Three Kingdoms

Chapter 3246 Public Trial

Wei Duan was caught, a century-old foundation... maybe not a century? Of course this is no longer important.

The Webster Manor collapsed overnight, and it was like throwing a huge boulder into a pool, causing water to splash all over the sky.

Butt's position is different, and his views on this incident are naturally different.

The news spread and shocked the whole of Chang'an.

Some people are terrified, some are celebrating, and some are not feeling anything at all.

No matter it is a bloody storm or a gentle breeze and drizzle, the days always pass day by day, and the sun always rises in the morning of the next day. Even if it is invisible and blocked by clouds, the sun will still be there. Just because it cannot be seen, it does not really cease to exist.

What the nobles thought was a storm, to the ordinary people in Chang'an, was like thunder in the sky. It seemed very loud, but it was just very loud...

Whether it’s thundering or raining, there is always food to eat.

Lao Tiantou in the Qinglong Temple restaurant still followed his old habit and opened the noodle stall early. Then he found that there seemed to be many more people coming today than before.

Because of the fight between Cao Fei and his family, Qinglong Temple was not as lively as it was before the war. This is also common sense. After all, only when the environment is stable and the country is stable, can someone study literature and promote civilization. Otherwise, they will be like nomads who wake up every morning and don’t know where they will sleep at night. What thoughts are there to develop what kind of civilization?

Of course, if some people think that cruelty is also a kind of civilization, then that's right...

The noodle stall in Laotiantou has good ingredients, low prices and substantial portions.

Pork dumpling soup cake, a bowl of salmon.

Su Xianzi, biliterate.

If you want to add more pancakes, tofu, eggs, etc., it will be calculated separately.

Logically speaking, now that the war has started and prices have risen a lot, the price of this noodle stall should follow the market and rise accordingly, but Lao Tiantou is unwilling. He always felt that his noodles were only worth this price, and asking for more would be greedy.

How can one be greedy as a human being?

If you are greedy, can you still be a human being?

"Why is it so lively today?" "During the busy break, Lao Tiantou asked a familiar diner.

The diner slapped his thigh, "You don't even know this?" 』

"How can I know?" Lao Tiantou stared, "Don't you have to look at the stall every day?" 』

The familiar diner coughed, and wanted to show off a little bit, but was exposed by someone on the sidelines, "There's going to be a public trial..."

"Hi! You..." The familiar diner didn't pretend to be successful. He suddenly lost the intention to stay any longer. He drank the last soup base in a few sips, stood up, rolled up his sleeves and shouted, "The account will be settled! 』

"Have a good meal!" ” Lao Tiantou responded with a smile, collected the money, collected the bowls and chopsticks, and then turned to ask the diners who had just spoken, “A public trial? Who will be judged this time? 』

"Webster, have you heard of it?" ” said the diner who spoke from behind.

"Webster?" Which Webster? asked Lao Tiantou.

The diner was holding a noodle bowl and drinking soup, and at the same time he said a few words, "What else can there be?" 』

"Really that one?" ” Lao Tiantou’s eyes widened.

Even a small person like him had heard of the name of Webster in Guanzhong before, but he didn't expect that today...

"How's it going?" Would you like to go see it? ” asked the diner.

Lao Tiantou hesitated for a moment, and finally shook his head, "I won't go!" There's nothing you can do, there's no way anyone can stand here! 』

The diner nodded, smiled, and said nothing more.

After finishing eating the noodles and exhaling a breath, the diner put down his bowl and praised, "Comfortable!" It’s been a long time since I’ve eaten here, and it still tastes the same, so good! 』

After hearing this, Lao Tiantou seemed to be smiling with every wrinkle on his face, "That's right!" I just want this flavor! No matter when you come, it always tastes the same! 』

The diners nodded and also smiled.

The situation at the top is changing, but when it comes to the bottom, it's still one meal at a time.

Noodles should taste like noodles.

People should also have a human flavor.

If the taste changes, the noodles will no longer be noodles, and the person will no longer be a human being.

Kan Ze was wearing a gray cloth robe, and under his bamboo hat he stared at the diners who were leaving.

He knew the diner who had just left.

