My father, Li Shimin, please call me Crown Prince

Chapter 378 Decentralization of Powers
Imperial city official office.

It is said that Zhangsun Wuji, Fang Xuanling and Wei Zheng interrogated Chu Suiliang for ten days, but in fact it was not necessary to be so troublesome.

Since Su Tan dared to bring this matter up at the court meeting, he must have complete evidence.

A simple check here will reveal the truth.

Chu Suiliang did force someone to buy his mansion at a lower price.

Then why did Li Shimin give ten more days?

The so-called law is the constraints imposed by those above on those below.

If it happened in later times, with irrefutable evidence, it would naturally not have much effect.

But this was the age of dynasties.

No matter how great the law is, it is still a tool in the hands of the emperor.

Even if a mistake was made, such as Li Chengqian rebelling and even attacking Tongguan, as long as Li Shimin did not care, it would be fine.

In some ways, Li Shimin also had feelings for Chu Suiliang.

This also involves Chu Suiliang's father.

During the turbulent times at the end of the Sui Dynasty, Chu Suiliang followed his father Chu Liang to join the Li Tang dynasty, and initially made his mark in the Qin Wang's court as a civil servant.

At that time, Li Shimin was in a critical period of fighting wars in the south and the north and recruiting talents. He had already noticed this young talent who was well-versed in literature and history and skilled in official and regular script.

In the ninth year of Wude, after the Xuanwu Gate Incident, Li Shimin promoted Chu Suiliang to the position of Jiujiulang as soon as he ascended the throne, and entrusted him with the important task of "recording the emperor's daily routines and rules."

This appointment may seem ordinary, but it actually implies the emperor's special trust in his subjects. The recorder must record the monarch's words and deeds truthfully, and any negligence may offend the emperor.

However, Li Shimin told Chu Suiliang frankly: "If you don't remember it, people all over the world will remember it." This tolerance for those who dare to speak out and give advice became the first cornerstone of their relationship.

From Li Chengqian's perspective, Chu Suiliang has always supported Prince Wei in his bid for the throne, so he is naturally the villain.

But this is a matter of stance and position, and Chu Suiliang himself is capable.

He once wrote a memorial to advise Li Shimin to "cut down on hunting and lighten taxes and levies," saying frankly, "Human power is limited, and land is finite. Even if Your Majesty wants to decorate the palace, you should still consider the situation."

This style of giving advice without avoiding sharp edges not only did not anger Li Shimin, but instead made Li Shimin admire Chu Suiliang for his straightforwardness and the demeanor of a great minister.

The tacit understanding between the monarch and his subjects has now surpassed a simple employment relationship and has been sublimated into a consensus on the philosophy of governing the country.

In addition to political cooperation, Li Shimin and Chu Suiliang's resonance in the field of art further narrowed the emotional distance between the two.

Li Shimin's obsession with Wang Xizhi's calligraphy is well known. As one of the four great calligraphers in the early Tang Dynasty, Chu Suiliang's regular script style, with golden characters and jade-like lines, coincides with Li Shimin's aesthetic orientation.

During the Zhenguan period, Chu Suiliang was ordered to authenticate the authenticity of Wang Xizhi's calligraphy collected in the imperial palace. He was able to verify its origins and found no mistakes at all, which amazed Li Shimin.

The emperor and his minister often discussed calligraphy in their spare time. There was even a story that Emperor Taizong once spent gold and silk from the imperial palace to purchase Wang Xizhi's calligraphy, and Chu Suiliang discussed its authenticity.

Historically, in the 23rd year of Zhenguan, Li Shimin summoned Chu Suiliang and Zhangsun Wuji to his bedside before his death, and left them with my beautiful children and wife, and now I entrust them to you to carry out my last wishes.

The fact that Chu Suiliang was entrusted with the care of his son by Li Shimin before his death is enough to show the status of Chu Suiliang in Li Shimin's heart.

The reason why Fang Xuanling and Wei Zheng are not included is because they died earlier than Li Shimin.

