Chapter 54 – The Great Court Meeting

Early in the morning, Fan Xian went back to his house to change his clothes, and after a few orders, he took the carriage to the palace. By the time he arrived, the area at the palace gates was already buzzing with activity, with groups of ministers gathered in twos and threes whispering about something.

He lifted the curtain and looked, couldn’t help but shake his head, it seems that last night’s story has already become today’s gossip, he is naturally the center of the ministers’ discussion.

A night of sleeplessness, and tossed so many things, his spirit is naturally inevitably commissioned, from the hand of Fujiko Kyo took the ice water soaked towel on the face to rub vigorously, the skin of the face as if the pain of being stabbed by needles, his spirit finally revitalized a little bit. He yawned, stretched, exhaled a few turbid breaths, and stepped out of the car.

Stepping on the green bricks of the square in front of the palace, he attracted countless gazes and comments, all of them looking at this Lord of Supervision in his official uniform.

This is the first time Fan Xian went to the court meeting after he became the minister of the Jiangnan Road, according to reason, these ministers in front of the palace should come to exchange pleasantries and greetings, but I don’t know why, the ministers’ eyes are full of vigilance, just watching from afar, and didn’t come over to get close to each other.

In fact, the reason is very simple, yesterday night, the Supervisory Yuan murder arrest, although catch are some lower officials, but the number is too much, I do not know how many court officials involved, these ministers on the court will be shocked, but immediately will be surrounded by anger, today on the court, is certainly to participate in Fan Xian a few books, in that case, at this time, naturally not good to come back to say hello to what.

Fan Xian walked away very unhappy, feeling as if he was about to become an orphaned minister spurned by the court’s civil and military officials. Although this was of his own making, this feeling of being ignored was like being boycotted by little girls in kindergarten, full of grievances.

His face did not show it, still calm and gentle smile, seems not to feel those hot eyes.

When he walked to the palace entrance, the guards and eunuchs guarding the entrance bowed to him, Fan Xian looked at the two little yellow doors’ pleasing gazes, his heart warmed up and was very comforted, thinking that in this world, it is true that it is still the disabled people themselves who are more caring.

When he inclined his head, he saw that the two big shots at the head of the civil officials were facing the sky with their nostrils turned upwards, seemingly scrutinizing what was wrong with the sky.

Fan Xian rubbed his nose, the white-bearded old man on the left he is familiar with, the right side of the middle-aged man also know is certainly the initiator of the literary improvement movement of the year Hu Daoshi, see these two doors under the Chinese book of the ruler of the generation so cold treatment, Fan Xian clear, last night he made too much noise, in the view of these adults, has become a powerful minister of the treacherous minister of the tendency of the full, coupled with the monstrous action of the Supervisory Yuan, for the government of the dynasty, indeed caused very bad influence. Indeed caused an extremely bad influence, these two of the world’s top civil officials, of course, will not be too intimate with himself as the head of the secret agent.

But he does not eat this set, forced down the heart of the bad gas, playfully came over, stood in the Shu Hu two university professor’s side, also do not speak, but very oddly raised his head toward the sky.

At a time, waiting for the court of ministers will see a very strange scene, two university professor, plus that God damned supervisory bureau, are the neck straight, head cocked, the layers of dark clouds in the sky to see non-stop, bias did not speak, just a silence.

Don’t know how long to look, finally is the temperament sparse Shu Daoshi can’t help it, cold snort, said: “Learning Fan Taoshi in looking at what?”

Grand Maester Hu also withdrew his gaze at the sky, the two Grand Maestros, though both intelligent, were not as thick-skinned as Fan Xian, unable to withstand too many people looking at him differently, he coughed twice and said nothing.

Fan Xian smiled and said, “Whatever the two adults look at, my humble servant will look at.”

