I served as an admonisher in the Song Dynasty

Chapter 4 I, Su Liang, want to die

September [-]th, nearly noon.

In Bianjing City, the autumn air is crisp and clear, and the case of entering the memorial hall is still fermenting.

At this time, a piece of gossip spread on the streets of Bianjing at almost the speed of light.

"Privy Councilor Xia Song kept many concubines, and one of them, Qiuniang, is suspected of giving perjury in the Jinzouyuan case!"

This news is far more topical than a prostitute who is a trainee censor.

It soon became a topic of conversation among the people after dinner.

Then, with the modification and interpretation of some idle readers, it gained a deeper meaning.

"The case of entering the court is a conspiracy carefully designed by Privy Councilor Xia Song, with the purpose of catching all the young officials in the court who support the New Deal."

Things are going to get bigger!

A case in which a young official used public funds to eat and drink, and showed personal misconduct, turned into a more egregious court party dispute.

After hearing the news, Supervisor Yushi Bao Zheng.

He immediately submitted a chapter to impeach the Privy Councilor Xia Song for keeping a concubine and deliberately suppressing young officials.

In the Chui Gong Hall, above the throne.

Emperor Zhao Zhen looked gloomy after reading Bao Zheng's impeachment memorial.

"Young officials do not practice personal ethics, their supervisors steal from themselves, and they slander saints; when the prime minister keeps concubines, falsely accuses his colleagues, and causes internal strife within the party, is this still the court of our Song Dynasty?"

Since Fan Zhongyan, Fu Bi, Ouyang Xiu and others left, the atmosphere in the court has been dead.

Zhao Zhen has a deep understanding of this.

He was tired of courtiers fighting among themselves.

A quarter of an hour later.

Prime Minister Zhang Dexiang, Deputy Prime Minister Jia Changchao, Privy Councilor Xia Song, Deputy Privy Councilor Han Qi, Censor Zhongcheng Wang Gongchen, and Supervising Censor Bao Zheng all came to Chui Gong Hall according to the imperial edict.

Zhao Zhen just raised his head.

Xia Song then stepped out and cupped his hands and said: "Guan family, that singer was just a maid in our house. The folk tabloids made up nonsense and said she was my concubine. Some people even said that I was here to attack. The New Party has created such a conspiracy to catch all these young officials, I am really unjust!"

"The supervisor Su Shunqin committed a robbery, Wang Yirou slandered the saints, Wang Zhu sat with the singers, and Su Liang had sex with a prostitute after a banquet. This... is this something I can frame up? It's clear that someone has ulterior motives and wants to frame him. Reduce your own guilt!”

Xia Song was worthy of being an old fox. He picked him clean as soon as he came up.

After he finished explaining, the hall fell silent.

Prime Minister Zhang Dexiang loves to pretend to be confused.

If the officials didn't call his name, he would never stand up and talk to them.

Vice Minister Jia Changchao is a fence-sitter and will not speak rashly without knowing what the official is thinking.

At present, Han Qi, the only deputy privy envoy in the Central Committee who supports the New Deal, took the lead to stand up.

"Officially, I suggest that this matter be included in the court case and handed over to Kaifeng Mansion for detailed investigation. After the results are obtained, they will be punished as they should be, so that no one will be wronged."

Han Qi's position is simple.

Everything depends on the evidence.

At this time, the censor Zhongcheng Wang Gongchen stood up.

This guy is a natural opposition.

Teng Zijing and Ouyang Xiu were demoted from Beijing, which was all due to his impeachment.

"Officially, I think what Deputy Ambassador Han said is inappropriate. The Jinzouyuan case is a Jinzouyuan case, and whether Prime Minister Xia keeps a concubine is another case. In the Jinzouyuan case, there is solid evidence that he used court funds to eat and drink. All participants should be severely punished, and as for whether Prime Minister Xia has been wrongfully accused, the government can just assign other officials to investigate."

Hearing this, Bao Zheng frowned slightly.

"Wang Zhongcheng, what you said is wrong. Prime Minister Xia Shu has been involved in the case of Jinzouyuan. How can we investigate it separately? If the singer was really instigated by someone, the author Zuo Lang Su Liang was framed by someone. This shows that other people There may be grievances!”

