flstandardbreds Chapter 150: Court Ceremony
Chapter 150: Court Ceremony
At the same time, Fang Mingli, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, often questioned Liu Shan's decisions in public, attempting to undermine his prestige among the people.
Whenever Liu Shan proposed a solution to a case, Fang Mingli would always find various reasons to refute it, his words sharp and merciless.
His goal was to make the officials of the Dali Temple think that Liu Shan was just an outsider who didn't understand criminal trials, thus causing them to resist his orders.
The atmosphere was unusually tense during a case discussion meeting held by the Dali Temple.
Liu Shan sat in the high seat, holding a file in his hand, preparing to explain his point of view.
Before he could speak, Fang Mingli interjected, "Liu Shaoqing, although you have made some achievements in military affairs, matters of criminal justice are completely different from military campaigns."
"Looking at this case, it involves many complex interpersonal relationships and obscure clues. Are you really confident that you can make a fair judgment?"
Liu Shan looked up at Fang Mingli, his gaze firm and confident: "Lord Fang, although I am new to criminal justice, I believe that as long as I uphold justice and carefully examine the evidence, I will be able to make the right judgment."
Fang Mingli sneered and continued, "Hmph, that's easy for you to say. How can you master the experience and rules that the Dali Temple has accumulated over the years? Don't ruin the reputation of the Dali Temple because of your recklessness."
Liu Shan understood Fang Mingli's intentions, but he did not back down; instead, he argued his case based on reason.
However, under Fang Mingli's instigation, some officials who were originally neutral began to doubt Liu Shan's views, and the meeting ended unhappily.
Song Zhongwen, who harbored a deep hatred for Liu Shan, went to great lengths to create trouble for Liu Shan under Fang Mingli's instructions.
He spread rumors everywhere, defaming Liu Shan's reputation.
In the corridors and courtyards of the Dali Temple, one could always hear his sarcastic voice: "Hmph, this Liu Shan only climbed to the position of Junior Minister by virtue of the Empress's favor. He doesn't understand the ins and outs of criminal justice at all. His coming to the Dali Temple is simply misleading people and causing trouble!"
These rumors spread rapidly within the Dali Temple like puffs of poisonous smoke, causing some officials who were unaware of the truth to develop prejudices and misunderstandings towards Liu Shan.
Although Liu Shan had heard about these rumors, he was not bothered by them. Instead, he decided to investigate secretly and find evidence to prove his innocence.
Liu Shan knew he was in a difficult situation, but he could not give up easily.
He began to use his connections within the Imperial Guard to gather intelligence about Fang Mingli and Song Zhongwen.
He sent his trusted men deep into the city to investigate their past actions and clues about their secret collusion.
At the same time, he was particularly attentive when handling those trivial cases, trying to find opportunities for breakthroughs from the details.
……
As dusk settled, the bronze statue of the mythical beast Xie Zhi in the Dali Temple government office gleamed coldly in the rain.
Liu Shan, dressed in a neat official robe and holding a newly made ivory waist token, stepped into the main hall, only to find the desk piled high with files.
At this moment, a minor clerk hurriedly stepped forward.
He was thin and wore a faded long robe. His head was bowed deeply, and his hands were respectfully folded in front of him. He reported in a slightly trembling voice: "My lord, these are all unsolved cases that have been pending for half a year. Minister Fang specifically instructed... Please, Lord Liu, be sure to 'carefully consider' them."
The words "carefully consider" seemed to carry a different kind of profound meaning when spoken by the minor official, and they echoed slightly in the air.
Liu Shan nodded slightly, his gaze remaining fixed on the minor official, and then asked, "Where is Song Zhongwen?"
As he spoke, he reached out and casually flipped open the topmost case file.
As the file was unfolded, a musty smell wafted out. The paper was slightly yellowed, and although the handwriting was still relatively clear, there were obvious signs of alteration in some key places.
This is a case involving smuggled salt from imperial merchants. The case is complex and difficult to handle. What makes Liu Shan frown is that the list of those involved is mostly covered by ink stains, and the names that should have been clearly recorded have become blurred.
Upon hearing Liu Shan's question, the clerk lowered his head even further, almost touching the ground, and his voice grew weaker and weaker: "Your Excellency, Lord Song has been on sick leave for three days now."
However, before he could finish speaking, a sudden commotion broke the solemn silence in the main hall.
There were more than ten people dressed in plain white linen clothes and wearing mourning caps, their expressions filled with grief and indignation. They broke through the guards' obstruction and knelt in the courtyard in a huge crowd.
That expanse of pure white stood out starkly against the gloomy sky.
The leader was an old woman, her body hunched over, with deep wrinkles etched on her face by the years, each wrinkle seemingly telling a story of life's hardships and pain.
At this moment, her face was covered in tears, her eyes were red and swollen, and tears were flowing out like a burst dam.
She pounded her head on the ground, her forehead striking the hard stone floor with a dull thud, each impact seeming like an indictment of fate.
Her wailing was deafening, her heart-wrenching voice echoing throughout the courtyard of the Dali Temple: "Your Honor! My son was beaten to death in the street by Song Zhongwen, and it has been more than three months now. There is nowhere to seek justice for this injustice. I beg you, Your Honor, to do justice for my son!"
Liu Shan squinted. He recognized the old woman—half a month ago, when the Imperial Guards were patrolling at night, they saw her huddled outside the corner gate of the Song residence, weeping.
At that time, Song Zhongwen simply said "madwoman extortion" and had the Five City Garrison drag the person away.
That scene was deeply imprinted in Liu Shan's mind. Now, seeing the old woman again, his doubts and anger intertwined and grew even stronger.
"Bring Song Zhongwen to court!" He unfastened his sword and slammed it heavily on the table, startling the birds in the rafters into scattering.
The officers on duty exchanged bewildered glances, and finally retreated tremblingly under his cold, stern gaze.
Time passed slowly, and before we knew it, the water clock dripped to the hour of Xu (7-9 PM), the crisp sound of the dripping water particularly clear in the quiet night.
Only then did Song Zhongwen leisurely stroll into the courtroom, fanning himself with a folding fan.
He wore a magnificent robe with an exquisite belt around his waist, the jade pendant inlaid on it swaying gently with his steps.
His face carried a hint of arrogance and disdain as his eyes swept contemptuously across the courtroom before finally settling on the kneeling commoners.
He chuckled and said sarcastically, "Hmph, Lord Liu, newly appointed, certainly knows how to establish his authority. But..."
The folding fan snapped shut and pointed directly at the old woman: "This scoundrel's son rammed my carriage; he deserves to die!"
Song Zhongwen's tone became increasingly arrogant: "...In my opinion, Lord Liu would be better off minding his own business."