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.
One is Chen Dongxiang, who pretended to join Huang Yourong and handed the list and evidence of crime into Huang Yourong's hands! 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.
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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, he asked Mr. Lu who reported the news: "Mr. 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 regarded as a talent. What is happening in the morning is also the first one to get the news.
——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 Works were impeached! Damn, it’s really something serious!”
Listening to Lu Shunde just repeating the first sentence, but not talking about the main points. It was obviously confusing, and a trace of helplessness flashed on Jiang Qian's face. 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 did Young Master Zhang Cheng and Yushi Liu Quanan impeach?"
Jiang Qian's words can be said to have grasped the most concerned issue in the minds of the officials of the Ministry of Revenue. Everyone was eagerly waiting for Lu Shunde's answer. They all looked uneasy.
After hearing Jiang Qian's specific inquiry, Lu Shunde finally got the key points of his answer. 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 among Mr. Wei, Mr. Zhou among Mr. Zhou, Mr. Deng among Mr. Deng, Mr. Zhang Yuanwai Lang...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, but 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 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, Jiang Qian's eyes flashed with sarcasm, but he still asked knowingly: "Is it about the Huaihe River floods last year? How is it possible? I remember that after the floods occurred at that time, Lord Shangshu immediately appropriated the money to repair the dams
.Although the flood disaster still happened later. But fire and water are merciless, that's how it is. We couldn't do anything, but we still allocated money and food for relief. Although I didn't handle this matter personally, I still remember it.
Clearly, what is there that could be impeached?"
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.
Lu Shunde explained hesitantly: "Mr. Jiang, you don't know. 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.
When things didn't go well, they scolded our Ministry of Accounts and Ministry of Works for being corrupt officials. 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 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 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 information and evidence of the crime, 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 engineering 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!
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 must decay, and when it rots, it must be eaten by cavities." This kind of detention has now become an unspoken rule in the officialdom.
, after the Ministry of Household Affairs withheld part of the money, the money went to the prefecture, state, and county, and the local yamen at all levels would also withhold part of the money. In the end, only a very small part of the money was 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, the Ministry of Household Affairs must make up for the loss.
Zhao Junchen gave many other benefits to the officials in the Ministry of Household Affairs despite the loss of the officials in the Ministry of Household Affairs.
However, facing 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, both the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Household Affairs were
After the Yamen were almost unified, because they no longer had to worry about accounting problems, these people became more and more unscrupulous.
Take last year's Huaihe River flood. In fact, some officials from the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Industry jointly asked for kickbacks from the local government. However, because they asked for too many kickbacks, they had a dispute with the local government. In the end, they delayed the local government from repairing the dam and
Caused Huaihe River floods!
In ancient and modern times, at home and abroad, in the officialdom, there has never been a shortage of things like this that delay the people of the world for their own selfish interests.
…………
With this thought in his mind, Jiang Qian's expression suddenly became stern and he asked: "So, you deceived the superiors and inferiors and acted on your own initiative? Lord Shangshu, he didn't know the news from the beginning to the end?
"
Hearing Jiang Qian's questioning, Lu Shunde and other officials from the Ministry of Household Affairs who were involved in the matter became even more flustered, while the officials from the Ministry of Household Affairs who were not involved in the matter also became stern like Jiang Qian - deceiving the superiors and concealing the truth from the inferiors.
, do things without authorization, although everyone is doing it, but they all hate it when people around them do it, especially when it will hurt themselves!
"Shang, Lord Shangshu... really doesn't know about this, but after we get the benefits, we don't dare to enjoy them all. We deliberately doubled the amount of silver we gave to Lord Shangshu years ago!" Lu Shunde explained hurriedly.
Jiang Qian suddenly sighed and said: "In this case, in today's morning meeting, the Master does not know the details and is unprepared. I am afraid that I will not be able to protect you. Maybe even the Master 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: "When things have reached this point, I'm afraid the Sanfa Division will come to our household department to arrest people soon! All of you who have committed crimes should remember this,
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 Ministry of Household Officials that they must not talk too much after being arrested, and they must not implicate other people!
After hearing the warning, most of Lu Shunde and others' eyes wandered, and they 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 betraying your colleagues and betraying your crimes, 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 meritorious service you have done, 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 become a confiscation of your home and execution!"
After a pause, Jiang Qian continued: "What's more, if it's just you who are trapped, there is also the Master, as well as me and my colleagues, who can help take care of you in the future and take care of your family. But if you are because of
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 the expressions of all the impeached Household Department officials were changing under his warning, Jiang Qian smiled and said: "Of course, I also know that you are used to living a comfortable life on weekdays.
Once arrested by the Sanfa Division, let alone torture, even if it is just to put out the torture instruments 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 exempted from the crime in the end, are you willing to listen?"