A powerful minister of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 429 I heard that you've had an affair
Liu E remained calm and expressionless.
"Magistrate Song, has he arrived?"

Yang Huaimin quickly repeated the sentence.

"Your Majesty, I have arrived."

Song Xuan stood at the end of the line at the entrance of the main hall to give his reply, and then stepped out from the middle of the line.

Civil and military officials lined up on both sides, leaving a gap in the middle.

Everyone turned and looked over.

"Magistrate Song, come closer."

"Here."

Song Xuan took ten steps forward and then stopped.

Liu E was not very satisfied; she could not see clearly through the curtain.

“You stand next to your father-in-law, Attendant-in-Ordinary Cao.”

"Here."

Song Xuan then strode to the front.

Liu E gestured to Yang Huaimin to take a few memorials and let Song Xuan take a good look at them.

Many officials were surprised that the Empress Dowager would do such a thing, directly handing the impeachment memorial to Song Xuan for review. What kind of nonsense is this?
However, they dared not offend the Empress Dowager, so they could only vent their anger in their hearts, and no one dared to raise any objections in court.

Song Xuan took it and examined it carefully, impeaching himself for abusing his power for personal gain and misappropriating public funds.

He possessed millions of coins, but did not hand over the huge sum to the national treasury.

Furthermore, they used public funds to excessively pay the salaries of officials and yamen runners, and to open schools.

Such actions further disrupted ancestral rules and caused unrest among the officials in other county offices.

If everyone followed suit, it would create many additional miscellaneous taxes for the common people, which would be used to satisfy the selfish desires of these lowly officials and yamen runners.

Moreover, Song Xuan was also accused of using public welfare projects as a pretext to amass wealth.

Song Xuan handed it to Yang Huaimin, then took another book and continued reading.

This was originally intended to impeach myself for abusing my power and seeking personal gain.

He formed a clique with Jia Changchao and others to pursue personal gain and cultivate his own followers; his intentions are despicable.

What's even more infuriating is that they brought up old grievances, namely the charge of "excessive taxation" and competing with the people for profit when he first took office.

Song Xuan took another document; this person was impeaching him for disregarding etiquette and being obsessed with craftsmen despite being a local official.

Spending large sums of money to modify wheelbarrows is meaningless, and promoting the use of iron stoves to burn coal for heating is tantamount to murdering people.

Song Xuan picked up another book, this one impeaching him for colluding with the Khitans and selling priceless treasures to them, a crime he deemed unforgivable.

Moreover, the Khitans repeatedly went to the county government office to meet with him in secret, and he didn't know what important matter they were plotting.

He was labeled a traitor.

After reading it in one go, Song Xuan returned it to Yang Huaimin and then bowed, saying:
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, I have read all these memorials."

Seeing that Song Xuan was still trying his best to cover it up, Liu E raised an eyebrow and said, "Don't you want to explain yourself?"

"What explanation do I have?"

Song Xuan's nonchalant attitude immediately enraged a group of censors and remonstrance officials.

He really doesn't respect us at all.

"Song Xuan, how dare you be so arrogant?"

The censor Fan Zheng was extremely arrogant.

"Your Majesty, these are all nonsense. I find them offensive and have no reason to bother explaining them."

Song Xuan's appalling attitude infuriated the censors, who clenched their fists and gritted their teeth.

No matter how you look at it, they were all scholar-officials of high moral character, courageous in speaking out, taking the Confucian tradition as their responsibility, and not forming cliques or engaging in self-serving activities.

Of course, this is how they see themselves as great.

But in reality, where can one find such a virtuous person?
Before Bao Zheng became a censor, how many censors in the Song Dynasty were known for their courage to speak frankly and directly to the emperor?

none.

Wang Zeng also glanced at Song Xuan, and felt that with his personality, he still needed to be tempered more if he wanted to take on important responsibilities.

Although Cao Yongli felt that his son-in-law's words were satisfying, he knew that in the court, one could not advance further by satisfying one's anger.

Some of these old civil officials in the court would use the excuse of needing to toughen you up by sending you to the frontier to suffer.

and many more.

Cao suddenly realized that his good son-in-law had always wanted to go to the Northwest to make a name for himself.

Could it be that he's being deliberately rude at this moment?
Even Liu E was taken aback by Song Xuan's tough attitude and was momentarily stunned.

Is he always this tough?
seems like it.

Cao Cao used the generals on his side to think that Song Xuan was really powerful.

If you're not arrogant when you're young, what's the point of being arrogant when you're old?

