National Division

Chapter 75 Shen Zhai: He's only a mere seventh-rank official... (Seeking monthly votes!)

At this moment, Gao Yanfu's words were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, stirring up huge waves among the Shen family of Lanxi.

"What scholar?" Shen Zhai's body trembled as he looked at Gao Yanfu in disbelief, his eyes fixed on the imperial edict.

It's fake, it's fake, how could it be? Shen Xian is only a young boy.

Shen Zheng looked at Gao Yanfu in shock, stunned and standing there.

The anger that had been surging on Shen Qian's face froze instantly.

Gao Yanfu said coldly, "The Empress Dowager has appointed Mr. Shen as a scholar of the Zhaowen Pavilion and the head of the Qilin Pavilion. What are you waiting for, Master Shen? Hurry up and invite Mr. Shen. I have to return to the palace to report to the Empress Dowager later."

Before he finished speaking, the entire room was astonished.

Scholar of Zhaowen Pavilion? That's a fifth-rank official.

The Shen family members had all been involved in officialdom for many years, so how could they not know what rank the scholar of Zhaowen Pavilion was? He could be considered a close minister serving the emperor.

It can be said that the Shen family members were so shocked that they were speechless, as if they were dreaming.

At this moment, Shen Zhai's fair face turned purplish-red, his body felt as if he had been struck by lightning, and his hands and feet were ice-cold.

He was only a mere seventh-rank official... and it had already taken him ten years of hard work to achieve this.

No, the old man is only a fourth-rank official.

How did Shen Xian suddenly rise to the rank of fifth grade?

Doesn't that mean he has to address Shen Xian as "this humble official" when he sees him?
Seeing everyone standing there in a daze, Gao Yanfu simply finished speaking, saying, "In addition, Mr. Shen will be appointed as the Commander of the Vermilion Bird Division, with the civil official title of Chaosan Dafu and the military official title of Youqi General."

Shen Zheng and Shen Zhai: "..."

A civil official and a military official, one person holding both civil and military positions—what an extraordinary honor!
Shen Qian was so shocked that he was speechless for a long time.

His military rank was only that of a Deputy Lieutenant of the Benevolent and Brave Army, while his good nephew was already... a General of the Cavalry?

Shen Lin's aged face was filled with shock, and his breathing became rapid. After all, he had been in the officialdom for many years and had excellent self-control. He forcibly suppressed the turmoil in his heart.

The key point was already clear in my mind.

I'm afraid Shen Xian did something extraordinary and gained the Empress's favor.

Shen Lin sighed, calming his turbulent emotions, and said in a hoarse voice, "Eunuch Gao, the Chief Justice of the Dali Temple, Suo Yuanli, has just arrived and taken Shen Xian away."

Upon hearing this, Gao Yanfu's expression changed drastically, his eyes flashing with surprise and disbelief. He angrily exclaimed, "The Court of Judicial Review? How dare you, you scoundrel?!"

This is someone the Empress herself repeatedly instructed to treat with respect, yet the Dali Temple acted so recklessly.

It's the other way around!

Gao Yanfu hurriedly said, "Someone, go to the Dali Temple and invite Mr. Shen over."

Before Qianniu Wei could agree, he realized it was inappropriate and immediately changed his mind, saying, "I will go and invite him myself."

As Gao Yanfu spoke, his pale, beardless face darkened, he led his Thousand Bull Guards back towards the Dali Temple in a grand procession.

Gao Yanfu and the others left like a gust of wind, while the people in the Shen residence felt as if they were in a dream, a dreamlike illusion.

Shen Zheng stared blankly, muttering, "Mu Zhi, has he really come to this?"

Shen Zhai's face was as pale as paper, his heart filled with shock and fear.

The fat gatekeeper who had been preventing Shen Xian from entering was trembling with fear. He collapsed to the ground with a thud.

It turns out he really was the son of the Shen family of Lanxi.

Shen Qian had already processed the news and was extremely excited. He said, "This is the most outstanding talent of the Shen family of Lanxi!"

This official position is higher than his.

Shen Lin paused slightly, looked at the stunned brothers Shen Zheng and Shen Zhai, and said, "Why don't we go to the Dali Temple together!"

Mu Zhi is actually a scholar of the Zhaowen Academy and also the commander of the Zhuque Division. How old is he? The Shen family's ancestral graves are truly blessed.

Our ancestors have shown their power; the God of Literature has descended to earth.

Before Shen Zheng and Shen Zhai could say anything else, Shen Qian had already left the Shen residence and was walking quickly toward the government office where the Dali Temple was located.

……

……

Dali Temple, government office
This is a government office with five courtyards in the front, back, left, and right, made of wooden beams. The plaque above reads "Dali Temple". Instead of two stone lions, the beasts crouching in front of the gate are mythical beasts called Xie Zhi. On both sides of the beams and pillars, officials dressed in black and red robes stand with knives.

The Dali Temple, as the judicial and penal institution, was the highest judicial body in the Great Jing Dynasty.

Accompanied by Suo Yuanli and a group of prison guards, Shen Xian entered the government office hall with a calm expression, surveying the layout.

The overall atmosphere was quiet and solemn.

"Hurry up." Seeing Shen Xian looking around, the yamen runner behind him shoved Shen Xian's shoulder and led him into the hall.

"Dong dong..."

The bailiffs on both sides held fire and water sticks, their expressions stern and imposing.

Shen Xian leisurely surveyed his surroundings, his gaze shifting slightly as he thought to himself, "The official laws are truly like a furnace, and the atmosphere is solemn and imposing."

