Chapter 781: Going to the West to serve the country and the people
Your Majesty, the countless theories about the Western Ocean are just lies to deceive the public. What is said about the round sky and the earth is the orthodox doctrine. Please take back your sacred mandate to sail to the Western Seas!"
"I second the proposal, Your Majesty, we, China's natural treasures, have gathered all the treasures in the world. Let's not talk about whether there are countless small barbarian countries in the West. Even if there are, why would my noble country go to the West to make friends with all countries?"
"I also second the proposal. Your Majesty has ordered the Ministry of Household Affairs to collect good wood for shipbuilding. No one dares to disobey it. In order to revitalize the Jiangnan Navy, I have nothing to say. However, Your Majesty builds ships to sail to the Western Ocean. This is a ridiculous move. I hope Your Majesty will take back your wisdom!"
"I hope your Majesty will take back the Holy Spirit!"
Li Zheng looked gloomily as he saw most of the civil and military ministers kneeling on the ground begging him to take back the advice that would lead to his death.
"Studying is a good thing, but if you don't seek a deep understanding of reading, you won't be able to use what you learn. Those of you who can be ranked in the second class are all people who have read poetry and books, but if you study hard, you will not only harm yourself but also the country!
The theory that the sky is round and the earth is round has been around since ancient times, and the theory that the sky and the earth are round have never been mentioned by all the famous figures!”
"All the classics of hundreds of schools of thought have their merits. You only respect the words of Confucianism and ignore the classics of other schools of thought. They claim to respect teachers and Taoism, but in fact they are short-sighted! In the pre-Qin period, hundreds of schools of thought caused disputes among the princes of the world.
It has lasted for hundreds of years. The Taoists are quiet and inactive, studying heaven and man, the politicians are wandering around the world, and the Legalists make laws to restrain human nature. I do not deny the Confucian classics. You have been admonishing me for a long time.
I ask you, have you done what you have advised me to do, and have you abided by self-discipline?"
"Are there countless foreign countries overseas? If you don't go and see for yourself, who would dare to say whether they exist or not? What you hear is false and what you see is true. You read poems and books and study classics. Why don't you remember this sentence?"
"All the emperors from ancient times to the present can only dominate the mainland. All their fame and hegemony are accomplished on the land, and they rule the world. But whoever rules over the sea, I don't want to look at the ocean and sigh. I not only want to be the overlord on the land, I also want to be the overlord of the ocean.
Overlord!"
"If there are really countless kingdoms in the West, and you bluntly advise me to prevent me from opening up the territory for the dragon, and if future generations can prove it, do you know how future generations will insult you?"
"I tell you, you are short-sighted and Confucian scholars are harming the country."
"His Majesty!"
Li Zheng took a deep breath and glanced at the ministers: "To create an unparalleled foundation, we must be the first to do it for the world. It is imperative to go to the Western Ocean. If you dare to advise others, go to the Imperial College to reclaim a vegetable field and plant it yourself."
, please apply your classic theory well, before you can eat the five grains, you must first work hard on the four bodies!"
The civil and military officials in the court looked at each other, and no one kneeling on the ground dared to speak again to persuade him.
"My dear friends, if there is no memorial, please retreat from the court. The Ministry of Household Affairs is preparing two or three million silver for the voyage to the West. The Ministry of Industry is preparing for the coastal wharves. Don't slack off! The voyage to the West will make friends with all nations and create a precedent for the world. You and I will do the same.
So proud!"
"I respectfully send you off to Your Majesty!"
"Your Majesty, Uncle Tongyuan has returned in triumph from suppressing bandits in the south of the Yangtze River. He has now arrived outside the Meridian Gate!"
Li Zheng, who was about to walk down, was stunned and looked towards the palace gate with unconcealable joy on his face.
"Xuan!"
"Uncle Xuantong Yuan came to the palace to see you!"
"Uncle Xuantong Yuan came to the palace to see you!"
"Uncle Xuantong Yuan came to the palace to see you!"
Liu Mingzhi looked at the palace gate and breathed a sigh of relief: "I went on an expedition to suppress the bandits in April last year, and it was already April of the following year when I returned. Time is not forgiving, and the years are ruthless! I have grown another year old!"
Song Qing also sighed with the imperial edict: "I haven't been home for a year, I miss home!"
Hearing the shouts coming from the palace, Liu Mingzhi straightened his official robe and nodded to the generals behind him: "Your Majesty is waiting for us, don't be rude!"
"Got the order!"
"Liu Mingzhi, the commander-in-chief of the bandit suppression team, is here to see Your Majesty!"
