Recessed" mouth. Mouth. There is no errand for the New Year in the mouth yamen, but that is under normal circumstances. Now that there is the emperor's will, and he is entrusted by the elder of the small pavilion, He Bin can only drag a cadre out of his house and let them arrest people and interrogate them.

Extorting confessions by torture according to the edict, especially the interrogation of officials, that is the specialty of Dongchang Jinyiwei, the criminal department lacks experience in interrogating political cases, and has always been convicted according to the opinions of the factory guards, but this time the emperor asked the factory guards to stand aside and let them investigate. I can only bite the bullet.

What's even more depressing is that two of the three people who had the accident this time were the heads of the Criminal Department, which made people feel even more tricky. Don't talk about it at all, investigate it strictly, it will chill the hearts of your subordinates, and the people below may not be willing to cooperate; But if you want to be emotional, the emperor and the little pavilion elder can't explain it.

Under the dilemma, the three officials of the Criminal Department, Shangshu He Bin, the left waiter Zhao Dajie, and the right waiter Zhou Bi, all didn't want to be the main shrug, the three of them pushed me to let me, and finally the errand fell to Shen Tong, the director of the Henan Qing Officials Division.

Shen Tong couldn't retreat anymore, so he had to lead a few bitter-faced principals to the prison. After thinking about it, I usually have a good relationship with Dong Chuance and Zhang Qing, so let's try outsiders first. But even if Wu Shilai is the only one who is not from the Criminal Department, he is also in the middle of the Criminal Section, and he doesn't look up and look down all day long, and everyone is familiar with it" This is the biggest bad thing about officials interrogating officials. Everyone is a colleague and inevitably has relatives, but it is better to let the eunuch or military attache preside over the trial.

Shen Tong asked Wu Shilai to sit in front of him, and said earnestly: "Brother Wuzhai, Shangfeng asked my brother to ask your words." You will be in pain, I will go back to the errand, you will suffer less, and my heart will be better. "He's usually a ruthless character, but when he encounters this errand, he is tied because he knows it. Wu Shilai; People are imprisoned for impeachment, and they are considered to have a reputation in Shilin, and if they can get out alive in the future, it will definitely be a rich political capital; Even if you are unfortunate enough to die in prison, you can go down in history and be touted by later historians. To be praised by ignorant scholars can be said to be a sin once and a lifetime benefit.

But for Shen Tong, it was a great disadvantage, because although his opponent tried the case, although he had the upper hand in terms of power, he was at a disadvantage in public deliberation and could not be treated fairly. One can't get it right. You have to be scolded as a "thug and a dog." and so on, and became a public enemy of Shilin.

That's why the three officials of the family avoided it and threw this errand to themselves.

Sighing secretly, putting away his full of complaints, Shen Tong asked Wu Shilai: "Who instructed you to go to this book?" ”

"Whoever commands it, no one." Wu Shilai looked at Shen Tong and the officials of the Criminal Department and said, "You want to; The officials who impeached Yan Song in the past, who had a good result? I'm also a two-rank jinshi or a person in my thirties, who can instruct me to kill myself except myself? Said with a smile: "You are polite to me, and I will tell you the truth, I am expected to die this time, even if I am clumsy, I am in the dark." It's not about everyone. ”

"In that case, why did Zhang Nuo and Dong Chuance also go to the book on the same day?" Shen Tong asked again: "If it's a coincidence, it's too coincidental, right?"

Wu Shilai had already thought of his rhetoric and said with a smile: "On a rainy day, why do every family have to collect clothes; It's the New Year. Why do every household have to sweep their houses? Does Lord Shen also think it's a coincidence? ”

Of course, it wasn't Shen Tongdao: "That's what happened at the right time, so people will agree." ”

"We do it at the right time!" Wu Shilai's tone became more passionate and said: "The strict party bullies the king." The people were indignant at the scourge, but all the righteous people were heartbroken. I can't wait to sleep on its skin and sigh for its flesh! Now there are only two people in the same way, and I am too little! ”

"Okay, even if you have to go to the table" Shen Tong asked again: "It's impossible to think of using the New Year's Day table to make a fuss, right?" ”

Because the General Administration Department was controlled by the strict party, the normal channels could not reach the heavens at all, so he could only make this decision Wu Shilai paused and said: "The lower official used to write a letter, but the mud cow entered the sea, and there was no news. Lord Shen might as well check this first."

