Zhu Yunwen was a little troubled today and was absent-minded in doing things. Zhu Yuanzhang looked at his grandson and guessed that he was angry in the East Palace. Of course the concubine would not dare, it must be the concubine Lu. Could it be that he mentioned the addition of concubines last time? Sun Tzu was resolute last time. Lu should not be so short-sighted. What could it be
Zhu Yunwen didn't notice Zhu Yuanzhang's probing gaze. He looked at the memorial in front of him and tried to concentrate, but his mother's words kept lingering in his ears: "How do you go to see your father? How do you go to see the Buddha and Bodhisattvas?"
Why? If a temple imposes taxes, does it offend Buddhas and Bodhisattvas? What does it have to do with his father? Zhu Yunwen shook his head, getting rid of the image of his mother's anger and reproach in his mind.
However, the emperor's grandfather also disapproved of this matter. Why? People all over the world are paying taxes, how can monasteries be completely exempt from taxes? Even if the tax exemption is limited to five acres per monk, it is still much better than that of the common people. If monasteries were allowed to be exempted from taxes, many wealthy households would try to put their property in the name of monasteries or even build monasteries ingeniously. In the long run, the tax revenue of the Ming Dynasty would be greatly affected. Zhu Yunwen thought about it and decided to move forward with the matter.
Today, Concubine Sun is going to meet Wen Kui. Zhu Yunwen and Ma Shuyi brought their sons to the palace to meet the concubine early in the morning. Concubine Sun likes Wen Kui so much that she has to leave mother and son behind. Zhu Yunwen simply went to the Provincial Gong Hall by himself, but while he was at his desk preparing the notes, he kept thinking about his mother's words.
One was trying to calm down, the other was observing and exploring. Wang Zhi bowed and brought in another pile of memorials, first placing them in front of Zhu Yunwen. Without raising his head, Zhu Yunwen continued to write rapidly, drafting one letter after another. After a while, he said to Wang Zhi, "Please bring these to the Holy One."
Wang Zhi responded and handed the memorial prepared by Zhu Yunwen to Zhu Yuanzhang. Zhu Yuanzhang read through it quickly and nodded frequently. Zhu Yunwen has indeed grown up, and these matters are handled appropriately, which is in line with Zhu Yuanzhang's wishes. Zhu Yuanzhang looked at his grandson and couldn't help stroking his beard and smiling.
At this time, Zhu Yunwen frowned, as if he didn't know how to write. Zhu Yuanzhang observed quietly for a while. Seeing that Zhu Yunwen still didn't move, he asked, "What's the matter?"
Zhu Yunwen hesitated for a moment and said softly: "Last time, Zhou Bai, the prefect of Datong, submitted a memorial to accuse Uncle Wang of killing people, collecting materials, and serving soldiers and civilians. My grandson asked him to find out and report back. This is the detailed memorial he reported again."
Zhu Yuanzhang's face changed slightly, and two words popped out of the corner of his mouth: "How?"
Zhu Yunwen said slowly: "On behalf of Uncle Wang, a total of 566 local farmers were forcibly recruited as migrant workers. They have been building a screen wall in front of the palace for nearly four months. This is the list of these farmers. Zhou Bai also reported to Uncle Wang. Most of the unpaid wages were directly captured by the royal soldiers."
Zhu Yuanzhang snorted coldly, his face turned pale, and he didn't speak for a long time.
The official system of the Ming Dynasty itself was rigorous and hierarchical, with clear powers and detailed laws. Zhu Yuanzhang also had inspectors and imperial guards as spies, so he was one of the strongest centralized emperors in history. At the same time, Zhu Yuanzhang was the most honest emperor in Chinese history and the one who hated corruption the most.
In the second year of Hongwu's reign, Zhu Yuanzhang promulgated the most severe anti-corruption law in history. How severe was it? Embezzled sixty taels of silver, kill! Even in the early Ming Dynasty, sixty taels of silver was not a big amount, and it would lead to the death penalty.
At the same time, Zhu Yuanzhang personally compiled the "A Brief Record of Awakening Corruption", which clearly stipulated the means of dealing with corrupt officials, and it was widely publicized across the country. A relatively unique system was also designed that allows the people to send unjust officials to court, that is, to allow the people to supervise the officials. If they cheat and bend the law when collecting taxes and grains and showdowns, the people can directly send the officials to petition! I don’t know whether there will be no one since, but it is certain that there will be no one before. Moreover, a special "grievance drum" was set up outside the Meridian Gate of Yingtianfu Palace, and people could even beat the drum to complain to the emperor. These systems all reflect Zhu Yuanzhang's determination and intensity in purging officials.
