Judge of the Song Dynasty

Are you not surprised?

If one had to use a single word to describe Emperor Zhao Xu’s edict, it would be: ruthless!

Just days after abolishing the Commission for the Reorganization of the Three Financial Bureaus, he created a new Commission for the Reorganization of the Two Departments, or Reform Planning Commission in short. The definition changed from “planning state finances and discussing changes to old laws to benefit the realm” to “changing customs, establishing laws to benefit the realm.”

This seemed to be an upgrade. Though the Three Financial Bureaus were the Song Dynasty’s most powerful agencies, the Two Departments technically outranked them since they set policies.

“Changing customs and establishing laws” was more direct and blatant.

This was truly shameless!

The imperial court immediately erupted in chaos. Never in history had an emperor done such a thing.

The censors and remonstrance officials submitted numerous memorials criticizing Wang Anshi. Some even wrote memorials comparing it to Shang Yang’s reforms, implying the emperor was untrustworthy and questioning how such reforms could succeed.

The officials were truly agitated.

Emperor Zhao Xu was very magnanimous about this. Not only did he not get angry, but he called another court meeting to discuss the matter. Fu Bi claimed illness and did not attend. Sima Guang and Wen Yanbo barely spoke, choosing to remain silent. Of the four chancellors, only Zhao Bian remained steadfast in his opposition.

In the Hall of Delegated Rule, Zhao Xu began: “I have not broken my word.”

This immediately drew eye rolls from the court officials, but he ignored them and continued: “Last time when Censor Qian accused the Finance Planning Commission of violating ancestral law, after Lord Fu’s review determined this was true, I immediately abolished it. After modifications, I established the Reform Planning Commission. I have kept my promise throughout.”

How could he say something so shameless?

Zhao Bian was the first to step forward and ask: “Your Majesty, I dare ask – what is the difference between these two?”

“How are they not different?” Wang Anshi immediately responded. “Even the names are different!”

Zhao Bian nearly coughed up blood. “Besides the name, what else is different? You’re just deceiving yourself and others!”

Wang Anshi retorted, “The explanation is different too. His Majesty humbly accepts criticism and corrects mistakes – this is the model of a wise ruler. Yet you all maliciously slander him. This is preposterous!”

“You are the preposterous one!”

Standing at the end, Remonstrator Fan Chunren could no longer contain himself and stepped forward, saying: “You manipulate power and twist the law for personal gain, attempting to change the system set out by the ancestors – you’re a disgrace as an official!”

Lu Huiqing immediately stepped forward and said: “Remonstrator Fan makes baseless accusations and spews venom. He’s worse than even a common pen-in-cap. If Remonstrator Fan tried filing a complaint at the Kaifeng Prefectural Office, he’d be driven out with clubs.”

Fan Chunren immediately burned with anger and snorted: “I may lack evidence, but anyone with eyes can see that the Finance Planning Commission only changed its name to the Reform Planning Commission, with no fundamental difference. If you won’t admit it, at least come up with a cleverer excuse. Such behavior is utterly shameless.”

Many censors and remonstrators also stepped forward to verbally attack Lu Huiqing.

Lu Huiqing calmly responded: “I think you’re the ones twisting logic. How are the Two Departments and the Three Bureaus the same thing? Just looking at the names shows their duties are completely different – how can you conflate them? The Finance Planning Commission violated ancestral law, so the Reform Planning Commission must also violate them? What kind of logic is this? It’s unheard of!”

Fan Chunren was nearly driven to a stroke by Lu Huiqing’s words.

This wordplay showed absolutely no skill – it was pure shameless denial!

Emperor Zhao Xu suddenly spoke: “Everyone, stop arguing lest we damage the congeniality of the imperial court.”

Congeniality ?

What congeniality was left? Only anger remained.

They had never seen such shameless ruler and minister.

Emperor Zhao Xu lightly coughed: “When the country faces problems, how can I as sovereign turn a blind eye? What’s wrong with my desire to implement change to improve the country and remove its ills?”

Zhao Bian immediately said: “There’s nothing wrong with improvement and removing ills, but I cannot accept these methods.”

Emperor Zhao Xu patiently said: “When Lord Fu ruled that the Finance Planning Commission violated ancestral law, I immediately corrected it. But Lord Fu did not rule that I could not continue reforms.”

Wen Yanbo hurriedly stood up and said: “Lord Fu has no such authority.”

Emperor Zhao Xu immediately asked: “Then in your opinion, do I have the authority to continue reforms?”

Wen Yanbo nodded: “Of course Your Majesty has the authority.”

Fan Chunren agitatedly said: “I’m not saying Your Majesty shouldn’t improve the country and remove its ills, but proper methods should be used. The Finance Planning Commission just changed its name to Reform Planning Commission – if the former violated ancestral law, how does the latter not? This is an absolute joke!”

Zhao Xu asked: “Do you believe that the Commission for the Reorganization of the Two Departments also violates ancestral law?”

Fan Chunren immediately said: “Of course it does.”

Zhao Xu said: “If that is the case, you should prove it through judicial review. I have great faith in our dynasty’s judicial fairness. If it truly violates ancestral law, I will certainly change it. But I cannot determine that it does so violate ancestral law based solely on your one-sided words.” Thıs content belongs to NoveI[F]ire.net

Wang Anshi chuckled: “Remonstrator Fan wouldn’t dare take this to court. The court is different from here – here he has special privilege to speak nonsense and make false accusations without Your Majesty being able to punish him. In court, such false accusations would earn him a beating.”

“Don’t provoke me, I’m not afraid to go to court,” Fan Chunren snorted. “It’s just that even if I win the case, you’ll just change the name again. What’s the point?”

