kingnovel Chapter 148 begins to point fingers, and the whole court is in an uproar!
Chapter 148 begins to point fingers, and the whole court is in an uproar!
In Taiqian Palace.
All officials entered.
Yang Dechang had a gloomy face throughout the whole process. After learning that the Lu merchants' hideout had been shut down, he realized that something was wrong.
But now that things have come to this, he can only take it one step at a time.
And above the court.
Ye Chen sat upright on the dragon throne, his expression as deep as the abyss.
"Long live my emperor, long live my emperor!"
All officials prostrated themselves on the ground.
"All the nobles, please stand up!"
The eunuch who delivered the message said loudly.
All the officials stood up.
"Your Majesty, I am summoning all the officials today. What is the important matter?"
Imperial Censor Chen Xiu stood up and bowed to Ye Chen.
As the Imperial Censor, it was his duty to step forward and question Ye Chen when he suddenly summoned all the officials.
"I summoned all the officials today, of course it's something important!"
Ye Chen glanced at Chen Xiu, then waved his hand.
"Today, I found solid evidence that someone was plundering people in the capital. I followed the clues and have already arrested all of them!"
Upon hearing this, all the officials were in an uproar.
Some were shocked, some were angry, and some were terrified.
"Your Majesty, who are these people?"
Yang Dechang stood up and spoke in a low voice.
He knew who Ye Chen was talking about, and Lu Shang was definitely no longer safe, but he would never let Ye Chen take advantage of the opportunity to make use of the situation.
"Some businessmen from Jiangnan."
Ye Chen looked at Yang Dechang with an expressionless and indifferent face.
"Your Majesty, these merchants are truly audacious, kidnapping people in the capital. They deserve severe punishment! The ringleader may have other connections. Your Majesty, please hand them over to the Ministry of Justice for a joint trial."
Yang Dechang bowed.
Facing Yang Dechang's words, Ye Chen just snorted coldly and said, "No need, I have already interrogated him."
"Your Majesty, the officials of the Ministry of Justice are experienced in interrogating criminals. Privately kidnapping people is a serious crime. Without a trial by three judges, I believe these criminals will not tell the truth."
Yang Dechang's face turned ugly and he clasped his fists towards Ye Chen.
"Ah."
A sneer appeared on Ye Chen's face.
According to Yang Dechang, any confession would be invalid without the three-court trial of the Ministry of Justice.
"Prime Minister, according to you, does that mean the testimony I personally obtained during the interrogation cannot be counted?"
"That's not what I meant. I just think that having officials from the Ministry of Justice conduct a joint trial will definitely be more convincing to the world."
Yang Dechang's tone remained calm, but he did not give in at all.
"Oh, what if this matter involves officials from the Ministry of Justice? Can we still let them try it?"
Ye Chen suddenly asked.
"Your Majesty, the officials of the Ministry of Justice have always been loyal. Someone must be framing me here!"
Before Yang Dechang could say anything, Qi Gongtai, the Minister of Justice, stepped forward among the officials, holding up the ivory plaque and speaking loudly.
Compared with Yang Dechang, Qi Gongtai looked much younger, with a neat goatee on his chin, a square head and big ears, but he had a righteous look on his face.
"Haha, I can tell if someone is framing me."
"But now, I will give the officials who committed the crime a chance. Anyone who participated in the Lu merchants' plundering of the population will come forward and confess now. I will give them a lighter sentence."
Ye Chen glanced at Qi Gongtai, his tone became extremely cold, and a murderous aura emanated from him.
Upon hearing this, Qi Gongtai's face showed no expression, but rather a frank look.
At this time, Yang Dechang frowned, as Ye Chen had obviously tricked all the officials.
After all, no one knows what those Luzhou businessmen have confessed and who they have confessed.
But if the guilty officials can't stand it anymore and stand up, it is possible that more people will be implicated.
However, Yang Dechang was very confident in his prestige.
He believed that if he did not hint, no official would dare to speak out.
"Your Majesty, since you are so certain that an official was involved in the human robbery, I wonder which official it was, and do you have any evidence? Perhaps there is injustice involved. Please clarify this and do not allow loyal people to suffer unjust accusations."
Yang Dechang bowed towards Ye Chen.
"Alright! Prime Minister Yang actually wants to know the name, then I will tell you."
"He Feng! Xia Houjie! Qi Gongtai!"
Ye Chen slammed the table suddenly, his face suddenly became gloomy, and his voice was like thunder.
"Do you know your crime?!"
In an instant, the three officials among the hundreds of officials were all shocked.
then.
"Your Majesty, I do not know what crime I have committed!"
Qi Gongtai fell to his knees with a plop.
"I don't know what crime I have committed."
The Minister of Personnel, Xiahou Jie, also stood up and knelt down.
"Your Majesty, I am innocent!"
He Feng's white beard drooped to his chest. He knelt on the ground after standing out, and there was a look of fear on his old face. He was obviously not as calm as Qi Gongtai and Xiahou Jie.
"Oh, you all feel that you are not guilty? Good, very good!"
Ye Chen looked at the three ministers kneeling in front of him, but he was not surprised at all.
These guys obviously won't cry until they see the coffin.
"Come here, bring those two criminals up to me!"
Upon hearing this, Yang Dechang's face changed and he quickly turned to look towards the gate of Taiqian Palace.
And very quickly.
Kou Tao and Kou Qing, with shackles on their hands and feet, appeared in Yang Dechang's eyes.
In an instant, Yang Dechang's face changed slightly, his eyes fixed on Kou Qing, and he thought to himself that something was wrong.
Kou Tao can also be said to be the boss of the businessmen.
Kou Qing is the Jinwu Guard of the city defense army!
And he is Kou Tao's cousin.
Now that both of them have been caught, it's probably impossible to put the entire blame on a group of businessmen.
Yang Dechang's face turned a little ugly.
Unlike Yang Dechang, He Feng, Qi Gongtai and Xiahou Jie all changed their expressions when they saw Kou Tao and Kou Qing.
Among them, He Feng became very uneasy, and his old body trembled slightly.
"I, a humble servant, pay my respects to Your Majesty."
Kou Tao and Kou Qing knelt on the ground.
"Tell us your identities first, so that the officials can listen."
Ye Chen waved his hand and said in a calm tone.
"I, I am Kou Qing, a member of the Jinwu Guard of the city defense department!"
"I'm Kou Tao, the owner of Beijing Lu Merchants."
Kou Tao and Kou Qing said in turn.
"Tell me, what crime have you committed?"
"I, a guilty minister, took advantage of my position to help my brothers rob people!"
"I ordered the Lu merchants to rob people!"
Kou Qing and Kou Tao continued.
And listened to what the two said.
Yang Dechang's eyes darkened, and he quickly stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, since the two have confessed their crimes, it seems that Kou Qing is Kou Tao's backer. The matter is very clear. This vicious criminal should be punished immediately and dealt with according to the law!"
"Oh, Prime Minister Yang, don't be so anxious. We must first clarify the matter. I will not let anyone who dares to commit such a serious crime go."
Ye Chen glanced at Yang Dechang with cold eyes, then turned his attention to Kou Tao and Kou Qing.
"I'm asking you, which officials in the court are involved in the human plunder? Don't make irresponsible remarks. I don't want to wrongly accuse a good official, but I won't let a traitor go either!"
Hearing this, Kou Qing and Kou Tao showed hesitation on their faces. After all, with all the officials in the court and so many people watching, they were a little afraid.
But soon, the two of them remembered their clansmen in prison, and finally made up their minds and clasped their fists.
"I, your humble servant, obey your order!"