I'm really not doing business

Chapter 588 Don’t touch the money that His Majesty doesn’t give you

"I don't know whether Lian Biao, the magistrate of Zhenping County, sensed the danger when he asked the legal advisor to take Liu Qiaolian away overnight. But in the end he did not leave. Instead, he chose to let the legal advisor take away Liu Er's daughter, Liu Qiaolian." Zhu Yijun sighed heavily.

Although Zhu Yijun's description of the case was limited to Ling Yunyi, Lian Biao asked his lawyer to take the key witness away to find Ling Yunyi. Something must have happened that made Lian Biao make such a decision, but he himself did not leave.

"Issue an official burial." Zhu Yijun took a deep breath and gave Lian Biao special treatment. Generally, officials below the fourth rank would not be given an official burial. This represented the court's recognition and affirmation of his contribution to the dynasty. At least, the existence of Lian Biao let Zhu Yijun know that there were good officials among the Ming Dynasty officials.

Between the two choices of making Ming Dynasty better and making himself safer, Lian Biao's final choice was to make Ming Dynasty better.

This earth-shattering case in Nanyang Prefecture and Zhenping County soon triggered a huge discussion. The insects led by the county clerk Li Ducai first killed the county magistrate Liu Rukang and then the magistrate Lian Biao. This case caused an uproar just for 34,000 silver coins.

If a civil unrest broke out in Zhenping County and Liu Rukang, Lian Biao and others died in the unrest, it would be because they were incompetent and did not deserve sympathy. However, Li Du killed Liu Rukang, Lian Biao and others one after another in order to oppress the people. Liu Rukang and Lian Biao died because they pleaded for the people. This can only be said to be outrageous to both humans and gods.

There were actually not many good officials in the Ming Dynasty. Officials like Liu Rukang and Lian Biao, who were a bit smooth, were already rare good officials.

Your Majesty approved the execution. This was a joint decision made by the three judicial officials. The three judicial officials signed the imperial edict from the Ministry of Justice. Together with the imperial edict of the Emperor of the Great Ming, it was delivered to Kaifeng Prefecture by postmen on an express golden plaque with an express speed of 800 miles. The eunuch in charge of supervising the execution was Li Yougong, a eunuch of the Great Ming and the head of Your Majesty's training partner.

On December 29th, Ling Yunyi, the Governor of Shandong and Henan and Minister of War, received the imperial invitation and edict and met with Li Yougong.

It's not that Ling Yunyi didn't want to take revenge earlier, nor did he not want to send troops to Zhenping County, but when he was in Shandong, Chen Dazhuang still chose to believe that the emperor would not forgive the evil deeds of Yansheng Duke when facing the enemy who killed his father. Ling Yunyi was also furious, but still did not let the power be willful, but chose to believe in the monarch.

Just as the emperor trusted Ling Yunyi to handle the task in Henan well, Ling Yunyi believed that the details of the case would be submitted to the court in Beijing and would receive a fair trial.

Ling Yunyi waited for the trial, and the court and the emperor supported Ling Yunyi's move to kill.

"Behead him tomorrow!" Ling Yunyi said, holding the imperial edict in his hand, looking at Li Yougong who came to supervise the execution.

Li Yougong said calmly: "Hello, Mr. Ling. I want to take a look at the case files and meet all the criminals and witnesses."

"As I should." Ling Yunyi knew Li Yougong's status in the palace, and this was also a necessary procedure. Since Ling Yunyi did not choose to send troops for revenge, the necessary procedures must be completed.

Li Yougong, along with two eunuchs, began to examine the case files. He read them very carefully, and it took him about two hours to finish reading the entire file. He then began to check various physical and documentary evidence. After verifying each other, Li Yougong took the case files and evidence and asked the yamen runners to bring various witnesses to the court for interrogation.

"Tang Baozhu, we are here to ask you a question, please answer truthfully." Li Yougong looked at the person in front of him, who was Lian Biao's legal advisor.

"Yes."

Li Yougong asked calmly, "According to your testimony, Lian Biao asked you to take Liu Qiaolian to Kaifeng Prefecture because he sensed danger. Knowing that there was danger, why didn't he leave by himself, but asked you to leave with the witness?"

