Ming Dynasty 1627

Chapter 159 Fengxian Folding Knife
A sudden gust of wind blew across the square.

This prompted everyone to look up at the low-hanging sky.

The hems of the officials' robes fluttered in the wind, and the eighty huge screens swayed slightly. The eunuchs were even a little worried that the papers would be blown away.

The commotion that had been caused by the repeated reports from Shuntian Prefecture seemed to be amplified by the sudden strong wind.

The officials gathered in small groups, whispering amongst themselves, their murmurs blending into a cacophony of voices. Each face wore an expression of surprise, uncertainty, excitement, or worry.

The swift and decisive nature of the new policy exceeded most people's expectations.

Apart from some officials who take money to help others and then speak out against wrongdoing.

Most officials, whose information channels were not readily available, only learned today that the grand new policies in the capital actually concealed such a brutal purge of the city's clerks.

In recent days, they have been busy with official documents on state affairs, with questions about the world, with considering which side the Donglin Party members would take after entering Beijing, and even with pursuing the "Records of Loyalty in Liaohai"...

Few people noticed the tragedy of the clerk in Shuntian Prefecture.

There was no other way; the lowest of the low, the unranked clerks, were simply too far removed from their lives.

On his throne, Zhu Youjian calmly swept his gaze across the throng of people below, taking in the myriad aspects of human life.

He didn't speak, but simply raised his hand slightly.

The official in charge of etiquette immediately understood, took a deep breath, gathered his inner energy, and shouted sternly:
"quiet!"

The murmurs subsided somewhat, but it was still noisy.

"quiet!"

The officials in charge of etiquette shouted in unison, their words carrying a clear warning, which silenced many of the other officials, who looked at the throne with some unease.

"quiet!"

The third sound was like an icicle in winter, carrying a biting chill.

The area in front of the Huangji Gate finally fell completely silent.

Only the wind continued to howl across the empty square.

Only then did Zhu Youjian slowly speak. His voice was not loud, but it was clearly heard by everyone through the layers of announcements made by the officials of the Court of State Ceremonial.

"Since the first phase of the new policies in the capital was launched in early September, many people have submitted memorials impeaching the officials of Shuntian Prefecture, accusing them of corruption, cruelty, or disturbing the people."

He paused, seemingly giving the officials time to process what he had said.

"To date, in less than a month, a total of 319 impeachment memorials have been received, and 73 people have participated in submitting the memorials."

What a disaster!
Some officials immediately realized something was wrong, and some of their expressions changed instantly, with some even lowering their heads slightly.

Zhu Youjian looked at their reactions, a slight smile playing on his lips, then shook his head, a hint of confusion in his voice.

"Now I am also puzzled. Could it be that I have trusted the wrong people, and that they have actually appointed some cruel officials like Wang Anshi in the Song Dynasty?"

"This is something we really have to be wary of; the lessons of the past are still fresh in our minds."

These words caused another slight commotion among the officials who had just quieted down.

Is the emperor... going to compromise?

Some officials who were already taking a wait-and-see approach immediately started to get interested.

Those who had already submitted memorials to impeach the officials were overjoyed, believing that their "righteous words" had finally had an effect.

Now I might be able to get both money and fame!
Zhu Youjian ignored the renewed commotion and simply said calmly, "It's alright. I have never liked to punish someone without prior instruction."

His gaze shifted to the front row of the civil officials' line, and he began calling out names.

"Minister of Justice, Qiao Yunsheng."

An old man with gray hair stepped forward and said, "Your subject is here."

This is a newly reinstated former Minister of Justice, an old minister from the Donglin faction, who is seventy-four years old this year. Now, all he wants to do is to overturn the Donglin case before he dies.

The Huangshan case, the case of the Seven Gentlemen of Donglin, the case of Xiong Tingbi's trespassing in Xinjiang...

He wanted to flip through everything.

That's not a problem. There are many cases that Chief Prosecutor Zhu Youjian couldn't stand and had plans to overturn.

But—since you, Old Man Qiao, also want to flip it over, then I suddenly don't really want to flip it over anymore.

"Zhang Jiude, Minister of the Court of Judicial Review."

An old man with a white beard stepped forward and said tremblingly, "Your subject is here."

During the Ming Dynasty, the Dali Temple was almost a marginal institution.

This Zhang Jiude, seventy-one years old, was practically a member of the eunuch faction; he could be considered a very ordinary official of the Ming Dynasty.

He would accept the usual work-related tasks, but when he went to other places, he would also repair water conservancy projects, reclaim wasteland, and even wrote a book called "Essentials of Judgment," which was published and distributed, hoping to leave his name in history.

The only problem is that his thinking is too rigid; some even advised him to be lenient in criminal law and to prioritize benevolence.

Zhu Youjian pinched his nose and looked at him once, and never saw him a second time.

"Left Censor-in-Chief, Fang Zhuangli."

Another old man stepped forward, his voice steady: "Your subject is here."

This guy is interesting.

When Zhu Youjian first interviewed the man, he couldn't elicit any information about his factional leanings.

In the end, it was Gao Shiming who dug up his family history records, and Wang Tiqian who observed the comings and goings of the household for several days, that finally revealed his true colors as a member of the eunuch faction.

Or perhaps we shouldn't call them the eunuch faction, since they didn't rely on Wei Zhongxian when he was in power.

However, he was born in the north and had close ties with people like Li Guopu and Huo Weihua.

In a sense, they could be considered the "Northern Faction" within the new dynasty.

Fang Zhuangli's heart sank at that moment.