Shu Wu frowned, looked at him to speak, but after a long time, or can not help the anger in his heart, opened his mouth to reprimand: “You know, the Supervisory Yuan is because of the weight of the power, so act with stability and caution, and do not care about what you actually want to do, but this is like a tiger and wolf in general driven in the Kyoto, so that all the officials how to deal with themselves? How can the court act? The face of the world’s gentry, you do not want, but the court still want, you say! You’ve arrested so many officials of the six ministries, how can you do your job? Not to say that the work, but the hearts of the officials are cold, confused ah! ……”

He could not stop talking about it, but when Dr. Hu made a wink to Shuwu, Shuwu stopped, but he was still in pain, and his anger was uncontrollable.

Just now Fan Xian, has not only is the teaching teacher in the Imperial College, is not an empty name of extra horse harnessed by the side of a team, can only be in the Honglu Temple in the roll of the powerful, Supervisory College, although the rank is not high, but the other side of the fake now is also an official adult, Shu Daoshi, although today’s head of the civil officials, but for a term of the official such as on the face of the nose to scold how to say it can’t go on.

“Stop scolding.” Fan Xian said with amusement, “You’re also an elder, and if you’re so mean to this nephew of mine, it won’t look good to those officials down there.”

Shu Wu was furious, but he couldn’t scold Fan Xian’s tired and respectful face, so he snorted and flicked his sleeve, saying, “You’ll be waiting for me to join you in the court meeting today.”

Fan Xian bitter face, a bow as a salute, said: “Unexpected things, but also please elders cherish then a.”

Shu Wu is angry and angry and want to laugh, just at this time the palace door opened, a whip, ceremonial music, he and Hu Da Shi went in first.

Today is the great dynasty, the court officials than on weekdays to many, but even so, to Fan Xian’s official rank is still not enough to go to the court queue, just he now has a line Jiangnan Road identity, today and to the temple to report on his duties, so do not have to His Majesty’s special decree.

But into the palace also need to arrange, Fan Xian had to drag in the last, but he in the palace door here, naturally there is a subtle chilling flavor seeped out, so that the ministers who walked past him feel shivering.

Earlier, when there were many people, they could still tie together and pay no attention to Fan Xian, but at this time, walking towards the palace in pairs, those ministers assessed that their status was far inferior to that of Grand Maester Shu, calculated the holy graces that Fan Xian carried on his body, and thought about Fan Xian’s tactics, and could no longer do so, so they could only give a soft greeting every time they passed in front of him.

For the Little Lord Fan, whom they had not seen for a year, these ministers did not dare to be too cavalier.

“How have you been, Lord Little Fan?”

“Greetings, Fan Tishe.”

“……”

Fan Xian responded with a smile one by one, although he knew that he would definitely be disgraced by these characters at the court today, but at this time, being saluted by the ministers in turn at the entrance of the palace, this kind of vanity was really good, so he had to seize the time to gain some face benefits.

After the benefits of face were gained, what was gained at the palace could only be sour fruits.

Fan Xian stood at the end of the queue, squinting eyes secretly surveyed the emperor above the dragon chair, a wave of fatigue surged, looking at the emperor’s face of the spirit of peace, is a stomach of anger, thinking you are sleeping peacefully, the old man for you to do things, but about to die of fatigue, this day there is nothing good to eat.

As expected, as soon as the great court meeting was opened, not waiting for the arrangement of all things on track, a few standing in Shu Hu two undergraduates of the three road governor, not yet had time to report, against Fan Xian and the Supervisory Yuan last night’s action of the Senate war, so suddenly began.

Fan Xian did not listen to the specific content of those on the civil officials, but still Shu Wu once spoke of those old words, the Supervisory Yuan does have to supervise the duties of the officials, but like their own such a night caught more than three dozen officials of the action, indeed has not happened for many years, really can be called on the vibration of the dynasty and the countryside.

He looked at the three road governors, not surprised to see Xue Qing in the first place, Qing Guo nowadays territory is quite large, there are also four road remote places of the governor is two years back to the capital once, he was a little curious to think, Xue Qing last night at the embrace of the moon building under the orders of the war, according to reason should be the night into the palace to report to the emperor, I do not know the emperor on his own and what kind of a view.

