Ming Dynasty: Ask Zhu Yuanzhang to abdicate at the beginning

Chapter 369 Excuse! Suppression! Killing two birds with one stone!
The court fell into an almost deathly silence, as if the air itself had frozen.

The ministers felt their own heartbeats pounding so loudly they could hear them clearly.

The Left Censor-in-Chief—that's the person in charge of the Censorate!

Now, the fact that an imperial censor from the Censorate is impeaching his own superior is absolutely earth-shattering.

The impeachment was not for a trivial matter, but for a heinous crime that could lead to the extermination of nine generations of one's family!
Moreover, the person being impeached was a Minister of State Affairs who also served as the Left Censor-in-Chief.

Since Zhu Yunwen established the Office of Government Affairs, most of the daily affairs of the court have been handled by it.

Most of the central government's instructions received by various departments of the imperial court and even local governments came from the Administrative Office.

Although the Minister of State Affairs, who is in charge of the State Affairs Office, does not have the title of Prime Minister, he actually wields power close to that of a Prime Minister.

However, there are six ministers of state, and orders from the State Secretariat must be issued collectively by all ministers, rather than by one person alone, which greatly limits their power.

However, in any case, any minister of state holds a pivotal position in the court.

Every official in the court knows that Yang Shiqi was a former official of His Majesty during His Majesty's time as a prince and is highly valued by His Majesty.

To publicly impeach Yang Shiqi in the imperial court—isn't this a blatant slap in His Majesty's face?
The officials stared at Ge Song in disbelief, wondering in their hearts: Is this guy out of his mind?

Many people secretly glanced up at His Majesty the Emperor on the dragon throne.

His Majesty's face was as cold and stern as iron, showing no joy, anger, worry, or sorrow, making him completely unfathomable.

But the crowd grew increasingly fearful and uneasy, secretly wondering: Is this the calm before the storm, or is His Majesty about to unleash a furious rage?

The ministers hurriedly averted their gazes, not only avoiding looking at His Majesty but also refusing to glance at Ge Song. They simply lowered their heads and stared intently at their toes, while casting probing glances at their colleagues on either side.

Who among those qualified to stand in this grand hall today isn't a shrewd and capable person?

Ge Song was merely a minor censor. If you were to say that he had the audacity to impeach a high-ranking official, the Left Censor-in-Chief, and a confidant of the emperor, probably no one would believe it.

There must be more to this story than meets the eye.

Even if Ge Song's memorial was purely for the purpose of upholding the laws of the court and he had no selfish motives, he would still have sought the opinions of certain powerful figures in private before taking action on such a major matter in order to gain their support.

Who exactly is this person supporting him behind the scenes?
Everyone was hoping to hear some news from others.

Yesterday, Ge Song went to Zhan Hui's residence.

This is not a top secret; some officials have already heard rumors about it.

At this moment, they were all looking down, heads bowed, motionless, but their minds were racing.

After all, in officialdom, the most important thing is not knowledge and ability, but choosing sides.

As long as you can always stand on the side of the winner, your career will naturally flourish and you will rise step by step.

But if you choose the wrong side, then everything is over.

At best, they would be demoted; at worst, they would be dismissed from office; and in more serious cases, they might even be imprisoned, have their property confiscated, and be executed.

In officialdom, choosing sides is far more important than anything else!
No matter how strong your abilities or how good your skills are, no matter how many practical things you have done for the court or the people, if you choose the wrong side, you are destined to have no future.

All political achievements are insignificant when it comes to such a crucial issue as choosing the wrong side!
If this matter is indeed related to Zhan Hui and Yang Shiqi, then they should carefully consider which side to stand on.

Of course, Ge Song's visit to Zhan Hui's residence happened just yesterday.

In this era, there were no advanced communication tools like those of later generations. Although the messages were not particularly confidential, their reach was limited in a short period of time.

Most officials are still unaware of this.

They could only speculate based on Ge Song's past background and relationships.

