nycdaug Chapter 137 Fighting
Chapter 137 Fighting
A quarter of an hour later, everyone in the court knew about what happened between Yuan Fang and Old Man Yuan.
The emperor, Lord Ji, and all the civil and military officials looked unhappy.
Only Jiang Xing remained indifferent.
But others cannot see the depression in his heart.
He originally did not believe that there were truly selfless and fair people in the world because he himself was not one.
But I didn't expect that it really existed in the world.
But such a good person died at the hands of Ji Cheng. Even if he knew about it, he couldn't save him and he didn't have a good ending.
If you have not seen the most beautiful moon, then naturally there will be no moon in your heart.
If you have seen it, you will never be able to accept the long dark night without any expectation.
Lord Ji glanced at Jiang Xing mockingly, and suddenly burst into laughter.
"Your Highness, you keep saying that Yuan Fang rescued someone in order to collect the money Sun Zhang had used to buy an official position. He was a good man praised by the people of Huangzhou City. He accidentally discovered evidence of Ji Cheng selling official positions, so he was killed by Ji Cheng. But how did I know the truth? It's a completely different story."
His shrewd eyes flashed with a fierce light, and there was a hint of sarcasm in the corners of his eyes: "First of all, the reason why this talented man Yuan Fang you mentioned came to the capital is fake!"
"He did serve as a servant in my Ji family, but he didn't come here to seek an explanation, or to get back Sun Zhang's bribe, as the prince said!"
His gaze was like a sharp spear, sweeping towards Jiang Xing with hostility.
"Instead, he came to me and offered himself. He hopes to follow Ji Cheng and gain a respectable position! Besides, Cheng'er didn't accept any bribes at all, so why should he return them?!"
When the last sentence was spoken, Lord Ji's voice suddenly became sharp, and the anger in his voice was not concealed at all.
The ministers in the palace who were familiar with Lord Ji immediately understood that this was a signal of the Lord's anger.
Prince Jin, I’m afraid we’re going to be in trouble.
Many people instantly felt like they were laughing at the joke.
At this time, Sheng Zhiyuan, Shaoqing of Taichang Temple, was the first to step forward.
He seemed to be in a friendly manner and said, "Your Highness, you have just returned from Longchuan and are not familiar with many things in the capital. I know that you have an old grudge with Lord Ji Cheng and you must be indignant. But no matter what, you must not use the people's affairs as a tool to achieve your own selfish goals!"
Sheng Zhiyuan almost bowed to the ground, looking humble, polite, and righteous. But his meaning was clear: Jiang Xing was using the people as a cover to murder Ji Cheng.
Before Jiang Xing could reply, another minister who was on good terms with Sheng Zhiyuan, Yang Sheng, the assistant minister of the Ministry of Revenue, also came out.
"Your Majesty, Prince Jin's love for the people is truly rare. Compared to the past, he has shown a greater sense of responsibility towards Daliang. However, I also believe that it is inappropriate to make a private conclusion without first investigating this matter!"
Jiang Xing almost laughed. Doesn't this mean that he, Jiang Xing, is a playboy? Doesn't everyone forget his reputation outside?
Lord Ji's face was stained with anger, but with the support of his two disciples, he felt confident.
After noticing Marquis Ji's gesture, Minister of Revenue Chang Wenji also stepped forward and said, "Your Highness, whether it's adjudicating a case or investigating it, we have the Ministry of Justice, the Supreme Court, the government office, and even the Censorate to handle it. Your Highness, please hand your noble body over to these departments. Let them thoroughly investigate the truth and then make it public!"
Chang Wenji was a second-rank official, which meant he was the chief minister in terms of rank.
So after hearing his remarks, most officials began to whisper and discuss among themselves, almost all of them accusing Jiang Xing of making false statements.
Jiang Xing made a "tsk" sound in his heart.
He certainly knew that they were all the followers that Marquis Ji had cultivated over the years in the court.
So he simply lived up to his reputation as a cynic and looked at each official he had just refuted in the hall.
"I'm really puzzled! A criminal who plotted to murder the prince, slaughtered innocent people, and amassed enormous wealth. When someone exposed the matter, and I even submitted the evidence, everyone's first reaction was not to understand the victim's injustice, but to help the murderer. And so many officials even protected him!"
"Isn't this enough to prove what I said before, that I feel pity for Daliang?!"
Jiang Xing suppressed his surging blood and questioned loudly, his words revealing the murderous aura that he usually restrained very well.
When Jiang Xing walked past these ministers, they felt a strong sense of oppression for no reason.
