Chapter 80: Should This Case Be Investigated to the Very Bottom?

"Your servant Han Kuang pays respects to Your Majesty." After Han Kuang performed the rites for Zhu Youxiao, he spoke respectfully.

Zhu Youxiao smiled, gently waved his hand, and said directly: "This isn't the court session, my dear minister need not be so ceremonious."

Having said this, he turned his head to look at Chen Hong and instructed: "Offer him a seat."

Only after Han Kuang sat down did Zhu Youxiao speak up to ask: "My dear minister has come today—is there some matter?"

Han Kuang understood Zhu Youxiao's feigned ignorance all too well in his heart.

He knew that His Majesty did not wish to hear him speak of those matters; if he withdrew now, then His Majesty could pretend nothing had happened.

But that wouldn't do! Han Kuang could not watch this matter escalate further—if it continued, those implicated would number far more than one or two people.

Thinking of this, Han Kuang steeled his resolve and quickly said: "Your Majesty, your servant has come regarding the case of Xiong Tingbi."

Zhu Youxiao looked at Han Kuang, seeming somewhat curious as he asked: "Over this matter? I wonder what my dear minister wishes to say?"

Although His Majesty's tone was very calm, as if nothing were hidden within it, Han Kuang knew the matter was far from that simple.

If Wei Zhongxian's deeds did not have His Majesty's support behind them, Han Kuang would never believe it. It was only that this matter could not be brought into the open.

After pondering for a moment, Han Kuang spoke up: "Your Majesty, your servant believes that Feng Sanyuan's words are not to be trusted."

Hearing Han Kuang's words, Zhu Youxiao smiled, sat up straight and looked at Han Kuang: "How does my dear minister mean that?"

Han Kuang was taken aback. How did he mean that?

Wasn't it just said with his mouth? He had no evidence after all.

But Han Kuang still had his arguments: "Your Majesty, Feng Sanyuan's words have no factual proof whatsoever—they are truly slanderous accusations. Though some among the court's senior ministers lack personal virtue, and some have erred in their conduct, forming cliques for private gain is not among them. Ministers should not serve the sovereign as a faction, nor should the sovereign suspect ministers as a faction—only thus can sovereign and minister work in harmony. If today, because of Feng Sanyuan's words, Your Majesty launches a great campaign, it will inevitably drive a wedge between sovereign and ministers."

The expression on Han Kuang's face was very earnest, his demeanor grave, his sentiments sincere. Clearly, those words of his all came from the bottom of his heart.

Zhu Youxiao could see that, but he didn't take it to heart—instead he smiled. At the same time he sighed inwardly: sure enough, the people of the Donglin Faction all knew how to talk.

Glancing at Han Kuang, Zhu Youxiao did not let him continue speaking, but instead countered directly: "My dear minister's words carry great reason, and I deeply concur. Ministers should not serve the sovereign as a faction, nor should the sovereign suspect ministers as a faction—well said. If I do not suspect ministers as a faction, does that mean ministers will not serve the sovereign as a faction? Isn't the matter of Xiong Tingbi obvious enough?"

"What was the purpose of the Ancestor establishing the Censorate? You tell me!" When he said these words, the smile had already vanished from Zhu Youxiao's face, and his voice had risen considerably.

Han Kuang's heart suddenly felt bitter.

To be honest, the shabby deeds those people in the Censorate had done—Han Kuang did not know of them.

The impeachment of Xiong Tingbi was led by Yang Lian and others; it was not led by Han Kuang.

As a Grand Secretary of the Grand Secretariat, Han Kuang naturally would not participate in such matters. But forcing Xiong Tingbi out and placing Liaodong under the control of his own people—that, Han Kuang knew of.

However, what he knew was limited to forcing Xiong Tingbi out. Because he too looked down on Xiong Tingbi.

In Han Kuang's view, Xiong Tingbi had great ambitions but meager talent, was hot-tempered, and was also an old associate of Fang Congzhe—so naturally he had to be removed.

It was just that Han Kuang had never imagined that collusion with Li Ruzhen was also involved in this.

