"Chancellor Li, Scholar Cai, Chancellor Wang, it seems I have arrived late today!"
Just as the atmosphere in the hall turned tense, Zhao Zhen's voice echoed from outside the door.
Seeing Zhao Zhen's arrival, Nie Shan couldn't help but let out a wry smile.
This small Kaifeng Prefecture yamen was truly graced with splendor today. A significant portion of the powerful figures favored in the imperial court had gathered here.
"Third Brother is here too?"
"Eighteenth Brother, you've arrived as well?"
Zhao Kai greeted Zhao Zhen with a smile, but he made no move to stand up throughout their exchange.
"Greetings to Your Highness Prince Xin!"
As Zhao Zhen strode in, Li Bangyan and Wang Fu could only smile and cup their hands in greeting. With them leading the way, there was no option for the others but to follow suit.
"Greetings to Your Highness Prince Xin!"
Times had changed. Prince Xin was now a figure of great influence. Even standing before Wang Fu and Li Bangyan, he showed no deference. His titles – Military Governor, Grand Master of Majestic Splendor, concurrently serving as a member of the Privy Council, and Grand Commissioner for Pacification of the Six Southeastern Routes – combined with his royal status, meant his power was immense and undeniable.
"You are all my elders and superiors. Your courtesy makes me rather embarrassed! I am merely here to observe the proceedings today. Lord Nie, I trust I am not disrupting you?"
"Not at all, Your Highness Prince Xin. Your presence is an honor to this humble official," Nie Shan replied with a smile, cupping his hands. He understood the unspoken exchange: the more respect shown to Zhao Zhen, the more favor he would receive in return.
"In that case, I shall not stand on ceremony!"
As Zhao Zhen spoke, he took the seat originally occupied by Cai You. This put Wang Fu in an awkward position. Their seating arrangement had been impeccable before. As the Prince of Yun, Zhao Kai held the highest status among the princes, and like all princes, he was a Military Governor and Grand Master of Majestic Splendor, making his seat at the head of the table entirely appropriate. However, with Zhao Kai and Zhao Zhen now occupying seats on either side, if Wang Fu were to move back to the center, it would appear… incorrect. From any perspective, he could not occupy the position between the two princes.
Seeing Zhao Zhen take his seat, Li Bangyan smiled and, without a word, sat down in the space between them, separating the two princes.
"Have two chairs brought for Chancellor Wang and Scholar Cai!"
Nie Shan glared at his stunned subordinates, chiding their lack of awareness.
"Yes, sir!"
Only after a bailiff brought two more chairs was this awkward situation finally resolved. With two princes and a Grand Minister present, Wang Fu and Cai You could only be seated behind them, even with the new chairs.
Once everyone was resettled, Nie Shan cleared his throat, a hint of awkwardness in his voice, and brought down his gavel firmly, resuming the interrogation.
"Offender Han Mo, do you have anything further to say?" Nie Shan asked, his voice clear after a preparatory cough.
"Reporting to Your Excellency, this humble official does not know what you are referring to. If you are asking me to confess guilt, then this humble official has nothing to say and no guilt to confess!"
With Li Bangyan and Zhao Zhen now present, Han Mo spoke with even greater assertiveness than before. After all, both Li Bangyan and Zhao Zhen were now obligated to support him. Zhao Zhen's presence was significant, but Li Bangyan alone ensured that Han Mo could not face any repercussions today.
Although the charges against Lin Daqian were indeed grave, the actual offense was relatively simple: due to his usual arrogance and a moment of uncontrolled temper, he had set fire to the county yamen. However, if he were to be implicated with Liao spies at this juncture, the entire situation would change dramatically. Burning down the yamen in a fit of pique was a capital offense, but as he was a relative of Li Bangyan, if the case ultimately reached the Emperor, perhaps the Emperor, out of consideration for Li Bangyan, might spare the young man's life with a single stroke of his brush. But if he were linked to Liao spies, the nature of the crime would be entirely different. Coupled with his specific identity, it would be impossible even for Li Bangyan to clear his name, even if he jumped into the Yellow River. Even if only to protect his own influence, Li Bangyan could not afford for Han Mo to encounter any issues today.
"Lord Nie, if you have evidence, present it directly. If not, I see no need to waste everyone's time here!" Li Bangyan suddenly stood up and said, just as Wang Fu was about to speak.
"I agree with that sentiment. Lord Nie, if you have evidence, please present it. If not, I believe we should adjourn for the day," Zhao Kai said, though his heart felt a pang of discomfort at Li Bangyan's arrogant demeanor, he had to suppress it for the moment.
"Yes! Your Highness speaks the truth! Guards, bring in the witness!" Nie Shan responded and then called out.
Soon, a disheveled Lin Daqian was brought forward. Seeing his once imperious brother-in-law in such a state, Li Bangyan's expression clearly soured. However, his composure quickly returned, as he knew that Lin Daqian's current predicament was entirely of his own making.
"Lin Daqian, I ask you, were you aware that the employees in your household were Liao spies?" Nie Shan asked again, striking the gavel heavily.
"Your Excellency, this subordinate is wronged, truly wronged! Those men were hired temporarily, and they were all local men with families. How could this subordinate possibly know they were Liao spies!" Having been lectured several times by his sister, Lin Daqian dared not speak recklessly.
"Truly unaware? They were in your Lin family's businesses for so long, and you discovered nothing?"
"Reporting to Your Excellency, if this subordinate had known they were Liao spies, why would he have hired them? I implore Your Excellency to see the truth! See the truth!"
"Then let me ask you again, when those men died, your prison cell was not far from theirs. Did you clearly see how they died?"
Upon hearing Nie Shan's question, Cai You and Wang Fu, who were observing the proceedings, held their breaths.
"This, this..."