Jiajing Chengming

Chapter 136 I am not a tyrant, so I will enforce the law!
"When it comes to human lives, how can we be partial to one another?"

"You are the runner-up in the Imperial Academy, and now you are interfering in local government affairs. Do you think you deserve the emperor's grace?!"

Thinking of the emperor's instructions, Yang Shen directly rejected Yang Weicong.

Yang Weicong couldn't help but ask in a cold voice: "Aren't you afraid of offending the Northern Zhili nobles because of this?!"

"I'm more afraid of being called unfaithful."

Yang Shen replied.

Yang Weicong was very disappointed: "Yang Sheng'an, I respected you so much in the past, but you are so mean to me!"

"Do I, Yang Sheng'an, need your praise?"

Yang Shen asked Yang Weicong a question directly, with his hands behind his back and a look of disdain on his face.

"you!"

Yang Weicong couldn't help feeling frustrated and regretted deeply that he had flattered Yang Shen.

The northern nobles who came with Yang Weicong were also very angry about this.

"Yang Sheng'an!"

"It's true that you are a famous talent in the world, but you can't look down on me, the scholars of Northern Zhili, like this!"

"Right now, the treacherous officials are taking advantage of the people, and you, as the local prefect, do nothing about it. Instead, you help them to become more arrogant, and you want to take our Northern Zhili scholars and even revoke their honors! Do you still deserve your reputation of not fearing the powerful?!"

"That's right! So many powerful families are taking advantage of the people, but you don't care and instead abuse us Beizhi scholars!"

"If you really want to, we can only go to the Grand Master to petition and ask him to make the decision for us, or go to your house and ask the Grand Master if he doesn't care about the public opinion of the Northern Zhili scholars!"

At this time, these Northern Zhili scholars loudly questioned Yang Shen.

This was the first time Yang Shen discovered that scholars could also be very annoying.

Although he knew that these Northern Zhili scholars were angry because the profits from lending were taken away too much by the nobles and relatives of the emperor.

But Yang Shen knew better that Yang Weijun was essentially wrong in this matter.

After all, it is the people's own right to go to any temple to apply for a loan.

Not to mention that scholars have no right to interfere, even the government has no right to interfere.

In Yang Shen's opinion, even if these scholars did not want to see the common people going to the Xiangshan Temple of Wuding Hou's family to borrow money, they should not beat them to death. Instead, they should persuade them seriously. If they cannot persuade them, they can lower the interest rate.

Therefore, Yang Shen now instinctively feels that these Northern Zhili scholars are hateful and overbearing.

of course.

This is also related to Yang Shen’s current position.

In the past, he was just a Hanlin scholar who had no contact with the lower classes, so he only thought that the literati who opposed the imperial power were more lovable.

But now, as a local historian, he had the responsibility to maintain justice on behalf of the emperor, and he discovered the unlovable and even ugly side of these literati.

"You can go if you want!"

"But if you continue to make trouble and disrupt the court, don't blame me. I will lock you up, strip you of your honors, and punish you!"

Yang Shen spoke in a cold voice.

Yang Weicong and other Northern Zhili scholars became even more angry when they saw that Yang Shen refused to compromise.

And at this time.

Yang Weijun was also detained by the yamen runners under Yang Shen.

Upon seeing this, Yang Shen bowed to Ren Zhengxian and said, "Please come to the court and interrogate this man."

Ren Zhengxian nodded.

"The Grand Master has arrived!"

But this time.

At this time, the Imperial Inspector Xiao Huai, who had been invited by the scholars from Beizhi, arrived.

Ren Zhengxian quickly gave up his seat to Xiao Huai.

Xiao Huai looked at Yang Weijun in front of him and said, "You are the student Yang Weijun who beat someone to death."

Yang Weijun said: "I am the student, please let the Grand Master make the decision!"

After that.

Yang Weijun raised the corner of his mouth with disdain.

Yang Weicong also bowed and said, "Inspector Rong, although my cousin killed someone, it was not intentional. He was just doing it because of the evil officials and the people!"

After hearing what Yang Weicong said, Yang Shen couldn't help but look at Yang Weicong: "Editor Yang, this is not gentlemanly behavior!"

Xiao Huai looked at Yang Shen and said with a smile, "Don't be angry, Dianshi Yang. I know you have a good reputation and I naturally believe in your integrity. So after receiving your letter, I have already stripped Yang Weijun of his honors. Now you can deal with him."

Yang Weicong and Yang Weijun were both shocked.

Yang Weijun also put away his smug look and knelt down: "Grandmaster, please have mercy on me. I was just angry for a moment and accidentally killed someone!"

Yang Weicong kept a sullen face.

"The Great Ming Code clearly states that if someone beats someone without reason and causes their death, he shall be caned 100 times and exiled 3,000 miles!"

"Your Excellency, this man should be beaten with a stick a hundred times and exiled for three thousand miles."