In fact, Kan Ze knows a lot of people because of his work, but many people don't know him. The reason is very simple. Kan Ze is a completely popular face. He has a square appearance, but that's all. He doesn't have the handsomeness of some people, nor the beautiful beard of others. He has a very ordinary appearance. . If he were wearing a Xie Zhi crown, it might be easier for others to recognize him. But now he is wearing an ordinary gray cloth robe with no decoration, coupled with his disheveled hair and a bamboo hat, he is no different from ordinary people. .

"Here's some soup cake!" ” After Kan Ze sat down, he yelled, “Two mix, add a pancake and an egg, if one thing is missing, I will destroy your stall!” 』

Upon hearing this, Lao Tiantou knew that a regular customer had arrived, so he responded quickly, opened the valve covering the stove vent, stepped on the blower, increased the firepower, and poured noodles into the soup pot.

The noodles are all hand-made. Although the flour is a little yellowish and black due to the fineness of the ingredients, it is still strong. It rolls, sinks and floats in the hot soup, as if it is singing happily. What.

"Old Tiantou, how is business lately? Kan Ze took off his bamboo hat and put it next to him. While waiting for the noodles to be cooked, he asked, "Is there anyone here to collect black money?" 』

Lao Tiantou laughed and said, "Thanks to the guest officer!" Everything has been going well lately! I just hope that the hussar general will win quickly. Old man, I can also be happy for once! 』

Kan Ze also laughed, "What, Lao Tiantou, you also hope that the Hussar can win?" 』

"That's not what it is. ” Old Tiantou said while fishing out noodles with a grate made of bamboo, “General Hussar is a good man!” This good guy should win! Otherwise, how can we survive in this world? 』

Kan Ze smiled and nodded.

When the noodles were brought up, Lao Tiantou also took another small frame made of rattan grass, put the cooking cakes and eggs in it, and brought it to Kan Ze, "Please use it, sir!" 』

Lao Tiantou smiled honestly, and then brought a small plate of pickles with quick hands and feet, "It's homemade pickles, please don't dislike it!" 』

Kan Ze nodded, then picked up the chopsticks, stirred the sauerkraut in the large noodle bowl, picked up a handful of noodles, blew on them, and sucked them into his mouth.

The fragrance of fat, the acidity of vinegar, and the purity of noodles bloom together.

"What the hell!" 』

Kan Ze sighed with emotion.

Old Tiantou seemed to have received the highest reward, and his eyes narrowed with laughter.

…

…

Before the public trial was held, the officials of Qinglong Temple, large and small, under the leadership of Mi Heng, began to make arrangements.

On the high platform of the square, the original classics topics and other topics should be removed first, and replaced with solemn black and red flags. Fences should be set up around the high platform to separate the aisles to prevent too many people from pushing and trampling each other.

Mi Heng led the officials from Qinglong Temple to hang the specially made wooden signs on the corridors on both sides of the square.

These wooden signs are all specially made. Each one is as tall as a person. When hanging on the edge of the corridor, they need to be hung from the eaves.

The words on the wooden sign are also enlarged to ensure that they can be generally read clearly even from a distance...

Hanging in the corridor on the left is:

"Creating false accounts to embezzle salaries"

"Taking bribes and bending the law to buy official positions"

In the corridor on the right is hanging:

"Blatantly asking for bribes to enrich one's own pockets"

"Eat Naka to block roads and make money"

Mi Heng looked to the left, glanced to the right, showed a smile, and shouted loudly: "Pay attention!" Be more upright! If the top is not straight, the bottom will be crooked! 』

A small official came up to Mi Heng, then looked at the words on the wooden sign, and said with some worry: "You are engaged in this... This wooden sign is written so clearly, doesn't it teach others how to be corrupt?" What? 』

Mi Heng looked at the clerk and said, "Then what do you think we should do?" 』

The clerk was a little worried, but he also knew that Mi Heng would not go crazy under normal circumstances, and he didn't care much about the difference between superior and inferior, so even when he saw Mi Heng's eyes turning over, he still said Expressing his own doubts, "I just think it's not good for the people to know that officials have so many corrupt methods... We just need to prove that those officials are corrupt, and then arrest and punish them, right?" Why go into so much detail? 』

"Is this called detailed? Mi Heng laughed and said immediately, "The eight methods and sixteen forms of corrupt officials, elegance, market, robbery, breaking, drenching, shock, emptying, consumption, these are not mentioned or written down!" What is this? ! 』

The clerk was shocked, his pupils shook, and he suddenly felt that some door was opening to him...

