Chapter 1936: Transfer of Office

Left Chief Censor? Yang Ye's face was full of surprise. He never imagined that Emperor Liu keeping him behind alone would be for such an assignment. He looked up at Emperor Liu in astonishment, clasped his fists, and said, "Your Majesty, how can this be?"

Emperor Liu said with a faint smile, "How can it not be?"

Yang Ye: "The Censorate oversees all surveillance under heaven—great power, heavy responsibility. What virtue or ability do I possess to dare sit at its head!"

"What, you Yang Chonggui also have moments of self-doubt?" Emperor Liu asked slowly.

Hearing this, Yang Ye pondered for a moment, then bowed again: "Your Majesty, I am a military official, always rough and careless by nature, and have no experience in surveillance matters. I fear I am hardly fit for it. To force it would only invite trouble..."

Listening to Yang Ye's explanation, Emperor Liu couldn't help raising a finger to pick at his ear. Paying no mind to whether this affected his imperial dignity, he said straight at Yang Ye: "You served as an army supervisor on campaigns, didn't you! You managed military law and discipline, didn't you! Surveillance matters—a thousand changes never depart from the same principle. If you can supervise military discipline, how can you not inspect political conduct?

These words of yours only make me think you're trying to fob me off!"

"I would never dare!" Hearing Emperor Liu speak thus, Yang Ye bent his waist to ninety degrees and hurriedly protested.

Emperor Liu paid him no heed and continued: "As for the distinction between civil and military—using both together, generals and ministers in harmony—I have advocated this for decades now. How is it that you Yang Chonggui still cling to such parochial views?

Whether in the Palace Command or the Ministry of War, you have been at the head. The work you have done—what fundamental difference is there between it and what those so-called civil ministers do in their ministries and bureaus?

Over the past ten-odd years, touring the provinces, inspecting the various armies, bearing those duties—how could they be summed up as merely the work of a military official?"

Faced with such a speech from Emperor Liu, Yang Ye fell silent again. Whatever his thoughts, his unwillingness to take over the Censorate was plain.

After hesitating a moment, Yang Ye spoke again: "The head of the Censorate is a matter of great importance. Chancellor Lü oversees the Ministry of Personnel—should we not hear his opinion?"

"Do I need to hear Lü Duan's opinion to adjust the offices of the court?"

"To hear both sides is to be enlightened. Your Majesty has always listened to the humble and accepted remonstrance, gathering widely from all voices..."

"Enough!" Emperor Liu cut Yang Ye off roughly, a trace of anger already creeping into his tone. He adjusted his posture, leaned forward, and scrutinized Yang Ye: "Something is off about you! Very off!

There was a time when, to my commands—even through mountains of blades and seas of fire, through deadly peril—you charged ahead without hesitation, going forth with resolve. How is it that today, merely over an adjustment of duties, you are full of excuses!

Whatever the order, you never failed to obey. Just now you were pledging your loyalty to me—it seems those words were insincere! You, Yang Ye, have now learned to fob off your sovereign with empty talk..."

Emperor Liu's tone in this speech was nothing unusual—at most carrying a hint of lament—but to Yang Ye's ears it struck like thunder and lightning. He could no longer remain standing. Hastily he knelt and bowed low: "I am muddled! I am guilty!"

Seeing this, Emperor Liu's old eyes narrowed, his gaze full of deep meaning, even a hint of danger in the corner of his vision. At this moment, Yang Ye was wrapped in boundless pressure, until he was nearly out of breath, before he heard Emperor Liu speak: "Rise!"

"I dare not!" Yang Ye did not even dare rise, remaining kneeling, his forehead touching the cool floor.

Emperor Liu did not press the matter, only speaking in a slightly wistful tone, calmly: "Let me be frank with you! My sending you to the Censorate is based on two main considerations.

The first needs no elaboration—the Great Han has been at peace for over twenty years now. Though some battles have occurred, they were only minor skirmishes, of no consequence to the overall situation. And once arms are sheathed and culture cultivated, from top to bottom, slackness is inevitable—myself included.

Official governance has always been the foremost concern of the court. Yet no matter how I adjust and perfect the institutions, no matter how vigorously I punish corruption, I cannot avoid the degeneration of some people. From meritorious ministers and honored nobles to civil officials and provincial governors—the speed at which hearts degenerate and mores decay still greatly exceeds my expectations.

