Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 531 Don't bother with him

Jinyiwei, Northern Pacification Office.

Zhang Luan came with his two sons to question the case, and Feng Guan, the Minister of the Dali Temple, also came with them.

In addition, the Ministry of Justice also sent Lu Wan, a newly-appointed Jinshi who had followed up on the case before and was currently serving as an observer.

On the Jinyiwei side, the commander Zhu Ji personally participated in the investigation of the case, so it looked like a trial by three judges.

Only the Censorate did not send anyone.

Feng Guan was, after all, a veteran in the officialdom. He had no objection to any decision made by Zhang Luan. Whenever he was asked for his opinion, he would always say "Minister Zhang, that's a brilliant idea". Lu Wan, on the other hand, was much more radical, and his words often embarrassed Zhang Luan.

"Zhang Guozhang, I can understand why you are trying to exonerate the people involved in the case. After all, most of them are not presentable people. But... you are speaking for the culprit Liang Fang and even want to pardon his crime. This is unreasonable."

Lu Wan directly contradicted Zhang Luan.

Zhang Luan smiled and responded, "Lu Guanzheng, don't get excited. I am only doing this in accordance with your majesty's philosophy of governing the country with leniency. Your majesty does not want to pursue it. Do we, as ministers, have to cling to old grudges and ignore the emperor's great grace?"

Lu Wan said: "When it comes to discipline and national law, even His Majesty cannot easily issue an edict to pardon the criminals. Liang Fang and his followers have disrupted the government, framed loyal officials, and squandered money, leaving the national treasury empty. It can be said that both humans and gods are angry. If such a criminal act is pardoned because of your words, how absurd would that be?"

"Hey, Lu Guanzheng, please don't make a big deal out of it... I didn't say I would pardon Liang Fang completely. I just exempted him from the death penalty and exiled him to Zhenhai Guard Station to do hard labor. What you said makes it seem like there's something going on between me and Liang Fang, and I've become his accomplice!"

Zhang Luan responded to the doubts in a righteous tone.

Feng Guan laughed and said, "It doesn't matter who is Liang Fang's accomplice, except for you, Zhang Butang, who brought Liang Fang down... no one would ever say that!"

This actually means that he is completely on Zhang Luan's side.

It was also a disguised reminder to Lu Wan.

You have to show justice at the right time.

It's okay for you to target Liang Fang, but the person you are against is one of the most powerful officials in the court. He is the father-in-law of the emperor. He looks kind, but if he really wants to get ruthless, even Liang Fang in his heyday would not be his match.

Tell me, is it necessary for you to run into the tip of the gun?
Is this because he thinks his career is going too smoothly?
Lu Wan was still unwilling to give in. He turned his head to one side and said in a deep voice, "I reserve my opinion. I will uphold the original verdict and execute Liang Fang as soon as possible. This will help to calm the people in the government and the public!"

"There is no problem with this. Lu Guanzheng can certainly reserve his own opinion."

Zhang Luan said generously, "But since your majesty has given me the power to make the decision, let's just follow my opinion for now... Just report it like this, Liang Fang will be spared from death and exiled to Ninghai Guard. What do you think?"

Zhu Ji hastily stated: "I have no objection."

Feng Guan couldn't help but look at Zhu Ji with a smile, as if to say, you have the least presence here, what can you say? He also said, "I also agree with Zhang Butang's opinion, so let's report it like this."

Lu Wan suddenly said something, as if to show his presence: "It would be best to consult the officials of the Ministry of Justice before deciding on this matter."

"Oh, how long will it take to keep reporting back and forth? Even if there is no signature from your Ministry of Justice, I will still report it. Your Majesty is still waiting for my news." Zhang Luan seemed very impatient and frowned, "My injury is not healed yet, I can't spend a long time with you."

Feng Guanwang advised Lu Wan: "Brother Quanqing, how about this... If you have different opinions in the Ministry of Justice, you can send a document to Minister Zhang's residence. He may report it to you after discussing it."

"Ah."

Lu Wan nodded, and then asked, "What about the case of Peng Hua and others?"

Zhang Luan said indifferently: "I have read the case file. He is not sentenced to death, but Peng Hua has deep connections with some people in the court. My opinion is..."

