The Four Great Cases of Wu Zetian

Chapter 35

The slave who tried the evil was tortured and confessed to humiliating the traitor and designed to ridicule
But when Zhou Bucheng arrived at the entrance of the hall, he knelt down before the case and said, "Reformer Zhou Bucheng, please greet your lord." Di Gong looked him up and down, and couldn't help sneering: "I know you belong to a civil society. You have extraordinary looks. It turns out that you are a mouse eye." The seeds of the cat's head, it is no wonder that they have a bad heart and are harmful to the people. The headquarters has always been upright, and I think you have heard about it. How you will work together with Zeng Youcai to snatch good women from a good family. From the facts. It can be seen that you are dismissed. If there is half a sentence, the country's laws are strict, so how can you be unscrupulous!"

At this time, Zhou Bucheng saw the majesty of Di Gong's faction, and he had already messed up his position, so he had to report to the superior: "Since the appointment of the revolutionary, he has never dared to go beyond the etiquette. There was a talent who seized the women in the folk. If there is such a thing, how can the revolutionary I don't know. Besides, why didn't the people turn around and come here at that time, but after so many years, how can they still believe this matter? And there was once an old servant of Zhang Changzong's family, how dare he do such a misdemeanor What happened? Although the evacuation officer was dismissed and owed Qu Liangshen, I beg your lord to see clearly." Di Gong said with a sneer, "You are the one who argues frankly, and if you temporarily change the control and go to the county, his wife won't be able to snatch it away. Yes. You said he was Zhang Changzong's old servant, so the court didn't ask about this case? Let's bring him in and interrogate you." As soon as he greeted him, he brought Zeng Youcai to the case and knelt down.When Duke Di saw him kneeling in the hall, he slapped the hall and shouted: "Left and right! Clamp this dog servant up, and then ask his statement. This case was witnessed and heard by the Ministry. Yes, how can you wait to deny it?" There was a mighty sound from both sides, and the big torture tool had already been brought up, and the two guards removed Zeng Youcai's leg clothes and put them into the circle, only to put the rope back, Zeng Youcai said "Oh "With a sound, I have already passed out.Di Gong ordered people to stop the execution, and then said to Zhou Bucheng: "I think you have used this torture tool in Qinghe County, and I don't know how many people have been wronged.

Now the crime is not light, if you don't understand the confession again, I will let you taste the punishment for yourself.Why do you think this department is like a human being, and do you think I usually cling to those traitors?The prince broke the law and committed the same crime as the common people. Even if Zhang Changzong made a mistake, the Ministry cannot forgive him. What's more, you were born as his slave, and you are still whitewashing in front of the Ministry? "Zhou Bucheng didn't dare to open his mouth at this time, he just kowtowed on the ground, and said repeatedly: "The rehabilitated member has been convicted of a crime, and I beg you to be extra merciful. " Di Gong didn't say any more, and ordered someone to put Zeng Youcai on the ground and spray him with cold water to wake him up. All the servants followed the same law, first loosened the rope, took a bowl of cold water, and sprayed it on the forehead, about half For a few hours, I heard an "ouch" and said, "It hurts me too! "Just now he was fascinated, and gradually came to his senses. Zeng Youcai looked at himself, his legs were as if cut by knives, bleeding profusely. Two servants had already come up, helped Zeng Youcai up, and barely dragged him on the ground for two or three steps , Fu ordered him to kneel down again.

Di Gong asked: "You idiot, he always regards the court's criminal law as a child's play, thinking that local officials can do all kinds of evil if they are in the same breath. The Ministry asks you, you idiot, where is old man Hao Qianting's daughter-in-law now? Where? Wang Xiaosanzi's wife and Hu Dajing's daughter were all snatched away by you. This is what the headquarters has seen and heard with its own eyes. If you don't confess it immediately, I will send a knife and axe to kill you, you dog's head. Let your life die, go to the underworld and do evil again." Zeng Youcai was in unspeakable pain at this time, and he was afraid that he would be tortured again. If he did not tell the truth, his life would be in danger at that time, so it is better to admit his confession and beg again. Zhang Changzong made it easy for him.At that time, Xiang Xiang said: "This matter was the fault of the villain for a while, and the wives and daughters of the common people should not be seized arbitrarily. Now the wife of Hao's family is in the Qinghe county government office, and the other two are in the villain's house. The villain knows that he is guilty. I just ask you to show me some kindness, to save my life." Di Gong scolded: "You dog kills talents, and you won't tell the truth until this time. You know that you want to save your life and rob the woman of the murderer, so then Disregarding other people's lives?" Then he ordered the guards to carry fifty lashes on their backs.Immediately, the messenger dragged it down, and there was a lot of noise, and the skin was beaten to pieces.The torture room recorded the confession, stamped it with a flower seal, and took him to prison.

