Volume 206 Biographies 94: Ma Lu, Cheng Qichong, Zhang Kui, Zheng Yipeng, Tang Shu, Du Luan, Ye Yingcong, Jie Yigui, Lu Can, Shao Jingbang, Liu Shiyang, Wei Liangbi

馬錄〈（顏頤壽聶賢湯沐劉琦盧瓊沈漢王科）〉程啟充張逵鄭一鵬唐樞杜鸞葉應聰〈（藍田黃綰）〉解一貫〈（鄭洛書張錄）〉陸粲〈（劉希簡王準）〉邵經邦劉世揚〈（趙漢）〉魏良弼〈（秦鰲張寅葉洪）〉

Ma Lu Yan Yishou, Nie Xian, Tang Mu, Liu Qi, Lu Qiong, Shen Han, and Wang Ke)〉 Cheng Qichong, Zhang Kui, Zheng Yipeng, Tang Shu, Du Luan, and Ye Yingcong Lantian and Huang Guan)〉 Jie Yiguan Zheng Luoshu and Zhang Lu)〉 Lu Can Liu Xijian and Wang Zhun)〉 Shao Jingbang and Liu Shiyang Zhao Han)〉 Wei Liangbi Qin Ao, Zhang Yin, and Ye Hong)〉

五年出按山西，而妖賊李福達獄起。福達者，崞人。初坐妖賊王良、李鉞黨，戍山丹衛。逃還，更名午，為清軍御史所勾，再戍山海衛。復逃居洛川，以彌勒教誘愚民邵進祿等為亂。事覺，進祿伏誅，福達先還家，得免。更姓名曰張寅，往來徐溝間，輸粟得太原衛指揮使。子大仁、大義、大禮皆冒京師匠籍。用黃白術幹武定侯郭勛，勛大信幸。其仇薛良訟於錄，按問得實。檄洛川父老雜辨之，益信。勛為遺書錄祈免，錄不從，偕巡撫江潮具獄以聞，且劾勛庇奸亂法。章下都察院，都御史聶賢等覆如錄奏，力言勛黨逆罪。詔福達父子論死，妻女為奴，沒其產，責勛對狀。勛懼，乞恩，因為福達代辨，帝置不問。會給事中王科、鄭一鵬、程輅、常泰、劉琦、鄭自璧、趙廷瑞、沈漢、秦祐、張逵、陳臯謨，御史程啟充、盧瓊、邵豳、高世魁、任淳，南京御史姚鳴鳳、潘壯、戚雄、王獻，評事杜鸞，刑部郎中劉仕，主事唐樞，交章劾勛，謂罪當連坐。勛亦累自訴，且以議禮觸眾怒為言，帝心動。勛復乞張璁、桂萼為援。璁、萼素惡廷臣攻己，亦欲借是舒宿憤，乃謂諸臣內外交結，借端陷勛，將漸及諸議禮者。帝深入其言，而外廷不知，攻勛益急。帝益疑，命取福達等至京下三法司訊，既又命會文武大臣更訊之，皆無異詞。帝怒，將親訊，以楊一清之言而止，仍下廷鞫。尚書顏頤壽等不敢自堅，改擬妖言律斬。帝猶怒，命法司俱戴罪辦事，遣官往械錄、潮及前問官布政使李璋、按察使李玨、僉事章綸、都指揮馬豕等。時璋、玨已遷都御史，璋巡撫寧夏，玨巡撫甘肅，皆下獄廷訊。乃反前獄，抵良誣告罪。

In his fifth year in office he was dispatched as touring censor to Shanxi, where the case of the heretic rebel Li Fuda broke out. Fuda was a native of Guo. He was first convicted as an accomplice of the heretics Wang Liang and Li Yue and sent to penal service at the Shandan Guard. He escaped home, took the name Wu, was rounded up by a censor charged with clearing stragglers, and was banished again to the Shanhai Guard. He fled once more and settled in Luochuan, where he used Maitreya sect teachings to stir up the commoner Shao Jinlu and others in revolt. When the plot was uncovered, Jinlu was put to death, but Fuda had already gone home and went unpunished. He changed his name again to Zhang Yin, traveled between Xu and Gou, and bought his way into the post of commander of the Taiyuan Guard by delivering grain. His sons Daren, Dayi, and Dali all fraudulently enrolled on the capital artisan rolls. He approached the Marquis of Wuding, Guo Xun, with alchemical arts, and Xun came to trust and favor him deeply. His enemy Xue Liang brought the case before Ma Lu, and investigation confirmed the facts. He summoned Luochuan elders to identify the man in a group inquiry, which only strengthened the case. Xun wrote to Lu asking that he be spared; Lu refused, and together with Surveillance Commissioner Jiang Chao submitted the completed case to the throne while also impeaching Xun for shielding a criminal and corrupting justice. The memorial went to the Censorate, where Censor-in-chief Nie Xian and others endorsed Lu's findings and insisted that Xun was party to treason. An edict sentenced Fuda and his sons to death, enslaved their wives and daughters, confiscated their property, and ordered Xun to answer the charges in person. Xun grew afraid and begged for mercy, pleading Fuda's case himself; the Emperor let the matter drop. At this point a stream of memorials arrived impeaching Xun: from supervising secretaries Wang Ke, Zheng Yipeng, Cheng Lu, Chang Tai, Liu Qi, Zheng Zibi, Zhao Tingrui, Shen Han, Qin You, Zhang Kui, and Chen Gaomo; from censors Cheng Qichong, Lu Qiong, Shao Bin, Gao Shikui, and Ren Chun; from Nanjing censors Yao Mingfeng, Pan Zhuang, Qi Xiong, and Wang Xian; from reviewing official Du Luan; from Ministry of Punishments bureau director Liu Shi; and from section chief Tang Shu—all arguing that Xun's crimes warranted joint punishment. Xun pleaded his own case again and again, claiming he had only provoked the court's wrath through the Rites Controversy; the Emperor began to waver. Xun again appealed to Zhang Cong and Gui E for help. Cong and E had long resented the court officials who attacked them and saw a chance to settle old scores; they claimed the officials were conspiring inside and outside the court, using the case as a pretext to trap Xun and would soon turn on everyone who had supported the new rites. The Emperor was deeply persuaded, but the outer court knew nothing of this and pressed its attack on Xun ever harder. Growing more suspicious, the Emperor ordered Fuda and the others brought to the capital for trial by the Three Judicial Offices, then ordered civil and military grandees to re-examine the case together; every account still matched. The Emperor was furious and was about to interrogate them himself, but Yang Yiqing dissuaded him; the case was still sent down for court trial. Minister Yan Yishou and the others did not dare hold firm and revised the sentence to execution under the statute on demonic speech. Still furious, the Emperor ordered the judicial offices to continue their duties under suspended guilt, and sent officials to arrest Ma Lu, Jiang Chao, and the former investigators—Provincial Administration Commissioner Li Zhang, Surveillance Commissioner Li Jue, Assistant Surveillance Commissioner Zhang Lun, and Regional Commander Ma Shi, among others. By then Zhang and Jue had already been promoted to censors-in-chief—Zhang as surveillance commissioner of Ningxia and Jue of Gansu—and both were thrown into prison for court interrogation. The earlier verdict was overturned and Xue Liang was charged with false accusation instead.

帝以罪不及錄，怒甚。命璁、萼、方獻夫分署三法司事，盡下尚書頤壽，侍郎劉玉、王啟，左都御史賢，副都御史劉文莊，僉都御史張潤，大理卿湯沐，少卿徐文華、顧佖，寺丞汪淵獄，嚴刑推問遂搜錄篋，得大學士賈詠、都御史張仲賢、工部侍郎閔楷、御史張英及寺丞淵私書。詠引罪致仕去，仲賢等亦下獄。萼等上言：「給事中琦、泰，郎中仕，聲勢相倚，挾私彈事，佐錄殺人。給事中科、一鵬、祐、漢、輅，評事鸞，御史鳴鳳、壯、雄，扶同妄奏，助成奸惡。給事中逵，御史世魁，方幸寅就死，得誣勛謀逆，率同連名，同聲駕禍。郎中司馬相妄引事例，故意增減，誣上行私。邇者言官締黨求勝，內則奴隸公卿，外則草芥司屬，任情恣橫，殆非一日，請大奮乾斷，彰國法。」帝納其言，並下諸人獄，收系南京刑部。先是，廷臣會訊，太仆卿汪元錫、光祿少卿余才偶語曰：「此獄已得情，何再鞫？」偵者告萼，以聞，亦逮問。

Because the charges did not reach Ma Lu, the Emperor was furious. He put Zhang Cong, Gui E, and Fang Xianfu in charge of the Three Judicial Offices, imprisoned Minister Yan Yishou, Vice Ministers Liu Yu and Wang Qi, Left Censor-in-chief Nie Xian, Vice Censor-in-chief Liu Wenzhuang, Assistant Censor-in-chief Zhang Run, Court of Review President Tang Mu, Vice Presidents Xu Wenhua and Gu Yi, and Registrar Wang Yuan, and under severe torture pursued the inquiry; searching Ma Lu's papers they found private letters from Grand Secretary Jia Yong, Censor-in-chief Zhang Zhongxian, Works Vice Minister Min Kai, Censor Zhang Ying, and Registrar Yuan. Yong confessed guilt and retired; Zhongxian and the others were imprisoned as well. Gui E and the others memorialized: "Supervising Secretaries Liu Qi and Chang Tai and Bureau Director Liu Shi rely on each other's influence, lodge partisan impeachments, and helped Ma Lu secure a man's death. Supervising Secretaries Wang Ke, Zheng Yipeng, Qin You, Shen Han, and Cheng Lu; Reviewing Official Du Luan; and Censors Yao Mingfeng, Pan Zhuang, and Qi Xiong joined in reckless memorials and helped the crime along. Supervising Secretary Zhang Kui and Censor Gao Shikui, seeing their chance when Yin was about to die, framed Xun for plotting rebellion, led others in joint signatures, and raised a chorus of accusation to bring disaster down on him. Bureau Director Sima Xiang falsely cited precedents, deliberately twisting them to slander his superiors for private ends. Remonstrating officials of late have formed factions to win at any cost—treating grandees as servants within the court and subordinates as chaff without, indulging their will with impunity for far too long. We beg Your Majesty to act with decisive authority and make the law plain. The Emperor accepted their argument, imprisoned all these men, and held them at the Nanjing Ministry of Punishments. Earlier, when court officials met for joint interrogation, Court of the Imperial Stud President Wang Yuanxi and Court of Imperial Entertainments Vice President Yu Cai happened to remark to each other, "This case already has its facts settled—why interrogate again?" An informer reported this to Gui E, who passed it on; they too were arrested and questioned.

萼等遂肆搒掠。錄不勝刑，自誣故入人罪。萼等乃定爰書，言寅非福達，錄等恨勛，構成冤獄，因列諸臣罪名。帝悉從其言。謫戍極邊，遇赦不宥者五人：璋、玨、綸、豕、前山西副使遷大理少卿文華。謫戍邊衛者七人：琦、逵、泰、瓊、啟充、仕及知州胡偉。為民者十一人：賢、科、一鵬、祐、漢、輅、世魁、淳、鳴鳳、相、鸞。革職閑住者十七人：頤壽、玉、啟、潮、文莊、沐、佖、淵、元錫、才、楷、仲賢、潤、英、壯、雄、前大理丞遷僉都御史毛伯溫。其他下巡按逮問革職者，副使周宣等復五人。良抵死，眾證皆戍，寅還職。錄以故入人死未決，當徒。帝以為輕，欲坐以奸黨律斬。萼等謂張寅未死，而錄代之死，恐天下不服，宜永戍煙瘴地，令緣及子孫。乃戍廣西南丹衛，遇赦不宥。帝意猶未慊，語楊一清等曰：「與其佼及後世，不若誅止其身，從《舜典》『罰弗及嗣』之意。」一清曰：「祖宗制律具有成法，錄罪不中死律。若法外用刑，吏將緣作奸，人無所措手足矣。」帝不得已，從之。以萼等平反有功，勞諭之文華殿，賜二品服俸、金帶、銀幣，給三代誥命。遂編《欽明大獄錄》頒示天下。時嘉靖六年九月壬午也。至十六年，皇子生，肆赦。諸謫戍者俱釋還，惟錄不赦，竟卒於戍所。

Gui E and his allies then freely applied beating and torture. Ma Lu could not endure the torture and confessed to deliberately imposing guilt on others. Gui E and his allies then drew up the written verdict, declaring that Yin was not Fuda, that Ma Lu and the others bore a grudge against Xun and had fabricated a wrongful case, and they listed charges against every official involved. The Emperor accepted everything they proposed. Five men were banished to garrison the farthest frontier with no amnesty on general pardon: Li Zhang, Li Jue, Zhang Lun, Ma Shi, and the former Shanxi vice commissioner who had been promoted to Court of Review Vice President Xu Wenhua. Seven were banished to border garrisons: Liu Qi, Zhang Kui, Chang Tai, Lu Qiong, Cheng Qichong, Liu Shi, and Prefect Hu Wei. Eleven were reduced to commoner status: Nie Xian, Wang Ke, Zheng Yipeng, Qin You, Shen Han, Cheng Lu, Gao Shikui, Ren Chun, Yao Mingfeng, Sima Xiang, and Du Luan. Seventeen were dismissed and left idle: Yan Yishou, Liu Yu, Wang Qi, Jiang Chao, Liu Wenzhuang, Tang Mu, Gu Yi, Wang Yuan, Wang Yuanxi, Yu Cai, Min Kai, Zhang Zhongxian, Zhang Run, Zhang Ying, Pan Zhuang, Qi Xiong, and the former Court of Review vice registrar who had been promoted to Assistant Censor-in-chief Mao Bowen. Five more, including Vice Commissioner Zhou Xuan, were sent down to touring censors for arrest, questioning, and dismissal. Xue Liang was put to death; everyone who had testified against Yin was banished; Yin was restored to his post. Ma Lu, for deliberately imposing a capital charge before the case was settled, was sentenced to penal servitude. The Emperor thought this too lenient and wanted him executed under the statute on villainous factions. Gui E and his allies argued that Zhang Yin was still alive while Ma Lu had been made to die in his place, which the realm would never accept; he should be banished forever to the miasmic south, with punishment extending to his descendants. He was banished to garrison the Nandan Guard in Guangxi, with no amnesty on general pardon. The Emperor was still not satisfied and told Yang Yiqing and others, "Rather than let his associates reach later generations, it would be better to execute only the man himself, following the 《Canon of Shun》: 'Punishment does not reach the heir.' Yiqing replied, "The ancestral code has fixed statutes; Ma Lu's crime does not warrant death under the law. If you punish outside the law, officials will use that as a pretext for abuse and no one will know where he stands. The Emperor had no choice but to accept this. Because Gui E and his allies had merit in reversing the case, the Emperor addressed them at the Wenhua Hall, granted them second-rank salary and robes, a gold belt, and silver coins, and issued patent letters of appointment for three generations. He then compiled the 《Record of the Augustly Clarified Great Case》 and promulgated it throughout the realm. This was on the renwu day of the ninth month of Jiajing 6. In the sixteenth year, when a prince was born, a general amnesty was proclaimed. All who had been banished were released and sent home, except Ma Lu, who was not pardoned and died in exile.