Mi Heng turned around and stared at the clerk coldly.

The clerk suddenly woke up, quickly shrank his head, and went to work on what he was doing. After Mi Heng stopped staring at him and walked away, he took a breath and muttered to the other clerks around him: "It scares me to death...that look in your eyes..."

"Why are you provoking him again?" "Another clerk also whispered, "We can just go about our own business..."

"Too. ” The clerk nodded.

After a while, the clerk couldn't control his curiosity. He came closer and whispered, "Hey, let me tell you, do you know the eight methods and sixteen postures of corrupt officials?" 』

"Aha?" What? "Another clerk's eyes widened, "What did you say? ! 』

"Eight methods and sixteen postures..." the clerk repeated again

Another clerk didn't hear everything. He thought it was a move used in some special situations, so he rolled his eyes and said, "Hey, hey, I didn't expect you, with thick eyebrows and big eyes... to study these..."

"(⊙_⊙)What?" The clerk's eyes widened, "I mean corruption!" Corrupt! understand? Eight ways and sixteen ways of corruption! 』

…

…

"Eight methods and sixteen postures?" Mi Heng laughed and said, "I made it up randomly..."

"You made it up..." Guan Ning was stunned for a moment, he thought it was true.

Guan Ning had received the transfer order before Tian Yu and came from Longxi. This time, he was mainly responsible for the preliminary arrangements for this public trial together with Mi Heng.

After all, attacking Webster now will involve a lot of things...

Therefore, it became an inevitable choice to transfer officials from other places from Guanzhong.

Guan Ning had just finished eating noodles at a restaurant outside. When he came back, he heard the clerks discussing the "Eight Laws and Sixteen Styles of Corruption". He also heard that it was Mi Heng who said it, so he came to inquire.

Mi Heng laughed so hard that his body shook. After a while, he waved his hands and said, "What did that guy say about corruption that shouldn't be made public..."

Guan Ning nodded.

"But..." Mi Heng said, "Actually... the art of corruption is far more than what is written on the board... For example, let's take Webster. Webster is good at calligraphy, right? I have long heard that many people come to ask for calligraphy, and then they brag about how good the calligraphy is... so what? This is worth a thousand dollars! 』

Mi Heng clapped his hands and said, "The words are the words, and the paintings are the paintings!" Is it really worth that much? hehe……"

Guan Ning nodded, "I know that. Calligraphy and painting are just elegance and greed." 』

In order to deceive others, some officials will use some seemingly legal or culturally rich means to engage in corruption. They enrich their own pockets through the trading of paintings, calligraphy, antiques and other artworks, or embezzle public funds in the name of cultural activities.

For example, if you like to collect something, it is similar.

Obviously I bought it at a high price, but then I said that I picked it up on the street and it was not worth a few bucks. Then of course the officials refused and wanted to pay the "original price", so it was naturally a "fair trade" and it was elegant. Incredible...

Similar things include asking officials to write inscriptions, give lectures, award awards, write prefaces, serve as judges, inscribe book titles...

"This thing..." Mi Heng sneered, "Did it only happen in these years?" Haha, no one knows about these things? 』

"Is this..." Guan Ning scratched his head.

Of course he knows these things, but he is not easy to evaluate.

It's hard for Guan Ning to say, but Mi Heng doesn't care, "Another example is Webster's corruption in the city!" 』

Mi Heng continued, "Webster opened shops, pawnshops, or participated in some markets and trades, taking advantage of his authority to seek personal gain." Make profits through forced buying and selling, extortion and other means. 』

"Huh..." Mi Heng sighed, "Apart from that, these silverfish are greedy and corrupt, and they do everything they can!" The eight techniques and sixteen movements are just imaginary numbers. If their greedy techniques and methods of amassing money are really said to be more than these sixteen numbers? ! 』

Guan Ning was silent.

