Back to Daming to be a genius

Chapter 61 Zhang Qingtian settles the case
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"Mighty—!" Amidst the long shouts, a hundred and eighty officers of the Ministry of Criminal Justice beat the killing sticks together, announcing with a loud thumping sound that Young Master Zhang would be re-elected for questioning.After the sound of the sticks subsided, Young Master Zhang slapped the gavel majestically and shouted: "Come here, bring criminals Xiong Tingbi and Wang Huazhen to the court!"

"Of order." The head of the criminal department on duty respectfully agreed, and waved to the back hall. After a while, Wang Huazhen and Xiong Tingbi, who were wearing brand new white prison clothes, were taken to court by the soldiers of the criminal department. It is the first meeting of the default father-in-law.Just like what Xiong Hu described, Xiong Tingbi was unusually tall and burly, with a bearded face, and a strong body like a bear. At first glance, it made people think that he was not a good-tempered character, but more like a martial artist. It's not like a literati with a Jinshi background.Wang Huazhen, who is proficient in medical skills, is the complete opposite of Xiong Tingbi. She is neither tall, nor short, nor fat, nor thin. She has a handsome appearance and is comparable to Young Master Zhang. Even wearing a prison uniform, her refined temperament is fully revealed.Young Master Zhang nodded involuntarily, and thought: "No wonder Wang Huazhen is more popular than my father-in-law in the court. My father-in-law's appearance will not please the dignitaries of the court."

"Officer Wang Huazhen, kowtow to the presiding judge, everyone, and father-in-law." Just like Lu Wanling's rehearsal at the beginning, Wang Huazhen knelt down on her knees very obediently, and kowtowed to Young Master Zhang, Zhang Weixian and others in turn, with neither humble nor overbearing voice. It is pleasing to the ear.Xiong Tingbi was obviously not very good at being a man, he just knelt down on his knees according to the rules, kept a straight face without saying a word, and pulled like two to five to eighty thousand.Fortunately, today's presiding judge is our Young Master Zhang. Young Master Zhang slapped the gavel again and shouted: "Officer, please report your name and official position when you enter prison."

"Report to the presiding judge, the criminal Wang Huazhen, who stole the post of governor of Liaodong when he was imprisoned." Wang Huazhen replied respectfully.Over there, Xiong Tingbi yelled with a stern face—in fact, it wasn't a yell, but his voice was too loud, "Xiong Tingbi, Liaodong Economic Commissioner." As a result, the people watching the excitement outside the hall were dissatisfied and booed everywhere. Someone else yelled, "Big bear, why are you putting on airs? If it weren't for you, our Daming's Liaodong would have been lost?"

"Who is farting indiscriminately?" Xiong Tingbi jumped up with his fists clenched, so frightened that the guards on both sides rushed to stop him with sticks, lest he rush out of the hall and escape.Young Master Zhang frowned, and shouted: "Drive the people who are watching the trial ten steps away from the gate, and no noise is strictly prohibited." The soldiers guarding the gate obeyed the order, scooping up water and splashing the people away.Only then did Xiong Tingbi kneel down bitterly, and then raised his head to look at Young Master Zhang, as if doubting whether the hairless Young Master Zhang could do things reliably and fairly—in order to avoid complications, Young Master Zhang did not dare to tell the grumpy Xiong Tingbi that he and his The relationship between the daughter is just to let the people in Dongchang inform Xiong Tingbi that he will clear up Xiong Tingbi's grievances, return his innocence, let him eat, drink, sleep, and wait for the trial in peace. Jin was full of suspicions and did not dare to rest assured.

To drive back the common people, Lu Wanling first read through the history of the Guangning War—mainly the annihilation of Wang Huazhen's entire army, and the retreat of the Liaodong army and people to Shanhaiguan led by Xiong Tingbi.After reading, Master Zhang first fired at Xiong Tingbi and asked: "Officer Xiong Tingbi, I want to ask you, as an envoy of the Liaodong Economic Strategy, 13 soldiers of our Ming Dynasty were killed in the battle of Guangning, causing the death of all the soldiers north of the Daling River. All the cities and counties of the prefectures fell into the hands of the slave rebels, what should you do?"