But no matter how much I think about it, I still can't figure it out.

Although Ge Song held the position of Censor, he was just an insignificant minor official in the capital.

I've never heard of him having any special background!

If he had really been supported and mentored by a powerful figure, he wouldn't have stayed in the Censorate for so many years without ever moving, and wouldn't have been unable to secure even a post outside the Censorate.

Wang Zuo looked at Zhan Hui beside him with a shocked expression and disbelief.

When he entered the palace earlier, he had specifically asked Zhan Hui about it, but the guy kept his mouth shut, only saying that he knew what he was doing.

They knew what was going on, yet they still made such a scene?
If Ge Song were to publicly impeach Yang Shiqi in court, thus inciting factional strife, what would His Majesty think?

As an emperor, one naturally does not want one's subjects to be harmonious and united; on the contrary, one would prefer them to fight each other openly and secretly, so that it would be easier for one to consolidate one's power.

Therefore, it is perfectly normal that he had conflicts and disagreements with Zhan Hui and Yang Shiqi, and could not get along.

On the contrary, His Majesty would feel uneasy if their relationship were too close.

The people in the government affairs office have become a united front; how can His Majesty feel at ease?

But despite the contradictions and disagreements, while they may engage in private power struggles, they must still maintain a facade of harmony.

Now, his two most important subordinates are like two roosters fighting each other, completely incompatible. What's going on?

His Majesty certainly does not want a large-scale factional struggle to erupt in the court, which would paralyze the government.

His Majesty will surely be extremely dissatisfied with those who instigate factional strife.

Even if we assume that Yang Shiqi did indeed do what Ge Song impeached him for, he should have first reported it to His Majesty privately and obtained His Majesty's permission before making it public in court.

Instead of launching a sudden attack like this, catching His Majesty off guard.

This isn't an impeachment of Yang Shiqi; the real "impeachment" is against His Majesty!

But at this moment, Zhan Hui looked calm and composed, as if Ge Song's impeachment had nothing to do with him.

Wang Zuo was extremely anxious, but since they were still in the court and in front of His Majesty, he could not ask questions directly. He could only keep giving Zhan Huishi meaningful glances.

Unexpectedly, Zhan Hui kept his eyes straight ahead and did not respond to his gaze.

Wang Zuo was extremely anxious, and fine beads of sweat quietly seeped out from his forehead.

But now, standing in the imperial court, in front of His Majesty, he could only keep his thousand words to himself and dare not even breathe out.

Wang Zuo could only keep giving Zhan Hui meaningful glances, his eyes filled with anxiety and searching.

Unexpectedly, Zhan Hui remained as still as a statue, ignoring Wang Zuo's eager gaze and offering no response whatsoever.

His calm and composed demeanor made it seem as if nothing had anything to do with him.

On the other side, when Yang Shiqi heard Ge Song's impeachment, a barely perceptible look of panic flashed across his originally calm face, and his expression changed slightly.

But in an instant, he regained his composure, as if nothing had happened.

He didn't stand up to defend himself, nor did he impulsively confront Ge Song. He simply stood quietly in place, motionless, with a calm expression.

As calm as an ancient pine tree in the deep mountains, I remain unmoved no matter how fierce the storm is.

Kneeling on the ground, Ge Song solemnly pulled a memorial from the wide sleeves of his official robes, raised it high above his head with both hands, his movements extremely respectful and his expression solemn and dignified, and said loudly:

"Since Yang Shiqi took office as the Left Censor-in-Chief, he has been blinded by convenience and has used his power to seek personal gain on a large scale."

"He first used the pretext of cracking down on the accomplices of Yuan Tai, the former Left Censor-in-Chief, to purge the Censorate."

"In reality, they were using this as an excuse to suppress the upright and just censors in the Censorate, attempting to seize absolute power within the Censorate."

"The Censorate is His Majesty's most important eyes and ears in supervising all officials."

