Daming: Mixed in Dangzhi County, Beiping

"Your Majesty!"

When they walked into the hall, the Jinyi guards kicked several people in the legs, causing them to kneel down in front of Zhu Di and the ministers.

Zhu Di asked coldly: "Were you the one who secretly planned to attack the Marquis of Dinghai and murder the abbot Fa Miao?"

"The villain has met Your Majesty. The villain... is the villain..."

The old man at the head was obviously seeing Zhu Di for the first time, or had been beaten severely. He looked frightened and reported tremblingly.

"You dare to deceive me?"

Zhu Di narrowed his eyes and stared at the old man sharply, "You think we can't see that you, the thief, are just an errand boy?"

Behind him, Zhao Hu and several imperial guards in imperial robes stared intently at the old man.
"You dare to retract your confession? We have been watching you since you came to Tianxi Temple more than ten days ago! Do you think you can protect your master and your family by retracting your confession?

We, the Jin Yiwei brothers, have been following you for so long, do you really think that we are a nuisance? "

Guo An: "..."

A group of ministers: "..."

The old man couldn't help but shudder, and quickly kowtowed to Zhu Di to beg for mercy.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me. I entered Tianxi Temple on the order of my master..."

As the old man spoke, the expressions of more than ten people immediately changed after the courtiers.

They often go in and out of the Zhang Mansion, so they know that the old man in front of them is the housekeeper of the Zhang Mansion.

After the old man finished speaking, Zhao Hu said directly: "Tell all the courtiers, who is your master?"

"This……"

The old man subconsciously looked at Zhang Yan, the official minister in the crowd, with a somewhat hesitant expression.

As for Zhang Yan, his face was already gloomy at this time.

As early as the moment he saw the housekeeper being caught, he was mentally prepared.

However, he didn't expect that the housekeeper who was loyal to him would confess to him without giving him any time to react.

"Ok?"

Zhu Di's face darkened.

The old man trembled and did not dare to hesitate any longer. He lowered his head in a hurry and said loudly: "Your Majesty, the master of this villain is Zhang Shangshu, the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel!"

"what?"

"Mr. Zhang?"

"How is this possible? Is this old thief biting people indiscriminately to get away with it?"

"Could it be that these Jin Yiwei, for the sake of merit, had to surrender and let the old man bite Mr. Zhang?"

"..."

All the ministers looked surprised.

There were only a few courtiers with panic in their eyes.

However, they didn't know that around them, a group of Jinyi guards were watching each of them closely, and would record any abnormal behavior they had.

"Zhang Qing's family?"

Zhu Di was also very surprised and a little unbelievable.

"Zhao Hu, could this old thief start biting people randomly just to get away with it?"

Before Zhao Hu could reply, Zhang Yan had already walked out and saluted Zhu Di, "Your Majesty, forgive me. This person did not bite randomly. He was sent here by the minister!"

"what?"

At this time, Zhu Di and all the ministers were even more surprised.

Immediately, Zhu Di's face darkened and he stared at Zhang Yan.

"Zhang Qing really sent people to persuade the monks of Tianxi Temple to seek alms from Marquis Dinghai... When Marquis Dinghai had a conflict with the monks of Tianxi Temple, he sent people to secretly spread rumors and attack Marquis Dinghai... …

If the matter is exposed, will you send someone to kill Abbot Famiao? "

"Reporting to your majesty, all this is exactly what Weichen did!"

Zhang Yan replied slowly.

At this time, there was silence in the entire hall.

Zhu Di's eyes narrowed and he asked coldly: "Why?"

Zhang Yan raised his head and glanced at Guo An, who was standing aside, sighed helplessly and said: "Reporting to your Majesty, this matter is a minor fault!

The minister heard the slander that Dinghaihou was suspected of being corrupt. However, because Dinghaihou was His Majesty's favorite minister, he was afraid that Your Majesty would not believe it, so he thought of the monks from Tianxi Temple...

After being corrupted, many corrupt officials will have uneasy consciences and will donate incense money to the Buddha.

If Marquis Dinghai agrees to donate, it will definitely be greedy..."

"Wei Chen did not expect that Marquis Dinghai would directly rebuke Master Fa Miao. At that time, Master Fa Miao was so angry that he sent someone to send a message to Wei Chen, asking for an explanation!

Wei Chen was deceived at that time and still felt that Marquis Dinghai was suspected of corruption. He wanted to provoke His Majesty's investigation, so he secretly added fuel to the flames... As a result, His Majesty sent Jin Yiwei to investigate, and it turns out that Marquis Dinghai did not commit any corruption! "

"As for why Wei Chen wanted to kill Abbot Fa Miao, it was because Abbot Fa Miao was greedy for money and narrow-minded. He felt that Wei Chen not only made him lose face, but also angered the Marquis of Dinghai. In the end, he wanted to impeach Wei Chen, and even It also ruins Wei Chen’s reputation for many years...

