On the eighteenth day of the twelfth month in the twenty-fourth year of Jingyuan’s reign, snow fell until the second watch before stopping. Suddenly a fierce wind arose and knocked down one of the lanterns in front of Fengtian Hall.
When Chief Steward Wu Chang ordered someone to light the lamps, he seemed to sense something and looked up at the sky.
The indigo-black canopy of heaven after the snow was clear as if washed, with stars dotting it. One破军 star was particularly bright.
The Pojun Star—fearless of death, advancing deep into enemy territory alone.
Wu Chang shook his head. Watching the lamp lighter holding his long pole, shaking from the cold, he sighed and said: “You all go rest. This servant will handle it.”
Before daybreak, Song Jue finally managed to bring the witnesses from the Denunciation Drum case into the palace using his censor’s authority.
Among them were two concubines Zhai Di had brought out from the Third Prince’s residence, three craftsmen escorted to the capital by the Supervising Censor of Shanxi since the beginning of the Denunciation Drum case, the elderly father of Scholar Xu from Shanxi, and the Transport Commissioner of Shanxi Circuit.
Su Jin asked: “Have you invited the Marquis of Wenyuan?”
Yan Xiu said: “This subordinate waited outside the Wenyuan residence from last night until the snow stopped at the second watch today. His retainers said the Marquis wants to think it over some more.”
The Marquis of Wenyuan was formerly the Chancellor of the Hanlin Academy, learned and talented. His only daughter, the eldest daughter of the Dingyuan residence, was beautiful and intelligent. When she came of age, she was betrothed to the Third Prince Zhu Jiyou as his wife.
Two years ago, the Third Prince’s consort died of illness. The Marquis of Wenyuan, overwhelmed with grief, withdrew to his residence and never left his gates.
Zhai Di went through the case files, confessions, and physical evidence once more, then together with Yan Xiu verified all the testimonies with everyone again.
At the end of the Yin hour, Song Jue entered and bowed: “My lord, it’s settled. That villain Sun Yinde truly fears death. He said as long as you can privately preserve his life, in the great hall later, he’ll say whatever you tell him to say.”
Su Jin said: “Did you tell him that if he says one word he shouldn’t, this official will request death by a thousand cuts?”
Song Jue replied: “I did. He’ll act as if he has no mouth.”
Outside it was still deep snowy night. Su Jin took a deep breath and looked at the three—Zhai Di, Yan Xiu, and Song Jue: “At morning court today, we must impeach not only court officials but also imperial princes. Though the evidence is solid, with imperial authority towering above, our lives and deaths rest in His Majesty’s single thought. If we succeed, we can restore clarity to the world and ensure several years of peace for the common people. If we fail, we become prisoners, meat on the chopping block. This official asks you one last time—do you want to withdraw?”
All three bowed simultaneously: “In response to my lord, this subordinate will absolutely not withdraw!”
Su Jin nodded: “Good. Change into crimson robes!”
At the Mao hour on a winter day, the sky should not be bright, yet a trace of faint lamplight reflected on the snow covering the entire world, actually seeming like dim twilight.
Before Fengtian Hall opened, the various princes and court officials were already waiting before the great hall.
From afar they saw four people ascending the steps below the raised platform. The leader was Su Jin, and the three following behind her were unfamiliar faces—presumably censors from the Imperial Censorate.
Only officials of fourth rank and above could enter the hall for morning court. These three unfamiliar faces added several degrees of unease to the quiet winter morning.
All four wore dark velvet cloaks, revealing nothing, until they drew near. Wu Chang of Fengtian Hall came forward with several inner attendants to inquire. Su Jin replied briefly. Wu Chang’s eyes showed shock, then he led the inner attendants in respectfully bowing to Su Jin.
Several young fire-tenders stepped forward to help the four remove their cloaks, revealing brilliant crimson robes beneath.
Seeing this situation, everyone exchanged glances. Fourth-rank censors wearing crimson—which court official was about to be brought down?
Just then, an inner attendant in the hall called out: “His Majesty arrives—”
The doors of Fengtian Hall opened in response. The princes and court officials filed in one after another, standing on either side according to rank. Because of her crimson robe, Su Jin led Zhai Di and the other three in last, kneeling to have audience.
Emperor Jingyuan glanced at them and said impassively: “Since you wear crimson robes, there’s no need to kneel.”