"The imperial court has long stipulated that the censors of the Censorate shall act independently and shall not be subordinate to one another."

"Even though Yang Shiqi is the Left Censor-in-Chief, he only commands the Censorate, not all the censors at will."

"His actions are clearly intended to deceive Your Majesty and block Your Majesty's eyes and ears in order to achieve his ulterior motives. This is his first crime."

Ge Song's voice was firm and powerful, each word carrying immense force, echoing throughout the court.

He spoke fluently and smoothly, in one go.

He had practiced countless times in front of the mirror at home yesterday.

Every expression and every tone of voice is meticulously crafted.

"Since the Duke of Liang implemented reforms in the three Jurchen tribes, many scholars have written to various departments of the court, requesting that the new policies be implemented in the same way within the territory of our Great Ming."

“My Censorate has also received many such letters.”

"Most of these letters contain falsehoods and misinformation."

"Even worse, they openly slandered the court and defamed His Majesty in their letters. Their malicious intentions are outrageous, and their crimes deserve to be punished!"

"But after Yang Shiqi learned of this..."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yunwen, who was sitting on the dragon throne, suddenly changed his expression.

His once calm gaze instantly sharpened like an eagle's, revealing everything in a flash.

Without the slightest hesitation, he abruptly raised his hand, decisively interrupting Ge Song's next words: "Alright, no need to say any more."

Over the years, having weathered countless storms in the imperial court, Zhu Yunwen had accumulated extensive political experience and matured considerably.

Upon hearing Ge Song's words, he immediately understood that this was clearly a case of Xiang Zhuang's sword dance aimed at Liu Bang.

The so-called impeachment of Yang Shiqi was nothing but a pretext.

Their real goal was to use this opportunity to obstruct the implementation of new policies in the Ming Dynasty, such as land redistribution and tax reform.

These people really have a keen political sense!
He hadn't even officially started implementing the new policy, nor had he discussed it in depth with anyone.

The purpose was simply to have Lan Yu use the pretext of war to conduct a trial run in the three Jurchen tribes, and then have the Ming Daily subtly promote it.

These people had already sensed that the wind direction was wrong, and they launched an attack first.

Using the pretext of impeaching Yang Shiqi, they attempted to prevent the upcoming "New Policies".

The time is not yet ripe. Zhu Yunwen has already made his own plans and does not intend to confront them at this moment.

Naturally, Ge Song couldn't be allowed to continue speaking, lest the situation spiral out of control.

Upon hearing this, Ge Song was stunned, his face filled with doubt and confusion.

What does "no need to say anything" mean?
Filled with resentment, he hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, Yang Shiqi's crimes are heinous, truly..."

"I've already said, there's no need to say it again!"

Zhu Yunwen's voice suddenly rose, booming like a bell, carrying an unquestionable authority, interrupting Ge Song once again.

"Today's court assembly will only discuss the case of the people of our Great Ming being defrauded and kidnapped by villains and taken to Siam and Bagan."

"Other matters are not relevant to this court meeting." "Simply submit your memorials to me; there is no need to discuss them in court."

Immediately, he turned to the eunuch beside him and instructed, "Go and collect his memorial. I will review it carefully after court."

The eunuch hurriedly stepped down, carefully took the memorial from Ge Song's hand, and then quickly returned to the dragon throne, respectfully handing it to Zhu Yunwen.

Zhu Yunwen reached out and took it.

At this moment, Ge Song was still unwilling to give up and spoke again: "Your Majesty, as an imperial censor, I bear the heavy responsibility of investigating officials and impeaching those who break the law."

"Yang Shiqi, as a Minister of State Affairs and Left Censor-in-Chief..."

"Drag him away and behead him!"

Zhu Yunwen's voice, like a thunderclap, suddenly exploded in the hall, making everyone's eardrums ache.

Upon hearing the order, two guards immediately entered, grabbed Ge Song, and tried to drag him away.

Seeing the situation suddenly turn around, a minister stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Your Majesty, Ge Song, as the Censor, has the power to impeach all officials."