Before Xiong Tingbi could answer, Yang Yuan interjected first: "Master Zhang, you seem to be wrong? In the battle of Guangning, it should be that all the prefectures and counties north of Shanhaiguan fell into the hands of Jiannu?"

"Then who owns the land between Shanhaiguan Pass and Daling River Jinzhou City?" Young Master Zhang gave Yang Yuan a blank look, and said with a sneer, "Does Master Yang want to say that the land between Shanhaiguan Pass and Daling River , General Yang Gao Yang (nephew of Yang Yuan) took it back?"

"That!" Yang Yuan could not help being furious when he heard the sting in Young Master Zhang's words.Zhang Weixian frowned and shouted first: "Zhang Haogu, don't talk nonsense in the court! The land between Shanhaiguan and Daling River was not occupied because the Jiannu Nuerhachi only chased Ningyuan and retreated voluntarily. After returning to Yizhou, I managed to regain the lost land.” After that, Zhang Weixian said with a serious expression: “Also, the reason why we retrial the case is because both the emperor and the imperial court believe that Xiong Tingbi was wronged and that he deserved to die. , That's why the emperor specially ordered us to re-trial. Since the re-trial, we will judge it impartially, and we must not take the truth out of the text, and we must not deliberately cover up the crime for the prisoner during the interrogation!"

"What the British lord said is very true, I will remember it." Young Master Zhang reluctantly agreed - the question just now was actually a step that Young Master Zhang carefully arranged for Xiong Tingbi, because Xiong Tingbi was stationed during the Guangning War In Youtun by the Daling River, if the Ming court believed that only the Liaodong land north of the Daling River had fallen, then the defeat of Guangning would have nothing to do with Xiong Tingbi at all.It's just that Young Master Zhang's little trick is too obvious, not only Yang Yuan can see it, Zhang Weixian can't stand it and stop it.In this way, Young Master Zhang, who had a good impression of Zhang Weixian, couldn't help but mutter in his heart, "Mr. Yingying, you are really mean. I don't usually offend you." Dading, secretly said: "This young boy is very scheming. I heard that he is a new researcher, why did he spare no effort to help me? Also, why did my case have such a big turnaround?"

"Officer Xiong Tingbi, I want to ask you, as an envoy of Liaodong Economic Strategy, in the battle of Guangning, 13 soldiers of our Ming Dynasty died on the battlefield, causing all the land of Daming north of Shanhaiguan to fall into the hands of the rebels who built slaves. You should What's the crime?" Helpless, Young Master Zhang had to stop playing tricks and asked again.Xiong Tingbi had been pointed out by the eunuch of Dongchang early, and he replied loudly: "My lord, Xiong Tingbi is not guilty! It was Wang Huazhen who lost Guangning and Xiping Fort. He was unable to command the army in three battles and three defeats, which led to the annihilation of our 13 troops in the Ming Dynasty. Wang Huazhen was the one who lost the entire territory of Liaodong, and Xiong Tingbi was not guilty at all!"

"Nonsense!" Wang Huazhen also knew that if she bit Xiong Tingbi to death today, she would lose her mind.So Wang Huazhen immediately jumped up and shouted: "Xiong Feibai, feel your conscience before you speak! It is true that I fell into the trick of building slaves and was defeated, but I withdrew from Guangning to Youtun to ask for your help, but you did not die. Here, instead, you led the Liaodong army and civilians back to Shanhaiguan, causing the entire territory of Liaodong to fall into the hands of slaves, you are the chief culprit for losing Liaodong!"

"Shut up!" Young Master Zhang slapped the gavel and shouted, "Wang Huazhen, did I ask you something? In the courtroom, the criminals were making loud noises and roaring in the courtroom. The crime should be punished! Someone, come and punish Wang Huazhen for [-] years." Slabs!"

