In the early years of Jiajing, Xue Liang, a scoundrel in the countryside of Shanxi, constantly accused his creditor Yin, alleging that Zhang Yin's real identity was Li Fuda, the leader of the Maitreya Sect and a fugitive wanted criminal by the imperial court, which led to a major case that shook the government and the public.
This major case, known in history as "Li Fuda's Prison", lasted three years from the time the case was reported to the final conclusion, and the Imperial History, the Criminal Department's Shangshu, the future cabinet chief assistant, and even the emperor all ended up wrestling, and the case was reversed twice. Even after many years of closing the case, the case was overturned again, and the aftermath was difficult to relent.
Many see it as a struggle between justice and treachery. However, when we went deep into the case, we found that the water was too deep.
The Li Fuda case took place in the Jiajing Dynasty. Source: Film and television stills.
The beginning of the matter was extremely ordinary, stemming from the common economic disputes among the people.
The plaintiff's name is Xue Liang, who lives in Baishu Village, next to Tongge Town, Xugou County, Shanxi Province, and is an idle gambler. In his early years, he committed adultery with others, and because he was afraid of leaking, he forced the woman to hang herself, and was sentenced to 100 rods and three years in prison, and was sent to serve in Tonggeyi. Xue Liang naturally couldn't stay there honestly and come back from the army soon.
The defendant's name is Zhang Yin, a native of Wutai County, Shanxi, and he is a shrewd "successful person". He went back and forth between Beijing, Henan, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Xuzhou and other places to do business, and also bought eight storefront houses in the provincial capital Taiyuan. In ancient times, most of the big merchants were also large landowners. During the Zhengde period, Zhang Yin bought houses and land in Tongge Town, and also had fields in Wutai, Taigu and other counties. After having money, it is natural to become an official, and it just so happens that the Ming Dynasty allowed to buy officials, that is, "donation". In the sixteenth year of Zhengde (1521), Zhang Yin donated a position as the commander of the Taiyuan Left Guard, and his eldest son Zhang Daren also accepted silver as an official in Beijing.
Scoundrels and businessmen, both of whom belong to the wandering restless people, can easily intersect. At that time, Zhang Yin was lending money in Taigu and Xugou counties. Xue Liang was one of his customers, and he borrowed 15 taels of silver from Zhang Yin one after another, but he was in arrears. Zhang Yin forced him to collect debts many times, possibly using some means, so the two sides formed a grudge.
In August of the third year of Jiajing (1524), Xue Liang reported to Bi Zhao, the governor of Shanxi: Zhang Yin was actually a wanted criminal on the run - Li Wu.
Who is Li Wu? Li Wu, also known as Li Wu, practiced medicine in Luochuan County, Shaanxi Province in his early years, secretly propagating Maitreya Buddhism and inciting believers to rebel. In the seventh year of Zhengde (1512), there was a rebellion in Luochuan County, but Li Wu had already disappeared. Xue Liang claimed to have told him the news in person with Wei Huai.
When it came to the rebellion, Governor Bi Zhao certainly did not dare to slack off, and immediately ordered the arrest of the culprit and interrogation. At that time, Zhang Yin and his eldest son were in Beijing, so the government arrested Zhang Yin's second son, third son and their relatives.
In February of the fourth year of Jiajing (1525), Xue Liang reported that Zhang Yin's fingers were born in the shape of a dragon and a tiger, and there was a word cinnabar on his left rib.
In early May, Zhang Yin took the initiative to return to Taiyuan from Beijing and surrendered, saying that Xue Liang was falsely accused.
In July, Xue Liang collected new "incriminating evidence" and handed in another complaint. The lawsuit said: Zhang Yin was originally Li Fuda, the left wing capital of Lao County, who participated in the rebellion in the second year of Hongzhi (1489) and was assigned to the army. Later, he fled back and confessed to being naturalized in Zhang Ziming's household in Wutai County. Xue Liang claimed that the news came from Zhang Yin's son-in-law, Qi Guang.
