Chapter 283: An Actor

Yan Shaoqing, also recount the previous case details.

Zheng Shuqing, expressionless, instructed Yan Zhenqing.

Today's trial has no meaning; everything is just a formality. Afterwards, An Lushan being placed under soft detention or even imprisoned is a foregone conclusion.

Then An Lushan will be summoned by the Sage, and he will weep with gratitude for the Sage's "magnanimity" and "sincere counsel." Later An Lushan will be pardoned, and the case will be set aside for lack of evidence, but this will not prevent it from becoming a stain and hidden risk in An Lushan's career.

In the future, when Ji Ge wants to move against An Lushan, he only needs to claim new evidence in the case of Minister Pei, request his return to Chang'an to report duties and assist the investigation; no additional reason for removal or prosecution is required.

"Alright, Zheng Zhengqing."

Yan Zhenqing nodded slightly, suppressed his inner disgust, opened a file and read:

"The day after Minister Pei was attacked, the Jinwu Guard captured the suspect in a sesame‑cake shop in Pingkang Fang, and handed him over to the Dali Temple for a hearing, where Zheng Zhengqing personally interrogated him."

During the interrogation, the suspect testified that Right Prime Minister Li Linfu was the mastermind, and that the returning River West Jiedushi Fang Chongyong fully planned the assassination, then, taking advantage of the guards' negligence, he struck a pillar and perished.

At this point, the case stalled.

Because only the suspect's one‑sided testimony exists, the Right Prime Minister and the Fang Jiedushi are not implicated. Today's visit to the Dali Temple office is merely to inquire about the case.

Yan Zhenqing was not certain whether An Lushan had assassinated Pei Kuan, but he knew that Li Linfu and Fang Chongyong were certainly innocent in this case.

The last sentence was a comment he added himself.

In other words, the suspect's one‑sided testimony is insufficient to accuse the two. Li Linfu and Fang Chongyong are merely "witnesses" in this case.

"Zheng Zhengqing, you just adjudicate the case; don't look at me. It's you who judge, not me."

I am here merely as an observer; after all, this case involves a Prime Minister and two Jiedushi, so I am just curious.

Ji Ge held a wooden‑hand silk fan, constantly waving it as he spoke, looking as if he were leisurely watching a play.

The fan's surface was round, depicting a pair of birds holding flowers in their beaks, two mountains beneath them, and floral designs above—exquisitely beautiful.

Hearing this, Fang Chongyong, who was attending nearby, struggled hard to restrain his urge to make a snide remark.

If he could, he truly wished he could kill Ji Ge right now.

Perhaps Li Linfu and An Lushan now share a similar thought, but the two, like Fang Chongyong, wore cold, expressionless faces as if they had prearranged it.

"Yan Shaoqing, also tell us the new developments in the case."

Zheng Shuqing instructed.

"More than ten days ago, near Jinguang Gate in Huaide Fang, a man in his thirties named Chen Lu died in a rented house. Many of the residents here are outsiders, with household registration not in Chang'an."

Their occupations are mostly related to funerary services, and Chen Lu is no exception.

Later, after the Jinwu Guard investigated, they found that this man had been destitute before, but recently became suddenly extravagant, no longer working at the coffin shop in the southern Chonghua Fang, spending his days in debauchery as if he had endless money.

They also heard from nearby neighbors and the landlord that recently a Hebei native named Li Meng was close to him and often came here.

The Wannian County magistrate captured Li Meng and interrogated him overnight, discovering that Li Meng still held a commission in the Pinglu Army, still recorded in the Ministry of War's registers!

After Wannian County handed Li Meng over to the Dali Temple for thorough interrogation, the suspect not only confessed to the murder and silencing, but also explained the motive.

At this point, Yan Zhenqing pointed at An Lushan and said, "Li Meng is a personal soldier of the Pinglu Jiedushi An Lushan, coming to Chang'an to murder and silence in order to eliminate the eyewitness and evidence against the assassin of Minister of Revenue Pei. An Jiedushi, do you have nothing to explain?"

What do I have to explain?

An Lushan looked utterly bewildered, never expecting such a massive blunder to fall from the sky in this absurd manner. The frame‑upper didn't even bother to consider the basic logical connections!

He cursed inwardly: if this were truly his own plot, after a successful killing, the assassination team would surely withdraw from Chang'an, then be silenced and their bodies destroyed by him.

Could he still keep these people in Chang'an, allowing the Jinwu Guard to capture them?

"Hmm, this matter is rather suspicious."

An Lushan, you also tell me exactly what's going on.

Could the Dali Temple have wronged you?

Ji Ge pointed at An Lushan with his fan and asked.

"Your servant, I am wronged!"

An Lushan said no further nonsense, immediately fell to his knees, crying and sobbing! Fang Chongyong felt that perhaps even when An Lushan's mother died, she never cried like this. From hearing the slur to wailing took only a second or two!

What a self‑cultivation of an actor!

Maintaining a calm demeanor as he watched the absurd scene, Fang Chongyong wondered: does An Pangpang think he can get through this stage just by crying?

Looking at the situation, Ji Ge had even prepared a wrongful‑case package, directly finding a traitor within the Pinglu Army!

