Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 1134 Court Hearing in the Ministry of Justice
"Bold?"

A furious shout resounded in front of the Ministry of Justice's gate, startling Eunuch Chen of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs into taking a step back, almost bursting with embarrassment and anger.

Xu Changwen took a step forward, bringing the two within a few feet of each other. He could even see the cold light reflected from the plain gold bead on Eunuch Chen's official hat.

"This humble official is not very bold, but you, sir, are perhaps much bolder in what you do in the palace. I wonder if you have gone to the Imperial Household Department to check the accounts and find out where those privately mined jade stones from Jiangnan went? Surely you didn't hide them away?"

As the conversation grew increasingly absurd, Gu Yichen's brows furrowed. Although he wanted to see these cunning and treacherous people from the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs make fools of themselves, it was not the right time. With a flick of his wrist, he tapped his bamboo cane on the ground even more rapidly.

"Guards, remove the shackles!"

A barely perceptible anxiety crept into his voice.

"This is not the place to argue. Let's go inside and talk this out."

"Enter the hall?"

Xu Changwen turned his head, his gaze falling on the two vermilion doors. The verdigris on the door knockers gleamed coldly in the sunlight, his eyes sharp as knives.

"Before entering the hall, I would like to ask Grand Secretary Gu, you once said, 'To make the ruler like Yao and Shun, and to restore the purity of customs,' are you now Yao and Shun? Are the customs still pure?"

At this moment, Grand Secretary Gu, who had been turning around, suddenly stopped, his face turning deathly pale. He slammed his bamboo cane on the ground, sparks flying from the copper tip.
"presumptuous!"

Perhaps it touched a raw nerve, causing him to lose his composure.

"Me, being presumptuous?"

Xu Changwen's voice carried a hint of sorrow.
"I stand here today not to defend myself, but to ask you gentlemen, is the sky of the Great Wu Dynasty still the sky of the people? Does the law of the Great Wu Dynasty still protect the people?"

He suddenly pointed to the two captains holding the shackles.
"Can the shackles in your hands bind my body, or silence the mouths of the people?"

Ma, the eunuch beside Chen Hui, had been waiting impatiently for some time, and suddenly shouted:
"Men! Seize Xu Changwen!"

Just as the two captains were about to step forward, they were stopped by Meng Li of the Dali Temple of the Censorate.
"Wait, gentlemen, the interrogation is imminent. Why linger in front of the mansion gate? Remove the shackles first."

"This, sir, these instruments of torture were decided by the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs. How can they be opened?"

The eunuch guarding the gate looked troubled, but after glancing at Eunuch Chen, he immediately straightened his back.

"Why can't I open it, Lord Song? What do you think?"

Feng Yongwen also reprimanded him sternly and changed the subject to Lord Song, but this time Song Zhen remained silent, his expression complicated, and he even began to decline.
"Since it is a decision made by the Directorate of Ceremonial, then let the Directorate of Ceremonial decide, and I will be responsible for recording it."

"How can the decision of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs be changed?"

Eunuch Ma wanted to argue further, but little did he know that Zhang Jinyu had already stepped forward and asked;
"Was the decision made by the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs discussed with us, or was it determined by the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs' official documents, or was it the personal opinion of Eunuch Chen within the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs, or was it the Emperor's decree?"

If you're going to ask, ask clearly; don't try to fool me.

The eunuch Ma Fei, who was in the court, turned pale. How could he not know the prestige of Marquis Luo Yun?
"This subordinate dares not presume to comment,"

"Since you can't make the decision, and Eunuch Chen probably didn't issue an imperial decree, then it's not the Emperor's will. Untie it."

Zhang Jinyu squinted, scanning the eunuch Ma before her. So this was how troublesome eunuchs could be.

Ma Fei looked somewhat bewildered, his gaze falling on Eunuch Chen as if asking a question. Chen Hui, at this moment, couldn't help but ask as well.

"Lord Luoyun, this is a decision made by the Directorate of Ceremonial. I wonder what your opinion is, Your Excellency?"

"Interrogate according to the proper procedures. The Great Wu Code is here. How dare Eunuch Chen try to create a separate law? Does the court expect to listen to the Directorate of Ceremonial, or even to Eunuch Chen himself?"

Anyone can be sarcastic or sarcastic; let alone these kinds of things, he dares to say even more offensive things. Sure enough, as soon as he said this, everyone present changed their expressions, and the eldest son, Li Chaosheng, immediately interjected.

“My lord, please do not be impolite. There is no precedent in the laws of the Ming Dynasty for interrogating Chief Xu. Since everyone present is the chief judge, we can discuss how to interrogate Chief Xu. Officials who have not yet been convicted should have their shackles removed.”