Yang Shen said to Ren Zhengxian at this time.

Ren Zhengxian nodded.

The inspectors all listened to Yang Shen, so how could he not listen?

then.

Yang Shen ordered his men to press Yang Weijun down on the stool.

Yang Weijun became frightened and looked at Yang Weicong: "Weicong, save me, save me!"

Yang Weicong looked at Yang Shen at this time: "Yang Sheng'an! Do you really want to be a cruel official?!"

Yang Shen ignored Yang Weicong and just shouted, "Beat him!"

Snapped!
"Ouch!"

The board hit the scholar Yang Weijun's butt hard.

Yang Weijun, who came from a great aristocratic family in the north, had never experienced such pain. He screamed in pain after just one blow.

"Weicong, save me!"

Yang Weijun gritted his teeth, looked like he was about to cry, and shouted to Yang Weicong.

Yang Weicong was also extremely anxious, but he had no way to deal with Yang Shen for the time being and could only clench his fists.

Snapped!
Snapped!
The boards rained down.

The yamen runners carried out Yang Shen's orders very diligently.

Because they were also very dissatisfied with the three civilians who were beaten to death for no reason by Yang Weijun.

Yang Weijun was soon beaten to the point where he couldn't even scream, and soon after, he fainted from the pain.

At last.

Yang Weijun was beaten to death on the spot.

Yang Weicong and the scholars in Beizhi hated Yang Shen to the extreme because of this.

After all, Yang Shen not only hit Yang Weijun, but also slapped the face of the scholars in Beizhi. The key point was that it broke the convention that scholars did not have to pay with their lives for killing common people, which broke their privileges.

of course.

Naturally, Yang Shen's actions soon caused an uproar in the court and aroused dissatisfaction among many senior officials in the court.

"The good son that Yang Xindu taught actually killed scholars so cruelly! What's the difference between him and people like Wang Yangming!" Bang!
Minister of Justice Lin Jun was furious and came to Yang Tinghe immediately and said to him, "Your son has become a cruel official, and you still want to stay at home and have some free time!"

Yang Tinghe was quite surprised after hearing this: "A cruel official! How did my son become a cruel official?"

Lin Junze told the story of Yang Shen beating the scholar Yang Weijun to death.

Yang Tinghe was also furious when he found out: "Go and ask that rebellious son to come see me immediately!"

"Do you know what a wicked thing your son has done?"

"He actually beat a nobleman to death!"

"How could such cruel behavior appear in the hands of a young man from a family like yours?"

At this time, Right Censor-in-Chief Li Kun also came to see Yang Tinghe and told him about Yang Shen.

Yang Tinghe said with a stern face: "Please rest assured, I will teach this rebellious son a lesson and make him give an explanation to the Northern Zhili nobles!"

"I also didn't expect that after being demoted to Daxing Dianshi, he would do something that would damage the reputation of Beizhi scholars!"

Yang Tinghe then gave another explanation to show that Yang Shen's behavior was not instructed by him.

Lin Jun and Li Kun actually didn't believe that it was Yang Tinghe who asked Yang Shen to do this.

Therefore, after Yang Tinghe said this, Lin Jun just said: "In short, you should persuade your son. It is a good thing to make decisions for the people, but you can't be too unkind. You should treat scholars well!"

After Lin Jun said this, he said goodbye and left.

Li Kun also said: "Yes, your son has always been a leader in the scholar community and has a good reputation. Why is he doing such an unethical thing now? I am afraid that he was instigated by the local people. You should guide him more."

Yang Tinghe nodded.

And Li Kun also left Yang Mansion after that.

Not long after Li Kun left, Yang Shen returned home.

As soon as Yang Tinghe saw Yang Shen coming back, he shouted, "Kneel down!"

Yang Shen knelt down in surprise.

Yang Tinghe then asked Yang Shen: "Who told you to kill the Northern Zhili scholar?"

"Because he deserves to be beaten!"

Yang Shen replied.

Yang Tinghe's breathing became heavier after hearing this: "What are you talking about?"

"Father, you don't know that Yang Weijun killed the people like killing cattle and horses. He was unscrupulous and rampant. Some Northern Zhili scholars even confused right and wrong. If my son doesn't enforce the law impartially, sooner or later these Northern Zhili scholars will kill more people!"

Yang Shen replied.

Yang Tinghe angrily shouted, "He killed common people. What does it have to do with a scholar like you?"

Yang Shen was puzzled after hearing this: "I am an official of the imperial court, and I should only make decisions for the people! Isn't that right?"

"There's nothing wrong with that, but you can't offend the local nobles for the sake of the people. If you do that, you're breaking the rules among the scholars of the world, and you're no different from Wang Yangming and his ilk!"

Yang Tinghe said.

Yang Shen said: "How can there be such a rule among the scholars in the world? Do the scholars in the world also want to ride on the heads of the people and bully others?"

