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

"Your Majesty, what is meant by 'factions'? The Great Han Code states: 'If any official in court forms factions and disrupts the administration of the state, he shall be beheaded, his wife and children shall be enslaved, and his property shall be confiscated by the government.'"

"Xu Zhuo and two others jointly submitted a memorial, colluded with officials, and gathered outside the palace gates to force the emperor to abdicate! This is hardly 'advising on state affairs,' it is clearly 'forming factions.'"

"This is not what Grand Secretary Fang called 'allowing everyone to express their own opinions and broadening channels for communication,' but rather 'disrupting the court and forming cliques to disrupt the government.'"

The "Traitorous Party" section of the Great Han Code clearly stipulates: "Any treacherous official who slanders another and causes death shall be beheaded. If a minister or minor official is guilty of a crime punishable by death, and cleverly advises against it or secretly wins people's hearts, he shall also be beheaded."

"The actions of these three men today—inciting public opinion, coercing the emperor, and defying authority—are all capital offenses as clearly stated in the law."

"If Xu Zhuo and his ilk are let off lightly today, others will follow their example tomorrow and use the name of 'speaking out for the people' to actually 'force the emperor to abdicate'."

"If we don't kill them today, there will be endless trouble in the future."

As soon as Zhang Tingyu finished speaking, the hall fell silent!

This is the first time a cabinet minister has explicitly stated that Xu Zhuo and the other two deserve to die, and this person is Zhang Tingyu, who usually believes that "it is better to remain silent than to speak out." This seems rather strange!

In fact, Zhang Tingyu dared to say such a thing because he was certain that Xu Zhuo and the other two would be executed today, so he figured he might as well offend them.

Secondly, it was also for the sake of the new policies; they wanted the new policies to be implemented nationwide, and their new party wanted to realize its own political ambitions.

We must suppress the old party's counterattack and fight back fiercely; the trend of forcing the emperor to abdicate must not be allowed to continue!

Thirdly, of course, it's for the sake of the Emperor's approval. If we don't actively strive for advancement, how can we be worthy of being enshrined in the Imperial Ancestral Temple in the future!

"Hengchen is absolutely right!"

A slight smile finally appeared on Emperor Jingsheng's stern face. His gaze swept over the assembled officials below, and after a moment's thought, he turned his questioning look to Jia Jing, speaking softly:

"Zijie! What do you think is the best way to handle this matter?"

Based on the advice of several cabinet ministers, the outcome of this matter has basically been decided. However, Emperor Jingsheng still wanted to hear Jia Jing's thoughts.

Although according to the previous system of the court, military officers generally did not participate in the discussion of court affairs, in order to show that the military and the government were separate, and at the same time, the civil officials controlled the military.

But since Emperor Jingsheng asked this question, it means that in his heart, Jia Jing is different from the other military officers!

Jia Jing coughed lightly, stepped out of the ranks, and as he looked up, the young man's eyes shone like stars, and his passionate, clear voice resounded throughout the hall:

"Your Majesty! My opinion may be a bit more extreme than that of Lord Zhang and the others!"

Upon hearing this, all the officials in the hall were startled!

Xu Zhuo and the others trembled.

Zhang Tingyu has already suggested that the crime warrants death, are you going to be even more ruthless?

Is it going to be the execution of nine generations of their family or the death by a thousand cuts?

Fang Congzhe frowned and couldn't help but retort:

"Duke Jing! Xu Zhuo, Xie Jishi, and the others were indeed impolite and presumptuous today."

"But some are loyal to upholding ancestral traditions; why be so ruthless?"

Fang Congzhe has taken a step back, acknowledging the guilt of Xu Zhuo and the others, but no longer mentioning leniency.

It was only under the pretext of upholding ancestral rules that they indicated that it was inappropriate to punish too harshly!

In fact,

Fang Congzhe and Xiong Cili both knew that Xu Zhuo and the other two were guilty and could not escape punishment today. What they opposed was not Emperor Jingsheng's punishment, but that they should not be sentenced to death for being part of a faction.

After all, if he were to admit to forming cliques and disrupting the government, not only would he be executed according to the law, but his reputation would also be completely ruined!

As soon as Fang Congzhe finished speaking, Jia Jing, with a calm expression, slowly said:

"No reason whatsoever justifies their coercion of His Majesty and their treason! Anyone who dares to disrespect His Majesty will be executed by me!"

"As for their loyalty in upholding ancestral rules, that's a joke! I think they're just using ancestral rules as a pretext to protect their own interests!"

"Putting aside everything else, let's just say that the founding emperor once stipulated that officials and gentry could only enjoy limited exemptions. Are the exemptions they enjoy today still based on that ancestral rule?"

"The founding emperor established a system of separating civil and military affairs. Now, with civil officials overseeing military campaigns and placing them above military achievements, is this still in accordance with the ancestral system?"

"Emperor Taizu once decreed that no one could be granted a title without military merit, but now there are countless civil officials who have been granted titles. Is this still the ancestral rule?"

"Emperor Taizu once decreed that anyone who embezzled more than sixty taels of silver should be skinned alive, stuffed with straw, and their skin hung beside their official seat. Does this ancestral rule still exist today?"

"Emperor Taizu established a commercial tax of one-thirtieth of the census to facilitate trade and enrich the national treasury. Where is this ancestral system today?"

"When ancestral rules benefit their private interests, they treat them as gospel; when ancestral rules do not benefit their private interests, they disregard them."

"This is not upholding ancestral rules; it's using ancestral rules as a pretext to indulge their selfish desires."

"The true ancestral rules are the regulations established by the founding emperor, embodying his benevolence for the country and its people, not the slogans you use to oppose the court and His Majesty!"

Jia Jing's words were quite sharp! They directly exposed the ulterior motives hidden behind the guise of upholding ancestral rules by some people!

Moreover, everything he said was based on objective reality and he didn't make up any nonsense!

Many of the ancestral systems established by Emperor Taizu at the beginning of the Han Dynasty have long been broken through, undermined, or even abandoned by the civil service group in various ways.

From imperial power to military and political affairs, personnel, judiciary, supervision, and the imperial examination system, too many ancestral systems have been altered or even rendered obsolete.

Just like when Emperor Taizu of Han founded the Han Dynasty, there were actually restrictions on the exemption of officials from corvée labor and taxes.

During the reigns of Emperor Taizu and Emperor Chengzu, the scope of preferential treatment for officials was very narrow, and it was more of a personal favor from the emperor than a systemic privilege.

But by the time of the retired emperor, the situation had completely changed.