Dengwen drum, also known as the drum of daring remonstrance, the drum of justice.
It began in the Western Jin Dynasty and flourished in the Tang Dynasty. After that, all dynasties and dynasties set up Dengwen drums.
During the Song Dynasty, Dengwen Drum Court was even set up to accept complaints from officials and people. In the previous dynasties, Ming Taizu personally set up the Dengwen Drum, and sent a special person to manage it. Once there was a complaint from the grievances, the emperor personally accepted it.
The emperors of each dynasty and generation set up the drums with good intentions, but they will eventually become mere formalities.
There are too many reasons for this. During the Song Dynasty, there were even people who lost pigs. They sounded the Dengwen drum and asked the emperor to help them find pigs. It can be seen!
In the previous dynasty, when the general government was updated, the publicity was wide open, and the prefectural court, the six divisions, and the general affairs envoys were set up. Since the establishment of the Dachang Dynasty, although the Dengwen Drum is still located outside the Meridian Gate, it has no special personnel to manage it, but the guards guarding the Meridian Gate will send people to clean it regularly.
There are countless officials entering and exiting through the Meridian Gate every day, and this is just a decoration.
But today, this decoration was knocked on.
…
Now standing outside the Meridian Gate, Dengwen Drum has gone through hundreds of years of vicissitudes. The original vermilion drum body has faded to dark brown, and the drum skin has also changed from light yellow to gray. But it still stands there, witnessing the demise of the previous dynasty, the establishment of Dachang, the life and death of successive kings, and the changes in this century-old imperial capital.
In that dream, Xue Tingxiang, like many officials, had never formally experienced this drum that had suffered through the vicissitudes of the years, but he watched it very carefully today.
He actually didn't want to.
Know the current affairs, understand the current affairs, and those who know the current affairs are the heroes. This sentence is not a word of self-encouragement, but a word of self-comfort.
The ants are still greedy for life, knowing that they cannot do it, they are not smart, they are stupid.
This is inconsistent with Xue Tingxiang's idea. In fact, he didn't know whether he was still himself or not. Since he had that dream, many of his thoughts, character, and behavior were affected.
Maybe I was really aggrieved before, but Xue Tingxiang didn't take it seriously. Isn't there a saying that it is not too late for a gentleman to take revenge for ten years
But these ideas changed overnight.
Xue Tingxiang remembered Mao Badou and Li Datian's worried eyes, the teacher's frowning brows, Chen Jian's guilt, and Hong Shi's implication, and Zhao Er Mingming was worried, but he was still strong. Laughing and pretending to be okay...
He, Xue Tingxiang, came from a slightly cold background, but he was just a country boy.
He studied with Lin Miao and learned the meaning of scriptures.
In February of the fifth year of Jiacheng, he was awarded the first title in the county examination, and later he was the leader of the government examination and the hospital examination, and he was a scholar.
In August of the sixth year of Jiacheng, he won the first title of the township examination, Jie Yuan, and became famous in the first battle. Unfortunately, when his grandfather passed away, he returned home to observe filial piety for a year. The first person in the Xue family who built clan studies, made meritorious achievements and honored their ancestors, and honored their ancestors. In February of the ninth year of Jiacheng, Yu Enke went to the test. He was originally a talent of Huiyuan, but he was stopped halfway. From heaven to earth overnight, some people wanted him to die.
Standing in front of this big drum, countless thoughts flashed through Xue Tingxiang's mind in an instant, and finally settled on a conversation between Shen San and him a few years ago.
"Is there anything you want in this book?"
He replied: "Fame, wealth, wealth, and power."
…
"If you want to change someone in one sentence, Xue's business is too shrewd."
"I guarantee that this sentence will allow you to enter the pavilion without worrying about the Shen family, and you don't have to bow your head to the Wu family."
…
At that time he was so smug and ambitious, when did he become so timid as a mouse
Maybe it's because the life is too stable, maybe because there is too much warmth around him, which makes him miss and reluctant to part.
