Zhou Yanru, the first assistant of the cabinet, was not a good negotiator, seeing Gao Qiqian's attitude of having no one in his eyes, he sneered in his nostrils and said: "Father-in-law Gao, Wei Zhongxian was afraid that back then, I am afraid there was no such style as you, right?" ”

After saying that, Zhou Yanru sneered again, and walked towards the yamen of the criminal department with his head held high.

Ji Qingwen has never looked down on eunuchs, and when he saw that Zhou Yanru was a leading bird, he naturally had no scruples, smiled at Gao Qiqian, and didn't even salute, so he quickly walked in front of him and entered the yamen of the Criminal Department.

Only Wen Tiren still greeted Gao Qiqian with a smile: "Since Gao Gonggong has something to say, then the lower officials will open a court trial as soon as possible." With that, he put away his smile, flicked his sleeves, and went into the yamen.

Gao Qiqian saw that these people had an arrogant attitude, although he was dissatisfied in his heart, but he thought that his position as a eunuch with the seal of the master of ceremonies was not very stable, and Chongzhen Huang was notoriously distrustful of eunuchs.

When he came to the criminal department, Wen Tiren, as the presiding judge, naturally sat on the main seat of the hall, raised the shocking wood, and was about to shoot a few cases, but he heard Gao Qiqian say again: "Lord Wen, are you sitting in the wrong seat?" ”

Wen Tiren is a smart person, and immediately guessed the intention of Gao Qiqian's words, but he didn't want to tear his face with him, gently put down the startled wood, and asked with a smile: "Oh? I didn't expect Gonggong Gao to understand etiquette. Don't hide it from Father-in-law Gao, Lord Zhou Yanru here has been a waiter in the Ministry of Rites for a term, and the lower officials have also been a waiter in the Ministry of Rites. In the current position, our two old ceremonial officials felt that there was no problem, but Gao Gonggong saw that there was a mistake. Lord Zhou, do you think we are wrong? ”

What does Wen Tiren mean by this?

The first few sentences are like fanning the flames and heating up a potato; In the last sentence, he opened his arm and threw such a hot potato into Zhou Yanru's hands.

If you put it on someone else and take over this hot potato, you must consider throwing such a thing to others quickly, but Zhou Yanru is not afraid of being hot, and he raised his eyebrows and said: "The official thinks there is no problem with sitting like this." Although this official is the first assistant minister of the cabinet and the imperial history of the left capital, he is now the presiding judge of the criminal department, so he should naturally sit aside. Lord Li of Dali Temple and Lord Fu Lu Boji can only continue to sit down because of their low official position or because they only have the right to observe. I wonder what's wrong here? ”

Gao Qiqian knew that although Zhou Yanru and Wen Tiren were kind on the surface, they were secretly on the same page, so he wanted to take the trivial matter of seat order and provoke the relationship between the two ministers.

But I didn't expect that these two cabinet ministers, in the face of their own eunuchs, would rarely share the same hatred.

Gao Qiqian, a dead eunuch who did not learn and did not know how to do it, naturally did not understand the complex feudal etiquette, but his words had already been spoken, and he was scolded by Wen Tiren and Zhou Yanru.

So Gao Qi pondered for a while, and finally came up with an idea, and said, "That's not what the miscellaneous family said. The miscellaneous family means that the chief position of this hall should be sat by the miscellaneous family......"

"Hahaha! Hahaha! Hahaha! Zhou Yanru, the first assistant of the cabinet, smiled and said, "Grandpa Gao, I heard you right, right?" I am the first assistant of the cabinet, and I can only sit in the second seat, but you, the celebrant and supervisor, have to sit as the chairman...... Hahaha, do you think you are 'nine thousand years old' Wei Zhongxian? It's Wei Zhongxian, and his corpse is already cold! ”

Eunuchs have a significant advantage over ordinary ministers in the imperial court, that is, they are thicker-skinned, or more shameless.

Gao Qiqian was ready to tear his face off, and was not frightened by Zhou Yanru's words, and said: "Then Wei Zhongxian is a chaotic minister and thief, Zhou Shoufu is a miscellaneous family, and the miscellaneous family has no place to be ashamed." However, there is a saying that the miscellaneous family did not come to listen privately this time, but came at the behest of the Lord Banzai. There is a long live lord to support the miscellaneous family, if the miscellaneous family does not sit in this chief, wouldn't it be a shame for the long live lord? ”

Gao Qiqian opened his mouth and closed his mouth to be Emperor Chongzhen, which really made Zhou Yanru and Wen Tiren, two well-educated people, speechless.

