Chapter 154 Zhao Duan: Your Majesty, I want to enter
Chapter 154 Zhao Duan: Your Majesty, I want to enter...
At noon, the various government offices in the capital were closed and classes in the academies were adjourned.
In teahouses and taverns, the explosive news about today's "Three Courts Trial" began to spread wildly in official circles and among scholars.
"Everyone, you would never have imagined what happened during today's trial!"
An official who had been watching from outside the hall and witnessed the entire process, as soon as he sat down, he began to talk excitedly to his colleagues and friends about what he had seen.
Not surprisingly, almost everyone was shocked.
"What? Zhao Duan produced evidence in court that Zhou Tingwei was plotting to murder him? And he was acquitted?"
"So, he really didn't touch that singer? This..."
This result obviously far exceeds people's stereotype of Zhao Duan.
In Dayu's official circles and literary circles, visiting prostitutes was a common practice.
Unlike the "personal style issue" in later generations, in Dayu, this was a romantic affair.
But Zhao Duan actually maintained his “innocence”...it’s unbelievable.
And if the above news is just gossip.
Then, the news that Zhao Duan accused Zhou Cheng in court and overturned the old case from thirteen years ago was like a bomb that exploded in deep water.
"Bang!" A scholar stood up and slammed the table, looking excited:
"The death of Xue Shaoqing in the past was already strange. Who would have thought that it was this traitor surnamed Zhou who deceived the emperor and killed an important official! Alas, today his injustice has finally been redressed!"
As he spoke, his eyes turned red. Someone recognized that he was the scholar who was close to Xue Lin in the past.
Xue Lin originally studied under Grand Tutor Dong and was quite famous among scholars.
Now that the verdict has been overturned, many "old people" who experienced what happened back then have spoken out.
"Prime Minister Zhou is extremely greedy and has long been notorious. I have always said that God is watching what you do." Someone spoke after the fact.
"It was that thief Zhao who cleared Xue Shaoqing's name..."
Some people could not accept that Zhao Duan, whom they usually cursed and despised, would actually do such a righteous thing.
However, as more details were revealed, everyone realized that Zhao Duan was not doing this for "justice" at all, and the Xue Lin case was purely a tool for him to take revenge.
"It's really scary. I've heard that Envoy Zhao is very vengeful. Anyone who has offended him will be punished... The Zhang brothers, the Pei father-in-law and son-in-law, and even the princess and marquis...
Until now, Zhou Tingwei had only impeached him once in the court a few days ago, and he had been retaliated against like this..."
Everyone looked at each other, shut their mouths, and cursed in their hearts:
He is indeed a villain who will never let go of any grudge!
There was a lot of discussion in the restaurant.
……
In a compartment, a group of young scholars were also gathering in the building. They were stunned when they heard the discussion outside.
"Is this really the work of Zhao Duan? How can a mere soldier have such a strategy?" one person doubted.
Another person shook his head and said:
"Who knows? Haven't you heard that Mr. Yuan also took action in this case? Maybe it was a joint effort and he was just pushed to the front."
"Brother Li is right. A cruel official who was born as a soldier may indeed have some abilities. But it is too unbelievable to say that he has such strategies." Someone agreed.
At this moment, a gentle voice suddenly spoke up at the table:
"My dear brothers, do not underestimate the people of the world. I have also heard a little about this envoy Zhao. It is true that he has a bad reputation, but your majesty is wise and wise. If he really only has a good appearance, you will never use him.
In my opinion, even if the plan to deal with Zhou Cheng this time was indeed assisted by others, it was probably led by this person."
As soon as this person spoke, the scholars at the table immediately changed their tone and said:
"Brother Banshan is right."
"Brother Banshan is magnanimous and noble, while we are the ones who are petty-minded."
The man nicknamed "Banshan" was a scholar in his thirties, wearing a scholar's robe. He looked a little frail, with his hair neatly combed behind his head, clear eyes, and a very literary air.
