The prince is more stable

Chapter 869 War Begins Between Ruler and Subject
Changing the system and improving the law are the fundamental solutions to the problem.

Zhao Xiaoqian understood this point very clearly, and he was calm and resolute in his thinking.

All the factional strife, new policies and old laws, corruption, poverty and weakness—the root of it all lies in the fact that from the very beginning of the Song Dynasty, the court's system and institutions were flawed.

By the Yuanfeng era, the conflict between the emperor and his officials and between the people had reached an intractable point. Under the leadership of Emperor Shenzong, the famous "Yuanfeng Reform" took place.

Yes, changing the existing system was not Zhao Xiaoqian's idea; Emperor Shenzong had done it before.

It was from that time that the imperial court basically established the "two offices and three departments" system.

Objectively speaking, the Yuanfeng reforms greatly alleviated the sharp conflicts between the emperor and his ministers, the court and the people, while weakening the power of the prime minister and consolidating the imperial power.

However, it only "alleviates" the problem, not resolves it.

Zhao Xiaoqian then carried out further reforms based on the reforms implemented during the Yuanfeng era of Emperor Shenzong.

In addition to the "two offices and three departments", a new "official office" was added, namely the "supervisory office".

Improving the system and perfecting the law is to prolong the life of the Song Dynasty. If Emperor Shenzong could do it, why can't I?
Zhao Xiaoqian appears gentle, but he is actually quite assertive. He was able to keep his 100,000 unruly and fierce soldiers in check, so how could he not control a few ministers now?
The Council of State Affairs received numerous memorials, which the prime ministers submitted without any screening, seemingly as a way of protesting Zhao Xiaoqian's willful actions.

Zhao Xiaoqian casually flipped through several memorials, and there wasn't a single kind word in them.

Those with more refinement used relatively mild language, simply invoking ancestral rules to reason with Zhao Xiaoqian and dissuade him from establishing the Censorate.

Those with less self-control started cursing directly, calling him a "tyrant" like Jie and Zhou, or a cruel official. In short, Zhao Xiaoqian seemed to have stirred up a hornet's nest, and the officials submitted memorials to stop him, saying all sorts of nasty things.

Ultimately, if someone touches your deliciously eaten cake, how can you not be furious?

Zheng Chunhe cautiously observed Zhao Xiaoqian's expression. The turmoil of the past two days had been quite significant. Although he hadn't read the contents of these memorials, he was certain they were not pleasant words. Zheng Chunhe worried that if the emperor were to become enraged, the palace servants around him would be the first to suffer.

Of course, Zhao Xiaoqian wasn't that unreasonable.

There's a cause for every grievance, and a debtor for every crime. If you want to vent your anger, you can't take it out on innocent people around you.

After reviewing dozens of memorials, Zhao Xiaoqian's calm demeanor gradually began to falter.

Cultured people can be really scathing when they start to insult others.

A minister's memorial to the emperor should naturally not contain any vulgar language, but some ministers have the ability to write a whole document without a single vulgar word, yet the whole document is even more offensive than vulgar language.

If you have such abilities, why be an official? Why don't you stand with your hands on your hips and help those shrewish women curse in the streets? Why don't you go and stage an accident with some young man and cause a scene?

Zhao Xiaoqian's expression gradually turned cold, his eyes revealing a hint of chill, as he quietly continued to peruse the memorials.

All the memorials echoed the same sentiment: they resolutely opposed the establishment of the Censorate. No matter how much they reasoned, it was useless; in short, it was simply unacceptable.

It took Zhao Xiaoqian two full hours to roughly read through all the memorials, and then he sat behind his desk and closed his eyes to ponder.

The storm has finally arrived, and these memorials before us are its harbinger.

After a long while, Zhao Xiaoqian reached out again and picked out a few memorials from the mountain of petitions.

These few memorials that were specifically selected are not much different in content, but the content is even more offensive, and the criticism of the emperor is more intense.

