Unlike the Jintai Great Discussion, this face-to-face questioning in the Hall of Supreme Harmony didn’t summon all court officials into the palace. Only the Grand Secretaries of the Inner Cabinet and the chiefs of the Three Judicial Offices were present. Inside the hall, there were no hanging curtains behind the imperial throne. The Empress Dowager wore a casual dress and sat to Yi Lang’s right, while the Empress looked haggard – despite being fully made up, she couldn’t hide her sickly appearance. She had kept her head lowered without speaking until she heard the sound of chains dragging outside the hall, only then slowly raising her eyes.

He Yixian and the others were escorted into the hall, prostrating themselves beneath the dragon-headed incense burner.

He Yixian couldn’t kneel properly, so the Imperial Guard had to prop up his upper body. He had lost several teeth from torture, his forehead was bruised and swollen, his prison clothes in tatters, and his arms hanging lifelessly in the Imperial Guard’s hands.

Seeing the Empress Dowager, he only managed a bitter smile and a few coughing breaths, saying nothing. Instead, it was Hu Xiang behind him who crawled forward on his knees, prostrating himself beside He Yixian and crying out wretchedly, “Old Empress…” before lowering his head to sob with his chains.

“Enough, what kind of behavior is this?”

The Empress Dowager lightly rebuked him, raising her hand to signal the Imperial Guard to withdraw, shaking her head with a sigh before saying to Bai Yuyang: “These servants refuse to confess? You used torture?”

Bai Yuyang replied: “Yes, we interrogated according to the law.”

“Did they confess?”

Bai Yuyang said: “Hu Xiang and others have confessed. He Yixian has recanted several times; his words can no longer be trusted.”

The Empress Dowager glanced at Deng Ying. “What about this one?”

“Deng Ying…”

Bai Yuyang paused, “This man maintained the same testimony through three tribunal hearings. The Three Offices’ judges found his testimony credible, so no torture was used.”

The Empress Dowager frowned slightly. “They committed serious crimes, and you handled them according to the law, which is fine. However…”

The Empress Dowager pointed at He Yixian, “Among these people, some served the Late Emperor. His spirit has barely departed, and even if their crimes deserve death, you shouldn’t have made them look so wretched before their execution.”

Bai Yuyang and Yang Lun exchanged glances, neither responding.

During Emperor Zhenning’s reign, even when censors submitted memorials impeaching eunuchs serving in local positions, these cases wouldn’t be handled by the local judiciary. Most would be escorted to the capital by the Imperial Guard and questioned by the Disciplinary Office – this was the so-called ‘royal family matter.’ On the day of the Jintai Great Discussion, with all court officials present, the Empress Dowager had been forced to agree to a court beating under pressure from the officials. But that was still a master’s punishment of servants within the inner court, different from the Ministry of Justice’s interrogation.

Yang Wan’s question about “whether the boundary between criminal cases and inner court secrets was clear” had struck precisely at this crucial point.

At this moment, none of the officials dared speak.

Yang Lun saw Yi Lang looking at him and gave a slight nod.

Yi Lang immediately stood up, turning to the Empress Dowager: “Grandmother, their crimes harm the foundation of the state. Their crimes outweigh any merit; we cannot show leniency.”

After hearing this, the Empress Dowager neither refuted Yi Lang’s words nor asked Bai Yuyang to respond, instead leaning back and saying: “If that’s the case, I won’t say more. Let the Emperor question them.”

Just as Empress Dowager finished speaking, He Yixian suddenly began coughing violently from his heart and lungs, causing all officials present to turn and look at him. He coughed until his eyes were bloodshot, his whole body shaking. If he hadn’t been supported, he would likely have collapsed to the ground.

The Imperial Guard forced his chin up, barely managing to stop his coughing. He opened and closed his mouth several times to recover before finally raising his head to speak hoarsely.

