In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 607 A Clash of Stances, Without Right or Wrong

As darkness fell, a group of people galloped in.

The person in charge was Liu Sili, the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial.

The storefront was still brightly lit, but a large crowd had already gathered there.

Among them were employees, managers in charge of specific tasks, and even several village representatives who had not yet left Beijing.

Tianfu Village is one of them; their village was selected for rural renovation.

Liu Sili dismounted, and the accountant Bian Rong walked towards him.

Bian Rong's expression was grave. He walked to Liu Sili's side and said in a low voice:
"My lord, this person has ill intentions."

The entire warehouse was sealed off.
More than a hundred people searched the shop.

Jiang Yonghuai has been detained and his whereabouts remain unknown.

Liu Sili's expression was extremely solemn, and his deep-set eyes revealed a deep weariness.

He nodded slightly:
"I see."

After saying that, he led his group hurriedly toward the warehouse.

Unlike the brightly lit and simply decorated interior of the commercial building.

The warehouse passageway appeared very simple.
The unevenness of the cement floor was not covered up.

The lighting was dim, and people walking around couldn't make out their faces.

All that could be seen were blurry black shadows.

Upon arriving at the warehouse entrance, one finds it guarded by more than ten officials from the Ministry of Justice.

They held long knives and torches, watching the approaching people warily.

Seeing their expressions, Liu Sili immediately frowned:

"I am Liu Sili, the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial. Who is in charge of your affairs?"

A middle-aged man with a stern face stepped forward and said in a hoarse voice:

"Greetings, Lord Liu. I am Zhan Yufei, Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Justice."

Lord Ping is inspecting the scene inside the warehouse.

Please wait a moment, Lord Liu.

"Inspect the scene? How long will the inspection take?"

Liu Sili's voice suddenly rose, and then he looked at the dozen or so clerks behind him and scolded them:

"This is a crucial warehouse with a large quantity of goods."

What are you all trying to do with those torches?
Are you planning to burn down the entire Yingtian Trading Company?

A hint of surprise flashed in Zhan Yufei's eyes. He turned around, looked back, and then waved his hand.

"Take down the torches."

After doing all this, he looked at Liu Sili and said in a deep voice:

"Lord Liu, as government officials, we have never dealt with matters of commerce."
I was unaware of such a method; please forgive me, sir.

Liu Sili's face was as black as charcoal!

These words were clearly a veiled criticism, subtly implying that his group was involved in business and neglecting their proper duties.

Liu Sili took a deep breath and demanded:

"I ask you, when will the on-site investigation be completed, and when will the business be able to resume normal operations?"

"I am not aware of this matter. Please wait a moment, Lord Liu."

These words immediately created an extremely tense atmosphere.

Many of the accompanying employees were in an uproar:
"If you investigate all night..."

How can the business operate tomorrow?

"Yes, we still need to restock... otherwise what will we sell tomorrow?"

Everyone said something to me.

Zhan Yufei glanced around and saw that most of the people speaking were dark-skinned commoners.

Although they were dressed in merchant's clothes, their rustic charm was still hard to conceal.

A bead of cold sweat appeared on his forehead.
He wasn't afraid of Liu Sili in front of him; they were all court officials, and he was mindful of his status.

But these ordinary people in front of you are different. They don't care who you are. They'll curse you if they want to.

Zhan Yufei took a deep breath and said in a deep voice:
"Please be patient and quiet."

Lord Ping is inside inspecting the scene. Your noise will disrupt the work of the coroner and clerks, and will only delay the process further.

He looked at Liu Sili and bowed deeply:
"Lord Liu, I am preoccupied with official duties, please forgive me."

"Please, Lord Liu, have these employees leave. The Ministry of Justice is handling this case; no one is allowed to approach."

"Where are the documents from the Ministry of Justice?"

Liu Sili's face was ashen; he understood in his heart that...

This is factional strife; someone is using this opportunity to attack others!

The trading company cut off many people's source of income.

When his son-in-law was around, no one dared to act recklessly.

The moment the son-in-law left, someone came to cause trouble. It's outrageous!
At the same time, Liu Sili was also aware that...
If this matter is not handled properly, he will lose face as an official.

If they want to achieve anything in the future, it will be extremely difficult and they will not be able to convince the public.

Zhan Yufei handed over the document, and Liu Sili took it, quickly glanced at it, and asked:

"Are there any people from the business community involved in the case, as they are collaborating with the investigation?"

Zhan Yufei paused for a moment, then explained:
"Lord Liu, the scene needs to be protected during the on-site inspection, and unauthorized personnel are not allowed to enter."

