Rule over Ming Dynasty

Chapter 100

"I really know, but I can't find it!" Gou Zhixian met Liu Zhong's shocked gaze, looking extremely serious.

Liu Zhong didn't believe that Gouzhi County knew the location of the Li family's Tibetan silver at first, but now that he heard this inexplicable answer, he was immediately confused.

I know, but I can't find it yet. What the hell is this?
While Liu Zhong and Gou Zhixian were still worrying about the kiln silver hidden by the Li family, the capital was like a huge ship that was being baptized by a storm.

Forbidden City, Qianqing Palace.

Since the last strike, there has been a slight change in the relationship between the monarch and his ministers in the Ming Dynasty.

"A good medicine is good for the disease, and a bad word is good for the deed. I implore your Majesty to take it back!"

"Da Ming must not be without loyal and upright ministers for a day, and loyal and upright ministers must not be wronged. I implore Your Majesty to take it back!"

"Your Majesty regards Yao and Shun as the law, and it is appropriate to underestimate Wei Wu and Wu. However, Wei Wu is so suspicious, and you can still tolerate your balance. Why can't Your Majesty just follow Liu Min?"

……

Zhu Youtang originally thought that leaving the court would make these aggressive civil servants calm down. As a result, under the leadership of Ma Wensheng, the left capital censor of the Metropolitan Procuratorate, who just arrived from Nanjing, the Kodao spokesperson came up with words to defend Liu Min. more intense.

strike!

strike!

strike!

Zhu Youtang chose the most comfortable way in the face of the offensive of the Kodao spokesperson. He didn't want to waste energy on such meaningless arguments, so he chose to continue to sleep comfortably.

In fact, the reaction of these civil servants was so intense this time, which just shows that the civil servants have already felt guilty.

Since he liked to read historical novels in his previous life, and Zhu Youtang is a person who likes to look at history from different dimensions, he has a relatively good understanding of the history of the Ming Dynasty.

Although in many people's minds, the officials of the Ming Dynasty had many upright and law-abiding ministers, and even Xu Jie, who had 24 mu of fertile land, was called a virtuous prime minister for getting rid of Yan Song.

But are civil servants really so clean?
In the unrevealed historical veil, indeed all officials are like clean and good officials, looking through the life of any official, you will find good words such as "clean", "upright" and "loving the people".

In the face of the historical truth that has been unveiled, the ugliness of civil servants can still be seen a little.

Not to mention an emperor with weak control like Hongzhi, even the famous Guo Huan case occurred during the middle period of Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang's reign.

In the 18th year of Hongwu, the censor Yu Min and Ding Ting sued Guo Huan, the servant of the household department, for using his power to collude with Li Yu, the political envoy of Beiping Cheng, and the procuratorial envoy of Ti Xing, who embezzled the taxes of Taiping Mansion and Zhenjiang Mansion and privately embezzled about 200 million shi of autumn grain in western Zhejiang. wait.

Zhu Yuanzhang, Emperor Taizu of the Ming Dynasty, ordered a strict investigation. Twelve chief secretaries were involved in this case, including Zhao Mao, Shangshu of the Ministry of Rites, Wang Huidi, Shangshu of the Ministry of Punishment, and Mai Zhide, Minister of the Ministry of Industry. A total of 700 million shi was recovered.

During the period of Zhu Yuanzhang, the civil official group dared to join forces to embezzle 700 million stones of rice and grain. Now the power of the civil servants has grown countless times, so it is naturally impossible to be as clean as water.

The biggest possibility is that since the Ming Dynasty lost the iron-handed Emperor Taizu, there has been no emperor capable of tearing off the mask of a civil servant. Until the end of the Ming Dynasty, the Chuang Wang Li Zicheng entered Beijing and stole 7000 million taels from the homes of civil servants and other moths. In order to get a glimpse of the truth.

Although Xichang was well-known in the late Chenghua period, the director of the factory, Wang Zhi, had been expelled to Nanjing, and the Xichang disappeared, and the civil servants could act without fear.

