Emperor Zhengde

Chapter 115 Impeachment
The politics of the Ming Dynasty has always been one of the lower controlling the higher, and the lower resisting the higher. The civil servants who were favored by the empire did not even give face to the emperor, let alone the prime minister!

It was natural for Li Mengyang to denounce Ma Wensheng because of his dissatisfaction with the performance evaluation system, and it was also normal for him to call him Ma Junzhou.

What's more, Li Mengyang had the confidence to do so. Although he was a doctor in the Ministry of Revenue, he was famous for being a loyal minister. He made a living by impeaching the powerful and influential to gain a reputation for being loyal.

During the Hongzhi period, Li Mengyang was imprisoned by the Jinyiwei for impeaching the nobleman Zhang Heling. He was later released by the Hongzhi Emperor because he admired his outspokenness. This made him a well-known loyal minister in the court, and naturally earned him great fame and political benefits.

This enabled Li Mengyang to be promoted quickly from the head of the Ministry of Revenue to the doctor of the Ministry of Revenue in a short period of time. From then on, he was not afraid of either the royal relatives or the cabinet ministers, and there was no one in the world that he dared not scold.

At the same time, he was also an advocate of the ancient literature movement. He gathered a large group of literati to initiate retro activities and gained a group of supporters, which also made him famous in the literary world.

Now, it was naturally nothing for him to reprimand Ma Wensheng. What's more, the performance evaluation system was indeed difficult for him to accept. After all, after its implementation, he, a doctor in the Ministry of Revenue, could only get a chance of promotion by completing relevant government affairs of the Ministry of Revenue.

This was different from his past. In the past, he did nothing but impeach a few people and write a few poems to spread them around to gain the favor of the powerful and get promoted several levels. But now, he could only work hard to be a qualified official in the Ministry of Revenue. However, he was not good at managing the affairs of the Ministry of Revenue. He didn't even know how much tax the Sichuan Qinglisi, which he was in charge of, collected every year.

Therefore, after the Beijing inspection, Li Mengyang's evaluation was very poor. Even the Minister of Revenue Wang Hua, who usually had a good temper, scolded him and told him to focus on his job and not to be distracted.

Li Mengyang was very depressed and extremely dissatisfied with the new performance evaluation system.

However, Emperor Zhengde Zhu Houzhao and the cabinet did not care about Li Mengyang's dissatisfaction. Any reform could not make the vested interests feel comfortable, otherwise it would not be called reform. Therefore, the performance evaluation system was still being implemented through the implementation of the Beijing Inspection System.

"Yu Chengji, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works, was reckless in his work, causing the river to fall into disrepair while overspending by 30,000 shi of grain. He is dismissed from his post!"

The examination results sent by the Ministry of Personnel and the Censorate were continuously reported to the Cabinet and the Silijian Dufang, and were opened and read by the Cabinet Secretary and drafted by the Cabinet Grand Secretary.

"allow!"

Zhu Houzhao approved it without hesitation.

The Imperial Household Department immediately took it for approval, and the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works was directly dismissed from his post for his incompetent work.

"Zhan Yiliang, Junior Minister of the Imperial Household Department, has been in charge of the Jingji Horse Farm for three years, but the number of good horses has not increased but decreased by 3,000. He is dismissed and investigated!"

"allow!"

"The Director of the Imperial College, Yi Congjun, has not been to the government office for half a year and has been hanging around in the Music Bureau. He is dismissed from his post!"

"allow!"

"Hanlin Academy tutor Pan Cong interfered with local government affairs, and was dismissed from his post and demoted to a commoner!"

"allow!"

"Geng Genghe, Junior Secretary of the Imperial Household Department, has stolen and sold the imperial collection of books. He is dismissed from his post! He is also given three months to redeem the collection of books. Otherwise, he will be exiled three thousand miles away!"

"allow!"……

The Beijing inspection after the implementation of the new examination system was extremely strict. Anyone who was incompetent would be dismissed from his post.

Zhu Houzhao agreed to this on the spot without any mercy!

