Chapter 38: The Sharp Sword

The "Linzhi Code" was a legal framework formulated by the Gao family to usurp the authority of the Wei Dynasty. Today, it is no longer fit for purpose; in fact, it provides an opening for the Jinyang faction to exploit, potentially fostering a second Gao family to rise against the current one.

"The law is the whip of the sovereign. It must be held firmly in the ruler's hand. The force and reach of that whip depend entirely on whether the laws are drafted reasonably."

The standard for "reasonable," of course, is defined by how well it serves the interests of the Gao family.

"There was once a case where someone sent a letter pleading for leniency, and the Prefect of Liyang Commandery, Fang Chao, had the messenger beaten to death. Father Emperor praised him highly and even followed Cao Cao’s example by hanging a wooden staff as a warning. If that practice had been sustained, it could have curbed the culture of bribery and personal favors. It is a pity it was abandoned halfway."

Gao Yang still had a clear memory of this. It happened when he had just ascended the throne, back when he was still diligent and ambitious, striving to build an empire with a fresh, upright spirit.

Back then, someone had tried to use connections to influence Fang Chao, and Fang Chao killed the messenger. Gao Yang was delighted, but the Director of the Capital Bureau, Song Gui, submitted a memorial arguing that if a person could be executed for merely requesting a bribe, what punishment should be meted out to those who personally subverted the law for private gain?

Gao Yang was young then, and his mastery of double standards and shamelessness had not yet been fully honed; he was too embarrassed to declare that the Gao family was the exception. But the Gao Yang of today is a fully realized version of himself. If anyone dared to submit such a memorial now, he would likely curse them with, "What business is the Emperor's affair to you?" before having them beaten to death.

This reflects the gradual consolidation of imperial power in the Qi Dynasty. At that time, Gao Yang had just ascended and lacked sufficient authority, but now he possessed the prestige to push such measures through.

"Father Emperor once ordered the officials to draft a 'Qi Code' in his early years, yet it was never completed. Trials are still conducted according to the laws of the old Wei Dynasty. In the eyes of the world, are we truly the new Great Qi, or just the old Wei under a new name? I suspect these bureaucrats either do not understand the law or are intentionally stalling. If the new code is not advanced, the world will not perceive the newness of our Great Qi, and the systemic ailments of the old Wei will never be purged."

A look of cruelty flickered across Gao Yang’s face. This was his deep-seated anxiety; he hated nothing more than people looking down on him.

"Furthermore, there have been instances where those impeached have turned around and falsely accused their accusers. Father Emperor, in his wisdom, decreed the establishment of impeachment regulations, declaring that the guilty were forbidden from lodging accusations. However, this rule was exploited by the devious. They would first falsely accuse the innocent as criminals, forcing the accused to implicate others in desperation. The officials were unable to discern the truth, and the number of people embroiled in such cases often reached a thousand. This was, in reality, officials seeking favor by deceiving those above and suppressing those below, twisting Father Emperor’s good intentions and corrupting the national law..."

What Gao Yin said here was purely to save face for Gao Yang.

The reality was that Gao Yang’s regulation was thoughtless. By forbidding the guilty from lodging accusations, he emboldened those who were truly guilty to strike first against anyone who knew their secrets. The victims would then have to drag others into the fray, leading to investigations involving numerous officials, which in turn provided the guilty parties an opportunity to clear their names.

Of course, Gao Yang wasn't just being thoughtless; his goal was to incite the officials to attack one another, preventing them from uniting, and providing him with a pretext to eliminate any officials he wished to remove. It perfectly suited his murderous impulses.

However, since he was the Emperor, Gao Yin, as his Crown Prince, could only frame it as his father's intentions being noble, only to be ruined by the execution of those beneath him.

"...Therefore, I believe that the introduction of a new code is urgent. It will provide support to pragmatic officials and leave the treacherous with nowhere to hide. It will not only serve as a model for the world but also strengthen the authority of the monarch—truly a matter of great benefit to the nation and the people."

Gao Yang listened, contemplating for a moment.

"Since you speak this way, you must already have a plan in mind?"

Gao Yin nodded. "Exactly. The power wielded by an emperor is nothing more than rewards and punishments, and the key to using them lies in reason and sentiment. Yet, reason and sentiment can be fluid, and the truth of events can be difficult to discern. Perhaps a case deserves a certain verdict today, but ten years later, new evidence might overturn it entirely. Rewards can be clawed back, but punishments cannot be undone. I propose that in the future, when faced with situations where rewards or punishments are uncertain, we follow the principle of leaning toward the heavier side for rewards and the lighter side for punishments, while retaining the right for the involved parties and their relatives to seek retrospective redress indefinitely, allowing them to petition for their cases at any time."

