"My lord, the women have evidence."

After listening to Niu Feng's question, Zhang nodded again and again, took out a piece of paper from his arms, held it in both hands and said to Niu Feng, "My lord, this is a poem written by Li Case First to the people's wife, saying that it is a token of love. ”

Seeing this, the corners of Li Hongyu's mouth suddenly showed a helpless wry smile, there is no doubt that the poem was forged, although those famous Confucian scholars in Xiangyang Shilin can distinguish its authenticity, but from the current situation, this is the most fatal "criminal evidence" for him.

"Pick it up!" Niu Feng instructed the officials standing in front of the hall with a serious expression, and one of the officials immediately put the paper on the desk in front of Niu Feng.

"The clouds are clever, the flying stars spread hatred, and the darkness of the silver man is ......" Niu Feng picked up the piece of paper and read it word by word, and wrote a poem on the paper, "Queqiao Immortal" by Qin Guan of the Northern Song Dynasty.

"If the two love for a long time, how can it be in the morning and twilight." After Niu Feng finished reading the words, he picked up the one and asked Li Hongyu with an expressionless face, "This official asked you, but you wrote this poem to Zhang's family?" ”

"Lord Xiancheng, the student has never written this poem." Li Hongyu shook his head solemnly, secretly complaining in his heart, if he didn't guess wrong, this poem must have been copied by someone according to his font, which undoubtedly gave Niu Feng a reason to convict himself.

"Whether you have written it or not, you will know it by comparing it to the next time." Niu Feng sneered, and commanded loudly, "Come on, pen and ink wait, let him write "Queqiao Immortal" again." ”

With Niu Feng's order, the clerk who was sitting on the side of the lobby to record the progress of the court trial immediately got up and gave Li Hongyu the table.

Li Hongyu shook his head helplessly, then got up and walked over, picked up a pen and wrote on a piece of paper,

Zhao Xinliu, who was standing at the door of the lobby, frowned at Li Hongyu, she naturally didn't believe that Li Hongyu would have a personal affair with that Zhang's family, although Zhang's was quite beautiful, but compared with Rou'er, she was completely a wild woman in a mountain village, and Li Hongyu didn't need to go near and far to provoke Zhang's.

In addition, Zhao Xin thinks that he knows Li Hongyu's character very well, the introverted Li Hongyu is not the kind of person who helps women pick up handkerchiefs, and when she sees a woman drop her handkerchief, she will definitely leave silently, and she will definitely not pick it up and send Zhang home.

Besides, Li Hongyu came to Xiangyang City to take the government exam, and he was full of food to make trouble in such an important period!

Therefore, Zhao Xin absolutely did not believe that Li Hongyu would have an affair with the Zhang family, and it could be seen from the fact that Li Hongyu, who was taciturn before, was so excited, that Li Hongyu was wronged.

"Your Excellency, please see." When Li Hongyu finished writing "Queqiao Immortal", the clerk hurriedly took it to Niu Feng.

"Bold Li Hongyu, your font is exactly the same as the font of this poem in Zhang's hand, and you dare to quibble that you didn't write it!" After carefully comparing the fonts of the two "Queqiao Immortals", Niu Feng suddenly slapped the startled wood and shouted at Li Hongyu.

"Lord County, Case Chief Li is busy preparing for the government exam, where do you have the heart to do this matter of men and women, someone must have copied the handwriting of Case Chief Li, as long as you invite those scholars in Xiangyang City to come and check the authenticity."

Without waiting for Li Hongyu to speak, Zhao Xin, who was standing at the door of the lobby, couldn't help but shout, she knew that Li Hongyu was not good at words, so if she fought a verbal battle, she would definitely not be Niu Feng's opponent, so she helped Li Hongyu.

"Bold, dare to interfere with the trial of this official!" Niu Feng frowned when he heard this, pointed at Zhao Xin and said, "Pull people, be slapped by this official." ”

"Hmph, my son's uncle is Lang Zhong of the Ministry of Rites, there is a kind of you slap mouth to try!" Zhao Xin suddenly raised his eyebrows when he heard this, glared at Niu Feng and said.

