"Master Xiao Zhu, please accept the order."
After the pleasantries, let's get down to business. Eunuch Jia, who came from Xiyuan, began his mission - to announce the decree.
"Your Majesty Zhu Ping'an accepts the order."
The imperial edict is a symbol of the emperor's power. Seeing the imperial edict is like the emperor's presence in person. No matter who holds the edict, no matter how high an official you are, you must kneel down to receive the edict to show respect for the emperor. Zhu Ping'an did not dare to make a mistake and took the lead in kneeling down to receive the order. The old lady from the Linhuai Marquis Mansion, Li Shu and others knelt down on both sides.
After everything was ready, Eunuch Jia opened the imperial edict in his hand. It was an imperial edict with a black horn as its axis. The surface of the edict was a brocade fabric made of fine silk. The colors were earthy yellow, green and blue, with three colors: khaki, green and blue. Mainly in earthy yellow, it is embroidered with auspicious clouds and auspicious cranes, and at both ends there are five-clawed golden dragons flying up and down, soaring into the clouds and riding the mist. The whole design is magnificent.
The imperial edict is very long. The entire imperial edict is about one meter long and more than thirty centimeters wide. Eunuch Jia's arms are stretched out as wide as his shoulders, and the imperial edict hangs down in an arc. The end of the imperial edict can be vaguely seen, and the square seal script "Treasure of Imperial Order" is stamped where the time was written.
"By God's blessing, the emperor said: 'I am very angry and can't contain my anger. False accounts, shortfalls, substandard silver! The Taicang treasury has accumulated a total deficit of more than 1.5 million taels of silver and more than 500,000 taels of gold. , it is something that has never happened before, and I read the memorial to overcome the resentment. You ministers are depriving the emperor of his salary and do not serve the ministers! You are unkind, so don’t blame me for being unjust! I will set up a heavy code immediately to suppress the law! Handle the matter Any Treasury soldier and silversmith who comes in and out and checks the silver coins who participates in stealing the empty warehouse will be executed immediately, and his wife, concubines, descendants and grandchildren will all be sent to Yunnan for three thousand miles. That is, they are serving as outer wall Treasury soldiers and slaves outside the Treasury. Anyone involved in the case The number of prison terms should also be reduced, and wives, concubines, descendants and grandchildren should be exiled for two thousand miles. All ministers who have neglected their duties, derelict in their duties, or stolen money will be identified one by one and severely punished. From the 20th year of Jiajing to this year, all officials have been in charge of the treasury, Treasury officials and Chaku censors will all be punished regardless of whether they are honest and honest; previous Treasury officials and Chaku censors will be fined taels of silver per month according to their years of service, and those who are deceased will be halved; Ministers will be fined two taels of silver every month, and deceased officials will be fined half of the amount." Eunuch Jia began to declare.
Zhu Ping'an was listening below, and he could feel the overwhelming anger of Emperor Jiajing through a piece of paper.
This time Emperor Jiajing's anger was not as great as usual. Just like what he said in his imperial edict, if you are unkind, then don't blame me for being unjust.
Indeed, Emperor Jiajing's imperial edict was full of murderous spirit and unabashed wool-pulling style.
Of course, in the imperial edict, those who bear the wrath of Emperor Jiajing's sofa also deserve what they deserve, and they will suffer for themselves.
Why?
etc?
What does this imperial edict have to do with me?
This imperial edict seems to be a punishment edict to punish corrupt officials and recover their stolen property. Why did Emperor Jiajing ask someone to read it to me? Could it be that you want to praise me for my merits in checking the library behind the imperial edict? But if it's a compliment, there's no need to spend so much irrelevant words and words on it, right?
not……
Zhu Ping'an was a little suspicious and felt a little uneasy.
really.
The next second, Zhu Pingan's uneasiness was confirmed.
"On June 15, the 30th year of the Jiajing reign, Wu Yisi Si Zhilang and Zhu Ping'an, the Imperial Academy's Attendant, were ordered to inspect Taicang. Although the inspection of the treasury was successful, you did not say anything. In accordance with the provisions of the preceding paragraph, the inspection of the treasury by the imperial censor regardless of official status was Whether the person is loyal and honest or not, he will be punished, and he will be fined 2 silver taels per month. Zhu Ping'an will check the treasury for eight days, and he should pay a fine of 2 taels of silver. If Zhu Ping'an has merit in the inspection, he will pay the fine of 2 taels of silver in half as appropriate. The deadline for payment is one year, and no fines are allowed. error……"
Eunuch Jia's voice when he read out the imperial edict was as mellow as ever, but to Zhu Ping'an it was not like that. It seemed to be a mixture of all kinds of ghosts and beasts, and even the words that Eunuch Jia read behind him could not be heard clearly.