There are various signs that Lian Biao had sensed the danger. The death of County Magistrate Liu Rukang was unusual. Liu Rukang was a juren and did not have to do many things personally. It was indeed unreasonable that Liu Rukang drowned in the river in January.

Tang Baozhu said with great certainty: "Lian County Magistrate told me: I am an official appointed by the court. If I leave, where is the dignity of the court? I believe they are so bold that they dare to kill me."

"Who knew that these damned things would actually dare to kill people."

Lian Biao felt that he was an official appointed by the imperial court. Even if these insects were so bold, would they dare to kill him? Could they withstand the wrath of the imperial court?

In the eleventh year of the Wanli reign, in this feudal imperial environment, in this era where the official ranks were appropriate and the order of respect for the elderly and the young was followed, and under the influence of the emperors and his subjects for thousands of years, Lian Biao did not think that his life was in any danger.

Li Yougong continued to ask, "In Li Ducai's confession, he said that Lian Biao was attracted by Liu Qiaolian's beauty and believed her. Liu Er became angry and killed Lian Biao in a rage. Then he continued to flee. Did Lian Biao have an affair with Liu Qiaolian?"

Tang Baozhu's face changed drastically. He shouted angrily, "This is a false accusation! A false accusation! The magistrate has a family, and his wife and children are all in Kaifeng Prefecture. He originally said that he would settle down in Zhenping County, and then let his wife and two children go to Zhenping County. This is simply nonsense!"

Tang Baozhu was very angry. He forced himself to calm down and said angrily, "The county magistrate did not listen to one side. Angel, that is 2400 dan of grain. Liu Er can't steal so much grain even if he is the reincarnation of Hercules. He has not even touched so much grain. Li Ducai and others, they killed officials! If they are not guilty, why are they afraid of being discovered by Lingbutang?"

Lian Biao is already dead, and if Tang Baozhu wants to preserve Lian Biao's posthumous reputation, he has to fight for Lian Biao.

"Don't be so excited. It's just a routine question." Li Yougong signaled Tang Baozhu to stay calm. It was just a routine inquiry. Liu Qiaolian was just a village woman. He believed what Lian Biao and Liu Qiaolian had done. It was just Li Ducai's last struggle.

Li Yougong asked a few more questions before letting Tang Baozhu leave. He called all the witnesses to the hall for questioning one after another, and finally called the culprit of the case, Li Ducai.

"Li Ducai, who killed the magistrate?" Li Yougong still had a calm expression on his face. Looking at Li Ducai in front of him, who had a rather kind face, how could he look like a vicious criminal?
"Liu Er! Killed by Liu Er!" Li Ducai shouted, "The angels are wise, it was clearly Liu Er who killed the people. Ling Butang threw these officials of our Zhenping County into jail without any investigation!"

"You said that this rotten corpse killed County Magistrate Lian?" Li Yougong looked at a corpse covered with a white cloth next to him and said in a cold tone: "Or is it that County Magistrate Liu Rukang killed County Magistrate Lian? One of them died in July this year, and the other died in January. Tell me, did they crawl out from the place where the bodies were hidden and kill County Magistrate Lian who took office in September?"

During Li Yougong's continuous investigation, he discovered that Ling Yunyi was very meticulous in handling the case. Li Ducai had no idea what evidence Ling Yunyi had. When the bodies of Liu Er and Liu Rukang were discovered, Li Ducai was still quibbling and had no idea what Ling Yunyi had.

Now, suddenly the evidence of two corpses was placed in front of him, and he was immediately frightened and confused.

In fact, after Li Yougong finished reading the detailed case files, it was already very clear who was right and who was wrong. The evidence, both personal and physical, were all linked together and the evidence was irrefutable. Li Ducai's sophistry was like that of a clown, full of impotence and rage, showing the lowest level of humanity.

"Which bandit was Liu Er connected with to steal 2400 shi of grain tax from Zhenping County?" Li Yougong asked again.

"In the Heiyun Village of Erligou, there is a leader named Hao Sandao. Liu Er and Hao Sandao are sworn brothers." Li Ducai immediately said loudly.

"Bring him up." Li Yougong looked at Li Ducai with a fierce look in his eyes. He had traveled all over the country over the years and met many people. This was the first time Li Yougong had seen someone as stubborn as Li Ducai.

