Yuan Ji and I stood outside the court along with the crowd of onlookers. Lan Yu and Shen Mo were scattered a few steps away. It was summer, the weather was hot, and there were no major cases that aroused the interest of the people recently.
Therefore, very few people came to the government office to watch the trial.
"Who is here?" Zhang Song shouted, tapping the gavel tree lightly.
"Your Excellency, Lin Zhixiong, a grassroots citizen of Lin's Trading Company in Fuzhou, wants to file a lawsuit against the Shipping Department. This is a complaint. Please take a look at it."
A government official took the complaint and handed it to Zhang Song.
Zhang Song pretended to be careful. After reading it, he handed the complaint to Ye Mengding and said, "Sir, please take a look."
"Well, Mr. Zhang, in the past few days, I have heard many soldiers mention you, Mr. Zhang, in the naval camp, saying that you can still judge the case impartially. You only need to conduct the trial in the normal way." Ye Mengding finished reading.
Then he said calmly.
"The normal way?" Zhang Song cursed secretly, "What is the normal way of bullshit? These high-ranking adults always talk between the two."
Zhang Song is also a veteran in officialdom, and his mind raced: "Lin Zhixiong, you sued the Shipping Department for not being fair and banning your monosodium glutamate from being shipped overseas, right?"
"Sir, that's right."
"Monosodium glutamate is a new item. According to the laws of our country, before the court makes a final decision, the shipping department of each place has the right to define whether it is a contraband. Therefore, we believe that it does not count if the shipping department decides that it is a prohibited item.
Illegal."
"Sir." Kong Jian bowed and argued, "For this kind of items, before there is clear instruction from the court, according to past practice, shipping companies in various places can release them after taxing similar goods. Since the time of Taizu, our country has
All shipping departments are handled in this way, without exception. Thirty years ago, Quanzhou Pujia exported spices to Java for the first time. At that time, it was also the first time that spices were shipped out. The situation was similar to today's monosodium glutamate. Quanzhou Shipping Department
After tax was released, Quanzhou and even the entire Fujian Road were revitalized overseas. As a result, Quanzhou's tax revenue once reached about 10% of the country's total. This matter was very happy to the imperial court. For this, the Quanzhou Shipping Department and the Quanzhou Shipping Department were heavily rewarded.
Pujia. Today's monosodium glutamate is very similar to the original spices, but for the first time, the Fuzhou Shipping Department has listed a new product like monosodium glutamate as prohibited goods. This is also unheard of in our country. There must be something fishy in it. Please look into it."
"Haha, where did Lin Zhixiong find this lawyer? He really has a lot of skills. No wonder the government never likes lawyers." I laughed to myself.
"This government will ask the Shipping Department to confirm what their purpose is. As for what you said is fishy, is there any evidence?"
"Sir, we don't have evidence yet."
"Does that mean this is just your one-sided statement?"
Lin Zhixiong said anxiously: "Sir, if there is nothing strange, how could the Shipping Department make such a judgment?"
Zhang Song had a serious face and raised the gavel high, but in the end he patted it down gently and said: "I ask you a question, you only need to answer yes or no."
"Yes, sir." Kong Jian said hurriedly.
"The reasons for the decision made by the Shipping Department will naturally be verified by this government, but no personnel from the Shipping Department are present today. This matter still needs to be verified with them in court. Someone, please tell me that people from the Shipping Department will be in court tomorrow."
After Zhang Song finished speaking, he looked at Ye Mengding and said, "Sir, do you think this is okay?"
Ye Mengding nodded and said: "Well, Master Zhang's move is very appropriate. We must first obtain evidence before we can draw a conclusion. I agree."
"Withdraw from court and try again tomorrow."
"Sir, Zhang Song obviously wants to delay this."
"Well, let's go. Let Ye Mengding investigate this matter. If the officials at Fujian Road are willing to delay, then let's delay. The longer it takes, the more things may be discovered."
"Master, do you want to have surgery on Fujian Road?"
I shook my head: "This time I'm just knocking, not beating. If we were to beat, I guess there wouldn't be many officials left on Fujian Road."
"Only knocking but no beating, just constant interrogation?" Yuan Ji said thoughtfully.
"Well, that's right. Our focus is still on the DPRK and the Central Government. Once the affairs between the DPRK and the Central Government are completely resolved, it will be easier to handle down below. This is like the relationship between the upper beam and the lower beam. If the upper beam is straight, will the lower beam change accordingly?
