Jingtai: Making the Ming Dynasty Great Again

Chapter 129 Another Trial by Three Judicial Offices

On the 19th day of the ninth month of the first year of the Jingtai reign, in the main hall of the Ministry of Justice in Beijing.

The sky was overcast that day, and the autumn wind was bleak.

The atmosphere inside the hall was somber.

The familiar joint trial by the three judicial departments was conducted with Yu Shiyue on the left and Xue Xuan, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, on the right.

The difference is that the Censorate has been replaced by Chen, the Right Vice Censor-in-Chief.

In addition, there were two more people in the hall: Xing'an and Lu Zhong.

The two sat on the side, looking at the hall with expressionless faces.

This was specially arranged by Zhu Qiyu.

The case to be tried today involves treason and collusion with the enemy, and is no small matter.

It must be jointly tried by the three judicial departments, the Eastern Depot, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

"Bring the criminals!"

With a call to arms, several prisoners were brought into the courtroom.

The leader, dressed in prison clothes with disheveled hair, was none other than Wang Jing, the former eunuch who guarded Gansu.

Behind him were Ma Ang, the former governor of Gansu, Li Gui, the former imperial inspector of Gansu, and several men who looked like merchants.

Previously, Zhu Qiyu had not allowed Wu Ning to escort them back to the capital, fearing that they might encounter an accident on the way.

It wasn't until ten days ago that Wang Qi returned to the capital with a thousand elite troops.

Only then were they finally "escorted" back safely.

The men were led to the front of the hall and made to kneel.

Yu Shiyue slammed his gavel: "Wang Jing, do you know your crime?"

Wang Jing raised his head, his face no longer showing the arrogance he had displayed in Ganzhou, only fear and exhaustion.

He said in a trembling voice, "This sinful subject—this sinful subject knows his crime."

Chen Yi coldly said, "Since you know you're guilty, confess everything you've done!"

Wang Jing knelt on the ground and confessed everything in detail.

Starting from the tenth year of the Zhengtong era.

How he colluded with Ma Ang and Li Gui.

How to use one's position to secretly transfer ironware and gunpowder from the official treasury.

How to sell to Oirat merchants through several shops in Ganzhou City.

How to divide the spoils —

He talked for half an hour straight, revealing everything he could.

After listening, Yu Shiyue asked in a deep voice, "Are Ma Ang, Li Gui, and Wang Jing telling the truth?"

Both of them looked ashen-faced and nodded: "Yes—it's the truth."

They had already told Wu Ning what they needed to say in Ganzhou.

This is just a repetition.

Chen Yi snorted coldly, about to speak again.

Xue Xuan suddenly spoke up: "Wang Jing, you said that you sold ironware and gunpowder to the Oirat merchants through several trading companies in Ganzhou City."

What are the names of those businesses?

Wang Jingdao replied, "My lord, there are mainly three: Zhouji Trading Company, Yongfeng Trading Company, and Yuanshun Trading Company, as well as the local imperial shop."

Xue Xuan asked, "Who are the managers of these three businesses?"

Wang Jingdao said: "The managers of Yongfenghao and Yuanshunhao are both locals from Ganzhou."

The manager of Zhouji Trading Company was surnamed Zhou and spoke with a Beijing accent.

This person is cautious and never conducts transactions personally; always communicating through intermediaries.

Xue Xuan exchanged glances with Yu Shiyue and Chen Yi, then continued, "Did this Manager Zhou ever mention who his employer is?"

Wang Jing thought for a moment and said, "Once, when he was drunk, he let slip that his employer was related to the Duke's family."

As for which specific duke it was, he didn't say, and this humble subject dared not ask.

The atmosphere in the hall suddenly became heavy upon hearing this.

Duke of the country?

Chen Yi slammed his gavel: "Wang Jing! Do you know what crime it is to falsely accuse a Duke?"

Wang Jing was so frightened that he kowtowed repeatedly: "Your Excellency is wise! This guilty subject dares not make false accusations!"

The guilty official merely recounted what he had heard.

As for whether what Manager Zhou said was true or false, this humble servant truly has no idea!

Yu Shiyue asked in a deep voice, "Where is Manager Zhou now?"

Wang Jingdao: "I don't know—"

Yu Shiyue looked towards Xing'an.