顏頤壽，巴陵人，居官有清望。

Yan Yishou, a native of Baling, enjoyed a reputation for integrity in office.

聶賢，長壽人。為御史清廉。奪官五年，用薦起工部尚書，改刑部尚書。致仕，卒。謚榮襄。

Nie Xian was a native of Changshou. As a censor he was known for integrity. After five years out of office he was raised on recommendation to Minister of Works, then transferred to Minister of Punishments. He retired and died. He was posthumously titled Rongxiang.

湯沐，字新之，江陰人。弘治九年進士。除崇德知縣，征授御史。正德初，嘗劾中官苗逵、保國公朱暉等罪，出為湖廣僉事。劉瑾以沐不附己，用牙儈同寅訐學士張芮事波及沐，謫武義知縣。瑾誅，復為廣東僉事。累遷右副都御史，巡撫貴州。請立土官世系籍，絕其爭襲之弊，而令其子弟入學，報可。嘉靖二年改撫四川，入為大理卿。既坐福達獄罷歸，家居六年，薦章數十上，不召，卒。沐居官三十載，屏絕饋遺，以廉潔稱。

Tang Mu, whose style was Xinzhi, was a native of Jiangyin. He passed the metropolitan examination in Hongzhi 9. He was appointed magistrate of Chongde, then summoned and made a censor. Early in the Zhengde reign he impeached the eunuch Miao Kui, the Duke of Baoguo Zhu Hui, and others, and was sent out as an assistant surveillance commissioner in Huguang. Because Mu would not attach himself to Liu Jin, Jin used a broker named Tong Yin to denounce Academician Zhang Rui in a case that implicated Mu, and Mu was demoted to magistrate of Wuyi. After Jin's execution he was restored as an assistant surveillance commissioner in Guangdong. He rose through successive posts to Right Vice Censor-in-chief and Surveillance Commissioner of Guizhou. He requested registers of hereditary native-official lineages to end disputed successions and required their sons and younger brothers to enter schools; the request was approved. In Jiajing 2 he was transferred to Surveillance Commissioner of Sichuan, then entered the capital as Court of Review president. After he was caught up in the Fuda case and sent home, he lived in retirement for six years; dozens of recommendation memorials were submitted but he was never summoned, and he died. Mu held office for thirty years, refused all gifts, and was known for integrity.

劉琦，字廷珍，洛川人。正德九年進士。嘉靖初，由行人授兵科給事中。時給京軍冬衣布棉恒過期，以琦請，即命琦立給。李福達逃洛川，琦知之甚悉。事覺，琦疏陳顛末，因劾郭勛黨逆，又與御史張問行劾勛侵盜草場租銀。既而馬錄獄具，坐琦佐使殺人，下獄，謫戍沈陽。閱十年赦歸，卒。

Liu Qi, whose style was Tingzhen, was a native of Luochuan. He passed the metropolitan examination in Zhengde 9. Early in the Jiajing reign he went from courier to supervising secretary in the Bureau of Military Affairs. Winter cloth and cotton for the capital garrison were always late; at Qi's request the Emperor ordered him to distribute them immediately. When Li Fuda fled to Luochuan, Qi knew the affair in full detail. When the plot was uncovered, Qi memorialized with the full story, impeached Guo Xun for complicity in treason, and together with Censor Zhang Wenxing charged Xun with encroaching on and embezzling pasture-land rent silver. When Ma Lu's case was concluded, Qi was convicted of helping him secure a wrongful death sentence, imprisoned, and banished to Shenyang. After ten years he was pardoned and sent home, then died.

盧瓊，字獻卿，浮梁人。正德六年進士。由固始知縣入為御史。嘉靖改元，上言：「景皇帝有撥亂大功，而實錄猶稱郕戾王。敬皇帝深仁厚澤，而實錄成於焦芳手，是非顛倒。乞詔儒臣改撰。」帝惟命史官正《孝宗實錄》之不當者，然亦未有所正也。出按畿輔。桂萼疾臺諫排己，考察京官既竣，令科道互糾劾。吏科都給事中王俊民等爭之，瓊與同官劉隅等亦言交相批抵報復，非盛世事。帝切責俊民、隅，奪其俸五月，瓊等皆三月，而命部院考之。瓊竟以劾勛謫戍邊。赦還，卒。

Lu Qiong, whose style was Xianqing, was a native of Fuliang. He passed the metropolitan examination in Zhengde 6. He rose from magistrate of Gushi to censor. At the beginning of the Jiajing reign he memorialized: "The Jing Emperor had great merit in restoring order from chaos, yet the Veritable Record still calls him the Depraved Prince of Cheng. The Jing Emperor was deeply benevolent, yet the Veritable Record was written at Jiao Fang's hand, with right and wrong inverted. I beg that Confucian officials be ordered to rewrite them. The Emperor only ordered the historiographers to correct improper passages in the Veritable Record of Xiaozong, but in fact nothing was changed. He was dispatched as touring censor for the capital region. Gui E resented the remonstrance bureaus for shutting him out; after the capital officials' inspection ended, he ordered supervising secretaries and censors to impeach one another. Wang Junmin, chief supervising secretary of the Bureau of Personnel, and others protested; Qiong and his colleague Liu Yu argued that mutual denunciation and retaliation were unworthy of a flourishing age. The Emperor sharply rebuked Junmin and Yu, stripped their salaries for five months and Qiong and the others for three, and ordered the ministries and courts to inspect them. Qiong was ultimately banished to a frontier garrison for impeaching Xun. He was pardoned and sent home, then died.

沈漢，字宗海，吳江人。正德十六年進士。授刑科給事中。中官馬俊、王堂久廢，忽自南京召至，漢論止之。改元詔書蠲四方逋稅，漢以民間已納者多飽吏橐，請已征未解者，作來年正課。又言近籍沒奸黨貲數千萬，請悉發以補歲入不足之數。皆報可。嘉靖二年，以災異指斥時政。尚書林俊去位，復抗章爭之。戶部郎中牟泰坐吏盜官帑，下詔獄貶官。漢言：「吏為奸利，在泰未任前。事敗，泰發之。泰無罪。」因極言刑獄宜付法司，毋委鎮撫。不納。大獄起，法司皆下吏。漢言：「祖宗之法不可壞，權幸之漸不可長，大臣不可辱，妖賊不可赦。」遂並漢收系，除其名。家居二十年，卒。曾孫璟，萬歷中為吏部員外郎。請王恭妃封號，忤旨，降行人司正。天啟初，贈少卿。

Shen Han, whose style was Zonghai, was a native of Wujiang. He passed the metropolitan examination in Zhengde 16. He became supervising secretary in the Bureau of Punishments. The eunuchs Ma Jun and Wang Tang had long been dismissed but were suddenly summoned from Nanjing; Han argued that this should be stopped. The edict on the change of reign title remitted overdue taxes everywhere; Han argued that much of what the people had already paid had filled officials' purses and asked that collections not yet remitted be counted as the next year's regular levy. He also urged that the tens of millions recently confiscated from villainous factions be disbursed to cover the shortfall in annual revenue. The Emperor approved all of these proposals. In Jiajing 2 he used omens and disasters to criticize current policy. When Minister Lin Jun was removed, Han submitted another defiant memorial in protest. Mou Tai, a bureau director in the Ministry of Revenue, was implicated when clerks embezzled official funds; he was sent to the imperial prison and demoted. Han said, "The clerks' fraud predated Tai's appointment. When the fraud came to light, Tai was the one who exposed it. Tai is innocent. He strongly urged that criminal cases belong in the judicial offices, not with the Embroidered-Uniform Guard. The Emperor did not accept this. When the great case broke, the judicial officials were all imprisoned. Han said, "The laws of the ancestors cannot be broken; the power of favorites cannot be allowed to grow; grand ministers cannot be humiliated; heretic rebels cannot be pardoned. Han was arrested as well and struck from the rolls. He lived at home for twenty years, then died. His great-grandson Jing served in the Wanli reign as an assistant department director in the Ministry of Personnel. He requested a title for Lady Wang the Respectful Consort; defying the imperial will, he was demoted to registrar of the Courier Service. Early in the Tianqi reign he was posthumously made a vice president.

王科，字進卿，涉縣人。正德十二年進士。授藍田知縣。城隘，且無水，科導西山水入城，拓而廣之，遂為望邑。毀境內淫祠，以其材葺學宮。嘉靖四年征為工科給事中。嘗劾兵部尚書金獻民無功，總兵官趙文、種勛失事，及陜西織造內官擾民，郭勛任奸人郭彪、鄭鸞，剝軍害民狀。又言：「三司首領、州縣佐貳以秩卑為上官所輕棄，率貪冒不自惜，宜拔擢其廉能者。而諸邊財計之職，不宜處下才。鹽運官廉，當遷敘。」大獄起，劾勛，遂下獄削籍。

Wang Ke, whose style was Jinqing, was a native of She County. He passed the metropolitan examination in Zhengde 12. He served first as magistrate of Lantian. The city was cramped and had no water; Ke brought water from the western hills into town, expanded the walls, and turned it into a renowned county seat. He destroyed illicit shrines in the county and used their materials to repair the school. In Jiajing 4 he was summoned as supervising secretary in the Bureau of Works. He impeached Minister of War Jin Xianmin for lack of merit, regional commanders Zhao Wen and Zhong Xun for military failures, the Shaanxi weaving eunuch for harassing the people, and Guo Xun for employing the villains Guo Biao and Zheng Luan and stripping the army to harm the people. He also argued that heads of the three commissions and prefectural and county deputies, being low in rank, were neglected by superiors and often grew greedy and reckless, and that the incorrupt and capable should be promoted. Frontier fiscal posts should not be filled with inferior talent. Incorrupt salt transport officials should be promoted. When the great case broke he impeached Xun, was imprisoned, and struck from the rolls.

方諸臣之被罪也，舉朝皆知其冤，莫敢白。逾月，南京御史吳彥獨抗章請寬之。上怒，斥於外。已而御史張祿亦以為言。忤旨，切讓。自是無敢言者。十一年，桂萼已死，張璁亦免相，聶賢、毛伯溫始起用。張潤、汪元錫、李玨、閔楷亦相繼收錄。唯臺諫、曹郎竟無一人召復者。隆慶初，諸人皆復職贈官。錄首贈太仆少卿，琦、瓊俱光祿少卿，漢、科俱太常少卿。

When the officials were punished, the whole court knew they were wronged, but none dared speak up. More than a month later the Nanjing censor Wu Yan alone submitted a defiant memorial asking leniency for them. The Emperor was furious and expelled him to the provinces. Soon afterward Censor Zhang Lu spoke to the same effect. Defying the imperial will, he was sharply rebuked. After that no one dared speak. In the eleventh year Gui E was dead, Zhang Cong had left the chancellorship, and Nie Xian and Mao Bowen were restored to office. Zhang Run, Wang Yuanxi, Li Jue, and Min Kai were also brought back in succession. Not a single remonstrance official or bureau section chief was summoned back. Early in the Longqing reign all were restored to office and given posthumous ranks. Ma Lu was first posthumously made vice president of the Court of the Imperial Stud; Liu Qi and Lu Qiong vice presidents of the Court of Imperial Entertainments; Shen Han and Wang Ke vice presidents of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices.

程啟充，字以道，嘉定州人。正德三年進士。除三原知縣，入為御史。嬖幸子弟家人濫冒軍功，有至都督賜蟒玉者。啟充言：「定制，軍職授官，悉準首功。今幸門大啟，有買功、冒功、寄名、竄名、並功之弊。權要家賄軍士金帛，以易所獲之級，是謂買功。沖鋒斬馘者，甲也，而乙取之，甚者殺平民以為賊，是謂冒功。身不出門閭，而名隸行伍，是謂寄名。賄求掾吏，洗補文冊，是謂竄名。至有一人之身，一日之間，不出京師，而東西南朔四處報功者，按名累級，驟至高階，是謂並功。此皆壞祖宗法，解將士體，乞嚴為察革。」帝不能用。

Cheng Qichong, whose style was Yidao, was a native of Jiading Prefecture. He passed the metropolitan examination in Zhengde 3. He was appointed magistrate of Sanyuan, then made a censor. Sons and household members of imperial favorites fraudulently claimed military merit, some rising to regional commander and receiving python robes and jade. Qichong said, "By regulation, military appointments must all be based on the primary merit claim. Now the gate of favor stands wide open, with bought merit, false merit, borrowed names, altered records, and combined merit. Powerful families bribe soldiers with gold and silk to buy the merit grades they had earned—this is bought merit. The man who charged and took heads was A, but B claimed the credit; in the worst cases they killed civilians and called them bandits—this is false merit. A man never left his neighborhood, yet his name appeared on the rolls—this is a borrowed name. Bribing clerks to alter the documents—this is an altered record. There were even men who in a single day, without leaving the capital, reported merit in all four directions; by accumulating names and grades they shot to high rank—this is combined merit. All of this destroys ancestral law and undermines military discipline; I beg that it be strictly investigated and reformed. The Emperor did not act on this advice.

十一年正旦，群臣待漏入賀，日晡禮始成。及散朝，已昏夜。眾奔趨而出，顛仆相踐踏。將軍趙朗者，死於禁門。啟充具奏其狀，請帝昧爽視朝，以圖明作之治。都督馬昂進妊身女弟，啟充等力爭。既又極陳冗官、冗兵、冗費之弊，乞通行革罷。帝皆不省。騰驤四衛軍改編各衛者，奉詔撤回，而各衛遺籍仍支糧，糜倉儲八十七萬余石。啟充力言之，冒支弊絕。以憂歸。

On New Year's Day of the eleventh year officials waited for the water-clock to enter court and offer congratulations; the ceremony was not finished until late afternoon. When court was dismissed it was already night. The crowd rushed out, tripping and trampling one another. General Zhao Lang died at the forbidden gate. Qichong memorialized the full account and asked the Emperor to hold dawn court in pursuit of enlightened rule. Regional Commander Ma Ang presented his pregnant younger sister to the palace; Qichong and others protested vigorously. He then laid out the abuses of redundant officials, troops, and expenditures and asked that they be abolished throughout the government. The Emperor paid no attention. Soldiers of the four Tengxiang guards reassigned to other guards were ordered back by edict, yet leftover rolls still drew grain pay, wasting more than 870,000 piculs from the granaries. Qichong pressed the point hard, and the abuse of false claims ended. He returned home to observe mourning.

