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

Chapter 145 Recite the crimes, arrest the people!
At Chenshi (7-9 AM), before dawn, Xi'an was like a giant beast that had just caught its breath in a nightmare, not yet fully awake.

But in front of the Shaanxi Provincial Administration Office, it was already a desolate hell on earth.

The open ground was filled with a dense, dark mass of people kneeling.

From the second-rank Left and Right Provincial Administration Commissioners, the third-rank Provincial Surveillance Commissioners, to the fourth-rank Prefect of Xi'an, and then to the Assistant Prefects, Sub-Prefects, and Judges below them, and even the Commanders and Thousand-Household Officers of various garrisons... all the civil and military officials of the seventh rank and above who had been summoned by imperial decree from Xi'an Prefecture and the surrounding prefectures, counties, and garrisons to rush there overnight, were now all prostrate on the ground in neat rows, like wheat that had been threshed by autumn frost.

No one dared to be absent, and no one dared to raise their head.

They trembled, not from the morning wind, but from the extreme fear of their unknown fate.

The stench of blood from yesterday's murder of the King of Qin seemed to have solidified in the air, transforming into invisible shackles that pierced the nostrils of each of them, tightly gripping their throats.

The main hall of the yamen was wide open, but there was no one inside.

The large sandalwood case, a symbol of the highest power in Shaanxi, now looked like a coffin ready to devour lives in the dim light.

Everyone knew where that overwhelming pressure, like a landslide or a tsunami, came from.

Time passes minute by minute.

Finally, amidst a series of uniform, rustling sounds, the person appeared.

There were no ceremonial guards, no whips, and no eunuch's piercing cry of "The Emperor has arrived!"

Zhu Youjian, the emperor of the Ming Dynasty, dressed in a black robe with a coiled dragon design, slowly walked out of the back hall, surrounded by a group of Jinyiwei guards wearing embroidered spring knives with "flying fish" patterns and whose expressions were colder than ice.

He walked to the top of the steps in front of the courtroom, and stood with his hands behind his back at the edge of the bluestone steps!

His gaze was like an ancient sword drawn from its sheath, stained with countless drops of blood, sweeping inch by inch over the kneeling heads below, those heads that were once high and mighty.

The emperor remained silent.

The entire process was completely silent.

In the open space in front of the government office, only the officials' suppressed breathing and the clicking of their teeth due to uncontrollable fear could be heard.

At this moment, they felt as if they were not meeting the supreme ruler, but rather awaiting the final judgment of Yama, the King of Hell, on the road to the underworld.

That extreme silence was more terrifying than any thunderous rage!

Sun Chuanting stood half a step behind the emperor. He considered himself to be as firm as a rock, but at this moment, feeling the immense pressure emanating from the young emperor who regarded all the officials in the world as nothing, his heart was also filled with turbulent waves.

This is the true majesty of the emperor. Without a word or a glance, he can command the submission of all officials, leaving them utterly despondent!
……

Finally, the suffocating silence was broken by a calm, even voice.

"Li Ruolian".

Zhu Youjian spoke.

"Chen is here!"

Li Ruolian, the deputy commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, stepped forward from behind the emperor, holding a thick scroll that resembled a classic book. He knelt on one knee and spoke in a booming voice.

Zhu Youjian's gaze remained fixed straight ahead, as if looking at the distant, hazy horizon.

"According to the list I approved last night," his voice was completely flat, "list the crimes and arrest them!"

"According to the order!"

Li Ruolian suddenly stood up, opened the dossier that had determined the fate of countless people, and his voice at that moment transformed into a judgment from the underworld, cold and ruthless!
"Shi Zhen, Left Provincial Administration Commissioner of Shaanxi!"

Shi Zhen, who was kneeling in the front row, trembled violently and almost collapsed to the ground.

"Colluded with the Qin vassal state, they smuggled 300,000 shi of relief grain allocated by the imperial court! This resulted in the barren lands of Fengxiang and Hanzhong counties, with countless people starving to death! Their crimes are unforgivable!—Take them down!!"

Before he could finish speaking, two fierce-looking officers of the Imperial Guard pounced on him. One roughly ripped off Shi Zhen's official hat, while the other stuffed a rag into his mouth to stifle his desperate pleas for mercy. The two dragged him out of the crowd like a dead dog, using both hands to pull him along.

A suppressed gasp and commotion erupted in the square.

But Li Ruolian's voice did not pause at all; instead, it became even more powerful:
"Wen Rongji, the Prefect of Xi'an! He has allowed his servants to seize 1,200 hectares of farmland from the people over the past three years! Thirty-two of the original owners who resisted were beaten to death! His crimes are unforgivable!—Take him down!!"

Another sickening scraping sound of bones being dragged.

"Zhao Dehai, the magistrate of Chang'an County! In this time of national crisis, he dared to set up a checkpoint and extort money from refugees entering the city to save their lives! All the ill-gotten gains went into his own pocket! His crimes are unforgivable!—Take him down!!"

"Ma Dingzhao, the Deputy Commander of Shaanxi! Embezzling rations and pay, selling military equipment to bandits, causing a mutiny among the garrison soldiers, with over a hundred joining the rebels! His crimes are unforgivable!—Arrest him!!"

"..."

The execution-like roll call continues.

From Chen Shi (7-9 AM) to Si Shi (9-11 AM), and then to Wu Shi (11 AM-1 PM

On average, every fifteen minutes, a group of officials with ashen faces were dragged away from the dark mass of people.

The entire open space went from initial commotion, cries, and desperate pleas for mercy, to numbness, and finally to a deathly silence.

Those who remained kneeling could no longer distinguish whether the liquid streaming down their faces was sweat or tears. They simply knelt trembling, each time Li Ruolian uttered a new name, it felt as if their hearts were being squeezed hard.

When the clock struck Shenshi (3-5 PM), this long-running sentencing finally came to an end.

The ground, which had originally seemed impenetrable, was now sparsely populated, with less than half of the people kneeling remaining, while a total of ninety-seven officials had been dragged out!

……

Caishikou, Xi'an.

The place was already packed with people who had come after hearing the news.

Those disaster victims who had just eaten two bowls of porridge and whose faces had regained some color now had flames of revenge burning in their eyes.

When the nearly one hundred former "local officials" who had once lorded it over them and treated them like dirt were led to the execution platform, the crowd erupted in a deafening roar.

"Kill! Kill! Kill!"

The executioner raised his knife and struck.

One by one, heads rolled off the ground under the watchful eyes of countless people, their warm blood staining the yellow earth of Caishikou.

After a brief silence came an even more frenzied, thunderous cheer.

"Long live your Majesty!!"

"Long live the Ming Dynasty!!"

This outpouring of voices, a culmination of the most sincere emotions from tens of thousands of people, swept across the entire city of Xi'an like a hurricane soaring into the sky, and echoed back to the somber Provincial Administration Office.

This sound became the most undeniable background noise in this earth-shattering purge!

……

After the bloody cleanup ended, Zhu Youjian did not linger for a moment and turned to enter the inner hall.

Sun Chuanting, Li Ruolian, and two other young generals who had accompanied the emperor—Lu Xiang-sheng and Sun Ying-yuan—also immediately followed them inside.

As he entered the inner hall, Sun Chuanting glanced back. He saw that the officials who had survived by sheer luck had faces filled with relief at surviving a disaster, but even more so with a deep-seated bewilderment and worry.

With so many people killed, what will happen to the administration of Shaanxi? Who will take over? This huge power vacuum will only lead to even greater chaos than before!

This was not only their concern, but also a source of doubt in Sun Chuanting's mind. Inside the hall, Zhu Youjian casually sat down in a grand chair, his gaze calmly sweeping over Sun Chuanting and the three men behind him who also had solemn expressions.

The emperor seemed to see through everyone's thoughts and spoke calmly:

"Sun Chuanting, do you also think that I killed too quickly and too ruthlessly, causing the Shaanxi officialdom to fall into disarray overnight, leaving no one capable of serving?"

This question is direct, sharp, and leaves no room for negotiation.

Sun Chuanting's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately bowed and clasped his hands, saying, "Your Majesty has used swift and decisive measures to rid the people of this scourge, and I admire you greatly! However... Shaanxi's administration is complex and multifaceted, and with so many important positions suddenly vacant, I... I am foolish and do not know how to quickly fill them to fulfill Your Majesty's wishes and appease the local people."

Instead of hypocritically praising the achievements, he frankly expressed his concerns.

Zhu Youjian nodded, seemingly quite satisfied with Sun Chuanting's frankness. He turned his head slightly and said to a young eunuch standing beside him, "Summon him."

The young eunuch bowed respectfully, strode to the inner hall entrance, and raised his voice, a high-pitched sound piercing the silence within:

"By imperial decree: Summon Censor Song Zhixue and Ministry of Revenue Principal Chen Shi to an audience!"

As soon as the words were spoken, Sun Chuanting and the others were all intrigued. Two middle-aged men who had been waiting outside the hall straightened their clothes and stepped in. One was dressed in the blue robes of an imperial censor, and the other was dressed as a sixth-rank clerk. Both men had capable expressions and steady steps.

The two walked into the hall and performed the three kneelings and nine kowtows ceremony before Zhu Youjian.

Zhu Youjian looked at the two kneeling on the ground and spoke again, this time with the composure of a mastermind and the calmness of someone in complete control.

"This is my first card."

