I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 838 Why are you looking at me?

Hai Rui and Wang Yi'e divided the work and cooperated to investigate the major case in Henan. A report was produced every three days and quickly transmitted to the capital through the 600-mile express mail system of the Military Post Office of the General Administration of Posts and Communications. It was then submitted to Zhu Yijun's desk through the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Zhu Yijun picked up the fourth petition jointly submitted by Hai Rui and Wang Yi'e and read it carefully.

They are indeed a pair of kings. They investigated the major case in Henan so quickly and found out the mastermind behind it, Liang Cen.

However, for just one Liang Cen, Zhu Yijun didn't have the time to send both Hai Rui and Wang Yi'e.

He has a deeper meaning.

The Jiaoji Zhengxi Railway and the Beijing-Hankou Railway, which started construction this year, are important projects and top priorities.

One is an important channel connecting the coastal areas and the central and western regions, and the other is an important channel connecting the north and the south, both of which pass through Henan and Shandong.

There is no need to worry about money and food, and the construction team and technology are guaranteed. The key is the support and cooperation of the local government.

Since construction starts simultaneously at both ends and is carried out in sections, local support and cooperation are very important.

Logistical support, construction of local supporting factories and mines, manpower allocation, land expropriation... all of these require the full support of local county governments. If local officials are not capable, there will be trouble.

The construction of these railways in the late Qing Dynasty was led by foreigners. The Qing court was afraid of foreigners like a tiger. Wherever the foreigners built railways, local officials cooperated obediently, for fear that something might go wrong and lead to disputes involving foreigners.

Now in the Ming Dynasty, building railways is a top-down government order, and those responsible for construction are all "enterprises", which gives local officials a great opportunity to manipulate the situation and make money.

The significance of building railways was of no importance to some officials. No matter how good it was, it had nothing to do with them, and it would not help them make money or get promoted.

Some officials, on the contrary, will see the construction of railways as a golden opportunity to fleece the sheep, just as they did in the past with river workers and passing merchants, taking advantage of the passing geese.

Zhu Yijun did not have the energy to screen all the county officials involved in these provinces. He first focused on the governors and provincial governors of Hebei, Henan, Shandong, Anhui, Jiangsu and Hubei provinces.

If they are capable, we will urge them to give full play to their subjective initiative, take advantage of the opportunity of grassroots organization building promoted by the Ministry of Personnel, and reorganize the county-level officials under their jurisdiction, so that these county magistrates and county magistrates can know the priorities and understand what can and cannot be done.

If you are not strong enough, then replace it with someone who is strong enough.

The previous Governor of Hebei was Hu Gongru, the Minister of Imperial Households. The current successor, Yuan Fasen, was previously the Governor of Hebei. He was a capable man from the Southeast faction and a backbone of the New Party's Progressive Faction.

He had previously worked with Hu Gongru and had made considerable political achievements, playing a significant role in projects such as Tianjin light industry construction, the construction of the Beijing-Gu and Beijing-Qin railways, and the new construction of Qinhuangdao Port.

So Zhu Yijun was not worried about Hebei.

Shandong was a province that Zhu Yijun was more worried about in the past.

The situation in Denglai County in the east is not so bad. The navy has been built up there in recent years. With subtle influence and multiple adjustments, the official style of the counties in Denglai County is still relatively positive.

The key is that the hometown of Confucius and Mencius has a huge influence in the central and western part of Shandong. A number of local aristocratic families were severely punished by taking advantage of the Confucius Mansion case, but it was far from enough.

Zhu Yijun thought about it and decided to transfer Mei Guozhen over first, as he was indeed useful.

However, the position of U-Tsang Xuanzhengshi was also very important, and his health did not allow him to transfer capable officials such as Xu Wei to the plateau.

Mei Guozhen was young, in good health, and had rich experience in governing the Northwest. He had served as the chief of staff and "logistics minister" of the Huo brothers, and had also demonstrated his ability in the rectification of Qinghai.

After much deliberation, Zhu Yijun decided to transfer Mei Guozhen as the U-Tsang Xuanzheng Envoy, and then transfer Luanzhou Zhizhou Liu Yupu to Shandong.

After two years, the results have been good and Shandong can rest assured.

Jiangsu had always been the governor of Hai Rui, and southern Jiangsu was the base camp of the Southeast Clique, so Zhu Yijun had nothing to worry about.

Wang Yi'e had previously served as the Governor-General of Huguang. He took the opportunity of the policy of transforming natives into officials to reorganize Hunan and Hubei. After being transferred to the post of Governor-General of Yunnan and Guizhou, the successors, the Governors of Hubei and Hunan, were both competent and continued to promote the new policy reforms along the route and direction set by him.

