Daming: Mixed in Dangzhi County, Beiping

That night, after hearing that Jin Yiwei started arresting people again.

In the minds of many officials, some kind of terrifying scene deep in their minds was awakened.

then.

Many officials also spontaneously took out pens and ink and began to write memorials.

Jinyiwei was finally imprisoned by Emperor Gaozu, and these vicious dogs must not be released again!
then.

The next day.

The court meeting has just begun.

It was a group of officials who came up to give advice.

"Your Majesty, Emperor Gaozu in the past maliciously framed hundreds of officials due to the Jinyi Guards, tortured and extorted confessions, created many unjust cases, and acted recklessly, putting everyone in the court, civil and military, in danger, and the country's foundation was shaken...

Therefore, the imperial edict of Jin Yiwei was abolished, which reduced many of Jin Yiwei's powers.

Now, because of a Marquis of Dinghai, a mere clerk in a household in Jiangning County, Your Majesty has allowed the Jinyi Guards to act recklessly near the capital, arresting good families..."

"Your Majesty, I think this move is extremely inappropriate. The Jinyiwei are like vicious dogs, notorious and fond of creating unjust, false and wrongful cases. They should be banned. All arrest and interrogation powers should be handed over to the Metropolitan Procuratorate and the Ministry of Criminal Justice..."

"Your Majesty, what Yushi Zang said is absolutely true. The Imperial Guards are notorious and should all be banned!"

"Your Majesty, my minister seconded the proposal!"

In an instant, half of the courtiers stood up in the court and spoke in unison.

As for the remaining courtiers, they were quite excited.

They also wanted to second the proposal, but the strange thing was that the seven cabinet ministers in front did not say a word, which was very strange.

The six ministers and other ministers also stood quietly without saying a word.

At this time, Zhu Di, who had been keeping a dark face and said nothing, finally spoke.

"Zang Shiwen, Wen Chang, Lu Zhen, do you think we use so many royal guards just because Dinghai Marquis has a thousand towns, [-] acres of farmland, and a mere scribe in each household?"

Officials such as Censor Zang Shiwen, Minister of Justice Wen Chang, and Lu Zhen of the Ministry of Revenue were all stunned.

His Majesty's reaction was too abnormal.

However, Zang Shiwen still said slowly: "In the past few days, the matter between Dinghaihou and Jiangning County has been aroused, and all the courtiers in the court are aware of it."

Looking at this upright censor, Zhu Di suddenly felt inexplicably funny and ridiculous.

"It was Zhang Xixian who sent someone to tell you, and each of you received hundreds of taels of silver. As for your iron-clad Censor Zang, he just received 1000 taels of silver from Zhang Xixian yesterday morning!"

"what?"

Zang Shiwen was shocked, and a hint of panic flashed deep in his eyes.

The city gates happened to be closed when Zhang's family was ransacked outside the city. They all came to court early this morning, so they had no chance to know about it.

Therefore, he was even more frightened.

yesterday.

The young master of the Zhang family just sent the money, and it won't arrive until today. How could your majesty tell him?

"I don't know what your Majesty is talking about! Wei Chen is a scholar, and reading the books of saints and sages is the best way to know your integrity.

Fortunately, Wei Chen was favored by Emperor Gaozu and promoted to the Metropolitan Procuratorate. Wei Chen has been working hard and devoted himself, never daring to accept any property.

Although I dare not say that I have any great achievements, the breeze on my sleeves can be used as a lesson. "

On the side, officials such as Wen Wen and Lu Zhen were shocked and looked at Zhu Di quietly. Zang Shiwen's voice was heard throughout the hall.

Zhu Di smiled faintly and said coldly: "As a censor of the Metropolitan Procuratorate, Zang Qing knows the criminal law of the Ming Dynasty best. How should he know what the crime is for bullying the emperor?"

"This, Your Majesty... a humble minister..."

Zang Shiwen suddenly felt something was wrong and hesitated, not daring to speak.

Seeing this, Zhu Di couldn't help but feel proud.

In the past two days, he had been very angry with Zang Shiwen and other thieves.

"I'm just asking you, you thief official, how come you have been going to court every day for a mere scribe these past two days?

But I never expected that you, a thief official, would actually be a person who deceives the world and steals reputation, and is extremely filthy and disgusting..."

Zang Shiwen's face turned red, "Why is Your Majesty so insulting to me?"

On the side, a group of officials looked stunned, and they saw something was wrong.

Zhu Di said: "As a thief, don't you think that the Jin Yiwei is notorious and extremely cruel?

I feel that I should not reuse the Jin Yiwei... Well, I think those Jin Yiwei who have not read any books about sages are much cleaner than you who have read books about sages and look like a good-looking and righteous minister. .

If it weren't for those royal guards, I would have continued to be deceived by these sanctimonious thieves. I still don't know that under my nose, Jiangning County actually hides such a ruthless Zhang family...

I don’t know that all these virtuous and loyal ministers who keep saying that they are incorruptible, serve the country and the people, and have a clean heart, actually collude with the evil gentry, deceive the people, exploit the people, and suck the people’s fat..."

"Zang Shiwen, Wen Wen, Lu Zhen, Gong Lixing...you and other thieves know that what you have done over the years, how much dirty money you have collected, how much fertile land you have occupied in your hometown, the Zhang family will remember every detail. Clearly..."

Pfft!poof...

