Chapter 20: A Stirring Debate in the Courtroom

The ministers were in an uproar, and no one could have imagined that Fan Xian was actually a man who would rather bend than break, and refused to defend himself even in the face of death. Yan Xingshu, the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, darkened his face and was about to say something, but when he raised his eyes, he saw that the several super-ranking officials in front of him were all silent, and only then did it occur to him that it was not going to be that simple.

Privy Council Minister General Qin old white beard in the temple wind swinging, old eyes slightly narrowed, seems to be asleep. Yan Xingshu glanced down to the side, Qin Heng, the old general’s son, Counselor of the Privy Council, also kept his mouth shut, no longer having the courage to propose Fan Xian’s mission to Northern Qi in the early spring.

The military kept silent as it should be, on the one hand they had good relations with the Supervisory Yuan, on the other hand this was an invasion of the officialdom in Kyoto, there was no need for them to intervene. But the head of the civil officials, Shu Daoshi, was also respectful, but as if he had not heard this conversation in front of the temple, several Shangshu had become a clay Bodhisattva.

Yan Xingshu secretly speculated for a moment or two that there seemed to be no need to offend Fan Xian, the little black dog who loved to cause trouble, for the sake of the Princess who was far away in Xinyang, so he also kept his mouth shut.

Seeing that no minister spoke up to reprimand Fan Xian, His Majesty the Emperor’s face still did not ease, and with a cold light flashing in his eyes, he stared at Fan Xian and said, “If you don’t defend yourself, let’s listen to how Secretary Lai will share his words.”

Lai Mingcheng, the left imperial historian, led the order to come forward, and read out all the unlawful things about Fan Xian in the zhangzhang, and with one stroke of the pen, it was really clear. Fan Xian’s heart screamed bitterly, and said that this left imperial historian really deserves the name of a Lai word, how to put everything on his head? One of those little brats asked for a bribe last month, and what can he have to do with it?

There was a discussion in the courtroom, and the eyes of Lai Mingcheng and Fan Xian became a bit strange. The matter of the Senate, the first and foremost, is the palace Dai Gonggong suspected for his nephew Dai Zhen check vegetables Division, to the Supervisory Board of the Department of the bribe silver two. The ministers thought to themselves, “How dare you bring things to the palace? On the other hand, he despised Fan Xian, this great opportunity, actually only received the old Dai a thousand taels of silver, this dynasty stood on the seniors, who still have that mind to receive these small money?

Hearing the matter involves the palace, His Majesty the Emperor is unchanged, even directly called the guards to pass the Shukui Fei that the palace Dai eunuch to the courtroom confrontation.

Although all the officials know that this kind of investigation method is really some nonsense, but who also know that His Majesty is not a confinement in the corrupt rules and regulations of the characters, plus also curious about this matter in the end how the situation, so they are muffled silence.

Not a moment, Dai eunuch will be led to the temple, he has long known that today’s court will say what matter, the heart is anxious, but also a good wonder, thinking that he sent the silver ticket is only through the hand of Yi Gui concubines, that the master of the nature of the cheerfulness, but has always been very strict, plus and Fan Xian is a relative of the corner, how will not sell themselves to the sub, how the wind and how to spread to the House of the Censors to go?

After the temple, first called long live, and then called wrongly accused, Dai eunuch pouting ass old tears, to the emperor can not stop kowtowing, force to admit that there is no such thing: “His majesty has always been strictly prohibited the palace lackeys and court officials to communicate with the old slaves, the old slaves are timid, more do not dare to disobey the rules, talking about this small Fan adults, slaves did hear his name, because … …”

Eunuch Dai looked pitifully at His Majesty the Emperor on the dragon chair, “This whole world knows the great name of Fan Shixian, even though the slave is a cripple, he is also a cripple of the Kingdom of Qing. When I heard that Lord Fan had gone on a mission to Northern Qi to add glory to His Majesty, I was naturally happy, and I would inevitably mention Lord Fan in my daily gossip. However, the lackey has not even seen Lord Little Fan’s face, so how could he possibly offer a bribe?”

The left imperial inspector Lai Mingcheng coldly asked, “Eunuch Dai really hasn’t seen Fan Tisi?”

Eunuch Dai’s knees hurt, and he had already cursed this meddling royal historian countless times in his heart, and when he heard the question, he suddenly made a sudden realization: “Come to think of it, last year when I sent the imperial decree to the Fan mansion, I had seen Lord Fan once, but at that time I was delivering the decree, and so I was just entering the door, so if this is considered a sighting… . this is the only time I’ve seen him.”

Eunuch Dai then howled and swore to heaven, “Your Majesty, the old slave really has only seen this side of Little Lord Fan, if I ever see him again, let me wear my intestines out and not die a good death, and in my next life I’ll still be an eunuch.”

This oath was poisonous enough, and His Majesty angrily cursed, “What bullshit words!”

Lai imperial historian is a slight worry between the eyebrows, said: “bribery, it does not necessarily mean that both sides must meet …… Dai eunuch, this official asked you, do you have a distant nephew called Dai Zhen, in the light city mouth inspection vegetables division to do a small official?”

Dai eunuch did not dare to hide, nodded.

Lai imperial historian positively reported, “Your majesty, that Dai Zhen is a corrupt ……” He said all the things that the Supervisory Yuan one investigates the case, and then stared at Fan Xian with both eyes, coldly said, “Dare to ask Fan Ti Si, this Dai Zhen now Where is he now?”

After thinking for a while, Fan Xian replied, “This case has been closed, and after this young official named Dai Zhen spit out the stolen silver, he was taken out of his post, so I don’t know where he is now.”