It turned out that this Wu Shilai was quite eloquent, and the soldiers came to block the water and cover the earth, and Shen Tong took turns to fight and didn't ask anything useful.

The first day of interrogation ended helplessly, Shen Tong went back to report to He Butang, and naturally he was inevitably scolded, He Bin warned him: "If you don't have to be punished tomorrow, I will think that you are his accomplice." I'm going to put you on trial together! "Went patiently. No matter what happens in the future, let's get past the current hurdle first.

The water-stained leather whip "snapped" on Wu Shilai's body, and within a few strokes, his skin was open and his flesh was opened, and blood flowed everywhere. The pain was so painful that this scholar, who had never been sinned, almost fainted.

Shen Tong counted, and shouted to stop when he hit ten times, and Wu Shilai, who was pale and sweaty, sighed and said: "Brother, under torture, even the iron man will be crippled You are still so young, and the days will be long, why should you give Qingqing's life in vain for a momentary anger?" ”

Wu Shilai laughed miserably and said, "What I said is the truth,"

"Fight again!" Shen Tong frowned

Wu Shilai's heart is like a mirror, if he recruits according to their ideas, then this life will be completely ruined, even if he survives, the label of traitor and soft bones can't be washed off, and everywhere he goes, he will be stinky, people and gods will abandon him, and life is better than death.

So you must not recruit, otherwise you will become a joke from a hero,,

So he went out, let him be beaten in the chair, was knocked unconscious and woke up, knocked unconscious, and woke up again, repeated truthfully several times, and finally couldn't stand it anymore, so he said: "I am willing to move." ”

Shen Tong was overjoyed. The busy man stopped and gave him water and medicine. With an apologetic face, he said: "It's really not my intention to beat you like this, brother, you just need to recruit the person who instructed, and I will immediately release you from the doctor." Drink to make amends. ”

Wu Shilai laughed miserably and said: "Emperor Taizu set up a speech official, that is, let the speech official impeach the lawless, and set the ancestor to scrape, the speech official can hear about the matter, and will not be convicted for his speech." On the contrary, during the term of office, if there is no impeachment and picketing, they must be dismissed from their posts and investigated, and they must be punished and awaited! Therefore, as a criminal department, it is natural to impeach Yan Song, if I have to ask who is the mastermind, it can only be the spirit of Emperor Taizu in the sky! ”

"Call me!" Naturally, there was another burst of torture, which completely knocked Wu Shilai unconscious.

Seeing that Shen Tong was so angry that he lost his mind, the official on the side whispered: "I can't fight anymore, in case someone dies, how can we afford it?" ”

Shen Tong came back to his senses at this time, nodded and said, "Forget it, let's treat him first, let's go ask others first." ”

The other two tricks were happy, but Dong Chuance said: "I have read the books of sages since I was a child, and Confucius taught me to be loyal to my ministers, and loyalty should know everything." You ask me who instructed me. Then I tell you, it was Confucius's instructions.

Zhang Swollen also had his saying, saying: "The talent of a righteous man and a gentleman is loyal and righteous, and loyalty is to know everything and say everything." If you have to say who is just, it is God. "No matter how coercive and tempting the official is. Torture, that is, not to say that it was "instigated by Xu Jie."

