Take control of Wei Zhongxian at the start and confiscate 100 million from him!

Chapter 107 When fear takes hold of every mind, order will manifest itself in another form.

The atmosphere in the Hall of Supreme Harmony the following day was completely different from that of the previous days.

Contrary to expectations, the morning assembly did not fall into silence; on the contrary, it proceeded in an almost eerily normal manner.

A series of elaborate rituals and routine reports were carried out in an orderly manner.

An official from the Ministry of War reported on a small-scale conflict in a border town, using extremely cautious language, as if afraid of offending the person on the dragon throne. Even the censors, who usually loved to argue heatedly over trivial matters, only offered a few weak rebuttals on some innocuous etiquette issues before hastily concluding the report.

Everyone is trying their best to play their old roles, following the rules and being meticulous.

But beneath that deliberately maintained calm lies an unconcealable fear and unease; the outward composure cannot hide the surging dread beneath.

Qian Longxi and Qian Qianyi stood at the front of the officials, their faces as pale as paper, and they remained silent. They only managed to squeeze out a few dry words when the court proceedings required them to express their opinions.

Zhu Youjian, seated on the dragon throne, took in all of this.

He listened patiently, nodding occasionally and asking questions now and then, like an indifferent spectator appreciating the exquisite yet stiff performance of the officials below the stage, even feeling a ridiculous smile in his heart.

He knew that when fear took hold of all minds, order would manifest itself in another form.

Finally, all the routine matters were reported, and the hall fell into a brief silence once again, a dullness typical of the calm before a storm.

Wang Chengen stepped forward; this was the final procedure before the court session ended. His high-pitched voice echoed through the hall:

"My lords, is there anything else you wish to report?"

Silence fell over the steps. The tense nerves of the officials subconsciously relaxed, and many were already preparing to bow in the next moment.

Just as Wang Chengen saw that no one answered and was about to turn around to ask for instructions, preparing to loudly announce "the end of the court session," the emperor, who had been calm and composed all along, suddenly spoke.

"I have an imperial decree."

Zhu Youjian's voice wasn't loud, but it was like a bolt of lightning, exploding above the heads of the officials who had just relaxed!

Everyone froze on the spot, their hearts, which had just settled, were instantly gripped by an invisible hand and jumped into their throats!
coming.

Everyone knows that the real show is just beginning!
That sword, which drank blood in Jiangnan, is finally going to point in a new direction in the capital.

Every courtier held their breath and pricked up their ears, like prisoners awaiting trial.

"Shaanxi is suffering from a severe drought, and unrest is rampant. The situation is deteriorating day by day, and there is no time to lose." Zhu Youjian looked up at the outside of the palace. "I intend to send a capable minister to inspect Shaanxi in my stead and save the people from their suffering."

Hearing this, many officials breathed a sigh of relief.

It turns out they were talking about things in Shaanxi, not about settling scores in the capital.

But then, their hearts jumped into their throats again, and many officials' minds immediately began to race.

Governor of Shaanxi!

This is a high-ranking official of the second rank, a pinnacle that many officials in the capital may not be able to reach even after exhausting their efforts.

For a moment, a surge of warmth swept through the hearts of many in the hall.

Subconsciously, everyone began to wonder who would receive this incredible opportunity.

Is it a senior vice minister from one of the Six Ministries, or a highly respected vice censor-in-chief from the Censorate?

To be granted this important task is like ascending to the heavens in one step; from then on, one can finally hold one's head high and be proud.

However, as the word "Shaanxi" slowly settled in their minds, the newly ignited flame was instantly extinguished by a basin of icy water.

Shaanxi!

Those shocking rumors, occasionally circulated through various channels and embellished with official documents, instantly flooded everyone's minds: barren lands, cannibalism, bandits rising up everywhere...

That was not a piece of land waiting to be governed; it was clearly a huge quagmire that had rotted to the core!

The eagerness on everyone's faces quickly faded, replaced by a belated sense of fear.

This is by no means a ladder to promotion; it is clearly a furnace that is already red-hot, ready to explode at any moment and blow the person who takes over to smithereens! It is a death warrant handed out by the emperor!

Going would mean a near-certain death, with the slightest misstep leading to utter disgrace; refusing would be disobeying an imperial decree, also a death sentence. In an instant, the governorship, which had just been considered a coveted position, became a hot potato that no one dared to even glance at.

A suffocating silence fell over the hall once again.

Everyone lowered their heads, afraid that their eyes might meet the gaze of the person on the dragon throne.

Who is going?

Who dares to go?
Who can go?

Everyone's eyes involuntarily fell on the bigwigs of the cabinet and the six ministries.

However, the emperor's next words instantly petrified the entire Hall of Supreme Harmony.

"I hereby order Sun Chuanting, the Director of the Bureau of Merit Evaluation, to assume his post immediately!"

When these words were spoken, everyone in the hall was shocked!

Sun Chuanting?
Which Sun Chuanting?
Many officials frantically searched their minds for the name. Some who had interacted with him before finally remembered that there seemed to be such a hothead a few years ago who was dismissed from his post and reduced to commoner status for arguing with Wei Zhongxian.

A lowly bureaucrat, a mere fifth-rank official from a few years ago, stagnant and ineffective, is about to be directly appointed as a second-rank regional governor—the governor of Shaanxi?!

This is absolutely ridiculous!

You're just a low-ranking official, a former secretary in the Bureau of Merit Evaluation who was dismissed from his post. What gives you the right to act so arrogantly here?
This is not just overstepping the bounds; it's treating the bureaucratic promotion system left by our ancestors as a joke! It's trampling on it! It's humiliating it!

According to past practice, at this very moment, the censors of the Censorate should have swarmed out like sharks smelling blood.

However, no.

Nothing at all.

The entire Hall of Supreme Harmony was deathly silent.

Everyone was like a duck with its neck choked, mouths agape but unable to utter a sound.

Qian Longxi lowered his head even further, his hands, hidden beneath his loose court robes, clenched into tight fists.

The emperor was practically demonstrating his power.

In Shanxi and in Jiangnan, he told the court officials that he could kill whomever he wanted.

This time, in the capital, he told all the officials that he could use whomever he wanted!

Rules? Ancestral traditions?
It is worthless before a bloodstained blade.

Who dares to stand up and oppose this at this moment?

Object? Sure.

The officials could almost imagine what the man on the dragon throne would say. He wouldn't even get angry; he would just look at you with the calm gaze one would give a dead man, and then say, "Oh? You have a different opinion, sir? Then you must have a better strategy. In that case, you will go to Shaanxi yourself and share my burdens."

If you can turn the situation in Shaanxi around, the emperor will naturally reward you handsomely. But if you add fuel to the fire and make the situation even worse, many people in the hall swallowed hard. It won't just be your relatives in the capital who will thank you for your ability; your entire family back in your hometown will probably be grateful to you!
Thinking about this, everyone shuddered.

"My lords, does anyone have any objections?"

Zhu Youjian asked a question casually.

Still no one answered.

"Very well." Zhu Youjian nodded. "Since there are no objections, this matter is settled. The Ministry of War shall allocate 5,000 new troops from the Beijing Garrison, to be commanded by Commander Sun Yingyuan, to accompany Sun Chuanting to Shaanxi. The provisions along the way shall be jointly provided by the Ministry of Revenue and the Imperial Treasury, without fail!"

He appointed a governor and assigned him 5,000 imperial guards!

Qian Longxi closed his eyes.

The most shocking and unconventional personnel appointment in the history of the Ming Dynasty was successfully passed in such suffocating silence.

(End of this chapter)