Chapter 29: How to Handle It

Although the Tianqi Emperor's tone was very indifferent, seemingly carrying no emotion, Gao Panlong still detected the coldness within those words, and the expression on his face stiffened somewhat.

"For personal grudges, for money, crossing the border at the frontier, framing important ministers guarding the realm—this is the Censorate of the Great Ming, these are the loyal and upright officials of the Great Ming." Zhu Youxiao said, his voice still so calm and indifferent: "Gao Panlong, what do you think should be done about this matter?"

Gao Panlong was momentarily at a loss for words; he didn't quite know what to say. He hadn't expected that these people would actually dare to do such a thing.

His Majesty called him Gao Panlong rather than beloved minister Gao—this meant he was deeply dissatisfied with him. The words he had originally wanted to speak were all stuck in his throat.

"Perhaps some will say this is slander, this is a frame-up." Zhu Youxiao paid no attention to Gao Panlong and continued: "After all, Wei Zhongxian is a powerful eunuch, of the ilk of Liu Jin and Wang Zhi. I understand this well, and I never thought to argue with such people. After all, no matter what you say, he won't believe it—you can never wake someone who is pretending to sleep. But beloved minister Gao, I want to know what you think."

After saying this, Zhu Youxiao looked at Gao Panlong with great interest, a smile appearing on his face: "Or perhaps I should truly hand this case over to you, beloved minister, to investigate and interrogate?"

Gao Panlong's heart sank. This matter was now a hot potato; no matter whose hands it fell into, it would be an extremely difficult affair to handle.

To exonerate these people, one would have to say that Wei Zhongxian had falsely accused them. But the testimony was written very clearly—when and where they received the money, how they conspired and colluded—all of it was recorded in precise detail in the confessions.

If he said all of this was planted by Wei Zhongxian, Gao Panlong could not convince himself to believe it; but if he did not exonerate them and punish them severely without mercy, then he himself would become a traitor.

Though he would never say so openly, Gao Panlong knew very well in his heart what his people truly were—this was forming a faction, merely a faction of gentlemen, for the sake of serving the country.

"What's the matter?" Zhu Youxiao looked at Gao Panlong and said with a smile: "Is beloved minister Gao feeling troubled?"

It was a long while before Gao Panlong spoke: "Your Majesty, the war in Liaodong grows ever more urgent by the day; stability of the situation outweighs everything. If Li Ruzhen is dealt with in this manner, I fear the Liaodong generals will harbor second thoughts. I believe this case should not be expanded at this time." Having said this much, Gao Panlong truly could not continue, because he discovered that the look Zhu Youxiao was giving him had become extraordinarily strange.

"Not deal with it?" Zhu Youxiao looked at Gao Panlong and said with a smile: "Turn a big matter into a small one, a small matter into nothing—beloved minister, are you not afraid of chilling the hearts of those loyal ministers?"

Gao Panlong was once again at a loss for words; he truly did not know what to say anymore.

After a long silence, Gao Panlong spoke: "I believe this matter can be investigated, but there must be a limit. Wei Zhongxian should not be allowed to conduct the interrogation as he pleases, for this will let Li Ruzhen indiscriminately implicate others. I believe it would be better to hand this case to the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review for interrogation—perhaps that can quell the criticism."

Zhu Youxiao smiled again, looking at Gao Panlong, a flash of disappointment passing through his eyes. Hand it to the Court of Judicial Review and the Ministry of Justice?

Zhu Youxiao could basically guess the outcome. It would definitely be dragged out.

Once dragged out, who knew how long it would be delayed—by the time they wanted to investigate again, there would likely be nothing left to find. Moreover, if pressed too hard, Li Ruzhen might well die inside the dungeons of the Ministry of Justice.

Don't think these ministers were all good, all obedient and sensible—there was nothing they wouldn't do. Zhu Youxiao could not trust them.

"Beloved minister Gao, how do you think this matter should be handled?" Zhu Youxiao threw aside the blanket covering his legs and slowly rose to his feet.