Su Jin responded “Yes,” then presented a memorial and stood straight, saying: “Your subject, Associate Censor Su Jin, was ordered to investigate the Shanxi Circuit case within the Denunciation Drum matter. The investigation is now complete. This case is grave and far-reaching. Your subject specially leads Imperial Censorate Supervising Censors Zhai Di, Yan Xiu, and Song Jue to formally impeach the Prefect of Datong Prefecture in Shanxi, the Provincial Administration Commissioner of Shanxi, the Inspector General, Right Vice Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial Sun Yinde who is Division Director of the Ministry of Works, Right Vice Minister Ma Zhai of the Ministry of Works, Left Vice Minister Jiang Ting of the Ministry of Works, and the Prince of Datong Prefecture in Shanxi, His Majesty’s third son, the Third Prince Zhu Jiyou!”
At these words, the entire hall erupted in uproar.
Since Emperor Jingyuan founded the nation, they had seen impeachments of ministerial officials, even impeachments of founding meritorious officials. Years ago, old Censor Meng had even joined Liu Chaoming in impeaching a first-rank Commander-in-Chief and a Prince Consort. But to impeach an imperial prince right from the start—this was unprecedented.
Wasn’t this openly affronting His Majesty’s dignity in court?
Everyone’s eyes shifted. Sure enough, Emperor Jingyuan’s expression was displeased.
He said nothing, merely glancing coolly at Secretariat Drafter Shu Huan standing below the dragon throne.
Shu Huan nodded once and said to Su Jin: “The censor impeaches many. Please first explain the case.”
Su Jin said: “This winter, from the twelfth to fourteenth of the eleventh month, three people died at the Denunciation Drum. It has now been verified that the latter two were Scholar Xu from Luhe County in Shanxi and a young girl from the Lu family of Jiyang County in Shanxi. This subordinate sent an urgent dispatch to Shanxi on the fifteenth of the eleventh month and soon received a reply. It has now been confirmed that this Scholar Xu struck the Denunciation Drum regarding a case where the Prefect of Datong Prefecture in Shanxi and the Provincial Administration Commissioner of Shanxi, in collusion with the Division Director of the Ministry of Works and the Left and Right Vice Ministers of the Ministry of Works, sold exemptions for craftsmen and accepted bribes.”
As she spoke, she glanced at Zhai Di.
Zhai Di raised his sleeve and bowed to everyone, saying loudly: “The court’s craftsmen must serve labor duty each year. The so-called selling of craftsmen exemptions in Shanxi Circuit means privately accepting bribes from craftsmen to exempt them from labor duty, then recruiting able-bodied men from the populace under the pretext of recruiting soldiers to serve instead. In just the past two years alone, bribes received in Shanxi Circuit amounted to three hundred thousand taels of silver. But it doesn’t stop there. In the Ministry of Works’ budget report at the beginning of the year, there was also an item for compensating craftsmen serving labor duty, amounting to one hundred thousand taels. Since no craftsmen were serving, how could there be compensation? We subjects have verified that these one hundred thousand taels were used by the Shanxi Provincial Administration Commissioner in collusion with Ministry of Works Division Director Sun Yinde to grease palms up and down the hierarchy. Therefore the total amount embezzled was four hundred thousand taels of silver.”
Hearing this, Emperor Jingyuan said coldly: “Ministry of Finance? Is this true?”
Shen Xi replied: “In response to Your Majesty, yes. At the beginning of the year, the Ministry of Works reported a budget saying they needed one hundred thousand taels to compensate craftsmen in Shanxi. The labor duty there is heavy, and they’ve worked hard for thirty years since the founding. This subject approved that account. At year’s end the Ministry of Works did submit an itemized statement showing every penny spent, but according to the statement, the silver was not given to craftsmen but used to build temples instead. This subject inquired with the Ministry of Works, but they were evasive, so this subject never signed the statement.”
Emperor Jingyuan lifted his hand to support the dragon throne and asked: “Ma Zhai, Jiang Ting, how do you two explain this?”
Ma Zhai was the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works. He immediately knelt on the ground crying injustice: “Your Majesty, Lord Shen must have misremembered. We did indeed report a budget to the Ministry of Finance, but we also specified that this silver was to be used to build a craftsmen’s temple for the craftsmen. These craftsmen serve labor duty for as little as several months and as long as several years. This craftsmen’s temple was truly to give them shelter—it serves the national fortune.”
