Chapter 152: Wei Zhongxian Must Be Kept

The atmosphere in the great hall was frozen solid—Huang Kezuan's words were simply too heavy!

If they truly killed all these people and confiscated all their households, the impact on the court and the country at large would be far too great.

After speaking, Huang Kezuan retreated back into the crowd as if it were none of his concern, but the trouble was now dumped on everyone else present. Especially Han Kuang—when he heard Huang Kezuan's words, his heart trembled.

Although the Great Ming Code was right there, and everyone knew it well and was familiar with it, if they really did this, his reputation would be thoroughly ruined.

"What do my beloved ministers think of doing this?" Zhu Youxiao asked with an expressionless face.

At this moment, Minister of Rites Sun Shenxing could no longer stand by.

Others could remain silent, but he absolutely could not. Whether or not his words would displease His Majesty, he had to speak.

So Sun Shenxing stepped forward directly and said: "Your Majesty, your minister believes that doing so would be going too far. Stripping them of office and rank, your minister believes, would be more appropriate. As for the embezzled money, have them return it, plus levy some additional fines, and that should suffice. If we truly behead them and confiscate their households, I fear it will make many people uneasy at heart."

Anyone could see what Zhu Youxiao wanted to do—Zhu Youxiao wanted to kill them all and confiscate their households as well.

If His Majesty had not thought this way, he would not have asked Minister of Justice Huang Kezuan.

Since he asked, it meant he intended to handle it this way. The Great Ming Code was right there; everyone knew what was written in it.

Since His Majesty asked about the Great Ming Code, he was prepared to punish severely and heavily; if he did not want to punish severely and heavily, then he would not have asked about the Great Ming Code—this was obvious beyond doubt.

Zhu Youxiao looked at Sun Shenxing and nodded expressionlessly.

For Zhu Youxiao, Sun Shenxing saying this came as no surprise at all. The main thing was that he wanted to see what the others would say—to see how the others would perform.

"What do my beloved ministers think?" Zhu Youxiao asked again in a deep voice.

This time, Vice Minister of Works Zhao Nanxing also stepped forward and said: "Your minister believes that what Minister Sun said is reasonable."

Zhu Youxiao nodded again, neither saying yes nor saying no.

He just sat there expressionlessly, silent for a moment, then asked again with a blank face: "Does anyone else have other opinions?"

Zhu Youxiao wanted someone to step forward and propose severe punishment according to the Great Ming Code. Although the person who did so might end up taking the blame, it would firmly demonstrate taking the Emperor's side. This point was very important to Zhu Youxiao.

But still no one spoke. Then several more people stepped forward, but they basically all agreed with Sun Shenxing's words.

Zhu Youxiao looked toward Liu Yijing and asked: "Minister Liu, what do you think?"

"Your Majesty, your minister believes this handling is very sound and prudent." Liu Yijing said hurriedly.

But after saying these words, Liu Yijing's heart was full of bitterness. Because he knew what this stance of his represented—perhaps everything he had done before had all been in vain.

Liu Yijing truly had not expected His Majesty to be so resolute, to really be about to wield the blade and kill people. At a time like this, whoever stood on His Majesty's side truly and completely betrayed this literati-official bloc.

Previously everyone had fought and schemed against each other, but it had never gone this far—Fang Congzhe had landed safely after all.

Zhu Youxiao nodded, no longer looking at them, but slowly rose to his feet. His gaze passed through the crowd and landed not far behind them.

He said: "Let the court officials debate it."

Everyone's hearts tightened—His Majesty was still unwilling to let it go.

Everyone had just expressed their positions; at this moment no one would step forward to provoke His Majesty. If they truly did so, it would only have the opposite effect.

No longer in the mood to talk with them, Zhu Youxiao turned and left the great hall.

Everyone dispersed as well, but the news soon spread out.

Zhu Youxiao lay slanted on the daybed with an expressionless face. Those few people he did not care much about—whether they lived or died had nothing to do with him.

That was not what he wanted. If he wanted those people dead, he could simply issue an imperial edict. What he wanted was for someone to step forward, someone willing to bear the infamy and stand up to support him, this Emperor of Great Ming.

It was clear from the court conference just now—although he had sown discord and used many means, at a moment like this, still no one supported him. They all valued their respective factions more than they valued him, the Emperor.

They would not betray their class, and Zhu Youxiao also firmly established a conviction: he needed to use people without any bottom lines.

The Jiajing Emperor using Yan Song, and Wu Zetian using Lai Junchen—this was not without reason. Sometimes an emperor needed people who supported him unconditionally.

Not everyone, but there must be someone supporting him.

Otherwise, if there were things he wanted to promote, he would have no way to push them through.

Because no one would do things for you; the tasks you delegated, no one would carry out—unless you used the Eastern Depot and the Embroidered Uniform Guard. But many times even the Eastern Depot and the Embroidered Uniform Guard would not do it, and then there was truly no one usable.

Wei Zhongxian was someone who had to be kept—this was also the reason he had just beaten him.

This was to leave Wei Zhongxian with no way out, to make him hate enough—only then would Wei Zhongxian become the blade in his hand, fierce and precise. Wherever he pointed him to strike, he would strike there.

