The playboy county magistrate

In his eyes, Li Xuanzhi insisted on requesting a division of the family without his father's permission. This was tantamount to severing ties with the clan, violating human ethics, and being unfilial and immoral.

It is a fatal handle that could shake the foundation of his court and damage his reputation.

As long as we can stop the family from splitting up and lower Li Xuanzhi's standing in the emperor's eyes, thus reducing his imperial favor, that's fine.

Inside the Earl's residence, Li Xuanjing was also denied entry to the court. At this moment, he stood alone in the courtyard, gazing towards the imperial city, his eyes swirling with intense jealousy and ruthlessness.

He was filled with anxiety and anticipation, hoping that court officials would launch an impeachment campaign and that his father's scheme would succeed. He also hoped that the once-glorious Li Xuanzhi would fall from power and be utterly crushed under Li Xuanzhi's feet, thus ending his days of being trampled and ruthlessly crushed by Li Xuanzhi.

In the imperial palace, all the officials stood solemnly, utterly silent.

Before long, the Emperor arrived at the palace. All the officials knelt down and shouted "Long live the Emperor!"

After the ceremony, the emperor rose and sat upright on the dragon throne. His gaze swept over the assembled officials, his voice authoritative and steady.

"If you have matters to report, please do so; otherwise, the court may adjourn."

As soon as the words were spoken, a tall and distinguished figure stepped out steadily from the ranks of the imperial censors.

"Your subject, Li Xuanzhi, Left Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, has a memorial to present to Your Majesty."

All eyes in the hall instantly focused on him, some with surprise, some with apprehension, and some with uncertainty.

Those who knew nothing of what had happened at the Chengen Earl's residence the previous night all had the same thought in mind:

Which unlucky guy was chosen by Li Xuanzhi? Is this the first of three great moves a new broom sweeps clean?

The emperor slightly raised his eyes, a hint of approval flashing in them, and spoke softly.

"Granted. Bring it here."

The eunuch quickly walked up to Li Xuanzhi, took the memorial, and respectfully presented it to the emperor's desk.

The emperor lowered his eyes and carefully flipped through the pages.

Before the emperor could speak, several officials stepped forward from the ranks, their tone earnest yet their words sharp and pointed. Clearly, they had been instructed beforehand to deliberately launch an attack.

The senior official from the Ministry of Rites, who was at the head of the group, spoke first, speaking in a loud voice:

"Your Majesty, I have a memorial to present! Li Xuanzhi, as a son, disobeyed his father's orders and without the family's consent. He rashly requested an imperial decree to separate the family and establish a new household. This is tantamount to severing ties with the clan and betraying one's ancestral roots!"

"Filial piety is the foundation of personal conduct and the basis of governing a country. For a son to privately sever ties with his family and abandon his father and grandfather is unfilial and immoral! Li Xuanzhi, as the Left Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, has committed acts contrary to human ethics. How can he command the people? How can he maintain order in the court?"

"Your Majesty, I humbly request that you reject their request to divide the family property and give them a stern reprimand. This is to rectify people's hearts and promote filial piety!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the other officials who were on good terms with him echoed his sentiments.

"What you say is absolutely right, sir! Family and nation share the same origin; if families are not well-ordered, the nation cannot be governed; if individuals are not cultivated, the Way cannot be practiced!"

"This subject has disobeyed his own father and divided his clan. He is truly morally deficient and unfit for the important post of Censor! I humbly beseech Your Majesty to render a stern judgment and punish Li Xuanzhi to rectify the atmosphere of the court!"

All the comments focused on the phrase "unfilial and immoral".

They occupy the moral high ground and exert pressure at every level.

Not only did they intend to obstruct the division of the family property, but they also wanted to take the opportunity to impeach Li Xuanzhi, strip him of his authority, and ruin his future.

The Yongle Emperor placed the utmost importance on etiquette and filial piety. Once the stigma was confirmed, even with the emperor's deep favor, one's reputation would inevitably be damaged and one's career would be hindered.

"You gentlemen are truly remarkable. I haven't even mentioned what was written in the memorial I presented to His Majesty, and His Majesty hasn't said a word, yet you all seem to know beforehand. What? Staying up all night and squatting in the corner of the Marquis of Cheng'en's residence? You gentlemen certainly have a good time!"

Li Xuanzhi's lips curled slightly as he slowly took out another memorial from his bosom.

"Since you gentlemen have brought this up, I am really not the kind of person who believes that suffering a loss is a blessing."

As soon as Li Xuanzhi finished speaking, the officials who had stood up to criticize him felt a chill run down their spines, sensing that something was about to spiral out of control.