Fan Xian is really very tired, so he is very thoroughly distracted, but there are a lot of words is not he did not want to listen to can not hear, full of civil and military attack words are still constantly to his ears, gradually the charges also began to big up, such as what contempt for the court, disrespect for morality, the state of the private use of the weapon, the party cloud ……

In the court of Qing Dynasty, the Supervisory Yuan and the civil officials system is originally a deadly rival, no matter what kind of factions within the civil officials, but when facing the Supervisory Yuan, they always seem to be so united, from the past when the Minister of the Lin Dynasty was in the past, to the present day’s university scholar as the head, as long as the Supervisory Yuan, the emperor’s secret service agency once doing things out of the bounds, the civil officials system will be hugged together, the most forceful counter-attacks.

Undoubtedly, Fan Xian had crossed the line last night, so today’s grand court meeting had become the battleground where he was attacked.

Especially unlike previous years, the military, which had always had a close relationship with the Supervisory Board, was no longer maintaining a blanket silence, but instead, the two Vice-Embassadors of the Privy Council had also stood up and expressed their dissatisfaction with the Supervisory Board’s behavior in a veiled manner.

The civil and military officials all attacked, this kind of pressure even if the emperor himself, I’m afraid also do not want to bear, not to mention is standing alone at the end of the team Fan Xian.

The atmosphere in the Taiji Hall was no longer depressing, but rather filled with a winter’s characteristic dryness, led by Shu Wu, the group of ministers have been on the Senate, requesting His Majesty to restrain the Supervisory Yuan, and at the same time to make a final ruling on this matter.

There was a flurry of words, directly stabbing at Fan Xian’s heart and hurting Fan Xian’s spirit, dirty water flying across the sky, and the weather was a thousand times worse.

If it were an ordinary minister in Fan Xian’s position, he would have been delirious with rage, jumped out and debated with those ministers, and at the same time summoned up the courage to pull the beards of those royal historians of the Academy off. But Fan Xian still strong to keep calm, do not say not self-defense, just the corner of the lips slightly curved, with a hint of mocking smile, watching the big dynasty on the stage.

Perhaps it was this smirk on the corner of his lips that made someone look less comfortable, making someone feel that this son of his was a little too munificent, a little too arrogant, and an angry rebuke came from above the dragon chair, “Fan Xian! Don’t you have anything to say?”

Fan Xian had been forcibly driving away his drowsiness, and when he suddenly heard this, he winced, straightened up his uniform, and saluted, reporting, “Your Majesty, last night, the Supervisory Yuan summoned thirty-two officials for questioning, and all of them should have acted in accordance with the laws of the Qing Dynasty and the will of the Qing Dynasty, and there was nothing beyond the regulations, so I don’t understand why all of you are so agitated? ”

The emperor laughed coldly and said, “Thirty-two people were captured in one night, you are really a good big …… Is my Qing court, all corrupt officials not?”

Fan Xian said with a straight face, “I don’t dare to deceive your majesty, this dynasty ……” He looked at the ministers on the temple and said seriously, “The moths are crawling all over the place, thirty-two of them are just a small number, if your majesty allows the Supervisory Yuan to make a special decree, the micro minister will be able to catch some more corrupt officials. If Your Majesty grants a special order to the Supervisory Yuan, I will definitely be able to catch some more corrupt officials.”

The group of ministers heart a cold, then face surfaced contempt, thought you say this bald but also useless, the court is what? What is the court? The court is the ministers, the world is not corrupt officials have not, if you let you catch all, who on behalf of his majesty to rule the world, shepherd of the people? How can His Majesty give you a special decree?

As expected, the emperor was furious, and scolded Fan Xian a whole bunch of times, which was nothing but what not knowing the general body, acting recklessly, and tainting the holy heart …….

Fan Xian heart that unhappy, although know is acting, but still unhappy, angry back in the queue.

Today on top of the court, no one mentioned the death of the second prince’s eight family generals, the death of Yan Da Dudu’s only son, and the poisoning of Huang Yi, the strategist of the eldest princess, who vomited blood on his bed, because those people were not officials and belonged to the darkness, no one would be so stupid.

