The Forbidden City.
In a plain government building, portraits of Confucius and his Four Correlates were enshrined in the main hall. There were only a dozen or so rooms along the corridors, with the edict-drafting room on the far left and the room for drafting responses to memorials on the far right. This was the Grand Secretariat.
Only two days remained until New Year's Eve. Most clerks had sealed their offices and gone on leave, but the Grand Secretaries were still at their desks handling documents.
The Censor-in-Chief, one of the Nine Ministers, entered the Grand Secretariat with a bewildered official beside him. It was Left Censor-in-Chief Liu Heng.
"Grand Secretaries, I wish to impeach Jia Huan, Deputy Thousand-Household Commander of the Northern Commandant Office, for abusing his authority and detaining Hanlin Academician Shen Fu to vent a personal grudge."
Liu Heng respectfully presented an impeachment memorial.
With half a foot already over the edge of a bottomless abyss, he had to strike first!
Liu Heng declared with ringing conviction:
"If this impeachment fails, I will accept demotion."
The Grand Secretaries exchanged glances. For the Left Chief Censor himself to stake his career on it, this was an impeachment of the gravest kind.
"Is there such a matter?" Grand Secretary Cui's expression remained unchanged.
A clerk leafed through the documents, found the urgent report from the Hanlin Academy, and respectfully said:
"Hanlin Shen has been detained in the Imperial Prison."
Another Grand Secretary did not even lift his head as he said mildly:
"A Deputy Thousand-Household Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard has the authority to interrogate a Hanlin Academician directly. He has not overstepped."
Grand Secretary Cui looked at Liu Heng.
Anxiety gripped Liu Heng, but his voice remained forceful:
"He is using public authority for private ends. Please