0p0 Chapter 483: Deceived by the Villain
Chapter 483: Deceived by the Villain
As soon as the order to arrest the ringleaders was given, Liu Fang brought two teams of imperial guards to the city gate. With a wave of his hand, the imperial guards rushed forward, controlled the dozen or so people leading the riot, and forced them to kneel down.
The other followers were immediately frightened into silence.
Liu Fang walked to the front of the crowd with heavy steps, and scanned them fiercely. After making sure that no one was causing trouble, he took out the imperial edict and said loudly: "The imperial edict has arrived, everyone kneel down and listen to it!"
Those who were watching the fun, those who were making trouble, young couples, elderly people, and children all knelt down in succession.
First, Duan Xu, the Minister of Dali Temple, held up the trial records and listed the collected evidence and all the records of the trial to everyone.
After that, Duan Xu turned to the crowd and announced loudly: "The Yushan County banditry case has been investigated by the Dali Temple. It was caused by Xiangzhou prefect Wang Lu, who colluded with the bandits under the name of Your Majesty, and the local officials he promoted covered up his crimes."
Zhang Zhong showed the case file in his hand, which had been stamped by the Ministry of Justice. "After review by the Ministry of Justice, everything presented by the Dali Temple is true."
After saying this, Liu Fang unfolded the imperial edict in his hand and began to read it, completely ignoring the indignant looks from below.
"The Emperor, in compliance with the Will of Heaven, proclaims that officials in Xiangzhou headed by Wang Lu have embezzled taxes, sold official positions, and colluded with bandits. Their actions are truly heinous and have angered both humans and gods. I originally wanted to execute them in the downtown area to vent the anger of the people, but this treacherous accomplice, out of fear, has left a confession and committed suicide. Although he died, his crimes cannot be erased. All the criminals' bodies will be left exposed for three days, and their families will be exiled to Lingnan and cannot leave for life. This is my decree!"
At this moment, a student who was being controlled suddenly looked distressed and said angrily: "Of course you will cover up for the emperor!"
When some people who were scared and dared not speak out heard someone speaking up, they immediately became emboldened and echoed: "Yes! You are the emperor's subjects, of course you speak for the emperor!"
"that is!"
……
"Shut up!" Liu Fang shouted coldly.
He was a military commander, and his rough voice immediately silenced everyone.
"The Dali Temple and the Ministry of Justice have carefully reviewed and re-examined the case and confirmed that it is correct. You are unworthy of being scholars, but you don't know the evidence and you just want to accuse the king of a country. What is your intention?"
He glanced at everyone with a cold eye and asked loudly: "Are you planning a rebellion?"
In the crowd, a student wearing a grey cloth jacket and a cloth scarf on his head stood up and asked sternly, "Yushan County Magistrate Zhao Xuan held up a blood letter saying that everything was caused by the emperor's connivance. Is that true?"
Liu Fang looked at her with his dark eyes and said in a deep voice, "He was also deceived by the villain."
There was uncontrollable anger in his words, and many people could hear that Liu Fang's anger was about to get out of control.
Who dares to offend the emperor's favorite? They were all frightened and kept silent, lowering their heads.
The student in the gray coat looked at the people around him and saw that they were all shrinking their heads. He suddenly felt a chill down his spine.
After a brief hesitation, he raised his head, looked directly at Liu Fang and asked, "What about the people you arrested? They wanted to stand up for the people in the county because of their miserable situation. Are they going to suffer an unprovoked disaster for nothing?"
Liu Fang sneered, "How can they be innocent? They have already started to take sides and spread rumors before the truth is revealed. People who are so biased and have no opinions of their own will only be corrupt officials even if they pass the imperial examination and become officials in the future!"
"This..." The student in the gray coat was speechless and stood there in a daze.
Liu Fang glanced past him, glanced at the others to make sure there were no other people resisting, and said in a cold voice: "Your Majesty has ordered that any student who participated in the rally will not be allowed to take the imperial examination within five years!"
"Come here, record all the people who participated in the riot"