I was compiling the daily records during the Wanli reign

Chapter 160 The Young Wanli Emperor: Whether to Punish Lightly or Severely Depends Entirely on the Ministers
On the official road from Tongzhou to the capital.

The sun is blinding.

Yin Zhengmao, Shen Nian, and a group of Imperial Guards rode at breakneck speed, just as fast as they had come.

Before long, everyone's backs were soaked with sweat.

But there is no intention of stopping.

The deaths of Ding Yuanzhi and Liu Bo weighed heavily on Yin Zhengmao and Shen Nian's hearts.

now.

The two of them were filled with the contents of Ding Yuanzhi's suicide note.

“Every year during the canal transport season, able-bodied men carry loads while the elderly and weak pull boats. In the sweltering heat and freezing cold, they work tirelessly until they die. On the North Canal, the number of laborers who lose their lives each year is as high as five thousand!”

"Although labor service is a necessity for the nation and a duty of the people, the labor service on the river treats the people like slaves. The sick cannot receive medical treatment, and the dead cannot be buried. Even if our dynasty becomes rich and powerful, what benefit will it bring to the labor service workers of the world?"

……

Ding Yuanzhi wrote a letter instructing Liu Bo to deliver it to Yin Zhengmao and Shen Nian.

Instead of submitting memorials to the court.

This was because he was utterly disillusioned with the court, and in addition, he was of low status and had committed a capital offense.

He hoped that Yin Zhengmao and Shen Nian could personally write a memorial to the throne to address the matter and fight for the rights of the canal transport workers.

Ding Yuanzhi's request mainly consists of four points.

These are: rest during the sweltering heat, clothing in the cold winter, medical care when sick, and burial when dead.

These four requests brought tears to the eyes of Yin Zhengmao and Shen Nian.

So humble!

They are in the halls of power, unaffected by heat or cold.

They have ice in summer and charcoal in winter. They have food, clothing, and a salary every month, and there are occasional rewards.

However, these ordinary people were treated as slaves by the officials on the canal.

Even if one exhausts all their strength, it is difficult to have enough to eat and drink, and it is difficult to get medical treatment when sick.

After some canal transport workers died.

They were either rolled up in straw mats and buried in desolate graves, or some officials simply threw them into the river.

They couldn't afford funeral clothes, they couldn't afford coffins, and their children and grandchildren shared the same fate.

This is the situation.

It wasn't that they didn't work hard enough, but rather that their entire lives were dominated by the canal transport campaign.

This is also the main reason why many people along the canal fled, choosing to become refugees or bandits.

Not all canal transport workers are like Uncle Liu.

He toiled his whole life, but ultimately chose suicide, vowing never to be a slave again in the next life.

Some people, when exploited to the extreme, will rebel.

At that time, even greater turmoil will inevitably erupt on the canal.

……

Meanwhile, in the capital, the regular court assembly had just ended.

The joint memorial submitted by Yin Zhengmao and Shen Nian, along with the memorial submitted by Wang Yi, the prefect of Tongzhou, arrived at the Office of Transmission.

The memorial submitted by Shi Qing, a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, went directly to the Forbidden City.

The three memorials had different focuses, but they were all based on facts. Naturally, the fact that Yin Zhengmao had beheaded four officials late at night was also recorded in them.

soon.

The officials on duty in the Sixth Section then learned of this matter.

They were very agitated, flipping through the "Great Ming Code" while drafting impeachment memorials.

Although Emperor Wanli allowed Yin Zhengmao to act as he saw fit.

However, this "cheap" deal must be in accordance with the law, not lawless.

With the four officials—Gao Jin, the eunuch in charge of the Tongzhou granary; Qin Cheng, the imperial inspector of grain transport; Duan Shutang, the secretary of the grain office of the Ministry of Revenue; and Peng Jiushan, the secretary of the Tonghui River office of the Ministry of Works—all confessing their crimes, Yin Zhengmao's abuse of power to kill people was a serious offense.

If he isn't impeached, wouldn't he be able to chop off whoever he wants in the future?

