In the Purple Palace Hall, Li Shi Min sat at his desk and flipped through a book. His gaze wandered from time to time, and his mind was obviously not on the book.
"Sigh." He sighed and pushed the letter away." Renhong, oh Renhong, why is your greed getting worse?"”
Dang Renhong had made great contributions to the founding of the Tang Empire. Li Shimin knew that he should be sentenced to death for his corruption, but he couldn't bear it.
"Forget it, seeing that you have always been loyal, zhen will protect you again.”
However, if he wanted to protect Dang Renhong, he had to convince the officials in the court.
Thinking of this, Li Shimin couldn't help but have a headache. The one who gave him a headache was Wei Zheng. With Wei Zheng's straightforward personality, he would definitely use the laws of the Great Tang to oppose him again and again.
"I hope that Du Kefa can change the law as soon as possible.”Li Shi Min didn't have much hope. Du Kefa had just taken up the position of the Supreme Court Official, and it would take a long time to sort out the various affairs of the Supreme Court.
"Your Majesty, Du Kefa of the Supreme Court requests an audience.”Wang De quietly approached Li Shi Min and reported.
"Du Kefa? Why is he here?" Li Shimin's thoughts spun quickly as he ordered Wang De to pass Du Kefa in.
Du Kefa walked into the hall and after bowing, Li Shimin smiled and asked,"Have you met Chang Le at the princess's manor?”
"Your Majesty, I've already been there."
"Changle is the heart of Empress Zhangsun and Zhen. If Zhen hears that you bully Changle, I will not let you off easily.”
Du Kefa raised his head and looked at Li Shiming," I, Princess Changle, regard her as a pearl. I won't mistreat her, and I won't let anyone bully her."”
"Alright, I will remember what you said. Why did you enter the palace?" Li Shi Min asked.
"Your Majesty, I came here for two things. One is the matter of pardoning prisoners to go home to visit relatives, and the other is the case of Dang Renhong, the governor of Guangxi.”
"This Zhang Liang actually pushed this case to the Supreme Court.”Li Shi Min cursed and asked Du Kefa,"Are you here to tell me that you agree with my actions?”
"No," Du Kefa shook his head firmly,"I'm here to advise Your Majesty to withdraw his order."”
Li Shi Min's gentle face instantly turned cold, as if he was trying to confirm something. He asked again,"You don't agree?"
Du Kefa saw that Li Shimin was unhappy, but he had to remonstrate.
He had no choice. When he was appointed as the Minister of Justice, the system had activated the passive attribute of fairness. He had to act according to the law and could not be biased. Even if he angered Li Shiming, he had to uphold fairness.
He shook his head firmly and decisively again." Yes, I have objections to Your Majesty's orders.”
Li Shi Min stared at Du Ke Fa. Previously, he only thought that Wei Zheng would oppose him. He did not expect Du Kefa to oppose him.
In his opinion, Du Kefa had just become the Head of the Court of Judicial Review, so he would definitely go along with his wishes. At the very least, he should remain silent and not express his opinion.
"Do you have any objections?"
Li Shi Min's voice was cold and authoritative. Du Kefa looked at Li Shi Min and said loudly,"I believe that the law is a lofty standard and should not be changed by anyone's words, including Your Majesty.”
"I understand that Your Majesty loves the people and wants the prisoners to return home and reunite with their families. However, they had violated the law and should be punished and deprived of a certain amount of freedom.”
"Are you afraid that the prisoners won't come back after they go home? However, you think too badly of people.”
"No, this subject is a minister of the Supreme Court. I don't care whether the hearts of the people are good or bad, I only care about the law. They shouldn't have the right to go home and reunite. This was their punishment.”
Just the law? Li Shiming's eyes narrowed several times. He understood Du Kefa's insistence, but he was the Emperor, and the imperial edict had already been issued…
"I have also issued my decree.”
"The Sage once said that there is no greater good than knowing one's mistakes and being able to correct them.”
"Are you saying that I did something wrong?" Li Shi Min stared at Du Ke Fa.
Although Du Kefa had the passive attribute of fairness, he didn't want to die too early. Not everyone could be Wei Zheng.
Du Kefa remained silent, but Li Shimin could see that Du Kefa was insistent.
"Why didn't I see that this kid was so stubborn before?”Li Shi Min thought to himself. Pardoning prisoners and returning home to visit relatives was a small matter to him. His purpose was to protect Dang Renhong's life.
However, he had to consider the opinions of the officials in the court.
"Let's put this matter aside for now. Although Dang Renhong is greedy, I must protect him.”
Li Shi Min didn't discuss it with Du Kefa and gave the order.
Du Kefa replied without hesitation,"According to the laws of Great Tang, Dang Renhong embezzled two hundred thousand taels of silver. The amount is huge and should be executed.”
"Zhen appointed you as the Minister of the Supreme Court to change the law.”
Du Kefa looked straight at Li Shiming and said,"Even if I change the law, it's still a capital crime to take two hundred thousand taels of silver.”
Li Shi Min was angered by Du Kefa's continuous opposition. He stood up and said,"Do you have to oppose me?"
"As a minister of the Supreme Court, all my actions are based on the law.”
Li Shimin was enraged.
"Do you really think I can't do anything to you?”
Du Kefa raised his head and said loudly,"Your Majesty, please retract your order!"
Du Kefa was Du Ruhui's third brother and Princess Changle's subordinate. No matter how angry Li Shimin was, he wouldn't chop off his head, right?
Du Kefa looked straight into Li Shi Min's eyes,"Even if Your Majesty dismisses me from my official position, I still insist on my own opinion. Dang Renhong should be killed.”
"Do you think I don't dare to punish you?”
"What crime have I committed? Dang Renhong embezzled 200,000 taels. I want to ask Your Majesty, where did this 200,000 taels come from? Was it the deduction of military rations, the acceptance of bribes from merchants, or the robbery of the people's wealth?”
"I would like to ask Your Majesty, when Dang Renhong was drinking and eating, what were the soldiers and people of Nan Ning Province eating?”
"I would like to ask Your Majesty, is Dang Renhong's life more important, or is the lives of tens of thousands of people more important?”
Li Shi Min was rendered speechless by Du Kefa's barrage of questions, and his face turned red.
"Are you calling me a fatuous ruler?"
Wang De heard Li Shi Min's angry roar from outside the hall. He entered the hall and said to Du Kefa,"Grandpa Fuma."
Although Du Kefa had angered Li Shiming, he was still a subordinate. Wang De did not dare to kick Du Kefa out of the Purple Mansion Hall or the Imperial Palace.
Du Kefa saw that Li Shiming was so angry that his whole body trembled. He stopped being angry at him. After all, Li Shiming was his father-in-law. If he angered his father-in-law, how would he explain it to his wife?
Du Kefa bowed to Li Shi Min and left the hall.
A pile of books fell to the ground with a loud clatter.
Du Kefa slowly left the Purple Mansion Hall and was 'invited' out of the Imperial Palace to return to the Du Residence.
After Du Kefa left, Li Shimin's anger did not subside for a long time. He was so angry that he did not even want to eat.
Li Shimin was angry, not because Du Kefa had disobeyed his orders, but because Dang Renhong had violated the law, and because he had to bear the infamy of saving him.
What could he do about Du Kefa's disobedience?
That was the son-in-law that he had appointed, the husband of Changle. How could he chop off his son-in-law and make Changle a widow?
Empress Zhangsun came to Zichen Palace with a lunchbox. Seeing Li Shimin's angry face, she asked gently,""Wei Zheng came just now?"
Only Wei Zheng could make Li Shimin so angry.
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