First Minister of Ming Dynasty

First Minister Section 522

It took him two full hours to finish writing it smoothly, and then Zhang Ximeng sealed it with wax paint, and had someone send it to Yingtian at an expedited speed of [-] miles.

Indeed, just as Zhang Ximeng expected, Zhu Yuanzhang hadn't slept well for several days in a row, blisters bulged on his lips, and his iron body couldn't stand it anymore.

Zhu Yuanzhang was ill, and his head had a severe fever.

But he didn't want to see an imperial doctor, so he just lay on the dragon bed angrily, staring at his bloodshot eyes and sulking... He tried his best to heal, but this was the result.

The Yushitai is rotten, the navy is all gone, the generals I trust, the confidantes I appointed, are so unbearable!

Is your surname Zhu blind?

Will you rule the country?

Zhu Yuanzhang seemed to be able to hear the curses of the people in a vague way, and heard countless people rise up and go forward... The tide of people destroyed the dynasty he built by himself, and killed all the descendants of the Zhu family.

Suddenly, Zhu Yuanzhang sat up in shock. It was already time to light the lamps. He sent away all the court ladies and eunuchs, and no one dared to come to make trouble.

However, Zhu Yuanzhang felt a pain in his head, snorted again, and lay down heavily on the bed.

Suddenly, the palace door opened, and a man came in with a tray and walked behind Zhu Yuanzhang.

Lao Zhu didn't look back, but he also knew who it was, he just said in a low voice: "Sister, you also come to see our joke?"

Empress Ma didn't say anything, just put a bowl of noodles and a bowl of medicine in front of Zhu Yuanzhang.

"If you really think you can't make it, just abdicate! Let Biao'er inherit the big position!"

This sentence made Lao Zhu so angry, he couldn't help but sat up again, and looked at Queen Ma angrily, "Are you going to force the palace?"

Empress Ma was not afraid at all, instead she smiled and said, "Emperor Hongwu, who has always boasted himself as a sage and overlord, is also timid?"

Zhu Yuanzhang stared at Empress Ma, and sighed helplessly for a while, "Sister, it's not that we are reluctant to part with this chair. Let me tell you, he won't be able to accept the bid! It's just that he can't deal with these things that are greedy for money and profit. Only we After helping him clean up, he can sit in the dragon chair safely, do you understand?"

Empress Ma suddenly laughed, "Chongba, I know what you're thinking, but I want to ask you, do you really understand the situation in front of you? If you understand it, why are you here sighing? You can't make it up to yourself. ?”

After being exposed by Queen Ma, Lao Zhu was helpless.

He thought for a while, and suddenly said in surprise: "Sister, if you say that, does Mr. Zhang have news? By the way, it must be him. He must have a good opinion and can answer our questions, right?"

Now old Zhu Ke regained his energy, and hurriedly said to Empress Ma: "Give it to us quickly!"

Empress Ma did not agree, but smiled and said: "Eat the noodles and medicine first, and we will talk about it later."

Lao Zhu wanted to take a look first, but Empress Ma stared at him, he was finally being honest, he quickly picked up the big bowl, took three mouthfuls of noodles, finished the noodles, then picked up the medicine bowl, and drank it all in one gulp.

He wiped the corner of his mouth, then reached out, and Empress Ma handed Zhang Ximeng's letter to him.

Lao Zhu couldn't wait to unfold it, and looked carefully.

It has to be said that Zhang Ximeng's letter can be regarded as a rare and good medicine for those who prescribe the right medicine. It can be seen immediately, and it works quickly!

No, I just watched it once, and Lao Zhu's spirit has improved a lot.

There was brilliance in the eyes, and the self-confidence in the expression was restored.

Empress Ma saw it, and couldn't help snorting: "It's Mr. Zhang after all! No matter how much I try to persuade you, it's useless!"

Zhu Yuanzhang laughed hurriedly: "It's different, it's different. My sister cares about us, why don't we know! It's just this letter from Mr. Zhang, but it tells us the root of the matter... The so-called morning hearing, death in the evening!" Now we see the sun through the clouds, the whole body is comfortable, and all the problems of the whole body are gone! Hahaha!"

As Lao Zhu spoke, he couldn't help laughing loudly, feeling happy.

Empress Ma watched and could only smile wryly.

"Tell me, what medicine did Mr. Zhang prescribe for you to make you so happy?"