Ling Butang was able to climb to a high position in the ministry, and he led foreign soldiers to kill and burn people everywhere, doing all kinds of evil. His notoriety spread all over the country, but he still stood firm. Naturally, he had his own unique way of doing things, that is, he was extremely thorough in his work. He always believed that as long as he was open and aboveboard, and walked uprightly, he would not be afraid of little devils knocking on the door.

When the little ghosts saw him, they had to kowtow three times to Ling Butang before leaving.

Ling Yunyi pacified the Heiyun Village and wiped out all the bandits in the village and arrested them all.

"Ah?" Li Ducai never expected that not only the body was found, but also Hao Sandao was caught. Li Ducai had let Hao Sandao escape after Lian Biao's death. As a result, Hao Sandao did escape, but was caught by Ling Yunyi at the border of Huguang and Henan.

The foreign soldiers were no match for the elite soldiers in the capital. In the eyes of the Western envoy, Legashi, the elite soldiers were the legendary Templar Knights. However, it was easy for the foreign soldiers to capture the leader of a mountain stronghold.

The appearance of Hao Sandao made Li Ducai completely collapse, because Hao Sandao knew a lot of things, and many dirty things were done by Hao Sandao personally. At this point, there was no room for quibbling.

"County Magistrate Lian is pleading for the people." Li Yougong looked at Li Ducai and sighed, "You are about to die, but you still don't repent."

"Last winter, seventeen official residences in Zhenping County collapsed due to snow, and seven were burned down by fire. Because the county magistrate Liu Rukang refused to share the 1200 taels of construction fee with you, you felt that Liu Rukang was too much of a hindrance, so you asked Hao Sandao to kill Liu Rukang at his home and bury his body in Erligou."

"He lied about Liu Rukang and was washed away by the spring flood."

"In June, the summer grain was escorted. You were greedy and set your sights on taxes. You embezzled 2400 shi and pinned the blame on Liu Er. Liu Er refused to accept it. County lieutenant Chen Zhongxun always sympathized with the common people and had a close relationship with Liu Rukang. He told Liu Er about the corruption in the county government and asked Liu Er to go to Kaifeng Prefecture to file a complaint and seek justice from Lingbu Tang."

"Liu Er sent a petition to Kaifeng Prefecture. Chen Zhongxun certainly helped him. Liu Er is illiterate, and the petition was written by Chen Zhongxun. Liu Er has no pass, and the petition was also sent by Chen Zhongxun. You might as well go all out and kill Liu Er, and report him missing, making it an unsolved case."

"The master of the Kaifeng Prefecture Hall, Lingbutang, has issued you a ticket and asked you to come to Kaifeng Prefecture. Lingbutang wants to inquire about Liu Er's lawsuit against the county court, and you have bribed three clerks who delivered the ticket."

"Why don't you get rid of these clerks who delivered the tickets? Are you afraid of Ling? When they are bullying the weak, they are all ferocious. But in front of the superiors, they are submissive and obedient. Even the clerks who deliver the tickets are respectful and respectful."

Li Yougong gave a complete account of the case. County lieutenant Chen Zhongxun was not dead. After Lian Biao's death, the county lieutenant immediately fled to Kaifeng Prefecture and took refuge with Ling Yunyi, thus saving his life. Otherwise, this group of evil officials who were blinded by murderous intent would not know how to deal with this "traitor".

In Li Ducai's eyes, Liu Rukang, Lian Biao and other people who pleaded for the people were all traitors, traitors to the officials. How could they sympathize with the common people? Sympathizing with the common people would mean standing on the opposite side of them.

Chen Zhongxun was also greedy, and he was an accomplice in dividing the profits, but when the county magistrate Liu Rukang died, Chen Zhongxun became afraid.

Everyone would be afraid. Once the killing of officials happened, it would be like the collapse of heaven and earth. No matter how far you go, you cannot escape the emperor's pursuit.

"Then, Li Ducai, let me ask you, who gave you the courage to be so audacious? Your corruption case is at most a charge of dismissal, not even exile. Is it necessary for you to take such a risk?" Li Yougong frowned and said, "Tell the truth."

Li Ducai took a deep breath and said, "It's Wang Ci Fu!"

"Most of our money has been given to Wang Ci Fu of the imperial court. We have no choice. If we fail to pay the carbon tribute and ice tribute in full, we will not end up well."