After the investigation is completed, representatives from the business will assist in the case.
Lord Ping also has many questions that require explanation from the trading company.

Liu Sili stood with his hands on his hips, pacing back and forth, then burst into laughter in exasperation.
"What kind of talk is that!"

After the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the capital government investigated the case,

The merchant guild has already cleaned up the body and swept the floor three times. What else can you possibly see?

"Sir, please calm down and wait at the door."

"Wait your mother's head!"

Liu Sili launched into a tirade, pointing his finger at Zhan Yufei and cursing:
"While I was eating sand in the northern frontier, you were still nursing in bed."

They make such a big deal out of this petty trick; it's all nonsense!
"Now, make way for me! The Court of State Ceremonial needs to inventory foreign goods!"

"When the Ministry of Justice is handling a case, no one may..."

"Enough! The Ming Dynasty law clearly stipulates that the Court of State Ceremonies and the Ministry of Rites should handle matters concerning foreign countries. What business is your Ministry of Justice getting involved?"

Was it a foreigner who committed the crime, or was the murderer a foreigner?

Where are the Gentiles?

Zhan Yufei's breathing became slightly rapid, and the pressure in his heart increased dramatically.

"The Honglu Temple's handling of foreign affairs is a secret of the imperial court, and no one is allowed to inquire about or observe it."

"What right do you, a mere secretary or assistant secretary in the Ministry of Justice, have to concern yourself with matters of foreign lands? This is utterly outrageous!"

Liu Sili's voice suddenly rose, and he shouted:
"Break through and protect our friendly goods!"

When the accompanying officials from the Court of State Ceremonial saw that their superiors had spoken, they rushed forward without saying a word.

Upon seeing this, the group from the merchant guild widened their eyes and scrambled forward, also rushing ahead.

"stop!"

"stop!"

"The Ministry of Justice is handling cases; no one is allowed to enter... Ah..."

Before Zhan Yufei could finish speaking, he was punched in the eye and let out a cry of surprise.

"bass!"

The sound of a long sword being drawn rang out suddenly, and a clerk from the Ministry of Justice drew his sword.

Seeing this, Zhan Yufei, who was about to fall to the ground, shouted:
"What are you doing! Put the knife down!"

But it was too late. Seeing this, Liu Sili spat and cursed:

"These officials of the Ministry of Justice are obstructing important matters of the nation and attempting to undermine friendly relations with their neighbors by force. Arrest them all!!"

The moment the words were spoken, the situation spiraled out of control.

The group swarmed forward, angrily pinning the Ministry of Justice personnel to the ground and beating them with fists and feet.

"Who's pinching me? Who's pinching me?!"

One of the clerks struggled to shout, but his body was pinned down by two men, and he could only make noises.

But this shout only spurred more people to attack, and in less than three breaths, his body was covered in bruises.

"boom!"

The shop's main gate was kicked open, and a group of people rushed out.

Liu Sili arrived shortly afterward, his face contorted with rage, his eyes practically spitting fire.

"Seal off the exits! The Siamese gem is missing. No one is allowed to leave until the gem is found!"

More than a hundred employees rushed in.

They surrounded Ping Wenbo and the others who were resting in a corner, their faces full of astonishment.

Ping Wenbo stood up from the ground, took off his gloves, and looked at the crowd surrounding him, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes:
"What's going on? Is the Court of State Ceremonial planning a rebellion?"

Liu Sili stared at him, a cold smile playing on his lips:
"I believe it is your Ministry of Justice officials who are attempting to rob the merchant guild's treasures and damage foreign relations!"

"Get a pen and paper!"

The next moment, Ping Wenbo watched in astonishment as Liu Sili wrote a document on the spot.

Then, Liu Sili brazenly took out the imperial seal from his robes, stamped it on, and said:

"I have received information that Ping Wenbo and Zhan Yufei, officials of the Ministry of Justice, intend to seize the tribute from the Siamese court. The Court of State Ceremonial has come to take inventory of the tribute!"

"Please step aside, Lord Ping. If you obstruct me, don't blame me for being impolite."

Ping Wenbo was somewhat taken aback, and his expression immediately turned ugly.

He looked at Liu Sili and said in a deep voice:

"Lord Liu, you are new to the capital. Is it inappropriate for you to act in this way?"

Liu Sili frowned, took a few steps closer, stared at Ping Wenbo, and scrutinized his face:

"I come from Liaodong, and before becoming an official, my job was to suppress mountain bandits."
Do you think I was raised to be easily intimidated?
You brought men to vandalize the business, disrupting the livelihoods of the people in the capital region. I'm detaining you for your own good.

