Chapter 95: Legalist Xie Zhi

Chapter95: The Legalists' Xiezhi

"In the first year of the Ming Jiaqi era, a new emperor ascended the throne.

The entire process of power transition proceeded remarkably smoothly, yet the situation within the imperial court did not swiftly stabilize as a result; instead, it grew ever more treacherous and unpredictable.

At that time, the leader of the New Donglin Faction and the Seal-Holding Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonies were simultaneously appointed as Regents.

The New Donglin Faction, which had trodden on thin ice during the Wu Emperor's reign, finally grasped sufficient authority, gaining the leverage to wrestle with the Directorate of Ceremonies.

The two sides had barely drawn their battle lines and arrayed their forces when a catalyst for conflict opportunely presented itself.

The fuse that ignited everything was the national policy regarding the 'Convict Territories' that the Longwu Emperor had forcefully implemented against all opposition—'Seizing the waters and soils of the four directions to nourish the foundations of the Divine Land.'

The severity of this policy could be glimpsed through a single character: 'Seize.'

Crushing tax pressures caused public resentment within the Convict Territories to boil over, and the Great Ming's bureaucratic blockade of the convicts left many ambitious figures deeply dissatisfied.

Consequently, following the Longwu Emperor's demise, multiple Convict Territories—Dongying, Annan, Sulu, Siam, Malacca, Champa, and others—began to stir restlessly.

They submitted a joint memorial demanding the opening of border barriers between the Empire and the Convict Territories, the reform of the territories into provinces, mutual trade, and free passage.

They even proposed abolishing the designation 'convict,' granting convicts the same treatment as imperial commoners, widely opening the civil examinations, and allowing 'barbarians' to enter officialdom.

At the time, management of the Convict Territories fell under the Court of State Ceremonials, with real power held by the Directorate of Ceremonies.

The Directorate had always championed 'Han Chinese Supremacy'; they dismissed the territories' requests with utter disdain.

They simply believed it was the machinations of those of the School of Diplomacy sequence stirring up trouble, inciting these unruly people to rebellion, and that ordering the local Regional Commanders to send troops to suppress them would suffice.

The New Donglin Faction, however, invoked the Confucian sage's doctrine of 'Education Without Distinction,' arguing that since the Longwu Emperor had already converted vassal states into Convict Territories and brought them under imperial jurisdiction, those territories were Great Ming soil, and the convicts therein were imperial subjects.

The Late Emperor expanded the realm with cannon and gun; the new Emperor should naturally manifest benevolence through civil governance.

Only by guiding these barbarians to submission through the Empire's civil culture could the sagely dynasty's bearing be displayed, achieving the unification of the four seas and the unity of all under heaven.

The two great powers expressed diametrically opposed attitudes on how to handle the Convict Territories' joint petition.

Opinion throughout the Empire was divided and clamorous.

The two Imperial Regents—the New Donglin leader and the Directorate's Seal-Holding Eunuch—quarreled in the Grand Secretariat until they were hoarse.

One rolled up his sleeves, the other grabbed his cap; though both were pinnacle figures of their respective sequences, they grappled like common marketplace ruffians.

A sea of memorials flooded into the Huangliang Mainframe in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, yet the new Emperor delayed his review for a long time.

Such an ambiguous stance immediately allowed the Confucians to scent an opportunity; they promptly began preparing a comprehensive offensive against the Directorate of Ceremonies.

The Great Ming Empire's sensational 'Great Court Debate' thus raised its curtain.

As the compilers of the Great Ming Code, the Legalists held control permissions over the Huangliang Legal Realms of the 'Three Judicial Offices'—the Ministry of Justice, the Court of Judicial Review, and the Censorate.

Naturally, in this grand 'Great Court Debate,' they became the object of fierce courtship by both the Directorate and the New Donglin Faction.

Due to the requirements of their sequence rituals, Legalists were mostly of upright and unyielding character; their consistent stance was one of non-involvement, dedicated solely to maintaining the stable operation of the Great Ming Code.

Indeed, due to ideological opposition, the Legalists even leaned slightly toward the Directorate.

Yet during this period, an event occurred that shook the entire Legalist sequence with rage.

