Chapter 74: The Accusation

Wei Zhongxian was enjoying himself immensely, but Zou Yuanbiao, sitting nearby, could no longer bear to listen.

He glanced at Wei Zhongxian, then at Feng Sanyuan, and could not help speaking up: "Director Wei, this is hardly appropriate, is it?"

Whether it was Zou Yuanbiao or Yang Lian, or anyone else present, they all understood that Wei Zhongxian was leading the witness—even threatening.

The recent affair with Yao Zongwen and Li Ruzhen had made one thing clear to everyone: Wei Zhongxian had long been in collusion with these men. Though no one knew why Yao Zongwen had turned, it was obvious his defection had put enormous pressure on Wei Zhongxian.

Had it not been for Li Ruzhen, Wei Zhongxian would likely have been finished this time. Although Li Ruzhen had implicated Zhang Laosan, Zhang Laosan was now dead, and no one could prove that Li Ruzhen's words were true.

But if Feng Sanyuan spoke—even if he merely testified that Zhang Laosan had said the same thing to him—then Yang Lian would find it very difficult to escape.

Even if the cause of Zhang Laosan's death could not be found, Yang Lian's crime could still be established, and many others might well be implicated.

Under such circumstances, Zou Yuanbiao naturally did not want Feng Sanyuan to speak.

If Feng Sanyuan said the same as Yao Zongwen, Wei Zhongxian would be put on the defensive; but if Feng Sanyuan said the same as Li Ruzhen, then Yang Lian could not extricate himself.

Clearly Wei Zhongxian knew this as well, which was why he had threatened Feng Sanyuan. And at this moment, Zou Yuanbiao naturally had to speak up.

Glancing at Zou Yuanbiao, Wei Zhongxian said with a smile: "Master Zou, I am the presiding judge in this case. How the case is tried is for me to decide. If Master Zou is dissatisfied, you may impeach me before His Majesty."

Clearly, after the Li Ruzhen affair and the revelation of Zhang Laosan's death, Wei Zhongxian's confidence had grown greatly.

He no longer wished to spare Zou Yuanbiao's face. Under such circumstances, his words were naturally far from courteous.

Because he no longer had any need for courtesy—they were about to have an open falling-out, and hypocritical politeness served no purpose.

Once the facade was torn, it was torn. The two sides had reached a point of irreconcilable enmity.

Wei Zhongxian did not continue wrangling with Zou Yuanbiao. Instead, he turned to Feng Sanyuan, raised his voice somewhat, and asked: "Feng Sanyuan, what do you have to say?"

At this moment, Feng Sanyuan's heart was already in turmoil, and his face was full of dejection.

After a long pause, he finally spoke: "Eunuch Wei, this official did indeed have contact with Zhang Laosan. Zhang Laosan also told this official not to change my testimony—that as long as I insisted Wei Zhongxian had framed me, I would not only be acquitted but could be restored to my former post, and even become famous throughout the realm."

At this point, Feng Sanyuan lowered his head and spoke slowly: "According to what Zhang Laosan said, these were words Yang Lian instructed him to convey."

Hearing Feng Sanyuan's words, Yang Lian's body swayed.

Zou Yuanbiao also felt that things had taken a turn for the worse.

He knew the matter was beginning to slide toward an irredeemable state. This eunuch dog Wei had clearly been well prepared.

Once this matter was brought before His Majesty, the outcome of whom His Majesty would believe was obvious. His desire to protect Yang Lian was now essentially impossible.

Hearing Feng Sanyuan's words, Wei Zhongxian immediately smiled. Without looking at Zou Yuanbiao or Yang Lian again, he continued to ask: "Regarding the framing of Xiong Tingbi—who instructed you to do that?"

Hearing Wei Zhongxian's question, everyone was stunned once more.

Zou Yuanbiao even abruptly stood up.