Lao Zhu put the letter in front of Empress Ma, pointed to the content on it and said with a smile: "Look... Mr. said that business requires order, and you must have an escort to successfully complete the transaction and make profits. Lack of business management, and there is no order. Therefore, it is necessary to rely on the help of officials, local wealthy families, and some wealthy merchants. They work together to ensure the smooth completion of the business! Only the imperial court is not among them, and they cannot share in commercial interests."

Empress Ma nodded, "That's true. Otherwise, the master always makes you pay attention to business, why do you think it is for? Is it Mr. Zhang who wants to get rich? He is all for the good of the Ming Dynasty!"

Zhu Yuanzhang had no choice but to smile bitterly, but said again: "Mr. Zhang also said that for more than ten years, the Ming Dynasty has been resting and recuperating, and encouraged the development of industry and commerce, and provided convenience. In this way, merchants prospered and wealth accumulated rapidly. The officials involved in this case can be greedy So much, it’s not too much against the sky!”

After Lao Zhu finished speaking, his face was relaxed, "Sister, you see, we have contributed to the recovery of the economy!"

Empress Ma laughed angrily, "That's right, if you don't appoint these people, they won't be able to be greedy."

Zhu Yuanzhang was startled, "Sister, what do you mean?"

"It's not interesting! I just sigh, Mr. Zhang's ability to flatter without showing any signs is really impressive!"

"Plaguing? Is this flattering? No!" Zhu Yuanzhang still wanted to argue, but Empress Ma got up immediately and walked outside, "You can rest by yourself! If you can't sleep, just read Mr. Zhang's letter and be intoxicated!"

Empress Ma was so angry that she left. Old Zhu had no choice but to lower his head and read Zhang Ximeng's letter over and over again when he saw that he was gone. Gradually, Old Zhu fell asleep.

In the next day, although Zhu Yuanzhang was still a little top-heavy, he basically recovered.

He asked someone to invite Li Shanchang, and the monarch and his ministers sat opposite each other. Zhu Yuanzhang took the initiative to say: "Mr. Li, this case has been investigated so far, is there any conclusion?"

Li Shanchang hurriedly said: "Superior, Liao Yongzhong is greedy for thousands of inks. The old minister proposes to peel the last grass, and Yu Tonghai is guilty of the same crime as him. As for Yang Xian, does the old minister mean the barbarians?"

Zhu Yuanzhang said: "Yang Xian sent so much gold and silver to his family. Their family has already benefited. It is only natural that they will bear the consequences together when the matter is revealed! Only the three clans of Liao Yongzhong and Yu Tonghai, do they still want to keep it?"

Li Shan was taken aback. To tell the truth, Zhu Yuanzhang had changed a lot, especially when facing the meritorious military officials, Lao Zhu was very polite.

It's too much to exterminate the genocide directly!

"Superior, the veteran also thinks that they did have meritorious service in crossing the river back then. Even if they themselves are unforgivable, the family members seem to be able to forgive them!" Li Shanchang said while observing his words, wanting to see what Lao Zhu meant.

Unexpectedly, Zhu Yuanzhang snorted and sighed: "It's not that we don't want to show mercy, but the benefits here are too great, we can't bend the law for personal gain!"

Li Shanchang was taken aback, he could hear that Zhu Yuanzhang seemed to be different from a few days ago.

"Boss, what's the point here?"

Zhu Yuanzhang smiled and said: "Mr. Li, we have already decided that we must go all out to develop industry and commerce! This part must be properly included in the imperial revenue, and no loopholes will be left."

Li Shanchang was even more surprised, "Sir, does it matter?"

"It's a big deal! In the past, powerful gentry and bureaucrats annexed land for profit. How many gentry and powerful gentry have we dealt with in order to promote land equalization? If there is no blood flow, how can we get the situation today? In the past, we made orders and arranged officials. To successfully collect commercial taxes, what will happen? Some people always take our words as farts!"

Zhu Yuanzhang's voice became louder and louder, full of anger.

"There is no way, we can only pass this case and tell everyone with the bloody head. Do business honestly. As an official of the court, don't think of crooked ways. Otherwise, no matter how much credit you have, you will not be able to stop your life and family from being wiped out! We will do what we say!"

Lao Zhu's domineering oath shocked Li Shanchang. Didn't the superiors oppose the development of businessmen in the past?

Although under Zhang Ximeng's operation, Lao Zhu had to bow his head, but it is still surprising that he is so active like today. This change is too fast!

