Chapter 201 The Case is Closed

Chapter 201 The Case is Closed

Censor Dou and the governor, together with Du Min, investigated the case from both sides. Within three days, they obtained multiple confessions. After several comparisons, they confirmed that no one had escaped. Censor Dou compiled a dossier listing the crimes of thirty-one officials at various levels, wrote down the sentences for each one, and had it sent to Chang'an by imperial guards on horseback.

On the fourth day after the case file was sent out, officials from Chang'an arrived. The leader of the delegation was Prime Minister Zheng, accompanied by the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review and the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice.

"After Chief Secretary Du's memorial was delivered to Chang'an, the Emperor and Empress Wu immediately dispatched us to investigate the case. We only arrived in Luoyang five days ago," Prime Minister Zheng explained.

"You've come at the right time. The governor and I have already investigated Xu Ang and the others' crimes and closed the case. The case file was sent to Chang'an four days ago. Now that you gentlemen are here, could you please review the case on the spot? The prison in Hanoi County is already full." Censor Dou brought out the testimonies from all sides and the verdict to show them. "Xu Ang and the others are all imprisoned in the county jail. If you gentlemen have any doubts, you can go and interrogate them yourselves."

Prime Minister Zheng, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, and the Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review each took several confessions to read, and their brows furrowed more and more as they read.

"Due to a shortage of manpower, the embezzled funds of Xu Ang have not yet been fully accounted for. According to his confession, over the past ten years, of the 1.4 million strings of cash allocated by the imperial court, he embezzled 1.12 million strings, of which more than 300,000 strings were used to bribe officials. In addition to money, he also purchased 40 hectares of land in Huaizhou at a low price." This included bribes from local gentry and powerful figures. We also found a box of property deeds in his study; most of the shops in Hanoi County belonged to him, and he also owned five houses south of Shangyang Palace in Luoyang. “Besides corruption and bribery, he had fifteen lives on his hands, eight of whom were his concubines. He used their lives to set traps, threatening officials in the governor's office to collude with him. The former Sima of Huai Prefecture, unwilling to submit again, was murdered by his men. On the day we arrived in Hanoi County, he ordered the execution of all officials except for Chief Clerk Du, Vice-Prefect Cui, and the Military Advisor. He also ordered the assassination of Chief Clerk Du, but he escaped because he was not home.”

After reading the confession in his hand, Prime Minister Zheng said, "His crimes are heinous and he should be sentenced to hanging."

The Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice and the Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review nodded in agreement.

"Those sentenced to death include Qian Shouren, the prefectural governor's official, the prefectural governor's general, and eight guards. Five years ago, the murderers who orchestrated the arson, murder, and land seizure were Wang Gui, the township head of Linping Township, and his two sons." The mastermind behind the arson was not Xu Ang, but the local township head. He had a grudge against the victim's family. Knowing that Xu Ang's official had his eye on Sun Dali's land, the three of them devised a vicious plan. They poisoned the land, set fire to the body, and, as township head, seized over 400 mu of land from the Sun family. They then used this as a pledge of loyalty to Qian Shouren, thus escaping punishment.

"Approved." After reading the confession, the Vice Minister of Justice said incredulously, "Xu Ang and his subordinates have committed numerous crimes in Hanoi County, and for ten years, not a single person has reported them."

“They’re all cowards who cling to life and fear death.” Imperial Censor Dou glanced at Prime Minister Zheng.

Jung Jae-sang pretended not to see it; Choi Geun wasn't a member of his Jung clan, so what did it have to do with him? However, he didn't see any words related to him in the statement, and he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

"Although Cui Jin, the Prefect of Huai Prefecture, provided the opportunity to expose this case, he was not the one who reported it, and his escape was forced. He has no merit in reporting it. Because he accepted bribes and squandered more than 30,000 strings of cash, and was also guilty of harboring a criminal, he is hereby dismissed from his post, his property is confiscated, and he is forbidden from entering officialdom again." The Dou family of Henan was the maternal family of Empress Dowager Dou, and their ancestral home was in Henan. Censor Dou was not familiar with the northern clans and did not give face to the Cui family of Boling and the Zheng family of Xingyang, so he severely punished Cui Jin.

The Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice and the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review both looked at Prime Minister Zheng.

“Agreed.” Prime Minister Zheng had no objection. In his opinion, Cui Jin was worse off than dead.

"Zhao Qi, the Military Advisor, accepted bribes, persecuted his colleagues, and participated in Xu Ang's plots to harm officials on several occasions. He was also guilty of harboring a criminal, and was dismissed from his post, his property confiscated, and sentenced to five years of penal servitude. However, at the last moment, he betrayed Xu Ang and reported to Chief Clerk Du that Xu Ang was planning to flee with his men. He then led troops to pursue and capture Xu Ang and his associates, giving Chief Clerk Du the opportunity to join forces with the Commandant of the Vanguard to apprehend Xu Ang and his men. This was a meritorious act, which could offset his five years in prison. He was only dismissed from his post and his property confiscated, and he was still barred from entering officialdom again." Censor Dou continued, "As for the clerks in the county government of Hanoi who colluded with Yu Jian, all of them were dismissed from their posts, their property confiscated, and their families banned from holding office for three generations."

The Vice Minister of Justice had no objection and approved it.

"As for the five military advisors and Li Sima who have already been killed, their official positions will be revoked, their property confiscated, and their families banned from holding office for three generations," said Imperial Censor Dou.

"Approved," said the Vice Minister of Justice. "Bring all the official documents, I'll stamp them, and we'll execute them immediately."

"Are there any officials left in Huai Prefecture?" asked the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review.