All the ministers present were shocked.
Is the person who said this really the current King Jin?
Just when everyone was wondering if he had changed his ways, Jiang Xing's expression changed again. He said with a cynical smile, "But it doesn't matter to me. Everyone knows that I don't care about state affairs. But as everyone has said, Lord Ji Cheng and I have an old grudge. I just want to speak up for people like me who were harmed by Ji Cheng. Is that not okay?"
He paused and said, "If even I, a prince, cannot punish the wicked when I have been wronged, how can I talk to ordinary people?"
He returned to his seat and glanced at the ministers who had just confronted him. "Including you. If one day you are wronged, do you think you will be able to get justice?"
The whole hall was silent.
Only Xie Ruqin and Shen Tingan, who were standing on Jiang Xing's right, seemed to look at him with a different look.
Seeing that no one was talking, Jiang Xing finally nodded with satisfaction.
He put his hands behind his back and looked at Lord Ji calmly: "Didn't Lord Ji just say that Ji Cheng and the Ji family didn't accept bribes? I have witnesses and physical evidence!"
As he spoke, Old Man Yuan was brought to the Hall of Supreme Harmony.
Old Man Yuan was timid in his heart, but full of anticipation. Although his bow legs were shaking into an oval, the brilliance in his eyes could not be concealed.
This was the first time he entered the imperial palace, stepping into the pinnacle of power and wealth that everyone in the world longed for.
He knelt down, his voice trembling: "Long live the emperor!"
Lord Ji had met Old Man Yuan yesterday, so he was not alarmed by the fact that Jiang Xing had witnesses. He even curled his lips in contempt.
The emperor looked down at him condescendingly and said, "Uncle Yuan, Prince Jin said that you can testify that Ji Cheng sold official positions and accepted bribes?"
Elder Yuan replied respectfully, "I, Yuan Fang, a commoner's son, went to the Ji family to retrieve the money the Huangzhou County Magistrate had used to buy his position. I uncovered evidence of the Ji family selling official positions and titles. He has collected all the bribes from four years ago in a book, which clearly records the dates and appearances of the bribers. Your Majesty, I beg to review this!"
Old Man Yuan searched his chest, took out the booklet left by Yuan Fang, knelt down and raised it respectfully above his head.
Ji Xiangli's chest trembled.
There's actually physical evidence?!
It was no secret among the ministers that the Ji family accepted bribes.
But now that it is put on the table, its nature is completely different!
For a moment, everyone in the hall was in panic.
Many ministers of lower ranks even had thin sweat on their foreheads.
Many murderous gazes immediately converged on Old Man Yuan.
He Yuanguang took the booklet and presented it to the emperor.
The emperor actually did not read the evidence documents that Jiang Xing presented earlier.
But at this moment, he couldn't help but open the booklet.
This is hard-earned money from Daliang!
Twenty thousand taels, ten thousand taels, thirty thousand taels, ten thousand taels...
The emperor muttered to himself.
He was seven feet tall, with a mole on his left cheek; he was short and thin, and walked with his legs splayed...
As page after page turned, waves of rage, stronger than the last, surged up in my chest.
With these facial features, he could tell who many of them were at a glance! Many of them were even in this hall!
The officials below the stage were trembling with fear. In their eyes, what the emperor was holding in his hand was not evidence, but a book of life and death in the hands of a judge.
The sound of the paper fluttering was like the rustling sound of a beheading knife on a grindstone.
The emperor's murderous gaze swept oppressively across the audience. Many people who had given bribes felt a chill running down their spines, and goose bumps appeared all over their bodies.
He slammed his palm heavily on the armrest of the dragon throne, his nostrils trembling violently due to his heavy breathing: "You are really good! You are corrupt and abuse your power to enrich yourself. Are you trying to rebel?!"
These ministers, unaware of his imperial grace, actually all went to curry favor with the Ji family!
If he doesn't show the majesty of an emperor in front of all the ministers, does he really think the Ji family can ride on his neck?
if not...
He really wanted to cut Ji Xiangli into pieces!
Sensing the emperor's anger, Lord Ji immediately leaned forward and said, "Your Majesty, you cannot believe one side of the story!"
He explained anxiously, "Even if we say Ji Cheng sold official positions and accepted bribes, we should still listen to what the parties involved have to say, right?"
The emperor looked in Ji Xiangli's direction, a cold arc on his lips: "Okay! Don't believe one side of the story. Then I will give you a chance!"
After saying that, he looked at He Yuanguang beside him and said, "Bring Ji Cheng up to me!"