As the saying goes, no one is perfect. From some perspectives, Chu Suiliang's forced purchase of the Sogdian merchant's mansion was just a small abuse of power.

Such things were actually not a big deal in the dynasty era.

In this era, there is still a rule that officials should not be punished.

If Su Tan had not come forward to impeach, how could the affairs of the Sogdian merchants be worthy of being brought up at the court meeting.

The person Su Tan represents is the crown prince, which has a different meaning.

The incident involving Chu Suiliang became a political game between the Crown Prince and the King of Wei.

To put it more deeply, it may involve the struggle between the Crown Prince and His Majesty.

The removal of Chu Suiliang meant that Li Shimin lost a minister.

Inside the government office.

Zhangsun Wuji, Fang Xuanling and Wei Zheng were discussing.

The facts are before our eyes. There is nothing to investigate. It all depends on how the crime is determined.

"Everyone." Wei Zheng spoke first, "Chu Suiliang forced Shi Hedan to buy his house, which was worth three hundred pieces of silk. The witnesses and the land deeds are all there. According to the "Tang Law Commentary on Miscellaneous Laws", 'buying land and houses without paying money', he should be flogged fifty times. If it is counted as stolen goods, the three hundred pieces of silk are already 'stolen goods', and according to the "Official System Law", he should be sentenced to two years in prison. I think this case should be handled according to the law and should not be tolerated."

Wei Zheng and Chu Suiliang had never gotten along well. They were once friends, but later naturally became enemies because of their political stances.

Wei Zheng believed that the crown prince's succession to the throne was the right way for the country.

However, Chu Suiliang was originally neutral, but was later won over by the Five Surnames and Seven Affiliates and became a staunch member of the King of Wei's party. This made Wei Zheng feel that Chu Suiliang had betrayed him.

After all, none of the Five Surnames and Seven Families support King Wei that much now, but you, Chu Suiliang, are jumping around so happily.

Upon hearing this, Changsun Wuji snorted softly, "Duke Wei is indeed very stingy. Although Shi Hedan is a noble Hu merchant, there are many cases of officials in Chang'an City negotiating prices with merchants. Why did he single out Chu Suiliang?"

Helping Chu Suiliang does not mean that Zhangsun Wuji wants to become the King of Wei.

But according to your majesty's wishes, we should handle it with care.

The implication is obvious from the fact that His Majesty has decided to close the case within ten days.

The reason why Your Majesty did not come forward in person but asked three people to come forward was just to prevent the conflict with the prince from deepening.

But Wei Zheng didn't care: "How can we bargain before the law?"

"According to the records, Shi Hedan rejected Chu Suiliang's request to buy the wheat three times, and was finally forced to sign the contract. How is this forced buying and selling different from the street scoundrels? When your Majesty punished the Longyou Road Ambassador Huangfu Decan for 'buying wheat from the people at a low price', he was also flogged forty times according to the law. How could you condone it because of your official position?"

Zhang Sun Wuji's face darkened slightly, and he was about to refute, but Fang Xuanling coughed lightly, "Don't get angry, both of you. The key to this case is 'whether it constitutes coercion'. The file only mentions that Shi Hedan was 'forced to sign the contract', but there is no witness who saw the coercion scene, nor is there any direct evidence such as letters or confessions. The law emphasizes 'judging according to the facts'. If there is no solid evidence, sentencing must be cautious."

Wei Zheng dared to confront His Majesty and force himself to take the position of Crown Prince, but Fang Xuanling would naturally not do that.

I still have to find some excuses to take this matter lightly.

"Why does Fang Xiang always think lightly?"

Wei Zheng slammed the table and stood up: "Shi Hedan didn't dare to file a complaint before. This behavior itself is a clear proof of his fear of power! If we criticize him without direct evidence, won't it make it impossible for the victim to seek redress?"

Zhang Sun Wuji shook his head and said, "Mr. Wei is wrong. The law emphasizes evidence, not inference. If you convict someone simply because they 'dare not file a complaint', it may set a precedent for 'false accusations'."

