Chapter 141 If the practice of favoritism is not eliminated, it will be difficult to clean up the officialdom.
The ceremonial procession slowly came to a stop in front of the Princess's residence. Xie Wenjun stepped off the carriage on a low stool. Yuanrong was about to instruct someone to prepare water and change clothes when she saw Aunt Jingge hurriedly running from the inner courtyard, lifting the hem of her skirt.
Aunt Jin Ge curtsied, "Your Highness."
"Aunt, what's the matter that you're in such a hurry?"
"The young prince, she..."
Aunt Jin Ge pointed inside the mansion, her fingers trembling, and she could not speak fluently.
Xie Wenjun's eyelids twitched, and a premonition welled up in her heart, neither good nor bad.
Jingge was a servant of Empress Huixian. She was always calm and composed. After Empress Huixian passed away, she left the palace. Xie Wenjun was busy traveling and, considering that Roujia did not have a careful and proper person to take care of her, he brought Jingge from his hometown to the mansion.
Now, Aunt Jingge's face showed a mixture of fear and joy.
Before Aunt Jingge could finish speaking, she strode towards the inner courtyard.
Jin Ge followed Xie Wenjun with quick, light steps. "Your Highness, the young prince and Doctor Pei are in the side hall."
In the side hall, Pei Danxing took a piece of fine linen gauze that had been drying and carefully wiped several silver needles from the tip to the end. He put them into the needle pouch, covered the pouch, and then took a clean soft cloth, wrapped the syringe in two layers, and put it into his medicine box.
Upon seeing Xie Wenjun enter, Pei Danxing lifted his gray robe, knelt down, and bowed, saying, "This humble subject pays respects to the Princess."
Roujia stared blankly at the woman who came in, her small mouth moving as if she had something to say but couldn't.
Xie Wenjun assumed she had eaten too much candied fruit and was feeling guilty, but then she saw Roujia suddenly lean forward, her little fists clenched tightly. After a long pause, she managed to squeeze out three indistinct words: "Your...Aunt...Aunt..."
Xie Wenjun's hand suddenly stopped in mid-air, and the smile in her eyes froze instantly.
She stared intently at Roujia, and saw Roujia open her mouth again. This time, although her speech was slow, it was clearer.
"Your Majesty...Aunt..."
Aunt Jin Ge wiped away her tears with her sleeve and said with a smile, "Your Highness recognizes people now."
Xie Wenjun picked up Roujia. Roujia was held tightly, but she didn't cry. Instead, with a bit of innocent joy, she reached out her little hands and hugged Xie Wenjun's neck.
Xie Wenjun sat down and placed Roujia on her lap. "Doctor Pei's medical skills are superb. I have not yet thanked you. Rise and have a seat."
Pei Danxing remained motionless on the ground, still in the kowtow position, and did not get up for a long time. He seemed like a different person after returning from Xiling. He spoke even less and remained silent all day. Except when he was practicing medicine and asking about medicine, he seemed like a normal person. Otherwise, his eyes always showed a blank look.
He shook his head and said, "This humble subject dares not take credit. It is Princess Roujia's good fortune that she spoke up. If Your Highness wishes to express your gratitude, this humble subject does not ask for any gold or silver rewards, but only for an imperial edict."
Xie Wenjun asked, "You don't seek gold or silver, nor do you want an official position. What is it that you seek?"
Pei Danxing said calmly, “My wife, Lady Ye, has been in Xiling treating the epidemic for more than half a year. I humbly request Your Highness to grant her an imperial edict allowing her to resign. I only ask that in the future, whether she stays in Xiling as a folk doctor to fight the Peach Blossom Epidemic or returns to her hometown, she can decide for herself, without having to report back to Yongdu.”
Xie Wenjun stared at him for a moment, "Is there any connection between the Peach Blossom Plague and Zhu Ying, or rather, your wife Ye Weiwan? Why did Zhu Ying commit suicide by self-immolation?"
Pei Danxing lowered his head, "This humble subject does not know. Doctor Zhu... died by self-immolation, perhaps because he concealed the plague, and his crime deserves to be punished."
The various prefectures and counties of Xiling and the Earl of Chengyang reported that the cause of the peach blossom plague in Yongdu was ultimately attributed to the large number of corpses and severe decomposition after the war, which bred the plague virus. The rumored blood worms were even more absurd, merely corpse worms that fed on carrion. The consistent statements from the officials of Xiling seemed deliberate, almost as if they had conspired together.