He Bin put on a bitter gourd face and said: "Your Majesty, forgive Weichen for his incompetence, the Criminal Department will not be able to investigate this case, Weichen begs to transfer those three people to the Dongji Factory, I believe that the torture masters of the Dongchang will pry their mouths open." ”

"It's only been a few days, and you want to pick a pick?" Jiajing threw the dossier back to him and said, "If you can't do it, you can change it." The book of the criminal department. ”

"No, no, no" When He Bin heard this, he hurriedly waved his hand and said: "Weichen will go back and step up the investigation, just don't pull out their bezoars and mabao, and never give up!" ”

Well, Jiajing nodded and said, "Go ahead,"

He Bin knelt down and was about to go out, but he heard the emperor say: "Don't torture anymore, if one of the three people dies, you will go home and farm." ”

"Yes" He Bin replied dizzily, and almost tripped over the threshold when he went out. He really wanted to cry without tears. It is said that Emperor Jiajing is difficult to serve, but now he can see that if he wants to ask for a confession and not allow torture, doesn't he want the horses not to eat grass and the horses to run fast?

But the emperor's words are golden rules, and he is not familiar with Jiajing to the point where he can discuss the spine and the spine, so he had to go back sullenly, and ponder the Tao in it himself, "What he wonders most about is that with the close relationship between those three people and Xu Jie, even if there is no evidence, Jiajing can clean up the three of them and Xu Jie." There is no need to toss around at all. But why do you want the people below to waste their efforts?

As he was walking out with a lot of heart, he saw two eunuchs coming from the palace gate with their waists. He Bin is clear. With this treatment, he was the only one who was Yan Godfather, and hurriedly ran over, and saw that it was really Lao Yan Song, and there was also an escort on the side. hurriedly and courteously saluted his godfather and godbrother.

Yan Song sat on his back, staring at the sky in a daze, ignoring him at all. Yan Shifan glanced at him and said, "Go to see the emperor?" ”

"Yes." He Bin said.

"How is the emperor feeling?" Guarding two eunuchs. Yan Shifan couldn't ask him what he was doing, he just asked, "Are you cultivating?" ”

"The emperor has just finished his work, and he is in a good mood." He Bin tried his best to reveal Jiajing's information to him and said: "The lower official has to retire, and the emperor still asked me to investigate the case." ”

"Oh? How's your case going? Yan Shifan said helplessly: "My father let those three villains toss a lot, and they have to go into the palace to defend themselves if they are so bad." ”

"Alas. No progress. He Bin shook his head and said: "The emperor is not allowed to use torture again, but he is worried about the death of the official." Saying that, he hugged his fists and said, "The lower official retires." ”

"It's time for me to go in too." Yan Shifan nodded, quickly caught up with the waist who was walking in front, and said in a mess in his heart: "Although the emperor made an appearance and arrested those three people and imprisoned, he was not allowed to use torture if he couldn't ask for confessions. That's not a good thing! He knew Jiajing's cautious temper, if he wanted to deal with Xu Jie, he would find one at random. He left from the beginning, without any evidence at all.

As smart as Yan Shifan, he knows very well that this is a dangerous signal, it means that Xu Jie's status in the emperor's heart has improved, although the emperor still protects their Yan family, but when Xu Jie's flaws are exposed, Jiajing also protects Xu Jie.

"It seems

Yan Shifan secretly said that Nengmi was counting on the emperor, and it was so bad that he went down from elsewhere. Yan Donglou, who was full of eagerness for quick success, only saw the surface of the truth, but ignored its true meaning

Jiajing is already an old man who has been critically ill several times, and he has no ambitions, "It is not a major matter for the country." He had never had that thing before, but he had the ambition of cultivating to become an immortal and immortal.

This is a long power technique. The intriguing emperor no longer likes to watch people fight below. Just like all the old people in their last years, he just wants to live a stable life for a few years and enjoy the last sunset years, as for the country and the court, just get by, and when the time comes, hand over the mess and leave it to his children and grandchildren to worry about."

Yan Shifan didn't feel this change, because he always looked at people with old eyes. Shen Mo felt this change, so he reminded Xu Jie that if he didn't fight, he would fight.

Comparing the two, the brother made a judgment. The emperor will not tell you his thoughts, and if you guess wrong, you can only make a mistake, and you will be wrong to the end.

