Guangzong Yaoming

Chapter 146: Dismiss One First

Jiangnan is the Jiangnan of the Ming Dynasty, and it is also the Jiangnan of the various surnames in Jiangnan.

The Wang family of Taicang is also one of the surnames in the south of the Yangtze River.

In the past, Wang Xijue attached great importance to reputation, and for this reason he set strict standards for both Zhang Juzheng and himself.

In the end, he lost his reputation.

Now that he has returned to the court, he has met a different new monarch.

The emperor said that this was a sign of his improved realm.

On June 30th, the imperial edict was announced to the public, and the list of the new class of Shujishi was finalized.

The top scorer Zhang Yicheng and the second place winner Wang Heng were among them.

This time, Xu Guangqi, who was at the end of the second class, was also among them.

Although all the second-class candidates were eligible to take the exam, who would have thought that the last one in the second-class would actually be included in the list of only ten Shujishi?

In the Qianqing Palace, all the scholars expressed their gratitude together.

This was not the first time Zhu Changluo had met them.

He had actually seen the palace examination and the ceremony of announcing the results of the examination.

"I like variety!" Zhu Changluo looked at them and said, "For the selection of the Shujishi this time, I also value practical work over literary talent. In addition to compiling history, accepting systems, selecting candidates, and lecturing, I want to re-establish the system of government affairs. Under the Hanlin Academy, there are four halls: Classics and History, Imperial Edicts, Paintings, and Hundred Schools. Each hall has a chief scholar, who is of the fifth rank!"

After this decision was made, the next thing to do was to grant official positions to the new Jinshi graduates.

Wei Yunzhong expressed his gratitude excitedly. The seventh-rank reviewers from the Hanlin Academy praised the painting gallery and sounded like they were people who could provide practical advice to the emperor - even though they had no experience at all.

No one expected that the first central government office to be changed would be the Hanlin Academy, the source of the Qingliu.

From then on, the fifth-rank lecturer, the sixth-rank lecturer, the sixth-rank editor, the seventh-rank editor, and the seventh-rank reviewer were just honorary titles.

There are a total of four lecturers and readers, who will serve as the managing scholars of the four academies.

The top scholar Zhang Yicheng started out as a sixth-rank editor in the Imperial Palace; the second-place scholar Wang Heng was a seventh-rank editor in the Painting Palace; and the third-place scholar Xu Xie was appointed a seventh-rank editor in the Classics and History Palace.

In this way, Xu Guangqi was assigned to the Baijia Academy as a seventh-rank reviewer.

This is also a rare favor from the emperor. After all, the ordinary Shujishi selected in each subject before had no rank, but were only added to the Hanlin Academy to "reserve talents for the country."

From this day on, there were four official offices under the Ming Dynasty Hanlin Academy, which were in charge of different affairs.

The two most important permanent posts: compiling history and accepting imperial orders, were given to the Classics and History Museum and the Imperial Order Museum respectively; the other two museums, the Painting and Hundred Schools Museum, were obviously more eye-catching.

The lecturers for the emperor's imperial lectures were selected from among the old ministers in the court, scholars of the Hanlin Academy, and the scholars in charge of the four academies.

But the Hanlin Academy officials who were in charge of the Painting Gallery and the Hundred Schools Gallery were respectively arranged in the Imperial Study in the southern part of the Qianqing Palace and the Longdao Pavilion south of the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

Therefore, Wang Heng, Wei Yunzhong, Xu Guangqi and another seventh-rank reviewer Yuan Zirang who was assigned to the Baijia Academy were obviously different.

The next day, Wang Xijue entered the cabinet and Wang Heng entered the imperial study. The fact that both father and son were able to enter the Forbidden City and work in it would eventually make people think a lot.

On this day, the people who were more trusted by the emperor were Xu Guangqi and Yuan Zirang.

They arrived at the Hall of Mental Cultivation and saw another person inside.

"Come, meet my great uncle. He could have inherited the throne of King Zheng, but he is obsessed with mathematics and music. He has written several volumes of "The Essence of Music and Lü". You two may be able to discuss this with him."

Xu Guangqi was still confused, but Yuan Zirang's eyes lit up.

"Could it be that the Juqushan people are here in person?"

"Do you know Benshanren?" Zhu Zaiyu's eyes also lit up.

"...I have lost my temper, Your Majesty, please forgive me." Yuan Zirang then felt bad. The emperor had said that he was his great-uncle, the crown prince who could have inherited the throne of King Zheng.

But Yuan Zirang was studying rhyme studies. He was really interested in it and had already written a four-volume book tentatively titled "Zixue Yuanyuan".

