Chapter 670: How Can the Glow of Rotten Grass Compare to the Bright Moon of the Heavenly Heart?

The Great Ming Emperor's temporary palace was outside Sanshan Gate, by the side of Mochou Lake. It was the only temporary palace built during the Great Ming Emperor's southern tour. Calling it a temporary palace, it was actually just the Nanhu Villa, a small manor of less than forty mu of land. Compared to the Imperial Palace, which was often a thousand mu, it was indeed much smaller.

The Nanjing Imperial Palace had already experienced subsidence problems during the Hongwu era. During the Yongle era, it was dismantled again by Emperor Chengzu Wen. Even if it had been maintained, it could no longer be lived in, and besides, it hadn't been maintained later on.

The Nanhu Villa was also built by Wang Chonggu. For the sake of safety, the foundation of the entire Nanhu Villa was poured with concrete, ensuring the overall stability of the building. It was also to ensure safety; even if someone set a fire, it couldn't be burned down, and even if someone bombarded it, without large-caliber artillery, they couldn't do anything to this small Nanhu Villa.

This was the only temporary palace built during the southern tour. Arriving at the remaining capital, staying in Yan-style hotels or even civilian houses—His Majesty might be willing, but the court officials would not be. This was a matter of the empire's face.

Chen Lin cleaned up the entire Southern Yamen; everywhere was very clean. Chen Lin even personally inspected it many times, and only felt relieved after confirming that the streets had been repainted and looked brand new.

Yingtian Viceroy Li Le also specifically repaired the ground buildings of the Xiao Ling Mausoleum, repaired the stele of the Sacred Way, replaced the floor tiles of the Sacred Way, and by the way, repaired the tomb of Sun Quan that guarded the Xiao Ling Mausoleum, to prevent it from being too simple and making the Emperor feel uncomfortable.

In short, the Southern Yamen finally, after stumbling, made preparations to welcome the Emperor. The Emperor had already arrived in Yangzhou, and the time to arrive at the Southern Yamen was only three days.

After Hai Rui clarified the criminal facts of Chen Wuyin, he also entered the Southern Yamen from Xiashu Town.

People like Hai Rui, Shen Li, and Yuan Hongyu were annoying in the officialdom, but everyone tacitly recognized the existence of these people, including characters like the plain-clothed censors. Even in the Southern Yamen, honest officials like Yuan Hongyu could survive, although sometimes, they had to put their faces in their pockets to beg their former subordinates.

Such people, although rare in the Great Ming officialdom, were not non-existent, because the officialdom needed the existence of such people. The officialdom is a complex ecosystem.

When Yuan Hongyu scolded Yan Song, it was when Yan Song was at the height of his power. Yan Song eventually did not excessively make things difficult for Yuan Hongyu; he just drove him out of the capital, out of sight and out of mind. When Hai Rui was in Yanshan, when Yan Maoying was inspecting salt, he directly treated Yan Maoying with coarse tea and light rice, which angered Yan Maoying so much that he scolded Hai Rui for not knowing how to be flexible.

Shen Li had such experiences, including Yu Qian, who was clean and honest, who was the same. Although upright and honest officials were not liked, they were at most driven out of the capital, out of sight and out of mind, and would not be exterminated. This was also one of the tacit understandings of the officialdom.

Because when there were matters, the key positions that absolutely could not have any mistakes needed such people to fill them.

Absolute integrity and justice, absolute human sophistication, and absolute virtuous officials were actually difficult to survive in the officialdom, because they were walking to extremes. In the long run, it was extremely dangerous, and this was true for any organization.

Hai Rui also understood this point after experiencing great ups and downs and returning to the capital. Yuan Hongyu asking Hai Rui to plead for mercy was also like this.

"I am waiting for the officials of the Southern Yamen to take action against me. If they don't take action against me, I will have to take action against them." After Hai Rui arrived at the Southern Yamen to sit in the office, he had been waiting for the hunt to proceed.

A hunt is a tribulation that an upright and honest official must experience, and it is more surging each time. Hai Rui had experienced it once, and that time was a true hunt.

You don't look down on one thousand taels? Then what about ten thousand taels, one hundred thousand taels? In the eyes of many people, loyalty is only because the chips for betrayal are not enough.

