In the current administrative environment, it is easy to pull out the carrot and bring out the mud when it comes to catching corrupt officials.
Yan Liwen was taken away while accompanying Wang Hao.
His crime was first of all falsifying accounts, so he had to be brought to trial.
However, in fact, during the interrogation of Tian Ruofu, Tian Ruofu had already given him an account. That's good. Once the two sides are put together, he will never be able to get away with it.
As soon as these two people were taken down, all the subordinate officials in their yamen were also in danger. This is the characteristic of all cases.
Now that both Ge Lao and Jin Yiwei are here, each one can represent the emperor. If the emperor wants to ask for an explanation on this matter, no one dares to stop him.
The investigating officer must have absolutely nothing to do with the prisoner.
As a result, this small Shanyang County became lively. Many people were taken away from the two yamen, and the order in the officialdom was somewhat chaotic.
In addition, the magistrates of Qingjiangpu County and other counties such as Qinghe and Andong are also unclean.
It's not that the imperial envoys want to expand the case, but the emperor wants to investigate seriously.
A careful investigation can only lead to this result.
On the other side, some owners and bosses of the engineering team began to wake up. They are the slowest to receive news, but there is still a clear feeling that someone is paying them back wages.
But now that justice has been done, some things in the past cannot be forgotten like this.
File a complaint!
The magistrate's office in Shanyang County is like a 'temporary headquarters'. More and more people are coming here to submit complaints, and major cases of wage deductions have finally begun to emerge. In addition to horizontal transmission, it is also reflected vertically. Spread influence.
Zhu Weichun, a doctor in charge of the North-South Zhili Avenue of the Shaofu Fortification Cleaning Department, was arrested.
The reason why he was arrested was simple. In addition to the Shanyang section where he was found to have withheld wages, bosses of engineering teams in other counties under Huai'an Prefecture and Yangzhou Prefecture also reported such things.
In sensitive periods and sensitive cases, the imperial envoys did not dare to press these reports.
And if there are problems in so many places, then naturally there is something wrong with the doctor in charge of this project.
Zhu Weichun naturally became a prisoner.
In fact, it turned out that he was an imperial envoy who came down with Xie Guangxie, Liu Chun and others.
This is a sign that this case is somewhat out of control.
After Wang Hao came back, Xie and Liu had no choice but to report truthfully.
But when the matter reached this level, the elders could no longer decide and could only submit the report to the palace.
Spring Breeze Pavilion in Xiyuan of the Capital.
This is a quiet place hidden in the royal courtyard and hidden in the bamboo forest.
It's a pity that the mood of the monarch and his ministers is not so peaceful at this time.
The emperor rarely lost his temper towards Gu Zuo.
"Look at what these people in your charge are doing!"
The memorial from the Huai'an Mansion was thrown by the emperor in front of Gu Zuo, the young man's order, who was kneeling at this time.
In addition, the elders Yang Yiqing and Wang Bing, the Minister of Punishment Zhao Shen, and the Yushi Zuodu Yushi Zhang Fuhua all stood with their heads bowed, not daring to say a few words of pleading for a while.
"Where did this silver come from? You, Gu Liqing, know very well! In spite of the infamy, I investigated the Lianghuai Salt Transport Department. The confiscated silver was handed over to the Shaofu to build roads. It was for the benefit of the people, not for the sake of getting richer. Criticize officials! If you think about it carefully, how many years have it been since the Salt Division was withdrawn? How many years ago were the people who were killed at the beginning? At this rate, what is the difference between the Shaofu and the Salt Division?!"
As a favored minister at the time, Gu Liqing was rarely given such a lesson by being pointed at the nose, but it was difficult for him to blame the emperor because these things were indeed irritating.
"My lax control of my subordinates and improper management have led to today's case. Your Majesty, please punish me!"
"Of course I will punish you!" Zhu Houzhao said without mercy, "And you! You all listen, being an official in the imperial court cannot be so easy! Military generals know that they have the responsibility to defend the soil, and civil servants also have the responsibility to defend the soil!"
"Since you, Gu Liqing, are the order of the Shaofu, all the officials of the Shaofu are under your jurisdiction. If such major issues arise within your jurisdiction, even if you are not guilty, it is because there is a problem with your ability to serve as an official! Since you can't be If you are a good official, then don’t be an official!”
Zhu Houzhao was really angry. He knew there must be problems with road construction, but it couldn't be that there were problems all the way from the doctor in charge to the entire line below.
So he must find Gu Zuo. Besides, how did you choose this official in charge?
The facts were all there, and Gu Zuo couldn't argue.
"I accept punishment willingly,"
"Your Majesty." Yang Yiqing took two steps forward. "We believe that this case is serious and must be investigated strictly, otherwise the people's grievances cannot be settled. However, Gu Shaofu is self-denial, honest, honest, and has made many meritorious deeds since he took charge of the Shaofu. This is The matter has nothing to do with him, do you think of his hard work and deal with it leniently?"
Zhu Houzhao snorted.
Yang Yiqing still cooperated with him, knowing that although he was angry, Gu Zuo did not make a big mistake, so he would not be punished.
"Mr. Yang Ge pleads for you, so I won't say more. But this case must be investigated, and investigated thoroughly. Even if the road construction project is stopped, they will not hesitate. What they are deducting is the wages of the people, and the people are responsible for their efforts. I can’t make much money, and I still have to withhold money!”
"Your Majesty, calm down."
"Your Majesty, calm down."
…
Several other ministers began to persuade him.
"Let's do this. This is how the matter is decided. Da Sikou."
Zhao Shen stepped forward and said, "I'm here."