Xue Liang's two reports, the information was not accurate enough, for example, he said that Zhang Yin was Zhang Ying, Li Fuda was written as Li Fuda, and Zhang Ziming was written as Zhang Zigui. This shows that most of his news has been heard. However, a clear criminal chain has been presented: Li Fuda, a native of Lao County, rebelled in the second year of Hongzhi and was assigned to the army; After escaping back, he hid in the Shaanxi area, and used Li Wu as a preacher to confuse the people, causing a rebellion in Luochuan County; Later, he escaped, changed his name to Zhang Yin, and entered the household registration of Zhang Ziming in Wutai County.
According to the Ming system, the person in charge of this case is the Shanxi Prosecutor. Due to the complexity of the case, the large number of people and locations involved, and the low ability to investigate, the progress of the Shanxi Judicial Division was very slow.
Wutai County confirmed that Zhang Yin did indeed have a household registration in the county. Xugou County confirmed that Xue Liang did have a grudge against Zhang Yin. Looking at Zhang Yin's body, he did not find the dragon and tiger shape and cinnabar characters. The Shaanxi side said that the rebels who were related to Li Wu had all died of illness, and no one could prove whether Zhang Yin was Li Wu or not. Several witnesses also refuted the previous statements. Wei Huai said that he only talked to the villagers about Li Wu's incitement, and never told Xue Liang that Zhang Yin was Li Wu. Qi Guang said that Zhang Yin was the commander of the Taiyuan Left Guard, and he had never gathered a crowd to rebel.
In February of the fifth year of Jiajing (1526), Shanxi made a preliminary judgment according to the judge: Xue Liangnai was falsely accused and framed. The results of the trial were reported to the governor, and the conclusions reached after the review were unanimous. Xue Liang will be banished to Kouwai (north of the Great Wall) on false charges of treason.
At this point, the curtain has been opened, the plaintiff and the defendant are facing each other, and a cadre of witnesses has all appeared.
However, they are not the protagonists, just the background.
In May of the fifth year of Jiajing (1526), Ma Lu, the new governor of Shanxi, received a letter.
This is a letter of entrustment, which reads "Zhang Yin is my old acquaintance, and he was falsely accused, but because of his illness, he is rich and beggar" and other words. After being an official for eighteen years, Ma Lu must have experienced countless bribes, pleas and threats, but this time he had to be cautious. Because the person who wrote this letter was the big red man next to the emperor - Guo Xun, Marquis of Wuding.
Guo Xun is the founder of the Ming Dynasty Guo Ying, after inheriting the title of the ancestor Marquis of Wuding. At the beginning of Emperor Jiajing's accession to the throne, the "Great Rites Discussion" incident occurred in the imperial court. The group of Wenchen led by Yang Tinghe stood on the opposite side of the emperor, and Guo Xun decisively supported the emperor, so he was favored.
Guo Xun is a descendant of Guo Ying and belongs to the noble class. Source: Internet.
Guo Xun's involvement in the case was an accident. It turned out that during Zhang Yin's stay in Beijing, he climbed around the powerful and befriended Guo Xun. His eldest son, Zhang Daren, works in Beijing and should have been in contact with Guo Xun. In May, Zhang Daren didn't know that the case had been determined, and he was afraid that his family would be imprisoned, so he approached Guo Xun and asked him for help. That's why Guo Xun asked for help.
After reading the letter, Ma Lu immediately opened the file to check Zhang Yin's case, and then fell into deep thought. Who is Guo Xun? A powerful warrior, relying on the emperor's liking, opposes civil officials everywhere and does many illegal things. Now he is writing to ask for help, is it not in line with the style of a traitor? If the case is not boring, why would he intercede for others? There must be something strange about this case.
So, Ma Lu decided to find out the truth and make it public**Guo Xun.
As soon as Ma Lu ** Guo Xun's recital was announced, it aroused a wave of pursuit of "justice".
