Next, the confession of Fan Ji Money House owner Fan Yongzheng.

His confession also proved that Fan Fu, the shopkeeper of Fan Ji Bank, all of which were consistent. What was even more surprising was that when and what he said were all very clear. It was because the factory guards had mastered such specific details that Fan Fu, Fan Yongzheng and others, including other slaves, had to admit it.

The civil and military officials present had not had time to sigh, including Cao Huachun, the admiral of the East Factory, came out to read out the confessions they had in their hands one by one in public.

So, a line was connected, and through Fan Fu, the censor Liu Meicai was drawn; through Liu Meicai, two other censors, Yang Zhiqi and Liao Guolin; even more shocking was that Yang Sichang was also drawn.

It was obvious that the confession was read out here that none of these people could escape the guilt.

Although these things are indeed shocking, most civil and military officials are still a little dissatisfied with the crime of corruption.

Apart from the censor Liu Meicai, the other people's charges were more corruption and party struggles, but rather more precisely.

If such things are classified as a case of conspiracy of rebellion, many people are worried that after the Chongzhen Dynasty started this, will there be a charge of conspiracy of conspiracy at any time in the future?

Therefore, the Zuodu Censor Zhong Xu reported to the emperor: "Your Majesty, do you know if Yang Sichang confessed his guilt?"

Yang Sichang's confession has not been read out yet. His confession is naturally what all civil and military officials care about the most and is the top priority. Therefore, many officials followed suit and expressed their concern.

After hearing this, Emperor Chongzhen just nodded lightly and said to Cao Huachun: "Remember!"

"I obey the order!" After Cao Huachun bowed to receive the order, he began to read Yang Sichang's confession.

In his confession, he confessed to trying to overthrow Lu Xiangsheng, and Sun Chuanting was also the object of his desire to remove. At what time, including the original words he said, Yang Sichang couldn't even admit his guilt.

It was also from his confession that the Governor of Xuanda Chen Xinjia was involved.

However, even after hearing these confessions, the ministers were actually a little dissatisfied, because such things should not be too common in the court. Just say that the Chongzhen Dynasty was good, so many ministers and six ministers were removed and killed. Isn’t that person involved such party disputes behind it?

Other dynasties also have it. And they can believe that such things have existed in the past, now, and even in the future, there will definitely be some.

It is a good thing for the emperor to distinguish loyalty and treacherous and not to be a treacherous minister. For the false accusation minister, it doesn’t matter if he convicted him or her or died. Who made him or her unlucky? The party struggle failed!

But if the emperor wanted to characterize such a thing as a plot to rebel, this would be a serious crime of raiding the family and extermination of the clan. How many people could bear such consequences? At least at present, these civil and military officials all believed that the emperor was punished too heavily. The word "rebellion" was determined too willful. They had opinions on this kind of thing!

Emperor Chongzhen was on the imperial throne. When Cao Huachun or Li Ruolian were reading the confession, he was scanning every minister under him, and naturally noticed the change in their faces. He was expected and did not care about this.

Cao Huachun was still thinking about it. At this time, he thought about corruption such as Yang Sichang received. Afterwards, he naturally led to other bribery officials. The officials he read were not even thinking about the small number, and generally the amount was relatively large and the circumstances were relatively serious. And these people were obviously arrested. These things were like melons on a vine, following the clues and finding a large number of officials with serious corruption.

After reading this part of the confession, Cao Huachun turned to the confession of the other officials who were arrested. Among them, he naturally could not escape the most serious matter of buying and selling official positions in the officialdom. Therefore, the affairs of the former Minister of Personnel Tian Weijia were re-exposed.

When Cao Huachun came to this point, he was already dry and chanted. So Emperor Chongzhen interrupted and said, "The reason why I severely punished Tian Weijia and punished him for deceiving the king was not only because he deceived me, but also because he ruined the court's official position and used the court's official position as a tool for him to make money. Buying and selling official positions. Don't tell me that today's scholars can pay for official positions and then serve the country and the people? If there are people with such noble character, they should recommend it to me, and I will definitely use it!"

Speaking of this, he suddenly became stern and shouted loudly: "What is the current corruption in the Ming Dynasty? Judging from the corruption situation in the land I have mastered, is there any geese plucking their hair when they pass by?"

Faced with the emperor's anger, the civil and military officials below breathed a sigh of relief for some reason.

The emperor now admits it. In the final analysis, it is still corruption. This is what you said in person. Just turn around and say this. In this way, the charge of rebellion cannot be abused, right?

