The disgraced official I took care of was actually Zhu Houcong's childhood friend.

Chapter 121

To deal with someone like Yang Shen, you have to use the methods he's best at.

Yang Shen often used etiquette and Confucianism to dissuade the emperor. Zhu Houcong directly used the same approach against him: "You make all sorts of demands on me, the emperor, and require me to abide by all kinds of etiquette. What about you?"

Since the Confucian and Mencian doctrines were distorted by Emperor Wu of Han and Dong Zhongshu, they have become the way of ruler and subject, father and son, and husband and wife.

It speaks of the ruler being the guide for his subjects, the father being the guide for his son, and the husband being the guide for his wife; it speaks of the power of the monarch, the power of the father, and the power of the husband.

These civil officials, including Yang Shen, all advised against it on the grounds that a subject should not stand by and watch his ruler make mistakes. Following this line of thought, I, the emperor, have not done anything that would anger the heavens and the people; it is merely a slight deviation from the established rites. Yet you, Yang Shen, are so insistent on opposing your ruler.

So, has your father, Yang Tingping, ever done anything wrong?

Everyone knows what Yang Tinghe did, but no one can bring it up. After all, many officials in the court were accomplices in making this happen.

This includes Yang Yiqing, who, along with Zhang Yong, eliminated the powerful eunuch Liu Jin.

If Liu Jin were still alive, Zhu Houzhao would certainly not have met such an end.

Yang Yiqing used this opportunity to rise rapidly in rank, first becoming Minister of Revenue, and later Minister of Personnel. He was also awarded the title of Junior Guardian of the Heir Apparent, even though there was no heir.

This was also a compromise that Zhu Houzhao had no choice but to make back then.

It can be said that few officials in the court were innocent in the death of the late Emperor Zhu Houzhao, including Yang Shen.

Although Yang Tinghe did this behind Yang Shen's back, Yang Shen was not deaf or blind, and it was impossible for him not to have noticed anything. After all, Yang Tinghe had imprisoned Zhu Houzhao for as long as half a year.

It is no exaggeration to say that Yang Shen was a fraud, a charlatan, and a swindler.

Lies don't hurt, but the truth is the sharpest knife. After Zhou Chu's reminder, Zhu Houcong instantly saw through Yang Shen's weakness. A few words made Yang Shen's face turn pale and his mouth tremble, but he couldn't say a word.

Seeing that the desired effect had been achieved, Zhu Houcong was very satisfied and felt refreshed.

He had been holding back his anger for so long during yesterday's court assembly, which was so oppressive to the officials. He had rehearsed today's assembly countless times in his mind, and it would be very satisfying for Zhu Houcong to be able to perfectly execute the scenario he had rehearsed.

"Continue to formulate the charges."

Zhu Houcong said.

The subsequent process of proposing charges went surprisingly smoothly. Without Yang Shen taking the lead, none of the other officials dared to offend Jiajing. Xia Yan, still somewhat shaken by what happened the night before, and having not slept all night, had no energy to refute each point.

Yang Tinghe was left alone, and he was in a difficult position. He was old and valued his reputation highly, so he would never do anything he wasn't sure of.

Thus, the subsequent determination of guilt essentially became a one-man show by Zhu Houcong, with no one objecting.

Those whose homes should be confiscated and who should be exiled should be exiled, and those who should be executed in the autumn should be executed in the autumn.

The lowest punishment is confiscation of property and exile. After all, Zhou Chu has already sent troops to these people's hometowns. If they don't confiscate property and exile them, how can they confiscate their hometowns?

After the proposed punishment was completed, Zhu Houcong coughed, and the officials immediately perked up. At this moment, they dared not underestimate Zhu Houcong anymore, and each of them was on high alert, as if facing a formidable enemy.

"Grand Secretary Yang, my mother is still in Hubei, suffering alone in the territory. How can I bear to leave her?"

Zhu Houcong looked at Yang Tinghe and said.

Upon hearing this, Yang Tinghe frowned, realizing that Zhu Houcong's intentions were not good. However, he had no choice but to go along with what he was saying, since Jiajing was talking about filial piety. As the Grand Secretary, he should, in principle, fulfill the emperor's filial wishes.

But if we really went along with the emperor's words, then we would send someone to bring the Dowager Consort to the capital.

However, the Dowager Consort's status was rooted in Hubei, not in the capital, and Zhu Houcong had even entered the main lineage, so on the surface, he shouldn't be too close to his mother.