I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 349: Money spent should be heard

No matter how embarrassing it is, you have to bow.

Huang Guangsheng and Zou Yinglong knelt on the ground and shouted in salute.

Zhu Yijun waved his left hand randomly a few times, mumbling incoherently, "Get up, get up!"

He took the teacup handed to him by Qi Yan, took two sips of tea, and swallowed the snack crumbs in his mouth. He choked and rolled his eyes. He took a few breaths before he could speak clearly.

"After taking care of government affairs in the morning, I chatted with my mother in the Beihai Garden. Then I lined up to meet a bunch of people and chatted for the whole afternoon. I forgot to eat lunch. I was hungry, so I took the opportunity to eat some snacks to fill my stomach."

Zhu Yijun explained, "I'm sorry to have embarrassed Mr. Huang and Mr. Zou."

Huang Guangsheng and Zou Yinglong looked at each other and said quickly: "Your Highness is so diligent in his work. It is a blessing for the Ming Dynasty and the people."

Starting from the late emperor, these three generations of grandparents and grandchildren are all weird!
The previous emperor’s rule was so chaotic that his ministers went crazy.

The emperor was so negligent in his duties that his ministers became disillusioned with him.

The prince is diligent in his work, so diligent that it gives his ministers a headache.

Qi Yan waved his hand, and several eunuchs came in one after another carrying copper basins filled with warm water, towels and other things.

"Gentlemen, please take a seat first."

Zhu Yijun said something, turned around, walked over, picked up the towel, put it in warm water, washed his face several times, wrung it dry, and wiped his face.

He picked up the tea bowl, rinsed his mouth, and walked briskly to the chair at the top and sat down.

"Today, we invited you two gentlemen to come here to discuss two matters. The first is to adjust the powers of the Ministry of Justice and the Supreme Court."

When it comes to reform, we summarize as we go along and then make continuous adjustments.

No matter how carefully you think about what you have in your mind, many problems will arise when you put it into practice in reality.

For example, if you want judicial independence, this idea is correct.

The judiciary is actually a form of supervision and checks and balances on power. There is nothing wrong with judicial independence, but the problem is that it is completely unrealistic to re-establish a judicial mechanism with the Dali Temple as the main line.

It would be better to rely on the mature system of the Ministry of Justice and the Censorate to improve it, with the Dali Temple as the appellate court, the last line of defense.

The Ministry of Justice can assume the responsibilities of judicial, prosecutorial and judicial functions. In this era, it is difficult to distinguish between the three responsibilities.

Ordinary people do not need a clear division of judicial responsibilities. What they need is a judicial institution that can be reasonable and legal, a place where they can complain and redress grievances.

Just grasp this point, the rest is just fancy stuff.

Huang Guangsheng and Zou Yinglong listened quietly.

"The local judicial commissioners continued to exercise the judicial powers of adjudicating criminal cases, settling disputes, and redressing injustices, as well as advising local criminal cases. The Ministry of Justice set up a special case review office to review local criminal cases.

For ordinary criminal cases in prefectures and counties, the Censorate is the final judge, and the Ministry of Justice approves and replies. The death penalty must be sentenced by the Censorate, reviewed by the Ministry of Justice, and sent to the Dali Temple for final approval.

In addition, criminal cases in various places, those who are dissatisfied with the judgment of the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner and the approval of the Ministry of Justice can appeal to the Dali Temple, or if the local governor's inspection office or the inspection team of the Metropolitan Procuratorate finds discrepancies in the case, they can also appeal to the Dali Temple, which will re-examine the case and make it the final judgment.

Huang Guangsheng and Zou Yinglong understood that local judicial procedures remained the same.

When a criminal case occurs, the police patrol bureau dispatches officers to solve the case and arrest the suspect. The case is first examined by the county prosecutor and the case file is completed. The case is then handed over to the county magistrate who specializes in hearing civil and criminal cases for review. Once the evidence and case files are verified to be correct, the case is judged according to the law.

The precedent of the separate interrogation and adjudication divisions of the former Song Dynasty was followed, and even the prosecutors followed the example of the former Song Dynasty.

The division of trial and adjudication means separating trial and adjudication and entrusting different officials to handle them respectively.

In the early Song Dynasty, each prefecture had a Siliyuan, and the Sili Canjun (Jiusi) was responsible for interrogation and investigation of facts. The Judicial Canjun (Pansi) examined the law based on the facts, and finally the prefect or governor made the final decision personally.

Since ancient times, case trials have included a set of processes including investigation, solving the case, arresting people, and trial.

Now the prince is responsible for solving the case and dividing the preliminary trial into parts, which are handed over to the police and the prosecutor, while the review and judgment according to law are handed over to the county magistrate and the censor.

But there have been major changes at the core level.