"Lang Zhong of the Ministry of Rites?" Niu Feng was stunned for a moment, and a look of surprise appeared in his eyes, no wonder Zhao Xin was so arrogant, it turned out that he was relying on something.

Don't look at the Ministry of Rites is a Qingshui Yamen, but the officials inside are the fastest promoted among the six departments of the Ming Dynasty, and the status of the Ministry of Rites in the six books is second only to the Ministry of Officials who are known as heavenly officials, and even the Ministry of Household Books has to be ranked behind him.

It is worth mentioning that after the improvement of the cabinet system in the Ming Dynasty, most of the auxiliary ministers of the cabinet came from the Ministry of Rites, and the first assistant was usually served by the auxiliary ministers who served as the secretary of the Ministry of Rites, in other words, the first assistant of the cabinet in the middle and late Ming Dynasty was basically born in the Ministry of Rites.

The purpose of the Yongle Emperor to set up the cabinet was just to staff government affairs, similar to a secretarial organization, and the cabinet scholars at that time were only five grades, and could not be called auxiliary ministers.

Emperor Hongxi and Emperor Xuande strengthened the power of the cabinet and divided the parliamentary power belonging to the six ministries to the cabinet, so that the six ministries only left the administrative power, and the decision-making power was left by the eunuchs who were the celebrants, thus forming a set of mutually restrictive and complementary power systems.

For this reason, Emperor Hongxi in order to make the cabinet ministers not inferior to the six ministers in terms of rank, so the cabinet ministers have the title of six books or squires.

As a result, the civilian-bureaucratic clique was divided, and the cabinet and the six ministries were in constant contention, and the power of both sides in the court could be said to be one and the other, and neither could always gain the upper hand.

Obviously, the Son of Heaven of the Ming Dynasty will not sit idly by and watch the emergence of an official with a power similar to the previous prime minister in the civilian group, and neither the cabinet chief nor the official secretary can really suppress the other party.

If there is an exception, it is Zhang Juzheng, when Zhang Juzheng served as the first assistant, not only made the "ministry power belong to the cabinet", but also had a close relationship with the celebrant supervisor, it can be said that he has a combination of power, and has become the first assistant of the cabinet with the power of the prime minister in the history of the Ming Dynasty, but the later outcome proved that his behavior violated the royal taboo, and naturally he had to bear the wrath of Emperor Wanli.

It is precisely because the officials of the Ministry of Rites are not only promoted quickly, but also have close ties with the cabinet and the six ministries, so Niu Feng can't help but feel jealous in his heart, and he doesn't know if what Zhao Xin said is true or false for a while, in case Zhao Xin really has an uncle in the Ministry of Rites, then it is not something he can provoke.

Li Hongyu's face also showed a look of surprise, as far as he knew, Zhao Xin's uncle was a businessman, and no one was an official in the capital at all.

However, then a smile flashed at the corner of Li Hongyu's mouth, it was obvious that Zhao Xin was bluffing, anyway, Niu Feng didn't know her true identity for a while, it seems that Zhao Xin's mind and courage are far beyond ordinary people, where do ordinary people dare to do this in court.

"My lord, the trial is important, you are a lot more tolerant of these candidates who are about to take the exam, why bother with them." Just when Niu Feng was secretly pondering Zhao Xin's identity, a sturdy official standing in front of the hall felt a little embarrassed at the scene, so he spoke quietly and gave Niu Feng a step down.

"Humph!" Niu Feng immediately sneered when he heard this, and then looked at Zhang, "Zhao, this poem was written to you by Li Hongyu himself?" ”

"Lord Hui, he wrote it to the women in his own handwriting, saying that it was a love affair with the women." Zhang nodded affirmatively, and knelt down to Niu Feng crying, "My lord, the woman is a weak woman, how dare the powerful woman of the Li case disobey him, please let the adult make the decision for the small people." ”

"This official asks you, is the person you saw at that time really Li Hongyu?" Seeing this, Niu Feng asked the tall thin middle-aged man and others who were kneeling beside Zhang's side expressionlessly.

"That's the man." The tall and thin middle-aged man and the others glanced at each other, and then nodded their heads one after another.