On the contrary, the censors and remonstrators naturally clamored loudly and began to step forward one after another, requesting that Song Xuan be punished.

Some colleagues tried to pull Han Yi forward, but Han Yi refused. Although he was a censor, he couldn't bring himself to say it.

"Han Zongwei, your colleagues have all stood up, why are you hiding like a coward?"

"I didn't submit a memorial impeaching Scholar Song, and besides, are you saying what you did was right?"

"you!"

Han Yi glanced steadily at his colleagues, noticing that everyone else had left, leaving only him and Wang Shu standing motionless.

Wang Shu didn't get involved either.

His concern wasn't solely due to his son-in-law's murder; it was also because he had spent more time with Song Xuan and didn't believe he was that kind of person.

Han Yi was able to advance further because of Song Xuan, not to mention that his younger brother was Song Xuan's classmate.

He had seen everything Song Xuan had done since taking office.

Even if Song Xuan is really as they impeached him, it's still because Song Xuan is capable.

As you can see, although Li Shiheng had a reputation for being extremely corrupt, he still managed to control the finances of the Three Departments very well, making a profit every year, and ensuring that not a single penny of money remained in the national treasury.

Such a talent for financial management as Guan Zhong was exactly what the Song Dynasty lacked.

Han Yi is not stupid, nor would he blindly follow others or be manipulated into attacking his colleagues.

Song Xuan glanced at the group of people who had stepped forward. Very good.

Only by standing up can we clearly identify who the "enemy" is.

Who are my friends?

Otherwise, if the attack spreads to a wider group, it could harm innocent bystanders, and Song Xuan would have to apologize, which is unnecessary.

Sitting on the emperor's throne, Zhao Zhen saw Song Xuan's actions and realized that he had lured the snake out of its hole.

As expected of Twelfth Brother!

These people thought they were in the right, and that it was Brother Twelve who was feeling guilty.

Little did he know that such arrogant behavior would only provoke these clowns to jump out, making it easier for him to strike them down.

Zhao Zhen wanted to laugh, but he had to keep a straight face because of the noisy scene in front of the palace.

Looking at Song Xuan's arrogant demeanor, Lü Yijian wondered who gave him the courage to so brazenly criticize the censors.

Even if these prime ministers were impeached one after another by the censors, they would still request the emperor to send them to a post outside the capital, in order to avoid suspicion.

Only when the government intervened and said it was unnecessary could they continue to work in their positions.

Otherwise, they would have no choice but to obediently give up their positions and be transferred away from the capital.

After all, prime ministers also have a sense of honor and must not be labeled as clinging to power.

The Song Dynasty was extremely wary of powerful ministers.

After all, the Song Dynasty rose to power because of powerful ministers, so there were still necessary precautions to take.

There need to be several prime ministers; there must never be a situation where one person holds all the power.

"Your Majesty, I request that Song Xuan be dismissed from his post as Magistrate."

"I second the proposal."

"I second that we should not only dismiss him, but also thoroughly investigate his accounts to prevent him from embezzling public funds."

"Such unhealthy trends and practices must be resolutely eliminated."

"Otherwise, the administration of our Great Song Dynasty will be ruined."

"I also agree. Please, Your Majesty, issue an edict to the Emperor."

The main hall immediately erupted into a noisy commotion.

Cao was momentarily unsure whether to be anxious or to defend his son-in-law; he always had his own ideas.

Seeing Song Xuan's nonchalant expression, Zhang Qi remained silent.

Aren't these statements just baseless rumors?
Song Xuan glanced at the group of censors who were shouting in his ear, then pretended to pick his ear and casually flicked the finger onto their clothes.

This further angered the group, and the charge of disrespecting the emperor was brought up directly.

"shut up."

Empress Liu called out, and the officials who had stepped forward bowed in anticipation.

"Magistrate Song, don't you have anything to say?"

"Your Majesty, if you want to condemn someone, you can always find a pretext."

Song Xuan bowed and looked at her, saying, "I have nothing to explain."

"There's nothing to explain. I think you're just resentful."

Liu E spoke on Song Xuan's behalf: "Tell me what you're upset about, and let this old woman hear it."

"Since Your Majesty has permitted me to speak, then I shall speak."

As soon as Song Xuan said this, many censors looked at him, wondering what reason he had to give.

If he dares to explain, there will inevitably be many loopholes.

"speak."

Song Xuan stood with his hands behind his back: "I wonder what the name of this censor who is standing so close to me is?"

"I am Fan Zheng, and I will not change my name or surname."

"Very well, I would like to ask, what concrete evidence do these censors who impeached me have?"