Wei Zheng puffed his beard and glared, ready to have a heated debate.

Seeing that the atmosphere was tense, Fang Xuanling hurried to smooth things over: "Your Majesty once said, 'The law is a public tool for the world.' If Chu Suiliang is really guilty, Your Majesty will never protect him. But two points must be taken into account in this case: First, the sentencing must be precise according to the law; second, Your Majesty must be given dignity." When Wei Zheng heard the word "dignity", his momentum faltered.

He could talk about the law, but he couldn't ignore His Majesty. He frowned and asked, "How can we save face?"

Fang Xuanling picked up the file, thought for a moment and said, "In my opinion, he can be convicted of 'embezzlement', which is 300 pieces of silk, and sentenced to two years in prison. But considering that he has not done any evil deeds such as oppressing the people or embezzling government funds, and that he has worked hard in compiling history for many years, I can ask Your Majesty to 'atone his sins with copper', and fine him 60 kilograms of copper, but dismiss him from his post. This way, it is in line with the law and leaves room for maneuver."

Wei Zheng naturally refused to accept the offer and asked, "Remove me from my post and keep me in office?"

"If a fifth-rank official is dismissed, there is no chance for him to stay in office. This doesn't make sense! According to the law, if he is convicted of corruption and sentenced to two years in prison, he should be dismissed from office and become a civilian. How can he be 'retained'? Is Prime Minister Fang trying to create his own law?"

Zhangsun Wuji took the opportunity to say, "Why is Duke Wei so stubborn? Although Chu Suiliang made mistakes, he is not a corrupt official. The Crown Prince has repeatedly impeached him since he became regent, which has made everyone in the court feel insecure. If the censors are punished severely again, it may block the way for speech and make Your Majesty lose his eyes and ears."

Wei Zheng glared at Zhangsun Wuji: "Is it the censor's duty to force him to buy a private house? It's clearly a personal flaw! Zhangsun Gong repeatedly excuses him, does he think the censor is innocent?"

Zhang Sun Wuji shook his head slightly: "I am not trying to excuse him, I am just reminding Duke Wei not to let the law become a tool for factional struggles! As the Prince's Junior Tutor, you always advocate for the Prince, don't you have any selfish motives?"

The atmosphere in the government hall suddenly became tense. Fang Xuanling tried to smooth things over: "In my opinion, we can compromise: Although there is no direct evidence of coercion against Chu Suiliang, as a censor, he was too close to merchants, which was unbecoming. According to the article "Officials go in and out of the market without reason" in the "Official System Law", he should be fined one year's salary and demoted to the sixth rank of Zhishu Shiyushi, but he will still work in the Censorate. This way, he can be warned of his moral behavior and his talent can be preserved."

Wei Zheng frowned, "Demote him but keep his post? According to the law, he should be dismissed for corruption, how can he be 'deducted and demoted'? Prime Minister Fang's move is probably undermining the foundation of the law."

Zhangsun Wuji advised, "Duke Wei is too rigid. If Chu Suiliang is dismissed, who will compile the Zhenguan Records? Your Majesty said the other day that 'historical writing needs loyal ministers'. Do you want him to do it himself?"

Wei Zheng refused to give in: "Compilation of history is a big deal, and law is an even bigger deal!"

"If we let him go because we need his talent, if there are capable ministers who plot rebellion in the future, should we also keep him alive and let him serve us as a servant?"

Fang Xuanling thought for a moment and said, "Since both sides have their own opinions, it is better to punish him according to the 'public crime'. Chu Suiliang was demoted one level and fined half a year for 'improper bargaining', but he will still serve as a censor. This will not only comply with the convention of 'not punishing officials', but also let Your Majesty see our heart of 'cherishing talent'."

Wei Zheng stared at Fang Xuanling and suddenly realized that this was a helpless compromise under the shadow of imperial power.

If he insisted on resigning, he might be accused by Li Shimin of being harsh towards his meritorious officials.

If we agree to demote him, at least the majesty of the law can be slightly enhanced.