“Old Empress, please question me… let this servant speak a few words while he still can. This servant is old, became afraid as soon as the beating started, and had to say whatever people told him to say. You are like a merciful Buddha; with you sitting before this servant… in his heart, he’s not so afraid…”

The Empress Dowager didn’t refuse his request, saying evenly:

“Speak then. I and the Emperor will listen together.”

He Yixian struggled to crawl forward a few steps on his knees, looking up to say: “Empress Dowager, this servant was personally chosen by you to serve the master. Having served the Late Emperor for decades, the master’s heart was more important than this servant’s life. How could this servant possibly forge an imperial edict, going against the master’s wishes…”

As he spoke, he looked toward Yang Lun and the others, “The real forgers of the imperial edict were the Inner Cabinet!”

“Silence!”

Bai Yuyang shouted: “You already confessed at the Three Offices tribunal, how dare you be so deceitful before the throne!”

He Yixian gave a bitter laugh. “How did this servant confess…”

As he spoke, he tremblingly stretched out his hand toward Bai Yuyang, “The Grand Secretary wanted to crush both this servant’s hands. At the tribunal… this servant fainted several times, how could he not confess? Empress Dowager…”

While speaking, he swallowed the blood in his mouth, turning his head to look at the Empress Dowager, “The master hasn’t even been buried yet, everything in court, the master can still see… His final wishes cannot be transmitted, instead, they are defied… defied…”

At this point, his voice broke with tears, his whole body trembling as he looked up crying: “Master! This old servant deserves death! To watch helplessly as your reputation is slandered – you who were so wise and virtuous, yet they forced you to condemn yourself in the edict… Master! This servant’s heart truly aches…”

After hearing these words, all the Imperial Household Department people began sobbing together. For a moment, crying filled the hall, gradually rising into calls of injustice.

“Calling out injustice – are you trying to make the father emperor punish me? Where do you get such audacity!”

As the words fell, everyone immediately fell silent.

Yi Lang stood up, looking down at Deng Ying, “The Director may speak in his defense.”

Deng Ying pressed both hands to the ground, prostrating himself once before straightening to say: “This servant has already said what needed to be said at the Three Offices tribunal. There is nothing more to defend.”

Yi Lang said: “Then I have one question.”

“Yes.”

“Knowing it was a capital crime, why did you confess?”

Deng Ying lowered his eyes, “This servant was originally the son of a criminal official, only spared by the Late Emperor’s grace. This servant cannot betray the Late Emperor’s kindness. The Second Prince is young and weak – if he were to take the throne, the throne would be in the hands of the Imperial Household Department. If the Inner Cabinet and Imperial Household Department were united inside and out, they could maintain stability. But during this servant’s three years as Director of the Eastern Depot, this servant also participated in many acts persecuting the Cabinet Ministers. In the case of coastal salt fields collaborating with Japanese pirates, this servant tortured Minister Bai, earning universal condemnation and complaints, harming the Late Emperor’s virtuous name. This servant’s death a thousand times over could not redeem his crimes. Empress Dowager…”

He raised his head as he spoke, “If this servant lived, how could the Cabinet Ministers be at peace? If the Cabinet Ministers are not at peace, how can they assist a young emperor and bring peace to the Great Ming realm? This servant is already a criminal, daring not to cry and disturb the Late Emperor’s spirit, but this servant’s heart aches extremely, ashamed and regretful for damaging the relationship between the sovereign and minister between the Late Emperor and the Cabinet Ministers for personal gain.”

These words pointed out to the Empress Dowager the relationships between the Emperor, Inner Cabinet, and Imperial Household Department. Although he counted himself among the Imperial Household Department faction, he spoke from the heart. The line “If this servant lived, how could the Cabinet Ministers be at peace? If the Cabinet Ministers are not at peace, how can they assist a young emperor and bring peace to the Great Ming realm” struck directly at the Imperial Household Department’s fatal weakness.

After hearing these frank words, He Yixian swallowed in despair.

“So that’s why the Director seeks death.”

Deng Ying shook his head, “This servant doesn’t seek death, but deserves death.”

