Tang Dynasty, my wife Wu Zetian

Chapter 73 Di Renjie's Strategy of Attacking the Heart
Ganlu Temple.

Li Zhi was sitting on the dragon couch, reading Gao Youdao's policy papers.

One of the essays, "On Tubo," was written with great vigor and carefully analyzed the Battle of the Baron River. It argued that although Tubo was defeated, it was still a formidable enemy of the Tang Dynasty and should not be underestimated.

At this time, Wang Fusheng came to report that Xue Rengui had arrived.

Li Zhi said: "Let him in."

After a while, Xue Rengui entered the hall. After the greetings, Li Zhi asked, "Mr. Xue, do you know why I called you here so late?"

Xue Rengui thought for a moment and said, "Is it about Cui Wenhan's case?"

Li Zhi nodded and said, "Indeed, the Dali Temple is the territory of the aristocratic factions. Di Shaoqing has only recently taken up his post and I'm afraid he can't handle it alone. I hope you can lead the Qianniu Guards to protect Cui Wenhan."

Xue Rengui bowed and accepted the order.

He knew that people like Cui Wenhan knew too many secrets and involved too many people, and many people hoped that he would shut up forever.

Xue Rengui thought for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, should we set a trap to lure those people into action?"

Li Zhi shook his head and said, "No need. Just protect Cui Wenhan carefully and complete the case smoothly. There's no need to cause any more trouble."

In the current situation, Li Zhi's imperial power is becoming more and more consolidated. As time goes by, the difficulty for him to deal with Changsun Wuji will only become smaller and smaller.

Therefore, he was not in a hurry to deal with Changsun Wuji, so as to avoid causing the aristocratic families to become desperate and cause chaos in the court.

Of course, if Changsun Wuji sent someone to kill Cui Wenhan, it would be a blatant challenge to the imperial power.

If Li Zhi had no means to fight back, he would definitely be regarded as weak by the court officials, and the prestige he had built up in the past few months would be gone.

This is also the reason why he sent Xue Rengui to protect him.

Li Zhi instructed: "Bring more guards, I don't want any accidents to happen."

Xue Rengui bowed and said, "I accept your order."

……

Dali Temple, Temple Minister's Office.

"Your humble servant Di Renjie is here to meet Xin Shijing." Di Renjie entered the room and bowed to Xin Maojiang, the Dali Temple's Minister.

General Xin Mao stood up and returned the greeting, saying, "No need to be so polite, Mr. Di. Please take a seat."

Di Renjie did not sit down, but asked, "I wonder why Xin Siqing asked me to come here?"

General Xin Mao smiled and said, "I know you have an imperial decree, so I didn't dare to disturb you. However, I see that Shaoqing Di is in danger and doesn't realize it. As someone who has experienced this, I pity your talent and offer a few words of advice. I wonder if you are willing to listen."

Di Renjie said, "You are both a superior and an elder. If you are willing to teach me, I would be more than happy to receive your guidance."

General Xin Mao smiled slightly, extended his hand to invite Di Renjie to sit down, closed the doors and windows, and asked his confidants to guard the gate.

He took out a tea cake, brewed tea with the tea set, and said leisurely, "Do you know, Mr. Di, which official position is the most difficult among all the officials in the court?"

Di Renjie said, "I was just about to ask for your advice."

General Xin Mao sighed and said, "That is exactly what you and I shoulder, the responsibility of being an official of justice!"

Di Renjie pondered in silence.

General Xin Mao glanced at him and said with a smile, "You'll definitely disagree and think I'm exaggerating, right?"

Di Renjie said, "I dare not."

General Xin Mao said in a deep voice, "Lord Di, let me ask you, as a judicial officer, are you most loyal to the sage or to the laws of the Tang Dynasty?"

Di Renjie frowned slightly.

This question is obviously a trap. No matter how you answer, the other party will find fault with you.

"Can't answer? That's right. If you answer 'loyalty to the law,' His Majesty will certainly be displeased if he finds out. If you say 'loyalty to His Majesty,' then a thousand years from now, in the history books, you, Di Renjie, will be described as a flattering minister!"

Di Renjie asked, "May I ask, Minister of the Temple, how do you answer this question?"

General Xin Mao sighed and said, "If I could answer, I wouldn't say that being a judicial officer is the most difficult job."

Di Renjie said, "According to what you said, this is not just a problem for judicial officials. All officials in the court will face the same problem."

General Xin Mao said, "No, their duties may be important, but not as important as yours and mine. You and I are bound by the Tang Law! It is the cornerstone of the world's stability. How can we compare it?"

Di Renjie frowned and said nothing.