"snort! Mi Heng snorted disdainfully again, "Let me tell you, among the three assistants in Guanzhong, there are not many..."

Guan Ning quickly stepped forward and covered Mi Heng's mouth.

"Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu" Mi Heng struggled.

"That's not important! Guan Ning said quickly, "The important thing is that Commander Xun is willing to put Wei Shi on trial!" 』

Mi Heng stopped struggling and nodded.

Public trials are not a pioneering work of later generations. They should have already appeared in the ancient tribal period, where some criminals were publicly punished within the tribe.

This pattern has appeared in history at home and abroad. Even those people in later generations who emphasized human rights and privacy all day long actually built a lot of guillotines and burned human pillars in the square. As a result, after feeling relieved, He just transformed into a small vest and started accusing and attacking others.

In fact, in ancient China, yamen often tried cases in an open manner. During the trial of various cases by magistrates and county magistrates, the doors of the yamen courtrooms are open, and the public can stand at the gates and watch, but they are not allowed to disrupt order or make noise. Moreover, it is also a practice to publicly execute prisoners in the bustling areas of the city every autumn.

Interestingly, the government is willing to bring some murderers to public trial.

After all, the crime of a murderer or something is already very certain, and the person killed is unlikely to come back to life. Therefore, for crimes involving such relatively clear charges, generally speaking, there is no problem with public trials and public sentences.

But, is corruption illegal...

There are very few public trials, especially for big guys like Webster.

Logically speaking, corrupt officials, buying and selling positions, taking bribes, cracking down on whistleblowers and other things that cannot be seen in the light are scandals and even crimes. Such a trial should let people know as much as possible, and it should be spread as far as possible, because it can not only educate people, but also allow people to learn lessons and take warnings.

But in fact, in the feudal dynasty, the more corruption cases were involved, the more tightly guarded they were. "No one is allowed to enter," and even the details of the trial and what was said in the confession were all cryptic. , must not be leaked easily. Especially the feudal dynasty, where corruption is becoming more and more serious, is becoming more and more cautious in this regard. Not only is the arrest of corrupt officials done in secret, without anyone noticing, but even if corrupt officials are imprisoned, it is difficult for ordinary people to do so. Take a look at their "famous faces".

After all, everyone knows that if this corrupt official is put on a public trial, many issues may have to be stated in court. If a corrupt official speaks freely, accidentally leaks something, reveals some shocking inside story, or even some things that should be said or should not be said What should I do if the name I mentioned is also revealed?

It is impossible to say that someone had a heart attack on the spot...

Therefore, many corrupt officials in the feudal dynasty in history did not conduct public trials in order to control them within a certain quota. If you really want to catch a corrupt official, there will always be dozens of small targets, but ordinary people still think that a bowl of noodles for ten yuan is too expensive and the pressure of life is too high. In contrast, why can't the public resentment be suppressed? manage?

Guan Ning means that Xun You is now willing to put Wei Duan on trial in public, which is already very remarkable...

At least in Shandong, many officials dare not do this.

Close the door if possible, and do the trial quietly if possible. This means that this case involves the secrets of the Han people, and the untouchables are not worthy of knowing.

After all, if some important person who "shouldn't be involved" is involved, do you still want the black gauze hat on your head?

Mi Heng listened to what Guan Ning said and nodded in approval. After a moment, he laughed again, "Now, among the three assistants of Chang'an, those who were close to Wei Shi in the early years and mingled with money, hahaha, it's time to It’s just that I was so frightened! 』

When Guan Ning heard this, he nodded and smiled at first, but he suddenly stiffened when he was smiling, as if he thought of something...

Mi Heng looked at Guan Ning with a strange expression and frowned slightly.

Guan Ning came to his senses and whispered: "This Webster... came from Chang'an to the public trial... halfway, or here..."

Mi Heng was a little crazy, but not stupid. After listening to Guan Ning's words, he thought about it for a moment and laughed, "No need to worry!" If you really dare to come, you may not be playing into the hands of Commander Xun! 』