Wanli Ming Emperor

Chapter 240: Fists and Kicks, No Fist

"I, Jiamo, a commoner from She County, kowtow to His Majesty."

Inside the Wenhua Hall, the ministers looked at this commoner with different expressions as he performed the three kowtows and one bow ceremony with numerous mistakes.

Shuai Jiamo was about forty years old, with a broad forehead, a sharp jaw, prominent eyebrows and nose, and had the delicate temperament of a big accountant.

Why did the emperor arrange for such a commoner to have an audience with him?
Shexian? He was probably the key figure in the internal struggle in Huizhou?

Those who understand will naturally understand, and those who don’t understand will silently wait for the emperor to perform.

Whenever the emperor appeared before the people, it was natural that he would be greeted with warm greetings, which were popular among the people.

Zhu Yijun smiled and gestured for him to stand up: "Since you are a soldier who has served in the army, I will follow the military practice and call you comrade. Comrade, please stand up."

I am a common people and have no official position. It is inhumane to call him by his name directly, and it seems frivolous to call him by his courtesy name. Instead, it is most appropriate to follow the military conventions.

For the soldiers, it is most common to call each other brother or younger brother, and when talking to the military leader, they would respectfully call him "Master" or "General".

For generals, they would address each other by their official titles, while to their subordinates, they would mostly use derogatory terms such as "soldiers" and "red men". In the rare formal occasions, they would call each other comrades - Yu Dayou had the best habit, and he often addressed each other that way in private.

Shuai Jiamo was also a smart man. He quickly changed the address according to the emperor's words: "In the army, if I am scolded by my father and mother every day, it is already a grace from the Grand Marshal. I beg you to call me by my name!"

Zhu Yijun couldn't help but laugh.

The nobles and military officials on the right class slowed down a beat and laughed heartily.

All the civil officials in the court were reluctant and laughed dryly.

Zhu Yijun restrained his smile and said seriously: "Shuai Jiamo, Wenhua Palace is a place of state secrets, unlike other places. You should answer each question I ask, and don't say anything unnecessary."

Benefited from the high literacy rate in the Ming Dynasty.

These petitioners have gone to court four or five times at the Governor's Office, Nanjing Censorate, and the Ministry of Revenue, so they are naturally quite knowledgeable.

However, there were quite a few officials from the five counties in the palace at the moment, and they needed to be more cautious in what they said and did. Zhu Yijun deprived Shuai Jiamo of his right to speak freely out of protection.

Shuai Jiamo bowed repeatedly: "I understand, I understand."

Yu Maoxue looked at Shuai Jiamo coldly, with a cannibalistic look in his eyes.

Xu Guo silently walked behind Shuai Jiamo, blocking Yu Maoxue's sight.

Zhu Yijun ignored the ministers' small movements and asked directly about the matter: "Shuai Jiamo, were you the first to initiate the silk case in the fourth year of Longqing?"

The initiative initiated during the Jiajing period had been dragged to death by the Huizhou Prefecture.

Fortunately, there was the first initiative during the Longqing period.

The ministers secretly thought that it was true.

It turns out that this guy is the lawyer mentioned by Yu Maoxue and the righteous man mentioned by Xu Guo.

When Shuai Jiamo talked about serious matters, his expression became solemn: "To answer Master Shuai, it is me."

The emperor had reminded him first, and he really answered each question one by one.

Seeing how well-behaved this guy was, all the ministers couldn't help but look at him with respect.

Zhu Yijun leaned forward slightly and asked condescendingly, "People say that you have impure motives and you dug up old cases and deliberately went beyond your authority to file a complaint. You are just seeking fame and gain. Is that true?"

This is not a harassment, but an opportunity for Shuai Jiamo to defend himself.

There is a lot of trouble among the six counties. In addition to the distribution of interests, it is also important to clarify these details.

Shuai Jiamo may have experienced many hardships when petitioning, so he did not seem panicked at this time when he was under the emperor's majesty: "This matter is just a coincidence, Master Shuai, please allow me to report in detail!"