The heads of the Ministry of Justice, the Court of Judicial Review, and the Censorate were all named, and he immediately sensed something unusual.

As the Left Censor-in-Chief, he was in charge of the Censorate, and all the officials who spoke out in the country came from his circle.

Over the past month, memorials impeaching the new policies of Shuntian Prefecture have been pouring into the palace like snowflakes, two-thirds of which were written by censors from the Censorate.

The emperor is putting on this show, claiming he wants to compromise? Only a fool would believe that!

This knife is clearly aimed at the Censorate!
On the throne, Zhu Youjian looked at the three elders representing "Fortune, Prosperity, and Longevity" below and slowly said:

"Let's leave aside the impeachments before today. From today onwards, all memorials impeaching the implementation of the new policies will be classified as Class A and specially marked as matters related to the new policies."

"All memorials shall be submitted to the three departments for joint review, and handled by the three ministers. Duke of England Zhang Weixian and the Director of Ceremonial Affairs Gao Shiming shall be present as observers."

Upon hearing this, Fang Zhuangli's heart skipped a beat.

The joint trial by the three judicial departments, with the head of the nobility and the most important person in the inner court also present as observers, was an extraordinary spectacle!

However, the emperor's next words were the real killer move.

"For every case of impeachment, each matter shall be investigated and pursued. If the matter is not based on the accusation..."

Zhu Youjian's voice suddenly turned cold.

"Then the person who was wronged will be punished!"

The four words "reversing the person's position" were like four mountains, pressing down on the hearts of everyone in front of the Huangji Gate!
The entire square fell into a deathly silence.

With the way of the people, also treat the body of the people!

If you impeach someone for corruption, and it turns out to be a false accusation, then you will be prosecuted for corruption!
If you impeach someone so ruthlessly, and it turns out to be false, then you'll have to taste that ruthless bitterness yourself!

This is the simplest, yet most ruthless, rule!
A fine layer of cold sweat instantly seeped from Fang Zhuangli's forehead.

As the Left Censor-in-Chief and head of the Censorate, he instantly became the most controversial figure in the spotlight.

This move by the emperor practically abolished the privilege of officials to "report on hearsay," putting the most severe bridle on every runaway horse!
He almost instinctively wanted to object.

He had countless angles to argue against ancestral rules, traditions, and the channels for free speech.

However, he swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue.

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Qiao Yunsheng not far away. The old man was also in shock, his lips moving as if he were having an internal struggle.

Fang Zhuangli's mind was racing.

How can we object?
Is this action an obstacle to free speech? But the emperor made it clear that the punishment is only imposed for "accusations that are not made by the emperor." As long as your impeachment is based on facts, you will not only be without fault, but will also be rewarded.

Speaking of ancestral rules? In the ancestral rules of the Ming Dynasty, false accusations and retaliation were the core of the law! Moreover, this new emperor dislikes discussing ancestral rules the most…

Fang Zhuangli struggled internally for a moment, but ultimately let out a silent sigh.

Now that the new emperor has ascended the throne, the Donglin Party members are stirring up trouble, and undercurrents are surging in the court.

The consequences of losing the Censorate would be unimaginable.

...The current outcome doesn't seem unacceptable.

At least, the emperor only wanted to suppress attacks on the new policies, not to purge his Censorate.

Having figured this out, Fang Zhuangli's previously tense body relaxed imperceptibly.

Without further hesitation, he took the lead and bowed deeply to the throne.

"Sir, obey the order."

His voice broke the silence.

Zhang Jiude, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, flickered his cloudy eyes.

He glanced at Fang Zhuangli, who had already bowed down, and then at Qiao Yunsheng beside him, whose expression was constantly changing. He pondered for a moment.

Forget it, why think so much? He's just a Minister of the Court of Judicial Review.

Thinking of this, he also bowed down.

"I... obey your order."

In the blink of an eye, of the three judicial officials, only Qiao Yunsheng, the Minister of Justice, remained standing alone.

He felt countless eyes focused on him, some sympathetic, some gloating, but mostly an invisible pressure.

He could feel the calm yet heavy gaze upon him from the throne.

Qiao Yunsheng was struggling internally.

Of all matters concerning the world, the most important is the administration of morality and laws.

If this is used to hold the censors accountable, how can the officials in charge of the censors dare to submit memorials indiscriminately?
Your Majesty's actions, while seemingly impartial, are clearly biased!

But... what if we don't bow our heads?
Looking at the two people who had already bowed down, he knew that he had no choice.

The emperor's choice was not his alone...

A bitter feeling welled up in his heart, and Qiao Yunsheng's white beard trembled in the wind.

After a long pause, he slowly spoke, "Your Majesty, may I ask, is this matter only directed at the new policies?"

Zhu Youjian smiled, "Of course, it only applies to the new policies, what else?"

——This is a lie.

The officials in charge of remonstrance in the Ming Dynasty had long since become corrupt and incompetent; what role did they play in supervision?
They talk about morality, but all they think about is business.

Supervision? Supervision my foot!

The purges of dissent that Zhu Youjian will face will only become larger and more severe with each wave!
Qiao Yunsheng breathed a sigh of relief, seemingly having convinced himself.

"I... obey your order."

Looking at the three men below who were bowing their heads in obedience, Zhu Youjian finally showed a genuine smile.

He nodded slightly, seemingly oblivious to the internal struggle among the three.

"Now I can finally feel a little more at ease."

"With the new policies of our Great Ming Dynasty now overseen by the censors, we should not end up like Wang Anshi."

"I am so pleased, so very pleased!"

"Continue with the report."

(End of this chapter)