Xue Tingxiang remembered a sentence—
If God doesn't give you a way to go, what should you do
Then poke a hole in the sky!
…
He reached for the drumsticks on the shelf.
At this time, a janitorial guard ran over and said, "What are you trying to do?"
Xue Tingxiang looked down at the drumstick, and after a while he looked up at the man: "You want to stop me?"
As these words came out, his aura suddenly changed. If he said that he was just a little young man before, he now looks like...
The imperial guard who guarded the palace gate was a little lost for a while, feeling as if he had seen an important minister who had stood in the court for many years, raising his hand to call for wind and rain.
A gust of cold wind blew, and he felt ashamed of his illusion, and immediately said sternly: "You know that this drumming is not a matter of the military and the country.
Xue Tingyan laughed loudly: "Of course!" Then he held up his drumsticks and struck the giant drum.
"Boom, boom, boom..."
This drum sound is very strange. It is close to it, but it doesn't feel the sound. It just feels stuffy in my heart, and it jumps suddenly.
A group of janitorial guards heard the movement and ran from the palace gate. The guards standing beside the drum looked at their companions, opened their mouths again, and suddenly found a continuous ringing in his ears, and he could not speak. .
"Boom, boom, boom..."
In the Qianqing Palace, the imperial study room, the emperor wearing a bright yellow dragon robe looked outside: "This is - Dengwen Drum?"
"Boom, boom, boom..."
In the cabinet lobby, Wu Ge had just returned from the Qianqing Palace, and before he sat down, he heard the sound of drums.
He was upset and asked subconsciously, "Is someone playing drums outside?"
Si Zhilang He You stood outside and replied respectfully: "Xiaguan doesn't know who is playing the drums, so Xiaguan will go out and have a look."
At this time, Yang Chonghua came out of the duty room and said, "Don't look at it, someone beat the Dengwen drum."
"Deng Wen Drum?"
Not only He You was stunned, but Wu Ge, who was in the duty room, was also stunned.
…
At the same time, the sound of the drums was also heard by officials from various government offices on Qipan Street.
They were all confused. Since Emperor Jiacheng took the throne, the drum has not been heard, and many people are extremely unfamiliar.
They didn't know what was going on until an older official told them that the drum had been beaten.
…
The sound of the drums traveled so far that almost the entire inner city could be heard, and even the outer city could be faintly heard.
"Boom, boom, boom..."
More and more people know that the Dengwen drum has been beaten.
Who is this
This sentence floated in everyone's heart subconsciously.
…
In the Zhuangyuan Building, Li Datian and several scholars scolded the examiner for being blind and unfair.
In the guild hall, Mao Badou was chatting with people.
Hearing the sound of the drums, others were puzzled, but their hearts sank.
Someone passed by the door, shouting as they ran: "Someone beat the drum of Dengwen, this is to sue the imperial court."
Another said: "The one who beat the Dengwen drum is a sleight of hand, something must have happened."
…
As well as Gao Sheng, Zhou Chen and the others, none of them were idle.
The news about the drumming of Dengwen's drum was spreading more and more widely, and some good people even said they should go and see it. Countless people flocked to Chessboard Street.
…
He was dressed in men's clothing, covering his mouth and looking at the man behind his back who was struggling to beat the drum.
Xue Tingxiang didn't let her follow. She entrusted Honger to Xue Taoer and sneaked out in private. Seeing him walking all the way, she followed him, but did not dare to go up, for fear of ruining his affairs, all the worries in her heart turned into tears at this time.
She remembered what Mao Badou and Li Datian said, the Dengwen drum cannot be struck for unusual things, and once it rings, the emperor must go to court. Thirty sticks to show that there is indeed a military affairs or great grievance.
Thirty Tingzhang, this is going to cost half your life!
…
Countless footsteps sounded.
The emperor wearing a bright yellow dragon robe said: "Call the officials of the Metropolitan Chayuan, the Ministry of Punishment, the Dali Temple and the General Affairs Office, and the elders of the pavilion to the Taihe Gate."