But I heard Ji Qingwen say: "Father-in-law Gao, this is your mistake." Auditing is different from presiding over the trial in that it can only be done. You see, I also came here to listen at the emperor's behest, but I could only sit in the lower seat. Father-in-law, you are the same as me, but you also have to talk about the first come, first come, first come, should you sit under me? ”

Gao Qiqian is a close minister of Emperor Chongzhen, and he understands the emperor's mind better than other civil officials - knowing that Ji Qingwen is now a big celebrity in front of the emperor, and there will be no good fruit to eat against him.

So when he first arrived at the Yamen of the Criminal Department, the chief eunuch who was full of ambition and was in charge of the seal, Gao Qiqian, could only admit it for the time being, squeezed out an embarrassed smile on his face, and said: "Since Lord Ji also said so, then the miscellaneous family can only sit in the Lord and start with it." However, if the long-lived lord asks questions in the future, he will ask a few adults to excuse the miscellaneous family. ”

Ji Qingwen hurriedly said: "Don't, don't, don't talk like that." If you feel that you are so wronged, you can naturally fight on the basis of reason. If you think that it is unreasonable for our ministers to speak, it is okay to ask the emperor for a decision, and we do not force it. ”

Gao Qiqian is a eunuch who serves Emperor Chongzhen closely, and he can't be clearer about Emperor Chongzhen's quick temper, if it is for such a trivial matter, he will make several trips back and forth to the Forbidden City, and he will delay the time in vain, and Emperor Chongzhen will start a fire, and Gao Qiqian will not be able to eat and go around.

After thinking about it, Grandpa Gao could only be completely deflated, and sat down under Ji Qingwen without saying a word, although he still had a smile on his face, he had already recorded a bad account for these adults in his heart.

Everyone finally took their places, and the presiding judge Wen Tiren finally coughed lightly twice, picked up the piece of shocking wood that had been put down again, slapped a few cases suddenly, and said, "Take Yuan Chonghuan!" ”

After saying this, the officials on the left and right sides of the hall repeated Wen Tiren's order one after another:

"Take Yuan Chonghuan!"

"Take Yuan Chonghuan!"

"Take Yuan Chonghuan!"

Yuan Chonghuan was already waiting in the prison temple behind the hall of the Criminal Department, heard the greeting from the court, hurriedly tidied up his clothes, and under the escort of several officials who were quite familiar with him, he came to the hall of the Criminal Department, and bowed and saluted the several officials sitting in the hall who interrogated him.

Yuan Chonghuan took the laxative arranged by Ji Qingwen before, and the problem of diarrhea that he caused himself was not completely cured, although he temporarily stopped diarrhea, but his face was not very good-looking, and the original white scholar's face looked even paler.

Ji Qingwen said softly: "Yuan Chonghuan, how is your illness doing?" ”

Yuan Chonghuan knew that Ji Qingwen was in the same group as him, so he spoke very politely, and said: "Back to Lord Ji, the criminals are all sick with dogs and horses, and after a few days of recuperation, they are no longer tight. ”

"Oh? Since your illness is no longer serious, why are you still proud of yourself? Hurry up and kneel down and talk to a few adults! ”

Yuan Chonghuan was stunned when he heard this, he originally thought that after Ji Qingwen went to Shanhaiguan to meet Sun Chengzong, the development of the situation would definitely be beneficial to him. Correspondingly, the treatment during the interrogation will naturally improve-I can already answer without kneeling before, so I may be able to sit and talk with the body of a soldier.

Unexpectedly, as soon as the trial began, a basin of cold water poured over the hall, not only did the imaginary seat disappear, but even the treatment of standing and talking back was gone.

Ji Qingwen was facing Yuan Chonghuan, and hurriedly explained: "Father-in-law Gao, Yuan Chonghuan has not recovered from a serious illness, and it is too unkind to kneel and speak. It's better to let him stand. ”

Gao Qiqian didn't answer Ji Qingwen's words, but turned his head to Wen Tiren who was sitting in the hall and asked: "Lord Wen, you are the chief judge, then the miscellaneous family is going to ask you, like Yuan Chonghuan, can you stand and be tried, and don't you worship the official?" ”