No one in the hall spoke. Yang Lun stepped forward at the right moment: “Empress Dowager, this case concerns the new Emperor’s legitimacy and also the Inner Cabinet’s reputation. Today in face questioning, the Imperial Household Department has recanted their confession, accusing the Three Offices of torture and forced confession. I believe we should reassign judges within the Three Offices and return this case for retrial.”

Hearing these words, Bai Yuyang looked at Yang Lun in disbelief. “Vice Minister Yang, what are you saying? How can a concluded case be returned for retrial?”

Yi Lang turned back to the Empress Dowager: “Grandmother, I also think it should be returned for retrial.”

The Empress Dowager said: “Is the Emperor questioning himself?”

Yi Lang didn’t respond.

The Empress Dowager sighed, “Take them out. I have words for the Grand Secretaries.”

The Imperial Guard obeyed, leading out the Imperial Household Department people along with Deng Ying.

Only Yang Lun, Bai Yuyang, and several other Cabinet Ministers remained in the hall.

The Empress Dowager stood up, taking Yi Lang’s hand, walking down from behind the imperial throne. The ministers hurriedly performed the grand courtesy again.

The Empress Dowager looked at Yi Lang, who immediately understood and called “Rise.”

The Empress Dowager released Yi Lang’s hand and said to Yang Lun: “Deng Ying said one thing right – if the Inner Cabinet and Imperial Household Department are united inside and out, they can maintain stability. I know He Yixian has harmed the court for many years. You hate him, and he indeed deserves death, but we cannot kill everyone in the Imperial Household Department. Otherwise, who will hold the seal, and who will transmit memorials? My grandson is still young – surely you can’t drag the Emperor to your Inner Cabinet office to handle affairs?”

The ministers hurriedly said: “We wouldn’t dare.”

The Empress Dowager waved for the ministers to rise, then continued: “Since the imperial edict has already been promulgated and the princes in various regions have been informed, there’s indeed no need to revise it. I have read the document you wrote on behalf of the Late Emperor. Some of it indeed points out the Late Emperor’s own mistakes. As ministers, it’s not unreasonable for you to point these out. However, as a mother, let me speak frankly – in my eyes, the state comes first, the royal family’s reputation second. I can only allow you this once. As for my grandson, who was raised and educated by you, having just inherited the throne, he cannot be tainted by even a speck of dirt. If the princes in various regions learn about this case of forging the imperial edict and take the opportunity to cause trouble, how can he maintain his legitimacy? I previously followed your advice and let the Three Offices handle this case. You conducted the trial but showed no consideration for the royal family’s position. You are assisting ministers of the inner court! Besides being ministers, you are also the Emperor’s inner teachers. You cannot focus only on your grudge against the Imperial Household Department and push the Emperor into an unclear position!”

After hearing these words, all the ministers knelt.

Yang Lun kowtowed: “This minister is ashamed. Please instruct us, Empress Dowager.”

The Empress Dowager said: “Although I may not understand as much as you do, I have lived these many years. Since you ask me to speak, I will overstep and say something – whether to listen or not remains up to you.”

The ministers said in unison: “Please bestow your words, Empress Dowager.”

The Empress Dowager drew Yi Lang in front of her and said: “According to protocol when the Late Emperor died suddenly, the Inner Cabinet would draft on his behalf. Since you have already drafted, then the Late Emperor simply left no edict. The case of forging the imperial edict will no longer be investigated, and the Ministry of Justice should not keep the case files.”

Bai Yuyang couldn’t help saying: “Your Majesty means… to suppress the case.”

“Yes. Suppress it.”

The Empress Dowager finished speaking and led Yi Lang back to the imperial throne, continuing: “As for how to execute He Yixian, let the Disciplinary Office decide. The same goes for the rest of the Imperial Household Department – none can remain in the Ministry of Justice. Send them all to the imperial prison for the Disciplinary Office to investigate clearly. Execute those who should be executed, imprison those who should be imprisoned, release those who should be released.”