"According to the ancestral law, the duty to correct corrupt officials and uphold national policy is to report matters based on hearsay, and even the prime minister has no right to exercise such authority."

Fan Zheng raised his head and replied that his ancestors were also from a prominent and distinguished family.

"Oh, I see. I've only been in office a short time and was unaware of this matter. I've learned something new."

Song Xuan glanced at Fan Zheng and smiled:

"Since this is a report based on hearsay, I wonder where Censor Fan heard it from?"

"Mind your own business!" Fan Zheng snorted.

"Good good."

Song Xuan couldn't help but clap his hands and laugh loudly:

"So you all agree with Fan Taijian's idea?"

"I naturally agree."

"I don't bother talking to you about these things."

"Exactly, an ignorant child."

Hearing these words, Song Xuan didn't care, but Cao Li glared at him angrily and pointed at him, saying:

“If my son-in-law is the ignorant child you speak of, then all the Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) in the entire Song Dynasty are not even as good as a three-year-old child.”

"You bunch of people who couldn't even pass the imperial examination with top honors are all utter garbage!"

Cao's words were extremely insulting.

Although the officials from the censorate were annoyed, they had no choice but to turn their heads away, unable to refute the argument.

The person who said this also blushed.

He inadvertently forgot about Song Xuan's achievement of passing the imperial examinations three times in a row, thus offending all the successful candidates in the imperial examinations throughout history.

In the entire imperial court, how many scholars could surpass Song Xuan, the top scholar in the imperial examination?

Moreover, the competition for the top scholar in the fifth year of the Tiansheng era was more intense than in previous years.

It's an intensity that has never been seen before!
No one can criticize this point.

Instead, Song Xuan quickly comforted him:
“Minister Cao, why bother with them? These people are just jealous of your son-in-law’s talent and ability to make money, which is why they’re attacking him so relentlessly.”

"Humph."

After Cao Li regained his footing, the officials in the censorate indeed kept quiet.

They can no longer maintain the airs of the old-timers in officialdom.

Song Xuan turned slightly to the side, glancing at Fan Zheng, whose face was grim:
"Fan Taijian, may I ask about Wang Qixiong, the son of Wang Mengzheng, a relative of the Empress Dowager, who was executed by the Mingzheng Statute a few days ago?"

"He killed someone in the street, and the whole city is buzzing about it. How come I haven't heard you report on it?"

"This matter has already been decided, so there is no need for us to report it."

Fan Zheng replied firmly.

"Who made the judgment?"

Faced with Song Xuan's questioning, Fan Zheng turned his neck away.

"Hehehe."

Some of the military officers laughed out loud, but quickly stopped.

Even the prime minister, Wang Zeng, and others were quite helpless.

Where were they at that time?
When questioned by Song Xuan, he confirmed that he had not shown up.

"Okay." Song Xuan's lips curled into a smile:
"Ma Jiliang, the Empress Dowager's relative by marriage, took it upon himself to order government-run tea. This matter caused quite a stir and lasted for at least a month. Why haven't I heard any censors or remonstrance officials submit memorials to impeach him?"

"On the contrary, it was I, a lowly county magistrate who rarely attends court, who publicly refuted and opposed him!"

Where were Fan Taijian and his colleagues at that time?

"You." Fan Zheng's voice was somewhat weak.

"Of course, I am not the prime minister and cannot see those memorials."

Song Xuan then bowed slightly and asked, "May I ask, Prime Minister Wang, have you received such impeachment memorials from the censors?"

"Never."

Wang Zeng didn't give them any face either. He didn't know who was secretly involved in this matter, but they didn't even inform him.

Fan Zheng's expression turned somewhat unpleasant. Wang Zeng had always disliked tolerating injustices, so he naturally wouldn't give false testimony for them in this matter.

Moreover, given the long period of time involved, if he hadn't wanted Song Xuan to object, would anyone else have stood up?

Liu E coughed lightly: "Song Xuan, if you're going to give an example, then give an example. Don't always bring up my in-laws."

"Yes," Song Xuan replied.

Fan Zheng and the others breathed a sigh of relief; they really didn't dare to offend the Empress's in-laws.

Now that the Empress has spoken, Song Xuan can no longer give examples, which is perfect.

Song Xuan did indeed continue his pursuit and killing:

"May I ask you, esteemed officials of the Censorate, why did you not impeach Wang Xie, whom Prefect of Kaifeng Chen Yaozuo protected for his favoritism and abuse of power, for first brewing illegal wine and then killing him to cover it up?"