"I have loved numbers since I was a child. When I joined the army, I also worked as an accountant."

"After returning home, I still feel like doing something. In my spare time, I go to the government offices of prefectures and counties to look through documents such as taxes, household registration, official letters, and petitions."

"It was not until many years later that I accidentally discovered the strangeness of the silk tax!"

"This matter must be told from the second year of Wu's reign, when the imperial examinations were changed..."

Zhu Yijun watched Shuai Jiamo talking and felt quite emotional.

The so-called leopard can be seen through the pipe.

He was a commoner born into a military household of Xin'an Guard, had no family background, and was not a scholar, yet he could speak in such a way.

Even the fact that he was looking through the tax, grain and household registration files was moving.

When was the second year of Wu? It was the twenty-fifth year of Zhizheng, when the Yuan Dynasty had not yet collapsed! That is, two hundred and sixteen years ago!

This means that the grassroots organization of the Ming Dynasty, the She County Yamen of Huizhou Prefecture, is still properly preserving various archives such as taxes, household registrations, official letters, and applications from 200 years ago, when the Ming Dynasty was not even founded.

Not only that.

The government office opened its doors to allow ordinary people, who were not even students, to come and go freely to read, copy and retrieve the files.

The so-called style of the times and the so-called national strength can be seen in the details.

"…I have just confirmed that the summer tax owed by the six counties of Huizhou Prefecture, in the form of tax on silk, fell on She County!"

"I was planning to report this matter to the Huizhou government."

"However, when I checked the Ming Dynasty Code and Huizhou Prefecture Records, I suddenly discovered that this was an unsolved case during the Jiajing period, and it was just deliberately dragged on by the Huizhou Prefecture!"

"I am outraged at the moment, but I don't trust the Huizhou government, so I am submitting this petition to a higher level, just to seek justice for my fellow villagers!"

Being able to calculate the accounts and compare them with the prefectural annals and regulations, Shuai Jiamo was obviously well-informed, and he answered the emperor's questions in a dignified manner.

Deliberately digging up an old case?

This is a habit he developed since childhood, as evidenced by the records of entering and leaving government offices and reviewing documents.

Reporting across levels?

It's simply that the Huizhou Prefecture has a criminal record and cannot be trusted, so it is only natural for them to skip the level and report to the Governor's Office.

Since this is a normal development of the situation, the accusation of seeking fame and fortune seems to be a false accusation.

however.

Just as he said this, he heard Yu Maoxue, the Left Censor of the Household Department, suddenly sneer.

He looked at Shuai Jiamo with disdain, raised his neck and asked, "What a good way to verify the prefectural records!"

"Shuai Jiamo, I want to ask you, in the petition you submitted to Liu Shihui, the imperial censor of Yingtian Prefecture, you said that this prefecture had received a permit from the Ministry of Revenue to take 8,780 bolts of raw silk from the population, and the original quota was to be paid equally by the six counties, as can be verified by the prefectural annals."

"Which chapter and page of the prefectural annals does this sentence, 'The original quota of six counties was equally paid', contain?"

Yu Maoxue looked down from a high position and was full of confidence.

Whether the undergraduate had ever issued such a document, couldn't he, as the Left Censor of the Household Department, verify it?
Neither Volume 12 of "Huizzhou Prefecture Records" during the Hongzhi period nor Volume 22 of "Huizzhou Prefecture Records" during the Jiajing period has ever recorded this sentence!
Yin Zhengmao and Xu Guo's faces both changed, and they immediately stepped forward to defend him.

As soon as the action was made, the emperor spoke first: "Xu Qing, Yin Qing, there are questions and answers, one by one."

Yin Zhengmao and Xu Guo looked at each other and shut up helplessly.

Shuai Jiamo was silent for a while.

After a while, he bowed to Yu Maoxue and said, "Master Ke, this sentence was indeed made up by Cao Minsheng just to attract Hai Qingtian's attention."

A precise "Master Ke" and a frank confession showed that he had been warned in advance.

Yu Maoxue glanced obliquely at the imperial steps.

