Dressed as a widow, raising cubs, farming and building infrastructure in Ming Dynasty

Chapter 74: Killing a Good Person and Pretending to Commit Crime
The two sat down again. Yang Shen looked at the little mute who had found a chair and sat down beside him. He hesitated to speak.

Upon seeing this, Qin Liu said: "He is my buddy. He saved my life and is trustworthy. If you have anything to say, please speak up, Brother Yongxiu."

"What do you remember?"

"I only remember you and Guangsi, I can't remember much else..."

Yang Shen pondered for a moment and said, "Do you still remember the 'Ningyuan Bei Imperial Capital Commander Zhang Tianxiang's case of killing Liang Liang and committing a crime'?"

Qin Liu shook his head in confusion.

Yang Shenyan briefly and comprehensively told the story: "In the first month of the 16th year of Hongzhi, the imperial court received a joint report from three people: Zhang Nai, the censor of the governor of Liaodong, Yang Yu, the governor of the capital, and Zhu Xiu, the eunuch who supervises the army. The report claimed that a group of Taining guards were killed in December last year. The rogue bandits attacked and robbed the Jurchen tribute mission in Jianzhou. Zhang Tianxiang, the commander of Ningyuan Beiyudu, led his troops to kill 38 bandits and recovered all the tributes."

Qin Liu listened quietly. She had no impression of this at all.

"Two months later, Wang Xianchen, the censor of Liaodong, reported to the court that Zhang Tianxiang was "killing good people and taking credit." Wang Xianchen said that it was Zhang Tianxiang's servants who attacked the Jurchen mission in Jianzhou, but Zhang Tianxiang used this as an excuse to attack Tai. A Mongolian tribe in Ningwei 'killed more than a hundred people, old and young'."

"After Xiaozong received the impeachment, he immediately appointed Wu Yiguan, Zuo Shaoqing of Dali Temple, and Yang Yu, the commander of Jinyiwei, to go to Liaodong to investigate the matter. After five months of investigation, these two people gave another version.

There were indeed rogue bandits attacking the Jurchen mission in Jianzhou, but Zhang Tianxiang led the attack but was defeated by the rogue bandits.Zhang Tianxiang was afraid that the court would punish him and lose his official position, so at the suggestion of his grandfather Zhang Bin, he attacked and killed a small tribe in Tainingwei and used these innocent people to replace the bandits and report military merits.

Zhang Tianxiang's former brother-in-law Yang Mao was the commander of Ningyuan because he had always been at odds with Zhang Tianxiang and also coveted Zhang Tianxiang's position.So Yang Mao and his son revised the matter and reported it to Wang Xianchen.

Wu Yiguan and Yang Yu believed that although Yang Mao and his son had in fact framed Zhang Tianxiang and falsely accused him of a sneak attack on the Jurchen mission in Jianzhou, the evidence of Zhang Tianxiang's "killing good people and claiming merit" was conclusive, so they submitted a petition to Emperor Xiaozong to recommend the verdict:

Zhang Bin, the first offender, was executed; Zhang Tianxiang, an accomplice, was hanged; Yang Mao and his son falsely accused him, and were hanged.

Emperor Xiaozong did not directly approve this memorial, but ordered a group of prisoners to be escorted back to the capital to await their punishment.This wait lasted almost a year, during which Zhang Tianxiang died of illness in prison. "

Qin Liu listened half-comprehensively to Yang Shen's nonsense, and watched helplessly as the little mute beside him yawned out of boredom.

Yang Shen changed the subject: "In June of the 17th year of Hongzhi, Emperor Xiaozong suddenly summoned the cabinet ministers Liu Jian, Li Dongyang, Xie Qian and other bachelors, saying that Zhang Tianxiang's case was a major case and the trial was unclear and needed to be investigated in detail.

A conflict broke out between the three elders and Emperor Xiaozong. Emperor Xiaozong, who had always had a good temper, became angry. Elder Xie Qian insisted that it would be better to conclude the case as soon as possible.Liu Jian, Ge Lao and Xini said that Dali Temple and the Metropolitan Procuratorate were in charge of the case. If the case was unclear, it would be better for them to continue the trial first. "

Qin Liu couldn't help but yawn. Although this matter was related to Liu Xuejiang's grandfather, it had nothing to do with her.