Lu Wan immediately corrected him: "Zhang Guozhang, it shouldn't be your opinion, but the sentencing should be based on national law! Can a personal opinion be greater than national law?
"In addition, this case has actually been tried by the three courts, and the death penalty was determined after two court hearings and hearings, and reported to the Ministry of Justice and reviewed by the court."

Zhang Luan said unhappily, "Isn't this to show your majesty's generosity? Please spare him the death penalty!"

"There has to be a reason. Otherwise, how can we convince the public?"

Lu Wan said dissatisfiedly.

Zhang Luan frowned: "Why doesn't Liang Fang need a pretext? Liang Fang is the principal offender! Now a mere accomplice should be sentenced to death?"

Lu Wan said: "Liang Fang is a eunuch."

"What's wrong with eunuchs? Aren't eunuchs officials officials?"

Zhang Luan refuted loudly.

"You two, stop arguing."

Feng Guan quickly acted as a peacemaker and said helplessly, "What are you arguing about? According to national law, he should be killed, but isn't there also the factor of the new emperor's amnesty? It's just a pardon. As long as Peng Hua is not a traitor, he can be included in the list of eight deliberations. Go back and discuss it."

Zhang Luan said unhappily, "Does even Your Excellency think that we should discuss this further?"

Feng Guan was speechless and thought to himself, are you, Zhang Laizhan, born in the year of the dog? You bite whoever you catch?

Didn't you hear that I was speaking in accordance with your meaning?
Now the emperor has handed the case over to you. You can pardon whomever you want. Neither the Dali Temple nor the Ministry of Justice has any say in it... But the problem is that sometimes you have to have a legitimate reason. No wonder Lu Quanqing would question you!

Zhang Luan was in a messy mood. He turned his head and called out, "Son, come out and tell me!"

Zhang Heling asked tentatively: "Dad, you are not calling me, but my second brother, right?"

"Nonsense! Yanling, you say it!"

What Zhang Luan meant was, I can’t do it anymore, my son, come and help me.

When Lu Wan heard Zhang Luan calling a child out to talk, his face turned ugly.

Zhang Yanling came out and said with a smile, "Then let's continue sentencing Peng Hua to death and submit another report. There's a high probability that His Majesty will send it back for reconsideration. We just need to make another trip."

"Hey, kid, how come you're so argumentative?"

Although Zhang Luan expressed his displeasure, his face was full of smiles, meaning that my son, what you said makes sense.

Zhang Yanling turned around, looked at Lu Wan, and asked, "I was also wondering, if we report it as it was originally, will it work? Logically speaking, the three judicial departments have sentenced him to death twice, although the second time was much more lenient, changing beheading to hanging, which can keep his body intact, but... anyway, Lord Peng was once a member of the cabinet, and he was also a Hanlin scholar. Killing a civil official like this... isn't it a bit bad?"

When Lu Wan heard this, he lost his temper. Zhang Yanling had made it clear to Zhang Luan, who had been talking about it for a long time before.

In that case, this matter has nothing to do with Zhang Luan at all!

Zhang Luan is at most the emperor's mouthpiece...

You, Lu Wan, are not against Zhang Luan now, but against the emperor's leniency. Even if you report the original verdict, the emperor will not kill you cruelly. Instead, he will blame you for not understanding his intentions...

Besides, what exactly do you want to achieve by insisting on killing civil officials?
Aren’t you afraid that the civil officials will unite and scold you?
……

……

After the case was settled, Zhang Luan walked out of the Beizhenfusi Yamen with a cane and looked very proud, and then got into the carriage waiting outside.

"Hey."

Zhang Luan had a smug smile on his face.

Zhang Yanling jumped into the car right after him.

Zhang Luan looked around and asked, "Where's your elder brother?"

Zhang Yanling curled his lips and said, "How would I know where to go? This is the government office where people do their work. How can I send people to do things in my own territory?"

"After being a Jinyiwei for a few days, you really think you are a big shot?" Zhang Luan frowned, and then shouted to Chang Shun in front of him, "Drive the carriage, don't wait for him!"

Chang Shun said: "Master, I'm afraid the eldest young master doesn't intend to let us wait."

Zhang Luan cursed: "You are such a rude person. Don't learn the boss's tricks. You always come to contradict me for no reason. I'm leaving!"