According to the prince, the Ministry of Justice once again became the business superior of the local Censors' Offices, and had the right to inspect and supervise the judicial trials, prison management and other work of the local Censors' Offices.

The Dali Yuan was responsible for appeal cases and irregular inspections of cases tried by the Ministry of Justice and local procuratorates. However, its trials had the highest authority, and any case that came to it was the final instance.

Okay, you are the prince, we will do whatever you say.

After two years, Zhu Yijun, the crown prince, was truly worthy of his title. "In addition, the Ministry of Justice and the Dali Temple worked together to compile new Ming laws and decrees."

Huang Guangsheng and Zou Yinglong looked at each other and asked in disbelief, "Your Highness, what about the Ming Dynasty Code?"

"The Great Ming Code was compiled during the Hongwu reign, more than 200 years ago. Many of its clauses are meaningless. Those that need to be changed must be changed."

I knew that as soon as we talked about ancestral rules, you would bring up the leather and straw wrapping.

Well, change it however you want.

"Your Highness, please give me your instructions."

"The Great Ming Code is divided into six codes: civil servants, households, rituals, punishments, military, and labor. I think it is too confusing and out of date. It must be changed. It is also based on the six codes. The first one is the Constitution Code, which is the general outline of the Great Ming Code.

The second code is the National Code, which contains the national system and institutions, as well as the official code, which contains the selection, duties, definition and punishment of violations of laws and disciplines.

The third law is the "Civil Law", which is the basic code of conduct for daily ethics and interactions among officials, common people, the military and civilians, promoting the virtues of loyalty, filial piety, trustworthiness and righteousness, and punishing corresponding evils.

The fourth law is the Criminal Law, which defines and punishes all crimes including murder, arson, adultery, treason, etc.

The fifth law is the Commercial Law. As the industry and commerce of the Ming Dynasty are booming, how to regulate them is also of utmost importance, and this law is used as a chapter.

The sixth law is "Model Law", which is about how to exercise the above laws, such as how to bring civil cases according to "Civil Law" or "Commercial Law", and how prosecutors determine criminal cases and how to submit them to the county magistrate for review and decision.

Standardize procedures and correct abuses of power. "

Another string of new terms, we are all used to them.

Huang Guangsheng and Zou Yinglong silently memorized it in their hearts. Zhu Yijun continued, "In addition, there are some inappropriate clauses in the Ming Dynasty Code, such as 'ministers are in charge of selecting officials', 'civil officials are granted titles of duke', 'forming cliques to disrupt government affairs', 'forming cliques to form close officials', 'arbitrarily changing laws to disrupt government affairs', etc. All of them should be deleted!"

"Do we need to change everything?"

Huang Guangsheng asked in a trembling voice.

Zhu Yijun turned his head and looked over. When Huang Guangsheng met his gaze, the sound of a bronze chime rang involuntarily in his mind.

"I obey your command."

In Zhu Yijun's view, these clauses, which were specially formulated by his ancestor Zhu Yuanzhang and not included in previous dynasties, were tantamount to farting.

I know you want to strengthen the royal power and control your ministers, but which of these clauses can be actually implemented?
And there is this "arbitrary changes to the law", if I don't change it, am I waiting for the upright people to come and challenge me with the "Great Ming Code"?
How can a law be publicly stated once it is made: I forbid anyone to change it, it will be like this for thousands of years, and anyone who violates the order will be executed!

The meaning of Confucius's classics has been changed beyond recognition. Are you more awesome than Confucius?

A law is still in use after two hundred years, and it is not allowed to be changed?
Zhu Yijun found it unbelievable just thinking about it!
I have to buy a new pair of pants every six months!

Zhu Taizu wanted to solidify everything to make the empire he conquered forever, how is that possible!

Only by keeping pace with the times and getting rid of the old and embracing the new can the Ming Dynasty continue to move forward.

After chatting with Huang Guangsheng and Zou Yinglong for two hours, the conversation ended and the two left.

Zhu Yijun stood up, stretched his hands upwards, and stretched comfortably. His joints creaked all over his body. He had been sitting for too long and his body was stiff.

"Qi Yan, what time is it?"

"Your Highness, it's half past five in the afternoon."

Zhu Yijun walked out of the Qinzheng Hall slowly and walked around on the platform. Hearing the faint sounds of stringed instruments and singing coming from the north, his heart moved.

I paid for building the several stages in Xiyuan, hiring the troupes, and paying for their food, drink, and toilet needs. Yet, I still haven't seen how the plays are performed. I feel like losing out just thinking about it!
The number one sucker in the world!

No, I have to see.

I spent all my money, but what did it turn out to be? I have to hear what happened.

"Qi Yan, accompany me to the north."

Qi Yan was stunned for a moment, "Your Highness, are you going to listen to an opera?"

"Take a look around and see if it's worth spending so much money."

"Yes!"

(End of this chapter)