Hearing his wife's words, Marquis Xining was startled and asked hesitantly, "Why is the Emperor doing this?"
"The Qian Clan's matter has caused quite a stir. How can the Emperor not know?
You've been asking for forgiveness for a few days, but the Emperor hasn't done anything.
He's only told you to go home and reflect on your mistakes. Clearly, the Emperor wants to suppress this matter. "
"The Duke of Ying is so wise!" Marquis Xining's wife sighed emotionally.
His wife was keeping him in suspense. Marquis Xining impatiently asked, "Wife, can you not keep me in suspense?"
Seeing her husband's impatience, the Marquis of Xining's wife blushed and seemed to think of something embarrassing. She coquettishly rolled her eyes at the Marquis of Xining before saying, "Do you still remember what Qian Liu said just now?"
"Remember what he said?
I was almost angered to death by him! "Marquis Xining said grumpily.
Pinching the marquis, Marquis Xining's wife said, "He said it's not just the Qian Clan this time. Many salt merchants have also sent people. These people won't watch the Qian Clan fall.
These words suddenly enlightened me. The Emperor may be waiting for these people. "
Seeing Marquis Xining frown in deep thought, Marquis Xining's wife said patiently, "Didn't the Duke of Ying say that the Emperor's target is not the Qian Clan or the Marquis's household?"
Startled, Marquis Xining's wife said in disbelief, "You mean, you mean?"
Nodding, Marquis Xining's wife said, "Yes, the Emperor is waiting for these people. He's waiting for them to enter the capital and find their way here.
The Emperor's secondary goal is not just a certain clan, but to Daming all the salt. "
Marquis Xining slumped into a chair. After a while, he murmured, "I see, I see!"
"If that's the case, then it does make sense. The Emperor's actions do seem to be waiting for something." Understanding one thing, everything becomes clear. Marquis Xining's eyes widened. "Then what about the Ministry of War?"
"Could it be that he's attacking in the east and attacking in the west?"
Rolling her eyes at her husband, Marquis Xining's wife said grumpily, "You really are an idiot. Does the Emperor need to attack in secret?
It's just a distraction. Just watch, the Ministry of War matter will end here. "
"Stop here?
What do you mean? "Xining Marquis asked hesitantly.
A similar conversation was taking place in the House of Lords, where the son of the Duke of England, Zhang Yuangong, was asking a similar question.
Glancing at her son, Zhang Rong said angrily, "Why do you have to worry about this when you're so weak?
Take good care of your body and live a few more years. Leave a descendant for yourself. That way, you won't let your father down. "
Zhang Yuangong could only smile bitterly. His fetus had been damaged at a young age and was congenitally deficient. Not only was his body weak, but his fertility was also problematic. After so many years, he didn't have any descendants.
At this point, Zhang Yuangong had already given up on this plan.
"Father, don't we have Wei Xian?" Zhang Yuangong smiled bitterly and said, "His body is very strong."
Zhang Yong sighed helplessly. As a father, he couldn't say anything about his son's behavior.
"Fortunately, we have Wei Xian. Look at you two brothers. One is not in good health, and the other is addicted to romance, composing poems and loitering around brothels. Fortunately, Wei Xian was raised by me and followed his father. Hmph!"
Zhang Yuangong was instantly speechless. Weren't we raised by you?
Didn't we also follow our father since we were young?
But he didn't dare to say it. If he said it, he would definitely be scolded.
"Yes, Father, Wei Xian is doing so well now!"
Zhang Yuangong could only go along with his father's words and then change the topic. "Then, Father, is the matter with the Ministry of War really going to stop here?
Once Zhao Xuan is dead, the matter will be over? "
"What can we do if we can't?"
Zhang Yong sighed and said, "The Ministry of War's Armory Department isn't like this for a day. It has been like this for a long time. If we really want to investigate, then what about the previous ones?
Daming, so many people have been the Minister of War and Assistant Minister for so many years. "
"Investigate all of them?
Let's not talk about whether we can investigate it or not. Even if we can investigate it, do you know who is involved?
Xu Jie?
Gao Gong?
Or is it Zhang Juzheng?
Or is it Yan Song?
If we continue to investigate like this, it will be a mess. "
"The current Wu Dui and Wang Zhuan in the Ministry of War have only been in the Ministry of War for a short period of time. I reckon they haven't figured out what's going on yet!"
"Besides, the Armory Department involves all the soldiers in the world. The military households and the border armies are all implicated in it.
What if you want to find out about the governors and commanders of the various places?
Do you want to investigate? "
"Besides, do you think we're clean just because we Honours?
There are many people in the Armory Department. What if we find out about them? "
"Kill them all?"
Zhang Yong said self-deprecatingly, "Most of the time, you know what's going on, but you still have to admit it.
Zhao Xuan's death can be considered a good outcome. "
Zhang Yuangong nodded in realization. "Then what's the point of the Emperor doing all this?"
"Stupid!"
After scolding his son, Zhang Yong said angrily, "Of course it's for the Armory Department. The Martial Selection Department has already been taken away by the Emperor. Isn't it reasonable to take away another Armory Department?"
"The Armory Department is among those civil officials. Look at what they've done. Of course the Emperor has to take it back."