Zhu Youtang now holds the Twelve Battalion in his hand, and now that Xie Yikui has been uncovered, he wants to slash at Li Min, the former Shangshu of the Ministry of Household Affairs, which makes the entire civil official group afraid.

If we continue to dig deep like this, we will inevitably pull out the carrots and bring out the mud, and I am afraid that the entire civil servant group will suffer.

This is exactly the case. On the surface, the civil official group appears to be working together to save Li Min, the former Minister of the Household Department who has been imprisoned, but in essence, it wants to prevent Zhu Youtang from investigating the ink corruption case of court officials.

"Your Majesty, it is difficult to distinguish the authenticity of the lettering of Xie Yikui's account book, and the account book comes from a private money shop. I am afraid that a traitor deliberately made false accounts to frame the courtiers! Today, Li Min is rashly arrested and imprisoned. For, therefore, I implore Your Majesty to think twice!" Wearing a python robe, Wan An came to the East Nuan Pavilion, pleading with Zhu Youtang.

Zhu Youtang sat at the desk, looked at Wan An who was kneeling on the ground, and said, "Mr. Wange, you can do things for me in peace. I'm not a mean and ungrateful person, so don't meddle in this matter!"

"Old minister obeys the order!" Feeling Zhu Youtang's concern, Wan An also thanked him.

It's not that he wants to stand on the opposite side of Hongzhi, but he also has difficulties in his heart.After all, if the investigation continues like this, it will be difficult for other officials to protect themselves, and it is also difficult for him, Wanan.

He can unconditionally support His Majesty's reform of the salt administration, but if His Majesty really wants to keep the officials corrupt, then he may really have to think about the safety of the family.

Zhu Youtang still had a good impression of Wan'an, and immediately said without a doubt: "Go down!"

"Resign, old minister!" Wan An, a man who knows how to measure, got up and said.

Li Min's case is actually a war without gunpowder, which concerns the credibility of the entire civil society group.

For a long time, in the public opinion, eunuchs are the most greedy people, foreign relatives are the bane of the country, Wu Xun is a bunch of idiots who don't know how to lead the army, and civil servants are the pillars of the country.

Especially in the direction of virtue, the civil service group has always flaunted itself as a moral model, which also conforms to the mainstream concept that the virtuous occupy the high position.

It's just that Zhu Youtang changed his style in the past, and after holding military power, he was not in a hurry to reform, but directly slashed the butcher's knife at their civilian group.

Both Li Min and Xie Yikui had good reputations in the government and the public. Once it was found out that these two were corrupt officials of the Ming Dynasty, it would undoubtedly be a severe blow to the credibility of the civil society.

Zhu Youtang pleaded for Li Min in the face of all the officials, but he did not intend to compromise.

If Liu Zhong could not send his job, then he would send other people there. He really didn't believe that he couldn't catch this big Ming moth.

"Your Majesty, it's time for lunch!" Qin Conggui came over from the dining room, reminding him cautiously.

Zhu Youtang didn't expect that it was already noon, but he said without raising his head, "Leave, I have no appetite today!"

"Observe!" Tan Conggui knew that the indecisive prince in front of him was no longer the indecisive prince, so he replied respectfully.

Liu Jin on the side was worried about Zhu Youtang, but she moved her mouth but dared not speak.It is not his turn to dissuade the decision made by His Majesty, and it seems that no one dares to dissuade him now.

As for the Empress Dowager, since Her Majesty did not agree to pardon Qing Yunhou on the spot that day, she did not step into Qianqing Palace again.

In the afternoon, Jia Jun, Shangshu of the Ministry of Industry, arrived.

As the first person to be promoted since the Ming Dynasty, Jia Jun's appearance is still good, with thick eyebrows and big eyes matched with a standard imperial face, giving people a sense of decency.

It's just that his eyes are obviously a little active, which always gives Zhu Youtang the feeling that he is always treacherous and loyal.

When Jia Jun came to the saint, he immediately saluted and said, "Jia Jun, Minister of the Ministry of Industry, welcomes Sheng An respectfully!"

"I am very safe!" Zhu Youtang was in a bad mood today, and seemed perfunctory.

