The emperor appeared at the Meridian Gate, in front of the throne.
Before the ministers saluted, they were surprised to find that beside the emperor, in addition to several eunuchs in charge of rites, there was also Zhang Zhou.
What surprised them even more was that Zhang Zhou passed by them in a majestic manner and walked out of the Meridian Gate.
"Gentlemen, today is the day when the examination results will be released. There are some things that should be decided." Zhu Youtang said, "Dongchang, please bring people in."
After Xiao Jing received the order, he quickly walked out of the Meridian Gate and gave the order to the Jin Yiwei.
The ministers present were also curious about what the emperor was going to do. After waiting for a long time, they saw a group of scholars in blue shirts coming under the escort of royal guards. They were even more confused.
Zhang Zhou, who had walked out earlier, turned around and stood with this group of people.
The total number of these scholars was forty or fifty.
Liu Jian looked back at the scholars in the distance and quickly asked: "Your Majesty, what are you going to do?"
Zhu Youtang pointed to the scholars in the distance and said: "Many of them are people who met Cheng Minzheng when they came to Beijing to prepare for the examination, and some are just people who discuss issues outside. Dongchang Yan After the investigation, I selected these people. They are all more or less involved in the case. Today I am going to carry out the Tingjiu matter, so I should call them all here and explain everything clearly."
"this……"
Liu Jian's face didn't look good.
It doesn't matter if the emperor wants to personally review the case, but if so many ordinary scholars are summoned at once, it won't be a big deal.
This seems to be contrary to the original intention of calming down troubles.
"Bring the other people involved in the case over." Zhu Youtang ordered again.
"yes."
This time Xiao Jing was much more relaxed and calm.
As Dongchang escorted several more people, the officials present could only recognize the leader, Cheng Minzheng, a Hanlin scholar. Behind Cheng Minzheng, there were two sloppy-looking scholars on the left and right, who were actually Tang Yin and Xu Jing. And there were three people behind them. They didn't look like they were studying. They looked more like servants doing odd jobs.
"Read."
Zhu Youtang said this to Dai Yi this time.
Dai Yi came out and took a memorial, but he did not read it out immediately, but explained: "Dear ministers, this is Xu Jing's confession. He was in Fusi, Beizhen, and confessed before he came to Beijing. During the reign of Cheng Min, he bribed the intellectuals of the Cheng Mansion with gold coins, and there was evidence from the testimony of the intellectuals of the Cheng Mansion. The three intellectual guests also identified themselves, and they were definitely Xu Jing... At the same time, bribes were found in the hands of the intellectuals of the Cheng Mansion. The bribery book lists in detail the bribes paid to the scholars who visited them in the past few years."
"Your Majesty's intention is that those who came to Beijing to take part in the examination in October and after will not be counted. Those who came to Beijing to take part in the examination will be called together to make on-site identification. There are those who go to pay homage and offer bribes in order to achieve good fortune and seek advancement!"
Wait for Dai Yi to finish speaking.
Then he read Xu Jing's confession and Cheng Minzheng's memorial in public.
The ministers present were in an uproar.
Even Liu Jian, Xu Qiong and Bai Ang, who knew the news in advance, thought that the emperor was planning to sacrifice Cheng Minzheng and Xu Jing as a result to calm external discussions and put an end to the trouble.
Now they know...the emperor is planning to play a big game.
Doesn’t it mean that Zhang Zhou, Xu Jing and Tang Yin were involved in the vendetta issue, and in the end there was only evidence that Xu Jing and Tang Yin visited Cheng Minzheng?
Then let’s not just involve these few people in the case. Everyone who went to see Cheng Minzheng, especially those who had given property to Cheng Minzheng’s family, had all taken away!
What is this called?
Expand influence and transfer conflicts.
In the past, almost everyone was targeting Zhang Zhou, Tang Yin and Xu Jing, but with the presence of this group of people, things have become complicated. The roles played by those three people will no longer be important, and public opinion will turn against the scholars. Criticism of Zi Wei’s tendency to seek advancement through fate.
Min Gui hurriedly came out and said: "Your Majesty, does such an expanded involvement harm the dignity of the imperial court?"
Zhu Youtang said coldly: "A normal examination can turn into a big case without any evidence, making the government and the public uneasy. Now I just want an answer. Isn't this the case? want?"
The emperor almost said, you, Min Gui, now feel that it is not good to expand your influence?
When you attacked Cheng Minzheng and involved vendettas, none of you seemed to have the stability of the court in mind. Now you feel that the relationship is out of your control, so you want to persuade me to stop?
"Identify it!" Zhu Youtang said sternly.
…
…
The more than fifty candidates present were all candidates for this examination. There were many people who went to visit Cheng Minzheng. Those who were not candidates would not be arrested. Of course, there were also some candidates who were talking about the test questions outside and were more aggressive. Give La a testimony.
On-site identification always requires some unrelated people waiting to serve as foils.
"That's him, Yuan Ye from Shuntian Mansion. When he went to the mansion, he took six taels of silver and some tea from Jiangnan..."