Zhu Yuanzhang sighed, "Some things, after all, can't be solved by closing your eyes and listening. Although the business and taxation matter is difficult, it is not necessarily impossible! It is man-made, and we plan to start from Beiping first."

When Li Shanchang heard this, he completely understood, no need to ask, it must be Zhang Ximeng's idea again.

It's really unexpected that such a big case has also turned Zhang Ximeng into an opportunity to develop industry and commerce. His methods have reached perfection and are beyond the scope of ordinary people.

Zhu Yuanzhang stood up, dusted off his clothes, relaxed, and said with a sneer: "Mr. Li, business matters can be left behind, let's go to the prison first, we want to have a look at them, one last time, and then send them on their way! "

Li Shanchang quickly agreed, not daring to neglect...

Chapter 725 The New Censor

In the dark imperial prison, Liao Yongzhong was completely lost, and there were not many human figures... No matter what kind of steel tough guy it is, the result is the same here.Almost no eighteen tools of torture are used, just the boundless despair can completely swallow a person, leaving no dross behind.

The sound of footsteps broke the death-like tranquility, and Zhu Yuanzhang came to Liao Yongzhong's cell with big strides.

Hearing the voice, Liao Yongzhong suddenly raised his head. He narrowed his pupils and looked carefully. It took him a while to recognize Zhu Yuanzhang.In an instant, the drowning man grasped the life-saving straw and kowtowed frantically.

"The superior, spare your life, the superior, spare your life!"

His head touched the straw-covered ground, and within a few strokes, his skin was bleeding and he was in a mess.

Lao Zhu just looked at him like this, not to mention any pity, but only confusion.

After a while, Old Zhu said coldly: "Liao Yongzhong, I want to ask you, how much should a person be greedy to be satisfied?"

Liao Yongzhong was stunned, and suddenly burst into tears, "Your Majesty, the criminals were all killed by them! The criminals didn't even ask for a tael of silver. They cleanse themselves and never dare to violate the laws of the country!"

"Hmph!" Old Zhu sneered, "Lu Zhongheng and Tang Shengzong said this before. You don't want to be greedy for ink! But you are greedy for ink more than anyone else! With a family property of millions, you are much more comfortable than our emperor! The teachers have become your private soldiers, and at this point, what's the use of kowtowing and begging for mercy! Not to mention you, even someone who is ten or a hundred times more important is no match for our national law!"

Liao Yongzhong was startled, he realized that his life could not be saved.

After a short period of absent-mindedness, he plucked up his last bit of hope and continued to beg: "Your Majesty, please forgive the criminal's family and leave a bloodline of Liao's! !"

Zhu Yuanzhang sighed lightly, "Liao Yongzhong, it's too late. You not only smuggled countless people, but also communicated with Japanese, sold weapons and military food, and exchanged gold and silver from Japanese country. If there was no Japanese country, how could you save so much money! You should know , Mongolia’s iron hooves, trampled on the Central Plains, Shenzhou Lu Shen, this is a great shame. As a Chinese citizen, a descendant of Yan and Huang. Colluding with foreign countries in private, this is the greatest crime! We dare not forgive it, after all, it will shake the foundation of the country.”

Zhu Yuanzhang's voice was not high, but every word was like a knife, Liao Yongzhong was completely desperate.

Suddenly, he got up abruptly, stared at his blood-red eyes, and roared wildly, "Zhu Yuanzhang! Don't forget, I helped you cross the Yangtze River! The battle at the mouth of the lake is also due to our navy! You Zhu Yuanzhang! We have half of the credit for our country. Now that you are killing donkeys without showing any respect, aren't you afraid that people in the world will discuss it?"

"Zhu Yuanzhang, it's a little bit of benevolence for you to make an allowance and leave a life alive! Don't you be afraid that one day, your Zhu family will be at the end of their rope, and you will be killed as well?"

Liao Yongzhong was so angry that he said everything, which was really treasonous.

Li Shanchang immediately stepped forward, wanting to reprimand him for his arrogance.

But he was stopped by Zhu Yuanzhang, "Mr. Li, since we have done this, we are not afraid of people's comments. We still have this kind of heart, and we also believe that ordinary people can understand right from wrong after all. It is true that we do this! "

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Liao Yongzhong again, and sighed softly: "If this country only belongs to our Zhu family, maybe we can really make a difference and spare your life. But we are only the emperor, and we are following the will of all people. As for the dragon chair, we can’t just talk about the friendship between monarch and minister, the righteousness of friends, the kinship of clan...we have to be responsible for the people of the world!”