Fan Zheng's expression changed slightly; Song Xuan was now moving towards the level of a high-ranking official.

Now the Chen brothers have both been kicked out of the capital. One is stationed in Tianxiong Army, while the other is busy with disaster relief efforts in Huazhou, trying to make amends for his past mistakes.

Hearing this example, Liu E felt much better.

She knew that Song Xuan always mentioned his in-laws, so she was afraid he wouldn't be able to finish talking about those illegal things today.

Song Xuan raised his voice again:
"Back when I was taking the imperial examination, someone tried to poison me with poisonous smoke in the examination hall. How come you officials from the censorate all acted as if you were dead!"

"Not a single person has spoken up?"

"And they even say that the Song Dynasty has always valued scholars the most, correcting corrupt officials and supporting the country's affairs. Bah!"

Song Xuan said without any politeness:

"What kind of damn rumors and reports are these? They're nothing but a bunch of scoundrels who're just trying to gain fame and fortune!"

Song Xuan's blunt words immediately broke down Fan Zheng and the others' defenses.

"You're the one who's a scoundrel."

"We will submit a memorial to the throne to impeach him in accordance with the law."

"Yes."

Even if what Song Xuan said is true, how could they easily back down?
"Squeak, squeak, squeak." Song Xuan stretched out his hand and laughed, "I heard a dog barking again!"

"Everyone, come and listen to how fiercely the dog is barking."

"Hahaha."

The military officers finally couldn't hold back any longer and burst into laughter, clutching their stomachs.

"Scholar Song is quite the talker."

"It has to be the top scholar who passed all three levels of the imperial examinations, that is, someone who knows how to talk."

"Hehehe, so that's what a dog barks like."

These military officers were frequently impeached by the censors and remonstrance officials.

In any case, impeaching military generals was politically correct in the Song Dynasty.

Whether there's a reason or not, impeaching them is the right thing to do.

Wang Zeng remained standing still, realizing that Song Xuan still remembered the poisoning he had suffered during the imperial examination.

That's understandable, though. If he didn't have a ruthless heart, saying he could pass all three levels of the imperial examinations, he probably wouldn't even have been able to finish the exam.

It's normal to hold a grudge against someone for a lifetime.

Lu Yijian stroked his beard and sighed heavily. This matter would probably remain a thorn in Song Xuan's side forever.

The Chen family members will certainly have no place in the imperial court from now on!
The thought of his close ally gave Lü Yijian a headache.

Liu E felt that Song Xuan was not seriously injured, and he had become the top scholar in the imperial examination. In addition, she had a good impression of the Chen brothers at the time, so she suppressed the matter.

It seems that Song Xuan still harbors some resentment.

"That's right," Cao Liyong said indignantly.
"My son-in-law suffered such injustice in the palace examination, and you officials of the censorate all turned a deaf ear. If you were treated like this when you took the imperial examination, would you still be standing here so shamelessly?"

"Yes, they're trying to ruin Scholar Song's life!"

"What the hell were they doing earlier? They're here today impeaching Scholar Song. I think they're their accomplices from back then."

"That's right, they're the ones forming cliques and engaging in corrupt practices!"

These are the words of Song Xuan and the military generals.

This immediately broke Fan Zheng and the others' defenses.

Since they took office as censors, they have been so arrogant that they have instilled fear in many officials.

I have never encountered such humiliation before.

They were so angry they wanted to throw punches, but they were also afraid that Song Xuan would retaliate.

Ma Jiliang's ordeal still lingers deeply in everyone's minds.

Seeing that Song Xuan was already eager to brandish his ceremonial tablet, Fan Zheng quickly lowered his head.

"Your Majesty, Song Xuan has spoken arrogantly and insulted us. We beg Your Majesty to take charge."

"Please, Your Majesty, do justice for us and punish Song Xuan."

"Please, Your Majesty, grant us justice."

The seven of them bowed down together. Song Xuan rolled his eyes. A bunch of cowards.

I thought they'd be provoked and might resort to violence. Seven against one, they might have a chance of winning.

After a moment of anger, he chose to be sullenly angry.

Song Xuan could only blame himself inwardly, realizing that he had been too ruthless in dealing with Ma Jiliang recently, to the point that these people dared not make a move.

Seeing Song Xuan's impolite words, Liu E didn't tolerate it:

"Song Xuan, how dare you insult the censors in public?"

"Your Majesty, I do not understand." Song Xuan raised his head:

"How did I insult them in public?"

Liu E was taken aback by Song Xuan's question, then nodded approvingly:
"Fan Zheng, tell me how Song Xuan insulted you?"