Your Majesty, Wei Chen has been a public servant all his life and has only accumulated so much good reputation, but this old monk actually wants to ruin Wei Chen's life's hard work.

The minister was angry for a moment, so he had evil thoughts in his mind, and sent a steward, and then joined forces with several monks in Tianxi Temple who were dissatisfied with Abbot Fa Miao..." After hearing this, Zhu Di, Guo An and others couldn't help but look gloomy.

The thief Zhang Yan was well prepared. Although he confessed, he only admitted the crime of killing the abbot Fa Miao, and did not reveal anything about his collusion with other thieves.

"Oh, Mr. Zhang is so confused!"

"How can Duke Zhang be so anxious? You can join us and impeach Marquis Dinghai!"

"Yes, Mr. Zhang is a heavenly official in the Ministry of Civil Affairs. Can he really be compared with an old monk in a temple?"

"..."

"Amitabha!"

Compared with the regrets of the courtiers, Fa Xing and the monks of Tianxi Temple were full of anger.

"Your Majesty, the young monk has something to say!"

"Do you have something to say?"

Zhu Di looked at Fa Xing.

Fa Xing said angrily: "Your Majesty, it is clear to you that the monk Fa Miao, Abbot Fa Miao and his group, who went to Dinghaihou for alms out of compassion, are junior monks and not Abbot Fa Miao.

Finally, Marquis Dinghai came to Tianxi Temple and did not start a dispute with Abbot Famiao. Instead, he rebuked the young monk.

Therefore, everything Zhang Shangshu said is false! "

"Ok?"

Zhu Di's face darkened and he slowly looked at Zhang Yan.

Zhang Yan hurriedly said to Zhu Di: "Your Majesty knows clearly that I will not dare to deceive Your Majesty!

The monk whom Wei Chen sent his steward to persuade was indeed Abbot Dharma! "

"Amitabha!"

Monk Faxing glared at Zhang Yan angrily, "When people die, the light goes out, why is Zhang Shangshu so vicious and keeps slandering Abbot Famiao for the sake of his own life?"

"Your Majesty clearly knows that Abbot Fa Miao is definitely not that narrow-minded. He does not have any resentment towards Marquis Dinghai, nor did he send anyone to find Zhang Shangshu..."

Zhang Yan also showed no sign of weakness and said again: "Your Majesty, everything I said is true!"

The housekeeper on the side also nodded repeatedly.

"Humph!"

Zhu Di's expression turned cold, "I didn't expect that at this point, there would still be people trying to deceive me!"

"Zhao Hu?"

"His Majesty!"

"Take all these people and bring them to the imperial prison for careful interrogation! In addition, search all the letters in Tianxi Temple for me, as well as all the letters in the Zhang family..."

"The minister obeys the order!"

Zhao Hu responded, and quickly led a group of Jinyi guards to send the monks from Tianxi Temple and Zhang Wei to the Jinyiwei prison.

Inside the hall.

All the courtiers looked at each other in shock!
Who would have thought that Zhang Yan, the Minister of Civil Service, who had always had a good reputation, would be involved in a human life lawsuit.

It would be fine if it were some slaves, but it is a temple abbot.

It's unpredictable!
However, soon, all the courtiers looked solemn and stood respectfully.

Zhu Di stood in front with a solemn look on his face, "I never thought that the Minister of Civil Affairs, whom I deeply believed to be trustworthy, would do such evil things!

As imperial officials, you control a lot of power, but you should also respect human life.

If not, whoever dares to take human life lightly will not be spared by me!
If anyone commits adultery, Jin Yiwei will definitely find out! "

"Your Majesty, please rest assured that Wei Chen and others will abide by the law and will never make mistakes!"

Guo An and the courtiers quickly said with solemn faces.

"Very good!"

Zhu Di nodded slightly and walked out.

Guo An and Zhu Gaochi quickly followed.

Behind him, all the courtiers breathed a sigh of relief.

At noon, the grievances and grudges between Zhang Yan, the Minister of Civil Affairs, and Abbot Famiao spread again in the capital.

Regarding this, more than half of the people actually sympathized with Zhang Wei, the Minister of Civil Affairs.

There are even scholars interceding for Zhang Yan!
"absurd!"

In the palace, Zhu Di looked angry.

"That thief Zhang is so treacherous and vicious, those scholars are really blind, and they actually plead for thief Zhang!"

Below, Guo An looked helpless.

"Guo Qing, do you have any good ideas to expose that thief's true face?"

Guo An slightly raised his hand, "Your Majesty, at this time, we still need to interrogate Zhang Yan's housekeeper or all his subordinates!
Also, Weichen didn't believe that Zhang Yan had no accomplices. Aren't they worried that Zhang Yan would expose them? …”

... (end of this chapter)