"These two men were brought here by me from the capital. One is Song Zhixue, the Censor, and the other is Chen Shi, the Principal of the Ministry of Revenue. They accompanied me on this journey in secret and witnessed the human tragedy in Shaanxi firsthand. They have their own understanding of the situation."

By imperial decree, Song Zhixue shall immediately assume the post of "Inspector General of Shaanxi," bearing my imperial edict to supervise all officials on my behalf, and also possessing the authority to execute first and report later!

Chen Shi served as the "Fiscal Officer of the Shaanxi Disaster Relief Administration," in charge of all the money, grain, gold, and silver confiscated from the Prince of Qin's residence. Any expenditure required his signature and seal before it could be used!
They are my eyes and ears, the schemers I've planted in Shaanxi!

As soon as he finished speaking, Lu Xiang-sheng and Sun Ying-yuan exchanged a glance. It turned out that His Majesty had been prepared all along.
Sun Chuanting composed himself and continued, "Your Majesty, the officials transferred here are new to Qin and unfamiliar with both local administration and the people's customs. If they are suddenly put in charge, I fear there will be many obstacles and difficulties in implementing their duties..."

"I know."

Zhu Youjian's face remained calm, as if Sun Chuanting's words were merely confirmation of a scenario he had already mentally rehearsed countless times.

His eyes revealed a calm confidence as he continued, “Before coming to Shaanxi, I secretly ordered the Embroidered Uniform Guard to conduct undercover investigations in Shanxi and Henan provinces of a group of county magistrates and sub-prefects who have good reputations and are capable, but who have been sidelined because they are not good at currying favor. Now, thirty-two of them have received my secret edict and are waiting for orders in the backyard.”

He paused, his gaze falling on Sun Chuanting with a hint of amusement: "Of these thirty-two people, eleven are your fellow townsmen or old acquaintances. Sun Chuanting, I've brought all your fellow townsmen and old friends to you. They have no connection with the local Shaanxi officialdom, so they're perfect for implementing the new policies without any obstacles. You should be able to use them with ease, right?"

Sun Chuanting's heart was struck hard once again!
He looked up abruptly, his eyes filled with disbelief and shock! This meant that while he was still worried about having no one to rely on, His Majesty had already prepared a ready-made, reliable, and even tailor-made governing team for him!
What a far-sighted plan this is!
Standing to the side, Li Ruolian nodded slightly. He had been involved in the entire matter and, having witnessed the vast network of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, he knew all too well the difficulties and secrets involved. He could better appreciate just how meticulous and shrewd this young emperor was.

But Zhu Youjian seemed to think that this was not enough. He looked at the surviving officials kneeling on the ground outside the hall, who were as if they had been granted a pardon but were also filled with anxiety. His voice turned cold again.

"What comes from abroad is the bone, what comes from the locals is the flesh. Only when bones and flesh are connected can a person become a person."

"Sun Chuanting, I order you to immediately establish a temporary Ministry of Personnel within the Provincial Administration Commission and set up a secret reporting office!"

"Let those minor officials and clerks who haven't been purged today write it! Let those retired gentlemen who still have a reputation for integrity write it too! Let them recommend themselves, let them expose wrongdoing, let them offer suggestions! Whoever has the ability and can get things done should be promoted exceptionally and immediately appointed as acting county magistrate!"

"As for those whose crimes are not serious and who are willing to atone for their own mistakes by taking the sins of others," a cold glint flashed in Zhu Youjian's eyes, "let them hand over all the secrets they know, write down their crimes, and sign them as proof. I may grant them leniency and let them serve as advisors without real power, so that they can continue to contribute their remaining energy in Shaanxi."

Sun Chuanting's breath hitched.

Kill some, recruit some, and use some!
With this approach, the old, deeply entrenched power of officials and gentry will be shattered and disintegrated! And a new team, with elite outsiders as its backbone, locally promoted new talents as its flesh and blood, and those exiled officials who hold evidence of others' crimes as a check, will rise from this ruin at the fastest speed!

Sun Chuanting took a deep breath, as if trying to inhale all the air in the inner room to calm his wildly beating heart.

Even so, Lu Xiang-sheng, a young general known for his bravery and courage, couldn't help but step forward, clasp his hands, and boldly offer his advice: "Your Majesty, the vacancies in civil officials may be filled in this way. However... the security of each county, the resettlement of displaced people, the conscription after autumn, and the land reclamation in spring all require a large number of people. These assistant civil officials who come from clerical backgrounds may not be good at this. If there are no strong people to implement them, I'm afraid the government's orders will not even leave Xi'an Prefecture."

Lu Xiang-sheng's words highlighted the most important implementation challenge.

To everyone's surprise, the emperor did not show any obvious emotional fluctuations, and the inner hall was slightly quiet.

After a moment, Zhu Youjian slowly spoke: "You spoke very well."

