On March 15th, outside the Huangji Gate, all the ministers were standing in line.
On February 15th and March 1st, the emperor went on strike twice in a row, which completely made the ministers lose their temper.
Their idea of jointly submitting a memorial and singing a big show at the court meeting was resolved by Zhao Yanxun, but was knocked out of their arrogance by the court staff.
In fact, in the more than half a year since Zhao Yanxun took charge of the capital, ministers have been changing their bottom line to adapt to this powerful emperor.
When the drums sounded, the officials became more respectful.
At this time, Zhao Yanxun, surrounded by eunuchs, slowly came to the throne.
When he sat down, under the shouts of the ceremony officials, the officials moved in unison and bowed to the north.
"Long live my emperor! Long live!"
Sitting on the dragon chair, Zhao Yanxun looked calm and said: "Bring this person up!"
"According to the order!"
Most of the hundreds of courtiers below were confused, but there were also well-informed people who knew who would be brought here next.
After a while, I saw a large number of guards escorting prisoners coming out of the west palace gate.
It happened that these prisoners were basically known to the court officials simply because they were high-ranking officials of the court.
"Kneel down!" the guards yelled loudly.
These officials who were taken into custody were all in Rome for tax matters, and all of them were above the third rank.
To be honest, seeing these high-ranking officials reduced to prisoners had a great impact on the officials present.
It is said that officials cannot be punished because they have always been very cautious in dealing with officials. Generally speaking, they treat officials lightly and treat them lightly.
Of course, this concept has no fundamental market today, after all, this person today can’t get enough of it.
"As ministers, you must all know these people and know why they are so virtuous!"
Zhao Yanxun spoke with great energy and his voice was deep and steady, which naturally awe-struck the officials present.
Seeing everyone lowering their heads, Zhao Yanxun said: "Everyone raise their heads and take a closer look at these twenty or so people!"
These words were equivalent to an imperial edict, so everyone had to raise their heads, but only those in front could see it, and those behind could only act as a show.
"Tax collection is a major matter of the country..."
At this moment, Zhao Yanxun had already stood up, holding the leather belt in his hands and heading towards the front steps.
"The imperial court has formulated a collection plan, and I have repeatedly warned the yamen to strictly implement it. However, the final result came out, but I was greatly disappointed..."
At this point, Zhao Yanxun's tone became soothing, but the officials present understood that the emperor's anger became even more intense.
Slowly walking down the steps, Zhao Yanxun continued: "There are seventeen officials in each county and vassal, and I have to jail nine of them. There are a total of twenty-seven officials of third rank and above in the imperial court, and I have to punish fourteen of them...
"
After saying this, Zhao Yanxun walked to the bottom of the steps and stood in front of a group of dismissed senior officials.
These people all knelt on the ground, showing themselves extremely humble, trying to reduce the emperor's anger as much as possible.
At this moment, hearing Zhao Yanxun's cold tone, the officials present were also touched. This was indeed a heavy figure.
"Look at these people, that one is not gray on the temples, that one is not well-read in the Hadith, that one is not my humerus arm..."
The twenty or so people in front of him were also hit hard in their hearts when they heard that the emperor compared him to a humeral arm.
During the interrogation process, they never felt that they were wrong. They only thought that the emperor was making a fuss out of a molehill and was too harsh on them...
But at this moment, they suddenly realized that what they had done before was really short-sighted, ignorant of current affairs, and extremely stupid...
However, when things have developed to this point, they have no chance to look back.
At this moment, Zhao Yanxun walked into the room between the prisoners and continued: "But they have violated my will, deceived the superiors and deceived the inferiors, and harmed the people..."
"I am a king and father, but I use these treacherous villains. I feel very sad..."
After saying this, Zhao Yanxun glanced into the distance, and all the officials who came into contact with his eyes lowered their heads.
Just listen to Zhao Yanxun continue to say: "My ancestors handed the country into my hands, but it turned out like this. I... I am guilty of the country, I am ashamed of my ancestors, and I am ashamed of the world!"
It is said that the emperor is worried about the humiliation of his ministers. Seeing the emperor questioning himself, the cabinet ministers leaning in front could not sit still.
"Your Majesty, the Holy Bright Candlelight, this is all the fault of me and others. I hope your Majesty will not commit suicide. I will wait for you to die..."
The person who said this was Wang Tinghe, the chief minister of the cabinet, and he was the only one who could speak at the moment.
"I am waiting for death!"
Immediately afterwards, the remaining hundreds of officials also began to plead guilty, each of them looking heartbroken, as if they were truly loyal.
Unexpectedly, at this time, Zhao Yanxun continued: "You are guilty..."
This sentence was sonorous and powerful, but everyone present was dumbfounded, and they all shut up to avoid causing trouble for themselves.
"Although you are all standing on the dry shore in high-sounding glory, are you... really that clean?"
The answer is of course no. Except for a very small number of people here, their bottoms are not clean.
Continuing to walk forward and passing the cabinet ministers in the front row, Zhao Yanxun continued: "I know that some of you are more corrupt than those in front of you, but they have not been found out for the time being!"
"I would like to advise you, there is a god at the top of your head, and there is no limit to the sea of suffering, so you can turn back to the shore, otherwise you... will be like those people in front of you!"
"My head is missing, my whole family is in exile, is this the ending you want?"
After saying this, while the officials were deep in thought, Zhao Yanxun turned around and walked towards the throne.
Slowly walking up the steps, a famous scene from a play in his previous life appeared in his mind.
"When I was in Longyou, I thought that the disaster in the court was caused by the false emperor, so I raised an army to destroy the false emperor!"
"Later, rebels from various places became a serious problem for the imperial court. I sent troops to kill them and exterminate their clans..."
Hearing the emperor's words, the officials only felt bloody, because each sentence contained countless human lives.
"Soon after, the monster commotion disturbed people's hearts, and I sent an army to destroy the monsters..."
After saying this, Zhao Yanxun had reached the top of the steps, and then he suddenly turned around.
Looking at the ministers, Zhao Yanxun's tone became more severe, and he said: "I am becoming more and more clear now that the troubles at the heart of the Jin Dynasty are not outside, but in the court..."
"It's in the palace wall office..."
"Just outside the Huangji Gate..."
"If we are rotten, the entire Jin Dynasty will be rotten! If all of you rot, wives and children will be scattered all over the Jin Dynasty, and people will be in ruins, the people will rise up and leave you with no place to die!"
These words shocked most of the ministers. They had read history books and knew that this was not alarmist talk.
"Think about it, by that time, the wealth and treasures you have worked so hard to collect and the future generations you have worked so hard to teach will all be in vain!"
At least at this moment, the officials present were educated, so they were frightened, regretful, and some even cried.
Sitting back on the dragon chair and taking a look at the people "performing" below, Zhao Yanxun just sighed in his heart.
He couldn't tell how many people actually took his words to heart today.
"I only hope that from today on, you can be reborn, uphold the laws of the court, and act openly and aboveboard..."
"If there are still stubborn people, I will punish them severely and show no mercy!"
"Dear ministers, please don't say you were unprepared!"
This last sentence is very threatening, and everyone present can understand it.
Regardless of whether they are sincerely repentant or pretending to be repentant, this kind of direct threat of violence is enough to make them restrain themselves more.
When everyone was stunned, Zhao Yanxun picked up the teacup and said calmly: "Let's declare the edict..."
"I obey the order!" Wu Hong responded.
The tax inventory case has basically been completed today, and this edict will make the final summary.
"The emperor is destined to be transported by heaven, and the edict says..."