eurekapd Chapter 152 The war hasn’t started yet, how come the Minister of Rites is gone?
Chapter 152 The war hasn’t started yet, how come the Minister of Rites is gone?
"I will admit my guilt!"
All the officials of the Ministry of Personnel bowed in unison.
"Know your guilt..."
"Humph!"
Emperor Xia flicked his sleeves, looked towards the Dali Temple with a cold gaze, and said in a cold voice: "The Dali Temple Minister..."
"Chen is here!"
Fu Heng, the Dali Temple Minister who was standing in front of Gu Jing, stepped out in panic.
Emperor Xia narrowed his eyes and asked, "In your opinion, how should we deal with this official from Jeju Prefecture?"
"This……"
Fu Heng subconsciously looked at Song Pu. Emperor Xia was immediately displeased when he saw this: "Why? As the Minister of Justice, what you should do depends on what Prime Minister Song thinks?"
"what?"
Fu Heng was stunned and shook his head quickly: "No, no! Your Majesty..."
Fu Heng's words were incoherent, and even Song Pu's heart trembled slightly. He cursed Fu Heng in his heart, "Why the hell are you looking at me?"
Emperor Xia was extremely displeased when he saw Fu Heng's timid look. He looked at Gu Jingzhi.
"Gu Qing, what do you think?"
"Your Majesty! I believe that people like this who bring disaster to the country and the people should be killed..."
As soon as Gu Jingzhi opened his mouth, all the civil and military officials in the court sensed a fierce murderous intent.
More than 200 officials were fired at once, are you making a fuss?
"Your Majesty, this is absolutely unacceptable!"
The Minister of Personnel came out and said, "Your Majesty, more than 70% of the officials in Jeju Prefecture are under investigation. If all of them are executed, I'm afraid the entire Jeju Prefecture will cease to function. All government affairs and people's livelihoods... will be left unattended. I think..."
"Minister Chen, this is wrong!"
Chen Ming was stunned when he heard this. He turned around and saw that it was Gu Jingzhi who spoke. He immediately said unhappily, "What have I done wrong? You are new to the court and don't understand how the local government works. If this official is gone, who will manage the local government for the court?"
"Our Great Xia has been established for twenty years, and we hold imperial examinations every three years. How can you say there are no people?"
Gu Jingzhi said coldly, "Is it possible that the entire world can't spare 200 officials?"
"What do you know? There are strict regulations for the promotion and transfer of officials..."
"So which is more important, the Ministry of Personnel's regulations or the country of Great Xia?"
Gu Jingzhi spitted out a direct remark, then looked at Emperor Xia and said, "Your Majesty, I believe that all the officials in Jizhou Prefecture are either corrupt and accepting bribes, forming cliques for personal gain, or taking human lives lightly... They don't care about the lives of the people at all. What's the point of having such officials?"
"The people regard local officials as their parents, but this person, who is a parent, is actually taking human life lightly. If such an official continues to serve in the local area, it will be a disaster for the people and for Daxia!"
"Your Majesty, I object!"
As soon as Gu Jingzhi finished speaking, someone else jumped out to object. Gu Jingzhi turned around and saw that it was that old bastard Tang Qian.
The old man glared at Gu Jingzhi coldly, then said, "Your Majesty! No one is perfect. I think we only need to execute the ringleader in this matter, and let the others with less serious offenses make amends for their crimes!"
"Your Majesty, the so-called punishment is a warning to the past and a cure to save lives! Punishment is not the goal, the key is to save lives!"
"Our Great Xia governs the country with the teachings of sages. The teachings of sages are about education. I believe we should give people a little more chance. If they can reform themselves..."
"Minister Tang, have you become stupid from reading all day?"
After hearing Tang Qian's theory, Gu Jingzhi kept rolling his eyes and couldn't help but interrupt, "If everyone follows Tang Shangshu's theory, what is the point of laws in a country?"
Tang Qian was interrupted and immediately said angrily: "Are you going to rule the country with harsh laws?"
"Severe punishments?"
