GBP Chapter 1039 Is this a setup to frame someone or to extract a confession through torture?
Chapter 1039 Is this a setup to frame someone or to extract a confession through torture?
Emperor Zhu ignored Xia Yu and slowly read through the memorial in his hand, word by word.
The Jinyiwei (Imperial Bodyguard) was organized within the Grand General's Office.
However, the Grand General's Office had no jurisdiction over the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
Strictly speaking, the Embroidered Uniform Guard was only one of the guards in the nominal imperial bodyguards, but in reality, it was an exclusive secret service agency for the emperor.
The Embroidered Uniform Guard also had another name: the Emperor's Personal Army.
Even the fourth prince in history, who liked to smash the windows of Arughtai's house, established the Eastern Depot, which turned into a failed project during the Chenghua reign. When he established the Western Depot, he selected people from the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
So when Lao Deng let out a long sigh of relief and gently tossed the memorial onto the table, Yang Shaofeng knew he was in for some fun.
Emperor Zhu smiled and first instructed Chen Zhong: "Send someone to invite the Duke of Han, the Marquis of Chengyi, the Duke of Wei, and the Duke of E, and tell them to come over as soon as possible. Oh, and have Biao'er come too."
After Chen Zhong left to carry out his orders, Emperor Zhu smiled and instructed Xia Yu, "Have you figured out what's going on with those officials and gentry who hoarded medicinal herbs?"
Xia Yu hurriedly cupped his hands in a salute and said, "Your Excellency, we have basically found out who the officials and gentry who hoarded medicinal herbs are, and we can arrest them at any time."
Emperor Zhu grunted in acknowledgment, first tapping the table with his finger, then turning his gaze to Yang Shaofeng, "My dear son-in-law, what are your thoughts on today's matter?"
Who?
I?
No, this incident that day had such a profound impact on Old Deng that it made him call him "son-in-law."
The key point is that since this old man called him "my worthy son-in-law," it means he doesn't want to hear the answer from the Duke of Ying, who is concurrently the Prefect of Dengzhou, the Magistrate of Ningyang, and the Vice Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies. Instead, he wants to hear the answer from the husband of Princess Funing and the husband of Princess Fuyang.
Or to put it more bluntly: Old Deng didn't want to hear any official answers today; he only wanted to hear what his son-in-law really thought.
This is because he's been provoked into acting abnormally by those officials and gentry!
Yang Shaofeng cupped his hands and bowed, saying, "Your Excellency, in my opinion, today's events may not be such a bad thing after all."
"Although the villagers and Jinyiwei who accompanied Zhang Liuliu to the capital all died because of this incident, at least someone dared to set a precedent by binding an official and bringing him to the capital to appeal to the emperor."
"Therefore, my son-in-law's idea is that Zhang Liuliu and his hometown should be given sufficient compensation and preferential treatment."
"Even the Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards) who sacrificed their lives will receive full compensation and preferential treatment."
“Then severely punish all the officials and gentry involved, so that the people will know that my father-in-law and the court are always on their side.”
"In the future, if ordinary people bring corrupt officials to the capital to file a complaint, I think no one will dare to obstruct them."
After a slight pause, Yang Shaofeng added, "Of course, it would be best to use the Zhang Liuliu case to completely frighten those officials and gentry who hoard medicinal herbs, or even force them to rebel."
Emperor Zhu couldn't help but let out a cold snort.
That bastard is good in every way, except that he's not ruthless enough sometimes.
If he had used the same ruthlessness he showed when dealing with the various barbarian tribes to deal with the officials and gentry of the Ming Dynasty, he would have been a qualified chief minister.
Now look what's happened, they're actually thinking of scaring those officials and gentry first?
Damn it, even officials and gentry dare to hoard medicinal herbs. You think you can scare them like that?
But then, Emperor Zhu couldn't help but shake his head.
Fine, let this bastard be soft-hearted.
Let's get things done with Li Shanchang and the others first, and then Biao'er and this bastard can be a pair of ruler and minister in a prosperous era.
……
While Emperor Zhu was still pondering this, Zhu Biao, Li Shanchang, Liu Bowen, and others arrived at the Qianqing Palace one after another.
Then, Zhu Biao, Li Shanchang, and the others were taken aback by the memorial before them.
They intercepted and killed commoners who were on their way to the capital to appeal to the emperor.
They even dared to kill the Imperial Guards who were protecting the people.
Zhu Biao inexplicably thought of a phrase that Yang Shaofeng often said.
"Weren't all these people's extended families bought from the wholesale market?"
If not, where did these people get the audacity to intercept and kill ordinary people who came to the capital to file a complaint?
Li Shanchang and Liu Bowen were so eager to rush to Gaoyou and personally arrest the official named Guo Huai and the gentry involved, then tear them to pieces.
You think I'm not busy enough?!
Because of these audacious bastards, I have to be busy day and night in the capital. The Gaoyou incident happened because Zhang Liuliu was protected by the Embroidered Uniform Guard and was able to survive by chance, which is why he was able to go to the capital to appeal to the emperor.
How many other cases like Zhang Liuliu's, where people in the more than a thousand prefectures and counties under the Ming Dynasty were killed beforehand, were there?
When he ascended to the throne, he wouldn't think that other prefectures and counties were peaceful and prosperous; he would only think that there were still many more Zhang Liuliu who had been intercepted and killed in the Ming Dynasty.
Following this line of thought, the Ministry of Personnel would need to prepare enough officials, and the Censorate would need to send out enough censors to investigate each of the more than one thousand prefectures and counties in the Ming Dynasty.
Would he care how difficult it would be to do this once he's in power?
will not!
He only cares about whether the people of the Ming Dynasty have been wronged!
Emperor Zhu looked at Zhu Biao, then at Li Shanchang and Liu Bowen, and said, "Mr. Shanchang, what do you think?"
While cursing Guo Huai and the gentry involved in the matter in his heart, Li Shanchang bowed to Emperor Zhu and said, "Your Majesty, I believe this matter should be thoroughly investigated. We should start with Guo Huai and then find out all the gentry involved."
At this point, Li Shanchang gave Xia Yu a meaningful look and said, "When it comes to investigating cases, Commander Xia is definitely more skilled at this kind of thing?"
Yang Shaofeng looked at Li Shanchang, then at Xia Yu.
Is this a setup to frame someone, or a scheme to extract a confession through torture?
Li Shanchang continued, "In addition, the Censorate should also assign personnel to conduct unscheduled visits to different prefectures and counties every year to deter local officials and prevent them from acting recklessly."
Liu Bowen glanced directly at Li Shanchang.
Good heavens, you've sold me out in the blink of an eye?
So, you think Li Shanchang's life is a life, but my Liu Bowen's life isn't?
But on second thought, Liu Bowen chose to remain silent.
What else could it be?
The censorate, under its jurisdiction, bears an unshirkable responsibility for the occurrence of such a scandal as the Guo Huai case—no matter what, it cannot escape the charge of lax supervision.
Being sold out by Li Shanchang is simply deserved!
Just as Liu Bowen was lost in his own thoughts, Emperor Zhu smiled sinisterly.
"To intimidate the local officials and prevent them from acting recklessly?"
"Ha ha!"
"Mr. Shanchang, you've underestimated the audacity of these officials and gentry!"
Emperor Zhu suddenly slammed his fist on the table and roared, "Is there anything they wouldn't dare to do!"