The Ming Dynasty: The opening scene features Zhu Di angrily accusing him of illegitimate succession.

Chapter 99 Lin Yue Goes to Henan for Disaster Relief? (Second Update at 6 PM)

Lin Yue carefully explained the orders to dismiss and interrogate the officials involved in the case, and instructed Shi Jin to keep a close watch on the Green Gang's serious criminals and those involved in the case. Only then did he straighten his official robes and head towards the palace.

The locust plague in Henan is urgent, and Lin Yue, the most ruthless censor in the Ming Dynasty, is experiencing a surge of bloodlust!

As soon as Lin Yue stepped out of the vermilion gate of the Yingtian Prefecture, a deafening commotion made him stop in his tracks.

The sound of gongs and drums echoed through the streets and alleys, and several stacks of firecrackers were even hung on the old locust tree in front of the government office.

Upon seeing Lin Yue emerge, someone immediately set off firecrackers.

The air was filled with the sounds of gongs and drums, and the smell of sulfur created a festive atmosphere.

Lin Yue was stunned, staring blankly at the sea of ​​people before her.

What's going on? Is someone having a wedding today?

The crowd was packed so tightly that it was impossible to move, and everyone had a genuine smile on their face as they looked at Lin Yue with admiration.

Someone shouted first, and the crowd instantly erupted in cheers, "Lin Qingtian! Lin Qingtian is out!"

"Lord Lin taught those barbarians a lesson, and the banks of the Qinhuai River are finally peaceful again!"

"The other day those people from Liaodong robbed my vegetable basket. The government didn't dare to do anything about it, but thanks to the adults, they stood up for us!"

"Back when Li Long was arrested, we neighbors all knew he was an honest man, but the officials insisted he was the murderer, and no one dared to speak up. It was only thanks to the officials that the case was overturned and his innocence was restored!"

Lin Yue listened intently and finally managed to make sense of things from the noisy voices.

It turned out that news of his punishment of the Liaodong envoy, his intention to provide disaster relief in Henan, and his exoneration of Li Long had already spread throughout Nanjing.

In addition, his previous achievements in controlling floods in Jiangnan, dredging waterways, building dikes and reinforcing banks, and saving countless people from floods, made the people grateful for his advocacy and hatred of evil. They spontaneously gathered in front of the Yingtian Prefecture government office to express their gratitude to him.

For ordinary people, it's a rare opportunity to have a good official who hates evil, so they must be extremely grateful, fully and comprehensively thankful.

Looking at the people around him, Lin Yue felt an indescribable emotion welling up in his heart.

He was merely doing his duty, yet he received such profound courtesy from the people.

What the people of the world ask for is so simple: nothing more than fair and just justice. But how many officials throughout history have truly been able to do just that?

Perhaps Zhu Yuanzhang could be considered one, but he was too lenient with his relatives and friends, and compared to the feudal bureaucrats of the Ming Dynasty, he didn't make much progress.

Lin Yue cupped his hands in greeting and said loudly, "Fellow villagers! You are all too kind to me. I was merely doing my duty; it's nothing to boast about!"

"Lin Qingtian has done so many good deeds, how could he not deserve our gratitude?"

"I heard that Henan has been hit by a massive locust plague, and all the crops have been devoured. Lord Lin is going to personally go and provide disaster relief; this is to save the lives of the people of Henan!"

An elderly woman choked up as she said, "My family is from Henan. I heard news from there a few days ago that some people are already eating tree bark!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Yue unconsciously walked into the crowd. The people stepped back and carefully made way for him, afraid of offending this good official who was in charge of the people.

Lin Yue immediately shouted, "Why are you all turning away from me, folks? My family has always been the sons of farmers. I have often heard my father say that an official should serve the people. Don't be afraid, folks, come closer and talk to me more."

Seeing that the crowd was still keeping a safe distance from him, Lin Yue didn't care anymore and took the initiative.

The light fell on an old farmer with white hair and beard, dressed in short clothes.

Lin Yue quickly stepped forward, helped the old farmer up, and said, "Old man, is there any injustice in your family? Or are you in any difficulty that requires the court's assistance?"

