Ji Xiaolan: Kill Qianlong at the beginning

Mo Li said, "Do I have to say it?"

He Shen looked at him and said, "You must tell me."

Mo Li looked at Emperor Gai Zhang and said, "Your Majesty, do you really have to tell me?"

Emperor Gai Zhang picked up the folding fan and said, "You must explain it clearly."

Mo Li said, "Okay, since the emperor has ordered that we must speak clearly, then I will forgive you for speaking frankly."

After a pause, he said loudly: "Your Excellency's method may seem to have the effect of severe punishment, but in fact it will bring disaster to the country and the people, and will harm generations to come."

He Shen heard this and said angrily, "Mo Li, stop slandering me."

Emperor Gai Zhang held his folding fan and said, "Heshen, let him speak."

Mo Li said, "Your Majesty, the severe punishment you mentioned is actually shielding and condoning corrupt officials. It makes those corrupt officials even more confident and bold in their evil deeds. If the governor is guilty, he should be suspended and tried. If he is guilty, he should be exiled or beheaded. Otherwise, officials will be disrespectful and their subordinates will follow suit. How can they discipline their subordinates?"

Pointing at Heshen, he continued, "According to Lord He's plan, as long as corrupt officials pay a fine, their sentences will be reduced, their responsibilities will not be pursued, and they can continue to serve as officials. These corrupt officials, in order to make up for their losses, will become even more reckless and make a fortune. At most, they will just have to pay another fine. Your Majesty, if you are protecting someone who violates the law, how can you be considered honest?"

He swallowed and continued, "Twenty-three years ago, the Emperor issued an edict permanently halting the practice of requiring beheading, hanging, or suspended executions to pay ransom. That same year, he also issued an edict permanently halting the practice of sentence reductions, return of prisoners, and reduction of sentences. The Emperor, considering money as less important than punishment, decisively abolished the old law."

He swallowed again and continued, "In recent years, the Emperor has reiterated this order several times. Heshen, sir, paying the silver for the crime can reduce his sentence. How is this any different from returning stolen goods and reducing his sentence? You actually brought up something that the Emperor has explicitly banned forever. Isn't this putting the Emperor in an unjust position of breaking his word? Heshen, do you admit your guilt?"

Heshen immediately knelt down and said, "Your Majesty, I acknowledge my guilt. I was too hasty and forgot the precedents of our dynasty."

Emperor Gai Zhang was a little impatient and said, "Let's not discuss this matter anymore. Let's adjourn the court."

After saying that, he stood up.

All civil and military officials bowed and took their leave.

Emperor Gai Zhang said to Mo Li, "Mo Li, please follow me."

Mo Li bowed and said, "As you wish."

……

Mo Li and Gai Zhangdi strolled through the lotus pond and walked into the pavilion.

Emperor Gai Zhang said, "I just said that if a ruler is not discreet, he will lose his ministers, and if a minister is not discreet, he will lose his dignity. I'm sure you have guessed the truth behind this."

Mo Li said, "I dare not have any wild thoughts."

Emperor Gai Zhang waved his folding fan and said, "I am the Son of Heaven. The Son of Heaven, hahahaha, is not God after all. Birth, old age, sickness, and death, joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness are all the same as those of ordinary people, but the forms are different."

After saying this, he looked at Li Qiye and said, "You just said that I'm impartial, but I'm not necessarily selfless. You don't like Heshen, but I can't live without him, and you know why. The Ten Complete Military Achievements and the Complete Library in the Four Treasuries, which I'm so proud of, but without money, how could I have accomplished anything? Without Heshen to take care of things for me, where would I have gotten the money?"

Emperor Gai Zhang looked at Mo Li and continued, "If I asked you to take care of He Shen, would you be able to do it?"

Mo Li didn't say anything.

Emperor Gai Zhang continued, "If I ask you to lead the troops for Fu Kang'an, can you do it?"

Mo Li shook his head and said, "No."