eldest son of Ming dynasty

Chapter 178 Why is it so powerful... (two chapters in one)

Snapped!
On the streets of Hangzhou City, the soldiers of the governor's yamen pasted a large piece of yellow paper full of black characters that was as tall as a person on the wall, and the onlookers pointed and pointed.

The soldiers surrounded a middle-aged man with a goatee who looked like a scholar. After a glance, the poor scholar began to point to the words and read aloud:
People, brothers and sisters, a shocking corruption case has occurred in Zhejiang this time!His Royal Highness has sent ministers to arrest them!So many people have been arrested in the past few days, they are the bastard chief minister Li Yancai, the inhuman inspector Dang Shanji, and a bunch of corrupt officials who forgot that they were also poor people... Rest assured, these people have all died He was arrested, the prince said, if any official bullies the common people, even if he hides in grandma's house, he must be arrested! "

When Mei Kejia went out today, he passed through several places and encountered such a scene. Anyway, there was such a notice on the next street, and then he found a poor scholar, gave him a tael of silver, and asked him to read it for a day.

"Don't read it." Mei Kejia said with a smile, "This must have been taught by the prince, and the vulgar language is for the common people to understand."

No matter what method is really used, it will be used to the top.

Fuzheng, who was driving his carriage, was considered uneducated, but it was disgusting to hear people say that on the street.

However, many things in this world are more mysterious.It's like being used to seeing the government's daily seriousness, and suddenly they come to you with a humorous and funny thing, so the people who eat melons will also like to listen to things that are not interesting in themselves.

There is no meaning in these words, and people who don't study can understand them, so the people of Hangzhou City watched an open-air funny drama for free.

Where Mei Kejia passed by, he would see people laughing and bragging, so he patted his chest on the street: "I said earlier that these officials are white-faced and black-hearted. Look, we can't deal with him. There are high officials above who can deal with him!"

"The bastard Dang Shanji came to ask for our family's wine, and he won't pay for the wine! If you catch it well this time, these dog officials should be arrested by them in the future!"

……

After watching this kind of scene more and more, Mei Kejia can understand the intention of it.All the prince did was four words: Youyou's mouth.

Eunuch Zhang has learned well, so no one can make waves in Hangzhou.

This is a hand.

On the other hand, the soldiers of the governor's yamen and the inspector's yamen were mobilized, some of them were arresting people in Hangzhou, and some were going out of the city to the next prefecture to lead people.

Mei Kejia himself had bumped into a prison van on the street, and it was a series of prison vans, containing more than a dozen prisoners.

"I recognize them, they are those from the Li family, and they often connive at the slaves in the street to hurt people!"

"Good catch! Good catch!"

……

For some reason, Mei Kejia felt that there were not so many resentful people in the city on weekdays. They were silent, silent, silent... until now they discovered the huge number of this group.

At the same time, the governor's office.

Zhang Yong, Mao Yuwen and Wang Hua interrogated Xu Ruoqin.

The prefect of Huzhou caused waves in the capital, and His Royal Highness the Prince remembered him.Since the higher-ups know, then you will naturally have to go up to the bottom when you do things.If the leader can't care about your silence, do you still have a leader in your eyes?
Xu Ruoqin is in his thirties, and he is quite handsome, with a white face, red lips, bright eyes, and a handsome figure.If Wang Hua had to see it for himself, he would never think that this person is a bad person.

"Xu Ruoqin. Ten months ago, you published a memorandum, saying that Your Highness is favored and takes a high position, and the family is warm and rich, and because of the wealth and resources, he competes with the people for the benefit of the people. The people's security can be like this. Your Highness has Please tell me to ask you, you said that the East Palace competes with the people for profit, is it the people's benefit that you officials, big and small, are greedy for?"

Zhang Yong is not lying, this is indeed the crown prince's confession.

Because Zhu Houzhao actually sometimes feels that his spirit is about to be split by this group of people. It stands to reason that they are all people who have read sage books, and they all know what courtesy, righteousness, integrity and shame are?I don't even believe the words that come out of my mouth, but I still have to be so righteous and awe-inspiring. What kind of mentality is this?

Xu Ruoqin unsteadily raised his eyelids, and then laughed coldly, "The harm of factory guards reappears in the world, you are all blood-donating executioners with hands stained! How dare you sit on it with dignity and question me! "

Zhang Yong was so angry when he heard this sentence, "I am greedy for ink and don't mention it, how dare I speak wild words?!"

