The prince is more stable

Chapter 524 Urgent Music Arrives
The so-called "morning struggle" can be summed up in one word: "fast, accurate and ruthless".

If it doesn't move, it will lie dormant; if it moves, it will be like thunder and kill with one blow.

In fact, Zhao Xiaoqian had no experience in court struggles. In his previous life, he was just a small office worker in a company. How could he have the opportunity to attend court?
Fortunately, he had good reincarnation skills in this life, and there was a fat old fox at home to give him advice.

According to the strategy set by Zhao Hao, no matter whether it is reasonable or not, it is always right to strike first. He would knock the person unconscious with a stick when he is caught off guard, and then put all kinds of charges and hats on the person, forcing the other party into a trap of self-incrimination.

While they were proving themselves, who cared that Zhao Xiaoqian had killed forty-two convicted officials?
Even if someone brings it up, it will establish his character of eliminating traitors for the country, standing up for the people, being upright and unafraid of power.

Inside the hall, Zhao Xu frowned as he watched Liu Xianzhen and the other two crying. He looked a bit impatient, and his eyes revealed a coldness.

My own ministers seized my land for personal gain, harmed my people, and shook the foundation of the feudal empire of the Song Dynasty. They also looked like they had suffered a great injustice. Zhao Xu looked at them and couldn't help but feel deeply disgusted.

"There's no point in complaining, Liu Xianzhen. The three of you should speak with facts. Our Great Song has just occupied over 400 li of land. I remember several court meetings at that time. The gentlemen in the Council of State Affairs suggested establishing new counties in the newly occupied territory, measuring the land and distributing it to the farmers..."

Zhao Xu patted the memorial in his hand and said calmly, "I don't understand. The land was clearly allocated to farmers and refugees, so why did most of it end up in your private hands after measurement? The Prince of Hejian has impeached over thirty people in Bianjing involved in this case. You'd better explain yourself clearly."

Liu Xianzhen gritted his teeth and said, "This is a frame-up by Zhao Xiaoqian. I deny a single word of the crime I've been accused of!"

Chen Huan and Qiao Rongzhi, who were standing behind him, also knelt and said, "I don't recognize a single word!"

Zhao Xu glanced at Zhao Xiaoqian coldly and said calmly, "Prince of Hejian, they don't recognize him, what do you say?"

Zhao Xiaoqian bowed his head and said calmly, "Here are the handwritten confessions of guilt from Han Wei, the transport envoy of the Western Hebei Route, Wang Yuan, the assistant minister of the Ministry of Revenue, and forty-two other convicted officials. These confessions reveal that they acted under the orders of Liu Xianzhen and others."

“Han Wei and others are just pawns. The real beneficiaries and instigators behind the scenes are Liu Xianzhen and others.”

As he spoke, Zhao Xiaoqian picked up the stack of confessions that had been prepared long ago with both hands. Zheng Chunhe hurriedly took them and handed them to Zhao Xu.

Zhao Xu pretended to flip through the pages. In fact, he had already read these confessions before, and he was just pretending to have just read them.

As he watched, Zhao Xu gradually became angry, his eyes flashing with murderous intent, and he kept glancing at Liu Xianzhen and the other two.

Zhao Xiaoqian silently looked at Zhao Xu's expression and sighed secretly.

This acting... is too good!

Things haven't been settled yet, and revealing murderous intent so early is totally inconsistent with the level of change in the character's inner activities.

Throwing the confession in his hand, Zhao Xu stood up and said angrily, "Han Wei and the others' confessions are here. It clearly states that they were instructed by you. Liu Xianzhen, what else do you have to say?"

Liu Xianzhen and the other two trembled all over, and more than twenty people in the hall also trembled unconsciously, their faces gradually turning pale.

"I don't admit it!" Liu Xianzhen said gritting his teeth.

Zhao Xiaoqian turned around and looked at them, and said calmly: “Liu Xianzhen, I can get Victor Han’s confession and collect these evidences. Today I dare to impeach you in the Golden Palace. You don’t think I don’t have other evidence in my hand, right?”