世宗即位，起故官，即爭興獻帝皇號。嘉靖元年正月郊祀方畢，清寧宮小房火。啟充言：「災及內寢，良由徇情之禮有戾天常，僭逼之名深乖典則。輔臣執議，禮臣建明，不能敵經生之邪說，佞幸之諛辭，動假母後以箝天下之口。臣謂不正大禮，不黜邪說，所謂修省皆具文也。況邇者旨由中出而內閣不知，奸黨獄成而曲為庇護。諫臣斥逐，耳目有壅蔽之虞；大臣疏遠，股肱有痿痹之患。司禮之權重於宰相，樞機之地委之宦官。邇臣貪濁，頻有遷除；邊帥僨師，不聞譴斥。莊田之賞賚過多，潛邸之乞恩未已。伏望陛下仰畏天明，俯察眾聽，親大臣，肅庶政，以回災變。」報聞。

When the Jiajing Emperor took the throne, Qichong was restored to his former post and immediately contested the imperial title for the Jingxian Emperor. In the first month of Jiajing 1, just as the suburban sacrifice ended, a small room in the Qingning Palace caught fire. Qichong said, "The disaster reached the inner quarters because partial rites violated heaven's constant and usurping titles departed deeply from canonical norms. Assisting ministers held firm and ritual officials spoke clearly, yet they could not withstand the heterodox doctrines of classicists and the flattery of sycophants, who constantly used the empress dowager to silence the realm. Your subject maintains that without rectifying the great rites and dismissing heterodox doctrines, what is called self-examination is mere empty form. Moreover, edicts of late have issued from within while the Grand Secretariat knew nothing; villainous factions' cases were settled yet crookedly sheltered. Remonstrating officials have been expelled—there is danger that the Emperor's ears and eyes will be blocked; grand ministers are kept at a distance—the throne's limbs suffer numb paralysis. The Directorate of Ceremonial outweighs the chancellor, and vital mechanisms are entrusted to eunuchs. Recent officials are greedy and corrupt, yet are frequently promoted; frontier commanders ruin their armies, yet one hears no reprimand. Rewards of estate fields are excessive, and petitions for favor from the former princely residence have not ceased. I humbly hope Your Majesty will look up in awe of heaven, look down and heed the people, be close to grand ministers, rectify common administration, and thereby turn back calamity. The court acknowledged receipt of the memorial.

尋出按江西。得宸濠通蕭敬、張銳、陸完等私書，欲亟去孫燧，云：「代者湯沐、梁宸可，其次王守仁亦可。」因論敬、銳等罪，並言守仁黨逆，宜追奪。給事中汪應軫訟守仁功，言：「逆濠私書，有詔焚毀。啟充輕信被黜知縣章立梅捃摭之辭，復有此奏，非所以勸有功。」主事陸澄亦為守仁奏辨。御史向信因劾應軫與澄。帝曰：「守仁一聞宸濠變，仗義興兵，戡定大難，特加封爵，以酬大功，不必更議。」帝從太監梁棟請，遣中官督南京織造。啟充偕同官及科臣張嵩等極諫，不納。

Soon he was dispatched as touring censor to Jiangxi. He obtained private letters from the Prince of Ning to Xiao Jing, Zhang Rui, Lu Wan, and others urgently seeking Sun Sui's removal, saying, "Tang Mu or Liang Chen would do as replacements; next, Wang Shouren would also do. He then reviewed the crimes of Jing, Rui, and the others, and argued that Shouren had sided with the rebel and that his titles should be revoked. Supervising secretary Wang Yingzhen spoke up for Shouren's service, saying, "The Prince of Ning's private letters were already ordered burned by imperial edict. Qichong credulously accepted the gathered accusations of dismissed magistrate Zhang Limai and submitted this memorial again—hardly the way to reward meritorious service. Section chief Lu Cheng likewise submitted a memorial defending Shouren. Censor Xiang Xin thereupon impeached Yingzhen and Cheng. The Emperor said, "When Shouren first heard of the Prince of Ning's revolt, he acted on principle and raised an army, ending the crisis. He was specially ennobled to reward that great service, and the matter need not be reopened. The Emperor approved eunuch Liang Dong's request and sent a palace eunuch to oversee the Nanjing imperial workshops. Qichong joined his colleagues and department official Zhang Song and others in strong remonstrance, but the Emperor would not heed them.

啟充素蹇諤，張璁、桂萼惡之。會郭勛庇李福達獄，為啟充所劾，璁、萼因指啟充挾私，謫戍邊衛。十六年赦還。言者交薦，不復用，卒。隆慶初，贈光祿少卿。

Qichong had always been blunt and forthright, and Zhang Cong and Gui E resented him. When Guo Xun shielded defendants in the Li Fuda case and Qichong impeached him, Cong and E seized the chance to accuse Qichong of personal bias and had him banished to a frontier garrison. In the sixteenth year he was pardoned and allowed to return. Officials repeatedly recommended him, but he was never reappointed, and he died. In the early Longqing reign he was posthumously appointed Vice Minister of the Imperial Household.

四年十一月上疏曰：「近廷臣所上封事，陛下批答必曰『已有旨處置』，是已行者不可言也。曰『尚議處未定』，是未行者不可言也。二者不言，則是終無可言也。且今日言者，已非陛下初政時比矣。初年，事之大者，既會疏公言之，又各疏獨言之。一不得行，則相聚環視，以不得其言為愧。近者不然，會疏則刪削忌諱以避禍，獨疏則毛舉纖微以塞責。一不蒙譴，則交相慶賀，以茍免為幸。消讜直之氣，長循默之風，甚非朝廷福也。」章下所司。

In the eleventh month of the fourth year he submitted a memorial: "Lately, when court ministers submit sealed memorials, Your Majesty's replies always say, 'Orders have already been issued'—as if what is already done cannot be discussed. If the reply says, 'Still under deliberation,' that means what has not yet been done cannot be discussed either. If neither may be discussed, then in the end there is nothing left to say at all. Moreover, those who speak out today are nothing like they were in the early years of Your Majesty's reign. In the early years, on major affairs ministers would speak jointly in collective memorials and also submit individual memorials of their own. When a proposal failed, they would gather and look at one another, ashamed that their counsel had not carried the day. Lately it is otherwise: joint memorials are trimmed of anything taboo to avoid trouble, while individual ones nitpick trivialities merely to fulfill duty. If they escape punishment, they congratulate one another, counting mere survival as good fortune. This drains the spirit of candid remonstrance and encourages habitual silence—a poor blessing indeed for the court. The memorial was referred to the appropriate department.

尋進右給事中。王科、陳察劾郭勛，帝慰留之。逵與同官鄭自璧、趙廷瑞言：「勛倚奸成橫，用酷濟貪，籠絡貨資，漁獵營伍，為妖賊李福達請屬，為逆黨陸完雪冤。溫旨諭留，是旌使縱也。」既復言：「福達誑惑愚民，稱兵犯順。勛黨叛逆，罪不容誅。」不聽。

He was soon promoted to Right Supervising Secretary. Wang Ke and Chen Cha impeached Guo Xun, but the Emperor comforted Xun and retained him in office. Kui and his colleagues Zheng Zibi and Zhao Tingrui said, "Xun has grown arrogant through villainous allies, using cruelty to fuel greed, networking for profit and preying on the military camps. He interceded for the sorcerer-rebel Li Fuda and cleared the traitor Lu Wan of guilt. A conciliatory edict keeping him in post amounts to commending wrongdoing and giving free rein to misconduct. He went on to say, "Fuda deluded common people and took up arms in rebellion. Xun's faction abetted rebellion—a crime that deserves nothing less than death. The Emperor refused to listen.

尋以言事忤旨，黜為吳江縣丞。復坐福達獄逮問，謫戍遼東邊衛。居十年，母死不得歸，哀痛而卒。隆慶初，贈光祿少卿。

Soon afterward, having offended the throne by remonstrating, he was demoted to assistant magistrate of Wujiang. He was again caught up in the Li Fuda case, arrested for questioning, and banished to a Liaodong frontier garrison. After ten years in exile, when his mother died he was unable to return home, and he died in grief. In the early Longqing reign he was posthumously appointed Vice Minister of the Imperial Household.

帝用中官崔文言，建醮乾清、坤寧諸宮，西天、西番、漢經諸廠，五花宮兩暖閣、東次閣，莫不有之。一鵬言：「禱祀繁興，必魏彬、張銳余黨。先帝已誤，陛下豈容再誤？臣巡視光祿，見一齋醮蔬食之費，為錢萬有八千。陛下忍斂民怨，而不忍傷佞幸之心。況今天災頻降，京師道堇相望；邊境戍卒，日夜荷戈，不得飽食，而為僧道靡費至此，此臣所未解。」報聞。

At the urging of palace eunuch Cui Wenyan, the Emperor established prayer rituals throughout the Qianqing and Kunning palaces, the Western Heaven, Tibetan, and Han sutra offices, the two warm chambers of Wuhua Palace, and the East Side Chamber—hardly a corner of the palace was left without them. Yipeng said, "This surge in prayer rituals must be the doing of holdovers from Wei Bin and Zhang Rui's faction. The late Emperor already went astray—surely Your Majesty cannot repeat the mistake? In touring the Imperial Household, I found that the cost of vegetarian provisions for a single ritual observance came to eighteen thousand cash. Your Majesty is willing to incur the people's resentment yet unwilling to offend your favored sycophants. Moreover, disasters from Heaven fall in succession, and on the roads of the capital the dead lie one after another; Frontier garrison troops bear arms night and day yet cannot eat their fill, while such vast sums are squandered on monks and Daoists—this I cannot fathom. The court acknowledged receipt of the memorial.

東廠理刑千戶陶淳曲殺人，論謫戍。詔覆案，改擬帶俸。一鵬與御史李東等執奏，並劾刑部侍郎孟鳳，帝不聽。給事中鄧繼曾、修撰呂柟、編修鄒守益以言獲罪，一鵬皆疏救。

Tao Chun, a judicial thousand-household of the Eastern Depot, had a man killed unjustly and was sentenced to banishment to a frontier garrison. The Emperor ordered a retrial, and the sentence was reduced so that he retained his stipend. Yipeng and censor Li Dong and others pressed their memorial, also impeaching Vice Minister of Punishments Meng Feng, but the Emperor would not heed them. Supervising secretary Deng Jizeng, compiler Lu Nan, and editor Zou Shouyi were punished for remonstrating; Yipeng submitted memorials on behalf of each.

宮中用度日侈，數倍天順時。一鵬言：「今歲災用詘，往往借支太倉，而清寧、仁壽、未央諸宮，每有贏積，率饋遺戚裏。曷若留供光祿，彰母後德？」帝命乾清、坤寧二宮暫減十之一。魯迷貢獅子、西牛、西狗、西馬及珠玉諸物。一鵬引漢閉玉門關謝西域故事，請敕邊臣量行賞賚，遣還國，勿使入京，彰朝廷不寶遠物之盛德。不聽。尋伏闕爭「大禮」，杖於廷。

Daily palace expenditures have grown lavish—several times what they were under Tianshun. Yipeng said, "This year disaster relief funds run short and the Great Granary is often tapped for advances, yet the Qingning, Renshou, Weiyang, and other palaces regularly run surpluses that are mostly handed out to imperial kin. Would it not be better to keep those surpluses for the Imperial Household and honor the Empress Dowager's virtue? The Emperor ordered expenditures at the Qianqing and Kunning palaces temporarily cut by one tenth. Lu Mi presented tribute lions, western oxen, western dogs, western horses, and various pearls and jade. Yipeng cited the Han precedent of closing the Jade Gate and declining Western tribute, urging that border officials be ordered to give fitting rewards, send the envoys home, and keep them from entering the capital—thus showcasing the court's virtue in not coveting exotic goods. The Emperor refused to listen. Soon afterward he joined the palace-gate protest over the Grand Rites and was beaten in court.

侍郎胡瓚、都督魯綱督師討大同叛卒，列上功狀，請遍頒文武大臣、臺諫、部曹及各邊撫、按、鎮、監賞。一鵬言：「桂勇誅郭監等，在瓚未至之先。徐氈兒等之誅，事由朱振，於瓚無與。瓚欲邀功冒賞，懼眾口非議，乃請並敘以媚之。夫自大同構難，大臣臺諫誰為陛下畫一策者？孤城窮寇尚多逋逃，各邊鎮、撫相去數千里，安在其能犄角也？」請治瓚等欺罔罪，賞乃不行。

Vice Minister Hu Zan and Regional Commander Lu Gang led troops against the Datong mutineers, submitted a merit roster, and asked that rewards be distributed widely among grand ministers, censorate officials, ministry clerks, and frontier governors, inspectors, commanders, and supervisors. Yipeng said, "Gui Yong had already executed Guo Jian and the others before Zan ever arrived. The killing of Xu Zhan'er and his fellows was Zhu Zhen's doing and had nothing to do with Zan. Zan hoped to claim credit and reap rewards; fearing outcry, he asked that everyone be included in the merit list to buy favor. Since the Datong crisis began, which grand minister or censorate official has offered Your Majesty a single workable plan? The mutineers still have many fugitives at large, and frontier commanders and governors are thousands of li apart—how could they have acted in concert? He called for Zan and his fellows to be punished for fraud, and the rewards were withheld.

時諸臣進言多獲譴，而一鵬間得俞旨，益發舒言事。論楊宏不宜推寧夏總兵官；席書不宜訐費宏，留其弟春為修撰；王憲夤緣貴近，鄧璋敗事甘肅，不宜舉三邊總督；服闋尚書羅欽順、請告祭酒魯鐸、被謫修撰呂柟宜召置經筵；廷臣乞省親養疾，不宜概不許。諸疏皆侃侃。會武定侯郭勛欲得虎賁左衛以廣其第，使指揮王琬等言，衛湫隘不足居吏士，而民郭順者願以宅易之。順，勛家奴也，其宅更湫隘。一鵬與同官張嵩劾勛：「以敝宅易公署，驕縱罔上。昔竇憲改沁水園，卒以逆誅。勛謀奪朝廷武衛，其惡豈止憲比？部臣附勢曲從，宜坐罪。」尚書趙璜等因自劾。詔還所易，勛甚銜之。而一鵬復以李福達獄劾勛，桂萼、張璁因坐以妄奏，拷掠除名。九廟災，言官會薦遺賢及一鵬，竟不復召。久之，卒。隆慶初復官，贈光祿少卿。

At a time when remonstrance usually brought punishment, Yipeng occasionally won the Emperor's assent and grew bolder in speaking out. He argued that Yang Hong was unsuited to be promoted to Ningxia regional commander; that Xi Shu should not be allowed to attack Fei Hong while keeping his own brother Chun on as a compiler; that Wang Xian had risen through court connections and that Deng Zhang had failed in Gansu—neither deserved recommendation as Three Border supreme commander; that Minister Luo Qinshun, who had finished mourning, Chancellor Lu Duo, who had requested leave, and demoted compiler Lu Nan ought to be recalled to the imperial lecture; and that petitions from ministers to visit family or recuperate should not be rejected wholesale. Every one of these memorials was bold and forthright. When Duke of Wuding Guo Xun sought to take over the Huben Left Guard to enlarge his mansion, he had commander Wang Wan and others claim the guard quarters were too cramped for officers and men and that a commoner named Guo Shun was willing to swap his house for the site. Shun was a bond-servant in Xun's household, and his dwelling was even more cramped. Yipeng and his colleague Zhang Song impeached Xun: "Trading a ramshackle house for a government compound shows arrogance, license, and contempt for the throne. In antiquity Dou Xian seized the Qinshui Garden and was eventually executed for treason. Xun schemed to seize an imperial military guard—his offense surely exceeds Dou Xian's. The ministry officials who bent to his power ought to be punished as well. Minister Zhao Huang and his colleagues thereupon impeached themselves. An edict ordered the property returned, and Xun nursed a deep grievance. When Yipeng again impeached Xun in the Li Fuda case, Gui E and Zhang Cong had him convicted of false reporting, tortured, and struck from the rolls. After the fire at the Nine Temples, censorate officials jointly recommended overlooked talent and Yipeng, but he was never recalled. In time he died. In the early Longqing reign his rank was restored and he was posthumously appointed Vice Minister of the Imperial Household.

