…
In fact, only two people in the whole court knew about Zhao Junchen's plan to use Huang Yourong's help to eliminate the worms in his family. [No pop-up novel website]
One is Chen Dongxiang, who pretended to take refuge in Huang Yourong, and used this to hand over the list and incriminating evidence to Huang Yourong! In a way, he is the most critical figure in Zhao Junchen's plan. From the current point of view, Chen Dongxiang's task has been completed well.
The other one was Jiang Qian, a doctor in the Ministry of Industry. It was through Jiang Qian that Zhao Junchen collected the names and evidence of the criminals.
But Jiang Qian's mission in this plan is not just that!
…………
At this time, with Jiang Qian appearing to take charge of the overall situation, the mood of the officials of the Public Household Department finally calmed down a little.
Although Jiang Qian knew it well, he still pretended that he had just received the news, and on behalf of the officials of the Ministry of Revenue, asked Mr. Lu who reported the news: "Master Lu, what is going on? Speak slowly."
The name of this doctor in the Ministry of Revenue is Lu Shunde. Among the officials in the Ministry of Revenue, he has always been known for being well-informed and well-connected. He can barely be considered a talent. He is also the first to get the news about what is happening in the early morning. ——It's a pity that he is too greedy, and he is also one of the worms in Zhao Junchen's eyes.
However, because Lu Shunde got the specific news and knew that something was wrong, he was still panicking. He just kept saying: "I, I got the news from the palace. Young Master Zhang Cheng and Yushi Liu Quan'an, in one breath A total of 19 officials from our Ministry of Household Affairs and Ministry of Industry were impeached! Seriously, it’s really a serious matter!”
Listening to Lu Shunde just repeating the first sentence, but not talking about the main points, it was obviously confusing. A trace of helplessness flashed on Jiang Qian's face, and he had to ask further: "Master Lu, don't panic. Things are going wrong." There is always a solution, please tell me first, which of us have the young master Zhang Cheng and the censor Liu Quanan impeached?"
Jiang Qian's words. It can be said that he has grasped the most concerned issues in the minds of officials in the Ministry of Revenue. Everyone was eagerly waiting for Lu Shunde's answer, and their expressions were uneasy.
After hearing Jiang Qian's specific inquiry. Lu Shunde's answer finally came to an important point, and he replied: "I didn't ask about the Ministry of Works. In our household department alone, there are five doctors, two Yuanwailang, and one director. They are Mr. Wei, Mr. Wei, Mr. Zhou, and Mr. Zhou, Mr. Zhou. , Mr. Deng, Mr. Deng, Mr. Zhang Yuanwailang... and me."
When talking about himself, Lu Shunde's expression seemed like he was about to cry.
After hearing Lu Shunde's list, all the household officials whose names were not called showed relaxed expressions, while those whose names were called became more and more panicked, and most of them looked the same as Lu Shunde. almost.
Jiang Qian asked again: "Then do you know what charges the young master Zhang Cheng and the imperial censor Liu Quanan impeached their colleagues?"
After Lu Shunde hesitated for a moment, he finally answered: "It was about the flood in the Huaihe River last year."
Hearing Lu Shunde's answer, a trace of sarcasm flashed in Jiang Qian's eyes. But he still asked knowingly: "It was the flood in the Huaihe River last year? How is it possible? I remember that after the flood situation occurred at that time, Lord Shangshu immediately appropriated the money to repair the dam. Although it was said that there was still a flood later, but fire and water are ruthless. Just like that, there was nothing we could do, but we still allocated money for relief. Although I did not handle this matter personally, I still remember it clearly. Is there anything in it that could lead to impeachment?"
Lu Shunde - and the impeached Household Department officials - all showed guilty looks at this time, but when the matter reached this point, they did not dare to hide anything anymore.
Only Lu Shunde explained hesitantly: "Mr. Jiang, you don't know something. What happened was that the local officials who came to collect the money were quite rude. They said that there was a flood crisis and they wanted to withdraw the full amount of money. A little bit When things didn't go their way, they scolded us as corrupt officials at the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Works. Several colleagues and I planned to make things difficult for them. Although we still allocated money to them, the time was delayed for several days and the amount of money was only given to them. Less than 80%... But the young master Zhang Cheng and the imperial censor Liu Quan'an may have thought that this was the reason for the floods in the five states and eleven counties along the Huaihe River, so they impeached us in the morning."
Speaking of this, Lu Shunde showed doubts on his face and said: "However, we have done this very cleanly and there is absolutely no problem with the accounts. However, the local government is afraid to do so in order to get the next relief money." He offended our household department again, admitted his fault, and signed the accounts. There was no way he could have left any evidence, but I don’t know how the young master Zhang Cheng and the imperial censor Liu Quan’an obtained the information and evidence!”
…………
The information and evidence were naturally found by Jiang Qian and handed over to Zhao Junchen!
However, Jiang Qian would naturally not say anything about this.
Moreover, seeing that Lu Shunde still didn't know how to repent at this point, and was just wondering how he leaked the news and evidence, Jiang Qian couldn't help but sneer in his heart.
In fact, Lu Shunde's explanation obscured many key points.
In the past, the Ministry of Revenue allocated money to other yamen, especially for large projects such as river construction and relief. It would never allocate the full amount, but would withhold part of it for the officials of the Ministry of Revenue to embezzle money together!