However, Zhao Xingli unearthed an old case from years ago when local officials ordered the burning of infected people during the great plague in Linxia and Li'an. But because it was so long ago, it was impossible to verify, and in the end, only a few minor officials were held accountable, and the matter was dropped.
Xie Wenjun didn't ask any more questions. Suddenly, she raised her sleeve, dipped her brush in ink, wrote a line on a piece of plain paper, stamped it with her private seal, and had someone hand it over.
After he left, Xie Wenjun asked the steward, "Are the herbs from Liangxi City still being delivered to your residence on time?"
The steward replied, "Your Highness, the herbs have been delivered on time. The quantity is exactly the same as in previous years."
The herb was planted by Zhu Ying in the herb garden in Liangxi City. It was a key ingredient used to treat the "soul-separation syndrome" in her body. Zhu Ying hired people to tend to it and would send letters twice a year, in spring and autumn, to have the herbs harvested and delivered to Yongdu without delay.
If Zhu Ying committed suicide by self-immolation in Xiling, then what about the herbs that were delivered on time?
Xie Wenjun tapped her fingernails on the edge of the table, as if deep in thought, "The results of the Great Plague in Xiling were so perfunctory, did Your Majesty send anyone else to investigate?"
Yuan Rong said, "The memorials regarding the great plague have been organized and put into the Imperial Archives. His Majesty should already be aware of the situation."
Rong Jun was still shaken by the assassination attempt in Yunzhou. He said, "Your Highness, this was too dangerous. Fortunately, the General led the Eagle Head Army to Yunzhou in time. In my opinion, Yongdu is now more dangerous than Yunzhou. Shouldn't we make that move?"
Xie Wenjun handed Roujia over to Aunt Jingge.
It's time to take down the net that was previously set up in Yifeng Pavilion, otherwise the fish in it will wobble and dart about without any discernible pattern.
"Does Gao Guan still visit Yifeng Pavilion often?"
Rong Jun said, "Whenever Miss Qin has a dance performance, Commander Gao has never missed it if he is not on duty that day. He will reserve a seat in the pavilion, order a pot of wine, and leave after the performance. He has never bought flowers to give her."
Yuan Rong said, "Back then, when Miss Qin threw herself into the river, Commander Gao didn't hesitate to take off his armor and go into the water to look for her. When he couldn't find her, Commander Gao personally led people to search along the Xu River. I thought Commander Gao was just being dutiful, but I never imagined there was this hidden meaning in his actions."
Rong Jun said, "Having lived half your life in a daze, all you've learned from His Highness is accounting and drawing. Haven't you learned anything about human affairs?"
Yuan Rong glared at him irritably.
Rong Jun said awkwardly, "There's something else you don't know. Many years ago, before the Li family fell on hard times, the second young lady of the Li family, Shuming, was also named Sheng Yongdu. That is, Miss Qin. Gao Guan even asked a matchmaker to come to their door to propose marriage."
"Enough talk. Do you think I don't know that Miss Qin is Miss Li the Second?"
Rong Jun said, "It's a pity that the Southern Court was insignificant back then. Li Yilian was determined to marry into the Six Ministries and chose Sheng Yu'an, who is now the Minister of Agriculture and the Right Vice Minister of the Secretariat. Commander Gao's matchmaker didn't even step into the Li family's doorstep."
Yuan Rong chuckled and said, "You know it all, Lord Rong. Back then, as a confidant of the Crown Prince, you were quite promising and outstanding at a young age. With such a beautiful woman, why didn't you ask a matchmaker to propose marriage to her?"
Rong Jun raised his sword to the sky and said, "Back then, His Highness the Crown Prince was in charge of the country and worried about national affairs all day long. As his subject, I should do my best to assist the Crown Prince in rectifying the court. How can I indulge in personal feelings? I am not so leisurely."
"Isn't it because Crown Prince Yizhang sent you to Cangnan to return the land to the people, and by the time you returned to Yongdu, the Li family had already arranged a marriage with the Sheng family, so you couldn't make it in time? You're all alone now, what do you think of that, Lord Rong?"
"You have the nerve to mock me? Aren't you the same?"
They started bickering as soon as they got back to the manor, and Xie Wenjun's ears were practically sore from their constant bickering.