Some officials were indignant and believed that Yin Zhengmao had defied the laws of the Ming Dynasty and committed the crime of intentional homicide, that is, deliberately causing someone's death, and should be sentenced to beheading.

They knew that the young Wanli Emperor would not kill a cabinet minister for this matter, and they also knew that Yin Zhengmao did so to quell public resentment.

However, as Sun Tzu's Art of War states: "Aim for the highest, and you will achieve the middle; aim for the middle, and you will achieve the lowest; aim for the lowest, and you will surely fail."

They hoped that the young Wanli Emperor would punish Yin Zhengmao as severely as possible.

Some officials believed that the four people who were beheaded were already guilty of capital crimes, and that Yin Zhengmao's failure to hand them over to the Dali Temple for review was an abuse of power and an act of unauthorized killing. Considering that he did this to quell public resentment, he should be punished leniently, but he was no longer suitable to serve as a cabinet minister.

……

In this world, the only thing comparable to the speed of light is news.

Almost at the same time.

Officials from the Censorate, the Court of Judicial Review, the Six Ministries, and the eunuchs of the Directorate of Ceremonial all knew about this matter.

The officials were all very surprised, and then they all submitted memorials to impeach him.

In their view, no matter what crimes these officials committed, if they confessed, they should be sent to the capital for review, rather than subjected to torture, let alone beheaded.

The methods were too bloody.

Even the officials during the reign of Emperor Taizu did not dare to do this.

The officials from various government departments were so agitated that no one spoke up for Yin Zhengmao.

Furthermore, the four people who were beheaded included officials from the Directorate of Ceremonial, the Censorate, and two of the Six Ministries, a configuration common among supervisory officials in many local prefectures and states.

If they don't impeach, they might be the next ones to be beheaded.

This behavior must be stopped.

Upon learning of this incident, Feng Bao, who had always disliked using foul language, berated Yin Zhengmao for over a quarter of an hour in the Directorate of Ceremonial.

Of all the officials, he disliked Yin Zhengmao the most.

Although his relationship with Gao Jin, the eunuch in charge of the Tongzhou granary, was not particularly close, the inspectors who came from the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs represented imperial power.

Yin Zhengmao was not qualified to execute the eunuch who represented imperial power.

Although Shen Nian did not take action, he still could not escape impeachment.

Yin Zhengmao was the principal offender, and he was the accessory offender.

The severity of Shen Nian's charges depends entirely on the severity of Yin Zhengmao's charges.

Furthermore, officials in the capital were unaware that Ding Yuanzhi had committed suicide.

They submitted memorials stating that Ding Yuanzhi, in order to gain a false reputation, stirred up unrest and delayed the passage of grain transport ships, and should be executed.

……

In the cabinet duty room.

The table where the memorials were placed was piled up like a small mountain.

The three cabinet ministers, Zhang Juzheng, Lü Diaoyang, and Ma Ziqiang, all frowned helplessly.

They knew that Yin Zhengmao and Shen Nian were trying to quell public opinion and make a big fuss to attract the attention of the imperial court, so that regulations could be issued to compensate the laborers working on the canal.

However, if any one of the three of them had handled this matter, the current outcome would not have occurred.

Yin Zhengmao is hot-tempered, and Shen Nian is crazy. Apart from these two, no one in the court could have created such a huge and irreparable hole.

In addition, Yin Zhengmao and Shen Nian were not well-liked in the court.

Now, ignoring the laws of the Ming Dynasty and arbitrarily beheading four officials, there is absolutely no reason not to punish them.

Without punishment, the law cannot be upheld.

Lu Diaoyang stroked his beard and said slowly, "Even if this crime is punished lightly, Grand Secretary Yin will probably have to resign!"

“Since we can’t protect the eldest, we should try our best to protect the young. We must not let Ziheng be demoted and sent to a post outside the capital. Right now, the Hanlin Academy cannot do without him, the new policies cannot do without him, and His Majesty cannot do without him!” Zhang Juzheng and Ma Ziqiang nodded in agreement. In their eyes, Shen Nian was more valuable than Yin Zhengmao.