Although King Gongchen, the chief minister in the imperial censorship, was Bao Zheng's superior officer, at the imperial censor's desk, the supervisory censor could directly face the emperor for impeachment and was not restricted by the superior officer at all.

Hearing this, Xia Song was dissatisfied. "Injustice? Bao Yushi, do you mean that I manipulated the Jinzouyuan case in order to drive all these arrogant and arrogant young people out of Bianjing City?"

Bao Zheng's eyes widened and he said seriously: "It's not impossible, we have to wait for Kaifeng Mansion to investigate!"

"Bao Xiren, you recommended Su Liang, the author, right? According to common sense, you should avoid it!" Wang Gongchen caught one of the loopholes.

"The official was just talking about Prime Minister Xia, and he did not violate the order!"

Bao Zheng pushed Wang Gongchen back with one word.

"Didn't you violate Taiwan's order? I think you are just afraid that Su Liang will be questioned and implicate you, so you are so biased in your words. Why do I, the great Privy Council, frame a little Zuo Lang for no reason!"

Xia Song immediately labeled Bao Zheng as "covering up".

At court, officials are best at two things.

One is to put a hat on someone, a big hat.

Another one was to talk back immediately after being slapped.

Most scholar-bureaucrats find it difficult to ensure that their work is flawless in their lives.

Therefore, everyone has developed a good mouth.

Otherwise, if you are targeted even slightly, you may be demoted and released.

"Whether it's a frame-up or not, the Kaifeng Mansion will know once they investigate. I wonder why Prime Minister Xia is so nervous?"

"I...when did I get nervous? Such trivial matters are meaningless. In my opinion, you Bao Xiren no longer have the loyalty and integrity of Chicheng as a remonstrator, so you should ask yourself to resign!"

……

Xia Song and Bao Zheng quarreled.

Zhao Zhen, who was sitting in the upper seat, looked darker and darker as he listened to the quarrel below.

There were frequent debates in the Great Song Dynasty Hall.

But what was being debated was the military and people's livelihood, the way to strengthen the country and enrich the people. But now, it is just a matter of sloppiness in a room.

Zhao Zhen suddenly felt very cold.

The civil and military officials of the entire dynasty were so absorbed in party disputes that no one shared their worries or worried about state affairs.

At this moment, Xiao Huangmen came to report: "An official, a Hanlin scholar, I know that Wu Yu of Kaifeng Prefecture wants to see him!"

"Xuan!" Zhao Zhen waved his hand.

The quarrel below suddenly stopped.

Wu Yu strode into the hall, holding a stack of papers in his hand.

He cupped his hands towards Zhao Zhen and said: "I'm sorry to hear from the officials. After many interviews and investigations, I have confirmed that the supervisors Su Shunqin and Liu Xun committed theft themselves, that Wang Yirou insulted the sages, that Wang Zhu sat with the singers, and everyone believes that. It is true that public funds are used to gather private banquets, but Su Liang’s affair with a prostitute after the banquet is still suspicious.”

"I ordered the thirteen officials involved in the case to write confessions, and 12 of them were defending themselves. Some of the excuses made some sense, but I couldn't grasp the scale. In addition, Su Liang, the censor of power and supervision, not only did not defend himself , but instead listed his four major crimes in the charge sheet, and he only wanted to die. The content of the charges is tear-jerking."

"I heard that there are rumors among the people that Su Liangnai was framed, and the matter also involves Prime Minister Xia Shu, so I am submitting the charges against these 13 people for the officials to make a decision!"

Immediately.

The chamberlain Zhang Mao presented the confession written by Wu Yu to the imperial court.

When Han Qi, Bao Zheng and others heard this, they couldn't help but be curious.

They could guess what Su Shunqin and the other 12 people said in defense.

But Su Liang not only did not defend himself, but instead listed his four major sins and wanted to die.

This took them by surprise.

Xia Song rubbed his sleeves, feeling a little uneasy.

He did not plan the case of entering the court, but he instigated Qiuniang to frame Su Liang's affair with a prostitute.

Zhao Zhen, who was sitting on the throne, picked up the confession and read it.

(End of this chapter)