"Yes."
There were more and more people on Qipan Street, and soon the huge square in front of Wumen was already full of people. More and more Janissaries ran out of the palace gate, lined up in several groups to block these people and prevent them from advancing.
Almost in an instant, Meridian Gate turned into a noisy Caishikou.
Xue Tingxiang was already tired, put down his drumsticks, and sat down beside the drum stand.
Someone with good deeds asked, "In that case, what kind of grievances actually sounded the Dengwen drum."
No one answered him, there was a lot of discussion in the crowd, and many people had already linked the matter to the gossip that had been circulating before.
Another hurried footstep sounded.
Several eunuchs dressed in the appearance of a servant came in a hurry. The leader was an eunuch in his fifties who was wearing a purple tulle collar and a jade belt around his waist. His grade was not low.
"Who sounded the drum of Dengwen?"
"If you go back to Eunuch Zheng, it's this person." said the guard who had been guarding Xue Tingxiang.
Eunuch Zheng looked at him and said, "What grievances do you have?"
At this time, Xue Tingxiang had already stood up and straightened his clothes: "Students have their own grievances, but this matter will only be discussed when it is a saint."
A little eunuch behind Eunuch Zheng scolded: "Blind your dog's eyes, our manager Zheng is the chief eunuch next to His Majesty, and also the chief eunuch of the inner servants. You can't say it in front of Manager Zheng, you still want to be in front of you. Who said that?"
Eunuch Zheng stopped him, but turned to Xue Tingxiang with a very pleasant face: "You are young, but you have already won the prize. You can be regarded as a young hero. Don't be afraid, our family is the one who is serving you today. It was His Majesty who ordered our family to come and have a look, because I was afraid that someone would deliberately embarrass you. If you have any grievances, you can tell me directly. You should know the rules of the drum. Your Majesty is in charge of all kinds of things, but you can't fight for trivial matters. ."
Xue Tingxiang's eyes flashed, but he didn't speak.
Someone in the crowd a few meters away praised: "Your Majesty is wise and martial, loves the people like a son!"
"That's right, that Xiaojuzi, the father-in-law beside His Majesty has come forward. What else can you say?"
"Besides, with so many of us watching, no one will harm you."
There was a lot of people talking for a while, and all kinds of bewitching words came one after another. It seemed that these people especially wanted to encourage Xue Tingyuan to come forward. There are inevitably people with ulterior motives, but more people are in a mood to watch the fun.
Xue Tingxiang seemed to have finally made up his mind, took a few steps back, straightened his sleeves, and bowed to the Meridian Gate to the end: "Thank you for the grace of the emperor, student Xue Tingxiang is from Pingyang Prefecture in Shanxi, and in February of the fifth year of Jiacheng, he received He was the first in the county examination, he was the first in the government examination in April, and he was the first in the hospital examination in August. After many years of hard work, he finally entered the school. In August of the sixth year of Jiacheng, he won the first title of the township examination, Jie Yuan, who should have gone to Beijing to attend the meeting. Trying, but unfortunately coincides with the death of my ancestor, I return home to observe filial piety for a year..."
Following Xue Tingxiang's remarks, the crowd was amazed.
This surnamed Xue Juzi looks young, but he is actually a small three yuan, and he has to understand the name of yuan. It is a pity that there is a funeral in the family.
But Xue Tingxiang's next words changed everyone's color.
"... In the ninth year of Jiacheng, I received the grace of the emperor and opened the Enke University. In February, I went to the Yiyou Division for the examination. I was originally a talent of Huiyuan, but was stopped halfway. That's all, there are people who want to kill people. He is just a poor boy with no wealth background and no power to rely on. In desperation, he dared to sound the drum of Dengwen, and I hope Your Majesty has mercy and decides for the students."
"Xue Juren, do you know what you're talking about?" Zheng Gonggong said in discoloration.
