Taichang Ming Dynasty

Chapter 34 The Plan Was Cut Short
Fu Li, the Censor of the Criminal Department, actually did not want to get involved in this mess, but since the cabinet's instructions had been sent to him, he had to express his attitude.

Although he was a censor, he was completely different from Yang Lian and Zuo Guangdou. Fu Li was not full of passion, nor did he have lofty ambitions. He just wanted to keep the official position he had earned through years of hard study.

Not surprisingly, Fu Li found himself in a dilemma. In an extremely unusual way, he was "fortunate" to experience the feeling of being blocked from both ends as the chief minister of the cabinet.

Accepting the cabinet's instructions meant going against the emperor, but signing for the Jinyiwei meant going against all his colleagues. It was a matter of death whether you advanced or retreated.

Fu Li didn't have much time to think; he could only take a gamble. Yang Lian, having offended the emperor, wasn't dismissed from office or sentenced to death; instead, he was promoted eight ranks and appointed as the Inspector General of Liaodong. Fu Li didn't seek a promotion; he simply hoped the emperor wouldn't punish him for his disobedience.

To Fu Li's surprise, his refusal to sign the document propelled his reputation among the censors to a new peak. Within half a day, he was recognized alongside Yang Lian and Zuo Guangdou as one of the "Three Warriors." The court's overwhelming praise instilled a sense of elation in Fu Li, alleviating his initial anxiety.

However, this really scared the officials of the East Factory who were ordered to be severely punished by the emperor.

These people were Jinyiwei officers who had been transferred to the East Factory during the reign of Emperor Shenzong, and they had always maintained a very good relationship with their former employer. Regardless of whether the emperor intended to protect them or not, as long as the case was handed over to Jinyiwei and the Southern Pacification Division for trial, they would definitely get away with it.

When the time comes, I can sue the censors for false accusations and treat these bored people who have nothing to do after eating.

But that idiotic Criminal Affairs official, Fu Li, used the ancestral law to block their path to imprisonment. Zou Kai, frantic at home, even considered having Fu Li executed. But he knew full well that to send the Death Penalty Official to prison at this juncture would be tantamount to courting death.

"I just hope there will be good news from the factory manager. If I can pass this hurdle, I will definitely build a shrine for you!" Zou Kai bowed to the palace from a distance and kowtowed repeatedly.

The East Depot Commander, Cui Wensheng, whom he was expecting, was also kowtowing. "Grandfather! Save me!"

"You are looking for death yourself, how can I save you?" Wang An kicked Cui Wensheng, who was kneeling on the ground, and knocked him to the ground sideways, almost hitting Wang Chengen, the eunuch who was returning home from get off work.

Isn't the ancestor quite kind? This kick directly refreshed Wang Chengen's perception of Wang An.

"Grandfather, please tell the emperor that I didn't embezzle anything!" Cui Wensheng was still being stubborn.

"Hmph! Think it over carefully before you speak." Wang An waved his hand and had dinner placed in front of Cui Wensheng. "This is your meal for today. Eat it and keep kneeling!"

"Okay!" Looking at the food in front of him, Cui Wensheng felt that he could still be saved.

Zhu Changluo was caught off guard by Fu Li, the Censor of the Criminal Department, who refused to "jointly sign" the decision.

He asked the Jinyiwei to investigate the East Factory, of course not to protect the East Factory, but to establish the New West Factory after the Jinyiwei's cover-up was indeed carried out.

After that, he would use the new West Factory to investigate both the Jinyiwei and the East Factory at the same time, thus comprehensively rectifying the secret service agencies directly under the emperor and laying the foundation for the reform of the factory and guard system. He had already drafted the new system and was just waiting for the cover-up case to be exposed.

The Criminal Department's refusal to "jointly sign" was almost equivalent to cutting Zhu Changluo's plan in half.

Moreover, he could not reprimand the cabinet and Fu Li for this matter, because their actions were entirely out of public interest rather than selfish desires. Zhu Changluo could only swallow this loss, make other plans, and wait and see how the situation developed.

And so, the first truly absurd incident of the Taichang reign occurred. The censors collectively impeached the East Depot. The emperor approved the impeachment and ordered the arrest of all those implicated. The cabinet then instructed the Criminal Affairs Department's Imperial Censor to halt the arrests, a move that surprisingly earned the censors' approval. For a moment, the inner and outer courts, officials and censors alike, fell silent. After the previous day's uproar, the court immediately fell into an eerie silence.

Everyone was speculating about Zhu Changluo's attitude towards the matter. What the officials least wanted to see was the emperor reprimanding the cabinet and dismissing Fu Li for disobeying the emperor's order, which would mean that the emperor was indeed intending to protect the East Factory.

But Zhu Changluo would not do so. It was foreseeable that once he reprimanded the cabinet and arrested Fu Li, the officials would immediately explode in anger. For a period of time, the entire court's attention would be focused on the "East Factory corruption case."

Regardless of how things unfolded, the situation was bound to develop into a struggle for power between the emperor and his ministers. This would inevitably lead to even greater opposition to the New Western Factory, which was clearly not what he wanted to see.

Zhu Changluo decided to remain silent. He believed that the cabinet would not just instruct Fu Li to make things difficult for him. They must have something to say.

This judgment was correct. When the sun had completely set but the sky was still dark, Prime Minister Fang Congzhe went to the Qianqing Palace to meet the emperor with the cabinet's explanation.

Fang Congzhe had been summoned, jogging all the way, which had exhausted the old man. Panting, Fang Congzhe arrived at the door of the South Study. Seeing Cui Wensheng kneeling on the ground and the footprints on his clothes, he couldn't help but shudder. In an instant, all kinds of speculations flashed through his mind.

"The Minister of Rites and Grand Secretary of the Dongke Fang Congzhe requests an audience!" The eunuch at the door saw Fang Congzhe coming and quickly announced his name.

"Come in!" Zhu Changluo slightly adjusted his expression and raised his voice to a level that could be heard clearly outside the door.

"Your servant Fang Congzhe pays homage to the long-lived emperor!" Fang Congzhe performed the full ceremony of five bows and three kowtows as soon as he came up.

"Get up and speak up if you have something to say." Zhu Changluo put on an impatient expression. "What on earth are the cabinet thinking? Didn't you tell me to follow precedent? I followed precedent and ordered the Imperial Guard to arrest the Dongchang people, but you instructed that Imperial Secretary Fu Li to come and make things difficult for me. Are you trying to protect the Dongchang?"

The undisguised questioning and reproach in Zhu Changluo's tone not only did not make Fang Congzhe feel anxious, but instead made him feel comfortable.

The Emperor really just doesn't know the trick, Fang Congzhe thought.

"Ahem." Fang Congzhe cleared his throat and said, "The cabinet has absolutely no intention of shielding the East Factory!"

"Oh?" Zhu Changluo raised his head and eyebrows, motioning Fang Congzhe to continue.

"Your Majesty, except for the commander of the East Factory Cui Wensheng, all the personnel of the East Factory are from the Jinyiwei." In order to make the emperor feel the connection between the two spy agencies, Fang Congzhe gave several vivid examples.

"So what is the cabinet's opinion? Let the Censorate investigate the East Factory?" Zhu Changluo nodded, but his expression remained unfriendly.

Unless Fang Congzhe had lost his mind, he would never have asked the Censorate to investigate the Eastern Depot.

"Cabinet. Cabinet's opinion." Fang Congzhe hesitated.

The situation was urgent and the cabinet had not yet formed an opinion. He came here only to prevent the emperor from handing the case over to the Jinyiwei for investigation and interrogation.

(End of this chapter)