"Song Qing, the deputy general for suppressing bandits, is here to see Your Majesty!"
"Cheng Kai, the general who suppressed the bandits from the left, is here to see your majesty."
"The general on the right to suppress the bandits..."
“…..”
"My dear friends, no courtesy!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness!"
Li Zheng looked at Liu Mingzhi's somewhat weathered face and nodded lightly. It had not been a year since he had seen himself, a close minister of the emperor, less immature and more steady.
The battlefield is indeed the most tempering place!
"Your Majesty, your Majesty, Liu Mingzhi, is here to reply to your Majesty's decree. The seals of the commanders of the three armies and the armor and uniforms are here. The imperial envoy's seal is here. Shang Fang's horse-killing sword is here. Please take it back!"
Li Zheng gave Zhou Fei a signal with a faint smile, and Zhou Fei walked down the steps and took the official robe from Young Master Liu's hand.
At this point, Liu Dashao's reputation as the commander-in-chief of the bandit-suppressing imperial envoy no longer exists!
"Your Majesty, I have been ordered to suppress the bandits for more than a year and one month. During this period, a total of 4,152 rebels were captured, and 6,723 levels of rebel leaders were captured. In this battle, the two guardsmen lost their lives.
There were a total of 513 casualties, both light and heavy, and more than 422 people were killed in the battle! The details of the incident will be stated in the memorial and please be read by Your Majesty!"
"Okay, present it!"
"Your Majesty, I have been ordered to lead the imperial envoys to inspect and investigate the case of missing tax and silver. There are dozens of officials involved in the case, totaling 6.23 million taels of gold and silver. There are eight governors in the state capital, and the rest of the officials, big and small, are here.
He is being held in Jiangnan Mansion, awaiting trial at the Dali Temple of the Ministry of Punishment! The specific process is stated in detail in the memorial, please ask your Majesty to read it!"
Li Zheng's expression changed and he retracted his smile: "Send it up!"
"yes!"
Li Zheng sat on the dragon table and carefully read through the two memorials presented by Liu Mingzhi. His face sometimes turned blue and sometimes purple, which made the civil and military ministers below him tremble with fear from time to time.
When the incense stick was half full, Li Zheng put down the memorial in his hand with a gloomy face: "Liu Aiqing, come with me to the palace!"
"I obey!"
Suddenly, a fine glazed official kiln teacup fell to pieces on the ground.
Li Zheng pointed at Young Master Liu with trembling fingers: "Liu Mingzhi, this is the second time. This is already the second time. The officials who fall into your hands will not have a good end! Half of the officials in Qingzhou were beheaded by you.
Half of them, the eight houses under the jurisdiction of Qingzhou Mansion had to be merged into four houses, and you have captured more than half of the Jiangnan officials. Do you want to kill all my ministers?"
Liu Mingzhi hurriedly lowered his hands and did not dare to look at the emperor's face: "Your Majesty, I have been ordered to supervise the case of missing tax money. There are dozens of officials involved, and none of them are clean. As an imperial envoy, it is my duty to deal with corrupt officials.
Duty, what crime did I commit?"
Li Zheng frowned, gritted his teeth, and sat on the chair, breathing heavily.
"Corrupt officials, corrupt officials, I am in charge of the world. I am very clear-eyed about who is clean and who is unclean! Do you think I don't know whether their butts are clean? But as the emperor, what do you want me to do? Officials in the world are corrupt.
In all likelihood, if I kill them all, who will govern the world for me? Although officials are corrupt, the people are disgusted with them, but without officials to govern, the world will be in chaos. Do you understand? Once these officials in Jiangnan are found guilty.
, the entire staff department can’t find so many people to fill the vacancies!”
"These corrupt officials will all die with a wave of my pen. It can scare the world's corrupt officials. It's easy to say! But have you ever thought about the case of missing tax money in Jiangnan? The clerical clerk in Jiangnan went to the governor of the state to sweep away the case.
Light!"
"All these officials have been arrested. Someone has to fill the vacancies! Even if there are officials from the Ministry of Personnel to fill the vacancies, can you Liu Mingzhi guarantee that the newly appointed officials will be honest and upright officials? There are no desperadoes blinded by gold, silver and jewelry.
?"
"You catch all the fat wolves that are full, but you kill them and send away the hungry wolves with empty stomachs. What should they do if they want to be full? Isn't it just that they are greedy and pervert the law and eat the people to get fat?"
"Kill a group of fat wolves and bring in a group of hungry wolves. I must have an explanation for the sake of the country and the people!"
Liu Mingzhi's pupils were very angry. He knew clearly that the emperor's words were wrong, but he couldn't find any rebuttal!