You don't look down on silver? Then what about beauties? You don't look down on beauties either? Then what about a beauty who knows you and understands you? You don't look down on her either?

Fine, you don't look down on silver, beauties, calligraphy and paintings, gold and stone, or treasures. You are clean, upright, and just. Then what about your parents, spouse, and children? Are they also not looking down on these things like you?

When a person falls into a hunt, it is difficult to resist the temptation. An individual can use rationality to suppress greed, but friends and relatives are not moral models.

Hai Rui proved with his actions back then that such people indeed exist, who can resist the temptation of all external things. At this time, in the eyes of many people, he was just not knowing human sophistication, not giving face when given, so they had to use means.

The Embroidered Uniform Guards can protect you, but can they protect your family? Your parents, children?

Hai Rui was waiting for the hunt to begin. Chen Wuyin had already been charged with treason. The center of the vortex of struggle had been set. As long as the Southern Yamen was so corrupt, they would all be treated the same. On the edge of life and death, the enemy would definitely attack, and Hai Rui was waiting for the attack.

Wang Chonggu's younger brother, Wang Chongyi, died in an assassination. Hai Rui did not think he could be spared either.

Hai Rui even inferred the time: within three days, before His Majesty arrived at the Southern Yamen from Yangzhou. Because once His Majesty arrived at the Southern Yamen, these bandits would have absolutely no chance to take action.

The list had been sorted out. The number of people was far less than Hai Rui had expected. The Six Ministries and the Censorate of the Southern Yamen, all counted, were no more than twenty-seven people. They were bureaucrats who, like Chen Wuyin, took advantage of the new policy to act in defiance of orders and seek private gain, selling household registration attachments. There were only twenty-seven people, and among them, only seven were enough to be considered treason.

Treason is not a basket crime where any stinking fish or rotten shrimp can be put in. Muttering a few words is not treason; secretly using power for personal gain and stuffing a little into one's pocket is not enough to be treason.

"How Can the Glow of Rotten Grass Compare to the Bright Moon of the Heavenly Heart?" Li Le felt that nothing would happen. In his view, these bureaucrats of the Southern Yamen only dared to make some small moves. If they were really asked to fight against the imperial court to the death, even if they were given ten thousand bear hearts and leopard gallbladders, they wouldn't dare.

His Majesty's blade had not yet been sharp. If they really took action against Hai Rui, the bureaucrats wouldn't have such courage.

"Chief Censor Yuan was not lying. It is just that His Majesty followed closely behind and came too quickly." Li Le stated his reasons again. The best opportunity had been lost. Chen Wuyin's case had been finalized; there was no possibility of change. Either do it before Hai Rui clarified it, or don't do it at all.

The bureaucrats of the Southern Yamen were indeed bastards, but bastards also have their times. The Emperor came with troops. If he really wanted to carry out a major purge, the bureaucrats of the Southern Yamen didn't have such a disregard for their lives.

If they really took action against Hai Rui, it would be equivalent to losing any chance of negotiation. Since His Majesty ascended the throne, he had always been open to negotiation, and the first time he negotiated, the conditions were exceptionally generous, even generous enough for most people to accept.

And once the Southern Yamen bureaucrats really couldn't hold back and took action against Hai Rui, they would fall into the predicament of whoever moved first being in the wrong. Even the bureaucrats of the Northern Yamen who wanted to say a few good words for the officials of the Southern Yamen would not be able to do so. The scholars of the world could not find any fault with the Emperor at all. The biggest reliance of the Southern Yamen bureaucrats, public opinion, would be completely useless.

Back then, when the Prince of Yan raised his army, wasn't it because the Jianwen Emperor was too urgent? The Prince of Yan was already pretending to be crazy and stupid, yet he still wouldn't let him go. That was forcing people to raise an army. Therefore, even the "base Confucian scholars" of the Southern Yamen had never excessively attacked the motive of the Prince of Yan's uprising; the main criticism was concentrated on the fact that after Zhu Di ascended the throne, his methods were too violent.

In Li Le's view, the officials of the Southern Yamen should be more afraid of Hai Rui having an accident.

