Chapter 439: The Officials Debate in a Frenzy!

The next day at the Yin hour,

In the eastern and western cities of Shenjing, the various government offices began to light up gradually, and the capital officials of Shenjing were actively preparing for today's regular court.

The sedan chair of Ministry of War official Kong Ying was slowly carried out of the office, and he surveyed the dark Shenjing streets through the curtains.

Yet the whole street was terrifyingly quiet compared to before; although the shouts, door‑bashing, and clashing of soldiers and Imperial City Office agents from last night were gone, many soldiers still stood before and behind various gates, torches in hand, surrounding some residences.

Some lingering bloodstains could still be seen on the streets, evidence of last night's unrest in Shenjing.

"Go around and find out exactly what happened last night," Kong Ying instructed the attendant outside the sedan, his expression solemn.

In the plaza before the Right Shun Gate of the Taihe Hall, more and more officials arrived for the morning court; civil and military officials of the Da Han Empire above the fifth rank gathered in groups, a sea of black, soon filling almost half the plaza.

Weak morning light streamed from the east, stretching people's shadows long across the vermilion palace walls, like rows of black‑and‑white silhouettes.

Facing the regular court that Jing Sheng Di had specially convened today and the chaos of last night in Shenjing, many officials poorly informed about the events were bewildered, murmuring together.

At this moment, among the civil officials stood Ministry of War official Kong Ying, Left Deputy Censor Xu Sanli, Hanlin Academy scholar Peng Peng, Censor Sun Jiache, and Cabinet minister Xiong Cili.

Kong Ying asked Cabinet minister Xiong Cili:

"Sir, what exactly happened last night? It seemed the Imperial City Office was arresting people; what is that scoundrel Xia Shouzhong up to? They already arrested so many last month, why start again on the first day of this month?"

Xia Shouzhong, having collaborated with Zhang Tingyu last month to launch a great purge, saw his reputation among the civil officials plummet, and many called him a power‑eunuch!

Xiong Cili's face darkened; he inhaled deeply, scanned the surrounding officials, and shouted angrily:

"Last night, Cabinet elder Zhang and Jia Zi Jie were repeatedly attacked; His Majesty was thunderously angry, sealed the nine gates, imposed martial law on Shenjing, and ordered Jia Zi Jie to command the Imperial City Office and the Five Cities Military Office to investigate the case and cleanse Shenjing."

"At the second quarter of the Xu hour, Jia Zi Jie, citing the involvement of Fang Ge Lao, the Pingyuan Marquis residence, and the Duke of Shanguo residence, ordered the Imperial City Office to raid the Pingyuan Marquis and the Duke of Shanguo estates; he himself then led troops to forcibly seize Fang Ge Lao's mansion. Fang Ge Lao resisted, and his entire family was slaughtered; he himself was sentenced to Zhao Yu."

"Later, Jia Zi Jie used the account books obtained from Fang Ge Lao's residence to arrest people everywhere…"

As a cabinet minister, Xiong Cili had his own sources and recounted the night's events in detail, his words full of resentment and bias toward Jia Jing's actions!

Obviously, as fellow cabinet ministers, seeing Fang Congzhe meet such a fate, though they are not of the same faction, they still feel a sense of shared sorrow.

The current Grand Scholar's residence was forcibly stormed by a group of Qiu Ba, who slaughtered indiscriminately; is there still any rule of law?

Moreover, Jia Jing's son has become increasingly overbearing and arrogant, acting recklessly, disrupting the civil‑military order and endangering the state, which cannot be tolerated!

"What? Such a thing happened?! He, Jia Jing, a mere warrior, how can he raid cabinet ministers' residences and dare to slaughter innocents? What is he after? Does he still have any regard for the court or the sovereign?"

Kong Ying and Jia Jing have long harbored grudges; upon hearing Jia Jing cause such a commotion again, he was instantly filled with righteous anger and shouted.

Xu Sanli's expression grew serious, and he replied coldly:

"Indeed! The great purge and capital inspection last month were instigated by this scoundrel; who would have thought he now becomes even more lawless."

"With trivial achievements he usurped the command of the Twelve Regiments, and for a martial man to be ignored, he even dares to persecute current cabinet ministers. If his arrogance continues, the state's principles will be ruined by such treachery!"

The civil‑military system concerns every civil official's interests; watching Jia Jing, a martial official, grow ever more powerful, almost all civil officials have long harbored thoughts of curbing him.

The reason Xu Sanli became the scapegoat is that his relatives were sentenced to Zhao Yu last month for alleged factionalism and have not yet been released.

Of course, after the fall of Cabinet Grand Scholar and Censorate Left Censor Fang Congzhe, whether Xu Sanli, the Left Deputy Censor, harbors ambitions to showcase himself and seize power is unknown.

Xiong Cili said in a low voice:

"Jia Zi Jie is a sycophant, flattering His Majesty with a fawning face, yet brutal and heartless toward officials, killing without blinking an eye."