"This incident triggered a fierce conflict between the emperor and the cabinet. The cabinet disagreed with Emperor Xiaozong's intention to retry the case. Emperor Xiaozong was determined to retry the unjust case, saying, 'This is a big prison. Even though thousands of people have to come, if If the matter is not clear, which of the generals is willing to die?' In November, the case was tried by Emperor Xiaozong himself at the Meridian Gate, and it turned out to be an unjust case."

Qin Liu finally nodded: "That's right. Emperor Xiaozong is not a mediocre person."

Yang Shen smiled: "Do you know who brought this unjust case to Emperor Xiaozong?"

Qin Liu shook his head. "It's you, Ah Jiang!"

Qin Liu's eyes widened, ah this!

The memory of this original person is too unreliable, she has no idea about this matter!

"how do I say this?"

"This matter must have happened because someone knew that Mr. Liu Ge had a reputation for being upright, so he specifically submitted a complaint of injustice to your Liu Mansion, and you got it. But you are so powerful that you brought this matter directly to the imperial court through the Jin Yiwei and the prince."

Qin Liu was surprised: "Why didn't I report this case directly to my grandfather?"

Liu Xuejiang's grandfather, Liu Jian, was the chief minister of the current cabinet and a leader among civil servants. Why didn't she give it to her grandfather instead of giving it to Jin Yiwei and the prince?How did she meet Jin Yiwei and the prince?
Yang Shen glanced at the little mute who was listening attentively, and said, "You should have reported it to your grandfather. The old man couldn't come forward, so he secretly arranged for Jin Yiwei and the prince to get the certificate."

Qin Liu was even more surprised: "He is the chief minister of the cabinet, why can't he come forward to reiterate the unjust case?"

Yang Shen sighed slightly: "Since the Tumubao Incident, the civil servants of the imperial court have become more and more powerful, and a huge force has been formed in the Hongzhi Dynasty. It is not easy for even the chief minister of the cabinet to fully control this force. . But when did officials protect each other? The bad apples should always be eliminated. It is just and reasonable to let the emperor do this, and it is also in line with the golden mean of civil servants to protect themselves."

"What does this matter have to do with me?"

"This matter started with you. Emperor Xiaozong wanted to reward you, but he couldn't do it. Finally, he hinted that Mr. Liu Ge asked for favor for his descendants. Mr. Liu just invited his eldest grandson Liu Cheng'en to study in the Imperial College, and Emperor Xiaozong directly gave him a title. Zhongshu Sheren. Brother Cheng En, do you still remember? He is your cousin."

Qin Liu tried his best to think, Liu Chengen, Liu Chengen?

But a picture suddenly flashed through her mind: a young man in his 20s was hit by arrows and covered in blood, with a sea of ​​fire behind him. He smiled at her with tears in his eyes and said: "Ajiang, please leave quickly. When you see your grandfather, remember to say, I, Liu Chengen, am not here." Disgrace the Liu family!"

The young man violently beat the horse whose eyes were tied with cloth. The horse ran wildly in pain and led the carriage forward. She, her children, and her mother-in-law on the carriage escaped from the sea of ​​​​fire.

Qin Liu suppressed the trembling of his hands: "My cousin, is he dead?"

Yang Shen nodded sadly: "I was in Sichuan at the time and didn't know the situation. I didn't know until I returned to Beijing that you died of illness in September of the first year of Zhengde. Not long after your grandfather became an official; your uncle Liu Lai, your father Liu Dong, and your cousin Liu Chengen died in September of the second year of Zhengde."

Qin Liu clenched his fists, but quickly recovered his senses: "What is the connection between this matter and the case of killing Liang and committing crimes?"

Yang Shen shook his head seriously: "Maybe there is a connection, maybe there is no connection. My father was an official for the Prince of the East Palace, and I was also on good terms with the Prince. But after this incident, my father was suppressed and isolated by the civil servants, and even your grandfather did not Dealing with him... just,"

Yang Shen paused: "The censor Wang Xianchen who created the unjust case, after he was raped and returned to his hometown, he spent a lot of money to build a 'Humble Administrator's Garden', crowned with Su Wu."

(End of this chapter)