novelSusiti Chapter 74 The Ming Dynasty has no shortage of people who want to become officials!
Chapter 74 The Ming Dynasty has no shortage of people who want to become officials!
After looking around, Zhu Houzhao sat down on his dragon throne.
Immediately afterwards, Liu Jin's voice rang out in Fengtianmen Square: "Attend court!"
"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"
"Rise."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
After the civil and military officials all stood up, before Liu Jin could even ask someone to report, Zhu Houzhao looked directly at Zeng Jian, the Minister of Works.
"Zeng Jian, did you bring the Ministry of Works' price list that I asked you to prepare?"
Zeng Jian felt a slight panic, but he still steeled himself and stepped out of the ranks to stand before Zhu Houzhao: "Your Majesty, I have brought this."
"Very good. Read it to me, and also to all my ministers, so they can see if the price quoted by the Ministry of Works is reasonable."
Zhu Houzhao waved his hand, his gaze fixed on Zeng Jian.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Zeng Jian had a bad feeling, but under Zhu Houzhao's gaze, he could only nod in agreement.
Zeng Jian took out his memorial and began to read it aloud, word by word.
"Your Majesty, the Ministry of Works currently has 576 craftsmen repairing the roof of the Qianqing Palace."
"Each person receives a monthly salary of seventeen taels of silver from the Ministry of Works, and the monthly expenses amount to nine thousand seven hundred and ninety-two taels of silver."
"The construction period is expected to be three years, and the total cost will be 352,512 taels of silver."
"The wood used to repair the roof is century-old nanmu, and each piece costs 1,700 taels of silver..."
"stop!"
Zhu Houzhao suddenly spoke up, interrupting Zeng Jian's narration.
"Zeng Jian, you've gone far too far! Do you think I look that easy to fool?!"
Zeng Jian trembled with fear and immediately knelt down, his whole body shaking: "Your Majesty, I dare not deceive you! I dare not!"
"You don't dare? What have you already done! What else are you afraid of?!"
Zhu Houzhao's tone was filled with a chilling intent.
"Did the renovation of the Qianqing Palace really require more than 500 people? Do you think I'm blind and can't see for myself?!"
Zhu Houzhao was furious. The number of people responsible for repairing the Qianqing Palace was only two or three hundred. He knew that there were many generals in the border army who were receiving salaries without working, but he did not expect that the Ministry of Works would also want to receive salaries without working.
Zeng Jian hurriedly wiped the cold sweat from his face and said tremblingly, "Your Majesty, you are unaware that the craftsmen inside the palace are only a portion; a large number of them are outside the palace handling building materials..."
"Nonsense!"
Zhu Houzhao suddenly stood up, glaring angrily at Zeng Jian: "Zeng Jian, how long are you going to keep making excuses?!"
"Yu Huatian, read the results of your investigation to Zeng Jian!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Upon receiving the order, Yu Huatian immediately stepped forward from the ranks, took out the data from the West Depot's investigation, and read it aloud.
"Your Majesty, last month the Ministry of Works distributed six taels of silver to each of the two hundred and seventy-one artisans, totaling one thousand six hundred and twenty-six taels of silver."
"The price of a century-old nanmu tree is about four hundred and fifty taels."
Upon hearing this, Zeng Jian's face turned pale instantly, and he was overwhelmed by immense fear.
"Your Majesty, please listen to my explanation. There must be some misunderstanding here."
Zhu Houzhao sneered: "Misunderstanding? You bought 6,000 mu of farmland in your hometown in one go, and doubled the size of your old family house. Is that a misunderstanding?!"
"You wanted to explain?! Then I'll give you a chance to explain!"
"If you cannot provide me with a satisfactory explanation, then don't blame me for executing your entire family!"
Zhu Houzhao's words echoed in Zeng Jian's ears, and Zeng Jian's face turned pale, as if he had aged ten years in an instant.
