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

"Zhang Tingyu just said that severe punishments and ironclad cases can clean up official corruption, and I do not entirely deny that."

"Since the major purge of the factionalism case last month, more than 200 people have been arrested in a month. The new law of the capital inspection has not yet been implemented, but it has already made officials of all ranks in the capital feel uneasy."

"Now, with another assassination attempt, Zhang Tingyu not only fails to advise His Majesty to stop the killings, but also continues to fuel the flames, advocating for the punishment of skinning the victim and stuffing her with straw."

"Now that things have come to this, how many officials in the capital are truly at ease? How many can focus on their duties with peace of mind?"

"Zhang Tingyu was the second-in-command of the cabinet, and should have been mediating disputes and upholding the emperor's virtue. But in the cases of factionalism, the capital inspection, the mass imprisonment, and the tortures, which one did he advise against? Which one wasn't fueled by him behind the scenes?"

"...They flatter those above them and are cruel to those below them; they are more than capable of currying favor with the emperor than of caring for the people; they follow the emperor's evils and lose their own conscience; they only know how to curry favor and secure their positions, and do not care about the safety of the country; they blindly flatter the emperor's will with cruelty."

"Throughout history, there has never been a cabinet minister so obsequious to his superiors and so cruel to his subordinates, bringing disaster to the country and its people!"

Kong Ying's words were righteous and indignant, making him seem like a modern-day Hai Rui or Bao Zheng!

Logically speaking, Kong Ying, a mere physician, would not dare to offend the Grand Secretary of the court so vehemently.

But who could blame him when Zhang Tingyu, the second prime minister, had a terrible reputation lately and had even aroused public anger!

As the successor of the Duke Yansheng and a leading figure among the literati, if he doesn't step forward now to make a name for himself and demonstrate his integrity, when will he ever get the chance?

He even had his advisors write this speech in private, and he also drew on some experience from Jia Jing's speech when he scolded the Duke of Zhao. The speech was all about being powerful, reasonable, and rhythmic!

At this moment, surrounded by the astonished, encouraging, and admiring gazes of the officials, Kong Ying felt a little elated, thinking that today might be the beginning of her being remembered in history.

It's just a pity that Zhang Hengchen is too thick-skinned. Despite being verbally attacked like that, he didn't even vomit blood or faint, which made him feel that something was missing!

As Kong Ying, the Vice Minister of War, offered increasingly vehement remonstrances, some censors who had been observing for a while could no longer contain themselves. How could such a limelight be given to him alone?

As a result, more than a dozen censors stepped forward and presented their memorials, some disagreeing with the cruel torture of skinning the victim and stuffing her with straw, others criticizing Zhang Tingyu for flattering the emperor, lacking virtue, and for his sharp words, well-supported arguments, and frequent references to the words of sages and the systems of ancestors.

Even a few officials impeached Jia Jing, accusing him of using force to suppress civil officials, violating ancestral rules, being cruel in his investigations, indiscriminately killing innocent people, and committing excessive killings that were against the natural order.

What was particularly unexpected was that

Prince Zhongshun, a member of the imperial clan who usually acts as a mascot at court assemblies, surprisingly stood up and impeached Jia Jing for ordering the Imperial City Guard to shut down a law-abiding pawnshop in his residence last night and take away more than a dozen boxes of valuables!

He is utterly lawless, unscrupulous, abusing his power for personal gain, and bullying members of the imperial family. We beg Emperor Jingsheng to do justice for him!

At this moment, Jia Jing chose to stand by and watch coldly, without any intention of refuting. He even stopped some of his generals who wanted to stand up and fight back.

Firstly, in his view, the impeachments by King Chungshun and others were like lighting a lantern in a toilet, deliberately making trouble for himself, and not worth refuting.

Secondly, given his current status and position, he has already passed the stage of arguing with others, so it's completely pointless for him now.

Thirdly, he knew that Emperor Jingsheng was luring the snake out of its hole, setting up an illegal operation, in order to see clearly the stance of the court officials and the situation in the court.

He and Emperor Jingsheng had already exchanged opinions and discussed many things repeatedly, and they were both well aware of each other's thoughts, just waiting for the right opportunity!

Since Jia Jing remained silent, Zhang Tingyu was left alone in the hall, occasionally offering a few words of rebuttal. He appeared somewhat isolated and powerless, unable to withstand the attack.

Xiong Cili watched this scene with a blank expression, but inwardly he sneered.

This is what people want!

Zhang Tingyu and Jia Jing's cruel actions, though seemingly in line with the emperor's wishes, had long since lost the hearts of the officials!

