Although Cao Rui had been mentally prepared for this kind of injustice, he was still inevitably angry when it really happened before him.
Luoyang is so big and the court has so many people. Even if the court is full of righteous people, how can everyone from top to bottom be clean?
However, when it comes to abusing power for personal gain, it is just an exchange of interests for top officials, but when it is done by middle and lower-level officials, it is considered to be a despicable act and corruption.
Cao Rui nodded and asked, "Zhuge Dan, Yuan Kan, and Xu Yun, right? What are the origins of these three people?"
Xin Pi was about to speak, but Wei Zhen spoke first: "Your Majesty, Zhuge Dan is from the Zhuge clan of Langya, and is of the same clan as Zhuge Liang and Zhuge Jin."
"Yuan Kan is the son of the former Imperial Censor Yuan Huan, and Xu Yun was also a famous scholar in Hejian County."
Cao Rui snorted lightly: "Celebrity, what I dislike most is celebrity. I can't remember clearly, is Yuan Huan from the Yuan family of Runan? How can he be the Imperial Censor?"
Wei Zhen explained: "After the previous emperor ascended the throne, he changed the position of Imperial Censor to Minister of Works. Before Wang Situ became Minister of Works, his position was Imperial Censor, and he succeeded Yuan Huan."
"This Yuan Huan is not from the Runan Yuan family, which is the same clan as Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu, but from another branch of the Chenjun Yuan family."
Cao Rui glanced at Wei Zhen who was answering seriously, but his mind was thinking about something other than the case.
The reason why Wei Zhen was appointed as Shangshu You Pushe and entered the palace and the East Pavilion was mainly to transfer some power and responsibilities from Sima Yi, the Recorder of the Shangshu.
According to the general case described by Xin Pi and Wei Zhen, it was probably Zhuge Dan, Yuan Kan, Xu Yun and others who had done something illegal in private, which implicated Wei Zhen.
Can you think of a way to clear Wei Zhen of all responsibility?
"Come on, follow me back to the study." Cao Rui threw the gold-painted carved bow in his hand to the eunuch serving beside him, clapped his hands and walked in front.
Xin Pi and Wei Zhen looked at each other and followed.
When he was almost at the study, Cao Rui looked at the West Pavilion and the East Pavilion respectively, but suddenly thought of a new angle.
If Wei Zhen was responsible, Sima Yi should still be the official in charge of the Shangshu Office. In theory, Sima Yi had more power and responsibility than Wei Zhen in the Shangshu Office, so they should both be punished!
Cao Rui gradually stopped, stood in front of the steps in the courtyard, and turned to look at Xin Pi and Wei Zhen.
"Minister Xin, Master Wei, I have a rough idea. Please listen to me."
Wei Zhen was the first to bow and said, "Please give your orders, Your Majesty."
Cao Rui said softly, "Master Wei, do you want to investigate as the Inspector General of the Imperial Guards?"
Wei Zhen said bluntly: "Your Majesty, Zhuge Dan, Yuan Kan, and Xu Yun are all my subordinates. If I were to investigate on my own, I'm afraid it would cause criticism from both the government and the public."
"I ask to avoid suspicion, and let Gao Wenhui, the court judge, investigate this matter." Wei Zhen raised his head and looked at the emperor: "Also, I think it is inappropriate for the school to intervene. The school can be used to investigate the officials, but it is better not to involve the school in the interrogation process after the case."
"What did Xin Qing say?" Cao Rui looked at Xin Pi.
Xin Pi smiled bitterly and cupped his hands: "Your Majesty, I am only entrusted by Your Majesty to supervise the school affairs. How can I have the slightest intention of doing big school affairs?"
"I think what Wei Pushe said is very appropriate. The purpose of the school is to help Your Majesty and the court investigate various matters, and it should not intervene in the trial of cases, and this should become a routine in the future."
Cao Rui nodded: "Well, let's leave this matter to Gao Rou. According to the common sense of the court judge, can these three people be imprisoned?"
Xin Pi replied: "It's between possible and impossible."
Cao Rui said: "These people are really hateful, so let's put them all in prison, but remember not to torture them, and give the Shangshutai some dignity."
"I obey your order." Xin Pi responded, "I have something else to report to Your Majesty."
Why are there so many things going on today?
Cao Rui raised his eyes and looked at Xin Pi: "Minister Xin, please speak."
Xin Pi cupped his hands and said, "I have been very busy lately. I would like to recommend someone to take up an official post and help me share some of the trivial matters."
This was the first time Xin Pi recommended someone to him. Cao Rui smiled and said, "What young talent did Minister Xin discover? Tell me about it."
Xin Pi also smiled and replied, "He is indeed a young talent. The one I want to recommend is Du Ji's son Du Shu Du Wubo. He is thirty years old at the time and is a Lang in the Guanglu Temple. He has just returned from a visit to Wuchang with Sima Zihua, so he has gained some experience."
Cao Rui narrowed his eyes and said, "I just remembered that before Du Ji became the Shangshu, he had always been the governor of Hedong?"
Xin Pi bowed and said, "Your Majesty is right. Du Ji has been the governor of Hedong for sixteen years, and his achievements are always the best in the world. Du Shu, as the son of Du Ji, is sincere and simple, and he is a man who can get things done."
Cao Rui clapped his hands and said, "Okay, then let Du Shu be a Sanqi Shilang, so that he can also enter the palace to assist Xin Qing."
Xin Pi said: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace."
Cao Rui shook his head slightly: "Minister Xin recommended talents for the country, why should I thank you? Go and hand these three people over to the court."
