Zhu Yijun had to admit that since Zhang Juzheng's father's grave was dug and Zhang Juzheng still chose to implement the New Deal in which officials and gentry were all paid as errands, Zhang Juzheng no longer showed mercy when it was time to be tough on bureaucrats and scholar-bureaucrats, and now, he has to do it for Therefore, because the descendants of the Jia family, a noble family, were unworthy, a minister who became an official and a fifth-rank official in the capital were beheaded!
Therefore, not long after, Hai Rui's report about Jia Wuliang's suspected treason was officially approved.
And Jia Dexin also received the news that he was dismissed from his post and put into prison to be executed.
Jia Dexin couldn't help but collapsed to the ground, and then shouted to the sky: "Zhang Juzheng, you will die badly!"
Whether Zhang Juzheng will die a good death has not yet been determined, but it is certain that Jia Cunren and Jia Dexin will be executed.
It’s not just Jia Cunren and Jia Dexin.
Zhang Zongxi was sentenced to Ling Chi because he was reported by Hai Rui to organize powerful slaves and local gangsters to seize Yangzhou City and not allow imperial envoys to enter the city.
Several students who participated in the matter together with Zhang Zongxi and Cheng Batian were also sentenced to Lingchi.
However, when the Ministry of Punishment accepted this decree, Yan Qing, the Minister of Punishment, could not bear to see the court kill bureaucrats and scholar-bureaucrats again, so he had to write a book and said:
"I ask Your Majesty to show kindness to the gentry, especially Jia Gong, who is old and should not abandon the market. Also, Zhang Zongxi and other gentry should be treated with kindness, and should not be punished with capital punishment. Therefore, I ask the emperor to spare all the gentry the death penalty and change them to exile and exile in the army. , to make him repent and show the emperor’s benevolence.”
Zhu Yijun directly summoned Zhang Juzheng and Yan Qing.
Yan Qing was the Minister of the Ministry of Punishment. Zhu Yijun intended to separate judicial power from the cabinet in the future, so as to prevent the cabinet from being in charge of the world's civil affairs and drafting the world's judicial purposes, which would lead to administrative chaos and lawlessness, so he chose to respect the opinions of the Ministry of Punishment. The Minister of Punishment was given an opportunity to discuss matters with Zhang Juzheng in front of the emperor, so as to avoid making the outside world think that he, the emperor, really only hid behind the scenes, and that even the punishment of the Great Pilgrimage had to be completely obeyed by Zhang Juzheng.
The so-called punishment of Dapi is the death penalty, but there are many kinds of death penalty in this era. The most cruel one is Lingchi, while there are also hangings that keep the whole body, and there are also common beheadings.
Yan Qing is an honest official.
According to historical records, the house of the great eunuch Feng Bao was ransacked, and a list of ministers who gave gifts to Feng Bao was copied. As a result, among the ministers, he was the only one who did not give gifts to Feng Bao, so he was remembered by the Wanli Emperor in history.
But no matter how honest an official Yan Qing is, he will have to fight for a reduced sentence for the officials and officials being punished because he is a member of the scholar-bureaucrats, so as to prevent him from ending up with a man who only clings to Zhang Juzheng in the future and has to sit back and watch the torture. The infamy heaped on his own scholar-bureaucrats.
Therefore, Yan Qing still started talking about love for Jia Cunren.
This can be regarded as a difficult place to kill an official, gentleman, and doctor.
Because the emperor wanted to use scholar-bureaucrats to govern the country, it was inevitable that the scholar-bureaucrats would speak for the scholar-bureaucrats. Even if the scholar-bureaucrats were loyal ministers and supported reforms, they would always say a good word for their own class.
Even Zhang Juzheng is no exception, let alone Yan Qing.
Turning around, before Zhang Juzheng and Yan Qing came to the imperial court, Zhu Yijun took out Yan Qing's memorial, looked at Zhang Juzheng and said:
"Sir, Yan Qing said that the death penalty imposed on them is too harsh, and they should all be exiled to the army. He said that the current draft plan is not in line with my benevolence, so I summoned Mr. Dui and Yan Qing today to discuss it with Mr. Yan Qing. Regarding this matter, as the saying goes, both listening will make it clear, but believing only will make it dark. Since Yan Qing is the Minister of the Ministry of Punishment, I should give him permission to speak."
After Zhang Juzheng said this, he said: "Your Majesty, the death penalty is in accordance with national law and does not harm the emperor's benevolence."
Yan Qing said: "But the law is nothing more than human feelings. If human feelings change, the law should also change; now, it is not the beginning of the country, the world is stable, I am afraid that the small thieves have not been wiped out, and they have to deal with them with strict laws; but now The world is at peace, etiquette is high, and virtues are high. If we continue to enforce it with strict laws, it will not be enough to show the benevolence of the emperor. What's more, now that the common people are causing trouble, many of them will be killed, let alone the scholar-bureaucrats."
Zhang Juzheng thought for a while and said: "Your Majesty, in this case, I think Ling Chi can be changed to beheading."
"Your Majesty, this just makes the officials and officials who commit serious crimes the same as the common people."
Yan Qing said at this time.
"Having already committed the crime of treason and injustice, what difference does it make? Besides, it stands to reason that scholar-officials know the teachings of sages and sages, but they commit the crime of treason and injustice. They know the law and break the law, and they should be punished more severely!"