"Are you sure it was Wang Chonggu and Wang Ci Fu who accepted your money?" Li Yougong's eyes fixed. If this was the case, it would be a major earthquake. The court might face a round of catastrophic personnel changes, which would mean turmoil in the country.

Wang Chonggu is interested in this little bit of money? Is it possible for Li Du to get a person like Wang Chonggu?

"It was Wang Ci Fu's son Wang Qian. I am very sure that the silver was given to him! I gave it to him personally! He also asked the accountant to write a receipt for me!" Li Ducai said loudly.

Ling Yunyi was very nervous at first, as this was a situation he had no control over. But when he heard about the receipt, he immediately said with a smile: "Li Ducai, Li Ducai, in your next life, don't be an official again. It's really not suitable for you."

"When you do something bad, will you write a receipt for others? Will you let others hold you hostage? Put yourself in his shoes and think about it. Would he give you a receipt?" "You've been cheated. There are too many brokers in Jingtang."

When Ling Yunyi heard the word "receipt", he immediately realized that Li Ducai was 99% likely cheated by the broker. The more spineless and upright a person is, the easier it is for him to be deceived.

Zhang Juzheng never issued any receipt to Ling Yunyi, and even if he thought about it with his heels, it might give others an advantage.

But Li Ducai believed it, and believed it without a doubt. He didn't need the broker to deceive him, he would deceive himself.

"To put it bluntly, Wang Ci Fu's son is not someone you can marry just by spending money." Ling Yunyi said jokingly, "You are not worthy of it."

Wang Qian was indeed a playboy, but he was also a serious fourth-rank official who could have a seat at a grand banquet and sit down to eat. Li Ducai was a county official, and even if he spent all his wealth, he could not see Wang Qian.

Broker is an ancient profession, whose main purpose is to cheat people for food and drink, but secondly, cheating people of their money is the real purpose, and they swindle people under the banner of you gentlemen.

Things became clear at this point. Li Du felt that he had connections in the court, which was why he dared to be so bold. But in fact, there was no one behind him.

According to Li Ducai's account, he came to Beijing three years ago and met a prostitute in Taibai Tower. The prostitute introduced a person to Li Ducai. The person claimed to be Zhao, the woman who was Wang Qian's concubine. After Zhao took 100 taels of silver, she introduced Wang Qian to Li Ducai.

The two of them hit it off right away and felt they had known each other for a long time. They became familiar with each other within two or three days, and close friends after a few more days. Soon, Young Master Wang began to demand bribes.

Moreover, this was not a one-off deal. Li Ducai and Wang Qian maintained a long-term correspondence and paid bribes to each other every year, ranging from a hundred taels to a thousand taels.

Li Ducai did not dare to disobey, but he became more and more arrogant. According to the letter receipts and other things provided by Li Ducai, Li Yougong saw a completely different Master Wang.

Young Master Wang promised in the letter, "Just do it boldly, I will take responsibility if anything goes wrong!"

Killing an imperial official was such a serious matter that even Wang Chonggu could not cover it up, let alone Wang Qian.

When the Great Wall Dingjian case broke out, the court appointed Li Le to investigate. Wang Chonggu's response was to bribe rather than kill.

Killing people would intensify conflicts and lead to a fight to the death. There would not even be a chance to gain meritorious service while being guilty. Wang Chonggu was well aware of the adverse effects of killing court officials.

You can kill, as long as you can withstand the accountability. Cao Cao killed Empress Fu of Emperor Xian of Han, so wasn't it okay?
Li Ducai obviously could not withstand the court's accountability. Not to mention the court, even Ling Yunyi's accountability, Li Ducai could not withstand it.

"Li Ducai has to be brought back to the capital because a new situation has emerged. Although it is 99% certain that they have been deceived, we still need to conduct an investigation." Li Yougong looked at Ling Yunyi with some embarrassment and asked Ling Yunyi for his opinion.

Ling Yunyi frowned and asked, "If it wasn't Wang Qian, how would Li Du deal with it?"

"He will live a long time. After all, the specimens in the Institute of Excavation are not abundant and need to be used sparingly." Li Yougong said uncertainly, "These are extremely precious consumables. The Institute of Excavation can only collect a few specimens a year. If there is any result, the officials will point fingers at us and call us inhumane."