Gao Panlong's face had already lost its composure—clearly His Majesty was dissatisfied with him—but he could only steel himself and say: "I believe handling it this way is the proper course."

"Indeed!" Zhu Youxiao said with a sigh: "Proper."

As he spoke, Zhu Youxiao walked to his dragon desk, reached out and picked up the memorials on the table, then said to Gao Panlong: "These are all the memorials impeaching Wei Zhongxian—not one in ten remains; the rest were sent to be burned. Beloved minister, how much private motive do you think is stored within these?"

"How many people are colluding with each other, how many are implicated in this case? How many fear me investigating further?" With that, Zhu Youxiao suddenly hurled the memorials to the ground and said in a loud voice: "Beloved minister, you tell me!"

Though Zhu Youxiao's voice was not loud, nor was he in a rage, the words he spoke were cold to the bone.

"Your servant is guilty!" Gao Panlong hastily knelt to the ground and said in a loud voice: "But Your Majesty, if this is pursued with such far-reaching implications, the court is afraid it will fall into chaos. Your Majesty, the stability of the court is paramount!"

Zhu Youxiao slowly closed his eyes. The room was so quiet that a dropped needle could be heard. After a long while, he slowly opened his eyes, looked at Gao Panlong, and said: "I understand. Beloved minister, you may withdraw."

With that, Zhu Youxiao walked back to his wheelchair and sat down, then covered his legs with the blanket again and said with a smile: "I will consider what you have said today, beloved minister."

Gao Panlong slowly rose to his feet, seeming to have aged ten years in an instant. After bowing to Zhu Youxiao, he retreated with his body bent.

After Gao Panlong left, Zhu Youxiao suddenly smiled again: "The way of the minister—loyalty and integrity as the foundation. How ridiculous, truly ridiculous! Not a single word of loyal and upright speech dares to be spoken—let alone taking action, with right and wrong so clearly before one's eyes, yet he simply dares not speak. Truth doesn't matter, right and wrong don't matter—I suppose this Great Ming doesn't matter either!"

Chen Hong stood to one side, frightened into not daring to say a single word, his body bent and hands lowered, his heart nearly leaping out of his chest.

"Gather up the memorials and put them away properly. Have Yang Lian come in." Zhu Youxiao then returned to his normal state, his face still flushed as if nothing had happened at all just moments ago.

Before long, Yang Lian was brought in from another direction.

Compared to Gao Panlong, Zhu Youxiao had greater expectations for Yang Lian.

In the original course of history, in the thirty-fifth year of Wanli, Yang Lian passed the jinshi examination. He was first appointed County Magistrate of Changshu, was ranked first among incorruptible officials in the entire realm, and upon entering court served as Supervising Secretary of the Revenue Bureau and Supervising Secretary of the War Bureau.

In the fifth year of Tianqi, for impeaching Wei Zhongxian on twenty-four great crimes, he was falsely accused of accepting a bribe of twenty thousand taels, and after enduring torture, died miserably in prison.

"Your servant Yang Lian pays respects to Your Majesty."

After Yang Lian walked in, although he sensed the atmosphere in the great hall was somewhat strange, he did not know what had happened.

"Beloved minister Yang, no need for ceremony!" Zhu Youxiao looked at Yang Lian and said with a smile: "I hear that you are on good terms with Gu Xiancheng?"

If the Donglin Faction of the Ming dynasty was an unavoidable term, then Gu Xiancheng was an unavoidable figure within Donglin—because he founded the Donglin Academy, he was respectfully called "Master Donglin."

That couplet—"The sound of wind, the sound of rain, the sound of reading, all sounds enter the ear; the affairs of family, the affairs of state, the affairs of the world, all affairs concern the heart"—has inspired countless people through the ages and become the motto of many.

When Yang Lian heard the Tianqi Emperor's question, the expression on his face froze for a moment, but he still spoke frankly: "When I was young, I revered Master Donglin; I was merely fortunate enough to receive his instruction."