If you are upright, you will be eliminated. If the lower beam is upright first and is pressed by the incorrect upper beam, it will still be out of alignment. Therefore, to cure the root cause, you must start from top to bottom."
"Young master, I'll see you tomorrow."
In the afternoon, Zhang Song hurried to Chen Xinshu's residence.
"Sir, today in the hall..."
Chen Xinshu interrupted: "Why are you panicking? I already know what happened in the hall today. So what did Mr. Ye say to you later?"
"Sir, Lord Ye said that he came to Fujian Road this time because he was appointed by the emperor to investigate the land survey. A few days ago, the Ministry of Commerce verified the land boundary and believed that my Fujian Road was very untrue. The emperor was furious, so he sent Lord Ye again.
Come."
"Well, I did go too far last time. The Ministry of Commerce was newly established, and naturally it wanted to make a contribution in front of the new emperor. This time, the Ministry of Commerce will definitely think that Fujian Road does not give it face and is stirring up trouble in front of the emperor, so the emperor
That’s why I sent Mr. Ye here.”
Zhang Song did not dare to express his anger. When the land was measured, the Fuzhou Prefecture under his jurisdiction was also in a mess. It was only with Chen Xinshu's approval in advance, otherwise no one would blatantly make false accounts to fool the officials. But with Zhang Song
Song's understanding of Chen Xinshu, if the court really investigates it strictly, Chen Xinshu will definitely sacrifice his troops to protect his commander and clean himself up.
After a while, Zhang Song said bravely: "Sir, how should we deal with Lin Zhixiong's matter?"
"It's just a normal interrogation. Just keep a good rhythm. In the evening, I and Mr. Shi will entertain the imperial envoy to a banquet. You can also go and accompany me."
"Yes, sir." Zhang Song cursed in his heart again, let's try it normally. What does it mean to be normal?
"Okay, you go down first, and remember to greet me at the door early in the evening."
"Yes, Zhang Song resigned."
After Zhang Song left, Fuzhou Shipbuilding Supervisor Chen Huainan and Chen Mansion's aide Jiang Baoshan walked out of the back room.
"Mr. Jiang, what do you think of Ye Mengding's trip to Fujian Road?"
"It's too sudden." Jiang Baoshan said, "The imperial envoy was patrolling, but the local people didn't know anything about it. There has always been only one possibility for this matter."
Chen Huainan asked: "What is possible?"
"Then the court wants to deal with the officials here."
Chen Huainan's expression changed slightly and he said, "No way."
"Sir, you are right. It's just that Mr. Ye's trip this time was a bit strange. He went straight to Fuzhou Prefecture after leaving the Navy Camp. It's not easy to explain. Is it just because of Lin Zhixiong's MSG?"
Chen Huainan said: "Third uncle, what should we do? You have to give your nephew an idea on this matter."
"Why are you panicking? MSG is inherently ambiguous. As long as you are not found to have accepted bribes, even the Emperor himself cannot do anything to you."
"Uncle Third, you got the big deal." Of course, Chen Huainan didn't dare to say this.
Jiang Baoshan nodded and said: "Your Majesty is right, and it is impossible for the imperial court to send an imperial envoy just for a small Lin's Trading Company. Besides, this MSG was not made by the imperial court."
Chen Huainan said: "I heard it was made by a trading firm called Shifeng in the capital."
"Huainan, you go back first, and remember to tell the Pu family that no matter what method you take, you must keep this matter in mind."
"I understand, Third Uncle."
"Mr. Jiang, the current situation in the imperial court is complicated. Since the new emperor ascended the throne, the originally powerful prime minister seems to be suppressed by the imperial power. Later, the prime minister often remains silent and rarely expresses his attitude. I always feel that this kind of three-power system exists.
The situation won’t last too long, maybe it’s time for me to choose a side.”
"Sir, based on what we have learned about the situation, the character of the prince and the current emperor are completely different from the same person. If the emperor has been forbearing in the past, then I think this person is too terrible, so if you have to choose, I agree to stand on the side of
On the Emperor’s side.”
"Sir, do you think the imperial power will win?"
"Yes, sir."
"Let's consider this matter in the long term." Chen Xinshu thought for a while and said.
"Sir, I think this matter should be decided early on."
Chen Xinshu also knows that the benefits gained from joining the team early will be greater, but at the same time the risks will also increase. This is more cruel than in the business world. Once you stand in the wrong team, it will not be a matter of making less money, or even an official position.
If you don't protect it, your life will be at stake. As the patriarch of the Chen family on Fujian Road, Chen Xinshu has to think about the Chen family behind him, even if it is not for himself.