Chapter 117 Section 117: A Coincidentally Obtained Witness Settles the Injustice Case

The next day, Zeng Guofan went to the Ministry of Officials to work. When you arrive at the Ministry of Officials, first go to the Shangshu Office to greet Huashana. When Hua Shana saw Zeng Guofan, he quickly stood up to return the salute, and said with a smile, "Dasheng, from now on, when you come to the Ministry of Officials, you don't have to greet my brother. That boy Hua Jie wrote!" Zeng Guofan sat down and said, "Is he okay in Guangxi?" "It's more than good!" Huashana stroked his beard and said, "As soon as he arrived in Guangxi, he caught up with Changmao and took the city. Ho! This kid killed 28 Changmao in one go! The emperor not only excused him For all the punishments, he was also rewarded with the title of a fourth-rank envoy! He was blessed by misfortune. This is all your great kindness!"

Zeng Guofan also became happy: "General Hua is really up to the task! When the subordinate official goes to the Ministry of War to do business, give him a compliment. If there are more people like General Hua in Guangxi, the long hair will be wiped out quickly. The Ministry of Criminal Affairs has been busy these days. , The lower officials did not come to the Ministry of Officials. Does the Ministry of Officials have something urgent to do?" Hua Shana said: "We have punished several officials who were ineffective in suppressing the bandits, and there are two chief envoys who will return to their posts after their terms have expired. There are other things that I can't remember, so you can do whatever you want. Your Majesty Asking your brother to come to the Ministry of Officials, my brother will be much more at ease! Hahaha..."

When Zeng Guofan arrived at the assistant minister's office, he saw that there was already a pile of counselor files on his desk, so he sat down and began to deal with it. He read a printed message that had not yet been issued.Holy Order: According to the request of the Zongren Mansion, Qi Zhuanyan has been judged by the Shuntian Mansion. Since he took office, he has worked hard and conscientiously, and the cases he handles are clear and clear.He was promoted to be the deputy envoy of the Salt Transportation Department of Fengtian Prefecture. Zeng Guofan read the speech twice, and suddenly called out: "Come here, I will serve you with pen and ink!"

The officer on duty promised, and in a while the four treasures of the study would be ready.Without even thinking about it, Zeng Guofan wrote an excerpt of "A Petition to Slowly Adjust the Bricks and Rocks".He rolled up the pockets, walked out of the official department, took a sedan chair to the palace gate, and handed the pockets in. Not long after Zeng Guofan returned to the Ministry of Officials, the imperial decree issued: According to the request of Zeng Guofan, the minister of the Ministry of Rites, Qi Zhuanyan, the general judge of Shuntian Mansion, should not be promoted to the deputy envoy of the Salt Transportation Department of Fengtian Mansion.This is it.

At noon, Li Bao hurried back. Li Baodao: "My lord, I rushed to Shengjing General's Mansion to send Ma Jiu to the hall, but Ma Jiu was not in the General's Mansion. I hurried back to Shuntian Mansion to meet Qi and leave. I wanted to ask what happened, but Lord Qi was not in office. So, I came to the clan's mansion to do business. I had no choice but to come back." After listening to Li Bao's words, Zeng Guofan was stunned for a long time, and then said: "You go back to the mansion to rest. The main hall has no choice but to go to the clan's mansion to meet Qi Zhuanyan."

Zeng Guofan's sedan chair arrived at the gate of the clan's mansion, just as Wen Qing's eight-carrying green woolen sedan chair came out of the gate of the clan's mansion. Zeng Guofan hurriedly got out of the sedan chair and went forward to salute. Wen Qing lifted the curtain of the sedan chair, and when he saw Zeng Guofan, he quickly got out of the sedan chair, took Zeng Guofan's hand and said, "Da Sheng, do you have business to do when you come to the clan's residence?" Zeng Guofan said: "I miss Master Zhongtang on the one hand, and I want to see Qi Farewell from Shuntian Mansion on the other."

"You mean Qi Zhuanyan?" Wen Qing was stunned and said, "Zianyan has already returned to the Tongpan Yamen. Disheng, why do you want him? Can someone gin him up?" Zeng Guofan said: "That's not true! I don't know what's the matter with Qi Bie coming to the clan's mansion?" Wen Qing said: "This year, the Holy Majesty has set a date for Mulan Qiuxi. Zhuanyan asked the old man to escort him there. When Xuanzong was alive, Mulan Qiuxi never made it. Everyone is in a panic! The old man is about to enter Palace, to discuss about Mulan Qiuxi."

