Chapter 1097
The Martial Emperor Finally Issues an Order
Chapter 1097 The Martial Emperor Finally Issues an Order
It was nearing noon.
The sun was still shining brightly.
Inside the capital, the heat was intense, and the people on the streets had long since hidden themselves away, with only a few people still hurrying along the streets.
Three-quarters past noon, the sound of the water clock dripping was exceptionally clear in the quiet imperial study. The Empress closed the last scroll of memorials on her desk, and gently tapped her jade thumb ring on the rosewood tabletop. The crisp sound startled Dai Quan, who was beside her.
"How's the joint trial by the three judicial departments going with Song Zhen at the Ministry of Justice?"
"Your Majesty, yesterday, Minister Song's joint trial by the three judicial departments was completed, and they are currently compiling the case files and testimonies."
These matters had already been communicated to him by people from the Imperial City Guard and the Directorate of Ceremonial, and even the whereabouts of Chen Hui from the Directorate of Ceremonial were known.
"Go and summon Song Zhen,"
"Yes, Your Majesty,"
Before the words were even finished, palace servants hurried away, the sound of their boots clattering on the bluestone pavement fading into the distance.
In the imperial study room,
In the very center of the Xuande incense burner, wisps of ambergris incense rose, drifting past the mountain of memorials piled on the desk, creating an extremely solemn atmosphere.
Emperor Wu rubbed his temples, the secret reports on his desk replaying before his eyes. Those wicked men who wreaked havoc in the south of the capital had already taken root in the three counties of Lingnan. Xihe County was in dire need of reconstruction, and the south of the capital was beyond repair. Furthermore, the Western King and the Southern King—their whereabouts in the capital were shrouded in mystery; secret reports claimed they hadn't even come to the capital. With so many questions swirling in his mind, how could he not be troubled?
Fortunately, the capital garrison and the imperial guards had already been rewarded. In particular, the opening of the door for exchanging merits for titles not only allowed those generals to get what they wanted, but also spread the court's favor throughout the country, and saved the court a lot of money—a win-win-win situation.
Although much silver has been saved, the Ministry of Revenue still faces a significant silver shortage. Therefore, the situation in Jiangnan remains a thorn in the side, and the question remains whether the output of the Textile Bureau and the stable tax revenue of Jiangnan can be stabilized.
Soon,
The sound of clothes rustling came from under the eaves.
"Your subject, Song Zhen, Minister of Justice, pays his respects to Your Majesty."
His voice was low and hoarse, tinged with fatigue. When the Empress looked up, she saw Song Zhen in a red official robe, the hem of which was disheveled. Underneath his black gauze hat, his face was haggard, and his eyes were dark-rimmed, clearly indicating that he had not rested well the previous day.
"Be flat."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
The Empress's voice was calm, yet contained an underlying majesty. When Song Zhen stood up, his body was slightly hunched, lacking his usual composure. He pondered to himself that the cases in Jiangnan were indeed troublesome, to the point that he dared not even interrogate them.
After standing up, Song Zhen stood with his hands at his sides, his gaze falling on the mountain of memorials piled up on the imperial desk, and his heart tightened.
Knowing that today's hurdle is likely to be difficult to overcome,
"Regarding the case in Jiangnan, both cases were tried together, and you already questioned them yesterday,"
The Empress's fingertips traced a thick stack of files on the desk.
"I've heard that you only interrogate people in the ministry, but don't judge them?"
Song Zhen's throat bobbed slightly. He had expected the Emperor to question him yesterday, but he hadn't anticipated it would happen so soon. It seemed that His Majesty had other motives for giving the order. But how could he dare to get involved in the palace intrigues? Only a few Grand Secretaries had any influence. He took a deep breath and answered.
"Your Majesty, the details of this case are not complicated. After yesterday's interrogation, the main culprit confessed to his crimes, and a verdict could be announced immediately. However, Eunuch Yang of the Textile Bureau has gone mad, making it impossible to continue the investigation. Furthermore, the two county magistrates who initially accused Shangguan are relentlessly pressing the case, which has implicated many others. Although we can announce a verdict, the opinions of the many civil and military officials present at the trial are divided, so we have no choice but to postpone the trial."
Well-reasoned and supported by evidence, it must be said that the people in the Ministry of Justice are quite adept at handling cases.
"Oh?"
The Martial Emperor raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
"Tell me, what kind of situation could make even a dignified Minister of Justice like you feel troubled!"
At this moment, Song Zhen was calm and composed. He took out a newly written case file from his sleeve, stepped forward, and presented it to the official.
