Chapter 382: Zhang Tingyu Rises

Fang Congzhe clasped his hands and bowed again, then reported:

"Your Majesty! Xie Jishi, Lu Shengnan, and Xu Zhuo have either loosely criticized the New Policies' flaws or spoken bluntly about local troubles."

"What they say all concerns official business and is not factional collusion. If we label it 'factionalism,' then how will any minister dare to discuss state affairs thereafter?"

This is precisely denying that the recent palace‑pressing act was factional chaos!

"In Jiangnan, impeachments and memorials keep coming, popular uprisings have already begun, the gentry are divided—this is not groundless rumor."

"Gong Dingzi's rapid tax collection and harsh house‑searches in Jiangnan are indeed open to criticism."

"The three's claims of 'cruel methods' and 'inciting rebellion' are well‑founded, not fabricated."

"If we punish them severely for this, the realm will not accept it. Please, Your Majesty, see clearly!"

"Our imperial Censorate was established to widen the channel for speech and convey the lower‑level situation; throughout the ages, wise rulers have taken 'the speaker is not guilty' as a maxim."

"Xu Zhuo, as Left Assistant Imperial Censor, impeached Gong Dingzi; even if his actions were extreme, they fall within his duties."

"If an Imperial Censor is harshly punished for a single mismatched word, who in later generations will dare to speak the truth? Your Majesty, being sagacious, should consider this principle."

Fang Congzhe's words unmistakably indicated his disagreement with severely punishing Xu Zhuo and the others, suggesting a lighter handling.

Jing Sheng Di's face went "whoosh" and turned gloomy, his gaze glared at Fang Congzhe in the hall!

This Fang Congzhe, after having made his stance so clear, still dares to stand up and oppose.

Does he truly think he can deceive, or is he treating himself as a fool?

The hall fell silent for a moment.

Jia Jing's eyes narrowed slightly as he stared at Fang Congzhe, trying to gauge his intentions.

It was still his first time dealing with this man; although he had seen him on his return to the capital, they had hardly spoken.

Yet… why does it feel as if this man harbors some inexplicable hostility toward him?

Fang Congzhe's expression remained firm; steeling himself, he spoke again:

"Your Majesty's implementation of the New Policies aims to strengthen the nation and benefit the people. If ministers are executed for offering counsel, all scholars will know 'those who speak on the New Policies die.'"

"When the New Policies have flaws and no one dares to speak, the accumulated defects will become a great disaster. Punishing the three is easy; sealing the mouths of the realm is hard."

"Lu Shengnan is merely a low‑rank sixth‑grade official; Xie Jishi and Xu Zhuo are not powerful nobles either."

"Although the three said improper things, they nevertheless have no actual factional ties, no traces of rebellion."

"If we mete out harsh punishment at once, it may damage the court's benevolence. Please, Your Majesty, consider that this is their first offense and impose a lighter sentence."

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone in the hall was startled!

Punishing the three is easy, but sealing the mouths of the realm is hard? Isn't this also a statement born of resentment?

Zhang Tingyu's expression hardened, and he thundered:

"Minister Fang, are these words befitting a minister?"

Perhaps having just been provoked by Jing Sheng Di's ancestral‑temple tribute, Zhang Tingyu unusually rebuked Fang Congzhe at this moment.

Xiong Cili then spoke:

"Your Majesty! I think Minister Fang's words are reasonable. A sage ruler governs the people with virtue, not by rashly ordering troops or executing harshly."

"Your Majesty, the officials daring to speak frankly today is precisely a manifestation of the Da Han Empire's flourishing court and open channels for speech."

"Your Majesty, you embody Heaven's will above and understand the people below; it is not appropriate to punish ministers for their words!"

What a court full of upright officials?

How come during the times of the Founding Emperor and the Successor Emperor we never saw officials with such courage? Were they all treacherous then?

Jing Sheng Di's gaze swept coldly over Fang Congzhe and Xiong Cili; a murderous glint flashed in his eyes for an instant, then vanished.

He expressionlessly nodded slowly and said:

"Very well! No wonder you are renowned among the officials and have been appointed Grand Scholars of the Cabinet! You truly are worthy at this moment!"

"I recall that when the Cabinet ministers were first discussed, Xu Zhuo and Xie Jishi had both submitted memorials recommending you two; now you stand up to protect them, which is indeed a rare display of public spirit and friendship!"

"And you, what are your opinions?"

Jing Sheng Di's words were full of sarcasm; after speaking, he pointed at Chen Tingjing, Li Guangdi, and a few others, evidently wanting to gauge their thoughts first.

Li Guangdi's face paused, he fell silent for a moment, then stepped forward and clasped his hands:

"Your Majesty! The Imperial Censor's role in reporting matters is an ancestral system; I dare not criticize it."

"However, using the position of a speech official as a cover to engage in factionalism and chaos is a different matter."