Zhang Juzheng paused for a moment, then continued, "The punishment of these two is a minor matter, but the Grand Canal is a major issue. We should also think carefully about how to quell public resentment and reform the Grand Canal system!"

After a while.

Zhang Juzheng and his two companions brought all the memorials from the cabinet to the Wenhua Hall without having them drafted.

At present, they can only come up with a solution after Yin Zhengmao and Shen Nian return and explain the specific situation.

……

Near noon.

Yin Zhengmao and Shen Nian rushed back to the capital. They quickly washed up, changed into clean official robes, and headed straight for the Wenhua Hall.

……

Inside the Wenhua Hall.

The young Wanli Emperor sat before the throne.

Wang Jiaping, a compiler of Hanlin Academy, stood on the southeast side as the official in charge of recording the emperor's daily activities. Feng Bao stood on the other side, while Zhang Juzheng, Lü Diaoyang, and Ma Ziqiang all stood on the lower side.

Yin Zhengmao and Shen Nian strode to the center of the hall and knelt down to pay their respects to the young Wanli Emperor.

"Get up, all of you! The memorials impeaching you are almost crushing my table. Explain yourselves!" the young Wanli Emperor said with a dark face.

The two men quelled the riot, restored the canal transport to normal, and successfully completed the task assigned to them by the young Wanli Emperor.

But it also created a huge problem.

Emperor Wanli ordered Shen Nian to go there to prevent Yin Zhengmao from impulsively killing someone in a fit of temper. Unexpectedly, Shen Nian not only did not stop him, but also took the initiative to ask to kill someone.

If Yin Zhengmao hadn't been unwilling to let Shen Nian share the blame with him, Shen Nian would definitely have killed someone too.

these details.

Shi Qing, a centurion of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, wrote it all down clearly in his memorial.

Although he listened to Yin Zhengmao and Shen Nian, he was only loyal to the young Wanli Emperor.

Emperor Wanli did not want to punish the two, but since their violation of the law was a fact, he had no choice but to punish them.

Whether the punishment is lenient or severe depends on how the two individuals explain it.

Yin Zhengmao immediately began to explain.

This 65-year-old "mischievous" old man is skilled in both literature and martial arts, and can even cry.

He tearfully recounted what had happened at the Matouji ferry crossing, emphasizing the helplessness and despair of the canal workers and exposing the despicable acts of the four officials who were attacked.

Shen Nian, as a supplementary writer, is mainly responsible for telling the story of Ding Yuanzhi's suicide by ingesting arsenic and the suicide of 73-year-old Uncle Liu, as well as their demands.

In a word.

Yin Zhengmao admitted that he was guilty of stabbing people, but he fought for greater benefits for the canal workers; Shen Nian admitted that his supervision was inadequate, but he also fought for greater benefits for the canal workers.

Finally, the two knelt on the ground, cupped their hands, and said, "Your Majesty, we are guilty and beg for severe punishment!"

On the throne.

The young Wanli Emperor's eyes reddened and tears welled up as he listened.

Liu Bo's death and his last words shocked him; Ding Yuanzhi's death and his last request shocked him even more.

"A place to rest in the sweltering heat, clothing to wear in the cold winter, medical care to be available when sick, and burial to be provided when dead—is this...this...so difficult for the laborers on the canal to achieve?"

Emperor Wanli paused for a moment, then looked at Yin Zhengmao and Shen Nian and said, "Grand Secretary Yin, Lecturer Shen, if I were at the ferry, I might also have drawn my sword and started killing people!"

"Cough cough...cough cough...cough cough..."

As soon as the young Wanli Emperor finished speaking, Zhang Juzheng, Lü Diaoyang, and Ma Ziqiang all coughed at the same time.

How could an emperor utter such words!
The young Wanli Emperor quickly replied, "I have misspoke. The Ming Dynasty should govern the country according to the laws of the Ming Dynasty."

"Prime Minister, what do you think should be done next?" Young Wanli asked Zhang Juzheng.

Zhang Juzheng paused for a moment, then cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, I believe this matter should not be handled hastily."

