Wasn't he supposed to be beaten to death? Why did this powerful cousin love him so much?

During the reign of Emperor Da Yong, the Hanlin Academy was a prestigious and respected institution, with an unwritten rule that "Hanlin scholars do not go down to the prefectures or counties."

The Hanlin Academy is the reserve force for the Grand Secretariat. Entering this gate is like stepping onto the road to success. As long as one follows the established path and accumulates seniority, there is a great chance of entering the Grand Secretariat. Officials in the capital are noble and virtuous, while officials in the provinces are busy and arduous. Shen Ziyu gave up his good position as a Hanlin scholar and insisted on going to the provinces. In the eyes of others, this was tantamount to ruining his future.

Three years ago, Shen Ziyu submitted a memorial requesting to be transferred to a local post, starting as a judge, so that he could do some practical things for the people.

After reading the memorial, Emperor Jingyuan remained silent for a long time. He then wrote a decree, appointing Shen Ziyu as a prefectural judge in Yunyang, Huguang, a seventh-rank official in charge of criminal matters and investigating lawsuits.

After getting married, Shen Ziyu brought his parents to the capital. However, not wanting his elderly parents to suffer with him, he entrusted them to his wife's care and went to Yunyang alone to take up an official post.

In these three years, many of Shen Ziyu’s old friends in the capital have risen through the ranks, some entering the Six Ministries and others being transferred to the Censorate. Only Shen Ziyu remains trapped in a remote prefectural city, burying himself in criminal cases every day, redressing injustices, eliminating long-standing abuses, and severely punishing corrupt officials.

When Shen Ziyu's reputation spread back to the capital, everyone praised him for his upright character and for being a rare pure and upright figure in the Great Yong Dynasty.

The servant poured hot tea for Shen Ziyu and said happily, "My lord, nowadays, people everywhere in Yunyang call you Shen Qingtian (Shen the Upright Official). They say that since you came to Yunyang, countless long-standing injustices have been redressed, local tyrants no longer dare to run rampant, and the people of Yunyang can finally live in peace."

Shen Ziyu remained silent.

Yunyang Prefecture, layers of mountains and passes separate me from my old friends.

He was known for his integrity in handling cases and his reputation for incorruptibility reached as far as the capital. But how much of that reputation could that girl actually hear?

……

In the capital's imperial court, a storm raged, and dark clouds loomed over the city.

Xie Yao rose through the ranks from compiler at the Hanlin Academy to Vice Minister of Revenue, displaying youthful vigor and ambition.

"Your Majesty! The imperial relatives, enjoying the wealth and privilege of the people, occupy fertile lands and their power and influence grow daily, yet the taxes they pay are lighter than those of ordinary citizens! This is a chronic disease of the dynasty, eroding the very foundation of the nation! I implore Your Majesty to make a firm decision to investigate the land holdings of the imperial relatives, revise the taxes, dismiss redundant officials, and reclaim the guards they have privately amassed!"

Many members of the imperial clan in the hall had ashen faces, and their gazes toward Xie Yao were filled with hatred, wishing they could kill him.

Xie Jue, however, objected, saying, "The Great Yong Dynasty has always relied on the imperial clan to solidify its foundation and on ancestral rules to establish its order. Treating the imperial clan with preferential treatment is an ironclad rule established by the founding emperor. To rashly investigate land holdings, revise taxes, and reduce their guards would shake the ancestral system and undermine the very foundation of the nation. If this precedent is set, any future problems in the court or among the people can be easily dismissed under the guise of reform. Where will the dignity of the nation be?"

"Furthermore, although the imperial clan enjoys generous privileges, they have also served as guardians of their fiefdoms and pacified the regions for generations. With the borders secure and the interior stable, the imperial clan has always played a crucial role in protecting the region. Today, we only see a few members of the imperial clan indulging in extravagance and embezzling funds, while ignoring the thousands of branches of the imperial clan who have been law-abiding and protecting the court for generations. To sacrifice the overall security for the sake of a local problem is shortsighted."

"The national treasury is empty, and the root cause lies in the bloated bureaucracy, the waste of resources in prefectures and counties, and the long-standing problems in the grain transport system. It is by no means solely the fault of the imperial clan. If we abandon the fundamental issue and target the imperial clan, it may seem like we are rectifying these long-standing problems, but in reality, it will only stir up unrest in the court and among the people. At that time, all the imperial clansmen in the country will feel insecure, rumors will spread, and people's hearts will be unsettled. It will be a losing proposition."