唐樞，字惟中，歸安人。嘉靖五年進士。授刑部主事。言官以李福達獄交劾郭勛，然不得獄辭要領。樞上疏言：

Tang Shu, whose style was Weizhong, was a native of Gui'an. He passed the metropolitan examination in Jiajing 5. He was appointed section chief in the Ministry of Punishments. Censorate officials kept impeaching Guo Xun over the Li Fuda case, yet never got to the heart of the case records. Shu submitted a memorial:

李福達之獄，陛下駁勘再三，誠古帝王欽恤盛心。而諸臣負陛下，欺蔽者肆其讒，謅諛者混其說，畏威者變其辭，訪緝者淆其真。是以陛下惑滋甚，而是非卒不能明。臣竊惟陛下之疑有六。謂謀反罪重，不宜輕加於所疑，一也。謂天下人貌有相似，二也。謂薛良言弗可聽，三也。謂李玨初牒明，四也。謂臣下立黨傾郭勛，五也。謂崞、洛證佐皆仇人，六也。臣請一一辨之。

In the Li Fuda case, Your Majesty has ordered the investigation reopened again and again—a mark of the reverent compassion of the sage emperors of old. Yet your officials have failed you—deceivers spread slander freely, flatterers muddle the story, the fearful change their testimony, and investigators confuse the facts. Thus Your Majesty grows more confused, and the rights and wrongs of the matter still cannot be settled. I venture to think Your Majesty harbors six doubts. First, that rebellion is a grave charge and should not lightly be laid on a mere suspect. Second, that people in the world can look alike. Third, that Xue Liang's testimony should not be credited. Fourth, that Li Jue's original dispatch was clear. Fifth, that your ministers have formed a faction to bring down Guo Xun. Sixth, that the witnesses from Guo and Luo are all sworn enemies. Allow me to address each in turn.

福達之出也，始而王良、李鉞從之，其意何為？繼而惠慶、邵進祿等師之，其傳何事？李鐵漢十月下旬之約，其行何求？「我有天分」數語，其情何謀？「太上玄天，垂文秘書」，其辭何指？劫庫攻城，張旗拜爵，雖成於進祿等，其原何自？鉞伏誅於前，進祿敗露於後，反狀甚明。故陜西之人曰可殺，山西之人曰可殺，京畿中無一人不曰可殺，惟左右之人曰不可，則臣不得而知也。此不必疑一也。

When Fuda first appeared, Wang Liang and Li Yue followed him—what did they intend? Then Huiqing, Shao Jinlu, and others made him their teacher—what were they taught? The compact Li Tiehan arranged in late tenth month—what were they seeking to accomplish? The words 'I have Heaven's mandate'—what plot lay behind them? What did he mean by the phrase 'Supreme Mysterious Heaven bestows secret scriptures'? The looting of storehouses, attacks on cities, raising of rebel banners, and bestowal of ranks were carried out by Jinlu and his followers—but where did all of that begin? Jinlu was executed with the ceremonial axe, and afterward his plot was fully exposed—the evidence of rebellion could hardly be clearer. People in Shaanxi say he deserves death; people in Shanxi say the same; in the capital, everyone agrees—yet only those around Your Majesty say otherwise. How, then, can I understand your hesitation? Your first doubt, then, is groundless.

且福達之形最易辨識，或取驗於頭禿，或證辨於鄉音，如李二、李俊、李三是其族，識之矣。發於戚廣之妻之口，是其孫識之矣。始認於杜文柱，是其姻識之矣。質證於韓良相、李景全，是其友識之矣。一言於高尚節、王宗美，是鄜州主人識之矣。再言於邵繼美、宗自成，是洛川主人識之矣。三言於石文舉等，是山、陜道路之人皆識之矣。此不必疑二也。

Fuda's appearance was easy to recognize—some knew him by his bald head, others by his accent. Li Er, Li Jun, and Li San, members of his clan, all identified him. Qi Guang's wife spoke up, and her grandson recognized him. Du Wenzhu was the first to recognize him—a kinsman by marriage. Han Liangxiang and Li Jingquan confirmed the identification—they were his friends. Gao Shangjie and Wang Zongmei, who had hosted him in Fuzhou, also recognized him. Shao Jimei and Zong Zicheng, his hosts in Luochuan, identified him as well. Shi Wenju and others testified too—travelers on the roads of Shanxi and Shaanxi knew him on sight. Your second doubt, likewise, should be set aside.

薛良怙惡，誠非善人。至所言張寅之即福達，即李午，實有明據，不得以人廢言。況福達蹤跡譎密，黠慧過人，人鹹墮其術中，非良狡猾亦不能發彼陰私。從來發摘告訐之事，原不必出之敦良樸厚之人。此不當疑三也。

Xue Liang was a wicked man, to be sure—not someone of good character. Yet his claim that Zhang Yin was really Li Fuda, alias Li Wu, rested on solid evidence. A man's character must not discredit truthful testimony. Fuda moved in secrecy and was cleverer than most; many had been taken in by his tricks. Only someone as shrewd as Xue Liang could have brought his hidden crimes to light. Exposés and denunciations have never required a witness who was honest, plain, and upright. Your third doubt is equally unfounded.

李玨因見薛良非善人，又見李福達無龍虎形、朱砂字，又見五臺縣張子真戶內實有張寅父子，又見崞縣左廂都無李福達、李午名，遂茍且定案，輕縱元兇。殊不知五臺自嘉靖元年黃冊始收，寅父子忽從何來？納粟拜官，其為素封必非一日之積，前此何以隱漏？崞縣在城坊既有李伏答，乃於左廂都追察，又以李午為真名，求其貫址，何可得也？則軍籍之無考，何足據也？況福達既有妖術，則龍虎形、朱砂字，安知非前此假之以惑眾，後此去之以避罪？亦不可盡謂薛良之誣矣。此不當疑四也。

Li Jue dismissed Xue Liang as untrustworthy, found no dragon-tiger birthmark or cinnabar inscription on the suspect, noted Zhang Yin and his sons listed under Zhang Zizhen's household in Wutai County, and found no record of Li Fuda or Li Wu in Guo County's Left Garrison Brigade. On that basis he closed the case in haste and let the real culprit go. He failed to ask the obvious question: Wutai's household register had only begun accepting new entries in Jiajing 1—so where had Zhang Yin and his sons come from overnight? A family wealthy enough to buy office with grain payments does not become rich overnight. Why had they never appeared in the records before? Li Fuda was already registered in Guo County's urban wards, yet Li Jue searched the Left Garrison Brigade under the name Li Wu and then wondered why he could find no registered address. How, then, could an inconclusive search of the military rolls be treated as proof? And if Fuda truly possessed occult powers, who is to say he had not faked the dragon-tiger mark and cinnabar inscription to impress followers, then erased them to evade prosecution? Nor can Xue Liang's testimony be dismissed outright as fabrication. Your fourth doubt, too, does not hold.

京師自四方來者不止一福達，既改名張寅，又衣冠形貌似之，郭勛從而信之，亦理之所有。其為妖賊余黨，亦意料所不能及。在勛自有可居之過，在陛下既宏議貴之恩，諸臣縱有傾勛之心，亦安能加之罪乎？此不用疑五也。

Many men come to the capital from every province—not every one of them is Li Fuda. Having taken the name Zhang Yin and dressed the part, it was understandable that Guo Xun believed him. That he was in fact a surviving accomplice of a heretic rebel was something no one could reasonably have foreseen. Guo Xun may well bear some blame, but Your Majesty has already shown him great favor. Even if some ministers wished to bring him down, how could they convict him on that basis alone? Your fifth doubt is likewise unnecessary.

鞫獄者曰誣，必言所誣何因。曰讎，必言所讎何事。若曰薛良，讎也，則一切證佐非讎也。曰韓良相、戚廣，讎也，則高尚節、屈孔、石文舉，非讎也。曰魏泰、劉永振，讎也，則今布按府縣官非讎也。曰山、陜人，讎也，則京師道路之人非讎也。此不用疑六也。

When investigators claim a charge is fabricated, they must explain why it was fabricated. When they invoke personal enmity, they must specify what the grudge was about. If Xue Liang alone is dismissed as an enemy, then none of the other witnesses can be. If Han Liangxiang and Qi Guang are enemies, then Gao Shangjie, Qu Kong, and Shi Wenju plainly are not. If Wei Tai and Liu Yongzhen are enemies, then the provincial, surveillance, prefectural, and county officials who testified cannot be. If everyone from Shanxi and Shaanxi is an enemy, then the witnesses encountered on the roads of the capital cannot be. Your sixth and final doubt should be dismissed as well.

望陛下六疑盡釋，明正福達之罪。庶群奸屏跡，宗社幸甚。疏入，帝大怒，斥為民。其後《欽明大獄錄》刪樞疏不載。

I beg Your Majesty to lay all six doubts to rest and pronounce Li Fuda's guilt clearly. Then the wicked will have nowhere to hide, and the dynasty will be the better for it. When the memorial arrived, the Emperor flew into a rage and stripped Shu of his office, reducing him to commoner status. Later, when the "Records of Grand Cases in the August Ming" was compiled, Shu's memorial was cut and omitted.

樞少學於湛若水，深造實踐。又留心經世略，九邊及越、蜀、滇、黔險阻厄塞，無不親歷。躡屩茹草，至老不衰。隆慶初，復官。以年老，加秩致仕。會高拱憾徐階，謂階恤錄先朝建言諸臣，乃彰先帝之過，請悉停之，樞竟不錄。

In his youth Shu studied under Zhan Ruoshui and pursued a rigorous course of practical self-cultivation. He also devoted himself to statecraft, personally traveling the Nine Frontiers and the treacherous passes of Guangdong, Sichuan, Yunnan, and Guizhou. He tramped rough roads in straw sandals and lived on simple fare, and kept at it until old age. In the early Longqing reign his rank was restored. Because of his advanced age, he was promoted in rank and allowed to retire. Gao Gong, who resented Xu Jie, argued that restoring the honors of ministers punished under the previous reign for their memorials would expose the late emperor's errors, and he persuaded the court to halt the program. Shu was never included.

杜鸞，字羽文，陜西鹹寧人。正德末進士。授大理評事。嘉靖初，伏闕爭《大禮》，杖午門外。長沙盜李鑒與父華劫村聚，華誅，鑒得脫。後復行劫，捕獲之。席書時撫湖廣，劾知府宋卿故入鑒。帝遣大臣按之，言鑒盜有狀，帝命逮鑒至京。書上言：「臣以議禮忤朝臣，問官故與臣左。乞敕法司會官覆。」於是鸞會御史蘇恩再訊，無異詞，疏言：「書以惡卿故為鑒奏辨，且以議禮為言。夫大禮之議，發於聖孝。書偶一言當意，動援此以挾陛下，壓群僚。壞亂政體，莫此為甚。」帝重違書意，竟免鑒死，戍遼東。

Du Luan, whose style was Yuwen, was a native of Xianning in Shaanxi. He passed the metropolitan examination in the final years of the Zhengde reign. He was appointed reviewing officer at the Court of Judicial Review. Early in the Jiajing reign he joined the protest at the palace gate over the Great Rites and was beaten outside the Meridian Gate. Li Jian, a bandit from Changsha, and his father Hua had robbed villages. Hua was executed, but Jian got away. He returned to banditry and was eventually captured. Xi Shu, then grand coordinator of Huguang, impeached Prefect Song Qing for deliberately framing Li Jian. The Emperor sent a senior official to review the case, who confirmed the evidence of Li Jian's crimes. The Emperor then ordered him brought to the capital for trial. Xi Shu memorialized the throne: 'Because I took the opposing side in the Rites dispute, the court officials who examined this case were bound to rule against me. I ask that the judicial authorities be ordered to rehear the case with a joint panel of officials. Du Luan then joined Censor Su En in a second inquiry. The testimony was unchanged, and he reported: 'Xi Shu pleaded for Li Jian out of spite toward Song Qing, and invoked the Rites dispute to do it. The Great Rites controversy arose from Your Majesty's filial devotion. Xi Shu happened to strike the right note once, and ever since he has wielded the Rites issue to pressure Your Majesty and intimidate the rest of the bureaucracy. Nothing has done more to corrupt the conduct of government. The Emperor, unwilling to cross Xi Shu, spared Li Jian's life and banished him to Liaodong instead.

已，復有張寅之獄。鸞與刑部郎中司馬相、御史高世魁司其牘。鸞上言：「往者李鑒之獄，陛下徇席書言，誤恩廢法，權幸遂以鬻獄為常，請托無忌。今勛謀又成矣。書曰『以議禮招怨』，勛亦曰『以議禮招怨』。書曰『欲殺鑒以仇臣』，勛亦曰：『欲殺寅以仇臣』。簧鼓聖聰，如出一口。以陛下尊親之盛典，為奸邪掩覆之深謀，將使賄賂公行，亂賊接踵，非聖朝福也。」已而桂萼等力反前獄，鸞坐除名。

Not long afterward came the Zhang Yin case. Du Luan, together with Sima Xiang of the Ministry of Punishments and Censor Gao Shikui, handled the case files. Du Luan memorialized: 'In the Li Jian case, Your Majesty heeded Xi Shu and set aside the law in a misguided show of favor. Since then the powerful have treated the sale of justice as routine, and patronage has gone unchecked. Now Guo Xun's scheme has succeeded once more. Xi Shu said he was being targeted 'because of the Rites dispute'; Guo Xun says the same. Xi Shu claimed his enemies 'wanted Li Jian dead to get at me'; Guo Xun now claims they 'want Zhang Yin dead to get at me.' They whisper the same sophistry into the imperial ear, as if speaking from a single script. They are turning Your Majesty's solemn rites of honoring his father into a cover for wicked men. Bribery will flourish openly, rebels will follow in succession, and the dynasty will suffer for it. Gui E and his allies then overturned the earlier verdict, and Du Luan was stripped of his rank and dismissed.

