Chapter 53 Interrogation
The official ship went down the river, and in just over ten days, it had already reached Bianzhou.
At the Bianzhou ferry, several red people stood on the shore, followed by a few scattered Jinyiwei in black and white flying fish uniforms.
Before the boat stopped, Zhao couldn't wait, with tears in his eyes, "Uncle... Fifth Master, I'm glad to have fulfilled my mission. I've missed you so much these days!"
"Okay, okay, I'm glad you're back." Lu Wenyu helped Zhao get off the boat. The two of them looked so affectionate that they really looked like an uncle and nephew. Especially when they held their hands tightly, no one could say that this was a performance.
The two little golden men of Daqi were showing off their respective acting talents on this small stage. On the boat were new acting newcomers, and on the shore were old-fashioned actors who had been immersed in acting for many years. One side's performance was slightly exaggerated and immature, while the other side was naturally mature, which meant that they were supporting newcomers.
Except for Eunuch He in the red official robe, everyone else beside him was a Jinyiwei. His boss liked this atmosphere, so he thought he was accompanying the prince to study. Why was he in a hurry? Didn't you see the red flying fish suit on Lu Wenyu and the turquoise flying fish suit on Zhao Jiu? They were all old hands, so how could they be unhappy at this time?
And Eunuch He was also on duty in the West Garden that day, and he knew Zhao Jiu's background very well. Besides, isn't your wife surnamed Su? How come a nephew surnamed Zhao came? But Eunuch He had been in the palace for a long time, so he naturally understood that this was Lu Wenyu supporting Zhao Jiu, and let them act.
But seeing that the two were getting more and more into the play, they couldn't stop at all. They had already talked about brothels and theaters. Three days and three nights would not be enough. Eunuch He could only interrupt them.
"Lord Lu, who is this?"
When Lu Wenyu heard what Eunuch He said, he came back to his senses. He was careless and accidentally immersed in the play. "Haha, please forgive me, Eunuch He. Zhao Muzhi is my nephew. I haven't seen him for a long time. I said a few more words. Muzhi, this is Eunuch He from the Imperial Household Department."
Following Lu Wenyu's gaze, Zhao saw Eunuch He who was smiling like Maitreya, and hurriedly saluted, "Eunuch He, your subordinate Zhao Muzhi."
Eunuch He smiled and greeted him, "Lord Zhao, please eat something first. You have traveled all the way and you are tired."
"Lord Lu, please go first. The case is important."
After all, he is Lu Wenyu's nephew on the surface, so he has to give him some face. The following words are just a reminder that there is no need to make a big fuss about the welcoming ceremony. There are official matters!
Lu Wenyu smiled and said, "No hurry, County Magistrate Xu hasn't arrived yet. Let's eat first. The trial will start in the evening, so there's no need to rush."
Eunuch He just wanted to interrupt the two people's acting. As for when to try the case, it must be when everyone is here. He nodded in agreement with Lu Wenyu's words.
At night, in the prefectural government of Bianzhou, Wang Yantong, the assistant minister of the Ministry of Justice, sat in the upper seat, and on the left sat the two county magistrates Xu Ren and Wen Yun as jurors. The two county magistrates were not qualified to participate in such a big case, but after checking several states in Jiangnan, only the two were innocent. In addition, the two were excellent in criminal law and familiar with the local area, so the cabinet added them as jurors. On the right sat the clerk, who was grinding ink and moistening the pen.
After waiting for a while, Eunuch He and the eunuch Shen arrived first, followed by Lu Wenyu and Zhao. The four sat on the left and right, and outside the door stood several thousand households of the Jinyiwei and two heads of the East and West Factories. Looking around the room, except for the two county magistrates in green robes, the others were either bright red or bright red and green. This kind of scene was no different from the trial of a few prefects, not to mention the trial of a few princes and nobles.
Several people sat down and drank tea leisurely with teacups in their hands. Wang Yantong, who was in a higher position, didn't care who was being tried. He leaned back in his chair and drank tea, as if it had nothing to do with him.
County Magistrate Xu didn't want to wait, and shouted to the outside of the door, "Bring the prisoner!"
