Guangzong Yaoming

Chapter 204 Whose Zhejiang?
In Huzhou Prefecture, which is further south of Yangzhou, the effect of Shu Baiqing's madness was amazing, and every family in Changxing expressed fear.

Now he was standing in the lobby of his own county government office in prison clothes, and he said to Chen Youxue and Wang Dewan who came to interrogate him, "The criminal has concluded 87 cases, both large and small, and there are 125 cases of voluntary surrender by the gentry and wealthy families in the county. The total amount of fines, penalties, redemption, and returned stolen goods is 276,300 silver coins..."

He talked incessantly about the achievements he had made during this period of time, which made Xie Tingzan, who was listening, amazed.

What a cruel official!

These cases are certainly not all of the actual cases in Changxing County. Some people are confident that no evidence of guilt will be found, so of course they will try not to surrender themselves.

But he "extorted" more than 270,000 taels of silver from just one county. Shu Boqing let Changxing County set a "benchmark" for other counties and states. He really cut himself off from the literati in the south of the Yangtze River and even from the officialdom of the Ming Dynasty.

Different counties and states may have different wealth and customs, but if your county alone can generate so much silver, what about other counties and states?
Just imagine that there are actually more than a thousand counties and prefectures in the Ming Dynasty. Not to mention that each county and prefecture has so much, even if we cut it in half and then round it off, the average county and prefecture is 50,000 taels...

This is also the reason why Chen Youxue and Wang Dewan had to come here.

too frightening.

"...Shu Baiqing, you confessed to so many crimes and signed your name?" Wang Dewan was shocked by him. "...How should you be sentenced for your crimes?"

"…Although His Majesty has issued an order to pardon my guilt if I surrender, it's just…" Chen Youxue thought that he was in a dilemma. It wasn't just the first two or three cases that were used as an example to scare others, but every case was like this. He really followed the imperial decree to the extreme this time.

Of course, it could also be because he was involved in all the cases he investigated.

"For many years, I have been living in harmony with the world and my selfish desires have grown. This is why I have committed many serious mistakes. I feel ashamed of the grace of the emperor. No matter how the court punishes me, I will accept it."

Shu Baiqing knelt down facing north and spoke sobbingly.

"Inspector Wang, look..." Chen Youxue looked at Wang Dewan.

"I think we should report this to the emperor and ask His Majesty to make the decision," Wang Dewan said. "Whether this is a case of surrendering to be exempted from punishment and meritorious service in enforcing the decree, or a case of numerous crimes over the years and a death sentence according to the law, it is really..."

Chen Youxue sighed: "Before the imperial edict arrives, you are still the magistrate of Changxing. How can you work in prison clothes? Now that the more than 270,000 taels of silver have been collected..."

"They are all stolen money and fines. According to the rules, they should be sent to the treasury." Shu Boqing said righteously, "But the criminals are now repentant, and I hope that the governor and the inspector will report to Your Majesty and allow you to keep some. The river bank in Changxing County collapsed last year, the county school buildings were in disrepair, and there are posthouses and ditches..."

He showed an attitude of turning over a new leaf and speaking up for the people, and was determined to do something good for the people of Changxing during this period of time, even if he would be executed in the future.

All three of them were amazed.

Judging from the evidence and files, he was a corrupt official who deserved to be put to death; judging from the actual results today, he was a good official who was brave enough to take on responsibilities and dedicated to the court and the people.

Chen Youxue knew what was going on, so he nodded and said, "This government thinks it should be so. The court also allows the localities to keep more. Starting this year, at least the exemption in Changxing County will be strictly enforced. But the extra tax money is really not enough to complete the many good policies for the people's livelihood in Changxing County as described by County Magistrate Shu."

"...Just keep 100,000 taels?" Wang Dewan's scalp tingled. "We should report the truth in a secret memorial. But according to the memorial, so much silver was found in Changxing County. I'm afraid that the other prefectures, counties and cities in the Ming Dynasty will not know what to do..."

"What Inspector Wang said is very true..." Chen Youxue looked at Xie Tingzan again, "Xie Xuejian, County Magistrate Shu is upright and diligent. The gentry and wealthy families in Changxing County are now in a panic. Is this gentry inspection..."

Xie Tingzan laughed: "I understand. But..."

