Guangzong Yaoming

Chapter 155 Is this how the decree is used?
Did the emperor really send them south just to punish a few people as a warning to others?
The court is in a difficult financial situation! Money! It’s all about money!

Money now! Money later!
Mr. Xiao has his eyes on the position of Minister of Finance in Nanjing. Do you think he comes to Nanjing just to have a good time?

But from that day on, the three judges from Beijing had a much easier time.

Of course, people from Jiangnan are more familiar with the affairs of Jiangnan.

If they want to find out which Jiangnan Gaos are behind Geng Dingli and Hao Jie, they can certainly find out more accurately than Mr. Xiao.

Anyway, to Tycoon Xiao, it doesn’t matter who it is, what matters is whether there is or not, and how much there is.

In this situation, Wang Dewan naturally plays a key role.

After all, he was an inspector who specialized in impeaching local officials.

And Xie Tingzan also knew the purpose of Xiao Daheng bringing him south: now was the time to use him.

As the representative of the imperial envoy, Xie Tingzan was naturally very busy, and most of the time he accompanied Wang Dewan to try cases.

The main purpose was to listen in and supervise the trials of local county and prefectural magistrates.

Today they were in Changxing County, Huzhou Prefecture. The magistrate Shu Baiqing had met Wang Dewan. After all, last time Wang Dewan ran directly to the place where the tributary embankment of Tiaoxi River collapsed without saying hello.

"Thank you, sir. Will I bring the criminal to court now?"

His heart was beating fast, as the Lord of the Mansion had already sent someone to pass on a message, reminding him of the key points of this trial.

But how can such an imperial case be sent to the prefecture and county for trial? Who can bear the consequences if it is not properly tried?
Wang Dewan and Xie Tingzan stood on the left and right, and just nodded.

“…Bring Xie Shuxiang!”

"Last name: Xie? Which Xie?"

"Oh, thank you, Master. We are from the same family."

When Xie Shuxiang came over, Xie Tingzan looked down at the list that Xiao Daheng handed to them.

I'm afraid this list was finalized after combining the lists given by Zhang Yi and others with the lists confessed by Geng Dingli and Hao Jie.

"Wuxing Xie family, huh." Xie Tingzan said faintly, "I can't afford to marry her."

The tomb of Xie An, the "Xie" in "Wang Xie Tangqian Yan", is now located in Sanyagang, Changxing County, Huzhou Prefecture.

Unexpectedly, the first family to be tried in Changxing County turned out to be the descendants of Xie An.

There were many people watching the excitement outside the lobby of the county government office, but they could only watch from afar because of the gate and the courtyard.

Xie Shuxiang, who was brought here, was wearing a green Taoist robe and looked quite elegant at the moment, so he was not treated harshly.

"Your Excellency the Inspector, Mr. Xie, this Xie Shuxiang is a juren..." Shu Baiqing explained.

They both nodded. Having a distinguished family background, they enjoyed many privileges.

"I am Xie Shuxiang, a student, and I am honored to meet His Excellency the County Master." Xie Shuxiang came to the front of the hall and saluted neither humbly nor arrogantly.

"This is the inspector of Yingtian, Lord Dewan, and the imperial envoy Xiao Daheng, who is accompanying the chief of the Beijing Ministry of Justice, Lord Xie Tingzan, who are here to join the trial."

Shu Baiqing introduced them in a somewhat dignified manner, and then Xie Shuxiang greeted them both.

"Xie Shuxiang!" Shu Baiqing then slammed the gavel and asked seriously, "The imperial envoy went south and the three judicial departments met to try the case! Now the evidence is solid. It was found that Geng Dingli, one of the main culprits in the case of the Japanese pirates robbing grain, who was then the Imperial Censor of Jiangnan, deliberately caused trouble, shook the foundation of the country, and plotted something illegal! Geng confessed that he had such a rebellious act of rebellion because he was forced by several families in Jiangnan. Because Your Majesty did not grant grace to exempt them, he wanted to use the heavy taxes in Jiangnan to make the emperor think twice. This is actually the same as the crime of military remonstrance. The confession pointed out your Changxing Xie family. Do you know your guilt?"

The nature of these words was extremely serious, but most of the people outside heard them vaguely and did not really understand them.

However, there were always scholars who were watching the fun. They were shocked when they heard this, so they explained it a little bit. Then there was a commotion outside. "Isn't that a serious crime of confiscating property?"

“This is rebellion!”

"My goodness... can the Xie family escape this disaster?"

"Silence outside the hall!" Shu Baiqing slammed the gavel again and looked helplessly at the two officers who came to listen to the trial. Why did they open the door to interrogate the case?