Zhang Juzheng answered at this time.
Zhu Yijun nodded, and then asked Zhang Juzheng: "Sir, when did Ling Chi start to recover?"
Zhang Juzheng knew what Zhu Yijun meant by asking, so he replied: "Your Majesty, it started with Song Renzong."
Zhu Yijun then asked Yan Qing: "Yan Qing, is Song Renzong a benevolent king?"
Yan Qing was stunned on the spot.
"Does Yan Qing even think about this?"
Zhu Yijun asked.
Yan Qing cupped his hands and replied: "Didn't your Majesty summon the ministers today to listen to the ministers' opinions on how to deal with the criminals in Yangzhou?"
"It is precisely because we are discussing this matter that I ask you."
Zhu Yijun replied.
Yan Qing had no choice but to reply: "He is a rare benevolent king in history!"
"Then I will directly issue an edict. If the offender is one of my subjects, he will not be punished with the death penalty of Lingchi. The punishment of Dapi will only be executed by beheading."
Zhu Yijun nodded, because he thought that treating the Han people as human beings, as compatriots, and establishing national consciousness would be beneficial to resisting foreign invaders in the future, so he suddenly gave instructions and said:
"But it can only be my people. Since foreigners don't know etiquette, blindly showing kindness will make them think that I, the Chinese, are weak."
“So it’s okay to deal with extremely heinous crimes!”
"In addition, those who surrender to or collaborate with foreign enemies and plot to disrupt our country, China, will no longer regard the people of this country. If the crime is extremely heinous, they will be punished!"
Zhang Juzheng immediately prostrated himself on the ground: "Your Majesty is more benevolent than Renzong, and all the people in the world will feel your Majesty's benevolence in their hearts!"
Zhu Yijun looked at Yan Qing: "Does Yan Qing think that this is enough to show my kindness?"
"Nature is enough to demonstrate it. Your Majesty can do things that even Song Renzong failed to do. Can't he still demonstrate his benevolence?!"
Zhang Juzheng spoke first.
At this time, Yan Qing had no choice but to prostrate himself to the ground: "Your Majesty's move is indeed enough to demonstrate your benevolence, and it is as benevolent as Heaven. The subjects will not dare to say that the Emperor is unkind, and the subjects of the world will also feel the mighty kindness of the Emperor!"
"Then let's change those who want to be punished this time to beheaded to death!"
"Those who have made the decision shall uphold the original verdict!"
Zhu Yijun said.
"Your Majesty, Holy Might!"
Zhang Juzheng and Yan Qing both replied.
Yan Qing didn't say anything more. He knew what was enough.
He knew that if he had achieved this step, he would be able to deal with the scholar-bureaucrats in the world. It would also be the greatest honor given to him by the Emperor and Yuan Fu. He had to be wise! And we really have to beg those who are plotting chaos at all costs.
Moreover, after leaving the Qianqing Palace, Yan Qing specially said to Zhang Juzheng: "Thank you Yuan Fu for making it complete, and let me ask your Majesty for a lenient punishment to my subordinates."
Zhang Juzheng supported him and said with a smile: "Whether I kill Ling Chi or the others, or kill them, even if I don't kill them, I will not escape the name of heinous crime. Therefore, it is better to discuss it with the king directly with Ling Chi! Therefore, I don't need to thank my servant." .”
Yan Qing nodded: "This is all a public plan for the country, and the subordinates already understand it. Otherwise, how can the emperor have the opportunity to issue the imperial edict to abolish Lingchi forever?"
Zhang Juzheng smiled slightly, then suddenly turned around, waved his sleeves, put his hands behind his back, and said with high spirits: "But the emperor can not only be a benevolent king, but also have the posture of a holy lord. He only bestows the grace of forever destroying Lingchi to the Han people. This is wonderful and cannot be done." quantity."
Because it was a clear sky, the clouds rolled in and relaxed around the edges of the palace walls.
After Zhang Juzheng said that, he started to look at the sky scene.
Yan Qing also looked over and said with a smile: "Yuan Fu is absolutely right."
…
"Da Sikou! How about saving Duke Jia and the gentry?"
After Yan Qing returned to the Ministry of Justice, Shu Hua, the left minister of the Ministry of Justice, immediately came over and asked about Yan Qing.
Yan Qing smiled and said: "The people of the world will receive a great favor!"
"What great favor?"
"Aren't you going to kill them?"
Shuhua asked.
Yan Qing said: "The punishment of Dapi ends with execution."
Shu Hua asked: "What about Mr. Jia and other gentry who committed the crime?"
"Naturally, it will be changed to Zhan Li Jue!"
Yan Qing replied.
Shu Hua was greatly disappointed: "Still want to kill?"
Yan Qing nodded.
Shu Hua couldn't help but be stunned for a moment, and then said: "It doesn't matter, it's very rare for a great commander to not be afraid of the power of Jiangling and request an order to change Ling Chi to behead him. The world must know the virtue of public service!"
Shu Hua said and handed over to Yan Qing.
Yan Qing said: "I no longer care about the people of my country. I have to write a congratulations. You can't pretend not to know! You can't ignore your kindness just because of Jiangling!"
Shu Hua and other officials from the Ministry of Justice all said yes.
(End of chapter)