Zhang Yuangong nodded again and said excitedly, "Doesn't that mean that the Armory Department will be transferred to the Commander-in-Chief of the Five Armies?"
Zhang Rong let out a sigh. What kind of sin had she committed?
He had been smart all his life. Why did he have two foolish sons? Fortunately, he had grandchildren.
Pointing at Zhang Yuangong, Zhang Yong said angrily, "I'll make you die of anger sooner or later. Alright, go back to your place!"
"Take good care of your body. Don't die in front of your father. Do you have the heart to let your father see his son die?"
Zhang Yuangong smiled helplessly. He knew that he couldn't continue. However, Zhang Yong's last words still touched him. Looking at his white-haired father, Zhang Yuangong's eyes were a little red. His family's backer was old after all.
"Alright, don't be like a child!" Zhang Yong waved his hand and let Zhang Yuangong leave.
Things didn't go beyond Zhang Yong's expectations. The case between Dongchang and the Imperial Bodyguard was closed very quickly.
The Armory Department's corrupt organization, led by Liu Xuan, was completely destroyed. The family assets confiscated totaled more than 2.3 million taels of silver. There were also large amounts of farmland, antiques, calligraphy, and paintings.
All the officials in the Armory Department, from top to bottom, were wiped out.
Looking at the list in his hand, Zhu Yijun sighed. Speaking of which, Zhang Juzheng had only confiscated a few hundred thousand taels of silver. How incorruptible!
"Look at these people. A small warehouse manager can have a net worth of one hundred thousand taels of silver."
Throwing the list away, Zhu Yijun said helplessly, "70% of the confiscated money will go to the national treasury, and 30% to the imperial treasury."
This was also a customary rule. If it wasn't distributed to the national treasury, it was estimated that Zhu Yijun would be drowned by the memorials of the ministers again.
"As for these officials, if they embezzle less than ten thousand taels of silver, all the men will be sent to do hard labor. When they pay off the embezzled money, it will be over.
Those who embezzle more than ten thousand taels of silver will be beheaded in public. "
"All the men over the age of fifteen will be exiled to the army!" Zhu Yijun thought for a moment and added, "As for the women, let them go back!"
"Those who embezzle more than one hundred thousand taels of silver will be beheaded in public and their whole families will be exiled to the army."
This case couldn't be investigated to the end. Zhu Yijun felt a little guilty. After killing people, the men should be exiled to the army. If the women were killed, Zhu Yijun felt that it was a bit too much.
If they were put into the Musical House, they would have a miserable end. They should be directly exiled to the border!
The most important thing for a family was reunion. Although he couldn't bear it, he also wanted to set an example for the future generations.
Those who were released, even if they were not put into the Musical House, they would not have a good life without their family property.
Zhu Yijun felt that he would clean up the Musical House sooner or later. "What's the matter with the official prostitutes? This kind of welfare should be abolished. I haven't made a big harem, but you still call them official prostitutes. It's shameful. I also want to put criminal women in the harem!"
He sighed helplessly. "After all, I am still a benevolent emperor, and it is not my style to do such a thing."
"It seems that I need to find someone to promote it. As a benevolent emperor, I should act like a benevolent emperor."
"Yes, Imperial Majesty!" Zhang Jing nodded and said, "Old Slave will go to the Cabinet to deliver the decree."
Hearing Zhang Jing mention the Cabinet, Zhu Yijun felt a little helpless. Recently, Zhang Siwei was too honest, so honest that it was a little worrying. "Is this guy planning something big?"
Zhu Yijun felt that he had better be on guard against him.
Zhu Yijun thought that it was unlikely that he was scared by him and dared not come out. Once the desire for power was inflated, it was not easy to take it back.
The case of the Arsenal Department was over, which made everyone feel relieved. Although many people felt that it was a bit excessive to be beheaded for embezzlement of 10,000 taels, they were also relieved that Zhu Yijun did not implicate them.
Embezzling more than 100,000 taels, the whole family would be exiled to the army, which was not a light sentence.
When they arrived at the border, life there would not be easy!
Many people woke up in an instant. It seemed that they had to pay attention to collecting money in the future. This kind of sentence was really scary.
Even if it was the lowest male doing hard labor, it was a very scary thing for these officials.
Relying on hard labor to repay the embezzled silver, they might not be able to pay it back even if they worked for a lifetime.
Embezzling more than 10,000 taels, they would be beheaded in public. Male above the age of 15 would be exiled to the army. Embezzling more than 100,000 taels, they would be beheaded in public and their whole family would be exiled to the army.
This punishment really scared a lot of people silly. Wasn't this too cruel?
When Zhu Yijun saw the petition, which also euphemistically said to be "benevolent", Zhu Yijun sighed.
It seemed that it was not easy for him to be a benevolent ruler. He felt that the punishment was light, but others felt that it was heavy.
In fact, Daming had rarely killed officials in these years. The corruption problem was basically just confiscating the property and sending the family back to their hometown. In history, Zhang Juzheng's fate was similar.
Many officials were used to being arrested for corruption and sent home.
After returning, they would still be the country gentry and celebrities, and they would still be happy. This time, when Zhu Yijun raised the butcher's knife, it clearly scared many people.