The Imperial City of Lin'an is located in the east of the West Lake and is built on the Phoenix Mountain. At the gate of the imperial city, there are two big iron tripods, both of which are more than half a person high and one meter square. The officers of the Criminal Department carried several large boxes to the tripod, and poured the letters into the tripod like snowflakes under the watchful eyes of the officials.

Sima Kao looked at the not-so-smooth surface of Dading, and he was quite emotional in his heart. He didn't expect that he would one day be able to use the big iron tripod in front of the imperial city to express his heart, and this iron tripod has not been placed here for too long. After Zhao Taiwei recaptured Lin'an, in view of the fact that Lin'an City had been plundered, after the basic situation was restored to stability, he cast two large iron tripods and placed them at the palace gate.

In Zhao Taiwei's own words, it is used for decorative purposes. In the eyes of others in the Great Song Dynasty, they thought it was to suppress luck. The two large iron tripods were filled with letters, and the messenger poured alcohol on them, and the torches poked inside, and the fire burst out. Seeing those letters burned to black ashes, Sima Kao also felt quite remarkable.

The attitude of the Criminal Department is not outrageous, at most it is called impersonal, but now no one dares to put forward this statement. This year is the fourth year of the republic, and less than four years ago, the Empress Dowager, the Empress Dowager, and the official family of Lin'an went out of the city to surrender to Mongolia. That also means that the Great Song Dynasty is dead. More than three years have passed quickly, but no one dares to say that the current Song Dynasty has entered the days of singing and dancing.

After watching the fire performance of the criminal department, Xiong Sheng went to visit the prison of Dali Temple. At this time, there were already several officials waiting at the door, and as Jinshi, these people pretended not to see each other. There are relatives and friends who are being held in prison, and if they can, they really don't want to visit them.

Xiong Shang came to visit Lu Dingchuan mentioned in the court today. He is related to Lu Dingchuan, and most of the Jinshi in the Great Song Dynasty are related to Lu Dingchuan. Including Taiwei Zhao. The difference is only how close the relatives are. Lu Dingchuan is Xiong Shang's cousin, and the two grew up together. He really couldn't help but come.

The living environment of the prison in Dali Temple is naturally not much better, and these people are Jinshi at all, so they are stuffed into a single room one by one. The size of the single room is three square meters, except for the earthen kang, straw mat, and cover, and the rest is a toilet. These former jinshi were locked up like cattle, although the jailers did not abuse these people, but in such an environment, under strong psychological pressure, many people sighed, and some were already howling wolves in the Guigu Valley. All kinds of sounds echoed in the long alley, making the place eerie.

The jailer brought Xiong Sheng a stool, and Xiong Sheng sat down outside the fence door of his cousin's cell. Lu Dingchuan had also turned over, sat down on a wooden stool in the prison, and talked to his cousin across the fence. Seeing that his cousin's face was not particularly bad, Xiong Sheng was a little relieved. Lu Dingchuan's nervousness is naturally nervous, and it is not yet to collapse.

whispered to Lu Dingchuan about the affairs of the court, Xiong Sheng looked at his cousin's expression and did not get better, he said with relief: "Since Sima Kao has said so in the court, my cousin should not be killed." ”

"I'm not a traitor!" Lu Dingchuan said loudly.

Because of the proximity, Xiong Shang frowned at the sound. And Lu Dingchuan grabbed the railing with both hands and continued to say loudly: "I'm not a traitor! I didn't go to Mongolia for myself. If I had abandoned the city and gone away, what would have been done to the people of the city? ”

Xiong Sheng sighed. With his understanding of his cousin, Lu Dingchuan is a very responsible person. When he became the magistrate of the county, he naturally would not turn a blind eye to the people. It's a very good character, and it's a very respectable character. However, during the period when the Lin'an court collapsed, Xiong Sheng hoped that his cousin was not so serious.

So many officials in Lin'an left the imperial court, and their personal character was much worse than Lu Dingchuan. But in the end, they just became 'irresolute elements' and were never hired again. At least not to jail.

"You know, I don't want to sell my country for glory. I didn't! Lu Dingchuan continued to say loudly.

Xiong Sheng was sad when he heard this, but he also found that the calm on his cousin's face had no connection with the fluctuations in his heart.

"You're going to help me explain this! I don't ask for office, and if anyone scolds me for not serving my country, I deserve it. But I'm not a traitor, I'm not! Lu Dingchuan said so loudly, completely caught up in his own train of thought.

Of course, Xiong Sheng wanted to help his cousin, but at this time he was completely helpless. The letter burned by the Criminal Department was a clear statement of its attitude, and the Criminal Department even publicly stated that 'the facts are the basis and the law is the criterion'. Zhao Taiwei had already enacted the relevant laws, and his cousin had no evidence to prove that he was doing it for himself or for the people. As for the facts that are now known, Lu Dingchuan's surrender to Mongolia is a fact.

Therefore, Sima Kao thinks that Lu Dingchuan will not be guilty of capital crimes, which is already a very tolerant attitude. If it were Empress Dowager Yang's original intention of killing people to vent her anger, Lu Dingchuan would have no other way to live except to be killed as a traitor of the Song Dynasty.

