534 [A group of good officials who have been pitted]
Nanjing, Forbidden City, Yingmin Hall.
Mei Zhuyou was uneasy and looked at the emperor from time to time, but did not see the emperor getting angry.
After the emperor read their investigation report, he didn't say a word, but looked outside the palace in a daze. It was so calm, without a trace of sound, just like the night before a storm.
Finally, Zhao Han withdrew his gaze and no longer stared at the open space in front of the palace.
Zhao Han asked: "How many of the police officers in the capital of Quzhou, including the court officials, are reliable?"
Mei Zhuyou said: "Reporting to Your Majesty, I'm afraid I can't figure this out."
Zhao Han sighed and said: "Well, there is no need to go to Hangzhou to mobilize officials. You can recruit peasants and soldiers on the spot in Quzhou Prefecture. Don't make secret visits. Arrest people directly and interrogate them separately. After the clues are found, I will ask Xiao Huan to solve the case in person.
"
"According to the order!"
Mei Zhuyou didn't know whether to be excited or scared.
When an anti-corruption officer inspects a local area, he usually asks the local officials to cooperate. This is the first time that farmers and soldiers are directly recruited to work in the local area. It is obvious that the emperor no longer trusts the officials in Quzhou.
Mei Zhuyou left the Forbidden City and rushed back to Quzhou by speedboat.
Zhao Han asked Ding Shijing, who was recording daily notes: "Do you have any members of your clan who are serving as officials?"
Ding Shijing didn't know the details of the case, but he only guessed that there must be a big case. He put down his brush and said: "Your Majesty, although I was born in a poor family and was looked down upon when I was young, after becoming an official, some clan members also emerged. An uncle from the clan is doing this
As the county magistrate, there is also a clan brother who is serving as a county official."
Zhao Han asked again: "If you become a minister one day, will your uncles and brothers use your guise to do evil in the local area?"
"This..." Ding Shijing thought carefully and finally said, "Uncle Chen Na is an upright and rigorous man, and he will definitely not act like this. But brother Chen Na has a good face and an outgoing personality. If I become a minister, he will
He will not take bribes and bend the law, but he will also publicize his relationship with his ministers."
Zhao Han asked: "If your clan brother does evil and does evil in your name, how should you be punished?"
"This...this..." Ding Shijing had already guessed that a certain important minister's family had violated the law. How dare he say anything nonsense? He could only say vaguely, "I live in Nanjing as an official and have not been in contact with my clan for a long time. The clan borrowed my name from me.
It's evil. I really didn't know about it. If I was severely punished for this, I would definitely feel aggrieved. But it is a state-owned and national law. If I am really implicated by my tribe, I have nothing to say."
Zhao Han turned to Li Xiangjun and said, "Call Xiao Huan."
Li Xiangjun left Yingmin Hall and sent a female official to deliver the message.
About an hour later, Xiao Huan hurried over, bowed his hands and said, "Kowtow to Your Majesty."
Zhao Han pointed to the investigation report of the anti-corruption officer: "Read it yourself."
Xiao Huan returned the report and sat down to read it carefully. The more he read, the more frightened he became.
In terms of the case alone, the case in Henan last year was even worse. The province's grain transportation system was almost completely broken, and the money and grain involved were astronomical.
However, this thunderstorm in Quzhou Prefecture first implicated several central officials, and secondly, it involved occupying land for mining.
In the new dynasty of Datong, land has always been a red line, and anyone who dares to cross even half a foot will be doomed.
Zhao Han said: "I trust Li Aiqing (Li Banghua). He must have been taken advantage of by his tribe without knowing it. What is your impression of Zheng Tongfu?"
Xiao Huan replied: "Zheng Tongfu is a capable minister and official, and he is extremely diligent. He has not returned to his hometown for several years and has been working as an official in the capital. In the Camp and Repair Department of the Ministry of Industry, he is the earliest to come every day, until
He would not leave until dark. There was not a single mistake in the projects he handled. During holidays, he either rested at home or went to the Wenhua Hall to borrow books and read. He had never been to the Qinhuai River, and he had never participated in any cultural gatherings. This kind of thing
He can be called a model official. With all due respect, Zheng Tongfu... it is such a pity that he met such bad parents."
"That's why I'm so sad," Zhao Han said with a sad expression on his face, but also very angry at the same time, "Zheng Tongfu is diligent, capable, honest, and a rebellious scholar. Such a perfect official will definitely be made in ten years.
Minister, I will personally promote him to be Minister. What kind of father is this? Is there anyone who can cheat his son like this? His father actually said that the surname of the world is Zhao and the surname of Quzhou is Zheng. Does the Zheng family want to rebel?"
Xiao Huan was silent.