In this way, since the early years of Hongwu, the imperial court has carried out a large-scale purge of corrupt officials and traitors across the country, and vigorously commended honest officials and followed the officials, using both rewards and punishments. Zhu Yuanzhang once proudly vowed to "kill all corrupt officials", but what are the actual results? As expected, six large-scale anti-corruption campaigns killed approximately 150,000 officials. You read that right, 150,000! At its most serious, all 13 provinces across the country, from county magistrates to prefects, without officials, were killed. It is said that when officials leave home in the morning, they often hug and cry with their families because they don’t know whether they can come back in the evening.
This emperor who was a model worker himself and strictly required all officials in the country to be honest and honest. Now he heard that his son, the thirteenth son of King Zhu Gui, was proficient in killing people and was good at serving the army and the people, numbering 566!
Zhu Yunwen and Wang Zhi looked at Zhu Yuanzhang together, worried. How to deal with it? Will His Majesty the Emperor treat his son like other corrupt officials
In the early Ming Dynasty, the royal family members enjoyed great privileges, and local vassal kings were superior to local officials and even courtiers. In the 20th year of Hongwu's reign, Zhu Yuanzhang specially informed the officials at Fengtianmen, emphasizing again that except for treason, all other crimes committed by the emperor would be reported to the emperor for judgment by the clan meeting, and the relevant departments could only report and not arrest without authorization. This situation did not change until after Yongle, when the imperial court's management of the clan became increasingly strict.
But I saw Zhu Yuanzhang's face was livid. At first, his face was full of anger, and then slowly turned into depression, sadness, helplessness, and fatigue. After a while, he said slowly: "I have decreed that the acting king come to Beijing to see me."
Zhu Yunwen agreed: "Yes! What about these more than 500 migrant workers?"
Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand: "He is a wise man, so he will disperse on his own. If you don't know what's true, you don't have to go back after entering Beijing, and the migrant workers will naturally disperse."
Zhu Yunwen hesitated and asked: "The Chinese New Year is about to come, should we just let Uncle Dai Wang disperse? We can also let these farmers go home to celebrate the New Year."
Zhu Yuanzhang knew that he was benevolent, but he was still afraid that the king would not let these migrant workers go. It was the benevolence of the king that should not be let down. He smiled and said: "Okay, then let him pay the wages and disperse these people."
Zhu Yunwen breathed a sigh of relief: "Thank you, Your Majesty!" He quickly picked up his pen.
Zhu Yuanzhang thought for a moment and then added: "The Chinese New Year is coming soon. If Lao Shisan can't make it to Beijing like this, let him celebrate the Chinese New Year at home and then set off."
Zhu Yunwen responded, thinking that his grandfather was still soft-hearted after all. When he met these uncles, he would handle everything differently. He hesitated and asked: "Your Majesty, Uncle King Qi is suppressing Japanese pirates in Shandong. Here are two memorials to Uncle King Qi for disturbing the people. Is it okay for my grandson to report the details?"
Zhu Yuanzhang snorted and said angrily: "Give Lao Qi my order again and let him calm down!" He looked sideways at Zhu Yunwen and asked: "Which of the kings has something to do?"
Zhu Yunwen answered honestly: "There are also Uncle Zhou Wang and Uncle Min Wang. There are no others."
Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't help but sigh: "These two also passed on my decree and ordered you to be careful not to do it again!"
Just as Zhu Yunwen was about to speak, there was a burst of children's laughter at the door. Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly smiled and waved: "Wen Kui? Come in! Come in!"
A small figure staggered in and ran towards Zhu Yuanzhang with a giggle, shouting inarticulately: "Grandpa, Mrs. Huang". It was Zhu Wenkui, Zhu Yunwen's son.
Zhu Yuanzhang's face almost melted. He picked up his great-grandson and kissed him fiercely. Zhu Wenkui smiled and played with Zhu Yuanzhang's beard.
Zhu Yunwen frowned and looked at the door. Sure enough, Ma Shuyi stood timidly at the door, looking around. When she saw Zhu Yunwen looking at her, she hurriedly walked in and explained: "Wen Kui is making a fuss about asking for Grandpa. The imperial concubine is exhausted, so let's Eunuch Cheng brought us here." Sure enough, there was Concubine Sun's personal eunuch Cheng Ping standing behind him. Zhu Yunwen nodded and said hello to Cheng Ping: "I'm sorry to trouble you, father-in-law."
Cheng Ping quickly saluted: "Your Highness, you are polite, I should do what I should do."