Then he said to Zhou Bucheng, "Now the proof is here. It is obvious that you have been instigated to do what you did. If you don't hold you accountable, it's fair to say that this department has a partial view. There are left, and we will Hit him with fifty sticks!" After the yelling on both sides, they tore off his trousers, dragged him down and beat him hard, the yelling was endless, like a dog barking.After finally finishing the beating with the big stick, Zhou Bucheng was pushed to the front of the case.Where did Zhou Bucheng suffer, blood dripping, reluctantly knelt down, so he had to go up to Di Gong's case and say: "Your Majesty, please calm down the anger of the thunder; I'm here, just confess directly." How to make up for Zhang Chang's family to make up for the shortage in Qinghe County, how to discuss with Zeng Youcai about seizing private property, how to fancy Hao Qianting's daughter-in-law, and order Zeng Youcai to go to snatch it, all the things before and after.Lord Di Gong ordered him to finish the confession, so he knelt aside and said to Hao Qianting: "Can you hear me, three of you? There is an official document from our department, and I ordered the courtyard to go back with you to act as the county magistrate of Qinghe County. Take back your daughter-in-law and his two wives and daughters, and take them away in court. If there are any unjust officials in the local area, you are allowed to wait for the people to come to the gate to complain. Private extortion must also be registered in the submission, and no amount is allowed, nor is the plaintiff allowed to accept privately with the guards; once visited by the headquarters, the recipient will be punished with the same punishment."

After Di Gong finished speaking, Hao Qianting, Hu Dajing, Wang Xiaosanzi, etc. were in the underground of the case, kowtowing like garlic, and said: "The adults are so kind and generous, and the villains can only reciprocate with dogs and horses." At that time, the scribe wrote Good official document, Di Gong comforted them in court, and ordered people to go with them, and no private demand for money was allowed.He warned again, and then sent an official document to the envoy without mentioning it.

Let alone Zhou Bucheng kneeling in the hall, Di Gong thought to himself: "If you don't humiliate Zhang Changzong in this case, he will not know my interests. Only in this way can he be involved. Even if he cries in the palace, After understanding Wu, I can't do anything about me." After making up his mind, he said to Zhou Bucheng, "You are an idiot, but you are the county magistrate of Qinghe County. Who knows that you have broken the law, and you will be questioned later. Considering the circumstances of this case, it is still a shame. There are more than a few years. Let me ask you, you still want to die, so tell me the truth.” Zhou Bucheng kowtowed again after hearing this, and said: “The leather guards know that crimes are hard to tolerate, but ants are greedy for life. My life, I beg your lord to show mercy and spare the lives of the revolutionaries."

Di Gong said: "Since you are dying, here is a statement from our department. If you can do it, you will be saved from death, otherwise you will be exposed to the public." What else can't be done?I saw Zhou Bucheng kowtow on the ground to plead guilty: "I hope the lord orders, and the revolutionaries will obey." Di Gong said: "This department will not suffer from you, because you are from Zhang Changzong's family, and you will use him as a talisman. If it weren't for the fact that the Ministry is not afraid of the dignitaries, wouldn't the three women of the other family be occupied by you; then the three of his families would have nowhere to redress their grievances. Even though there is a Shangxian Yamen, I will sue you for waiting. What will you do? The spell caters to Zhang Changzong's will, how did Zhang Changzong recommend you as an official, and how you took advantage of Zhang Changzong's power to do so many illegal things. Now you have been interrogated by the headquarters and dismissed. Only when you become an official of the royal family can you write these words on a paper flag, clearly, practice in the lobby of the headquarters today, and go parading the streets with Zeng Youcai tomorrow. When you reach a street corner, you stop for a while, and you are proud of yourself. Say it loudly, Xiao Yu, the soldiers and the people will know. If you can do this, the Ministry will give you an extrajudicial kindness, and save your dog's life; if not, there will be no mercy under the sword."

