Liu Zhi really didn't want to take on this task, didn't want to become the prefect of Beiping, and didn't want to take on the task of judging some of Beiping's powerful families.
However, he had no right to refuse. Even though he was the Earl of Chengyi and the Imperial Son-in-Law Commandant, Liu Zhi was unable to withstand the pressure when facing the Crown Prince. At this point, he could only offend people.
There's not much to worry about regarding the reputation of the literati. Liu Zhi understands that once he does certain things, it will be difficult for him to remain a so-called "pure stream" figure. At that point, there will inevitably be some criticism of him within the literati.
There was nothing Liu Zhi could do; living in this era, he had no choice but to accept it. Even with his grandfather's extraordinary talent, he still served under Emperor Zhu, and despite his best efforts, he only achieved the rank of Earl of Chengyi, not even a marquisate.
Because of Beiping's special status, the rank of the prefect here was relatively higher than that of other prefects; this was a third-rank official position. According to Zhu Xiong Ying's previous design for the court robes, a third-rank peacock emblem would naturally be the insignia on the robes.
Liu Zhi slammed his gavel, looked at the trembling old scholar, and questioned, "Does this sinner know that His Majesty has already issued an edict to abandon the outdated customs of the Mongol Yuan dynasty?"
The old scholar suddenly looked up and scolded, "You've studied the classics for nothing..."
"The books of sages and worthies?" Liu Zhi was suddenly amused by the situation, seemingly understanding why the Crown Prince was so angry. "I ask you, why should we, the people of China, wear our hair loose and our robes fastened on the left? The historian Ban Gu once said, 'The Chinese are within, while the barbarians are without. The barbarians are greedy and avaricious, wearing their hair loose and their robes fastened on the left. They are human but have the heart of beasts!'"
Looking at the old scholar with red eyes, Liu Zhi suddenly lost interest. "You've even forgotten your ancestors, how can you be considered a human being?! Considering your loyalty to your former master, I will grant your wish! You are to be exiled to the grasslands immediately, left to fend for yourself! Your children under three years old will be sent to guard your master's tomb! The entire Zhao family will be demoted to the lowest social class and will never be allowed to become scholars again!"
The old scholar was on the verge of madness when Liu Zhi continued, "The Crown Prince has decreed that the Mingtang Gazette and the entire world should announce that everything the Zhao family has done in recent years is known to all!"
That was it. A once powerful family that had dominated grasslands and made its fortune raising horses during the Yuan Dynasty collapsed. Their descendants were forever barred from becoming officials, instantly turning this supposedly "family tradition of farming and studying" into a laughingstock.
Perhaps some pedantic scholars will admire the Zhao family's loyalty, but the vast majority of the world will laugh at them. This is a traitor, a disloyal and ungrateful traitor who has forgotten his ancestors and the ways of the Han people. The family's reputation is utterly ruined!
Zhu Xiong Ying had no psychological barriers to this; he simply wanted to establish these families' cases as standard precedents. He knew that in the present Ming Dynasty, not only in the north but also in the south, many families and scholars longed for the rule of the Yuan Dynasty.
That's alright. Just step forward, and I'll send you to the grasslands to guard the tombs of your Yuan Dynasty masters. Just be prepared for the men to become slaves and the women to become prostitutes, and for your descendants to be forever barred from holding official positions!
The demands weren't high at all, and Zhu Xiong Ying didn't think it was cruel or not. By today's standards, it would be a joke. More importantly, some things simply couldn't be done with leniency. He didn't mind sacrificing a few families to teach the world some true lessons.
Special handling was implemented, and Zhu Xiong Ying was very satisfied with her uncle's trial and the outcome.
As for the few gray-haired old men being escorted to the grasslands, Zhu Xiong Ying had no psychological qualms whatsoever; he simply let them fend for themselves. Leaving aside whether those men could even find the Mongol tribes, even if they did, they'd be forced to eat beef and mutton all the time.
By the way, most Mongolian tribes today don't have iron pots; they still often use leather felt to boil water and meat. This isn't an exaggeration; this is the current living environment for many Mongolian tribes.
After receiving the secret report from Song Zhong, Zhu Xiong Ying couldn't help but laugh. "It seems there are quite a few filial sons and grandsons, but unfortunately they realized their mistake a little too late!"
They were reduced from a life of luxury to slavery because their patriarchs were single-mindedly devoted to the Mongol Yuan dynasty. Under such circumstances, the dutiful sons and grandsons broke down and inevitably cursed and swore at their elders.
Zhu Xiong Ying didn't think it mattered much; he even found such things quite interesting. Filial sons were common, and perhaps some descendants of certain families would become wary after seeing the official gazette. Perhaps in the future, the Ming Dynasty would suddenly see a series of bizarre deaths of scholars.
Elders are certainly important. In this era, being rebellious or unfilial is basically a death sentence. However, if elders are stubborn and insist on their own way, it's not that the younger generation is turning against their own family for the greater good. It's just that the elders are in poor health or confused and let it pass. This is also a plausible explanation.
High pressure is fine, but there are some things Zhu Xiong Ying can't rush. She needs to be influenced by what she sees and hears, and constantly correct and guide the social atmosphere.
However, some things are different and require more severe measures to suppress them. The power of the imperial court must be used to forcibly change the mindset of some people in order to achieve better results.
Being a ruthless person puts no pressure on Zhu Xiong Ying, and he considers such things perfectly normal for him. He can't please everyone, nor can he guarantee that every subject will be satisfied with him.
As long as the vast majority of people feel their lives are good, and as long as the Ming Dynasty is prosperous and its people are strong, that's enough. Zhu Xiong Ying doesn't really care much about reputation or such things. He considers himself a utilitarian and doesn't care about so many empty titles.
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