When Chen Yaosuo was running out of words, his newly invited staff officer Shangguan Xueming suddenly opened his mouth and smiled: "Lord Yao, your words are very sharp, and I really admire you very much. But it's a pity that although the words are righteous and strict, things are not so bright. ”

When Lu Jinzhong heard this, he hurriedly cooperated: "Oh? Why did Mr. Shangguan say this? Xia Guan really wanted to ask for advice. ”

Shangguan Xueming smiled slightly and said, "Since Lord Yao said that he was performing his duties, why didn't he even go through the official formalities?" Don't mention the reason why it's too late, the execution is tomorrow at noon, and before that, there is a full morning of work for you to issue official documents and interrogate the prisoner, if there is a real grievance, it is completely possible to postpone the execution, and you don't have to sneak here in the middle of the night, don't you? ”

"That's right, I don't take the road that is open and upright during the day, but I choose to mention the release of people from prison in the middle of the night, tsk," Lu Jinzhong sang and sang next to him: "The body is upright, and I am not afraid of the shadow." ”

Shangguan Xueming continued: "Second, Lord Yao is dignified and upright, and there are a lot of officials and officials under him, and he doesn't need to use it, but he leads three people who have nothing to do with official business to run errands, which can be regarded as a strange thing." ”

Lu Jinzhong pouted and nodded again and again: "That's right, that's right, Zhao Gongzi is at the behest of eight thousand years old, needless to say." But Yang Zongbao was a military attache of the Yongbian Army, and I don't remember when the Privy Council gave such an order, and I had to let him come all the way from the border pass to help. As for the Taoist leader, hehe, I don't know what the path is, I'm afraid only Yao Tixing himself can explain it. ”

Shangguan Xueming didn't give Yao Neng a chance to speak at all, and continued: "The prison of the Criminal Department is a forbidden place for national justice, and it is already a violation of the criminal law if no one enters without permission. When we come here to arrest thieves, we have to go through the approval of Lord Liu Jingye in advance, and you, Lord Yao, are you embarrassed to say anything about Ming Zheng Gang discipline? ”

He paused slightly, and then said: "The third question is, on what basis do you conclude that there are other grievances in this case?" You must know that even if you want to review a case that has already been concluded, you must have some basis. So, please let us know if any new evidence has been found. Otherwise, unwarranted arraignment is not a prevention of unjust cases, but an abuse of power and interference with the judiciary! ”

Yao Neng's biggest concern at the moment is that there is no clear basis, and at this time, Shangguan Xueming said a word, and he was suddenly a little stunned.

This detail fell into the eyes of the treacherous and cunning Chen Yaosuo, and immediately became a fatal killing move, only to hear him say in a deep voice: "Your Highness, my lords, this official thinks that Mr. Shangguan is reasonable. In front of 8,000 years old and Wang Shangshu, Yao Neng, you might as well talk about why you suddenly want to interrogate and review the criminal who is about to be executed? ”

In the face of this hard injury, Yao Neng had no choice but to hold on: "When I received a complaint of grievances about the military rations case, I immediately checked the general file copied by the Criminal Department, and found that the evidence listed in the case file was incomplete and very suspicious, so I decided to make a surprise trial overnight. ”

"Incomplete evidence?" Chen Yaosuo sneered: "Are you really confused, or are you pretending to be confused?" The issue of military rations involves military secrets, including the sources of military rations for the loyal armed forces, the routes of operation, the places where they are stored, and the specific quantity, type, and direction of allocation. If this content falls into the hands of enemy spies, it will directly threaten the safety of the army. It's ridiculous that such basic common sense can become your so-called suspicion. ”

This time, it was really Yao Neng's turn to have nothing to say. If he doesn't produce credible new evidence, the prisoner for tonight's arraignment will be unknown.

Even if the eight-thousand-year-old little prince came forward to protect him, at most, only a few of them could get out, but the Mu Ling family was definitely not spared.