"In the past, Hu Wei, a Jinshi from Huaixi, formed a faction with Li Shanshi; the Founding Emperor dismissed him for 'regularly having ties to factional support.'"

"Today, Xu Zhuo, Xie Jishi, and Lu Shengnan have linked officials together, coercing the sovereign; is this not 'reporting matters through rumor'?"

"This is using the name of a speech official to enact chaos."

"The ancestral system permits Imperial Censors to 'report matters through rumor' so that they may 'discuss matters based on facts without fault'; it does not allow them to collude with factions and manipulate the court."

"'The speaker is not guilty' refers to the 'speech' itself, not to 'factional collusion and chaos'… Those who, under the name of factionalism, wield coercion are not covered by 'no guilt.'"

Li Guangdi's remarks clearly supported severe punishment of Xu Zhuo and the others, and he cited the Founding Emperor's case to refute Fang Congzhe's argument about Imperial Censor reports and the principle of 'the speaker is not guilty.'

After Li Guangdi returned to his seat, Chief Counselor Chen Tingjing stepped forward and said:

"Your Majesty, you are a sagacious ruler; whatever decree you issue, we will obey without question! Please make a decisive judgment!"

Jing Sheng Di's expression remained silent, neither confirming nor denying, and he asked:

"Minister Heng, what about you?"

Zhang Tingyu was momentarily stunned, glanced at Jia Jing beside him, his expression darkened, and in a hoarse voice said:

"There is no greater discernment of talent than the Son of Heaven! Xu Zhuo and his companions, blinded by profit, have already forgotten the lesson that gentlemen do not join factions."

"Your Majesty, in the implementation of the New Policies there may be overreaches; Gong Dingzi's actions in Jiangnan may indeed be improper, I do not deny that."

"However… if the New Policies have flaws, they can be discussed in memorials, debated in the Cabinet, and petitioned for amendment."

"But what did Xu Zhuo and the others do? They linked officials together, used scholars across the realm as leverage, threatened with popular uprisings, forced you to abandon the New Policies and dismiss ministers—truly lacking any sense of loyal service!"

This is using the state as a bargaining chip, treating the sovereign as meat on the cutting board. Today we can force the Emperor to abolish the New Policies; tomorrow we can force him to relinquish the throne; what about the day after?

If the Emperor yields even a step, today's three persons will become tomorrow's hundred officials, and today's New Policies will become tomorrow's established precedent.

I cannot help but speak; by this point, the Emperor has nowhere left to retreat.

Zhang Tingyu's words were like a thunderclap resounding in the Qian Qing Gong!

Today we are forcing the abolition of the New Policies; tomorrow we can force the Emperor to relinquish the throne?

What venomous words these are! They even suggest that several persons are colluding with the Longshou Palace!

This is no longer mere factional mischief; it is a conspiracy to usurp the throne!

Fang Congzhe and the others all underwent drastic changes in expression, their hearts filled with alarm— isn't Minister Zhang Hengchen usually not a person of few words?

How could, in the midst of peace, they utter such harsh words?

Meanwhile, Jia Jing stood to the side, looking on mysteriously as the civil officials clashed, pondering each person's stance and motives behind their declarations, his gaze gloomy and uncertain!

What puzzled him was: Zhang Tingyu would simply memorialize and memorialize, yet he always secretly pretended to glance at him unintentionally!

Seeing that three of the five Cabinet ministers supported him, Emperor Jing Sheng's expression eased somewhat.

If all were like Fang Congzhe and Xiong Cilu, he would nearly have thought he had already lost control of court affairs!

It appears that this palace‑forcing incident was not participated in by all civil officials, but rather a premeditated, organized, plotted factional move by the old clique……

Upon reflecting on this, Emperor Jing Sheng rarely bestowed a word of praise on Zhang Tingyu:

"Minister Hengchen sees matters with far‑reaching vision; this truly comforts my heart!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Tingyu's eyes flickered, his heart felt a hint of joy— this was a rare word of praise from the sovereign lately.

Speaking of which, since Jia Jing rose to prominence, Emperor Jing Sheng's heart and eyes have been filled only with the virtuous minister who fulfills his dreams,

His attitude toward Zhang Tingyu runs hot and cold, good times and bad times, unintentionally creating a sort of… tug‑of‑war!

As a result, this sudden word of praise actually stirred considerable ripples in Zhang Tingyu's heart.

Zhang Tingyu repeatedly chewed over the words 'Minister Hengchen sees matters with far‑reaching vision' in his heart,

Thinking that, although it does not match Jia Jing's praises such as 'the beautiful jade of the Da Han Empire,' 'minister of the middle revival,' 'foremost meritorious official of the Da Han Empire,' it is still a not‑low evaluation coming straight from the emperor's own lips.

As he lifted his gaze and met the emperor's slightly encouraging look, Zhang Tingyu's heart shuddered, and he could not help but continue speaking: