The killing spree in Jiashan County spread like wildfire, quickly spreading throughout Jiaxing Prefecture. It then continued to spread, shaking the eight prefectures and one state in the south of the Yangtze River, and would eventually spread throughout the country.
Jiaxing.
"Just kill them all like this?!" Wu Changshi touched the tea bowl with trembling hands. The temperature was not hot, but it seemed to burn him, and he suddenly retracted his hand.
Xia Yunyi's brow furrowed into knots as he spoke in a deep voice, "Making a scene in the court is indeed a disregard for the law, but the court's wanton executions and fabricated charges are not the right path. The rampant imperial guards are also not good for the country."
Wu Changshi hung his head in silence for a long while before he murmured, "It's just a warning to others. The imperial court has issued many decrees, but local officials are plagued by obstruction from local officials and students, making it difficult to carry out any work."
After a pause, Wu Changshi looked up at Xia Yunyi and said, "In Jiangnan, concealing one's identity and making false offerings is a serious matter. You and I both know how serious it is, right?"
Seeing Wu Changshi's languid appearance, Xia Yunyi pondered for a moment and said, "There are reasons for this. If it weren't for the heavy taxes in Jiangnan, how could there be so many hidden tricks? Besides, those who hide or commit crimes will be punished according to the law. Why arbitrarily accuse them and not execute them?"
"Do the Imperial Guards also have judicial power?" Wu Changshi sighed and said, "Not giving the students any respect shows the court's wrath. Brother Xia, let's take a long-term view on the matter of the association!"
That’s right, Zhang Pu returned with a setback, and Xia Yunyi came back to make friends, wanting to establish a new “Jishe” to be passed down among teachers, students, relatives and friends.
Xia Yunyi was somewhat puzzled and said, "We form a society and exchange poems and essays. Members encourage each other through literature and morality. What taboos are there?"
"There aren't any taboos," Wu Changshi said with a wry smile, "but I'm just worried someone might make false accusations and lead to punishment from the court! It's a time of great attention, so it's best to be cautious."
Xia Yunyi was about to speak when a servant from the Wu family came in and handed him the latest issue of "Daming Forum".
Wu Changshi hurriedly took it and looked through it. His urgency made Xia Yunyi stunned.
"The imperial court has reduced the grain taxes in Jiangnan next year?" Wu Changshi muttered to himself, looking at the newspaper with a puzzled look on his face.
Xia Yunyi raised his eyebrows and speculated, "Perhaps because the killing was excessive, so a lenient policy is being implemented to appease the people?"
Wu Changshi blinked his eyes, said nothing, and continued reading the newspaper.
"The gentry, at home, are concerned with beautifying their palaces, expanding their fields, hoarding gold and silver, accumulating a large number of servants, receiving visits, befriending officials, and entertaining guests diligently. I have never heard of any who employ teachers to educate their children, who value frugality and few desires, who accumulate books, and who abstain from socializing."
"Local gentry everywhere, abusing their power and acting arbitrarily, oppress their own people and bully their neighbors, causing great harm to the region. We must now pay close attention to rectifying this and strictly prohibiting it, so that all gentry will learn to abide by the law, behave themselves, and not meddle in foreign affairs."
Wu Changshi shook his head and sighed, "Brother Xia, please see this is the court's attitude towards the gentry. Jiashan County is just the beginning, far from the end!"
Xia Yunyi pondered and said, "Although that's the case, the words have softened considerably. I feel that the indiscriminate killings seen in Jiashan County are unlikely."
Wu Changshi disagreed. His eyes flickered as he noticed another article. After a closer look, he immediately seemed to have found the truth. "Brother Xia, please read this. The imperial court has also made its position clear regarding associations."
Without waiting for Xia Yunyi to come and look, he began to recite, "Scholars, though better dressed than men, are invariably sociable and discuss social affairs. After a long period of immersion, their pens and tongues become more powerful than their weapons. They forge cliques and compete for victory or defeat, bringing disaster upon the court and the nation."
"When literary societies flourished, everyone who sent a letter claimed to be a member of the society. When alliances flourished, everyone who sent a letter claimed to be a member of the alliance. Even the wealthy officials and marketeers who could show off their power would be considered members of the alliance by the gentry. Political affairs became chaotic because of this, officials became corrupt because of this, people's hearts became depressed because of this, and customs became decadent because of this..."
Wu Changshi raised his head, pointed at the newspaper, and said, "Brother Xia, the court views associations in this way. Shouldn't we be cautious?"
Xia Yunyi scratched his head and said, "There may be some bad apples in literary societies and alliances, but we can't generalize. The court's conclusion is wrong!"
Wu Changshi's eyes widened, and he pointed his finger, "This isn't just the court's conclusion, it's the words of His Majesty!"
An imperial edict?! Xia Yunyi was startled and quickly snatched the newspaper to read. Although there was no imperial edict on the article, the pen name was already considered to be "Long Live the Emperor".
Although no one confirmed it and the emperor never admitted it, everyone thought so, and Xia Yunyi had to frown and fall into deep thought.
……………………
The swift and severe punishment not only caused a stir in the local area, but also shocked the court.
Whether it was banditry or disasters, the number of civilians who died was more than 200, and it didn't happen once or twice a year.
But the nature is completely different. Killing scholars and burying Confucian scholars will be recorded in history books. How can it be covered up by putting a hat of "inciting public unrest and plotting evil"?
Some officials felt sympathy for their own kind, some were filled with resentment and fear towards the ruthless actions of the "Factory Guards", and some were worried about the reputation of the emperor...
Fear, resentment, terror, worry...all kinds of emotions surged in the hearts of different officials, but few dared to speak out against the major cases that had already been identified and handled.
The emperor's murderous intention is clear, and you still want to defend the "criminal with evil intentions". Have you had enough of living?
Regardless of the officials' reactions, the court remained remarkably calm these past few days. The emperor acted as if nothing had happened, and the officials remained deaf and blind, with no one mentioning this major case again.
Is it over? Of course not, but I can only keep it in my heart.
The emperor did not mention the case, but the matter was not over.
The memorial submitted by Liu Lishun, the county magistrate of Jiashan County, was approved, and he began to vigorously investigate the concealment of money and grain taxes by the gentry and officials in the county.
This was part of the planned work ordered by the imperial court, which also included the compilation and revision of the Yellow Book and the Fish Scale Book. It could be said that Liu Lishun was simply continuing with his duties.
But submitting a memorial at this time was of extraordinary significance. First, it expressed his determination, and second, the court's swift approval and commendation was equivalent to giving clear instructions to other local officials.
The reason is simple. The imperial court has already used an iron fist to intimidate. If you don't strike while the iron is hot, it only means that there is something wrong with your work attitude, or even that you are in cahoots with the bad gentry.
Is it a secret that you're concealing money and taxes? It's something everyone knows, and it's almost public knowledge. So, you think there's nothing wrong with your rule? What a joke!
And this was Zhu Youxiao's real purpose. It was not just to support and encourage Liu Lishun, but to stand up and encourage all local officials who wanted to do their work sincerely but were constrained.
More than 200 heads cannot be exchanged for the students and gentry’s submission?
Zhu Youxiao believed that there would definitely be difficulties in reform, and there would certainly be many people who would obstruct, sabotage, be mischievous, and shameless, but there probably wouldn't be many who would risk their lives, right?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