Among the scholars in Beijing, he was a first-class celebrity named "Han Zhou".
He is also recognized as the top talent of the young generation in Beijing today.
Born in a poor family, he studied books from various schools of thought since childhood. Later, he became the top scorer in the imperial examination and entered the Hanlin Academy as an editor.
Being praised by so many scholars at this moment, he just smiled indifferently, as if he was accustomed to such scenes.
“Speaking of which, although Zhao Duan has become quite famous recently, he is only a military officer after all. So what if he has some skills?
At most, he will be the next Ma Yanwang.
It is said that Brother Banshan has been accepted by the Grand Master into the Xiuwen Academy, and in a few days, the academy will be open, and his future achievements are limitless." Someone in the audience boasted loudly.
Xiuwenguan?
All of a sudden, some scholars outside the box turned their heads to look over, unable to hide their shock.
During this period, the hottest topic in the literary circle was that the empress wanted to recruit young talents to join the new government office, the Academy of Literature, to assist the emperor in governing the country.
It is said that the selection of the first batch of scholars entering Xiuwenguan was extremely strict.
There are even rumors that Xiuwenguan is the prototype of the future "new cabinet".
Anyone who can gain entry and become a close minister to the emperor can imagine what kind of achievements he will make in the future.
Has Han Banshan entered the museum?
This news was still circulating in a small circle, but now that it was publicized, it immediately overshadowed the topic of Zhao Duan's elimination of Zhou Cheng among the scholars.
Han Zhou frowned slightly, feeling somewhat displeased with this kind of behavior of praising one and criticizing the other.
But there was nothing to say, so I could only exchange a few pleasantries and then say goodbye and leave.
This scene aroused envy, jealousy and hatred among many people.
"It's Han Zhou, Han Banshan,"
At a table in the lobby of the same restaurant, an official looked at the departing Hanlin in blue, unable to hide his envy:
"Another young talent who will rise to prominence."
After saying that, he turned his head and looked at Lu Zhi sitting across from him, and said jokingly:
"Look at him. After a few years in the Hanlin Academy, he went straight to Xiuwenguan.
"You were in the Imperial Academy, right? What about now? You wasted nearly ten years as a minor judge. If you had been more tactful earlier, how could this have happened?"
Lu Zhi was drinking and eating in silence. Hearing this, he said calmly:
"If I had been smooth and flattering, I would have been implicated with Zhou Cheng, He Zheng and the others today."
The friend at the same table was speechless and said with a wry smile:
"You're right... that's true."
Today, the Dali Temple was shaken. After the three courts held a joint trial, although the case had not yet been reported to the emperor, Zhou Cheng and He Zheng's group were only temporarily "confined".
But everyone knows that within an hour or two, the saint’s will will come down, and then the wind and rain will be severe.
Lu Zhi was lucky because he held a low official position and was not close to Zhou Cheng, so he was not implicated for the time being.
My friend sighed and said:
"But who could have thought that something like this would happen? That Zhao Duan is really cruel. Last time he captured you, he released you alone, which made you even more isolated. That's why Zhou Cheng and his gang disliked you.
But I didn't expect that I would escape a disaster because of this. I can only say that fortune and misfortune go hand in hand. However, you really should change your temper."
Lu Zhi said unhappily:
"I enforce the law impartially and have a clear conscience. I am not as greedy as they are. I have money to support those bigwigs. My current salary is enough to support my family. At worst, I can live like this for the rest of my life. That's fine."
His friend stared at him and said, "Are you really willing to be a small judge for the rest of your life? In the past, you and I had great ambitions..."
Lu Zhi was silent.
The friend sighed and said no more.
After the two of them had their fill, they walked out of the restaurant hand in hand. They saw a middle-level official from the Dali Temple leading a team of imperial guards. When he saw him, his eyes lit up:
"Lord Lu!"
