Chapter 191 I am not afraid of the name of tyrant
Liu Ji's shout of "tyrant" made everyone's head buzz, which was even more terrifying than Chang Yuchun's loud voice.
Zhu Yuanzhang, sitting on the dragon throne, had a solemn expression that went blank for a moment.
The entire court was silent for several breaths before Zhu Yuanzhang came to his senses. "Wait a minute, Liu Bowen, do you know what you are talking about? Punishing officials for corruption and bribery makes you a tyrant, but using the excuse of treason makes you no longer a tyrant?!"
Zhu Yuanzhang didn't understand and was shocked!
Liu Ji said, "Yes. It's normal for the emperor to use treason to eliminate dissidents. Treason is to rebel against the emperor, that's treason. Corruption is different. There is no official without corruption in the officialdom. Taking kickbacks at every level is an unspoken rule that is more widespread than empty seals. These unspoken rules can't even be called corruption, they are just filial piety."
"This is how the officialdom works. Only when officials are well fed will they care for the people. If officials are not comfortable, the people will suffer even more. 'The world is bustling with people, all for profit; the world is bustling with people, all for profit.' This has been the case since ancient times. Duke E was wondering why his grain shipments could be verified while those of other officials could not. This is the reason."
"Officials like the Duke of E, who honestly transported grain and refused to take kickbacks, have been rare since ancient times. In historical records, there are only a handful of honest officials who have left their names in dynasties over the past few hundred years."
"Integrity is not a requirement for officials. If integrity were just their job, they wouldn't be world-renowned."
"So, Your Majesty, you originally wanted to use layers of verification to curb official corruption, but this unspoken rule makes it difficult for most officials to verify consistency. They don't even know how much kickbacks they will take along the way, and they can't even reserve quantities in advance. They can only carry blank documents and report to their superiors how much grain they receive."
"Your Majesty, this isn't just a hidden rule involving the empty seal; it involves another, even larger, and more widespread hidden rule," Liu Ji said sadly. "If we follow the Duke of E's suggestion and conduct a strict investigation, and follow the Ming Dynasty Code's punishments for wartime corruption, there won't be many officials left in this world who can work. Therefore, we absolutely cannot investigate."
"Your Majesty! They can only be punished for treason!" Liu Ji knelt heavily on the ground and said sadly.
Zhu Yuanzhang held the armrest of the dragon throne and almost collapsed, and exclaimed "Ah?" to Liu Ji on the spot.
Does Liu Bowen know what he is saying now! I can understand these words, but I really don’t understand why he said this!
We can't investigate corruption, but we can execute these people on charges of treason? Is this what Liu Bowen meant ?!
Can't punish people for proven crimes? If they are punished, they'll be considered tyrants. The only way to punish them is to fabricate evidence. Is this the norm?
There were only two words echoing in Zhu Yuanzhang's mind, and that was "absurd"!
Not only did Zhu Yuanzhang think it was ridiculous, but all the civil and military officials in the court also showed ridiculous expressions.
They never expected that Liu Ji could say such a thing.
How could he... How could he...
"Liu Ji! Do you know what you are saying?" Li Shanchang stepped forward to refute.
Liu Ji knelt upright on the ground, looking up at Li Shanchang. "Prime Minister, I know exactly what I'm saying. You should also know that I'm not lying. This is a small court meeting, and all the attendees are your Majesty's trusted ministers. We shouldn't hide anything from your Majesty, whether it's the unspoken rules of the officialdom or the world. Your Majesty is the first time he's been emperor, and assisting the emperor in establishing a stable dynasty is what a trusted minister should do. I'm just doing my duty!"
Li Shanchang's voice trembled: "How can you tell His Majesty about these things..."
Liu Ji interrupted, "These things should be told to Your Majesty! As Zheng Shili said, Your Majesty doesn't understand the officialdom, so he killed people because of the unspoken rules of the officialdom. If Your Majesty understood, he and the officials would have a tacit understanding, and there would be no quarrels. Isn't the root cause of this matter that no one ever reported the difficult matter to Your Majesty, and instead directly applied the unspoken rules of the Yuan Dynasty?"
