He is another veteran minister who has followed Lao Zhu for almost ten years. He holds a high position and has many ministers. Such a person cannot even save his family and has to die with him. It really makes many people feel cold and trembling.
Zhu Yuanzhang could feel the sorrow of the rabbit and the fox from these people... But what can be done? The national law is ruthless, if we spare you, how can you spare the people of the world?
Zhu Yuanzhang was a very upright person. Once he saw a path, he would not look back. He would never turn around. If he hit the south wall, he would only collapse the wall and continue to stride forward.
With such a character, Zhu Yuanzhang didn't bother to explain anything, but Lao Zhu saw Zhang Ximeng again and thought of his method of dealing with the Yu family.
I have to say that Zhang Ximeng did change Zhu Yuanzhang a lot.
"Mr. Li, you get up first, and Mr. Zhang, come here too."
Zhu Yuanzhang called the two prime ministers, both of whom lowered their heads. Li Shanchang's heartbeat seemed to be faster and his head was lowered.
"Sit down, you guys sit down!" Zhu Yuanzhang covered the wooden box and asked two people to sit on it. There were hundreds of gold and silver ingots under their buttocks.
Li Shanchang only dared to sit on half of his buttocks, that is, resting slightly on it. He also had to lean forward with his upper body in a listening position. His whole body was in a horse stance. This posture required more effort than standing up. His body was slightly
I almost couldn't hold it back. He was worthy of being the left prime minister of the Ming Dynasty. His kung fu was really impressive.
"Mr. Li."
Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly asked, and Li Shanchang subconsciously wanted to stand up, but Lao Zhu reached out and held his shoulders, "There is no need to get up. Let me ask you, how much gold and silver is under your butt?"
"Almost, there are, one or two thousand taels."
Lao Zhu nodded, "So there are so many! How much can ordinary people harvest in a year?"
Li Shanchang has always been responsible for money and food logistics, how could he not know this!
"After the superior government implemented land equalization, a family of five people would have no more than a hundred acres of land. After deducting rations and then deducting land taxes, it would be considered lucky to have twenty or thirty kilograms of grain left over to prepare for famine. According to the current situation
At the market price, I'm afraid I can't even exchange it for five taels of silver... After all, we mostly use treasure banknotes."
Zhu Yuanzhang nodded and said: "So, there are hundreds of households under your butt, and you have a year's surplus?"
"Yes!" Old Li whispered.
"Then there are 180,000 taels here, which means there are tens of thousands of ordinary households, right?"
"Yes!" Li Shanchang replied again, his heart pounding and already in his throat.
Lao Zhu suddenly sneered and said: "In Mr. Li's opinion, if this continues, will these tens of thousands of households rebel?"
Li Shanchang was startled. It was obvious that only floating wealth was counted here, and rations were not counted. As long as the people had a stutter, who would be willing to rebel?
But then again, if this matter is not dealt with, and the sun goes down, who knows when the people will become unbearable and rebel. This is what the so-called "prevent the slightest change" means.
"Mr. Li, we also want to ask you, is Zheng Shiyuan's money not too much for this major corruption case?"
Li Shanchang grinned and said: "Your Majesty, this case has implicated the Ministry of Household Affairs, the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of War, and so many local yamen. They all cannot escape the blame. The amount of corruption is probably ten times or a hundred times."
Lao Zhu nodded slightly and finally smiled and said: "Mr. Li, please get up!"
Li Shanchang was granted amnesty, but Ma Buza's legs were numb and he couldn't move.
At this moment, someone suddenly reached out and helped Li Shanchang to stand up. It was Zhang Ximeng who helped.
"Thank you, Prime Minister Zhang." Li Shanchang thanked him in a low voice. Zhang Ximeng just nodded but said nothing more.
Lao Zhu turned his head again and looked at the others, "Let's let Mr. Li sit here and give it a try. If you want, you can come over and give it a try and see what it's like to sit on a mountain of gold and silver."
Who among the ministers present has such courage? Li Shanchang's butt can't hold it, let alone them.
"I don't dare!"
Lao Zhu hummed lightly: "You don't dare, I hope these words come from your hearts. This is ill-gotten wealth! Ill-gotten wealth must be taken with great violence! You have taken the people's wealth and anointed people, harming the public and enriching private interests.
Fill your own pockets. Even if you get this money, you may not be able to spend it. There are still people who want to leave it to future generations so that they can enjoy glory and wealth. This is what many people think."
"You think so. We can't let you get what you want! Corrupt officials will be killed! Their families will be implicated... This is to tell you that if you are corrupt and bend the law, your relatives will not enjoy anything, but they will be unlucky with you. Corrupt officials will harm your family!
"
Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at everyone majestically and said coldly: "If we do this, are you still dissatisfied?"
None of the ministers dared to say anything, only Nuonuo agreed.
As the leader of hundreds of officials, Li Shanchang could only muster up the courage to say: "The superiors enforce the law strictly and with good reason, and the ministers and others surrender to the ground. These corrupt officials have brought humiliation to themselves and deserved to die!"
Zhu Yuanzhang smiled, "Mr. Li, we still like to hear what you said, but have you ever thought about whether some people will say that our murder is cruel? Will there be people who believe the nonsense and think that the blank document is just
The old habit of the previous dynasty, where we kill people wantonly, is not appropriate?" Whoever owns you as a wolf will own the whole world.
Li Shanchang said hurriedly: "No one in the higher-ups would think so, unless they are corrupt officials and crazy!"