As he spoke, as if remembering something, he continued: “There were indeed craftsmen unwilling to serve who offered a few taels of silver to bribe the Shanxi Provincial Administration Commissioner, but the Commissioner refused on the spot—everyone in the Ministry of Works knows this.” He paused, then suddenly looked at Su Jin and said harshly: “But I don’t know what heart Censor Su harbors—clearly this is an act of accumulating virtue and doing good, yet she insists on fabricating accusations of corruption and bribery!”
Left Vice Minister Jiang Ting said: “Censor Su is newly appointed and truly can’t contain herself. Before investigating matters thoroughly, she rushes to impeach. Is she treating this crimson robe as child’s play?”
Su Jin asked: “May I ask Lord Jiang, when did construction of this craftsmen’s temple begin?”
Jiang Ting replied: “This year at the start of spring.”
Su Jin asked again: “Since it’s a craftsmen’s temple to shelter craftsmen, where should it be built?”
Jiang Ting shook his sleeves and clasped his hands behind his back: “Naturally in Taiyuan Prefecture, Shanxi.”
But as soon as these words left his mouth, Jiang Ting’s expression suddenly changed. He had fallen into Su Jin’s trap. Taiyuan Prefecture was the Shanxi Provincial Administration, and a craftsmen’s temple to shelter craftsmen should indeed be built there, but—
Su Jin glanced at Yan Xiu. Yan Xiu presented an old letter and handed it to Chief Steward Wu Chang: “Your Majesty, this subject reviewed last year’s official documents and discovered that at the start of spring, the Third Prince specially requested merit by building an imperial temple in Datong Prefecture to pray for blessings for Great Sui, conscripting all craftsmen from Shanxi Circuit. It hasn’t been completed even now.” He turned to look at Jiang Ting. “May I ask Lord Jiang where the manpower came from to also have leisure time to build a craftsmen’s temple in Taiyuan Prefecture?”
Fine sweat appeared on Jiang Ting’s forehead. For a moment he gave no answer.
Su Jin raised her hand in a bow: “Your Majesty, from this it’s clear that Vice Minister Jiang’s words are false.” She continued, “Your Majesty, this subject has obtained concrete evidence from Ministry of Works Division Director Sun Yinde proving that the one hundred thousand taels allocated by the Ministry of Finance…”
“Father Emperor—”
Before Su Jin could finish, the Third Prince Zhu Jiyou suddenly knelt before the throne and said contritely: “Father Emperor, this son is to blame. This son saw that in recent years Father Emperor has been long ill and hoped day and night that the temple could be completed soon to pray for Father Emperor’s blessings, but unfortunately the progress was truly too slow. At the beginning of this year, this son consulted with the Ministry of Works and privately withheld these one hundred thousand taels of silver, promising the craftsmen that if they could complete the temple before next autumn, reward silver would be distributed to encourage them. This method was quite effective—these past months’ progress has been much faster than before.”
Though Zhu Jiyou was a fool, he was meticulous when it came to accumulating wealth and pursuing women.
He had prepared in advance. He pulled out an account book from his robes and presented it: “This shows where those one hundred thousand taels of silver went. This son has not taken a single fen. Please inspect it, Father Emperor.”
His narrow eyes lowered, revealing a sorrowful expression: “This son did commit the deed of deceiving Father Emperor and couldn’t find peace day or night. I’ve been carrying this account book with me, originally wanting to wait until the temple was completed and Father Emperor’s health improved before coming to plead guilty. Now it seems that cannot be.”
Emperor Jingyuan looked at him silently without answering.
He had conquered the Central Plains on horseback and held this realm for nearly thirty years. He could see through what was truly happening here.
Zhu Jiyou’s plea with both emotion and appearance was actually standing behind the placard of “filial piety,” requesting lenient punishment. If it were before, he would certainly punish severely without mercy. But now he was truly old—he didn’t know how many more months he had to live.
He was bloodthirsty and murderous, but that was toward outsiders. The one kneeling in the hall was, after all, his son.
This person’s warmth was reserved entirely for family.
At this moment, Su Jin asked: “May I ask the Third Prince, who is supervising the construction of this imperial temple?”
