The Ministry of Justice reviewed nearly a hundred old cases involving He’s faction, and the Department of Imperial Ceremonial personnel imprisoned in the imperial jail were brought out one by one to have their crimes reconsidered.
Bai Yuyang was memorialized by the Three Offices to determine Deng Ying’s crimes but was rejected by the emperor that same day.
Just as Bai Yuyang was preparing to submit another memorial jointly with the Cabinet, the emperor sent Deng Ying’s personally written confession to the Ministry of Justice.
Officials from the Censorate and Court of Judicial Review were somewhat surprised at how cooperative the prisoner was after seeing this confession.
Based on this confession, within four or five days the Two Offices investigated from the Liuli Factory case to the school fields case, linking investigations in the capital and provinces, and wrote up over eighty crimes for Deng Ying. The Left Censor-in-Chief looked at the crime record and said: “Though not enough for the extreme penalty, it’s certainly enough for beheading.”
Bai Yuyang said: “Still too light.”
Qi Huaiyang said: “Prime Minister if His Majesty approves our memorial for public beheading, that’s not light.”
The Left Censor-in-Chief said: “The homicide case from Shuntian Prefecture has aroused overwhelming public anger. If we don’t subject him to the extreme penalty, we can’t appease the people.”
Qi Huaiyang was about to speak when Bai Yuyang said: “The Prime Minister speaks truly. When the late emperor indulged His a faction in their misdeeds, our several impeachment attempts were all blocked. Now in the new reign, both inside and outside the court are waiting to see a new atmosphere. If this person isn’t severely punished, how can we show His Majesty’s strict control over the inner court?”
Qi Huaiyang lowered his eyes and was silent for a while, “Do both of you mean to memorialize again for a joint trial by the Three Offices?”
Yang Lun had been sitting silently to the side, but hearing Qi Huaiyang’s words, he couldn’t help saying: “Can you stop torturing him?”
Hearing these words, everyone fell silent, not knowing what to say.
Yang Lun stood up and grabbed the confession from Qi Huaiyang’s hands, “Everything he’s done is written here. Another hall trial by the Three Offices means dozens more days of wearing chains, kneeling before officials, enduring torture, and saying the same things—what’s the point? His health is already very poor, do you want to torture him until he’s like He Yixian, unable even to reach the execution ground?”
The Censor hurriedly said: “Prime Minister, Assistant Minister Yang has a point. We use extreme punishment to intimidate the eunuchs of the inner court. If the prisoner dies before execution, we lose our purpose.”
These cold-blooded words sent chills down Yang Lun’s spine.
Disregarding official protocol, he raised his voice: “Aren’t you just missing a crime serious enough to have him dismembered? Once you’ve decided, hand him over to the Northern Pacification Guard’s prison and just ask if he admits it, don’t interrogate him anymore!”
Bai Yuyang looked at Yang Lun, “In your opinion, who would be best to ask?”
Yang Lun stepped back with a bitter laugh, “After the judicial officials have decided, I, Yang Lun, will ask.”
Bai Yuyang nodded and turned aside, “Last month, the late emperor’s second son died in the palace, and afterward there were rumors that His Majesty mistreated his younger brother. With the new emperor ascending the throne, such talk damages His Majesty’s reputation. See if you can resolve this matter through that person as well.”
The autumn of the first year of Jinghe.
For the Great Ming, it was an extremely significant period.
From the beginning of the year, the Ministry of Justice, Court of Judicial Review, and Censorate working together finally cleared up most of the wrongful cases from He Yixian’s time in power. The emperor rehabilitated Zhang Zhanchun, built temples to commemorate the more than eighty students of Tongjia Academy, investigated and confiscated the property of the Department of Imperial Ceremonial eunuchs, and provided relief to their descendants.
Minister of Justice Qi Huaiyang investigated and confiscated the property of the Department of Imperial Ceremonial eunuchs by imperial order. The amount of gold, silver, and land holdings was staggering. He Yixian alone was found to have over a hundred thousand taels of silver, over ten thousand taels of gold, and countless land holdings in his hometown of Hangzhou. Even the attendant eunuchs who followed him had tens of thousands of taels of silver in their homes.
However, when it came to Deng Ying, there were only several dozen old garments, half a box of medicine for injuries, and just over twenty taels of silver.
The Ministry of Justice officials in charge of confiscation had never encountered such a situation and worried that Deng Ying had hidden his wealth, making them fail in their search. When reporting to Qi Huaiyang, they didn’t know how to begin.
Qi Huaiyang ordered these items sealed together with the other eunuchs’ private belongings, to be collected by family members.
At the end of July, the emperor approved the Ministry of Justice’s sentence: one person to be dismembered, two to be beheaded, and most others to be exiled to Nanjing and Lingnan. This was undoubtedly the harshest punishment of eunuch factions in Ming history. The day before the Mid-Autumn Festival, the court published the “Record of Hundred Crimes” written by the emperor himself, using the new emperor’s name to enumerate nearly a hundred crimes of Deng Ying, Director of the Department of Imperial Ceremonial and Director of the Eastern Depot.
Yang Wan saw the original text of the “Record of Hundred Crimes” included in the “Veritable Records of Ming” at the Shenming Pavilion in the capital.
And just yesterday, she received Deng Ying’s household registration at Qingbo House.
Yang Lun personally delivered it to her at the house.
Yang Lun told her: “Although after his death this registration will have no meaning, he told me he wanted to follow you, so keep his registration.”
Yang Wan held Deng Ying’s registration, her voice somewhat trembling, “Please convey my thanks to His Majesty.”
Yang Lun nodded.
Yang Wan coughed once and looked up to ask Yang Lun: “Did Deng Ying say anything else?”
Yang Lun took out the jade lotus pendant from his sleeve and handed it to Yang Wan, “He said not to give it to you, but it’s not right for me to keep it. Since he’s already given you his registration, you should have his things too. And after the execution, when the Ministry of Justice returns the sealed items to family members, you should collect those as well.”
Yang Wan took the pendant and was about to speak when Yang Lun continued: “Keep this pendant well, Master Zhang left it to him before dying.”
Yang Wan lowered her head, “Is it carved with lotus?”
“Yes.”
After speaking, he added, “Our Yang family reveres jade. Whether for betrothal gifts or dowry, jade must be present…”
“He wouldn’t let you give it to me because he dared not make it a betrothal gift, right?”
Yang Lun was silent for a while, “He’s already a criminal slave now, don’t think about things that shouldn’t be thought about.”
Yang Wan looked at the text on the Shenming Pavilion, repeatedly recalling Yang Lun’s words: “He’s already a criminal slave now, don’t think about things that shouldn’t be thought about.” Her body trembled slightly.
Song Yunqing, afraid she would break down, had been supporting her arm the whole time.
“Stop looking, Yang Wan, let’s go back.”
Yang Wan rubbed her slightly sore neck, shaking her head, “Let me finish reading it.”
Chen Hua blocked the crowding people behind them, lowering his voice: “Miss Wan, there are many people here. It won’t look good if someone recognizes you.”
“Chen Hua!”
Song Yunqing interrupted him with a low shout: “If you can’t speak properly, don’t speak at all.”
Just as she finished speaking, a voice came from the crowd, “It’s that eunuch’s vegetable merchant!”
Chen Hua hurriedly blocked the people surging forward, “Yunqing, quickly take Miss Wan away.”
Song Yunqing tried to pull Yang Wan away, but Yang Wan didn’t move. She endured the surrounding chaos of vulgar words, reading to the very last character on the Shenming Pavilion.