"Your Majesty must not arbitrarily punish him just because he impeached one of Your Majesty's trusted ministers."

“Such actions may discourage the officials.”

"Your Majesty should carefully consider the implications of this matter!"

Other ministers also stepped forward, offering their advice one after another.

"Your Majesty, please calm down! The censors are merely performing their duties by impeaching officials."

"If the person being impeached has truly made a mistake, then they should correct it; if they have not, then it should be taken as a warning, so why get so angry?"

Some ministers were even more agitated, shouting, "Does Your Majesty intend to stifle free speech and prevent your ministers from offering any further advice? Your Majesty, you must not do this!"

In an instant, all the ministers in the hall knelt down in unison, like wheat fields blown down by a gust of wind.

Even Zhan Hui, who had been observing from the sidelines and remaining aloof, now pleaded, "Your Majesty, it is the duty of the censors to impeach court officials."

"If the accusations are untrue and purely slanderous, then Your Majesty's punishment is entirely justified."

"But now he has only just submitted his memorial, and His Majesty has not yet sent anyone to investigate, yet he wants to execute him. If this precedent is set, who among the officials in the court will dare to speak out for justice and offer loyal advice in the future?"

"We implore Your Majesty to investigate this matter thoroughly!"

Even Yang Shiqi, who was impeached, stood up and spoke earnestly: "Your Majesty, Ge Song impeached me as an imperial censor, which is within his authority."

"As a court official, one should be able to withstand impeachment."

"As the saying goes, 'If you walk upright, you will sit upright.' I believe that I am loyal to the Ming Dynasty and devoted to Your Majesty. My heart is as clear as the sun and moon and as witnessed by heaven and earth. I am not afraid of anyone investigating me or impeaching me."

"Your Majesty need not be angry about this."

“The innocent are innocent, and the guilty are guilty. Since he has impeached me, let the court send someone to investigate thoroughly and see if I have really committed the crimes he accused me of, so as to clear my name.”

“If Your Majesty executes him without investigating the facts, I fear the world will condemn me, Yang Shiqi, for being arrogant and lawless, thus solidifying my reputation as a ‘treacherous minister’.”

"It will also tarnish His Majesty's holy reputation!"

"This is the situation I least wanted to see!"

Zhu Yunwen glanced coldly at Yang Shiqi, thinking to himself: Yang Shiqi is blinded by his own involvement and hasn't seen the situation behind it.

Of course, it's also possible that he knew in his heart that he only had to stand up and say this because he was the one being impeached, in order to silence the gossip of the world.

After all, these scholar-officials were not to be trifled with.

If he hadn't done this, Yang Shiqi would likely have been condemned for all time.

He only stood up to plead for Ge Song in order to protect himself.

But Zhu Yunwen's purpose was not that.

He wanted to completely suppress any discussion about the new policies that this matter might trigger.

At the very least, we must not let it erupt at this time.

Otherwise, the situation will be difficult to control.

"Shut up!" Zhu Yunwen shouted angrily at Yang Shiqi, his voice echoing like a bell in the hall: "This matter has nothing to do with you!"

His gaze was sharp as he slowly swept over the assembled officials below, and he said loudly, "I want to kill Ge Song, not because of his impeachment of Yang Shiqi."

Upon hearing this, all the ministers were startled, exchanging bewildered glances.

Zhu Yunwen continued, "Before the court session today, I had already issued a decree that today's court session would only discuss the matter of the blood petition for help, namely the case of the people of my Great Ming being abducted and kidnapped to Siam and Pagan as slaves."

“When he presented his memorial just now, I clearly told him that he didn’t need to continue, but he ignored my words and continued to talk on and on, disrupting the agenda of the court meeting.”

"I once again issued a stern warning and made it clear that today we will only discuss the abduction case and not any other cases."

"I have already ordered the memorial impeaching Yang Shiqi to be collected and informed him that I will review it myself."