It was said that they were three well-known guests of the Cheng Mansion, including the housekeeper, the disciple, and the nurse. They went directly to identify those who had gone to the Cheng Mansion and sent gifts, and were immediately pulled out by the Jin Yiwei.
"What an injustice!"
"What's wrong with me? If I hadn't seen him before, how could I have been recognized? Even the etiquette was appropriate!"
The people in Jinyiwei were not used to mistakes, so they pointed out each one and pulled them out one by one.
Not long after, more than 20 people had already been pulled out, and all of them gave more or less gifts.
The identification over there was still going on, and Cheng Minzheng, who was kneeling in front of the Meridian Gate, had a look of regret on his face, lowered his head and looked remorseful and remorseful. He simply hated himself for being a human being.
He said it was a gift for his servants, but in fact most of it didn't go into his own pocket?
Cheng Minzheng was also thinking, everyone else is doing this, why can't I do this?
"Uh-huh."
Zhu Youtang cleared his throat.
The ministers who were looking back to identify the excitement all turned back.
"Dear gentlemen, is it unfair for me to ask this question?" Zhu Youtang asked.
None of the ministers present knew what to say.
Is Xu Jing alone giving gifts now? There are so many people giving gifts, and Xu Jing is not the only one. Strictly speaking... this is the fairest investigation.
Zhu Youtang said: "I also know that when the examination is approaching, candidates from all over the country gather in the capital, and there will always be people who want to cling to famous Confucian scholars in the court to gain fame. The court did not expressly stipulate that this was not allowed before, so It gave some people an opportunity to take advantage of it. I believe that besides Cheng Minzheng, there are also many people who were invited to meet the scholars, right?"
The ministers also remained silent.
There were all civil servants present, who had never seen the candidates? When the candidates came to see them, many brought some gifts. Some of them they did not know or were valuable were also turned away. However, many of them were old friends from the aristocratic families and came to give them. Who would turn away a gift?
Just like Li Dongyang... there are hundreds of scholars who visit him every year. Does it mean that everyone goes empty-handed?
"I will make a rule here. When there is a great competition in the future, before the Spring Festival, no officials are allowed to meet with scholars from all over the country. Even if they have to meet in normal times, they are not allowed to be bound by the ceremony of apprenticeship. Whenever they meet, they are not allowed to talk about examination questions and other matters. ."
Zhu Youtang set the rules on the spot.
"I obey the imperial edict." The ministers present seemed unable to hate Cheng Minzheng now.
Cheng Minzheng sacrificed himself to set rules for the court.
Some people are still thinking, fortunately His Majesty asked Cheng Minzheng to be the examiner this time, and the dirty water of the question was just poured on his head. Otherwise, if I were the examiner, I might get the same result.
…
…
After Zhu Youtang set the rules, he fell silent, as if waiting for the identification to end.
After waiting for less than half an hour, everyone was finally identified. Of the more than fifty candidates standing there, only less than ten were left, and Zhang Zhou was still standing there.
"Your Majesty, we have inquired clearly." Xiao Jing came over and informed in front of the ministers, "The ones who have been taken down now are all the candidates who went to see Cheng Minzheng. There are forty-two people, and thirty-six of them have been I brought more than two taels worth of property to meet me first. Here is the detailed list and the status of the property gifts."
With that said, Xiao Jing presented the list of gifts to the emperor.
Zhu Youtang asked: "Do all those scholars recognize it?"
"There are a few who don't recognize it." Xiao Jing said, "It's just a minority."
"Um."
Zhu Youtang had a somewhat annoyed look on his face.
Even the minister felt that those candidates who refused to admit were seeking death. Everyone in the Cheng family recognized them, and everyone else also admitted honestly. However, these few still refused to admit it. This was because they wanted to Going to prison to loosen your bones?
Xiao Jing said: "Most of the people who deny it are talking about vendetta issues, and a few of them are even making public claims that Cheng Minzheng has secretly exchanged letters with Zhang Zhou, Tang Yin, Xu Jing, etc..."
"Asshole!"
Zhu Youtang said angrily, "They themselves have done something to seek advancement, but they deliberately hurt others. These people are the most unforgivable! If they are on the list of successful candidates in the joint examination, they will all be removed and ordered to You will never be allowed to take part in the examination or be an official! The imperial court does not need this kind of person!"
Xiao Jing asked: "Your Majesty, I have checked the list of tributes presented to the Ministry of Gifts, and these people are not included."
All the ministers present understood this.
The more nonsense the articles are written, the more they like to cling to powerful people to find backdoors, and after things fail, they become more purposeless in making comments about others in an attempt to unsettle the government and the opposition.
"The atmosphere of the scholars is that they are disturbed by this group of people, their hearts are distracted, and they even criticize the justice of the Rites Examination. What is their motive?"
At this time, Zhu Youtang seemed to have no fear of the expansion of the impact of the title.
Because there are already ready-made "scapegoats", these knights went to give gifts to Cheng Minzheng. They didn't get the title, but turned around and attacked others...