初，書之欲寬李鑒也，給事中管律言：「比言事者，每借議禮為詞。或乞休，或引罪，或為人辨訴，於議禮本不相涉，而動必援引牽附，何哉？蓋小人欲中傷人，以非此不足激陛下怒；而欲自固其寵，又非此不足得陛下歡也。乞誡自今言事者，據事直陳，毋假借，以累聖德。」帝是其言，命都察院曉示百官。越二日，御史李儼以世廟成，請恤錄議禮獲罪諸臣，且請詳察是非：「議禮是而行事非者，不以是掩非。議禮非而行事是者，不以非掩是。使黨與全消，時靡有爭，則大公之治也。」未幾，給事中陳臯謨亦言：「獻皇帝追崇之禮，實出陛下至情。書輩乃貪為己功，互相黨援，恣情喜怒，作福作威。若李鑒父子，成案昭然。書曲為申救，謂『眾以議禮憾臣，因陷鑒死』。夫議禮者，朝廷之公典，合與不合，何至深讎？縱使讎書，鑒非書子弟親戚交遊也，何故讎之？至郭勛黨庇奸人，請屬事露，則又代奸人妄訴，亦以議禮激眾怒為言，不至於濫恩廢法不已，豈不大可異哉！乞亟斥書、勛而置鑒重典，窮按勛請托事，使人心曉然，知權奸不足恃，國法不可幹，然後逆節潛消，悻門永塞。」帝弗聽。

When Xi Shu first moved to leniency for Li Jian, Supervising Secretary Guan Lu observed: 'Memorialists of late constantly invoke the Rites dispute in their petitions. Whether asking to retire, confessing fault, or pleading someone else's case, the matter has nothing to do with the Rites—yet they drag it in every time. Why? Petty men do it to wound their enemies—nothing else reliably provokes Your Majesty's wrath; and to keep their own favor, nothing else so reliably wins Your Majesty's approval. I ask that hereafter memorialists be instructed to speak plainly to the facts and stop borrowing the Rites issue, lest they tarnish Your Majesty's reputation. The Emperor agreed and ordered the Censorate to circulate the admonition to the entire bureaucracy. Two days later, with the Spirit Temple completed, Censor Li Yan asked that the ministers punished over the Rites be posthumously restored, and urged a careful sorting of right from wrong: 'Where a man was right about the Rites but wrong in his conduct, his Rites stance must not excuse his misconduct. Where a man was wrong about the Rites but right in his conduct, his error on the Rites must not obscure his merits. Only when factions are fully dissolved and disputes cease will the court achieve truly impartial governance. Soon afterward Supervising Secretary Chen Gaomo added: 'The rites honoring the late Emperor Xian sprang from Your Majesty's deepest filial feeling. Xi Shu and his allies seized the credit for themselves, formed factions, and ruled by caprice— dispensing favors and punishments at will. Take Li Jian and his father: their guilt was plain. Xi Shu bent the law to save them, claiming that 'my enemies in the Rites dispute are trying to kill Li Jian to get at me.' The Rites dispute was a matter of public policy. Agreement or disagreement on it hardly makes men mortal enemies. Even if Xi Shu had enemies, Li Jian was no relation, friend, or associate of his. Why would anyone take revenge on Jian? As for Guo Xun, he shields criminals and, when his back-channel dealings are exposed, pleads their case with the same Rites excuse to stir public outrage— as if no favor is too great and no law too sacred. Is this not outrageous? I urge Your Majesty to dismiss Xi Shu and Guo Xun at once, impose the full penalty on Li Jian, and thoroughly investigate Guo Xun's patronage network. Let everyone see that powerful schemers cannot be trusted and the law cannot be bought—only then will sedition wither and the door to corruption be shut for good. The Emperor paid no heed.

葉應驄，字肅卿，鄞人。正德十二年進士。授刑部主事。偕同官諫南巡，杖三十。嘉靖初，歷郎中。伏闕爭「大禮」，再下獄廷杖。

Ye Yingcong, whose style was Suqing, was a native of Yin. He passed the metropolitan examination in Zhengde 12. He received an appointment as section chief in the Ministry of Punishments. He joined his colleagues in protesting the southern tour and was beaten thirty strokes. Early in the Jiajing reign he rose to bureau director. He joined the palace-gate protest over the Great Rites and was imprisoned and beaten at court a second time.

給事中潮陽陳洸素無賴。家居與知縣宋元翰不相能，令其子柱訐元翰謫戍。元翰摭洸罪及帷薄事刊布之，名《辨冤錄》。洸由是不齒於清議，尚書喬宇出之為湖廣僉事。洸初嘗言獻帝不可稱皇。而是時張璁、桂萼輩以議禮驟顯，洸乃上疏言璁等議是，宜急去本生之稱，因詆宇及文選郎夏良勝，而稱引其黨前給事中於桂、閻閎、史道，前御史曹嘉。帝即還洸等職，謫良勝於外。洸遂劾大學士費宏、尚書金獻民、趙鑒、侍郎吳一鵬、朱希周、汪偉、郎中余才、劉天民、員外郎薛蕙、給事中鄭一鵬悉邪黨，而薦廖紀等十五人。俄又劾吏部尚書楊旦等。帝益大喜。立罷旦，擢紀代之。璁、萼輩遂引以擊異己。給事中趙漢、御史朱衣等交章劾洸，而御史張日韜、戴金、藍田又特疏論之。田並劾席書，且封上元翰《辨冤錄》。都御史王時中請罷洸聽勘。洸奏：「群奸恨臣抗議大禮，將令撫按殺臣，請遣一錦衣往」。洸意，錦衣可利誘也。得旨遣應驄及錦衣千戶李經。應驄與焚香誓天，會御史熊蘭、塗相等雜治，具上洸罪狀至百七十二條。除赦前及曖昧者勿論，當論者十三條。罪惡極，宜斬，妻離異，子柱絞。洸懼，亡詣闕申訴。帝持應驄奏不下。尚書趙鑒、副都御史張潤、給事中解一貫、御史鄭本公等連章執奏。帝不得已，始命覆核。郎中黃綰力持應驄議。書、萼為居間不能得，要璁共奏，謂洸議禮臣，為法官所中。帝入其言，命免罪為民。大理卿湯沐及鑒、一貫更爭之，不聽。未幾，「大禮」書成，並原洸妻子。應驄尋遷吉安知府，母喪歸。

Supervising Secretary Chen Guang of Chaoyang was a man of bad character. At home he feuded with Magistrate Song Yuanhan and had his son Zhu lodge accusations that got Yuanhan exiled to frontier service. Song Yuanhan collected evidence of Chen Guang's crimes and private misconduct, and published it under the title "Record of Vindicating the Wronged." Chen Guang fell out of favor with the moral critics at court, and Minister Qiao Yu had him posted away as assistant commissioner in Huguang. Chen Guang had once argued that the late Emperor Xian ought not to be styled emperor. By then, however, Zhang Cong, Gui E, and their allies had shot to power on the strength of the Rites dispute. Chen Guang seized the moment with a memorial endorsing their view and urging the immediate abolition of the title of biological father. In the same breath he attacked Qiao Yu and Selection Secretary Xia Liangsheng, while praising his own allies among them: the former supervising secretaries Yu Gui, Yan Hong, and Shi Dao, and the former censor Cao Jia. The Emperor at once restored Chen Guang and his allies to office and posted Xia Liangsheng away from the capital. Chen Guang next denounced Grand Secretary Fei Hong, Ministers Jin Xianmin and Li Jian, Vice Ministers Wu Yipeng, Zhu Xizhou, and Wang Wei, Bureau Directors Yu Cai and Liu Tianmin, Section Vice Director Xue Hui, and Supervising Secretary Zheng Yipeng as members of a corrupt faction, while recommending fifteen men including Liao Ji to replace them. Before long he impeached Minister of Personnel Yang Dan and others as well. The Emperor was delighted. Yang Dan was dismissed on the spot, and Liao Ji was promoted to take his place. Zhang Cong, Gui E, and their followers then used him as a weapon against their opponents. Supervising Secretary Zhao Han, Censor Zhu Yi, and others filed one memorial after another impeaching Chen Guang, while Censors Zhang Ritao, Dai Jin, and Lan Tian submitted separate memorials of their own. Lan Tian also impeached Xi Shu and submitted Song Yuanhan's Record of Vindicating the Wronged under seal. Censor-in-Chief Wang Shizhong asked that Chen Guang be removed from office and held for trial. Chen Guang memorialized: 'The whole pack of schemers hates me for opposing the Great Rites and will have the provincial authorities kill me. I beg that an officer of the Embroidered Uniform Guard be sent to investigate.' Chen Guang calculated that an Embroidered Uniform Guard officer could be bought off. An imperial order came down dispatching Ye Yingcong together with Li Jing, a thousand-household of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Ye Yingcong burned incense and swore an oath before Heaven, then joined Censors Xiong Lan, Tu Xiang, and others in a joint inquiry. In all they submitted one hundred seventy-two counts against Chen Guang. Charges predating the amnesty and those too unclear to stand were set aside; thirteen counts remained for judgment. The crimes were judged capital. Chen Guang should be beheaded, his wife divorced from him, and his son Zhu executed by strangulation. Terrified, Chen Guang fled to the palace gate to plead his case in person. The Emperor kept Ye Yingcong's report and refused to act on it. Minister Li Jian, Vice Censor-in-Chief Zhang Run, Supervising Secretary Jie Yigui, Censor Zheng Bengong, and others filed memorial after memorial pressing the case. The Emperor, left with no alternative, finally ordered a review. Bureau Director Huang Wan staunchly defended Ye Yingcong's findings. Xi Shu and Gui E tried to mediate but failed; they then pressed Zhang Cong to join them in a memorial claiming that Chen Guang, a supporter of the Rites cause, had been undone by the investigating magistrate. The Emperor took their side and ordered Chen Guang absolved of criminal guilt and reduced to commoner status. Chief Minister of Justice Tang Mu, together with Li Jian and Jie Yigui, protested again, but the Emperor would not hear them. Not long afterward, when the Great Rites compendium was finished, Chen Guang's wife and son were pardoned as well. Ye Yingcong was soon transferred to prefect of Ji'an, then went home to mourn his mother.

六年，驄、萼益用事。而萼方掌刑部，廷臣馬錄等以劾郭勛下獄。洸謂乘此故案可反也，上書訐應驄等。萼因訟洸冤。遂逮洸、應驄、元翰、綰，而令按察使張祐等還籍候命，詞連四百人。九卿及錦衣衛廷訊，應驄對曰：「某所持者王章耳，必欲直洸，惟諸公命。」刑部尚書胡世寧等心知洸罪重，而懲前大獄，不敢執。會是日黃霧四塞，獄弗竟。次日，又大風拔木。有詔修省，不用刑。乃當應驄按事不實律，為民，元翰、綰及田等貶斥有差，洸授冠帶。霍韜再疏為洸訟不能得，洸益憾應驄。逾數年，更令人奏應驄勘獄時，酷殺無辜二十六人，下巡按李美覆勘。美言死者皆有狀，非故殺。刑部尚書許贊白應驄無罪。帝特謫應驄戍遼東。是獄也，始終八載。凡攻洸與治洸獄者無不得罪，逮捕至百數十人。天下惡萼輩奸橫，益羞言議禮臣矣。

In the sixth year, Gui E and his faction tightened their grip on power still further. Gui E was then running the Ministry of Punishments, and court officials including Ma Lu had been thrown into prison for impeaching Guo Xun. Chen Guang decided that the moment offered a chance to overturn the old verdict and submitted a memorial accusing Ye Yingcong and his associates. Gui E took up Chen Guang's cause and pressed his grievance at court. Chen Guang, Ye Yingcong, Song Yuanhan, and Huang Wan were arrested; surveillance commissioners such as Zhang You were ordered home to await further instructions; and the case dragged in four hundred people. The Nine Ministers and the Embroidered Uniform Guard interrogated the case at court. Ye Yingcong answered: 'All I upheld was the law of the realm. If you gentlemen mean to clear Chen Guang, that is your command to give. Minister of Punishments Hu Shining and the others knew perfectly well that Chen Guang's crimes were serious, but shaken by the earlier great purge, none dared stand firm. That same day yellow fog closed in on every side, and the trial could not be brought to a conclusion. The next day a violent wind tore trees up by the roots. An edict called for moral self-examination throughout the realm and suspended the use of punishments. Ye Yingcong was convicted under the statute for investigating a case on false grounds and reduced to commoner status; Song Yuanhan, Huang Wan, Lan Tian, and others were demoted and banished in varying degrees; and Chen Guang was restored to minor official standing with cap and sash. Huo Tao memorialized again on Chen Guang's behalf but could not prevail, and Chen Guang came to hate Ye Yingcong all the more bitterly. Several years later, Chen Guang had others submit a memorial accusing Ye Yingcong of having cruelly killed twenty-six innocent people while investigating cases. The matter was referred to touring censor Li Mei for review. Li Mei reported that each of the dead had been lawfully condemned and that there had been no deliberate murder. Minister of Punishments Xu Zan declared Ye Yingcong innocent. The Emperor nonetheless banished Ye Yingcong to frontier service in Liaodong. That case dragged on for eight years from start to finish. Everyone who had attacked Chen Guang or handled his case was punished in turn, and more than a hundred people were arrested. People throughout the empire loathed Gui E and his followers for their treachery and bullying, and grew ever more ashamed to hear the Rites-faction officials praised.

應驄赴戍所，道經蘇州。知府治具候之，立解維去，致饋不受。十六年赦歸。明堂大享禮成，復寇帶。應驄敦行誼，好著書，數更患難氣不挫。

On his way to his place of exile, Ye Yingcong passed through Suzhou. The prefect prepared a banquet to welcome him, but Ye Yingcong cast off at once and sailed away; even gifts sent after him he refused to accept. In the sixteenth year he was pardoned and allowed to return home. After the Bright Hall grand sacrifice was completed, he was again granted official cap and sash. Ye Yingcong was devoted in friendship, loved to write, and though he suffered one ordeal after another, his spirit never broke.

黃綰，息人。為刑部主事，諫南巡被杖。歷郎中，出為紹興知府，以寬大為治。被征時，士民哭震野，爭致贐，綰止取二錢。至京，下詔獄，瘐死。隆慶初，贈太常少卿。

Huang Wan was a native of Xi. As a section chief in the Ministry of Punishments, he protested the southern tour and was beaten with the rod. He rose to bureau director, then was appointed prefect of Shaoxing, where he governed with leniency and restraint. When he was recalled to the capital, scholars and commoners wept until the countryside rang with lament; they competed to send him parting gifts, but Huang Wan accepted only two cash. Once he reached the capital he was thrown into the imperial prison, where he wasted away and died. At the opening of the Longqing reign he was posthumously made Vice Director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices.

藍田，即墨人。爭「大禮」被杖。張璁掌都察院，考察其屬，落職歸。

Lan Tian was a native of Jimo. He joined the protest over the Great Rites and was beaten with the rod. When Zhang Cong took charge of the Censorate and reviewed its personnel, Lan Tian was dismissed and sent home.