"Come on, let them sign the confession." Niu Feng's eyes suddenly flashed with a fierce light, and he shouted to the side to make a record.

Li Hongyu, who was kneeling in front of the hall, couldn't help but clench his fists when he heard this, and the look on his face became extremely solemn, Niu Feng was in such a hurry to get the confession of Zhang and the others, obviously to deal with himself.

"Li Hongyu, now that the evidence of the crime is conclusive, what else do you have to say, whether you plead guilty?" After getting the confessions of Zhang and others, Niu Feng slapped the shocked wood and asked sharply.

"The adults know that the students really don't know them and have nothing to do with this case." Li Hongyu suddenly smiled bitterly in his heart, things were as he expected, Niu Feng was ready to do it to himself, so he looked at Niu Feng solemnly and said, "Adults can't listen to their words, you have to inquire in detail." ”

"How does this official investigate the case, do you need to teach it?" Niu Feng sneered, stretched out his hand and pointed at Li Hongyu and said, "This official is asking you now, do you plead guilty?" ”

"Adult, the student is not guilty, admit no guilt!" Li Hongyu shook his head and replied with a serious expression, how could he admit this trumped-up charge, otherwise his life would be ruined.

"Hmph, the official sees that you don't shed tears when you don't see the coffin, since you don't know what to do, then don't blame the official for serving the big punishment."

Niu Feng sneered when he heard this, stretched out his hand and took out a order from the lottery holder on the table in front of him and threw it down, and said gloomily, "Come on, take it seriously and take the thirty boards, and the official will see if he is still hard-mouthed!" ”

As the order slip fell, several officials standing on both sides of the lobby immediately rushed up, pressed Li Hongyu to the ground and pulled off his pants.

"It's a dog!" Li Hongyu was firmly pressed to the ground by several officials, and he couldn't help but feel depressed in his heart, it seemed that Niu Feng was ready to bend into a move.

Because he knew that Niu Feng was clearly going to put himself to death, Li Hongyu didn't bother to defend himself, and now he could only wait for Zhao Guangfeng to bring the rescuers as soon as possible, so that he could suffer less flesh and skin.

"My lord, the head of the Li case will take the government test tomorrow, and it is better for the adults to be cautious before the confessions of Zhang and others are ascertained." Seeing that Li Hongyu did not argue, Zhao Xin, who was standing at the door of the lobby, suddenly became anxious, and couldn't help shouting to Niu Feng loudly, since Li Hongyu is not good at words, then she can only speak for Li Hongyu.

"Hit!" Niu Feng ignored Zhao Xin and decided to ignore the existence of this unknown son, anyway, Zhao Xin is at most quick to speak for a while.

When the official who was standing on both sides of Li Hongyu with a water and fire stick heard this, he suddenly picked up the stick and crackled at Li Hongyu's buttocks, Li Hongyu only felt a hot pain in his buttocks, and couldn't help but gasp, and cold sweat flowed down his cheeks.

However, although there was a heart-piercing pain in his buttocks, Li Hongyu did not shout, but gritted his teeth and held on without saying a word, so that Niu Feng would not let Niu Feng see the joke.

"You are a faint official, and you will be punished before the facts of the case are clarified, don't you know that this will ruin the future of the head of the Li case?"

Zhao Xin was immediately anxious when she saw Li Hongyu being beaten, and rushed towards the hall angrily, the piercing sound of the board made her feel extremely angry, and Niu Feng clearly wanted to bend into a move.

The official at the entrance of the lobby immediately stepped forward and set up the water and fire stick in his hand to block Zhao Xin's way, which made Zhao Xin unable to move forward, so he could only do it there in a hurry.

"If it hurts, you just shout it, and it will be much better." Li Hongyu's buttocks were soon beaten bloody, Zhao Xin saw this scene from afar, her eyes suddenly moistened, she knew that Li Hongyu must be in pain now, so she shouted at Li Hongyu who was lying quietly on the ground.

Li Hongyu's forehead was already covered with sweat, he gritted his teeth and held it there, his fists clenched so loudly that he secretly made up his mind that he would never let go of Niu Feng and the initiators behind this case in the future, and the humiliation he suffered today would be repaid a thousand times.