He looked at Shu Baiqing and said, "Mr. Shu, a lot of debts are not a burden. I have something else I want to ask Mr. Shu. Would you be willing to be a witness?"

"…Thank you, Supervisor. It's okay to ask."

Xie Tingzan looked at Wang Dewan first and said, "Duke Guang'an is the governor of Yingtian. This matter is not within the scope of Duke Guang'an's duties. Please step aside first."

The two of them had known each other for a long time in the capital. When Wang Dewan heard Xie Tingzan say this, he looked at him with some concern: "Yes, but be careful in what you do."

"Same here, I understand."

He only asked Wang Dewan to step aside, but Wang Dewan had talked with Chen Youxue and knew that it was probably about the current senior officials in Zhejiang.

So Chen Youxue is also willing to be a witness?
If there was no other way, how could Shu Baiqing do this thing so crazyly?

In those years when the Zhejiang Party was in power, it was no longer clear who owned Zhejiang.

Wang Dewan didn't know how Xie Tingzan asked this question. Logically speaking, as the academic supervisor, he only examined the gentry, and he was not the governor or provincial governor of Zhejiang.

Now, Wang Dewan could only draft his own memorial first, and then draft a memorial together with Chen Youxue, report it to the governor and the Zhejiang Provincial Judicial Inspection Office, and then submit it to the emperor for his decision according to the procedure.

Not far away in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Governor Liu Yuanlin has been serving as governor here for nearly ten years.

It is very rare that he has not been transferred to another place for such a long time.

Moreover, his elder brother Liu Yuanzhen resigned from his position as Minister of the Ministry of Personnel at the beginning of the 28th year of Wanli and returned to his hometown to support his parents.

Both brothers were Jinshi (Jinshi), one was the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, a third-rank official, and the other was the Governor of a province, a frontier official. How prominent were they?
However, not only did Shen Yikuan reduce the inspection scope of the Zhejiang governor to include Jiaxing and Huzhou prefectures, but now Shen Yikuan himself was allowed to resign.

The emperor's decree to summon Zhu Geng back to the court to serve as the Grand Secretary of the Imperial Study had not yet arrived in Zhejiang, but several officials from the Zhejiang Fan and Nei departments had gone to Dinghai County, Ningbo Prefecture, on the pretext of official business.

During the Anti-Japanese War, there was a Governor-General of Zhejiang in Zhejiang. His office was in the provincial capital of Hangzhou, but he also traveled frequently between Hangzhou and Dinghai.

After a new governor of Yingtian was sent last year to concurrently inspect Huzhou and Jiaxing, the office of the governor of Zhejiang was settled in Dinghai, which together with the Zhejiang General's Office here became the de facto military and political core of Zhejiang.

"Zhongcheng, the Prime Minister has resigned. Now the Supervisor of Education is only investigating the gentry in Huzhou and Jiaxing. I am in charge of the three prefectures of Ningshaotai..."

The governor is politely called Zhongcheng. It depends on the person, the place he is from, his experience, and his prestige.

The person who was worried in front of Liu Yuanlin was Zhang Zuozhi, the left counselor of Zhejiang Provincial Administration. He was promoted from Ningbo prefect to Zhejiang Provincial Vice-President and left counselor of Zhejiang Provincial Administration the year before. This unusual promotion was due to special considerations for Zhejiang's coastal defense, but also benefited from the support of Shen Yiquan and Liu Yuanlin.

The next person to speak was Zhejiang Provincial Surveillance Commissioner Tang Rizhao, who was also promoted from Left Councillor of Zhejiang Provincial Administration to Chief of Zhejiang Judicial Surveillance Commissioner's Office the year before.

"Wang Tixue heard that his teacher Li Zhi was impeached, so he has no interest in the imperial examination these days!" He looked worried. "Let's not talk about the matter of the tribute students in the university garden. Shu Baiqing, the magistrate of Changxing County in Huzhou, has been making false accusations and handling cases cruelly. It seems that the academic supervisor Xie Tingzan is investigating the gentry in Hujia Prefecture, but a letter has come..."

He looked at Chen Jingji and said, "Isn't Deputy Envoy Chen also heard about this?"

Chen Jingji nodded solemnly and looked at Liu Yuanlin: "Zhongcheng, what should we do? Xiao Sinong is a member of the Zhejiang Party after all..."

"Where is the Zhejiang Party?" Liu Yuanlin interrupted him with a warning look on his face. "Besides, since Xiao Xiaqing went south last year, he has been planning for his own future."