The chief medical officers of the Jiekuyuan marched forward under numerous obstacles, and all the obstacles in the process of medical advancement were shouldered by His Majesty.

Everyone felt that the burden imposed on Shen Shixing was heavy, but who would have thought that the burden on His Majesty was not light either? His Majesty shouldered the great burden of the Ming Dynasty again.

On the first day of the first lunar month, Zhu Yijun offered sacrifices to his ancestors in the Taimiao and gave a work report, which he did once a year without interruption.

"This year we wasted money to build the bell and drum tower in the main government office. Everyone says it is a wonder, but in fact it is for the convenience of life of the people in the capital. At least they can tell the time from a distance. A clock for more than two million people in the capital of the Ming Dynasty is not expensive. I think it is worth it." Zhu Yijun talked about the bell and drum tower that was completed in December.

Some people have criticized this thing as a spectacle of large-scale construction and a waste, but now whether it is a pendulum clock, pocket watch, or egg watch, the price is very expensive and is something that only a few people can afford. Building such a bell and drum tower can be seen from a distance, and when you hear the bell ringing, you know it is the top of the hour, which can barely be regarded as an investment in public facilities.

Zhu Yijun felt that it was not a loss.

"The thing that bothers me the most is the silver dam. Currently, 6.5 million taels of silver are imported from overseas each year. In addition, the global trade of ocean-going sailing ships brings in more than 3 million taels of silver each year. It will take until the 12th and 13th years of the Wanli reign for the silver coins to reach the production capacity of 6.5 million taels of silver. By then, there will be a dam."

"Alas, having too much money can sometimes be a trouble." Zhu Yijun burned another engineering book about the difficulties of printing silver coins and the application of hydraulic technology, clapped his hands, and said proudly.

Just counting all the portraits in the Taimiao, except Zhu Di who was not short of money, Zhu Yijun could stand on a mountain of silver and say to each of the rest, "Poor bastard!"

Including Zhu Yuanzhang!
After Zhu Yuanzhang ended the chaotic times, he restored production and life, but continued to wage war until the 21st year of Hongwu, when the period was considered to have come to a temporary end. Therefore, during the Hongwu period, people were really not rich. If Zhu Yuanzhang had not eliminated the title of emperor of the Northern Yuan Dynasty, he would not have felt secure on the throne. Since he had promised to destroy the Northern Yuan Dynasty, he had to do it no matter how difficult it was.

Zhu Yuanzhang fulfilled his promise, so he could have complete control over his subordinates.

In fact, Zhu Di was not very rich. War was a very expensive thing. The little profit Zhu Di made from official ships and official trade was all used in the Northern Expedition, which completely defeated the Northern Yuan Khanate and turned it into a northern barbarian.

Zhu Yijun was different. He had a mountain of silver, and because of the dam problem, all the silver had to be piled up in the treasury for the next two or three years, and the amount kept piling up.

"These ministers, especially Grand Tutor Wang Guoguang and Junior Tutor Zhang Xueyan, used my treasury as a tool to regulate the circulation of silver. They are really audacious, but I have to do it." Zhu Yijun was indeed anxious when he saw so much silver that could not be used for investment, but no collective in the society could bear the pressure of such a large-scale accumulation of silver and no longer invest in reproduction.

Because with the inflow, silver is quietly becoming less precious.

Zhu Yijun chattered on for a long time, reporting what happened in the eleventh year of Wanli, then he smiled and threw the last volume of the book into the fire. This book was "Collection of Romantic Stories".

"I have some gossip, I will burn it for our ancestors to have fun, so that everyone can have fun together during the New Year. I have uncovered the dirty deeds of those fifty lowly scholars. These bastards really have no shame, and instead of feeling ashamed, they are proud of it. Although it looks like nothing has happened, they are just talking big. Even the vegetable farmers in the vegetable camp are ashamed to send them vegetables."

"Let me beat my soldiers with twenty sticks. They will live in shame for the rest of their lives and will never be able to turn things around!"

The impact of the romantic affair was even more terrifying than Zhu Yijun had imagined. After all, it was all based on facts and the content was very detailed. Moreover, these despicable scholars even turned against their saviors, but no one went to the government to file a complaint, which showed that it was true.

These people are scolded wherever they go.