Liu Qi criticized Guo Xun in the military department: "Those who ask for letters are in the know; Party recipients, intending to bribe", and even analyzed: "The name of the demon thief is Li Wu, Gai Wu, and when the four are right, the position of Zhengyang is also." Change Zhang Yin, cover the first Jianyin, and live in Yin. ”
Zheng Yipeng said: "The crime of visiting Zhang Yinqing is serious, and the crime of knowing Xun is more than arbitrary. Xun knew that Zhang Yin was the first evil of plotting against and killing people, and he should find out that he was a thief for the country, so he had a relationship with him. ”
Yushi Pan Zhuang is sparse: "Zhang Yin, the world knows that he is Li Wu; Li Wu, everyone in the world knows that he is a rebel. begged Zhang Yin to put him in the heavy order, and Guo Xun relieved him of his military handle. ”
Before the case was clarified, these people had already determined that Zhang Yin was Li Wu and Li Fuda.
* Guo Xun, including Ma Lu, is either the imperial history of the Metropolitan Inspectorate, or the six branches of the affairs, they all belong to the same group - Yanguan.
The Ming Dynasty was very powerful. Their number is the largest in all dynasties, and most of them are Jinshi origins. They are of low grade, do not have the idea of gaining or losing, and are not afraid of offending people; But the power is heavy, and the second and third rank officials have to behave when they see them. Zhu Yuanzhang designed it this way in order to turn a group of people who have the courage and are familiar with the books of sages into "the eyes and ears of the Son of Heaven", to investigate lawlessness, **, and traitors, so that the country will be eternal.
However, scholars have an independent consciousness and the pursuit of "following the Tao rather than the king". After all, the officials could not fully become the instruments of the imperial power, and when necessary, they became the guardians of "justice" and declared war on the traitors favored by the emperor.
The officials at the center of the storm may see themselves in this way.
Maluch's decisiveness also won the praise of the entire group of scholars. Meng Chun, the servant of the ministry, praised: "Yesterday's impeachment of Guo Xun was very pleasant, although he chattered, the more he saw it. Dali Temple Cheng Wang Yuan said: "Yesterday I saw Zhang Yue, attacking the giant rape, the people's hearts are very fast, and there is no one who has a big wind." Min Kai, the waiter of the Ministry of Works, said: "Today, I see a treacherous accident, the wind is cut a hundred times, China and foreign people are obedient to their fathers, and the traitorous male has fallen into his courage." ”
In such an atmosphere, Ma Lu will not suspect that his judgment is wrong, what he has to do is to eliminate the interference of all traitorous forces, go to the "truth" that he has already identified, and unveil it. If he fails, won't all these people who seek justice become a joke?
This check really found out the surprise.
The government has discovered many new witnesses. For example, Han Liangxiang of Dingxiang County, when he was in Beijing, he met Li Jun, Li Er, and Li San, and these three people once secretly said to him: "We are the son of Li Fuwen, and now Zhang Yin of Shangguan, whose name is Li Fuda, is my fifth uncle." You don't believe it. Take off your hat and see if he's bald. Han Liangxiang immediately checked, and sure enough, he was bald. Shaanxi also sent 15 people who had seen Li Wu, and the government asked Zhang Yin to stand with a group of soaps, but these people recognized Zhang Yin at once, grabbed him and said, "This is Li Wu." ”
However, there are still many doubts in the case. For example, Zhang Yin was 66 years old at the time, but according to the yellow book that records Li Fuda's household registration, Zhang Yin should have been 51 years old. Du Wenzhu, a county resident of Laoxian County, said that Li Fuda married his sister Du, but Zhang Yin's wife was obviously surnamed Lin, but Li Fuda's wife in the yellow book was surnamed Zhang.
Of course, these doubts are inconsequential details for Ma Lu, who has already preconceived notions. Soon, he announced his retrial opinions: Zhang Yin and Li.
5. Li Fuda is the same person, and Ling Chi will be punished according to the law.
If the matter ends here, it will be just a story of a clean official. This is not Ma Lu's pursuit as a speech official: if justice only stops at the innocence of one or two people, but allows the world to be muddy, then what is the use of such justice.