"Your Majesty, please look at the situation. The damage to the dikes in the counties north and south of the Yangtze River caused by this disaster is the fault of those thieves. Prefect Ma Guangcheng deserves his punishment, as do the five counties north of the Yangtze River that supplied jade mines and harmed the people. However, later, Magistrate Xu tried to implicate the damage to the dikes in the Grand Canal Administration. Furthermore, the noble families, gentry, and powerful clans in the south of the Yangtze River openly seized the people's tax land. They are truly outrageous and lawless. I can only postpone the investigation until another day."
The Empress opened the case file, focusing her gaze on the case itself and the individual testimonies. The language recorded there was extremely strong and rarely seen, especially that of Xu Changwen, who could speak the truth that no one else could. These words were almost all scathing.
"Was Yang Chi behind the deliberate destruction of the dikes and flooding of the fields? And what about the two things Xu Changwen mentioned? Are they true?"
Song Zhen gave a bitter smile, his expression solemn. He didn't quite understand the Emperor's meaning, and took a half step back.
"Your Majesty, this is the part that I find difficult to advance. The case has been reopened, but several officials involved have been changing their testimonies. The first issue is the repair of the dikes. Every year, the court allocates funds to local government offices and the canal transport office specifically for repairing dikes. Investigating the waterways is not so easy, but checking the accounts will reveal the truth."
In the Jiangnan region, it has always been the case that noble families, gentry, and powerful clans seize tax-earned land, but I never imagined they would be so insatiable. I have also inquired with the Provincial Treasurer Zhuang Shouzhi and the Inspector General Jing Cunliang, and both described them as arrogant and domineering.
Perhaps it was a desperate gamble. Of the two things Xu Changwen mentioned, there were things that could be investigated and things that couldn't. The case involving the jade in the palace was absolutely not to be investigated. Even if there was collusion within the Imperial Household Department, they could only pretend not to know.
Upon hearing this, the Empress Wu slammed the vermilion brush in her hand heavily onto the table.
"Now that the case is clear, we should follow the clues. Since you say it can be found out with a simple investigation, then investigate it secretly. As for the canal transport, have the Imperial City Guard bring the account books back to the capital. As for the matter in Jiangnan, have the Jiangnan Commander, Du Yifu, submit it. You should also focus your attention on the Jiangbei jade mine case and see where those jade stones went. Do you think I'm just a figurehead?"
"I am frightened!"
Song Zhen hurriedly knelt down on the ground.
"I have already reported this matter to the Cabinet, and the Cabinet has ordered a thorough investigation. The accounts of the Grand Canal Transport Office will be sent back to the capital for verification, and the taxable land in Jiangnan will also be investigated. But Your Majesty, if the allegations are true, what will be done with those fields that have already been embezzled?"
There's also the case of the Jiangbei jade mine; most of the expenses were recorded in the Chang Le Palace's accounts. How can we investigate that?
Since Song Zhen dared to speak out and dared to investigate, the question remains: after the investigation is completed, will the trial still be able to proceed?
"What do you want to say? Feel free to say it."
The Martial Emperor's eyes narrowed, and Song Zhen suppressed his panic and said in a deep voice;
"Your Majesty, I have heard that many officials in the capital are fond of jade and antiques, and many of them have purchased fine jade from various sources. Coincidentally, I know that a shipload of jade from Jiangnan was transported to the Imperial Household Department. If we want to know where the jade went, we will inevitably trace it back to the Imperial Household Department. If these people insist that the jade was sent to Chang Le Palace for the Emperor Emeritus's use, what should I do then?"
The Imperial Study was deathly silent. Even Dai Quan looked at the Minister of Justice with disbelief. Was this still the same taciturn man?
"Furthermore, the Jiangnan case was nothing more than a result of the cabinet's policy, which was all about money. But Jiangnan had already been largely taken over by those noble families, gentry and powerful people, who had converted farmland into mulberry fields and could only plunder from the common people. That's why this disaster occurred, and the court's policy has wreaked havoc in Jiangnan. I dare to ask, what will happen to these people?"
The gentry of Jiangnan are all attached to the noble families of the court, especially the Zhen family, which also has relatives of the Four Princes and Eight Dukes. If those four princes also get involved, what will happen to them?
The hall was silent, save for the crackling of incense burning in the Xuande incense burner. Dai Quan wouldn't let him continue, and shouted...
"How dare you make such a accusation! Song Zhen, His Majesty sent you to handle the case, not to make accusations!"
Song Zhen kowtowed repeatedly, his forehead almost touching the ground;
"Your Majesty is wise. Whether what I have said is true or not can be easily verified. Starting from the first year of the Yuanfeng era, noble families and powerful clans throughout Jiangnan have become increasingly unscrupulous. Here I have account books and verification reports on the amount of land acreage submitted by Lord Zhuang and Lord Jing, respectively."