A Rank Seven Legalist Judicial Official secretly investigating Directorate corruption was assassinated; all witnesses and physical evidence at the scene pointed to the Directorate's number one hound—the Eastern Depot.

The Directorate had no defense, but before they could even attempt to clear their name, the New Donglin Faction poured oil on the fire.

Local officials from the two capitals and thirteen provinces reported massive evidence of the Eastern and Western Depots fabricating charges, murdering loyal officials, illegally trying bureaucrats, and abusing private punishments.

The court and the populace were in an uproar.

The Legalists, their reverse scales touched, likewise erupted with internal dissent.

Many hot-blooded Legalist officials set aside ideological disputes, choosing to stand alongside the Confucians, agreeing to join forces in attacking the Directorate.

Yet these were merely the dark currents surging beneath the surface.

On the open stage, the Confucians had already allied with the Daoists and Buddhists to complete the first 'Barbarian Domestication Simulation.'

When a barbarian, clad in Ming robes, speaking flawless Imperial Mandarin, and even wielding the abilities of a Confucian Rank Eight 'Gentleman' sequence, prostrated himself in the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

The Directorate's Seal-Holding Eunuch, attending the new Emperor at his side, instantly turned pale as if mourning his parents, sweat pouring down his forehead like rain.

He never expected that this bunch of pen-pushing bastards, in their drive to utterly destroy him, would stoop so low as to invite barbarians into the Ming, stealing the sequences of the Divine Land.

The New Donglin leader led the ministers in remonstrance, listing ten crimes of the Directorate, including mobilizing troops without authority, disrespecting ancestors, deceiving the sovereign, and exploiting the convicts.

The once all-powerful Directorate thus plummeted into the abyss.

The New Donglin Faction, utilizing the Legalists' judicial authority, with one hand on the sword hilt and the other holding the court tablet, unleashed a bloody purge across the Empire.

At that time, far away in Chengdu Prefecture, Le Zhong had just advanced to Legalist Rank Eight; a Legalist Pioneer made an exception to personally evaluate his aptitude, rating him 'Superior Grade' and writing the supremely high appraisal: 'Visage like a Xiezhi, legal bones innate.'

With this appraisal, Le Zhong's official career was supposedly smooth sailing, destined to rise on the wind.

Young and successful, he was naturally full of spring breeze and pride.

When a man is in high spirits, he cannot possibly understand the old adages that many words lead to error, and disaster comes from the mouth.

After reviewing the full records of the 'Great Court Debate,' Le Zhong resolutely pointed out within the Huangliang Legal Realm that the Legalists' interference in factional strife violated the true intent of the law.

If the convicts are discontent and intend rebellion, then strike them down. The Confucians invite barbarians in, forgetting their ancestors; they deserve death even more!

Not only must the convicts be suppressed, but the bureaucracy must be reformed, cleansing the current officials' lazy and corrupt practices.

Such remarks, on ordinary days, would have been met with at most a dismissive laugh from the many high-ranking Legalist officials in the Huangliang Legal Realm, treated as a young man venting.

But at that time, the Confucians, having destroyed the Directorate, had already begun to harbor designs on their recent comrades-in-arms, the Legalists.

The reason was none other than: different paths, they cannot be fellow travelers.

Without the Directorate, the Legalists who held the Great Ming Code were the Confucians' greatest check.

'Though my hut is small, it lies beyond the shadows of dragons and snakes, amidst the sound of wind and rain.'

Le Zhong spoke words he should not have, and was placed on the Confucians' purge list; not long after, he vanished completely in Chengdu Prefecture.

Suspected captured by the Wu Clan, thrown into a private prison.

The electronic case file's records on Le Zhong end here; no more text appears.

Li Jun suddenly recalled that man with the stern, severe face yet open, guileless smile, his right fingertips rubbing back and forth over the broken law-ruler in his sleeve.

After a long silence, he returned the electronic case file to the intelligence department staffer waiting nearby, turned, and walked out of the Shu Road Logistics Intelligence Department's archive room.

Outside the door, Qian Zhongxiao had been waiting for some time; he bowed low to Li Jun, a face full of ingratiating smiles.

"Director, this is the recent organizational status of the Security Department, please review it."