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

Kong Ying: "..."

"Your Majesty! It must be some unruly servants in my household who are committing evil deeds under my name. I was unaware of this."

"Even if I were ignorant, I would never dare to break the law and cause the deaths of several people..."

Kong Ying panicked and subconsciously began to shift the blame onto the servants in her household.

"Alright!"

Emperor Jingsheng gave a deep shout, his cold and solemn voice resounding throughout the hall, causing the ministers to lower their heads and silencing Kong Ying's rebuttal!

Kong Ying's forehead was covered in cold sweat, her hands and feet were ice-cold, and she looked at the emperor behind the throne with a cold expression in fear.

A cold, deep voice came from behind the imperial desk:

"Guards! Kong Ying and his accomplices have been corrupt and lawless, blinded by greed, harming the country and its people. They are not to be tolerated by the law. Immediately strip them of their official robes, remove them from all their titles and ranks, strip their descendants of all privileges, confiscate their property, and hand them over to the Imperial City Guard for rigorous interrogation!"

Only now did Emperor Jingsheng finally have a real outlet for the anger and frustration he had been suppressing all morning!

After Emperor Jingsheng finished speaking, the hall fell silent for a moment.

Dozens of Imperial City Envoys, under Xia Shouzhong's orders, quickly entered the hall. Two of them grabbed the arms of each convicted official and dragged the group up from the ground.

Kong Ying's mouth was still moving, but she could no longer make a sound; only faint sobs, as if something was blocking her throat, escaped.

His boots left two wet streaks on the gold bricks. As he passed by Zhang Tingyu, Zhang Tingyu lowered his eyes and did not look at him.

The footsteps faded into the distance, and the palace doors closed behind Kong Ying with a dull thud, like an iron gate falling, severing the last whimper of pleading.

The morning light filtered through the roof tiles, beams of light falling on the golden bricks, on the low-hanging official hats, and on the books on the imperial desk.

The light moved slowly through the hall, from the west wall to the east wall, casting long, thin shadows of the officials onto the ground like rows of silent fences.

The faint sound of palace servants sweeping could be heard outside the hall, slow and even, as if another world was at work.

It was already daylight.

The atmosphere in the hall still seemed to carry the heavy, lingering chill of the previous night.

At this moment, no one dared to step forward and offer advice. Even though many people wanted to know what the pamphlet on the emperor's desk was, they dared not be so foolish as to offend the emperor at this time!

After a long while, Emperor Jingsheng slowly stepped down from his throne with a gloomy face.

The soles of the boots landed on the gold bricks, making a series of sounds like a bell telling the time. The ministers' breaths rose and fell with the sound, and no one looked up.

Emperor Jingsheng walked to the edge of the steps, stopped, and scanned the heads that were bowed one by one.

He didn't speak immediately. He remained silent for a moment, took a deep breath, and then his cold voice rang out, each word heavy as if squeezed from a crack in a rock:

"In recent days, first the gentry of Jiangnan resisted the new policies and plotted to kill the imperial envoy, then the officials forced the emperor to abdicate and factions disrupted the government, and yesterday there was an attack on a high-ranking official and an attempt to wreak havoc on the capital. All these things have been happening one after another."

"In just one month, three or four hundred officials in the capital have been imprisoned, including Grand Secretaries, dukes and marquises, and those upright civil officials who were just imprisoned. I will not mince words, even one of my only two concubines has been banished to the Cold Palace for interfering in politics."

"Perhaps it is because I have relied more on virtue than on force in the past that these people have become increasingly unscrupulous, audacious, and deceitful of the emperor. If they are not severely punished now, the officialdom of our Han Dynasty will only become more uncontrollable, and the destruction of the country and the extinction of the race will be imminent!"

Emperor Jingsheng paused for a moment, then his voice suddenly turned somber:

"Think about these people! Which one of them didn't spend their entire lives studying and working tirelessly to earn this official position? Which one of them wasn't once a promising and ambitious young scholar, and which one of them didn't personally send themselves into the abyss step by step..."

"...Now they're all rotten, and my heart is breaking too. Our ancestors entrusted the empire to me, and yet it's turned out like this... I'm heartbroken!"

At this point, Emperor Jingsheng's gaze suddenly sharpened, like a knife slicing across the hall:

"And you! Although you all stand here on the dry bank with such airs, are you really that clean?"

"I know that some of you are even more corrupt and despicable than these people!"

"I have a piece of advice for you: turn your hearts and minds inside out, wash them clean, and examine yourselves carefully. Ask yourselves if you can serve in this position with a clear conscience!"

Another long silence followed.

Emperor Jingsheng walked slowly through the crowd of officials, his face showing a hint of emotion, his voice like a cold wind blowing across the ground:

"Back then... when I first ascended the throne, I thought the greatest enemy of the court was the puppet Qing dynasty. After defeating the puppet Qing, I thought the greatest enemy was the Northern Yuan. After pacifying the Northern Yuan, I then thought the bandits in Sichuan and Shaanxi would become a major threat..."

"But I am becoming increasingly clear... the greatest threat to the Han Dynasty lies not outside, but within the court, right here in this very hall, among my own ministers!"

Stopping in his tracks, Emperor Jingsheng turned around to face the sea of ​​dark heads, his voice suddenly rising in pitch:

"...If even a small part of our territory rots, the entire Han Dynasty will rot. If you all rot, uprisings will break out across the Han Dynasty, leaving us nowhere to be buried!"

"Think about it! How many years have passed since the end of the previous dynasty? Have you forgotten? Those rulers and ministers who died unnatural deaths are still watching you from heaven every day!"

Returning to the steps of the palace, Emperor Jingsheng's gaze was like that of a dragon surveying the land, piercing and menacing:

"I didn't sleep a wink last night... I kept thinking about what to say to everyone. But words have to come to an end... After thinking it over, I can only come up with four words."

