Do You Know?: I, the Little Cabinet Elder, Regent of the World

They were accomplices in the matter of submitting the memorial to the throne.

If there is a deliberate intention to convict a large number of people, everyone will suffer.

As for the seventy or eighty people who were demoted or dismissed from their posts, what impact did it have?

It can only be said that there is no shortage of officials in the world!

"The third crime is forming cliques for personal gain."

Jiang Zhao slowly said, “Ouyang Xiu wrote in his ‘On Factions’ that: ‘Generally speaking, gentlemen form friendships with each other based on shared principles, while petty men form factions based on shared interests. This is a natural principle.’”

"I wonder if you two are friends or part of a faction?"

Ouyang Xiu's expression changed, while Lü Gongzhu lowered his eyes and remained silent.

This essay, "On Factions," is riddled with flaws.

The notion that "gentlemen make friends, while petty people form cliques" is not accepted by scholars, writers, or ordinary people.

To put it bluntly, isn't it all about "forming cliques"?

Therefore, whether the answer is "friends" or "party", it is equivalent to admitting to forming a party.

"Ok?"

Neither of them answered, so Jiang Zhao couldn't help but glance at the tablet seriously, looking as if he was afraid of making a mistake: "Could it be that this article was not written by Grand Scholar Ouyang?"

"Yes."

Jiang Zhao pressed for an answer, and Ouyang Xiu had no choice but to agree.

During the Qingli era, he already had considerable fame and status.

Some remarks and articles will inevitably be recorded, and there's no way to escape them.

This kind of thing, if not blown out of proportion, is just a regular article.

Once it's taken to a political level, it becomes a weapon in political struggles.

Over the years, he has been implicated in many cases by the "On Factions".

However, this time the repercussions are destined to be even more severe.

The article states: This is the natural order.

Jiang Zhao read a sentence aloud and then shouted, "If that's the case, does Grand Scholar Ouyang admit to forming a faction?"

“I made friends, but I did not seek personal gain,” Ouyang Xiu said with a stern face.

Forming cliques for personal gain is one thing, and pursuing personal gain is another; they are two separate matters.

This is how he has defended his work on "Factions" over the years.

Jiang Zhao nodded, not delving into the matter further.

“In wartime, falsely accusing the commander-in-chief is considered treason.”

"To coerce one's sovereign or father is treason."

"Forming cliques for personal gain undermines the foundation of the nation."

"These three crimes have all been verified, and we beseech Your Majesty to determine the punishment!"

Jiang Zhao bowed respectfully.

In fact, if Ouyang Xiu and Lü Gongzhu had admitted to even one of the three crimes, they would have already suffered a major defeat.

Ultimately, the emperor had the final say on how to determine the sentence.

The entire court was well aware of what the two had done.

What the emperor lacks is a pretext for sentencing someone.

The difference in punishment between admitting to one crime and admitting to three crimes is not significant.

The difference is that by admitting to three crimes, both of them were completely disgraced and ruined.

Admitting only one crime would be too few, and the two would have a better reputation.

Of course, this also involves the issue of punishing seventy or eighty people who submitted memorials.

[The second charge is that his words and actions disrupted the government and manipulated the emperor and his father.]

This charge must leave Ouyang Xiu and Lü Gongzhu speechless.

Therefore, Jiang Zhao did not even resort to forceful suppression, but instead presented the facts.

On the steps of the imperial palace, Zhao Ceying let out a long breath.

We can finally sentence these two to prison!

“Ouyang Xiu, for forming cliques for personal gain, showing no respect for the emperor and his father, and disregarding the emperor’s authority, is guilty of unforgivable crimes. He is hereby demoted to Military Advisor of Huangzhou!” Zhao Ceying waved his hand and said.

"Lu Gongzhu framed a virtuous minister, sowed discord, formed cliques for personal gain, and showed no respect for the emperor and his father. He was imprisoned for three years and exiled three thousand li away!"

"Your Majesty, Holy Might!"

All the civil and military officials bowed in unison.

Ouyang Xiu's exile to Huangzhou was destined to be just the beginning, not the end.

Generally speaking, scholar-officials and those who submitted memorials to the emperor were not killed.

This is an ancestral instruction established by Emperor Taizong.

However, ancestral precepts are one thing, but in reality they are quite another.

Not killing doesn't mean you can't die from illness.