What good is upholding public interest? What good is serving the country? Offending so many people—is this the way of an official?

In officialdom, it's always about uniting the majority and cracking down on a small minority!

Zhang Tingyu and Jia Jing simply didn't understand this basic principle of being an official, and they suffered from rashness and impatience!

Of course, he was also very clear in his heart that such a weak and ineffective impeachment by the censors and officials would not be able to harm the two of them in the slightest!

Because during each court meeting, the censors and officials mostly acted as initiators of the issues, while the real decision-makers and finalizers were the senior officials of the cabinet, the six ministries and the nine ministers.

However, these senior officials had all served for a long time and were well aware of the importance of self-preservation, so they would not easily express biased opinions!

For example, wasn't he himself just standing by and watching, trying to figure out the will of Heaven and "public opinion"?

Behind his desk, Emperor Jingsheng's face was cold and hard. His gaze swept over the assembled officials below, and he solemnly asked:

"Anyone else have something to say? Speak up!"

He originally thought that after ten years on the throne and several victories in foreign wars, he had gained prestige and influence in the court, second only to the Taizu and Chengzu emperors.

Unexpectedly, once it came to sensitive issues concerning the vital interests of officials, there was an immediate uproar!

These censors and officials, in particular, simply treated the imperial court as a place to boost their own prestige. Not one of them genuinely thought about the country and the emperor's interests!

If he hadn't read the records of officials' conduct and their various private affairs, he probably would have really thought these people were all upright and righteous officials who were not afraid of powerful figures!

Upon hearing this, the ministers below were all delighted. Could it be that His Majesty was moved by the opinions of the people and wanted to humbly accept advice and broaden the channels for communication?

Of course, a few people felt a chill run down their spines, keenly sensing that Emperor Jingsheng seemed to be suppressing his anger!

After a moment of silence, and seeing that no one else spoke, Xiong Cili knew it was his turn to appear. He composed himself, stepped out of the troupe, and bowed, saying:

"Your Majesty! As a cabinet minister, I have the responsibility to uphold the virtues of the emperor. What the officials have said is not without merit!"

"In the case of Fang Congzhe today, the evidence is irrefutable, and the people are already fearful. Your Majesty's authority has been established; there is no need to further enhance your reputation for cruelty."

"Your Majesty, I request that you first execute the ringleaders by slow slicing to uphold the law; the other accomplices should be punished according to the law, with their punishments fitting their crimes, and should not all be sentenced to death."

"As for the punishment of skinning someone alive and stuffing them with straw, I think it should be postponed for now. If there are still those who embezzle and break the law in the future, then this punishment can be used to deter them, and then no one in the world will dare to disobey."

"I believe that punishment is used to establish authority, and authority is used to stop killing. After the faction case last month and this case, the officials are already in a state of panic. The authority of the court has been established, so there is no need to rush to use punishment. Moreover, I request Your Majesty to give the scholar-officials some leeway, so as to preserve the dignity of the relationship between the ruler and his subjects."

This statement gave Emperor Jingsheng a way out, not saying that the punishment of skinning the victim and stuffing her with straw was completely unacceptable, but only saying that it should be postponed to observe the effects!

This way, the emperor would not be angered too much, and the cruel practice of skinning people alive with straw could be avoided!

As for what to do if someone embezzles again next time, there's naturally another way to say that!

Emperor Jingsheng stared at Xiong Cilu expressionlessly and asked:

"And what do you say about the officials' impeachment of Zhang Tingyu and Jia Zijie?"

Since you're going to step forward and act as a peacemaker, then let's take this opportunity to find out what you're capable of!

Xiong Cilu felt a chill run down his spine and carefully chose his words:

"Both Grand Secretary Zhang and Duke Jing are handling the case according to imperial orders, and I dare not offer any unsolicited opinions."

"However, in my opinion, Grand Secretary Zhang acted rather hastily, seemingly without considering the stability of the court and His Majesty's wisdom..."

To be honest, despite Xiong Cili's impassioned speech outside the palace, declaring his intention to impeach Jia Jing, he was still unwilling to actually make an enemy of him face to face!

The lesson of Fang Congzhe is still fresh in everyone's mind; his entire family has already been captured and killed. Xiong Cilu has no intention of following in Fang Congzhe's footsteps!

For military men like these who hold military power, have accumulated military merits, and enjoy the emperor's favor, it is best to proceed with caution!

On the contrary, Zhang Tingyu, being a fellow cabinet minister, is someone we could try to manipulate!

Even within this cabinet, things can't be completely harmonious, can they?