Chapter 138: About to Make Arrests |
Today was the second court assembly regarding the Langya case.
However, half of everyone's attention was still focused on Sun Qian.
But this matter required someone to bring it up.
Otherwise, the year-end performance review of a mere county magistrate couldn't possibly be discussed in the imperial court, making all these top officials from across the realm deliberate on it.
And today, Ran Jin also attended court.
Zhao Xiang and Zhao Lun were still absent.
After all, the disposition of Zhao Xiang's case still needed to wait until Song Shi'an and the Sixth Prince emerged before being decided.
"Let's continue with the last Langya case."
After the Emperor spoke these light words, the Recording Officer stepped forward and proactively reported: "Your Majesty, after these past days of verification, among the military officers who accompanied them in the Langya troop deployment case, not a single person remonstrated with the Sixth Prince."
Chen Kefu's earlier proposal was being completely overturned.
According to Ouyang Ke's theory, there was no longer such a thing as pure merit or pure fault.
But in reality, the Recording Officer discovered during the investigation that it wasn't that no one had remonstrated.
There really was one person who came forward to stop it.
Qin Kuo.
But upon investigation, it was discovered that this actually implicated the Emperor—an imperial handwritten decree.
Therefore, this classified information was immediately suppressed. All interrogators monitored and warned each other to seal this matter, absolutely preventing any leaks.
No one prohibited the investigation, but it absolutely could not be traced back to the Emperor.
And if Qin Kuo wasn't allowed to speak, then there truly wasn't a single person who had remonstrated.
"What about after arriving at Shuofeng? Which generals or officials remonstrated?" the Emperor asked again.
"In response to Your Majesty," the Recording Officer answered, "not a single official remonstrated either."
"Ran Jin, what about you?"
The Emperor looked at this meritorious noble's son who had returned from Shuofeng, calling him to account.
"In response to Your Majesty, this subordinate failed in his duties."
Kneeling on one knee with both fists clenched, Ran Jin shouldered this blame.
Though he truly hadn't remonstrated, he had only expressed some of his own doubts to His Highness.
"Excellent."
The Emperor laughed, looking toward the hundred officials, especially those military generals: "Everyone knew this was wrong, but not a single person spoke up. Is it truly that everyone thought victory would be theirs and defeat would be Song Shi'an's? Or is it that after suffering defeat, all morale was lost, and they only hoped to survive?"
This round of criticism toward the other officials made all the hundred officials here collectively kneel and bow their heads, earnestly accepting it.
The Great Yu's moral climate had completely deteriorated.
People of unwavering integrity no longer existed.
What remained were all nobles and their sons without conviction.
"From the Forbidden Army, from Langya, and from Shuofeng—all the officials combined, how many are there?" the Emperor asked.
After reviewing, the Recording Officer answered: "In response to Your Majesty, military generals and civil officials, all those with rank, total ninety-four people."
Solemnly, the Emperor decided: "These ninety-four people will all be demoted one rank and have their salaries withheld for one year."
These words made all the officials present feel a bone-chilling cold.
Such a bold stroke hadn't been seen in a long time!
Though the Emperor was old, his temper remained fierce.
Hadn't Chen Kefu said that the others were following orders and fulfilling their duties, so they should be forgiven?
The Emperor was now rejecting that principle that the law cannot punish the masses.
When an avalanche occurs, not a single snowflake is innocent.
And with this bold stroke, Song Shi'an's crime couldn't possibly be severe.
After all, the careers of a full ninety-four officials had been sacrificed.
Song Shi'an's personal guilt would be shared by the collective culpability.
"Including you, Ran Jin." The Emperor directly named him.
Ran Jin bowed again, accepting the punishment: "Yes, Your Majesty."
"Besides the Court of Judicial Review, the Court of Imperial Clan Affairs is also trying the Sixth Prince." The Emperor glanced to the side. "Read it."
Thus, Eunuch Xi publicly proclaimed and read aloud the confession from the Court of Imperial Clan Affairs.
After hearing it, the assembled ministers were all somewhat shocked.
Although they had all sensed that the Prince's side wouldn't shift blame to Song Shi'an either, the two confessions being completely different was truly beyond belief.
They were completely opposite.
Aside from the public facts, everything else basically didn't match up.
Could it be that the two of them hadn't coordinated their stories beforehand?
No, if they had coordinated and then deliberately did this, then the problem was serious.
The Sixth Prince had previously said everything was his responsibility, but now he had Song Shi'an produce this confession that completely contradicted his own, showing that his heart in "confessing guilt" wasn't sincere, but rather had some ambition...
Of course, that was the Emperor's family matter and had nothing to do with them.
"What do you beloved ministers think?"
When the Emperor asked this way, how could anyone dare to speak?
Even if they truly had opinions, they couldn't possibly be baited at this moment.
Thus, he inquired of the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review: "Minister Wang, in this situation, how should this be calculated?"
Wang Chen's heart jumped, then he said: "In response to Your Majesty, reasonably speaking, another trial is needed."
"How would another trial be conducted?" the Emperor asked. "Both people have admitted their guilt. Are we to make them not admit it?"
"This... is indeed rare."
Wang Chen also fell into a dilemma.
In ancient times, why did things like forced confessions under torture exist?
Because a case needed someone to take responsibility for it.