Otherwise, when the people find out tomorrow, they'll want to eat your flesh and drink your blood. The voice was cold and chilling, sounding particularly sinister in the dimly lit warehouse.

Ping Wenbo's throat moved:

"Lord Liu, I have come here with documents from the Ministry of Justice. Please do not remain obstinate."

"What utter nonsense are you spouting!"

Go tell that same story to Aju Miao and the others.

I'm here to tell you that some of the goods sold in the trading company are from foreign countries.

If the business can't operate as usual tomorrow, don't blame me for not warning you.
"Keep a close eye on your family and children; those foreigners don't care if you're some high-ranking official in the Ministry of Justice."

After saying that, Liu Sili ignored him and looked at the many employees, waving his hand dismissively:
"Get these eyesores out of the way, get the goods in, and clean up. We can't let tomorrow's business be delayed."

"Yes!"

The employees' eyes lit up.

Looking at the man in his forties in front of them, their impression of Liu Sili changed drastically!
This person seems to act violently, but he gets straight to the point; he's like a thug.

If they were on the opposite side, they would naturally not like it.

But now Liu Sili is one of us.

With such a distinguished person in charge, the business should be able to live in peace for a while.

The group got busy, and Liu Sili pulled the old man from Tianfu Village to Ping Wenbo, followed by several village representatives.

He said with a kind expression:
"Rest assured, everyone, I have already dealt with the Ministry of Justice's attempt to shut down the business today."

The business will continue to operate tomorrow. These bad guys have been subdued and have admitted their mistakes.

Please don't hold a grudge against them; they were just following orders.

Despite this, the elderly man from Tianfu Village, who was usually so timid, raised his head and looked at Ping Wenbo with trembling hands, saying:

“The village has been dilapidated for a long time, and there are fewer and fewer people. I am an old man and I don’t have many years left. I just hope that the village can be more lively.”

You are an adult, I am a commoner, my life is cheap, your life is precious.

But I, an old man, have also fought alongside Lord Hongwu, seen blood, and even eaten human flesh.

"If you try to cut off our livelihood, I'll cut off yours."

The old man's voice was calm but trembling, adding a sinister atmosphere to the warehouse.

Ping Wenbo's face stiffened, and his lips pressed tightly together.

Liu Sili was somewhat surprised and looked at the old man, asking:
"Sir, were you a soldier?"

The old man waved his hand:
"Yan Er, a lowly soldier in the Flying Bear Imperial Guard Command, had his boat capsize on Poyang Lake and his arm was broken by the mast, so he went home to farm."

Liu Sili was greatly shocked:

"This... how old are you, sir?"

"I'm seventy-one years old. I'm the only old man in Tianfu Village who can still walk. I was somehow dragged to Yingtian City."

"Quickly, quickly...please come in quickly!"
"Guards, treat this old man well; he is a meritorious official of our Great Ming Dynasty!"

At this moment, Bian Rong hurried over, his face extremely grave:

"My lord, Vice Minister Ling of the Ministry of Justice has arrived."

Liu Sili paused in his act of bending down to help the old man, and handed him over to the clerk beside him.

When he straightened up, his expression had become extremely serious, and he cursed:

"What day is it today? All sorts of demons and monsters have come?"

Even so, Liu Sili straightened his clothes, quickly walked out of the warehouse, and reminded everyone to stock up on goods before leaving.

At the entrance of the trading company, Ling Han, dressed in a scarlet robe, looked solemnly at the brightly lit trading company.

Night had fallen, the sky was filled with dark clouds, and the atmosphere in front of the shop was heavy.

More than thirty officials stood guard at the entrance of the business, their faces full of anger.

Ling Han took in their expressions and sighed softly to himself.

"Lord Ling, what brings you here so late at night?"

The person hadn't even arrived yet, but their voice came first.

Liu Sili walked out of the side door of the shop, his face equally gloomy.

Upon approaching, Liu Sili bowed deeply.
"This humble official, Liu Si, pays his respects to Lord Ling. I apologize for not being able to greet you in time."

Ling Han put his hands behind his back, glanced at him, and then looked at the menacing officials behind him.

Some of them had handprints and footprints on them, clearly indicating that they had just been in a conflict.

"Lord Liu, you have grievances in your heart."

"I don't dare, my subordinates."

"A clerk reports that Lord Liu seems to be preventing the Ministry of Justice from investigating the case?"

Ling Han's voice was calm.

"The Ministry of Justice's investigations must not delay the business operations of merchants, nor should they affect the good neighborly relations between the Ming Dynasty and foreign countries."