Then, he strode to the huge Shaanxi map hanging on the wall. His calm eyes seemed to be gathering a storm as he stared intently at the ravaged land.

The emperor, still with his back to the crowd, spoke with a resounding voice: "This is precisely where I must break the deadlock! It is precisely because it is difficult that I must resort to swift and decisive measures!"

He suddenly turned around, his gaze sweeping across the crowd like lightning.

"I want to establish a new rule in Shaanxi that is unprecedented and unheard of!"
"Among the eight thousand elite soldiers of the Beijing Garrison, many are literate, resourceful, and brave. I don't care whether they were previously a captain, a junior officer, or even just a common soldier! Those who have made great contributions in this campaign to suppress bandits, protect grain, and provide disaster relief shall be immediately granted the positions of county lieutenant or patrol inspector!"

"If someone has great talent and can stand alone, they can even become an acting county magistrate, holding both military and political positions!"

He looked around at the crowd, his voice suddenly rising:

"If scholars can't govern, then let military men govern! What I want is not empty rhetoric and moralistic pronouncements, but results! Whoever can ensure the people have food to eat and keep the region from descending into chaos, I will employ!"

Upon hearing this, a burning light instantly shone in the eyes of the two military generals, Lu Xiang-sheng and Sun Ying-yuan!

However, this is not the end.

Zhu Youjian's voice became incredibly solemn, as if announcing the arrival of a new era.

"Furthermore, we should recruit talents without being bound by conventional standards!"

"Issue my decree for recommending talents! Distribute it throughout Shaanxi Province under the name of a supplement to the *Da Ming Yue Bao*! Proclaim it to the people of this land:"

"Regardless of whether one is a scholar, farmer, artisan, or merchant, and regardless of one's background or past, anyone with ability may recommend themselves to the 'Secret Reporting Office'!"

"Those who can develop water conservancy and repair ditches will be appointed as 'Chief Water Officials' by me!"

"Those who can reclaim wasteland and cultivate new crops will be appointed as 'military agricultural commissioners'!"

"Anyone who can organize local militia, suppress bandits, and protect the people and the borders shall be appointed as the 'Chief of Local Militia'!"

"Once employed, you will be immediately appointed! Those who achieve great merit will be generously rewarded with titles and honors for their wives and children, bringing glory to their ancestors!"

When the last word was uttered, the entire inner hall fell silent.

Sun Chuanting, Li Ruolian, Lu Xiangshan, and Sun Yingyuan, these four civil and military elites of the Ming Dynasty, were completely stunned at this moment, with only one thought echoing in their minds:

Not only is it unheard of, it's downright heretical!
The Emperor is... he is going to tear open a huge hole in the imperial examination system, which has been the foundation of the Ming Dynasty for more than two hundred years, right here in Shaanxi!

What a spirit! What ambition! What a resolute determination to burn one's bridges and disregard everything!

After a brief silence, the four of them seemed to be simultaneously overwhelmed by an invisible force, and they all knelt down on the ground.

"Your Majesty is wise! We... are willing to serve as Your Majesty's vanguard, to create this unparalleled achievement! We would gladly die a thousand deaths!!"

A moment later, he slowly stepped forward and personally helped Sun Chuanting up.

The emperor's movements were gentle, but his gaze had already passed over everyone's heads and landed once again on the huge map.

His gaze fell upon the barren and vast loess land of northern Shaanxi. In his eyes, it was not a lifeless land, but countless dry tinder waiting to be ignited, the source of a raging fire!

This time, what Sun Chuanting, Lu Xiangsheng, and the others saw was a face that appeared indifferent due to extreme focus. It was the ruthlessness of an emperor who held the fate of countless lives in his hands and weighed the pros and cons repeatedly!
Sun Chuanting bit his lower lip tightly. He felt that the young emperor's heart had soared to a height that he could never reach.

He felt that he had vaguely grasped some of the emperor's thoughts—what he wanted to use this decadent land of Shaanxi to completely shatter was not just an old rule, but the ironclad rules for material selection that had lasted for hundreds of years!

Sun Chuanting suddenly realized that in the emperor's eyes, a person's background, achievements, and seniority were no longer the sole criteria. Recruiting talent without being bound by convention! This was the emperor's true intention! He didn't even care whether you passed the imperial examinations; as long as you could truly get things done, you were someone the emperor wanted to use!

This thought sent a jolt through Sun Chuanting! He was almost certain—

Once this new method of personnel management proves successful in Shaanxi, the emperor may extend it to Shanxi, Henan, and the entire Nine Garrisons, eventually covering every corner of the Ming Dynasty!
At that time, it will no longer be a scheme hidden in one's sleeve, but will be held in the hands of the emperor to sweep away internal and external troubles and rebuild this broken land—the sharpest and most reliable sword of benevolent rule!
　The rest will have to wait until tonight.
　　
　
(End of this chapter)