While the case of massacre of Han scholars that Sun Quan, Du Ruojia and others participated in was solved, many cases of fraud in the examination room were eventually discovered because Zhu Yijun asked Jin Yiwei and others to spend their energy to investigate.
The evidence of fraud involving Zuo Zhongyun and Min Shouzheng during the Yingtian Township Examination was found to be conclusive. Not only Zhu Juan was the witness, but also Chen Zhongyong, Gong Dingxiao and others.
Chen Zhongyong still escaped danger after his fellow Hanshi were executed and jumped into the water. After the arrival of the imperial envoy Li Rusong, he took the initiative to meet Li Rusong and informed Li Rusong about the fraud in the examination room.
thus.
Zhu Yijun issued an order to directly execute Min Shouzheng and all the offending officials. Among them, Min Shouzheng was sentenced to death for killing a court official without permission and setting fire to his family. All the officials and descendants involved in the case were beheaded, and his family was banned for three generations. Test.
But when Shen Shixing issued this order to Zhu Yijun, he couldn't help but remind him: "Your Majesty, there is fraud in the imperial examinations in this dynasty. As a rule, the most people can be sent to official positions. Even if Min Shouzheng is suspected of murder, he should be exiled to the army, because if this is really going to continue, almost everyone Everyone who has passed the exam will be killed!"
After hearing this, Zhu Yijun said: "I know what the master means. It's just that there is no examiner in the world who does not cheat. Qingliu in this dynasty claims to be the most honest, but I think he is no better than the common officials."
Shen Shixing nodded and said yes, his face a little worried.
If it weren't for the fact that the emperor wanted to strictly deal with the Qingliu civil servants who cheated in the examination room, he would not have wanted to say it.
Because it is a bit embarrassing to admit that many of the clean civil servants in charge of examinations in the world are also unclean.
After all, he himself was also a member of the Hanlin elite.
In this era, Hanlin Qingliu has always boasted of having the highest moral standards, and has always been proud of it and despised other ministers and foreign officials.
But it is indeed the case.
There is no exam room without fraud.
Because the high-ranking civil servants such as Hanlin Academy, Zhan Shifu, and Imperial College usually have no authority in Beijing, they can be said to be Qingshui yamen, so the income they receive is not enough even from legitimate incentives, unless some individuals are outstanding and good at compiling and writing books and doing writing projects. , most of them are just waiting to make a fortune as examiners. Even if they don't make money, they still have to make political resources to please several big official families.
Zhu Yijun also admitted this, so he was not angry. He only said: "It is said that Yuan Yifeng lost the world. In my opinion, the scholarly conduct of this dynasty is not correct because the previous generations were too lenient, especially towards the Qingliu Confucian officials. Since Qingliu Confucian officials rely on their moral character to gain the respect of the world, then those who violate the law in this regard should be severely punished, so that the entire Qingliu team can be purified."
"Your Majesty! Having said that, if you do this, I'm afraid there won't be much clean water in the world, and it will also make everyone in the world laugh."
Xu Guo said at this time that he was also from Hanlin Qingliu, so naturally he wanted to speak for Hanlin Qingliu.
After hearing this, Zhu Yijun laughed and said: "Why do you cover your ears and steal the bell? The Hanlin Academy's article has long made the world laugh, saying that they are one of the four unreliable ones in the capital. Now the other three unreliable ones have all improved, but this is the only one." The Hanlin Academy's articles and the character of Hanlin Qingliu have not been improved, so they should be strictly controlled."
Xu Guo had no choice but to hand it over and say yes.
But although Liu Yingjie was not born in Qingliu, he stood up at this moment and said: "Your Majesty, this matter actually involves not only Qingliu, but also the issue of whether the world's powerful officials can make wealth last forever. Therefore, once there is fraud in the examination room, We must deal with it strictly, lest the world’s bureaucrats no longer want to serve as officials!”
Liu Yingjie said, "I would like to ask your Majesty to take back your intention and not to kill the officials responsible for cheating in the examination, nor to strictly deal with the scholars and their clans suspected of participating in the cheating, so that the world will not collapse. Everything should be done step by step." , As long as the court pursues justice, justice will follow."
Zhu Yijun suddenly stood up and said: "The imperial examination is a ceremony for me to win the world's wise men. It is not a tool for high-ranking officials to monopolize power! It is a major plan that affects the long-term stability of the country! How can we allow people with evil intentions to corrode it, so I cannot rely on you. words."
"Then I can only resign first!"
Liu Yingjie suddenly gritted his teeth and said something.
Zhu Yijun said in a deep voice: "Then you resign!"