尋進吏科都給事中。教授王價、錄事錢予勛以考察罷，假議禮希復用。一貫等言：「如此，將壞祖宗百年制。」事竟寢。張璁、桂萼日擊費宏不已，一貫偕同官言：「宏立朝行事，律以古大臣固不能無議。但入仕至今，未聞有大過。至璁、萼平生奸險，特以議禮一事偶合聖心。超擢以來，憑恃寵靈，淩轢朝士。與宏積怨已久，欲奪其位而居之。陛下以累疏俱付所司，而於其終乃曰『爾等宜各修乃職』，蓋所以陰折其奸謀者至矣。二三臣不體至意，或專攻宏，或兼攻璁、萼，不知能去宏，不能去璁、萼也。君子難進易退，小人則不然。宏恤人言，顧廉恥，猶可望以君子。璁、萼則小人之尤，何所忌憚？茍其計得行，則奸邪氣勢愈增，善類中傷無已，天下事將大有可慮者。」時鄭洛書、張錄皆論三人事，而一貫言尤切。詔下之所司。璁、萼等銜不已，竟謫開州判官以卒。

Jie Yigui was soon promoted to chief supervising secretary of the Office of Scrutiny for Personnel. Instructor Wang Jia and recorder Qian Yixun had been dismissed in the personnel review and now pretended devotion to the Rites cause in hopes of being reappointed. Jie Yigui and his colleagues said: 'If this is permitted, it will destroy a system our ancestors maintained for a century. In the end the matter was dropped. Zhang Cong and Gui E attacked Fei Hong day after day without letup. Jie Yigui and his colleagues submitted a memorial saying: 'Measured by the standards of the great ministers of old, Fei Hong's conduct in office is certainly open to criticism. Yet from the day he entered office until now, we have heard of no grave offense on his part. Zhang Cong and Gui E, by contrast, have been treacherous and ruthless all their lives; they won favor only because their view on the Rites dispute happened to suit Your Majesty. Since their sudden rise they have leaned on imperial favor and ridden roughshod over their colleagues at court. They have long nursed a grudge against Fei Hong and now seek to drive him out and take his place. Your Majesty referred the stream of memorials to the responsible offices, yet ended by saying, 'Each of you should attend to his own duties'—a subtle but unmistakable rebuke meant to break their scheming. A few ministers failed to grasp Your Majesty's deeper intent: some attacked Fei Hong alone, others Zhang Cong and Gui E as well, not understanding that Hong might be removed, but Cong and Gui would not go with him. A man of integrity finds it hard to rise but easy to step aside; a petty man is not like that. Fei Hong cares what others say of him and still has a sense of honor; one may still hope to treat him as a man of integrity. Zhang Cong and Gui E are petty men of the worst kind. What would they not dare to do? If their plot succeeds, the wicked will grow bolder still, good men will be slandered without end, and the affairs of the realm will become deeply alarming. Zheng Luoshu and Zhang Lu also spoke on the three men's conduct at that time, but Jie Yigui's language was the sharpest of all. An edict referred the matter to the responsible offices. Zhang Cong, Gui E, and their allies never forgave the affront; in the end Jie Yigui was banished to serve as assistant magistrate of Kaizhou, where he died.

鄭洛書，字啟範，莆田人。弱冠登進士，授上海知縣，有善政。嘉靖四年召拜御史。張璁、桂萼以陳九川事訐費宏，洛書與同官鄭氣言：「九川事，人謂璁、萼與謀，固已得罪公論，而宏取與之際亦未明。夫朝廷有紀綱，大臣重進退，宏、璁、萼皆不可不去。宏不去，則有持祿保位之誚，璁、萼不去，亦冒蹊田奪牛之嫌。」詔責洛書妄言。

Zheng Luoshu, whose style was Qifan, was a native of Putian. He passed the metropolitan examination in his early twenties, was appointed magistrate of Shanghai, and governed well. In Jiajing 4 he was summoned to the capital and appointed censor. Zhang Cong and Gui E used the Chen Jiuchuan affair to attack Fei Hong. Zheng Luoshu and his colleague Zheng Qi submitted a memorial saying: 'In the Jiuchuan case, many believe Zhang Cong and Gui E plotted together—a view that has already offended public opinion—but the question of what Fei Hong took or gave is also still unclear. The court has its standards, and great ministers are judged by how they advance and withdraw from office. Fei Hong, Zhang Cong, and Gui E all ought to step down. If Fei Hong does not leave, he will be accused of clinging to salary and rank; if Zhang Cong and Gui E do not leave, they will look like men who cut a path through another's field to steal his ox. An edict rebuked Zheng Luoshu for reckless speech.

帝賜尚書趙鑒、席書詩翰，洛書言：「陛下眷禮大臣，此虞廷賡歌之風也。願推此心以念舊。如致仕大臣劉健、謝遷、林俊、孫交等，特降宸章，咨訪時政，則聖德益宏。又推此心以赦過。如遷謫豐熙、劉濟、余寬、王元正等，特垂仁恩，量與牽復，則聖度益廣。」報聞。李福達獄起，帝將親鞫之，洛書曰：「陛下操獨斷之威，使法官盡得罪，雖有張釋之、於定國，不獲抗辨於人主之前，何以使刑罰中！」帝怒，將罪之，楊一清力解而止。尋出視南畿學政，道聞喪歸。

The Emperor bestowed poems and calligraphy on Ministers Li Jian and Xi Shu. Zheng Luoshu said: 'Your Majesty's gracious treatment of your ministers recalls the tradition of responsive song at the court of Emperor Shun. I hope Your Majesty will extend the same spirit to remember those who served you before. For retired ministers such as Liu Jian, Xie Qian, Lin Jun, and Sun Jiao, send down special imperial writings and seek their counsel on current affairs—then Your Majesty's virtue will shine all the brighter. Extend the same spirit, too, to pardon past offenses. For exiled officials such as Feng Xi, Liu Ji, Yu Kuan, and Wang Yuanzheng, show special mercy and restore them to office as each case warrants—then Your Majesty's magnanimity will be seen to reach farther still. The memorial was acknowledged, but nothing more was done. When the Li Fuda case arose and the Emperor prepared to try it in person, Zheng Luoshu said: 'If Your Majesty wields the power of sole judgment and leaves every judge in fear of punishment, then even men as upright as Zhang Shizhi and Yu Dingguo could not speak freely before the throne. How, then, can punishments be just? The Emperor was furious and was about to punish him, but Yang Yiqing interceded forcefully and the matter was dropped. He was soon sent out to oversee education in the Southern Metropolitan Region, but on the road he received word of a death in the family and returned home.

十二年京察事竣，更命科道官互糾，洛書被劾落職。給事中饒秀為御史所劾，無所泄憤，復劾洛書及王重賢等九人貪汙阘茸。重賢等皆降黜。時論駭之。洛書家居再逾歲卒，年三十九。子開，往依上海。上海人治田百畝資之。歲一至，收其入以歸。

In the twelfth year, after the capital evaluation was finished, censorate officials were ordered to impeach one another in turn, and Zheng Luoshu was denounced and dismissed from office. Supervising Secretary Rao Xiu, impeached by a censor and with no other outlet for his anger, turned around and accused Zheng Luoshu, Wang Chongxian, and seven others of corruption and incompetence. Wang Chongxian and the others were all demoted and removed from office. Public opinion was appalled. Zheng Luoshu lived at home a little more than two years longer and died at the age of thirty-nine. His son Kai went to live in Shanghai. The people of Shanghai worked a hundred mu of land to support him. Each year he would travel there, collect the harvest, and return home.

張錄，字宗制，城武人。正德六年進士。授太常博士，擢御史。嘉靖初，伏闕爭「大禮」，下獄廷杖。出按畿輔，劾宣府諸將失事，皆伏辜。西域魯迷貢獅子、西牛方物，言所貢玉石計費二萬三千余金，往來且七年，邀中國重賞。錄言：「明王不貴異物。今二獅日各飼一羊，是歲用七百余羊也。牛食芻菽，今乃食果餌，則食人之食矣。願返其獻，歸其人，薄其賞，以阻希望心。」帝不能用。

Zhang Lu, courtesy name Zongzhi, was from Chengwu. He passed the metropolitan examinations in Zhengde 6 (1511). He was appointed an erudite at the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, then promoted to censor. Early in the Jiajing reign he joined the palace-gate protest over the Great Rites and was imprisoned and flogged at court. As an inspecting censor in the capital region, he impeached the generals stationed at Xuanfu for military failures; all were convicted. Envoys from Lu Mi in the Western Regions brought lions, a zebu, and other tribute, claiming the jade they presented had cost more than 23,000 taels of gold; their embassies had shuttled back and forth for nearly seven years in hopes of lavish rewards from the Ming court. Zhang Lu memorialized: "A sage ruler does not prize exotic curios. At present the two lions consume one sheep apiece daily—more than seven hundred sheep over the course of a year. Cattle are meant to eat hay and grain, yet this beast is fed sweetmeats and fruit—it consumes food meant for human beings. I ask that their tribute be sent back, their envoys returned home, and their rewards kept modest, so as to discourage such hopeful schemes." The emperor did not heed his advice.

張璁擢兵部侍郎，錄與諸御史爭之，不聽。璁與桂萼屢攻費宏，錄言：「今水旱相仍，變異叠出，正臣工修省時。諸人為國股肱，相傾排若此，欲弭災變，不亦難乎？乞並黜三人，以回天譴。」帝為戒諭璁、萼。後璁以侍郎總臺事，修前憾。言錄不諳憲體，遂罷歸。家居二十年，卒。

When Zhang Cong was elevated to Vice Minister of War, Zhang Lu and fellow censors protested, but the emperor refused to listen. Zhang Cong and Gui E kept assailing Fei Hong. Zhang Lu memorialized: "Floods and droughts come one after another, and ominous portents multiply—this is precisely when officials should examine their conduct and reform. These men are the pillars of the realm, yet they tear one another down like this—how can we hope to avert heaven's warnings? I ask that all three be removed from office at once, so that heaven's reproof may be withdrawn." The emperor issued a warning reproach to Zhang Cong and Gui E. Later, as vice minister overseeing censorial affairs, Zhang Cong settled old scores. He claimed Zhang Lu did not understand proper censorial conduct, and Lu was dismissed and sent home. He lived in retirement for twenty years, then died.

陸粲，字子余，長州人。少謁同里王鏊，鏊異之曰：「此子必以文名天下。」嘉靖五年成進士，選庶吉士。七試皆第一。張璁、桂萼盡出庶吉士為部曹、縣令，粲以才獨得工科給事中。勁挺敢言。疏言：「我朝太祖至宣宗，大臣造膝陳謀，不啻家人父子。自英宗幼沖，大臣為權宜計，常朝奏事，先日擬旨，其余政事具疏封進，沿襲至今。今陛下銳意圖治，願每日朝罷，退御便殿，延見大臣；侍從臺諫輪日奏對；撫按藩臬廷辭入謝，召訪便宜；復妙選博聞有道之士，更番入直，講論經史，如仁宗弘文閣故事。則上下情通，而天下事畢陳於前矣。」帝不能用。既言資格獨重進士，致貢舉無上進階，州縣教職過輕，王官終身禁錮，皆宜變通。因陳久任使、慎考察、汰冗官諸事，而終之以復制科，仿唐、宋法，數歲一舉，以待異才：「高者儲之禁近，其次分置諸曹，先有官者遞進，庶人才畢出，野無遺賢。」

Lu Can, courtesy name Ziyu, was from Changzhou. As a young man he called on Wang Ao, a fellow townsman; Ao took notice of him and said, "This boy is destined to win literary fame throughout the empire." He passed the metropolitan examinations in Jiajing 5 (1526) and was selected as a Hanlin bachelor. He placed first in all seven examinations. Zhang Cong and Gui E had all the Hanlin bachelors transferred to ministry posts and county magistracies, but Lu Can alone—on account of his talent—was retained as supervising secretary in the Bureau of Works. Upright and outspoken, he fearlessly spoke his mind. In a memorial he wrote: "From the Hongwu Emperor to the Xuande Emperor, senior ministers counseled the throne face to face, as intimately as father and son within a household. After the young Emperor Yingzong came to the throne, ministers adopted a temporary practice: at regular audiences they would submit memoranda drafted the day before for imperial rescripts, while other business was sent in sealed memorials—a habit that persists to this day. Your Majesty is now determined to restore good governance. I ask that after each morning audience you withdraw to the Privy Chamber and receive senior ministers; let attending officials and remonstrating censors take turns presenting their counsel each day; when grand coordinators, inspecting censors, princes, and provincial surveillance commissioners take their leave at court, summon them to seek their practical advice on local affairs; moreover, select accomplished scholars of wide learning, who would serve in rotation at court to lecture on the classics and histories, following the Hongwen Pavilion precedent of the Renzong era. Then the feelings of court and realm would flow freely, and every matter of state be set plainly before Your Majesty." The emperor did not heed his advice. He went on to argue that overvaluing examination rank alone blocked career paths for tribute students and recommendees, made prefectural and county teaching posts too slight, and locked minor officials into posts for life—all policies that cried out for reform. He then proposed long tenure for capable officials, careful performance reviews, and cuts to redundant posts, and concluded by urging revival of the special examination system on the Tang and Song model, held every few years to surface unusual talent: "The most gifted should be groomed for palace service, the next tier assigned to the ministries, and incumbent officials allowed to advance in turn—so that talent of every kind would come forward and no worthy man be left neglected."

尋偕御史郗元洪清核馬房錢谷。抗疏折御馬太監閻洪，宿弊為清。與同官劉希簡爭張福獄。帝怒，俱下詔獄。杖三十，釋還職。事具《熊浹傳》。

Shortly afterward he worked with Censor Chi Yuanhong to audit accounts at the imperial stables. In a bold memorial he took on Imperial Stud Eunuch Yan Hong, and long-standing abuses were cleaned up. He locked horns with fellow supervising secretary Liu Xijian over the Zhang Fu case. The emperor was enraged and had both men thrown into the imperial prison. They were flogged thirty strokes and then released to resume their posts. The full account of this affair is given in the biography of Xiong Jia.

張璁、桂萼並居政府，專擅朝事。給事中孫應奎、王準發其私，帝猶溫旨慰諭。粲不勝憤，上疏曰：

Zhang Cong and Gui E held power together and dominated court affairs at will. Supervising secretaries Sun Yingkui and Wang Zhun exposed their misconduct, yet the emperor responded with soothing edicts of reassurance. Lu Can, unable to contain his anger, submitted a memorial that read:

璁、萼，兇險之資，乖僻之學。曩自小臣贊大禮，拔置近侍，不三四年位至宰弼。恩隆寵異，振古未聞。乃敢罔上逞私，專權招賄，擅作威福，報復恩仇。璁狠愎自用，執拗多私。萼外若寬迂，中實深刻。忮忍之毒一發於心，如蝮蛇猛獸，犯者必死。臣請姑舉數端言之。

Zhang Cong and Gui E are men of vicious temperament who subscribe to perverse doctrines. Only a few years ago they were obscure officials who lent their voices to the Great Rites controversy; whisked into the emperor's inner circle, they rose within three or four years to the highest offices of state. Such extravagant favour is without precedent in all history. Yet they dare deceive the throne, abuse their power, solicit bribes, lord it over the court, and settle personal scores. Zhang Cong is cruel, opinionated, and willful, twisting every dispute to private ends. Gui E wears a mask of mildness, but at heart he is ruthlessly vindictive. Once his spite takes hold, he strikes like a viper or maddened beast—whoever crosses him is doomed. I shall cite only a few of their outrages.