When Lao Zhu said this, he shook his head. After all, he had nothing to say, so he turned and left.Liao Yongzhong looked at Lao Zhu's back, all hope was lost, suddenly, he stretched out his palm, slapped his mouth roundly, again and again, until his cheeks were swollen and the corners of his mouth were bleeding!

He beat the railing with his hands again, and within a few strokes, his skin was torn apart and his flesh was bloody...

Zhu Yuanzhang came out of the imperial prison, and Li Shanchang followed suit behind him.

Old Zhu stopped, and said to Li Shanchang: "Mr. Li, tell me, why are so many people involved in this case?"

Li Shanchang was startled, and hurriedly said: "The old minister thinks that whether it is Liao Yongzhong, Yu Tonghai, or Yang Xian, they have been in high positions for a long time, with old students and officials, family members and relatives, all over the court and the public. One person can ascend to heaven, sometimes they don't want to be greedy, Relatives and subordinates will also persuade them to be greedy for money. When they are greedy for money, they have to distribute it to their family members. After all, they are actually one body, and it is only natural for the upper clan to punish these people, and it is appropriate!"

Zhu Yuanzhang groaned slightly, and suddenly said: "Mr. Li, then we have to ask you, in the Ming Dynasty, was the law of the country greater or the favor of human beings greater?"

Li Shanchang was stunned for a moment. Shouldn't Zhang Ximeng be asked about such a topic?I really don't know how to answer.

In fact, what Zhu Yuanzhang wants to ask is, although he has been emphasizing rules and formulating so many laws and regulations since the beginning of the army, how much can they be implemented?

For a long time, Confucianism and Taoism have been used to govern the country, the family and the world, relatives hide from each other, and a dense network of human relationships is far more powerful than the national law, protecting and condoning each other.

This kind of cronyism is taken for granted.

Being stern and selfless, on the contrary, he is unsophisticated and ignorant of human feelings.

In this way, it is only natural that if one person is convicted, countless people will be implicated.

Li Shanchang didn't answer Zhu Yuanzhang's words after all, he felt faintly that his neck was cold and his heart was hairy.Why does it seem like I can't stand the test?

This time I came to the prison, is it to send Liao Yongzhong, or to warn myself?

Li Shanchang fell into deep self-doubt.

Zhu Yuanzhang sighed deeply, "Jiangxi is doing things to change customs. From what we can see now, not only the people, but also the court! Our Ming Dynasty must uphold the laws of the country! There must be stricter rules. Thousands of people like this are involved. A big case with tens of thousands of dollars will never come out again!"

Li Shanchang shook his head, and quickly said: "The old minister has made a note."

……

The butcher knife of Emperor Hongwu finally came down.

First of all, Liao Yongzhong and Yu Tonghai, the two major families of the navy, were all killed.

There were also hundreds of their old generals who lost their heads.

After all this killing, the original Chaohu Navy veterans were wiped out with almost nothing left.

Worse than them is Yushitai.

From Yang Xian down, a total of more than 40 censors were killed, and more than half of the censors were dismissed from office and expelled from the court.

As the Yushitai, which is second only to Zhongshu and the two provinces under the sect, it is almost empty and has reached the point where it cannot operate.

What is even more speechless is that there are no people connected to Yushitai now.

Because after this battle, Yushitai not only suffered heavy losses, but more importantly, lost his prestige.

People found that those censors, who were supposed to uphold the laws of the country and supervise the officials, turned out to be corrupt and broke the law, filled their pockets, and what they did was even more shameless.

When dealing with these censors, it was even more tragic than that of the navy.

The angry people brought all kinds of things, such as cow dung, stones, rotten vegetable leaves, broken sandals... They used these things to completely submerge Yang Xian and others.

Before peeling the last grass, I first experienced a bad smell for thousands of years.

The new doctor Yushi must reshape the majesty of Yushitai, restore people's confidence, and make Yushitai operate properly and become more efficient than before, responding to the expectations of the people with practical results.

This is by no means a simple matter.

Let me ask the Ming Dynasty, who can have this prestige?

Li Shanchang calculated silently, moral character, prestige ability, all pass the test, there is really only one person left.