Lu Zhi was stunned, watching this group of people coming, not knowing what was going on.
Moreover... the other party actually called him "Sir" instead of "Pingshi" or "Lao Lu"...
"Lord Wang, this is..." He frowned.
The boss who used to dislike him came forward enthusiastically, held his hand, and said with a smile:
"I finally found you. Hurry up and receive the order." "Receive the order?" Lu Zhi was even more confused.
At this time, a eunuch from the imperial guards came over and said with a smile:
"Lord Lu, don't panic. This is not an imperial decree. I am only here to pass on His Majesty's order.
His Majesty said that the Dali Temple is now in turmoil and many officials are unable to perform their duties, but the government has many affairs to attend to and cannot do without people.
I heard that Lu Pingshi is very fair in enforcing the law, so I specially order you to temporarily take over as the Dali Temple Secretary. I will make further arrangements after the case is over."
Lu Zhi seemed to be in a dream, and his friend beside him also sobered up and looked stunned:
"Brother Lu..."
Lu Zhi's eyes suddenly turned red, and tears were falling.
Because he refused to go along with the corrupt crowd, he was stuck in this position for nearly ten years. Is he finally going to be promoted?
But how does Your Majesty know a small person like yourself?
He didn't understand.
……
……
Inside the palace.
Zhao Duan was unaware of the turmoil in the outside world and did not care.
After Xu Zhenguan went to work, he strolled around the imperial garden by himself and then was led by a female official to rest.
At noon, I had a meal in the imperial kitchen and then stayed there until dark.
During this period, it was heard that important officials of the court had entered the palace and convened a small court meeting to discuss the follow-up of the Xue Lin case.
This small morning meeting will last until the evening.
He thought he would be able to meet the empress soon, but his wish was dashed and he had dinner alone again.
When it was completely dark, he waited in the palace and almost thought he was forgotten, before he received a summons from the empress.
"Your Majesty, Lord Zhao is here."
At the door of the imperial study, the elderly female official who led the way said respectfully.
With the word "please" coming from inside the house, Zhao Duan finally saw the female emperor he had been thinking about again after a long time.
The house was brightly lit.
Xu Zhenguan was sitting at his desk, and as usual, he raised his head and smiled at him, motioning to a chair in the room:
"Sit down, it will only take a while."
Zhao Duan was reluctant at first, but it was only after the empress ordered him a second time that he reluctantly sat down.
Suddenly, he felt as if he was sitting on the sofa waiting for his boss when he was doing work in his previous life... Zhao Duan complained in his heart and looked around with boredom.
There are many valuable artifacts on the antique shelf in the imperial study, and the rock bonsai are also the work of a master.
But after looking around, his gaze finally fell back on the empress.
If ordinary people worked this hard, they would definitely not care about their image.
But Xu Zhenguan, a monk in the celestial realm, seemed to have never lost any appearance no matter when or where.
Even though the lights are dim and the profile illuminated by the candlelight looks a little tired, it only adds to the charm.
The white dress was hanging loosely, and the shoes and socks under the skirt were vaguely visible. I sniffed and smelled a faint scent of roses... Hey, did she spray the perfume she made herself?
"All right."
After a long time, Xu Zhenguan finally put down his pen, closed the paper scroll, and stretched his waist lazily.
She turned to look at the only man in the bedroom who was distracted, with a hint of apology in her eyes:
"You've been waiting for a long time."
"Not long." Zhao Duan came back to his senses and lied with his eyes open:
"Your Majesty is busy with many things every day. In comparison, I am much more relaxed."
Xu Zhenguan smiled and shook his head, not wanting to expose his lies. He stood up suddenly and walked lightly:
"You've been busy all day, come take a walk with me."
……
The so-called walks of the emperor were naturally different in scale.
At night, the palace was brightly lit.
Xu Zhenguan and Zhao Duan walked almost side by side. After leaving the bedroom, there was a spacious square that could accommodate thousands of people for martial arts performances.