He tried to control his temper and pointed at Shuai Jiamo, "You still have some nerve left. You dare to admit what you did."

"Since you knew to fabricate the prefectural annals as evidence, you should have known that you were spreading rumors. How could you shamelessly go over the line and go to Nanjing?"

It was very common for unruly people to petition in the Ming Dynasty. They would often beat drums outside the government offices, go to the two capitals to present documents, or even bow down before the imperial palace.

Especially the people of Huizhou, who are always prone to litigation and love going to court.

Even every household in Huizhou Prefecture had its own account book, in which every "private detail and every word" of others was recorded, ready to be used as evidence in future court proceedings.

Logically speaking, after Hai Rui, the then Nanjing governor, was unfortunately demoted after issuing his instructions, things would develop in a good direction - the magistrate of She County was in mourning, the magistrates of five counties stopped working, and the officials took leave one after another. It seemed that big things would be resolved into small things, and small things would be resolved into nothing.

Who would have thought that Shuai Jiamo would not give up and went directly to Beijing to petition, and found the Nanjing Ministry!

Upon hearing this, Shuai Jiamo suddenly raised his head and said, "Master Ke, the evidence in the prefectural annals is indeed fabricated by me. Without any real evidence, I have nothing to say!"

"Master Ke asked me why I came to Beijing to submit a petition again?"

"It's because after the governor left office, the matter was shelved by all the counties, but I'm still investigating it! This investigation has lasted for four months!"

"Heaven will not let down those who work hard! I finally found the evidence on the shelf of Huizhou Prefecture!"

He pulled out a roll of oil-paper wrapped objects from his bosom, held them up with both hands, and said in a loud voice: "It is the reply from the Ministry of Revenue to Huizhou two hundred and sixteen years ago, and the document of collection issued by Huizhou Prefecture to six counties!"

Yu Maoxue frowned when he saw this.

Xu Guo finally found the opportunity to intervene. He stepped forward quickly, took the oil paper, and when he opened it, he found that it was indeed two volumes of copied official documents.

Minister Xu quickly flipped through two pages, and then read with surprise: "The Ministry of Revenue is qualified, and I will take the silk from the people of Huizhou!"

"The Huizhou government has issued an order to collect 8780 bolts of raw silk from She County as summer tax, and to transport it to Nanjing!"

As soon as Xu Guo finished speaking, Yu Maoxue's expression suddenly changed!

"Nonsense, let me see!" Yu Maoxue took three steps at a time and stood in front of Xu Guo in the blink of an eye. He raised his hands high and pretended to pounce on the two files!

Xu Guo felt a gust of wind behind his head and reacted immediately.

not good!

He quickly ducked to avoid it!
However, he was still not faster than Yu Maoxue, and was knocked to the ground by Yu Maoxue, along with the book!
Both parties fell to the ground and grabbed the case files together, wrestling with each other!

Yin Zhengmao was right next to them. Seeing this, he immediately hugged the child without hesitation.

So brave!

He pried Yu Maoxue's hands apart with one hand, grabbed Yu Maoxue's neck with the other, and struggled to drag him out!

Yu Maoxue felt pain immediately.

Straight bitch!
He immediately gritted his teeth, closed his eyes, stiffened his elbows, and pushed back with all his might!
After being hit three or four times in a row, Yin Zhengmao gritted his teeth, grabbed Yu Maoxue's arm, and pressed him down!
Seeing this, Xu Guo was afraid that the case file would be damaged, so he bit Yu Maoxue's arm while relieving the force on his wrist!
Two books, three people, six hands.

In a split second, three court officials started to fight each other.

Everyone in the court was stunned!
Shuai Jiamo was staring at this scene in a daze. This was what the emperor meant when he said, Wenhua Palace was a place of state secrets, no different from other places?
Zhu Xixiao, the etiquette officer, reacted the fastest and shouted, "How disgraceful to be indecent in front of the emperor!"

The Jinwu Guards below the imperial steps swarmed forward, followed by Zhu Xixiao, and attacked the three court officials who were curled up in a ball.

Pull.

struggle.