Hearing Di Gong's words, Zhou Bucheng was really in a dilemma. If he said it was impossible, he saw the emperor's order signboard on it. As long as he said "behead", he would push out the shaft gate immediately, and the head fell to the ground. Wouldn't it be that he gave his life for nothing? what?However, if I agree immediately, there will be no trouble for me alone, but Zhang Changzong is the favored son of Empress Wu, obviously seeing that he has lost face.Suppose Zhang Changzong got angry for a moment, turned his face away, and told Empress Wu that I would be dead at that time.He was hesitating in his heart, but he didn't say a word, Di Gong sat on it, observed the situation, and knew his intentions, so he deliberately urged him: "This department has treated people generously, and you have no answer, why are you afraid?" Is Zhang Changzong blaming you? We know that the court ordered you to do this. If Zhang Changzong gets angry, it can only be blamed on the court and has nothing to do with you. Since you are so afraid of Zhang Changzong, you must know that you are guilty. I wish I could be a human being in this world. Come up from left and right, push this dog slave out of the gate for me, behead the public, and use the policeman as an outlaw." Hearing Di Gong from both sides, he yelled at that time, and Zhou Bucheng was frightened out of his wits. Outside, he hurriedly kowtowed and cried: "Your Excellency, I have the right to calm down. The revolutionary is willing to obey the order of the Lord." When Di Gong saw that he had agreed, he immediately ordered the police to arrest the officers, and quickly made a paper flag and spread it on the ground. .He ordered the scribe to give him pen and ink to write down below.At this time Zhou Bucheng had no choice but to care about his own life, regardless of Zhang Changzong's decency, he was on the ground at that time, holding a pen in his hand, wrote it from beginning to end, and presented it to the policeman and Mr. Di Gong to watch.After looking over his eyes, Duke Di wrote two lines with a vermilion pen: "What I wrote is that Zhou Bucheng of Qinghe County, who had been exiled, was born as a domestic slave. He recommended the county magistrate in Zhang Changzong's favor, took the position of food and salary, and seized women. What you did should not be like this when you are in office, you have violated the court's laws and regulations, and you have tarnished the official mantra. Now, when you meet Governor Di Gong, you can find out during a private visit, confess in court, speak out, and put a sign on the street to warn the public." It is: "Di Shi, Governor's Department of Henan Province." After writing these two lines, he was ordered to take him into custody, and then retreated.

Nearly five drums into the court the next day, I first met Yuan Xingchong in the court room and explained this idea to him.Yuan Xingchong also meant this after hearing this.We didn't have much time to talk, when suddenly we heard the sound of bells and drums in the hall, the gate of the palace was wide open, and there was an internal prison on duty for a day, preaching that the civil and military officials of the imperial court went to the hall, and each class played their own affairs.Di Gong played face to face with the class, how Zhou Bucheng should interrogate, how to close the case, and how to deal with it, the Empress Dowager Wu will play one by one.Di Gong then returned to the governor's yamen after leaving the court with his class. After finishing the official business of the case, he was promoted to the hall.First bring Zeng Youcai out of prison, and explain to him what Zhou Bucheng said yesterday.He took out the flag again and asked the clerk to read it in the hall, and Zeng Youcai listened to it, and then said to him: "Even if he is a county magistrate, he committed a crime and still treats him like this. You are inferior to him." , how can you release him without reason? Because he has already forgiven you, it would be a bit unfair if you were only sentenced to death. Order you to walk through the streets with him. Whenever he comes to the streets, you first hold a small gong in your hand and knock on it. After a few counts, the people in the neighborhood flocked to watch, and ordered him to recite aloud. This is the extrajudicial benevolence of the Ministry. If you are afraid of death, you will perform it in the lobby first, so that Zhou Bucheng can come and go with you. Go parade in the street, otherwise the headquarters will implement as usual, and you will die without complaint." Zeng Youcai heard these words at that time, although he knew that Zhang Changzong was ugly, but he was forced by Di Gong in this way. After all, his life was at stake, and Although Zhou Bucheng is a revolutionary, he is still a lacking magistrate of Qinghe County. Since he can agree now, why not me?At that time, I agreed to come down.Di Gong then ordered the police officers to be arrested, and brought back a small copper rod and a wooden hammer, and handed them to Zeng Youcai, ordering him to perform in the hall.Zeng Youcai took the hand, not knowing how to tap it, he stared straight at it.

Two patrolling officers came forward and didn't know what to say. Let's see the next chapter.

(End of this chapter)