"My dear lords, please understand!" After the outside became quiet, Xie Shuxiang did not seem to be panicked by Shu Baiqing's accusation, and slowly said, "The Xie family of Changxing has a very strict family precepts and has always been law-abiding. They have paved roads and bridges, donated to the prefecture and county, and helped the countryside. They are indeed a good gentry family, and the prefecture and county have commended them. I don't know why Geng Zuiyuan falsely accused the Xie family, but this is a great treason and the Xie family is innocent. I hope that my dear lords will investigate and clear the Xie family's name."

Hearing him talking about donating to the prefecture and county, Shu Boqing felt a little uncomfortable, but still said: "Humph, the imperial envoy has already found the evidence of your correspondence with Geng Zuiyuan, so don't try to quibble!"

"It is true that Xie and the criminal Geng had correspondence, but I dare to ask the church to examine the letters. Are there any words in which Xie used to blackmail the criminal Geng? The criminal Geng was in a high position at the time, and Xie was just an idle country gentleman. How could he blackmail a fourth-rank official? Could it be that the imperial envoy wanted to bring up a wrongful case in Jiangnan based on some correspondence of poems and essays?"

"...It's useless if you deny it. Xie Shuxiang, after all, your ancestors are great men who will go down in history!" Shu Boqing's tone became stern, "Do you really want to use sweet words to convince your whole family of the crime of plotting evil? Everyone has their own consequences, don't bring disaster to the whole family!"

Xie Shuxiang was stunned for a moment, then he laughed angrily: "Does the court no longer ask for evidence when handling cases?"

"Shu Zhixian, are you asking questions like this to make the court lose all prestige and your majesty lose the support of the people?"

Wang Dewan also spoke, but his words surprised Xie Shuxiang.

"...I am terrified." Shu Boqing's face changed, "But this case..."

"What can you get out of this case by asking questions like this? It seems that the court just wants to arrest some people at random to take the blame." Wang Dewan glanced at him calmly, then looked at Xie Shuxiang, "How many people in his family have made achievements? How many people are currently serving in government? How much land do they own? How much land tax and labor service silver did they pay last year? Since they are involved in the case, County Magistrate Shu, County Master Shu, have you not yet sent people to investigate in detail, and are just going to ask them in court?"

"I am ashamed... the order came out suddenly, and I am busy with summer grain and river works... there are only so many people in the county government..."

Wang Dewan stood up, looked at Shu Baiqing sideways, and then slowly took something out of his sleeve.

Not only Shu Baiqing, but Xie Tingzan and Xie Shuxiang also saw a change of expression.

"This decree is a special favor from Your Majesty. I will announce it in due time." Wang Dewan looked at Shu Baiqing, "If Your Majesty is going to do his job like this, then I, the inspector, will have to announce the decree."

Shu Baiqing's heart beat wildly as he looked at the bright yellow imperial edict in his hand.

What is the purpose inside?
But just by listening to Wang Dewan's words, one could guess that he was probably being given the power to decide the life and death of some local officials.

"I understand! I will investigate the case carefully!"

Shu Baiqing looked at Wang Dewan with fear. He had been in Jiangnan for so long and had never heard of such an imperial edict.

And he had been to so many places before, and how much did he know?

"Come on!" Shu Boqing slammed the gavel. "The imperial case is of great importance, and the county government must not neglect it! The household office will gather the books and accounts, and the soldiers will gather the quick squad and the militia, and go to the Xie family first to seal the account office!"

Xie Shuxiang's face changed drastically. Just as he was about to speak, Shu Boqing shouted at him again: "The county government has received countless complaints about the Xie family bullying the villagers, but the Xie family is so powerful that they can even hold the Jiangdu Censor and the Minister of War hostage. What can I, a small county magistrate, do? I know all their evil deeds clearly. I will take them to jail first!"

He winked wildly, asking the yamen runners in the hall to quickly cover Xie Shuxiang's mouth and drag him away first, and then he said righteously: "Today, the inspector has been ordered to handle the case. I will definitely give the people of Changxing a clear and bright world! The case involves many people. My two lords, should we let the people go back first? I will inform you later and post it everywhere in the county!"

"It would be good if County Magistrate Shu is willing to handle the case carefully." Wang Dewan said as he put the imperial edict back into his sleeve.

Shu Baiqing let out a long sigh, and then went to the gate of the county government office in person and gave a speech. He first "asked" the onlookers to disperse, and then he decisively and calmly ordered all departments and servants of the county government office to start taking action based on the guidelines of thoroughly investigating major cases, while he kept winking at his confidants.

After the gate of the county government office was closed, he returned to the hall and knelt down first: "The criminal has received some benefits in the past. My Lords, as a leader, if I want to ensure that taxes are not inaccurate and the four regions are peaceful, I really have to rely on the powerful families. How can I try such a high-profile case? It's not that I don't understand, but I really don't dare. I hope my Lords can point out a clear way and a way out!"

After Wang Dewan admired his behavior, he suddenly realized something.

Sometimes, when the imperial decree is in hand, it seems enough to just let people see that there is an imperial decree.

If you don’t recite it, it doesn’t count, right?
(End of this chapter)