Chapter 57 Xie Zhending, the censor who burned the car

During the Qianlong period when Heshen was in power, all the figures in the officialdom were unable to curry favor with Heshen.Sending money, color, treasures, and rare jade articles can be described as all kinds of things, just to win Heshen's attention.Some even boarded Heshen's boat by making friends with Heshen's subordinates. Despite this, there are still some people with low official positions who dare to openly challenge Heshen, a powerful official in the court, among them is Xie Zhending, who is known as the burning car censor. Xie Zhending, courtesy name Yizhai and nickname Xiangquan, was born in Xiangxiang.Qianlong Gengzi Jinshi, changed to Shu Jishi, and awarded editing.Bearing the talents of the world, advocating integrity, being able to ancient diction, and being an official and censor, let's go back to Wai Lang, a member of the Ministry of Rites.In the first year of Jiaqing (1796), Heshen's chariot was burned angrily, which is known as Yushi Burning Chariot in history.In the fifty-ninth year of Qianlong (1794), he served as the supervisory censor of Jiangnan Road and inspected the southern water transport.Back then, the water transport ships were once blocked in Guazhou, Jiangsu. It is said that after Xie Zhen prayed to the God of the River, the strong wind turned and the water ships passed the gate smoothly.There are "Zhi Shame Zhai Ji" and "Qing History Biography" handed down to the world.

Although Xie Zhending has a small official position, he is upright by nature and has always disliked the domineering and domineering officials, especially He Shen.He was quite injustice to Cao Xibao's dismissal because of the impeachment of Heshen's domestic servant Liu Quan, who lived extravagantly. In the sixty years of Qianlong's reign (1795), Xie Zhending was appointed as the secretary of the military department and was responsible for inspecting the east city of the capital.One day, on his way to tour the city, he met the younger brother of the great scholar He Shen's concubine.

Xie Zhending was already dissatisfied with He Shen, but now he dared to be so arrogant when he saw one of his relatives, and angrily ordered the patrolling soldiers to pull him from the car and prepare to whip him. Who would have thought that this person, relying on He Shen's power, would not pay attention to Xie Zhending, a small patrolling censor, but instead cursed: Who are you?Does something like a dog dare to whip me?I went out to do errands in my master's car, how dare you whip me! Xie Zhending originally wanted to whip him as a punishment, and put on a show to show He Shen, so that he would not be too arrogant. Seeing that this person is so arrogant and unreasonable, how can he not punish him severely?He ordered the patrolling soldiers to whip the man twenty lashes, and burned the Heshen carriage he had obtained in public, saying: This carriage has been defiled by such villains who don't know the status, how can it be worthy of letting the adults continue to ride!Seeing this scene, the people on the street were greatly relieved, cheered thunderously, and cheered in unison: "Thank you Yushi, great job!"

After Heshen's concubine's younger brother returned to Hefu, he cried out to Heshen emphatically, emphasizing that the car was burned by Xie in public.He Shen was very angry when he heard this: a little censor patrolling the city dared to burn my carriage in public, this is too despising of me and Shen!So he decided to teach this daring Xie Zhending a lesson. Soon, Wang Zhongjian hoped to climb up through He Shen, and He Shen instructed him to impeach Xie Zhending.This behavior of He Shen infuriated the officials' resentment towards him even more. Yushi Guan Shiming was quite aggrieved by Xie Zhending. He once said: Today, the two princes have their own losses.Xie Gong loses his official position, and the prince loses his name.The suffering of losing an official position is nothing more than one body, and the suffering of losing one's reputation will be passed down through the ages.

In the fifth year of Jiaqing (1800), He Shen had already been executed, and Xie Zhending was also rehabilitated. He was appointed as the head of the Ministry of Rites, and transferred to Wailang, a member of the Saoliang Department, in charge of supervising the collection of grain shipped from the south.He had the courage to break bad rules and made many achievements until his death in the 14th year of Jiaqing (1809). At that time, it was recorded in "Xiao Ting Miscellaneous Records" written by Zhao Fen, a disciple of the Eight Banners, that Xie Zhending had a very open-minded temperament and was rather unkempt.The couches in his residence are often covered with several inches of dust, which he has never brushed off.The flowers and plants planted in the courtyard also grow freely and are never pruned, which is quite similar to Zhou Lianxi, an agent scholar in the Song Dynasty, who did not weed grass.

He didn't love money all his life, he spent it when he had it, a bit like today's paycheck to paycheck.He doesn't mind even if his servants steal.He once had a savings of ten thousand taels of silver, and later he traveled around Jiangsu and Zhejiang, spending it all quickly, and he didn't mind at all. Others asked him to spend money leisurely, but he said: life is expensive and comfortable, and money is nothing, so there is nothing to cherish ? Although he is indifferent to money, he has a passion for friends. He often helps friends and never keeps the benefits of others in mind.Even if a new official uniform he bought was borrowed by his friend France Shan to wear it, he no longer went to ask for it.Later he was dismissed from office and forgot about it.

After Heshen's downfall, he was appointed and served as the head of the Ministry of Rites, and held a sacrificial ceremony.Of course, such a big scene required wearing a formal official uniform. He couldn't find the old official uniform, so he was going to the market to buy another one.After Fa Shishan heard about it, he deliberately said to Xie Zhending: I remember you once bought a new official uniform, why didn't it disappear?Xie Zhending didn't take this matter to heart at all, and said with a blank face: Really?I forgot, it's normal for these items to be lost in broken boxes, and they can't be found.Seeing that Xie Zhending was so indifferent, Fa Shi reminded him: Did you lend it to others, and they forgot to return it to you?Xie Zhending still had no impression.

Seeing Xie Zhending's heroism and generosity, Fa Shi had no choice but to tell Xie Zhending angrily and with a smile: You lent me the new official uniform a while ago, and it is still in my box. Have you really forgotten?Xie Zhending just woke up like a dream. During the Daoguang period, Xie Xingmao, son of Xie Zhending, went to the magistrate of Yuzhou, Henan Province, and was recommended to face the emperor because of his outstanding performance in the local area.When going to Beijing to meet the emperor, as usual, he had to play his name and hometown to the emperor.Emperor Daoguang felt very strange listening to him, so he asked him: aren't you from Hunan?Why is the capital's language so fluent?Xie Xingyao answered truthfully: my father Xie Zhending once held the post of censor in Beijing, so I also lived in the capital.Emperor Daoguang became more interested after hearing this, and continued: Oh!So you are the son of Xie Zhending, the censor who burned cars!I know what your father has done.So he paid more attention to Xie Xingyao.

Not only that, but the next day, Emperor Daoguang still couldn't forget this matter, and specially said to the ministers of military aircraft: I heard the story of burning chariots and censors when I was young, and I admire Xie Zhending's daring, and I saw him yesterday son.Emperor Daoguang also specially promoted him to be the magistrate of Xuzhou to comfort Zhongliang.Later, among Xie Zhending's grandchildren, Xie Bangjian became a Jinshi in the 25th year of Daoguang (1845).