Gu Jingzhi laughed dumbly. "We have a wise ruler and laws in Great Xia. We only need to follow the laws to punish people. Where does the talk of harsh punishments come from? In the eyes of Lord Tang, are all the laws of Great Xia harsh punishments? Are we in charge of the criminal law department full of cruel officials? Is Your Majesty a foolish ruler who can't judge people?"
What the hell!
Everyone's eyes twitched.
This Gu Jingzhi... is he really that bold?
Any little thing can be blown out of proportion!
"you you……"
Tang Qian pointed at Gu Jingzhi with grief and indignation, cursing angrily, "How can a child like you know how to govern a country? Governing a large country is like cooking a small fish. If you blindly use harsh punishments and strict laws, it will inevitably cause chaos in the court, and all officials will be in constant fear..."
"Then can this be blamed on the laws of Daxia?"
Gu Jingzhi shouted, "Law is the bottom line of morality. You, Minister Tang, keep talking about etiquette. All officials in the world are scholars, but has this etiquette taught them the way to be honest officials?"
"Officials are in a state of constant anxiety. If officials are upright, why should they be anxious?"
"If you don't even obey the law, how can you have virtue?"
"When selecting officials in our dynasty, we take into account their knowledge, ability, and morality. As the saying goes, those with both talent and morality are promoted, those with morality but no talent are trained and employed, and those with neither morality nor talent are resolutely not employed!"
"Master Tang, morality comes first! As the Minister of Rites, don't you understand this?"
As Gu Jingzhi spoke, his blood boiling with anger, he bowed to Emperor Xia and said:
"Your Majesty! Tang Qian, as the Minister of Rites, is in charge of the nation's education and rituals...yet he lacks even the most basic principles of propriety, righteousness, and honor. How can he have the nerve to carry out the responsibility of educating people on Your Majesty's behalf? I implore Your Majesty to strip him of his position and appoint someone more virtuous and capable!"
"Your Majesty, this is absolutely impossible!"
Song Pu stood up and said, "It's just a debate in the court, just a difference of opinion! Minister Tang is diligent and conscientious, always..."
"Song Qing!"
Emperor Xia interrupted Song Pu and said expressionlessly, "I have also heard what Lord Gu and Lord Tang said just now. I want to ask you, as an official of the imperial court, should you forgive those who compete with the people for profit, disregard human life, or condone the persecution of the people?"
Song Pu: "..."
"Your Majesty, if you are an official and don't serve the people, you might as well go home and raise pigs!"
"There are tens of thousands of scholars in the world, and countless of them want to do something for the country and the people. If those officials who were convicted are all forgiven, would it be fair to those who have dedicated their lives to Daxia for decades?"
"Your Majesty, I second the proposal!"
"I also second the proposal!"
"minister……"
Seeing that half of the people in the court asked for orders, Song Pu, Tang Qian and others were stunned.
Weren't they just discussing the Jeju Prefecture issue? Why are these people thinking about getting rid of the Minister of Rites before the Jeju issue is resolved?
Seeing nearly half of the civil and military officials in the court asking for orders, Emperor Xia's eyes flashed and a faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
"Tang Qing!"
Emperor Xia spoke slowly.
Tang Qian was shocked when he heard this, and then a bitter look appeared on his face.
Emperor Xia actually wants him to step down!
"His Majesty……"
"Mr. Tang, you've been running the Ministry of Rites for me for many years, and you must be tired! Just go home and take good care of yourself!"
Emperor Xia dismissed Tang Qian with a casual remark.
When Song Pu saw this scene, a gloomy look flashed in his eyes.
The case of Gu Heng involved too many people, especially the Minister of Justice Li Chun. As the cousin of Jizhou Prefect Li Yuan, it was a foregone conclusion that he would be implicated.
He was prepared to lose his position as Minister of Justice.
Unexpectedly, before Li Chun even started, the aristocratic family camp had already lost the position of Minister of Rites.
That being said, at today's court meeting, their aristocratic family camp will lose at least two minister positions.
He looked at Gu Jingzhi with cold eyes.
It’s all this little thief’s fault!