Li Shanchang's voice trembled even more: "Then you can't say you are plotting a rebellion!"
Liu Ji said, "I didn't say that. I just said that these people took kickbacks and deserved death according to the Great Ming Law. If we thoroughly investigate the reasons why officials used empty seals and documents, and find out the unclear accounts between the upper and lower levels, there will be more than just the less than a hundred people implicated. The Great Ming Law is clearly written, and this is not a case of punishing without teaching. But Your Majesty cannot do this! These people deserve to die, but not according to the crimes in the Great Ming Law. They can only be convicted of treason!"
Li Shanchang opened and closed his mouth, and for a moment he didn't know how to refute .
He was actually fooled by Liu Ji!
Ye Zheng watched for a long moment, then stepped out with a cold smile, saying, "I second the motion. Your Majesty, execute these people for treason, and discontinue the investigation. Any further investigation would likely shake up the officialdom and bring disaster to the people."
Chang Yuchun looked at the three great masters in confusion, then a thought struck him, and he immediately choked up and said, "Your Majesty, I have lost my composure. I think they are right, right..."
Chang Yuchun was only forty-two years old this year, in the prime of his life. As he said this, his figure suddenly hunched over, as if he had aged considerably.
"Your Majesty, now is not the time for us to conquer the world. We are not the Red Turban Army, nor are we the Zhu Family Army." Chang Yuchun choked up, "Now you, my lord, are the emperor, and I am a minister. We should follow this unspoken rule. Please... please punish them for treason!"
Li Shanchang looked at the few people, sighed inwardly, and then said resolutely: "Your Majesty... Your Majesty second the motion! Using a blank seal to fabricate data is a crime of deceiving the emperor! Deceiving the emperor is undoubtedly treason! Your Majesty, please kill him! Then, then don't investigate... Your Majesty, don't investigate..."
Li Shanchang slowly knelt on the ground and said, "Your Majesty, kill them and then stop investigating."
Zhu Yuanzhang glanced blankly at the court and asked, "Who else seconded the motion?"
The old ministers who had followed Zhu Yuanzhang all looked around in confusion.
Some ministers who created this situation were even more confused. They couldn't figure out how the matter had come to this point.
Either punish the officials involved in the Empty Seal Case for the crime of deceiving the emperor and treason, or... thoroughly investigate corruption and kickbacks and use the Ming Dynasty Law to decide?
You should know that the Ming Dynasty Code has extremely severe penalties for corruption, and one string of cash could lead to the death penalty!
If they continue to kill like this, will there still be officials in this world?
Wang Guangyang originally wanted to maintain his neutrality, turning a blind eye and a deaf ear and not helping either side.
But when he looked at Li Shanchang, the Lord Li, kneeling on the ground, and the hunched figure of the burly Chang Yuchun, he saw the indifference in Ye Zheng's eyes, and the pain behind Liu Ji's righteousness, and suddenly felt distressed.
He remembered that when the emperor was still just a lord, when he was King Ming and Marshal Zhu, there were very few ministers under the lord's command, and even he, who loved to enjoy himself and be lazy, was forced to work hard.
Now there are a lot of people queuing up for every official position in the court, and he finally lives the free life he always wanted, going home on time to drink after get off work.
But why does this kind of life make him feel worse than when he was forced to work so hard and had no time to enjoy himself?
Wang Guangyang slowly stood up with his hands on the table in front of him, and the chair moved backward with a creaking noise.
Zhu Yuanzhang and all the ministers in the court turned their attention to Wang Guangyang.
Deputy Prime Minister Wang Guangyang walked to the central hall step by step. Each step seemed to carry a thousand pounds of force and was extremely difficult to walk.
But he finally walked over to Ye Zheng and said, "I second the motion. These people deserve to die. I am willing to handle this matter personally!"
After saying that, he also knelt down.
Ye Zheng closed his eyes, sighed deeply, lifted his official robe, knelt down and said again: "Your Majesty, please convict them of the crime of deceiving the emperor and treason!"
