I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 332 Leniency for those who confess, severity for those who resist

The Shuntian Prefecture prison was filled with the peculiar stench of a prison: urine, feces, mildew, and rotten sweat. All mixed together, drilling straight into the nostrils and piercing into the mind.

Yu Changde sat upright in the haystack, suppressing the urge to vomit, with a look of righteousness on his face.

Because he led a crowd to gather and cause trouble at the Meridian Gate, he was suspended from his post by the Ministry of Rites and detained here awaiting trial.

"Duke Yude, how will the court punish us?" A student from the Imperial Academy asked hesitantly in the prison next door.

"Ridiculous! We serve the country and the people, what crime have we committed?" Yu Changde scolded.

"But we have been detained here for more than ten days without trial or questioning, and our families are not allowed to visit us. We don't know whether we will live or die. I am very worried."

"Why are you panicking? We have great integrity and are not afraid of evil." Yu Changde said righteously.

The others looked at him with different expressions.

Some people still have eyes full of admiration and regard him as an idol; some people are anxious and at a loss; some people are discouraged and sad; some people regret it and feel resentment.

You are an official of the imperial court, a famous scholar, so the imperial court will naturally show leniency to you. Small fry like me will be in trouble, and will definitely be used as a scapegoat.

Why were we so blinded by greed and got involved in this mess?
By the time you are released from prison, your reputation will soar and you will reach a higher level and become a great scholar and a famous figure in the country.

As for us, we were exiled to the frontier and lived in poverty and loneliness for the rest of our lives.

Yu Changde seemed to sense resentment in the dozens of gazes cast at him, and he quickly recited the poem aloud.

"Thousands of hammers and chisels have been used to carve out a mountain, and the raging fire has burned it with ease. I am not afraid of being crushed to pieces, as long as I can leave my innocence in the world."

The voice was loud and powerful, echoing in the prison and immediately drawing cheers.

"it is good!"

"Duke Yude is indeed a role model for our generation!"

Amid the cheers, several yamen runners walked to the front of the prison and called out the name expressionlessly: "Yu Changde!

Yu Changde raised his eyelids and snorted, "It's me!"

"Bring him to trial!"

"Haha, the interrogation is finally underway! I thought you treacherous officials were guilty! Now you have finally come to an agreement on what crime to accuse me of!"

The guard ignored him and just opened the cell door, "Come out!"

"Well, quickly get me a basin of clean water. I am an innocent man, so I will naturally face those who dare to interrogate me with a clean face!"

There was cheering all around.

"well said!"

"Well done, Lord Yude!"

The bailiff said impatiently, "Stop talking nonsense. Speak in court if you have anything to say. You have no right to talk to us!"

The people around were filled with righteous indignation and scolded the yamen runners and expressed their support for Yu Changde.

"You lackey! How dare you treat Lord Yude like this? Aren't you afraid of justice?"

"You bastard! How dare you insult Lord Yu De like this? I will destroy you and your whole world!"

A bailiff took off his sword and knocked hard on the prison door with the scabbard. The loud bang made the whole prison buzz!

"If you dare to cause trouble with explosives, I'll drag you out and beat you with a stick. If you're beaten to death, no one will care even if you report it as a sudden death!"

The prison immediately became quiet, and the passionate voice just now disappeared without a trace.

A look of disappointment flashed in Yu Changde's eyes.

What a bunch of useless guys. They were frightened by the slightest threat from two yamen runners. How can they do anything big in the future!
Ugh!
It's a pity that there are fewer and fewer talented people among us who are upright. If I were in the Jiajing period, it would be bad. I don't want to be the second Yang Jisheng.

Well, the Xuande and Hongzhi periods were better!
Yu Changde stood up leisurely, straightened his messy hair, straightened his clothes, walked out of the prison with a serious look, and said in full vigor, "Let's go!"

His demeanor was no different than that of Shao Bao and Yang Zhongmin before their execution.

He was so confident because he believed that Wang Lin and other good friends would definitely find a way out. He was just crying and admonishing in front of the Meridian Gate, which was a routine procedure for civil servants. At most, he would be fined his salary, and at most he would be dismissed and sent back to his hometown.

That would be great!
With some operation by your friends, you will become a loyal minister who was expelled from the court because of crying and remonstrating at the Wumen Gate!
It will surely become famous all over the world!

If it was during the Jiajing period, I would still worry about being caned in the court. But now that Emperor Longqing and the Prince of Xiyuan have stopped the ancestral craft for some reason and no longer use caning in the court, I am no longer afraid!

The bailiff led the way in front, and Yu Changde followed a few steps behind. Then a man jumped out of the cell next to him, held the fence and shouted, "Lord Yude, you are the modern Lord Jiaoshan. I want to take you as an example! Not only will I learn from your morals and articles, but also your character!" Yu Changde was startled and his body involuntarily tilted to the side. He only regained his composure after seeing the man clearly.

