Chapter 323 Never Reason with Civil Officials
These rules and regulations would inevitably be misinterpreted by civil officials to restrict the emperor.
The more rules the founding emperor sets, the more restrictions will be placed on subsequent emperors.
Emperor Taizu once said that future emperors should not kill officials who speak out.
To put it simply, it means that one is not allowed to kill people out of anger because of a minister’s memorial, and it also means that one is not allowed to kill censors.
Emperor Taizu did this because he was afraid that future emperors would be incompetent and that civil officials who submitted memorials to give advice would be killed. Other civil officials would be afraid and dare not continue to give advice.
However, the civil officials said that it was forbidden to kill scholars and officials.
"Your Majesty, falsely conveying an imperial edict is punishable by death!" Yan Kuan said.
Zhao Xing looked at Hu Zhongyan with sharp eyes and said, "Minister Hu said that Emperor Taizu once said that scholars and officials should not be killed. Do you want me to order people to look up all the daily records of Emperor Taizu? Minister Hu, please find out for me when Emperor Taizu said that?"
Hu Zhongyan's expression did not change. He had a feeling that if he dared to say that Emperor Taizu had said this and could not find any relevant records in Emperor Taizu's daily notes, Zhao Xing would really kill him.
"Maybe I got it mixed up." Hu Zhongyan said in a dry voice.
He finally got scared.
"Minister Hu cannot be sure, but I can confirm that the "Song Dynasty Criminal Code", "The Edict Against Corruption" and "The Law on Beggars in Granaries" were all formulated by Taizu. To deal with them according to the law is to follow Taizu's words." Zhao Xing said calmly.
The faces of all the officials changed slightly. They had already seen that Zhao Xing was very determined to kill this time.
How many of them were clean? If Zhao Xing really let them kill them, they would most likely be the next ones.
In order to avoid harming their own kind, they must stop it at all costs.
Zhao Xing did not give them a chance to think, he stood up and said: "Dismiss the court!"
After saying that, he walked out.
…………
"His Majesty!"
Zhao Xing had just returned to Longtu Pavilion when a eunuch hurried in and said, "The heads of various departments and many ministers are outside seeking to see you!"
"Tell them I won't see you!" Zhao Xing said coldly.
"Yes."
The eunuch who reported the news bowed and left, and came back in a few moments later.
"After I delivered your Majesty's instructions to the others, they knelt outside the palace and said they would not leave unless your Majesty saw them."
"Humph!" Zhao Xing snorted coldly, "Are they trying to force me to abdicate? If you like to kneel, then just kneel."
Zhao Xing didn't buy it at all, but he still asked Sanshui to notify Yan Kuan to execute Peng Qingzhong and others as soon as possible to make it a fait accompli.
…………
Daxiangguo Temple was a royal temple. Emperors of all dynasties had the custom of visiting Daxiangguo Temple during the Lantern Festival.
Normally, if there was a drought or flood and the emperor needed to offer sacrifices, they would be held at the Daxiangguo Temple.
The Daxiangguo Temple was also used for many royal activities, such as the emperor's birthday celebrations, death anniversary commemorations, incense burning and worship by foreign envoys, and banquets bestowed by the emperor on ministers.
In addition, Daxiangguo Temple was also the largest trading market in Bianjing.
On the first and fifteenth day of every lunar month and on the third and eighth day of every lunar month, Daxiangguo Temple would open a temple fair to allow common people to trade there. This fair could accommodate tens of thousands of people, and people from all over the country who came to the capital to buy and sell goods would gather here voluntarily.
As a royal temple, Daxiangguo Temple was open to the public. Except for some special temples, the public could visit all other halls to worship and burn incense.
However, early this morning, a team of imperial guards arrived and put the Daxiangguo Temple under martial law.
The common people were used to this phenomenon and knew that a noble from the palace was coming to burn incense. In the morning, when it was almost 9 o'clock, Hui Xin, the abbot of Daxiangguo Temple, led a group of monks to wait at the gate of Daxiangguo Temple.
Not long after, a team of imperial guards came over here escorting several carriages from a distance.
The carriage stopped at the gate of Daxiangguo Temple, and Zhang Guifen, Minglan, and the Duchess of England got off one after another.
Huixin led a group of monks to pay their respects and then welcomed Zhang Guifen and her party in.
For the whole morning, Huixin led Zhang Guifen and others to visit each hall, and told Zhang Guifen some history of Daxiangguo Temple on the way.
At noon, Zhang Guifen had a vegetarian meal at the Daxiangguo Temple and then prepared to return to the palace.
"Queen!"
At this moment, Cui'e came running over with an anxious look on her face, bowed and said, "Outside the Daxiangguo Temple, a group of officials are kneeling, asking the Queen to persuade His Majesty to take back his decision!"
Zhang Guifen frowned slightly when she heard this. She had also heard about what happened in the morning court, but the harem was not allowed to interfere in government affairs, so she didn't care.
But she didn't expect that someone would come to block her outside Daxiangguo Temple.
"Fen'er, why don't we leave through the back door. As long as we return to the palace, everything will be fine." said the Duchess of England.
It's not good to intervene in this kind of thing, and it's not good to ignore it either. She thinks it's better to hide away.
As long as they returned to the palace, these officials could not go to the harem to block Zhang Guifen.
"Mother, you can't do this." Zhang Guifen shook her head and said, "If I leave through the back door, it will seem as if Your Majesty has done something wrong and is guilty."
"But those civil servants are blocking the door. If we don't do what they want, I'm afraid they won't give up." The Duchess of England said anxiously.
"Don't worry, mother. Your daughter can handle it."
After Zhang Guifen finished speaking, she looked at Minglan and said, "Wait in the temple first. I'll send those people away before coming out."
"I'll go with the Queen, maybe I can help." Minglan said.
Zhang Guifen hesitated for a moment and said, "Then let's go together."
Seeing this, the Duchess of England could no longer persuade her and could only follow her daughter.
When the group came out of Daxiangguo Temple, they saw dozens of officials kneeling at the gate of the temple.
These people were not qualified to kneel outside the Longtu Pavilion. When they learned that the queen had left the palace to burn incense at the Daxiangguo Temple, they came here to kneel, hoping that Zhang Guifen would persuade Zhao Xing.
"Meet the Queen!"
"What do you intend to do by blocking my carriage?" Zhang Guifen said calmly while standing on the doorsteps, looking at the officials kneeling below.
"Replying to the Empress Dowager, His Majesty issued an order at the morning court to execute Minister Peng and several other officials. Although these officials have made mistakes, who is perfect? They have also made contributions to the court. Your Majesty's punishment is too excessive. I beg the Empress Dowager to persuade His Majesty to revoke the order!" said the leading official.
"What position do you hold in the court?" Zhang Guifen asked calmly.
"I am Chen Nian, the doctor of the Ministry of Rites!" Chen Nian said respectfully.
"Doctor Chen works in the Ministry of Rites and should be very clear about etiquette and laws. He should know that the harem is not allowed to interfere in government affairs. You stopped me and asked me to persuade His Majesty to revoke his order. Aren't you asking me to interfere in state affairs?" Zhang Guifen said lightly.
"Your Majesty is wrong. You are the Queen. Advising His Majesty does not count as interfering in state affairs!" Chen Nian said.
Zhang Guifen smiled when she heard this. She suddenly remembered that Zhao Xing once told her that she should never reason with civil officials.
Because the truth itself is established by the literati, and whether it is reasonable or not is entirely up to them.
At that time, Zhang Guifen thought that Zhao Xing was a little too extreme, but now she finds that what Zhao Xing said makes sense.
(End of this chapter)