Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 480 I am the victim

Dali Temple Prison.

Peng Hua's wife, Liu, came in carrying a bamboo basket, followed by an official in a green robe. She was interrogated all the way, but fortunately, with the help of this official, Liu soon saw Peng Hua, who was being held in prison with a haggard face.

"master."

Liu stopped and looked at the official behind her.

The official was very tactful. He greeted the jailer, and then someone went over to open the outer door of the cell, so that after Liu went in, she could face the iron bars and meet Peng Hua inside.

Although we can't be close to each other, we can still pass food to each other and it's convenient to talk.

"How did you come?"

Peng Hua looked up at his wife with a dull look in his eyes.

As a former minister, although he had retired, he still enjoyed great glory. However, he was caught by the Embroidered Uniform Guards on his way back, which meant that he turned from a retired minister into a criminal of the Ming Dynasty overnight.

The psychological gap was quite large, especially when he heard that he was implicated by Liang Fang and others and was directly sentenced to death by the court, he became completely desperate.

Liu brought the food out, and soon the bundle hidden underneath was revealed. When she opened it, she saw that it was actually a few pieces of clothing. They were not the kind to be worn outside, but could be worn under the prison uniform, and could not be seen at all from the outside.

"It's getting cold."

Liu said, "There's really nothing much we can prepare. These clothes can barely keep you warm. I also have some money. If the master needs help in prison, it can come in handy."

Peng Hua shook his head upon hearing this, but closed his eyes, as if he had no desire to live.

Liu said, "A few days ago, I was confiscated and put in the women's prison. Later, the master was sentenced to death and was originally said to be exiled to Nanjing. The younger ones in the family were sent to the Nanjing Music Bureau, and the older ones like me were sent to the laundry bureau to do hard labor... At least my former colleagues helped me with the arrangements, and it cost no less than a thousand taels of silver."

"So many? Where did you get them from?"

Peng Hua was very surprised.

Even his house was raided, yet he still managed to come up with 1,200 taels of silver to manage relationships with his superiors and subordinates?
Liu said helplessly, "They are all borrowed on credit, and there are also court officials who have received favors from the master. They said they don't have to return it, but they just don't want to help. But Minister Cheng of the Ministry of Justice made arrangements to let me go to the prison cell to see the master. If I want to come again in the future... I don't know when I will have to wait."

At this point, Liu was already wiping away tears.

Peng Hua said: "The reason why the court wronged me is that Li Zisheng must have made great efforts behind the scenes... It's all because when Li Zisheng was in power, I didn't help him monopolize the government. Now he is still standing firm, but he is using me, a fellow villager, as a scapegoat to prove that he is not nepotism."

Liu wiped her tears and said, "People are trying their best to help you. I will try every possible way to exonerate you...some of your colleagues will come forward to report to the court and redress your grievances."

Peng Hua said helplessly, "Indeed, some of the charges are unjust. For example, I met with local vassal states and even accepted bribes from them. These are completely fabricated. As an important official of the court for many years, how could I not be self-disciplined? But some things... are really hard to avoid, just like my relationship with Liang Fang... But then again, when Liang Fang was in power a few years ago, which official in the court didn't go to curry favor with him? Why did they only choose me to be tortured to death?"

When Liu heard this, she cried even louder.

"Women, why are you crying? You must have suffered a lot, right? Are you okay now? Have you redeemed yourself and can walk around outside?"

Peng Hua was also surprised.

Logically speaking, Liu should not be qualified to walk out in her current situation, but exile is not imprisonment after all. If Liu can really use money, she can still get leniency. As long as she does not run away privately, the people above her will turn a blind eye.

Liu shook her head and said, "No, I don't have the right to move around. The Jiaofangsi sent someone to follow me before I came here... A few days ago, I was sent to a house, and it was said that I had been secretly given to the father-in-law of the emperor by Li Zisheng."

"Father-in-law? Wan family?"

Peng Hua was startled at first, then he thought of something, "Oh, you are talking about Zhang Laizhan, the father of the Crown Princess?"

"it's him……"

Liu nodded.

Peng Hua's heart tightened, and he said, "That's hard for you."

Apparently Peng Hua also realized that now, let alone taking care of his family, he couldn't even protect himself, so he had no right to feel sad for others.

Liu cried, "Master, please listen to me... When I met Zhang Guozhang that day, he just asked me to drink two glasses of wine with him. I found an opportunity and begged him privately, asking for mercy on your behalf. At that time, he... agreed."

Peng Hua sneered and shook his head, saying, "Others may not know, but am I not clear about it? Zhang Laizhan and Li Zisheng are in cahoots with each other. When the Crown Princess was selected, it was Li Zisheng who made the plans behind the scenes and even got in touch with the Queen Mother, and finally succeeded in helping the Zhang family to take the throne.

"If not for this, Li Zisheng's crimes are too numerous to list. Now everyone else has fallen, but he, the chief culprit, is still fine. Would he be like this if Zhang Laizhan wasn't supporting him?"

"Ah!? Master, do you think that Zhang Guozhang was unwilling to help, and what he said that night was just to... fool me?"

Liu was quite surprised.

Although she did not like Zhang Luan, a powerful relative who suddenly gained power, at least Zhang Luan did not do anything excessive to her that day and even responded to her plea.

Afterwards, Zhang Luan left the yard directly, expressing his respect for her and the other female members of the Peng family who were under custody.

Just on this point, Liu herself could not find any fault with it.

Peng Hua said disapprovingly: "Besides, he is a relative by marriage, how can he help me? I was convicted of a crime by the Three Courts, and His Majesty personally intervened... It doesn't matter how many people in the court want me dead, I only know that it is Li Zisheng who wants me dead now..."