Wei Zheng understood His Majesty's hint, but he just didn't want to compromise.

But Changsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling would naturally not do the same as Wei Zheng.

"That's fine." Wei Zheng finally gave in. "But you need to write in the memorial that 'he will never be allowed to participate in land and house transactions' to serve as a warning to others."

Zhang Sun Wuji's mouth twitched slightly, as if he was smiling: "Are you going to cut off Chu Suiliang's path to buying property? Well, I agree."

Fang Xuanling picked up the pen and wrote in the memorial, "Demoted to the sixth rank of Zhishu Shiyushi, fined half a year's salary, and prohibited from entering the market to bargain for prices."

As for the solution to Chu Suiliang, the next day, he arrived at Taiji Palace.

After reading it, Li Shimin made the decision immediately.

King Wei Li Tai was naturally extremely happy.

Before he could even take any action, his father had already settled the matter.

Although it seems like a demotion, it is actually no big deal for Chu Suiliang.

As for being banned from entering the market, that’s just a small matter.

As long as Chu Suiliang can still speak in the court, nothing else matters.

When the news reached the Daming Palace, it naturally caused a lot of dissatisfaction.

"Just forget it?"

Du He spoke first, knocking the wine cup heavily on the table.

"There is solid evidence that Chu Suiliang forcibly bought a private house, but he was only demoted to the sixth rank? It's clear that Your Majesty is protecting him!"

Previously, everyone was happy about capturing Chu Suiliang, but they didn’t expect that a big thing would be turned into a small thing.

Zhao Jie said in dissatisfaction: "Your Highness, if this precedent is set, I am afraid that it will be difficult for us to convince the public when we rectify the administration in the future! Which of those officials who were imprisoned did not have solid evidence? Now even Chu Suiliang can be given a light sentence, won't their followers rebel?"

There are many things involved here. After all, the Dali Temple had already arrested more than 200 officials before. Now that Chu Sui’s incident has happened, how will others view it?

And there is another hidden meaning here. For other officials, the punishment may be reduced or even pardoned.

Li Yuanchang sneered: "Your Majesty's move is clearly a warning to us. Although Your Majesty did not say it explicitly when he purged two hundred officials last time, he has long been resentful. Now he is using the Chu Suiliang case to warn us."

Li Chengqian, who should have been angry, seemed somewhat calm at this moment.

When Li Shimin set the deadline to close the case in ten days, he had already guessed that he wanted to protect Chu Suiliang.

Not to mention that Chu Suiliang had only committed a minor mistake, even if he had made a serious mistake, Li Shimin, as the emperor, could protect him with just a pardon.

Such is the power of being an emperor.

Do whatever you want without any scruples.

Letting Zhangsun Wuji, Fang Xuanling and Wei Zheng try the case was just a way to give them a way out.

This incident also made Li Chengqian understand a truth.

It would be difficult to pose a major threat to Li Shimin's team through political games alone.

After all, all the initiative is in the hands of Li Shimin.

However, what’s most interesting right now is...

Even though Li Chengqian imprisoned more than 200 officials in Chang'an City, the government offices in the entire Chang'an City did not seem to be greatly affected and continued to operate normally.

It seems that there is not much difference whether there are these two hundred officials or not.

The reason for this situation is that the official composition of Chang'an City presents a clear pyramid structure.

Although it seems limited in scale, there is actually a strict hierarchy of grades and functions.

The functions of most officials are limited to specific matters such as document processing, warehouse management, and household registration statistics, and they lack channels to participate in central decision-making.

Taking the Secretariat as an example, although the officials such as the chief officials and clerks of the six ministries and twenty-four departments under it were responsible for the actual government operations, the decision-making power was always in the hands of core officials such as the left and right ministers of the Secretariat and the ministers of the six ministries.

Therefore, cutting it by one third will not have much impact in the short term.

Everyone thought that Li Chengqian wanted to place his confidants in positions of power.

But no one knew that Li Chengqian’s real idea was to decentralize power.

(End of this chapter)