PDLP Chapter 130: Golden Palace, Rolling Steel Nails
Chapter 130: Golden Palace, Rolling Steel Nails
After Ge Wanjin shouted "Long live the emperor" three times, he began to tearfully recount his grievances, pointing out that the person he wanted to sue was Guo Yian.
At this time, Luo Zheng, the assistant minister of the Ministry of Justice, stepped out and questioned Ge Wanjin.
"How ridiculous! Since you have a grievance, why don't you file a complaint at the Dali Temple or the Jingzhao Yi Yamen? Instead, you're beating the drum to file a complaint during a court meeting. Do you think your personal grievance is more important than a national issue?"
As Luo Zheng finished speaking, the other officials from the Ministry of Justice and other departments also echoed him, requesting the emperor to expel this person quickly and go through the normal litigation process.
At this time, Ge Wanjin explained, "Your Majesty, it's not that I don't want to go to the Dali Temple or the Jingzhao Yi Yamen. It's that when they heard that the person I wanted to sue was General Guo, they all kept silent and refused to accept my complaint. They even ordered their men to drive me out and threatened to beat me to death if I dared to speak nonsense at the Yamen again."
"I was terrified, so I went to the Jingzhao Yi government office, but the result was the same. These government offices were all protecting each other, and no one was willing to listen to my explanation. I couldn't even get through the gate of the government office."
"Oh? Is this happening?"
After the emperor heard this, his majestic eyes swept over Luo Zheng, Jingzhao Yin and other officials.
Luo Zheng hurriedly stepped forward and reported:
"Your Majesty, this is completely absurd. Our Ministry of Justice handles dozens of cases every day, and it is absolutely impossible for us to select only the right person for trial."
The Jingzhao Yin official also echoed, "Indeed, this unscrupulous person must have lied and lied to frame us. Perhaps someone deliberately sent someone here. Your Majesty, please understand."
The emperor looked at the officials below jumping around with a cold eye, but did not say anything. Instead, he turned to Guo Xiang and asked:
"Prime Minister Guo, since this matter concerns your son, what are your thoughts on this matter?"
Guo Yian was not in the court at this moment, but went to the Xuanwu Mountains.
He had received news that Prince Yong had withdrawn his men and the arms buyers from the neighboring kingdom. He suspected someone had leaked the information and planned to temporarily seal off the mine and suspend mining.
At this time, Prime Minister Guo stepped forward and questioned Ge Wanjin, "You said that my son killed your son. I believe you have evidence. Why not present it? Your Majesty and all the ministers are here. If it is truly my son's doing, I will give you an explanation in public."
As Guo Xiang finished speaking, others also echoed and asked Ge Wanjin to produce evidence.
Unexpectedly, at this time, Luo Zheng from the Ministry of Justice stepped forward and said:
"Wait a minute!"
"According to the laws of our dynasty, any commoner holding a great edict to sue an official must roll around a nail board in public before the case can be heard."
Luo Zheng finished speaking, staring at Ge Wanjin with a scrutinizing look, "There are ninety-nine and eighty-one steel nails on this nail board, each one of which is enough to tear your skin apart. Are you sure you still want to falsely accuse Lord Guo?"
Luo Zheng was also promoted by Guo Xiang at the beginning. With the blessing of the Guo family, he has now reached the position of Minister of the Ministry of Justice. It can be said that he only follows the lead of the Guo family.
Normally, after hearing about such a cruel punishment, many people would give up and not pursue the matter. Luo Zheng also wanted to scare Ge Wanjin, or even better, kill him while rolling the nail board, so that he would not be implicated.
But Ge Wanjin had already prepared to die before coming here, and had also arranged all the shops and properties at home. If he could not return today, all the property would be divided equally among his daughters.
He even made a will.
"Sir, since I dare to beat the drum to report my crime, I have already thrown my personal life and death, honor and disgrace behind me. Come on, if I am lucky enough to survive today, my son's journey will be worthwhile."
There was a resolute look in Ge Wanjin's eyes.
When the emperor heard this, he gave a wink to Su Qinian standing beside him. Soon, two royal guards came in holding a rectangular nail board.
Because it has been stored for too long, the densely packed steel nails on it have rusted.
When Luo Zheng and others saw this, their hearts immediately fell back into their stomachs.
If a person were to roll on such a nail board, would he still be alive?
Unexpectedly, before they could be happy for even a second, Wan Changfu, the Minister of Rites, suddenly stood up and reported to the emperor:
"Your Majesty, this nail board is rusty. I suggest cleaning it before bringing it up for this person to use."
As soon as he finished speaking, Luo Zheng and others jumped up immediately, "Master Wan, this was made by the Emperor Taizu's order. The purpose was to teach those who made false accusations a severe lesson. It's just right to use it now. How can we use it after cleaning it up?"
Several other officials, including the Jingzhao Yin, also agreed and suggested that Ge Wanjin should be kicked out directly.
The emperor's eyes dimmed when he saw so many courtiers speaking for Prime Minister Guo before anything even started.
He tilted his head, looked at Gu Li, who had been silent, and asked, "Gu Aiqing, what do you think about this?"
Gu Li stepped forward, bowed, and replied, "Your Majesty, it's true that Emperor Taizu originally set up this barrier to warn the world, but I don't think his original intention was to kill the accuser. Otherwise, these steel nails wouldn't have been blunted. He could have just used the sharpest needles."
As Gu Li finished speaking, all the officials took a closer look and found that the steel nails on the steel plate were actually very blunt, and some were even polished to be as thick as the nail posts.
The officials from Guo Xiang's party looked at each other in confusion.
Finally, the emperor directly ordered the royal guards outside to clean the rust on the steel nails first, and then bring them up to Ge Wanjin to get out.
In the end, Ge Wanjin rolled over the steel plate that was about one meter long in full view of everyone. When he stood up again, his robe was stained with blood and his face was completely bloodless.
Just when everyone thought he couldn't hold on and would fall to the ground, he was seen standing stubbornly in the hall, holding the imperial edict high in both hands, asking the emperor to make the decision for him.
Next, according to the procedure, Ge Wanjin was asked to produce evidence.
At this time, Ge Wanjin directly mentioned a person.
That was Zhao Ping, a yamen runner of Jingzhao Yin. It was he and another companion named Li Si who transported Ge Wanglong's body back to the Ge family. It was also they who said that Ge Wanglong encountered an assassin in Anxiang Tower.
There was another witness, the most popular courtesan at the time, Liu Qingqing, but Ge Wanjin did not give Liu Qingqing out now.
Qiu Ning said that Liu Qingqing was a trump card and should be kept until the end to deal the most fatal blow to the Guo family. Besides, Liu Qingqing was still useful in the palace.
Soon, Zhao Ping and Li Si were summoned to the Golden Palace.