Dancing and flapping his hands.

The Wenhua Hall suddenly became chaotic.

……

I do not know how long it has been.

The emperor sat upright behind his desk, straightened his back and forced himself to put on a serious face.

The three court officials knelt before the emperor with bruised faces and noses, their necks huddled, as quiet as quails.

The Secretary of the Central Secretariat stopped writing in silence, the court officials looked up in thought, the eunuchs and palace maids lowered their heads, and the only commoner was at a loss as to what to do.

The Minister of Public Administration Ni Guangjian watched with great interest, even smacking his lips as if he was not satisfied.

If he had been able to elbow Huo Ji back fiercely when he was beaten by him at 2:04 pm on February 24, the second year of the Wanli reign, he would not have become more and more angry over the past six years, four months and three days.

After a long time.

The emperor finally took action. Zhu Yijun held his forehead with his hand, half crying and half laughing: "I will go to the Censorate to accept the punishment later."

You know that this is the custom, and it has nothing to do with the emperor's prestige.

There was a story about dozens of ministers fighting to death Ma Shun, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard; there was a story about the seal-holder of the Imperial Household Department and the pen-holder fighting with bare arms; there was also a story about the chief minister Gao Gong beating Yin Shidan, a member of the group, and leaving him disfigured.

If Wanli had not come here twice like this, it would have been a violation of the ancestral laws.

Upon hearing this, the three men kowtowed and bowed, not daring to say a word - just like students who had been in a heated fight and were left with only fear in front of the teacher.

Zhu Yijun silenced the three people and had to ask the questions himself.

He looked at Shuai Jiamo again: "Shuai Jiamo, what do these two volumes of Wengong mean?"

Xu Guocai had just finished reading a sentence when he was interrupted and had not yet had the chance to explain the pros and cons.

Finally, it was Shuai Jiamo's turn to make a correct comment. He hurriedly replied, "Sir, the Ministry of Revenue is in a position to take the silk from the people of Huizhou. According to the written document, it never explicitly stated that She County should bear the responsibility alone!"

"Since it's a poll tax, it should be shared equally among the people in the prefecture!"

"But Huizhou Prefecture directly put this head tax on She County! The name they used was still the summer tax on raw silk, which is the name of the six counties paying the summer wheat!"

"I dare to speculate on the true story."

"It is clear that the Ministry of Revenue asked Huizhou Prefecture to collect the head tax, but someone in Huizhou Prefecture did not want to share the burden, so they transferred the tax to the temporary tax item of She County!"

"That's why She County has been paying taxes for two hundred years without knowing why!"

The three kneeling kids had different reactions after hearing this.

But he had just been silenced by the emperor and could no longer speak.

Zhu Yijun did not comment: "If that is the case, when you went to Beijing to appeal, the Nanjing Ministry should have given you a reply."

"Why did this matter suddenly die down around the fifth year of the Longqing reign, and only come to light now?"

The two capitals, the north and the south, are of the same status.

If Nanjing had issued instructions, the silk case would not have been delayed until this time.

Shuai Jiamo had a complicated expression when he heard this, with anger mixed with fear: "To reply to Master Shuai, Nanjing has approved it."

"The Nanjing Metropolitan Procuratorate took the lead in approving the reply. The law has been followed and the tax should be distributed equally. We will copy it and make decisions accordingly."

"After the letter was sent to the Nanjing Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of Revenue sent a letter to Huizhou Prefecture, saying that it was time for the prefecture to investigate. When did the silk and satin for the above-mentioned population begin? Why was it specifically sent to She County? Did the counties have other taxes and grain to offset the amount? If not, what should be done now?"

"It's just that I was incompetent and failed to bring the approval document back to Huizhou Prefecture!"

As he spoke of this, his expression became more and more angry.

The "Dian" in the Censorate refers to the Daming Huidian. Since the Daming Huidian says that Huizhou Prefecture paid silk and satin, it should be distributed equally.

The Ministry of Revenue was more conservative in its attitude and remained skeptical in answering four questions in a row, but in the end it still decided to ask Huizhou Prefecture to come up with a solution.

