The prince is more stable

Chapter 870 Imperial Authority and Strictness
Throughout history, there have been instances of court officials kneeling at the palace gates, a way for them to express their protest to the emperor.

In addition, there were other ways of expressing protest, such as submitting a petition to resign or banging one's head against a pillar to remonstrate with the enemy.

When memorials to the emperor prove ineffective, ministers often resort to more drastic measures to stop the emperor from doing foolish things.

Once more ministers choose this approach, the emperor has to consider his reputation and influence, and try to compromise and yield so that both the emperor and his ministers can save face.

According to the unspoken rules of the imperial court, with two hundred officials kneeling at the palace gates, Emperor Zhao Xiaoqian, being the emperor, was bound to make some concessions.

For example, the establishment of the Censorate could be postponed, or the provisions for supervising officials could be slightly modified to make them less aggressive.

However, the officials did not expect that the emperor had no intention of compromising at all. He not only issued an edict to arrest the ringleaders on the spot, but also dismissed all of the more than two hundred officials present today.

This imperial decree is absolutely outrageous.

Since the founding of the Song Dynasty, no emperor had ever dismissed more than two hundred people at once; such a thing was unheard of.

The court officials present immediately changed color. They were certainly dissatisfied with the establishment of the Censorate by the court, but there were actually not many who firmly opposed it.

Most people believed that the large number of people kneeling at the palace gate, with more than two hundred court officials kneeling to petition, did not constitute a disturbance. The so-called "law does not punish the masses" meant that even if the emperor was angry, he would at most refuse to compromise and would not turn around and punish them.

Unexpectedly, the emperor actually issued an edict to punish him.

This newly enthroned emperor has a really tough temper and personality.

Chen Shou stood outside the palace gate, coldly surveying the more than two hundred court officials surrounded by the various officials, his eyes indifferent and somewhat mocking.

"The person who instigated the disturbance should step forward and admit their guilt. It would be unfair to implicate others. With so many people here today, do you think we can't find out the truth?"

After a long silence, one of the middle-aged officials who had just delivered an indignant speech in front of the assembled ministers stood up and angrily said, "I was the one who started it, so what?"

"The emperor is incompetent and acts arbitrarily. He has violated ancestral rules. We are speaking out for the sake of the people. What crime have we committed?"

Chen Shou stared at him expressionlessly and asked, "Who are you, and what is your official position?"

"I am Zhu Zhen, the Deputy Commissioner of the Salt and Iron Bureau. I will take the lead in today's matter. What do you say?" Zhu Zhen looked at Chen Shou with disdain and said, "You lackeys need not bark so loudly. If you want to question me, then do as you please. The whole world is watching."

"Zhu was willing to die to remonstrate with the emperor, but the emperor was muddle-headed and refused to listen to good advice. Instead, he ordered his henchmen to arrest and punish him. What a wise and powerful ruler!"

Chen Shou's expression was no longer indifferent; anger flashed in his eyes.

He can tolerate being insulted, but he cannot tolerate being insulted by officials.

"Whether the emperor is incompetent or not is not for you to decide alone. Since you admit to being the ringleader, then be prepared to bear the consequences."

With that, Chen Shouyi waved his hand: "Take him down!"

The imperial guards behind him rushed up and quickly grabbed Zhu Zhen's arms.

Zhu Zhen was furious and struggled violently, cursing incessantly. However, the more than two hundred court officials behind him were intimidated by the imposing presence of the imperial guards under Chen Shou's command, and at the same time, they were all secretly worried about their own future. For a moment, no one dared to stop him.

"Strip him of his official robes and remove his winged hat, then send him to the Ice Well Office for Liu Shaojian to interrogate Zhu Zhen personally," Chen Shou continued.

The courtiers were immediately in uproar. What a serious crime! They had been sent to Bingjingwu! This procedure was abnormal. If an official committed a crime, he would at most be imprisoned in Dali Temple.

