"You officials, you always boast about how clean and just you are, talking about court laws and impartiality, as if each of you is a paragon of virtue like Bao Zheng or Di Renjie..."
"In reality, I know exactly what you are. You colluded with Yang Xian for personal gain and covered for each other. You are utterly unworthy of your positions."
"However, you are not the ringleaders, and your crimes do not warrant death. Stripping you of your official posts shall be my punishment."
Zhu Yuanzhang's tone was grave, each word a stab to the heart!
Upon hearing Zhu Yuanzhang's reprimand and punishment, these more than ten officials' faces changed drastically.
After all, an official position was often an official's foundation.
Finally, Zhu Yuanzhang's gaze turned back to Yang Xian.
He was silent for a moment, then slowly spoke, "Yang Xian, step forward!"
Seeing Zhu Yuanzhang's gaze fixed entirely on him, Yang Xian's body trembled.
At this moment, Yang Xian lost his usual arrogance. He stumbled and knelt before Zhu Yuanzhang.
Yang Xian cried, snot and tears streaming, "Your Majesty, I am guilty, I am guilty! But, I have never deliberately oppressed the people for the sake of my achievements..."
"Even if I did do something wrong, it was done by the officials below me without my knowledge. I am merely guilty of negligence. I beg Your Majesty for punishment!"
Hearing Yang Xian's weeping, everyone in the court felt a wave of disdain.
In the officialdom, a single word could determine life or death, victory or defeat. How much more so the distortion of facts.
Yang Xian seemed to confess his guilt, but his words carefully skirted the most serious offenses, making his grave sins committed for the sake of his achievements seem like mere "negligence."
Most contemptible was that Yang Xian, to save himself, pushed the blame for most of his wrongdoings onto his confederates.
Such behavior was not only a lack of responsibility, unworthy of a faction leader, but it also completely destroyed his last sliver of hope.
In times of crisis, a person's true nature is revealed!
Yang Xian, now facing imminent disaster, no longer cared about his former image of integrity. His timid and selfish nature was fully exposed!
Seeing Yang Xian's series of denials and attempts to shirk responsibility, Zhu Yuanzhang's gaze grew even more somber.
In extreme anger, Zhu Yuanzhang picked up a stone inkstone from the imperial platform and threw it directly at Yang Xian!
Yang Xian, not daring to dodge, was immediately struck on the head, his blood flowing.
"Oh? So you claim you truly knew nothing of these matters? The other things you've done are enough to warrant your execution and the extermination of your clan..."
"As far as I know, despite your self-proclaimed incorruptibility, you have lived a life of luxury and comfort..."
"Your personal monthly expenses alone amount to thousands of taels of silver, more than what I spend on my own food and clothing..."
"Furthermore, the calligraphy and paintings in your residence, such as Huang Tingjian's 'Inscribed Stone Tablet' from the Song Dynasty, Wang Meng's 'Autumn Mountain Monastery' from the Tang Dynasty, Chen Gua's 'Melancholy Ink Flowers' from the Yuan Dynasty, and Lu Ji's 'Ping Fu Tie' from the Western Jin Dynasty, are worth nearly ten million taels, almost equivalent to the court's annual tax revenue..."
"Your Yang family has been acquiring vast properties in the capital for years. This seemingly endless supply of silver all comes from your younger brother's earnings..."
"There are many businessmen in the world. How many can compare to your younger brother..."
"You are not corrupt not because you are so virtuous, but because your family possesses an inexhaustible mountain of gold and silver..."
At this point, Zhu Yuanzhang sneered, "In my opinion, an official like you is far more detestable, hateful, and deserving of death than the average corrupt official!"
Hearing Zhu Yuanzhang's accusations, Yang Xian, still kneeling, trembled again but adamantly refused to admit guilt.
He said, "Your Majesty, please see clearly. I have never understood the value of calligraphy and paintings, nor have I ever inquired about daily expenses. I truly do not know about these matters!"
Zhu Yuanzhang snorted coldly, becoming even more enraged.
He declared, "If what you say is true, then you are an incompetent fool who cannot even distinguish between grains. To allow such a person to hold office is a disgrace to our Great Ming Empire."
"Regardless, you are no longer fit to serve as the Left Chancellor of the Central Secretariat!"
Then, Zhu Yuanzhang raised his hand, and the chief eunuch Huang Minghao presented a poetry collection to him.
Zhu Yuanzhang threw the poetry collection in front of Yang Xian and said mockingly, "Even if all these previous matters can be explained away..."
"How do you explain these venomous anti-poetic verses..."
"Mocking the court, mocking me..."
As he spoke, Zhu Yuanzhang could no longer suppress his anger and roared at Guo Tang.
From a beggar to an emperor who founded a dynasty was Zhu Yuanzhang's greatest pride, but also his greatest shame!