“Yuan Rong”.
Yuan Rong immediately straightened her face and said, "This servant is here."
"Have Li Yujing keep an eye on Gao Guan and Rong Jun."
"Your subordinate is here."
"Before dawn tomorrow, spread the news that the Emperor is going to take a concubine, especially let Xun Xian hear about it."
Tomorrow, when the emperor ascends the throne, a disturbance is inevitable.
Xie Yuan's delay in issuing an edict to punish Jiang Wende was a recipe for disaster; she needed to settle the matter as soon as possible.
The next day, just after the dawn drumbeat, Jiang Wende's prison cart stopped at the gate of Yongdu. He hadn't even put on his official hat properly, and had just haphazardly draped an outer robe over his undergarments. He was being escorted to the palace in shackles.
At 1:15 AM, Jiang Wende was forced to sit on the steps of the Chongzheng Hall.
The hall was filled with a heavy chill. The civil and military officials stood on both sides, and no one in the usually noisy court submitted a memorial today.
Xie Wenjun, dressed in a black court robe, stood in the hall. "Your Majesty, I have completed the investigation of the grain tax accounts from the Zhenyuan era of Yunzhou. The hidden details and omissions in the accounts have been compiled into a book and are now presented to Your Majesty for your review."
She personally presented a stack of fish scale illustrations and account books.
Xie Yuan sat high on the dragon throne, his voice tinged with weariness: "I have ordered the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Justice to thoroughly investigate the matter of the grain tax in Yunzhou and the assassination attempt in Jiangning. If the allegations are true, they shall be severely punished."
"There is no need to investigate further. The accounts submitted to His Majesty by the Censorate were personally recorded by Jiang Wende. Last year, the amount of grain tax he reported to the court differed by 300,000 shi."
Xie Yuan's gaze darkened slightly, but Xie Wenjun refused to yield an inch.
The ministers standing at the front of the hall unconsciously shrank their necks.
Vice Censor-in-Chief Zhao Xingli stepped forward and said: "I have a memorial to present. Jiang Wende, the Prefect of Yunzhou, embezzled grain taxes and plotted to assassinate a member of the Imperial Family. The evidence is conclusive, and according to the law, he should be executed. I request Your Majesty to issue an edict immediately."
Xie Yuan glanced at the expressions of the assembled ministers, his gaze finally settling on Xie Wenjun's face. She kept her eyelids lowered, making no presumptuous move of looking up, but Xie Yuan knew in his heart that she was determined to achieve a result today, and that result was definitely not just about executing Jiang Wende alone.
Since the merger of the Sifangguan and the abolition of the post stations, there has been much discussion in the court about when this sword will fall on the heads of the ministers and aristocratic families of Yongdu. If the Jiang family is severely punished, it may alarm the ministers and aristocratic families. But if they are protected, it will confirm that the assassination in Yunzhou was instigated by him.
Xie Yuan's face turned from white to green, then from green to ashen. It was as if he had never met Xie Wenjun before; he simply couldn't fathom what she was thinking or what she was planning. She was known for her shrewdness and strategic acumen; her family's influence stemmed from her. How could she not know the trouble that would result from tampering with the Jiang family?
However, the decision of how to deal with the Jiang family—whether to kill only the mastermind or implicate them—was in the hands of Xie Wenjun, who had just returned from inspecting fields and accounts in Yunzhou.
"Issue my decree."
"Prefect Jiang Wende of Yunzhou embezzled grain taxes, and General Jiang Anren of Yunzhou assassinated the Crown Princess. Their crimes are unforgivable. They are to be imprisoned immediately and executed in the autumn!"
Their incompetence was so extreme that they deserved to be executed. The fact that only the uncle and nephew were executed, without implicating their relatives, is already an act of leniency beyond the law.
Xie Wenjun immediately knelt down and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty is wise!"
All the civil and military officials knelt down in unison, praising, "Your Majesty is wise!"
Xie Wenjun did not express any objection, so Xie Yuan's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled down, and he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
"His Majesty!"
The Imperial Secretary Han Song suddenly stepped forward and said, “In my opinion, our dynasty rewards meritorious officials and extends blessings to their descendants. However, if officials are disloyal or commit wrongdoings, their descendants should also suffer misfortune. I request that the hereditary privilege of the Jiang family be abolished as a warning to others.”