Zhu Changluo didn't care and instead smiled.

"Xu Zixian, you don't have to worry." Zhu Changluo said to Xu Guangqi, "I have also summoned someone you know. You passed the imperial examination and Matteo Ricci has congratulated you, right? Today is the end of the month, so let's chat about everything."

"...Your Majesty knows him?" Xu Guangqi didn't know that Matteo Ricci had met the emperor twice. After all, Zhu Changluo asked Matteo Ricci not to preach in the name of the emperor.

"Now the Hundred Schools of Thought is just my hobby." Zhu Changluo looked at the two of them meaningfully, "The contention of a hundred schools of thought is beneficial to the country. Now he is only the imperial lecturer and the head of the Hundred Schools of Thought, but he is not the best choice in my mind. I hope you can make achievements and benefit the country. In the future, the Hundred Schools of Thought may become the target of public criticism."

Xu Guangqi and Yuan Zirang both felt excited: reviewing, editing, compiling, reading and lecturing... Could it be that these two newly established libraries will lead to a broad and smooth road in the future?
In the city of Beijing, the new Shujishi were just an interlude in the court.

As for the Jiangnan side, after the joint memorials from Xiao Daheng, Zheng Jizhi, Li Tingji and the joint memorial from the governor of Yingtian came up, what attracted more attention was the list of the second batch of local officials to be appointed.

Another pre-appointment notice was posted outside Chengtian Gate. This time it clearly included a large number of re-appointment lists of officials from the six ministries in Nanjing and the prefectures and counties in Jiangnan who had not been transferred before.

The newly-appointed scholars finally appeared among them, and they were the "Northern Officials" again.

"…the head of the Ministry of Revenue in Nanjing."

"…Leping County Magistrate."

Cheng Qinan and Meng Xikong looked at each other.

One of them was going to Nanjing, and the other was going to Leping County, Raozhou Prefecture, Jiangxi Province, where a major case had just occurred.

Who doesn't know that this round of Jiangnan's appointment has far-reaching implications? ...

In the Yongwei Camp, Geng Dingli came before the imperial envoy.

This time, Cheng Jing, Luo Sigong and Niu Yingyuan were also present.

No politeness.

"Geng Dingli obeys orders."

The one who spoke was Cheng Jing, who took out a shining imperial edict from his sleeve.

"The Emperor, by the Mandate of Heaven, hereby proclaims: Shuntian Prefecture has concluded a case of grain merchants in the capital raising grain prices, and has found solid evidence. Rumors of floods and poor harvests in Jiangnan are actually the work of Cheng Zhongzhang of the Cheng family of Leping, who was instructed by Geng Dingli, the Imperial Censor of Jiangdu. I order him to be dismissed from his post, and the three judicial departments to be summoned and held accountable to investigate whether he was the mastermind."

The newly appointed eunuch Cheng Jing, who was guarding Nanjing, looked at Geng Dingli who was sweating from the "heat" and asked: "Did you hear clearly?"

After saying that, he turned the imperial edict over and let him take a look.

Geng Dingli stared at it, and his pupils shrank when he saw the date at the end of the imperial edict where it was sealed.

"You are a smart man." Xiao Daheng continued, "Geng Dingli, if you have anything to confess, you should tell it all. This way, at least you can protect your family and not implicate the three clans."

"…The corrupt merchant is accusing me, how can Your Majesty believe it? I…was wrongly dismissed!"

Everyone watched him struggle in silence.

Instructing Cheng Zhongzhang to spread rumors is naturally a crime that is difficult to measure.

After all, he was an important official of the Ming Dynasty, so there is a saying that "you can protect your family and not implicate your three clans."

But if they were really to be punished for the crime of treason, then how could it be the three clans? It was nothing more than a show of "leniency".

Geng Dingli is still not the biggest fish in Jiangnan.

It is not Xiao Daheng’s goal either.

Then Xiao Daheng said: "I will read you some evidence that has been confessed before."

As Xiao Daheng read out one secret after another about Jiangnan, Geng Dingli's forehead and face became more and more covered with sweat.

He didn't know whether these were really confessed by the officials who had been summoned before, or whether they were said in the secret report sent from Jiangnan to the north.

But everyone in Jiangnan is trying to protect themselves, so is this important?
"...How can we convince the reformed members of the criticism?"

After hearing this, Geng Dingli just looked up at Xiao Daheng with "anger and grief" and said, "It is not a pity that the revolutionaries died! However, the accusations were based on one side only. How can the world be convinced by the thief's false accusations?"

"One-sided statement?"

Niu Yingyuan suddenly stood up.

He walked from behind the desk on the side and came in front of Geng Dingli.