Corruption is corruption, and corruption is corruption, and it must not be confused!

When Emperor Chongzhen said that he was angry, he stood up from the imperial throne, his face full of anger, as if he wanted to choose someone to eat. He continued to shout sternly: "Now officials, whether in the local or in the court, whether civil officials or generals, only those with some power in their hands, defrauding the court taxes out of nothing. Are there any? You yourself say, how many people have done this by paying taxes according to the number of tax-free land acres? They all colluded to falsely report taxes and classified taxes as tax exemptions to avoid taxes. Is there any?"

The Ming Dynasty never said that as long as you become an official, all land taxes will be exempted, and there is no such thing as this. It is based on the grade level. However, in most cases, this limit is a decoration. Especially by the end of the Ming Dynasty, this situation was even more serious.

This is a chronic disease and it is impossible to cure all officials. However, it is still necessary to take it out and beat it.

Facing the emperor's anger, no one spoke.

"Is there any matter of exploitation and deduction? Is it just about military pay? After the imperial court allocates it, how many people will deduct it? When the military pay is given to the soldiers, there is a eleventh magnitude? There is also disaster relief money. When it comes to the local area, how many are really used for disaster relief? Tell me, are there such things? Are there many such things?"

All officials knew this well and no one opposed it.

"Also, are there any cases of collusion between internal and external forces? How many of the silver allocated by the court for procurement fell into the pockets of the court officials and local merchants after collusion with each other? Are there any such things? How many?"

It was still silent, but some officials looked at each other privately, with surprise in their eyes, as if surprised at how the emperor knew so many things?

"Arbitrary and willful officials regard the court's taxes on private property and put baskets at the yamen. They like to pay taxes but not to pay taxes. They use the court's taxes to win the reputation of their own love for the people. Are there many such officials? "

This kind of thing was more common in the Ming Dynasty and concentrated in the Jiangnan region. From the governor to the local area, there were such things. The example given by Emperor Chongzhen was a few of them, which had reached the point of being unscrupulous. Although other officials were not so obvious, they did a lot of similar things. That is, they used the interests of the court as bargaining chips to exchange for their own reputation.

"How much money has the officials who have sought out a clever name to plunder from the people? As far as I know, most of the money paid by the people is like this. The people eventually abandon their land and flee, and even take risks. Many of them are forced by such officials to seek endlessly. Are there many such officials? "

"Also, if you encounter something and have good things, you should favor relatives, friends and relatives, things that have no interests, or have to put in energy to solve, just shirking responsibility and making things difficult. Are there many such officials? "

“…”

Listening to Emperor Chongzhen listing detailed examples of corruption, the civil and military officials below were only silent. While surprised, they thought to themselves that they didn’t know which official submitted a secret report to the emperor. Otherwise, how could the emperor know about the various things in the local area in the capital?

Thinking of this, many people turned their attention to the prime minister Xue Guoguan who was standing in front. Obviously, they felt that most of them were Xue Manzi who stabbed these things.

However, at this time, many people were a little relieved about this. It is better to catch corruption than to catch corruption!

After Emperor Chongzhen summed up a bunch of examples of corruption, he shouted sternly and said: "You said, is this corruption in the officialdom necessary? If this kind of corruption continues, can the Ming Dynasty be protected?"

Hearing this, many people suddenly came to their senses. Could it be that the emperor thought that corruption would ruin the Ming Dynasty, so he was given a crime of corruption? What did the emperor say this? Wouldn't that say, if anyone is corrupt and a crime of corruption is over, wouldn't it be over?

Therefore, many people wanted to leave the list and correct the emperor's statement.

However, at this moment, Xue Guoguan took the lead and told Emperor Chongzhen: "Your Majesty, Taizu's imperial decree and the "Da Ming Law" revised by the previous emperors of all dynasties have provisions on the corruption of all officials. I believe that if corruption is corruption, it is the case that the crime is punished according to the law. There are too many corrupt people and the official atmosphere is corrupt, so the law is serious. If only those who violate the "Da Ming Law" will be punished, and one will be punished. In this way, I believe that the administration can be improved!"

Hearing this, many people couldn't help but look at Xue Guoguan with admiration. Today's sun actually came out from the west. The emperor's tyrant actually opposed the emperor's random charges and had to be convicted according to the "Law of the Ming Dynasty"! Rare, rare!