This was Li Le's view. That was what he thought.

"Chief Censor Hai, there is a situation." Criminal Investigation Battalion Commander Chen Mo walked in hurriedly, his face heavy.

"What happened?" Hai Rui stood up, his brows furrowed. "Tell me in detail."

"When the vegetable camp sent vegetables, the guards found a bag of poison. It is 'Qianji' poison." Chen Mo told Hai Rui exactly what had happened.

"Qianji" poison is Strychnos nux-vomica. Li Shizhen said: "It looks like the connected coins of a horse, hence the name." Li Yu, the Southern Tang Later Ruler, died after being given Qianji medicine by Emperor Taizong of Song.

This poison is terrifying because it is odorless. That is to say, only when it enters the mouth will one perceive that kind of bitterness. The great physicians have studied this thing quite a bit because it is also a good medicine for rheumatism, numbness, and paralysis, and the optimal dosage and the toxic dosage are almost the same.

Unless absolutely necessary, the great physicians will not prescribe this medicine.

And now a bag of Qianji medicine appeared in the vegetable basket of the vegetable camp. Let alone poisoning Hai Rui to death, it was enough to poison ten people.

Hai Rui stood up and smiled at Li Le, saying: "Look, Viceroy Li, they are just this insane. You analyzed so many reasons why they couldn't do it, but they still came."

"Although you have been in Yingtian Prefecture for more than ten years, you have never seen their true faces. First, you have the protection of your teacher, the Grand Secretary, so they are afraid and dare not. Second, you have not touched their fundamental interests. New policies like land measurement, returning fields, the evaluation system, abolishing the status of base slaves, and forbidding subcontracting—they all have loopholes to drill through, so they are not in a hurry."

"But me, they can only kill me to be at ease. They know what I am here to do."

Hai Rui was different from Li Le. Li Le would never encounter a hunt. This kind of hunt from the ruling class was a pressure Li Le had never felt. The reason he thought it wouldn't happen was because Li Le had a backer. As long as Zhang Juzheng was alive for one day, these people needed to worry about Zhang Juzheng's reaction. After all, this teacher, Zhang Juzheng, really took action when there were matters.

And there was another point: Hai Rui was really going for their lifeblood, and even killing them, so the means of confrontation would be several times more ruthless. Compared to Hai Rui, Li Le was like a "good old man."

"Chief Censor Hai, the guards know more about poison than these 'base Confucian scholars'." Chen Mo said very calmly. Ensuring Hai Rui's safety was the order the guards received.

Every year before the New Year, His Majesty would go to inspect the place where the families of the garrison commanders gathered in Nanhai. During festivals, he would send eunuchs to visit. Since the establishment of the garrison commanders in the second year of Jingtai, His Majesty was the emperor who respected the garrison commanders the most, without exception.

The guards would not betray. The chips to make the guards betray the Emperor as a whole were truly too expensive.

"Let's go take a look." Hai Rui let Chen Mo lead the way, and his steps remained steady. He was not panicked at all because someone wanted to kill him. This time, returning to the Southern Yamen, the wind and waves were much smaller than in the past. Back then, at the post station in Xiashu Town, he had been made difficult—staying overnight with commoners, threats and inducements—the scale of the hunt was far greater than today.

Just a bag of Qianji poison.

Hai Rui walked steadily to the scene of the crime. The guards were fixing the evidence, and a vegetable farmer from the vegetable camp was kneeling on the ground, trembling.

"What is your name?" Hai Rui walked to the front of the vegetable farmer and asked in a fairly gentle tone.

"The little one is Pan Sangu, a vegetable farmer from the Yingtian Prefecture vegetable camp. Hai Qingtian, please spare my life! The little one was momentarily blinded by greed and accepted this errand. Hai Qingtian, please spare my life." Pan Sangu, who was kneeling on the ground, pale and thin, kept kowtowing in extreme fear.

"What did you call me?" Hai Rui stood with his hands behind his back, looking at the vegetable farmer, and asked with some curiosity.

"Hai Qingtian." Pan Sangu kowtowed again.

Hai Rui then sighed and said: "Then you know who I am, yet you still want to harm me. Did I do something to wrong the common people and become a corrupt official, so you want to kill me?"