"By the way, I haven't been to Chongwen Temple for a long time. Tomorrow morning, the two ministers Xin and Chen, as well as Master Wei and Sikong, will go to Chongwen Temple with me."
"As you wish." Wei Zhen and Xin Pi said in unison. Xin Pi recommended Du Shu, and according to common sense, Cao Rui had no reason to refuse.
In this era, ministers not only had the power to do things, but also the power to recommend. If a minister was rejected even when he recommended an official for him, it would be like a slap in the face.
In the evening, at the Supreme Court.
When the school affairs office does things, it can make the whole city know about it, or it can do things quietly, all depending on the instructions of the superiors.
Xin Pi and Wei Zhen naturally did not want to spread the matter, so when Zhuge Dan, Yuan Kan and Xu Yun were taken out of the Secretariat and got on the carriage, not many people knew about it.
The carriage was naturally heading to the imperial prison, and to report the matter to Chief Justice Gao Rou. Xin Pi didn't need to go in person for such a trivial matter.
Du Shu, who had just taken office as Palace Attendant, received such a task and went to the Supreme Court with the Imperial Guard Commandant Pan Xiao.
From the captain to the deputy captain and the squad leader, all the officials in the school affairs office are smart and shrewd.
Pan Xiao and Du Shu went to the Supreme Court by car. Pan Xiao talked about the State of Wu with Du Shu for a long time. From time to time, he would tell Du Shu some secrets of the State of Wu that he had discovered. It was obvious that they were getting along very well.
After arriving at the Imperial Court, Pan Xiao got out of the carriage first, lifted the curtain, and said to Du Shu inside with a smile, "Minister Du, please come in."
Du Shu is just a sincere, pragmatic person who doesn't care about vulgarity, but he is not ignorant of the ways of the world.
Du Shu already knew that Pan Xiao was polite to him mostly because he was assisting Xin Pi, who was Pan Xiao's immediate superior.
Du Shu sat still, clasping his hands and saying, "Captain Pan, please don't do this again in the future. Captain Pan is a 2,000-stone official. Lord Xin can afford your courtesy, but how can I, a 600-stone official, dare to accept it?"
Pan Xiao smiled and said, "Minister Du is right. I was rash."
After Pan Xiao lowered the curtain, Du Shu lifted the curtain and walked out, entering the Supreme Court Mansion side by side with Pan Xiao.
Gao Rou was ready to go home after her shift, but when she heard Du Shu talk about this, she felt inexplicably surprised for a moment.
Du Shu took out a stack of documents from his bosom, held them up with both hands and said, "Lord Gao, I have explained the case clearly. Here are the handwritten letters from Lord Xin and Lord Wei."
"It is estimated that the carriage carrying the three people is almost at the Imperial Prison. Please ask Lord Gao to arrange for the Imperial Prison to receive them."
The Chief Justice Wang Guan, who was sitting on the side of the hall, slowly stood up, took the document from Du Shu and handed it to Gao Rou.
After Gao Rou took a quick look, he said, "Since this is what Brother Zuo Zhi and Gong Zhen told me, I will go to the Imperial Prison myself."
"Wu Bo, right? When your father was still alive, we were quite close friends. You can come with me."
Gao Rou glanced at Du Shu, then at Pan Xiao, the school officer standing respectfully at the side: "As for the people in the school office, don't follow me, go find other things to do."
Pan Xiao stared at Gao Rou and bowed deeply: "Thank you, Mr. Gao. I will take my leave now."
Gao Rou waved her hands impatiently, as if to shoo away some pests: "Go away, go away!"
Pan Xiao bowed and turned away. Du Shu, who witnessed the whole scene, could probably understand the mood of Gao Rou, the court judge.
After all, the last time I angered His Majesty and made him kneel down in the Beigong study was because I wanted to reduce his power as a proofreader, which displeased His Majesty.
It would be fine if it was in Beigong, but now that you have come to this small piece of land, the Tingwei Mansion, can you, a lousy school official, scare you?
Gao Rou and Du Shu came to the imperial prison together in a carriage, and with the Chief Justice coming forward, things were naturally handled very quickly.
From entering the imperial prison, to completing the handover between the school officials and the officials of the Supreme Court, to Zhuge Dan, Yuan Kan and Xu Yun being locked up in the same cell, all were supervised by Gao Rou and Du Shu.
Just as they were about to leave after understanding all the trivial matters, Gao Rou turned to Du Shu and said, "Today's matter is over. I will send people to interrogate them tomorrow morning. If there is a result, I will immediately send someone to inform Xin Shizhong and Wei Pushe."
Du Shu understood that Gao Rou was indirectly showing goodwill to Xin Pi and Wei Zhen through him.
Du Shu bowed and said, "It's getting late. I'm sorry to trouble you, Lord Gao, for all your efforts. I will explain this to Lord Xin and Lord Wei when I return."
"Very good." Gao Rou stroked his beard and responded, then turned and left.
Gao Rou took two steps forward, and just as Du Shu was about to follow, he finally got the chance to turn his head and look into the cell on the right.
Just now in the Supreme Court, Gao Rou said that he had a close relationship with Du Shu's father Du Ji, but it was just a courtesy.
However, Yuan Kan's father Yuan Huan and uncle Yuan Ba were the ones who had a truly deep friendship with Du Ji!
At this moment, in the cell, Yuan Kan stared at Du Shu outside with his eyes wide open, and mouthed two words repeatedly and silently: "Save me!" (End of this chapter)