"But he still ignored my words and continued to pester me."

Zhu Yunwen became increasingly agitated as he spoke, and angrily rebuked, "A thing can happen once or twice, but not a third time!"

“He so disregards my decrees and refuses to change his ways despite repeated admonitions.”

"Despite repeated admonitions, he remains obstinate. Is this how a subject should behave?"

"Does he still have even the slightest sense of duty as a subject?"

"Does he still see me as his sovereign and father?"

"Shouldn't I kill such a person?"

A series of rhetorical questions left all the ministers speechless, unable to find any words to refute him.

Upon reflection, Zhu Yunwen had indeed interrupted Ge Song several times, telling him to stop submitting his memorial, but Ge Song ignored him.

Now that the emperor wants to kill him, the reason is quite valid.

Now, none of the ministers dared to plead for Ge Song anymore.

To ignore or disregard the emperor's words is, by any measure, a crime of "great disrespect."

That's enough to make him die ten thousand times over!
What other way can we plead for them?
After Zhu Yunwen finished speaking, he glared fiercely at the guards who had already restrained Ge Song but had temporarily stopped because of the officials' pleas for mercy, and shouted, "What are you all standing there for? Didn't you hear my decree?"

The guards snapped out of their daze and quickly took Ge Song away.

Zhu Yunwen secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He had used this as an excuse to kill Ge Song, which would suppress the matter and prevent the court from discussing the new policies.

But now that this matter has been brought to the forefront, we probably have no choice but to face it.

Then he spoke again: "I will emphasize once more that from now on, all matters discussed in court will have clear topics."

"Matters that do not fall under this topic should not be brought up casually during court meetings."

"If you have anything to say, you can submit a memorial to me."

"Or, we can bring it up at a court meeting when there is a relevant topic."

"You can also submit a memorial to me, requesting the court to convene a court meeting for a certain matter."

"However, once the issue is determined, it must not be disrupted at will."

"You must not talk about irrelevant things anymore."

"The imperial court has its own rules."

“The court assemblies of the Ming Dynasty are not like the breakfast markets outside the palace gates, where you can say whatever you want.”

"From now on, if anyone speaks carelessly about matters unrelated to the agenda during court assemblies, they will be punished severely for disrupting the order of the assembly. Do you all understand?"

Zhu Yunwen had long had this idea.

This is also the common practice in later generations.

If there's anything, let's discuss it privately first.

Once everything is settled, we'll proceed with the approval process at the meeting.

In fact, by the time the meeting was held to discuss the matter formally, everything had already been decided.

However, the court assemblies of the Ming Dynasty often lacked a clear theme.

This was actually very detrimental to the imperial power.

Because the ministers can agree in advance on what to discuss at the court meeting and offer their advice together.

Then, leveraging their superior numbers, they created a great deal of momentum in the imperial court, "forcing" the emperor to agree to their suggestion.

This was also a key means for civil officials to control the government.

Zhu Yunwen had already issued an edict that the court assembly should have a agenda.

This would make it easier for him, the emperor, to control the overall situation as he pleased.

What you want to do, I will not discuss in court... When to hold a meeting, what kind of meeting, who to invite, and what to discuss are all decided by the emperor.

The emperor then truly achieved absolute power!

This was Zhu Yunwen's true purpose.

However, it was clear that the officials of the Ming Dynasty were not yet adapted to this change.

Therefore, despite repeated warnings, Ge Song still insisted on offering his advice.

Zhu Yunwen seized the opportunity to kill him, thus "killing two birds with one stone".

This would both suppress the "new policy" that he didn't want to discuss and set "rules" for the future.

This was used to further strengthen his imperial power.

All the ministers replied in unison, "We understand, Your Majesty. We will obey Your Majesty's decree."

"Retreat!"

Zhu Yunwen nodded slightly, then glanced deeply at Zhan Hui and Wang Zuo before standing up and striding away from the main hall.

……

(End of this chapter)