White-robed Minister

Chapter 166, page 0164: [Xu Sanlang's First Speech as an Imperial Censor]

Ouyang Xiu's third wife was surnamed Xue, and Lady Xue had a cousin named Xue Liangru.

To be promoted to a high-ranking official position in the capital, one must submit five letters of recommendation.

A few years ago, a man named Cui Xiang, who was selecting candidates, asked a friend to find Xue Liangru, hoping that he could help recommend him. After giving gifts and hosting a banquet, and also to give face to his friend, Xue Liangru agreed.

Last year, Wang Yirou stepped down as the transport commissioner of Jingdong Road. In the fourth month after Zhang Jingxian took over the position, he investigated and prosecuted Cui Xiang for embezzlement.

If strictly according to the law, Xue Liangru, as the recommender, should be implicated in the crime of embezzlement.

Xue Liangru, who was under investigation and suspended from his post, was incredibly fortunate to witness Emperor Yingzong's death. The new emperor ascended the throne, granted a general amnesty, and even the crimes of officials were pardoned.

However, to avoid suspicion, Ouyang Xiu did not pardon his brother-in-law.

Xue Liangru was dismissed from his post immediately!

For the past two or three months, Xue Liangru has been drowning his sorrows in alcohol every day, and his resentment towards his cousin-in-law Ouyang Xiu has grown increasingly stronger.

At the beginning of the intercalary third month, the hundred-day national mourning period ended.

Xue Liangru was invited to drink by his good friend Liu Jin.

After a few rounds of drinks, Liu Jin said, "Now there is an opportunity."

"What opportunity?" Xue Liangru asked.

Liu Jin laughed and said, "Your chance to be reinstated is slim. The new emperor dislikes the prime ministers, and the censors are all ready. You are Ouyang Xiu's brother-in-law, so you must know some secrets about him. If you can bring down Ouyang Xiu, the emperor will definitely promote you to a censor or imperial advisor."

Upon hearing this, Xue Liangru was delighted, but then his brows furrowed.

Because he really didn't know any secrets, let alone secrets that could bring down Ouyang Xiu.

So, should we just make something up?

After careful consideration, Xue Liangru said, "Ouyang Xiu had an affair with his eldest daughter-in-law!"

Liu Jin's eyes widened: "Is that really true?"

"That's true." Xue Liangru nodded.

Anyway, Ouyang Xiu's eldest son wasn't born to his cousin. Moreover, his eldest daughter-in-law, Wu, was the daughter of Wu Chong, the Vice Commissioner of Salt and Iron, which conveniently dragged Wu Chong (a member of the prime minister's faction) into the mess!

After drinking for a while, Liu Jin saw the drunk Xue Liangru off.

Back in his study, Liu Jin was overjoyed.

Zhang Gui, who succeeded Gong Dingchen as the prefect of Yingtian, had previously risked being demoted to Huangzhou to remove the posthumous honor of the late Vice Chancellor Liu Chen. This angered Liu Chen's son so much that he wore mourning clothes and led his entire family to the Donghua Gate to cry and complain.

Liu Jin was Liu Hang's son. It was he who led his family to plead their case at the palace gates.

Liu Jin also had a grudge against Ouyang Xiu.

When Ouyang Xiu was compiling the History of the Five Dynasties, he gave a very low evaluation of the emperors of the Northern Han Dynasty. And Liu Jin's ancestor was none other than Liu Chong, the founding emperor of the Northern Han!

Liu Jin repeatedly requested revisions to the History of the Five Dynasties to slightly embellish his ancestors. However, the emperor ignored him, which led to his growing hatred for Ouyang Xiu, and he frequently clashed with Ouyang Xiu.

It was precisely because of his feud with Ouyang Xiu that, despite his illustrious family background and status as a legitimate Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations), he faced immense difficulties in advancing his career.

The more difficult it was for Liu Jin to get promoted, the more he hated Ouyang Xiu.

The day after Xue Liangru left, Liu Jin began to host banquets for officials every day, especially those who were known for their censorship.

Half-drunk, he said, "Have you heard? Minister Ouyang has been having an affair with his eldest daughter-in-law, Wu—I'm not making this up, it was his brother-in-law, Xue Liangru, who said it. Would Xue Liangru really frame his own brother-in-law?"

For several days in a row, the rumor that Ouyang Xiu had committed incestuous relations spread rapidly in the official circles of the capital.

Peng Siyong, the leader of the Censorate, was a staunch supporter of the Imperial Censorate during the Puyi period. He believed that the prime ministers were arrogant and domineering, and that they were all powerful ministers. He argued that only by eliminating all the prime ministers could the Song Dynasty restore normal order.

Peng Siyong believed in Ouyang Xiu's private morality and did not think that Ouyang Xiu would commit incest.