As soon as Emperor Jingsheng finished speaking, a plaque slowly rose from behind the imperial desk by four eunuchs.

The plaque bears four large characters in regular script: Justice and Strictness.

The handwriting is steady and vigorous, with strokes as sharp as if carved by a knife or axe, gleaming with a dark golden light under the candlelight in the hall.

The ministers raised their heads; some looked up, while others dared not look. For a moment, no one spoke.

Emperor Jingsheng stood beneath the plaque, like a statue, and sighed, his voice low and solemn:

These four words are easy to say, but incredibly difficult to put into practice!

"Fairness means not yielding out of fear, nor showing favoritism because of personal feelings. Uprightness means knowing which path to take, standing firm and remaining steadfast no matter how difficult. Strictness means leaving no room for oneself, nor giving others any excuses. Clarity means seeing right from wrong, understanding people's hearts, and seeing oneself clearly!"

"These four words were ripped from my heart, dug out of a sea of ​​blood!"

"When I wrote these four characters, my hand did not tremble. I hope that when you read them, your hearts will not be filled with apprehension. Because I have hung them here today not to instill fear, but to bring clarity to people's minds."

"Remember this, from this day forward, this hall will be renamed Mingzheng Hall."

"Ming means brightness and keen insight; Zheng means discipline and laws. Rectifying official conduct is the most crucial task of Mingzheng. By naming this palace, I demonstrate my determination to ensure a clean and enlightened government throughout my life!"

"Raise your heads, all of you, and take a good look... and think about how much of your original aspirations from when you first became officials are still intact!"

The sound of wind came from outside the hall, rustling the cracks in the hall door, as if someone was responding to those four words from afar.

Those four characters were carved on the plaque and also on the top of everyone's head.

Fair and impartial.

Little did they know that the officials kneeling in the hall, every day and night thereafter, when they looked up at the plaque, were they carrying in their hearts the light of day or the shadows of darkness.

Emperor Jingsheng faced his ministers and slowly walked towards the palace gate, his voice weary. As he walked, he waved his hand and instructed Xia Shouzhong:

"My lord! Proclaim the two edicts I drafted last night!"

Xia Shouzhong responded, picked up an imperial edict from the imperial desk, and his voice followed immediately, sharp and clear:

"All officials, heed my decree!"

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!" The officials, with varying expressions, knelt down in a flurry.

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Zhang Tingyu, Grand Secretary of the Wenhua Hall, is of impeccable character and possesses exceptional talent and wisdom. He has served in various ministries and departments for many years, demonstrating his abilities diligently. Since assuming the position of Second Grand Secretary, he has devoted himself wholeheartedly to his duties, showing no shirking responsibility in matters of state and having no fear of wickedness."

"In the recent case of factionalism, Zhang Tingyu upheld the principles of impartiality, investigated official corruption, did not shy away from criticism or personal feelings, and is truly a pillar of my state and a minister of the nation. Therefore, he is hereby specially awarded the title of Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince as a sign of commendation."

"Effective immediately, Zhang Tingyu is hereby appointed to oversee the capital's performance evaluation. All civil officials in the capital, from the Grand Secretariat, the Six Ministries, and the Censorate down to the third rank and above, shall be subject to performance evaluation and verification. The virtuous and capable shall remain, the mediocre and incompetent shall be dismissed, the corrupt and embezzling shall be expelled, and the lazy and negligent shall be expelled."

"The administration of the capital inspection is a matter of the integrity of the bureaucracy and the safety of the nation. Zhang Tingyu must be impartial and upright, without fear of powerful figures, to live up to the weighty responsibility entrusted to him by me. This is my decree."

Xia Shouzhong put down the first imperial edict, picked up the second one, unfolded it, and spoke with a more solemn tone than before:

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Jia Jing, the Grand Pillar of State, Duke of Jing, Military Governor of the Twelve Battalions, Minister of War, and General of the Vanguard, has served in the army to defend the country for a long time and has repeatedly made outstanding contributions. His military discipline, ability to organize the army, his courage and strategy, and his dedication to the country make him a true pillar of the nation and a great bulwark of the country."

"Now that the borders have been pacified, the military system is not yet in place. The Ministry of War and the Five Military Commissions have overlapping powers and responsibilities, and inconsistent orders, resulting in lax military preparedness, indolence among officers and soldiers, and hoarding of weapons. After much consideration, I believe that only by unifying military and political affairs can we restore the military's prestige."

"Hereby bestow upon Jia Jing the title of General of the Cavalry, a second-rank official. Effective immediately, the Office of the General Manager of Military Affairs shall be established, with Jia Jing as its Minister of the General Manager of Military Affairs. From this day forward, all matters concerning the army, military registers, military orders, weaponry, provisions, military personnel selection, garrison and agricultural settlements, and border defense shall be under the jurisdiction of the Office of the General Manager of Military Affairs."

"The Ministry of War's original military and political powers have been transferred to this office; the Five Military Commissions' original power to command troops has also been subject to the control of this office. All military affairs, from military training and discipline to military laws, rewards and punishments for officers and soldiers, shall be decided and implemented by the Minister in charge of military affairs, and reported to me."

"All military and political affairs, and all military officials, shall be subject to the command of this office. Within the scope of their authority and responsibilities, neither the Ministry of War nor the Five Military Commissions shall interfere."

"This marks the beginning of military reform and is also a crucial task in reorganizing military preparedness. Jia Jing should prioritize national affairs, rectify the army and enforce discipline, and, with Beizhili (the capital) as the core, reopen the military farms, eliminate redundant and inefficient personnel, and motivate the soldiers so that the army of the Han Dynasty can regain its former glory. So be it."