"Is a trading company really that important?"

Ling Han's expression was somewhat strange, and his voice rose and fell in intonation.

"The livelihoods of millions of villagers depend on them."

Liu Sili straightened up and said calmly:
"On the day of the incident, the Ministry of Justice avoided it at all costs, and not a single person came."

Now that the murderer has been exposed and is in the throes of death, the Ministry of Justice has come to investigate the case.

"May I ask Lord Ling, if you can investigate a case today, can you investigate a case tomorrow?"

Is it possible to investigate the case again in a year or two? Will it continue indefinitely, with generations of descendants investigating it?

Upon hearing this, Ling Han's expression turned solemn, finally culminating in a long sigh:
"Today's events were due to the Ministry of Justice's oversight; please forgive me, Lord Liu."

"May I take this person back?"

Liu Sili cupped his hands in greeting, said nothing, and then looked at the clerk behind him.

The official understood immediately, and the group was quickly led out.

Some people were disheveled, with bruises and swelling on their faces; some looked resentful; and some kept their heads down and remained silent.

Seeing this, Ling Han sighed again, waved his hand, and turned to leave without saying anything.

Two quarters of an hour later, at the Ministry of Justice.

Ling Han dragged his weary body into the main hall and met Zhao Mian, the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel.

"I've met my lord."

Zhao Mian raised his head, stood up, walked to the side and sat down, gesturing for Ling Han to sit down as well.

After they were both seated, he asked with a smile:

"How about it?"

Ling Han answered truthfully:

"Liu Sili took a tough stance, kicked everyone out, and even brought in the Siamese general, Ajumiao."

Zhao Mian laughed and nodded after hearing this:
"Oh? That's rare. The Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies is so tough. He'll be quite adept at dealing with those unreasonable foreign powers in the future."

Ling Han hesitated for a moment, but finally spoke:

"My lord, why go to such lengths? The matter is already over. Why should the Ministry of Justice get involved?"

Zhao Mian stopped smiling and calmed down.

He stared blankly at the teacup in his hand, lost in thought.

After a long while, he slowly opened his mouth:
"This is a battle of stances. Even if the Ministry of Justice doesn't want to get involved, it can't remain unaffected."

Unlike Lord Lu, who was able to speak up for the people as an official because he had the protection of His Majesty and the Crown Prince, and no one bothered him.

But what about you and me?

The Ministry of Justice was an unpopular government office.

If we, as officials, do not speak up for other officials, what standing will the Ministry of Justice have in the future?

Ling Han remained silent, his breathing slightly rapid.

Knowing that he was an upright and incorruptible person, Zhao Mian spoke up:
“Brother Dou Nan, I know your difficulties and I understand the principles you uphold.”

But you and I are officials in the court, caught in the torrent of officialdom, and we have no choice but to follow our own path.

When factional strife breaks out, we can only choose one side.

If we don't take sides, we'll be the first to suffer.

"There's nothing wrong with serving the country and its people."

Ling Han's voice was hoarse.

"If someone is caught stealing, regardless of whether they are the ringleader or an accomplice, they will be punished for all the stolen goods. Those with less than one string of cash will be punished with eighty strokes of the cane, and those with forty strings of cash will be beheaded."

Officials who accept bribes and pervert the law will be punished with seventy strokes of the cane for those with less than one string of cash, and strangulation for those with eighty strings of cash.

Once an official is found guilty of embezzlement, he will be immediately dismissed and never allowed to hold office again.

Zhao Mian shook his head and recited a passage from the Great Ming Code:

"Brother Dou Nan, can you uphold such a law?"

Ling Han remained silent.

Zhao Mian shrugged and took a sip of tea:
“Then it’s over.

You've been working at the Ministry of Justice for quite some time now, haven't you?

Look at the kinds of cases we handle on a daily basis.

Seventy percent of them are cases where citizens sue government officials.

People travel thousands of miles to sue officials, and we officials have to handle the trial?

This is a slap in the face to us officials.

But we still have to greet them with smiles and serve them well.
A citizen suing an official—this is an unprecedented and extraordinary event, one that has never happened before in history.

You and I are both officials.

We can't let the people ride roughshod over us.

Ling Han remained silent.

Seeing his expression, Zhao Mian gently waved his hand:
"Alright, today's commotion was just an excuse."

Tomorrow, the Ministry of Rites, the Ministry of Justice, and the Court of Judicial Review will jointly investigate the case.

"Then we'll force Yingtian Trading Company to close down."

(End of this chapter)