Faced with Zhu Houzhao's questioning, he was speechless.
"This old minister...this old minister..."
Zeng Jian's face was filled with despair, and his whole body was trembling uncontrollably.
He never expected that Zhu Houzhao even knew about his purchase of land in his hometown.
Was the surveillance of the Imperial Guards truly ubiquitous throughout the entire Ming Dynasty?
Since Zhu Houzhao already knew about these things, there was no point in him explaining anything further.
Zhu Houzhao must have already made up his mind to kill.
As expected, Zhu Houzhao coldly ordered, "Guards!"
"Your subordinate is here!"
The three—Yu Huatian, the supervisor of the West Depot; Cao Zhengchun, the supervisor of the East Depot; and Shen Lian, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard—clasped their fists and stepped forward to receive orders.
"Execute Zeng Jian and his entire family. Conduct a thorough investigation of the Ministry of Works to see who else dares to take my money!"
"Once discovered, whoever it is, their entire family will be executed; leave no one alive!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
The three leaders of the Imperial Guards answered the order!
The civil and military officials present were startled upon hearing Zhu Houzhao's words.
The officials, especially those from the Ministry of Works, were trembling with fear, their legs shaking uncontrollably.
Zhu Houzhao wanted to investigate all officials in the Ministry of Works?
How can this be allowed?
If, as Zhu Houzhao said, all corrupt officials were to be executed along with their entire families...
Then the Ministry of Works would be completely empty; who could then take charge of its work?
Grand Secretary Li Dongyang could no longer contain himself and quickly stepped forward, bowing respectfully in invitation.
"Your Majesty, please reconsider!"
"The Ministry of Works is currently overseeing the repairs to the Qianqing Palace. If His Majesty investigates further, it will likely cause panic within the Ministry and prevent them from focusing on their work!"
Zhu Houzhao sneered repeatedly: "Unwilling to work? You might as well just say you're afraid I'll kill all the officials in the Ministry of Works and bring the Ministry to a standstill!"
"this……"
Li Dongyang was speechless, after all, that was really what he had thought before.
Li Dongyang gritted his teeth and chose not to respond to Zhu Houzhao's words: "Your Majesty, please reconsider! I believe that the rectification of corruption in the Ministry of Works can be carried out gradually."
"Now is precisely the time when the Ministry of Works is needed; we must not rush things and jeopardize His Majesty's important plans!"
Hearing someone plead for him, Zeng Jian felt a glimmer of hope and immediately kowtowed repeatedly to Zhu Houzhao, begging for mercy.
"Yes, Your Majesty! I was confused for a moment. I know I was wrong, and I will never dare to do it again!"
"Your Majesty, I am willing to atone for my crimes by diligently repairing the palace!"
Zeng Jian cried his eyes out, hoping that Zhu Houzhao would spare their lives.
Zhu Houzhao sneered: "The Ming Dynasty has nurtured scholars for over a hundred years, and what it has never lacked is scholars who want to become officials!"
"Liu Zhong!"
"Your subject is here!"
"You are a scholar of the Hanlin Academy. Tell me, how many successful candidates in the imperial examinations are currently awaiting selection for official positions?"
Liu Zhong stepped forward from the ranks: "Your Majesty, the Hanlin Academy has a total of 67 probationary officials, 831 successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations, and 6,124 successful candidates in the provincial imperial examinations."
Zhu Houzhao smiled dismissively: "So many people are waiting to become officials. If I don't make room for them, when will they ever get the chance?"
"If you don't want to be officials, there are plenty of others who do!"
"Guards, immediately seize Zeng Jian's official hat and strip him of his robes, then take him to the Imperial Guard prison and dismiss him from his post for investigation!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Shen Lian waved his hand, and immediately the Imperial Guards stepped forward to arrest Zeng Jian and escort him out of Fengtian Gate Square.
Upon witnessing this scene, all the civil and military officials present fell silent, feeling a deep chill run down their spines!