Fan Zheng was so angry that his hand holding the scepter began to tremble.

He truly hadn't expected the Empress Dowager to protect Song Xuan in such a way.

Zhao Zhen also glanced at Liu E unexpectedly, realizing that he still had a lot to learn.

"He said that our words were like the barking of dogs, clearly showing no respect for the ancestral rules of the Great Song Dynasty, let alone for the Empress Dowager and the Emperor, and he was just spouting nonsense here."

Song Xuan quickly responded with an "Eh!"
"Minister Cao, I never said they spoke like dogs, did I?"

"That's right." Cao Liyong nodded repeatedly, his face showing complete impartiality.

"Magistrate Song clearly said he heard a dog barking. They're just making themselves out to be dogs and admitting it's a frame-up against my son-in-law!"

"Hahaha."

After Cao finished speaking, he and his son-in-law looked at each other and smiled.

“Your Majesty, I can assure you that Scholar Song absolutely did not say that Fan Zheng and the others were barking dogs.”

"I can also guarantee that."

"I am also willing to protect him!"

After Zhang Qi finished speaking, many of the military officers shouted that they were all willing to testify.

However, these few censors and remonstrance officials were ignorant and deliberately tried to frame Song Zhuangyuan for his words.

Fan Zheng gritted his teeth in anger as he listened to the slanderous words of the surrounding military officers. Sure enough, after associating with military officers for a long time, Song Xuan had also picked up the rogue's ways.

Fan Zheng looked at the prime ministers beside him, hoping they would speak impartially.

But both Wang Zeng and Lü Yijian had their heads facing forward, not looking back at all.

This isn't something they ordered anyone to do.

Moreover, Fan Zheng had already stated in public that they were not under the Prime Minister's jurisdiction. If the Prime Minister then pleaded on their behalf, wouldn't that confirm the fact that they were forming cliques for personal gain?

"Your Majesty, Song Xuan and his associates are forming cliques and engaging in corrupt practices."

Fan Zheng pointed at Song Xuan and said, "As a civil official, why do so many military officers support him? What is his intention?"

Song Xuan snorted and laughed:
"Madam, I must impeach Fan Zheng because he is immoral!"

Upon hearing this, even the military officers who were about to make a fuss stopped.

Some people don't understand what Song Xuan meant by speaking so elegantly.
The civil official on the other side stared wide-eyed, looking like he was about to hear something.

The more subtle way to put it is: "improper family values".

After all, these four words represent chaotic relationships between men and women in the family!

Liu E was also surprised.

She never expected that Song Xuan would have such leverage over Fan Zheng.

Could it be that Fan Zheng was afraid of what he had done, so he took the initiative to impeach Song Xuan?

Upon hearing this, Fan Zheng swayed as if he were about to collapse. He glared at Song Xuan:

"You're talking nonsense."

"I am not talking nonsense."

Song Xuan said in a serious tone:
"Who doesn't know the relationship between you, Fan Zheng, and your niece?"

"you you you."

Fan Zheng pointed at Song Xuan, trembling all over, then glared angrily:

"Song Xuan, what evidence do you have?"

"It's just hearsay."

After Song Xuan finished speaking, he chuckled and stood aside, saying no more.

Fan Zheng collapsed to the ground in despair.

At this moment, he realized that Song Xuan was using his own spear to attack his own shield, leaving him with no way to refute.

The other officials in the censorate were furious, saying that Song Xuan was not an official in the censorate and had no right to report matters based on hearsay.

But then Song Xuan pointed to the censor who was closest to him:

"I've heard about your relationship with your daughter-in-law."

"How dare you say that about me!"

The officials in the censorate were visibly furious, their eyes wide with rage and their scalps tingling with fear.

Song Xuan said with a forced smile, "If you continue, I'm just repeating hearsay."

He covered his mouth and retreated back into the crowd without saying a word.

With such an example, the remaining officials of the Censorate lost all their arrogance and showed no trace of their former overbearing attitude.

They didn't dare to argue with Song Xuan at all.

Anyway, everyone is just hearing rumors. Would the people of Tokyo prefer to believe the story of Song Taisui embezzling public funds, or would they prefer to hear the story of a certain censor having an affair?
Needless to say, the things that happen in one's crotch have been incredibly widely discussed since ancient times.

They would usually pretend to cover their eyes with their hands, peeking through their fingers, while straining their ears to listen carefully.

Then, they excitedly share it with others, and everyone smiles knowingly, perhaps even reminiscing about it tonight before going to sleep.