As if it were a decisive blow, the two eunuchs from the Directorate of Ceremonial, Chen Hui and Ma Feilai, had no choice but to give in and gave a signal to the palace guard in front of them to unlock the door.

Just as the captain took out the key, Zhang Jinyu suddenly stopped him, looked at Ma Fei, and gave him an order.
"Who do you think you are, daring to boss people around like this? You're neither the presiding judge nor the deputy judge. When you escorted this person, did you even read the Great Wu Law? Go and remove the shackles yourself."

He stared coldly at the eunuch before him, who reeked of a faint stench of urine mixed with a strong incense, making one feel nauseous. Behind him, Ning Bian and his personal guards already gripped their sword hilts, their sharp eyes fixed on him. This intimidated everyone, causing them to tense up. Only Eunuch Chen Hui stepped forward.
"Your Excellency is quite imposing. This is the main hall of the Ministry of Justice, the place where trials are presided. It was personally appointed by the Emperor and the Emperor Emeritus. Could it be that Your Excellency harbors ulterior motives?"

"Disloyal intentions? Since Eunuch Chen has thought of these things, what will you do if I really can't resist?"

Almost in the blink of an eye, he reached behind him and drew the long sword from his personal guard, slashing at Ma Fei's fingers. The moment he moved, the Imperial Guard captain behind Ma Fei's body paled, drawing his sword hilt to parry. In that single move…
The soldiers brought by both sides all drew their weapons and confronted each other in front of the Ministry of Justice's main hall. This action stunned everyone. Eunuch Ma was so frightened that his legs went weak and he knelt down on the ground, muttering something under his breath.
"You actually dared to lay a weapon on a mere mortal, Marquis Luo Yun! You, you..."

Zhang Jinyu ignored the eunuch's rambling and looked up with slight surprise. Those who could block his blade were all skilled swordsmen. Looking closer, he recognized him as one of the men who had escorted Xu Changwen that day—Zhao Jian, a captain with a calm demeanor and large, powerful hands. He was no ordinary man; the Northern Garrison Command was indeed full of talented people.
"What, you dare to stop me?"

The imposing aura instantly surged, and the personal guards outside the Ministry of Justice, upon hearing the commotion, all rode over and surrounded the area, taking out their crossbows and aiming them at the Imperial City Guards in front of the gate.

Seeing the tension between the two sides about to escalate, Zhao Jianshi was already sweating profusely and spoke in a trembling voice.

"My lord, please don't take offense. Eunuch Ma acted rashly and it's understandable. I'm willing to remove the shackles from Master Xu. What do you say?"

In this situation, it's no longer a trivial matter of interrogation.
"My lord, let's stop for now. The interrogation is a serious matter and cannot be delayed. Just remove the shackles; the palace is watching."

"Yes, Grand Secretary Gu."

The captain quickly went over and removed Xu Changwen's shackles in the blink of an eye.

Now that the matter was resolved, the eldest son, Li Chaosheng, immediately grabbed Luo Yunhou's sleeve.

"Return to court and begin the trial."

They dragged him into the inner hall, and Zhang Jinyu took the opportunity to back down, as a warning to the people of the Directorate of Ceremonial. He then led his troops back to the government office, leaving behind many eunuchs, their expressions uncertain.

Gu Yichen watched Luo Yunhou's retreating figure and suddenly sighed, the sigh shattered by the wind.

Song Zhen's face turned pale and then red, but he finally waved his hand, signaling the captain to step down. Then, everyone returned to the main hall together.

After everyone left
Xu Changwen slowly got up, walked to the entrance of the hall, suddenly stopped, looked back at the leaden clouds in the sky, the wind whipping up the corner of his robe like an unyielding flag.

"My lords," his voice was calmer, yet carried a heavy weight,
"It's easy to judge me, Xu Changwen, today, but it won't be so easy to judge justice in the world in the future."

Having said that, he stepped into the main hall of the Ministry of Justice. Then, the two vermilion doors slowly closed behind him, shutting out the gloom and noise outside.
As soon as everyone was settled,
Chen Hui, who had been impatient for a long time, slammed the gavel down and roared at Xu Changwen:
"Xu Changwen, you enter the hall and do not kneel down. Do you know your crime?"

He shouted sternly, unaware that Xu Changwen had already disregarded life and death. He slowly raised his head, his voice hoarse but firm:

"This humble official is unaware. The congratulatory letter I presented was entirely truthful, and there are account books to prove it. What crime have I committed? If I am innocent, why should I kneel?"

"A congratulatory message?"

Chen Hui sneered, picked up a stack of papers from the table, and threw them down.

"This is a copy of your congratulatory letter, which is full of treasonous words. Lord Feng, you are a member of the Dali Temple. Xu Changwen, the criminal, will you be tried on your knees or standing?"