Therefore, Peng Siyong was unwilling to take action personally, fearing that it would cause him trouble afterward.

Peng Siyong summoned Jiang Zhiqi: "Have you heard the rumors about Minister Ouyang and his eldest daughter-in-law?"

"I've heard about it," Jiang Zhiqi replied.

Peng Siyong then asked, "Is it true?"

Jiang Zhiqi remained silent.

He did want to target Ouyang Xiu, but not in this way.

For example, when Xu Lai went to Yingtian Prefecture to take up his post, he took down a sub-prefect during the handover period. That sub-prefect was recommended by Ouyang Xiu. In order to protect Ouyang Xiu, Wang Yirou secretly arranged for the sub-prefect to resign and return home, and he is still a landlord in his hometown to this day.

Jiang Zhiqi knew about this and planned to use it to impeach Ouyang Xiu.

Peng Siyong asked again, "Is it true?"

Jiang Zhiqi didn't want to get into trouble, but Peng Siyong held a high position and was the head of the Censorate. If he wanted to be promoted quickly, he had to curry favor with Peng Siyong.

Moreover, he and Peng Siyong are from the same hometown. If he is willing to cooperate this time, he will definitely gain Peng Siyong's favor in the future.

After hesitating for a long time, Jiang Zhiqi said, "I've heard about it, but I don't know if it's true."

Peng Siyong rebuked him, saying, "The censor has the responsibility to report matters based on hearsay."

Jiang Zhiqi understood perfectly well that this was forcing him to prove his loyalty. Considering the current situation, he impulsively replied, "I'm going to write a memorial to the throne."

The following day, officials of the Tongjinsi received an impeachment memorial. Because it involved the vice prime minister's scandalous affairs, they immediately sent the impeachment memorial to the emperor.

After reading the memorial, Zhao Xu's first reaction was not joy, but rather a deep frown and extreme anger.

When his father had just passed away, the prime ministers not only rewarded all the officials with wine and meat, but Ouyang Xiu also wore a purple robe under his mourning clothes. This greatly displeased Zhao Xu.

He did want to suppress the prime minister, that's true, but not in this way.

Accusing a renowned vice prime minister of incest would be too much for the emperor to bear, even if he were the emperor himself.

Zhao Xu immediately wrote a decree to invite his teacher, Sun Sigong, to come.

"Mr. Sun, you are familiar with Ouyang Xiu. Please take a look at this impeachment memorial," Zhao Xu said.

After reading the memorial, Sun Sigong was shocked and exclaimed, "How could Jiang Zhiqi impeach me like this? I swear on my life that Ouyang Xiu could never have had an affair with his eldest daughter-in-law!"

Zhao Xu nodded and said, "I understand."

Sun Sigong continued to defend Ouyang Xiu, and Zhao Xu listened attentively before dismissing Teacher Sun.

That afternoon, all the prime ministers learned of this matter.

Zhao Gai remained silent.

Zeng Gongliang kept sighing.

They are now in a very difficult situation, facing both suppression from the emperor and counterattacks from the imperial princes' faction.

Han Qi said to Ouyang Xiu, "You should submit a memorial to defend yourself."

Ouyang Xiu left in silence to write a memorial defending himself. He was disheartened and planned to resign and return to his hometown after defending himself.

Twenty years ago, Ouyang Xiu encountered a similar rumor.

When Ouyang Xiu's brother-in-law passed away, his sister came to seek refuge with him, bringing her seven-year-old daughter. Ouyang Xiu raised his niece, Zhang, and then betrothed her to his cousin, Ouyang Sheng.

This niece was no pushover either; after marriage, she had an affair with a servant, and was caught in the act and taken to Kaifeng Prefecture for interrogation.

It just so happened that the prefect of Kaifeng had a grudge against Ouyang Xiu, so he sought out Wang Gongchen, Ouyang Xiu's brother-in-law. Wang Gongchen opposed the Qingli Reforms and had already fallen out with Ouyang Xiu. Somehow, they managed to get Zhang to imply in her testimony that she had an affair with her uncle, Ouyang Xiu.

This immediately sparked a public outcry.

The eunuchs and officials in charge of the investigation, unable to ascertain the truth, simply convicted Ouyang Xiu of misappropriating his sister's dowry to purchase land. As a result, Ouyang Xiu was demoted to Chuzhou, where he wrote the timeless masterpiece "The Pavilion of the Old Drunkard".

Twenty years later, this kind of thing has happened again.

Last time, his brother-in-law and niece framed him; this time, his brother-in-law and his students stabbed him in the back.

Ouyang Xiu really didn't want to be an official anymore; he felt nothing was interesting.

Another day later, Xu Lai also received the news.

He was just about to write a memorial to the emperor when he was suddenly summoned by the emperor.