Song Xuan stood aside, witnessing the mess created by the censors.

Not only Ouyang Xiu, but also Wang Anshi and Su Shi were rumored to have had illicit affairs with their daughters-in-law.

In the Song Dynasty, attacking someone with moral issues was the most effective way to bring them down.

They haven't even started any factional strife yet, and Song Xuan has already outmaneuvered them.

"Oh. I see."

Xia Shouyun said with a surprised look:
"That old scoundrel, he pretends to be a gentleman every day, but he's actually having an affair with his niece."

"So he's a shameless old bastard!"

"Tsk tsk tsk, I never expected this, I really never expected this."

"I'd heard that scholars had a lot of tricks up their sleeves, but I never imagined it was really true."

Yang Chongxun chuckled; they were happy to listen to such gossip.

They are more willing to embellish and spread the word.

They especially wanted these censors to suffer a setback.

In the past, they would impeach people at the drop of a hat, constantly reporting on rumors without any evidence, yet they still suffered a lot.

Now that the opportunity has presented itself, who wouldn't want to kick someone when they're down?

Military officers who were once trampled underfoot by censors and remonstrance officials, seized the opportunity to hurl even more vulgar and offensive insults.

In comparison, Song Xuan was a civilized person.

Fan Zheng and the others turned pale. They wanted to refute, but they were afraid of being accused of incest.

Even if it's fake, so what?

To belittle for the sake of belittling, to insult for the sake of insulting.

Even if the falsely accused person eventually spends several years proving their innocence.

But everything you've built up before has come to nothing, and you don't even have a future.

For the person being falsely accused, it is a torment to their mind and all their social relationships, a matter that can drive them to the brink of social death.

On the other hand, those who make false accusations can easily continue to profit and rarely face any punishment.

Even if she loses, she will still say that the laws of the Song Dynasty are biased towards the falsely accused, and that she is the most wronged one.

These people don't care how much rice noodles you have in your stomach; as long as you die, they'll profit.

Song Xuan's actions were like using a mop to wipe excrement and then waving it at the heads of the censors. They were both angry and annoyed, but dared not raise their heads again.

Lu Yijian looked at Song Xuan, never imagining that he could disgust the censors and remonstrance officials in this way.

However, what Song Xuan said is true; it's time to replace this group of censors.

They're all bullies who prey on the weak and fear the strong; what kind of officials are they, censors and remonstrance officials?
Now that today's events have occurred, naturally no one is afraid of them anymore.

The censorate established in the imperial court then became nothing more than a decoration.

"All right."

Wang Zeng still considered the bigger picture:

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, there must be some misunderstanding in this matter."

"There is a misunderstanding." Liu E nodded.

"What Scholar Song said earlier makes sense. Why didn't they impeach the court when things went wrong in the past?"

"How can such a spineless coward who bullies the weak and fears the strong be fit for the duties of an official in the Censorate!"

"Lord Wang, let them save face."

Liu E's words, spoken through the curtain, sent a chill down Fan Zheng's spine.

"Here."

Wang Zeng responded, "These guys are really outrageous."

Upon hearing the Empress's words, the military officers were the first to flatter her, praising her wisdom and so on.

And the civil service also began to praise it.

Their opinion of the censors and remonstrance officials was not very good either.

Wang Zeng waved for Fan Zheng and the others to leave, telling them that he would write his own resignation later, so as not to force the court to dismiss him directly and to preserve his reputation.

"Your Majesty, what wrong have we done?"

"That's how it's been done since our ancestors' time."

"Yes."

"Your Majesty."

Song Xuan didn't know who was behind them, but he was determined to take advantage of their misfortune and show them what would happen to those who continued to help them.

“I have heard that since the Zhou Dynasty, there have been officials called Nayan, who are the voice of the people. They listen to the opinions of the people and report them to the emperor, and they receive the opinions of the emperor and proclaim them to the people. From the imperial relatives to the common people, everyone is within the scope of the censors’ control.”

"It can be said that, to some extent, the censorate system had a tremendous impact on the rise and fall of the Song Dynasty."

"But Fan Zheng and his ilk are all bullies who prey on the weak and fear the strong. They don't dare to truly offer advice to their superiors or make declarations to their subordinates. They should be dismissed!"

"Ancestral rules?"

Liu E chuckled and told her that the ancestral rules were truly laughable.

Others may not know, but doesn't she understand?

The system of censors and remonstrance officials was only established more than ten years after the late emperor ascended the throne, less than ten years ago, so how can it be considered an ancestral system?

"Drag down."

