It's just that this time, Lu Wu looked down on Fan Zhongyan.

What's the matter, don't you let people say that you've done something wrong?

It's obvious that you did something wrong, but now you want to turn around and beat a rake, such a person is also worthy of a high position, which is really shameful.

Knowing that he was going to enter the palace late at night, Su Shi was naturally not afraid. It was clearly Fan Zhongyan who provoked him first, and now he just fought back. And what he does is reasonable, well-founded and responsible, what is he afraid of.

The two of them followed the eunuch to the palace. Of course, they also brought Zhen Huai with them, this is an important witness, and it is absolutely indispensable.

......

Imperial Palace, Zichen Palace.

Fan Zhongyan had been standing here for a long time, but Zhao Zhen didn't say a word to him, which made him feel apprehensive in his heart.

He couldn't figure it out, everything was fine, why did Zhao Zhen's attitude seem to change after Chen Lin stood up and whispered a few words?

What exactly are they talking about?

It should be against yourself. But he didn't seem to offend Chen Lin, what was he going to do?

Rao is Fan Zhongyan prides himself on being smart, and he is also puzzled at this moment, until a small yellow door enters from the outside, saying that Lu Wu and Su Shi are here, and now they are outside the hall, and he came back to his senses. Get ready and have a good confrontation with Lu Wu.

"People are coming? Well, let them in. By the way, Fan Aiqing, if it concerns you, you should avoid it first, and it's not too late to confront them when you turn back. Zhao Zhen put down the book in his hand and looked up and said.

That's what it should be. Fan Zhongyan also wanted to see what Lu Wu would say behind his back for a while, so he could have a happy counterattack, and after agreeing immediately, under the leadership of a little yellow door, he retreated to the side hall.

As soon as Fan Zhongyan retreated, Lu Wu and Su Shi came to the Zichen Palace.

I saw Lu Wu pushing Su Shi in a wheelchair, and the two entered the hall. followed by one kneeling, and one person sat in a wheelchair and saluted Zhao Zhen on the Jinluan Palace.

"Get up. I summoned you to the palace late at night, because I wanted to ask about Changxingfang, what was going on, Lu Aiqing, you can tell me. Zhao Zhen sat there with a serious face, and he couldn't see how he was feeling from his face.

Lu Wu kept his head down, and after hearing Zhao Zhen's question, he reported Su Shi's real name to Changxingfang in the afternoon, and then he took a large number of officials to do the errand before and after.

Zhao Zhen listened carefully, and it wasn't until Lu Wu finished speaking that he asked out loud, "You keep saying that Changxingfang is an illegal underground gambling house, but is there any evidence to prove it?" ”

Obviously, this is what Zhao Zhen is questioning. After all, the matter involves the second-class officials of the current dynasty, and it is impossible to be too careful.

Lu Wu was obviously prepared, and when he heard Zhao Zhen's question, he replied respectfully and confidently, "Your Majesty, there are a total of five hundred and twenty-seven confessions here. Most of them are gamblers who go to Changxingfang to gamble. Among them, there are also people in Changxingfang, and they have all been interrogated and presented evidence. ”

As he spoke, Lu Wu took out a thick pile of testimony from his arms. There are dozens of copies, many of which were made under a single confession, and many of them had their fingerprints pressed. After all, in this era, there are not many people who can read and write.

Zhang Mao trotted away, took these testimonies, and put them in front of Zhao Zhen.

Zhao Zhen stretched out his hand to take it, and after probably scanning it, his face was a little pale.

The Song Law repeatedly ordered that it was not allowed to open underground gambling houses. Even if you want to open it, you only need to apply to the government. Under the already very lenient policy, there are still people who will take risks, just to avoid paying business taxes.

If everyone is like this, where did the Great Song Dynasty get the money to support officials, officials, and soldiers?

This is simply selfish behavior. And what annoyed Zhao Zhen the most was that at the top of the testimony was Zhen Huai's separate confession. It was written on it that most of the money earned by the gambling house went into the pocket of his uncle Fan Zhongyan, which made Zhao Zhen even more angry.

Because he is usually so good to him, Fan Zhongyan has always appeared in front of him as a loyal minister, a Qing minister, and a minister of the country. The appearance of not being afraid of life and death for the sake of the country's righteousness once moved him, but now it seems that he is afraid that he is acting.

was already a little disappointed in Fan Zhongyan in his heart, but Zhao Zhen still wanted to give the other party a chance, after all, the testimony is dead, and it can be forged if necessary, but people are alive, he wants to meet this Zhen Huai, this is Fan Zhongyan's junior, and his words are credible.

"Did the witness Zhen Huaike bring it?" Zhao Zhen asked.

"Back to Your Majesty, the people have already brought it, just outside the palace."

"Pass him in." Zhao Zhen said with a hint of sternness in his tone.