Zhu Jiyou ignored her.
Ma Zhai said: “This official is.”
Su Jin continued: “Then Vice Minister Ma must be very knowledgeable about constructing halls and temple pavilions.”
Ma Zhai snorted coldly: “Certainly won’t disappoint Censor Su.”
Su Jin asked: “What wood is used for the beams?”
Ma Zhai replied: “The beams for an imperial temple naturally use the finest cypress wood from the mountains of Yunnan and Guizhou.”
Su Jin said: “Incorrect. This official has already verified that the beams of both the main hall and side halls are ebony wood transported by sea.” She asked again: “What are the specifications of the main hall?”
Ma Zhai replied: “Temple specifications vary. How can this official answer Censor Su’s question?”
Su Jin said: “Though temple specifications vary, this temple is built in Datong Prefecture, Shanxi. The Third Prince is the prince of this territory. Why, according to this official’s investigation, is this temple built even larger than the Third Prince’s own residence?”
Ma Zhai was speechless.
Su Jin asked again: “This official had people investigate. There is a lotus pond in front of the rear hall of this temple with a golden Buddha statue in the pond that the Third Prince worships daily. Do you know how much silver that Buddha statue is worth?”
Ma Zhai laughed disdainfully: “What does Censor Su mean by this? Are you saying the silver used to construct the Buddha statue should also be counted as extravagant embezzlement?” He bowed to Emperor Jingyuan above: “Your Majesty, this subject believes that golden Buddha statue is precisely the Third Prince’s complete sincere filial devotion to Your Majesty. Previously the Third Prince even mentioned that the Buddha statue was already on its way to the capital and was to be given to Your Majesty—”
Before he could finish, Zhu Jiyou suddenly showed a panicked expression and interrupted: “Vice Minister Ma!”
Su Jin smiled: “Oh, so it seems Vice Minister Ma still doesn’t know that the Buddha statue was already sent to the capital long ago, but unfortunately the Third Prince felt it was wasteful to keep it as an offering and has already ordered someone to grind it into gold powder to construct other objects.”
Her expression became solemn: “Everyone has a sense of reverence. If this Buddha statue had truly received temple incense, even if cast from scrap copper and iron, who would dare grind it to pieces? This so-called temple uses extremely luxurious materials with grand specifications because it’s not a temple at all, but a traveling palace that the Third Prince privately constructed using silver embezzled over these years!”
Su Jin took a document from Song Jue’s hands and presented it to Wu Chang, lifting her robe to kneel in the hall. The three behind her—Song Jue and the others—also knelt with her.
Su Jin said: “Your Majesty, this is the confession of Ministry of Works Division Director Sun Yinde. The crimes listed within are not even one-tenth of what this subject has stated. Officials in Shanxi protect each other, corruption runs rampant, causing the common people to suffer greatly. Not to mention families with able-bodied men being dragged off to construct the traveling palace—construction doesn’t even stop during the bitter winter months, freezing countless people to death or injury.” She bowed low: “Your Majesty, the witnesses are all outside the hall. Please allow this subject to summon them into the hall to prove that what this subject says is true.”
Emperor Jingyuan looked at Su Jin calmly and indifferently. After a moment, he waved his hand: “No need. We understand.” He asked again, “In Minister Su’s view, how should they be punished?”
Su Jin said: “The Right Vice Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial suppressed memorials without reporting—he should receive one hundred strokes of the staff. The Prefect of Datong Prefecture in Shanxi and the Shanxi Inspector General embezzled and accepted bribes—they should be exiled. The Shanxi Provincial Administration Commissioner presided over selling craftsmen exemptions—he should be beheaded. The Ministry of Works Division Director and the Left and Right Vice Ministers of the Ministry of Works deceived Your Majesty, disregarded national dignity, and embezzled vast sums—their nine generations of kin should be executed!”
Emperor Jingyuan was silent for a moment: “Do as you say.”
However, Su Jin continued: “Your Majesty, but this subject believes the punishment of nine generations for the Ministry of Works Left and Right Vice Ministers and Division Director can be reduced to beheading.”
Emperor Jingyuan asked: “Why?”
Su Jin raised her eyes, her gaze blazing as she looked at the throne: “Because they are not the chief culprit. The chief culprit is Your Majesty’s third son, the Third Prince Zhu Jiyou!”