"Master Zhang, Wang Huazhen and Xiong Tingbi are confronting each other." Yang Yuan shouted loudly.Young Master Zhang rolled his eyes and snorted, "Master Yang, it's time to ask the case. It seems that the confrontation hasn't started yet, right? Also, don't tell me that you can't be punished as a doctor. Wang Huazhen has already been sentenced to death, and she will be dismissed from office." , can’t be considered a scholar-bureaucrat—fight!”

Without further ado, the yamen servants from the Ministry of Punishment rushed forward and dragged Wang Huazhen up and left. After being dragged outside the hall, they began to fight, until Wang Huazhen cried for her father and mother, and howled ghosts and wolves.Young Master Zhang took the opportunity to ask: "Officer Xiong Tingbi, I want to ask you, during the battle of Guangning, Wang Huazhen fled to Youtun to seek your help. Why didn't you send out a single soldier, and instead led the Liaodong army and people back to the pass?"

"Wang Huazhen's 13 elites are all lost, and I only have [-] troops in my hand. How can I save them?" Xiong Tingbi recalled the scene at that time, and said through gritted teeth: "At that time, the news of the annihilation of Wang Huazhen's entire army reached Youtun. All the soldiers and civilians in the river area know that the morale of the army is low, the people are panicked, the army has no fighting spirit, the people have no fighting spirit, and the situation is invincible. Moreover, I only have [-] troops in my hand, but Jiannu has [-] troops. If I take a risk If the counterattack against Guangning fails again, hundreds of thousands of people in Liaodong will inevitably be massacred by Jiannu, and the military supplies hoarded in the city near the Daling River will also fall into the hands of Jiannu, which will become the urgently needed military rations for Jiannu to attack Shanhaiguan. As a last resort, I had no choice but to adopt the safe tactic of fortifying the walls and clearing the field, burning food, grass and military supplies, and handing over [-] troops to Wang Huazhen. After that, I led the Liaodong army and people back to Shanhaiguan. "

"Then why don't you organize the people to join the army? In this way, there will be enough troops to counterattack Guangning?" Yang Yuan asked darkly.Xiong Tingbi was furious when he heard this, and shouted: "Do you know how to use soldiers? Do you know how to form an army? The Liaodong arsenal is in Guangning, and it has been lost by Wang Huazhen. Where should I go to find so many swords and arrows to equip the people? And Temporarily recruiting untrained civilians to the battlefield, isn’t it sent to be slaughtered by Jiannu?”

"Then Wang Huazhen suggested that you guard Ningyuan and Qiantun, and protect the gates of Shanhaiguan. Why didn't you accept it? Are you afraid of the enemy and avoiding war?" Yang Yuan asked again loudly.Xiong Tingbi roared loudly, his voice was like thunder, "Isn't it because of Wang Huazhen's stupid pig? If he doesn't lose the 13 main force elite, I will have to abandon Youtun Guangning? Ningyuan? At that time, Ningyuan was still a dilapidated small city, the city wall was in disrepair for a long time, and there was no lack of defense equipment. I didn’t have enough troops. What should I use to defend? And I also brought hundreds of thousands of people. The army stayed in Ningyuan Qiantun, how can they protect the people and withdraw to Shanhaiguan? Once Jiannu iron cavalry bypasses Ningyuan Qiantun to hunt down the people, how many of the 53 Liaodong people will return to the Central Plains alive?"

"Lord Xiong is right. The Ming army was meant to protect the people of Ming Dynasty. Lord Xiong loves the people like a son, and is a first-class official in the world!" The shouts of the servants of Young Master Zhang's house sounded outside the lobby, mobilizing many people. The people also shouted.Hearing these voices, Yang Yuan was furious and shouted: "Close the gate and drive the people away!"

