Zhou Sanwei周三畏

History vs. fiction

Zhou Sanwei. Chief Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, interrogated the Yue Fei case. Reinstated, investigated treacherous ministers; former Chief Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, abandoned office to cultivate the Way, informed the Yue family, ...

• based on factChief Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, interrogated the Yue Fei case | Reinstated, investigated treacherous ministers; former Chief Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, abandoned office to cultivate the Way, informed the Yue family; Chief Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, unwilling to frame Yue Fei, hung up his official cap and fled.

  Historically, Zhou Sanwei indeed existed. Records in historical sources such as the History of Song contain his deeds, as recorded in the treacherous minister Qin Hui's biography: "In the tenth month, the case of Yue Fei was initiated. Qin Hui had the remonstrance official Wanqi Xie impeach him for crimes, and Zhang Jun also falsely accused Yue Fei's former general Zhang Xian of plotting rebellion, so Yue Fei and his son Yue Yun were both sent to the Court of Judicial Review, and the Censor-in-Chief He Zhu and Chief Minister of the Court of Judicial Review Zhou Sanwei were ordered to interrogate them. In the eleventh month, Li Guang was demoted to Tengzhou, and Fan Tong was dismissed from the post of Assistant Administrator of the Secretariat-Chancellery. Although Fan Tong had agreed with the peace negotiations, because he had memorialized on his own, Qin Hui was jealous of him. In the twelfth month, Yue Fei was killed. Because Yue Fei repeatedly spoke of the mistakes in the peace negotiations, and had once memorialized to establish the heir apparent, both of which greatly differed from Qin Hui's views, Qin Hui was determined to kill him. He Zhu and Zhou Sanwei initially interrogated him, but for a long time he did not confess; when Wanqi Xie entered the Censorate, the case was then concluded. They falsely accused Yue Fei of having once said that 'both he and the first emperor had been given military command at the age of thirty' as a criticism of the emperor, and of having received orders but not rescuing Huainan West, so he was granted death in prison. His son Yue Yun and Zhang Xian were killed in the market. The whole empire felt it was unjust, and those who heard it wept. In Yue Fei's death, Zhang Jun had a hand, as recorded in the 'Biography of Yue Fei'." In the novel The Story of Yue Fei, Chapter 11 describes: "It is said that Zhou Sanwei insisted on asking Lord Yue for the origin of this sword. At that time, Lord Yue said: 'I once heard my late teacher say: "As for the sharpness of swords, they can cut dragons in water and rhinoceroses on land. There are names such as Longquan, Tai'e, Baihong, Zidian, Moye, Ganjiang, Yuchang, Juque, all with origins." This sword, when drawn from its sheath, has a chilling air that invades people. It was during the Spring and Autumn period, when the King of Chu wanted to dominate the feudal lords. Hearing that in the Qili Mountain of the state of Han there was a man named Ouyang Ye who was skilled in casting swords, he sent an envoy to summon him to court. This Ouyang Ye came to court, and after the audience, the King of Chu said: "I summoned you here for no other reason but to have you cast two swords." Ye said: "May I ask what swords Your Majesty wants to cast?" The King of Chu said: "I want to cast two swords, male and female, both able to fly up and kill people. Can you cast them?" Ouyang Ye thought to himself: "The King of Chu is a violent ruler; if I do not agree, he will not let me off." So he memorialized: "I can cast the swords, but I fear Your Majesty cannot wait." The King of Chu said: "Why?" Ouyang Ye said: "To cast these swords requires three years of work before they can be completed." The King of Chu said: "I will give you three years then." He then bestowed gold, silk, and colored satin. Ye thanked the emperor and left the court, returned home, told his wife about the matter, left the gold and silk at home, and went to the mountains to cast the swords. He also cast another one, making three in total."