"No."

Hai Rui thought for a moment and asked again: "Then did I do something, or fail to do something, that wronged you, so you want to kill me? Back then, I indeed had many unfinished matters that I didn't finish, making the common people suffer."

Hai Rui had many unfulfilled wishes. The Southern Yamen was his biggest wish. Returning fields, the Single Whip Law—he didn't do it back then. Now, only Songjiang Prefecture had done the Single Whip Law. Hai Rui thought it was the things he hadn't finished back then that made this vegetable farmer Pan Sangu hold a grudge.

"No."

"Coerced by others?"

"Hai Qingtian, please spare my life!" Pan Sangu did not answer directly but kowtowed again to beg for mercy.

Hai Rui looked at Pan Sangu, exhaled a turbid breath, and asked in a low voice: "What are you going to do next? You are going to commit suicide, right? Those people told you that if you don't succeed, you should die, right?"

"Ah! How did Hai Qingtian know!" Pan Sangu raised his head in horror, leaned back suddenly, and fell to the ground, looking at Hai Rui with full fear. Could this Hai Rui know some mind-reading magic? He knew exactly what he was thinking and what he was going to do!

"Alas, these are all old tricks. It's been fourteen years, can't they change some tricks? I thought these 'base Confucian scholars' could come up with some new tricks for me to see this time. Just this?" Hai Rui said with some disappointment.

Even if Pan Sangu wanted to harm Hai Rui, he still called Hai Rui "Hai Qingtian" instead of "corrupt official," because he really couldn't say it. Clearly, he was forced by others. Qianji poison might succeed, but it might also fail. After failure, naturally, there would be follow-up moves. Once Pan Sangu died in prison without a trial, the big label of "Hai Rui venting private anger and killing people, treating human life like grass" would be put on him.

Li Le had never experienced such a bloody political struggle. He was even more surprised than Pan Sangu.

Hai Rui, what exactly did he experience in Yingtian Prefecture back then?

"If they want to kill me, they must first let the world misunderstand me, slander me, deceive me, humiliate me, mock me, belittle me, despise me, and loathe me. Only then will I not be that stubborn Hai Rui, but a treacherous official, and only then will my death be reasonable and justified." Hai Rui said with some detachment, "They know how to deal with someone like me, but unfortunately, I also know how to deal with them."

Hai Rui looked at Chen Mo and said with a smile: "Battalion Commander Chen, don't let the prisoner commit suicide."

"Understood!" Chen Mo was in a cold sweat. He hadn't thought of this layer at all.

"Interrogate him clearly. This Pan Sangui did not act of his own volition. Find out why he came, who instigated him, and what grievances he has. You must interrogate him thoroughly; he must not become an unjust soul." Hai Rui instructed Chen Mo and made specific arrangements, telling Chen Mo to find out exactly what threats Pan Sangui had received that compelled him to come forward.

Pan Sangu was bound to die. Assassinating an imperial official, and an upright and honest official like Hai Rui for no reason and with no grievances—His Majesty would not and could not privately pardon him, even if Pan Sangu was truly coerced.

But Pan Sangu would not become an unjust ghost. The bastard who threatened Pan Sangu would be buried with Pan Sangu.

"Let me think, what other tricks are there?" Hai Rui held his hands, suddenly his eyes lit up, his brows raised, and he said with a smile: "It should be like this. I was in Yingtian sixteen years ago. They should find children of about the same age and run to the prefectural office to recognize their father."

"What does Chief Censor Hai mean?" Li Le was a bit confused, and Chen Mo was also a bit at a loss. What was Hai Rui saying? Recognize who as father? What kind of magical trick was this?

"It seems your teacher didn't teach you these means." Hai Rui said with a smile: "It's that I left many 'romantic debts' in Yingtian Prefecture back then. As long as they find a dozen fifteen or sixteen-year-old children and kowtow at the prefectural office to recognize me as their father—alas, are there really no other tricks? This splashing of dirty water, it works once, but can it work every time?"

"Did Chief Censor Hai have romantic debts in Yingtian Prefecture back then?" Chen Mo was a bit straightforward. He subconsciously felt that this matter was quite tricky. His Majesty hadn't taught him how to deal with this situation.

