Ming Dynasty Detective 1546

Chapter 320 When the Emperor Begins to Harm the Nation

"Lord Xue!"

As Haiyue strode out of the Hanlin Academy gate, a cold wind carrying the stench of blood rushed towards her.

He stopped in his tracks and saw several guards carrying a bamboo frame slowly approaching, with a drooping wrist vaguely visible under the white cloth.

Even though he had some premonition, when the blood-stained white cloth truly appeared before his eyes, he still felt an unprecedented grief and anger. He reached out and grabbed the doorpost, his nails digging deeply into the lacquered wood.

Xue Kan was a true scholar-official in the traditional Confucian sense.

He was willing to risk his life for the benefit of the nation; his reputation and character were truly admirable.

Historically, Xue Kan at least left the court alive and died peacefully in his sleep.

Today, however, he died under the caning at the Meridian Gate.

Haiyue did not believe that Xue Kan's death was her fault.

Since entering this era, the fates of countless people have long since deviated from their original course.

It is meaningless to take the blame for every person who dies due to unforeseen circumstances.

Moreover, he has already rewritten so many things and saved so many people.

Unfortunately.

Some things haven't changed enough.

Far from enough.

the other side.

Accompanying the corpse was a palace attendant.

His trembling hands gripped the bamboo frame, his eyes red as if about to bleed: "Master... Master only intended a minor punishment... but the executioner was unaware of the gravity of the situation!"

"My lord! My father—!!"

Upon hearing the news, Xue Kan's eldest son, who was wailing and lamenting, immediately asked in a piercing voice, "Who carried out the execution?"

The eunuch hesitated to answer, then was surrounded and forced to reveal the names of Zhang Zuo and Gao Zhong.

Before the words were even finished, the members of the Hanlin Academy were already furious.

Even the usually mild-mannered Lin Daqin raised his arms and shouted, "How can we allow such traitors to harm loyal and virtuous people? Are you all willing to come with me to the Qianqing Palace to meet the Emperor!"

"Yes!" "Of course I'm willing!"

Amid the somewhat disorderly cheers, most of the scholars looked at Haiyue.

Although both were Hanlin Academicians, Haiyue was the true head of the academy, surpassing Xue Kan in both official rank and prestige in the court.

Witnessing Xue Kan's tragic death, many were filled with indignation, but some were also filled with fear and subconsciously sought his opinion.

Hai Yue's gaze was resolute, her voice firm and resounding as she uttered four simple words that echoed throughout the room: "Please execute the traitors!"

"Oh!!"

"Execute the traitors to the nation!! Execute the traitors to the nation!!"

In an instant.

The roar was like a thunderclap, shaking the palace walls.

The voices of dozens of scholars converged into a torrent, even causing the guards at the gate to change color.

Upon hearing such a passionate and impassioned voice, the eunuch's lowered eyes flashed with a hint of smugness, and he quietly withdrew.

The task assigned has been completed.

"Everything is indeed under His Majesty's control!"

……

"The entire court is acting out this absurd drama with a monarch who is becoming increasingly senile!"

Yan Shifan strode through the corridor, his boots making rapid footsteps on the bluestone slabs, and rushed into the study: "Father, Lord Xue is dead, you can no longer stand idly by!"

After Yan Song became Grand Secretary, he implemented new policies and reforms, and was no longer the leader of the upright officials praised by all scholars. He was subjected to a lot of criticism and slander.

However, many upright and honest scholars still praised his character. Yan Shifan believed that those people were worth winning over, so he immediately reported the news upon receiving it.

However, as soon as he entered the study, he found that his father, the Grand Secretary, had a look of grief in his eyes, and his brush was moving like a dragon and a snake on the paper.

Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a memorial text. The ink was so powerful that it seemed to seep through the paper, yet there was a subtle tremor in the turns of the strokes.

"Boldly and openly in the emperor's court, with righteous indignation and unwavering spirit, as if death were the only option, then the existence of such a person, along with what they have cultivated in their daily life, is a sincere and righteous spirit, worthy of heaven and earth, worthy of the sun and moon, worthy of ghosts and gods!"

Yan Song was a highly skilled calligrapher, and like Cai Jing, his calligraphy was extremely sought after in the capital. This eulogy was also very emotional; after putting down his pen, he sighed deeply, "The death of Lord Xue is not the tragedy of just one person!"

After reminiscing about Xue Kan's fate, Yan Song slowly turned around, his gaze sweeping across his son's face like a knife: "This is the consequence of sticking your neck out. Do you understand now?"

"Father, do you think this means His Majesty still wields immense power?"

Yan Shifan disagreed: "I think this matter actually makes His Majesty seem increasingly weak!"

Yan Song frowned: "What nonsense are you spouting?"

"We've just received news that members of the Hanlin Academy have entered the palace to petition for severe punishment of the executioners!"

Yan Shifan's lips curled into a mocking smile: "When Your Majesty killed a subject in the past, did you ever need to cover it up like this?"

Yan Song slowly put down his pen.

On the one hand, he was increasingly worried about his son's unbridled behavior, to the point that he dared not have any servants in the study, for fear that his rebellious words would be overheard by others.

On the other hand, it must be admitted that what this kid said does make some sense.

His Majesty may not even realize it himself.

He is getting weaker and weaker.

It was not a political maneuver.

Rather, it's a psychological lethargy.

If it were twenty years ago during the Zuoshunmen period, even if Jiajing had beaten Xue Kan to death with court flogging, he would never have needed his ministers to take the blame.