It turned out that he was a student of the Imperial College named Liang Wei, from Shandong, with an ordinary family background, and he entered the Imperial College entirely by his real talent and knowledge. However, he was a bit dull and inflexible, and failed the Imperial College exam twice. He also returned to his hometown to take the provincial exam, but he also failed.

Yu Changde smiled at him kindly, and continued to walk forward with square steps under Liang Wei's admiring gaze.

After leaving the prison compound, Yu Changde was sandwiched between four yamen runners, two in front and two behind, and was led through the doors and alleys.

After twists and turns, he had no idea how far he had walked. It was so far that Yu Changde felt the road ahead was long and full of dangers, and he began to feel a little uneasy.

Finally, he turned into a dark corridor and came out to a different world. Yu Changde suddenly found that he was taken to the central hall of Shuntian Prefecture Yamen.

Why are you still in Shuntian Prefecture?

Shouldn't I go to the Imperial Prison or the Censorate?
That place is worthy of me!
Yu Changde, full of suspicion, was brought into the central hall, where five desks were placed.

In the upper middle seat sit Zou Yinglong, the Minister of Justice, and Zhao Zhenji, the Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate.

On the left was a single desk, where Feng Bao, the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Household Department, sat. On the right were two desks, with Zhang Juzheng, the cabinet minister, sitting on the upper one and Liu Yingjie, the governor of Shuntian Prefecture, sitting on the lower one.

Yu Changde's heart suddenly became hot!
Correct!
This kind of formation is worthy of me!
There was a Zhongcheng and a Daliqing, but unfortunately there was no Xingbu Shangshu, but with the support of the cabinet ministers, it was enough. The best part was that the eunuchs from the Silijian were also present!
No matter what crime he was convicted of, he could insist that he was harmed by the eunuch party!
Then there will be an extra dazzling halo on your head.

Framed by the eunuch party, reputation value +10
Yu Changde was secretly happy, but also a little worried.

Now that the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Household Department has come out, he is bound to be beaten.

He gritted his teeth. For the sake of fame, what was the point of suffering a little? He was already at the age of knowing his destiny. If he didn't try his luck, he would have no chance.

Zou Yinglong slammed the gavel, and Yu Changde, who was feeling very nervous, was suddenly startled. His knees softened involuntarily and he fell to the ground with a thud.

Everyone in the hall had different expressions.

Zou Yinglong tried hard not to laugh. Zhao Zhenji's expression remained the same, but his eyes were brighter.

A smile appeared on Zhang Juzheng's lips.

Liu Yingjie lowered his head, as if looking for something.

Feng Bao turned sideways, covered his mouth with his right hand and sneered.

Yu Changde's face turned pale and then blue, and he really couldn't think of any excuse to explain.

Or should he just say that his old cold legs are acting up?
Zou Yinglong continued to ask: "Are you Yu Changde from the Imperial Academy, with the courtesy name Yude?"

"That's right." Yu Changde had no choice but to continue to hold on. He knelt on the ground, straightened his body, and answered with dignity: "Yes! I am Yu Changde, the director of the Imperial College!"

"Your position as the Minister of Rites has been suspended." Zhao Zhenji said slowly, "You can see that there is a Dali Qing and a Zhongcheng of the Censorate sitting in the hall, and there is a cabinet elder, a eunuch of the Silijian, and the prefect of Shuntian Prefecture listening in.

Such a large-scale battle is definitely not to try you for the crime of gathering a crowd to cause trouble at the Meridian Gate. Yu Changde, you must be aware of this."

At this point, Zhao Zhenji turned around and smiled at Zou Yinglong, Zhang Juzheng, Feng Bao and Liu Yingjie, "I heard that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince wrote an inscription for the Five Cities Police Patrol Office in the capital, 'Leniency for those who confess, severity for those who resist!' These eight characters are brilliant!

Yu Changde, do you want to be lenient or strict? Think carefully. I'll give you five minutes!"

Zhao Zhenji waved his hand, and a clerk came out from the side carrying a Western island clock.

"Prefect Liu, can you lend me the clock from Shuntian Prefecture?"

Liu Yingjie smiled and said, "Zhao Zhongcheng, just borrow it."

Zhao Zhenji pointed and the clerk placed the clock in front of Yu Changde.

Receiving the look from Zhao Zhenji, Zou Yinglong said, "According to the latest criminal law, those who confess in court will have their crimes reduced by one level; those who remain silent and resist to the end will have their crimes increased by one level."

Da da da.

The second hand of the clock was jumping, and with every jump, the muscles on Yu Changde's face trembled.

The seconds passed in a circle and beads of sweat began to drip down his face.

The five people in the hall watched quietly. Finally, Zhao Zhenji asked, "Five minutes are up."

Yu Changde hesitated for a moment and replied: "What crime have I committed? I am following the righteousness of heaven and earth."

"Snapped!"

Zhao Zhenji slammed the gavel, interrupting Yu Changde's impassioned speech, "I can write such brilliant words better than you! Since you won't tell me, I have to ask you how you abused your power for personal gain and undermined the imperial court's selection system!"

(End of this chapter)