"Greedy ink?" Xu Ruoqin felt desperate and resentful because his entire family was implicated, "We are greedy for ink, so what are Wei Bin and Mei Kejia? They have gained more than a million dollars from the people?!"

"Don't stop me!" Mao Yuwen couldn't take it anymore, he went straight to the armored soldier on the side, drew out his knife and was about to cut people down, but Zhang Yong signaled with his eyes, and someone came out and stopped Mao Yuwen .

But this guy is really angry, even if he can't kick him, he still has to lift his foot, "Elder-in-law! You asked me to kill him with one knife! Didn't he say that I am an executioner! I don't even have his blood on my hand!"

Zhang Yong waved his hand and asked people to take him aside, and then said to Xu Ruoqin: "You are thick-skinned. Listening to your words, you are full of loyalty to the emperor and the people. You are not worrying about the country, or pity the people of the world. But looking at what you do, you are full of seeking officials, fame, and profit. Your Highness said, the most important thing for a person like you is not to kill you, but to let you go free."

"The most important thing to do is to put you in Yuanma Temple, which is difficult in the northwest, to be a horse herdsman. That is to let you be in the position where it is most difficult to get promoted, while feeding mosquitoes, while doing the job with the lowest salary. Find a mean boss who drives you to work like a cow all the time. Don’t you care about the people of the world? Then let you see how the poor people live. Aren’t you worried about the country? Then Let you raise a few war horses for the imperial court."

When Zhang Yong said this, both Wang Hua and Mao Yuwen couldn't help but look at him.

Zhang Yong looked a little unnatural, "What's wrong? Is there a problem?"

Both of them shook their heads and said no problem.But Mao Yu's anger disappeared, "Suddenly I don't want to kill him anymore, and I feel that killing him is really cheap for him."

Zhang Yong can understand, these two people probably want to say that His Highness is too hurt...

How bold!

Even if they didn't say it.

Xu Ruoqin's expression remained unchanged, "This is the first time I've heard that my father-in-law and Jin Yiwei are talking about the king and the people! The incident in Zhejiang was originally caused by the case of Wei Bin's corruption of ink. What's wrong with the courtiers impeaching him? Zhejiang has recruited eunuchs and Jinyiwei from the palace. The mouth of the people is better than that of Fangchuan. You can fool the emperor and the prince, but can you fool the people of the world?!"

I don't look at the details, just look at the opening and ending scenes, it seems that this is indeed the case...

"Coax the crown prince?" Zhang Yong looked at him like a fool, "He is really far away from the people who have no knowledge of the capital. All the officials at home and abroad, who dare to say that they can fool the crown prince?"

He shook his head helplessly.

"Forget it, record his reply and submit it to the capital."

Because Xu Ruoqin was involved with King Huai, he couldn't cut him down for the time being.

There are so many criminals in Zhejiang, of course not all of them will be sent to the capital, that would be too troublesome.If Zhang Yong wants to write in the capital, see if he can choose an auspicious day in the local area and send them to the Western Paradise.

Not long after, Zhang Yong avoided the crowd and went to meet someone secretly.

Wei Bin.

Wei Bin was locked in the dungeon at this time, and he didn't have to worry about food, but he couldn't see much light, and he didn't have anyone to talk to him, and he had to worry about his own life all the time, and he was going crazy.

At the beginning, when people came to the dungeon, he would react a little bit, but now he seemed to be sluggish, until Zhang Yong stood in front of him.

"Old Wei, Zhang Yong is here."

Wei Bin paused for a long time, feeling as if his soul was being sucked away, and then immediately began to curl his lips and start crying. His crying was not Li Yancai's loud howling, but a low whimper, pulling the pillars of the cell and crying loudly. When I opened my mouth, my voice became hoarse.
"Woooooo...Zhang Yong, I beg you, go and tell His Highness, this servant knows it's wrong."

Zhang Yong is a kind person. Even if Wei Bin committed a crime, they have known each other for a long time and grew up with the crown prince in the East Palace.

On weekdays, everyone, headed by Liu Jin, called each other brothers and helped each other.So when he saw Wei Bin's end today, it would be a lie to say that he didn't feel sad.