"Your Majesty." Chen Hong came to Zhu Youxiao's side, his tone somewhat low.

He too knew that his master was in a bad mood at this time, so he lowered his voice considerably and said carefully: "A memorial has just arrived from Hangzhou. A great fire broke out in Hangzhou city, burning for a full day and night before being extinguished. It spread to destroy over six thousand one hundred households, with thirty-five men and women dead."

As he spoke, Chen Hong presented the routine memorial in his hands, then silently stepped to one side.

Zhu Youxiao glanced through the memorial in his hands and said expressionlessly: "Hand it to the Grand Secretariat to handle. Have them produce a proposal as soon as possible."

As he spoke, Zhu Youxiao handed the memorial back, his tone very casual.

Having sat on the throne for this long, Zhu Youxiao had discovered that many things were really just a matter of one routine memorial.

Where a drought had occurred, where a flood had occurred, where how many people had died—Zhu Youxiao's feelings were not very strong. It was really just one matter or some numbers written on a memorial.

As the Emperor of Great Ming, one could see such things happening every day.

Perhaps in the past he had thought these were major events—wherever there were natural disasters or man-made calamities. But truly sitting in this position, Zhu Youxiao did want to manage them in his heart, yet many times he truly had the will but not the strength. This further strengthened his resolve to do some things.

"Have the Grand Secretariat draft an edict: Censor Cui Chengxiu of the Censorate, a man of integrity and loyalty, diligent in serving the state—promote him to Right Assistant Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate."

After saying this, Zhu Youxiao closed his eyes and spoke no more.

This position had originally belonged to Yang Lian. Now Zhu Youxiao had given it to Cui Chengxiu—what this meant was already very clear.

What had Cui Chengxiu done before?

That was—he had stood unconditionally on Zhu Youxiao's side, impeaching the Donglin Faction for forming cliques for private gain, and calling for severe punishment of the Donglin Faction.

At this critical juncture, Zhu Youxiao promoted Cui Chengxiu, and crucially, this position was the one Yang Lian had previously held—what did this show?

The meaning was self-evident. This represented that Zhu Youxiao had officially begun to intervene. As long as you stood on my side this time, high office and generous emoluments would not be lacking.

Chen Hong hurriedly said in a low voice: "Yes, Your Majesty. This servant will go at once."

Zhu Youxiao said nothing, and Chen Hong bowed and quietly withdrew.

Over at the Grand Secretariat, everyone had just returned, and the expressions on their faces were none too pleasant.

Shi Jixie looked at Liu Yijing, speaking with some concern: "Grand Secretary, His Majesty has not yet calmed down. This matter will not be easy to handle."

After Shi Jixie spoke up, the eyes of the others also turned toward Liu Yijing.

Everyone knew this matter would not be easy to handle, yet it was something that had to be done.

Liu Yijing was also deeply vexed inside. He wished those people would just die—what did this matter have to do with him? But he could not say that.

"Indeed!" Stroking his beard, Liu Yijing agreed: "But persuading His Majesty to change his mind will hardly be easy either! With the case at this point, it is only a question of sentencing. Whether to deal with it severely or leniently is entirely His Majesty's affair. All we can do is urge His Majesty to reconsider. Let each of us write a routine memorial."

This was the proper course of action, and it was all they could do.

Liu Yijing did not want to bear this blame himself, so he made this decision—but really, it was only going through the motions.

Still, he felt bitter inside, because this meant he wanted His Majesty to bear the blame—but would His Majesty be willing?

From his own perspective, ideally someone would step forward to raise the matter, and His Majesty would go along with it.

If many people came forward to speak, that would be even better.

But no one would do such a thing. Not a single person in the Grand Secretariat would agree to it—or rather, not a single person would dare to agree. So most likely, His Majesty would end up flying into a rage and simply issue an edict to deal with it directly.

That way their blame would be gone, but His Majesty would also come after them to settle accounts.

Liu Yijing felt he would bear the brunt of it. How could he possibly feel at ease?

But with matters at this point, Liu Yijing did not dare say anything more, so he might as well do a favor and advocate for everyone to submit memorials.

When His Majesty came to retaliate against him, he would think of something then. His Majesty surely would not go so far as to kill him, the Chief Grand Secretary of the Grand Secretariat, would he?

The crowd nodded. This was all they could do.

However, many people were looking at Han Kuang, waiting for him to state his position.

Han Kuang, realizing at this moment that everyone was watching him, spoke up: "I will write something different in my memorial. For such grave crimes, merely stripping them of office and dismissing them is inappropriate."

After saying this, Han Kuang did not speak again, but turned and returned to his own seat.

Everyone present was a seasoned old hand. The moment Han Kuang said this, they understood—with such heavy crimes, if you only give them this one charge, do you think His Majesty will agree?

If everyone submitted such a memorial, those people's lives truly could not be saved.

What needed to be written now was severe handling—but it could not be execution or dismissal; even if execution was necessary, not all of them could be killed. A few had to be protected to a limited degree.

That way, His Majesty might agree.

Having grasped this meaning, Liu Yijing spoke: "Grand Secretary Han makes a good point. Everyone, write according to this tone!"

Liu Yijing was willing to do this, because it would throw Sun Shenxing under the cart.