Clearly Wei Zhongxian was not prepared to stop here. He had already dragged Li Ruzhen into the water through Yao Zongwen and the others; now, through Li Ruzhen, he had dragged Yang Lian in as well.

But even at this point, Wei Zhongxian was still not satisfied. He wanted to drag even more people into the water.

Judging from Feng Sanyuan's confession, he was now completely obedient to Wei Zhongxian's will. Whoever Wei Zhongxian told him to implicate, he would inevitably implicate.

Under such circumstances, a great many people were certain to be dragged into the water by Feng Sanyuan.

Seeing Zou Yuanbiao stand up, Wei Zhongxian's face darkened.

He glared at Zou Yuanbiao and said loudly: "Master Zou, is there something you wish to say?"

Zou Yuanbiao glared back at Wei Zhongxian and said loudly: "Eunuch Wei, you threaten Feng Sanyuan and the others to frame the loyal, slander the innocent, and persecute court officials—does your conscience not ache? To deceive His Majesty in such a manner, I shall go before His Majesty and impeach you! Under the bright heavens and the shining sun, villains like you shall never succeed!"

With that, Zou Yuanbiao turned to Feng Sanyuan: "Feng Sanyuan, you collude with a powerful eunuch and frame loyal ministers. Where have all the books of the sages you read gone? You will be reviled for ten thousand generations!"

Hearing Zou Yuanbiao's accusations, a flash of hatred passed through Feng Sanyuan's eyes. He raised his head to look at Zou Yuanbiao, then turned to Wei Zhongxian and said loudly: "Eunuch Wei, this official is a Censor of the Censorate. Our superior is Zou Yuanbiao, Master Zou. Everything we did was ordered by Zou Yuanbiao; the framing of Xiong Tingbi was also something he wanted us to do."

"Although Liu Guojin acted to help Li Ruzhen, not all of us were like that. We were following Zou Yuanbiao's orders. Zou Yuanbiao did this in order to topple Xiong Tingbi."

"Before this, they had already toppled Fang Congzhe. According to Fang Congzhe's crimes, he should certainly have been punished. But Fang Congzhe reached an agreement with them—as long as he resigned as Chief Grand Secretary of the Grand Secretariat, they would stop attacking him and allow him to retire to his hometown."

"Zou Yuanbiao, Yang Lian, Gao Panlong, and the others—they have formed a faction. These men all come from the Donglin Academy, and they lecture together there. But lecturing is merely a cover; what they truly do is form cliques, attack state affairs at court, rely on one another in the imperial hall, and conspire for private gain."

"These men outwardly wave the banner of serving the country and the people, but in truth they act only for their own selfish interests. They want to place their own people in Liaodong—whether it be Military Commissioner Yuan Yingtai of Liaodong, Governor Wang Huazhen of Guangning, or Governor Xue Guoyong of Liaodong, all are members of the Donglin Faction."

"They purge those who differ from them, strike down loyal ministers, collude with Regional Commander Li Ruzhen, monopolize state power, and bring disaster upon the nation! I beg Eunuch Wei to investigate clearly—we were all coerced!"

Listening to Feng Sanyuan's words, Wei Zhongxian was overjoyed inside—there truly were surprises to be had!

Once they turned, they would tear at each other even more fiercely than he could, and strike more accurately at vital points.

Once a major case of faction-forming for private gain was confirmed by imperial decree, he could drag even more people into it.

Those who had offended him, those who would not obey him—all could be branded as members of the Donglin Faction.

At that point, who would still dare to defy him?

Thinking of that prospect, Wei Zhongxian could almost leap for joy. He felt he was about to reach the pinnacle of his life.

Hearing Feng Sanyuan's accusations, Zou Yuanbiao and Yang Lian's faces turned black, and they could barely remain standing.

They knew that if the Donglin Faction were truly convicted of forming cliques for private gain, then only death awaited them.

According to the provisions of the Great Ming Code, forming cliques for private gain was a capital crime punishable by beheading!