Daming: I can’t kill such a greedy prince-in-law?

"How dare you!" The clerk raised his head suddenly, and drew a long ink mark on the rice paper with the wolf hair brush in his hand, "Are you a merchant like you who can call the Prince Consort by his name?" He looked Zhu Yuanzhang up and down, and saw that the other party was dressed luxuriously but had no name card, and his eyes were full of disdain, "If you want to see the Prince Consort, go wait in line outside first!"

Zhu Yuanzhang clenched his fingers into fists, then slowly released them.

He knew very well that revealing his identity at this moment would only alert the enemy, so he suppressed his anger and said, "I have a business deal worth one hundred thousand taels, and I need to discuss it with Lord Ouyang in person." As he spoke, he signaled Wang Hongru to push the banknote box forward.

The clerk glimpsed the edge of the banknotes sticking out of the box, his Adam's apple moved, but his tone remained arrogant: "The Prince Consort is busy with all kinds of affairs, how can you see him whenever you want?" He grabbed the red pen on the desk and scribbled on the blank document casually, "Since you are here to attract investment, you must follow the rules. Fill out the documents, deposit the silver, and wait for notification tomorrow."

"I'll say it again," Zhu Yuanzhang took a half step forward, his aura suddenly suppressed, "Call Ouyang Lun out!"

"You're asking for your own death!" The clerk slammed the table and stood up, the tassels on his official hat shaking violently, "Do you really think the Ministry of Revenue is your backyard? Someone come here--" As he shouted, two burly yamen runners immediately rushed in from outside the door, with swords on their waists shining coldly.

Wang Hongru's face turned pale instantly, and he hurriedly grabbed Zhu Yuanzhang's sleeve: "Boss Zhu, let's..."

"Want to leave?" The clerk smiled sinisterly, "Since you've already paid the money, how can you return it? If you dare to make noise again, you'll be punished for disturbing the government office!" He reached out and grabbed the banknote box, weighed it, and raised the corner of his mouth with greed. "Since you know what's best for you, I'll expedite your processing today. But..." He deliberately dragged out the last word, his eyes lingering on the Panlong jade pendant on Zhu Yuanzhang's waist, "I heard that Mr. Zhu still has a lot of 'sincerity' to show?"

Zhu Yuanzhang stared at the clerk's shiny face, and suddenly remembered that in Haozhou City, those clerks who withheld military rations also had such faces. Anger surged in his chest like magma underground, but he forced himself to smile: "Your Excellency is right. When I see Master Ouyang, I will naturally give you a generous reward."

The clerk snorted coldly and threw the document on the table: "Write it! Place of origin, business name, business scope, not a single word can be wrong!"

Wang Hongru trembled as he picked up the pen, but Zhu Yuanzhang held his wrist. Zhu Yuanzhang took the wolf-hair brush and the tip of the brush hovered over the paper. He looked at the clause "Special contributors can be admitted first" on the document, and Ouyang Lun's words yesterday, "Corruption and bribery? This charter says it in black and white..." echoed in his ears.

"What are you still dawdling about?" The clerk tapped his abacus impatiently. "If you don't put pen to paper now, it will be past 3 p.m. today!"

Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly threw his pen to the ground, and the ink splashed on the clerk's brand new black boots. "I want to ask," he said in a low voice, but with a chilling chill, "if I hand in the money but it is rejected without reason, what should I do?"

The clerk's face suddenly changed, and the abacus beads fell to the ground with a clatter: "You...what do you mean? Are you trying to blackmail the government?" He winked at the bailiff, and the two of them immediately drew their swords, with the blades almost touching Zhu Yuanzhang's throat.

Wang Hongru knelt down with a thud, knocking his forehead heavily on the blue bricks: "Sir, calm down! My boss doesn't know the rules, you are so generous..."

"Get lost!" The clerk kicked Wang Hongru on the back, "Take your master and get out! Don't even think about doing business in the capital from now on!"

Zhu Yuanzhang bent down to help Wang Hongru up and brushed the dust off him. When he stood up, his eyes swept across the "Great Ming Law" hanging on the wall, and a sarcastic smile appeared on the corner of his mouth. The moment he stepped out of the inner hall, the cold wind blew in his face. He looked at the overcast sky and had already made a decision in his heart.

"Boss Zhu, let's..." Wang Hongru's voice trembled, "Why don't we go back home first?"

Zhu Yuanzhang clenched the jade pendant on his waist, and the cold touch made him more sober. "Return?" A hint of ruthlessness flashed in his eyes, "Tomorrow, I want to see how Ouyang Lun will end up!"

The cold wind blew fine snow on Zhu Yuanzhang's face, but he was completely unaware. His knuckles turned white from the force of gripping the Panlong jade pendant.

The look on the clerk's face just now was exactly the same as the termite in Haozhou City who withheld military rations in his memory, which made his chest ache. Back then, he crawled out of the mountains of corpses and seas of blood to establish the Ming Dynasty, thinking that he could cleanse the world of filth, but he didn't expect that now even the prince consort dared to embezzle money right under his nose.