Here Ma Shuyi also paid homage to Zhu Yuanzhang and asked cautiously: "Wen Kui is making trouble for his great grandfather. Isn't this making the emperor tired?"
Zhu Wenkui was sitting in Zhu Yuanzhang's arms, having a good time. Zhu Yuanzhang picked up the paperweight on the desk and handed it to him to play with without raising his head: "It's okay, you guys came just in time, I just miss Wenkui." While shouting outside: "Chengping, come in."
Cheng Ping hurriedly entered the hall and knelt down to salute: "I have seen the Holy One."
Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand: "Is your concubine okay these days?"
"Reporting to Your Majesty, your concubine is doing well these days."
"How is Concubine Guo Hui?" Zhu Yuanzhang asked, it was the biological mother of King Dai.
Cheng Ping was stunned and replied respectfully: "Concubine Guo Hui comes to pay her respects to the imperial concubine every day, and she seems to be doing well."
"Concubine, do you, Concubine Guo Hui, have any contact with the king?"
Cheng Ping knew something was wrong, so he answered carefully: "Did your Majesty say this month? Not yet, but the New Year is coming, and the King will definitely send New Year gifts every year in the twelfth lunar month."
"Oh? What are you sending?" Zhu Yuanzhang asked carefully.
Cheng Ping thought: "They are all Shanxi local products, rice, seasonings, cakes, Shanxi homespun cloth, oh, there were a few glazed ornaments last year."
"What kind of ornaments?"
Cheng Ping was a little nervous: "They are all very small. They are more than enough every year. They are rich peonies. These are placed on the table to make them happy. There is also a Buddha statue that the imperial concubine enshrines in the Buddhist hall."
Zhu Yuanzhang pondered for a moment: "This year's gift has arrived, come and tell me."
Cheng Ping agreed and retreated.
Ma Shuyi pointed to the two gold bracelets on Zhu Wenkui's wrists and said timidly: "These were given by the imperial concubine just now. My granddaughter-in-law didn't dare to ask for them. The imperial concubine said she specially prepared them for Wenkui."
Zhu Yuanzhang knew that he had frightened Ma Shuyi just now, so he looked at the gold bracelet with a smile: "My great-grandmother gave it to me, so just keep it. It's good for children to wear some gold. Don't be too careful, you two."
Zhu Wenkui was playing in Zhu Yuanzhang's arms. The two gold bracelets on his wrists were dazzling.
Zhu Yuanzhang asked again: "Is the money and food in the East Palace sufficient?" Ma Shuyi knew that Zhu Yunwen had always ignored this and asked directly.
Ma Shuyi hurriedly replied: "My mother is in charge of money and food, and my granddaughter-in-law spends it when she needs it. I have never heard that it is not enough."
Zhu Yunzhen's face turned a little red: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your concern. My grandson's family is fine."
Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Zhu Yunwen and asked: "Your mother didn't make things difficult for you? Is everything okay at home?"
Zhu Yunwen was a little hesitant, but it was a taboo for a concubine to interfere in politics, and he could not tell the emperor's mother to ask about the temple's tax increase. Zhu Yunwen was anxious, but he never made up lies. He said in a panic: "Mother is worried about Princess Yining of North Korea." He regretted it as soon as he said it. Ma Shuyi was still here, why did she mention Princess Yining? Could it be that I am thinking too much
Sure enough, Ma Shuyi's face changed slightly, but she didn't say much. She just watched Zhu Wenkui playing in Zhu Yuanzhang's arms and waited carefully beside the emperor.
Zhu Yuanzhang frowned and said, "What are you worried about again?"
Zhu Yunwen forced himself to make up the story: "She is a princess from a foreign country after all. My mother is worried about the language barrier and different habits. I don't know if we can get along well in the future." He looked at Ma Shuyi guiltily as he spoke.
Zhu Yuanzhang said: "This is too much to worry about. The previous North Korean memorial said that this Princess Yining is familiar with the culture of the Central Plains, and she should be able to speak Chinese." After a pause, he teased Zhu Wenkui, and then said: "It's a habit. , when you enter the East Palace, you have to abide by the rules of your East Palace. The Grand Concubine and the Crown Princess should be more careful, and there are noble concubines who are in charge of them. Can we let her break the rules alone? "
Zhu Yunwen nodded in agreement, and Ma Shuyi quickly agreed: "Don't worry, Your Majesty, my granddaughter-in-law will teach her as much as she can."
Seeing that he had been fooled, Zhu Yunwen secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but he also wondered why he mentioned Princess Yining. Is she so deeply ingrained in her heart