The Ming Dynasty began from Sarhu

Chapter 540: Corner of the Empire

Wu Xiao, an officer of the Imperial Guard, compiled and organized all the chaos he had witnessed in Ningguta during these days, and wrote a report of dozens of pages. He secretly handed it to a straw raincoat guard lurking in the city, and asked the man to deliver it out of the city overnight and give it to Emperor Wuding.

When the Cossacks surrounded the empire from all sides, the commanders of the empire's border areas were still obsessed with corruption and money-making, and obsessed with personal hatred, completely forgetting the emperor's ambition to conquer the world.

Perhaps, this is the beginning of the collapse of the empire, or perhaps, this is the rebirth of the empire.

From the moment the time traveler established the empire with totalitarianism, tragedy was bound to happen.

Absolute power leads to absolute corruption, and also to chaos and disorder. Before the empire is built, the vines of corruption have already grown secretly in the corners of the building, and the dead branches and leaves are becoming more and more unstoppable.

It's time for a new round of purges.

As Liu Zhaosun said, the Great Purge (or anti-counterrevolutionary campaign) will become a norm and a belief.

Just like cutting leeks, the officials of the empire need to be replaced regularly to ensure the freshness of the leeks.

Fortunately, the life span of the retired emperor was long enough (it was said that he could live up to 200 years old), so this replacement could be completed many times during his lifetime, using systematic slaughter and purges to temporarily delay the empire's inevitable corruption and decline.

He would not, like Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhao Kuangyin, slaughter corrupt officials or release military power with a toast. This is not the style of a time traveler.

What he wants is the maximum concentration of power, which is the so-called totalitarianism.

If you must kill people, then kill them systematically, rather than according to the time traveler's personal will, preferences, insights, and moral values.

Only by transcending the times can people achieve eternal life.

This is the profound meaning of the Great Purge and the logic behind the operation of the empire, to destroy anyone and anything that may threaten the existing order and nip the threat in the bud.

A new round of anti-counterrevolutionary campaign is about to begin.

~~~~~~
In early April, after completing his inspections of Kaiyuan, Tieling, Qinghe, Fushun and other places, Emperor Wuding and his entourage successfully arrived at Ningguta, an important town outside the Great Wall.

The retired emperor was quite interested in the capital city of Ningguta, not because he was obsessed with this term that often appeared in Qing Dynasty dramas about pigtails, but because he planned to build it into an important imperial prison. In the future, prisoners from all over the north would have the opportunity to serve their sentences in Ningguta. Similar prisons would also be set up in the Zhoushan Islands in eastern Zhejiang and Lingao County in Hainan.

The territory of Da Qi is expanding rapidly, and a prison violence system headed by Ningguta is also under construction to detain more and more prisoners of war and prisoners.

This time, the emperor planned to launch a counterattack from Ningguta to completely expel the Cossacks from the Heilongjiang River basin.

It is said that the Russians have established a considerable number of strongholds and garrisons around Ningguta.

How can I allow someone to snore next to my bed, especially since there is a bear sleeping next to me?

"I originally sent Jiang Liu'er to guard Ningguta because of his situation in the northern border. In addition, I also wanted to recruit a group of young people to check and balance the meritorious officials."

Before entering Ningguta, the emperor summoned Zhang Dong, the commander of the Suoyi Guard, to hear his opinion on the defense of the northern border. Zhang Dong had no impression of Ningguta, as he had never been there, so he had no opinion.

Seeing that Emperor Wuding was somewhat angry, Zhang Mazi said quickly:

"Your Majesty, here is a letter sent from Ningguta City, which seems to be related to Your Majesty."

From Qian Sanruo blackmailing criminals to Jiang Liuer's warmongering and almost crazy treatment of the Cossacks.

"However, I am worried that if we allow them to continue to act recklessly in the northern border, the Great Qi's cause in Ningguta will be..."

Liu Zhaosun looked at Zhang Dong with great interest and remained silent for a long time before saying:
"Things on the border are not as serious as those in the interior. Jiang Liu'er and his men have their own methods. I can't control them, nor do I want to. As long as they are not plotting treason, I will leave them alone."

Zhang Dong was shocked. He didn't expect such words to come out of the mouth of Emperor Wuding. As far as he knew, the emperor emeritus was involved in every detail. If it were in the past, if such a big thing was uncovered, the confiscation of property and extermination of the clan would be the lightest punishment.

"I remember that Qian Sanruo, in order to raise money to buy medicine for his son Qian Zexi, ran to Sakhalin Island to serve as a soldier at an old age and almost lost his life. Where is his son now?"

Zhang Dong thought for a moment and quickly said, "Your Majesty, Qian Zexi was originally a clerk at the Shandong Linqing Chamber of Commerce. He was promoted to deputy manager last year."

Emperor Wu Ding laughed and said, "Great, great! His father is so capable, he has governed Ningguta in perfect order. A hero's son is also a hero. I think Qian Zexi is also a talent. It's a pity that he stays in Shandong."

"What does your majesty mean?" Zhang Dong asked deliberately. In fact, he had already guessed most of it. The emperor probably wanted to take the Linqing shopkeeper as a hostage.

"Inform Zhu Youxiao and Jin Dajiu and ask them to vacate the position of Supervisor of Construction. A Shandong Civil Affairs Officer will take up the position at a later date."

Zhang Dong laughed and said, "Your Majesty is planning to send Qian Zexi to Tianxin City to supervise the construction?"

"Exactly."

Liu Zhaosun pondered for a moment and said, "Hasn't my brother-in-law been complaining in the memorials that there isn't enough wood and stone in Junzhou? I've already discussed this with the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of Works, and the magistrate of Junzhou. They know there's no shortage of these materials. What's lacking is someone willing to work hard."

Zhang Mazi sucked in a breath of cold air, but his face showed admiration. As far as he knew, the Tianxin City construction site had been plagued by problems such as unpaid wages and insufficient raw materials since the day the construction started. The emperor was busy dealing with the enemy and had no time to ask about it. Now the construction of the capital was progressing slowly and was a mess.

The emperor will not sit idly by and watch the chaos continue. After the conflict in the north is settled and the Cossacks are driven away, the people in Junzhou who should be killed will be killed, and those who should be punished will be punished. No one will be able to escape.

Sending Qian Sanruo's only son to Tianxin City to supervise the construction now is not only for the purpose of serving as a hostage, but also as a backup plan. If Qian Sanruo's crime is exposed in the future, this money can be treated as stolen money and directly transferred into the Da Qi treasury.

"As for Jiang Liu'er, I believe he won't betray me, so the Mino Guards don't need to monitor him too closely. If he knew that Emperor Wu Ding was worried about him and sent people to monitor him at all times, I believe that would be more painful than stabbing him in the heart with a knife."

Zhang Dong took the order and left.

(End of this chapter)