Hai Rui waved his hands repeatedly. Chen Mo was stubborn. If he admitted it, Chen Mo would find a way to deal with it. Hai Rui hurriedly said: "No, these are all tricks of the 'base Confucian scholars.' When I first arrived at the Southern Yamen, many sons and daughters of mine popped up, all from Nanping, Fujian. I was an instructor there at the time, but it made me very embarrassed."

"Battalion Commander Chen, you do it like this, and like this."

"Understood!" The more Chen Mo listened, the brighter his eyes became. Hai Rui understood the tricks of these "base Confucian scholars," so naturally, he had a way to deal with them. He couldn't help but say: "To deal with these scholars, one still needs a scholar."

With these rotten tricks, Chen Mo was no match. He could guard against assassinations on the surface, but he couldn't guard against these "soft knives."

Who said soft knives couldn't kill! If soft knives couldn't kill, back then, Zhejiang Viceroy Zhu Wan wouldn't have committed suicide.

"It's not that I'm mocking them for not making progress. It's been so many years, and the means are still those means." Hai Rui was somewhat disappointed with the "base Confucian scholars." Having been in the capital for these years and gotten used to watching the fun with His Majesty, he always hoped to see some new fun. As a result, the "base Confucian scholars" of the Southern Yamen never disappointed in the matter of making people disappointed.

Li Le still didn't quite believe it. Everyone was a decent person; did they have to do it so indecently?

But soon, Li Le knew he was wrong, and wrong to the point of absurdity. Hai Rui's return to Nanjing truly opened Li Le's eyes. This person could actually be bad to this extent!

In front of the Yingtian Prefecture office, a dozen pairs of mothers and sons, mothers and daughters came. They brought their children, kneeling on the ground and crying for their father—it was truly a mess.

The guards had already received the order in advance and were unmoved. They were too lazy to even ask. Three zhang in front of the office was the final warning. If they crossed that line, the guards would draw their embroidered spring blades and warn these people not to take another step. They could cry three zhang away; the guards didn't care.

Soon, the crying attracted countless commoners to watch. Most of the commoners didn't believe it at all, but some people were whispering in the crowd, saying things like "Sure enough, these officials are all birds of a feather," creating public opinion.

Of course, the scene was somewhat awkward.

According to the script, at this time, the guards and yamen runners should have taken action, either driving them away or asking Hai Rui to deal with it. But no, the office was extremely quiet, not a sound. The guards guarding the gate looked more like they were watching the fun, just watching quietly, doing nothing.

This made the mouthpieces stirring up public opinion in the crowd look very awkward.

"Who is making noise in front of the gate?" A man wearing a Confucian robe appeared in front of the office and scolded sternly.

"You heartless man! Back then you said you would marry me! You left with a hard heart, leaving us mother and daughter to suffer all the white eyes! Hai Rui, do you still remember me!" A woman, seeing that there was finally a response, immediately scolded loudly.

Chen Mo stood in front of the gate and had to admire that the woman's acting was excellent. Look at that gnashing-teeth appearance; she wished she could eat the heartless man alive!

Someone took the lead, and a dozen women were about to charge the office, but the guards drew their embroidered spring blades again. These women started to act like shrews. This Confucian-robed man who walked out suddenly stepped aside, revealing another Confucian-robed man.

"You don't even recognize me, why do you say I had a child with you!" The second Confucian-robed man scolded sternly and angrily, looking somewhat annoyed and embarrassed.

When two "Hai Ruis" stood in front of the gate, everyone was a bit dumbfounded. The melon seeds in the hands of the watching commoners fell to the ground. This scene was truly extremely strange. To this point, even the stupidest person knew that this was to splash dirty water on Hai Qingtian.

In this day and age, Hai Rui's portrait wasn't posted all over the city. Very few people had actually seen Hai Rui.

These women cried and howled for a long time, subconsciously thinking that the one wearing the Confucian robe was Hai Rui. This immediately led to recognizing the wrong person.

"You left for more than ten years! It's not strange that I didn't recognize you for a moment! It's a pity that others call you Hai Qingtian. Do you know how we mother and daughter lived these years!" A woman's eyeballs turned extremely fast, and she immediately said loudly.

