackle him later."
After Lu Guangzu left the courtyard, Zhang Juzheng asked solemnly: "Do you have anything to say? This is also what the emperor asked."
Zhang Xueyan kept kowtowing and sobbed in silence. Zhang Juzheng knew that Zhang Xueyan must have done something else to harm the emperor, otherwise he would only be guilty of accepting bribes. Zhang Xueyan would not die if he cooperated with Li Chengliang in defeating Wang Gao.
After he went back and thought about it last night, he only felt that the three sentences the emperor asked him to ask must have something to say, because these three sentences were obviously logically related. If Zhang Xueyan could untie the emperor's hatred of him, it might not necessarily be possible. Death - he was sentenced to death by hanging.
He asked questions according to the order, and the questions and answers between the two people must be written in a memorial. Zhang Xueyan communicated with tears, and he had a penitent attitude. But he did not say a word, and Zhang Juzheng could not write the memorial, let alone Find a way to soothe his cheeks.
But the procedure still had to go on. Zhang Juzheng waited for him for a while and then asked: "Don't you have anything to say?" This sentence repeated the second sentence of the emperor's question, which was obviously a violation of the order. The person who asked the question, Zhang Juzheng, had a high-ranking status, so he could make such a marginal move. Even if Li You next to him went back to twist things, Zhang Juzheng's status could still withstand it.
Zhang Xueyan also knew this. Hearing this, he trembled and his sobbing stopped. He thought quietly for a while, then lowered his head and said the first sentence of the day: "If you return to the emperor, I will be punished by death." , I regret that I have betrayed the emperor's trust, and I deserve to die. I have nothing else to say, I just want to be punished."
Zhang Juzheng said that there was a way, and Zhang Xueyan's confession attitude was very good. He didn't defend himself. Just a worthy death could win back half of the king's heart. After waiting for a while, seeing that Zhang Xueyan stopped talking, Zhang Juzheng asked the third sentence:
"'The Emperor said, some people around me say that he is scheming, and this person really has some tricks up his sleeve. Just ask him the way to die - let him tell the truth.' Well, these are the Emperor's exact words, you
You must tell the truth and don’t make mistakes.”
After hearing this, Zhang Xueyan suddenly raised his head. His face turned red at first, and then turned completely pale. Zhang Juzheng was very good at nourishing qi, so he was shocked when he saw his appearance.
, he thought to himself: "This sentence must have hit the soft spot. I wonder what he did to hide it from the emperor?"
Zhang Xueyan's lips were trembling, and his body was trembling slightly with fear. He already fully understood why it was the Prime Minister Zhang Juzheng who came to ask questions, and not the lieutenant beside him - the emperor was ruthlessly mocking him for his "scheming"
, not only wanted to kill his person, but also wanted to kill his heart!
But when he was asked this question at this moment, he did not dare not to answer, because Zhang Xueyan did not live alone in the world - his sense of responsibility to his descendants and family made him surrender directly.
Zhang Juzheng listened to him and bowed his head and said: "I dare not... dare not deceive the emperor. After I was involved in the empty salary case, I tried to save myself, so I sent people to kill Liu Tai, and committed the unmasking case again. He was beaten
This is the idea of 'putting oneself to death and reviving later'. The emperor said that I was working out of calculations, but I have no excuse."
Zhang Juzheng swayed after hearing this. The lieutenant officer beside him, Li You, had been looking at his face. Seeing that he was unsteady, he quickly stretched out his hand to support him.
Zhang Juzheng was startled and then thought through Zhang Xueyan's wishful thinking. He walked slowly to the stone stool where Zhang Xueyan was sitting just now and sat down slowly, with a wry smile on his face and said: "You made the 'unveiling case' because you wanted to stir up political strife.
, so that the emperor and I have to protect you?"
Zhang Xueyan bowed his head and said yes, and then said: "I also killed all the relevant people and hid them in the cellar of the mansion. I thought my plan was foolproof, but the emperor saw through it. The way to death is here. I thank Tianen, but the emperor has no idea."
The three clans that punished the ministers.”
Zhang Juzheng sat on the stone bench for a long time, then stood up and said to Li You, "Eunuch Li, what else do you want to ask?" Li You shook his head and suggested that Zhang Juzheng end this embarrassing question.
He was confused at first, but it was not as big a shock as Zhang Juzheng's heart. At this moment, he suddenly realized and said in his heart: "It's true that people are looking for death, and no one can stop them. Zhang Xueyan, Zhang Xueyan, hanging is really for you."
show mercy!"
Zhang Juzheng closed his eyes and rested for a while, then stood up and said: "I will treat you kindly, your children. Do you have anything else to say?" He asked this, but in his heart he said: "What is the use of forming a party? Just as the emperor said
, they are all pig teammates.”
Seeing that Zhang Juzheng no longer communicated with him, Zhang Xueyan knew that he had offended him too much. He kowtowed to Zhang Juzheng and said: "This is a fool's fault. As the saying goes, the cleverness is mistaken by the clever, lifting a stone."
I'll hit you on the instep. Please forgive me, brother."
After Zhang Juzheng heard this, he sneered and said: "You are really playing such tricks under the eyes of the emperor..."
After being honest for a long time, he didn't say anything. He just laughed a few times, turned to Li You and said, "Eunuch Li, let's go back and play back the truth."