Fengtian Hall fell into complete silence.
Emperor Jingyuan had originally been sitting leaning against the Nine Dragon throne back, but suddenly he leaned forward, his phoenix eyes narrowing slightly, his gaze like sharp swords as if wanting to pierce through this censor before him who knew not the immensity of heaven and earth.
He slapped his palm on the imperial desk and roared in fury: “How dare you!”
This old emperor approaching his twilight years reserved his only inner tenderness for his family. This was his Zhu family’s realm under heaven. This territory was his. He was strict with his children—that was his nature, his duty as a father.
But he could reproach his own children—others could not.
Su Jin’s words had touched his forbidden scale.
Emperor Jingyuan said coldly: “Does Censor Su’s implication mean you want to execute my nine generations of kin?”
Su Jin bowed: “This subject would not dare.” She paused slightly, then continued, “The Third Prince is sovereign, this subject is a subject. This subject has neither the authority nor knowledge of how to handle the Third Prince, but the crimes he committed are absolutely real. This subject requests Your Majesty clarify how this matter should be concluded.”
Emperor Jingyuan said: “The crimes he committed? Where is the evidence?”
Su Jin straightened her body, kneeling upright, and said calmly: “The traveling palace in Shanxi constructed more than halfway—that is this subject’s evidence. The craftsmen of Shanxi living in dire straits—that is this subject’s evidence. The more than one hundred innocent women hidden in the traveling palace, the countless kneecaps of guards—those are also this subject’s evidence. And at this moment in the great hall, those who know the truth but refuse to speak, and those witnesses barred from the great hall—they are all this subject’s evidence.”
Emperor Jingyuan didn’t understand. What was Su Jin doing? Was she forcing him to kill his own son?
Even a vicious tiger doesn’t eat its cubs.
He said coldly: “We want concrete evidence, evidence proving that Jiyou was the mastermind. What you’ve said merely proves he knew but didn’t report, that he’s weak and incompetent.”
He suddenly straightened, his expression becoming extremely calm and composed in an instant.
But those familiar with Emperor Jingyuan understood this meant he was truly enraged.
Such an expression—those old ministers who had stood silently in the hall for years through wind and frost had seen it several times: when abolishing the Chancellor, when executing meritorious officials, when ordering the old censor to prison.
This bloodthirsty sovereign, though diligent and austere, though devoted to good governance, was too domineering—so domineering he wouldn’t tolerate anyone trespassing upon his imperial dignity.
This realm he had spent half his life conquering and half his life guarding was his possession, his complete life’s work. He would grasp it tightly in his palm—even crush it if necessary—only to give to his family, his children.
No one could stand above and criticize even half a sentence.
Not even remonstrating officials.
Emperor Jingyuan said calmly: “What you say, We will investigate. But before We have seen the traveling palace, your words today constitute baseless offense against superiors, offense against Our imperial clan.”
He swept his cool gaze around in all directions, saying word by word: “Execute by staff in court.”
The Huben Guards suddenly surged in from both sides of the hall, using long spears as staffs, striking toward the lower backs of Su Jin and the three others.
As Su Jin fell to the ground, two other long spears crossed left and right over both sides of her shoulders, making her unable to move.
The burning pain at her waist actually blurred her vision for a moment. Outside, dawn had broken. She looked forward in a daze, not knowing if it was an illusion, but the shadow in the hall seemed to waver and retreat half an inch.
What did this mean?
Su Jin thought with some amusement—was this shadow retreating half an inch reminding her to know when to retreat?
But she had already retreated.
Otherwise, she would have impeached everyone—the Minister of Works, the Minister of Personnel, the Ninth Prince, the Fourteenth Prince, including the Seventh Prince—all of them together.
She just didn’t want to let Zhu Jiyou return to Shanxi. With him there even one more day, how could the people of that region have peace?
She could compromise, but as a censor, supervising all officials, correcting chaos and restoring order, returning clarity to the world—this was the bottom line she would uphold all her life.
She could not unconditionally retreat. Without rules, nothing can be accomplished, even if it meant proving her resolve through death.
Emperor Jingyuan said: “Strike!”
The Huben Guards raised their staffs high.
“Father Emperor—”
Zhu Nanxian’s knees crashed to the ground, his entire body bowing deeply down.