After the briefing. Jiajing let Yan Song go in by himself, as for Yan Shifan, where to stay cool, the emperor was afraid of seeing him, so he couldn't help but close the door and let the dog go.

With a worried mood, Lao Yan Song, supported by the two eunuchs, entered the self-respecting house, and when he crossed the threshold, he was almost put in by the two eunuchs.

But what surprised him was that after seeing the emperor, Jiajing's attitude was unusually gentle, and he expressed deep condolences and sincere condolences for the death of Mrs. Yan, which moved Yan Song so much.

But what was even more touching was still behind, Jiajing was trembling when he saw him sitting there, so he asked Huang Jin to bring a chair to Yan Song. Replace that brocade pier" This means that Yan Ge Lao can finally sit on a chair with a backrest in front of you. It's definitely a great honor! Looking at the past 5,000 years, I have never heard of anyone receiving such treatment!

This kind of grace of the world, like a rejuvenation elixir, made Yan Ge Lao's waist not sore, his legs no longer hurt, his eyes were rejuvenated, and he said with tears of excitement: "Minister, minister, minister thank Lord Longen" It turned out that he was originally like a withered tree, in addition to the blow of his wife's death, more because he felt that he had been disliked by the emperor and was about to withdraw from the stage of history; But now seeing Jiajing's courtesy, his heart suddenly came alive again.

"Eighty-three-year-old old Chengxiang, except for Jiang Ziya, I really can't find it" Jiajing smiled, glanced at Yan Song with deep meaning: "Our monarch and minister can be regarded as writing a good story, but you have to start and finish well." ”

But Yan Song was still immersed in the happiness of "Nadeshiko turned into a chair, and did not hear the exhortation in the emperor's tone, only understood it as the emperor hoped that he would continue to exert his residual heat and stand up for him on the last shift, so he patted his chest and said: "Weichen, Weichen is in good health, and it will not be a problem to serve the emperor for another ten or eight years!" ”

Jiajing's original intention was to do it yourself, restrain a little, let's all start and finish well, but it is not the meaning of letting him work for a few more years. The heart said,, do you still want to surpass Jiang Ziya? He laughed dryly and said, "That's good." That's good" The originally enthusiastic atmosphere suddenly became a little chilly.

Yan Song is indeed old, his brain can't turn anymore, and he is still there and said to himself: "But Weichen is really old, and he can't leave people around him anymore, so he dares to beg the emperor and let Weichen's eldest grandson." Escort him to his hometown, as for Yan Shifan, let him stay in Beijing to take care of Weichen. ”

When Jiajing heard this, he said in his heart: "What's the matter, you still want your son to regain his love?" , and said: "In that case, it will be too big a blow to Yan Shifan's reputation, and I am afraid that it will ruin him." This is really a good word, but unfortunately the authorities are confused, Yan Shifan only thought about how to stay, but he didn't think about the consequences of staying.

Old Yan Song's mind couldn't turn at all, and he still begged to himself: "The old minister is used to the service of dogs. Please also ask the emperor to be gracious and let him stay. ”

"You old fool" Jiajing scolded secretly, waved his sleeves irritably: "As long as you two are willing, of course Lian will not stop you." ”

"Thank you, Emperor" Yan Song got up tremblingly and kowtowed: "The old minister thanked the emperor on behalf of the dog."

Jiajing looked at his old appearance, suddenly sighed, and said in a low voice: "In your life, you have to be killed by that dog thing."

"What?" Yan Song's ears were back, he didn't hear clearly, and asked, "Dare to ask what the emperor said."

"Didn't say anything." Jiajing said: "There is a funeral at your house, and the United will not leave you to eat, nothing else, just go back and rest."

Yan Song has only one task here, that is, to let Yan Shifan stay, and now that the task is completed, he is also satisfied. He bowed and said, "Wechen has nothing else to do, Wechen will retire for the time being." He had already made up his mind that when the fifteenth day was over, the yamen would start working and return to the cabinet.

"Go" Yan Song was happy, but Jiajing's good mood was gone.

I'm rubbing, it's hard to keep it up, I hope it can be maintained."