"Boss Zhu," Wang Hongru tugged at his sleeves, his voice tearful, "Let's go back home and warm up first." He secretly glanced at Zhu Yuanzhang's gloomy face, and added cautiously, "I know a thing or two about the Ministry of Revenue."

Zhu Yuanzhang paused and looked sideways at this old subordinate who had followed him for many years. The wound on Wang Hongru's forehead was still bleeding. The kick just now was really hard, but at this moment, the other party's eyes were full of worry, but there was no resentment at all. He slowed down his tone: "Tell me about it."

"You don't know," Wang Hongru looked around and lowered his voice, "Now the Prince Consort is in charge of the investment promotion affairs, and these petty officials are just bullies. But if you really break up with them..." He paused, and seeing that Zhu Yuanzhang's expression eased a little, he continued, "The way to do business in the capital is to pay attention to the 'rules'. The 100,000 taels of silver you brought today are just a piece of fat meat in their eyes. Now that they have bitten it, how can they let it go easily?"

Zhu Yuanzhang snorted coldly: "What a 'rule'! I want to ask, is this rule set by the Ming Dynasty law, or was it set by Ouyang Lun himself?"

"Boss Zhu, please calm down!" Wang Hongru knelt down again, "I am not speaking for them. Just think about it, why does the prince consort dare to be so blatant? It is because he is a royal relative and the emperor's favorite. Now, this investment promotion is ostensibly for the court to make profits, but in fact..." He suddenly fell silent and secretly glanced at Zhu Yuanzhang's reaction.

Zhu Yuanzhang understood. Ouyang Lun was the consort of his beloved daughter, Princess Anqing. He had allowed the young man to gain experience over the years, but he never expected that he would develop such a bold and reckless character. He felt sick when he recalled that when he summoned Ouyang Lun yesterday, he used the clause "special contributors can be admitted first" to justify corruption.

"What do you think?" Zhu Yuanzhang bent down and helped Wang Hongru up.

Wang Hongru quickly dusted himself off, a sly look flashing in his eyes, "I dare to make a suggestion. Tomorrow, why don't you prepare a generous gift and ask someone to pass on a message to the Prince Consort. You are financially strong, so as long as you follow the Prince Consort's 'rules', with your strength, you will have no problem getting this business. Besides, who in the capital doesn't curry favor with the Prince Consort? If you offend him now, you will have a hard time in this area in the future."

Zhu Yuanzhang was silent for a long time, looking at the eaves of the Ministry of Revenue in the distance. It used to be the place where he worked on memorials, but now it has become a hotbed of corruption. He remembered the iron rule he and his ministers had established at the beginning of his reign: "Anyone who embezzles more than 60 taels of silver shall be beheaded and displayed to the public." But what Ouyang Lun did now was more than 60 taels of silver.

"Do you think I should continue to give money to Ouyang Lun?" Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly spoke, his tone so calm that it made people feel uneasy.

Wang Hongru's heart tightened and he shook his head subconsciously: "I dare not! It's just that the prince consort is so powerful now, so... we have to follow the rules!" Wang Hongru secretly groaned in his heart. This Boss Zhu was indeed very powerful, but the way he behaved and did things was not like a businessman. He was more like a young man who had just entered the business world. This was the first time he had seen a novice of such an old age.

If Boss Zhu is still so stubborn and even wants to go against the Prince Consort, Wang Hongru has already started to back down in his heart. He is afraid that he will earn the money but not spend it!

"Powerful?" Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly laughed, with a hint of desolation in his laughter, "Think about Chen Youliang and Zhang Shicheng back then, which one of them was not powerful? But what happened in the end?" He turned around abruptly, his eyes as sharp as an eagle, "Tomorrow, I want to see if Ouyang Lun dares to show off when he sees me!"

Wang Hongru's face turned pale instantly: "Boss Zhu! You can't do that!"

He didn't dare to finish his words, but just looked at Zhu Yuanzhang anxiously.

Zhu Yuanzhang raised his hand to stop him from speaking, "I have made up my mind about this matter! Come here tomorrow and be a witness!"

Zhu Yuanzhang cursed in his heart, if we continue to endure, the foundation of the Ming Dynasty will be eaten away! Tomorrow, I will not only go as the emperor, but also expose Ouyang Lun's scandal in front of the officials of the Ministry of Revenue and a group of businessmen!

He thought of the people who were starving and freezing in the cold winter, while these corrupt officials were living a life of luxury in their government offices. He could no longer suppress his anger. If he did not punish them severely, how could he appease the people's anger? If he did not punish them severely, how could he rectify the government?

Zhu Yuanzhang must give Ouyang Lun a severe lesson.

Wang Hongru could not persuade him, so he could only sigh and say, "In this case, I will definitely accompany you tomorrow. But..." He hesitated for a moment, "Please think twice. If you offend Prince Consort Ouyang, you may not be able to do business in Ming Dynasty in the future..."