Fang Chongyong didn't know Ji Ge's exact method, but judging from the emperor's power and resources, framing a Jiedushi is no difficult task.

"Bring Li Meng in."

Yan Zhenqing shouted.

Soon, a ragged prisoner in coarse hemp clothing, with disheveled hair and grime, was brought into the Dali Temple hall and knelt before the crowd.

"Li Meng, is the person who ordered you to murder and silence now in the hall? Identify him!"

Yan Zhenqing said in a stern yet calm tone.

"It's him! It's him! Pinglu Jiedushi An Lushan!"

He ordered me to murder and silence; Chen Lu plotted to assassinate Minister of Revenue Pei, then stayed in Chang'an instead of returning to Yingzhou; An Lushan then sent me to Chang'an to silence. Only his death would prevent me from implicating An Lushan.

The suspect named Li Meng stared at An Lushan with fixed eyes, pointing and shouting at him!

The Dali Temple hall fell silent; even the kneeling, weeping An Lushan was stunned and said nothing.

At this moment, Fang Chongyong fully understood Ji Ge's scheme.

In his previous life, whether professional film critics or ordinary people who only occasionally turned on a TV or computer to watch a movie clip, did they not know that movies are fake?

Of course they knew. This question need not be answered; even the most "realistic" film is inevitably a fabrication.

Just like the obvious frame‑up before us, whether true or false, there is no need to investigate.

In ancient times, evidentiary chains could not withstand scrutiny, and this case has no physical evidence.

Even if there were, without professional techniques to test fingerprints, hair, DNA, etc., it would be hard to discern right from wrong.

How to prove one's innocence has always been a vexing problem for Fang Chongyong in his past lives, let alone in ancient times.

Unfortunately, this is not an age that talks about facts and reason. Whether An Lushan has done anything is irrelevant; what matters is what Ji Ge thinks.

"Li Meng, the matter is of great importance; if I discover you have framed someone, I will annihilate three families!"

Ji Ge, his face fierce, scolded the suspect angrily.

"Your Excellency, Saint, a sinner would not dare lie. As for someone's identity, a single inquiry will reveal the truth."

Li Meng knelt on the ground and kowtowed to Ji Ge, saying.

"Saint, this person was formerly a personal guard when the Left Prime Minister served as the Jiedushi of Pinglu; after I took office, I replaced the guards, and have only met him once.

He must be harboring a grudge and using this to frame me; please, Saint, see clearly."

An Lushan said calmly, showing no panic on his face.

In the past, Li Shizhi served as Jiedushi of Pinglu, and many of his personal guards were actually close followers of Fang Youde. They were elite troops who had accompanied Fang Youde on the campaign against the Bohai Kingdom, and Li Meng was one of them.

But after An Lushan became Jiedushi of Pinglu, he replaced all his personal guards with Hu people from his own tribe, appointing Shi Siming as the guard captain.

So from this perspective, An Lushan is not lying.

"Is there such a thing?"

Ji Ge looked at Zheng Shuqing and asked.

"Your Excellency, Saint, these are merely one-sided statements from both sides. But Li Meng's military registration is with the Pinglu army, and he has not retired yet; that is ironclad.

Your humble servant can only find this much."

Zheng Shuqing crossed his arms and saluted Ji Ge, indicating that An Lushan cannot clear the suspicion at all.

From his words we learn that Li Meng's military registration is in Pinglu; he is a veteran of the Long March, recorded in the Ministry of War. Moreover, he should still be in service, with no report of death or disappearance. Thus Li Meng's statements carry considerable credibility.

An Lushan needs to provide stronger evidence to "prove his innocence himself".

As for personal guards, the Ministry of War's registers do not detail them; personal guards and ordinary soldiers are merely private retainers of certain generals, and there is no such thing as a "professional" personal guard.

Take An Lushan's earlier words, for who knows if he deliberately distanced a close follower, using him as a hidden piece to "do dirty work"?

In the Tang era there were no cameras, no recorders; it was a matter of dead certainty, relying only on words. An Lushan cannot prove he has no connection with the suspect, while the documents from the Ministry of War suffice to show that the person is indeed a member of the Pinglu army!

Such matters depend heavily on "subjective judgment"; if the Son of Heaven says you have it, you have it; if he says you don't, you don't!

An Lushan lowered his head, his eyes darting like a thief's.

The development of events actually aligns with Zhang Tongru's earlier prediction, eight or nine parts out of ten. If it continues this way, the next step will be the Son of Heaven stepping in to "smooth things over", claiming insufficient evidence and that high officials cannot be arbitrarily detained, then finding a secluded residence in Chang'an to place himself under self‑imposed house arrest.

An Lushan does not want such a thing to happen!

Thinking of this, An Lushan suddenly crossed his arms and saluted Ji Ge, then immediately knelt on the ground and cried out loudly:

"Saint, your humble servant wishes to explain that the assassin who killed Minister Pei originally came from the Hexi frontier army!

He was from the Doulu army! He is inseparably linked to the then‑governor of Shazhou, Fang Chongyong!

