Chapter 81: Good Men and Bad Men

Han Kuang also understood why His Majesty was asking him about this matter—plainly put, it was to make him take a stance.

As a Grand Secretary of the Grand Secretariat, his attitude might matter more than his words; what His Majesty wanted to see was his attitude.

But this stance was truly hard to take. No matter what he said, he would displease someone—the only difference was who.

If he agreed with His Majesty, others would be displeased; if he disagreed with His Majesty, then His Majesty would be displeased.

So no matter how he handled this matter, it would not be appropriate.

But now that His Majesty had asked, he had to have some attitude.

After pondering briefly, Han Kuang spoke directly: "Your servant believes this matter should be investigated to the very end. These people have flouted the law, accepted bribes, and framed high officials. Without an investigation, the people's anger cannot be assuaged. Moreover, your servant believes these people must be severely punished."

Zhu Youxiao nodded with satisfaction. Putting everything else aside, at least Han Kuang's attitude was good.

Whether he had been forced into it by him, or whether he genuinely thought this way, it did not matter—as long as he had this attitude.

Zhu Youxiao said directly: "In that case, we shall wait until the investigation is complete before speaking further. My beloved minister need not worry—I will not punish anyone recklessly, nor will I do anything that would rather wrong the innocent than let the guilty escape."

"My beloved minister may watch from the side—I will never wrong a good man, nor let a bad man off." Zhu Youxiao said these words with perfect candor, though even he himself did not believe them.

Who distinguishes ministers by whether they are good or bad?

People of later generations all knew—only children divide things into good and bad; adults only look at interests, let alone an emperor.

As an emperor, forget good or bad men—the only thing that mattered was whether someone was useful to him.

The reason he said these things to Han Kuang was simple: Zhu Youxiao did not want to give up on Han Kuang yet, so these were merely words to placate him.

Punishing those people would certainly have reasons and evidence. Most of that evidence and those reasons did not need to be fabricated to frame them—they themselves were not clean to begin with.

Zhu Youxiao believed Han Kuang could understand this. Even if he did not understand now, he would be able to see it clearly in the future—it was only a matter of whether he was willing to accept it.

Although Han Kuang had an excellent reputation, Zhu Youxiao would not hold higher expectations for his moral character.

Anyone who could become a Grand Secretary of the Grand Secretariat had necessarily climbed up through countless storms—they could not be an innocent little lamb.

This was officialdom; no innocent little lambs existed here.

If someone truly were a greenhorn of officialdom, they would probably have been devoured long ago.

What he had given Han Kuang was nothing more than a reason to convince himself—what mattered was whether he accepted it.

If he accepted it, he would play dumb. If he played dumb, then he could no longer be used; if he did not play dumb, then there was nothing more to be said.

Although Han Kuang could not be called a wily old fox, he was inferior to Fang Congzhe, and also inferior to Ye Xianggao.

Precisely because he was inferior to Fang Congzhe and the other two, that was why he himself would use Han Kuang.

He was merely a new emperor with a shallow foundation; those wily old ministers who could unite the court officials—he did not dare use them either.

"If there is nothing else, my beloved minister may withdraw." Zhu Youxiao waved his hand, signaling that Han Kuang could leave.

Since the Emperor had told him to leave, he naturally could not linger. Han Kuang stood up and bowed: "In that case, your servant takes his leave."

Watching Han Kuang's retreating figure, Zhu Youxiao slowly let the smile fade from his face.

Even if he used Han Kuang, he would still need to prune away the Donglin members around him. Wei Zhongxian should already have results by now—if he was still dragging his feet this slowly, Zhu Youxiao would truly be disappointed in Wei Zhongxian.

After leaving the Forbidden City, Han Kuang wore a grave expression.

Although His Majesty had not agreed with his words, nor let him finish speaking, this audience with His Majesty had still been fruitful. At least he now knew what His Majesty was thinking, and why His Majesty was acting this way.

Instead of returning to his duty room in the Grand Secretariat, Han Kuang went straight home.

Upon reaching his study, Han Kuang saw a person sitting inside—and was not surprised.

This person was exactly who he had arranged to meet—none other than Gao Panlong, the elder of the Donglin Faction.

If there was anyone most panicked this time, it would be this elder of the Donglin Faction, Gao Panlong.

With Zou Yuanbiao and Yang Lian stripped of office and awaiting trial, all members of the Donglin Faction were panicking.

This time, Han Kuang's audience at the palace was, on the one hand, to admonish His Majesty, and on the other hand, to probe His Majesty's intentions.

No one knew why His Majesty had changed so quickly.

Was it Wei Zhongxian who had slandered them? Or was there another reason?

Without clarifying this, no one could feel at ease.

Seeing Han Kuang walk in, Gao Panlong hurriedly rose to his feet.

His relationship with Han Kuang was very good, so he did not stand on ceremony and asked directly: "What did he say?"

Glancing at Gao Panlong, Han Kuang was somewhat displeased.

He knew Gao Panlong very well. Although it was Zou Yuanbiao and Yang Lian who had made the move to remove Xiong Tingbi, Gao Panlong's shadow was behind it—or rather, it was the consensus of the Donglin Faction.

The reason was actually very simple: it was for official positions.

Who did not have disciples and old associates?

When one's own people rose to power, naturally they would promote their disciples and old associates. There were only so many positions in officialdom—if they did not remove the old incumbents, how could their own disciples and associates rise?

Gao Panlong did not think this was wrong. After all, Xiong Tingbi himself had problems; replacing him with a more suitable person was better.

Everyone impeaching Xiong Tingbi was hardly unjustifiable.

If it had merely been about impeaching Xiong Tingbi, His Majesty would not have acted this way even if displeased, and the situation would not have deteriorated so quickly.

It was precisely because the methods of the people around him were too despicable that His Majesty became angry.

Accepting bribes from frontier generals and impeaching court ministers—this was court officials colluding with frontier commanders. No matter the time or place, this was something an emperor could not tolerate. And on top of that, they had framed the civil officials sent by the court.

Under such circumstances, of course His Majesty would be angry, of course He would want to sweep these people away completely.

What Han Kuang worried about was too many people being implicated.

After all, Feng Sanyuan had spoken of forming cliques for private gain. If the charge of forming cliques for private gain was substantiated, then even more people would be implicated. This was something Han Kuang could not accept.

As for Yao Zongwen and the others—they had accepted bribes and framed Xiong Tingbi; they could no longer be protected, and there was no need to protect them.

Han Kuang saw this point very clearly. To protect those few men and incur the Emperor's suspicion of himself—the gain would not outweigh the loss.

Gao Panlong asked him, and Han Kuang had no intention of concealing anything, because it simply could not be hidden.

Han Kuang knew very well what the situation inside the palace was like. It was a broken house with wind blowing through every crack—nothing could be concealed. His conversation with His Majesty would soon spread out.

He recounted the whole process of admonishing Your Majesty, and Han Kuang sat there watching Gao Panlong.

Gao Panlong's expression was also quite grim.

After a long pause, he said angrily: "That eunuch dog is cunning."

Han Kuang looked at Gao Panlong and said in a low voice: "Let me ask you—whose idea was it to protect Yao Zongwen and the others?"

Hearing Han Kuang's question, Gao Panlong's expression turned sour as well, because the idea had been his.