Zhu Biao led his brothers to the side courtyard. There were many people standing densely inside, and there were faint sounds of crying.
After Zhu Biao walked in, it was like water droplets falling into a hot oil pan, and a crackling sound was heard instantly.
The brows of the princes all knitted together, and there was a lot of noise here. The household officials all began to kowtow and cry at Zhu Biao, who ignored him.
"Your Highness, help me, Your Highness, I only got some food, twenty shi of food!"
"Your Highness, there are dozens of people in Weichen's family. I can't let them starve to death!"
"The salary of your Highness's court is not enough at all, and the ministers are helpless. Please have mercy, Your Highness, please have mercy!"
"Your Highness, I want to see your Majesty. I am an official of the Yuan Dynasty. Your Majesty forced me to take up an official position. Why can't I even provide food and clothing for you? Is this how your Majesty treats me?"
Zhu Biao looked at them indifferently. Some people were already going crazy under the pressure, especially the old officials of the Yuan Dynasty. Lu Chang was in prison. They knew that their backer had fallen and the purge was right in front of them, so they naturally ignored it.
Some people rushed to a place a few meters away from Zhu Biao, but were stopped by officials from the Ministry of Punishment, who screamed at Zhu Biao at the top of their lungs.
The pro-soldiers behind Zhu Biao were eager to try. As long as they dared to break free or a word from His Highness the Crown Prince, they would immediately slaughter these ignorant things.
The Minister of Punishment heard the commotion and rushed over. He saw those people waving their hands, and the officials who were blocking them raised their swords and dropped their swords. In an instant, more than a dozen court officials fell to the ground, choked with pain and died after a few times.
The Minister of Punishment quickly walked up to Zhu Biao and saluted: "Your Highness is frightened. These people know that their death is coming, but they dare to offend the power of God. They should be punished!"
Zhu Biao waved his hand, looked at the anxious crowd inside and said: "Although the salary given to you by the imperial court is not much, as long as you save it, it will definitely be enough for an old family to drink. Besides, as officials of the Ministry of Household Affairs, don't you Don’t you know how many people in Ming Dynasty don’t even have food to eat?”
Looking at the dejected officials below, Zhu Biao said slowly: "The harvest in the past two years has been pretty good. I have also applied to Emperor Father to increase the salaries of officials from next year. Emperor Father has also approved it. This news You didn’t hear it, did you?”
Following Zhu Biao's words, the smarter officials among the Ministry of Household Affairs began to realize that with his status as the Crown Prince, he had no time to waste words with people like them who had committed capital crimes. He was clearly trying to beat them up.
As soon as the tense mind relaxed, the originally confused mind immediately became clear. The court is now in short supply of manpower, especially the Ministry of Revenue is going to be the busiest time of the year, so they are not dead.
However, according to the character of the Holy Sage, in order to establish the majesty of the imperial court and deter corrupt officials, some people must be killed. Therefore, the way to survive is relatively narrow. It depends on who can afford to eat less and react quickly enough to have a chance to escape.
Zhao Jian, the head of the Ministry of Household Affairs, knelt down and kowtowed to Zhu Biao and cried: "I am guilty. I have failed to live up to the expectations of the Holy Majesty and have wasted all your hard work. If I have the next life, I will definitely be an honest official and serve the Holy Majesty and Your Highness." It’s the work of dogs and horses!”
This cry immediately attracted a group of people. Their positions were relatively high, so those who could become officials were generally smart people.
Many of them began to sincerely repent, and some even hit their heads on the ground. Their heads were bruised and bleeding, and they still shouted that they would work hard for Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Biao in the next life.
Zhu Biao was also very satisfied with this, but it does not mean that if you perform well at this time, you will definitely have a chance to survive. If you are greedy too much, you will be hung up as a model.
As the night grew darker and the account books were almost verified, the officials from the Ministry of Revenue actively cooperated and wished they could come out in person to calculate the amount of embezzlement for them.
Otherwise, there would be no chance of finding out such a complicated thing tomorrow night. The pro-military Duwei Mansion, in cooperation with the Ministry of Punishment officers, had already searched through the residences of those officials from the Ministry of Household Affairs, and their property had been counted.
Finally, the Secretary of the Ministry of Punishment handed Zhu Biao two account books. One clearly recorded the amount of embezzlement by the officials of the Ministry of Accounts. After the calculation, it could be compared with the account books of the Ministry of Accounts.
The other one was an account of a larger deficit. The amount far exceeded the embezzlement of the Ministry of Household Affairs. No individual was recorded on it. It clearly recorded the taxes and grains collected by the other five departments, as well as several separate taxes and grains. Drawing a large circle indicates that he is a person of high authority.
After handing it over, the Minister of the Ministry of Punishment knelt on the ground, waiting for the results of His Highness the Crown Prince's processing. The check of the account books was completed under the supervision of the pro-military Duwei Mansion. There was no way he could satisfy the Lord and His Highness the Crown Prince, and Li Xiangguo The Minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs has also long ago ordered that the prince should not be deceived, and that only by reporting everything truthfully can there be a chance of survival.
Zhu Biao looked at the records with a cold face. Among the six ministries, it was not the Household Department that had the most corruption in taxes and grains, but the Personnel Department and the Punishment Department. Zhu Biao also had to guess who the individual officials were who were short of taxes and grains. The person in charge of the court There are only a few people with high authority.
Zhu Biao smashed the two account books on the desk and looked at the Minister of the Ministry of Justice and said: "Why, you, the Minister of the Ministry of Justice, have no money to support your family? Those who committed crimes are also trying to punish you, and they actually reached out to the Ministry of Finance. You are really greedy. !”
The Secretary of the Ministry of Punishment kowtowed and then said: "Your Highness, I have to say something from the bottom of my heart. The salary of the imperial court is really low. How can these old brothers who follow the Holy Master to conquer the world still have a family fortune? Are you hungry? Arrived."
"Although our ministers have collected these grain taxes, they are basically distributed to officials in various ministries. Just like several officials under me, they have illnesses in their families and cannot do without medicine every day. The salary can only be exchanged for a few days of medicine, and there are many people like this in other ministries..."
Zhu Biao interrupted him with a wave of his hand and said: "There is always a reason for being greedy. How many such people can there be? Do the thousands of people in the six departments have a medicine jar in their homes? Why don't you report the situation of these people? The imperial court specially Is it difficult to sow a sum of money to use for medical treatment for officials’ families?
Zhu Biao snorted coldly and said, "Aren't you just trying to comfort yourself with these things and feel at ease because you are corrupt and perverting the law? If your salary is not enough for medical treatment, then the people who are oppressed by you will get sick?"
The Minister of Punishment did not say anything. He was in charge of the Punishment Department. How could he not know the virtue of being greedy? In the dim light, the Shangshu of the Punishment Department looked at Zhu Biao and said, "Your Majesty, please decide how to deal with it."
Zhu Biao glanced at him, lit an account book with a candle, then threw it into the brazier. Looking at the account book that gradually turned into ashes, he said: "Forget it this time, but you don't have to be too happy and continue to be greedy." Sooner or later, you will have to pay it back, and you all know what my father is like, and there will never be another chance of opening up."
After accepting the promise, the Minister of Punishment said: "I will convey His Highness's words to others, and I will go back and always be vigilant, so that I will not disappoint His Highness."
………………
