Zhu Houzhao has never been a cruel person, at least he doesn't think so. He has the basic respect that modern people have for life, so he limits Jin Yiwei's inhumane torture.
In fact, there is a clear statement in the "Huang Ming Bao Xun": The Yuan Dynasty lost the world because of its tolerance, but it lost because of its excessive tolerance. In the past, the Qin Dynasty was defeated by violence, but the Han Dynasty prospered and used generosity to aid the tyrants. This is to gain it. Today, the Yuan Dynasty has lost its favor in terms of lenientness, so I will use force to support it. I will use lenient and forceful measures to complement each other, as long as it is appropriate for you.
The leniency here does not mean leniency to the common people, but leniency to officials.
But Zhu Houzhao's restriction on Jinyiwei can be said to be against the ancestral precepts. Why hasn't anyone said this?
In addition to torture, he did not directly kill people like Wu Kuan and Cheng Minzheng who had opposed him in the past few years. In recent years, Liu Daxia has also been imprisoned, and Liu Jian is still an official...
What's the meaning?
Later generations said that the civil servants of the Ming Dynasty ruined the world. This is said from the emperor's perspective. In fact, if you look at it from the perspective of a civil servant, there are not many normal emperors in the Ming Dynasty.
People only like loyal ministers who have no selfish motives at all and serve the country wholeheartedly. Such people certainly need to be praised, but as an emperor, if you ask your ministers with this mentality, not only will you fail to achieve your goal, but it will also be extremely painful.
Because a person's greatest selfishness is to make others selfless.
Basically, Zhu Houzhao agreed with the minister to a certain extent, and during the Hongzhi and Zhengde years of the Ming Dynasty, the bad things of the Donglin Party in the later period had not yet occurred.
But none of this prevents him from ordering people to kill people today.
In the seventeenth year of Hongzhi, he also issued an order to kill people.
Because he wants to 'do something', and once he starts doing something, he can't stop. Or don’t do it.
This is Zhu Houzhao's rationality.
From a perceptual point of view, in promoting the opening of the sea to this extent, he continued to show determination as the emperor, but there was still constant resistance, and he even made it clear in front of important ministers: If there are any more obstructions, I will kill them.
As a result, someone actually jumped out. This is a quarrel with him.
No matter how good-tempered he is, he can't be without any emotions.
In that case, just kill it.
When the eunuchs in the palace took him to the Meridian Gate, all the officials felt chilled. This was the first time that the new king had killed a minister in court.
After Zhu Houzhao returned to Qianqing Palace from Fengtianmen, he was actually a little angry. He walked back and forth holding his waist and lacked the concentration to sit down.
"Your Majesty, the Minister of Household Affairs, Gu Zuo, would like to see you."
Zhu Houzhao wanted to say goodbye, but Gu Zuo was not an outsider, so he came in to see what he had to say.
After Gu Shilang came in, he was not as relaxed as before when he met the emperor. He walked with small steps and lowered his head, and when he got close, he knelt on the ground.
"I am here to pay my respects to Your Majesty."
"Why do you want to see me?" The emperor's tone was obviously stiff.
"I have the courage to implore Your Majesty to temporarily suspend his anger and issue a gracious edict to pardon Yang Guiru's death penalty."
Zhu Houzhao's brows jumped, "Can the emperor's words not be counted?"
"Your Majesty's golden words cannot be changed!" Gu Zuo's back began to sweat. He was also responsible for saying this, but a scholar must have some backbone. He must say what should be said, "It's just Yang Guiru is very diligent and attentive in his work in the Ministry of Household Affairs, and I don’t want to see a pillar of the imperial court die immediately, nor do I want to see your majesty regret it in the future!”
Zhu Houzhao was silent for a while.
When you are an emperor, you will always encounter such a situation. The world is complicated and not all good and evil are clearly defined. Are all the bad people against you and all the good people support you?
wrong.
More often than not, this can only be said in reverse, that is, everyone who opposes me is a bad person, and everyone who supports me is a good person.
"Gu Aiqing, I want to believe that what you said is true."
Gu Zuo was moved in his heart. The emperor was still able to listen to his words in spite of his anger. This was something he did not expect. "Your Majesty, a wise and wise king, I am ashamed of you!"
Zhu Houzhao sat on the dragon chair and thought for a while, then asked slowly: "But do you think it is more important... to open the sea, or to leave a capable minister?"
Gu Zuo looked startled.
The emperor is ruthless, but the emperor is not to blame.
"Go down. I want to be alone." Zhu Houzhao covered his head.
What Gu Zuo said should not be false. Yang Guiru most likely did a better job in the Ministry of Household Affairs, otherwise Gu Zuo would not risk beheading to come and plead for mercy.
So he believed it.
But sometimes emperors even kill their own relatives for the sake of the country, let alone a potential official?
Zhu Houzhao didn't like killing people, but he never did anything merciful at critical moments.
At this point, Gu Zuo also understood. Moreover, the always high-spirited emperor actually showed a sad look in front of him, which was very rare in the past.
"Your Majesty, please comfort me. It's important to take care of the dragon's body."
The emperor moved his hands.
Gu Zuo left in shock.
Li Dongyang, Xie Qian, Han Wen, Yang Tinghe and other ministers did not go far. They originally thought that if Gu Zuo went in today, he might not be able to come out well, but to their surprise, he was silent.
Han Wen stepped forward without saying anything. Gu Zuo shook his head.
"It seems that His Majesty is really angry."
Furious?
Gu Zuo originally thought so, but now he is a little unsure, "Your Majesty, you have thought clearly. Chief Situ, leave the matters behind Yang Guiru to your subordinates."
