in2ebook Chapter 447: Is what His Majesty said necessarily right?
Chapter 447: Is what His Majesty said necessarily right?
Above the court of Wu County Government, a huge plaque with the words "A Bright Mirror Hangs High" hangs high above the head.
In the hall, the yamen runners were holding water and fire sticks and standing neatly on both sides.
They were dressed in brown yamen uniforms, with black belts around their waists, and had stern expressions.
The lobby floor is paved with ancient blue bricks, which have a dim glow after years of wear and tear.
On the surrounding walls hung several murals depicting the majesty of the law, but at this moment, the tense atmosphere in the court made everything seem a little depressing.
Tang Wang stood in the hall. Although he felt a faint ripple of uneasiness in his heart, the scrutinizing gazes from all around him made the atmosphere so hot and unbearable that he could not afford to retreat even a little.
For Tang Wang, today's confrontation has become a battle to defend his reputation in the officialdom.
As a county lieutenant, he should be powerful and enforce discipline in this small world of Wu County.
If he couldn't even subdue the three people in front of him, whom he scornfully called "troublemakers", how could he hold his head up in front of his colleagues in the future?
How can we establish our authority in the hearts of the people?
He will inevitably become a laughing stock among the people, and his official career will probably be full of thorns.
Thinking of this, Tang Wang's determination became stronger. No matter what the cost, he was determined to completely suppress these three people and let them know how powerful he was.
"How dare you! You still dare to quibble? Writing anti-government poetry in public, attracting the attention of those scholars, isn't this a crime of treason?"
Tang Wang was furious, his eyes wide open, glaring at Li Chengqian fiercely.
He took a big step forward and pointed directly at Li Chengqian, the muscles on his face distorted with anger, and his voice was sharp and shrill.
"You, a wicked commoner, have completely forgotten Your Majesty's great kindness. You spend all day complaining about the injustices of the world, grumbling and whining. What I despise most is people like you who only know how to complain but never know how to repay your kindness!"
When the yamen runners beside him heard this, they all murmured in agreement.
A burly yamen runner frowned and said loudly, "Tang County Magistrate is absolutely right! This kind of lawless and slanderous people should be severely punished!"
Another tall and thin yamen runner also nodded and said in a shrill voice: "Yes, daring to write anti-government poetry is simply a heinous crime!"
For a moment, the voices of approval from the yamen runners rose one after another, echoing in the court.
Qian Shuwang looked at the yamen runners around him who were mobilized, and a hint of ferocity flashed in his eyes.
"Under your Majesty's wise leadership, the Tang Dynasty is now peaceful and prosperous. It couldn't be better!"
"If I were you, I would be so grateful to Your Majesty for such a great favor, yet I still wrote such a treasonous poem. I would be so ashamed that I would not even have the nerve to live in this world!"
After saying this, Tang Wang flicked his sleeves violently. That exaggerated action, coupled with his indignant expression, made him look righteous and awe-inspiring.
Li Chengqian's face was as calm as water. Looking at Tang Wang's ferocious performance, he couldn't help but feel deeply worried.
In the vast territory of the Tang Dynasty, there may be countless "Tang Wang" who hold power but act recklessly and trample on the rights and interests of the people.
If this kind of atmosphere is allowed to grow and spread, the foundation of the Tang Dynasty will be seriously eroded.
He took a deep breath, calmed himself, and gathered his composure. He looked at Tang Wang with a determined gaze and said quietly, "You keep referring to His Majesty, constantly using His Majesty's name to suppress others and try to confuse the public."
"But speaking objectively of the matter, regarding this case alone, whether my poem is anti-China should be judged impartially by the imperial court. It is not something you can arbitrarily decide based on your own nonsense."
Li Chengqian raised his voice slightly. "Our Great Tang has always upheld the principle of presumption of innocence. You have no solid evidence, yet you hastily labeled this poem as anti-corruption. Is this the proper way for a Tang official to enforce the law?"
Hearing Li Chengqian's clear and sharp questioning, Tang Wang was stunned at first, and a trace of imperceptible panic flashed across his face, but it disappeared in an instant, replaced by a sarcastic sneer.
"Evidence? Your poem itself is irrefutable evidence, as solid as a mountain! Why would you need any other supporting evidence?"
He crossed his arms, his chin slightly raised, his eyes filled with disdain and arrogance. "Anyone with a bit of discernment would know at a glance that this poem is anti-poetry."