Liu E did not want to repeat the same words again.

"Here."

So the Imperial Guards who had been standing guard outside, led by Cao Yuan, dragged these people out.

Fan Zheng dared not linger in the court, otherwise he would be truly branded as an incestuous man, and he would never be able to hold his head up high again.

He never expected that Song Xuan would be so shameless!
Fan Zheng never considered whether he himself had any bottom line. Many people thought that he could treat others like this, but others could not treat him like this.

This is blatant double standards. Above the self, everyone is equal; below the self, there is a strict hierarchy.

Fan Zheng stared at Song Xuan's back with bloodshot eyes, never expecting that he would get himself involved!

"Your Majesty, the number of censors is scarce, and it may be difficult to find suitable candidates in a short time. We hope that Your Majesty can give them another chance."

It was Lu Daozong who spoke up to plead for mercy at this time. He was known as the Fish Head Councilor, but he had been unwell recently and had been recuperating.

He was known for his uprightness and outspokenness, and he promoted the reform of the remonstrance system, allowing officials to directly advise the emperor.

"Since Lu Shijiang has not yet fully recovered, there is no need to discuss this matter further."

Although Lu Daozong dared to speak out, the censors were indeed in the wrong in this matter and had incurred the wrath of the public.

Fortunately, two flames remained.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I think what Scholar Song said makes sense."

Liu E looked through the curtain:

"The selection of these censors must be done with caution. If these people are not upright, then the censor system will be a disorganized mess and will only become a tool for personal attacks."

Wang Zeng also understood that the censorate system was a summary of the experience of the previous dynasty and an adaptation to the current situation of the dynasty.

This system was not a founding system, but rather one established by Emperor Zhenzong.

It was only after the Treaty of Chanyuan was signed that the Song Dynasty truly stabilized and had a suitable environment for reform.

Furthermore, the increase in the number of scholars in the Northern Song Dynasty led to the merging of the Censorate and the remonstrance officials into one.

"Do you have any countermeasures?"

Upon hearing Liu E's question, everyone fell into thought. In fact, everyone wanted to limit the power of the censors.

After all, those who reported rumors wielded considerable power; regardless of whether the information was true or false, they could report to the emperor and demand that his ministers take appropriate action.

When the emperor wanted to ascertain the authenticity and source of information, the censors would often evade the question, claiming that the emperor did not trust them and that it was a disgrace to them, threatening to be dismissed from office.

This left Emperor Zhenzong completely bewildered, but since it was his own order, he couldn't retract it, so he simply let it go.

The system of censors and remonstrance officials did not play a significant role until Emperor Renzong of Song assumed personal rule and appointed a large number of upright individuals to serve as censors and remonstrance officials, at which point it began to function effectively.

"Since no one wants to speak, let's discuss it again after the court session ends."

"Your Majesty," Song Xuan quickly bowed and said, "I have a thought."

"Oh?"

Liu E asked, somewhat puzzled, "Then tell me your thoughts."

"When they report based on hearsay, they only care about the news and do not distinguish between truth and falsehood or the source. They are easily manipulated and used as a means of factional struggle."

"Over time, the status and power of the censors and the civil and military officials of the Great Song Dynasty became extremely unequal."

"If they follow their duties and adhere to the bottom line, like Wang Shu and Han Yi, they can indeed ensure political integrity."

"But if most of them are like Fan Zheng, who likes to distort the truth and can't distinguish right from wrong, then even if all the civil and military officials work diligently and are fair and honest throughout their lives, it will be in vain."

"If you offend him, you will not escape the misfortune of being falsely accused, prosecuted, or even demoted."

Song Xuan's words resonated deeply with the officials in the hall.

The power of the censors was indeed great; they could frame you if they wanted to.

Whether the news is true or false is irrelevant, because he has no evidence and is asking you to prove your innocence!

"That's good." Liu E nodded. "Then what are your thoughts?"

“At the beginning of the founding of the Song Dynasty, it used the legal codes of the Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties.”

"In the fourth year of the Jianlong reign of Emperor Taizu, our dynasty revised and edited the Great Zhou's 'Xiande Xingtong' and compiled it into the 'Jianlong Chongding Xingtong'."

"One of them is a law specifically for the discipline of officials—the Law on Official Ranks."

"It stipulates some major illegal acts committed by officials and their sentencing standards, which serves as an important legal basis for censors."

Song Xuan's words immediately drew sidelong glances from Wang Shu and Han Yi.

They knew that Song Xuan was quite familiar with the laws of the Song Dynasty, but they didn't expect him to be so familiar that he would know this particular point of knowledge.