Therefore, they will burn the flame of "righteousness" to the court and burn up all the traitors.
Although Hai Jui is not a speech official, their spiritual temperament is very similar. Source: Film and television stills.
Emperor Jiajing was in a very bad mood.
Since his accession to the throne, the civilian group led by Yang Tinghe has always reminded him to abide by the rules. How can the Son of Heaven be restrained? Fortunately, Emperor Jiajing was quite talented in the use of power, and he used the blood of Zuo Shunmen to educate this group of scholars and doctors, what is the way to be a minister - the monarch is the lord, the minister is the servant, shut up when it is time to shut up.
Yang Tinghe likes. Source: Internet.
After the "Great Rites Discussion", Emperor Jiajing was extremely distrustful of civil officials, so he vigorously promoted the noble Guo Xun to balance the power of the court. Since then, Guo Xun has often been subjected to the ** of the officials, including the occupation of military land, the back door of relatives, the exploitation of soldiers, and so on. But in the eyes of the emperor, Guo Xun has always been a good comrade.
When Ma Lu ** Guo Xun, the emperor said that the case would be handed over to the governor to handle well, without mentioning Guo Xun at all. After the results of the retrial of Zhang Yin's case came out, the emperor approved Ma Lu's verdict, but only verbally criticized Guo Xun, obviously unwilling to investigate further.
The official was very dissatisfied with the emperor's favoritism, and the pursuit of "justice" broke out. The public officials have gone to the ** Guo Xun, and the momentum is greater than before, and two of them are still co-signed by more than 20 **. Their meaning is obvious: Guo Xun is a thief in traffic, the crime is unforgivable, and he should not cover it up anymore.
At this time, the emperor's henchmen Zhang Xuan and Gui Cao said something like this: "The internal and external knots of the ministers, using the end to trap the honor, will gradually reach the courtiers." Emperor Jiajing remembered the "Great Rites Discussion" that gave him a headache, and remembered the collective crying of civil officials, and the anger in his heart reached the extreme. Why did these people have to put Guo Xun to death, was it really for justice? They came to the emperor, and they wanted to tame the imperial power with a force called "axioms".
Thinking of this, Jiajing may already have the idea of overturning the Li Fuda case.
The emperor immediately ordered Jinyiwei to go to Shanxi to take over the case, and the three legal divisions (Criminal Department, Metropolitan Procuratorate, Dali Temple) and Jinyiwei conducted the trial. The trial of this case was carried out six times, the first five were presided over by Yan Yishou, the secretary of the Criminal Department, and the number of people participating in the trial continued to increase, and there were all kinds of units, all over Jiuqing, Wufu, and Kedao, which seemed to be very fair. However, the chief judge had to endure pressure from all sides and struggled between the imperial power and the **.
The first trial was a bit perfunctory, merely repeating the testimony of both sides, finding no new evidence, and upholding the original verdict. Emperor Jiajing urged the trial ** "Don't be favoritistic".
At the second interrogation, an important witness retracted his confession, and Li Fuda's wife and brother Du Wenzhu originally claimed that Zhang Yin was Li Fuda, but at this interrogation, Du Wenzhu said: "I am from Lao County, and I have no relatives with Li Fuda. My brother-in-law, also named Li Fuda, is short and has a numb face. Yan Yishou didn't dare or wanted to give a clear conclusion, so he could only list his confessions and deal with them vaguely. When Emperor Jiajing saw it, he once again reprimanded the chief judge for favoritism, and even said that he would interrogate the prisoner in person, and only after the persuasion of the scholar Yang Yiqing and others did he give up this idea. Finally, the emperor decreed that a clear answer must be handed over.
At the third trial, Yan Yishou once again found that the plaintiff's testimony was suspicious, but the chain of evidence that Zhang Yin was Li Fuda was still intact. So he could only bite the bullet and agree with the original verdict. Emperor Jiajing warned again: "Don't go back to protect it." ”
The emperor rejected the trial results again and again, and the meaning was already obvious: he wanted to overturn the case.