As long as someone could close the case, then for those handling criminal law, the work was finished.
For the important people, no one truly cared what the truth actually was.
But now, what bizarre problem had emerged?
There were two people confessing.
Too much abundance!
"Since both people have confessed, then naturally both people are guilty." The Emperor said, "As for who is more guilty, Zhen believes that the one who made the decision bears heavier sin than the one who suggested it."
When these words emerged, everyone tensely remained silent.
Not a single person spoke.
After a long while, the Emperor still opened his mouth: "Wang Chen, you will close this case."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
After Wang Chen answered, he cautiously added another sentence: "The imperial examinations are approaching, and Song Shi'an is still in prison."
"Minister Wang only needs to manage the Court of Judicial Review's affairs." The Emperor said, "However long the case should take to close is however long it should take, follow the procedures."
"Yes."
"Regarding these two court assemblies, each of you beloved ministers shall submit a memorial. Before tomorrow."
"Yes."
"If there are matters to present, present them; if not, court is dismissed."
The Emperor also prepared to leave.
At this time, the Prince of Jin stepped to the center and spoke: "Your Majesty, this subject still has a matter."
"Speak."
"This subject requests commendation for Zhang County Magistrate Sun Qian."
When these words emerged, Minister Sun and the Emperor simultaneously tensed.
The two people's expressions weren't quite the same, but neither wrote all their emotions on their faces.
"For what matter should he be commended?" the Emperor asked.
"In these difficult times, Sun Qian has governed Zhang County for over half a year, leading officials to economize on expenses, mobilizing gentry to donate, encouraging agriculture and commerce, and submitting to the court two million two hundred thousand qian in national taxes, three times the previous amount." The Prince of Jin said.
"Very good, Minister Sun has taught well." The Emperor smiled and nodded.
"Thank Your Majesty for the praise." Minister Sun responded quite humbly.
"Minister of the Secretariat, draft a promotion memorial." The Emperor said.
"Yes, Your Majesty." Ouyang Ke received the order.
"Is there anything else?"
The Emperor inquired again.
The hundred officials were silent, then he directly stood up, walking toward the hall's exit: "Court dismissed."
………
In the corridor, the officials all walked.
Almost all the military generals naturally separated from Chen Kefu, even though many among them had lower ranks than him.
He had no choice but to mix in with a group of civil officials.
"How should this memorial be written?" Chen Kefu asked.
At this time, an old civil official said: "General, wasn't it already said before? We must praise His Highness and criticize Song Shi'an."
"But His Majesty already said that Song Shi'an's faults are split evenly with His Highness, and His Highness even bears slightly more." Chen Kefu said.
"When Shuofeng was fighting before, His Majesty also said His Highness had faults and told us those who speak bear no guilt." Someone muttered quietly.
Chen Kefu remembered—previously His Majesty had indeed said those who speak bear no guilt.
But if everyone truly followed and criticized the Sixth Prince, he obviously got a bit angry...
"Moreover." Someone reminded again, "Didn't you notice? After His Majesty said the Sixth Prince was guilty and no one spoke... right?"
Oh, right.
When leaving at the end, he was indeed carrying some temper.
"Then, should it really be written this way?" Chen Kefu asked uncertainly.
"Ah, no problem, no problem." The others repeatedly persuaded.
"Will you gentlemen also write it this way?" Chen Kefu asked.
"Write it, write it."
Hearing this question, all the civil officials surrounding him stared at him, nodding in unison.
Everyone's expression was the same—earnest.
………
The next day, at noon, leaning on the dragon throne, before the Emperor were the hundred officials' memorials.
Separated and stacked in piles.
"Chen Bao, what do they all say?" the Emperor asked.
"In response to Your Majesty." Chen Bao pointed to a large stack, saying, "These are pleading for Song Shi'an. The general meaning is that although the process violated military discipline, his loyalty was good."
"Good."
"And this stack says that Song Shi'an has faults, but the other officials didn't remonstrate, so they should be treated equally. Or use military merit to determine punishment at discretion." Chen Bao said.
"What about the largest stack?" the Emperor asked.
"In response to Your Majesty, these are all nonsense."
Chen Bao boldly used such a somewhat "offensive" word.
This was gauging the Emperor's mood, then tactfully comforting him: the hundred officials are all idiots.
"As expected."
Finally, the Emperor looked at a single volume standing alone: "And this?"
"In response to Your Majesty, it's Chen Kefu's. He pleads for the Sixth Prince and lavishly praises His Highness for proactively taking responsibility and bearing fault for Song Shi'an." Reaching this point, Chen Bao added: "Among all the civil and military officials, only this one memorial discussed the Sixth Prince."
"A military brute, stupid as a pig, yet he goes to play with those civil officials." The Emperor felt disgust rising. "It's him then."
"Your Majesty, what crime should be imposed?"
"What do you think?"
"This slave believes..." Chen Bao said, "Bootlicking, flattery, accepting bribes, completely lacking a subject's propriety."
"Not enough."
"There are also arrested officials who pointed out that Chen Kefu also once grumbled about the court's military deployment policy, disturbing military morale."
"That's enough."
"Then Your Majesty, when should the Court of Judicial Review be sent to arrest him?" Chen Bao inquired.
"Wait until Song Shi'an comes out to discuss it."
The Emperor looked at him, saying: "Consider it arrested for him."