"Dad, are you making indirect accusations?"

Zhang Yanling asked with a smile.

"How dare I say that to you?"

Zhang Luan glared at his youngest son and said, "You were so rude in the government office earlier. Fortunately, I was quick to deal with it, otherwise others would think that our Zhang family's children don't know how to behave. Hey."

Zhang Yanling smiled and said, "Why, Dad, are you satisfied now?"

Zhang Luan pursed his lips and said, "Why should I be satisfied? It's not my sin that was pardoned... It's that Lu Quanqing. He came to my house last time and laughed at me. I heard that he often ridiculed me at friends' gatherings after he went back, saying that I was just a teacher in Xingji, how could I occupy a high position... Hey, did I teach before? My father comes from a family of scholars after all!"

Zhang Yanling asked curiously, "Is there anything shameful about teaching? It's not uncommon for scholars to teach."

"Alas, you, kid, don't understand the trick at all... Only poor scholars who can't make it will teach. Your father was a wealthy man, and all these years he has been thinking about how to take the imperial examination and serve the country. If you don't understand, don't tell me, or you will be embarrassed!"

Zhang Luan answered with a dark face.

Zhang Yanling smiled but said nothing.

After a moment of silence, Zhang Luan asked, "My son, do you have any way to get rid of Lu Quanqing? Let him go to the local area to be an official... It's uncomfortable to keep him in the capital."

"It's okay, Dad. After this case is over, I'm afraid you won't be able to see him for a while."

Zhang Yanling smiled and said, "This guy is best at superficial work, but he actually has some skills. Maybe Dad can use him in the future."

"Do you know who he is?"

Zhang Luan frowned, "Or have you investigated his situation?"

Zhang Yanling thought, do I need to check?

Although Lu Wan is only a newly-appointed Jinshi now, he will be very powerful in the future. He may even be promoted to the position of Minister of Personnel, holding the positions of all officials in the world.

Of course, his fate was tragic. He was implicated in the Ning Wang rebellion case and was sent to prison. His mother died tragically in prison at the age of 90...

Speaking of a typical example of one person's crime implicating the entire family, Lu Wan must be one of them.

But Lu Wan had just passed the imperial examination and was considered energetic and full of hope in life. How could he have expected that his later years would be so unfortunate?
"Dad, he is just a newly-appointed Jinshi, he doesn't even have a rank, don't bother with him." Zhang Yanling advised, "As the saying goes, a prime minister can hold a boat in his stomach, but a petty person can't be a good official."

Zhang Luan's face turned red and he shook his head, "I never thought that I would be laughed at by a newly-minted scholar!"

Zhang Yanling said, "I think someone is whispering in your ear, intentionally or unintentionally, to criticize Lu Wan... This also shows that this person is not popular. But in this case, Dad, you have to listen to me, so let it go for now."

"What do you mean?"

Zhang Luan asked curiously, "It has come to this, and you want me to just let it go?"

Zhang Yanling smiled and said, "Someone will back you up. Isn't there Li Zisheng? Whatever you want to achieve, Li Zisheng will help you fulfill your wish."

Zhang Luan glared at his youngest son and shouted, "You kid, you are playing dumb with your father again, right? What am I thinking? Just tell him and he will cover it for me."

At this point, Zhang Luan finally realized something and turned his head away, muttering to himself, "You keep talking nonsense all day long, like a charlatan. Next time, I'll stay away from you."

……

……

On the other side, Lu Wan and Feng Guan came out of the Beizhenfusi Yamen.

As soon as he went out, he saw the eunuch Qin Chang, the commander of the Eastern Depot, leading a large group of people. Lu Wan quickly moved aside.

After Qin Chang and his men went in, Lu Wan couldn't help but look back.

Feng Guan smiled and said, "Quan Qing, don't you understand? In fact, Zhang Guozhang is speaking for the emperor... Even the Imperial Household Department didn't send anyone to supervise. His Majesty will approve whatever Zhang Guozhang reports. This is his majesty's personal favor to Liang Fang and other old ministers, not the court's...

"To us, Liang Fang may be a colleague. But to your majesty, he is just a servant. If the master wants to pardon the servant, why not?"

(End of this chapter)