"Stop! Don't close the gate!" Young Master Zhang stopped him decisively, and shouted: "We are ordered by the emperor and entrusted by Nine Thousand Years to retry the case. It is fair and aboveboard. How can we prohibit the people from watching it? If the trial is closed, it doesn't matter whether the judgment is fair or not. , there must be people saying that we are playing favoritism and cheating, accusing the emperor and Jiuqian of unknown employment! In order for the reputation of the emperor and Jiuqian not to be tarnished, this trial must be open to the public!" After finishing speaking, Young Master Zhang asked Zhang Weixian and Song Jin again. The others smiled and asked, "Zhang Guogong, Song Gonggong, Mr. Zhou and Mr. Li, do you think this is the truth?"

"That's exactly the reason." Zhang Weixian, Zhou Yingqiu and Li Yangzheng nodded together, and Song Jin also added with a smile: "Tanhualang is too right, the reputation of the emperor and Jiuqian, apart from what the British public thinks, is better than that." The heads of all of us are important." Over there, Yang Yuan's face turned green and pale, and finally he sat down helplessly, and said, "Then Mr. Zhang, you should at least stop the noise of the people outside the hall, right?"

"It's easy to say, easy to say." Young Master Zhang agreed, and ordered to splash water, and quickly stopped the noise outside the hall.Young Master Zhang asked Xiong Tingbi again: "The criminal officer Xiong Tingbi will ask you another question, and you must answer it truthfully! I ask you, is it your own idea to abandon the rescue of Guangning and lead the Liaodong army and people back to Liaodong? The decision you made after discussing with Liaodong Governor Wang Huazhen?"

"It was my decision after discussion with Wang Huazhen." Xiong Tingbi replied frankly: "At first Wang Huazhen proposed a counterattack, but the traitor Sun Degong has already launched a mutiny and opened the city gate to welcome Jiannu into the city. My troops are simply insufficient, so this is impossible. Arrived. Then Wang Huazhen proposed to retreat to Ningqian. I thought it over and over again, thinking that Ningyuan and Qiantun at that time could not stick to it, especially Ningyuan. At that time, there was no garrison on Juehua Island nearby to cover it, so I also made this suggestion. I gave up. In the end, I proposed to strengthen the wall and clear the wilderness, burn it and withdraw it to Shanhaiguan. First, it will make Jiannu unable to get food and retreat without fighting. Second, it can save the people and the remnants of the army, and retain the strength to make a comeback. Later, Wang Huazhen agreed with my method. After he took the last [-] troops, I led the people back to Shanhaiguan."

"Officer Xiong Tingbi, are you sure that the withdrawal to Shanhaiguan is the result of a discussion between you and Wang Huazhen?" Young Master Zhang asked.Xiong Tingbi nodded vigorously, and replied: "The prisoner can use his head as a guarantee!"

Young Master Zhang turned his head slightly, and exchanged glances with Lu Wanling who was standing behind him, and then Young Master Zhang asked, "In that case, why didn't you explain this to the former presiding officer during the last three-room trial?"

"Did I say that?" Xiong Tingbi was a little confused, pointing at Dali Temple Secretary Zhou Yingqiu and said, "Master Zhou was also present at the time, Lord Wang and Lord Zou who presided over the trial last time both asked this question, and the prisoner explained it like this. What? There was no record in the last case file?"

"Stupid! Wang Ji and Zou Yuanbiao are both members of the Donglin Party. Of course, they will not record this confession that can help you reduce your charges. If they record it, Wang Huazhen will have to share with you the charge of withdrawing to Shanhaiguan without authorization. "Master Zhang snorted coldly in his heart, then turned to Zhou Yingqiu and asked: "Master Zhou, do you have any impression of this?"

"Yes." Zhou Yingqiu, who was hoping to be promoted to Shangshu, nodded decisively, and replied: "Yes, I remember it clearly. Lord Zou Yuanbiao and Lord Wang Jiwang both asked this question, and Xiong Tingbi also answered this way—— But Wang Huazhen categorically denied it, saying that Xiong Tingbi ordered him to retreat, and he followed orders!"