"Reporting to Eunuch Chen, according to the regulations for interrogating officials under the laws of the Great Ming Dynasty, officials of the third rank and above are interrogated while seated before being convicted and dismissed from their posts, while those of the third rank and below are interrogated while standing."

"You, then you can start the interrogation first."

Chen Hui's face turned ugly. Looking at the people around him, who were all silent, he couldn't swallow his anger. He stammered and changed the subject, turning to Xu Changwen's "father-in-law" to see how he would interrogate him.

Unfortunately, Feng Yongwen of the Dali Temple remained motionless. Having witnessed countless official intrigues and deceit, he was not fooled. Suddenly, he clasped his hands and bowed deeply to Grand Secretary Gu.
“Grand Secretary Gu, although I am one of the chief judges, I am at most a deputy judge. There are many things I do not know. If I remember correctly, His Majesty issued an edict yesterday in the Imperial Study, ordering Eunuch Chen and others to personally interrogate Xu Changwen, with the Grand Secretary in charge of the trial and all officials supervising. My interrogation is not in accordance with the edict.”

"Hmm, that's right. Since His Majesty has issued the decree, then we shall proceed in accordance with His Majesty's decree. Eunuch Chen and I will take charge. Today, we will have Minister of Justice Song Zhen personally conduct the interrogation. He shall ask the questions as he sees fit. Song Zhen, what do you think?"

They decided the matter almost without giving Eunuch Chen time to react. This back-and-forth action made Zhang Jinyu and the others seem thoughtful, indicating that Grand Secretary Gu and his group had already prepared a plan.

Song Zhen's face was grim. Why had the case been put in his hands again? He wanted to refuse, but thinking of the Emperor's instructions, he gritted his teeth and agreed.

"According to the order."

Perhaps because of the Emperor's decree, Chen Hui felt much more at ease. He then gave Ma Fei a wink, and the latter brought out a table, laid out documents and writing materials, and sat down to prepare to record. After everyone had finished distributing their materials, Song Zhen slammed the Jingmutang (a type of writing implement) on the table and asked.

"Xu Changwen, let me ask you first. Under the guise of a congratulatory memorial, you secretly harbored malicious intentions. You wrote this treasonous letter, which is like a mad dog barking at the sun, and you vehemently denounced the emperor and the father. From the Emperor Emeritus down to the ministers of the six ministries and nine ministers of the cabinet, everyone who read it was filled with righteous indignation and found it utterly incomprehensible. Now I ask you, who is behind this? Is it your own depravity that is trying to gain fame for your integrity?"

The first thing they did was question his conscience. If someone had instigated it, they should all be arrested and brought to justice. Zhang Jinyu looked at Song Zhen, the Minister of Justice, and narrowed his eyes. It seemed that this man was not simple-minded either. Was he working with the princes or had he made contact with the Jiangnan region? After all, the Zhen family had also come to the capital.

"Haha, Lord Song, you are mistaken. I have already made it very clear in my memorial. The purpose of this memorial is to rectify the ruler's ways, clarify the duties of a minister, and seek peace and stability for all generations. Submitting such a memorial and offering such advice is a minister's bounden duty. In my memorial, which matter or principle is not based on fact, which is not the principle of the sages?"
"Lord Song and all the other officials are well-versed in the classics, and are meant to assist the sage in governing the world. After reading my memorial, would you think my words are utterly depraved, a mere attempt to gain fame? It is my duty; why should I need instructions from others?"

Xu Changwen remained expressionless, standing ramrod straight, upright and incorruptible. His arguments were based on the principles of sages and saints; however, while most of his words were clear, and the memorial did indeed contain the facts, they did not align with the Emperor Emeritus's wishes.

"Insolence! Lying!"

Song Zhen slammed his hand on the table.
"Xu Changwen, you say you weren't instructed by anyone else, and you're not seeking fame. Do you think that in our Great Wu Dynasty, the proper conduct of the ruler and the duties of the ministers are something that should be entrusted to a mere clerk in the Ministry of Revenue like you? You keep talking about upholding the proper conduct of the ruler and clarifying the duties of the ministers, but I ask you, what is wrong with the proper conduct of the ruler, and what is unclear about the duties of the ministers? You actually dare to criticize and curse the sage with every word you utter! Has there ever been such an arrogant and rebellious person as you throughout history?!"

"Hmph, I understand what Lord Song means, Grand Secretary Gu,"

He cupped his hands and gestured towards Elder Gu on the high platform, then weighed it in his hand.

"Just say what you have to say,"

Gu Yichen didn't shy away from suspicion; now that things had come to this, he had said what he should and shouldn't have said.

"Your Excellency, the laws of the Great Wu Dynasty clearly state that interrogators and those being interrogated who have a history of prejudice or conflict should recuse themselves. I once offended Minister Song here because of the corruption case in Jiangnan. I implore Your Excellency to follow the laws of the Great Ming Dynasty and ask Minister Song Zhen to recuse himself from this case. If he is interrogating me, I will not answer a single word."