Xing'an slowly spoke: "Minister Yu, rest assured, the Eastern Depot has already set its sights on Zhouji Trading Company's main branch in the capital."

"Then Manager Zhou can't escape."

Yu Shiyue nodded and continued, "Wang Jing, how much ironware and gunpowder did you smuggle in total? How much profit did you make?"

Wang Jingdao said: "The ironware weighs about 20,000 jin and the gunpowder weighs about 3,000 jin."

Profits—I can no longer recall how much profit I made.

Everyone in the hall gasped in shock upon hearing this.

20,000 catties of ironware and 3,000 catties of gunpowder!

Last year, when Esen marched south, how many people of the Ming Dynasty died at the hands of these weapons?

Chen Yi was furious and slammed his fist on the table: "You scoundrels! As officials of the imperial court, you have colluded with the enemy and betrayed the country. What is your punishment?!"

Ma Ang and Li Gui lay prostrate on the ground, trembling and not daring to utter a sound.

Then they interrogated several managers of the business.

The individuals confessed to selling smuggled goods.

Yu Shiyue looked at Xue Xuan, who nodded slightly.

Yu Shiyue said, "The preliminary hearing ends here. Take the prisoners back to the jail and keep them under strict guard!"

Soon only the three judicial officials and Xing An, Lu Zhong, and a few others remained in the hall.

Chen Yi said in a deep voice, "The matter of Zhouji Trading Company must be thoroughly investigated. If it is truly related to a certain Duke—"

He didn't finish his sentence, but his meaning was clear.

Xue Xuan said, "This matter is of great importance and must be reported to His Majesty immediately."

Xing'an stood up and cupped his hands in greeting: "Rest assured, my lords, His Majesty is already aware of this."

Zhu Qiyu had already learned of these matters from Wu Ning's memorial.

However, he did not say it in court.

Instead, he said in court that Wang Jing and others had committed heinous crimes and had already been beheaded and their heads displayed in Gansu.

In the entire capital, only Zhu Qiyu and Xing'an knew the results of the interrogation in Gansu.

Zhu Qiyu had also long ago arranged for Xing'an to send the Eastern Depot to monitor that Manager Zhou.

He should be arrested immediately if he makes any unusual moves.

A day later, a joint report from the Three Judicial Offices and the Eastern Depot was delivered to Zhu Qiyu.

The results of this joint trial were no different from what Wu Ning reported back from Gansu.

Zhu Qiyu looked at the report and murmured, "Duke of Cheng—"

Xing'an stood to the side with his head bowed, not daring to utter a sound.

Zhu Qiyu looked at him: "Xing'an, how old is Zhu Yi this year?"

Xing'an carefully replied, "Your Majesty, Zhu Yi, the heir apparent of the Duke of Cheng, was born in the second year of the Xuande era and is twenty-three years old this year."

His father, Zhu Yong, the Duke of Cheng, died in battle at Tumu Fort last year.

He should have inherited the title according to custom.

But at that time—at that time, His Majesty had not yet ascended the throne.

Zhu Qiyu nodded.

After the victory in the Battle of Beijing, Zhu Yi submitted a memorial to Zhu Qiyu, requesting that he be allowed to immediately inherit the title of Duke of Cheng.

However, at that time, some people in the court impeached Zhu Yong for losing the army and disgracing the country, which led to the emperor being wrongly implicated.

Therefore, Zhu Qiyu never allowed him to inherit the title.

Zhu Yi is still a commoner, only holding the title of the heir of the Duke of Cheng.

And those impeachments were not unfounded.

Zhu Yong was a close confidant of Zhu Qizhen, and he and Wang Zhen had always been on good terms.

Zhu Yong died in battle at Yaoling during the Battle of Tumu Fortress.

But now it seems that the Duke of Cheng died at the perfect time.

Zhu Qiyu: "Who is the current steward of the Duke of Cheng's mansion?"

Xing'an said, "Your Majesty, the steward of the Duke of Cheng's mansion is surnamed Zhou and named Kui. He is a maidservant to Lady Wang, Zhu Yi's mother."

This man has served the Wang family for decades and has considerable influence in Beijing's business circles.

Zhu Qiyu smiled: "Zhou Kui, Zhou Ji Trading Company, that's simple."

Now that the witnesses have been brought back, let Lu Zhong arrest them.

Xing'an bowed and said, "As you command."

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