When he was anxious, he only heard Zhao Liang say loudly: "I'm afraid that the statements of Lord Chen and Shangguan Xueming are also debatable. ”

Chen Yaosuo squinted his eyes and stared at Zhao Liang tightly: "Oh? What did the honorable driver say, Chen listened attentively. ”

Zhao Liang smiled: "Let's talk about the identities of the three of us first." I am the elder brother of the prince, Yang Zongbao is the playmate of the prince, and Li Erbai is a friend of the prince, and we all came to secretly assist Lord Yao in reviewing the case at the behest of the eight thousand years old. If there is anything upset, you can go to the little prince to reason. Just now, Lord Chen and Shangguan Xueming opened their mouths to ask for credentials, and they kept their mouths shut about secrets, clearly just to block the way for Lord Yao to investigate the case. But you have forgotten that the Criminal Prison Department is not the Criminal Department, nor is it the Dali Temple and the Yushitai, and its duty is to verify the reasonableness of the conclusion of each case, not to personally investigate and judge the case. As long as the Criminal Division has the slightest suspicion about the case, it is enough to ask the Three Law Divisions to remand for retrial! ”

These words were so reasonable that everyone present couldn't help but be stunned.

At the beginning, Song Taizong set up the official office of the Criminal Prison Division, and the "road" first-level judicial organs sent by the imperial court, referred to as the "Criminal Division", "Xian Division", and "Xiantai", were specially supervised and managed in the judicial trial affairs of the prefectures under their jurisdiction, reviewed the state government files, and could go to the prefectures and counties at any time to inspect the criminal prisons and impeach officials who were derelict in their duties in the criminal prisons.

Strictly speaking, the power of the Criminal Division is not so great that it covers the sky with one hand, and it can do whatever it wants. On the contrary, their principles of handling affairs are more rigorous, and if they do not have a solid and solid basis, they will definitely not easily overturn all kinds of cases that have been examined and approved by the three law divisions and the prefecture and county yamen.

However, if you look at it in a broad sense, what Zhao Liang said is very reasonable. The reason why Emperor Taizong wanted to appoint such an official and keep a close eye on judicial trials in various places was because he was worried that there would be unjust, false and wrongful cases, so that he would hurt the people's hearts and disrupt the law and discipline. Therefore, as long as there is the slightest suspicion, as the criminal officer of the judicial supervision agency, he should not hesitate to take action.

In this way, Shangguan Xueming is not wrong to question it, but Zhao Liang's claim is also understandable. For a while, the scene fell into a situation where the public said that the public was reasonable, and the mother-in-law said that the mother-in-law was reasonable.

Yao Neng has been in charge of the Criminal Department for many years, and when it comes to this aspect, no one present can be more professional than him, seeing that Zhao Liang's words slightly reversed the unfavorable situation, he hurriedly said: "What Zhao Gongzi said is exactly what the lower officials want to say." In the fourth year of Chunhua, Hangzhou sentenced Chang Xiao to the assassination case, and the local state government thought that it was Chang Daren's concubine Ma Shi, and he poisoned her husband with outsiders. The case shocked the government and the opposition at the time, and the emperor personally issued a decree requiring the local government to investigate and execute as soon as possible. However, just as the Hangzhou government was preparing to execute Ma and his accomplices, Feng Boyan, the Liangzhejiang Road Prison Division, heard that there was another hidden story in the case, so he resolutely and urgently stopped the court without any tangible evidence. At that time, even the two Zhejiang Road transfer envoys personally came forward to exert pressure and urge the execution, but Lord Feng refused to give in and insisted that the Hangzhou government re-try it seriously. In the end, the imperial court also sent the squire of the Criminal Department as a messenger to Hangzhou to supervise the case, and finally the facts of the case were revealed. Chang Xiao was murdered by someone else, and Ma was just a poor scapegoat. If it weren't for Lord Feng's timely intervention, not only would she have died unjustly for no reason, but the real murderer would have gone unpunished. At that time, Yao had just joined the Tidian Criminal Prison Division, so he still remembered this incident vividly, and he also admired Feng Ti's principled approach. ”

He paused slightly, and waved his hand to the little prince: "Your Highness, Yao is not talented, and he is willing to follow his predecessors and uphold justice for the common people of heaven and earth." Today's military rations case has been decided by the lower officials, and you are asked to uphold justice. ”

Eight thousand years old sword eyebrows, said with a smile: "Okay, as long as Lao Yao is willing to do it, this king will be your backer, and check him for seven meat and eight vegetables!" ”