Of all the civil and military officials in the court, very few knew about this aspect of the official regulations.

Prime Minister Wang Zeng glanced at Song Xuan.

He initially thought that the people of Tokyo's claims about his familiarity with the law were mostly flattery and exaggerated.

Now it seems I underestimated Song Xuan's research in law.

But he wasn't a seasoned official, which was what puzzled everyone.

Could it be that during the imperial examinations, in order to refresh his mind, he thoroughly studied the laws of the Song Dynasty and even memorized many of them?
That's just too unbelievable!

Not only was Wang Zeng puzzled, but even Lu Daozong, the Fish Head Councilor, had a glint in his eyes.

Someone like Song Xuan is best suited to be a censor.

He wasn't afraid of offending people, and more importantly, he had a wealth of "theoretical knowledge" to arm his mind.

Most people simply can't refute him.

"Therefore, I believe that a special book on the timing of impeachments should be compiled in accordance with the edicts of Emperor Zhenzong, listing the duties of censors, the targets of impeachment, and the matters to be impeached, so as to regulate mutual impeachment."

"It would be best to have the censors list the sources and origins of the information, and at least have some evidence or witnesses."

"Otherwise, it will easily become a weapon to attack the other party. It is already ridiculous to talk about things without addressing other people's views and opinions, which shows the desperation of a cornered dog."

"Moreover, in many cases, officials from the censorate have never seriously investigated or researched before they have been accustomed to crudely judging others on their private morality. Whether someone is good or bad is entirely up to their words."

"Today, in the mouths of Fan Zheng and other censors, I have become an unpardonable villain, but I have not done such a heinous thing."

"On the contrary, many people were able to survive and benefit because of my policies, which made them even more convinced that the court would not abandon them."

"Once they return to their hometowns, they will surely spread the word about the imperial court. This positive feedback will reassure the people and give hope to many disaster victims, preventing them from rebelling or committing suicide."

Liu E was quite satisfied with Song Xuan's explanation and solution, especially from a legal perspective.

This would not only set red lines for all officials in the court, but also provide certain guidelines for censors and remonstrance officials, preventing them from attacking others wantonly.

Although the Song Dynasty had specific laws passed down through generations, it was still primarily ruled by men.

In the legal system of the Song Dynasty, the relatively stable "laws" were supplemented by edicts, decrees, and proclamations issued in the name of the emperor, prime minister, and privy councilor, which were more authoritative.

"Imperial edicts" were issued frequently to convey instructions and requirements from the top power structure centered on the emperor, and were used most frequently.

However, over time, with a large amount of data accumulated, problems such as contradictory instructions and inconvenience in searching and using the information may arise.

"This method is excellent. What do you all think?"

Empress Liu thought it was good, but the prime ministers should still discuss it.

Wang Zeng had to admit that Song Xuan's method was effective, at least in limiting the arbitrary actions of some officials in the censorate and making it a weapon in factional struggles.

After all, it was a system established during the reign of the late emperor, so it is normal for it to be reformed now.

Before Emperor Lu Daozong implemented his reforms, the censors and remonstrance officials were not allowed to impeach the emperor.

It is impossible for an emperor to voluntarily limit his own power. However, Emperor Zhenzong was relatively easy to talk to and was willing to listen to advice.

As for whether or not to change it, that's Emperor Shinzong's own business.

"Your Majesty, this is indeed a good move."

Lu Daozong spoke first:
"In the past, the system of censors was intended to encourage the supervision of the abuse of power by officials, but it failed to anticipate the problem of the abuse of power by censors."

"If we had the numerous impeachments from the late emperor's time, as well as some impeachments from this dynasty, we could surely put shackles on them and prevent them from being abused."

"At the same time, it can also prevent the censors from sitting idly by, not lifting a finger, taking a shortcut and shirking their duties."

As expected of someone who reformed the system of censors and remonstrance officials, Emperor Lu Daozong was pleased to see these things happen.

In particular, Emperor Lu Daozong was ashamed of the examples Song Xuan mentioned, thinking that all the officials in the censorate had submitted memorials, but the Empress Dowager had suppressed them all.

That's why there was no voice in the court. Now that we see it, we know the truth: they didn't dare to impeach anyone at all.

What's the point of being a censor then?

Liu E nodded slightly through the curtain:

"Since that's the case, then let's leave this matter to Judge Lu. I hope that you can reform the system of censors and remonstrance officials this time, so that such a disgraceful incident as today can happen again, which would only make us a laughing stock."

(End of this chapter)