"Grand Secretary Yin arbitrarily killed a guilty official. If he is not punished, it will not be fair to uphold the law. Shen Shijiang was ordered to prevent Grand Secretary Yin from making any impulsive moves, but he did not stop him, so he is also guilty of dereliction of duty."

"However, this matter is rather complicated. Many people are still unaware of the deaths of Ding Yuanzhi and Liu Bo. I suggest that the two be confined to their quarters and ordered to write a memorial of apology. Then, let's set the matter aside for two days and listen to public opinion. This matter occurred in Shuntian Prefecture, and it is located on the banks of the Grand Canal. At most, by dusk, the news will have spread throughout the capital!"

Zhang Juzheng was very intelligent.

Those officials who wrote impeachment memorials, intending to severely punish Yin Zhengmao and Shen Nian, were not afraid of the cabinet or the young Wanli Emperor, but public opinion was their nemesis.

Emperor Wanli nodded and said, "Grand Secretary Yin and Lecturer Shen, I hereby order you to stay at home and reflect on your actions, and await further instructions!"

"Your subject obeys!" Yin Zhengmao and Shen Nian bowed in unison.

Immediately, Yin Zhengmao and Shen Nian went home and began to draft a memorial to apologize.

This matter is egregious and cannot go unpunished.

Whether it will be a lenient or severe punishment depends on public opinion and how the imperial court defines the matter.

……

Near dusk.

The events that occurred at the Matouji ferry crossing were all reported to the streets and communities of the capital, including the letter written by Ding Yuanzhi.

This matter spread so quickly.

Besides the spontaneous dissemination by ordinary people, there was also the assistance of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

in a blink.

In the streets, teahouses, and taverns, this was the most discussed topic.

among them.

Liu Bo's words, "If there is an afterlife, let's not come back," brought tears to the eyes of countless scholars.

Ding Yuanzhi's four requests—"to have a break from the sweltering heat, to have clothes to wear in the cold winter, to have medical care when sick, and to have a proper burial when dead"—resonated with many people at the bottom of society.

"Good riddance! Officials who exploit the laborers in the canal transport industry should be killed. Not killing them would not appease public anger, nor would it make those corrupt officials fear us!"

"Well done! I think Grand Secretary Yin and Vice Minister Shen will be remembered in history, and all those officials who impeached them were treacherous ministers!"

"That was exhilarating! If I were an official, and I had the chance to do this, I would kill them even if it meant giving up my career. It was so satisfying!"

"What makes a good official? An official who is willing to die for the people is a good official. Judge Ding is a good official in the hearts of our people!"

……

The people of the capital almost unanimously supported Yin Zhengmao and Shen Nian, which reduced the number of memorials impeaching them.

However, the Great Ming Code existed.

Even with the voices of the people, the young Wanli Emperor could not simply follow public opinion and pardon them without punishment. Even if he were to reduce their sentences, he would need to find a reason that would convince all the officials.

Such acts of privately killing officials can never be condoned.

……

It was the eighth day of the seventh lunar month, near dusk.

While the common people were discussing this matter heatedly, and some even came to blows over it.

Emperor Wanli, Zhang Juzheng, and the young emperor discussed the matter and decided to resolve it publicly at the morning court session the following day.

The young Wanli Emperor thought: There was indeed a reason for this matter.

If Yin Zhengmao had not promised to behead them, the four officials might have been killed by Ding Yuanzhi, and the thousands of people on the canal boat might have erupted into a larger riot. If Yin Zhengmao had not promised to behead them, he and Shen Nian might have been besieged by the people. Under such circumstances, it would have been understandable to "act expediently".

But these are not enough to justify the private killing of officials.

Emperor Wanli decided to first discuss how to solve the problems with the Grand Canal, and then consider how to punish Yin Zhengmao and Shen Nian.

Currently, there are over 100,000 canal workers on the Grand Canal.

This incident could potentially cause unrest elsewhere, and the imperial court could not possibly provide large sums of money and grain to subsidize the laborers transporting grain.

Therefore.

The most urgent task is to resolve the public grievances along the canal, and then deal with the issues concerning Yin Zhengmao and Shen Nian.

(End of this chapter)