Once Ouyang Xiu arrived in Huangzhou, before he could even settle in, a new decree was issued ordering him to change course and go to a new post.

This process was repeated several times.

He either retired due to serious illness or died in office.

This is considered a standard procedure.

Even Fan Zhongyan died on his way to take up his post.

Lü Gongzhu, on the other hand, was simply imprisoned and exiled.

With their crimes already decided, the Imperial Guards ushered the two men out of the court.

Jiang Zhao bowed respectfully and returned to his train.

Just then, someone suddenly asked, "Your Majesty, what should be done with court officials who have been misled by treacherous ministers and submitted memorials?"

From his remarks, it is not difficult to know that this person is one of the civil officials who submitted a memorial to "bomb" the emperor.

As soon as the words were spoken, all the officials gasped in unison.

The discussion was quite heated.

The court officials who had submitted memorials were especially uneasy and felt like they were sitting on pins and needles.

"What are your thoughts, my dear minister who did not take this opportunity to submit a memorial?" Zhao Ceying did not rush to express his opinion, but instead asked.

With only three or four hundred ministers in the court, punishing seventy or eighty people at once would definitely shake up the political situation.

Punishing all of Ouyang Xiu's lineage is certainly not feasible.

With six factions controlling six chairs, one faction is suddenly gone. The result is that the Korean faction controls three chairs, or one of the other factions controls two chairs.

Whatever the outcome, it's not good.

Trusting Jiang Qing is one thing, but trust does not mean absolute indulgence.

Otherwise, it would not be an honor, but a form of harm.

If all three chairs are held by people from the Korean faction, then the one who should feel uneasy is the emperor.

It won't work if another faction controls two chairs.

What qualifications do the others have to hold two chairs like the Korean faction?

The lineage of Ouyang Xiu should be preserved.

Of course, it would be best to do good deeds along the way to win people's hearts.

"This"

The court officials who had not submitted a memorial looked at each other in silence.

Anyway, it has nothing to do with them!

The key point is that, being a nobody, one's voice carries little weight, and any words spoken are in vain.

This was a "bombardment" style of submitting memorials, which really disgusted the emperor. Unless one is a heavyweight, it is certain that submitting a remonstrance will not have any effect.

Many officials who had submitted memorials were secretly panicked, but there was nothing they could do.

After all, it was indeed something they did: submit memorials in a "bombardment" style.

To put it more broadly, their crimes are not much different from those of Ouyang Xiu and Lü Gongzhu.

The Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet exchanged glances but remained silent.

Some achievements are destined to be "custom-made".

"Jiang Aiqing?" Zhao Ceying looked at Jiang Zhao, as if to say, "I care about your opinion."

Seventy or eighty court officials who had submitted memorials all looked over.

For a full ten breaths, there was almost no sound.

I'm getting more and more anxious and panicked.

until

"I have three strategies: superior, middle, and inferior," Jiang Zhao replied.

really!

Jiang Qing, you understand my meaning.

"Tell me about it." A hint of satisfaction flashed in Zhao Ceying's eyes, as if he was eager to hear the details.

"The worst course of action is to punish them all, either by imprisonment or exile."

Once those words were spoken, the hall became even quieter.

"The middle policy is to demote all officials."

Many people exchanged glances, realizing that the middle strategy wasn't a good one either!

"The best course of action."

Jiang Zhao paused for a moment, then slowly said, "Being coerced by treacherous people, the officials are also helpless. Why not have someone specially search the memorials in the Wenyuan Pavilion, find them, and burn them all?"

In the future, any memorials concerning the 'recommendation of relatives of the empress to serve on the frontier' will be forgeries.

Three strategies: superior, middle, and inferior.

The phrase "coerced by treacherous people" clearly indicates bias.

Moreover, letting them go is the best policy.

Many people secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Jiang Ge Lao is truly benevolent!

On the steps of the imperial palace, Zhao Ceying pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "Very well, burn it. Let this be the last time."

A single word can decide life and death.

"Your Majesty is wise!"

Someone started by bowing deeply.

"Your Majesty is wise!"

All the civil and military officials bowed in unison.

On the steps of the imperial palace, Zhao Ceying nodded in satisfaction.

The emperor bestowed favors upon his ministers, thus gaining the title of "wise ruler," while Grand Secretary Jiang gained the title of "benevolent and righteous."

Win-win!