Yin Zhuangtu was clearly trying to ruin the Old Ancestor’s mood on purpose. One had to realize that the celebration of the Longevity Festival in the capital was not yet over; in a little while, the Old Ancestor was due to head to the Shuofang Studio to listen to grand operas with the noble consorts and the princesses.
It was rare to celebrate one’s eightieth birthday, and yet, as a court official, instead of offering well-wishes, Yin Zhuangtu was here causing trouble. If this wasn't done on purpose, what was it?
Furthermore, the memorial Yin Zhuangtu had submitted was infuriating. He not only claimed that the Crime Redemption Silver system was essentially a transaction between state law and corrupt officials—depriving wrongdoers of all sense of shame and leading to rampant local corruption and massive fiscal deficits—but he went further, stating that "every governor and commissioner is notorious, and the administration is in decay," and that "when observing whether officials are worthy or not, half of the merchants and commoners alike are furrowing their brows and sighing." The memorial was filled with such atrocious, vicious vocabulary as "every," "all," and "notorious."
Chapter 70