Chapter 1240: Confrontation in the Hall

Just as the wind of the cold had ended, the officials responsible for transporting grain and fodder were arrested and locked in the Heavenly Prison.

Chen Guanlou specially ran to the Ministry of Justice to ask Sun Daojing why they weren't locked in the Zhao Prison.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard liked arresting civil officials the most, and they were slightly more polite to military generals.

"Everyone knows that the Zhao Prison has entry but no exit, either dead or disabled. The Heavenly Prison is still orderly. The higher-ups specifically instructed to lock them in the Heavenly Prison; don't you mess around."

Civil officials naturally have to take care of civil officials; knowing that the Zhao Prison is a fire pit, they naturally wouldn't throw people into the Zhao Prison. The Grade A prison in the Heavenly Prison has order and rules, and the prison guards' hands are clean and don't mess around; that reputation had long since spread.

"When is the court session?"

"The prisoners have arrived; there will be news within three to five days."

This is to confront both sides!

Chen Guanlou understood.

After returning to the Heavenly Prison, he first went to see this batch of civil officials; there were quite a few people. One or twenty officials. Hearing from the brothers of the Liushan Sect, the number of people arrested this time was more than just these few. Most were locked up and tried in the Northwest, and those with low official positions weren't even qualified to be escorted to the capital.

The leader of this batch of criminal officials was a person named Tian Youfu.

Tian Youfu was around fifty years old, white and fat, looking gentle and kind. However, according to the case file records, over ten thousand taels of silver were searched from this guy's office. His salary certainly wasn't that much. No need to ask—everyone knew these silvers were all embezzled.

This was just what was searched from the office.

The Liushan Sect had already arranged for people to go to Tian Youfu's hometown.

Tian Youfu had been an official in the Northwest for over ten years, and every year, his hometown would arrange for people to walk back and forth a few times. His nephew and his brother-in-law were also constantly by his side. According to the investigation, these two were responsible for laundering money and grain. How much money and grain the one surnamed Tian had specifically embezzled over these years still needed detailed investigation!

"Magistrate Tian, nice to meet you!"

Tian Youfu stared at Chen Guanlou again and again. "So it's Jiang Jiang Yucheng Chen! You have a few similarities with the Marquis."

"Both are Chen family members, transmitted from the same ancestor; being slightly similar is truly normal. Lord Tian, are you accustomed to living in the Heavenly Prison?"

Tian Youfu was clearly stunned, very surprised that Chen Guanlou's attitude was so peaceful. He had thought the other party would shout and kill, trying to vent anger for the Marquis of Pingjiang.

"Still considered accustomed! Many thanks for your concern, Jiang Jiang Yucheng Chen!"

"As long as you are accustomed to living. If you have any needs, just say so. I will satisfy them as much as possible. You've seen the price list, right? Here, we pay attention to silver and goods being settled; we don't cheat children or the elderly. If you need someone to run errands and pass messages, giving enough money is also possible."

"This old man understands. Sorry to trouble Jiang Jiang Yucheng Chen to make a special trip."

Look!

Communicating with civil officials is simply easier than communicating with military generals.

They are all thousand-year-old foxes; words don't need to be said through, everyone knows in their hearts, and everyone has a count. They would never be like that blockhead Wu She, shouting blindly all day long.

Having seen this group of civil officials, Chen Guanlou went to see Wu She and the other three.

The two groups of people were locked up separately and couldn't see each other at all.

"In a few days, there will be a second court session; you all, have you prepared?"

Bai Yushu nodded, saying they were prepared.

Wu She was not in high spirits, sitting listlessly in the cell. "Jiang Jiang Yucheng Chen, I heard from the guards that that bunch of civil officials were all arrested?"

"That's right, they were all arrested. They are locked up next door. In the second court session, if nothing unexpected happens, you might have to confront them. General Wu, control your temper; don't let what happened in the first court session happen again."

Wu She frowned.