Yan Yishou actually had no way out: if he continued to uphold the original verdict, he would inevitably offend the emperor; But if the verdict is changed, how can the previous testimony be overturned, and once the verdict is changed, the ** who participated in the case before will suffer. What he can do is to seek a middle-of-the-road solution: on the one hand, he still believes that Zhang Yin is Li Wu and Li Fuda; On the other hand, the admission could not prove that Zhang Yin participated in the rebellion.
In addition, Yan Yishou wrote a tragic note, recording in detail the whole process from the Ma Lu trial to the fourth trial. If this case is falsely accused, then it means that the entire civil service system is rotten, which is impossible. The emperor couldn't listen to it anymore, and directly reprimanded the trial ** for "conspiring and slandering, and playing in general", and ordered them to "act with guilt, and wait for another question to understand, and they will always be dealt with".
In the fifth triage, it would be stupid if they still couldn't see the situation clearly. Some witnesses retracted their confessions "in due course". Ma Lu voluntarily admitted dereliction of duty. The adjudicators overturned the previous conclusion and found that Xue Liang had falsely accused the good guy.
Things have come full circle, and we are back to the original starting point, but the truth has changed beyond recognition.
If Zhang Yin is really Li Fuda, because of the age, it is extremely normal for contradictory testimony to appear; If Zhang Yin is not Li Fuda, any suspicion that is ignored may lead to the occurrence of unjust cases. Starting from the case itself, Zhang Yin and Li.
5. Li Fuda's three identities are the same person, and although the chain of evidence is complete, it is not smooth. Moreover, it is debatable whether the testimony of witnesses can be used as core evidence, and it is uncertain whether the testimony was faithfully recorded.
Of course, the big people don't care about this, whether it's the emperor or the scholars.
At the beginning of Jiajing's accession to the throne, Diexing was imprisoned. Source: Film and television stills.
In the sixth trial, it was a different case.
The emperor ordered a comprehensive replacement of the chief judge**, with the right attendant of the Ministry of Rites Lang Gui Cao in charge of the Criminal Department, the left attendant Lang Zhang Xuan of the Ministry of War in charge of the Metropolitan Procuratorate, and the Shaozhan Shifang Xianfu Department in charge of the Dali Temple Seal Letter. These three people have supported the emperor since the Great Rites Meeting, and they are the most trusted people in Jiajing. They had only one task: to convict disobedient courtiers.
Overnight, it was as if fate had played a huge joke. The ** who used to sit on the judgment seat were all reduced to prisoners. The main witnesses have all been dismissed. Ma Lu found a lot of letters in his home, and those words praising him for daring to "hoe rape" were regarded as evidence of collusion. The officials who pursue justice have been beaten into villains who take revenge for personal gain.
Subsequently, the emperor instructed Gui Cao and others to "use torture" to "use torture" to try the case. These people got Shang Fang's sword, so they naturally wouldn't be soft-hearted. It is said that Yan Yishou looked down on Zhang Xuan and Gui Cao, so they took revenge and were tortured with their fingers, and said with a smile: "You are not serving today?" Yan Yishou couldn't bear the pain, kept kowtowing, and said, "Master spare me!" At that time, Jingshi had a ballad of "Ten Ridiculous", one of which was: "A certain ridiculous, the waiter is called a book." ”
It can be seen that there is no lack of inducement of confessions, extortion of confessions, and torture into confessions in the trial. Otherwise, it can't be explained, all the people on trial have pleaded guilty, and all the important witnesses have retracted their confessions.
Soon, the truth that the emperor wanted was presented: Xue Liang falsely accused Zhang Yin and beheaded him after the autumn; Ma Lu, Yan Yishou and others were sentenced to four years in prison for deliberately "entering the death penalty"; The public speakers were guilty of false accusation and were sentenced to four years' imprisonment.
