It was a clear day with a warm sun shining between the two, the relentless snow that had blanketed the northern regions for days finally coming to a complete stop.
After more than half a month, a day of warm sunlight had finally arrived.
Today’s sun was particularly generous, raising the temperature to five or six degrees above freezing by mid-morning.
The snow on the ground, rooftops, trees, and riverbanks began to melt, tiny streams gurgling out from beneath the ice and snow, creating a scene of exquisite beauty.
In the Western Garden, Wuyi Hall.
Yan Song, Xu Jie, Li Ben—the three grand secretaries—along with the Minister of Personnel Li Mo, the Minister of Justice, the Minister of Rites, and other high-ranking officials from the Six Ministries, as well as the duty ministers of Wuyi Hall, gathered together, respectfully saluting Emperor Jiajing on his dragon throne.
As usual, only Yan Song was granted a seat, while the others, including Xu Jie and Li Ben, stood.
“Enough, I’ve summoned you today regarding the pirate affairs in Suzhou and Jiaxing. Over the past two days, I’ve received a flood of memorials about these two places. I reviewed them all yesterday, but today I can’t be bothered to look through them again.”
“Half an hour ago, Huang Ban brought over the transcribed memorials and passed them around for you to read.”
“So speak up, how should we handle the merit, faults, rewards, and punishments of the officials involved in these pirate matters?”
Emperor Jiajing sat casually on his dragon throne, waving a sleeve as he addressed the ministers below.
While the assembled officials hesitated over who would step forward first, someone took the lead.
Censor Guo Kui was the first to stride out, speaking with fervor, “Your Majesty, a few days ago, the Three Judicial Offices confirmed the Suzhou battle report as true. Yesterday, the factory guards’ investigation in Suzhou concluded, finding no evidence of killing civilians to falsify merits within a hundred li of Suzhou. This verifies the Suzhou report beyond doubt, establishing it as the greatest victory against the pirates in our dynasty. I propose a grand reward for the officials involved in defending Suzhou, especially Zhu Ping’an, Deputy Inspector of Zhejiang’s Judicial Office. Since his demotion to Jiangnan, Zhu Ping’an has repeatedly achieved great merits. This time, he defended Suzhou, annihilated forty thousand pirates, captured their leader Chen Dong, and destroyed or seized over a hundred pirate ships—a brilliant feat. He should be greatly rewarded, his merits celebrated to encourage further achievements and inspire other officials in pirate-plagued Jiangnan to follow his example!”
“No!”
Before Censor Guo Kui could finish, five officials stepped forward in unison to object loudly.
Realizing they’d overlapped, the five—all members of Yan Song’s faction—exchanged glances. Without a word, they reached a silent agreement: one would speak first, and the others stepped back.
“Imperial Censor Guo’s words are misguided! If we greatly reward Zhu Ping’an, the tens of thousands of Jiaxing citizens slaughtered by pirates will never rest in peace! The hundreds of thousands in Jiaxing, ravaged by pirate looting and arson, will live with unresolved grievances!”
The chosen speaker began his righteous opposition.
“On what grounds?” Censor Guo demanded sternly.
“On what grounds?! The Jiaxing battle report, of course! While Zhu Ping’an achieved a great feat defending Suzhou, he cannot escape responsibility for Jiaxing’s fall! It was the four hundred remnant pirates—Xu Hai and his ilk—that Zhu Ping’an let slip away from Suzhou who then seized Jiaxing! Had he not released Xu Hai and those four hundred pirates, Jiaxing would not have fallen. In other words, Zhu Ping’an is the chief culprit behind Jiaxing’s collapse!”
“Those pirates rampaged through Jiaxing, committing every atrocity imaginable. To recruit more, they lured Suzhou’s thugs and ruffians into killing and setting fires as proof of allegiance, turning Jiaxing into a living hell. Tens of thousands of citizens perished, hundreds of thousands were brutalized by the pirates, and Jiaxing became a city of torment, its people struggling in misery!”
“Your Majesty, since ancient times, rewards and punishments must be clear!”
“Zhu Ping’an defended Suzhou, he deserves reward; likewise, he caused Jiaxing’s fall, he deserves punishment!”
“Zhu Ping’an annihilated forty thousand pirates, he deserves reward; likewise, he caused the deaths of tens of thousands in Jiaxing and the suffering of hundreds of thousands, he deserves punishment!”
“Zhu Ping’an destroyed over a hundred pirate ships, he deserves reward; likewise, he caused thousands of Jiaxing homes to be burned, he deserves punishment!”
“Zhu Ping’an captured pirate leader Chen Dong, he deserves reward; likewise, he caused the deaths of over a dozen ranked Jiaxing officials, he deserves punishment!”
“With rewards and punishments balanced, Zhu Ping’an’s faults outweigh his merits! Rewarding him would outrage every soul in Jiaxing!”
The speaker delivered his impassioned argument, listing merits and faults in stark contrast, suggesting not only that Zhu Ping’an shouldn’t be rewarded, but that he should face penalties instead.
As soon as the first Yan faction official finished, another stepped up to take his place.
“Zhu Ping’an is brave and resourceful. In a single battle beneath Suzhou’s walls, he wiped out forty thousand pirates in an instant, proving his exceptional talent…”
At his opening words, the hall’s officials were stunned. Did I hear that right? Aren’t you a Yan faction member? Why are you praising Zhu Ping’an? Since when did you switch sides?!
Even Censor Guo Kui rubbed his eyes, staring at the man in disbelief.
Not just Guo Kui—the surrounding Yan faction officials gaped at him in shock.
A traitor in our midst?!
How could you praise Zhu Ping’an? Did you drink too much last night or grab the wrong memorial?!
Under their astonished gazes, the official pivoted sharply, “But if this brave, resourceful, and talented Lord Zhu could wipe out forty thousand pirates in a snap, why didn’t he finish off those few hundred stragglers too?! It was clearly intentional!”
“Thus, I impeach Zhu Ping’an, Deputy Inspector of Zhejiang’s Judicial Office, for deliberately allowing pirates to escape, using neighboring Jiaxing as a sacrificial ditch, and failing to warn Jiaxing of the incoming threat! This left Jiaxing unprepared, exploited by the pirates, and plunged into their hands, with countless lives ruined!”
“For the thousands massacred in Jiaxing, for the hundreds of thousands tormented by pirates, I believe Zhu Ping’an should not only be denied reward but severely punished as a warning to others!”
There we go, that’s more like it! Now it feels right! Much better!
The Yan faction officials nodded approvingly, casting appreciative looks at their colleague.
Guo Kui snorted, “I knew it. I almost thought you’d taken the wrong medicine.”
“I impeach Zhu Ping’an for fostering pirates to bolster his own power! He had the ability to wipe them all out but deliberately let four hundred remnants flee into Jiaxing. His goal was to nurture them, letting these defeated stragglers take Jiaxing and grow stronger, treating them as a crop of merits to harvest at will!”
“Zhu Ping’an has reaped rewards from pirate suppression time and again, tasting the sweetness of it. By not eliminating them entirely, he ensures a steady trickle of achievements for himself…”
“Zhu Ping’an fosters pirates for selfish gain, ignoring Jiaxing’s plight, the suffering of its hundreds of thousands, and Your Majesty’s grace. He betrays Your boundless favor—I request severe punishment!”
Another Yan faction official stepped forward, voice trembling with emotion as he pleaded for the people and impeached Zhu Ping’an.
