Jiajing Chengming

Chapter 308: One from the Dali Temple, one from the Censorate, and one from the Embroidered Uniform Guard, go investigate!

"His Majesty!"

"The maritime ban is an ancient system that cannot be changed. Moreover, the maritime ban itself is not a system that harms the people. It is only the cruel officials and arrogant soldiers who enforce the maritime ban that harm the people."

"So, I think the sea should still be banned! This is an ancestral rule and we must abide by it!"

"But the officials in charge of the sea ban must be checked and supervised. Whether it is Wang Hong of Fujian and Guangdong or Zhu Wan of Zhejiang, the power given to them to ban the sea is too great. It is better to control them to prevent them from doing whatever they want!"

Lin Jun replied at this time.

After hearing this, Zhu Houcong could only admit that representatives of the coastal wealthy families like Lin Jun had not been hurt by the maritime ban. He still hoped that the court would continue to strictly enforce the maritime ban, but only for the common people, and not for the smuggling pirates sheltered by the wealthy families. At the same time, it would also reduce betrayal of the ancestral system.

It sounds perfect, but in fact it is neither beneficial to the country nor the people, but only beneficial to oneself.

Zhu Houcong looked at Wang Ao at this time and shouted in a serious tone:

"Wang Gelao!"

Wang Ao stood up at this time.

"You recommended Zhu Wan. Do you think he would kill innocent people?"

Zhu Houcong then asked Wang Ao.

"Your Majesty, I believe in Zhu Wan. He will never be so bold and presumptuous just to seek credit and reward!"

Wang Ao replied.

Zhu Houcong nodded: "But what Lord Lin said makes sense. If we strengthen the sea ban and crack down on smuggling, once we are really eager for success and make mistakes, it will easily arouse public anger. So, do you think we should not take away the power of Zhu Wan and Wang Hong?"

"Your Majesty said so."

"But I think that when Your Majesty was teaching Chen Gun and the others, he was right in saying that officials should trust their colleagues."

"I believe in Zhu Wan and Wang Hong, and I ask Your Majesty to believe in them as well. Do not reduce their power before the truth is clear, so as not to chill the hearts of loyal ministers."

"I ask Your Majesty to send an imperial envoy to the local area to conduct a detailed investigation to find out what Zhu Wan has done and whether there is public outrage."

“This is the way to be cautious and upright.”

Wang Ao replied.

Zhang Cong then said, "Your Majesty, I don't agree. There are already Jinyiwei and Fu'an officials supervising the local area. If Zhu Wan really kills innocent people and takes human lives lightly, then Jinyiwei and Fu'an officials will definitely report it. Why send more people?"

Zhu Houcong nodded.

"His Majesty!"

"I object to Zhang Sikong's proposal!"

"The Imperial Guards and the governor may have been bribed by Zhu Wan, or they may be afraid that Zhu Wan was recommended by Lord Wang, so they dare not report it."

At this time.

Censor Liang Shibiao continued to argue.

Zhang Cong glared at Liang Shibiao and said, "Do you really not trust your colleagues?"

"Your Majesty, it's not that I don't trust you. I just think Lord Zhenze is right. We need to clear Zhu Wan's name. We should send another minister to convince the people of the world!"

Liang Shibiao then began to explain.

Zhu Houcong said, "Then let the court elect an imperial envoy to investigate! Or send a Jinyiwei, an official from the Ministry of Justice, an official from the Censorate, an official from the Dali Temple, and an official from the six departments."

"Yes!"

The Minister of Personnel Zhao Huang bowed and replied.

The censor Liang Shibiao couldn't help but feel secretly delighted.

This is exactly the result he and the people behind him want.

The emperor was forced to send people to investigate because local scholars and people reported that Zhu Wan falsely accused innocent people of being thieves and killing innocent people.

In his view and that of the wealthy coastal families behind him, as long as the emperor sent people to investigate, pressure would be put on Zhu Wan.

The reason why they chose to impeach Zhu Wan first.

The reason is also very simple.

That is, Zhu Wan is not as favored by the emperor as Wang Hongjian.

