The Ming Dynasty's Five Hundred Years

Chapter 191 Pure Snow, Murder Today

Li Xianmu was promoted to Right Vice Minister of the Censorate, a second-rank official, and appointed Governor of Shandong, in charge of the three provincial offices in Shandong. Officials below the third rank were to be executed first and reported later. He also ordered the Marquis of Shouchun and others to lead three major camps to Shandong to quell the rebellion, but they were also under Li Xianmu's control.

This imperial decree shocked the capital three times.

The first time was when Li Xianmu was promoted to the second rank, but he was not promoted to Minister of Works, but was suddenly promoted to Right Vice Censor-in-Chief of the supervisory system, a position he had never held before.

The six ministers plus the left censor-in-chief, these seven officials of the second rank, were called the "Seven Ministers". Together with the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review of the third rank and the Commissioner of the Court of State Affairs of the third rank, they were the "Nine Ministers". The rank of the "Seven Ministers" shows that the "Seven Ministers" were much more prestigious.

The Right Censor-in-Chief and the Left Censor-in-Chief were both heads of the Censorate and held the rank of Second Grade, but in reality, the Right Censor-in-Chief was an assistant to the Left Censor-in-Chief.

Li Xianmu was promoted by half a rank, not a full rank, but considering his appointment as an inspector outside the capital, there was practically no more suitable position than Right Vice Censor-in-Chief.

The second shock was what had happened in Shandong? The emperor had actually sent Li Xianmu there directly, even with an imperial edict to execute him first and report later, the murderous intent of which was palpable.

The third shock was that the emperor actually transferred the three major camps there, saying he wanted to quell the rebellion. Could it be that someone in Shandong had rebelled?

If that's true, it's no wonder His Majesty was so shocked and angry. Shandong and Zhili are adjacent, and there are no natural defenses along the way. Back at the end of the Yuan Dynasty, when Liu Futong of the Red Turban Army occupied Shandong, it shocked the Yuan court, which then mobilized a million troops to besiege him.

Now, the Ming Dynasty court is in turmoil!
British government.

Zhang Fu and his son-in-law Li Xianmu were drinking tea. After the tea had gone down their throats and into their stomachs, Zhang Fu slowly said, "His Majesty sent you to Shandong to kill someone. What do you think?"

Li Xianmu said coldly, "Then let's kill them."

"If you kill him, your reputation will be ruined."

"My son-in-law has no reputation whatsoever, only a public-spirited heart."

Upon hearing the words "public-mindedness," Zhang Fu knew how determined Li Xianmu was. He pondered for a moment, then said, "Then you must be careful of your own safety. Be careful that those people don't turn on you when they're desperate. I'll transfer some servants from the estate for you, and bring more Imperial Guards with you as well. Shandong is in chaos now, and swords have no eyes on the battlefield. Be careful in everything you do. Wan'er and the four children are still waiting for you."

Thanks to Li Qi's two props, after giving birth to twins in the thirteenth year of Yongle, he completed the task of having two children in three years, and the number of direct descendants in the system reached 4.

Li Xianmu nodded to indicate that he understood. After leaving Zhang Futang's house, he waited for his wife, Zhang Wan, as he was accompanying her home to visit her family.

Zhang Wan led the children out of her mother's room, walked quickly to Li Xianmu's side, and asked in a low voice, "Father, did you send someone to follow my husband?"

Li Xianmu nodded, and Zhang Wan breathed a sigh of relief, saying, "Then I'm relieved."

As the daughter of a military family, she naturally wouldn't cry and whine when her husband was about to embark on a great mission. As long as he made the necessary preparations, she hoped he would return safely.

Li Xianmu gently held his wife's soft hand, everything was understood without words.

……

When the Shandong Provincial Government learned that the Emperor was aware of the situation in Shandong and had appointed Li Xianmu as the Shandong Governor, and had also dispatched a large army to quell the rebellion, they were terrified.

Since Li Xianmu entered officialdom in the sixth year of the Yongle reign, ten years have passed, and he has become the emperor's most favored minister.