"You are clearly using this poem to maliciously satirize the officials of Wu County, slander the imperial court, and even harbor ill intentions towards Your Majesty!"
"Not only that, you also condoned others to resist arrest and committed such a crime. This is simply a heinous crime and is unforgivable!"
When Li Chengqian heard this, his brows furrowed tightly.
He did not care about the slander against him by the unreasonable Tang Wang in front of him, but was deeply worried about the atmosphere in the officialdom of the entire Tang Dynasty.
If every official was like Tang Wang, arbitrarily convicting the people based on subjective assumptions, then the laws of the Tang Dynasty would be meaningless, and how could the people live and work in peace?
Seeing Li Chengqian frowning and remaining silent, Tang Wang mistakenly thought that he had run out of words and was at his wit's end, and a smug look appeared on his face.
The corners of his mouth rose slightly, revealing a smug smile. Just as he was about to turn around and report to Qian Shuwang and declare his "victory", at this moment, Li Chengqian's steady voice sounded again in the court.
"Anti-poetry? You can label it so easily?"
Li Chengqian stared at Tang Wang with a gaze as sharp as a torch, a look of authority in his eyes. "My poem, whether in its word choice or in its artistic conception, is completely devoid of any offensive meaning."
"It's just that I noticed that your Wu County government was handling some matters inappropriately, so I pointed them out in the form of poetry."
He paused slightly, disappointment in his eyes. "Could it be that, under the bright and clear rule of the Tang Dynasty, the people have even been deprived of their right to speak the truth?"
"If the court is not doing things right, can't the people point them out frankly and offer suggestions for its development?"
Li Chengqian's words pressed down on Tang Wang with overwhelming force.
Tang Wang only felt his heart skip a beat, and an inexplicable feeling of oppression made his breathing stagnate.
He felt a panic in his heart. The defense line he had carefully constructed was hit lightly by Li Chengqian, and a crack appeared.
But Tang Wang has been working in the officialdom for many years and has his own set of strategies to deal with the situation.
He quickly forced himself to remain calm, came to his senses, and tried to salvage the situation.
"How dare you! I'm tired of hearing all these clichés you're saying!"
Tang Wang roared again at the top of his lungs, trying to cover up his guilt with his volume.
"What I hate most is people like you who slander the Tang Dynasty all day long! What's wrong with the Tang Dynasty?"
"How can you, an ordinary citizen, understand the imperial court's foresight? How many books have you read? How much knowledge do you have?"
"Do you know how difficult it is to govern a county? Our officials in Wu County work diligently for the people from dawn to dusk every day, wholeheartedly serving Your Majesty. Are you going to be accused of this for no reason simply because the people don't understand?"
"Life is so much better now than it was before. What's wrong with it? I think you're just trying to make things difficult for His Majesty, the court, and the officials of Wu County!"
"You just can't stand seeing the Tang Dynasty getting better and better, and you can't stand seeing others getting rich while the benefits don't fall on you, so you're jealous and talking nonsense here!"
Tang Wang became more and more excited as he spoke, his saliva flying everywhere, and he was completely in a state of madness.
"Your Majesty has long said that those who get rich first should lead those who get rich later. Can't you be patient and wait?"
"For the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty, is it so difficult to wait a little longer? Will it cost you your life?"
"It's not that I won't give you the opportunity to make money, it's just that the time hasn't come yet. Don't you understand this?"
Tang Wang spoke eloquently and non-stop, trying to completely suppress Li Chengqian with this series of words.
Li Chengqian couldn't help feeling sad when he heard what Tang Wang said.
Changing this situation will not happen overnight.
He couldn't retreat because he had nowhere to retreat.
"Tang County Lieutenant, you keep saying you're doing this for the Great Tang, for His Majesty, but do you truly understand the laws of the Great Tang and His Majesty's wishes?"
Li Chengqian looked straight into Tang Wang's eyes with a firm gaze. "Laws exist to fairly judge right and wrong, not to be abused and used as a tool to oppress the people."
Your Majesty is here to ensure that the people of the country live and work in peace and contentment. If the people lose their trust in the court because of the reckless behavior of some officials, is this what Your Majesty wants to see?"
"besides,"
Li Chengqian paused when he said this.
"Does what Your Majesty said necessarily mean it's right?"
"Your Majesty, will you never make mistakes?"