萼受尚書王瓊賂遺鉅萬，連章力薦，璁從中主之，遂得起用。昌化伯邵傑，本邵氏養子，萼納重賄，竟使奴隸小人濫襲伯爵。萼所厚醫官李夢鶴假托進書，夤緣受職，居室相鄰，中開便戶往來，常與萼家人吳從周等居間。又引鄉人周時望為選郎，交通鬻爵。時望既去，胡森代之。森與主事楊麟、王激又輔臣鄉里親戚也。

Gui E accepted bribes of tens of thousands from Minister Wang Qiong and lobbied relentlessly for his recall; Zhang Cong backed the move from behind the scenes, and Qiong was restored to office. Changhua Earl Shao Jie was merely an adopted son of the Shao family; Gui E took a large bribe and helped this base-born upstart seize an hereditary earldom. Li Menghao, a physician Gui E favored, gained office by pretending to offer books as tribute; their houses stood side by side with a private door between them for constant traffic, and Li regularly served as a go-between for Gui E's household retainers such as Wu Congzhou. He also installed his countryman Zhou Shiwang as Selection Bureau director, who traded in offices and sold appointments. When Zhou Shiwang left, Hu Sen took his place. Hu Sen, together with section chiefs Yang Lin and Wang Ji, were also hometown relatives of the chief ministers.

銓司要地，盡布私人。典選僅逾年，引用鄉故，不可悉數。如致仕尚書劉麟，其中表親也。侍郎嚴嵩，其子之師也。僉都御史李如圭，由按察使一轉徑入內臺，南京太仆少卿夏尚樸，由知府期月遂得清卿，禮部員外張假歷律而結知，御史戴金承風搏擊，甘心鷹犬，皆萼姻黨，相與朋比為奸者也。禮部尚書李時柔和善逢，猾狡多智，南京禮部尚書黃綰曲學阿世，虛談眩人，諭德彭澤夤緣改秩，躐玷清華，皆陰厚於璁而陽附於萼者也。

Every key post in the appointment bureau was filled with their own men. In little more than a year of managing appointments, he packed the bureaucracy with hometown connections beyond count. Retired Minister Liu Lin, for instance, was a maternal cousin of Gui E. Vice Minister Yan Song had been tutor to his son. Assistant Censor-in-Chief Li Rugui leapt from surveillance commissioner straight into the inner censorate; Nanjing Vice Minister of the Court of the Imperial Stud Xia Shangpu rose from prefect to a prestigious central post in a single month; Ministry of Rites Section Vice Director Zhang Jia climbed the ladder of promotion and won Gui E's favor; Censor Dai Jin joined the attack at the first sign of favor—all were Gui E's in-laws and cronies, banding together in corruption. Minister of Rites Li Shi was smooth and adept at flattery; cunning and shrewd. Nanjing Minister of Rites Huang Guan peddled distorted learning and pandered to the times with empty talk designed to dazzle. Preceptor Peng Ze schemed his way into a higher rank, staining a once-pure office—all of them secretly loyal to Zhang Cong while openly attaching themselves to Gui E.

璁等威權既盛，黨與復多，天下畏惡，莫敢訟言。不亟去之，兇人之性不移，將來必為社稷患。

With Zhang Cong and his allies wielding such power and commanding so large a faction, the realm feared and detested them, and no one dared bring charges openly. Unless they are removed at once, these ruthless men will never change; they are certain to become a grave threat to the dynasty.

帝大感悟，立下詔暴璁、萼罪狀，罷其相；而以粲不早發，下之吏。

Deeply moved, the emperor at once issued an edict publicizing the crimes of Zhang Cong and Gui E and dismissed them from the chief ministership; but because Lu Can had not spoken sooner, he was turned over to the judicial authorities for prosecution.

既而詹事霍韜力詆粲，謂楊一清嗾之。希簡言：「璁、萼去位由聖斷。且使犬謂之嗾，韜以言官比之犬，侮朝廷。」而帝竟納韜言，召璁還，奪一清官，下希簡詔獄，釋還職，謫粲貴州都鎮驛丞。

Before long Junior Tutor Huo Tao launched a furious attack on Lu Can, claiming Yang Yiqing had put him up to it. Liu Xijian responded: "Zhang Cong and Gui E lost office by the emperor's own sacred decision. To say furthermore that a dog was set to incite them is to compare remonstrating officials to dogs—an insult to the entire court." Yet the emperor ultimately heeded Huo Tao, recalled Zhang Cong, stripped Yang Yiqing of office, threw Liu Xijian into the imperial prison but then released him to resume his post, and demoted Lu Can to post-station assistant at Duzhen in Guizhou.

稍遷永新知縣。前後獲盜數百人，奸猾屏跡。久之，以念母乞歸。論薦者三十余疏，皆報罷。霍韜亦薦粲，粲曰：「天下事大壞憸人手，尚欲以余波汙我耶？」母歿，毀甚，未終喪而卒。

He was later promoted to magistrate of Yongxin county. In the course of his tenure he captured several hundred bandits, and local ruffians were driven into hiding. After some years he requested leave to return home to care for his aging mother. More than thirty memorials recommending him for reappointment were all rejected. Huo Tao also recommended Lu Can for office. Lu Can replied, "The empire has already been ruined in the hands of such schemers—are you trying to smear me with their leftover filth?" After his mother died he mourned with devastating grief and died before the mourning period was finished.

劉希簡，字以順，漢州人。進士。除行人。為工科給事中，甫五月，兩以直言得罪，聲大振。久之，謫縣丞。終鞏昌知府。

Liu Xijian, courtesy name Yishun, was from Hanzhou. He was a jinshi graduate. He was appointed a courier. As supervising secretary in the Bureau of Works, within only five months he twice offended the throne by speaking bluntly, and his reputation spread far and wide. After some time he was demoted to county assistant magistrate. He ended his career as prefect of Gongchang.

王準。字子推，世籍秦府儀衛司。準以進士授知縣。為禮科給事中，巡視京營，劾郭勛專恣罪。明年，劾璁、萼引私人。璁、萼罷，準亦下吏，謫富民典史。稍遷知縣。都御史汪鋐萘希璁指，以考察罷之。

Wang Zhun — Courtesy name Zitui; his family held hereditary registration in the Qin Prince's guard command. Wang Zhun, as a jinshi graduate, was appointed county magistrate. As supervising secretary in the Bureau of Rites, he inspected the capital garrisons and impeached Guo Xun for abusing his authority. The following year he impeached Zhang Cong and Gui E for installing their own partisans. When Zhang Cong and Gui E were dismissed, Wang Zhun was also handed over to the judicial authorities and demoted to clerk at Fumin. He was later promoted again to county magistrate. Censor-in-Chief Wang Yang, ingratiating himself with Zhang Cong's wishes, had him dismissed through a performance review.

邵經邦，字仲德，仁和人。正德十六年進士。授工部主事。榷荊州稅，甫三月，稅額滿，遂啟關任商舟往來。進員外郎。嘉靖八年冬十月，日有食之。經邦時官刑部，上疏曰：

Shao Jingbang, courtesy name Zhongde, was from Renhe. He passed the metropolitan examinations in Zhengde 16 (1521). He became section chief in the Ministry of Works. While collecting customs duties at Jingzhou, he filled the tax quota within three months and then opened the checkpoint to allow merchant vessels to pass freely. He was promoted to section vice director in the Ministry of Works. In the tenth month of Jiajing 8 (1529), a solar eclipse occurred. Shao Jingbang was then serving in the Ministry of Punishments and submitted a memorial that read:

茲者正陽之月，有日食之異。質諸《小雅十月》之篇，變象懸符。說《詩》者謂陰壯之甚，由不用善人，而其咎專歸皇父。然則今之調和變理者，得無有皇父其人乎？邇陛下納陸粲言，命張璁、桂萼致仕。尋以璁議禮有功，復召輔政。人言籍籍，陛下莫之恤也。乃天變若此，安可勿畏？

Now, in the first month of the year, a solar eclipse has occurred. Measured against the 'Tenth Month' ode in the Book of Songs, the omen of change is unmistakable. Commentators on the Odes hold that when yin overwhelms yang, it is because worthy men are not used—and the fault is laid entirely at Royal Father's door. Might those who now hold the reins of state and claim to set things right not be playing the part of Royal Father themselves? Not long ago Your Majesty heeded Lu Can and dismissed Zhang Cong and Gui E from office. Before long, on the grounds that Zhang Cong had served the rites debate well, he was recalled to serve as chief counselor. Public murmuring spread far and wide, yet Your Majesty paid it no heed. When Heaven sends such a sign, how can we not tremble before it?

夫議禮與臨政不同。議禮貴當，臨政貴公。正皇考之徽稱，以明父子之倫，禮之當也。雖排眾論，任獨見，而不以為偏。若夫用人行政，則當辨別忠邪，審量才力，與天下之人共用之，乃為公耳。今陛下以璁議禮有功，不察其人，不揆其才，而加之大任，似私議禮之臣也。私議禮之臣，是不以所議者為公禮也。夫禮唯至公，乃可萬世不易。設近於私，則固可守也，亦可變也。陛下果以尊親之典為至當，而欲子孫世世守之乎？則莫若於諸臣之進退，一付諸至公，優其賚予，全其終始，以答其議禮之功，而博求海內碩德重望之賢，以弼成正大光明之業，則人心定，天道順，俾萬年之後，廟號世宗，子孫百世不遷，顧不偉歟？如徒加以非分之任，使之履盈蹈滿，犯天人之怒，亦非璁等福也。

Debating ritual and governing the realm are two different matters. Ritual debate calls for what is right; governance calls for what is fair. Establishing the proper honorific for Your Majesty's father and thereby affirming the bond between father and son is indeed what ritual demands. Even to override popular opinion and stand on one's own judgment need not count as bias—so long as the matter is ritual, not politics. But in appointing officials and running the government, one must distinguish the loyal from the corrupt, weigh each man's ability, and share power with the worthy across the realm. That alone is true impartiality. Your Majesty now rewards Zhang Cong's service in the rites controversy with high office without scrutinizing his character or capacity. This looks like patronage of a partisan in the ritual dispute. To reward a partisan of the rites debate is to treat the rites themselves as a private matter, not a public one. Ritual endures for all time only when it rests on absolute impartiality. But if ritual is tainted by private interest, what can be upheld today can just as easily be overturned tomorrow. If Your Majesty truly believes the rites honoring your father are beyond reproach and wishes your descendants to uphold them forever— —then entrust every minister's appointment and dismissal to absolute fairness. Reward those who served the rites debate generously and honor them to the end, then seek out the most respected worthies across the empire to help complete a great and luminous reign. Hearts would be at rest, Heaven would be appeased, and ten thousand years from now Your Majesty's temple name Shizong would stand unshaken for a hundred generations. Would that not be magnificent? But to heap undeserved power upon them, driving them past the brim until they provoke the wrath of Heaven and the people—that would be no blessing to Zhang Cong and his allies either.

帝大怒，立下鎮撫司拷訊。獄上，請送法司擬罪。帝曰：「此非常犯，不必下法司。」遂謫戍福建鎮海衛。十六年，皇子生，大赦。惟經邦與豐熙等八人不在赦例。

The Emperor flew into a rage and had him thrown into the Embroidered Uniform Guard prison for torture and interrogation. When the case was reported, the prison authorities asked that he be handed over to the regular courts for sentencing. The Emperor said, "This is no ordinary crime. It need not go to the regular courts." He was banished to serve at the Zhenhai garrison in Fujian. In Jiajing 16 (1537), the birth of a prince was marked by a general amnesty. Shao Jingbang, Feng Xi, and six others alone were excluded from the pardon.

經邦之戍所，閉戶讀書。與熙及同戍陳九川，時相討論。居鎮海三十七年卒。閩人立寓賢祠祀三人。隆慶初復官。

In exile, Shao Jingbang shut himself in and devoted himself to study. He and Feng Xi, along with fellow exile Chen Jiuchuan, often met to discuss and debate. He lived at Zhenhai for thirty-seven years before he died. The people of Fujian built a Shrine to Exiled Worthies in their honor. At the start of the Longqing reign, his official rank was posthumously restored.

歷吏科左給事中，進都給事中。與同官李仁劾詹事顧鼎臣汙佞，且言今日詹事即他日輔臣。帝怒，詰詹事進輔臣，出何典例？世揚等引罪。帝怒不解，予杖，下詔獄，既乃得釋。帝以久旱躬禱，世揚言在獄系囚及建言謫戍諸臣怨咨之氣，上幹天和，請悉疏釋。帝不能用。張璁、桂萼被劾罷，帝責諫官不言。世揚等乃盡劾璁、萼黨尚書王瓊而下數十人，章下吏部。而尚書方獻夫亦璁、萼黨也，但去編修金璐、御史敖鉞、太仆丞姚奎、郎中劉汝輗、員外郎張、郭憲、待詔葉幼學、儲良才八人而已。未幾，復偕同官趙漢等陳修省八事。中言：「大學士石瑤貞介，歿未易名。尚書李鐩，國之盜臣，身後遺金得謚。給事中鄭一鵬坐論楊一清再杖削職，一清敗，一鵬宜復官。」

He rose from Left Supervising Secretary in the Personnel Section to Chief Supervising Secretary. He and his colleague Li Ren impeached Guardian of the Heir Gu Dingchen for corruption and sycophancy, warning that today's tutor to the heir is tomorrow's chief minister. The Emperor was furious and demanded to know what precedent justified the claim that a tutor to the heir would become chief counselor. Liu Shiyang and the others pleaded guilty. The Emperor's wrath did not abate. They were beaten, thrown into the imperial prison, and released only afterward. When the Emperor prayed in person during a prolonged drought, Liu Shiyang argued that the resentment of prisoners and exiled remonstrators was disturbing Heaven's harmony, and he asked that they all be freed. The Emperor refused. When Zhang Cong and Gui E were impeached and removed, the Emperor rebuked the censors for having said nothing. Liu Shiyang and his colleagues then impeached dozens of Zhang Cong and Gui E's allies, from Minister Wang Qiong on down, and the memorial was forwarded to the Ministry of Personnel. But Minister Fang Xianfu, himself a Zhang Cong and Gui E ally, dismissed only eight men: Compiler Jin Lu, Censor Ao Yue, Assistant Director of the Imperial Stud Yao Kui, Bureau Director Liu Ruheng, Section Vice Director Zhang, Guo Xian, Drafting Attendant Ye Youxue, and Chu Liangcai. Soon afterward, he joined Zhao Han and other colleagues in submitting eight proposals for court self-reform. Among their recommendations: "Grand Secretary Shi Yao was upright and incorruptible. His posthumous name should not be altered. Minister Li Song was a thief in the state's service, yet after his death hoarded gold was found in his home and he still received a posthumous title. Supervising Secretary Zheng Yipeng was beaten and demoted for criticizing Yang Yiqing. Now that Yang Yiqing has fallen, Zheng Yipeng should be restored to office."

世揚發璁、萼黨，見憾於璁，一鵬又嘗忤璁、萼。會璁已再相，而瑤實前賜謚，璁因激帝怒，謂給事言皆妄。乃謫世揚江西布政司照磨，停漢等俸，然鐩謚亦由此奪。世揚屢遷河南提學僉事。告歸，卒。

Liu Shiyang had exposed Zhang Cong and Gui E's faction and earned Zhang Cong's enmity; Zheng Yipeng, too, had once crossed them. Zhang Cong had by then returned as chief counselor. Shi Yao had already received his posthumous title, so Zhang Cong goaded the Emperor into fury, declaring the censors' charges entirely false. Liu Shiyang was demoted to registrar in the Jiangxi provincial administration; Zhao Han and the others had their salaries suspended. Li Song's posthumous title was revoked as well. Liu Shiyang was eventually promoted to Assistant Education Intendant of Henan. He retired home and died there.