Before he could finish speaking, she had already trampled on Lord Song's dignity, which angered Song Zhen so much that he stood up and slammed his fist on the table several times.

"Insolence! Insolence! Insolence!"

He had almost completely lost the dignity of an official, and was furious. Even Chen Hui found it hard to believe that he would still dare to speak so arrogantly in this state. Did he still think that Marquis Luo Yun could protect him?

Before anyone else could speak, perhaps sensing the hidden meaning in Xu Changwen's words, Lord Meng Li of the Inspectorate suddenly spoke up to inquire.

“Xu Changwen, this is the main hall of the Ministry of Justice. All the presiding officials have already been appointed. Putting aside the fact that your memorial at the banquet was utterly disrespectful, your words and actions today are truly incomprehensible. What time is it? You actually asked Lord Song, who is here to preside over the case, to recuse himself. What is your reason?”

The conversation abruptly shifted, focusing on Lord Song. Even Feng Yongwen, standing beside him, glanced at Meng Li with surprise. Could it be that Brother Meng was also acting on the Marquis's orders to openly criticize Xu Changwen? But why would these words be directed at Grand Secretary Song?

"In response to your questions, sirs, in the eighth year of the Yuanfeng era, after the imperial examination, I served as the magistrate of Chunyang County. At that time, you, Lord Song, were still the Minister of Justice. One was a high-ranking official, and the other was a lowly one. We had never met. However, I exposed the corruption in Jiangnan. From the Provincial Administration Commissioner to the Inspector General, and all the officials of the prefectural government, they were all detained and brought to the capital for trial. You, Lord Song, were the presiding judge. This was a case with irrefutable evidence, but you, Lord Song, kept delaying and did not investigate. The corruption in the Textile Bureau and the illegal mining of jade in Jiangbei were all documented and ordered by the Imperial Household Department. You, Lord Song, were afraid of both the wolf and the tiger. How could you handle the case? I will have to impeach you."

Unperturbed, Xu Changwen eloquently explained the ins and outs of the matter. The civil and military officials, upon hearing this, suddenly understood and began whispering amongst themselves. After all, the case in Jiangnan was widely known.

"You bastard, slap him!"

In his haste, Song Zhen wanted to resort to torture, but Meng Li was not afraid of such things. The joint trial by the three judicial departments had long been a mere formality. Now that the Censorate could regain its power, his position might be in jeopardy.

"Let him finish what he has to say."

The two presiding judges interrupted one after the other, which made Gu Yichen frown and speak in turn;
"Why rush? Why bother arguing with him? Let him finish speaking. Xu Changwen, please continue."

"Yes, Your Excellency, Lord Song has more than just these. After arriving in the capital, the Jiangnan Provincial Governor, Lord Zhuang, sent documents and account books detailing the encroachment on taxable land in Jiangnan over the years. These documents record the forced buying and selling and the unauthorized reclamation of fertile land by the noble families and powerful clans of Jiangnan. Furthermore, the Inspector General, Lord Jing, investigated the dikes in Jiangnan, providing evidence of the destruction of dikes and flooding of farmland, as well as account books on the repair of waterways over the years. Lord Song has been hesitant to investigate, avoiding any questioning. Isn't this because he fears the people behind these matters? Is it the Zhen family of Jiangnan, the Imperial Household Department in the capital, or the Waterway Administration? Lord Song is now questioning me, which shows my lack of understanding of my duties. I will not answer such a lowly person."

They practically pointed their fingers at him and cursed him.

The officials in the hall were so shocked they almost lost their voices.

“This magistrate is truly fearless; those are things he can say.”

"Yes, everyone knows about the problems in the court, but which official dares to expose them?"

"What a pity, what a shame, this man was a talented person."

"That's true, but even the most talented people have to live."

Not to mention the complicated expressions on the faces of the officials, even the many presiding officials on the high platform had faces that were a mix of red and white. How could these things be said so openly? Meng Li hadn't expected Xu Changwen to dare to speak so frankly about these matters.
"Grand Secretary Gu, since Lord Song should not be interrogated, then what should be done?"

"Well, Eunuch Chen, what do you suggest we do?"

When faced with a dilemma, one should not act arbitrarily. Matters initiated by the Directorate of Ceremonial should be handled by the Directorate of Ceremonial. In particular, Xu Changwen said those things. Now that he has said them, how can he take them back? Thinking of Zhuang Shouzhi and Jing Cunliang's backup plans, he had another headache. Last time in the Imperial Study, the Emperor specifically asked about the Jiangnan matter. He must have already known about these things. There are too many things involved, and it is impossible to investigate them!

(End of this chapter)