"I have verified that everything is true. Therefore, it is not that I do not wish to pursue this matter, but rather that there are numerous difficulties. Since I took over this case, not only the officials in the court, but also several princes and Marquis Luoyun and others have been exerting pressure openly and covertly. Those not involved are watching the spectacle with amusement, while those involved often believe that the law does not punish the masses. I am neither a cabinet minister nor a prestigious official; rashly launching a major case might cause turmoil in the court." Song Zhen burst into tears, his body trembling with grief. The Empress rose and slowly walked to the window, gazing at the bright sun overhead, her expression uncertain. It had finally come to this. If the case in Jiangbei were investigated, who knew how Chang Le Palace would react? I was not prepared, or rather, now was not the right time.
In Jiangnan, if no investigation is conducted, the textile bureau and land taxes will likely be insufficient to cover the imperial deficit. This suppression of the rebellion has strained the national treasury; if another rebellion were to occur, the Ministry of Revenue would be unable to provide the funds. If a major investigation is launched, the nobles and other high-ranking officials will inevitably implicate the retired emperor. The Zhen family of Jiangnan, and the Dowager Empress Zhen—the very people who have shaken the very foundations of the empire—are examples of this.
It seems it's time to make preparations. How will Marquis Luoyun's troops, along with the elite forces of the Capital Garrison, enter the capital?
"Minister Song,"
The Empress had her back to Song Zhen, and her voice was low.
"You have served in the Ministry of Justice for many years, always upright and incorruptible. I appointed you to preside over this case because I trust your abilities and character. Now it seems that this case is best handled by you. Therefore, today, I will bring you into the cabinet and into the court tomorrow."
Song Zhen stood up, straightening his back.
"Your Majesty's entrustment is a weighty responsibility, one I would gladly decline even at the cost of my life
After a moment's hesitation, his face grew solemn. As the saying goes, "pulling one hair affects the whole body." Having served as an official his entire life, even if he knew nothing about the affairs of the capital, he dared to understand at least a fraction of them.
"Your Majesty, I humbly request that you grant me a secret decree, allowing me to act as I see fit, and also instruct the Marquis of Baoning and the Marquis of Luoyun to proceed with caution."
The almost resolute words made the Empress turn around, gaze at Song Zhen for a long time, and finally slowly nod.
"Very well, I grant your request. I will have this secret decree delivered to your residence shortly. However, Song Zhen, you must remember not to act rashly and to be extremely careful. Make sure to have backups of the evidence. I have heard that you have a young child in your household. Find an opportunity to secretly send him back to his hometown and erase his whereabouts."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Song Zhen kowtowed again, his heart pounding with immense emotion. An indescribable surge of pride welled up within him. With the secret decree in hand, it meant the Emperor's approval.
"Go back. What happened today must not be told to anyone."
"I obey the decree,"
After respectfully performing a grand salute, Song Zhen slowly withdrew, leaving Dai Quan standing anxiously in the imperial study. His mind was in turmoil. His Majesty's actions were truly astonishing. The Imperial Guards' forces were now known. If what Lord Song said was true, were Marquis Luo Yun's troops about to enter the capital? Thinking of Marquis Luo Yun's elite troops, known as the number one army in the land, his body trembled involuntarily. Had His Majesty made up his mind?
"Your Majesty, there are some things that we should think twice before acting. The Imperial Guards on the left and right have been fully trained. In addition, the Right Guard Commander and Xiao Cheng, along with the elite remnants of the Imperial Guards who retreated from the south of the capital, will be a formidable force once they are fully trained. This old servant believes that we should prioritize stability."
If the pressure is too great, and with several princes arriving in the capital, this chaos might truly throw the court into disarray.
"You old fool, you're always up to no good. It's not like I can just live a peaceful life now. Even if I do nothing, tell me, will my princes be able to celebrate the Emperor Emeritus's birthday without any trouble and return to their fiefdoms immediately?"
The Emperor stroked his chin. "My brothers, you've become increasingly arrogant these past few years. It seems you haven't learned your lesson from the battle south of the city. In that case, the troops need to be replaced. The garrison should be located not far from the capital, yet large enough to hold so many men."
"Your Majesty is wise. If that's the case, the Beijing garrison also needs to make preparations as soon as possible."
Although Dai Quan felt uneasy, he knew that once the case was investigated, clues would inevitably emerge. He feared that the princes might become restless, so it was better to prepare early.