The evil book stirred up public opinion and influenced the imperial court's policies? Zhu Yijun was really good at this.

After Zhu Yijun finished his work report, he finally began his official rest. Zhu Yijun had grown up and was as strong as a calf. When wrestling with Xiong Tingbi, Zhu Yijun was only one year older than Xiong Tingbi. This one year difference could not give him an overwhelming advantage at all, but Zhu Yijun always won. After all, he was Prince of Lu and Xiong Tingbi was just a commoner.

There is only one stubborn person like Luo Sigong who is unwilling to be disobedient.

"Call Wang Chonggu and his son. I want to ask them. If it is true as Li Ducai said, that most of the money he embezzled fell into Wang Qian's pocket, then this Li Ducai should not be allowed to enter the capital alive." Zhu Yijun looked at the secret report sent by Li Yougong with a serious expression.

Even if the possibility is one in ten thousand, as long as there is such a possibility, you have to be careful.

Li Yougong's secret report was sent back to the capital via carrier pigeons, which was much faster than post. Using carrier pigeons to transmit intelligence was a method of transmitting information discovered during exploration after the opening of the sea.

"Your Majesty, swear by the law of heaven and earth! Let him come to Beijing, and I will confront him. As long as I take a copper coin from him, I, Wang Qian, will be his son! I will have his surname! Who the hell is he, and is he worthy of it?" After seeing the secret report, Wang Qian was dumbfounded. Could he be so stupid as to issue a receipt to someone?

Wang Chonggu's face turned black. Wang Qian was really talking nonsense. His biological father was right in front of him!
"Your Majesty, after the New Year, we have to purge these brokers. There are too many such troubles. When Hu Zongxian was suppressing the Japanese invasion, Hu Zongxian's son Hu Boqi passed by Chun'an County. Hai Rui didn't care that he was the governor's son and simply hung him up and beat him. Hu Zongxian couldn't do anything about it." There are two key points in Wang Chonggu's words. The first is to launch the Spring Thunder Operation to rectify the brokers, and the second is Hai Rui's integrity.

He was indeed a treacherous minister, but that was in the past. With his identity as a treacherous minister, he could be blamed for anything. Even brokers and scammers used his name to defraud. As the Minister of Justice, he had to crack down on them!

The court really needs someone like Hai Rui as a role model.

When Hai Rui was the magistrate of Chun'an, Hu Boqi, the third son of Hu Zongxian, passed by Chun'an and hung a postman upside down. Hai Rui then hung Hu Boqi upside down and beat him. Hu Zongxian did not make things difficult for Hai Rui because it was Hu Boqi's fault in the matter itself. It would be better for him to learn a lesson to prevent him from becoming lawless and causing greater trouble.

This is the most typical example of not fearing the powerful, and Hu Zongxian was not a villain. At that time, the Japanese invasion was frequent. If Hu Zongxian really wanted to do something to Hai Rui, he would have done it long ago, but he did not.

"We do need to rectify the chaos caused by brokers, but we are talking behind closed doors now. The key issue is whether or not Li Ducai should be allowed to come to Beijing alive." Zhu Yijun did not hide anything and spoke directly.

If there was real corruption and he really took the money, it would not be a problem. Thirty-four thousand taels, even if Wang Chonggu really took it, the upright Hai Rui would only dismiss him.

Therefore, we can use some means to prevent turmoil in the country.

"Let him come to Beijing alive. If you count the accounts before the second year of Wanli, I am indeed not clean. But after the second year of Wanli, I have a clear conscience, I am worthy of the court, the people of the world, and even more worthy of your majesty's trust." Wang Chonggu did not hide it. He did not take it.

"Wang Ci Fu has a younger brother, Wang Chongyi. Has he done anything outside behind Wang Ci Fu's back?" Zhu Yijun reminded Wang Chonggu that it might not be the father and son, but could be an impostor.

Wang Chonggu shook his head and said, "Your Majesty, Zhang Siwei was executed by his clan. I was lucky enough to survive by virtue of my minor merits."

Only those who have been hit by an iron fist know the pain. After the fist killed Wang Chonggu's entire family, the biggest consensus in the Wang family was to listen to His Majesty.

You can take the silver given by His Majesty, but you cannot touch the silver not given by His Majesty.

(End of this chapter)