Daming: After self-explosive time travel, Lao Zhu's mentality collapsed

Inside the Forbidden City, the cold wind was howling, and yellow leaves were falling on the stone-paved palace roads, bringing with them a hint of solemnity.

Ever since Chu Ze cut off the power of several old ministers in public in the court, the entire court has become unusually quiet.

All officials became cautious, fearing that they would be the next target of His Majesty.

Chu Ze continued to use drastic measures to continuously investigate and rectify various departments in the court, causing the entire court to be in a state of panic.

In the imperial study, Chu Ze held a brush and gently wrote the word "approved" on a memorial, then put it aside.

His eyes swept across the remaining memorials on the table and his brows frowned slightly.

Most of these memorials were about cases reported by local officials.

Since the purge operations in Jiangnan and the southeast began, the local gentry forces were like frightened birds, and they submitted letters of allegiance to the court one after another. Even some local families who had always been unruly began to voluntarily hand over land and money.

But Chu Ze knew in his heart that the superficial obedience of these noble families and wealthy people was only to temporarily avoid the edge of the court.

Once the imperial court relaxes its control, they will come back like poisonous snakes and form a chain of interests with local officials again, becoming a stubborn disease that the imperial court will find difficult to eliminate.

"These noble families are as cunning as foxes."

"Now, as soon as I take action, they immediately show weakness."

"But if I really believe them, it will sooner or later bury hidden dangers for myself."

He sneered in his heart, then picked up a memorial from the Governor of Shandong and read it carefully.

The memorial described in detail how the local gentry in Shandong colluded with the salt gang and engaged in large-scale contraband salt sales to make huge profits before the purge operation. They even secretly raised a large number of private soldiers in an attempt to compete with the imperial court.

"The gentry in Shandong?"

"These people really don't know how to live or die."

"You actually played such a daring trick right under my nose."

Chu Ze said coldly, with a cold light flashing in his eyes.

"Since you have fallen into this trap, I will grant your wish."

He gently put down the memorial and then shouted to the outside of the door, "Someone come."

Eunuch Wang came in immediately, bowed his head and asked, "What do you want, Your Majesty?"

Chu Ze glanced at him calmly and said slowly, "Pass on my order and order Lu Bing to come to see me as soon as possible."

"Also, have the Royal Guards closely monitor the movements in the Shandong area."

"If you discover any unusual movements by the gentry, report it immediately."

Eunuch Wang nodded quickly and replied, "Yes, Your Majesty."

"I will go and convey your order right away."

Not long after, Lu Bing walked quickly into the imperial study, with a look of urgency on his face.

"I see your Majesty."

"Your Majesty has summoned me urgently. What is the important matter?"

Chu Ze looked at him coldly and handed the memorial in his hand over.

"Look at it."

"This is a memorial submitted by the Governor of Shandong."

"The gentry in Shandong secretly colluded with the salt gang, smuggled salt, and even raised private soldiers in an attempt to compete with the imperial court."

"I want you to immediately dispatch the Imperial Guard to Shandong to thoroughly investigate the properties and personnel of all the gentry."

"Make sure to find out their details and don't let any of them go!"

Lu Bing took the memorial, looked at it carefully, and then his expression changed slightly.

"Your Majesty, the local gentry are very powerful. If we act rashly, it may cause instability in the area."

"I am worried that if these gentry are desperate, they will cause a civil uprising."

Chu Ze sneered, a hint of coldness flashing in his eyes.

"Civil uprising?"

"I am never afraid of civil unrest!"

"If the place becomes unstable because of this, it will give me a good reason to cleanse it thoroughly."

"These wealthy people, relying on their wealth, want to challenge the imperial court."

"I want to let them know that a fortress built of money is nothing but a fragile mud wall under the iron hoof of the imperial court!"

He stood up suddenly, his eyes full of determination and decisiveness.

"Lu Bing, pass on my order and order all Jinyiwei to leave for Shandong immediately and thoroughly investigate all the powerful forces."

