Early the next morning, while Xue Dongyu was still fast asleep, the Emperor had already prepared himself for the morning court session. Initially, he had been in good spirits, having slept peacefully the night before for some unknown reason.
On the bright yellow imperial throne, the young Emperor listened with an inscrutable expression to the memorials presented by the ministers below.
"Guanjia, Lü Duan is a man of treacherous ambition. I have heard that the severe drought in the south has already eased, yet Lü Duan repeatedly submits memorials requesting funds and supplies from the national treasury. What are his intentions? This is his first crime."
The white-bearded old man went on and on, enumerating Lü Duan's crimes as if he were truly the greatest corrupt official and traitor in the world, deserving execution by all.
"The traitor Lü Duan abused his authority during the drought relief efforts, persecuted innocent people, and seized farmland, causing every household in the south to suffer injustice and wear mourning white. This man must be executed to appease the people's anger." At this point, the old man's eyes widened, and tears streamed down his face.
"I request the execution of Lü Duan!"
"I second the motion!"
"I second the motion!"
…
In a flurry, dozens of ministers knelt, raising their Hu Tablets high, and shouted in unison with righteous indignation.
Other ministers watched in silence—some with mocking expressions, some clenching their teeth, and some nodding in agreement.
The leading minister, Guo Xi, waited smugly for the Emperor's judgment. That damned Lü Duan actually dared to confiscate the property of wealthy gentry and seize their land. Thinking of the three thousand taels of silver he had received yesterday, Guo Xi drifted into a reverie.
Wasn't it just withholding a bit of grain from those lowly commoners? If they had just added more water, they wouldn't have starved. If they couldn't survive, why didn't they sell their land and become tenants for us instead?
This is an eternal truth. Who does Lü Duan think he is, daring to defy it? If he isn't taught a lesson, he'll never learn.
After all, Guanjia is benevolent, and since the Song Dynasty began, there has never been a precedent for executing scholars. At most, Lü Duan would be exiled to the Wilderness Lands. With careful preservation, he might even survive.
As he thought this, Guo Xi began to feel uneasy. Why hadn't Guanjia spoken yet? Time passed bit by bit, and Guo Xi grew increasingly panicked. Those kneeling beside him swayed unsteadily, and some, already terrified, had prostrated themselves on the ground.
"Whether Lü Duan is a traitor or not, I don't know, but you parasites certainly are—distorting right and wrong, utterly shameless. Zhang Maoze, read it out," the Emperor said, his anger boiling inside, though his face remained as calm as water. The Jade Buddha Beads in his hand spun faster and faster.
During the severe drought in the south, the people suffered immensely, and refugees struggled to survive. Those hypocritical gentry, full of talk about benevolence and righteousness, exchanged land that usually cost five taels of silver per mu for half a tael or even a few pecks of rice.
Even this wasn't enough for them. Colluding with officials, driving away refugees, and seizing land outright was even faster. The first thing Lü Duan did upon taking office was to deal with the wealthy gentry. Only when the rod strikes their own bodies do they feel the pain.
The icy voice from the imperial throne felt like a chilling wind from hell, freezing Guo Xi and the others to the bone, making them tremble uncontrollably.
Zhang Maoze's sharp voice rang out: "Censor Guo Xi, on the eighth day of the fifth month, accepted three thousand taels from the Lin family of Hangzhou."
"Palace Attendant Qin Han, through Guo Xi's introduction, accepted eight hundred taels."
"Secretariat Gentleman Li Qi…" "Ministry of Revenue Liao…"
…
With each name read, eunuchs below removed an official's hat. Sobs filled the air, and some even cried out in protest, kowtowing or shifting blame.
Suddenly, a middle-aged official with bloodshot eyes lunged at Guo Xi, knocking him to the ground and pummeling him with fists and kicks, shouting, "It's all your fault! I've been trying for twenty years—twenty years!"
Who could have imagined that the once benevolent Emperor would suddenly become so forceful? They had thought that accepting a little money would, at worst, earn them a reprimand if exposed. Now, even their official hats had been stripped away.
Disbelief, panic, and then fury—after the middle-aged official rushed forward to beat Guo Xi, several others joined in, piling onto him.
The physical pain snapped Guo Xi out of his terror, and he began to fight back. However, old and frail, he was no match for them and could only be pinned down and beaten. His agonized cries even drowned out Zhang Maoze's voice.
The Emperor watched as this farce unfolded in the solemn court, his anger blazing hotter. He hurled his jade bead strand downward with force. With a sharp crack, the strand shattered, scattering jade beads in all directions.