Chen Yaosuo's face sank like water, and his tone was not good: "Yao Neng, don't think that you can do whatever you want by pulling His Royal Highness the King of Chu." The Yingtian military grain case and the Hangzhou murder case are not the same thing at all, the Song Liao war is imminent, you are so nonsense, if you drag the hind legs of the army, to say that it is serious, it is no different from treason! ”

Lu Jinzhong also helped on the side: "What's more, Your Majesty has already given permission to the recital of the execution, how can you change it?" ”

"According to your wishes, this case can't be moved, can it?" Yang Zongbao asked angrily: "The Mu family worked hard to raise grain and grass for the court and soldiers, but in the end they were innocently framed, what is the reason?" ”

"Shut up!" Lu Jinzhong said angrily: "Little Martial Cavalry Captain, what qualifications do you have to speak here?" This official hasn't asked you about the crime of leaving your post without permission, so let's take a slow walk and see! ”

Chen Yaosu turned his head to Wang Lun, the secretary of the Criminal Department, and said: "Lord Wang, this is the cell of your Criminal Department, an important prisoner like this who is about to be executed will be taken away for arraignment without an official document, should you say something?" ”

Wang Lun scolded Chen Yaosu 10,000 times in his heart, and said helplessly: "His Royal Highness the King of Chu, Lord Yao, this official and his subordinate Liu Jingye, because of their duties, there is indeed no other way. You will not be able to take people away from us without proper paperwork. ”

Eight thousand years old said coldly: "Isn't this king's golden mace not good?" ”

"Nope." Wang Lun replied stubbornly: "The king's order can take the life of the lower officials, but it can't be in vain to indulge the country's laws. If you don't follow the rules, whether it's you 8,000 years old or the Gyeonggi Road Prison Division, no one can take a few prisoners who are about to be sentenced out of the prison. Unless ......"

Zhao Liang was curious: "Unless what?" ”

Wang Lun was sandwiched between Eight Thousand Years Old and Chen Yaosuo, it could be said that he was angry at both ends, he really didn't want to offend the little prince, and said hesitantly: "Unless Your Majesty nods." ”

"Good! Then Your Majesty nods! The little prince snorted coldly: "Anyway, it's this time of the day, and it's only half an hour before the early dynasty, and this king will go to the Jinluan Palace to ask for a decree later, and see if the emperor uncle and his old man are willing to re-investigate the case thoroughly." ”

In the face of the 8,000-year-old clamour, Chen Yaosuo, who is a veteran of the imperial court, was also not to be outdone, and he said softly: "This is very good." Xia Guan also wanted to know how His Majesty would make a holy judgment. Lu Jinzhong! ”

"Humble duty."

"You personally lead people to guard here," Chen Yaosu commanded loudly: "Without the will of the Holy Lord, none of the criminals in the military rations case will be allowed to escape until they are escorted to the court at three o'clock in the afternoon tomorrow." ”

Lu Jinzhong raised his voice and responded: "Humble obedience!" ”

The little prince Zhao Ming frowned, and shouted in a deep voice: "Cao Wei! Hearing this, a royal general strode out and promised with his hand: "The last general!" ”

"You have heard clearly to this king, with his soldiers and horses, in the prison of the Criminal Department, if the three members of the Mu family lose half of their hair, I will only ask!"

"The last will be ordered!" Cao Wei's qi power pressed Lu Jinzhong: "By the will of the eight thousand years old, take care of the three members of the Mu family, but if anyone dares to hurt, they will be killed!" ”

His soldiers shouted in unison: "Yes! ”

The reaction of the eight thousand years old and the generals of the royal palace really ruined Chen Yaosu's face. He snorted coldly, didn't even look at the little prince, flicked his sleeves and turned around and left. Shangguan Xueming and other subordinates hurriedly followed closely and hurriedly left the prison of the Criminal Department.

Before going out, Shangguan Xueming stared at Zhao Liang meaningfully for a moment, with an inexplicable murderous intent in his eyes.

Zhao Liang didn't pay attention to the other party's provocation at all, he walked up to Eight Thousand Years Old in a few steps, and said calmly: "Oh, it seems that a good show is about to be staged." ”