Finally, Xie Jue bowed his head and said, "Ancestral rules cannot be lightly changed, and the foundation of the dynasty cannot be lightly altered. Your Majesty, I beg you to set aside this matter."

No one wanted to offend the imperial family, let alone Xie Jue, so more than half of the officials in the court reiterated Xie Jue's words.

Emperor Jingyuan was very satisfied, extremely satisfied, to see Xie Yao and Xie Jue locked in a fierce confrontation over the issue of the imperial clan.

This is exactly the effect I wanted.

Emperor Jingyuan was well aware that the growing power of the imperial clan, their annexation of land, and the depletion of the national treasury would inevitably become a hidden danger in the long run. However, when an emperor governs his subjects, he cannot only look at right and wrong; the most important thing is to maintain a balance of power in the court.

In recent years, he has been meticulously planning and implementing strategies to divide and suppress powerful clans, gradually reclaiming the local military power that they had inherited. As a result, the influence of these clans has shrunk considerably, and their strength has diminished significantly.

As the old threats gradually weaken, a new balance must be established.

The imperial clan and eunuchs were the two most important pieces for Emperor Jingyuan to check and balance the civil officials and the remaining powerful families in the court.

Without the imperial clan, the remaining two forces would either compromise in private and jointly govern the court, gradually undermining imperial power, or they would fight endlessly, forcing the emperor to choose sides.

Regardless of the outcome, the imperial power was ultimately constrained, leaving no room for maneuver.

Emperor Jingyuan promoted Xie Yao for two reasons: first, to test the attitude of the court officials towards the imperial clan through Xie Yao's radical memorials; and second, to warn the imperial clan so that they would not dare to continue to act recklessly in this climate.

However, Emperor Jingyuan did not intend to purge the imperial clan.

What he will truly need to deal with in the future are those who take the opportunity to express their desire to eliminate the royal family and use the reforms to build their prestige.

Xie Yao abruptly turned to look at his elder brother, a hint of mockery in his eyes, "Lord Xie, the harm done to the imperial clan has reached a point where only bone-cutting surgery can cure the poison!"

Xie Jue ignored him.

Emperor Jingyuan spoke at the opportune moment, easing the tense atmosphere in the hall: "This matter involves ancestral rules and is of great importance, so it is not appropriate to make a hasty decision. Let us set it aside for now and allow me to consider it carefully. If there are no other matters to report, today's court meeting will end here."

Once the decree was issued, Xie Yao, no matter how unwilling he was, could only clench his fists, unable to vent his resentment. He glanced coldly at Xie Jue and was the first to lower his head and retreat to the ranks.

Xie Jue gets a headache whenever he sees Xie Yao. Xie Yao may not be unaware that he is being used as a pawn by Emperor Jingyuan, but Xie Yao insists on doing this, simply to go against his wishes.

Therefore, Xie Jue left immediately after the court session.

Xie Yao, however, chased after him, saying, "Lord Xie, please wait."

Xie Jue did not stop, but said calmly, "Everything that needs to be said in court has been said. If you have any further insights, you can submit a memorial tomorrow."

"Lord Xie said in court that the imperial clan is the bulwark of the nation and should not be touched lightly." Xie Yao quickened his pace to walk alongside him, his gaze fixed on him. "I would like to ask, if this bulwark is built of rotten wood, if we don't dismantle it, aren't we just waiting for it to rot away on its own?"

Xie Jue remained unmoved: "It's easy to dismantle rotten wood, but have you thought about what you'll use to repair that wall after you've dismantled it?"

Xie Yao narrowed his eyes slightly: "Is Big Brother afraid of repairing the wall, or afraid that the wall will collapse and hit someone who shouldn't be hit?"

Xie Jue paused, turned his head to look at Xie Yao. Xie Yao had offended the imperial clan, but he was still alive only because Emperor Jingyuan needed him. Once Emperor Jingyuan abandoned him, the imperial clan would immediately pounce on him to drink his blood and eat his flesh.

Xie Jue withdrew his gaze and said, "Thunder and rain are both blessings from Heaven. A blade that has been tempered is easily broken if it is too hard. You only see the flaws in one corner, but do you know the turbulent undercurrents beneath the surface? His Majesty's thoughts are not on the gains and losses of today."

Xie Yao paused for a moment. He understood what Xie Jue meant; after all, he was a first-class Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations).

His good older brother actually cared about him and reminded him.

That being the case.

Xie Yao couldn't help but chuckle: "Brother, I also have feelings for her, why don't you give her to me?"