Chapter 14: Are We Interrogating You, Or Are You Interrogating Us?
Zhu Biao’s funeral seemed to drain the last bit of life from Yingtian Prefecture.
The entire Capital City was immersed in a somber and oppressive atmosphere; even the autumn sunlight appeared weak.
But deep within the Imperial Prison, Zhang Biao was living a life of leisure.
The roast chicken from Juxian Tower lived up to its reputation, with crispy skin and tender meat, its aroma filling the air. He ate until his mouth was greasy, and he licked the bones clean.
Zhu Gao Sui kept his word and even brought him a pot of warmed yellow wine.
“Tsk, this Imperial Prison is a bit worse than the dormitory, but it’s quiet and the food is excellent!”
Zhang Biao picked his teeth, leaning back contentedly on the thick ‘special-issue’ straw mat, pondering if he should try the braised bear paw tomorrow.
However, just as he was contemplating his Imperial Prison dining menu, heavy footsteps shattered the silence of the prison cell.
This time, the footsteps were orderly and heavy, carrying a professional chill, completely unlike Zhu Gao Sui’s casual pace.
“Zhang Biao!” a sharp command rang out from outside the prison door.
Zhang Biao lazily raised his eyes.
He saw three officials in official robes of different colors standing outside the bars, their expressions solemn and their gazes sharp.
Behind them were several bailiffs holding water and fire staffs, their faces expressionless, and a few Imperial Guards with looks of amusement.
They’ve arrived!
Trial by the Three Judicial Offices!
Zhang Biao’s spirits lifted, his radar for seeking death instantly activated.
With a powerful surge, he nimbly brushed off the straw debris from his clothes, his face instantly transforming into a standard ‘dying for a cause’ expression, full of concern for the nation and its people, and readiness to face death.
“Ministry of Justice, Censorate, Supreme Court, trial by the Three Judicial Offices! Prisoner Zhang Biao, come forward!”
The Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice at the head of the group spoke in a loud voice, carrying an irrefutable authority.
The prison door clanged open, and two bailiffs stepped forward to escort him.
“Wait!”
Zhang Biao flicked his sleeve sharply, head held high and chest out, righteous and awe-inspiring: “This official will walk by himself! Lead the way! I want to see which of you upright officials intend to try this traitor who has disrupted the court and sown discord between ruler and subjects!”
His demeanor startled the bailiffs, who instinctively looked at the official conducting the interrogation.
The Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice frowned, then snorted coldly: “Still sharp-tongued when death is imminent! Take him away!”
Zhang Biao was led to an interrogation room several times larger than a regular prison cell, with slightly better lighting.
The room was simply furnished, with a long table. Seated behind it were the Minister of the Ministry of Justice, Wu Yong, the Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, Zhan Hui, and the Minister of the Supreme Court, Chen Ying.
Bailiffs stood on either side, their water and fire staffs planted on the ground, creating a solemn atmosphere.
“Prisoner Zhang Biao, kneel!”
The chief interrogator, Wu Yong, struck the gavel sharply and said sternly.
The sound echoed in the stone chamber, filled with official authority.
Zhang Biao’s back was straight, and he remained motionless. Instead, he looked the three interrogating officials up and down with a strangely scrutinizing gaze, as if selecting radishes and cabbages at a market.
“Kneel?”
He let out a scoff, his voice not loud but clearly audible to everyone: “I kneel to heaven, to earth, and to my sovereign. Are you gentlemen the Emperor, or Heaven itself?”
“Audacious villain!”
Wu Yong was so angry his beard bristled: “How can you be so presumptuous in the presence of the court! Guards! Bring this official…”
“Whoa, honored Minister, please calm your anger!”
Zhang Biao suddenly raised his hand, interrupting him, a look of sudden realization mixed with amusement on his face: “I understand now! You three are here to try me on behalf of the Emperor, representing the laws of the court, right?”
“Knowing that, you still dare to be presumptuous?”
“It’s not presumption, it’s that I need to clarify. Are you going to try me for deceiving the masses with demonic words? Or for sowing discord between ruler and subjects? Or perhaps for something I said in court that wasn’t clear enough, which I need to explain to you three gentlemen again?”
His speaking pace was not fast, but each word was clear, and each question was like a small hammer, precisely hitting the rhythm the three interrogating officials had set.
They had prepared a host of stern reprimands and rigorous interrogations, but now they were somewhat bewildered by Zhang Biao’s string of rhetorical questions.