Directly impeaching Wang Hong, or impeaching both Wang Hong and Zhu Wan, would make the emperor resist, but impeaching only Zhu Wan would make the emperor more suspicious. Therefore, they chose to attack Zhu Wan first.

Zhu Houcong knew that these censors were attacking Zhu Wan on behalf of the wealthy families along the coast.

The reasons are the same as those used by censors in history to criticize Zhu Wan, saying that he falsely accused good people of being thieves and killed innocent people indiscriminately.

Zhu Houcong even knew that these people suddenly began to attack Zhu Wan because important officials in the court were instigating them behind the scenes.

Xie Qian and Lin Jun may both be involved.

no way.

Zhu Houcong had to admit that by this time in the Ming Dynasty, many civil servants had long forgotten their original intentions.

Especially some civil servants, as they become more and more powerful, their family businesses and influence grow, they become obsessed with profit and even power. They are unwilling to let their families enjoy wealth and honor for only one lifetime, and want their families to enjoy wealth and honor forever. They forget about the interests of the country and even want to monopolize all resources, including the current maritime interests. They don't want the court to get involved, nor do they want the common people to get involved. Therefore, they advocate a maritime ban, but do not object to the court's serious efforts to impose the ban.

Still the same.

Wanting more and more, and never being satisfied.

It can be said that when there is enough behind you, you forget to pull back, and when there is no way ahead, you want to turn back.

of course.

Zhu Houcong also knew that some senior officials and ministers, even if they knew they should back down, could no longer control their hands.

After all, the people behind them have growing desires and will push them to do things they don't want to do, even if they know that doing so may result in a bloody or even crushed death, and they cannot extricate themselves.

Zhu Houcong cooperated with their wishes, but it did not mean he wanted to compromise.

He was trying to delay time.

Let the Ministry of War and local governments be better prepared to resist the Japanese invasion.

Because as the emperor, he would be unable to give them hope of stopping Zhu Wan's actions.

The big coastal companies behind them will take risks.

Even veteran ministers like Xie Qian and Lin Jun cannot control it, and even their families will become victims first.

Because of the strict ban on maritime trade, it was not just one or two families that were offended, but almost all the big families along the coast were competing for interests.

Therefore, Zhu Houcong needed to first give them hope that he might abandon Zhu Wan, and even abandon Wang Hong.

to this end.

After Zhu Houcong agreed to Wang Ao's proposal to send someone to investigate Zhu Wan, he specially summoned Xie Qian to the imperial study.

"I didn't expect that the sea ban would cause disputes in the court and even cause controversy among the people."

Zhu Houcong said this after Xie Qian arrived.

"Mr. Xie, you are from Zhejiang and a loyal old minister. I would like to hear your opinion first."

"Is this sea ban right?"

After Zhu Houcong said this, he pretended to be confused and asked about Xie Qianlai.

Xie Qian knew that the emperor asked this question to test his attitude.

He chose to answer his attitude truthfully, and said: "Your Majesty, there is nothing wrong with the sea ban! Following the rules of our ancestors is the act of a wise ruler! And if the implementation of the ancestral system shows something wrong, it's just that the wrong person was used."

Like Lin Jun, Xie Qian still advocated that there was nothing wrong with the sea ban.

"is it?"

"So, according to the Taizu dynasty's rule that those who embezzled more than 60 taels of silver would be skinned, there is nothing wrong with following it now?"

Zhu Houcong asked about Xie Qianlai.

Xie Qian suddenly felt a headache. He had to admit that the emperor was not easy to fool, so he could only answer against his will: "Yes, Your Majesty, there is nothing wrong with this. It's just that people's hearts are not as they used to be, which makes this ancestral rule inappropriate!"

"If the sea ban goes wrong, does it mean that people's hearts have changed and it is no longer appropriate?"

Zhu Houcong asked.

Xie Qian was stunned again, looking embarrassed.

Wang Qiong, the minister of the Imperial Study, who was standing by, couldn't help but secretly sneer at Xie Qian.

(End of this chapter)