"You are responsible for taking the lead in this matter. All persons involved in the case must be tried one by one. Remember, the trial must be carried out according to the laws of the Ming Dynasty. Although I am angry, I cannot act randomly. In the same way, the guilt of these people cannot be taken lightly! You have to control the joints. If anyone wants to go through the back door, you don’t have to feel embarrassed. All the details are reported to me, and I also want to see who wants to get away with it easily!"
"Wei Chen obeys the order!"
"As for the young master," he glanced at Gu Zuo who was kneeling, "I will not remove you from your post. Unless Mr. Yang Ge begs for mercy, I plan to deal with you severely. Now I want you to go home for a month and sit quietly and reflect. Pass. Think about it, how can I be a good commander of the Young Mansion, and how can I avoid these problems! During your absence, the Young Mansion will be photographed by Mr. Yang Ge and the Supervisor of Ceremonies."
Liu Jin also lowered his head a little to show respect.
"Two words. Reorganize. After rectification, it will be restored as before." Zhu Houzhao discovered that the senior officials he appointed had basically no major problems because of their 'prophet' and some of his own judgments.
It's a small problem, but it can't be avoided. He doesn't require everyone to be perfect.
But the problems of middle- and lower-level officials who are far away from the core level are very big. Cases like this one show such characteristics. The six ministries and nine ministers are not deeply involved, but the underlying roots are rotten.
"I thank Your Majesty for your forgiveness!"
It was rare in the past for the emperor to handle things like this.
Actually, overall, it's a bit heavy.
After all, Gu Zuo himself did not commit corruption with this group of people.
But the emperor refused to let go and put forward the four words "responsibility to defend the land".
This puts some pressure on other ministers, and the problems of the people below will also affect themselves.
However, he didn't really remove Gu Zuo from his post, he just thought about it.
Therefore, the civil servants themselves also debated the importance of this.
After going down, another cabinet minister, Wang Bing, was also very unhappy. He showed off his face in front of Zhao Shen and Zhang Fuhua.
"It was originally a small matter within the Huai'an Mansion. I didn't want it to end up in the situation it is today. If Mr. Yang Ge hadn't begged for mercy, he might have changed the order of the Young Mansion. Now Mr. Ji is still in Huai'an and cannot return. Jing. Is our people responsible for this?"
One has the deputy imperial envoy and the other is the vice minister of punishment.
According to the concept of duty-keeping, they should not have nothing to do.
Zhao Shen understood this and said: "After I return to the Yamen, I must restrain my subordinates."
Wang Bing shook his head, "It's not enough to restrain ourselves, we also need to self-examine and correct ourselves. Who is your majesty? He must know that the Ministry of Punishment and the Metropolitan Procuratorate also have flaws, but he just doesn't want to escalate the situation, so he doesn't mention us. But he won't mention us. The representative has no problem. If next time, a hidden case happens in our hands, will Mr. Yang Ge be there to intercede for us today?"
When Wang Bing said this, Zhao Shen and Zhang Fuhua actually understood.
The emperor openly held Shaofu responsible, but he did not say much about the Ministry of Punishment and the Metropolitan Procuratorate.
But that doesn't mean it will be fine.
Now Wang Bing, who is in the cabinet, wants to hold some people from the Criminal Ministry and the Metropolitan Procuratorate accountable.
What is this called?
Flattery and flattery.
For several years, Wang Bing had this characteristic. He was aggressive and wanted to be promoted even if he was an official. This naturally made him good at figuring out and catering to his superiors.
Speaking of specific things,
Liu Chun, the minister of justice, would naturally not punish him for serious crimes, but his position as minister would definitely not be preserved, and unless he had special political resources, his career would end here.
The right deputy imperial envoy of the Metropolitan Procuratorate and the imperial censor who followed had the same ending.
This is still good.
If the emperor made a slight mention of it today, Wang Bing would not let them off easily.
What does it mean to be a person who can be an official? After a while, the emperor will look back and realize: This Wang Bingting takes my wishes seriously.
People always hate flatterers, but being able to flatter is really different!
Or maybe they can be in the cabinet together with Yang Yiqing and Wang Hao. What weight do these two people have in the court?
On the other side,
Gu Zuo returned to the mansion feeling a little hurt.
Even when his capable officials such as Shaofu Song Heng and Zhang Chi came to ask for an audience, he did not see them.
He originally had a son, who gradually grew up over the years and was already fifteen years old. He gradually began to understand some things and understood what the storms happening outside were all about.
So after entering the study, other than serving tea and sorting out some paperwork, I didn't say anything else.
He just glanced at his father out of the corner of his eye and found that his father, who had always been tall in his mind, looked a little sad.
So he couldn't help it anymore and comforted him: "Father, please don't be sad. My child... my child thinks that Your Majesty still trusts his father."
"Ah," Gu Zuo rubbed his eyes, "Being a father is not for yourself."
"Then father, this is..."
"Zhu Weichun was young and talented, and his future was originally limitless. As a father, I felt sad for him. He took a wrong step and fell into the abyss. But at the beginning, he was definitely not such a person."
Gu Zuo was convinced of this. The Zhu Weichun he met two years ago was definitely an upright and promising person.
He couldn't imagine why the officialdom could turn people into that in such a short period of time.
How should I put it, Qin Hui was still a patriotic young man when he was young.
"Cheng Yi, you should take this as a warning."
"The child understands and must abide by his father's teachings."
Mrs. Gu outside heard the normal conversation between father and son inside, and felt relieved.
After going out, he ordered his servants: "In the past few days, anyone arrested outside should not talk to the master."
"Yes, ma'am."
Catch them, catch them, these corrupt officials will always be caught.
(End of chapter)