In recent years, the court has repeatedly seen cases of malpractice, disturbances have broken out across the regions, and even great cases that shook the court and the realm like the Yulin Rebellion—their internal causes are none other than ailments born within the Great Han itself. Otherwise, how could mere Tangut and exiled frontier magnates run rampant?

These past two years, courtiers have crafted for me the illusion of a world of peace and clarity, as though an unprecedented golden age had already arrived. But as for how things truly are, I dare not be the least bit complimentary.

Behind the gloss, how much filth; beneath the calm seas and clear rivers, how much scurrying scheming—I can no longer tell it apart myself. As for the current state of official governance, I am already deeply dissatisfied. In this, the Ministry of Personnel has its failings in appointments, but the Censorate—in its duties of surveillance and impeachment—has been derelict!"

The more Emperor Liu spoke, the harsher he grew, until by the end he was positively murderous: "I have reviewed the archives of the past decade. Of the large and small cases of malpractice that have emerged in the Great Han, most were actually discovered and reported by the Imperial City and Wude offices. And in every case, besides the officials of various ranks implicated, the clerks of the Censorate were invariably involved—some derelict and lax in oversight, others simply colluding and wallowing in the same mire.

I have heard it said that the censors of the Censorate are the easiest officials in the court—they need only wag their tongues. A uniform crop of pure-talking remonstrance officials, who on ordinary days need only keep their eyes fixed upward.

Some also say that the Censorate's weak surveillance is because the Imperial City and Wude offices overstepped their bounds and encroached on their authority—the most absurd nonsense under heaven...

A soft style of work is no great matter, but if the roots are rotten, then don't blame me for pulling them up entirely! Sending you to the Censorate is precisely so you can rectify these unhealthy tendencies for me. Begin with the Censorate itself—inwardly, purge the malpractices and restore authority; outwardly, clarify official governance and tighten political conduct!"

Yang Ye listened intently, a serious expression on his resolute face. When Emperor Liu stopped speaking, he straightened and clasped his hands: "Your Majesty's meaning, I understand. But must it be me who shoulders this task?"

"What, afraid of making enemies?"

Yang Ye shook his head: "I am not afraid of making enemies, only..."

Seeing he still had doubts, Emperor Liu waved his hand and continued: "As for the second point—that is the reason for using you! In the Hall of Meritorious Ministers, I gave the nobles a thorough dressing-down. Many submit on the surface, but in their hearts they are probably unconvinced. Wang Yansheng is the most representative example."

At the mention of Wang Yansheng, Yang Ye's expression visibly changed, his body subconsciously tensing, his head dipping slightly.

Emperor Liu clearly noticed this as well. He glanced at him and said: "Among the nobles, many feel that I have been too harsh with them, even repeatedly suppressing them. They think I am unfair—strict with military meritocrats, lenient with those civil officials and bureaucrats.

Today I am placing this authority to oversee the hundred officials and impeach all under heaven into the hands of the nobles. You, Yang Ye, have sufficient reputation and prestige among the nobles. I also trust you. I hope you will not disappoint me..."

Having said this, Emperor Liu spoke no more, only watching Yang Ye calmly, awaiting his response. For Emperor Liu to be so patient and spend so many words explaining was a rare thing, and Yang Ye knew well that there was truly no room left for him to refuse.

Therefore, after a long sigh in his heart, he bowed solemnly: "I accept the command!"

Seeing this, a smile finally appeared on Emperor Liu's old face. He bade him rise and take a seat, and this time Yang Ye did not refuse. Nowadays, a private audience with Emperor Liu made anyone tremble with fear and find it hard to compose themselves. Yang Ye was no different, feeling quite ill at ease—especially after such a less-than-smooth conversation.

The atmosphere was momentarily awkward. It was Emperor Liu who broke the silence, asking softly: "I know well that you still have doubts in your heart!"

These words left Yang Ye momentarily at a loss, unable to grasp Emperor Liu's meaning. Emperor Liu raised his head slightly and said with feeling: "Wang Yansheng and Kang Yanze were your comrades in life-and-death battles. That you feel grief at their successive departures is understandable. They were meritorious veterans of the Great Han—am I not the same?"

At these words, Yang Ye's expression changed abruptly. His hands clenched tightly, and his palms unconsciously began to sweat. He wanted to explain something, but Emperor Liu's words directly cut him off: "In recent years, meritorious ministers and old friends have passed away one after another. The old men around me grow fewer and fewer. You have followed me for decades, always loyal and diligent.

I will say again what I have said before: if you do not fail me, I will not fail you..."