"When I was the governor, the He family at Xijiangkou, Jiangpu, had only three small boats. How could they have 7,000 salt permits? Why did more than a thousand miners mutinied at the Tongguan Mine in Tongling? What is the surname of the people in the Jinsha Mine in Haimen County, Yangzhou Prefecture now?"

When Niu Yingyuan asked a question, Geng Dingli's face became even uglier.

"One-sided statement?" Niu Yingyuan bent down and grabbed the collar of his official robe, and with his other hand threw away his official hat. "The imperial decree has been issued, and you claim to have been dismissed from office. How dare you wear this official hat and speak so shamelessly? If you take off this robe, do you think there won't be witnesses and evidence from both sides of the Yangtze River swarming in to eat you alive?"

Geng Dingli's reputation as a senior official in Nanjing was completely destroyed by Niu Yingyuan. Luo Sigong and Cheng Jing couldn't help but look at Niu Yingyuan: He seemed to have some personal emotions in his expression.

"Let's talk about the case of the 'Japanese pirates' robbing grain!" Niu Yingyuan grabbed his collar and stared at him, "How conspicuous is the plank-roofed boat disguised as a Japanese ship? Do you want the navy commander to confront you? Did you threaten them with impeachment so that they had to go to the Yangtze River east of Jingjiang?"

"Last year, the Dragon and Tiger Left Guard and other five transport troops were dispatched to collect the grain from Suzhou Prefecture. Do you think His Majesty would not ask about the details when he summoned the grain transport commissioner and the chief grain transport officer to Beijing? Is there anyone like you among them? Don't you know what kind of people the transport troops are? They are soldiers who work hard in the fields, fishermen and coolies on the river! They are just ordinary people! More than a hundred people were killed or injured!"

Niu Yingyuan pushed him away and kicked him: "Over a hundred people were killed or injured! How can you convince the world by what you say? What sage books have you read? Are you worthy of wearing this robe?"

Luo Sigong couldn't help but go over and persuade him: "Niu Futai, calm down... calm down..."

While pulling Niu Yingyuan away, he turned around and said to Geng Dingli: "The imperial decree has been issued, it is better for the criminal to wait for trial in plain clothes. If you still do this, when I take action, I will not be as gentle as Niu Futai."

Geng Dingli didn't expect that he would be treated like a dog right from the start. Is this the "cautious handling of cases" that Nanjing had experienced in the past few days?
Xiao Daheng then coughed and said, "Geng Dingli, you should be more respectful. You should at least have a stool to sit on when the dismissed official is on trial. Sit down and talk slowly. Eunuch Cheng, Governor Luo, and Governor Niu are all here. With such a big scene, they can't just stop at you."

While in the Yongwei Camp, Geng Dingli was directly treated as a serious criminal by the imperial envoy who had previously only questioned minor officials.

Or he was personally dismissed from his post by imperial decree, which had already accompanied the imperial envoy south.

But he spent many days mending the wound. On the one hand, he felt that the court would not do such a thing, and on the other hand, he probably did not have any conclusive evidence.

Why did Mr. Xiao make such a big move to investigate and say that he was not just questioning him about his crimes?

So he unbuttoned his clothes and took off his official uniform in humiliation while he began to speak: "Your Majesty has issued an order, and the dismissed officials should obey it first. But the imperial envoy also said a few days ago that it was Your Majesty who suspected Jiangnan! The Cheng family is bold, and it is natural for Your Majesty to be suspicious. But you are starting with the dismissed officials, and they are innocent! Is it true that based on those one-sided statements, the imperial envoy not only wants to confirm the dismissed officials' crimes, but also implicate the civil and military officials of Jiangnan?"

"What do you mean by Jiangnan civil and military officials?" Xiao Daheng laughed, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. "Officer, remember this. This imperial envoy said that he would not just question Geng Geyuan. He speculated that this imperial envoy would implicate Jiangnan civil and military officials. This shows that the Cheng family pretended to be Japanese pirates to rob grain and kill transport soldiers, and there were many people behind it!"

Geng Dingli was wearing a thin inner lining and was stunned when he saw Xiao Daheng's smile and eyes.

"Isn't this also speculation based on words, Your Excellency?"

"What is there for Geng Ge to be afraid of? All the gentlemen are here. All the questions asked by the imperial envoy and your answers are recorded in the files and will be presented to the emperor for review."

Xiao Daheng smiled again before his face turned serious: "Now, this imperial envoy is going to ask you about the case. You must answer truthfully. This imperial envoy is here to greet you. If you lie to me, you are deceiving the emperor! Do you understand?"

(End of this chapter)