"Han Sheren!"
Chen Luan stood among the court officials. He had originally intended to remain on the sidelines, but Han Song was so eager to die that he finally spoke up, "Today's discussion is about the corruption of grain taxes in Yunzhou. We can discuss the issues of family connections and official conduct later."
Xie Wenjun said coldly, "Is Han Sheren blaming me for compiling the Records of Ten Thousand Officials, which has led to the rampant abuse of hereditary privilege and the current chaotic state of the court?"
Han Song knelt upright: "If the influence of powerful families is not eliminated, it will be difficult to clean up the officialdom."
He seemed blinded by a single leaf, unable to see the situation clearly, and cupped his hands towards the purple cannon in the upper left, saying, "What does Prime Minister Xun think?"
Xun Xian was also implicated.
Xie Yuan's face was beyond just looking unpleasant. His expression was clearly that of someone about to face a storm.
Xun Xian, holding his tablet, walked to the center of the hall and said, "This old minister believes that what Han Sheren said is absolutely right."
Xie Yuan's pupils contracted.
Xun Xian said, “The bureaucracy is complicated and cumbersome, which is related to the people’s livelihood and the country. This old minister is willing to be the first to submit a memorial, requesting that the descendants of the Xun family participate in the imperial examination and abolish the hereditary system.”
As the officials fell silent, Xie Wenjun curtsied and said, “The policy of granting blessings back then was indeed my sister’s doing. Although the initial intention was to show consideration for the descendants of meritorious officials, I did not expect that it would lead to such a situation today. The policy has been flawed and caused chaos. My sister cannot shirk her responsibility and has no reason to shirk it. I beg Your Majesty to punish her.”
Inside the hall, several ministers in the front row stroked their beards, their faces extremely grim. Their lips moved imperceptibly, but one could vaguely discern the deep worry hidden in their exchanged glances. The younger officials in the back rows were even more restless. Some turned their faces away, covering their mouths with the wide sleeves of their court robes, whispering to their colleagues beside them, occasionally interspersed with suppressed coughs to cover their words.
The Xun family's influence was nominal but not real.
Xun Xian held the position of prime minister, and Xun Shutai was among the seven ministers, but no one else in the clan held positions in the Six Ministries and Nine Courts. Most of the Xun family's collateral descendants were sent to local areas to find odd jobs. Moreover, the Xun family was known for its scholarly tradition, and it was not difficult for its members to pass the imperial examinations and enter officialdom. This old fox clearly knew that the emperor was going to take concubines to expand the harem, and seized the opportunity to suppress other aristocratic families in order to protect the empress's position as the head of the six palaces.
With the Empress's position secure, the eldest prince is the rightful heir apparent, making it a natural progression to establish him as the crown prince in the future.
When weighing the two benefits, the influence of the Xun family's lineage is insignificant to them.
However, most aristocratic families were different from the Xun family. Their incompetent sons of officials could only obtain a minor official position by relying on the legacy of their ancestors. Abolishing the hereditary system was tantamount to severing the foundation of these aristocratic families.
On the dragon throne, Xie Yuan's gaze swept down the steps.
He knew in his heart that abolishing the hereditary system was only a matter of time, but now was definitely not a good time. Xie Wenjun distanced himself from the matter. As the emperor's father-in-law, if Xun Xian were to propose abolishing the hereditary system, all the officials would assume that it was at the emperor's behest.
Han Song raised his voice and submitted another memorial: "Corruption and embezzlement are rampant despite repeated prohibitions, and corrupt officials are rife with abuses, all because of the protection afforded by the hereditary system. I request that Your Majesty select officials based solely on their abilities!"
Xie Yuan said, "This matter is of great importance; we will discuss it again on another day."
"His Majesty!"
Xie Yuan raised his hand to stop him, "My mind is made up, court adjourned!"
The author's note: Historically, the Sui Dynasty abolished the Nine-Rank System and established the Imperial Examination System.
Before this, the upper class had no poor families, and the lower class had no noble families.
After the establishment of the imperial examination system, aristocratic families continued to exist, and hereditary succession was not abolished immediately. For example, in the selection system of officials based on the imperial examination after the Sui and Tang dynasties, hereditary succession still existed.
Hereditary succession and the imperial examination system, aristocratic families and poor families, were both in opposition and coexisted.
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