Han Wen was worried, "Will this make His Majesty unhappy?"
"No. I am doing this for Your Majesty."
This is very meaningful. Li, Xie, Han, and Yang almost didn't understand.
Of course, there was a sigh in the end, and the road to becoming an emperor was not an easy one.
In November, outside the Meridian Gate, it was drizzling in the south and sunny in the north. The sun shone brightly on the sword, and after the sword was struck, the scene was frozen.
The emperor used the knife to kill people, which almost finalized the matter.
No one could truly oppose the emperor. The scholars in Zhejiang wanted to do so collectively, so they collectively lost their reputation.
Today's capital is also in a state of solemnity.
Gu Zuo personally supervised the collection of Yang Guiru's body. He could do these actions.
But it was impossible for the court to give Yang Guiru any posthumous name. Regardless of his merits and demerits during his lifetime. If he was wrong, it was that he should not test the hardness of the imperial power at this time.
Officials from all walks of life kept their own opinions in mind. If they wanted to express it, they would only recall Yang Guiru, and the rest would still revolve according to the emperor's will.
For such a big event, the person who conveyed the imperial edict did not dare to delay for a moment. The news that shocked the world quickly blew to the south like a gust of wind.
The southern Zhili area, which had made some noise before, fell silent, and Zhejiang was even more silent.
For many people, death is not that scary, but it is heart-breaking to lose their academic status. They have been taught by their elders from birth to study and take the imperial examinations, and to serve as officials and honor their ancestors.
Now this road is cut off, just like a person who has lost the pursuit of life. Even if he is still breathing, he is in great pain.
The imperial edict also mentioned that there is no need to bring people like Huang Siguo and Li Min to the capital. The reason is simple: I don't want to see them.
After the Zhejiang officials received the order, they were a little dumbfounded for a while. Not to mention that they had done it themselves, they had never seen the merits of so many people taken away.
Gu Dayong came closer and said: "Zhongcheng, the news from the Supervisor of Ceremonies said that Your Majesty is still thinking that so many scholars in Zhejiang have lost their status as gentry, so the money and food in Zhejiang will increase a lot next year compared to previous years. That’s it.”
This is a reminder.
Because Wang Qiong and Liu Jin seem to have some relationship.
The emperor's thoughts were not written in the imperial edict, but he had such an impression in his mind. Therefore, if Zhejiang's money and grain do not increase next year, it will be a risk factor for Wang Qiong.
This is very normal logic. The number of people paying taxes has increased. Even though there are only a few hundred people, these people have a lot of land in their homes.
Wang Qiong had a headache. The status of a gentry actually included land donation.
Now that so many people have lost their identity protection, it means that there will be a large number of land disputes in Zhejiang in the future. This is a matter of practical concern to the people and is quite difficult to deal with.
Because there is no longer any exemption for giving to this group of people, it will naturally have to be taken back. But this collection is not easy.
Of course, these have nothing to do with Mao’s Chinese language.
Huang Siguo, Li Min, and Li Zhi were all released from prison.
Mao Yuwen went there by himself.
These three scholars still paid attention to the dignity of scholars. They did not cry or make trouble, and they concentrated on studying in the cell.
"The imperial court has pardoned your death penalty."
In the dark corridor, Mao Yuwen's voice still echoed.
The three of them were all in a daze, as if they couldn't believe this.
Huang Siguo was the first to react, "What about the four people who were killed earlier?!"
Mao Yuwen didn't care, "It's their fate."
"How dare the thief be so arrogant? Aren't you afraid of retribution in the future?" Huang Siguo stood up and reprimanded angrily.
"You will thank me in the end. Because with so many people alive, it would be better to have a few dead."
While speaking, Mao Yuwen called over the three Jinyi guards who were following him. Each of the three of them had a wooden plate in their hands. On the wooden plate was a set of clothes, but they were not good clothes. They were made of coarse linen and were ordinary and tight.
"Take off your prison clothes, put on these clothes, and you can leave."
Put on this outfit?
All three of them were puzzled.
Li Min cupped his hands and said, "Deputy envoy, what does this mean?"
"It is the rule of the imperial court that if a farmer's family is engaged in business, the whole family is not allowed to wear silk grosgrain." Mao Yuwen had investigated them, "There should be businessmen in the three families, right?"
The status of merchants in the Ming Dynasty was at the bottom, which was Zhu Yuanzhang's rule.
Seeing that they still looked puzzled, Mao Yuwen stopped talking and said, "Your Majesty has decreed that all officials in Zhejiang who gather to make trouble will be stripped of their honors, and the children of the same clan will not be allowed to take scientific examinations. From now on, will you wear silk grosgrain?" Incredible."
Huang Siguo, Li Min and Li Zhi were shocked when they heard this, "What did you say?!"
People like them can say that they are attached to the mountains and rivers. After all, they have passed the exam and have seen the scenery on the mountain tops, but there are so many younger generations in the clan? And there are their own children and grandchildren, if they can't take the scientific examination.
"Did His Majesty really make such a decree?" Li Min couldn't believe it. "I have also served His Majesty. Your Majesty is reasonable and benevolent, so how could you make such a decree?"
"Reasonable and benevolent? Your Majesty has continuously demonstrated the court's firm determination to open the sea. He has sent governors and investigators, reprimanded nobles, and investigated vassals. All signs indicate that your Majesty is determined to accomplish this. You Can’t you see it?”
"No, you can see it, but you don't agree, and even if you don't agree, you still want to object. The court has spent so much effort, but in the end it won't do it because of the face of hundreds of you scholars?!"
boom!
Li Min fell to the ground. He was already worried about the Li family in Qiantang, but now he was even more worried.
