Dream of the Red Chamber: Start by gaining Zhao Yun's martial prowess, and be ennobled in a sin

The side hall to the right of the Hall of Supreme Harmony

This court assembly was not the usual inner court where the cabinet and the five military commands were summoned by Emperor Jingsheng in the Qianqing Palace to discuss and govern.

It was not a grand court or a morning and evening court that all civil and military officials in the capital had to attend, but a routine court that was attended by high-ranking officials of the Han Dynasty.

According to the Han Dynasty system, court assemblies were mainly divided into Grand Court, New Moon and Full Moon Court, and Regular Court.

The Grand Court Assembly was the highest-level ceremonial court assembly, which did not handle specific political affairs and was mainly used to demonstrate national power and strengthen imperial authority.

The main content included civil and military officials and envoys from vassal states presenting congratulatory memorials and holding solemn ceremonies such as "three kneelings and nine kowtows".

The Grand Court was held only three times a year, on New Year's Day, the Winter Solstice, and the Emperor's Birthday. The Emperor's Birthday was the day of the Grand Court.

During the grand court ceremony, all officials in the capital were required to attend, and the event was a large-scale affair with thousands of attendees.

The New Moon and Full Moon court assemblies, held on the first and fifteenth of each month, are ceremonial court assemblies with a simpler format.

However, one must still wear official robes and perform rituals, and refrain from discussing political affairs.

The New Moon and Full Moon Ceremony is held twice a month, fixed on the new moon and full moon days.

Officials in Beijing generally participate, but the event is less important than the grand court ceremony.

The regular court sessions were the core form of the emperor's daily handling of government affairs. They had a decision-making function and were used for presenting memorials, discussing important military and national affairs, and evaluating officials.

The main participants were core officials of the fifth rank or above from the Six Ministries and the Censorate.

The entire process of standing and responding to the audience is complicated and disciplined; being late or being disrespectful may result in being flogged.

The regular court sessions are held once a day in principle.

In the early Han Dynasty, there was a rule of "attending three court sessions a day," which meant holding regular court sessions three times a day: morning, noon, and evening.

However, after Emperor Taizu of Han, the evening court session was abolished, and after Emperor Chengzu of Han, the afternoon court session was gradually simplified. In the end, the "morning court session" was actually implemented for a long time.

However, during the reign of the retired emperor, the morning court sessions were essentially rendered meaningless because he had long suspended court sessions.

Later, Emperor Jingsheng ascended the throne. Although he was diligent in governing, he felt that the morning court ceremonies were complicated, formalistic, time-consuming, and inefficient.

Therefore, Emperor Jingsheng did not hold regular court sessions every day.

Instead, he turned to internal government affairs with important trusted officials such as the cabinet and the Five Military Commissions, namely the Qianqing Palace Deliberations, which were drafted by the cabinet.

As for regular court sessions, they were held approximately every five days, and Emperor Jingsheng stipulated that no more than eight matters should be presented at each session, in order to simplify the court proceedings as much as possible and focus on practical matters of the court.

Today's event is the routine morning court session held every five days.

The officials waited outside the side hall of the Right Shun Gate, awaiting the arrival of Emperor Jingsheng.

Zhuque was among them, exchanging pleasantries with Prince Bei Jing, Shui Rong, and a group of military officers. He had been back in the capital for several days.

As three sharp cracks of the whip sounded, the eunuch's high-pitched, drawn-out voice rang out:

"His Majesty has arrived! All civil and military officials are to enter the hall for an audience!"

The officials outside the hall immediately straightened their court robes, took their tablets, and followed closely into the side hall of the Right Shun Gate.

Emperor Jingsheng was already seated behind his desk in the palace, wearing his imperial robes.

The twelve imperial symbols flickered in the candlelight, and the twelve-tasseled crown hung down, obscuring half of his face. His gaze swept over the assembled officials who entered the hall.

"Your Majesty, we pay our respects! Long live Your Majesty!"

The courtiers paid their respects with reverence, their shouts echoing throughout the hall, the sound of their court robes touching the ground like a gust of wind sweeping across a wheat field.

"All of you, rise!"

Emperor Jingsheng was silent for a moment, then spoke.

The middle-aged emperor looked somewhat more somber than he had been a few days ago, clearly indicating that he had been quite troubled lately.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

The officials slowly rose to their feet.

