Speak of Cao Cao and he will appear.
Zhu Ping'an felt that the capital city, the place under the feet of the emperor, was a very evil place. One second he was still complaining that his petition for mercy had fallen on deaf ears, and the next second the eunuch from the Western Garden who was delivering the emperor's orders appeared in front of him, led by his old acquaintance Feng Bao.
"Master Zhu, nice to meet you again." Feng Bao smiled and bowed to greet Zhu Ping'an.
"I haven't seen you for a few days. Eunuch Feng looks radiant and more charming than ever."
Zhu Ping'an bowed in return and immediately saw the bright yellow imperial edict held in the hands of the two young eunuchs behind Feng Bao. He immediately understood what was going on and his heartbeat quickened, with anticipation and nervousness.
Although Zhu Ping'an was quite confident in his memorial, there were too many variables on Emperor Jiajing's side.
Since this concerns Senior Brother Yang’s life, Zhu Ping’an can’t help but be nervous.
"Haha, it's all thanks to Lord Zhu's brilliant plan that I was able to live a good life in the palace for a few days." Feng Bao replied with a smile, and once again implicitly thanked Zhu Ping'an for his advice on the system of flipping cards to sleep with the emperor. Ever since the harem began to implement the system of flipping cards to sleep with the emperor, Feng Bao's life has been getting better and better.
"Eunuch Feng, your words are too kind. Ping An does not deserve it. I just provided an immature idea. Everything is the result of Eunuch Feng's own efforts." Zhu Ping An shook his head slightly, not taking credit for himself at all.
"No matter what you think, Lord Xiao Zhu, I will keep it in my heart and will never forget it until I die." Feng Bao said seriously, every word coming from the bottom of his heart.
Well... ...
Feng Bao was so serious that Zhu Pingan felt a little embarrassed. At the beginning, I just wanted to invest...
"Eunuch, it's almost noon." The young eunuch behind Feng Bao reminded Feng Bao in a low voice.
"Oh, I almost forgot something. I think Master Xiao Zhu has guessed why I came. I have good news and bad news. Which one would Master Xiao Zhu like to hear first?"
At the reminder of the young eunuch, Feng Bao remembered the mission of his trip, stopped exchanging pleasantries, and started to do his work.
Hearing Feng Bao say that there was good news, Zhu Pingan couldn't help but feel a little relieved. Combining his own memorial, this good news was most likely about Senior Brother Yang... That is, Senior Brother Yang's life was saved...
Zhu Pingan couldn't help but feel excited. As for the bad news, Zhu Pingan didn't take it seriously. How bad could the bad news be...
"Good news, of course I'll hear the good news first." Zhu Ping'an said without hesitation.
"The good news is that after reading your memorial, Master Zhu, the emperor ordered the cabinet to draft an edict, a general amnesty! The edict will be issued today. Except for the ten unforgivable crimes and officials who have committed corruption and abuse of power, those who are sentenced to death will be pardoned, depending on the severity of their crimes. Although those sentenced to death cannot be pardoned, they can be given a reduced sentence and exempted from the death penalty. Yang Jisheng, who you pleaded for in your memorial, is also among them."
Feng Bao smiled slightly and told Zhu Ping'an the good news.
Senior Brother Yang’s life is saved!
It is a blessing that history can have another Yang Jisheng!!
Although Zhu Ping'an had guessed it, he couldn't help but feel overjoyed after hearing Feng Bao's conclusion. He said excitedly, "Your Majesty is wise, Your Majesty is wise..."
"Ahem, Master Zhu, after the good news, it's time to tell you the bad news. My lord, you must be mentally prepared." Feng Bao waited for Zhu Ping'an to calm down, coughed, and spoke slowly.
"Eunuch Feng, please."
Zhu Ping'an nodded. I had already prepared myself mentally when I was drafting the memorial.
"The imperial edict has arrived, Zhu Ping'an will receive it."
Feng Bao turned around and took the imperial edict from the tray held by the eunuch behind him, and became extremely serious.
"Your subject Zhu Ping'an accepts the order."
Zhu Ping'an performed the ceremony of receiving the imperial edict and knelt on the ground to kowtow to receive it. There was nothing he could do as he was living in a feudal society.
"The Emperor, in compliance with the Will of Heaven, hereby decrees: Zhu Ping'an, the lecturer of Prince Yu's Palace, as the lecturer of the prince, did not think about answering the questions of the prince and setting an example, but ignored the oral instructions and knowingly violated the rules... He shall be punished with 20 strokes of the cane in the court as a warning to others. This is the Emperor's decree."
Feng Bao read out the imperial edict in a rhythmic manner.
Zhu Ping'an listened carefully below, but when he heard the subsequent punishment measures, he was stunned.
Twenty Strike of the Cane?!
Is it just twenty strokes of the cane
I remember that before the oral decree was issued, the three officials who pleaded for Brother Yang were all beaten with thirty canes. Didn't the emperor's oral decree say that those who violated the decree would be severely punished? I submitted a petition for mercy after the oral decree was issued. If it was severely punished, it should be heavier than thirty canes, right? Why was I only beaten with twenty canes
Are you sure you have finished reading it? It was just twenty strokes of the cane, not exile
After hearing the imperial edict, Zhu Ping'an was stunned. He looked up at Feng Bao suspiciously, his face full of confusion.
"The imperial edict has been read out. Lord Zhu, please receive it." Feng Bao closed the imperial edict and lowered his head to remind Zhu Ping'an.
"Oh, your servant Zhu Ping'an accepts the order. Long live the emperor."
After Feng Bao's reminder, Zhu Ping'an was convinced that the imperial edict had really been read out, and he kowtowed to accept it.
"Master Xiao Zhu, I really don't know what to say to you." After Feng Bao finished his business, he spoke more casually, "The emperor has issued an oral order not to plead for Yang Jisheng, but you still knowingly violated it. If you, Master Xiao Zhu, had not pleaded for Yang Jisheng in your memorial, you would have become rich now. You don't know how happy the emperor was when he first saw your memorial. He was very pleased. But after seeing the content of the second half of your memorial pleading for Yang Jisheng, the emperor almost lost his temper and threw the memorial to the ground. But even so, the emperor only ordered to beat Master Xiao Zhu with twenty court sticks. Although the emperor didn't say it, I can see clearly from below that the emperor cherishes talent."
"Ping'an has failed the emperor's grace, but Yang Jisheng is my fellow disciple and he was kind to me when I went to Beijing to take the imperial examination. Now that Yang Jisheng is in trouble, how can I just sit back and watch?" Zhu Ping'an shook his head.
Return the favor!
After listening to what Zhu Ping'an said, Feng Bao looked at Zhu Ping'an with a little more respect.
"Don't worry, Master Zhu. I have already reminded you when I came here. This time, the caning will be raised high and gently. But it is a caning after all. Even if it is a beating, twenty canings will be enough for Master Zhu. Master Zhu, please be prepared."
Feng Bao leaned close to Zhu Ping'an's ear and whispered.
"Da" is their internal term, which is a lighter order than "real beating". The so-called "da" is simply a gesture, not a serious beating. The cane should be raised high and lightly, to fool people.
But, as Feng Bao said, the beating in the court was still the beating in the court, and even this kind of beating was enough to make people suffer.
"Thank you, Eunuch Feng." Zhu Ping'an expressed his sincere gratitude upon hearing this.
"Master Zhu, why are you being so polite to me?" Feng Bao patted Zhu Ping'an on the shoulder, and everything was said without words.
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