Although I am currently in charge of all affairs in Yingtian Prefecture, I will absolutely do my best to help.

The old farmer was shocked and tried to kneel down and kowtow.

Fortunately, Lin Yue reacted quickly and grabbed the person in one go.

Lin Yue almost lifted the old farmer off the ground with both hands: "Old man, there's no need for such formalities. You are the elder, and I am the junior. How can an elder bow so deeply to a junior?"

Tell me what difficulties you are facing. When I passed the imperial examination, I was determined to relieve the people's worries and troubles.

The old farmer was deeply shocked by what he heard. He looked at Lin Yue's face repeatedly, and only after confirming it did he humbly speak.

"Lord Lin, I dare not trouble you! I am already deeply grateful for your redress of Li Long's grievances, your teaching those barbarians a lesson, and your efforts to control the floods in Jiangnan!"

He raised his head, his face deeply lined, a glimmer of hope in his eyes: "There is one thing I really want to say."

As he spoke, the old farmer tried to kneel down and kowtow again.

Lin Yue hurriedly stepped forward to help him up, tightly grasped the old man's rough hands, and said gently.

"Old man, get up! Tell me slowly. I'll do whatever I can to help!"

The old farmer stood up and said shakily, "I am a farmer from Jiangning. I have a few acres of poor land. A few years ago, the village head forcibly seized two acres of it under the pretext of expanding the imperial estate. Later, the imperial estate said that it would be returned, but they insisted that it was not my land."

Later, when it was my turn to be the head of the household, I was asked to pay the taxes owed. My family didn't have much land left, and rice and wheat were expensive. As a commoner, I simply couldn't afford to pay!

He pulled a land deed from his pocket: "This is my land deed. The land in Jiangning is truly mine."

The Lijia system consisted of 10 households forming a Jia and 110 households forming a Li. The Lijia chief and Jia head took turns serving as the head of the Lijia, responsible for collecting taxes and maintaining order. In reality, they often had to advance taxes on behalf of the farmers, which often led to poverty for many farmers.

Lin Yue took the land deed, glanced at it a few times, and said in a deep voice, "Don't worry, sir, I've got this in mind!"

"There are instances of illegal occupation of farmland and excessive taxation in Jiangning County. I will send someone to investigate within three days and will ensure that the land is returned to you. I will also conduct a thorough review of the county's taxes to ensure that the people are no longer subjected to this exploitation!"

The old farmer was overjoyed upon hearing this and repeatedly expressed his gratitude: "Thank you so much, Lord Lin! You are truly a living bodhisattva!"

Lin Yue then approached a woman holding a child. The woman had a sallow complexion and wore thin clothes. The child in her arms was skin and bones and was crying incessantly.

"Madam, is there some difficulty at home?"

Tears streaming down her face, the woman choked out, "Lord Lin, my husband was a courier. Last year, he argued with the postmaster because he couldn't bear the extortion, and was falsely accused of stealing a post horse and imprisoned. His fate is still unknown!"

She pulled a petition from her bosom: "This humble woman went to the county government to file a complaint, but was driven out by the gatekeeper. She went to the provincial judicial commission to submit her petition, but no one accepted it. She had no choice but to come to Lord Lin!"

Lin Yue frowned, recalling the "assigned household service" system in the early Ming Dynasty. The postal service was originally a rotating system, but now it had become a lifelong drudgery. It was already a common problem for postmasters to extort money by taking advantage of their positions.

Sigh, Zhu Yuanzhang has only been dead for a few years, and this is still the (South) Zhili region, and it has already deteriorated to this extent.

Lin Yue took the petition and spoke earnestly to the woman.

"I have noted this matter. Within three days, I will send people to investigate the post station and interrogate those involved. If your husband is indeed innocent, I will certainly exonerate him and restore his innocence!"

The woman repeatedly expressed her gratitude: "Thank you, Lord Lin! Thank you, Lord Lin!"