Xu Lai immediately rode his donkey to the palace, and encountered Zhang Fangping when he dismounted inside the Donghua Gate.

"Greetings, Zhang Hanlin," Xu Lai said, bowing.

Zhang Fangping returned the greeting, saying, "Greetings, Inspector Xu."

After exchanging pleasantries, the two said no more and went together to see the emperor.

When Xu Lai was investigating the land in Yingtian Prefecture, he discovered that Zhang Fangping's relatives had hidden land, but he did not directly confront Zhang Fangping. This was because Zhang Fangping's entire family had moved to the capital, and Xu Lai was investigating his brothers and cousins ​​instead.

Zhang Fangping had mixed feelings about Xu Lai.

Because he had always advocated cracking down on the powerful and wealthy, Xu Lai's investigation eventually traced back to his clan. He shared the same political views as Xu Lai, so he couldn't really resent Xu Lai, but he also had no intention of befriending him.

Xu Lai actually admired Zhang Fangping quite a bit. If the court had listened to Zhang Fangping's advice back then, perhaps the Western Xia would never have become so powerful.

When Li Yuanhao planned his rebellion, not all the Tangut tribes supported him. Therefore, Li Yuanhao wrote a letter to provoke the Song Dynasty, forcing the other tribes to side with him.

Zhang Fangping suggested at the time: "Since Li Yuanhao has not openly rebelled, the court can temporarily back down to lull Li Yuanhao and the Dangxiang tribes into complacency. At the same time, the court should seize the time to select outstanding soldiers, build fortifications, strengthen military preparedness, and appease and divide the various Dangxiang tribes. Under these circumstances, Li Yuanhao will inevitably become restless and will certainly rebel prematurely. However, Li Yuanhao will lack a legitimate cause, and the other tribes will not be of one mind with him, while the court will be well prepared. When the time comes to fight, the court will surely be victorious."

However, the Song court at the time did not take Li Yuanhao seriously, and Zhang Fangping was a newly appointed official with little influence. Therefore, without sufficient preparation, the court decided to send troops to attack him directly.

Seeing that he couldn't dissuade him, Zhang Fangping offered another plan. He guessed Li Yuanhao's route of attack and requested the court to station troops in Hedong, so that they could take advantage of the enemy's weakened base and launch a rapid, lightly armed attack to seize his stronghold.

Prime Minister Lü Yijian thought Zhang Fangping's words were very good, but he did not adopt them and only promoted him.

Subsequent events proved that both of Zhang Fangping's suggestions were the optimal solutions. Had the court adopted them even once, the defeat would not have been so devastating.

When Xu Lai and Zhang Fangping arrived at the palace, three other people had already come.

Zhao Xu questioned Jiang Zhiqi: "Where did you hear that from?"

Observing the emperor's reaction, Jiang Zhiqi felt that he had messed up this time, his attempt to flatter the emperor backfiring. He didn't care about anything else and directly shifted the blame to his superior: "I learned of this from Vice Minister Peng."

Zhao Xu then asked Peng Siyong, "How did you know that?"

Peng Siyong replied, "I heard it from someone else."

"Who told you that?" Zhao Xu pressed.

Peng Siyong said, "This is based on hearsay. Your Majesty, censors may report matters based on hearsay."

Zhao Xu said, "Did the wind blow into your ears? Who told you that?"

Peng Siyong intended to take the blame: "I am old and senile, and my memory is getting worse and worse. I don't remember who said it."

Zhao Xu was furious: "This is outrageous!"

Peng Siyong bowed solemnly and said sternly, "Although I do not remember who said it, Ouyang Xiu was the first to propose the 'Puyang Incident,' violating etiquette and incurring public wrath. He is truly unfit to remain in the government! The current prime ministers, taking advantage of the late emperor's serious illness, are cultivating their own factions, eliminating dissidents, and indulging in factionalism. Han Qi, in particular, is even more domineering than Huo Guang. I request that all the prime ministers be dismissed from their posts!"

Zhao Xu was furious and said to Peng Siyong and Jiang Zhiqi, "You two must explain where you heard this from and give the name of the person who spread it!"

Peng Siyong was also angry and immediately retorted to the emperor: "Throughout history, censors have been allowed to report matters based on hearsay, in order to broaden the emperor's channels of communication. If the source must be investigated and punished, then no one will dare to speak in the future. I would rather be severely demoted than block the emperor's channels of communication."

Jiang Zhiqi quickly added, "I only learned about this matter from Vice Minister Peng; I haven't heard it from anyone else. If Your Majesty believes it's wrong to report something based on hearsay, I request to be demoted along with Vice Minister Peng."

Good heavens, this is putting the emperor in a difficult position.

If the emperor dared to demote them, he would be blocking the channels of communication. Even if they were truly demoted, they would still gain a good reputation among those present, including Wu Kui, the Deputy Privy Councilor.