Wu Yong’s face turned ashen: “Zhang Biao! Stop spewing nonsense! This official asks you, on the twelfth day of the ninth month of the Hongwu 25th year, during the court session in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, you…”
“Oh! That day!”
Zhang Biao slapped his forehead as if just remembering: “I said a lot of things that day! Which statement are you referring to, honored sir?”
“Was it saying that the Minister of Revenue, Lord Zhao, adding thirty percent to taxes was a policy of national demise? Or saying that Lord Lu and Lord Qi, for discussing the Crown Prince, deserved to be executed?”
“Oh, right! I also said that treacherous officials like Lord Zhao, who don’t care about the people, are even more harmful, and I even proactively requested to be flayed and stuffed! Do the three gentlemen think any of my charges weren’t clear enough? Or do you think my requested method of death wasn’t creative enough? Not exciting enough? Not enough to demonstrate the majesty of the court’s laws?”
He spoke with increasing sincerity, his eyes earnestly watching the three interrogating officials whose faces were growing more displeased.
“You, you… you’re quibbling!”
Wu Yong’s hand trembled with anger: “This official asks you, you impeached the Minister of Revenue, Zhao Qian, for adding taxes, calling it a policy of national demise. Do you have proof?”
“Proof?”
Zhang Biao acted as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world: “This still needs proof!?”
“I, Zhang Biao, am merely a minor seventh-rank Censor. Seeing these signs that harm the Great Ming Empire, I stood up to speak justice, risking my own head. Isn’t that loyalty to the sovereign and love for the country? Isn’t that the duty of a Censor? How has it become my crime in the eyes of the three gentlemen?”
He took a step forward abruptly. Although wearing a prisoner’s robe, his imposing presence suddenly surged, his gaze sharp as a knife, sweeping over the three interrogators:
“I must ask the three gentlemen! Is it Zhao Qian who proposed imposing heavy taxes and exploiting disaster victims, and deserves to be executed? Or is it Lu Ping and Qi Tai who discussed the Crown Prince and displeased the Emperor, and deserve to be executed? Or is it I, Zhang Biao, who dared to point out their faults and was willing to die for a cause, who deserves to be executed?!”
“You! You are too presumptuous!”
Zhan Hui finally couldn’t help but slam the table and rise: “How can you roar in the presence of the court? Twisting facts and confusing right from wrong, guards! Slap his face!”
Two bailiffs immediately stepped forward, about to strike.
“Wait!”
Zhang Biao’s sharp shout, shaking the roof tiles, caused the bailiffs to pause.
He smiled coldly, his gaze shooting towards Zhan Hui like lightning: “According to the Great Ming laws: judging a case requires clarifying facts and discerning right from wrong. The Minister’s questions were unclear and his logic confused, so I argued based on reason. Where is the roaring?”
“Everything I said pointed to the faults of Zhao Qian, Lu Ping, and Qi Tai. Where is the distortion of facts? The Left Censor-in-Chief, without distinguishing right from wrong, is about to resort to torture. Do you wish to coerce a confession? Or do you have something to hide, afraid that I might reveal something?”
He accurately recited the articles of the Great Ming law, instantly leaving Zhan Hui flushed and speechless, pointing at Zhang Biao: “You, you…”
He sputtered “you” for a long time but couldn’t utter a single word.
Resort to torture? Zhang Biao’s every word adhered to the law and loyalty. Resorting to torture would only confirm a coerced confession.
Not resort to torture? This fellow’s tongue was sharper than a knife!
Wu Yong and Chen Ying also broke out in a sweat.
They had interrogated countless corrupt officials, all of whom were trembling and confessing their guilt. When had they ever encountered such an arrogant, such a difficult, such… a prisoner who was right in every word and proficient in the law?
It wasn’t them interrogating Zhang Biao; it was Zhang Biao interrogating them!
Interrogating their abilities, their stance, and whether they dared to genuinely investigate the forces that might be involved behind Zhao Qian, Lu Ping, and Qi Tai.
For a moment, the interrogation room fell into an eerie silence.
Only Zhang Biao stood there, his posture straight, his gaze disdainful, as if he were the master of the room.
The three highly ranked chief interrogators of the Three Judicial Offices were rendered speechless and lost their imposing presence by his skillfully evasive, quote-filled, and barbed responses.
And Zhang Biao felt the time was right, ready to add a final log to the fire!