Li Xuanzhi knelt respectfully on the ground, his eyes fixed earnestly on the emperor high above him.

"Your Majesty, please allow me to speak. My second matter today is to request permission to separate my family and live separately. This is not to violate human ethics or betray my clan. Rather, it is to avoid suspicion, serve my public duty, protect my relatives, and uphold propriety. It is to fulfill my filial duty, uphold public duty, and abide by the laws of the land!"

He offered no embellishment, nor did he utter a single word of complaint. He recounted the events of yesterday at the main hall of the Marquis of Cheng'en's residence as factual.

"My father, the Earl of Chengen, harbored resentment because I was an Imperial Censor and he refused to promote my mediocre elder brother through special favoritism. He then sought to divorce my mother without cause. Using my mother's reputation and the clean record she had maintained throughout her life as grounds, he coerced me to abandon the law of the land, favor my relatives, and compromise for the sake of the clan's private interests."

"My mother, Zhang, spent half her life being respectful and obedient, diligent and thrifty in managing the household. She served her elders and raised her children. Her virtue was upright and her reputation was spotless. She was guilty of every single one of the seven grounds for divorce from the law. It is truly unjust that she was framed without being guilty."

Li Xuanzhi's voice grew louder and louder, his question resounding throughout the hall.

"As an Imperial Censor of the Censorate, I am in charge of the discipline of the realm and the promotion and demotion of officials. If I dare not even speak out against the injustice done to my own family members, nor protect those who are unjustly humiliated, how can I supervise other officials? How can I have the face to rectify the court? How can I win the hearts of the people, and what will I use to uphold justice in the world?"

As soon as the words were spoken, the ministers who had been making a ruckus fell silent.

A moment of deathly silence fell over the hall, then Li Xuanzhi continued his speech in a loud voice.

"I refused to show favoritism to my brother, which was to uphold the law of the country and strictly follow the imperial instructions. My father insisted on preventing the divorce and imprisoned my mother. I spoke up for my mother and fought for her, which was to uphold my principles and fulfill my filial duty."

"I hold great power of oversight. If I remain subordinate to a branch of the Cheng'en Earl's Mansion, any future investigations into the misdeeds of aristocratic families or the rectification of official corruption will inevitably be criticized as favoritism and bias. I will be hampered and constrained by my clan, making it difficult to maintain impartiality!"

"Your Majesty, I hereby request permission to be removed from the official register and live independently. Firstly, to preserve my mother's lifelong integrity and ensure her peaceful remaining years, completely freeing her from the intrigues of the inner court. Secondly, to avoid suspicion and prevent the blurring of public and private matters, thus preventing the abuse of personal relationships for the sake of public duty. From now on, when serving in the court, I will be free from personal interference and bound by impropriety, allowing me to wholeheartedly serve the public and uphold justice!"

The entire court was silent, and the official who had spoken out earlier was embarrassed and had no way to refute him.

Only then did everyone realize the intricate details of the conflict within the Marquis's household. That old bastard, the Marquis of Chengen, was using them as live targets!

The so-called unfilial piety and rebellion are nothing but a complete distortion of the truth and a deliberate frame-up.

The emperor remained silent for a long time on the dragon throne.

The new policies are now in a very favorable situation, and the court is most averse to the blurring of public and private lines, and to powerful officials abusing their power for personal gain. It also deeply resents aristocratic families using clan ties to interfere in public duties and disrupt the order of the court.

If this trend is allowed to spread, the national law will become a mere formality, and the fairness of the court will be completely lost.

The emperor spoke slowly, "I already know the details of the whole affair."

"Li Xuanzhi, holding the position of Imperial Censor, was impartial and upright, without favoritism or nepotism. He upheld the laws of the country and protected justice, fulfilling his filial duties while ensuring the well-being of his family. He clearly distinguished between public and private matters, and acted with propriety in both his advancement and retreat. His actions were without fault, without error, and were virtuous and righteous."

The assembled officials were shaken, and no one dared to utter another word. The officials who had previously raised their voices all lowered their heads, their faces filled with shame, and dared not raise their heads.

The emperor's gaze was slightly cold as he swept over the court officials who had just joined the chorus of criticism, a subtle warning in his eyes.

"The rules of the court prioritize fairness and public opinion, not personal gain. When serving the public good, officials should put the law of the country first and the nation first. They should not be burdened by clan or personal feelings, and even less should they use the name of filial piety to frame loyal and virtuous officials."

Immediately, the emperor made his final decision.