Chapter 44: Retracting the Confession

Yang Lian ignored Wei Zhongxian, who was present as an observer.

To him, Wei Zhongxian was nothing but a powerful eunuch. Although Yang Lian and Zou Yuanbiao held different positions on this case of framing Xiong Tingbi, Yang Lian could absolutely not tolerate Xiong Tingbi; and as for Wei Zhongxian, he could tolerate him even less. What was more, the two even showed signs of forming a faction together.

After Yang Lian sat down, he slapped the gavel on the table and announced in a loud voice: "Court is in session!"

As Yang Lian's words fell, the runners below beat their staves and shouted in unison: "Awe—!"

This was the traditional cry of the court.

Since this was a joint trial by the Three Judicial Offices, it naturally used the Court of Judicial Review's premises, and these runners were all men of the Court of Judicial Review.

Wei Zhongxian curled his lips at these people, utterly contemptuous. But he also knew what he was supposed to do — he drank his tea and watched with an expressionless face throughout.

Wei Zhongxian had made up his mind: no matter what the final outcome was, he would not speak a word today.

"Bring in Yao Zongwen." Yang Lian slapped the table and said in a loud voice, his face exceptionally stern.

Soon someone brought Yao Zongwen in from outside.

At this moment, Yao Zongwen naturally no longer looked as disheveled as he had at the Eastern Depot, nor was he wearing prison garb — clearly this was a courtesy extended by the Three Judicial Offices.

When Yao Zongwen came up, someone even moved a stool over for him to sit on.

All of this caused Wei Zhongxian, sitting off to the side as an observer, to raise an eyebrow slightly, and a smile unconsciously appeared at the corner of his mouth. It looked like there would be some entertainment today.

Yang Lian, sitting up above, was not particularly surprised. After all, Yao Zongwen had not yet been convicted, his official post had not been stripped, and his literati status had not been revoked — under such circumstances, it was only natural to grant him some dignity.

Once Yao Zongwen was seated, Yang Lian finally spoke: "Lord Yao, this is the interrogation record submitted by the Eastern Depot."

"In it you confess to colluding with Liu Guojin to frame Xiong Tingbi, and there is your fingerprint seal. Do you have anything to say?"

"I do!" Hearing these words, Yao Zongwen abruptly stood up, his expression agitated, and declared in a loud voice: "I have been wronged!"

"This is all a frame-up by Wei Zhongxian, that powerful eunuch!" Yao Zongwen pointed directly at Wei Zhongxian, then said indignantly: "Xiong Tingbi is a great traitor to the state! With Xiong Tingbi in Liaodong, disaster is surely imminent for Liaodong. I submitted memorials impeaching Xiong Tingbi, devoted wholly to the state, wholly to the public good — heaven and earth can bear witness, the sun and moon can attest. I did it for the Great Ming, for Your Majesty!" The more Yao Zongwen spoke, the more agitated he became, until he was nearly shouting.

Hearing Yao Zongwen say this, everyone frowned — including Yang Lian himself.

Yang Lian did not believe Yao Zongwen's words at all.

Yang Lian naturally knew what kind of man Yao Zongwen was.

This man had originally been of the Zhejiang Faction, and together with Xiong Tingbi and Liu Guojin he had attacked the Donglin gentlemen in the Censorate more than a few times. However, ever since Fang Congzhe, the Zhejiang Faction's Chief Grand Secretary, had fallen from power, Liu Guojin and Yao Zongwen had attacked Xiong Tingbi with desperate ferocity, completely switching sides — that was the only reason they had not been purged along with the Donglin Faction.

Now, for a man like him to shout about serving the state and the people — truly shameless beyond measure.

"There is your fingerprint seal on this document." Yang Lian looked at Yao Zongwen and asked: "Could it be that you could not withstand the torture? That the Eastern Depot beat a confession out of you?"

These words seemed to be speaking up for Yao Zongwen, but in fact that was not the case at all.

Confessing because you could not withstand torture, and then dragging your colleagues down with you — that was something to be despised.

A scholar requires moral backbone. You confessed just because you were beaten? You implicated others?

How can such behavior be worthy of a gentleman? Where is your backbone? Where have all the books of the sages you read gone?