Although he said this, Wang Hongru actually planned to hide tomorrow. If the situation was not right, he would just run away!
"If Ouyang Lun is willing to turn back from his wrong path, I will give him a way out. If he refuses to change his ways..." He clenched his fists, "Even if he is the son-in-law of the emperor, I will never tolerate him!"

Hearing this, Wang Hongru rolled his eyes. Boss Zhu was so angry that he even said such words. He should hide well tomorrow to avoid being implicated!
Hey--

What a pity, I thought it was a big guy, but it turned out to be a lunatic.

I won’t be able to make any profit from the money invested in this new city this time!
Inside the Ministry of Revenue, Ouyang Lun was sitting with his legs crossed, playing with the jade ring that the clerk had given him yesterday. "Has the merchant surnamed Zhu been sent away?" he asked casually.

"My Lord, I have sent him away." The clerk smiled flatteringly, "But the man surnamed Zhu was tactful and left a hundred thousand taels of silver." He took a step closer and lowered his voice, "I saw that the jade pendant on his waist is worth a lot of money. If..."

Ouyang Lun turned the jade ring and suddenly slammed it on the sandalwood table. The crisp sound startled the clerk. "He's over sixty years old and has 100,000 taels of silver. How dare he show off in front of you?" He narrowed his eyes, with a cold light of suspicion in his eyes. "I can count a few wealthy businessmen in this capital with my eyes closed. How could such a person appear?"

The clerk hunched over and took two steps forward, with a flattering smile on his face: "My Lord, this man is dressed in silk and satin, but his words and actions reveal a ruthless attitude. Especially the dragon jade pendant on his waist, it doesn't look like an ordinary item..." He lowered his voice and said mysteriously, "I dare to guess, is he a branch of some noble family?"

Ouyang Lun stroked his chin, and the faces of the ministers in the court quickly flashed through his mind. Suddenly, he remembered the meaningful look in his father's eyes when he was summoned by the emperor the day before and mentioned the matter of attracting investment in the capital. His heart suddenly tightened, but he shook his head in self-mockery - how could it be possible? His father had long retired behind the scenes, how could he condescend to pretend to be a businessman?

"Tell me more, what did he ask?" Ouyang Lun picked up the teacup and took a sip, seemingly nonchalant.

The clerk recalled for a moment and said, "He was particularly concerned about the clause 'Special contributors can be settled in first', and repeatedly asked what to do if he was rejected after paying the money." At this point, he couldn't help swallowing his saliva, "At that time, I saw the fierce light in his eyes, as if he wanted to eat me..."

Ouyang Lun's finger paused for a moment on the edge of the teacup. He had added this clause on purpose, ostensibly to attract wealthy businessmen for the court, but in reality it was a fig leaf for amassing wealth. Could it be that... The clerk said, "Your Highness, don't worry. He's just a businessman who doesn't know his place. I can handle it."

Before he finished speaking, he heard hurried footsteps outside the door, followed by a loud announcement from the guards: "The Emperor has arrived—"

Ouyang Lun's guess just now turned out to be true! But he quickly calmed down, and a bitter smile appeared on the corner of his mouth - what was supposed to come finally came.

He straightened his clothes and strode out. Zhu Yuanzhang was wearing a bright yellow dragon robe, with a dragon jade pendant on his waist shining in the sun, and he exuded an imperial aura that was majestic without anger. Inside and outside the Ministry of Revenue, officials and businessmen had already knelt on the ground, leaving only the cold wind blowing up the dead leaves on the ground, making a rustling sound.

"Your Majesty, I didn't know you were coming, and I'm sorry for not coming to greet you!" Ouyang Lun said in a steady voice.

Zhu Yuanzhang looked down at him, his eyes like a sharp sword sweeping across his official hat that was tilted in panic: "Everyone, get up." He walked slowly into the hall, glanced at the piles of gold and silver treasures on the desk, and sneered, "What a busy day, Ouyang Lun, you are very busy."

He stole a glance at Zhu Yuanzhang's gloomy face, guessed about 80% of it, and said calmly: "Your Majesty, these are all the merchants showing their sincerity..."

"Sincerity?" Zhu Yuanzhang turned around suddenly, shaking the blue bricks on the ground slightly. "I think your 'rules' are too 'comprehensive'!" He grabbed the investment document on the table and threw it hard at Ouyang Lun's feet. "Special contributor? It sounds good, but it's actually a fig leaf for corruption and abuse of power!"

Ouyang Lun said calmly: "Your Majesty, calm down! I just want to raise more money for the court..."

"Shut up!" Zhu Yuanzhang kicked over the armchair next to him. "Back then, I made an iron rule with my ministers that anyone who embezzled 60 taels of silver would be beheaded in public. Do you know how much you have embezzled?" His voice gradually choked. "I crawled out of the mountains of corpses and seas of blood to establish the Ming Dynasty so that the people can live and work in peace, not to let you parasites ride on the people's heads and bully them!" (End of this chapter)