Chen Guanlou raised his eyebrows slightly. "Those officials were arrested; you aren't happy."

"Happy, of course happy. Just... the matter seems to be getting more and more complicated."

"You just discovered that?" Chen Guanlou smiled but not quite. "Did you naively think that as long as you were beheaded, everything could be settled?"

"Isn't it?"

"Don't forget, you are a soldier under the Marquis of Pingjiang. The government made things difficult for you and withheld your grain and fodder; in essence, they were slapping the Marquis's face. The Marquis is such a big Buddha; if the people below don't respect him and even slap his face, do you think this matter can really be settled easily?"

Chen Guanlou's reminder was clear enough.

Sure enough, after Bai Yushu heard this, his face changed instantly.

They only wanted to go to court and be tried simply, and finally be sentenced. They had never thought about being rolled into the vortex of the high-level struggle of the imperial court, becoming the most insignificant chess pieces in the struggle.

Bai Yushu was very anxious and also a bit terrified.

"Jiang Jiang Yucheng Chen, then our situation..."

"A glimmer of survival." Chen Guanlou interrupted the other party decisively. "When you go to court, manage the mouths of General Wu and the others well. You also manage your own mouth and attitude well; complain if you want to complain, don't pull in extra things."

Bai Yushu scratched his ears and cheeks. "The Marquis's side, is there any instruction?"

"It's not your turn to worry!" Chen Guanlou gave a cold hum. "I went to see the civil officials' side; Tian Youfu is an old fox, having mixed in the officialdom for many years; they are much steadier than you. And they have full confidence! Look at you few; you are at least mixed out of piles of flesh and blood, yet you aren't as steady and solid as the civil officials—it's shameful enough!"

Bai Yushu couldn't refute.

When he was in the Northwest, he had dealt with those officials and knew how cunning and difficult they were!

Thinking about having to confront them in the hall, for a time, he actually felt a bit guilty, not because the evidence was insufficient, but because his confidence was insufficient. He was even more worried about officials protecting each other.

"If they protect each other..."

"You think this is the remote place of the Northwest where you can cover the sky with one hand? Let me tell you, in the capital, no one can cover the sky with one hand, except the Emperor! They have people protecting them, and you don't lack people protecting you either. So, be bolder, list their crimes one by one, don't be cowardly!"

Having received encouragement, Bai Yushu's face looked a bit better. "I understand. Many thanks for your care, Jiang Jiang Yucheng Chen!"

"I cared for you, so you must repay me well. In the second court session, if you don't perform well, don't wait for them to deal with you; I'll deal with you first!"

Chen Guanlou left a harsh word and turned to leave.

In the blink of an eye, several days passed.

Wu She and the others waited for the second court session.

Chen Guanlou didn't show his face; he let Chen Quan mix into the Liushan Sect to listen in.

Originally he wanted to find Lu Datou, but worried that this guy would feel guilty and mess things up when seeing so many officials, he arranged for the steady and experienced Chen Quan to listen in.

The Joint Trial of the Three Judicial Offices, plus the officials listening in, was properly gathered elites.

There were no top scholars, but there were several second and third place winners. The key was that there were even clan princes listening in. The formation was quite big!

The clan prince came, meaning the Emperor's attention to this case was also unprecedented.

This civil-military war, I'm afraid, will be hard to distinguish between victory and defeat!

Originally, he thought the court session would end before noon.

As a result, after eating lunch, people didn't return. After eating dinner, people still didn't return.

Until it was dark, the prisoners were sent back, all covered in blood. One couldn't even walk, said to have been tortured and had his leg broken.

Mu Yiguan was immediately busy, treating this group of prisoners who had gone to court.

Chen Guanlou summoned Chen Quan. "What's the situation? Were they all beaten?"

Chen Quan nodded and whispered: "Halfway through the hearing, someone came from the palace. They said His Majesty was furious and ordered them all to be caned! The one with the broken leg was because he struggled too hard, and one blow landed on his thigh."