"In the governor's office, only Chief Clerk Du, who took office in the first month of this year, is innocent; he is the only one left," Imperial Censor Dou replied. "As for the magistrates of the other four counties in Huai Prefecture, the governor sent people to investigate, but they have not yet returned."

The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review laughed, "This major case will resound throughout the court and the country. Officials from top to bottom throughout the entire prefecture have been dismissed."

"What was Prime Minister Xu's stance? Did he send anyone to obstruct your investigation?" the Vice Minister of Justice asked.

Imperial Censor Dou shook his head. "No, he asked me to clean house for him."

"That old man has submitted a memorial requesting to resign from his post. I wonder if Empress Wu will still refuse to approve it this time." Prime Minister Zheng received the letter as soon as he landed in Luoyang.

"My lords, Chief Secretary Du has arrived," a guard announced as he entered.

"Please invite him in," Prime Minister Zheng ordered.

Du Min strode in and bowed, saying, "This humble official greets all my lords."

"Lord Du, you've done another great service! You've destroyed the corrupt officials' den in Huai Prefecture in one fell swoop and managed to escape unscathed. Impressive!" Prime Minister Zheng praised, introducing Du Min to the two officials: "These two are the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice and the Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review, surnamed Xie and Li respectively."

Du Min nodded in greeting and explained, "It was truly inappropriate to keep you gentlemen waiting. I received a message from Imperial Censor Dou and was about to come from the yamen when a guest suddenly arrived. It was a guard sent by General Wang, who is stationed in Bingzhou, to deliver the message, which is why I was delayed."

Upon hearing the words "Bingzhou," Prime Minister Zheng immediately inquired, "Is it related to Lady Wang? After receiving Lady Meng's letter, I contacted her father and brothers. After that, I left the capital and went south, and I still do not know her whereabouts."

“Yes, Cui Jin hid on my boat at the Mengjin ferry. After learning the whole story from him, I immediately sent a message to Wang, the military advisor in Bingzhou. His guards came to inform me that Lady Wang had arrived safely in Bingzhou,” Du Min replied. “Lady Wang set off for Chang’an ten days ago and will arrive in another half month.”

"Fortunately, she was unharmed," Prime Minister Zheng said with relief.

"Madam Wang is a woman of noble character, courageous and resourceful. It was her departure that forced Xu Ang to reveal his true colors. Such an extraordinary woman will surely be blessed by Heaven," Du Min praised sincerely.

"She has at least upheld the integrity of the Wang family of Taiyuan," said the Vice Minister of Justice. "If only she had exposed Xu Ang's crimes to the court sooner."

For five years, Prime Minister Xu, as Empress Wu's henchman, brought down countless powerful officials for her, much to the resentment of the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice.

Upon hearing this, Prime Minister Zheng was puzzled. Wang Yunrong had endured for five years, so why did she suddenly snap? And why did she choose to flee alone? He picked up Cui Jin's confession and read it again, noticing something amiss.

"Do you want to go and take a look around the prison?" Imperial Censor Dou didn't want to listen to their idle chatter. "If there are no objections, I will choose a date to carry out the execution. The people of Hanoi County are all waiting for the verdict."

"No need to look at it anymore. You set the date. After the execution, we'll take Xu Ang and the confiscated money back to the capital," said the Vice Minister of Justice. The case was progressing too smoothly; they had come all this way only to review the case and had no real use for it.

"The execution will be carried out in three days." Imperial Censor Dou set the date. In three more days, the money in the secret room will be accounted for.

That evening, Cui Jin and Zhao Qi were released.

"Young Master Cui, the Prime Minister has sent his men to fetch you to the post station for your rest. The Prefectural Governor's residence has been sealed off." Prime Minister Zheng's attendant was waiting outside.

Cui Jin silently boarded the carriage. After arriving at the post station, he washed up and went to see Prime Minister Zheng. His first words were to apologize: "Brother-in-law, I failed to do what you asked me to do. Du Min did not confront Xu Ang, but I confronted Xu Ang."

Prime Minister Zheng was ashamed to discuss such matters with him. Cui Jin's repeated compromises and choice to live a life of ignoring the shame of his past scheme to use Du Min to bring down Xu Ang. He ignored Cui Jin's words and asked his own question: "What went wrong? Why did Xu Ang turn against you again?"

Cui Jin couldn't figure it out either. He recounted what happened during that period, saying, "Maybe it was something I said when I went to get the parrot that angered him."

Prime Minister Zheng immediately denied it, saying, "How could that be? He's not so arrogant as to be stupid. Why use a sledgehammer to crack a nut? There must be more to the story."

The following day, Prime Minister Zheng went to the prison and personally met with Xu Ang to ask him why he had used the aphrodisiac to test Cui Jin again.

Knowing that his fate was sealed, Xu Ang refused to speak again.

"Is it related to Lady Meng? You've fallen for her trap; you've been fooled by a woman and thrown into disarray," Prime Minister Zheng provoked with his words.

Xu Ang frowned. Wasn't it Cui Jin who used the parrot to warn Meng Qing? If it wasn't Cui Jin, how did Meng Qing learn about that sentence?

"Didn't you signal Cui Jin to warn Meng Qing?" Xu Ang questioned, struggling to his feet as he urged, "Go ask Cui Jin if he used the parrot to warn Du Min to be careful of the wine and tea at the governor's mansion."

Prime Minister Zheng paused, realizing that, just as he had guessed, it was the letter he had left that had caused the trouble.

He underestimated Meng Qing and Du Min; these two, uncle and sister-in-law, were capable of using either of them.