"In the imperial court, what kind of spectacle is this? Is this the caliber of ministers the Song Dynasty relies on? Are these the officials who serve me?"
The assembled courtiers, who had been feigning ignorance, could no longer pretend. They knelt in unison, pleading, "Your Majesty, please calm your anger."
"Minister Lü, as the Chancellor, explain how we should deal with these individuals who harm the nation, disrupt families, and persecute the loyal and virtuous," the Emperor said, his tone neither warm nor cold.
Lü Yijian came from a prestigious family and had served three times as Chancellor. Now nearing retirement age, he had built a lifetime of reputation. Naturally, he would not plead for leniency on behalf of Guo Xi and the others.
Listen—the Emperor had used such terms: "harm the nation, disrupt families, persecute the loyal and virtuous." Lü Yijian had never heard the Emperor speak so harshly before.
Lü Yijian stepped forward, his gaze steady and unflinching, and spoke deliberately, "Guo Xi accepted bribes and disregarded the people. He is truly a man of low character, without loyalty to the nation or his family. Strip him of his official regalia, bar him from ever holding office again, and imprison him for his crimes.
As for the others, remove them from their positions according to the severity of their offenses and impose fines."
"Hah, Minister Lü is indeed impartial. Among them are your own disciples and protégés. It seems they did not heed your advice, even though you reminded them not to go too far."
The Emperor spoke with a detached tone, his eyes fixed intently on Lü Yijian—this Chancellor who had served three reigns, commanded great respect, and mentored countless disciples.
The implication was unmistakable.
No one had expected that, after dealing with Guo Xi and the others, the Emperor would turn his attention to the Chancellor. Although the Song Dynasty had a fragmented system of ministerial power and no official title of "Chancellor," Lü Yijian had deep roots and had risen and fallen multiple times.
Hearing the Emperor's words, Lü Yijian inwardly sensed trouble. He did indeed have past connections with several of the corrupt officials, but after decades in office, his influence had grown vast, with too many relying on him. Aside from a few he valued highly, he paid little attention to the rest.
Thus, even though he knew these individuals were involved in such activities, he had not taken it seriously. Though he felt it was improper, he had only offered a few words of caution, given the distinctions in closeness.
Lü Yijian realized the Emperor was using this incident as a pretext. After all, the matter was neither major nor minor. Guo Xi was a censor; if not for the bribery, even a mistaken impeachment would have been without penalty—censors were allowed to report based on hearsay.
But now, he detected a dangerous signal. What was the Emperor planning? In a flash of insight, Lü Yijian decisively prostrated himself on the ground. "As Chancellor, I failed to enforce discipline strictly, allowing such scoundrels to emerge in the court. I beg Guanjia to strip me of my position as Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi."
Lü Yijian had also come to understand—the Emperor’s sudden attack must have a purpose. Recalling the days before, when Guanjia’s proposal to deploy defenses along the border had been blocked, what else was there to misunderstand? Guanjia wanted to replace the chancellor with one who aligned with his own intentions.
With this plea for forgiveness now, he wondered if he could even preserve his own life.
Kneeling, Lü Yijian’s thoughts churned endlessly as he listened to the judgment from above. After a long while, it came: “In that case, Lü Qing shall be reassigned as Grand Academician of the Hall of Audience.”
Grand Academician of the Hall of Audience—a position of the highest first rank, undoubtedly prestigious, yet purely ceremonial. Historically, it had only been bestowed upon officials nearing retirement to enhance their treatment.
As soon as Guanjia spoke these words, the assembled ministers saw Chancellor Lü tremble slightly, his voice hoarse as he replied, “I thank Guanjia for his great kindness.”
Lü Yijian had originally thought Guanjia would spare him some face. By the unspoken rules of officialdom, the first resignation would be rejected, followed by repeated submissions and rejections, back and forth several times before success.
This would have demonstrated the Emperor’s reluctance to part with him, indicating he still enjoyed imperial favor. Who could have guessed Guanjia would show him no mercy, even making it clear he should resign promptly?
Seeing Lü Yijian’s straightforward plea for forgiveness, Zhao Zhen thought, As expected of a seasoned minister, so perceptive. Originally, he had intended to confiscate Lü Yijian’s property and strip him of his office, as a warning to those conservative court officials.
But since Lü Yijian was so compliant, letting him off the hook was not unreasonable.
The silence persisted until the court session ended. The ministers, who had hardly dared to breathe, gathered in small groups, discussing Guanjia’s thunderous methods. Those with keen political instincts already sensed a storm brewing.