General Xin Mao said slowly, "As a judicial official, if you cannot uphold the law, the law will have no authority, the world will have no justice, and the people will have no support. I hope that Shaoqing Di will give it serious consideration."

Di Renjie thought to himself, "What a powerful mouth."

He knew Xin Maozong was from an aristocratic faction, and calling him here was nothing more than a warning to him not to push Cui Wenhan too hard. If he had spoken directly from the perspective of a member of an aristocratic family, Di Renjie would naturally not listen to a word he said.

But he spoke as a lawyer, and every word he said was righteous.

Di Renjie respected judicial justice all his life, so how could he not listen?

He took a deep breath and said, "Actually, Xin Siqing is worrying too much. You and I should both be thankful."

"Oh?" Xin Mao's eyes flashed.

Di Renjie said, "Since ancient times, wise rulers have always respected the law, and this emperor is even more so. By pledging allegiance to the emperor, we are also fulfilling our loyalty to the law. We don't have to face any difficulties. Isn't this a blessing?"

General Xin Mao said calmly, "Even wise rulers have emotions. Even Emperor Taizong, as wise and powerful as he is, has his moments of impulse. If something like this were to happen, how would you react?"

Di Renjie said, "When the time comes, you will know for yourself."

General Xin Mao stared at Di Renjie for a long time, then smiled and said, "Then I will wait and see."

After Di Renjie left General Xin Mao's office, he looked up and saw that it was drizzling.

He walked through the hall and came to a corner, hiding himself there. He stared at Xin Maojiang's house, as if waiting for something.

Not long after, a man came in the rain without even an umbrella, looking extremely anxious.

The man was in his forties, slightly plump, with a wealthy look on his face. He looked quite familiar, as if he had seen him in the court.

The man quickly entered Xin Maojiang's house.

Di Renjie didn't look any further, walked quickly along the corridor, and soon arrived at the torture room in Dali Prison.

He never liked to use torture, but preferred to use conversation to seize the other party's flaws and use psychological attacks to force the other party to confess.

So there was no torture in the house, and Cui Wenhan was just tied to a wooden frame.

Di Renjie knew very well that it would be very difficult to get him to confess to leaking the exam questions, so he started with the Gao Youdao case, gradually breaking down his psychological defenses, and then making a concerted effort to find out the truth about the leaking of the exam questions.

After he returned to the interrogation room, he did not start the trial immediately. Instead, he sat on a chair and drank tea leisurely.

Cui Wenhan looked up at him and said coldly, "If Shaoqing Di doesn't intend to interrogate me, please let me go back to the cell. I'm sleepy and need to rest."

A black-faced jailer cursed: "You bastards, you think this is a teahouse, and you still want to..."

Di Renjie interrupted the jailer with his hand and said to Cui Wenhan with a smile, "Please be patient, Mr. Cui. The interrogation will begin shortly."

Cui Wenhan asked, "What are you waiting for?"

Di Renjie smiled but did not answer.

Cui Wenhan sneered, "You just want to ask about Gao Youdao's failure in the third year of the Yonghui reign? I'm telling you, I was the one who rejected his paper. Are you satisfied?"

Di Renjie asked, "Why are you like this?"

Cui Wenhan snorted and said, "He's not on the list, and he's offended the Bai family. That's the reason."

Di Renjie stared at him and said, "So the Bai family sent someone to find you and ask you to reject Gao Youdao's exam paper?"

Cui Wenhan said: "Not bad."

Di Renjie said, "Since Mr. Cui refuses to tell the truth, let's wait a little longer."

Cui Wenhan said angrily: "I am telling the truth. He offended the Bai family, so it was naturally the Bai family who caused trouble for him. Could it be someone else?"

Di Renjie said slowly, "But as far as I know, when Gao Youdao was down and out in the restaurant, someone took care of him for a few months. That person's surname was also Bai. Isn't that a coincidence?"

Cui Wenhan's face changed and he asked, "What does that mean?"

Di Renjie said, "If I'm not mistaken, that person is Bai Xiaojie."

Cui Wenhan said, "So what if it's Bai Xiaojie? He feels guilty, his conscience strikes, and he tries to make amends. It's not surprising."

Di Renjie said slowly, "I didn't kill Bo Ren, but he died because of me. Bai Xiaojie must have felt guilty for a similar reason."

Cui Wenhan's face turned pale and he remained silent.

Just then, someone outside reported that Bai Xiaojie had arrived.

Di Renjie said to Cui Wenhan, "The truth will soon be revealed. Mr. Cui, don't you want to say something?"

Cui Wenhan's lips trembled, but he remained silent in the end.

Di Renjie sighed and said, "Since Mr. Cui has given up his last chance, I have no choice but to ask Bai Xiaojie to explain himself."

(End of this chapter)