"Quickly send men to summon Marquis Luoyun, Prince Teng, and Marquis Baoning to the palace,"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
At the Empress's resolute command, Dai Quan responded immediately and ordered his trusted eunuchs to go out and deliver the message. Only inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, the Empress remained silent. In her hand was a memorial that stated that, under the pretext of the Emperor Emeritus's birthday banquet, the Emperor should be honored by the Emperor's grace and allow several princes to stay overnight in the capital. Moreover, the memorial was submitted by the Wu family, the Wu family of the capital, and Consort Wu!
"Master, Master,"
Hurried footsteps echoed from outside the palace into the inner hall. It was the residence of the Eldest Princess. Wei Shuyun rushed in from outside, through the side gate and corridor, and burst into the inner hall.
After lifting the curtain, she saw a stunningly beautiful woman on the bed, being dressed by Liu Yue. Wei Shuyun blushed; even she couldn't help but feel her heart race at the sight of such a beautiful face.
At this moment, Princess Zhou Xiangxue stretched lazily, her smile captivating. Seeing Wei Shuyun's distracted expression, she smiled knowingly.
"You little brat, what's with all this rushing around? The day after tomorrow is the Emperor Emeritus's birthday banquet. Have all the birthday gifts been prepared?"
"Reporting to Your Majesty, everything that was arranged outside has been delivered, and Your Majesty's congratulatory gifts are also kept in the secret room. We will take them together later."
Wei Shuyun quickly lowered her head, realizing that she had become somewhat lax in her decisiveness.
"That's good. Have Liu Yue write the congratulatory memorial. Make preparations early. By the way, what brings you here in such a hurry?"
Upon hearing that the congratulatory gifts had been prepared, the Princess's expression softened slightly. At least a major concern was resolved. Although it was a precious medicine, other court officials might have similar desires, so a congratulatory memorial was the only appropriate response. As for auspicious omens, that was considered inferior.
"Reporting to Your Majesty, yesterday's joint trial by the three judicial departments was incredibly audacious. Not only did the officials presiding over the trial implicate one another, but even a mere county magistrate, a protégé of Marquis Luoyun, dared to speak out, demanding a thorough investigation into the Jiangnan jade mine case and the annexation of taxable land in Jiangnan. This news has spread throughout the capital, and many noble families are secretly colluding with each other."
These things couldn't be hidden even if they wanted to. On that day, not only were all the civil and military officials present for the trial, but the old relatives and friends of the four kings and eight dukes also left their clansmen in the secondary capital. If a thorough investigation were conducted, who could escape? Therefore, it is not surprising that these actions were taken.
"Um,"
The eldest princess hummed in agreement, slowly leaned back in her chair, took a sip of tea to moisten her throat, and didn't seem to care about any of this.
"That's all. So why are you panicking? It's nothing more than the dirty business of noble relatives. Who would be willing to let such an opportunity pass them by? Especially people like them. As for that county magistrate, he's really bold, talking such nonsense. If his mentor wasn't Marquis Luoyun, he would probably be the one imprisoned. What would the others say?"
In the imperial court, with so many civil and military officials, and the prosperous lands of Jiangnan occupied by noble families, who wouldn't be envious?
"Your Majesty, in the capital's court, most civil officials strongly support that county magistrate, arguing that the court should prioritize the overall situation and reclaim all taxable land, taking the counties of Jinling as the basis for implementation. However, those noble families disagree, claiming that it is a fair transaction and how can it be reversed, and that Xu Changwen is a traitor who threatens the country."
These things will probably get out today, and who knows what people in the capital will say then. The four princes of different surnames haven't made a statement, but most of the other officials and lords have complaints. We don't know what the palace thinks.
"Yes, a mere county magistrate is thinking of upholding justice for the country, but those loyal officials of the court are still fighting for power and profit. The affairs of Jinling are all due to the mistakes of the noble families, especially the Zhen family. Unfortunately, there is an old concubine in the palace guarding the palace. Even if the Zhen family really did something wrong, it is insignificant. Therefore, this lawsuit will ultimately come to nothing."
He sighed and shook his head. He wondered if Marquis Luo Yun had spoken to this young man; he was utterly naive. In officialdom, there was no right or wrong, only advantages and disadvantages. In the end, he was just too shallow-minded.
"Isn't Magistrate Xu's confession opposed by all the officials?"
"Well, in response to Your Majesty, that Magistrate Xu delivered a splendid speech in the main hall of the Ministry of Justice, leaving all the officials speechless. Many officials praised him, earning him the reputation of being the court's best writer. In particular, one of his statements was: 'If the court does not rectify the chaos and heal the wounds, what if the rebel sects within the pass were to rise again? Would there still be a bright and clear world under heaven?' This statement shocked the court and the public, and no one dared to refute it!"
Wei Shuyun was greatly shocked and her blood was boiling! These words were deafening!
"what!"
(End of this chapter)