Whenever things are made public, the point of venting public opinion is no longer the fairness of the trial, but on these villains.
Their actions also cut off the way for others to cling to them.
In the future, if you want to gain reputation by visiting famous scholars before the examination, this will not work.
Zhu Youtang said: "Dear gentlemen, do you think there is anything wrong with my handling of this matter?"
No one here wanted to be the bad guy.
Li Dongyang, who had not spoken in the court for a long time, came out and said: "Returning to your majesty, I also believe that these people should be expelled from their fame and deposed to the people to set the record straight."
"good."
The emperor was not in a hurry either.
Anyway, now that the conflict has been transferred, maybe some of these people have really been wronged?
Previously, I hoped that the public opinion would calm down as soon as possible.
Now I hope that public opinion will spread even more.
Zhu Youtang nodded: "Mr. Li Ge has always set an example for literati. I think your suggestion is very appropriate. Let these people be detained in the Fusi of Beizhen first. After the interrogation is over, they will be punished! As for the rest, they were sent to Cheng Minzheng People who are polite..."
Xu Jing originally thought that his career was over, but now he seems to have some hope again.
The law does not blame everyone.
I'm not the only one doing this.
With so many people put on trial together, why don't Your Majesty, all the ministers and ministers show mercy?
Li Dongyang suggested again: "I believe that if someone has ever tried to make progress through a long-term relationship, if he passes the examination this time, he should be deposed. He can redeem the punishment of the rod and be sent to the local government to serve as a servant."
Xu Jing's heart sank, it was over.
Those who have given gifts to those who won the Jinshi will be deposed, and those who have not won the Jinshi will have to pay money to redeem their punishment and be sent to work as minor officials. Doesn't this mean that they will never have the chance to take the imperial examination in the future?
He is just a little better than the villain who has lost his fame.
Zhu Youtang said: "What about those who didn't give gifts, but just paid a visit?"
"Do not ask."
Li Dongyang said this because he actually took his own situation into consideration.
With so many people coming to visit him and many giving him gifts, it was considered a good thing that the emperor did not investigate further. If he simply went to see Cheng Minzheng and there was no evidence of wrongdoing, and he had to hold him accountable, then I am afraid that in the future, the ministers and scholars in the court would Everyone must be in danger, and social interactions among literati must be cut off.
"It makes sense." When Zhu Youtang said this at this time, he was actually slapping the civil servant present in the face.
Mainly anti-customer.
Zhu Youtang added: "Cheng Minzheng is a scholar of the Hanlin Academy. He has to avoid suspicion when it comes to making money. He has been sued by officials for his dishonorable Wenheng. He is ordered to become an official and stay in the capital and no longer interfere with the affairs of the court!"
"Old minister, thank you for your grace."
Cheng Minzheng knelt down to thank him.
He achieved the result of becoming an official without being punished, which not only calmed the discussion, but also made himself feel better. Cheng Minzheng did not dare to complain.
Zhu Youtang looked at Xiao Jing again and asked: "By the way, Zhang Zhou is not involved in this case, right?"
Xiao Jing smiled and said: "Your Majesty, Gongsheng Zhang Zhou has never been to Bachelor Cheng's house from the beginning, and the two of them have never exchanged letters, so naturally they will not be involved."
"Yes. You all should hear it, and you should not discuss it anymore. We will be ministers together in the future." Zhu Youtang nodded, also to remind the civil servants present.
Zhang Zhou is my close and beloved general, it would be a bit uninteresting for you to talk about it.
I just want to tell you that now that Zhang Zhou has become a Jinshi, you will never look up when you look up and see you when you look down. It is also good for yourselves to be nice to him.
"Where's Tang Yin?" Zhu Youtang pointed to the kneeling Tang.
Xiao Jing said: "Tang Yin only went to visit with Xu Jing. He didn't know about the gift-giving. The so-called vendetta has no evidence."
Zhu Youtang said: "Then I won't ask about his affairs. As for the other person... Hu Ke is responsible for Zhonghua Chang. He reports things based on rumors. There are many things that are not investigated and untrue, and he should be severely punished."
The people involved in the case basically have their own identities.
There is only one person left, Hua Chang.
In terms of crime, Hua Chang is actually not guilty, but he is the instigator and the culprit who aggravated the situation.
The emperor hated Hua Chang even more for insisting on involving Zhang Zhou. This was what the emperor felt Hua Chang could not forgive.
"Your Majesty, you should not be held accountable for your actions." Min Gui said.
Zhu Youtang shook his head: "If everything is reported without careful investigation, and the report is based on hearsay, once this trend starts, what prestige will the court have? Order Hua Chang to transfer the chief register of Nanjing Taipu Temple and be punished. Half a year later...the remaining persons involved in the case will be dealt with according to the severity of the case by the Three Judicial Division."
"The matter is now at this point. The announcement of the examination results and the matters agreed on this case can be announced to the outside world at the same time."
"Anyone who speaks arrogantly will be judged the same as the guilty one!"