But just the things that happened last night were enough to draw the vigilance and anger of the civil and military officials, so in regard to this attack, the emperor must also make appeasement.

However, the emperor, who was seated on the dragon chair, simply said indifferently, “Regarding Fan Xian’s assassination on the outskirts of the capital, how have the ministers investigated?”

The ministers fell silent, and the Secretary of the Da Lisi and the Minister of Justice came out trembling, pleading for pardon.

Fan Xian had no choice but to come out and ask for forgiveness, who told him that the Supervisory Yuan was also a member of the Joint Investigation Department, but this matter was ridiculous, he was assassinated, he did not find out, but he had to ask for forgiveness.

The emperor looked at Fan Xian and said with a frown, “I heard that the last witness, died in the heavenly prison last night, is there such a thing?”

Fan Xian was stunned, not expecting the emperor’s news to come so quickly.

On the other hand, a hint of deeply hidden pleasure and laughter appeared on the face of the opposing military general lineage, ready to see how Fan Xian would explain the matter.

The emperor didn’t need much of an explanation, all the brewing was pretty much done, and with his holy heart dictated, he issued a decree that had been prepared for several days.

The first part of the decree gave birth to a feeling of disbelief in the entire court, because …… His Majesty cut the power of the Supervisory Yuan!

The Supervisory Yuan should not be ranked down, however, in the authority has a substantial limit, especially in the Kyoto station, although still retains the power to arrest people, but in the arrest of people after the time limit on the detailed provisions, especially with the Da Lisi between the transition of prisoners, must be completed within forty-eight hours.

That is to say, a place no longer have the power to secretly interrogate the Beijing officials.

At the same time, the decree for the four resident states authority also made a limit on the general purpose, while the specific regulations how, but to Fan Xian back to the hospital after their own proposed a statement, and then handed over to the court to discuss.

These two changes seem to be very small, but in fact it is like in the body of the Supervisory Yuan has installed a timing machine, so that they do things in the future, there are a lot of inconvenience.

Fan Xian listened to this decree, his heart was as sick as a fly, but he still had to come out to thank the emperor.

The civil and military officials were pleasantly surprised, at most they wanted his majesty to issue a decree to reprimand Fan Xian, and at the same time slightly restrain the supervisory court, and then let those innocent subordinate officials who were caught to have more life, but they didn’t realize that his majesty actually moved to the supervisory court with a real attitude, if the trend went on, the power of the supervisory court would naturally be gradually cut off.

Thus, the Taiji Hall of the mountains shouted long live, the ministers secretly said that His Majesty is really wise.

However, the second part of the emperor’s decree made the civil and military officials feel that although his majesty was wise, he was still too short-sighted.

In the decree, it was stated that the officials arrested last night were not subject to the previous regulations, and all of them were handed over to the Supervisory Yuan for clarification, and then to the Da Lisi for conviction and punishment. At the same time, His Majesty the Emperor used this matter to be furious, angrily reprimanded these ministers on the temple is not strict, in vain of the country’s grace, only know that the party camping for personal gain, good and shameless.

Once the decree was issued, the ministers were terrified and did not know how to handle themselves.

Because of the valley sniping investigation is not effective, the Kyoto guards as empty and the case of corruption of Beijing officials, the Privy Council right deputy envoy Qu Xiangdong was devalued, the Kyoto guard Qin Heng was withdrawn, by the year of the western expeditionary force vice general replacement, and Qin Heng transferred to the Privy Council. At the same time, the Ministry of Criminal Affairs minister replaced, the Da Lisi deputy secretary replaced, the Du Chajian pen imperial historian replaced.

The replacements were all young officials who had entered the palace a few days before.

The group of ministers were shocked, the son of heaven’s thunderous wrist, really let the crowd a little caught off guard, this kind of wide range of blood change, if not because of the conflict in Kyoto in recent days, must not be able to carry out so smoothly …… The crowd knew that things are certainly not finished, could not help but sneak a glance at the young man at the very back of the queue, his heart surged with A wave of complex emotions, and only then did they understand that the original young Lord Fan’s sinister move last night was just an ambush for today’s decree at the court meeting.