Civil officials in the court came forward one after another. These people were all old people who had followed Zhu Yuanzhang when he was criticized by the mainstream Neo-Confucianism.
They may not have been well-known, had never served as an official in the Yuan Dynasty, and were even less aware of the hidden rules of officialdom. They had only read the books of sages and held earnest expectations for the new dynasty.
Now they finally understood what the unspoken rules were, and they all stood up to make requests to their former lord, now the emperor.
Don't investigate anymore, just convict them of treason and deceit, and kill them.
They were all very painful when they said these words.
But they didn't want to embarrass the emperor, nor did they want to embarrass the new dynasty, so they all stood up and took responsibility for the emperor.
Zhu Yuanzhang was confused at first, then angry, and now sad and moved.
He remembered Biao'er's words, "Who says the emperor must be alone? Even if people's hearts are fickle, I believe that if we exchange hearts for each other, there will always be someone who will always be with the emperor."
Life is short, and it is rare to have one or two close friends.
But Zhu Yuanzhang saw the favoritism and love of his old ministers, and he could proudly say, "My path is not alone."
My path is not alone!
Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at the kneeling crowd and said, "I understand. If I go against the unspoken rules of the officialdom, I am going against the entire officialdom. I can execute anyone for treason, because this will not affect the order of the entire officialdom, will not disrupt the unspoken rules of the officialdom, and will only kill a few individuals. But if I thoroughly investigate corruption and kickbacks, and thoroughly investigate the source of the empty seals, then I will be against the entire officialdom order and the majority of officials in the world."
Zhu Yuanzhang lowered his head, chuckled, and said, "I can even kill anyone I want without any reason, and it won't necessarily endanger my rule. But if I investigate corruption and try officials strictly according to the Ming Dynasty Law, I'm afraid my throne will be shaken."
The court was silent.
Zhu Yuanzhang smiled and asked, "Those who didn't stand up, do you think so too?"
The court remained silent.
But the military generals came out one after another, and they knelt silently behind the civil officials without saying a word.
They did not say whether they supported or not, but just followed silently to tell the emperor on the dragon throne that the current emperor was still their lord.
Zhu Yuanzhang smiled and asked, "Zheng Shili, do you think so too?"
Zheng Shili's lips trembled: "I, a commoner... I..."
Zhu Yuanzhang put away his smile and sneered, "I heard that when you were about to submit the petition, you were fearless and not afraid of death. Why are you afraid now?"
Zheng Shili was trembling all over. He knew that this matter had become a big deal.
No matter what the result is, he is afraid that he will definitely lose his reputation after his death.
The kneeling civil and military officials in the court have already defined the situation: this is a wise emperor of a new dynasty fighting against the unwritten rules of the officialdom of a corrupt dynasty!
Zhu Yuanzhang lowered his eyes, bent his fingers, and gently tapped the side of the dragon throne.
Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at Liu Ji and said, "How dare you try to provoke me? If I didn't want to maintain my image, I would definitely rush down with a sword and chop off your head."
Zhu Biao said, "Let's run our printing presses at full capacity and share this court meeting word for word with the people of the world. The drama club's new play is also about to be staged. Well... well, since the emperor wants to be a tyrant, then let's use the identity of Emperor Wu of Han. Put this matter on Emperor Wu of Han and put on a good show for the people."
Zhu Biao said, "Your soldiers will serve as my newsboys. I will deliver newspapers to every corner of the Ming Dynasty at full speed. Brother Zhong, please return to Nanjing. You will be in charge of the printing work in Nanjing, and you will also communicate with the emperor. And please bring me something back. I have revised the official system of the Ming Dynasty, both central and local. Since most officials are now under criminal charges, this is a good opportunity to carry out this task."
Li Shanchang smiled bitterly, "I know my health very well. Although I look energetic, my mind is actually not functioning properly. I can't be the Prime Minister. Well, I'm going to help Biao'er with the farming. You guys should focus on yourselves."
If Li Shanchang had not said that he wanted to go to Biao'er to help him with his work, Zhu Yuanzhang would never have agreed to Li Shanchang's retirement now.