Zhao Han asked again: "Where is Liu Anfeng?"
Xiao Huan said: "Liu Anfeng is a close friend of Chen Shangshu (Chen Maosheng)."
Chen Maosheng's best friend, this is not an answer, but it is better than an answer.
Chen Maosheng is a staunch revolutionary who has never changed and has always been so pure. He has offended many colleagues in recent years.
Among the civil and military officials of the entire dynasty, Liu Anfeng was the only one who could become close friends with Chen Maosheng. You can imagine what kind of person Liu Anfeng was.
Zhao Han suddenly said: "Go to the Ministry of Personnel and look for Liu Anyong's files!"
The next day, Xiao Huan came to resume his life.
Xiao Huan said: "Your Majesty, I not only checked the official files, but also made inquiring around. Liu Anfeng was born in poverty, but Liu Anyong was born in wealth. Although they are brothers, they are separated by three villages. It was after Liu Anfeng became famous.
, then Liu Anyong came to meet relatives."
After hearing this, Zhao Han felt a little better, at least the Central Committee officials were fine.
But just because the central officials have no problems, it does not mean that their relatives have no problems. Just like Liu Anyong, three villages away, he can come out to get married. Which important minister does not have a lot of relatives?
Zhao Han said: "The case in Quzhou will be handled by the Metropolitan Procuratorate in accordance with the rules. As for the central ministers, I will make the decision myself and leave it to the court meeting in three days. You, make arrangements!"
Three days later, morning.
The ministers were sitting in the palace with relaxed and happy expressions, waiting to chat with the emperor.
They were used to having court meetings three times a month, and each time had a special topic. The first few times, they all talked about Europe and America, which really broadened the ministers' horizons.
Later, we talked about the benefits of opening up the sea and summarized the disadvantages of the Ming Dynasty's sea ban.
Then we talk about the tax policies of past dynasties, and inform the issues in advance so that officials can go home and read the history books.
The fine morning meeting was actually turned into a sutra banquet meeting by Zhao Han.
What should we talk about today?
Everyone was looking forward to it, because at every court meeting, there were always officials praised by the emperor.
Zhao Han said: "Today we will talk about corruption. Official corruption is commonplace, and this is the beginning of the corruption of officialdom. If corruption is not properly punished, sooner or later the new Datong Dynasty will become like the previous one."
"What your Majesty said is true!" All the officials agreed.
Zhao Han directly named him: "Mr. Li Ge, what do you think about corruption?"
Li Banghua said: "Severe punishment will not be spared!"
Zhao Han said: "If...I mean if, Li Ge's relatives commit evil and violate the law, how should we deal with this?"
Li Banghua said: "He should be beheaded, he should be put in jail, and he should never show favoritism!"
Zhao Han asked again: "What if Mr. Li Ge's relatives, using the name of Mr. Li Ge, frighten the local officials so much that they dare not take care of it, or even collude with him?"
Li Banghua frowned and said: "This... if I knew about it but ignored it, I would be guilty of connivance. If I didn't know about it, I should punish myself and only punish my relatives according to the law. I am not speaking for myself."
, but for the officials of the court, it is inevitable that some of their family members will commit crimes in the local area. As long as I do not know about it, I should not be punished severely, otherwise the officials of the court will endanger themselves."
"How to judge whether Li Ge always knew or didn't know?" Zhao Han asked.
Li Banghua was speechless.
Zhao Han pointed at Xiao Huan: "You tell me!"
In the doubtful eyes of the ministers, Xiao Huan stood up slowly, cupped his hands and said: "Liu Anyong, the governor of Quzhou Prefecture, and Zheng Hongyi, a wealthy businessman in Quzhou, colluded and worked together. The Zheng clan committed six murders, but they were all covered up.
, the murderer is at large. The Zheng family colluded with the government, cut corners when building river embankments, and withheld workers' wages for a long time. The Zheng family bullied the market, colluded with village and town officials, corrupted local farmers' associations, and exploited and oppressed the people. They also raised thugs, and a suspected murder case is under way.
During the investigation, dozens of cases of injuries were reported. The Zheng family’s mines operated across the border and occupied civilian fields for mining..."
Zheng Tongfu, a doctor in the Ministry of Industry, was dumbfounded by this.
He has been working as an official in Nanjing for several years and has never returned to his hometown. How could his family do such a thing?
Xiao Huan is still talking: "Zheng Hongyi has a son, Zheng Tongfu, who is a doctor in the maintenance department of the Ministry of Industry. He also has a son, who is the nephew and grandson-in-law of the cabinet minister Li Banghua..."
As soon as this statement came out, the whole court was in an uproar, and Li Banghua was actually involved.