Jiajing was very excited when he saw the result of the trial. There are many people who have criticized the emperor in the "Great Rites Discussion", and some people even participated in Zuo Shunmen's crying. In this way, the court should be much quieter. But he was dissatisfied with one thing, and the punishment for Ma Lu was too light. In his opinion, in this war in which the civilian clique provoked the imperial power, Ma Lu was the one who sounded the trumpet of the charge and must be severely punished. Just like the stubborn Yang Tinghe at the beginning.
The emperor wanted to sentence Ma Lu to death for the crime of "traitorous party". After discussion, Gui Cao and others believed that the punishment was too heavy, and the original sentence was too light, so they simply demoted it to the land of smoke and miasma, and they were always filled with troops, and they would not be forgiven in case of amnesty. They explained to the emperor that if they put Mareth to death, they would punish him alone; If you fill the army forever, you will bring disaster to your children and grandchildren. In this way, Ma Lu seems to be alive, but in fact it is more uncomfortable than death.
But the emperor was still unwilling, and insisted on killing Ma Lu to relieve the hatred in his heart. Yang Yiqing, a scholar, advised: "There is no crime that deserves death, and there is no law to imitate." If extrajudicial punishment is used, people are at a loss. The emperor reluctantly accepted it, and issued an edict: "Ma Lu is a serious offender, every time you say this, send Guangxi Danwei to fill the army forever, and he will not be pardoned, but he will be killed." ”
Afterwards, Emperor Jiajing was very happy and specially commended Zhang Xuan, Gui Cao and others, praising them for "being loyal to the king". Imperial power is justice, and only loyalty can do good deeds, otherwise it is favoritism. In order to let the world understand this truth, Emperor Jiajing compiled the relevant files of Zhang Yin's case into the book "Records of the Great Prison of Qinming" and published it all over the world.
Regardless of whether this case is unjust or not, Emperor Jiajing's actions have made a not-so-good start. Is the phenomenon of a will determining a judicial situation still rare in the late Ming Dynasty?
Statue of Emperor Jiajing. Source: Internet.
More than forty years later, a long-sealed case has been picked up.
In September of the second year of Longqing (1568), Pang Shangpeng, the imperial historian of the right capital, made a note and re-mentioned the case of Li Fuda. According to him, he met a criminal named Li Tong in Shanxi, who preached the White Lotus Sect, demagoguery, and even caused a rebellion in Sichuan. Li Tong claimed that he was Li Wu's grandson, and the patriarchs he worshipped were named Li Daren and Li Dayi, and his family situation was the same as Zhang Yin's family. This shows that Zhang Yin is really a thief.
When Pang Shangpeng read "Records of the Great Prison of Qinming" in his early years, he was very puzzled, why the verdict of a case was so different? He visited the scholars and doctors, and found that almost no one believed in the "Records of the Great Prison of Qinming". What people tell by word of mouth is another story: the official is loyal to his duty, but the ** person suppresses it. Under the suppression of the imperial power, no one dared to publicly refute it. However, the emperor has only one mouth, and the axiom is in everyone's heart, and the "truth" will eventually reappear.
Now, the belated "justice" has finally arrived. Pang Shangpeng praised those who were convicted in the recital: Heaven and earth have righteousness, and the universe has righteousness, so the sky and the earth will not fall. ”
Pang Shangpeng dared to be so high-profile because the times have changed. After the death of Emperor Jiajing, the first assistant Xu Jie, vigorously reformed the old evils, and the ministers who had been suppressed since the Great Rites Discussion got the opportunity to turn over. It was not until the fifth year of Longqing (1571) when Gao Gong was the head of the cabinet that this rehabilitation movement was stopped.
Portrait of Xu Jie. Source: Internet.
However, has the case really been reversed?
In Pang Shangpeng's recital, there are many factual errors, such as Zhang Yin obviously surrendered, but he wrote that Ma Lu arrested Zhang Yin, which has to make people wonder whether he really read "Qinming Prison Record". Moreover, just by relying on the confession of one person, it is impossible to determine that Zhang Yin is Li Wu. When did Li Tong **? When was the trial conducted? What is a true confession? We don't know any of this. Besides, Zhang Yin's family is well-off and has been successfully whitewashed, so why should he continue to engage in rebel activities? This is patently unconscionable.