"Since returning from the northwest, he has not only persecuted us civil officials but also the martial heroes of the founding lineage, killing or beheading them at will, wielding power arbitrarily; truly a great treason disguised as loyalty."

Censor Sun Jiache, unable to bear it any longer, frowned and said:

"Sir, regarding this matter, I am somewhat aware of the events. Isn't it because Jiang Zi Ning of the Pingyuan Marquis residence and Shi Guangzhu of the Duke of Shanguo residence violated military law, gathered crowds to gamble in the camp, and openly disobeyed orders, thus being executed? Perhaps Jia Zi Jie's strict military discipline is also a factor?"

Regardless, many still acknowledge Jia Jing's military merits; no matter how much one denigrates him, one cannot blatantly lie.

Xiong Cili shook his head and said:

"Sir Xi, is this merely strict military discipline? It is the elimination of dissent!"

"Now our empire's martial heroes, stemming from the founding lineage, dominate: the lineage boasts Four Kings, Eight Dukes, Twelve Marquises—half led by Jia Zi Jie, half by the Prince of Nan'an. Jiang and Shi are those close to the Prince of Nan'an."

"He did not execute others, only these two, precisely to monopolize the command of the Twelve Regiments; yet those ignorant of the truth think he is acting out of lofty righteousness, a public‑spirited heart!"

Sun Jiache, styled Xi Gong, also styled Yizhai, also called Jingxuan, a native of Linheli, Xing County, Shanxi.

Sun Jiache frowned and said:

"But I have heard he executed over twenty members of the Twelve Regiments, many of whom were former capital camp officers who followed the Jia family, and even Xie Qing of the Dingcheng Marquis residence, a Jia family relative, was dismissed; it wasn't only Shi and Jiang!"

"Even if he seeks sole command of the troops, with his military merits, martial strategy, authority, and the Imperial Sword in hand, could mediocre men like Shi and Jiang possibly restrain him?"

"Regardless, Jia Jing's son wields excessive military power; now he also controls the Imperial City Office and the Five Cities Military Office. Apart from the Imperial Guard, the hundreds of thousands of troops inside and outside Shenjing are all under his sole command. Is this the demeanor of a loyal minister?" Hanlin scholar Peng Peng snorted darkly.

He sent his steward out last night to gather information, only for the Imperial City Office men to beat him to death in the street; how could he not be furious!

Kong Ying, standing nearby, interjected: "Minister Peng, Sir Xiong, you are both right!"

Xiong Cili's face grew worried as he said:

"This youth rose to power early; in the future for our Da Han Empire he will be a disaster, not a blessing!"

Upon hearing this, Sun Jiache's expression changed, his voice trembling with doubt:

"Sir, Jia Zi Jie… was personally selected by the Son of Heaven from humble beginnings, rendering great service in supporting the empire in crisis; such meritorious martial officials are rare in the annals."

"It is said he is upright, his steward strict, never committing any illegal or treasonous act, and His Majesty trusts him deeply! Sir, might your words be overcautious?"

Xiong Cili shook his head and said:

"Thus I call him a great treason disguised as loyalty; even the Duke of Zhou feared rumors, and Wang Mang was humble before usurping. At such a young age he rose abruptly to high office and remains so steady—this is not a temperament any ordinary person possesses!"

"When His Majesty is present, perhaps he can still be restrained; if not…"

"His Majesty's perverse policies, the New Policies, the great purges—who knows if one day he will anger Heaven and capsize his boat?"

Sun Jiache fell silent for a moment; he did not wish to partake in reckless criticism of the sovereign.

Xiong Cili said coldly to those around him:

"Regardless, today we must strike Jia Jing's son hard, to curb his momentum!"

The surrounding people began to clamour:

"Indeed, the youngster is cruel and cold even at a young age; we must punish him!"

They arrested so many people last night, stirring panic among the populace; how can this be justified!

Xing is not a scholar‑official; how can we let him run amok like this!

When the Supreme Emperor ruled, he treated us civil officials with such favor; now to be persecuted like this, truly…

Besides this circle's discussion, in the other military‑merit circle, Prince Nan'an, the Chen family of Duke Qi, the Ma family of Duke Zhiguo, the Qi family of Marquis Xiangyang and others also seem to be murmuring, uttering criticisms of Jia Jing.

Moreover, the Loyal and Obedient Prince also appears to have some grievances against Jia Jing.

After a while, the Six Ministries of the Cabinet, the Five Military Governor's Office, the Censorate, the Hanlin Academy, the Office of Communications and essentially all civil and military officials had arrived.

Finally, Jia Jing arrived as well, leading the generals of the Twelve Regimental Camps.

At that moment, three sharp cracks of the pure whip sounded, and a thin, lingering voice from the Inner Guard came:

"Your Majesty has arrived! All civil and military officials, proceed into the hall for an audience!"

The ministers outside the hall immediately straightened their court robes, took their tablets, and stepped in unison into the main hall.