Jia Jun got up from the ground and asked Zhu Youtang directly: "Your Majesty, I don't know why you summoned the minister here?"

"Just got the report, why hasn't the camp of the Aegis Camp broken ground yet?" Zhu Youtang asked straight to the point with a slightly gloomy face.

In consideration of the safety of the capital and the maximum use of the Aegis Battalion to defend against Mongolia, the new camp was chosen on a hillside about ten miles north of Beijing, but an earthen fortress and a large camp site were to be built there.

It's just that a few days have passed, and although he has ordered the twelve wardens to select [-] elites from the twelve battalions, there is still no movement in the chosen camp.

Jia Jun seemed to have already guessed the intention of Zhu Youtang's summoning, Dang even replied from a professional point of view: "Reporting to Your Majesty, the new camp is located in the northern suburbs, ten miles away from the north gate of the capital. I just want to follow your majesty's decision." The scale requires not only thousands of conscripts, but also the preparation of materials, food for the workers, and many other things to prepare, please give me three more days to make preparations, and the groundbreaking will be guaranteed in three days!"

This……

Liu Jin turned her head to look at Jia Jun, who was talking eloquently. Although she knew nothing about such architectural matters, she always felt that the minister of the Ministry of Industry was deliberately exaggerating.

"According to the current speed, when will the project be completed?" Zhu Youtang felt that he had heard a lot of nonsense, so he asked directly.

Jia Jun thought for a moment, but shook his head lightly and said: "Your Majesty, the project you want is too big. It is already winter, and the Spring Festival is coming soon. Many materials may be in short supply. Can't give a definite number!"

"Don't talk about whether there are any of these, give me an accurate number immediately, or let Chen Zheng, the left servant of the Ministry of Industry, come over!" Zhu Youtang didn't know that these were excuses, so he said in a deep voice.

Jia Jun realized that this matter could no longer be ignored, so he immediately reported a date and said: "Your Majesty, if you really want a date, we will guarantee completion in the spring and March of next year!"

"March next year?" Zhu Youtang couldn't help laughing when he heard the date.

Jia Jun didn't dare to touch Zhu Youtang's anger, so he said cautiously: "Your Majesty, although the time is guaranteed to be completed in March, I will definitely work hard and will not let you down!"

"Go down!" Zhu Youtang knew that Jia Jun was wearing the same pair of trousers as those civil servants, so he waved his hands immediately.

Jia Jun secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and respectfully saluted: "Your Majesty, leave!"

Things have come to this point, since their civil servants can't stop His Majesty from preparing to build the Shield Battalion, it is natural to delay.

From the beginning of the construction of the barracks, they were slowly dragged by the Ministry of Industry, and then the equipment and weapons were also dragged by the Ministry of War, and the household department responsible for the supply of horses could also be delayed. This matter will definitely not let Zhu Youtang hit God smoothly. shield camp.

Their civil servants have no other skills, but foreign work has always been their strong point, and His Majesty is after all alone.When a person's spirit is slowly consumed, Zhu Youtang will inevitably lose sight of the other, and even have to compromise in the end.

"Damn!"

Just as Jia Jun left, Zhu Youtang gnashed his teeth angrily and cursed.

I thought that this kind of civil servant was defeated by me, but now it seems that this group of people has healed their wounds and forgotten the pain.

It was enough to rescue Li Min earlier, but now they are trying to stop themselves from building the Aegis Camp. These civil servants have lived in peace for too long, and they no longer regard the emperor as an old man.

Zhu Youtang calmed down slowly, and gave Liu Jin instructions: "Song Cheng, Shaoqing of Xuandali Temple!"

Although the Qianqing Palace seemed quiet, there were always people coming and going.

Guo Yong brought a large pile of memorials, but he deliberately put a small pile of memorials in front of Zhu Youtang and said, "Your Majesty, here is the urgent report from Huguang just now!"

Urgent report?

Zhu Youtang couldn't help being slightly taken aback, then picked up the topmost memorial, but suddenly blurted out: "Wang Yue killed the King of Chu in the street?"

(End of this chapter)