趙漢，字鴻逵，平湖人。正德六年進士。授建昌推官。擢南京戶科給事中，改兵科。嘉靖初，尚書林俊以執奏獄囚李鳳陽，被旨詰責。漢因言：「太監崔文亂政，巧逞奸欺，不特庇一李鳳陽而已。工部尚書趙璜發文家人罪。文輒捕其諜者，痛杖幾死，曰『此杖寄與趙尚書』，其無狀至此。望急譴逐，毋為新政累。」不聽。已，哭爭「大禮」，系詔獄廷杖。

Zhao Han, courtesy name Hongkui, was from Pinghu. He passed the metropolitan examinations in Zhengde 6 (1511). He was appointed investigating censor at Jianchang. He was promoted to Supervising Secretary in the Revenue Section at Nanjing, then transferred to the Military Section. Early in the Jiajing reign, Minister Lin Jun was rebuked by imperial edict for insisting on memorializing about the prisoner Li Fengyang. Zhao Han responded: "The eunuch Cui Wen is corrupting government with cunning deceit. He is not merely shielding Li Fengyang. Minister of Works Zhao Huang exposed crimes committed by Cui Wen's household servants. Cui Wen immediately seized Zhao Huang's informants and beat them nearly to death, saying, 'Send these blows to Minister Zhao with my compliments.' His audacity knew no bounds. I urge that he be swiftly punished and removed before he undermines the new administration." The Emperor paid no heed. Later he joined the tearful protest over the Grand Rites controversy, was imprisoned, and beaten at court.

歷吏科左給事中。以疾去。起故官，遷工科都給事中。疏言：「內閣桂萼、翟鑾稱病三月，未嘗以曠職懇辭。張璁久專政權，亦未聞引賢共濟。乞諭鑾、萼亟去，簡用兩京大臣及家居耆舊，以分璁任。」上摘其訛字詰之，諭璁毋避，趣赴閣。璁因言漢忠謀，宜令備列堪內閣者。帝即令漢舉所欲用，漢惶恐言：「臣欲璁引賢，無私主。」帝怒，責漢對不以實，趣以名上。漢益懼，言：「輔臣簡命，出自朝廷，非小臣所敢預。」帝乃宥之，奪俸一月。尋出為陜西右參政，告歸。久之，以故官起山西。不數月復致仕。

He served as Left Supervising Secretary in the Personnel Section. He resigned due to illness. He was recalled to his former rank and promoted to Chief Supervising Secretary in the Works Section. In a memorial he wrote: "Grand Secretaries Gui E and Zhai Luan have claimed illness for three months without formally requesting leave. Zhang Cong has monopolized power for years, yet has never brought in worthy colleagues to share the burden of governance. I ask that Zhai Luan and Gui E be dismissed at once, and that senior ministers from both capitals and respected elders be appointed to share Zhang Cong's duties." The Emperor seized on a typo in the memorial and interrogated Zhao Han, then told Zhang Cong to stop shirking and return to the Grand Secretariat at once. Zhang Cong then accused Zhao Han of disloyalty and said he should be made to name every man he considered fit for the Grand Secretariat. The Emperor immediately ordered Zhao Han to name his preferred appointees. Zhao Han said in alarm, "I only wanted Zhang Cong to bring in worthy men. I have no private favorites." The Emperor was furious, accused Zhao Han of evading the question, and ordered him to submit names at once. Zhao Han grew still more frightened and said, "The appointment of chief counselors is the court's prerogative. A lowly official like myself dare not intrude." The Emperor relented and docked his salary for one month. He was soon posted as Right Administration Vice Commissioner of Shaanxi, then retired home. Years later he was recalled to his former rank in Shanxi. Within a few months he retired again.

子伊，廣西副使。年四十，即以養父歸。屢征不起。

His son Zhao Yi served as Vice Commissioner of Guangxi. At forty he retired to care for his father. Repeated imperial summonses could not bring him back.

魏良弼，字師說，新建人。嘉靖二年進士。授松陽知縣，召拜刑科給事中。采木侍郎黃衷事竣歸家，乞致仕，未許。緝事者奏衷潛入京師。帝怒，奪衷職。良弼言衷大臣，入都豈能隱，乞正言者欺罔罪，不報。

Wei Liangbi, courtesy name Shishuo, was from Xinjian. He passed the metropolitan examinations in Jiajing 2 (1523). He was appointed magistrate of Songyang, then summoned to serve as Supervising Secretary in the Punishments Section. Vice Minister Huang Zhong, who had been dispatched to procure timber, returned home after completing his mission and requested retirement, but permission was denied. Investigators reported that Huang Zhong had secretly entered the capital. The Emperor was furious and stripped Huang Zhong of his rank. Wei Liangbi argued that as a senior minister Huang Zhong could hardly have entered the capital in secret, and asked that the accusers be punished for false reporting. He received no response.

張璁、桂萼初罷相，詔察其黨。給事中劉世揚等議及良弼。以吏部言，得留。尋命巡視京營。劾罷提督五軍營保定伯梁永福、太仆卿曾直，罪武定侯郭勛家奴，論團營兵政之弊，又請發銀米振京師饑，直聲大著。會南京御史馬敭等以劾吏部尚書王瓊被逮，良弼請釋之。帝怒，並下詔獄。論贖還職，仍奪俸一年。三遷至禮科都給事中。

When Zhang Cong and Gui E were first removed as chief counselors, an edict was issued to investigate their faction. Supervising Secretary Liu Shiyang and others named Wei Liangbi in their deliberations. On the Ministry of Personnel's recommendation, he was allowed to keep his post. He was soon appointed to inspect the Capital Garrisons. He impeached and removed Liang Yongfu, Baron of Baoding, superintendent of the Five Armies Camps, and Zeng Zhi, Minister of the Imperial Stud; punished servants of Marquis of Wuding Guo Xun; exposed abuses in the Training Division's military administration; and called for silver and grain to relieve famine in the capital. His reputation for integrity soared. When Nanjing Censor Ma Yang and others were arrested for impeaching Minister Wang Qiong, Wei Liangbi asked that they be freed. The Emperor was furious and had them all thrown into the imperial prison. They were sentenced to pay a fine and return to office, with one year's salary docked. After three promotions he became Chief Supervising Secretary in the Rites Section.

十一年八月，彗星見東井，芒長丈余。良弼引占書言：「彗星晨見東方，君臣爭明。彗孛出井，奸臣在側。大學士張孚敬專橫竊威福，致奸星示異，亟宜罷黜。」孚敬奏良弼挾私。帝已疑孚敬，兩疏皆報聞。給事中秦鰲疏再入，孚敬竟罷去。逾月，良弼復偕同官劾吏部尚書汪鋐。帝方向鋐，奪良弼俸。鋐、孚敬俱恨良弼。

In the eighth month of Jiajing 11 (1532), a comet appeared in the Eastern Well constellation, its tail more than ten feet long. Wei Liangbi cited prognostic texts: "When a comet appears in the morning sky in the east, ruler and ministers struggle for supremacy. When a comet rises from the Well constellation, treacherous ministers stand at the ruler's side. Grand Secretary Zhang Fuxing has grown tyrannical and usurped imperial power, provoking this ominous sign. He should be removed at once." Zhang Fuxing countered with a memorial accusing Wei Liangbi of acting from private spite. The Emperor already doubted Zhang Fujing, and both memorials were simply acknowledged without action. When Supervising Secretary Qin Ao submitted his memorial again, Zhang Fujing was finally dismissed from office. A month later, Wei Liangbi again joined his colleagues in impeaching Minister of Personnel Wang Zong. The Emperor was siding with Wang Zong and docked Wei Liangbi's salary. Wang Zong and Zhang Fujing both bore a grudge against Wei Liangbi.

明年元日，副都御史王應鵬坐事下詔獄。良弼言履端之始，不宜以微過系大臣。帝怒，再下詔獄。獄卒訝曰：「公又來耶！」為垂涕。尋復職，奪俸。時孚敬復起柄政，與鋐修前郤，以考察後命科道官互糾，又奏上十一人，又不及良弼。孚敬益怒，擬旨切責，令吏部再考。鋐乃別糾二十六人，而良弼及秦鰲、葉洪皆前劾孚敬、鋐者，中外大駭。良弼竟坐不謹削籍。隆慶初，詔起廢籍。以年老即家拜太常少卿，致仕，卒。天啟初，追謚忠簡。

On New Year's Day the following year, Vice Censor-in-Chief Wang Yingpeng was imprisoned in the imperial prison on a criminal charge. Wei Liangbi argued that at the start of the new year it was wrong to imprison a senior minister over a trifling offense. The Emperor was enraged and had him thrown back into the imperial prison. The jailer exclaimed in surprise, "My lord, have you come again! And he wept for him. He was soon restored to office, though his salary was withheld. By then Zhang Fujing had returned to power, reconciled with Wang Zong, and after the performance review ordered censorate officials to cross-impeach one another. He submitted eleven names again—again omitting Wei Liangbi. Zhang Fujing grew still angrier, drafted an edict of sharp rebuke, and ordered the Ministry of Personnel to conduct another review. Wang Zong then singled out twenty-six officials for impeachment, including Wei Liangbi, Qin Ao, and Ye Hong—all men who had earlier attacked Zhang Fujing and Wang Zong—and the shock reverberated inside and outside the court. Wei Liangbi was ultimately dismissed for indiscretion and removed from the official register. Early in the Longqing reign, an edict recalled him from disgrace. Because of his age he was appointed Vice Minister of Ceremonies at home, then retired and died. Early in the Tianqi reign he was posthumously granted the title Loyal and Simple.

葉洪，字子源，德州人。嘉靖八年進士。授戶科給事中。十一年肇舉祈谷禮於圜丘，帝不親祀。洪疏諫，帝責洪妄言。尋巡視京營，進工科右給事中。汪鋐遷吏部尚書，洪極論其奸，忤旨奪俸。明年考察，鋐修怨，遂坐洪浮躁，貶寧國縣丞。居二年，復以大計奪其職。言者屢訟冤，不復用。

Ye Hong, courtesy name Ziyuan, was from Dezhou. He passed the metropolitan examinations in Jiajing 8 (1529). He was appointed supervising secretary in the Revenue section of the Censorate. In the eleventh year the grain-praying rite was first held at the Circular Mound Altar, but the Emperor did not perform the sacrifice himself. Ye Hong memorialized in protest, and the Emperor rebuked him for reckless speech. He soon inspected the capital garrisons and was promoted to right supervising secretary in the Works section. When Wang Zong was promoted to Minister of Personnel, Ye Hong denounced his corruption at length, defied the throne, and had his salary docked. At the next performance review Wang Zong settled old scores and had Ye Hong convicted of frivolity, demoting him to assistant magistrate of Ningguo. Two years later he lost his post again in the major triennial review. Memorialists repeatedly pleaded his case, but he was never reappointed.

秦鰲，字子元，昆山人。嘉靖五年進士。授行人。擢兵科給事中。劾魏國公徐鵬舉、中官賴義不法狀，義罷還。彗星見，劾張孚敬妒賢病國，擬議詔旨，輒引以自歸。帝遂罷孚敬。已，孚敬再相。汪鋐承風指以考察謫鰲東陽縣丞。屢遷福建右參議。卒官。

Qin Ao, courtesy name Ziyuan, was from Kunshan. He passed the metropolitan examinations in Jiajing 5 (1526). He was appointed a courier in the Ministry of Rites. He was promoted to supervising secretary in the Military section. He impeached Duke of Wei Xu Pengju and the eunuch Lai Yi for misconduct, and Lai Yi was dismissed and recalled. When a comet appeared, he impeached Zhang Fujing for envying talent and harming the state, charging that whenever Fujing drafted rescripts he cited them as vindication of himself. The Emperor then dismissed Zhang Fujing. Before long Zhang Fujing returned as chief minister. Wang Zong, taking his cue from above, used a performance review to demote Qin Ao to assistant magistrate of Dongyang. He was eventually promoted to Right Assistant Commissioner in Fujian. He died in office.

又有張寅者，太倉人。嘉靖初進士。歷南京御史。嘗劾禮部侍郎黃綰十罪。比張孚敬罷政，寅言其憸邪蠹政，不可悉數，請追所賜封誥、銀章之屬，明正其辟。並劾左都御史汪鋐陰賊邪媚。帝怒，謫高唐判官。屢遷南京文選郎中。會簡宮僚，改春坊右司直兼翰林院檢討。未幾，被劾罷。

There was also a man named Zhang Yin, from Taicang. He passed the metropolitan examinations early in the Jiajing reign. He served as a censor in Nanjing. He once impeached Vice Minister of Rites Huang Wan on ten counts of misconduct. When Zhang Fujing fell from power, Zhang Yin charged that his treachery and corruption had ruined governance beyond reckoning, and asked that the patents of ennoblement, silver seals, and other honors he had received be revoked and his guilt formally established. He also impeached Left Censor-in-Chief Wang Zong for secretly serving as a treacherous sycophant. The Emperor was enraged and demoted him to judge at Gaotang. He was eventually promoted to Director of Selection in Nanjing. When palace staff were being selected, he was appointed Right Director in the Eastern Palace and concurrently Hanlin Academician Reader. Before long he was impeached and dismissed from office.

贊曰：《書》曰：「非佞折獄，惟良折獄，罔非在中。」又曰：「明啟刑書，胥占鹹庶中。」正言折獄之不可不得其中也。張寅、李钅盬，罪狀昭然。中於郭勛、席書之說，廷臣獲罪，而寅還職，钅盬宥死。陳洸罪至百七十二條，竟得免死，而猶上書訟冤，凡攻洸之惡與治洸之獄者，逮捕至百數十人。皆由議禮觸眾怒，一言有以深入帝隱。甚矣，佞人之可畏也。夫反成案似於明，出死罪似於仁，而不知其借端報復，刑罰失中。佞良之辨，可弗審歟！

The historian comments: The Book of Documents says, "It is not the flatterer who decides cases—the upright man decides cases, and all without exception attain the true measure." It also says, "With clear understanding he opens the penal laws; all officials and common people alike obtain what is right and true." This rightly states that in deciding cases one cannot fail to hit the true measure. In the cases of Zhang Yin and Li Jian, the evidence of guilt was plain for all to see. Taken in by Guo Xun and Xi Shu, court ministers were punished while Zhang Yin was restored to office and Li Jian was spared execution. Chen Guang's crimes ran to one hundred seventy-two counts, yet he escaped death and still memorialized claiming injustice. Everyone who had denounced his conduct or prosecuted his case was arrested—more than a hundred in all. All of this arose from touching the public fury over the Rites dispute—a single word could strike deep into the emperor's hidden resentments. How greatly to be feared are flatterers! Reversing a settled verdict looks like clarity; sparing a capital offender looks like mercy—yet one fails to see that they seize the chance for revenge, and justice misses its true measure. The distinction between the flatterer and the upright man—can it not be weighed with care!

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