"I've named you all, and none of you have escaped. It doesn't matter if you deny it. The evidence is irrefutable. The Dali Temple and the Ministry of Justice will judge the case. If that happens, every word you say in your stubborn resistance will increase your sentence!"

Liu Xianzhen raised his head and glared at him, "I still say the same thing, I deny it! Zhao Xiaoqian, there's no need to threaten me, and there's no need to bluff. I'm completely unaware of the crime you're accusing me of, and I didn't commit it!"

Zhao Xiaoqian stared into his eyes and suddenly shouted, "Do you have to bring Han Wei and the others to you to identify and confront them before you admit it?"

A loud shout shook the court and the sound echoed in the Golden Palace. It seemed that the shout frightened the minds of Liu Xianzhen and others. Liu Xianzhen could still hold on, but Chen Huan and Qiao Rongzhi behind him felt their legs go weak and they knelt down, their faces pale and shaking like sieves.

There was silence in the hall, and the ministers were neither blind nor deaf.

Although Liu Xianzhen and others refused to plead guilty, the ministers now understood something when they saw Chen Huan and Qiao Rong's absent-minded and guilty looks.

It now seems that Zhao Xiaoqian did not frame Liu Xianzhen and others, and they are most likely really involved in this case.

Tsk!
More than four hundred lives were lost. This was a huge case in the imperial court. The matter had been brought to the court, which was equivalent to exposing the truth to the world. It would be unacceptable for the government not to give an explanation to the people of the world.

In the hall, only the emperor Zhao Xu felt a little uneasy, and looked at Zhao Xiaoqian anxiously.

Zhao Xiaoqian just said that he would bring Han Wei and others to Liu Xianzhen for confrontation, but if nothing unexpected happens, Han Wei and the other 42 prisoners should be queuing up by the Naihe Bridge, waiting to drink Mengpo soup. Where are you going to find Han Wei for confrontation?
Is it a ritual to summon spirits?
Seeing that Liu Xianzhen was about to give up, Zhao Xu decided to strike while the iron was hot, so he handed the confession and evidence to Zheng Chunhe and signaled Zhang Dun to review them.

Zhang Dun took the confession and read it, then turned around and stared at Liu Xianzhen with murderous intent.

"Lawless! Liu Xianzhen, this is how you handle the task assigned to you by the Political Affairs Hall? Over 400 lives were lost in Zhending Prefecture. Who will pay for them?"

Zhang Dun then bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I believe this matter should be thoroughly investigated. The Censorate, the Ministry of Justice, and the Supreme Court should jointly investigate Liu Xianzhen and more than 30 other Bianjing officials. If the facts are proven, they will be severely punished!"

Zhao Xu smiled with satisfaction. This was exactly Zhang Dun's attitude. It seemed that after summoning him to the palace for so long the day before, the stubborn old man had understood.

Of course, what Zhao Xu didn't know was that the real reason that prompted Zhang Dun to stand on Zhao Xiaoqian's side was that half of the more than 30 people on the list were from the old party.

When it comes to suppressing the old party, Mr. Zhang is no longer sleepy.

Zhang Dun was indeed the most murderous prime minister. As soon as he opened his mouth, he started a trial by the three judicial officials. His tone was firm and there was no room for negotiation.

After hearing Zhang Dun say that the three judicial departments would hold a joint trial, Liu Xianzhen and the other two finally couldn't bear it anymore. Not only these three people, but also the faces of the thirty or so people involved in the case in the hall turned pale.

The psychological deterrence from the prime minister of the time was even stronger than that from Zhao Xiaoqian.

Seeing that the time was almost right, Zhang Dun immediately added another sentence.

"Your Majesty, this case involves over 400 lives in Zhending Prefecture. It's no exaggeration to say it's the greatest case of our dynasty. I request your approval. Not only should the three judicial departments join together to conduct the trial, but I am willing to personally serve as the presiding judge. I will not only punish the innocent but also the innocent, and I will give an explanation to your Majesty and the world!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Xianzhen and the other two finally collapsed.

Zhao Xiaoqian immediately joined forces with Zhang Dun, sternly shouting, "Liu Xianzhen, are you still not admitting your guilt? How long are you going to keep your mouth shut?"