A good prime minister must devote himself to his work until his death. This is the standard set by Prime Minister Zhuge Liang!
"They want to control public opinion, believing it resides in the pens of scholars. The emperor may conquer the world immediately, but how it is governed is determined by the scholars," Zhu Biao said with a smile. "But I believe that public opinion and the world reside in the hearts of the people. Let us then have a showdown."
"It seems this matter has become a big deal." Zhu Biao was speechless. "What on earth does Mr. Bowen want to do?"
When Li Shanchang thought of the talented people in the army, the smile on his face finally became more genuine.
Zhu Biao was talking about the emperor, but thinking about his father in his heart.
Liu Ji said, "I did think of using newspapers to inform the people of the court's affairs. But I didn't... well... hahahaha, I was soft-hearted. I didn't think of telling the people every word and every detail of the court's affairs in plain language."
Zhu Wenzheng said, "The prince asked me to do something, how can I say there is nothing to do?"
"Your Majesty, you..." Li Shanchang sighed and said, "I will retire soon. Can you please change a little and care about your image after I retire?"
As for the emperor himself bearing the stigma... well, he had expected this. On this matter, he and his lord had a tacit understanding.
"I heard that most of the civil and military officials in the court knelt down and begged the emperor to punish the officials involved in the empty seal case for treason," Li Wenzhong said. "They all don't want the emperor to take action."
Everyone glared at Liu Ji. "You're making this up, keep making it up!"
Many people sitting in the court swayed and almost collapsed.
"Even if the hidden rules of officialdom still exist, and even if many people will be punished, at least the people right now won't call the emperor a tyrant," Zhu Biao sighed. "As for a hundred years from now... well, that depends on whether the emperor has a wise descendant who speaks up for these ministers, or whether the next regime will show some mercy when compiling history books."
Zhu Biao cursed, "Get out! The Crown Prince orders you not to leave the vassal state!"
Zhu Yuanzhang said solemnly: "Investigate thoroughly!"
Li Wenzhong laughed.
The ministers did not want the emperor to become a tyrant, but the emperor was willing to be one.
However, for Northern Zhili, it was indeed none of their business. Zhu Biao was very strict in managing these matters and had a set of effective supervision measures.
Oh my god... No, my dear father! Are you ready to overthrow the entire Ming Dynasty officialdom now?!
Zhu Biao shook his head. "Those kneeling down are the ones who want the Emperor to take action. But they also feel sorry for the Emperor and the newly born Ming Dynasty. They know they can't use force now, so they are willing to bear the guilt of the Emperor's wanton killing. More than half of the civil and military officials want them killed. If the Emperor kills them, then it's not the Emperor who is a tyrant, but those who deserve to be killed."
Zhu Biao said: "It's not pessimism, it's just reality. But we can't just sit there and wait for death."
Liu Ji smiled and shook his head. He was not lying. He really just wanted to deal with that group of people who were plotting rebellion. You guys didn't believe him even though he told you.
And Zhu Biao gave these people enough benefits.
Ye Zheng said: "Biao'er not only told the people every word and every detail, but also used a large page to analyze this matter and guide people to think."
If we can also use the military generals who have performed well in the military training classes, it will not be too difficult for the court to overcome this crisis.
Liu Ji almost spit out the tea in his mouth, and Li Shanchang was speechless.
In Nanjing, Zhu Yuanzhang looked at himself reflected in the newspaper and kept saying, "I'm so handsome. Oh no, I'm so handsome!"
Zhu Yuanzhang said: "I have always had a good image."
…
After Zhu Biao arranged things, the newspaper was published soon.
Zhu Biao paused and smiled, "But in return, they are willing to bear the stigma for the emperor, and the emperor can also bear the stigma for their ideals."
Zhu Biao stretched out his voice and said, "Brother Zheng! You are a vassal king! A vassal king! A vassal king is not allowed to leave his vassal state without necessary matters!"
The sound of his knocking was very light, but the scene was even quieter. The knocking sound echoed clearly in the ears of the ministers, as if it was knocking on their hearts.