Although I have never endured torture myself, I can still spout off.

If Yao Zongwen admitted it, his reputation would stink to high heaven in an instant.

Yao Zongwen was not stupid — he would not admit it. He said directly: "Confucius said to die for benevolence, Mencius said to sacrifice for righteousness. I, Yao Zongwen, have read the books of the sages — how could mere torture make me yield? I am not that kind of man. That fingerprint seal was pressed on after they knocked me unconscious. I knew nothing about it at all. This is all a frame-up and slander by that powerful eunuch of the Eastern Depot."

As soon as these words came out, the courtroom fell silent. Everyone looked at Yao Zongwen, whose gaze flickered slightly, and then looked at Wei Zhongxian, who sat there leisurely and at ease.

Unlike Yao Zongwen's agitation, Wei Zhongxian raised his teacup and took a sip, wearing an expression of enjoyment, as if he had not heard Yao Zongwen's words at all.

He gently set down his teacup. Seeing that everyone was looking at him and no one in the courtroom was speaking, Wei Zhongxian suddenly smiled: "Is Lord Yang not continuing the trial? Or does Lord Yang wish to interrogate me?"

"If Lord Yang wishes to interrogate me for framing Yao Zongwen, I'm afraid you will need to petition for an imperial edict." As he spoke, Wei Zhongxian flicked his robes, looking utterly unconcerned.

Interrogate Wei Zhongxian, the brush-holding eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial who served as Director of the Eastern Depot by imperial decree? Who had such authority? No one did — unless His Majesty ordered you to.

Besides, His Majesty had sent Wei Zhongxian to the Three Judicial Offices to observe the trial. If they turned Wei Zhongxian into the accused instead, what would His Majesty think?

The look in Yang Lian's eyes as he regarded Yao Zongwen changed.

In Yang Lian's view, the matter was actually very simple. Yao Zongwen and the others just needed to own up to the matter, and then it would be a question of sentencing — stripped of office and sent home would suffice.

Yang Lian had not expected Yao Zongwen to retract his confession, and to retract it so completely — even claiming that Wei Zhongxian had not extracted a confession by torture, but had outright fabricated the whole thing.

The matter had blown up.

Jiang Xu, the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review sitting beside Yang Lian, felt as if he were sitting on a bed of needles.

The instant Yao Zongwen retracted his confession, Jiang Xu had a very bad premonition.

This matter would not end well, and it was certain to stir up enormous waves. At the same time, Jiang Xu cursed inwardly — who on earth was behind this?

Glancing at Yang Lian beside him, a flicker of doubt passed through Jiang Xu's mind. Could it really be people of the Donglin Faction?

Were they still trying to protect Yao Zongwen and the others even at this point? Had they lost their minds? If this case were overturned, what would they be making of His Majesty?

Or perhaps Yao Zongwen and the others held some other leverage in their hands?

Thinking of this, Jiang Xu's heart kept sinking. This matter really was going to be troublesome. Most critically — what did this have to do with him? This was a disaster visited upon the innocent — when the city gate catches fire, the fish in the moat suffer!

Yang Lian stared at Yao Zongwen and said in a somewhat low voice: "Lord Yao, are you telling the truth?"

"Yes, it is the truth." Yao Zongwen continued in a loud voice: "All of this is Wei Zhongxian's scheming, his frame-up!"

Yang Lian glanced at Wei Zhongxian, then announced in a loud voice: "Bring in Liu Guojin."

Soon Liu Guojin was also brought in.

The result was the same — Liu Guojin also retracted his confession, with a story much like Yao Zongwen's: they had been knocked unconscious and the fingerprints pressed afterward. Wei Zhongxian had framed them. They were loyal and upright gentlemen who faced death without flinching, who would not confess even under torture, who would rather die than submit.

Yang Lian's face was as black as the bottom of a pot, while the officials of the Court of Judicial Review and the Ministry of Justice sitting in attendance trembled with fear, not daring to breathe loudly.

Wei Zhongxian, by contrast, sat holding his teacup and drinking, wearing a smile on his face even as he was cursed at, looking for all the world like a spectator enjoying the show.