Upon seeing the "Green Bamboo and Stubborn Stone Poetry Collection" before him, Yang Xian's face instantly changed. With a deep sigh, he no longer struggled.
The existence of this poetry collection was known to only a very few, even within his own residence; it was his secret.
Now that this poetry collection had fallen into Zhu Yuanzhang's hands, it proved that the Imperial Guards had already begun investigating him!
This time, his defeat was not unjust!
He who rose through the Emperor's favor, now fell into an abyss due to the Emperor's will!
But how ironic it was.
Meanwhile!
Zhu Yuanzhang sneered, "Heh heh, since ancient times, emperors have been heroes. Even a beggar can rule the land. What is a hero, what is a king? Illiterate fools hold court..."
"Yang Xian, you are truly talented. To make you an official is a waste of your abilities..."
Hearing Zhu Yuanzhang's mockery, Yang Xian no longer denied it. He lowered his head and remained silent.
The officials of the court had all entered officialdom through the imperial examinations. They possessed some understanding of poetry.
Upon hearing Zhu Yuanzhang recite that line of poetry, they quickly grasped its hidden meaning!
Their gazes towards Yang Xian became even more schadenfreude.
They knew that because of this poetry collection, Yang Xian's crimes were far greater than imagined.
Seeing that Yang Xian no longer dared to argue, Zhu Yuanzhang finally announced his punishment for Yang Xian.
"Yang Xian, as the Left Chancellor of the court, failed to serve the country with loyalty and govern with impartiality. Instead, he oppressed the people, deceived the emperor, slandered ministers, and disregarded imperial grace. His crimes are heinous..."
"It is now discovered that he also wrote anti-poetic verses mocking the court and me, which is an act of rebellion and the gravest disrespect. Let my decree be known: Yang Xian is to be stripped of his official post, his mansion confiscated, and his family members taken to the imperial prison to await trial!"
Upon hearing Zhu Yuanzhang's decree, Yang Xian's face instantly turned ashen, completely devoid of color.
He knew that not only was he finished, but the Yang family was also finished, and all his relatives would have to accompany him to their demise.
Overwhelmed with emotion, Yang Xian could no longer hold on. His body suddenly convulsed, and he fainted. He was then dragged out of the hall by imperial guards like a dead dog.
Not a single official dared to plead for Yang Xian. The Yang faction, due to Yang Xian's earlier attempts to shift blame, was already furious with him and wished to trample on him further, let alone help him.
At this moment, even Crown Prince Zhu Biao dared not incur Zhu Yuanzhang's wrath.
After Yang Xian was dragged away by the imperial guards, while the hundreds of officials in the court remained silent, Zhu Yuanzhang issued another decree.
"Due to the long period of peace and prosperity in the land, scholars and students have become disrespectful to the court for a long time. The court has always treated scholars generously, with tax reductions, exemptions, and numerous privileges..."
"However, these scholars do not think of serving the country with loyalty, but instead take pride in criticizing the court and mocking the court's policies, speaking without restraint, and causing a bad influence..."
"It is said that scholars are mere strategists on paper, harming the country and its people. It seems this is indeed true..."
"Let my decree be known: starting today, all departments of the court are to strictly supervise the words and actions of scholars throughout the land. All anti-poetic verses and writings are to be thoroughly investigated. Once found, they will be severely punished without leniency!"
Thus, the downfall of Yang Xian finally came to an end.
However, the impact of this incident extended far beyond Yang Xian's death and the downfall of his family.
With the collapse of the Yang faction, many positions in the court became vacant.
For these important positions, fierce infighting erupted among the officials of various factions, disrupting the entire direction of the country.
Furthermore, Yang Xian's anti-poetic verses triggered a large-scale literary disaster.
The Imperial Guards, in their eagerness to earn merit, arrested many scholars, and even some great literary figures were implicated, with far-reaching consequences!
After the morning court session ended that day, Li Shanchang and Hu Weiyong, surrounded by officials of the "Huai Xi faction," left the imperial palace.
Officials who could survive in the unfathomable depths of the court might not necessarily be capable, but they were generally masters of observing subtle cues.
This time, although the Crown Prince's faction attacked Yang Xian first, it was clear to any discerning eye that Li Shanchang and Hu Weiyong delivered the fatal blow.
Most officials were opportunistic and sycophantic. After Li Shanchang trampled on Yang Xian to reclaim his position as a powerful minister, a considerable portion of officials changed their attitudes and allegiances.
Many officials respectfully moved aside, clearing the path, and their gazes towards Li Shanchang became increasingly filled with awe.
Yang Xian had held the power of the Central Secretariat for several months and was then brought down by Li Shanchang. Not only did he lose his position and end up in prison, his lifelong reputation ruined, but the officials of the Yang faction also lost their posts and titles.
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