Xiao Huan said: "Zheng Hongyi said that the world's surname is Zhao, and the surname of Quzhou is Zheng. He also said that he had led horses for the emperor, and as long as he could not raise troops to rebel, officials at all levels would have no control over him. He also said that he and Li Ge were always close relatives, and the chief minister
Fu also has to give me three points of thin noodles."
Li Banghua's whole body was trembling slightly. He was angry that someone actually pulled his tiger skin.
Xiao Huan said: "Liu Anyong, the co-president of Quzhou Prefecture, is the younger brother of Liu Anfeng, the Minister of Household Affairs. He also secretly accepted Zheng Hongyi's concubine niece as his aunt, and is suspected of sharing the dividends in Zheng's mines..."
Liu Anfeng finally couldn't sit still anymore and stood up suddenly and said: "Your Majesty, Liu Anyong is indeed my younger brother and a native of the same town. But our two families are about to be born in the fifth age. I was poor when I was young.
, did not receive help from the tribe, but suffered the cold eyes of the tribe. After I became an official, tribesmen came to cling to me. I restrained my family members from getting involved with the same tribe, nor from favoritism to the same tribe. That Liu Anyong really deserves to be killed, but with
I have nothing to do with it. I am pure and clean, and there is no room for such stain..."
After saying that, Liu Anfeng took off his official hat, knelt down and kowtowed: "I beg you to resign and return home!"
There was dead silence in the hall, and the Minister of Hubu actually resigned.
Chen Maosheng stood up and bowed: "Your Majesty, I guarantee with my life that Liu Shangshu will never condone his clan members."
Li Banghua sighed, took off his official hat and knelt down: "I invite you to become an official!"
Well, things have gotten serious and the deputy minister of the cabinet has to resign.
Zhao Han half-squinted his eyes and said angrily: "Are you threatening me?"
"Don't dare!"
Li Banghua and Liu Anfeng answered in unison.
Zhao Han asked Xiao Huan: "Has the Quzhou case been verified?"
Xiao Huan replied: "Basically verified, the arrest has been ordered. The charges I just mentioned are definitely correct. After the arrest and interrogation, new cases may be involved."
"Then without waiting for the case in Quzhou to be settled, I will personally decide the several central officials involved," Zhao Han glanced at the ministers, "Li Banghua, the second assistant in the cabinet, was not strict in running the family, and he was deprived of his title and promotion.
. Retain the position of secondary assistant and pay a fine of three months. If any of his clan members engage in corruption again, they will be dismissed from office immediately and returned to their hometowns!"
Xiao Huan was startled and suddenly looked up at the emperor.
Cao Guan, who was recording the contents of the court meeting, was so frightened that his hands shook, and a ball of ink appeared on the paper.
To seize titles, there were not many titles in the new Datong Dynasty, and some were people like Zheng Zhilong who were not officials. To seize titles directly, the punishment was already extremely severe.
As for the official title, Li Banghua's official title was Prince's Young Master, which is also an extremely noble title.
His official rank was also taken away!
What did Li Banghua do?
He is a great-niece, married to Zheng Hongyi's son.
Li Banghua had lived in Nanjing for several years and had many nephews. He probably didn't know about this marriage.
Xiao Huan wanted to remonstrate, but he didn't dare to do so, so he could only sit there in a daze.
Other officials did not dare to intercede.
Zhao Han added: "Liu Anfeng was not strict in running the family. He was demoted to one level and removed from the post of Shangshu of the Ministry of Household Affairs. Change it to...what should it be changed to? Let the Ministry of Personnel arrange it!"
Liu Anfeng roared angrily: "Your Majesty, please resign! I have not been lax in running the family, so I don't want this kind of stigma on me!"
Zhao Han thought about it carefully: "Okay, you can become an official."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Liu Anfeng picked up his official hat and returned to his seat to sit down.
Zhao Han continued: "Zheng Tongfu was demoted to five levels and transferred to Luzon. He will not be allowed to come back within ten years!"
This man is completely ruined.
Although he is only a doctor of the Ministry of Industry's Maintenance Department, he is of the fifth rank, but he is a position of real power, and his status is superior to that of the prefect of the fourth rank.
Moreover, as the head of the Youshui Yamen, Zheng Tongfu was honest, capable and diligent, and had long been remembered by the emperor. As long as such a person lived for another twenty years, he would be a minister at worst, and maybe even the chief minister!
Now he was demoted to five ranks, thrown to Luzon, and not allowed to return to the court for ten years.
This is more cruel than killing him directly!
Zheng Tongfu had already shed his soul, like a dead corpse, and could not hear what Zhao Han said at all.
The next day, Zhao Han received the news that Zheng Tongfu had committed suicide at home.