Upon hearing this, Zeng Guofan hurriedly said: "Wen Zhongtang, please get on the sedan chair, and I will take my leave immediately." Only then did Wen Qing get on the sedan chair and rush to the palace.Zeng Guofan had no choice but to get on the sedan chair.The accompanying guards asked Zeng Guofan: "Sir, do you want to go back to the Ministry of Officials or the Ministry of Rites?" Zeng Guofan thought for a while and said, "Shangshun Tianfu Tongju Yamen." Shuntian Mansion Tongju Yamen sedan chairs come and go, which is very lively. A blue wool official sedan chair slowly landed at the door, the proud curtain was lifted, and Zeng Guofan was helped out of the sedan chair.The accompanying guards did not wait for orders, they came to the gatehouse one step ahead, and said: "Quickly go and say goodbye to your lord, Mr. Zeng Guofan, the servant of the Ministry of Rites, has arrived."

The porter hurried in to report. Qi Zhuanyan came out with his master, copywriter and others, and invited Zeng Guofan into the yamen to take a seat. After seeing the ceremony, Qi Zhuanyan said: "I don't know that the minister is coming, and I am far away to welcome you. I hope you will forgive me." Zeng Guofan had already thought of a way out, and at this moment he opened his mouth and said, "Don't be polite, you are welcome. This department is here for Wang Zhengfu's case. Then Wang Zhengfu is really angry with this department!" As soon as Qi Zhuanyan heard it, he immediately said: "Lord Zeng, Mrs. Wang Zhengfu has harmed the daughter of the subordinate official! If it is not for the sake of my colleagues for many years, the subordinate official must kill first and then play!"

Zeng Guofan said: "This is already an iron case, and he still denies it in every possible way!" Qi Zhuanyan gritted his teeth and said: "My lord, why don't you give him a severe punishment! Wang Zhengfu is a born scumbag, without a severe punishment, he will never admit his guilt! I just don't understand, my lord has already determined that it is an iron case. Why is there a retrial?" Zeng Guofan said: "Biejia, how do you know the difficulties of the Ministry of Punishment! After all, Wang Zhengfu is a person from the two lists, and he has served as a sacrificial wine for the Imperial Academy, so he has a holy grace. What's more, Biejia is the victim plaintiff. It is also the judge of this case. If it is really spread, it may hinder Biejia's clear name. According to the laws of my Qing Dynasty, Wang Zhengfu's case should be avoided. Don is really thinking about others."