Of course, the minutiae don't matter, people sometimes just need a story.
Since then, in the historical notes of the Ming people, almost all of them think that Zhang Yin is Li Fuda, and they are unhappy for those who have been wronged. Many people have found some "truth" that has not been buried. For example, the "Wanli Ye Won the Compilation" written by Shen Defu, a Wanli scholar, contains: "(Zhang Yin) the second son Nasu entered the country, and the great gift was young and beautiful, and he was married to Guo Xun, the Marquis of Wuding. This is obviously nonsense, completely the product of the imagination of later generations, but it is regarded as the correct "memory".
Only a few people think that Zhang Yin is not Li Fuda. The most famous is naturally Zhang Juzheng's "Ming Shizong Record", which commented on Zhang Xuan and said:
and the edict to investigate the prison, disobey the public opinion, get rid of Zhang Yin's death, and successively ask the officials to offend dozens of people, thinking that the gentry is jealous. However, he is upright and clean, dedicated to public service, generous, and does not avoid resentment. Its office is the capital procuratorate, and the discipline is cleared for a while, and the shortcomings are suddenly changed. ”
Zhang Juzheng's praise of Zhang Zhang's approach has aroused the dissatisfaction of many scholars. Shen Defu directly scolded: "The case of the big prison is a strange injustice through the ages." He wants to cut off his traces and be so arrogant that he will have a tragic disaster in the future, and he must take it upon himself! ”
Zhang Juzheng statue. Source: Internet.
Shen Defu is a typical scholar who pursues "axioms". He regarded the emperor as the supreme ruler, but he maintained an institutionalized imperial power, in other words, a rule-abiding emperor. This rule we can call "the Tao", and the "Tao" is in the hands of the scholars. In fact, it is to ask the emperor and the scholars to rule the world together.
Shen Defu once commented that the two "are both peerless talents, Ran Yongjia (Zhang Xuan) is dangerous, Jiangling (Zhang Juzheng) is violent, and they are all trapped for their own use." He understands that Zhang Juzheng and Zhang Xuan are the same kind of people. They are talented and innovative, so they desperately pursue authority, and inevitably end up being stubborn. They either flattered the emperor or used their power for their own purposes, and in fact they all formed a political atmosphere of "independence." And this kind of atmosphere violates the principle of co-governance of the world.
Ma Lu may not really want to ignore the truth, and Shen Defu may not really want to tamper with the memory, they just think that they are on the right path. When there are more and more like-minded people, they naturally firmly believe that this path is righteous. However, in the face of the ever-strengthening imperial power, although the scholars and doctors showed resistance, they were more loyal, silent, partisan and even wagging their tails and begging for mercy. Finally, when the behemoth of the Ming Dynasty fell, the group of scholars raised the voice of "against the monarch".
Later generations said that this was China's enlightenment thought. Obviously, no. The traditional pattern of kings and prime ministers has developed to its peak, and this is what it looks like: extreme imperial power, and a deformed but thriving group of scholars.
But, as the Li Fuda case tells us, the details are not important, but the complete story. This is the most useful thing that the hypocritical, pathetic idealist has left to the world.
References:
Ming] Chang Ju-cheng et al., "Records of Ming Shizong", Institute of History and Linguistics, Taiwan, 1962
Ming] Zhang Xuan et al., "Records of the Great Prison of Qinming", Volume 15 of the First Series of the Uncollected Books of the Four Libraries, Beijing Publishing House, 2001
Hu Jixun, "An Examination of the Ming Jiajing Li Fuda Prison and Related Historical Evaluations", Ming History Research Series, Vol. 7, 2007
Gao Shouxian, "The Intertwined Entanglement of Politics and Law: An Exploration of the Case of Li Fuda in the Early Ming Dynasty", Historical Monthly, No. 8, 2020.