If someone enters the ice well, their fate will be grim.

Liu Dan's reputation was known throughout the court. That old pervert took pleasure in torturing people, and most of those who fell into his hands were worse off than dead.

Zhu Zhen panicked upon hearing that he was about to be sent to the Ice Well Office. His arms were bound behind his back by the Imperial Guards, rendering him unable to move. Yet, he angrily shouted at the tightly closed palace gates, "Cruel and cruel to loyal ministers, a tyrannical and incompetent ruler! Your Majesty, the whole world is watching you, open your eyes!"

Chen Shou sneered and waved his hand, signaling the Imperial Guards to take away Zhu Zhen, who was jumping up and down cursing.

Seeing Zhu Zhen being punished so severely by the Emperor, the remaining two hundred or so court officials were all in a panic. They never expected the consequences of this matter to be so serious.

The old method of kneeling at the palace gates to petition, which was commonly used, seems to be completely ignored by the current emperor.

Many officials watched Chen Shou with bated breath, secretly praying that his words were just a threat and that the emperor wouldn't actually dismiss these two hundred-plus of them on the spot.

However, they were ultimately disappointed; every word Chen Shou said was true and reliable.

"By imperial decree, all the more than two hundred court officials who are kneeling at the palace gate today are hereby dismissed from their posts. The vacant positions will be temporarily filled by officials in the capital who are on probation and will await selection and evaluation by the Ministry of Personnel after taking office."

After saying this, Chen Shou waved his hand again: "All officials present, strip off your official robes and hats, record your names, and report to the Council of State Affairs."

The imperial guards surrounding the officials swarmed forward, and amidst the courtiers' shrill protests and cries, the official robes and hats of more than two hundred officials were forcibly stripped off, leaving a group of people standing outside the palace gates in a sorry state, wearing only white undergarments.

Chen Shou's face darkened as he said, "You all must leave immediately. If anyone dares to linger outside the palace gates and cause trouble again, it won't be as simple as just being dismissed from their post."

The courtiers were filled with grief and indignation, but what they had just witnessed had truly terrified them. So, without saying a word, they turned around and left, not daring to linger at the palace gates with any more resentment.

…………

More than two hundred officials were dismissed, and Zhu Zhen, the deputy commissioner of the Salt and Iron Bureau, was imprisoned in Bingjingwu. This event was like a thunderbolt in the Bianjing court, leaving all the officials in Bianjing with their ears ringing.

The court officials were all shocked and began to secretly inquire about the matter. Even now, they still couldn't believe it.

More than two hundred officials were dismissed just like that?

This is such a grand gesture; the Emperor truly cannot tolerate even the slightest displeasure.

The prime ministers of the Council of State were also surprised. When Zhang Dun heard the news, he was stunned. He held his pen and hovered over the paper, not moving for a long time, until the thick ink from the pen tip dripped onto the memorial and spread out as a dark ink stain.

At the same time, more than two hundred court officials were dismissed simply because they knelt down and petitioned in front of the palace gates. The impact of this incident was so terrible that Zhang Dun could hardly imagine how the Emperor could make such an impulsive decision.

Inside the Hall of State Affairs, several prime ministers from the New Party camp gathered around Zhang Dun, their expressions a mixture of alarm and anxiety, all seeking his opinion.

The other prime ministers from the old party faction sat silently in their chairs, coldly watching Zhang Dun and the others' anxious and angry expressions.

After a long while, Zhang Dun stood up and said in a deep voice, "I will go to the palace to meet the Emperor and try to smooth things over with him."

He had just taken a step when Zhang Dun stopped again, quickly glanced at the old party prime ministers, then at his new party colleagues in front of him, and asked in a low voice, "Who among you instructed this to happen today?"

The expressions on everyone's faces changed instantly, and two of the Vice Ministers immediately turned their heads away.

Those who can rise to the position of Minister of State Affairs are all seasoned veterans, and naturally no one would admit it when Zhang Dun asked so bluntly.