Xue Tingxiang then straightened up and looked at Eunuch Zheng: "Students naturally know what they are talking about."
"Do you have evidence to prove that you were originally a talent of Huiyuan, but you were stopped by others, are you not afraid of your own imagination?" Eunuch Zheng asked again.
Some people in the crowd said, "That's right, I still think I'm the number one talent, but I didn't expect that I would fall out of the way."
There was a burst of laughter, but more people did not laugh, but looked at the young man in the field with flickering eyes. These people laughed a few times, and when no one agreed, they stopped laughing.
"Students of course have evidence. After the students failed, they watched Wei Mo in the exam and found that Huiyuan Wu Wenxuan's article was exactly the same as the student's, word for word. The student was puzzled and went to Shuntian to check the exam paper, but found that My own exam paper has changed hands, and the name on it belongs to the student, but the handwriting and articles on it are not written by the student."
There was a suffocating silence in the field, and Eunuch Zheng suddenly moved: "You wait, our family will report to His Majesty."
After Eunuch Zheng left, there was another round of discussion in the field.
In the crowd, you were saying what I said, and even more, many people turned around and ran away, probably going back to tell others about this sensational thing.
At this time, two officials suddenly walked out of the palace gate.
One of the two was wearing the official uniform of Baiji Buzi, and the other was the official uniform of Luqi Buzi, showing that the two were ranked as a fifth-rank official and a seventh-rank official, both of which were civil officials.
A leader of the Imperial Guard greeted the two of them, calling them Lord Qian and Lord Tian.
Mr. Qian stepped forward and asked, "You dare to beat the Dengwen drum, why don't you come to the Minister of General Affairs?"
The Minister of the General Political Envoy was refuted by the internal and external Zhang Shufu, and they accepted all matters such as the Quartet's complaints, complaints, grievances, or wrongdoing.
Even if the General Administration of Justice did not accept it, there were the Shuntian government office, the prefectural court, etc. This person was saying that Xue Tingxiang had leaped to the top to appeal.
Xue Tingxiang just looked at each other and didn't speak.
This Master Qian was annoyed in his heart, but he smiled at Master Tian next to him: "Look, you don't trust me, so tell me how difficult it is to be an official like us." After that, he turned his face. When dealing with Xue Tingxiang, he changed his jokes before, and was very dignified: "Since you have decided to sue, you should know the rules for beating the drum."
What kind of rules, of course, is to receive thirty court sticks first.
No one in the capital is unaware of this matter, and the common people occasionally mention this Dengwen drum while joking, but if someone jokes that he is a big deal to hit the Dengwen drum, and asks His Majesty to call the shots, someone will talk to the other party, and you have to experience that. Thirty boards to talk about.
Therefore, these thirty court sticks are almost unknown to everyone.
The leader of the Imperial Guard hesitated and said, "Mr. Qian, Eunuch Zheng has already gone to report to His Majesty. Are you waiting for Eunuch Zheng to come back and talk about it?"
Mr. Qian said: "This Dengwen Gu is under the jurisdiction of my Minister of General Affairs and Envoys. It is a rule left by the Taizu to receive 30 court rods before facing the saint. And this person swears, who knows if he is alarmist or not. , actually made a joke about the important affairs in the DPRK, and if you want to prove the authenticity, naturally you have to take these thirty court sticks first."
"This..." Mr. Qian's words were reasonable, but the leader of the Guards hesitated for a moment, and then said nothing more.
Mr. Qian turned to Xue Tingxiang again, with a smile on his face, but a threat flashed in his eyes: "Are you sure you want to take these thirty sticks?"
Xue Tingxiang glanced at him and said indifferently, "Since I'm here, I naturally have to face the Holy Spirit."
Mr. Qian sneered and nodded: "Okay! Come on—"
At this moment, there was a shout from the crowd: "You can't let him beat Xue Juren, they must be in the same group as the officials who cheated in the field, they want to kill people, it's time to come. Dead without proof."