Lai boom imperial historian said coldly: “good a don’t know, obviously you are bribed by Dai Gong Gong, private law offenses, that Dai Zhen in the inspection of vegetables division six years, don’t know how many palaces of silver greed, mention the lord of a sentence don’t know, a take over, just collect some silver will release him, really don’t know what kind of subtlety in this.”

Fan Xian did not panic, methodically responded, “The court found that Dai Zhen had coveted a total of four hundred and seventy-two taels of silver in six years. According to the provisions of the third rule of the Qing law, if the number is under five hundred taels, the person will be removed from office and returned to the silver, plus a fine, and does not need to be transferred to the Ministry of Justice. This case is closed, Dai Zhen removed from the official, fined 1,000 taels of silver, I do not know what Lai Imperial Secretary think this official so dealt with what is wrong, what is the mystery?”

Dai Zhen’s case was investigated by the Supervisory Yuan, as for how much he had actually coveted, it wasn’t Fan Xian’s word.

Imperial Secretary Lai laughed back in anger, “Four hundred and seventy-two taels? Fan Tisi isn’t deceiving the hundred officials in the court and not having eyes, is he?”

This was a very heavy statement, but Fan Xian smiled instead, “Of course, Dai Zhen also coveted some greens and fruits, which should be converted into cash silver according to the rules, in that case, it is indeed the courtyard that is not meticulous enough, and Royal Secretary Lai’s point is reasonable, this official would like to thank him.”

Lai imperial historian saw him to be a messy, shouted angrily: “Outrageous! That Dai Zhen in the past six years at least four thousand taels of silver! The people’s grievances are boiling to the core, and Fan Tiji is trying his best to protect him, what on earth does he want to do!”

The courtroom was quiet, and only this Imperial Historian’s angry questions could be heard.

Fan Xian slowly raised his head, gave the royal historian a slightly chilly look, and took a gentle step forward.

Seeing the coldness on his handsome face, Imperial Historian Lai was momentarily deterred and subconsciously took a step back.

Fan Xian stared into his eyes and suddenly opened his mouth and said word for word, “What is the intention? The people’s grievances to boil over?”

He took a deep breath, sneered and said, “Dare to ask Lai imperial historian, you as the imperial historian of the metropolitan inspectorate, is responsible for the wind and news, since you say that Dai Zhen has coveted so much silver, the people’s grievances are boiling greatly …… Then how come the metropolitan inspectorate hasn’t had one piece of zhangzhang mention this matter in these six years? Could it be that you are the official who really wants to conceal his crimes? The people’s grievances are boiling over, why don’t you bring it to the Kyoto prefect to arrest and bring to justice!”

He suddenly became angry, and the courtiers in the courtroom were all stunned.

Fan Xian didn’t give Lai a chance to speak, and said in a chilling voice, “I have been in charge of a place for only a month or so, and I have found out that Dai Zhen is a corrupt official. Lai, who has known for six years that Dai Zhen has a great deal of public resentment, has been silent and mute! The Supervisory Yuan investigated the case, but became not, the Imperial College of the Imperial College of the people as a whole six years as a mute! ……”

“Being a mute for six years! And now they’re saying that I, the Procuratorate, have corrupted the law!”

Fan Xian bowed to the emperor on the dragon chair and turned back to angrily question Lai, “I would like to ask you what you really want to do!”

The series of forced questions, on the spot, the left imperial historian was blindsided, he knew that he had said a wrong sentence earlier, and as a result, he was caught by Fan Xian – if he admitted that the metropolitan procuratorate did not know about Dai Zhen’s corruption, then Fan Xian strongly said that Dai Zhen only coveted more than 400 taels of silver, and there was no way that he could retract the case again. In his previous anger, he said that Dai Zhen had embezzled a lot of silver, and the public was very angry, but he was caught in Fan Xian’s trap – as the imperial inspector general, why didn’t he make a move in the past six years since he knew about the matter? The fact that he had to jump out to impeach the person who investigated the case after the Supervisory Yuan investigated the case was pointed out by Fan Xian, and then it became a strong proof that the DPC was jealous of the Supervisory Yuan, and that it had falsely climbed up to the fictitious charges.

The ministers in the courtroom looked at Lai’s gaze with some displeasure, while looking at young Lord Fan’s gaze with some admiration. These old foxes were of course clear about the root of the matter, but Fan Xian was digging a hole in the court, and Lai jumped out of the court, and this power and accuracy really made these old foxes a bit scared – where is this like a young man who has been in the officialdom for only a year! This is not like a young man who has been in the officialdom for only one year!

The crowd sighed in their hearts, this Fan Xian is a poet who also writes poems, fights, and is now an official, so I really don’t know how Fan Jian, the old money basket, could have such a good life and raised such a good bastard son.

Left Royal Secretary Lai Mingcheng angry lips trembling, a brush of both sleeves, on His Majesty kneeled down, hoarse voice excited report: “I have a loss of duty, please His Majesty severely punished. But Fan Ti Si perverted the law, your majesty can not be lightly indulged, by the Da Lisi detailed investigation, there will be something!”

The emperor had already listened with some impatience, and when he saw Fan Xian’s behavior, his eyes flashed with a hint of joy, then he said in a show of impatience, “Okay, okay, you are the left royal historian, it’s normal that you don’t know about the corruption and perverting of the law of a small official who delivers groceries, so what’s the good of punishing him. Just remember, in the future, do not want to exaggerate in the court above, with the people’s grievances to say things …… I am not the emperor of Northern Wei or Northern Qi, Qing is not that kind of country, invite the name of this kind of thing in the future do not want to do.”

Invite the name? Lai Mingcheng was ashamed and angry, dead refused to accept this kind of reputation, clenched his teeth and knelt on the ground and refused to get up, kowtowed again and again.