The second Confucian-robed man stepped aside again, revealing the third Confucian-robed man. This man held his hands and said gently: "You recognized the wrong person again. I am Hai Rui."

Then came the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh. Seven men with similar height, physique, and appearance appeared in front of the gate, standing there.

"Now, there is one Hai Chief Censor among these seven people in front of you. Now, find him, how about that?" Chen Mo took two steps forward, paused the hook-sickle spear in his hand, and said loudly.

Those watching the fun didn't think it was a big deal. Things had reached this point, and the commoners watching had long been clear in their hearts. Among these corrupt officials, it was hard to get a "blue sky" (honest official), yet they were trying their best to slander his reputation and had to destroy it!

"Pick one! Pick one! With so many people, you can't pick the wrong one! It can't be a one-night stand, and now you can't even recognize the person!"

"It's really disgusting. Hai Qingtian is such a character! Is he someone you can splash dirty water on! Pick quickly, pick quickly!"

"A treacherous word comes from one mouth; you pick as you speak. If you can't pick today, none of you will be able to leave! Whoever just spoke ill of Hai Qingtian, stand out! Let me give you a few big slaps!"

Chen Mo looked at the excited commoners. He knew clearly that by this step, this battle of public opinion, Hai Rui had already won, and it was a complete victory. Looking at the commoners' reactions, it was perfectly clear.

These dozen women looked at each other, gathered together to discuss, and argued for a long time before finally selecting one who looked the most like him.

"Have you picked?" Chen Mo looked at the women's choice and asked calmly.

"Picked." A woman gritted her teeth and said.

"Good. Actually, all seven of these are fake." Chen Mo looked at the woman and changed the subject, smiling as he revealed the answer.

He had undergone professional training, so he didn't laugh, but revealed the truth. But the watching commoners heard the answer and laughed until they leaned back and forth. It was indeed a very interesting example.

These seven Confucian-robed men were all people Chen Mo ran to find from a theater troupe, specifically to act. Each had only one line, and after speaking, they were done.

"False accusation leads to counter-punishment! Everyone, take orders: immediately arrest the people who came to cry!" Chen Mo looked at these women with fierce light in their eyes and began to order the arrest.

In the Great Ming, false accusation is a serious crime. False accusation leading to counter-punishment was never just empty words.

In the noise, this farce did not come to an end, because the last Confucian-robed man appeared in front of the prefectural office. Everyone present almost saw at a glance that this man, who was somewhat thin but stood straight like a pen holder, was Hai Rui—the extremely gentle Hai Rui, still sharp-edged.

Upright and honest spirit, the bone itself.

Hai Rui's appearance made everyone at the scene quiet down.

Hai Rui looked at this scene, somewhat emotional. He took two steps, stood in front of everyone, was silent for a moment, and then said: "This morning, I caught a vegetable farmer from the vegetable camp. He brought a bag of Qianji poison to assassinate me. I asked him, 'I am Hai Rui, do you want to kill me too?' The vegetable farmer changed the subject; clearly, someone was threatening him."

"This was in the morning. It hasn't even reached noon, and a bunch of people came, saying they want to recognize me as their father."

"Fellow elders, Hai Rui is a 'lonely official.' This time I came to the Southern Yamen to investigate corruption. If, while investigating, Hai Rui is as stupid as last time and gets cleaned up, this time Hai Rui will not leave no matter what, even if I die, I won't leave."

"When you fellow elders pass by my grave, don't scold me. I really tried my best. Thank you, fellow elders, for being merciful with your words."

These words were said by Hai Rui to the commoners, and also to the powerful and influential families hiding behind these poor laborers, stirring up public opinion and reversing right and wrong. He, Hai Rui, is not afraid of death. These people use death to threaten him, but they can't scare him away. This time, with the Emperor's support, even if he dies, he will get it done.

Last time, he did half of it and was promoted by the Emperor, ending in a sloppy manner.

Everyone has unfinished business, and Hai Rui does too. Investigating Xu Jie is just one of them. The things he didn't finish and didn't do well when he was Yingtian Viceroy back then, this time he comes again, he must get them done. ===== CHAPTER 671 =====