Behind her were two long dragons of palace servants, each holding a lantern in one hand and various objects in the other, in case the empress needed anything.
At the same time, it is not too close, giving a sense of distance that is just right.
"This minister saw the gentlemen enter the palace this afternoon."
The night wind was negative, and Zhao Duan's nose seemed to be filled with the faint fragrance of a woman. He walked in silence for a while and then took the initiative to start a conversation.
After Xu Zhenguan walked out of the study, he felt much lazier. Hearing this, he said "yes" softly and smiled:
“I know what you want to ask. Zhou Cheng and his gang have been formally arrested and thrown into the Taiwan prison.
Regarding Xue Lin's case, it was tried by Princess Yuan. The evidence you sent was already very solid, and Wang Shan had already confessed, and revealed a lot of evidence about Zhou Cheng's crimes...
These are all evidence left over from when Wang Zhen was in power in the past. Haha, this is a pleasant surprise.
With all this, it no longer mattered whether Zhou Cheng admitted his guilt or not. At the small court meeting in the afternoon, he had been sentenced to beheading, his family to exile, and his property to confiscation.
Xia Jianghou said in prison that he alone had given Zhou Cheng a lot of benefits. If accumulated over so many years, I'm afraid it would be an astonishing number. In this way, the national treasury would have a large sum of money. "
The verdict was made so quickly? No struggle... Zhao Duan was surprised.
But on second thought, with so much solid evidence before us, it seems unnecessary.
A high and mighty official who wanted to put him to death not long ago, died in just one day...
Even as the "initializer", I couldn't help but sigh.
"Then congratulations to Your Majesty for getting what you wished for," Zhao Duan complimented:
"With Prime Minister Zhou's fall, the obstacles to Your Majesty's formation of a new cabinet will surely be greatly reduced."
Xu Zhenguan glanced at him and said in surprise:
"Did Yuan Li tell you?"
Zhao Duan decisively sold out his teammates:
"Mr. Yuan said that Prime Minister Zhou was particularly opposed to the new cabinet. I heard that the new cabinet was organized by Grand Tutor Dong?"
Xu Zhenguan's beautiful eyes flickered as she looked at the loyal dog beside her and said with some amusement:
"There's one cabinet after another. How come you, a military attaché, are interested in this?"
Zhao Duan pretended to be embarrassed and said with a wry smile:
"I heard from Lord Yuan that the new cabinet prohibits ministers from entering, and mainly consists of young scholars... Of course, I have no other intentions, I just want to share your worries."
He wants to progress so much!
Although he was praised and criticized secretly by Grand Tutor Dong when he entered the palace in the morning, Zhao Duan really had no interest in being an official.
But that doesn't mean he has no ideas about this "new cabinet".
Firstly, a new cabinet means greater power and a higher status in exchange for stronger protection of the imperial power.
How long will it take to become stronger after practicing so hard?
Resist the threat of the great monk?
A few years? Or a dozen years?
If you can get a higher status, you can directly arrange for a great monk to be your bodyguard and achieve your goal in one step.
Those who work with their minds rule others, and those who work with their hands are ruled by others... He understood this principle very early on.
Secondly…if he could enter the "new cabinet", wouldn't he have a legitimate reason to be with the empress all day long?
If you want to become your leader's confidant, it's not enough to be out doing business all day long. You need to make your presence felt more!
Under the night.
After hearing this, Xu Zhenguan smiled, shook his head, and looked at him helplessly:
"You also know that those who enter the cabinet to assist in government affairs are young scholars. You only have the word 'young' in your name. What does it have to do with scholars?"
Thanks to "There is a Place Called Penglai" for its 5-point reward! Thanks to book friend Xiangshan for his -point reward, Jijiu Qiufen for his -point reward, God loves simple people, and Sakuyou for his -point reward!
(End of this chapter)