Chapter 145: Zhao Duan is imprisoned! The strategist joins the game
Chapter 145: Zhao Duan is imprisoned! The strategist joins the game
In the afternoon, in the quiet courtyard behind the Baima Prison.
Zhao Duan and Supervisor Sun Lianying were sitting at a stone table playing chess. A jar of fragrant osmanthus wine was placed on the table next to them.
The old Si Jian Zhibai, who was wearing a loose robe, with gray hair on his temples and deep eye sockets, listened to Zhao Duan's story, put down a piece, and said:
"So, Zhou Cheng found Wang Shan through Qin Qiu, hoping to use the concubine to frame you and make you fall out of favor. And you chose to snatch Wang Shan back in public?"
Zhao Duan was only wearing his casual clothes, and his expression was normal. He drank the half bowl of osmanthus wine in his hand and nodded:
"In fact, I had originally intended to arrest him. After all, he was the most crucial person in the Xue Lin case thirteen years ago. If we want to bring down Zhou Cheng, we need Wang Shan's confession. I just took advantage of the situation and made the move in advance."
Just now, Zhao Duan came to visit the old supervisor with wine and meat.
During the conversation, he told him everything he had done in the past two days.
Sun Lianying frowned and said:
"Wouldn't it be like alerting the enemy if we do this?"
Zhao Duan picked up a black particle and said:
"Originally, the hasty arrest of Wang Shan would indeed alert Zhou Cheng. But after what I did today, that may not be the case."
"Oh?"
Zhao Duan's eyes were shrewd:
“I went to arrest someone today and made a hint in front of Zhou Cheng.
He thought that the reason I came to arrest Wang Shan was because I was worried that Zhou Cheng would use Wang Shan to frame me due to Qin Qu's disappearance, so I had to arrest him urgently and respond passively.
I even deliberately threatened him with force. This series of actions would deepen his judgment of me...
Once he believes that I arrested Wang Shan to protect myself, he won't think that I'm investigating Xue Lin's case...
This way, we can buy time for Haitang and Zhang Han.
Haha, I was still worrying about how to slow down Zhou Cheng's alertness as much as possible and buy more time to collect evidence.
Unexpectedly, Zhou Cheng was also secretly looking for my flaws, so I simply went with the flow and set up a trap. "
Sun Lianying listened carefully, and looked at him with a strange look:
"Why didn't we see that you were full of bad intentions?"
Zhao Duan thought it was just a compliment to himself and made his move with a bright smile.
Sun Lianying thought for a moment and then said:
"So, are you really sure you can overturn the verdict?
Wang Shan will definitely not confess voluntarily. Even if you torture him, it will be meaningless to force him to confess. Once the case of that year is re-examined, as long as Zhou Cheng still has room to resist, Wang Shan will change his confession at any time. "
Zhao Duan said:
"So, the two key pieces of evidence that Haitang and Zhang Han went out to get are important. So, it is important to buy them as much time as possible."
Sun Lianying looked at him:
"What about this period of time? Zhou Cheng will not let it go. Although you have taken Wang Shan away, since the two of you have already met, they may have reached an agreement. Even if Wang Shan is in your hands, Zhou Cheng can still make a big fuss with his means.
As long as we can confirm that this matter can be used to make a fuss, we can complete the frame-up against you.
Wang Shan must also be counting on Zhou Cheng to rescue him. If you arrest him like this, it might make the alliance between the two of you even stronger."
After a pause, the old supervisor said with a strange look:
"Although, Zhou Cheng's idea of using a concubine to make you fall out of favor is fundamentally wrong."
As a eunuch serving the third princess, Sun Lianying was well aware that Zhao Duan was just a "fake" lover.
We also know that the reason why the empress "favored" Zhao Duan was entirely because of his ability to get things done, not his ability to get things done in bed.
"But Zhou Cheng doesn't know," Zhao Duan said with a smile:
“People in the world don’t know this either. They subconsciously think that if they can make me fall out of favor, they can easily kill me.
That's why I racked my brains to find evidence to destroy the "relationship" between me and Your Majesty.
The more radical I am, the more ruthless and urgent my methods of snatching people away are, the more Zhou Cheng will believe this.”
This is a very simple trap that takes advantage of information asymmetry and combines it with psychological warfare.
Zhao Duan's act of snatching people today will make Zhou Cheng firmly believe that his plan of using concubines to set up the trap is correct, thus ignoring the dangers emerging in secret.
If we talk about the "Xue Lin case", it was a fatal stab that Zhao Duan stabbed Zhou Cheng in secret.
The "concubine case" was a cover that Zhao Duan took on himself to attract the enemy's attention and thus cover up the hidden knife attack.
The counselor intervenes personally.
Plank roads are built openly and secretly.
He could guess that Zhou Cheng must have already taken action and started to arrange a violent storm against him.
What Zhao Duan needs to do is to pretend to be tricked.
Buy time and wait for the return of two colleagues.
Sun Lianying stroked the chess piece, pondered the plan over and over again, and said:
"As you said, Zhou Cheng may have been deceived by you. But are you really not going to explain the matter of Wang's concubine?
Do you take the blame on yourself? Or do you rely on Wang Shan to clear it up for you?
I want to remind you that Zhou Cheng is definitely not just trying to defame your reputation. Once he strikes, it will be a fatal blow."
Zhao Duan smiled and said:
"Although with my reputation, I don't mind a little slander. But what I didn't do, I didn't do. I have always kept my virginity for Your Majesty."
After a pause, he reached into his arms, took out a palm-sized scroll and a piece of paper, and gently handed it over:
“So, I came here today to say these things, and I want you to be a witness and quietly present these two things to Your Majesty.
Oh, I am being watched by too many people now. For the sake of planning, it is best not to enter the palace."