"Master, you also said that Li Zisheng is now at the end of his rope. How can he decide whether the master lives or dies?" Liu Shi obviously didn't quite understand the connection. "You don't understand."

Peng Hua said helplessly, "Li Zisheng looks down and out, but he is still extremely powerful. There are countless officials in the government offices who were promoted by him. He has been in charge of the promotion and appointment of officials in the court over the years. Except for a few who were not promoted by him, most of them have received his favors, and some have leverage over them... How terrible do you think he is?"

Liu's face was full of fear, and she said hesitantly, "Then... can't we... go and ask Li Zisheng for help?"

Peng Hua sighed, "Woman, you won't understand even if I tell you. Li Zisheng wanted to kill me to protect himself. Because outsiders think that the two of us have joined forces to control the government and interfere in the government's personnel and government affairs. The reason why I chose to stay at home on the pretext of illness was to avoid being involved in the vortex. Outsiders think that I am a member of Li Zisheng's party, but in fact I am not used by him."

Liu wiped her tears again and said with a sad face: "If the master had helped him with all his strength at that time, he wouldn't have ended up in this situation now."

"Humph, even if I die, I will never go along with someone like Li Zisheng!"

Peng Hua said, "I have seen Zhang Laizhan, the relative of the emperor. I know he is a very vulgar person, but I don't know how he could rise to such a high position so quickly that he could even interfere in the affairs of the court. Alas! I am afraid you will have to work hard!"

"Master, to be honest, I am still living in that courtyard."

Liu said helplessly.

"You don't have to tell me."

Peng Hua said, "I am in prison, how can I be qualified to ask about so many things happening outside?"

Liu said, "I want to ask, next time I see Zhang Guozhang, should I beg him again? Maybe he will really help me?"

Peng Hua thought about it carefully, nodded and said, "Well, maybe this is the only way to go... Take a letter with me!"

"what!?"

Liu didn't expect that her husband was actually preparing letters in the cell that he could take out of the prison at any time.

She quickly looked back and found that the jailer had not noticed this side. She quickly put the letter that her husband had just taken out of his arms into her own arms, handed over the food, and persuaded: "Master, please wait a little longer, there must be a chance of survival, we will never give up easily!"

……

……

The emperor summoned the three judicial officials, cabinet elders, six ministers and vice ministers who were involved in the trial.

Once a group of important officials came out, the news spread quickly.

Li Zisheng stayed at home and also learned about this from Pang Qing.

"...the people have all returned to their respective offices. Your Majesty has asked the three judicial officials to review the cases of Liang Fang, Peng Hua and others, and also said that they should be tried separately to minimize the guilt..."

As he was speaking, Pang Qing handed the written proposal he had compiled after finding out the situation to Li Zisheng.

Li Zisheng couldn't help but frown after reading it: "Didn't he say he would pardon Deng Changen and the others?"

Pang Qing said, "Master Dao, you don't have to worry about this. Civil servants, especially those who have reached the level of cabinet ministers, will definitely have sympathy. Liang Fang once made contributions to the court, and there are so many people implicated, so people will also discuss it... As for Deng Changen and the others... they brought this upon themselves."

"what about me?"

Li Zisheng said angrily, "Don't you know what it means to be sad when a rabbit dies? In other words, if I, a Taoist priest, turn back, I will suffer the same fate as Deng Changen and Zhao Yuzhi? What about Jixiao?"

"That monk has been sentenced to death. It is said that he will be executed in a few days. He will be the first one to be executed." Pang Qing said.

"Cough cough..."

When Li Zisheng heard this, he became even more nervous.

He said in a miserable voice: "Even Ji Xiao, who has already retired from the court and has not been involved in affairs for many years, is being executed by the court. It seems that I can't escape... Apart from Lai Zhan, who else in the court can save me now?"

Pang Qing said again: "Master Dao, how about you take the initiative to resign now and test His Majesty's attitude?"

"Do you think I haven't submitted a petition for resignation in the past few days? But every time I submitted one, it seemed to fall on deaf ears." Li Zisheng said with a drooping face, "Laizhan's attitude is the best proof. Even His Majesty went to visit me in person. This has never happened before! Laizhan, Laizhan...how could you treat me like this?"

Pang Qing suggested: "How about..."

"Bingkun, if you can't speak, just stand there and shut up... I'm concentrating on how to make Laizhan change his mind, and you're still playing tricks on me? Do you think I don't know what you're thinking? Laizhan is definitely not the kind of person who would break off all ties with me. He must have his own difficulties now."

Seeing this scene, Pang Qing thought:
You, Li Zisheng, regard Zhang Laizhan as your only life-saving straw, and you only think about how to make him change his mind. You never thought that he can actually help you but deliberately doesn't?
Or even adding insult to injury?
Pang Qing could only change the subject and said, "Let's not talk about the Lord. Right now, the case of Peng Hua is a big controversy in the court. After all, there is no reason to pardon the main culprit Liang Fang. But now many people still think that the death sentence for Peng Hua may be too heavy, and it may set a very bad precedent for killing cabinet ministers."

Li Zisheng waved his hands and said, "Whether Peng Hua lives or dies, what does it have to do with me? Why would I have the time to care about him?"

"That's fine."

Pang Qing said with relief, "Now some people think that you want him to die, so..."

"Bah, you are judging others by your own standards. Why did I kill Peng Hua? From the very beginning, someone wanted to use Peng Hua's case to attack me. I am the real victim!"

(End of this chapter)