Soon, two Jinyiwei outside the door escorted a prisoner in full shackles and walked in step by step, and sat down on the stool in the middle.
Seeing that the Jinyiwei and the eunuch of the Silijian did not respond, and Wang Yantong seemed to have seen no one, County Magistrate Xu could only ask questions himself.
"Master Lin, you haven't been convicted yet, so I'll call you Master Lin for now." County Magistrate Xu said in a gentle tone but in a tough manner, "Let me ask you, how did you embezzle so much money? Where did you use it? Whose hands did the money pass through?"
Lin Kui, who was sitting on the stool, had disheveled hair and a dejected look on his face. After hearing Xu Ren's words, he just smiled and didn't intend to answer. Killing the imperial envoy is bound to result in the loss of one's head, and embezzlement is just an extra.
"Why are you silent?" Xu Ren shouted angrily, scaring Lin Kui's smile.
But soon Lin Kui adjusted his mood and said sarcastically, "You are a seventh-rank official, and before I went to prison, you couldn't even knock on my door, haha."
Xu Ren's face was normal. He had expected this result long ago. Lin Kui would be dead sooner or later. What he was fighting for was just the life of his wife and children. Such a big thing, let alone himself, even the eunuch of the Imperial Household Department sitting next to him and the commander of the Jinyiwei could not decide. He could only wave his hand and let someone take Lin Kui away.
"The convicted officer Chen Fuyi."
Soon, like Lin Kui, Chen Fuyi was dragged into the hall by two Jinyiwei, thrown onto a stool, and fell down without sitting firmly, lying on the ground.
Xu Ren asked, "Mr. Chen, as far as I know, the Bianzhou government spends tens of thousands of taels every year, nearly 500,000 taels in five years. I wonder if you, as the Bianzhou Tongzhi, can explain where this money is used?"
"Of course it is used for practical purposes. In the past five years, the Qinhuai River embankment and the Yangtze River embankment have been rebuilt, and the extra money spent will naturally be made up by the prefectural government first." Chen Fuyi spoke intermittently, but river embankment repair has always been a confusing account, and each person has his own reasons.
"Nonsense!" Xu Ren slapped the table and shouted angrily. How could he not know about the construction of the river embankment? But the construction of a river embankment for five years has overrun the budget every year, and the overrun amount is still very different. This reason is too far-fetched.
Chen Fuyi lay on the ground. Besides, he had already been sentenced during the trial of the Imperial Envoy case. He was naturally weak now, but he still chuckled, "Didn't Xu Zhi County already know that the criminal was talking nonsense? Is it possible that he didn't expect it?"
Xu Ren looked at Chen Fuyi with a deep look, but he couldn't say it himself, so he could only ask, "Whose idea was it to rebuild the river embankment?"
"Of course it's the prefect."
"Then whose will the prefect was influenced by?"
"..." Chen Fuyi no longer dared to say that if they could be greedy for money, of course they needed the protection of the capital. Otherwise, how could they not have been discovered until now after being greedy for so many years.
Seeing Chen Fu hesitating, Xu Ren raised his voice and said, "Who gave you the instructions to rebuild the river embankment? Moreover, the Yangtze River embankment broke twice in five years. Is it an engineering problem?"
After hearing these words, Chen Fu pretended to be dead and said nothing, trembling all over.
Isn’t this nonsense? If there were no problems with the project, why would the embankment burst twice? The question was about building river embankments, but to put it bluntly, wasn’t it just a bribe list? You might be able to survive if you don't tell her, but if you tell her, you might not be able to survive tonight.
There are so many corrupt officials in Jiangnan, why do they just hold on to me? Chen Fuyi cried in his heart.
"Hmph, why don't you reply? How much public money does it cost to build the river embankment? Who handles it? Tell me quickly!" Xu Ren pressed forward step by step, showing no mercy in his words.
After asking this question, not to mention Chen Fuyi on the ground, but also Wang Yantong, who was sitting in the seat, all changed their expressions. Is there something wrong with this person's brain? He just got it by embezzling how much money he had, and yet he still digs deeper? You, a seventh-grade Sesame Officer, didn’t take the money, but I dare not say that I didn’t take the money either!