Now another former confidant of Fang Youde has emerged!

It is the father‑son duo of the Fang family colluding to frame me. They intend to control all of our Tang border armies and plot rebellion!

Your humble servant is the thorn in their side; please, Saint, see clearly!"

Eh?

Everyone present was shocked and pale, all frightened by An Lushan's words!

Ji Ge's old face turned as black as a pot bottom, his whole body trembling with anger! This was the first time anyone dared, in his presence, to expose those unspeakable scandals!

Um, if we don't count the incident with the Longevity King Li Chang.

Li Meng is certainly a former subordinate of Fang Youde, but these matters were personally orchestrated by Ji Ge, who merely leveraged Fang Youde's connections. After all, Ji Ge, who never leaves the palace doors, could not possibly know a specific foot soldier in the border armies.

An Lushan's earlier words clearly amounted to a deliberate slap in the face! Ji Ge does not believe An Lushan fails to see the drama!

This mixed‑blood barbarian, he even dares to resist!

At that moment, Fang Chongyong, who had been sitting still, sprang up, took a brisk stride to An Lushan's side, and delivered a hard kick straight to his face!

An Lushan, like a meatball, rolled several times on the ground, then leaned against the wall, dizzy and still not recovered!

One kick was not enough to vent his anger; Fang Chongyong rushed over, repeatedly pounding An Lushan's fat belly. The latter clutched his stomach desperately, struggling to get up.

Several bailiffs from the Dali Temple office rushed forward, grabbing Fang Chongyong, while An Lushan, after getting up, leapt at him; the two wrestled, and the scene instantly descended into chaos!

"Enough!"

Ji Ge shouted loudly!

Soon, Zheng Shuqing grabbed Fang Chongyong, and Yan Zhenqing seized An Lushan; five or six bailiffs stood between them, separating the two. Fang Chongyong received only a bruised corner of his mouth; but An Lushan fared worse—already a fat face, now battered, nose‑bleeding and swollen, looking like a pig's head.

"You are court‑appointed Jiedushi; how can you fight with fists and feet before me like street thugs!"

Ji Ge, his face dark, looked at Fang Chongyong and then at An Lushan, and could not help shouting.

"Saint, a scholar may be killed but not humiliated; my father and I have loyalty to the Saint that is as evident as the sun and moon, and we cannot tolerate this mixed‑blood scoundrel's slander!"

Fang Chongyong pointed at An Lushan and shouted profanities.

"Saint, my loyalty to you is as steadfast as the Tianshan and Kunlun mountains; your humble servant wishes to duel this thief! Please, Saint, do not hinder me.

Fang Xiaozei! Tomorrow at the Zhuque Street outside the Imperial City Gate, I will wait for you; no weapons, just fists and feet, a hand‑to‑hand fight, until death!

Do you dare to accept the challenge!

An Lushan retorted.

"What is there not to dare? Saint, let your humble servant kill this mixed‑blood scoundrel!"

Fang Chongyong, unwilling to be outdone, retorted, spouting flowery words.

In the Tang era, martial valor was prized; it was not uncommon, indeed frequent, for a disagreement to erupt into a brawl. The notion of swift vengeance was the prevailing mindset of the time.

Although the two Jiedushi arranging a street duel was absurd, their brave, fearless martial spirit resonated strongly with society.

A Jiedushi, after all, commands troops in battle. If they dare not even fight or brawl, who can trust them to lead soldiers to defend the nation?

In other words, officials fighting openly certainly tarnishes civility, yet from high officials to common folk, everyone adopts this approach.

Indeed, this is a solution that is both grandiose and straightforwardly brutal.

「Ah, you are all court-appointed officials—how can you behave like this! 」

They are all my pillars of the state; if any one of them is hurt, I will feel heartbroken. »

Ji Ge sighed sadly, but a hint of pride flickered across their face before disappearing.

An Lushan's maneuver successfully shifted the topic; now everyone is worried about whether to let the two military governors settle their grudge in a street brawl, and no longer cares to investigate the matter of An Lushan's subordinates killing people in Chang'an.

「Your Majesty, a person lives for their face. Matters of honor are a matter of life and death! 」

An Lushan's slander against me and my father labels us as treacherous ministers and wicked sons; this unjust name makes us unfit to be human.

I beg Your Majesty to grant me justice; my feud with An Lushan must be settled. I, your humble servant, am willing to fight him to the death in public. »

Fang Chongyong dropped to one knee and begged to fight.

Such a practice of setting up a fighting platform was common in the Tang dynasty, but bare-knuckle brawls without weapons or armor were less common.

「Your Majesty, I am the same! 」

An Lushan also dropped to one knee and said.

「Good! In three days, I will set up a fighting platform on Zhuque Avenue outside the Imperial City Gate; the two will go up to fight, without weapons or armor, and must stop at the point of contact.

After this fight, all grudges will be wiped clean! Let's conclude the case here for today; you two can go prepare. »

Ji Ge waved a hand, turned, and left the Hall of the Ministry of Justice.

Fang Chongyong rose to his feet, glanced at An Lushan, placed his hand on his throat, and made a throat-cutting gesture.

(End of chapter)