"Then why is it not recorded?" Yang Yuan hurriedly asked.Young Master Zhang is so cunning, he immediately guessed that Yang Yuan wanted to confuse this doubt, and finally dragged into the water the then chief assistant Ye Xianggao, Zou Yuanbiao, Zuodu censor, and Wang Ji, Shangshu of the Ministry of punishment, and continued to confuse the case. If more and more people come in and the water is completely muddied, then the closing date of this case will be far away.So Young Master Zhang made a decisive decision, and immediately rushed to say: "Master Zhou, did the book office miss the record at that time?"

As he said that, Young Master Zhang winked at Zhou Yingqiu, Zhou Yingqiu understood, and immediately replied: "Oh, I remembered, the book office recorded at that time happened to be out of the classroom, so I missed this point." Yang Yuan was very disappointed, only Neng sat down bitterly, gritted his teeth and said, "That book office really deserves to be killed!"

"Everyone makes mistakes, so why is Master Yang so fussy?" Zhou Yingqiu smiled, and showed his feelings to Young Master Zhang, and said with a smile, "Just like Master Zou Yuanbiao and Lord Wang Jiwang back then, I originally objected to Xiong Tingbi The death penalty was discussed with Wang Huazhen, but they insisted on the death penalty of Xiong Tingbi, two to one, so I had no choice but to agree.” ——Zhou Yingqiu’s words were not a lie, at that time he really did not agree to the death penalty of Xiong Tingbi, who was a member of the Chu Party, and his body. The death penalty for Wang Huazhen of the Donglin Party was also discussed, but the Donglin Party was too powerful at that time, and he had not yet joined the Wei Party. He was forced to agree to the convictions of Wang Ji and Zou Yuanbiao, so the big celebrity in front of Nine Thousand Years, Young Master Zhang, overturned Xiong Tingbi's case this time. The presiding judge at the time, Zhou Yingqiu, now dare not object to overturning the case, and he can barely make up for the mistakes of the year.

"Last time the Secretary of the Ministry of Punishment missed this point, please Master Li to find out who is responsible, and deal with it as appropriate." Young Master Zhang quickly understood the matter, and asked everyone with a smile: "Mr. Zhang, Mr. Song, Mr. Zhou, Mr. Li, by the way, and Mr. Yang, I almost forgot about you. I think the case is very clear. Xiong Tingbi admitted that he did not rescue Guangning, nor did he organize an army to defend Ningqian. Instead, he chose to lead the Liaodong army and civilians back to Shanhaiguan. Regardless of whether his judgment on the war situation is right or wrong, the key point is this—if Xiong Tingbi had indeed discussed with Wang Huazhen and obtained Wang Huazhen's consent before giving up the rescue of Guangning and sticking to Ningqian, he chose to withdraw to Shanhaiguan! Xiong Tingbi was not guilty of the great defeat in Guangning, but Xiong Tingbi and Wang Huazhen should share the responsibility for abandoning Liaodong and withdrawing to Shanhaiguan. In this way, is Xiong Tingbi's death sentence too severe?"

"Yes, if Xiong Tingbi and Wang Huazhen withdrew to Shanhaiguan because of their opinions, then our family also believes that Xiong Tingbi's crime is undeserved." Song Jin, the supervising eunuch, was the first to agree.Over there, Li Yangzheng and Zhou Yingqiu did not dare to offend Wei Zhongxian who was behind Young Master Zhang, and nodded in agreement. Although Yang Yuan wanted to object, he couldn't find a better reason to refute.But the British public Zhang Weixian thought for a long time, and finally nodded and said: "I also agree with Mr. Zhang's opinion. If the point of leading the Liaodong army and people to retreat to Shanhaiguan is the result of joint discussions between Xiong Tingbi and Wang Huazhen—then the death penalty for Xiong Tingbi is Too heavy."

"Very good, since your lords and Eunuch Song have no objections, why are you still in a daze?" Young Master Zhang deliberately ignored Yang Yuan's distraught look, and said with a smile, "Bring the criminal Wang Huazhen here, and let him confront Xiong Tingbi." .”

(End of this chapter)