Let alone Hanlin scholars, even Grand Secretaries can fall in pools of blood. Who has he ever given a second glance to?

Now it has become a matter of checks and balances, letting the court officials fight amongst themselves, unwilling to expend any more energy to directly confront the court officials.

There was more weariness, and even more hypocrisy.

But in Yan Song's view, this might not be a bad thing. The emperor, now middle-aged, was losing his energy and no longer wanted to fight to the death with his ministers, so he also did not want any major changes in the court.

Then he can sit in the position of Grand Secretary for a long time, wouldn't that be unstable?
"There's no peace!"

Yan Shifan saw what his father was thinking and stepped closer: "Don't forget, Father, it is you who have been pushing for the implementation of the new policies all these years!"

"Father, you have made great contributions to the prosperity and strength of the Ming Dynasty today, with its two capitals and fourteen provinces!"

"How many people in the world have lost their official positions, power, and wealth in the new policies, and hate you to the bone, Father?"

"They kept slandering His Majesty and constantly expounding on the harms of the new policies."

"In the past, His Majesty was diligent in governing the country and disregarded this matter, completely ignoring the nonsense of those opponents."

"But now His Majesty is neglecting his duties."

"What if one day we reach the point where we're even impatient to implement new policies?"

Yan Song's expression finally changed.

"Father, you can't turn back on the new policies! Neither can the Yan Party!"

A single sentence pierced my heart.

Since succeeding Zhang Cong and carrying on the implementation of the new policies, Yan Song avoided the most contradictory aspects such as land reform and the Single Whip Law, but he also kept a tight grip on personnel and governance.

As a result, local governments and counties changed their previous indolence in governance, and a number of capable officials emerged.

As the new policies were implemented, the Yan Party naturally gained enormous power.

If the emperor becomes so negligent in his duties that he is unwilling to implement even new policies, and the country is about to fall into complete ruin, then Yan Song's situation will be extremely awkward.

Let him turn around and abandon everything, just like the emperor. That's fine.

But it's not acceptable to ask the Yen Party to turn back and join the country in its decline.

Because Yan Song was the Grand Secretary, as long as the emperor permitted it, he could hold his position in the cabinet, and it would be difficult for others to shake his position.

The members of the Yan Party ranged from high-ranking officials in the Six Ministries to local magistrates. These people were all closely involved in the new policies and offended many of the original officials. Some of them were unwilling to change, while others were unable to change.

If it really comes to that, the Yen Party will inevitably collapse!

Of course, if a prime minister wants to recruit followers, countless officials will flock to him, and he will naturally gather another group of protégés.

However, this process is by no means a quick one and is inevitably accompanied by a great deal of fighting.

Then the problem is coming.

Why not just replace the prime minister?

Wouldn't it be more convenient to replace him with a treacherous minister who doesn't care about the fate of the country and has long been surrounded by treacherous officials who are willing to blindly flatter the emperor?

"His Majesty……"

"Is it really so?"

Yan Song pondered the matter and became terrified, vaguely feeling that this thing really would happen, perhaps even in the not-too-distant future.

Yan Shifan chuckled.

"Rebellious son!!"

Yan Song was annoyed by his son's words and, seeing his son's nonchalant demeanor, he was so angry that he simply raised his cane and hit him hard.

"Ouch! Dad, why are you hitting me?"

Yan Shifan let out a howl when he was hit. He looked up and saw his father's eyes, but dared not complain. He just muttered a few words.

After venting his anger, Yan Song's gray beard trembled, and he slowly said, "What do you intend to do?"

"Of course we must plan ahead!"

Yan Shifan immediately became excited: "We must sideline him in advance so that he will not abandon our Yan Party in the future, showing no gratitude whatsoever and discarding us like worn-out shoes!"

In the past, Yan Song would never have had such a thought when facing such an emperor.

But at this moment, he had to admit that he was persuaded by his son, yet he sighed, "How easy is it to say!"

That person never trusted anyone.

Within the cabinet, there are a chief minister and a deputy chief minister who check and balance each other.

In the imperial court, the Six Ministries, the Hanlin Academy, and the Censorate supervised each other.

There were also the Embroidered Uniform Guards.

Yan Shifan even told his father, Yan Song, about the existence of the Liyuan Society and the secret guards.

Yes.

There are spies both inside and outside the court.

And it will never monopolize power, nor will it deceive the emperor's ears.

Although he may seem to no longer attend court, he actually holds the reins of power in making important decisions about the court.

It is the government that is neglecting its duties, not the power.

This is the current emperor, Emperor Jiajing, Zhu Houcong.

Trying to sideline someone like that is simply impossible.

"It was indeed a difficult situation at first, but now that he has cut himself off from the outer court and is suspicious of the inner court, it has given us an opportunity to take advantage of the situation!"

Yan Shifan leaned closer and whispered in his ear, "What does Father think?"

Yan Song's eyes flashed with a sharp light as he slowly said, "In any case, it's time to make plans as soon as possible. However, we should not seek Xia Yan as an ally. He is arrogant and overconfident and will not achieve great things."

"Even my son thinks Xia Yan is no good!"

Yan Shifan wholeheartedly agreed: "But that one from the Hanlin Academy..."

"He's different from us!"

Yan Song frowned slightly, his eyes flashing with hesitation.

"Father, don't worry, your son knows him!"

Yan Shifan's gaze was piercing, his voice like iron: "Anyone who wreaks havoc on the nation, even the current emperor, will not be tolerated..."

"That's exactly how Haiyue is!"

(End of this chapter)