"The Prime Minister resolutely requested to resign because Your Majesty wanted to summon Li Zhi, but Your Majesty unexpectedly agreed..."

The man who was speaking had small flowery pheasants embroidered on his official robe. He was Wu Xiantai, the Left Governor of Zhejiang.

He started his official career as a magistrate of Shaoxing Prefecture. After serving as a director in the Ministry of Personnel's Examination Office, he has been serving in Zhejiang since the 19th year of Wanli. He served as deputy censor, councilor, censor, right governor, and was promoted to left governor in the 27th year of Wanli. He has always been in very important positions.

Now after he said this, he looked at Liu Yuanlin and said, "How could you, gentlemen of the court, tolerate such heresy?"

Liu Yuanlin frowned and said, "No need to talk about this. I know why you are here. Regarding Zhejiang, I am still waiting for Lord Longjiang's reply."

He is no longer called the Prime Minister, after all, Shen Yikuan's resignation is a foregone conclusion.

At this time, a young scholar came to ask for an audience. When he saw Liu Yuanlin, he said, "Master! I received an urgent letter from Nanjing. There has been a big change in the central government office!"

They were all surprised to see Liu Yuanlin, and the others had different expressions.

"Tell me now!"

Maybe it was because they left Hangzhou that they didn't get the news first.

But considering Liu Yuanlin's business in Zhejiang, it was really strange that this student of his knew the news first.

Of course, Liu Yuanlin was able to accept this student because his family was not simple.

This student was born in Shaoxing Prefecture, and his family ran a large-scale post office in Jiangnan. It can be said that many Shaoxing people who worked as lawyers in the Jiangnan area asked his post office to deliver letters.

Listening to the student talking about the dramatic changes in the capital, everyone was shocked.

One room and four courtyards, governed by five ministers.

As soon as Shen Yikuan resigned, the emperor made such a big change to the central government.

Could it be that he could not appease Shen Yikuan by throwing out these ideas first, or could not exchange something?

Now Shen Shixing is just trying to mediate, Wang Xijue is trying to please his superiors and push for new policies, Xiao Daheng has "rebelled", and the old party has completely lost Shen Yikuan, the pillar of the cabinet.

"Zhu Shaoqin is the Grand Secretary of the Imperial Study?" Chen Jingji seemed to realize something and seemed to be looking forward to something. "Zhongcheng, we should go visit him first..."

Liu Yuanlin shook his head solemnly: "Zhu Shaoqin has been an official for twenty years. He has been honest and prudent without any major faults, but he has also made no achievements. Now, after living in seclusion for fourteen years, he has returned to the court as an official. The government offices under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Study... He is not reliable."

"On the contrary, Shen Zhonghua has old grudges against Lord Longjiang and Lord Shen, and is known for his integrity." Wu Xiantai was even more worried, and looked at Liu Yuanlin anxiously, "He will take up the post of Jinshen Grand Secretary, in charge of the Ministry of Education..."

Some are happy and some are sad. The wind from Beijing blows to Zhejiang and seems to become a wind that can destroy everything in its path.

Zhejiang’s good days are coming to an end.

Shen Yikuan looked back at the capital from outside the city. His departure today seemed to be very grand.

This is the treatment they deserve, but it also causes concern among many old party members in the court who still have hope.

He looked back at the familiar city of Beijing, being polite on the surface, but feeling even more heavy-hearted about everything he would face after returning home.

He didn't know that the magistrate of Changxing had discovered more than 270,000 taels of criminal silver through a brief investigation in the county.

He doesn't know everything, for example, what kind of Zhejiang is today because of his care in the past.

"Rumo, Brother Yuanyu, everyone, please don't bother seeing me off for long."

After some superficial work, two colleagues sent him off together.

To be honest, Shen Yikuan was a little envious of them.

After being away from the court for a long time, they came back without so many burdens. They were old officials, but also new officials of the new dynasty.

Only Shen Yikuan had no choice.

When a new monarch ascends the throne, the only cabinet ministers who are actually in charge are his natural enemies.

Most importantly, who knew that this new king would be so completely unexpected?
Shen Yikuan may not have known the eldest prince that well, but Emperor Emeritus, were you blind at the time?

How come everyone was so unprepared to face such a new monarch?

(End of this chapter)