Although Biaoer is doing very well now, it needs an experienced person to pass on his life experience to Biaoer to make Biaoer's journey easier.
Liu Ji and his father were born to be incompatible and would always fight whenever they met. Therefore, Liu Ji's method of provoking him was the most effective.
Zhu Wenzheng: “Tsk!”
"I understand," Zhu Yuanzhang said, "but you underestimate me. I have said many times that I am a tyrant."
This thorough investigation will indeed leave many positions vacant in the Ming Dynasty officialdom, which may affect the operation of the court.
They were reluctant to give up the legitimate benefits they gained from being officials in Northern Zhili, so they would not get involved in the trivial matters of transportation.
Zhu Wenzheng and Li Wenzhong said: "What do we need to do!"
"Ever since I was just Marshal Zhu, I have been labeled a tyrant." Zhu Yuanzhang laughed again, "I have never been afraid of the reputation of a tyrant."
But he said he wanted to help Biaoer, so Zhu Yuanzhang had to let him go after careful consideration.
Liu Ji stroked his beard and said with a smile, "I really only wanted to punish them for treason."
Li Wenzhong was puzzled: "Why is it Mr. Bowen who wants to do this? Isn't he trying to stop the emperor from conducting a thorough investigation?"
"I don't know, but not all of them were killed. Some people can still continue to work despite being punished." Zhu Wenzhen looked as if he didn't care about anything and he really deserved a beating.
The ministers kneeling on the ground suddenly looked up, staring at their emperor, their lord, with burning eyes.
Even Zhu Wenzheng felt a little amused: "Biao'er, you are too pessimistic."
Of course, corruption is difficult to eradicate, but at least on the surface, Northern Zhili is much better than other places.
Liu Ji really didn't expect that so many people would follow him and be willing to bear the stigma for the emperor.
Ye Zheng stroked his beard and said, "That's Bo Wen. You're being modest. Didn't you expect that?"
Li Shanchang said, "Among these people, there must be people with ideals who want to serve the Ming Dynasty. Perhaps we can gather many talents in a short period of time. Biao'er has also trained many talents in the army, and these people can be deployed immediately."
Zhu Wenzheng was dissatisfied: "Huh? Why is he going and not me?"
They knew that Biaoer would definitely find a way!
Zhu Yuanzhang said, "Since Lord Li is worried, don't retire. You can still continue working, so why leave so early?"
Li Shanchang held his forehead and said, "Can you two pay attention to your image? I'm a little worried about what will happen after I retire."
However, Biao'er had long ago promoted education in the army, and in recent years he had trained many people. Although these people's knowledge might not be enough to become high-ranking officials, they were more than enough to fill the most scarce clerk position.
"I didn't expect Biaoer was in Beijing and could still help us." Liu Ji said.
Zhu Biao rolled his eyes. "Stop it? He's adding fuel to the fire! Mr. Bowen and the Emperor have always been arguing, and he knows the Emperor's temper best. He knows that if he does this, he will definitely provoke the Emperor to conduct a thorough investigation."
Liu Ji wiped the tea from his mouth and said, "Yes, yes, you still look very presentable on the throne. That's pretty good."
Liu Ji smiled and said, "That's not bad. This is considered a death-defying remonstration, and my name will go down in history."
Although Zhu Wenzhen didn't want to return to Nanjing or take charge of any printing work, he just wanted to give it a try.
After knowing that his biological father was Zhu Yuanzhang, Zhu Biao's inference about what the emperor might do on the throne was very accurate.
Zhu Yuanzhang sighed.
Zhu Wenzhen and Li Wenzhong looked at each other and were ready to fight.
It was just right for Li Shanchang to assist Biao'er.
"A thorough investigation?" Zhu Biao was dumbfounded. "If this is thoroughly investigated, how many officials will be left in the Ming Dynasty bureaucracy?"
One, two, three times.
Li Shanchang asked, "Liu Bowen, when you spoke in court, did you anticipate this happening? Why didn't you tell us about it in advance?"