Zhang Dun looked at his fellow New Party members and sighed, saying, "Whoever you are, you'd better watch yourselves. The establishment of the Censorate has been blocked, and the Emperor is just looking for a reason to put pressure on the Council of State Affairs. You've conveniently provided the reason. I'm afraid the Emperor won't let this go easily and will investigate it thoroughly."

After saying this, Zhang Dun turned and left, heading straight for the palace gate.

Inside the Hall of State Affairs, several prime ministers from the New Party changed their expressions, two of them looking particularly pale. They sat back in their seats absentmindedly, surrounded by countless memorials and reports on state affairs, but their minds seemed to have wandered off somewhere else entirely.

Half an hour later, Zhang Dun stood alone outside the palace gate, his expression filled with fear.

The palace gates remained tightly shut. He had been waiting for half an hour, but still hadn't received any news of an audience with the emperor.

Normally, the Emperor would treat him, the Prime Minister, as an honored guest. When Zhang Dun entered the palace to meet the Emperor, he would not have to wait long before palace servants led him into the palace.

Today, however, Zhang Dun has been waiting for half an hour, but the palace gates still have not opened.

Zhang Dun already had a bad feeling. Before the emperor and his minister even spoke, they had already sent out many signals.

After a long while, the palace gates finally opened a crack, and Zheng Chunhe walked out, still with a fawning and obsequious expression, smiling as he bowed to Zhang Dun.

Zhang Dun returned the greeting and stepped forward, saying, "Eunuch Zheng, His Majesty..."

Zheng Chunhe said with a smile, "His Majesty is not feeling well today and does not wish to see outsiders. Why don't you wait until His Majesty is feeling better before coming, Mr. Zhang?"

After speaking, Zheng Chunhe nodded amicably to Zhang Dun, then turned and entered the palace gate.

The heavy palace gates closed again, and Zhang Dun's heart sank.

Looking up at the palace gate before me, ancient and towering, it resembled a sleeping giant beast, exuding a faint aura of power. Mortals standing before this palace gate felt only a profound sense of powerlessness, forcing them to prostrate themselves in submission.

Zhang Dun knew that this oppressive force was called "Imperial Power".

…………

The dismissal of more than two hundred court officials was a foregone conclusion. This matter did not go through the Council of State Affairs and the Ministry of Personnel, but was directly issued to the Council of State Affairs in the form of an imperial edict.

Even if the prime ministers in the Council of State were unwilling, they had no choice but to obey the imperial decree.

The imperial machinery quickly sprang into action, and the names and official titles of more than two hundred people landed on the desks of the prime ministers. Everyone picked up their pens to write down their names and signed the documents of dismissal.

The Ministry of Personnel also sent over a list of candidates for official positions and honorary officials in the capital, and quickly filled the vacancies.

The court was still in turmoil, but no one dared to kneel at the palace gates to petition anymore. The predecessors had already paved the way for everyone, proving that this path was a dead end. The emperor not only wouldn't accept it, but would also severely punish offenders.

Regarding the establishment of the Censorate, memorials from court officials continued to be sent to the Council of State Affairs.

The way of kneeling at the palace gate is too extreme. Surely we can submit a memorial to stop it?

The role of a minister is to assist the emperor and correct his mistakes in a timely manner. This is a right granted to ministers by imperial power and the law. If even submitting a memorial to remonstrate is punishable, then that would be going too far.

Zhao Xiaoqian's dismissal of more than two hundred court officials ultimately served as a powerful deterrent to the officials.

There were still many memorials submitted to remonstrate against the emperor's actions, but for some reason, the tone of the memorials from the court officials had become much milder, and there were basically no more people who used strong language or pointed their fingers at the emperor and cursed him.

Despite their reluctance to admit it, the fact is that after the kneeling incident at the palace gate, the court officials had more or less felt that the majesty of the imperial power was not something that ordinary people could easily offend.

(End of this chapter)