Lin Yue greeted the people one by one, sometimes stopping to listen to the merchants' complaints about the harsh conditions at the checkpoints, sometimes asking the old farmers about the dilapidated water conservancy facilities, and sometimes comforting the men burdened by the corvée labor, saying, "The customs office in Jiangning County takes 30% of the goods every time you pass through. Small businesses really can't survive!"

"The tributary of the Qinhuai River has been in disrepair for years. Last year, during the flood season, it destroyed more than ten acres of farmland, and now no one cares. That land is my entire fortune."

"The village head forcibly assigned menial labor, leaving our land fallow, and we were still forced to bring our own rations for the service!"

From land annexation and heavy taxes to official extortion and unequal corvée labor, each and every one of these issues concerned the people's livelihood. Lin Yue wrote down the people's demands one by one and promised to send someone to check them all in the near future.

The crowd was dense yet warm, and the hands of the people were rough yet strong. The simple Chinese people only wanted a peaceful land, a full stomach, and justice.

If you genuinely do things for them, everyone will genuinely speak up for you.

As Lin Yue was still immersing himself in the lives of ordinary people, a flurry of shouts arose from the periphery of the crowd: "Make way! Make way! The eunuchs from the palace have arrived!"

A young eunuch dressed in a blue palace gown and a jade belt was being swept along by the crowd, helplessly trying to squeeze his way in.

The eunuch was sent by Zhu Di to summon Lin Yue to the palace in Yingtian Prefecture. However, he was terrified by the scene before him as soon as he arrived at the government office.

A huge crowd blocked the government office, accompanied by the deafening sound of gongs and drums.

His first reaction was, "Oh no! Someone actually dares to gather a crowd and attack the government office in the capital?"

Upon closer inspection, he realized that the people were actually shouting "Lin Qingtian" and had no intention of causing trouble.

The young eunuch was deeply shocked. He had been in the palace for many years and had seen countless officials on tours, all of whom were surrounded by attendants and guards. The people avoided them like the plague, fearing that they would get into trouble. But he had never seen an official so beloved by the people that the streets were deserted as people came to express their gratitude.

It seems that this Prefect Lin is indeed a good official who cares about the people and gets things done. No wonder His Majesty values ​​him so much; he certainly has some ability.

With great effort and the help of the constables, the young eunuch finally managed to squeeze next to Lin Yue.

"Lord Lin, His Majesty has decreed that you must immediately enter the palace and proceed to the Wenhua Hall for a meeting!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Yue felt a chill run down his spine, realizing that Zhu Di must have summoned him because of the locust plague in Henan.

He turned to the crowd gathered around him, cupped his hands, and said, "Fellow villagers, His Majesty has summoned me to the palace, so I will come here first today."

I have noted down everything you have said and will resolve each issue one by one. I will never break my promise!

Before long, Lin Yue followed the eunuch to the outside of the Wenhua Hall.

Zhu Di sat upright on the throne, flanked by cabinet ministers Xie Jin, Yang Rong, Yang Shiqi, and others, all dressed in scholar's robes and holding memorials in their hands.

The only one missing was Yao Guangxiao, who usually accompanied Zhu Di. It is unknown why he was absent today.

As soon as Lin Yue stepped into the Wenhua Hall, before the eunuchs could finish their greetings, he strode into the hall and announced loudly, "Your Majesty! I have an urgent report regarding the locust plague in Henan!"

Everyone in the hall was stunned. Cabinet meetings always followed the rules. Was Lin Yue in such a hurry that he even skipped the step of bowing to His Majesty?

Before Zhu Di could speak, Lin Yue continued, "From Kaifeng to Nanyang in Henan, thousands of miles of fertile land have been afflicted by locust plagues. The locusts have covered the sky and eaten away all the crops. The people are digging up grass to eat and are suffering terribly!"

However, the officials of the Henan Provincial Administration Commission, the Provincial Surveillance Commission, and the prefectural and county officials colluded to conceal the disaster. Not only did they fail to open the granaries for relief, they also forcibly levied taxes. Those who complained were either imprisoned or severely beaten. The Office of Transmission also blocked the channels of communication!

Such acts of dereliction of duty and deception of the emperor must be severely punished; otherwise, how can others be expected to follow suit? How can the people of the land live in peace?

