Chapter 231 Impeaching My Cousin Who Attended Court (Supplement...)
This was not a grand court assembly with all officials present, but a private, ordinary court assembly with only five or six key officials from the six ministries in attendance.
So when someone stepped forward to impeach, Zhong Yuli, who happened to be there, twitched his eyelids, reflexively looked up at His Majesty's expression, and lowered his head to listen carefully.
His Majesty's expression was extremely grim, but he showed no surprise. Had His Majesty instructed someone to impeach him on this matter?
The man was still giving a long, rambling speech, focusing entirely on how the Wang family of Taiyuan, having received imperial favor and been granted a special permission to mint coins, not only failed to express gratitude but instead committed such a heinous act…
Too.
Even if His Majesty wanted to rescind the imperial edict on minting coins, or wanted to punish those who minted private coins, he would not openly admit his own fault.
But those are powerful families; does His Majesty really have such a determination?
Zhong Yuli was supposed to be exercising his supervisory duties at the court assembly, but he himself was preoccupied with his own affairs, so he did not strictly control the slightly distracted expressions of several officials.
"Is this true?" Emperor Hongren asked expressionlessly after listening. "My dear ministers, tell me how this should be handled."
Among those present were the newly appointed Minister of Rites, Grand Secretary Shen who assisted the Emperor in governing, and the Vice Minister of War, who was now in a dilemma. They exchanged glances… those in high positions generally had intricate family backgrounds and powerful connections, making it difficult to offend them or offer advice. Only the new Minister of Rites had the weakest background and the least stable foundation.
He forced a smile, cupped his hands in a respectful gesture, and said, “Since Your Majesty has granted permission for people to privately mint coins, you can naturally withdraw this grace at any time. It all depends on Your Majesty’s intentions!”
That's as good as saying nothing.
Emperor Hongren's gaze turned forcefully to the others. Grand Secretary Shen was related to a powerful family, but now, in front of the emperor, he had no choice but to force a smile and say, "The scope of private coinage varies, and Your Majesty's instructions are entirely up to you. However, the powerful families are deeply entrenched, so please be careful."
It's hard to say whether his last half-sentence was meant to offer advice to the emperor to ease his burdens, or to speak favorably of the powerful families.
Emperor Hongren gave a noncommittal "hmm": "So, the Wang family of Taiyuan is so disrespectful to me because they rely on their long-standing foundation?"
His words were calm and ordinary, but the officials present who were related to powerful families by marriage suddenly broke out in a cold sweat.
"I wouldn't dare, Your Majesty!" the Vice Minister of War mustered his courage to argue. "Even if they are powerful families, how can they be greater than the imperial power? They... they must not know how much private currency is circulating, which is why they have been impeached today. If Your Majesty reprimands them, who would dare not rectify the situation?"
A moment of silence fell over the hall. Everyone's hearts were in their throats. They looked at each other, and this time it was the new Minister of Rites' turn to sigh silently. Grand Secretary Shen, who had the closest ties to the aristocratic families, looked grim.
Emperor Hongren's expression softened, and he nodded with slight satisfaction: "You've hit the nail on the head, so I'll leave this matter to you."
The atmosphere in the room suddenly relaxed.
Grand Secretary Shen's complexion miraculously improved and became rosy, while the unsuspecting Vice Minister of War almost burst into tears. His lips trembled a few times, but he could not disobey the imperial decree, so his smile was more like a grimace. He forced himself to remain calm and said, "...Yes."
The incident at the court assembly passed by without incident.
By the time Qi Chengming found out, the Six Ministries had finished their duties that day. He returned to the Crown Prince's former residence and wrote a text message to Zhang Ting, requesting leave, by candlelight.
—A letter came from Zhang Ting's hometown saying that her grandmother was seriously ill again. Knowing that her son and grandson were both officials working away from home and could not be delayed, she wanted her granddaughter to return to take care of her. It just so happened that her granddaughter was getting old and it was time to stay in the local area to find a husband.
Zhang Ting was a newly appointed official who hadn't even used his leave yet. He was now resigning to take his younger sister back to their hometown. Seeing his firm and composed gaze and calm expression, Qi Chengming knew that this young man had already broken free from the abyss of emotion. He was now confident that he could provide a good life for his sister and even hold his own against his uncle's family.
Qi Chengming readily approved the leave, and had originally given Zhang Ting some instructions, such as to be a supporter, but now that he had received news of the shocking changes in the court, he could only postpone it for the time being.
"Your Highness, I'll wait outside first." Zhang Ting tactfully prepared to leave the study, but Qi Chengming waved his hand, knowing roughly what the news he had received was. Zhang Ting was one of the ministers he was preparing to cultivate, so he should stay and listen.
"Go and call Steward Song, Mr. Qin, Mr. He, and Mr. Huang over here," Qi Chengming whispered to Xiao Chengzi.
Xiao Chengzi agreed and ran off.
He stepped aside, revealing a familiar yet unfamiliar face outside the door: "Your Highness, look who's back?"
"—This servant has finally seen you again!" Tears streamed down his plump face. Although he had a somewhat slick appearance, his crying was now very sincere. He fell to the ground and kowtowed several times to Qi Chengming.
Qi Chengming was taken aback and almost didn't recognize the man who had gained so much weight. He quickly helped him up: "...Eunuch Zhang?!"
Several years ago, when Qi Chengming was first exiled from the capital, he was isolated and helpless. He racked his brains and remembered that the Prefect of Chang'an in the original story loved to eat, so he secretly sent Zhang, the eunuch who was with him, to the Prefect's residence. Now the Prefect of Chang'an has been transferred back to the capital and has become the new Minister of Rites. His son, Chu Hong, has also become one of Qi Chengming's study companions.
