The Stories of Mine in the Ming Dynasty of China in 1368

Chapter 8: Chapter 8 The Interrogation Methods of the Jinyiwei



"Slap——!"

Liu Qiang slapped the table and stood up, forcefully interrupting Li Qing's interrogation.

He couldn't let this Imperial Envoy Li continue the interrogation. Liu Qiang didn't care if he might offend this favorite in front of the emperor and took over directly.

Li Qing's train of thought for the interrogation was disrupted by this interruption. He felt rather helpless, but since the co - interrogator also had the right to question the prisoners, he couldn't say anything.

Liu Qiang shouted, "You have committed the crime of deceiving the emperor. Instead of repenting, you are using your glib tongues to quibble. Your crime is even more serious!

You even dared to compare the Great Ming with the tyrannical Yuan Dynasty. This is an unforgivable crime.

Are you trying to rebel?"

All the criminals immediately showed expressions of fear. If the charge of rebellion was pinned on them, it wouldn't just be them who would die. Their families would also be implicated, and it might even lead to the execution of nine generations of their kin!

"Wronged, this criminal doesn't dare!"

"Your Honor, this criminal spoke thoughtlessly. I never meant to compare the tyrannical Yuan Dynasty with the Great Ming."

"Humph, it's good that you admit you're criminals!" Liu Qiang regained the initiative. "Answer honestly, and your families will be safe."

Hearing this blatant threat, Li Qing smiled bitterly to himself. It would be strange if there were no unjust cases with this kind of interrogation.

However, he also knew that this Jinyiwei captain interrupted him forcefully because he was dissatisfied with his interrogation. If he tried to seize the interrogation power again, he would incur the enmity of the Jinyiwei.

He wasn't that noble. The pros and cons were clear, so he simply shut his mouth.

Then he heard Liu Qiang say, "I ask you, is it true that you allowed local officials to stamp blank papers?"

The group of people looked at each other, speechless.

"Record it. The criminals admit to allowing local officials to stamp blank papers!" Liu Qiang glanced at Li Qing, as if saying: Young fellow, learn from this.

"I ask you again, is it a false accusation that you deceived the emperor?"

The group of people fell silent again.

"Record it. The criminals admit to deceiving the emperor!"

Liu Qiang snorted. "With these two crimes combined, a death sentence by beheading is imposed. Is there any unfairness?"

"Wronged, wronged..."

Liu Qiang's face was cold. "Record it. The criminals know they are guilty and dare not deny the crimes they committed."

While being speechless, Li Qing also felt a bit of admiration. After this set of actions, the crime was indeed 'reasonably' determined, and the officials who had committed the crimes had nothing to say.

Liu Qiang picked up the confession, looked at it, and smiled with satisfaction. "Get them to sign and fingerprint!"

"Wronged, I'm wronged..."

"Crack, crack, crack, crack..."

After a round of whipping, the cries of injustice completely stopped, and they obediently signed and fingerprinted.

Liu Qiang handed the confession full of fingerprints to Li Qing. "Lord Li, the time is tight and the task is heavy. Let's hurry to the execution ground at Caishikou!"

Li Qing let out a sigh and nodded slightly.

At the execution platform.

A group of officials were tied up tightly, kneeling on the ground with ashen faces. The executioner stood on one side, and the Jinyiwei stepped forward to verify their identities. There was a strong sense of ceremony.

Before long, a Jinyiwei stepped forward to report, "Your Excellency the Imperial Envoy, the identities of the criminals have been verified without error."

Li Qing looked at the fire - marked bamboo slips in the tube. The scene that could only appear on the screen in the past was now vividly happening in front of him. This wasn't a movie shoot. Once he threw out the token, people would really die.

After hesitating for a long time, he drew out an execution order and said feebly, "Execute!"

"Thud, thud, thud..."

The executioner pulled out the crime - indicating plaques on the criminals' heads, and with a swift swing of the knife, blood spurted out, and heads rolled to the ground.

Immediately, there was a wail from the audience below. The family members wiped their tears and went up to the stage to collect the bodies of their relatives.

Li Qing stared blankly. He could empathize with the feelings of these family members. Their loved ones were fine in the morning, but in a blink of an eye, they were separated by death.

The execution platform was blood - red, and the air was filled with a pungent smell of blood. Under the intense impact on his vision and smell, he almost vomited.

Li Qing didn't know how he got off the execution platform. It wasn't until a gust of wind blew that he finally came to his senses. Even in the scorching summer, he felt cold all over.

At the entrance of the Imperial Study.

Two Jinyiwei stood on each side, wearing flying - fish uniforms, embroidered - spring knives, with mantis - like legs and wasp - like waists, looking majestic!

Li Qing already knew from the eunuch that those who could wear the flying - fish uniform were not ordinary Jinyiwei. Seeing them blocking the entrance, he understood that there must be confidential matters being discussed inside.

He couldn't go in directly, so he cupped his hands and said, "Excuse me, please inform His Majesty that Li Qing has come to report back on the imperial decree."

Seeing that he was also wearing a flying - fish uniform, the guards showed a relatively amiable smile. Then, one of them turned around and entered the Imperial Study.

After a while, the man came out. "His Majesty asks you to enter!"

Li Qing nodded and stepped into the Imperial Study.

"Your Majesty, the criminals have been executed!"