It was a widely acknowledged fact in the Ming Dynasty officialdom that if the emperor sent Li Xianmu, it would be a sign of extreme dissatisfaction, and someone would inevitably suffer.

What is most worrying is that Li Xianmu cannot be bribed.

The corrupting tactics commonly used in officialdom—coercion, bribery, money, and women—had no effect on Li Xianmu. Back in Jiangnan, he wouldn't even glance at the beautiful women of Yangzhou or the boat girls of West Lake. As for money, coming from a wealthy family, he had no interest in it whatsoever.

In reality, they all understood that Li Xianmu took Li Zhongwen as his role model and practiced his ideals according to the way of the sage, so these things naturally could not meet his standards.

In this atmosphere of extreme anxiety, Li Xianmu's carriage still arrived on time at Jinan Prefecture, the seat of the Shandong Provincial Administration Commission, where a group of Shandong civil and military officials welcomed the imperial envoy and governor.

This time, Li Xianmu's trip to Jiangnan was different from the one he had taken before. Back then, his official rank was very low, but this time, his official rank as Right Vice Censor-in-Chief was already a second-rank official, which put him above all the officials in the Shandong Provincial Administration Commission. Therefore, he accepted the greetings from everyone in the Shandong Provincial Administration Commission without hesitation.

After everyone stood up, Li Xianmu made almost no attempt to hide his malice. Pointing at the group of Shandong civil and military officials, he said to the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard beside him, "I trouble you, Commander, to arrest all the heads of the Three Departments and immediately escort them back to the capital."

The Provincial Treasurer, the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner, and the Commander were all shocked upon hearing this. They never expected Li Xianmu to arrest someone so quickly. They hurriedly said, "Your Excellency, what crime have we committed that we would dare to..."

"Xiantai" is an honorific title for censors, and it is also sometimes referred to as "Zongxian".

Li Xianmu said sternly, "I have been ordered to inspect Shandong. Officials of the third rank and above can be directly escorted to their posts. Officials below the third rank will be executed first and reported later. Are you going to disobey the imperial decree?"

Whether you are guilty or not is of no concern to me, but the fact that Shandong has become such a hellish place is partly your fault as the three of you who are in charge. If you have any grievances, you can talk about them in the imperial prison.

take away!

Anyone who dares to obstruct or defy this order will be killed without mercy!

As soon as he finished speaking, the Imperial Guard beside him drew his Embroidered Spring Blade. The gleaming blade showed its sharpness, making it clear that Li Xianmu's "no mercy" was not an empty promise.

While everyone was still in shock, the Imperial Guards stepped forward and restrained the three men, even putting on the shackles that had been prepared beforehand.

Seeing that Li Xianmu actually arrested people without saying a word, the three of them could no longer hold back and questioned him: "Li Xianmu! How dare you!"
I am a second-rank minister, how can you detain me without cause?

I will definitely submit a memorial to His Majesty impeaching you.

The three leaders of Shandong were truly dumbfounded. Even when the Embroidered Uniform Guard made arrests, they required some evidence. Li Xianmu, however, didn't say a word and just came up and arrested them.

Upon hearing this, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard smiled coldly. It was only because the Embroidered Uniform Guard had lost power that he realized that if it were the Embroidered Uniform Guard of the past, what would a mere second-rank minister be? Even a first-rank minister would be killed in droves.

"What minister?" Li Xianmu said coldly, "He's nothing but a criminal who wreaked havoc in Shandong."

After saying that, he turned to the Imperial Guards and said, "Gag their filthy mouths and take them back to the capital immediately."

A crumpled, smelly cloth was immediately stuffed into the mouths of the three men, who were then put into a carriage and led away by a group of Imperial Guards.

As the carriage gradually disappeared from sight, the others realized what had happened. In the blink of an eye, the three giants of Shandong were taken down.
They haven't even announced the charges?

They had previously thought Li Xianmu came with ill intentions, but now it seems that he was not.
This is deadly.

With the three leaders gone, wouldn't the remaining officials in Shandong all be below the third rank, so he could kill them at will?

The thought of this sent chills down everyone's spine.

(End of this chapter)