Snapped!
"Asshole, how dare you talk back to me!"

Yang Tinghe slapped Yang Shen directly.

Yang Shen covered his face and said, "I don't dare. I only know what my father said: for the sake of justice, anyone can be sacrificed, even the emperor can be sacrificed. If that's the case, then what's wrong with sacrificing me, Yang Weijun, to uphold the king's law?"

Yang Tinghe took a deep breath and said, "How could you understand your father's words this way?"

"Is there something wrong with what my son understood?"

Yang Shen asked.

Yang Tinghe immediately shouted, "How can you be so stupid! Is this how you understand the law of nature?!"

"The son does not understand what the father means."

"But father must know that his son wants to be in power and correct the government like his father does! And now, his son is not in power yet, but just a registrar. Since he is in the position of registrar, he should fulfill his duties as a registrar, just like his father fulfilled his duties as the prime minister in the past!"

"Besides, your majesty has high hopes for your son, the Dianshi. I cannot let my father down, nor can I let your majesty down!"

"So, let alone Yang Weijun, even if Yang Weicong, the emperor's disciple, did something against the law, as long as it was done by my son, I can only deal with it impartially."

Yang Shen replied.

"His Majesty?"

Yang Tinghe asked in surprise, and then said: "Shouldn't His Majesty hate you for speaking so arrogantly?"

"What is this, father?"

"Your Majesty is such a broad-minded saint, how could you hate your son just because he said a few outrageous words?"

"Your Majesty not only does not hate his son, but he also intends to train his son, so that he can develop a style of not fearing the powerful and noble, and correct the atmosphere of the Ming Dynasty! It can be seen that Your Majesty intends for his son to be the ruler in the future."

Yang Shen replied.

Yang Tinghe couldn't help but close his eyes, took a few steps back, and seemed to be about to faint on the ground.

Seeing this, Yang Shen hurriedly stood up and supported him: "Father!"

"You go!"

Yang Tinghe pushed Yang Shen away.

"Father, do you want to call a doctor?"

"go away!"

Yang Tinghe suddenly roared at Yang Shen with a ferocious face.

Yang Shen had no choice but to say, "Son, I'll leave now!"

After Yang Shen left, Yang Tinghe collapsed on the couch and cried with a sullen face: "Your Majesty, it turned out that you intended for him to offend the powerful. But why did you want to influence that idiot? Can't you be more magnanimous? Even if you beat him to death for kneeling in front of the palace, it would be better than letting us father and son take different paths now!"

Follow the left door.

When all the officials were about to attend the court meeting here again, many officials who hated Yang Shen for killing the scholars of Northern Zhili also discussed impeaching Yang Shen before going to court.

"Your Majesty has always hated Yang Shen for leading the Hanlin to cause trouble, but he made such a bold statement that he would die for his loyalty today. Therefore, why don't we let Your Majesty sentence him to death? Your Majesty will certainly follow our request."

"That's right. We should be tougher and let His Majesty execute Yang Shen, so that those who want to be cruel officials will be afraid!"

then.

At the court meeting, many officials stood up decisively to impeach Yang Shen.

"Your Majesty! The former Hanlin Yang Shen was too sluggish and strict in his position as the Dianshi of Daxing. He was ignorant of the situation, was very bad at dealing with people, and even killed scholars. I request that he be severely punished!"

"Your Majesty! I second the motion. Former Hanlin Yang Shen killed scholars at will, treated gentry harshly, had no local governance rules, and indulged unruly people. He should be severely punished for his illegal acts, removed from office, and investigated!"

"Your Majesty, Yang Shen is a cruel official. His humble and gentlemanly demeanor in the past was all an illusion. In fact, he has a heart of a snake and scorpion. He killed scholars to please the people, and just for the sake of my personal reputation of being honest and upright. He can be said to be a great traitor and a great evil. The scholars and people of Northern Zhili are resentful because of this, and the capital is in turmoil. I request that he be executed immediately to comfort the people!"

These officials obviously really thought that Zhu Houcong was eager to execute Yang Shen, so they cursed him more harshly than each other.

Zhu Houcong stood up and sneered, "Do you think I am a tyrant, or do you think I don't even know the situation in Daxing County?"

"Yang Shen did the right thing in this matter!"

"Yang Weijun deserved to be beaten to death!"

"Not only was Yang Weijun severely punished, but Yang Weicong, the imperial official who led people to the Daxing County government to obstruct local government affairs and failed to uphold integrity, should also be severely punished!"

"As a disciple of the emperor and a senior editor of the Imperial Academy, it would be fine if he didn't kill his relatives for the sake of justice, but he actually dared to threaten the local officials to favor him. This is simply lawless. According to the laws of the Ming Dynasty, this is an act of conspiracy by powerful officials and he should be executed!"

"Issue an order to strip Yang Weicong of his official title, take him to the execution ground, and execute him immediately!"

(End of this chapter)