The sudden impeachment of Marquis Zhang Wen of Huining caused some ripples in the court.
Civil officials were inherently at odds with military officers, especially in the early years of a dynasty when the military officers wielded too much power, severely suppressing the status of civil officials. To elevate the status of the civil service, some civil officials were particularly keen to impeach military officers who violated laws and regulations.
Some civil officials couldn't help but speculate, wondering if this was a clear signal or a turning point. They might think that civil officials were about to be given greater responsibility, that they would replace the soldiers and become the emperor's most important assistants in governing the country.
Thinking about it, it makes sense. Although many nobles were punished during the reign of Emperor Hongwu, those punishments were basically decided by the emperor's word, and the civil officials were just following along.
But this time was different. Even though Lian Zining was the emperor's father-in-law, he was still a traditional scholar and a member of the civil service. As the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, Lian Zining had the authority to impeach.
In fact, during the Ming Dynasty, the Court of Judicial Review was responsible for reviewing cases, while the Ministry of Justice was responsible for examination.
However, no one felt that Lian Zining had overstepped his bounds; he hadn't tried to steal the work of the Censorate. For civil officials, simply bringing down a senior marquis would be a huge step forward.
"Your Majesty, the Marquis of Huining has overstepped the bounds of propriety, and the court should punish him severely."
The Book of Rites states: Morality, benevolence, and righteousness cannot be established without propriety; teaching and correcting customs cannot be complete without propriety; disputes and litigation cannot be resolved without propriety; and the relationships between rulers and subjects, fathers and sons, and brothers cannot be established without propriety.
"The Marquis of Huining, having received a salary from the imperial court, should be grateful for the emperor's favor. Yet he is now disrespectful; though he may speak, is he not behaving like a beast?"
The civil officials looked furious, and their attitude was naturally that they hoped the emperor would severely punish Zhang Wen. They hoped to bring Zhang Wen down to prove the power of the civil official group.
There's no need for moral blackmail; that approach might not have been effective in the Ming Dynasty.
These civil officials are now citing the systems established by Emperor Zhu and the etiquette system that Zhu Yunying helped to formulate. They also inevitably have theoretical justifications, such as the *Book of Rites*, which is considered the golden rule by many civil officials.
In ancient times, a strict social hierarchy existed, which was quite normal. From the color and type of clothing to the specifications of carriage frames, not to mention roof beams and bricks, even the number and color of nails on a door were governed by rules.
These can also be seen as a manifestation of hierarchy and privilege. Zhu Yunying had no intention of saying anything about 'equality for all,' as that was unrealistic.
Moreover, as a feudal monarch, Zhu Yunying could also sense that some systems were indeed beneficial to maintaining the dynasty's rule. Some systems might seem to lack 'human rights,' but they were not detrimental to the stability of the country.
The civil officials were outraged, citing classical texts and vehemently denouncing Zhang Wen, seemingly determined to destroy him completely.
As for the military merits, many people are anxious. Although there are not many veterans from the founding period in the court now, many are second-generation meritors and have become the backbone of the military merits.
Even though they might have some unsavory habits, these military officers understood that they were part of a powerful interest group. They absolutely could not allow civil officials to gain power; they could be punished by the emperor, but they absolutely could not be punished because of the suppression by civil officials.
Moreover, Zhang Wen is quite special. Even if he wasn't the most meritorious and prestigious marquis at the beginning of the dynasty, he was still a veteran who had survived to this day. Besides, Zhang Wen had connections with various factions.
Chang Mao kept his eyes down, pretending not to see the reminders, winks, and other subtle gestures from the other military officers, nor did he want to.
Many military officers were also helpless, as they naturally knew that Chang Mao was somewhat unreliable. However, Chang Mao was truly the only Duke with sufficient status in Yingtian Prefecture at present.
Leaving aside the fact that Chang Mao was the emperor's uncle and the eldest son of the Prince of Kaiping, it was also because Xu Huizu of the Xu faction had just gone on a campaign. Lan Yu, the head of the Chang faction, had been training troops outside. The newly rising Fu Youde was also preparing to attack Korea.
As for Tang He, he had long since faded from the court, and now even his title had no successor. Feng Sheng was originally qualified, but he had been sidelined by Zhu Yuanzhang years ago, and Feng Sheng had no say in the matter.
As for Li Jinglong, he shouldn't overthink it. Although it's true that this is the Duke of Cao, he is also the emperor's cousin. He's a mole of the emperor in the military clique, and the military clique has never really trusted Li Jinglong.
Zhu Yunying, seated high on the dragon throne, remained expressionless, quietly listening to the civil officials impeach Zhang Wen without making a statement. It was even difficult to discern any clues from his expression.
He never showed his joy on his face; this was a habit Zhu Yunying had cultivated over the years. Especially in the court, his expressions and actions always carried a certain meaning.
Chang Mao was faking his death, which made the anxious military officers extremely angry and disappointed. They even felt that Chang Mao had betrayed the military and now seemed to be nothing more than the emperor's 'lackey'.
Zhang Lin, who inherited the title of Marquis of Heqing, was furious. His father, Zhang Yi, was an important member of the Chang family and had accompanied Lan Yu on his campaigns in Yunnan, capturing Puding and Qujing. His grandfather was also from Fengyang, making him an absolutely impeccably patronized figure.
When Chang Mao was unwilling to step forward, Zhang Lin suddenly stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, I have a memorial to present."
Zhu Yunying nodded calmly and looked at Zhang Lin, saying, "Granted."
"Your Majesty, the Marquis of Huining has amassed troops and fortified Lanzhou, preventing the Yuan general Kuokuo from conducting reconnaissance. The Marquis of Huining has rendered meritorious service and deserves to be punished because of the unfounded rumors and speculations of those pedantic scholars!"
Zhu Yunying was at a loss for words when faced with this reckless man. Zhang Lin's father and grandfather were both brave and skilled warriors. Although they lacked the talent of generals, they were still capable commanders and possessed a certain degree of political acumen. But this Zhang Lin was nothing but a reckless brute.
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