Qi Zhuanyan nodded and replied: "Your Excellency really thought carefully! It wasn't Your Excellency who reminded me, I almost missed a major event! I never thought my Lord would protect my lower official like this!" After speaking, he left his seat and gave a deep salute. Zeng Guofan said: "We will send witnesses' testimony now. If Ma Jiu doesn't come to court, how do you want the court to decide the case? As soon as Wang Laosan came to court, he denied that he led Wang Zhengfu into the mansion. Now the entire Ministry of punishment knows that it is Qi Biejia's attendant, Ma Jiu, led Wang Zhengfu into the study. The sooner this case is concluded, the more convenient it will be. Who can guarantee that Wang Laosan will say anything else?" Qi Zhuanyan stood up abruptly and said: "My lord's words will undoubtedly clear the sky. Okay! According to my lord's words, I will let Ma Jiu go with my lord. As long as Wang Zhengfu can't solve this case, I'll be my lord." I must go to the mansion to pay my respects!" Zeng Guofan brought Ma Jiu back to the Ministry of Punishment very smoothly. As soon as he arrived at the Ministry of Punishment, Zeng Guofan immediately asked Hong Xiang to arrange his promotion. After being promoted, Zeng Guofan didn't even look at Ma Jiu's face. He just patted the gavel and asked in front of the hall, "Ma Jiu, the hall has repeatedly sent you to the hall, but you evade it in every possible way. Are you guilty of being a thief?" Ma Jiu didn't expect Zeng Guofan's face to turn so quickly, he couldn't make up his mind for a moment, just kowtowed like a pounding garlic, and kept saying: "Please forgive me, my lord! Please forgive me, my lord! This slave will never dare again!" Zeng Guofan said coldly: "Ma Jiu, if you tell the truth, the hall can let the past go. You can tell the truth." Ma Jiudao: "Back to the adults, my master wants to invite Wang Zhengfu to appreciate the chrysanthemum, and the younger one goes to the yamen to invite Wang Zhengfu to the mansion. It is Wang Laosan who opened the door. The servant led Wang Zhengfu into the study, and then went Please my master. At this moment, the servant heard my lady shouting for help, and the servant came back again. Seeing that my lady was naked, she had obviously been ruined by Wang Zhengfu! The servant knocked down Wang Zhengfu and sent him to the government. My lord , what the servant said is true." Zeng Guofan sneered and said, "Ma Jiu, why did your lady call for help? Say it again." Only then did Ma Jiu realize that she had slipped her mouth, and said again and again: "The servant is wrong. It was the lady's maid who yelled for help. Please be careful." Zeng Guofan said casually: "Ma Jiu, what was your lady doing in the master's study that day?" "Study?" Ma Jiu was taken aback, and hurriedly said, "What is Miss doing in the study? Miss is in her own room!" Zeng Guofan asked urgently: "Why did you bring Wang Zhengfu into the lady's room? Didn't you partner with Wang Zhengfu to ruin your lady?! Huh?" Ma Jiu hurriedly said: "My lord, please don't wrong this slave. It was Wang Zhengfu who wanted to spoil my young lady, and this slave caught him." Zeng Guofan slapped the gavel and yelled: "Ma Jiu, your master invited Wang Zhengfu into the mansion to appreciate the chrysanthemums, but you didn't lead Wang Zhengfu into the study but into the lady's embroidery room! Didn't you deliberately murder your lady? What is it! Come here, serve me with great punishment, what is the use of such a servant who framed the master!" With a promise from both sides, the big punishment was brought over. Ma Jiu yelled in the hall: "You are wronged! How dare you frame your master!" Zeng Guofan shouted: "Then why did you just lead Wang Zhengfu into Miss's embroidery room? Tell me!" Ma Jiu said: "Whatever my master asks the slave to do, the slave will do whatever..." "Nonsense!" Zeng Guofan slapped the gavel, "You damned slave! How dare you frame your master, that's fine! Come on, pull him down, and beat him to death on the spot!" "Don't do this!" Ma Jiu kowtowed in fright, "It's really my master who hid the young lady in the room in advance, and then asked the servant to lead Wang Zhengfu in, and then asked the servant to 'catch the adulterer'! " Zeng Guofan asked, "Is it the embroidery room or the study room?" Ma Jiu replied, "It's neither a study nor an embroidery room, it's just an idle house." Zeng Guofan slapped the stump and said: "Ma Jiu, you mustn't talk nonsense! Your master obviously wanted to invite Wang Zhengfu to appreciate the chrysanthemums, but why did you do such a thing! You must not plant and frame her! Such a trap for your own daughter, your master! Could it be that you are crazy?" Ma Jiu said: "Listen, my lord, my lady is not a real lady, but a dumb girl bought by my master with money." Zeng Guofan said, "Did you go crazy when you bought it?" Ma Jiu said: "It was fine when I bought it, not crazy. Later, for some reason, I was beaten twice by my master and then went crazy. Then I was locked in the house and didn't wear clothes all day long. What the servant said was the truth , please be aware, my lord." Zeng Guofan nodded and said: "Ma Jiu, as long as you tell the truth, the Ministry will naturally spare you!" Ma Jiudao: "Returning to the adults, everything the servant said is true." Zeng Guofan asked the copywriter: "Can it be clearly recorded?" The copywriter bowed and replied: "Not a single word left." Zeng Guofan said: "Ma Jiu, you can draw a bet." Ma Jiu hurriedly made a bet.Zeng Guofan yelled: "Take Ma Jiu into the prison of the Ministry of Criminal Justice, and wait for the order to be released. Leave the court!" After finishing speaking, he sleeved Ma Jiu's confession and Wang Zhengfu's charge, and entered the palace in a sedan chair.