The hall was quiet for a moment. Sunlight streamed through the red windows and fell on the floor. For a moment, the only sound was the soft clinking of the jade beads on the crown.

Emperor Jingsheng's expression was solemn as he surveyed the assembled officials in the hall before getting straight to the point:

"My lords, if you have anything to report, do so now!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Grand Secretary Chen Tingjing stepped forward, holding a jade tablet, and said:

"Your Majesty! The drought in Shandong and Henan provinces shows no signs of abating. Since the beginning of summer, not a drop of rain has fallen. Crops are withering and dying, and people are displaced."

"Your Majesty, I request that you... reduce or exempt taxes in the disaster-stricken provinces and allocate funds and grain for disaster relief."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Jingsheng's expression darkened slightly. He did not rush to agree, but pondered for a moment before asking in a solemn voice:

"Prime Minister, how much grain tax revenue has been collected in Jiangnan? How much of the deficit has been recovered?"

Chen Tingjing lowered his head, a hint of worry on his face, and replied:

"Your Majesty! Half of this year's grain tax from Jiangnan has been collected, amounting to approximately three million taels of silver!"

"As for the deficit... after several months of pursuit by Grand Secretary Gong in Jiangnan, about one million taels were recovered."

"However... officials and gentry in Jiangnan complained a lot about the pressure to pay off the deficit."

"Many people have submitted memorials impeaching Grand Secretary Gong for levying exorbitant taxes and arbitrarily abusing his power in Jiangnan, disregarding the lives of the people. There is great resentment among the people, and if this continues, it could easily lead to unrest..."

Before Chen Tingjing could finish speaking, Emperor Jingsheng snorted coldly, tapped his finger heavily on the imperial desk, and interrupted him:

"Enough! Minister Gong has already submitted a secret report to me regarding the situation in Jiangnan, and I am fully aware of the details!"

"Those who dare to do things for the court are always impeached! The gentry and wealthy families in Jiangnan are all richer than the country, and they live a life of luxury and indulgence."

"Yet they owe the court millions in debts. Now that I have sent an imperial envoy to investigate, how dare they still claim that Minister Gong is a scourge? It's utterly outrageous!"

"Draft an imperial edict, granting Gong Qing the title of First-Rank Grand Master of the Palace, allowing him to carry out his duties with full force, intensify the recovery efforts and implementation of the new policies, and clean up the corrupt practices in Jiangnan!"

"With me and the court backing him up, he need not worry about others' criticisms! I have seen all his merits!"

"As for Shandong, Henan, and other regions, we will appropriately reduce or exempt most of this year's taxes, and allocate an additional one million taels of silver from the Ministry of Revenue for disaster relief!"

Hearing Emperor Jingsheng's resolute decree regarding Jiangnan, Chen Tingjing hesitated, worried that unrest might break out in the region and wanting to advise Emperor Jingsheng to proceed cautiously.

However, considering Emperor Jingsheng's growing prestige and emphasis on the new policies, he ultimately responded in a low voice:

"I obey your decree!"

After Chen Tingjing returned to his post, Grand Secretary Li Guangdi followed closely behind, standing up with his jade tablet in hand.

It must be said here,

There was an unspoken rule in the court proceedings of the Han Dynasty: officials would present their cases in descending order of rank, and it was rare for a lower-ranking official to preempt a higher-ranking official.

Li Guangdi bowed to Emperor Jingsheng on the high platform and said:

"Your Majesty, the case of Marquis Lu Heng of Ji'an has been verified by the Three Judicial Offices."

"Lu Heng, as a military officer of the imperial court, was deeply favored by the country and had the responsibility of defending the territory. However, he abandoned the city and fled, causing countless soldiers in Yulin to die in vain and the important border town to almost fall."

"We believe that according to the law, he should be executed. We request Your Majesty's approval."

Li Guangdi was a Grand Secretary of the Wuying Hall and Minister of Justice. He usually presided over the joint trial of major cases by the three judicial departments.

This is why, after Zhuque brought Ji'an Hou back to Shenjing, he was put in charge of the trial and sentencing, simply to go through the formalities.

The reason why Li Guangdi was in charge of presiding over the case of the son of the Duke of Cheng was also for this reason.