A moment later, accompanied by a series of disorderly footsteps, an official dressed in a purple robe and with a gold and jade belt around his waist, accompanied by several subordinates, strode into the yamen.

Zhou Liang, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, came to the sandalwood chair, lifted the hem of his official robe, and sat down. He was thin, with small eyes and a rat-like beard. He wore a purple robe, but it seemed that he could not support it.

Zhou Liang picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and asked, "Who is down below?"

At this moment, Zhou Liang was unaware that the young man standing below the hall had already gained the Empress's favor, because the imperial edict was drafted and reviewed by the Secretariat and would take some time to be transmitted to the entire capital of Luoyang.

Suo Yuanli's face was fierce. He shoved Shen Xian and shouted, "You audacious madman! Why don't you kneel down before Lord Zhou?"

Zhou Liang waved his hand and smiled, saying, "Disciples of the Shen family of Lanxi should not be rude."

It's not that they were being rude, but rather that they were trying to be polite first and then resort to force.

Zhou Liang smiled, his small eyes flashing with a sharp light as he looked at the boy's face and asked, "Do you know why I summoned you?"

Shen Xian's gaze was indifferent as he said, "I truly do not know what I have done wrong."

Zhou Liang snorted coldly and said, "The Yu family is involved in the Prince Qing's treason case. As a relative of a criminal official, the daughter of the Yu family should have been sent to the Jiaofangsi (a government-run entertainment institution), but she bribed the Shuimen Guerrilla General and escaped through Shuimen. I suspect she has fled to Guhe County, Anzhou. You, Shen Xian, are engaged to the daughter of the Yu family, so you must be hiding a wanted criminal. What do you have to say about that?"

Shen Xian remained calm, then suddenly spoke up: "Lord Zhou's words are utterly wrong."

Zhou Liang looked at the composed young man, paused for a moment, and said, "What is wrong with what I said?"

Shen Xian said in a deep voice: "First, whether the Yu family woman is a wanted criminal is recorded in the Great Jing Law. Without a verdict and without an imperial edict from the Empress Dowager, who designated her as a wanted criminal? Lord Zhou, did you designate her as such?"

Zhou Liang frowned, vaguely sensing that there was a trap hidden in those words. His eyes flickered, but he did not reply.

Shen Xian said, "Secondly, my Shen family has a marriage agreement with the Yu family. Even if we took in the Yu family's daughter, it would be only natural. We are not resisting the government or refusing to be arrested. Moreover, if we hadn't come to the capital, we wouldn't have known that the Yu family's daughter was involved in Prince Qing's treason case. Previously, there were no arrest warrants issued by the Dali Temple and the Ministry of Justice to the prefectures and counties. Since we didn't know the truth about the wanted criminal, it is only natural that we would take in and rest when our in-laws come to us. How is that considered hiding? Do you think we can know in advance who the wanted criminal is?"

This is what later generations called the absence of any possibility of expectation.

The principle of relatives concealing each other's secrets is largely based on this legal principle.

But his direct statement that he was unaware of it provides further evidence.

Upon hearing these well-reasoned words, Zhou Liang was slightly taken aback, and for a moment, he found the young man's words to be reasonable.

As a disciple of Legalism, although he emphasized torture and forced confessions, he had not yet developed the habit of lying through his teeth.

Shen Xian's words are logically rigorous, meticulous, and contain implicit legal arguments.

Shen Xian said, "Lord Zhou, if you want to know about the Yu family, I can explain a thing or two. But if you want to say that I am harboring a wanted criminal, then I don't know where to begin."

On his way to the capital, he had inquired about Zhou and Lai from Xue Zhihua. Zhou Liang was a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) and was well-versed in the law. However, due to his unsuccessful career, although he often resorted to cruel interrogations and torture to extract confessions, he would still manage to create a chain of evidence.

Lai Jing gained the Empress's favor by informing on others. Although both of them were villains, Zhou Liang at least had some sense of reason.

Although... there aren't many.

Of course, he couldn't stay at the Dali Temple for too long, otherwise he would be subjected to torture.

Lai Jing is a completely unreasonable person who rose to power through sheer scoundrelism, like a mad dog.

Upon seeing this, Suo Yuanli hurriedly said, "Lord Zhou, this man is eloquent and persuasive. Give him a good beating first, and he will answer honestly!"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Liang didn't take it seriously and waved his hand, saying, "Take him to prison first."

The main problem is that he hasn't decided who he wants to implicate yet.

The Shen family of Lanxi?

He had a feud with the Yu family, but no grudge against the Shen family of Lanxi. The Shen family of Lanxi held a prestigious and respectable position, and Shen Zhai even went to the Censorate to serve Lai Jing.

Suo Yuanli stepped closer and whispered in Zhou Liang's ear, "Sir, are you going to use torture to extract information?"

"What do you want to interrogate?" Zhou Liang frowned, then relaxed, and pondered, "Let's wait for the people who went to Anzhou to return first. If they are found to have concealed or harbored anyone, then we can use torture to interrogate them."

At this moment, Shen Xian, escorted by the executioners, arrived at the Dali Temple's prison. Accompanied by the clanking of chains, several jailers pushed Shen Xian into the cell.

Shen Xian sat down on the cattail mat, straightened his sleeves, and sat down with a calm and fearless expression.

He had a purpose in being sent to the Dali Temple's prison.

This move aims to eliminate the hidden danger posed by the Yu family's daughter in one fell swoop. In addition, he wants to shake up this so-called cruel official politics!

Even if we don't want to set things right, we should at least stop these mad dogs from biting people indiscriminately.

(End of this chapter)