Peng Siyong was not demoted and sent to a remote post during his time in Puyi because Wu Kui strongly protected him and allowed him to stay.

Having been outmaneuvered, Zhao Xu refused to retaliate and instead asked Wu Kui, "These two dared to speak frankly, but their words were ambiguous. I intend to punish them for their reckless speech, yet also reward them for their courage. What do you think?"

Wu Kui felt a chill run down his spine: "Your Majesty, rewards and punishments cannot be carried out simultaneously."

Zhao Xu smiled.

Wu Kui was in a terrible predicament; he knew the emperor had taken notice of him.

Zhao Xu then asked Zhang Fangping, "What does Zhang Qing think?"

Unwilling to get involved, Zhang Fangping replied, "Your Majesty, I am neither a minister nor an imperial censor. Not holding any position, I dare not speak recklessly."

Zhao Xu was somewhat disappointed, and then asked Xu Lai, "Does Minister Xu have anything to say?"

Xu Lai did not directly discuss Ouyang Xiu's affairs, but instead said, "Your Majesty, I enjoy reading the Analects."

Confucius said there are four kinds of detestable people, one of whom is "those who claim to be upright by criticizing others." Confucius also said:

To speak of something based on hearsay is to abandon morality.

Peng Siyong also quoted classical texts and immediately retorted to Xu Lai: "The Book of Poetry says: 'Those who speak out are not guilty, and those who hear them should take heed.' This is why the ancient kings opened up channels for free speech."

Xu Lai questioned, "Minister Peng, if the Song Dynasty were at war with the Western Xia at this time, and an official reported that the commander-in-chief was colluding with the Western Xia, leading to the court recalling the commander-in-chief and resulting in a defeat and national humiliation, should this official be punished?"

"absurd!"

Peng Siyong was unwilling to give a direct answer because no matter how he answered, it would be wrong.

Xu Lai then said to the emperor, "I have recently been reading the Book of Changes: 'The alternation of yin and yang is called the Way.' Dong Zhongshu said, 'Yang is the virtue of Heaven; yin is the punishment of Heaven.' If there is only virtue but no punishment, then isolated yang cannot grow, and all things in Heaven and Earth cannot find their proper place."

"All things should strive for balance and harmony. The same applies to officials who speak out; it is their privilege to report matters based on hearsay. But shouldn't they bear responsibility? If they have power but no accountability, who will govern them?"

"Your Majesty, as the Son of Heaven, the supreme ruler, possesses immense imperial power. However, the emperor also bears responsibilities. When natural disasters strike and the people suffer, the emperor must issue edicts of self-reproach. Your Majesty is entrusted with the Mandate of Heaven, and this Mandate of Heaven carries both power and responsibility!"

"Throughout history, the most incompetent rulers who lost the Mandate of Heaven were those who only enjoyed power and did not bear responsibility. Are the censors more powerful than the emperor?"

If officials who speak out only enjoy the right to report based on hearsay, without bearing the responsibility for false accusations and framing, what kind of government affairs can be implemented in the long run?

"If Your Majesty implements any new laws in the future, the censors will report based on hearsay, falsely accusing the reformers without taking any responsibility. How can you possibly implement reforms then?"

"Rights and responsibilities must be commensurate to achieve balance. This is the Doctrine of the Mean!"

Xu spoke at length, but Zhao Xu quickly grasped the key word "reform".

Yes, what if, during future reforms, those officials who oppose the new laws make baseless accusations?

They must bear the consequences of being falsely accused!

Xu Lai looked at Peng Siyong and Jiang Zhiqi and said, "If one is not held responsible for reporting based on hearsay, then as an imperial censor, can I say: I heard someone say yesterday that Vice Minister Peng's eldest son has an affair with Inspector Jiang's wife? As for who I heard it from, there is no need to ask."

"puff!"

Zhao Xu was not yet two thousand years old, and upon hearing this, he couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Magic defeats magic.

"You—you—" Peng Siyong roared in anger.

He wanted to accuse Xu Lai of framing him, but the words wouldn't come out. He had just done something similar.

Jiang Zhiqi remained silent, only glaring at Xu Lai with resentful eyes.

Zhao Xu quickly suppressed his laughter and ordered, "This matter will be handed over to the relevant authorities for investigation. If there is any false accusation, the censors must also be held accountable!"

What truly persuaded Zhao Xu was the key phrase "reform".

He had to set a rule to prevent censors from attacking the reforms at will.

However, Zhao Xu's order and Xu Lai's memorial caused a great uproar in the Censorate and the Remonstrance Bureau.

All the officials who spoke out jumped out to oppose it.

Xu Lai, on the other hand, became the target of public criticism. As an official responsible for remonstrating with the people, he did not speak up for other officials, but instead restricted their power.

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