Lin Yue spoke forcefully and angrily, "Your Majesty, I humbly request that you grant me permission to go to Henan to oversee disaster relief efforts!"

Your Majesty, I will thoroughly investigate the officials involved, open the granaries to distribute grain, comfort the disaster victims, and restore justice to the people of Henan!

Upon hearing this, Zhu Di frowned slightly.

These words seem all too familiar; it seems that Lin Yue said something similar when he volunteered to go to Jiangnan for disaster relief.

Emperor Yongle raised his hand to politely decline: "Minister Lin, please be patient."

You have just recovered from a serious illness and your body is not yet fully healed, so it is not advisable to travel long distances or overexert yourself.

Moreover, you hold multiple positions, the administration of Yingtian Prefecture is complex, the shipbuilding at the Treasure Shipyard is related to coastal defense, and your subsequent mission to Korea is even more crucial to diplomatic relations. Your responsibilities are already extremely heavy; how can you possibly spare the time to go to Henan for disaster relief?

When Lin Yue was in charge of flood control in Jiangnan, he dared to kill corrupt officials at will, causing panic among the officials in Jiangnan.

The Central Plains region of Henan is far-reaching. If he were to go there, it would surely be a bloodbath, and he would probably slaughter everyone in sight. We absolutely cannot let Lin Yue go to provide disaster relief.

"Your Majesty is absolutely right!" Yang Rong stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Scholar Lin is a pillar of the nation, and the central government cannot function without him."

Although disaster relief in Henan is urgent, it requires reliable personnel. If Scholar Lin leaves the capital, matters concerning Yingtian Prefecture and the Treasure Shipyard may be affected.

Xie Jin also stepped forward and bowed, speaking earnestly and showering Lin Yue with compliments.

"Scholar Lin possessed exceptional wisdom and talent, capable of saving the world. In the Jiangnan region, he overcame public opposition to dredge waterways, saving millions of people from floods."

Now in charge of Yingtian Prefecture, he immediately redressed wrongful convictions, severely punished evildoers, and brought order to the bureaucracy. He also managed the affairs of the treasure shipyard in an orderly manner. Such practical and effective abilities are rarely matched in the court.

Scholar Lin is a pillar of strength whom His Majesty relies heavily on. He holds several positions, all of which are crucial to the foundation of the nation. His subsequent mission to Korea will require even greater reliance on his prestige to safeguard diplomatic relations.

Yang Shiqi added: "The mission to Korea has been underway for ten days. In recent years, Korea has maintained close ties with the Liaodong tribes, and we urgently need Scholar Lin to go and investigate. The disaster relief in Henan cannot be resolved in just a few days, so we can choose another capable person. Why must you go in person, Scholar Lin?"

The cabinet ministers shared the same thoughts as Zhu Di. Everyone knew of Lin Yue's ruthless methods in Jiangnan, where he had killed many corrupt officials. Henan was currently suffering from severe disasters, and if Lin Yue were to go there again, it would truly make life unbearable for officials.

Upon hearing this, Lin Yue also hesitated.

While it might be satisfying to kill corrupt officials in Henan, it seems even more satisfying to go to Jiangnan to strike a blow against Japanese pirates or to Liaodong to slaughter cannibalistic tribes.

Having understood this, Lin Yue bowed and said, "Your Majesty and the scholars are absolutely right. I have not thought things through. I am willing to follow Your Majesty's arrangements."

Seeing that he had relented, Zhu Di immediately smiled: "Minister Lin is very considerate of the overall situation, excellent."

Emperor Yongle thought for a moment and then asked Lin Yue, "In that case, Lin Yue, who do you think is the most suitable person to send to Henan for disaster relief?"

'

Upon hearing this, the cabinet ministers in the hall all looked surprised.

According to the regulations of the Ming Dynasty, the selection of imperial envoys was either through public recommendation at court or by important officials such as ministers and vice ministers. His Majesty's direct inquiry to Lin Yue demonstrates a rare level of trust and esteem.

Since Zhu Di had asked, Lin Yue didn't stand on ceremony and answered after a moment's thought...