Chapter 385: Jing Sheng Emperor: Come on! Strip Their Official Robes!

In the Qian Qing Gong, as Xu Zhuo and Lu Shengnan's words fell, Xie Jishi, panicking and speaking without thought, echoed a sentence Xu Zhuo had just said, and shouted:

"Jia Zi Jie, you, as a military merit holder, have proposed such a wicked plan; are you not afraid of becoming an enemy of all civil officials and inviting disaster someday?"

Upon hearing this, several cabinet ministers glanced at Xie Jishi with fear, all silently cursing him as extremely foolish!

How could such talk of civil-military contention be spoken openly!

Moreover, this veiled threat of future disaster surely hints at the old faction's plot for revenge after the Jing Sheng Emperor's passing!

Based solely on this disrespectful remark, one could say his death would be no great loss!

No wonder he was egged on to be the spearhead of the palace‑storming petition; he is indeed a rash and coarse sort.

Originally, regarding Jia Jing, who as a military merit holder rashly discussed state affairs and even proposed the harsh idea of establishing a great prison,

and the fact that Xu Zhuo, Lu Shengnan, and others joined in the attack still gave the cabinet ministers a certain pleasure to hear.

Because, as Jia Jing was ennobled as Duke of Jingguo and appointed Military Governor of the Twelve Regiment Camp, his military exploits shone, his power grew daily, and he lay close to the emperor's heart.

It was destined that he would face attack and hostility from the civil‑official bloc—a natural clash of positions that no personal will can shift.

Moreover, this is the attitude civil officials must display before the Jing Sheng Emperor.

Otherwise, with Jia Jing's current stature, if the cabinet ministers were still on friendly terms with him, that would truly mean they do not regard the Jing Sheng Emperor at all!

But merely criticizing Jia Zi Jie is one thing; how did your words, Xie Jishi, also threaten and curse the Son of Heaven? Isn't that just rushing to seek death?

Meanwhile, facing the ministers' reproaches, Jia Jing remained calm and composed, ignoring the noisy clamor in the hall.

Perhaps in past court assemblies he still had to debate the scholars or justify himself.

But given his present status, to launch a tirade against each of these civil officials would be somewhat beneath him!

To speak plainly, he now need only concern himself with the Jing Sheng Emperor's feelings; no one else is worthy of eliciting another word from him.

As for Xie Jishi's claim of making enemies of all civil officials and inviting future disaster, Jia Jing feels no fear at all—indeed, he finds it rather amusing!

Although the civil officials' wielding of the brush carries influence, it also has its limits.

After all, throughout history power has sprung from the barrel of a gun; never has it come from the tip of a pen!

No matter how formidable the civil officials, can they defeat ten thousand troops with mere mouth‑cannon?

Therefore, as long as he firmly grasps military authority henceforth, over time only the civil officials will grow ever more fearful of opposing him—not the reverse.

This is also because the realm has enjoyed peace for too long, leaving some people truly unaware of their own station and strength.

When the hall gradually quieted, facing the Jing Sheng Emperor who stared at Xie Jishi with a livid countenance, Jia Jing clasped his hands and said:

"Your Majesty! My proposal to establish a great prison stems solely from a heart of public devotion!"

"Today these two‑plus‑hundred persons who stormed the palace to petition have defied superiors; if one claimed no one behind the scenes was coordinating and inciting, I would not believe it!"

"With so many speaking in one voice, unanimously opposing the New Policies and Gong Ge Lao, even showing disrespect to Your Majesty!"

"The inner workings—I need not even think to know—these people surely have the Jiangnan gentry and court ministers backing them!"

"Now the situation in Jiangnan remains unclear; if we do not now strike hard to purge the malign influences within Shenjing City,"

"the implementation of the New Policies thereafter will still falter, possibly even spawn greater chaos, leading to a disordered realm and suffering populace—then it will truly be too late to regret!"

"As for their malicious accusations, they are sheer nonsense, not worth refuting!"

"They know only the distinction between civil and military, not the separation of public and private; they know only the scholars and literati of the world, not the common folk; they know only the literary men's honor and disgrace, not the ruler's toil."

"They mouth loyalty to the state while harboring private gain; with the hearts of foxes and rats, they possess the nature of swine and dogs; for private interest they abandon public duty, for profit they forget righteousness; they form factions for self‑gain, deceiving the sovereign and betraying the superiors."

"Their mouths full of sage‑like words, their bellies full of male thieves and female harlots! They are nothing but worms eating away at the foundations of my Da Han Empire, traitors and pests destroying my state altars!"

Jia Jing rarely used a term coined by Jia Baoyu!

Speaking, his gaze swept over Xie Jishi and his two companions, finally fixing on Fang Congzhe's face, making him turn black with fury, feeling a surge of evil fire rush to the crown of his head!

They mouth loyalty to the state while harboring private gain; with the hearts of foxes and rats, they possess the nature of swine and dogs; for private interest they abandon public duty, for profit they forget righteousness; they form factions for self‑gain, deceiving the sovereign and betraying the superiors. Their mouths full of sage‑like words, their bellies full of male thieves and female harlots?

Is this still a military merit holder? I almost forgot how Jia Zi Jie once shouted the Duke of Zhaoguo into vomiting blood and berated Cabinet Minister Xu Qianxue as a treacherous sycophant!

In terms of eloquence, he is in no way inferior to the civil officials!

After the imperial case, the Jing Sheng Emperor saw this, his heart slightly uplifted; Zi Jie remained as ever, scolding people with a voice like ringing swords!

The Jing Sheng Emperor gazed at the silent civil officials in the hall, fell silent for a moment, made up his mind, and spoke in a cold, solemn tone:

"I have previously declared in court that one may not conjecture groundless crimes against Zi Jie; Xie Jishi and his two companions have today repeatedly grasped at shadows, using malicious accusations to sow discord between ruler and ministers—this is truly a grave wickedness!"

"Come on! Strip their official robes! Send them to the Imperial City Office's Zhao Yu prison, investigate their confederates, and interrogate them under strict punishment for the crimes of colluding in factions, deceiving the sovereign, and betraying the superiors!"

Upon these words, it was as if a gale swept through the Qian Qing Gong; the cabinet ministers were struck as by lightning, their spirits shaken, all gazing at Jia Jing and the Jing Sheng Emperor with complex expressions!

Send them to the Imperial City Office to investigate the partisans!

These few words already show that the Jing Sheng Emperor has heeded Jia Jing's counsel and intends to establish a great prison, using the faction case to thoroughly investigate this palace‑storming incident!

From now on, Shenjing City will surely be tempestuous, with no day of peace to be had!