Emperor Zhao Xu immediately said: “Remonstrator Fan’s words are wrong. Is there no meaning in my humbly accepting criticism and correcting mistakes?”

Sima Guang and Wen Yanbo exchanged helpless glances.

Indeed!

This was unsolvable!

Go ahead and sue!

If you win, we’ll just change the name.

And still claim we’re humbly accepting criticism.

How could they fight this?

Fan Chunren stared at the Emperor and Wang Anshi, thinking they looked more and more like scoundrels. Suddenly inspired, he turned to Sima Guang: “I recall that Academician Sima has proposed overriding statute through precedent. Since these two commissions are identical – shouldn’t we be able to use precedent to rule that the Reform Planning Commission violates ancestral law?”

Sima Guang frowned – yes, they could use precedent.

Wang Anshi smiled: “Sima Guang, please speak fairly – are these commissions truly identical such that precedent can be applied?”

Ah, I thought too much – he has a pen-in-cap behind him planning strategies, how could they not have considered precedent?

Sima Guang first gave Wang Anshi a look of contempt, then said: “No.”

At these words, everyone looked at Sima Guang in surprise.

What… what are you doing?

Can’t you see through such a simple trick?

Wang Anshi completely ignored their surprised looks and turned to Wen Yanbo: “What does Chief Censor Wen think?”

Wen Yanbo looked away: “My view is the same as Academician Sima’s.”

What’s going on? What happened?

Seeing they still didn’t understand, Wen Yanbo voluntarily explained: “The last case ended too quickly. The lack of arguments make it impossible to determine if the Reform Planning Commission is illegal. There is no applicable precedent.”

Everyone suddenly understood.

The last case was decided after just one statement – the opening statement at that – when Lord Fu immediately ruled.

Without a complete logical argument, how could precedent be applied?

Lu Huiqing laughed: “Remonstrator Fan, we said you were making false accusations but you wouldn’t admit it. Look, every word you say lacks evidence.”

Fan Chunren’s mouth twitched, but he didn’t know how to argue back.

Censors and remonstrators really shouldn’t discuss law.

It was like tying themselves up.

Discussing law requires evidence and fair trials to reach final conclusions.

Seeing Fan Chunren and the other censors and remonstrators red-faced with anger, Zhao Xu felt extremely satisfied. Look where you are now, he thought, and said: “Let’s end here for today. If you believe the Reform Planning Commission violates ancestral law, you can prove it through legal proceedings. I will certainly humbly accept criticism and make timely corrections.”

No problem! Not a single problem! As sovereign, such humility was exemplary.

This is what a wise ruler should be!

Zhao Bian and the others naturally had nothing more to say.

Their shameless sleight of hand was so refreshingly elegant, it left them stunned.

Leaving the hall, Wang Anshi cupped his hands toward Zhao Bian, Wen Yanbo and the others: “Everyone, the Reform Planning Commission has officially hired Bianjing Law Firm to help handle legal matters. If you believe this commission violates ancestral law, you can negotiate with Bianjing Law Firm – Zhang Fei has full authority to represent me.”

Sima Guang was both angry and amused: “Wang Anshi, you’ve really outdone yourself – handling state affairs through a mere pen-in-cap is truly unheard of.”

Wang Anshi said: “I need to actually handle state affairs, so I have no time to argue with you about this. Farewell.”

He bowed and left with sweeping sleeves.

Fan Chunren exploded in anger: “This is preposterous! Is he the only one handling state affairs? Are our official duties just arguing with a pen-in-cap?”

Bianjing Law Firm!

“Brother San, I…!”

But when Fan Li saw Zhang Fei, all the curse words stuck in his throat.

Zhang Fei smiled: “These days must have been hard on Mogul Fan.”

“A little hardship is nothing,” Fan Li unconsciously grabbed Zhang Fei’s sleeve tightly, eyes filled with hurt tears, saying with a choked voice: “But you can’t just hide at home when something happens, leaving me to handle everything alone. Do you know how I’ve been getting by these days?”

“I know! I know!”

Zhang Fei nodded and said: “This was my fault. Tell me how I can make it up to you – money, reputation, status, is that enough?”

Fan Li was dazed by the sweet talk. “What do you mean?”

“Wait… they’re here!”

Zhang Fei suddenly looked to the right.

Two carriages slowly approached. After a while, they stopped in front of the Bianjing Law Firm, and Wang Anshi stepped down from one.

“This humble one greets Academician Wang.”

“You rascal!”

Wang Anshi pointed at Zhang Fei with a laughing curse.

Several servants unloaded two large boxes from the second carriage.

Half an hour later.

Wang Anshi officially signed a cooperation contract with the Bianjing Law Firm in the name of the Reform Planning Commission.

The fee was one thousand strings of cash.

This thousand strings wasn’t from the Reform Planning Commission – there probably weren’t yet regulations allowing public funds to be used for lawsuits. It came from Emperor Zhao Xu’s private purse but was placed under Wang Anshi’s name.

“Alright!”

Wang Anshi said: “I leave everything to you. Don’t let them disturb me.”

Zhang Fei nodded with a smile: “Academician Wang, please rest assured, I’ll play with them slowly.”

“Then have fun playing. I need to get back to work.”

Wang Anshi turned to leave after saying this.

Zhang Fei hurriedly called after him, “Academician Wang, about Fang Yun…”

Wang Anshi smiled: “Don’t worry, His Majesty has secretly sent people to protect Fang Yun. There won’t be any more danger.”

Zhang Fei bowed: “Thank you, Academician Wang.”