Liu Xianzhen was sweating profusely and his eyes were blank. At this moment, he was finally frightened and dared not to be stubborn anymore.

In fact, from the moment Zhao Xiaoqian took out Han Wei's confession, Liu Xianzhen knew very well that Zhao Xiaoqian must have a lot of evidence, otherwise the charges and names he impeached in the court today would not be so accurate. It was obvious that he came prepared and attacked with the force of wind and thunder.

Liu Xianzhen knelt in the hall, trembling all over: "Your Majesty, your servant, your servant..."

Zhao Xiaoqian's heart was also in suspense, and a hint of nervousness flashed in his eyes.

Just one last shiver!
However, at this moment, a eunuch hurried into the hall, holding an urgent letter stamped with wax in his hands.

"Your Majesty, the Zhending Prefecture has an urgent report. The messenger has just arrived outside the palace gate."

The hearts of the emperor and his ministers in the palace sank. Zhao Xu said with a cold face, "What is the matter?"

"The Deputy Envoy of the Zhending Prefecture Tizhusi reports... Four days ago, Hejian County Prince Zhao Xiaoqian publicly beheaded Han Wei, Wang Yuan, and 42 other officials outside the west city of Zhending Prefecture. The Tizhusi has the responsibility to investigate and prosecute officials. This matter is of great importance, and we dare not fail to report it."

boom!
There was an uproar in the hall, and everyone looked at Zhao Xiaoqian's back in shock.

Zhao Xu and Zhang Dun's faces changed. Zhao Xiaoqian stood in the hall and sighed deeply.

Just a little bit...

This report completely turned all the plans upside down.

Today's court meeting is a psychological warfare, taking advantage of the situation to intimidate and force Liu Xianzhen and others to confess their guilt in court. Then the rest of the matter will be easy. Neither the confession nor the evidence is as convincing as a public confession.

However, the report arrived at this critical moment, which immediately destroyed all the plans.

Sure enough, when they heard that Zhao Xiaoqian had beheaded Han Wei and 42 other criminal officials, Liu Xianzhen and the other two looked at each other in horror. Then Liu Xianzhen remembered something and his face gradually turned red. Even his body, which was kneeling on the ground, straightened up unconsciously.

Han Wei and the others are all dead, so there will be no evidence in this case.
So, what crime am I confessing?

It is obviously Zhao Xiaoqian who is guilty!
Liu Xianzhen immediately jumped up from the ground, pointing at Zhao Xiaoqian and angrily said, "Is this what you call 'ironclad evidence'? Who gave you the imperial edict to kill court officials without authorization? You have already silenced Han Wei and the others. Are your so-called confessions and evidence true?"

"Zhao Xiaoqian, you must give an explanation to the government and the people of the world!"

Zhao Xu and Zhang Dun in the hall had grim expressions on their faces. They knew very well that with the arrival of this urgent report, just by looking at Liu Xianzhen's suddenly arrogant look, they knew that the situation had turned around.

Liu Xianzhen's momentum suddenly rose, and the shock and panic he had just experienced poured out in an instant, making his face even more ferocious.

"Let's not talk about framing and slandering court officials. Zhao Xiaoqian, why did you kill court officials without receiving an imperial order? Forty-two officials were beheaded in Zhending Prefecture with a single blow, without being tried by the Censorate, the Ministry of Justice, or the Supreme Court. What a show of power!"

"Your Majesty, Hejian Prince Zhao Xiaoqian murdered a court official without authorization and deserves death! The facts are clear, Your Majesty, please understand."

Zhao Xu frowned, but things had developed to this point. In front of the civil and military officials in the court, he could not show favoritism, so he had to look at Zhao Xiaoqian.

"Prince of Hejian, is it true that you killed Han Wei and forty-two other officials in Zhending Prefecture without imperial orders?"

Zhao Xiaoqian nodded, his hands behind his back. "It's true. I personally ordered the execution of the forty-two criminal officials in front of tens of thousands of Zhending Prefecture citizens."

(End of this chapter)