Of course, this is not just a problem with the Ministry of Household Affairs. The Ming Dynasty has been established for nearly four hundred years. As the saying goes, "When a tree grows old, it will rot, and when it rots, it will bear cavities." This kind of detention has now become an unspoken rule in the officialdom. After the Ministry of Revenue withholds part of the money, the money reaches the prefecture, prefecture, and county. Local yamen at all levels will also withhold part of the money. In the end, only a small part of the money is actually used to do practical things. .
However, since Zhao Junchen became the Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs, he has given clear instructions to the officials of the Ministry of Household Affairs. From now on, all the money and grain needed by the local government must be allocated in full! At the same time, in order to appease the dissatisfaction of the officials of the Ministry of Household Affairs and make up for their losses, Zhao Junchen gave many other benefits to the officials of the Ministry of Household Affairs.
However, despite the large sums of money coming in and out all day long, there are still many greedy officials from the Ministry of Household Affairs who are secretly making things difficult for the local government and collecting kickbacks! Especially after Zuo Lanshan, Minister of the Ministry of Industry, took refuge in Zhao Junchen, and after the two yamen of the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Households became almost integrated, these people became more and more unscrupulous because they no longer had to worry about accounting problems.
For example, last year's Huaihe River floods actually resulted in some officials from the Ministry of Household Affairs and the Ministry of Industry working together to ask for kickbacks from local government offices. However, because he asked for too many kickbacks, he got into a dispute with the local government, which ultimately delayed the local government from repairing the dam and caused a flood in the Huaihe River!
Ancient and modern, Chinese and foreign. Above officialdom. There is never a shortage of things like this that delay the people of the world for selfish reasons.
…………
I thought so in my heart. But Jiang Qian's expression suddenly became stern and he asked: "So, you deceived the superiors and subordinates about this matter and acted without authorization? Lord Shangshu, he didn't know the news from the beginning to the end?"
After hearing Jiang Qian's question, Lu Shunde and other officials from the Ministry of Household Affairs involved in the matter. The expressions became more and more panicked, and the officials from the Ministry of Household Affairs who were not involved in the matter also became stern like Jiang Qian - they deceived the superiors and acted on their own without permission. Although everyone was doing this, they all hated the people around them being like this. Do it, especially when it will harm yourself!
"Shang, Lord Shangshu... really doesn't know about this, but after we get the benefits, we don't dare to enjoy them all to ourselves. We deliberately doubled the amount of silver we gave to Lord Shangshu years ago!" Lu Shunde explained hurriedly.
Jiang Qian suddenly sighed and said: "That being the case. In today's morning meeting, the Lord Minister does not know the details and is unprepared. I am afraid that I will not be able to protect you. Maybe even the Lord Minister himself will be blamed by His Majesty!" "
"Then...what should we do?"
Not only Lu Shunde, but all the officials from the Ministry of Household Affairs involved in this matter asked this question.
"What should we do?" Jiang Qian showed his resolute side and said sternly: "Now that the matter has reached this point, I'm afraid the Sanfa Department will come to our household department to arrest people soon! All of you who have committed crimes should remember it, After arriving at the Sanfa Division, regarding the Huaihe River floods, you can plead guilty or die! But other than that, no matter how hard the Sanfa Division forces you, you must not tell other things about our household department! Especially if you don’t We can implicate Lord Shangshu!"
This is another mission of Jiang Qian, to warn all the impeached Household Department officials that they must not talk too much after being arrested, and they must not implicate other people!
After hearing the warning, Lu Shunde and others mostly had their eyes wandering and did not dare to look directly at Jiang Qian - obviously they all had more or less the idea of betraying others to get rid of their crimes after being caught.
Seeing the expressions of Lu Shunde and others, Jiang Qian sneered: "You must think clearly, although your crime this time is not small, it is the punishment of being demoted and exiled. As long as Lord Shangshu intercedes in front of His Majesty, you will also be guilty. Don't die! If you have the intention of committing crimes and betraying your colleagues, you must first understand that you yourself are involved in all the things you know, even if you tell them all. , No matter how many merits you have accomplished, it will never be worth the crime you committed! When the time comes, maybe it was just a punishment of being demoted and exiled, but in the end it will be a confiscation of your home and execution!"
After a pause, Jiang Qian continued: "What's more, if it's just you who fall into it, there will be Master Shangshu, me and all my colleagues, who can help take care of you in the future and take care of your family. But if it's because of you, If you commit such a small thing and implicate everyone, maybe some of your colleagues are dissatisfied and will vent their anger on your family members before they are caught. You must carefully consider these pros and cons first!"
Greedy people are often selfish people.
Therefore, in order to prevent these people from eventually involving the entire household department, Zhao Junchen must send Jiang Qian here to warn them.
But this kind of people are actually the easiest to control. As long as you analyze the pros and cons to them clearly, with their selfish character, they will naturally stick to the choice that is most beneficial to them!
Seeing that all the impeached Ministry of Household officials' expressions were changing under his own warning, Jiang Qian smiled and said: "Of course, I also know that you are used to living a comfortable life on weekdays. Once you are arrested by the Third Law Division, let alone torture, even if you just put out the torture tools to scare you, you may not dare to be strict with your mouth anymore. I have thought of a way here, which can not only save you from The disaster of torture, if you are lucky, maybe you can be absolved of your crime in the end, are you willing to listen?"
………
Well, second update!