"If there are any who resist, they will be executed immediately!"

"I want you to completely eradicate these cancers!"

Lu Bing's heart trembled, and he quickly clasped his fists and said, "Yes, Your Majesty."

"I will make arrangements now."

After saying that, he turned around and quickly retreated.

The imperial study returned to silence again. Chu Ze stared coldly into the distance, murderous intent surging in his heart. "How dare the Shandong gentry do such a thing under my nose."

"Today, I will make you pay the price!"

……

At the same time, in a secret room somewhere in the capital, an old man with white hair and beard was sitting at a desk, holding a secret letter in his hand with a frown on his face.

This old man was one of the old ministers whose power Chu Ze had cut off in the court.

Although he saved his life, his power and status had been completely stripped away. Now he can only stay at home and secretly observe the court's movements.

"Your Majesty's methods are becoming increasingly tough."

"He actually dared to take down old ministers like me in public in the court. This shows that his control over power has reached an extremely high level."

"If we don't take action now, I'm afraid we will really die without a burial place."

The old man sighed softly, with a hint of despair and resentment in his eyes.

He knew that he had no way out.

The secret letter in front of him was secretly sent by a wealthy man in Shandong. It described their specific power and movements in the local area.

This old official had close ties with the local gentry. Now that problems had arisen in the local area, the Shandong gentry naturally thought of turning to him first for help.

But the old minister also knew that he no longer had the power he once had, and could no longer protect the local gentry from wind and rain as he did before.

"That's all."

"Since there is no way to retreat, let's just give it a try."

"Send a message to the gentry in Shandong and ask them to make final preparations."

"If the imperial court really wants to kill them, then there is no need to hesitate."

"Even if it costs me my life, I will teach His Majesty a lesson!"

The old man's voice was low, but it was filled with great determination and cruelty.

A hint of madness flashed in his eyes, and then he put the secret letter into the brazier and let the flames devour it.

"Since your majesty is unwilling to let us go, don't blame us for being desperate."

"Anyway, I have no way out!"

……

A few days later, in Shandong.

A team of Jinyiwei entered Shandong City quietly. They were dressed in plain clothes, hidden in the crowd, and quickly dispersed, searching in all directions.

The mission of this trip is to thoroughly investigate the background of Shandong gentry and cooperate with the court's purge operations to eradicate all secret forces.

The leader of the Jinyiwei was riding on his horse, looking around sharply, and ordered in a cold voice: "Everyone, act separately."

"Remember, investigate every financial flow and every industry of the gentry."

"Don't let anyone go."

"If there is any resistance, kill without mercy!"

The Jinyiweis nodded and took quick action.

A grim storm is quietly brewing.

The wealthy and powerful forces in Shandong may never have thought that the wealth and power they had worked so hard to build would now become the victims of the imperial court's brutal measures.

……

In the capital, Chu Ze had already received preliminary intelligence from Shandong.

He stood in the imperial study, looking coldly at the several Jinyiwei spies in front of him, his voice cold and full of majesty.

"Report it."

"How powerful are the Shandong gentry?"

A spy hurriedly bowed his head and reported: "Your Majesty, Shandong
The local gentry is very powerful and they control most of the local salt industry, grain and land.

"These wealthy gentry even secretly raised a large number of private soldiers, enough to resist the regular army of the imperial court."

"Moreover, they colluded with local officials and protected each other. Once people from the imperial court went to investigate, they would be strongly obstructed."

“Therefore, the Shandong gentry is extremely difficult to deal with.”

Chu Ze frowned slightly when he heard this, and a cold light flashed in his eyes.

"Difficult?"

"No matter how difficult it is, it must be removed!"

"Send a message to Lu Bing to immediately dispatch troops to Shandong."

"I will wipe out all the powerful forces in one fell swoop!"

"Anyone who resists will be killed without mercy!"

"I want everyone to know that the majesty of the court cannot be challenged!" (End of this chapter)