Li Mengyang was also fined half a year's salary for his slow handling of government affairs, demoted to the position of Director of the Ministry of Revenue and kept in the ministry for half a year for observation, and even ordered to make an inspection to all government offices in Beijing for public notice.

Li Mengyang has always valued his reputation, but now the whole capital knows that he is not doing his job well, which is an unbearable blow to him. What he can't accept even more is that the person who replaced him as the Langzhong of the Ministry of Revenue is actually a chief official of the Zhejiang Qingli Division who was a Juren. Just because the chief official completed the audit work of the department two months ahead of schedule, he was rewarded with an increase of four months' monthly salary!
"How can this be! It is absolutely unreasonable! Those who are good at worldly affairs are in high positions in the government, while upright officials with noble aspirations are dismissed as useless! This is simply destroying the foundation of our Ming Dynasty and tainting the righteousness of the court!"

Li Mengyang roared angrily, and at this time, his servant came to report: "Master, Hanlin Editor Master Yan and Zuo Zhongyun Master Zhuang want to see you!"

Li Mengyang knew that this examination system would have the greatest impact on those who were good at talking and not good at worldly affairs, so he could guess what these people were here for and hurriedly ordered, "Please come in quickly!"

As soon as Editor Yan and Zhuang Zhongyun came in, Li Mengyang asked, "May I ask what advice you two have for your sudden visit?"

Yan Bianxiu simply bowed his hands and said in pain: "Brother Xianji! You have to do justice for Zuo Gong and the others! Woo woo!"

"Lord Zuo, Lord Zhao, and Lord Liao were killed by Ma Junzhou just because they had some criticisms about the government. Now they are promoting the system of performance appraisal to eliminate dissidents. This is the wrath of heaven and the resentment of the people. Brother Xianji, you can't just sit back and watch!"

Zhuang Zhongyun also spoke excitedly.

Li Mengyang was originally dissatisfied with the performance evaluation system. Now that these two people were instigating him, he was also somewhat moved: "Li also deeply regrets the death of Zuo Gong and others, and also deeply hates the behavior of Ma Junzhou and others who colluded with eunuchs, betrayed their master, deceived the emperor and killed loyal officials! This performance evaluation system, which is called a new policy but is actually a way to eliminate dissidents, is also deeply unacceptable, and Li has long intended to impeach it! But it's a pity that Li thinks that the court is now dark and most officials are deceived by treacherous officials. Even if I die for calling for justice, it will be a small matter. If I am framed by the world in the future for seeking a reputation, it will be a big deal!"

Li Mengyang's meaning was very clear. I, Li Mengyang, am not afraid of death. It is worth dying for impeaching the prime minister. I am just afraid that after my death, my so-called loyal and heroic name will not be passed down to the world.

"Brother Xianji, rest assured. To be honest, we are here at his suggestion. He said that you once impeached a noble in the court, but the late emperor spared his life. Now that you are impeaching a treacherous minister, how dare His Majesty kill someone whom the late emperor spared? Even if His Majesty is bewitched by a treacherous minister and risks the wrath of the world, he will use his life and property as a guarantee, and will ask the new emperor to restore your reputation in the future!"

Editor Yan said.

Zhuang Zhongyun also echoed, "That's right. I'm sure Brother Xianji knows who this person is. He is the mentor of the current emperor and an old minister of the Eastern Palace. He will undoubtedly enter the cabinet in the future. Once Ma Junzhou and his ilk die, it will be his time to enter the cabinet. By then, you won't have to worry about your loyalty not being passed down through the ages!"

Li Mengyang knew who they were talking about, and he also knew that this person would definitely be admitted to the cabinet, so he also said: "In this case, Li will impeach Ma Junzhou and other treacherous ministers, and petition Your Majesty to kill the treacherous ministers, punish the eunuchs, abolish the policies that harm people, and implement inaction, so as to rectify the government!"

"Yan thanks Brother Xianji on behalf of all the people in the world!"

"Zhuang thanks Brother Xianji on behalf of all the people in the world!"

Both of them burst into tears.

Li Mengyang felt more and more like a warrior and a hero, and began to write furiously, writing down a memorial impeaching Ma Wensheng on twenty-four charges!
(End of this chapter)