Just when Xiong Sheng didn't know what to say, he heard someone in the cell next door sneering sadly: "Hehe! It's not a traitor! When Your Majesty is in danger, he will give gold coins, give soil, confer knots, divide the ranks, and measure the merits, and will be rewarded, so he should serve carefully, and the picture can be rewarded. Since the dispatch of troops across the river and the extensiveness, those who have not heard of a death battle array, a dead frontier, or a dead city have not heard of a death battle array, a dead frontier, or a dead city, will the reward and punishment not be enough to persuade and punish them......

That person's words sounded a little familiar to Xiong Shang, and when he thought about it carefully, it turned out to be a recital by Xu Zongren, the then head of the Guozijian when the Mongolian lord Meng Ge attacked the Song State more than ten years ago. Although this piece was not finally accepted, it was widely circulated. Xiong Sheng himself had read it, and he thought it was true when he was young. firmly believes that it was the defeat of the Great Song Dynasty caused by those officials not fighting to the death.

Now that he suddenly heard someone repeating this, Xiong Sheng had mixed feelings in his heart. He really felt sorry for his cousin and hoped that his cousin would be released. However, when Xiong Sheng himself became an official for a period of time, he understood the desperation of the country when it was in danger. All armies were defeated, and everywhere the enemy went, everywhere fell. The Mongol army seemed to be unstoppable, and there was nothing left except the news of their defeat one by one.

Just when Xiong Sheng was desperate in his heart, he listened to the man in the cell next to him continue to read: The southeast corner is half damaged by the hands of these few people, and the punishment does not damage its hair. Will not the people of the three armies be indignant and say, 'Who is the one who caused me to sacrifice my life between the revolutions?' 'Will not the people of the people complain and say, 'Who is the one who summons the rebellion, and causes me to shed my blood?' ’

"Enough!" Xiong Sheng shouted. These words brought back Xiong Xiang's painful memories. When the Mongols invaded the south, the imperial court, the forbidden army, and the local militia all seemed extremely fragile. What made Xiong Sheng even more desperate was that when Xiong Sheng felt that he was extremely desperate, he found that he was not the most desperate person, and there were more people who were more desperate than him. Until Xiong Sheng followed the desperate Empress Dowager Yang, they fled to Fuzhou.

In Fuzhou, there are Zhao Taiwei and others. Although Fuzhou was poor, Zhao Taiwei's men were full of life, they were confident, capable, and knew how to fight. Before Xiong Sheng could recover from his despair, Taiwei Zhao had already led his troops to counterattack Lin'an. And after a series of victories in Huaidong, the tide of the battle was reversed, and the Mongol army was forced back......

Just when Xiong Sheng finally pulled himself out of the despair he had re-experienced, his cousin Lu Dingchuan suddenly reached out from the fence and grabbed Xiong Shang's shoulder, "Help me!" Save me! Woooooo Lu Dingchuan said in despair, and cried bitterly.

On the evening of the fourth day after Sima Kao publicly burned the intercession letter, Xu Yuanzhi, the secretary of the household department, left work with the other household personnel. Since the advent of clocks and watches, the imperial court has closed every five days, and the working hours from 9 to 5 have become very fixed. The sundial determines the time at 12 o'clock at noon every day, and all clocks are proofread at this time by the sound of a loud iron bell, at least the official clocks will be adjusted by the responsible personnel at this time.

It's been a sunny day these days, and the time is exceptionally accurate. As soon as Xu Yuanzhi came out of the office, Xiong Sheng and several other people greeted him outside, "Xu Shangshu, why don't you drink together at night?" ”

Everyone is smart, and there is no need to talk nonsense at this time. Xu Yuanzhi didn't want to drink either, so he beckoned and asked those people to follow him back to the office. Seeing those officials with firm and ugly expressions following Xu Yuanzhishang into the office, the faces of the office personnel were also ugly. These people are clearly trying to say something, and with the experience of office people, they are bound to talk late. This will also get off work later.

Xu Yuanzhi said to the office staff: "You go to the tea stove room to fetch two large pots of water, and then go home." ”

The office staff was overjoyed, and hurriedly ran to fetch water, and then hurried away.

"You think you're here to talk about Xiang?" Xu Yuanzhi said to Xiong Sheng and the others.

Xiong Shang immediately said, "Xu Shangshu." We and others have all relatives and friends arrested. Although I know that the law of the country is ruthless, I really want to defend my relatives and friends. If you can't defend yourself, your heart is really uneasy......"

After speaking, Xiong Sheng had already taken out the document bag, and the people who came with him were also holding the document bag with the materials written. These people have already discussed that they will submit a letter for their own family no matter what.

Looking at the performance of these people, Xu Yuanzhi smiled. He has always felt that Zhao Jiaren is a very capable person, but Zhao Jiaren in Xu Yuanzhi's eyes seems to be an incomparably sharp weapon, although he can cut through everything, he always lacks that kind of calmness that is always light. Now Xu Yuanzhi feels the change in Zhao Jiaren.

"Guys, have you ever heard of a lawyer?" Xu Yuanzhi said.