Those selected by Zhao Xiaoqian are all typical representatives.

After opening these memorials, Zhao Xiaoqian glanced at them carefully again before closing them.

“Old Zheng…” Zhao Xiaoqian suddenly spoke in the quiet hall.

Zheng Chunhe hurriedly bowed and said, "This servant is here."

"Summon Zhen Qing, the Imperial City Guard, to see me."

"The slaves obey the order."

Half an hour later, Zhen Qing arrived in a hurry.

Zhao Xiaoqian threw the selected memorials at Zhen Qing's feet.

"Investigate these people thoroughly, have the Imperial City Guard investigate them deeply," Zhao Xiaoqian ordered.

Zhen Qing accepted the order without hesitation.

Zhao Xiaoqian continued, “They become so enraged and lose their composure just because their power and interests have been touched. I don’t believe these people are innocent. The Imperial City Guard should find a way to uncover evidence of their illegal activities and hand it over to Liu Dan of Bingjingwu for trial.”

"Find out whether anyone is behind these people and whether the prime ministers of the Council of State Affairs are involved. Whoever is found, the Imperial City Guard must report the truth."

"I want to know the results within three days."

Zhen Qing bowed and said, "Your subject obeys the decree."

After Zhen Qing was about to take his leave, he saw Zheng Chunhe enter the Funing Palace in a panic, and say in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty, something bad has happened. There are court officials kneeling outside the palace gates, pleading with Your Majesty to rescind the decree to establish the Censorate."

Zhao Xiaoqian's face immediately darkened, and he said coldly, "How many court officials are kneeling at the palace gate?" "About two hundred people. Half an hour ago, they gathered in twos and threes outside the palace gate and knelt down. Even now, some are still wailing and crying, saying something like... The emperor is unbenevolent, abusing his court officials, and arbitrarily changing the system, which is a path to the downfall of the country."

Zhao Xiaoqian laughed in anger: "It wasn't enough that they were cursing me in their memorials, now they're cursing me to my face. The scholar-officials of the Song Dynasty really have guts. They've been spoiled for the past hundred years."

"Old Zheng, summon Chen Shou to see me."

A moment later, Chen Shou rushed over, and Zhao Xiaoqian said coldly, "Gather all the palace guards and arrest the court officials who led the disturbance outside the palace gates, imprison them, and hand them over to Bingjingwu for interrogation."

"After interrogating the ringleader, the names and official titles of the remaining one or two hundred people should be recorded, and then the list should be handed over to Zhang Dun of the Council of State Affairs."

"Tell Zhang Dun that all two hundred court officials who knelt at the palace gate today are dismissed and will never be reinstated. The vacant official positions will be filled by the Ministry of Personnel selecting officials from the Bianjing (Kaifeng) to fill the vacancies."

As soon as he finished speaking, Chen Shou, Zheng Chunhe, and Zhen Qing all stared at Zhao Xiaoqian in shock.

Since the founding of the Song Dynasty, no emperor has ever dealt with his court officials so ruthlessly.

The dismissal of two hundred court officials at once is simply unheard of.

Clearly, the emperor has decided to use strong measures to deal with the court officials' attempt to force him to abdicate.

To accomplish great things, one must have boldness and extraordinary courage.

Looking up at the dazed Chen Shou, Zhao Xiaoqian raised an eyebrow: "What are you standing there for? Do you expect me to respectfully invite you to the palace gates to handle some business?"

Chen Shou seemed to wake from a dream and hurriedly said, "Your subject obeys the decree."

Chen Shou and Zhen Qing took their leave together and went about their respective business.

Zhao Xiaoqian leaned back in his chair, frowning as he fell into deep thought.

Today's turmoil marks the beginning of a battle between the emperor and his ministers. Whether it's the memorials of remonstrance or the two hundred courtiers kneeling outside the palace gates to plead, it's certain that none of them hold high-ranking positions.

According to the usual practice in court struggles, those who stand out first are usually unimportant cannon fodder.