"Mao Xiang, you can take action." Zhu Yuanzhang didn't even look at him and said to the middle - aged man, "In the provinces, prefectures, counties, and counties, don't let any of the seal - holding officials who committed crimes escape."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Li Qing was shocked. Was Zhu Yuanzhang really going to kill them all?

"Get up!"

Mao Xiang stood up.

Li Qing wasn't sure if Zhu Yuanzhang's order to get up included him, so he had to keep kneeling. To be honest, he really wasn't used to kneeling at every turn.

"Didn't I tell you to get up?"

"Ah? Yes... Thank you, Your Majesty."

He was speechless. Couldn't you just make it clear... Li Qing stood up, took out the confession, and said, "Your Majesty, this is the confession of those criminals."

The little eunuch stepped forward to take it and presented it to Zhu Yuanzhang.

Zhu Yuanzhang skimmed through it and nodded. "It's done correctly. By the way, this is the Commander of the Jinyiwei, your superior."

Li Qing clasped his fists in salute. "Your subordinate, Li Qing, pays respects to the Commander."

Mao Xiang sized up Li Qing and praised, "You're a good material for the Jinyiwei. Your Majesty has a discerning eye."

Zhu Yuanzhang shook his head and laughed. He said to Li Qing, "You can go back first!"

"Your servant..."One thousand three hundred people meant one thousand three hundred families. Eventually, Li Qing felt a twinge of compassion. He said tactfully, "Your Majesty, when I was interrogating those criminals, I accidentally discovered something... rather strange. I dare not hide it from you."

"Oh?" Zhu Yuanzhang said with interest. "Tell me about it."

Li Qing took a breath and tactfully described the difficulties of the officials one by one. Seeing Zhu Yuanzhang's frown getting deeper and deeper, he quickly stated his stance:

"Those criminals are guilty of deceiving the emperor and should be sentenced to death. The officials who stamped the blank papers are also unforgivable, but... there are extenuating circumstances."

Zhu Yuanzhang sneered. "Mao Xiang, take him to the Meridian Gate..." He lifted the lid of the tea cup and took a sip of tea. "Give him twenty strokes of the cane!"

Phew~

Li Qing let out a sigh of relief, and the true energy in his body gradually calmed down.

He cursed in his heart: Can't you just speak without such a suspense?

Mao Xiang was very calm. Only after Zhu Yuanzhang finished speaking did he cup his hands and say, "Yes, Your Majesty."

With that, he escorted Li Qing out of the hall.

Zhu Biao looked at the back of Li Qing leaving, frowned, and said, "Father Emperor, he still has to treat Mother Empress. What if... after twenty strokes of the cane?"

"Don't worry. Mao Xiang knows what he's doing."

Zhu Biao nodded helplessly. After a moment of silence, he said again, "Father Emperor, I think Li Qing's words 'unforgivable, but with extenuating circumstances' make sense. If so many officials who do practical things are killed, government affairs will be delayed. Why not give them a lighter punishment?"

"That Li Qing doesn't understand the situation, and neither do you?"

Zhu Yuanzhang's tone was serious. "Don't you, the Crown Prince, understand how harmful stamping blank papers is?

Once stamped, it represents the permission of the government. One can write anything on it. If it's exploited by people with ulterior motives, countless common people will suffer!

Yes, I know that many officials just do it for convenience, without the intention or act of harming the people.

But they still have to die!

Only in this way can we prevent future officials from acting recklessly!"

Zhu Yuanzhang stared straight at Zhu Biao. "Biao'er, remember this. If you want to be a good emperor, it's hard to be a good person.

As an emperor, you can't just be reasonable, especially when dealing with civil officials."

"If not reasonable, then what?" Zhu Biao disagreed and retorted.

"Talk about the political significance behind it!" Zhu Yuanzhang exhorted earnestly. "An emperor's decision to kill, employ, reward, or punish people depends on necessity, not right or wrong.

Take your so - called uncle Lan Yu as an example. He is arrogant and has done many illegal things, but I have never even reprimanded him. Do you really think I'm doing it for your sake?"

Zhu Biao blushed and was too embarrassed to say anything.

Zhu Yuanzhang continued, "The Northern Yuan has not been destroyed yet. Generals are still of great use. That Lan Yu fights with the style of your father - in - law. That's the real reason!"

Zhu Biao nodded slightly. "Thank you, Father Emperor, for your guidance. I've taken it all to heart."

After pondering for a moment, he asked in confusion, "But Father Emperor... aren't you being a bit too harsh on civil officials?"

"Am I?"

"Yes..." Looking at his father's dangerous gaze, Zhu Biao helplessly changed his words. "Just a little bit."

Zhu Yuanzhang glared at Zhu Biao, filled with exasperation at his failure to live up to expectations, and sighed. Still, he patiently explained:

"Biao'er, throughout history, the downfall of most unified dynasties was mostly due to civil officials!

Their harm is far greater than that of military officials, so we must suppress their arrogance.

These scholars talk about benevolence, righteousness, and morality all the time, filled with the words of sages. But don't think that's what they truly believe in their hearts.

Appearing benevolent and moral is their way of protecting their reputations, and spouting the words of sages is a means for them to increase their say! "

Zhu Yuanzhang admonished, "Mark my words. Civil officials can be used, but don't trust them, and definitely don't get close to them!"


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