I knew you didn't just come to me for a drink... The old supervisor took it curiously, but didn't expand on it. Instead, he asked:
"What on earth do you want to do, kid?"
Zhao Duan smiled and said, "Your Majesty, please perform a play."
……
……
On that day, news about a suspected conflict between the newly-risen celebrity Zhao Duan and the Chief Justice Zhou Cheng in Hele Tower spread like wildfire.
Unfortunately, there were very few witnesses this time, and Zhou Cheng had ordered them to keep their mouths shut, so the few versions that were circulated were vague.
Many onlookers were greatly disappointed. They only knew that the former adopted son of the eunuch Wang was arrested by Zhao Duan, and they speculated on the reasons.
The next day.
Around noon, someone dressed in white silk and mourning clothes arrived at the gate of the Dali Temple and beat the drum to appeal for justice.
The drums were beating and He Zheng, the Minister of Dali Temple, received the guests in person.
The person who reported the case claimed that they were the uncle and aunt of Wang's concubine, and they sued Zhao Duan for defiling and killing their niece last year.
There was a lot of evidence, and because it involved murder and court officials, the Chief Justice Zhou Cheng personally came out to try the case.
It is said that when Lord Zhou learned about Zhao Du'an's evil deeds in court, he slammed the table in anger and promised that he would not let the evildoer escape the law and would give an explanation to the dead woman.
A case was filed on the spot and an immediate investigation was launched.
The Wang family and everyone involved in the banquet that day were summoned.
Qin Qu, who was imprisoned, was also taken out for a walk and then reasonably put back in prison.
Afterwards, Zhou Cheng drafted an official document on the grounds that Wang Shan was involved in a major case and submitted it to the imperial supervisor Ma Yan, requesting that Wang Shan be transferred to the Dali Temple.
Ma Yan used delaying tactics to politely refuse.
Day three.
There was another breakthrough in the incident.
At the morning court, Prime Minister Zhou reported the case to the emperor, demanding the arrest of Zhao Du'an, the chief of the Imperial Court, on charges of defamation and murder, and an investigation to uphold the law.
Particular emphasis was placed on the various perverted methods Zhao Duan used on the concubine, and it was said that when she was sent out of the Wang family, her body was covered with scars.
Several censors from the Li Party jumped out and made impassioned speeches, angrily cursing the Zhao thieves and demanding severe punishment.
Ma Yan used one-sided words and questioned the fact that the Dali Temple had a grudge against Zhao Duan.
The empress finally decided to temporarily detain Zhao Duan in the "Taiyu" prison of the Censorate.
The case of the death of Wang's concubine was presided over by the Dali Temple and supervised by the Ministry of Justice and the Censorate, a process referred to as the "Three-Court Trial". They ordered that the cause of the matter must be investigated thoroughly.
When the court was dismissed that day, Prime Minister Zhou looked delighted, while Ma Yan had a blank expression.
Yuan Li and Li Yanfu showed no emotion and just watched from the sidelines.
When the news came out, all officials were in an uproar.
……
noon.
Pear Blossom Hall.
Zhao Duan moved a chair early this morning and sat under the shade of the pear tree in the courtyard, staring at the densely packed pears on the tree in a daze.
According to his estimation, it will be fully mature in a few days.
At this moment, hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside.
The imperial guards from Lihua Hall came running in hastily. Qian Kerou looked flustered:
"My lord, this is bad. The people from the Censorate are outside the government office and are here to arrest you and put you in jail!"
The lazy salted fish in the past now looked anxious:
"Sir, it must be that old thief Zhou Cheng who deliberately framed us and wanted to take revenge on us. What should we do?"
Hou Renmeng's face was filled with anger, and his eyebrows were raised:
"Who dares to arrest someone in our Lihua Hall...I..."
Old man Zheng angrily scolded:
"At this critical moment, do you want to cause trouble for the Lord? This is an order from His Majesty, and the three judges will hold a joint trial! Disobedience is what Zhou Cheng would like to see!"
Qian Kerou said anxiously, "Sir, please say something quickly."
Under the shade of the pear tree, Zhao Duan sat in a rattan chair with a book on his knees. At this moment, he was as calm as an outsider:
"I have no regrets. Your Majesty has been deceived by a traitor for a while. He will come out after the investigation is complete."
Qian Kerou was anxious: "How could the presiding judge of the Dali Temple..."
At this time, the footsteps outside finally approached.
A group of officials walked in, led by an imperial censor.
It turned out to be an acquaintance. It was the young imperial censor who led the way when Zhao Duan went to find Yuan Li that day.
He glanced at Zhao Duan with a complicated expression and said in a businesslike manner:
"In compliance with His Majesty's order, I am now escorting Chief Justice Zhao Duan to the Taiwan Prison to await trial. Chief Justice Zhao, please go ahead."
Zhao Duan was reluctant to leave, so he withdrew his gaze, stood up, shook the copy of "Dayu Law", and asked:
"Can I take this?"
The censor hesitated, took it and examined it, and seeing that it was just an ordinary book, he nodded:
"can."
"Thank you." Zhao Duan took off his sword, including the Golden Crow Flying Knife, and put it into the storage magic weapon, and handed it to Qian Kerou for safekeeping:
"I'm not here for the next few days, so don't cause any trouble. Just be good and wait for me to come out. Otherwise, if something goes wrong, no one will help you."
A large group of Jinyiyi gathered in the Lihua Hall at this time. They were moved by what he said, and many of them even had tears in their eyes.
A trial by three judges, what kind of scene is this?
They had a premonition that the chief inspector who had indulged them might not come back.
……
That evening, the news that Zhao Duan was imprisoned in Taiwan spread throughout the capital, causing an uproar in the city.
(End of this chapter)