That's why Zhao Xiaoqian had the courage to dismiss two hundred court officials at the same time.

Yes, we will never tolerate these people. If they dare to directly clash with the emperor, they will have to bear the consequences. They are all adults, and they don't need anyone to teach them this principle.

At this moment, Zhao Xiaoqian was thinking that there must be someone behind these people, and that the person who directed them must be someone of great power and influence.

Zhao Xiaoqian was considering how to make an example of someone to deter others. He wanted to investigate the matter further, to what extent, and to bring down several high-ranking officials in order to achieve the desired effect of making an example of someone.

It seems the prime ministers of the State Council will also need to make some changes.

Allowing these selfish and stubborn people to remain in such important positions is detrimental to the foundation of the Song Dynasty. It would be better to take this opportunity to dismiss a group of them.

In the great tide of history, some are destined to become victims of this era. Right and wrong are no longer important; what matters is not stopping the wheels of history from moving forward.

…………

At this moment, outside the Xuande Gate of the Imperial Palace, two hundred court officials knelt facing the palace gate.

The dozen or so courtiers kneeling in the front row were all prostrate on the ground and weeping bitterly.

The leading courtier did not kneel; with his back to the palace gate, he was using a passionate tone to incite the emotions of the two hundred kneeling courtiers.

"...After a century of the dynasty, the imperial court has established the ancestral system. The two offices and three departments are the official system recognized throughout the land. But today, the emperor has suddenly changed the ancestral system and is brazenly supervising all officials. From now on, all officials in the land are like slaves, without freedom, and their every move is under the surveillance of the court!"

“We scholars pass the imperial examinations and become officials to share the emperor’s burdens, serve our country, and bring benefits to the people. If we are constantly under the surveillance of the court’s spies and henchmen, what will the emperor think of us scholars? Won’t the situation of officials in the world be worse than that of pigs and dogs?”

"The Emperor and the scholar-officials govern the country together. How can he be so harsh and disrespectful to us court officials? This is a great mistake! I, Zhu, am willing to be the first in the country to petition at the palace gate, and ask the Emperor to rescind his decree!"

As soon as the words were spoken, the kneeling courtiers cried out in unison, "We beg Your Majesty to rescind your decree!"

The next moment, the heavy palace gates suddenly opened.

The two hundred courtiers outside were all stunned. Then they heard a series of rapid clanging sounds of armor plates. Chen Shou, the deputy commander of the Imperial Guards, led nearly a thousand Imperial Guards out and skillfully formed a battle formation, quickly surrounding the two hundred courtiers.

Chen Shou stood coldly before the court officials and loudly proclaimed, "By imperial decree, the officials who caused trouble at the palace gate today shall be investigated as ringleaders, imprisoned, and all other officials shall be dismissed from their posts on the spot, never to be reinstated by the court!"

As soon as the words were spoken, the court officials present were stunned, looking at each other in disbelief, as if what they had just heard was a complete hallucination.

Impossible! Dismissing more than two hundred people in one go? This is unprecedented since the founding of the Song Dynasty!
All he and his colleagues were doing was kneeling outside the palace gates to petition. Was that so hard to accept?
When the Yuanfeng Reforms were implemented, the entire court of officials objected, and there were several instances of officials kneeling at the palace gates to petition. Even the late Emperor Shenzong had never treated his court officials in this way.

How could this current emperor be so stubborn, unwilling to compromise with his court officials in the slightest?

The court officials panicked. Their petition was naturally for their own benefit; they did not want to be constantly monitored or have their power taken away. However, the emperor's punishment was far too severe, exceeding everyone's expectations.

For a moment, the crowd became noisy and restless. Many people got up guiltily, intending to sneak away as if they had never been there, but they were stopped by the Imperial Guards who surrounded them, and none of them were allowed to leave.

Fully armored, Chen Shou surveyed the crowd and coldly shouted, "Who among you is the one who started this trouble? Step forward and don't drag others into it!"

(End of this chapter)