Qi Chengming had no intention of recalling Eunuch Zhang, and simply considered it a continuation of their friendship. Eunuch Zhang's apprentice, Xiao Youzi, now called Zhang You, had long been capable of handling things on his own. Although he was slightly inferior to Aunt Fang in cooking, he was still a respected chef.
"Lord Chu sent me back to deliver a message." Eunuch Zhang calmed his agitated emotions and said shrewdly, "I am currently very popular among some officials who are on good terms with Lord Chu. I am invited to cook for them every few days, which is why I was able to go out at this time."
Qi Chengming interrupted him briefly, and soon, the group arrived one after another. Only then did Eunuch Zhang recount all the details he had witnessed at court that day.
The study fell silent.
Having completed his task, Eunuch Zhang hurried to take his leave: "Your Highness, please forgive me, this servant cannot linger outside any longer."
Qi Chengming stuffed a gold beaded bracelet into his arms and had Xiao Chengzi, who was guarding outside the study door, deliver it to him. Upon returning, he surveyed the expressions on everyone's faces.
Zhang Ting pondered intently, his expression grave; Song Gu fiddled with the ring on his finger; Qin Liusong sat calmly, a faint sneer playing on his lips. He Dajia seemed to realize something, his expression shifting between anger and coldness. Brother Huang Lan sat at the back, acting as if he were invisible, quietly observing the expressions of the others.
To be honest, the fact that Mr. Qin was able to return early from his honeymoon at this critical juncture, and that we are discussing matters together now, has put Qi Chengming at ease.
Qi Chengming gave a signal with his eyes, waiting for his think tank to offer some insightful opinions.
Finally, Mr. Qin spoke first, hitting the nail on the head: "Our Emperor did not issue an edict or make a verbal order; he simply entrusted this matter to the Vice Minister of War."
"Why doesn't he issue an imperial decree?" Zhang Ting was keenly reminded. "Including the conversation just now—Lord Chu had Eunuch Zhang repeat his words verbatim, right?"
Zhang Ting had a pure trust in him. Since the Minister of Rites had given such instructions, there must be something they needed to analyze by listening to his exact words. Now Zhang Ting realized this: "His Majesty didn't explicitly say anything that could be grounded in reality!"
"..." Brother Huang Lan suddenly realized.
He didn't just remain silent; he exerted pressure through his expressions and words, waiting for the ministers to gauge his reaction and be forced to reveal their methods before casually adding, "It's up to you to do."
"The Vice Minister of War is still too young," Qi Chengming remarked. This was a trap set by Emperor Hongren.
Song Gu had been silent for a while, with a half-smile: "His Majesty should have known about this matter long ago. Why did he send someone to make trouble at this court meeting? Most of the ministers present are related to powerful families. Is it really just a coincidence?"
This statement also reminded Qi Chengming.
He seemed thoughtful: "There was no commotion in the capital a few days ago, so I thought he was unaware of it."
In reality, Emperor Hongren was probably contemplating how to deal with the serious problem of the growing power of aristocratic families during those two days of silence. In any case, the idea of a "state within a state" is absolutely taboo once it begins to emerge.
So... Emperor Hongren deliberately chose today, when those who came to court to report were all related to aristocratic families, to set a trap for them to fall into.
"Our Emperor's methods are truly... gentle." He San Tie's expression was subtle, and he hesitated for a moment before speaking. But as expected of the most shrewd scholar, he still managed to quip, "It shows he still has expectations for the aristocratic families."
If the aristocratic families truly heed the reprimand and behave themselves, then Emperor Hongren can proceed to the next step. But everyone knows the habits of these aristocratic families. What if they don't even want to listen to the emperor and are just going through the motions? If the emperor has already issued an edict, wouldn't that be incredibly awkward?
Forget about issuing an imperial edict; Emperor Hongren didn't even want to issue one in front of several important officials.
Is this expecting the Vice Minister of War to handle things properly? If he fails, the Vice Minister of War will be the one to take the blame.
Brother Huang Lan was truly terrified. Looking left and right, he felt that everyone was incredibly bold, daring to speak so subtly and sarcastically behind His Majesty's back. He had some questions that he had been keeping to himself, but he usually knew that speaking them aloud would be treasonous, so he could only ponder them on his own. Now, things had taken a turn for the worse.
Taking advantage of the atmosphere, Brother Huang Lan cautiously asked, "But... isn't the way these aristocratic families are acting completely against His Majesty's taboo? His Majesty wants to eliminate them or contain them, but this method... isn't it the most appropriate?"
"Not the most suitable, but the most face-saving," Qin Liusong said softly, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes, as if there was a hint of a sigh in his voice.
"Our Emperor... is getting old."
Why couldn't he rise above his station in his past life? It was one thing to be unable to find a way in through scheming, but His Majesty was getting old and no longer interested in promoting capable people; more accurately, His Majesty lacked the energy. How could Qin Liusong accept this?
Qi Chengming rested his chin on his hand and remained silent.
Do people develop unrealistic fantasies when they get old?
Emperor Hongren's approach is unlikely to force the aristocratic families to back down; it will only make them see his concerns. A wise aristocratic family might maintain this bottom line, preventing the aging lion from being pushed to the brink and resorting to violence.
But... Qi Chengming wouldn't allow things to be compromised.
He wanted to puncture this festering sore, force Emperor Hongren to become desperate and anxious, and then realize his own powerlessness.
"Just wait and see," Qi Chengming muttered as if giving a warning, his expression completely unchanged. "Our Emperor will be disappointed."
Qi Chengming waited for their next move.
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Author's note: The wind is rising.
(Bonus Chapter)
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