In the side hall, Fan Zhongyan was still listening quietly at first, but his face changed when he listened, and when he found out that someone had framed him, he wanted to go out and confront Su Shi and Lu Wu. But Chen Lin, who was ordered to accompany him, stopped him as soon as he stretched out his hand, "Master Fan, Your Majesty didn't announce you, so you can stay here honestly." ”

Chen Linna is definitely a master among the masters, and if he wants to stop a Wenchen, it is not a matter of getting his hands on it. Not to mention, there were four eunuchs standing here in the side hall, and after listening to Chen Lin's words, Fan Zhongyan was surrounded.

"What are you going to do? Let me tell you, I am a courtier of the Great Song Dynasty, an important minister, you are a slave and a servant, who dares to stop me. ”

"Shut his mouth so that he doesn't disturb His Majesty." Chen Lin didn't care so much, he just needed the emperor's approval of him, and the other courtiers couldn't control him at all.

Chen Lin gave the order, and the four eunuchs put their hands up and down, not only pressed Fan Zhongyan firmly, but also blocked his mouth to prevent him from making any sound.

In the Zichen Palace, Zhen Huai, who looked panicked, had already been brought in and knelt on the ground with a thud.

Zhen Huai never thought that the trivial matter of opening an underground gambling house by himself could attract the attention of His Majesty today. At this moment, he regretted a little, and he had known that he would not have moved out of his uncle's name.

It's just that at the moment, he has no chance to change his words, because that is tantamount to giving false testimony, and he will be severely punished at that time. Even so, it's better to continue to be wrong, but he has heard that the current official family likes his uncle very much, and he must not be embarrassed by himself.

Zhen Huai, who didn't dare to raise his head, knelt on the ground, and in front of Zhao Zhen, Lu Wu interrogated, asking about those things in Changxingfang.

Zhen Huai was not surprised by the same set of words, as if he wanted to say a few good words for his uncle, and he added, "The villain's uncle has always been honest, and his family is not rich, so he thought of opening an underground casino to relieve the pressure of life..."

"That's enough, take him out." Zhao Zhen couldn't listen to it anymore.

Zhen Huai was taken out, and Zhao Zhen also said angrily to the side hall, "Get out, I want to see what you have to say." ”

Fan Zhongyan was finally liberated, and rushed out of the side hall. Then he fell to his knees with a thud and shouted, "Your Majesty, the minister is wronged, the minister is wronged." ”

"Wronged? What are you for? Could it be that your nephew will frame people, or do you think that Lu Wu will arrest more than 500 innocent people in order to frame you? At this time, Zhao Zhen looked at Fan Zhongyan, and he was angry.

As the saying goes, the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment.

If other courtiers had made such a mistake, Zhao Zhen might not have been so angry. After all, he didn't expect all his courtiers to be clean officials.

But Fan Zhongyan is different, this is a self-proclaimed saint, he can also make such a big mistake, Zhao Zhen really can't imagine that among the civil and military forces of this Manchu Dynasty, who else can't make mistakes, who can still believe it.

Zhao Zhen saw very clearly just now, that Zhen Huai's clothes were all in good condition, that is to say, he had not received any punishment, so what he said was nine points credible. And now Fan Zhongyan is still shouting that he is wronged, he really wants to hear what this person will say, and what else can he say.

The emperor was angry, and listening to Fan Zhongyan's ears made him feel even more speechless.

He didn't expect that Zhen Huai looked so honest that he really dared to do such an illegal thing. He didn't even tell himself, so that he made mistakes one after another, and now he is in such an unfavorable situation.

Now it seems that the underground gambling house thing is real. To theorize in such a matter will only be detrimental to oneself. Fan Zhongyan decided to bow his head and admit his mistake, fortunately, he is now the main person in charge of implementing the new policy, and it is not possible to do without him, so His Majesty should give him a chance.

As for Su Shi and Lu Wu, when he regains stability, he will naturally find an opportunity to clean them up.

"Your Majesty, the minister is at fault, and the minister is guilty. Please also ask Your Majesty to give the minister a chance to make meritorious service as a substitute, and someone else will preside over the new policy. Fan Zhongyan, who suddenly calmed down, changed the topic and wanted to reverse the unfavorable situation.

Sure enough, after Fan Zhongyan said this, half of the anger on Zhao Zhen's face disappeared.

Yes, when the new deal reaches a critical time, someone needs to preside over it. If Fan Zhongyan's crime is cured now, then who can carry this banner, wouldn't that be tantamount to saying that the new policy is going to fail?

As an emperor, under tens of thousands of people, of course Zhao Zhen didn't want to admit defeat, so he sighed, thinking that it would be better to give Fan Zhongyan a chance.

Fan Zhongyan's pleading and Zhao Zhen's hesitation all fell into the eyes of Lu Wu and Su Shi, and they also made the two of them secretly say bad.

This time they offended Fan Zhongyan ruthlessly, if they couldn't suppress him with a stick, I was afraid that when they got a firm foothold, they would find a way to clean themselves up.

Did you really get to that time when your arms were twisting your thighs?

It's just that knowing this, Lu Wu has no way at all. No matter what the case is, no matter how ironclad the evidence, once the emperor speaks, the case will not be under his control. In other words, there is nothing he can do anymore.

Some people died, but not completely......