"ah?"
Zhu Pingan was stunned and couldn't help but utter a sound of surprise. He couldn't believe his ears. It was as if someone had poured a basin of ice water on him in the middle of winter. Every cell in his body protested.
Is Emperor Jiajing mentally disabled? !
Is Emperor Jiajing out of his mind because of poverty? !
Did Emperor Jiajing get kicked in the head by a donkey? !
Big question marks popped up in Zhu Pingan's mind.
For a time, Zhu Ping'an was full of all kinds of negative contempt for Emperor Jiajing. He really couldn't help but despise Emperor Jiajing. He was dedicated to his job, had a breeze on his sleeves, and was the one who uncovered the shady story of Taicang. He had both hard work and merit. That's it, if you, Emperor Jiajing, don't reward or praise me, it's just Li Kui, so why do you punish me? ! And he was fined so much, two silver coins! This is my salary for the past two years.
In the last impeachment memorial, I was only fined one year of salary, and now I have to pay two years of salary in reverse? !
I am still young and have just started working, so I have to work for you for two years in vain.
Jiajing!
Doesn't your conscience hurt? !
From this point of view, the boss, Emperor Jiajing, could not be more evil-hearted.
Clear rewards and punishments, this is the most basic quality of a superior! Why didn't Emperor Jiajing understand this? It shouldn't be. Emperor Jiajing can be regarded as one of the few genius emperors in history. He was superb at playing with power and his ability to govern the country was not bad.
But this is the reality. I even took off my pants to check the bank, but I was fined two years' salary.
"The black-hearted Emperor Jiajing, return my hard-earned money."
Zhu Ping'an was so full of slander that he almost wanted to hold up a banner at the gate of Xiyuan and run around naked to protest.
Li Shu on the side also opened her mouth in surprise.
In sharp contrast to Zhu Ping'an and the others are the old lady of the Linhuai Marquis Mansion and the Linhuai Marquis's wife.
At the beginning, the old lady and the others thought that the imperial edict was for the Marquis of Linhuai, and they thought that the Holy Emperor was going to give the Marquis of Linhuai an official title. However, they did not expect that the imperial edict was for Zhu Ping'an, not for his son. This made the old lady very disappointed
However, now, the old lady is very happy again.
This is the emperor's punishment edict. Fortunately, it is not for his son Linhuai Marquis, otherwise he would be in trouble. Although the edict only fines two silver coins, which is nothing to a family like theirs, but although the fine is not enough Many, but this reputation is bad, and it will affect your future career.
The old lady didn't like Li Shu's mother, otherwise she wouldn't have forced Li Shu's father to divorce his wife and marry another one. However, she didn't expect that after marrying her daughter-in-law, she forgot her mother. Not only did Li Shu's father disobey, he divorced his wife and married another one. Instead, she moved out of the house with Li Shu's mother, which made the old woman angry with Li Shu's father and disliked Li Shu's mother even more.
Furthermore, the old lady doesn't like Li Shu, her granddaughter.
Love the house and the bird.
The disgusting house also reaches the crow.
Compared to other uncles, the old lady didn't like Zhu Ping'an very much. When she met Zhu Pingan for the first time, the old lady had a disdain for the simple and honest Zhu Pingan. Although the old lady's attitude changed slightly after Zhu Pingan passed the exam, she still hoped to get the top prize. It was her grandson Li Yanzhou, even if it was other uncles, even the old lady had this idea in her heart, she felt that Zhu Ping'an had robbed his grandson Li Yanzhou of the top prize.
Of course, these psychology will not be shown on the face of the old lady who is getting hotter and hotter as she gets older.
Now, when they heard that the content of the imperial edict was to fine Zhu Ping'an money, they even felt a little secretly happy in their hearts.
Especially the Sixth Miss, she glanced at Li Shu, as if she was mocking and said, Fifth Sister, please stop talking.