All the officials whose names were read by Zhu Di immediately turned pale and knelt on the ground.

Zhu Di could actually call out the names of so many people, so what Zhu Di said must be true.

Damn the Zhang family, damn Zhang Xixian...

"Your Majesty, spare your life! Your Majesty clearly knows that it is the traitor from the Zhang family who has evil intentions and set up a trap to frame Wei Chen and others..." "Your Majesty, Wei Chen and others are dignified court officials who are familiar with the books of sages and are devoted to the people..."

On the side, the remaining officials looked dumbfounded, and at the same time they were secretly glad in their hearts.

"To shut up!"

Zhu Di snorted coldly, "We are disgusted by what we hear, a bunch of sanctimonious traitors!

Do you know that every time someone from the Zhang family gives you some silver, how many people will have their families broken up and their wives and children scattered? "

"You, these thieving officials, who dare to speak so nonsense and insult me ​​like this, should all have their families confiscated and exterminated!"

Zang Shiwen, Wen Wen, Lu Zhen and other officials suddenly looked miserable.

Family copying and extermination?

How could this... be so serious?
All of them were paralyzed, and their hearts were filled with fear.

Lu Zhen shouted directly: "Your Majesty, the ministers and others just sit together with the Zhang family, drinking tea and discussing Taoism...

As for the money collected, it was because the Zhang family wanted to cling to us and did not want officials in some places to embarrass their family's property...

Since the Zhang family has a good reputation, why shouldn't they give gifts to each other? "

Hearing this, Zang Shiwen, Wen Wen and others also brightened their eyes.

"Your Majesty is aware that Wei Chen and others are only accepting some gifts, and it is not corruption..."

"Gift?"

Zhu Di sneered, "Then yesterday, the Zhang family gave you money one by one, asked you to report to us, and found an opportunity to kill Dai Jiu secretly. How did you explain it?"

Zang Shiwen, Wen Wen, Lu Zhen and others couldn't help but look silent, and secretly resented that the Zhang family dared to talk nonsense about anything.

"Your Majesty, this is an unprovoked trap set up by the Zhang family traitor."

Zhu Di smiled coldly, "Come here, bring all the Zhang family's account books!"

"Your Majesty has a decree to bring the Zhang family's account books!"

As a group of eunuchs passed the message, several Han generals came up carrying three large boxes of account books.

Seeing this, the entire court was shocked again.

Zhu Di smiled faintly and said to Fang Xiaoru on the side: "Fang Qing, think about these thieves. How many people's blood is behind the money they collected?"

"The minister obeys the order!"

Fang Xiaoru responded, picked an account book from a large wooden box, and read aloud: "In July of the 29th year of Hongwu, there was a severe drought in Shaanxi, and [-] shi of grain was sent to Hanzhong Mansion.

Give Zang Shiwen 600 taels of silver and [-] acres of fertile farmland in his hometown.

Hanzhong Prefecture's disaster relief grain was delivered ten days late, and the Zhang family sold grain for 11 taels per stone..."

"In August of the 29th year of Hongwu, 60 taels of silver were used to buy 50 acres of fertile land for the people of Dawan Village, Jiangning County. Dai Jiu, the household clerk, was given 200 taels of silver, and Lu Zhen, the head of the household department, was given [-] taels of silver!

There is no one in the court to pursue..."

"29 years of Hongwu..."

As Fang Xiaoru read one by one, all the officials in the hall were shocked. The Zhang family was so unscrupulous and crazy.

And Zang Shiwen, Wen Wen, Lu Zhen and others also deserve to die for their daring actions.

Zhu Di stared closely at Zang Shiwen, Wen Wen, Lu Zhen and other officials, and said, "You can also pick up those account books and see how many people you have harmed because of some money and protecting the Zhang family?"

"If we hadn't accidentally rewarded Marquis Dinghai with [-] acres of fertile land, we would have continued to be deceived by you!"

Zang Shiwen, Wen Wen, Lu Zhen and others remained silent.

Naturally, they have heard of these things.

However, in their eyes, those untouchables who are illiterate are just like grassroots. Without money and land, they can still work as tenants for wealthy families and still live in the same way.

Even if it means death, then it will be death!

"Humph!"

Seeing that these powerful officials who usually clamored were scolded by him without saying a word, Zhu Di finally felt relieved.

"Come here, let us confiscate the homes of these thieves and exterminate their clans, and exile all their descendants to the Japanese country!"

A group of Han generals walked in from outside the palace.

Hearing this, Zang Shiwen, Wen Wen, Lu Zhen and others felt that their eyes were extremely dark, and their hearts were extremely panicked.

When the big Han generals just walked behind them, these officials didn't know where they got the strength, and they suddenly started struggling, crying and howling loudly.

"Your Majesty, I have no choice but to do this, and my crime will not lead to death!"

"If Your Majesty had just ascended the throne and killed the ministers and others so eagerly, he would probably lose the heart of the scholar-bureaucrats in the world...

Your Majesty, you will shake the foundation of the country. "

"Your Majesty, the crime of Wei Chen and others will not lead to death. Wei Chen and others collect money to support their families... Please forgive Wei Chen and others..."

"Hmph! How dare you, the corrupt officials who deceive the superiors and hide the truth from the inferiors, to be the foundation of our Ming Dynasty? Are you worthy enough?"

"As for supporting your family, your annual salary is not enough for you to eat and drink?"

... (end of this chapter)