Zhu Yuanzhang did not comment, but said to Zhang Ximeng: "Sir, please tell me, is this blank official document a bad habit or greed for ink?"
Zhang Ximeng smiled coldly, "My lord, if all this money is placed here, if it is just a bad habit, how can it bring so many benefits? I have an example here. You might as well let them confront you. The so-called empty seal theory is clear at a glance!"
Zhu Yuanzhang nodded, "Bring it up!"
Not long after, the Arch Guard brought Fang Keqin up. Gu Seng
The magistrate Fang, who had a great future, was already disheveled and haggard.
Since being captured, Fang Keqin has had many dissatisfactions.
It is well known to everyone that he worked conscientiously, promoted land equalization in the local area, and had extensive political achievements. However, now that he was taken down because of a trivial matter, it is really unconvincing.
"I pay my respects to Your Majesty!"
Zhu Yuanzhang just glanced at it and was too lazy to say anything.
Zhang Ximeng suddenly reached out, took out two official documents, and asked someone to hand them to Fang Keqin.
Fang Keqin took it in his hand and took a look at it. The color suddenly changed... These two official documents were about purchasing grain from his administration, and one of them was 30,000 dan, which was approved normally.
But in addition to the thirty thousand stones, there were thirteen thousand stones, but Fang Keqin didn't know about it.
"This is also the reason why the purchasing officials of the Ministry of Revenue used blank official documents to make additional purchases on the grounds of filling up the expenses on the road."
Fang Keqin was startled and said subconsciously: "They, why are they purchasing two copies?"
It was like asking a question.
Zhang Ximeng said coldly: "As a local official, don't you know that the purchase price for the imperial court is at least 30% lower than the market price! What's more, these thirteen thousand stones do not need to be returned to the household department! How big a profit is this?
"
In an instant, Fang Keqin's face turned pale.
He finally realized how big a problem this so-called bad habit of the previous dynasty was!
In fact, the normal purchase of materials should be more expensive. For some important projects, almost 30% more materials will be needed... taking into account the consumption on the road and the losses during construction.
Let's put it this way, if only 70% of the funds for river management are actually used, you can almost get a top-notch evaluation. If you use 90%, you will basically be Bao Qingtian.
In this case, in the name of consumption on the road and not being able to reconcile the accounts, a blank official document is issued and people fill in the amount at will. Is it just for the convenience of writing off the accounts?
Take the situation encountered by Fang Keqin as an example. The Ministry of Revenue went to purchase a batch of grain to support the cost of building the Yingtian City Wall.
There was an official document from the Ministry of Revenue, and the prefect's Yamen also issued a document and handed it over to the people in the Ministry of Revenue.
The person doing the work took the official document stamped with the magistrate's seal and ran downstairs to buy an extra batch, just to meet the consumption on the road. The officials below would still do their work honestly, and were even willing to hide it from the magistrate.
After all, they are from the Ministry of Household Affairs, so if they can sell well, they will benefit a lot in the future.
In this way, the people from the Ministry of Revenue easily obtained two portions of grain. When they returned to the Ministry of Revenue to pay their bills, they just sent an official document. If someone like Zheng Shiyuan was willing to help them write it off, they could naturally get away with it.
The extra food becomes their benefit!
This is just the most basic operation.
The Ministry of Household Affairs also took the donated money and food to temporarily cover the expenses, while the things that should be purchased were changed hands and turned into money to line their own pockets.
You think they are crazy, they dare to make any money, they just work hard... But this group of people don't think so. Anyway, they are supported by the minister of household affairs above, and the local government below does not dare to do anything to them.
And once the enthronement ceremony is done and the superior is happy, who dares to hold on to this matter?
Maybe they can be criticized and said that they are unwilling to contribute to the superiors and have evil intentions.
Zhu Yuanzhang put all the actions of the Ministry of Household Affairs in front of the officials.
"Now that things have come to this, we have no choice but to kill! Ruan Hongdao and his three sons must all be executed!"
"Zheng Shiyuan, together with his family, a total of seven people, will be executed!"
As soon as Zhu Yuanzhang finished speaking, Zhang Ximeng whispered: "My lord, Zheng Shiyuan's youngest son is only three years old."
Lao Zhu paused and said, "Zheng Shiyuan will be cut in half, but the youngest son will be pardoned!"
Zheng Shiyuan prostrated on the ground and kowtowed, "Thank you for your superior, thank you so much for Prime Minister Zhang! Long live your superior, may Prime Minister Zhang live a hundred years!"
"Take him down!" Lao Zhu said unceremoniously.
In this way, Zhu Yuanzhang dismissed one by one, including the Minister of Hubu, two ministers, seven chief ministers, the minister of the Ministry of Industry, the minister of the Ministry of War, the young minister of Honglu Temple... dozens of officials, not only themselves, but also their family members were killed.
None of them escaped, but some young children were pardoned and sent to juvenile camps to be raised in the future.
All the officials were trembling, and no one dared to refute.
Later, when they arrived at Fang Keqin's place, Lao Zhu was furious, "It stands to reason that you just stamped a big seal and shouldn't die, but you take Yuan Ting's bad habits for granted. For this reason, we should kill you in half!"
Fang Keqin's face turned pale and he was only trembling.
Zhu Yuanzhang took another breath and said, "I hope you have done a good job in equalizing the land, so I will punish you with eighty sticks, and the whole family will be sent to Lingnan!"
Fang Keqin was stunned for a moment, then suddenly kowtowed vigorously and burst into tears of gratitude, "I would like to thank the superior for his kindness!"