"On this foundation, we should establish clear and precise decrees and concise statutes, and mandate that the children of official families study them as the basis for their service. Anyone who can identify loopholes in the law or provide solutions should be encouraged; we will send officials to study their suggestions, then report them to the chancellors and Father Emperor to judge their merit, offering appropriate rewards. In this way, the laws of our Great Qi will take root in the hearts of the people, and they will know that our governance is rooted in reason, and within reason, there is compassion. How could we fail to win the hearts of the world?"

Gao Yang fell silent. In a sense, this child understood how to govern better than he did. Although it was currently just empty talk, he had hit the nail on the head.

A nation is merely a concept. When everyone acknowledges it, "Qi" exists; when no one acknowledges it, the "Wei" ceases to exist.

Strictly enforced laws are the most effective way to make people feel the tangible existence of the state, and the most effective path to manifesting imperial majesty.

Yet, Gao Yang was highly skeptical that they could follow this beautiful blueprint. Humans are naturally prone to inertia, and he himself was the most convincing proof of that. If the officials of Qi possessed even half of his laziness and selfishness, the enforcement of these laws would be severely compromised, or worse, they would be turned into tools for mutual deception.

"Of course, I do not expect all officials to be so diligent and conscientious. The imperial court has the Censorate, but why should the common people lack one? We should establish a more covert supervisory department to strictly monitor the enforcement of the law by officials. Some officials hold to the philosophy that 'seeking no litigation' is paramount, or they are merely performing for reputation, suppressing civil lawsuits to maintain an image of clean governance, or adjudicating cases so crudely that the people are afraid to approach the government."

"Therefore, I believe we should establish a special inspection department, specifically tasked with visiting various regions, recruiting local scholars and commoners to investigate the reality of how officials enforce the law..."

Gao Yang’s eyes lit up. This was an excellent tool for controlling his subjects. Although he would be cursed by the ministers for doing so, as long as it helped him tighten his grip on power, it would be worth it. Besides, what could he do that wouldn't result in him being cursed by his ministers anyway? Had he not been cursed enough already?!

In the past, there had been special envoys, but they were all close attendants of the Emperor or court officials, already part of the bureaucratic circle, and they never took things to the extreme. They wouldn't dare deceive the Emperor, but they would often tip off local officials, waiting for them to correct or conceal their transgressions before reporting to the Emperor, leaving him with a false impression.

What Gao Yang needed was a department that was absolutely loyal to him, dared to say anything, and provided reports that were entirely truthful and reliable.

He immediately thought of the "Eastern Palace Intelligence Bureau" that Gao Yin had proposed setting up a few days ago.

The scope of this intelligence gathering would now expand from the palace to the entire country.

"It will become a sharp sword for our Great Qi."

Gao Yang looked into Gao Yin’s eyes, and what he glimpsed there was the same burning fire of lust for power.

Before this, Gao Yang had known that drafting a new Qi Code was important, but he had found it troublesome and could never muster any interest. It was only this later proposal that piqued his interest; this was something that could truly centralize his power.

"Good, very good. Proceed with this matter according to your wishes. Discuss how to draft the new Qi Code with Xu Ba, and then give me a proposal."

Xu Ba was the courtesy name of Gao Rui. In history, it was indeed Gao Rui who was responsible for drafting the new Qi Code. Gao Yin only needed to add to the ideas Gao Rui would eventually have, leaving the rest to the man himself for secondary creation.

"As for the Intelligence Bureau... I will speak to Yongle later. You have the authority to mobilize your Eastern Palace guards. Unless you receive a direct order from me, you may ignore anyone."

Gao Yin already had his Eastern Palace guards, but they were technically required to obey the orders of the Emperor's guards, otherwise, it would be tantamount to treason. Gao Yang’s words granted Gao Yin immense autonomy; as long as he wasn't directly attacking the Emperor’s own guards, he could act against anyone.

This even included the Empress Dowager. Gao Yang didn't say it explicitly, leaving Gao Yin to grasp the implication himself, which would require significant courage.

Strictly speaking, if Gao Yin were to seize an opportunity to use his Eastern Palace guards to kill Gao Yan and Gao Zhan while they were in the palace, he could do it—it would just leave a massive mess to clean up afterward.

Gao Yang felt a surge of excitement. Imperial power had found a new toy. This mental thrill even suppressed the restlessness of his body, making him eager to try. He certainly had enough manpower to build a secret service agency.

He suddenly remembered something.

"By the way, what was your second idea?"