So Zhu Yijun can rest assured about Hubei.

The rest are Henan and Anhui.

Henan, in particular, is a hub connecting the north and south, east and west. During the first phase, two railways will pass through its territory. If it fails, it is unknown when the railway plan will be delayed.

Last year, he went against many objections and appointed Shi Xing as the governor of Henan.

Well, you lived up to my expectations and took the risk of being implicated yourself, uncovering the big case and taking the opportunity to expose Liang Cen's past.

Liang Cen and his gang can be said to be one of the biggest cancers in Henan at present. Hai Gong and Wang Zijian are both good at plowing the land to remove the cancer.

After Henan is done, Hai Gong and Wang Zijian can take advantage of the judicial reform to go to Anhui.
Yes, another important reason why Zhu Yijun sent Hai Rui and Wang Yi'e down was judicial reform.

Taking Henan, Anhui, Shandong, Shaanxi and Shanxi, five provinces in central and western China, as pilot areas, judicial reform covering the three departments of police, procuratorate, courts and administration was carried out.

There’s a long way to go!
Why were these five provinces chosen?

Zhu Yijun believes that these five provinces are relatively conservative and are hard nuts to crack. Judicial reform is difficult at first and then easy, first crack the hard nuts and then squeeze the soft persimmons.

Zhu Yijun also knew that previous New Deal reforms had caused the most problems in these relatively conservative provinces.

The current judicial reform must be the same. In this case, we should send the big and small kings to tackle the toughest problems, and subsequent reforms will be easier.

Zhu Yijun was very pleased when he saw in the memorial that Wang Yi'e began to consciously limit arrests and protect the people from illegal personal detention.

After ten years of instilling new ideas into these important officials, I finally reaped the rewards.

Wang Yi'e, Hai Rui and others finally began to understand the core ideas of judicial progress: fairness and equality, judicial independence and checks and balances, as well as respect for and application of the law.

I am not afraid of understanding late, I am afraid of refusing to understand.

The new judicial system is actually one of the new production relations.

Can you imagine that the old Ming Dynasty laws and judicial system would allow new productivity to thrive?

Reform is necessary, and even judicial reform is more important than official system reform, because the Ming Dynasty's judicial system has taken a big step backward compared to the Han, Tang, and early Song dynasties. We need to rectify the chaos and make up for the shortcomings.

Zhu Yijun picked up the brush and wrote comments on the title book.

"The judicial reform of the Ming Dynasty has a long way to go. Lord Hai and Prince Wang recommended that we should take the major case in Henan as an opportunity to sum up experience and carry out comprehensive judicial reform with Henan as a pilot."

Zhu Yijun thought for a moment and added, "According to the preliminary report of Hai Gong and Wang Zijian, the former Henan Governor Shi Xing made mistakes in his oversight, but he had the courage to uncover the truth and bring justice to the people of Henan."
Shi Xing was ordered to resume his post as the governor of Henan, and together with Li E, the governor of Henan, and He Yaolin, the provincial governor, he was ordered to sum up the experience, learn from the lessons, and immediately rectify the official style and discipline in Henan. At the same time, he was ordered to fully cooperate with Hai Gong and Wang Zijian to carry out the pilot work of judicial reform in Henan.

Zhu Yijun finished writing, put down his brush, turned his wrist, and Feng Bao walked in quietly.

"Your Majesty, Prime Minister Zhang of the Cabinet, Minister Pan of the Ministry of Personnel, Envoy Song of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and Liu Gong, the Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, are waiting at the Nanhua Gate according to the imperial decree."

"Please come in quickly."

"Yes."

After a while, Prime Minister Zhang Juzheng walked in front, followed closely by Left Censor-in-Chief Liu Dashi.

He was from Runan County, Henan Province. He was born in the fourth year of Zhengde (1509). He was now sixty-seven years old and in very good health.

He had a lot of seniority and became a Jinshi in the 17th year of Jiajing. Zhang Juzheng could only call himself a junior in front of him.

What’s even more amazing is that his eldest son Liu Huncheng became a Jinshi in the 44th year of Jiajing, and his second son Liu Jingcheng became a Jinshi in the 2nd year of Longqing. Both father and son were Jinshi and were highly respected.

He was an honest and upright official and never kept maids or concubines.

All the salary and income from the land in his hometown were used to support the poor in his family and the village, saying, "How can I bear to be rich and noble alone?"

He is now the Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate and Hai Rui's first deputy.

Following Liu Dashi was Song Gongliang, the commander-in-chief of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and finally the Minister of Personnel Pan Yinglong.

After the greetings and being seated, Zhu Yijun went straight to the point.

"Song Gongliang, how long has the former Duke of Qian, Mu Chaobi, been awaiting trial in Beijing?"