One should know that his relationship with Li Ruzhen was not good. Back then, when the brothers Li Rubai and Li Ruzhen were guilty and should have been arrested and punished, the eunuchs had conveyed an edict pardoning them.

It was he and Liu Yibing who insisted on memorializing and had them arrested according to law.

But this reminded Han Kuang of one thing.

That was, after Li Ruzhen was arrested, quite a few people had spoken well of him before Han Kuang.

Their reasons were all the same: Li Ruzhen was a man of the Li family of Liaodong, and the Li family had deep roots in Liaodong, so it was inadvisable to make a great move against them. Now that the Jianzhou barbarians were rampant in Liaodong, if Li Ruzhen were severely punished at this time, it would inevitably alienate the officers and men of Liaodong, which would not benefit the Great Ming's campaign to exterminate the Jianzhou barbarians, nor the stability of Liaodong.

At the time, he felt these people spoke with reason, that they were devoted to the state with all their hearts—the conduct of gentlemen.

Now looking back, how much private motive was hidden in this? How many people had accepted bribes from the Li family before coming to plead before him?

Thinking of these things, Han Kuang's mood turned sour.

But this matter still could not be expanded—dealing with a few as circumstances warranted would suffice. Otherwise, court turmoil and unsettled official governance would not be a blessing for the Great Ming, but rather the beginning of upheaval.

Though the Great Ming of today was not yet battered by wind and rain, it had truly suffered a loss of vital energy—this was truly not the time for a great campaign.

Moreover, Han Kuang still believed those few were merely black sheep; expelling them would be enough, with no need to implicate widely or manufacture a great case.

But looking at His Majesty's attitude now, persuading His Majesty would not be easy. Thinking of this, Han Kuang felt somewhat helpless.

Facing Zhu Youxiao's question, Han Kuang had no choice but to answer.

He said directly: "The Censorate serves as Your Majesty's eyes, ears, and arbiter of conduct; the officials of the Censorate should serve as exemplars for all officials."

After saying these words, even Han Kuang felt somewhat dejected.

The things these people had done were too disgraceful!

Taking money to impeach frontier ministers—how could such people be fit to serve as Censors of the Censorate?

Especially those few petty men—when they confessed about Li Ruzhen at the Eastern Depot, they recanted at the Three Judicial Offices; now that Wei Zhongxian was hearing the case, they recanted again. They had no integrity or bottom line whatsoever—they were simply the shame of the world!

As for those few, Han Kuang wanted to have them killed.

Zhu Youxiao nodded, looked at Han Kuang and said: "My dear minister speaks well—the eyes, ears, and arbiter of conduct for the Son of Heaven. But how did these people behave? Taking people's money, impeaching on others' behalf, slandering frontier ministers! Is this still the eyes, ears, and arbiter of conduct for the Son of Heaven? In my view, convicting them of dereliction of duty, accepting bribes, and slandering court ministers would be too lenient—they should be directly convicted of deceiving the sovereign!"

Han Kuang was greatly alarmed in his heart. It wasn't that he worried Zhu Youxiao would truly convict those few of the crime of deceiving the sovereign—what he worried about was the anger His Majesty had displayed.

This matter had clearly made His Majesty stop trusting the Censorate, stop trusting the pure-stream officials like themselves, and instead turn to trusting Wei Zhongxian.

It seemed the matter was far more serious than he had imagined.

"Your Majesty," Han Kuang said hurriedly: "Though the Censorate has produced a few black sheep, most of the Censors in the Censorate are still diligent and conscientious, loyal and patriotic. Your servant believes that rigorously purging the Censorate and expelling the black sheep is the most urgent task at hand."

Zhu Youxiao smiled again, looked at Han Kuang and asked casually: "Does my dear minister think this case should be investigated to the very bottom?"

This was a question that struck at the heart.

If you said it should not, then everything you said before was nonsense, and you need not keep your seat as Grand Secretary of the Grand Secretariat;

If you said it should, then the investigation must proceed.

The matter was now set before him. Han Kuang could guarantee that once he said it should, the moment he left the palace he would hear this news spreading throughout the capital!