Zhang Yong sniffed, held back his tears, then wiped Wei Bin's dirty face with his hand, and said, "I brought wine, I'll have a drink with you today."

He sat cross-legged, with a wine jar and two bowls beside him.

One was outside the cell, the other was in the cell, and the two bumped into each other like this.

In fact, why did Wei Bin want to drink? He finished the process, and then looked at Zhang Yong eagerly, "Your Highness...do you have anything to say?"

"Yes." Zhang Yong nodded heavily.

Crashing, Wei Bin arched his head forward, pulling the iron chain on his body and making a crisp sound, "What did Your Highness say?"

"Your Highness asked me to find you as soon as I entered the city. Ask who is giving money and making connections in the officialdom in Zhejiang... At that time, I didn't dare to answer. I thought what would happen if Wei Bin didn't tell me."

Wei Bin nodded eagerly and hastily, "I'll tell you! I'll tell you everything! As long as His Highness is willing to believe me!"

Snapped!
Zhang Yong smashed the bowl in his hand to the ground, "What's the use of being so obedient at this time?! What did you do long ago! When you were greedy, didn't you think about what to do if His Highness knew? I didn't Did I remind you not to take His Highness's silver even if I tell you to take anyone's silver?!"

Wei Bin wasn't afraid of Zhang Yong's anger at all.He stretched out his hand towards Zhang Yong. He spoke with varying degrees of intensity, some words could be heard, some words were silent, but he was crying, "I know I was wrong...I really know I was wrong Can you, can you give me another chance..."

"Opportunity...Old Wei, your Highness employs people. You have been in the East Palace for so many years. You understand that as long as the knife edge is outward and the heart is in the East Palace, you will try your best to keep it. But if you dig the roots of your own people, don't mention you. Neither Liu Jin nor I can escape this fate."

Zhang Yong raised his head, and finally said, "Your Highness, you are the prince, and you will be the emperor in the future, do you understand?"

Wei Bin stood up slowly and with difficulty, and knelt down facing the north, "Your Highness, I will allow you to pay back your servants in the next life."

"Bring poison wine!"

"Yes!"

In the end, Wei Bin also named several names, some were on Zhang Yong's arrest list, and some were not.

After finishing speaking, Wei Bin held up the bowl, and Zhang Yong held up the jar of wine he had brought earlier.

"Brother, Old Wei will go first. May we all be human in our next life."

After gulping it down like this, a thin body finally crashed to the ground, and the loss of a life was nothing more than a few taels of straw.

"Come on!"

With a bang, the iron door of the dungeon was opened.

"Yes!!" Perhaps it was because they had just killed someone, but these guys were also very energetic, and they answered very loudly.

"Here's an order to order Deputy Qianhu Wu Junchuan to gallop to Jiaxing and arrest all the powerful local Qian family!!"

This Qian family is the Qian Shi of Guanglu Temple Shaoqing Qian Shi.

Why do you say that Xu Ruoqin belongs to him?Originally, the relationship between these two families was relatively similar, and they were related by marriage.This kind of indistinguishable situation between officials and businessmen is exactly one of the main targets that the prince wants to attack!

If no political means work, then we can only find out and kill the leading families.

Of course, even though this was done in Zhejiang, after arresting several big families in Zhejiang, the whole south of the Yangtze River, especially the Susong area, started to be shaken.

This time the imperial court is rectifying Zhejiang, will it shift its target to Jiangnan next time?
After all, does the crime of collusion between Zhejiang businessmen and the government not exist in Jiangnan?It can even be said, where does it not exist?

But with the gradual increase of various memorials above the court, and the cabinet included six departments, it suddenly became clear.

"This is the reason why His Highness wants to send Tengxiang Zuowei to Zhejiang!"

What happened in Zhejiang will definitely cause some turmoil in Jiangnan and even the whole country. If there is a Grade A guard who can be inserted as a nail, it will be a knock on the mountain.

To put it bluntly, Donggong is ready for someone to make trouble.

However, no matter how prepared the East Palace was, when more and more news about the situation in Zhejiang spread to the capital, the courtiers couldn't bear it anymore.

Emperor Hongzhi flipped through the memorials one by one, his little hands began to tremble, "This one is yes, this one is also... this one is also, what do they want to do?!"

In the past few days, the emperor's health has been getting better and better, and he has basically walked down the ground every day, and the morning and noon courts have all recovered.