“In reply to the emperor, the former Duke of Qian, Mu Chaobi, was summoned to the capital in March of the second year of the Wanli reign. Unexpectedly, he asked his servants to bring two ships of wealth to the capital in an attempt to bribe the ministers.

When the ship arrived at Jingkou, Hai Gong ordered it to be confiscated and he also submitted a memorial to impeach Mu Chaobi. In April of the second year of the Wanli reign, Mu Chaobi arrived in Beijing and submitted a memorial to plead guilty.

The emperor sent the matter to the Censorate for discussion and punishment.

The Imperial Censorate decided to make his son Mu Changzuo the Duke of Qian and give him half of his salary, and to hand Mu Chaobi over to the judicial department for investigation and trial. This proposal was presented to the emperor, who approved it.

Since then, Mu Chaobi has been detained by the Jinyiwei awaiting trial for three years. "

What do you mean three years awaiting trial? It was actually three years of house arrest!

Zhang Juzheng, Liu Dashi and Pan Yinglong exchanged glances silently.

Mu Chaobi was the younger brother of the sixth Duke of Qian, Mu Chaofu.

Mu Chaofu died in the 26th year of Jiajing, leaving behind two young sons, Mu Rong and Mu Gong.

The eldest son Mu Rong inherited the title of Duke of Qian. Because he was young, his uncle Mu Chaobi was appointed as the deputy governor and acted as the Duke of Qian's mansion.

Mu Rong died at the age of five, and his younger brother Mu Gong inherited the title, but died that year.

Emperor Sejong was such a smart man that he certainly knew the trick.

At that time, there were numerous memorials impeaching Mu Chaobi, with charges including being arrogant and lawless, being unfilial to his mother, Li, raping his sister-in-law, Chen, seizing his brother's land and property, hiding criminals, and using the military talisman privately.
But Emperor Shizong finally endured it and issued an edict to let Mu Chaobi inherit the title of Duke of Qian and guard Yunnan.

why?
The Mu Mansion had close and complicated relations with many chieftains in Yunnan.

If Mu Chaobi is touched, Yunnan will be in turmoil.

At that time, Toungoo Mangruiti and Mangyinglong were wreaking havoc and threatening southern Yunnan.

Faced with internal and external troubles, Emperor Sejong and the court did not dare to act rashly against Mu Chaobi, and had to coax him and let him continue to guard Yunnan.

In the second year of the Wanli reign, the Governor-General of Huguang, Wang Yi'e, pacified Bozhou. The An clan of Shuixi and the Yongshe clan of Xu surrendered in fear of his power, and the policy of converting native tribes into officials in Guizhou and southern Sichuan was a great success.

The next step is Yunnan.

The imperial court summoned Mu Chaobi to the capital, and then stripped him of his title on the grounds of bribing court officials. It also ordered his son Mu Changzuo to inherit the title of Duke of Qian, temporarily stabilizing the Mu Mansion and the chieftains of Yunnan.

Not long after, Wang Yi'e was appointed Governor-General of Yunnan and Guizhou, and he led three infantry regiments and three mountain regiments from southern Sichuan and Guizhou into Yunnan and stationed in Kunming.

Wang Yi'e had soldiers in his hands, and he unceremoniously seized the military power of Mu Changzuo, the Duke of Qian, in the name of training the guards of the Yunnan Military Command.

Then they sent a small group of elite soldiers to attack the local chieftains of Yunnan who had ill intentions by means of surprise attacks, guerrilla warfare, destroying villages, beheading, etc. Then they used various means such as economic blockade, alienation, bribery, etc., and within two years, the situation in Yunnan was reversed.

Many chieftains who had refused to submit to the king for hundreds of years submitted petitions and took the initiative to request to be converted to the officialdom.

If you don’t change it, your whole family will be in danger.

The imperial court actually does not support the upright royal army, but instead commits despicable and shameless acts. Who can tolerate this?
Now that Wang Yi'e has come to Beijing and the new Governor-General of Yunnan and Guizhou, Ling Yunyi, has arrived, it is time to deal with the Mu Mansion.

Because Zhang Juzheng and his men knew that after dealing with the Mu Mansion and eliminating the biggest hidden danger in Yunnan, the emperor would send troops from Yunnan to launch a joint suppression from the north against Toungoo Mang Yinglong, who had been suffering greatly in recent years.

What crime will the emperor use to convict Mu Chaobi and the Mu family?

Zhang Juzheng, Liu Dashi and Pan Yinglong were all speculating in their hearts and quietly turned to look at Song Gongliang.

Song Gongliang's eyes flashed. I don't know why the three of you are looking at me!
(End of this chapter)