Seeing this, the cabinet minister Xu Guo stood up and said: "Your Majesty, I can only resign."
Cabinet minister Zhang Xueyan also stood up: "I second the proposal!"
Yu Shenxing, the Minister of Rites, also followed suit and said: "I second the proposal!"
For a while.
Many of the ruling ministers of the New Party could not accept that the emperor was too strict on the matter of imperial examination fraud, because although they were members of the New Party, they were also bureaucrats, and they also hoped that their families could monopolize resources for advancing political power in the local area.
The ruling ministers who did not resign also remained silent and seemed to be tolerant of the fraud in the examination room.
Hai Rui was the only one who looked sideways at these people: "What are you doing, threatening my father by relying on your merits?!"
Zhu Yijun also echoed at this time: "Mr. Hai Ge is right, are you all going to threaten me to resign?!"
Liu Yingjie, Xu Guo and others were silent.
The hall was extremely quiet for a moment, so quiet that one could clearly hear Hai Rui's rapid breathing and the sound of the wind shaking the curtains outside.
The atmosphere was also very depressing for a moment, and the burning charcoal fire made the faces of the monarchs and ministers in the palace turn red.
No one expected that the imperial ministers, who had been harmonious for a long time, would still have conflicts due to conflicts between local landlords and officials and the emerging classes.
Seeing that these people were silent, Zhu Yijun sat back, pondered for a moment, and then suddenly started clapping the case.
Snapped!
"Then you guys quit!"
Zhu Yijun suddenly shouted sharply.
"It's okay even if they all resign. For the sake of your merits, I won't care about your sin of no longer being loyal to the king!"
"I don't believe it, there is only one Haigang Peak in the world!"
Zhu Yijun then waved and said a few words, obviously not intending to give in.
And that time.
Liu Yingjie, Xu Guo and others were startled by this, and then they all looked at Shen Shixing, waiting for Shen Shixing to say something, hoping that Shen Shixing could join them to represent the bureaucracy and ask the emperor to make concessions, so as not to offend the world's official family too much. ruthless.
Shen Shixing also stood up at this time. He knew that as the chief assistant, he could not remain silent.
Of course, in history, there are also chief ministers who did not take a stand or remained silent on any major issue, even if the emperor was furious because of it, and that chief minister was the last chief minister of the Ming Dynasty.
Back to the topic.
Shen Shixing said here: "The Holy Will is the will of God. I condone that I don't understand something now, but since Your Majesty wants to do this, it must be right. It's just that I don't understand it yet, so I don't want to resign." , but I also ask your Majesty not to strictly deal with those who resign because of this. After all, in these years of reform, they have not contributed much to the court but have worked hard. Now, it is human nature to choose this way."
"As requested by Yuan Fu!"
"If you want to resign, please report directly. I won't ask you to stay, nor will I criticize you harshly. It's a good time for everyone to get together and part ways."
"But those who are still left will be dealt with according to the original intention. No one who participated in the examination fraud will be left lightly!"
Zhu Yijun waved his sleeves and left here.
"Thank you for sending me off to Your Majesty!"
Liu Yingjie said with tears in his eyes, then turned around and looked sideways at Shen Shixing, and both left here.
Xu Guo also shouted "Farewell to Your Majesty" and turned around to ask Shen Shixing: "Why does Yuan Fu give His Majesty the confidence?"
"Have you never thought that after you resign, what if His Majesty also resigns as emperor?"
Shen Shixing asked.
"If you continue to behave like this, people in the world will only think that you are a flatterer."
After Xu Guo was silent for a while, he sighed and said goodbye to Shen Shixing.
Shen Shixing also said goodbye and returned to the Imperial Palace. He said to Ye Xianggao, "Today's decree is to be drawn up by my servant myself."
Ye Xianggao smiled and said: "Last time we established a crown prince, what is the purpose this time? Yuan Fu has to draft it himself?"
"Those who are involved in fraud in the imperial examinations will be killed by all the examiners and scholars. This is a strict decree of the family that has banned the examination for three generations."
"If a younger generation like you drafts this decree, the consequences will be disastrous, because if you draft it, the best way is to burn him."
Shen Shixing replied.
Ye Xianggao was stunned after hearing this: "Why is Your Majesty like this?"
"Of course it is for the true implementation of the new ritual!"
"I want the people of the world to truly treat me as a human being, and then I also want the people of the world to treat me as a human being, and I also want the people of the world to treat the people of the world as a human being. The first thing I must ensure in all of this is justice!"
"Everything is for the sake of justice, no special treatment allowed!"
Shen Shixing replied.
Ye Xianggao asked: "What if His Majesty is allowed to be special?"
(End of chapter)