It can be said that this petition is a major benefit to She County.

As long as Shuai Jiamo returns to Huizhou Prefecture with the ministry's instructions, it will be a phased victory.

However, from what Shuai Jiamo said, it was obvious that something had happened and he was unable to bring back the approval document.

Zhu Yijun asked curiously, "Why is that? People said you were afraid of the crime and fled. I still asked the Caojiang Yamen to find you in Jiangxia, thousands of miles away."

Don't ask about asking Admiral Cao Jiang to do something.

Ever since Xu Qiaosong, Marquis of Yongkang, was appointed as the governor of Caojiang and concurrently the governor of Feng, An, Hui, Ning, Chi, Tai and Guang, and set up camp in Anqing (Chapter 80), Zhu Yijun can be said to have openly strengthened the connection between the governor of Caojiang and the central government.

Over the past seven years, Southern Zhili has gradually been divided into two militarily.

The Governor's Caojiang Yamen was no longer under the jurisdiction of Nanzhili, but at the same time, with the instructions of the central government, the Governor's Caojiang Yamen repeatedly expanded its staff and personally intervened in criminal cases.

It can be said that the Governor's Caojiang Yamen now has the form of a headquarters and an inspection office.

Shuai Jiamo was silent for a moment before he replied stiffly, "I was assassinated by several villains when I returned to my hometown! After escaping in panic, I had no choice but to flee far away from Jiangxia!"

"If it weren't for the Caojiang government that came to my door, I wouldn't even dare to show my head."

Reporting to a higher level is always a dangerous thing in any dynasty.

A good court would at most deport people or declare them insane, but in a bad court like the Ming Dynasty, losing their lives was commonplace.

After all, Shuai Jiamo had served in the army and had some skills, otherwise he would have been involved in this case.

Upon hearing this, all the ministers looked at each other in bewilderment.

No wonder Shuai Jiamo was holding his breath, it turned out that he was almost losing his life.

The emperor on the throne rubbed his palms and sighed inexplicably: "Alas, when you retire and return to your hometowns, please try to kill fewer common people."

As soon as the words fell, the expressions of the ministers immediately became extremely interesting.

"When Song Ru bit my mother's tongue, I only intended to punish him lightly, but who knew that he was found to have raped and killed men and women in Mahazhou, and castrated innocent people."

"It was the same when I was touring Shuntian Prefecture. My original intention was just to see how difficult it was to do land surveying, but after walking a few steps, I heard that the eunuchs Yao Zhong and Ma Lu seized land and ruined families, and that Huairou Earl Shi Guangzu killed her husband and took his wife."

"Even nowadays, when trying a silk case, you can hear stories of murder to silence witnesses. It's really not uncommon."

It's so tragic. What do you regard life as?

The emperor looked displeased, as if he was thinking, "I step on a cockroach every two steps. How many cockroaches are there in my house?"

The ministers felt that they had suffered an unprovoked disaster and wanted to defend themselves, but they were afraid that the emperor would take it as an accusation.

Frustrated, the officials could only bow down in embarrassment: "We are guilty!"

Zhu Yijun waved his hand disinterestedly: "Don't let it fall into my hands. Let's talk business."

Ever since he discovered that the bureaucratic system would subconsciously resist the emperor's will, Zhu Yijun would intentionally or unintentionally crack down on it.

Although it seems that you are moody, it is better than being too indulgent and causing unbearable things to happen.

He is becoming more and more like Sejong.

Zhu Yijun secretly sighed in his heart, but he didn't show it on his face. He turned to look at Li Youzi and slowed down his tone: "Mr. Li, I have already given you the report on the silk case. Have you found any clues?"

As for archives, in addition to the local copies, the central government naturally also has one.

Li Youzi hurriedly stepped out and saluted in a strange posture - the court meeting this morning was quite long, and his external kidneys had already started to sound the alarm.

"In reply to your Majesty, I have already investigated the case of Huizhou silk!"
-
There is one more chapter on the hour.

(End of this chapter)