Chapter 640： Joint review of five departments

Chapter 640 Joint Trial of Five Parts

There are more brocade guards in the yamen of the Ministry of Punishment, and there are many times more officials than the gate. If you are familiar with the officialdom, you will find that in addition to officials from the Ministry of Punishment and Jinyiwei, there are also officials from Dali Temple, the Metropolitan Procuratorate, the Ministry of War, and the Ministry of Officials in the yamen of the Ministry of Criminal Justice.

These officials are not here to watch the lively people eating melons. They are either here to preside over today's petition, or to listen to the petition.

Daming was the same as the previous dynasty. The Ministry of Punishment was in charge of legal punishment and prison, similar to the modern Ministry of Public Security. Together with Dali Temple and the Metropolitan Procuratorate, it was called the "Three Legal Departments".

Dali Temple is similar to the modern Supreme People's Court, and is also in charge of the trial of Xing prison cases. In ancient times, it was called "earth" and "li". The Procuratorate is the highest supervision, impeachment and admonition institution in the Ming Dynasty. It also handles criminal names and has judicial power, similar to the modern Supreme People's Procuratorate.

In the Ming Dynasty, these three institutions were all in charge of Xing prison, but there was also a division of labor. Xing prison cases are mainly judged by the Ministry of Punishment. Dali Temple is biased towards the Punishment Authority, responsible for the refutation and redress of unjust and wrong cases. , The supervisor of Dali Temple enjoys the privilege of "making decisions on major matters and making decisions on small matters". The three agencies check and supervise each other.

Ordinary criminal cases are heard by the Ministry of Criminal Justice. If the case is more influential and the case is more serious, it will be jointly tried with the Dali Temple, the Metropolitan Procuratorate, the Tongzheng Envoy, and the departments of officials, households, rites, soldiers, and industry. It may be a joint trial by nine departments, or it may be a joint trial by several departments, depending on the size of the case. If the case is particularly serious, the top leaders of the nine departments will conduct a joint trial, which is often referred to as the Jiuqing joint trial.

Of course, the factory guard system in the Ming Dynasty was quite unique. In many cases, officials from Jinyiwei or Dongxi Factory participated in the joint trial, and even played a leading role.

Originally, Zhu Pingan’s impeachment of Zhao Daying was planned to be jointly tried by the Ministry of Criminal Justice and the Jinyiwei Federation, but the plan could not keep up with the changes. The situation has changed a bit in the past few days. much attention.

In addition, some people's hints are added.

So, the case of Zhu Pingan's impeachment of Zhao Daying today was jointly tried by middle and upper-level officials from five departments including Jinyiwei, Ministry of Punishment, Dali Temple, Metropolitan Procuratorate, and Ministry of War. As for the Commander of Jin Yiwei, the Secretary of the Ministry of Justice, the Minister of Dali Temple, etc., these leaders would not condescend to jointly try the impeachment case of a sixth-rank official. Neither Zhu Ping'an's level nor the influence of the case is qualified.

There is a joint trial of middle and upper-level officials from five departments, and they have already attached great importance to the impeachment case of Zhu Pingan.

However, although the middle and upper-level officials of the five departments jointly heard the case, because the case indirectly involved Mr. Yan Song and Yan Ge, individual bigwigs such as Minister of the Ministry of Punishment, Zuo Shilang of the Ministry of Industry, and Minister of Dali Temple will also attend the hearing.

I'll go, there are so many people.

Although Zhu Pingan had expected that there would be a lot of officials today when he was at the door, when he entered the yamen of the Ministry of Punishment, he was still taken aback by the number of officials inside.

"Who are you?"

After Zhu Ping'an entered the yamen of the Ministry of Justice, a Jinyi guard from a hundred households came to inquire. The main reason was that Zhu Ping's clothes were too conspicuous. It's like a flock of chickens.

"Zhu Ping'an, a servant of the Imperial Academy, was ordered to come here to make a statement." Zhu Ping'an slightly arched his hands, and then took out the official document of the Ministry of Punishment.

"It turned out to be Master Zhu, sir, please come to your side."

Baihu of Jinyiwei took the official document handed over by Zhu Ping'an, looked at it carefully, saluted Zhu Pingan, returned the official document to Zhu Pingan, and then led the way to lead Zhu Pingan to the court.

The surname of this Jinyiwei is Liang, and his name is Liang Bi. Liang Bi is the hereditary Jinyiwei. Trying Baihu is an official position of Jinyiwei, one level lower than Baihu, and it is a sixth-rank official position.

"Going forward, my lord, it is the place to express my feelings. I will not send you off if you want to be on duty. There is only one thing, please keep in mind, Mr. Zhu, the left servant of the Ministry of War. My lord, please be careful of this person."

Liang Bi led Zhu Pingan through the courtyard of the Ministry of Punishment, and entered the second gate through the corner gate. When passing through the corner gate, the Jinyi guard reminded Zhu Pingan in a low voice, and then left straight away with his hands clasped in fists.

Oh?

Zhu Ping'an was startled, looking at Liang Bi's leaving back, very curious why this Jin Yiwei would tell himself such a secret. However, Zhu Pingan didn't go up to ask Liang Bi's back after he left cautiously and quickly. If he wanted to let himself know, he would naturally tell himself, if he didn't tell himself, there would be another secret. He kindly reminded himself that he couldn't let others embarrass him anymore.

Actually, Liang Bi reminded Zhu Pingan of something that Zhu Pingan didn't know. Liang Bi was just a six-rank trial household. When Shen Lian was persecuted by the strict party, Liang Bi had no choice but to help Shen Lian take care of his wife, children and family.

When Shen Lian was persecuted by the strict party and was in danger of beheading, Zhu Pingan said in front of Emperor Jiajing, "I heard that this man bought a coffin and put it at home before he wrote the letter", which extinguished the anger in Emperor Jiajing's heart and made Jiajing mistakenly Thinking that Shen Lian was seeking fame through death, he changed the death penalty to exile. Because of this, Shen Lian survived.

Liang Bi reminded Zhu Pingan that on the one hand, he was grateful to Zhu Pingan for the matter of Shen Lian, and on the other hand, he admired Zhu Pingan for daring to impeach the strict party.

Liang Bi's family has a wife and children, and he knew that he didn't have the courage of Shen Lian, so he could only use this concealed method.

After Zhu Pingan entered the second gate, he saw the courtroom of the Ministry of Punishment which was being arranged. Outside the courtroom, the guards were arranged in two rows with killing sticks, and guards in brocade clothes were scattered around the courtyard. The scribes and guards were being arranged in the courtyard under the command of the head of the Ministry of Punishment. In the courtroom, tables and chairs were moved, a pergola was set up, and the presiding judge's seat and auditorium were arranged.

Because this time the petition was jointly presided over by five departments, there were nearly ten officials sitting in the hall alone, plus He Ao, Shangshu of the Ministry of Punishment, Zhao Qiu, Zuo Shilang of the Ministry of War, Zuo Shilang of the Ministry of Officials, Dali Siqing, and Jin Yiwei Tong. There are as many as 20 or 30 people who are known and other officials who are observing.

Although the lobby of the Ministry of Criminal Justice is larger than the lobby of ordinary yamen, so many people can’t sit down, especially the officials who are observing are more than the officials who are in charge of the trial, and they are all officials above the third rank. The Ministry of Criminal Justice can’t let these big bosses squeeze in the corner .

So, the Chen Qing Court was temporarily set up in the courtyard, which is wide enough to accommodate so many people.

(end of this chapter)