thefictionvixens Chapter 1681 Everything You Said
Chapter 1681 Everything You Said
Although it was during the Tang Dynasty, the Tang Dynasty had a complete set of public prosecution procedures.
The world's laws and prosecution procedures have evolved since the Tang Dynasty.
Case trials in the Tang Dynasty were divided into preliminary trials and retrials.
All localities must submit the case files of all major cases to the Dali Temple for review. If the Dali Temple finds any problems after review,
It will be sent back for re-proposal. If it fails three times, the local officials will be immediately punished.
If approved, whether it is exile or beheading, it will be submitted to the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Personnel for review. If the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Personnel find any doubts,
Then send the case back to the Dali Temple for a re-examination.
This shows how cautious the Tang Dynasty was towards those sentenced to heavy penalties.
For the trial of a prince like Li Shen, the normal procedure is for the three judicial departments to hold the trial together.
Unless His Majesty issues a special order, instructing the Prime Minister to intervene, the Ministry of Justice and the Dali Temple must also cooperate.
The officials from the aristocratic families were not unaware of this, but they were too hasty. They were somewhat angry because of Li Shen's endless excuses.
"Well? Did you understand? The testimony and physical evidence you provided still need further verification.
Are you so eager to convict me of some hidden conspiracy?"
Li Shen looked at the people from the noble families with a smug look on his face, making him look so ruthless that his teeth were itching.
"Everyone, what the Dali Temple Minister said just now is correct. Even if you provide all the evidence, as long as His Royal Highness Prince Ji does not plead guilty,
We all need to conduct a thorough investigation to find out whether there are wrongful convictions or false charges.”
Ma Zhou nodded and spoke to several people from the aristocratic family.
"Yes, I understand." Several people bowed and said yes.
"That's good. In that case, we will wait until the Dali Temple returns from its investigation in Xizhou before making a decision.
In order to seek fairness this time, the Ministry of Justice and the Dali Temple sent people together, working at full speed day and night, in an effort to investigate the matter as quickly as possible.
In particular, the murder of an official from the Western Province must also be investigated.”
Ma Zhou gave orders to Zhang Xingcheng and Sun Fujia.
The two men immediately bowed and accepted the order.
"Wait." Just as he was about to leave the court, Li Shen shouted.
"I wonder if His Royal Highness Prince Ji has anything else to say?"
Changsun Wuji asked.
"Of course there is. Isn't your trial a bit hasty?"
"Rash? What does your highness Prince Ji mean?" Changsun Wuji and Ma Zhou were stunned, not understanding what Li Shen meant.
"You just let them talk, but I haven't said anything yet?"
Li Shen looked at the two of them.
The two were a little puzzled. Didn't you just make an excuse? You are the defendant, what else can you say?
"Oh, then I wonder what His Royal Highness Prince Ji wants to say?" The two of them were ready to listen to what else Prince Ji had to say.
"Ahem!" Li Shen cleared his throat and said:
"What they just said about Prince Ji's Mansion oppressing the people in Xizhou, colluding with local officials, and exploiting craftsmen is indeed true."
"What?" Everyone present was surprised. They didn't expect King Ji to admit it.
"Your Highness Prince Ji, didn't you just say you didn't admit it?"
Ma Zhou frowned and asked, if Prince Ji was really convicted, the court would have to make some preparations.
“I said I did not admit it because of what Censor Wang said about my Ji Palace doing it.
What I am talking about is another matter."
Li Shen had already thought about it. Sooner or later, the matter of Xizhou would be found out. Things have come to this point.
It would be very easy for the Dali Temple and the Ministry of Justice to investigate.
It would be better for me to speak out about it in advance and make my position clear that I have nothing to do with this matter.
"Your Highness Prince Ji, please tell me in detail." Ma Zhou asked hurriedly after seeing the turning point.
Li Shen nodded:
"The head manager of the Ji Wang Mansion in Xizhou is called Wang Wencheng. Over the years, he has used the name of the Ji Wang Mansion to commit many evil deeds in Xizhou, deceiving his superiors and subordinates.
He did everything that Censor Wang just said.
When I found out about this, I was also greatly shocked, and I sent people to capture Wang Wencheng. It was that simple.
The matter in Xizhou was not ordered by me, it was entirely Wang Wencheng's personal decision.
Moreover, I suspect that Wang Wencheng was instructed by someone to deliberately destroy the reputation of my Ji Wang Mansion."
"Your Highness Prince Ji, this is just your one-sided statement, and we don't know the details.
I suspect that His Royal Highness Prince Ji is trying to evade responsibility, and it is not impossible that he is trying to shift the blame to a big shopkeeper."
Cui Renzhi immediately questioned.
"Yes." Changsun Wuji nodded, then asked calmly:
"Does your Highness Prince Ji have any evidence? You can bring Wang Wencheng here so we can interrogate him in person."
Li Shen shook his head after hearing this:
"Alas, Wang Wencheng was poisoned on the way back. This is why I suspect that Wang Wencheng was murdered to silence him."
"Haha, Your Highness Prince Ji, was he murdered to silence him, or is there another hidden story?
Maybe it’s true that he killed someone to silence him, but by whom…” Censor Wang sneered.
The meaning was very clear. He suspected that Li Shen himself had killed the person to silence him.
"Yes, Your Highness Prince Ji, your tactic of leaving no evidence behind is really brilliant." Cui Renzhi said with a laugh.
Li Shen snorted:
"Humph, even if Wang Wencheng is dead, I still have evidence.
Although Wang Wencheng was dead, his family was still there, and there were assassins who wanted to kill them along the way.
Therefore, Wang Wencheng's family can prove that this was done by Wang Wencheng himself and has nothing to do with my Ji Wang Mansion."
“Your Highness Prince Ji, just as you said, I also doubt the authenticity of the confession given by Wang Wencheng’s family.
Who knows if it was the result of your coercion or inducement, Your Highness?" Zheng Jingsi said sarcastically.
"How dare you! How dare you speak to me like that? Do you believe that I will kill you if you leave the Imperial City?"
Li Shen was domineering and his aura as a prince was rising. He looked at Zheng Jingsi sharply, causing Zheng Jingsi to involuntarily take a step back.
"Your Highness, this is a court, please calm down.
We do need to verify what His Royal Highness Prince Ji said, including what he said about Wang Wencheng's family.
And we will still send people to Xizhou to investigate.
After all, Wang Wencheng is dead, there is no evidence, and the prince has just admitted the matter of Xizhou."
Changsun Wuji said calmly.
“Duke Zhao, of course you can investigate, but after the incident in Xizhou, I have already reported the matter to His Majesty.
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince also knows this.
Your Majesty has also granted permission for the tribe of Xue Guogong Ashina Zhong to dispatch 2,000 Hu soldiers, led by Ashina Zhong's son Ashina Liang.
Escort Wang Wencheng and his gang back to Beijing.
On the way, the main culprits including Wang Wencheng were poisoned to death, and Ashina Liang could also testify to this.
By the way, I, as well as Wang Wencheng’s followers, have also handed over the confessions of hundreds of people to Your Majesty.
If you don’t believe me, you can go to His Majesty to confront him.”
Li Shen decided to drag his father into the water. The two hundred thousand yuan couldn't be taken away so easily. He had to do something, right?
"Your Majesty has known about this for a long time?"
This news caught everyone off guard. It turned out that His Majesty had known about the affairs of Xizhou for a long time, but he had never said anything about it, nor did he do anything about it.
(I specifically checked the case handling process of the Dali Temple, and it is roughly what I said.)