When Zhu Houzhao came in, he happened to see a memorial being thrown on the ground. When he lifted the curtain and poked his head in, he saw the emperor walking back and forth angrily.So he lowered his head and picked up the memorial,

"And what made the royal father angry?"

"If you mess with me, I can probably bear it. But it's all messing with you!" Emperor Hongzhi pointed at his son, "You always have a way, so think about how to deal with them."

Zhu Houzhao was helpless, "Father, please don't be angry, your health has just recovered."

"You know what to say. But none of the ministers who submitted the papers really thought about my health, and they were all worried about you continuing to investigate!"

Perhaps because too many people were arrested, the originally peaceful court began to boil again.
Zhu Houzhao frowned and pondered for a while, thinking about it.

Morning the next day.

He threw out a memorial, "Where is Jiang Tongzu, the censor of the Metropolitan Procuratorate?"

"The minister is here!" A high-pitched voice sounded, and then a young official with a short beard came out.

"Recently, my palace is supervising the corruption case in Zhejiang, and many officials and businessmen have been arrested, so some people in the court should not be aggressive, implying that the East Palace has lost its benevolence and Jiang Tongzu. Is this what you mean?"

"Return to Your Highness, no. This is the meaning of a saint." This Jiang Tongzu had a good time.

"What does the sage mean?" Standing in front of all the courtiers, Zhu Houzhao asked, "The sage said, shouldn't corrupt officials be killed?"

"Returning to Your Highness, the sage did not say that corrupt officials should not be killed. The sage said that governing the people with virtue and winning the trust of the people should not impose harsh policies and arbitrary punishments. When Wei Xuancheng remonstrated with Emperor Taizong of Tang, he said: Since ancient times, emperors have taken If benevolence and righteousness govern the country, the country will prosper for a long time, and if the criminal law is used to govern the people, even if it can achieve temporary results, the country will quickly collapse because of this, so choose benevolence and righteousness instead of punishment. This is the reason.”

Zhu Houzhao said: "The sage said that harsh punishments should not be used to govern the people. When did he say that severe punishments and severe laws should not be used to govern the officials? Jiang Tongzu, I really don't know where you have read. Minister Shu, do you really pretend to be ordinary people in your heart?!"

The crown prince pointed at the sky with the memorandum in his hand, "Emperor Taizu said a long time ago that your salary is rich, the people anoint the people, the people are easy to abuse, and the sky is hard to bully! This palace is investigating corruption cases, and what we do is for Good deeds of the common people! All ministers know that the people in Zhejiang applaud the arrest of officials at all levels, but what about you? You say that you worry about the world’s worries first, and enjoy the world’s happiness later, but now the people are happy, but you are worried ! It’s an ancient anecdote!”

Snapped!
Zhu Houzhao threw Jiang Tongzu's memorials in front of him, and said firmly: "Jiang Tongzu, your article is the best, but the better the article is, the more confused the book will be. I will not punish you. Fame, you are only punished to be a commoner for three months, if you still have a conscience, go and see how corrupt officials harm the people, don't always sit in the court hall and scold the courtiers."

"There are other memorials that say that my palace is strict in government. I don't recognize it at all, because you don't know what it means to be easy to abuse the people, and it is difficult to bully the sky! So these memorials, the palace neither approves nor approves them. Stay in the middle, all return the same way! You all say that history is like iron, write down today's matter well, from Jiang Tongzu, don't miss a person's name, write it down for future generations to see, these corrupt officials in this palace arrested Wrong or right!"

When the prince said these words, the courtiers lost their words for a moment.Maybe it was because of the power and influence, the front of Taihe Gate was surprisingly quiet.Even in front of the row of eunuchs who were holding the memorials, no one came to receive the memorials.

Zhu Houzhao dug out one at random, "Wei Lisen, head of the criminal department!"

"The minister is here."

"Come and get the memorial."

With the first one, all the others will follow.

Everyone was in a daze, mainly because this approach had never been done before... neither giving instructions nor leaving...

Its meaning is that what you said is all wrong, and I will not change it. If you still refuse to accept it, well, it will be recorded in the history books and passed on to future generations!History will give the answer!

The key point is that the prince punishes corrupt officials one by one.

Emperor Hongzhi sighed on the dragon chair: Why is it so powerful...

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(End of this chapter)