But when you look back, you think about it. You, Xue Guoguan, are also a minister. If you get evil in the emperor one day and you are detained for a crime of rebellion, wouldn’t it be a disaster to the nine clans?

Thinking of this, many officials came out one after another, all of them echoing Xue Guoguan's words. The general meaning is that one must be followed by the law, enforce the law strictly, and violations must be punished. As for the crime of randomly counting, especially the crime of treason, then it is not allowed.

Emperor Chongzhen seemed to be moved. After pondering for a moment, he nodded and said, "You are right. However, the Censorate, which is the inspector of all officials, is a severely affected area of ​​corruption. I want to rebuild the Censorate and strictly observe the supervision mechanism to prevent corruption in the officialdom. Is this possible?"

The officials who stayed behind cannot guarantee that they were not corruption, but the severity of their corruption is much lighter than those arrested. At this time, when they heard the emperor's words, they couldn't help but wonder in their minds: Rebuilding the Censorate? Serious supervision mechanism?

For a moment, they didn't know what the emperor wanted to do? But the corruption of the Censorate was indeed an indisputable fact. As long as they didn't talk about rebellion, everything else could be discussed.

So, a minister asked, how to build the law in the reconstruction of the Censorate and what is the serious law in the strict supervision mechanism?

In response to this, Emperor Chongzhen had been waiting for a long time and immediately said to them: "I want to expand the Censorate, not only in the capital and Yingtian Prefecture, but also in other provinces, at least to the level of the prefecture. The responsibilities of the local Censorate are to supervise local officials, strictly enforce the law, and to clean the local officialdom. Instead of sending temporary inspections to inspect the local area!"

This is to add power to the Censorate, and it is naturally unhappy for the officials under supervision. But at this time, the corruption of local officials has just been mentioned. If anyone opposes it, wouldn’t it feel like there is no silver here?

So, for a moment, no official said anything about this and responded silently.

However, the left censor of the Censorate is here. If he doesn't speak out, he will be scolded to death by the censor in the future. Besides, he is willing to increase the power of the Censorate, so he immediately made a comment: "Your Majesty's method is very wonderful, I'm sorry!"

The only few remaining Censorate Offices also followed suit. Although the momentum was a little less powerful, some people agreed one after another. Emperor Chongzhen nodded at this and looked at other officials and said, "What do you think? Or is there a better way to supervise me?"

Hearing this, the civil and military officials had not yet spoken, but the admiral of the East Factory Cao Huachun made a list and said, "Your Majesty, it is okay to supervise the local area by the factory guards."

The factory guards have much more power than the Censorate. Law enforcement is much more violent. As long as civil servants can choose, it is naturally impossible to choose the factory guards to supervise.

Therefore, after hearing Cao Huachun's words, other civil officials had to come out and agree with the measures to establish a local censorate.

"Okay, since that's the case, then this matter will be settled. Let's go back and take out a charter." Emperor Chongzhen looked at the Zuodu Censor and ordered him.

When Zhong Xu heard this, he quickly received the order and said, "I obey the order!"

It’s really unpredictable. In this blink of an eye, the censors who remained must have been promoted and have a much greater power.

But at this moment, the chief assistant Xue Guoguan suddenly reported: "Your Majesty, the Censorate was sent to the local area. I think it is not easy to hear the news anymore. One is that the place is far away and there is no time to reach the heavens to listen. Your Majesty's decision is not very convenient; the other is that if it is just a rumor and there is no evidence to investigate, it will have a great impact on the local area and will be unfavorable to the local stability!"

When the civil servants heard this, they were surprised again. This Xue Manzi, you can speak today!

So, many officials immediately stepped out and followed Xue Guoguan's point of view. Even if Zhong Yu proposed that the right to report the news was made by Taizu, he was criticized. This is not the case. Your Censorate has been restructured, and you still want to use the same trick, but there is no way!

Seeing the ministers below arguing, Emperor Chongzhen immediately decided to make a decision: "The right to report the news is indeed inconsistent with the Ming Dynasty's officialdom in the future, so it will be cancelled. However, I will send more personnel to the Censorate to make the local Censorate have the ability to investigate. In addition, allow the people to report in real names. Is that okay?"

When Zhong Xu heard this, you were indifferent to the authority of our Censorate. The emperor now has compensation. Without waiting for the ministers to speak, he premiered: "Your Majesty clearly understands it. I think it is feasible and I should be able to purify the local officialdom!"

When many officials heard this, they even asked the people to sue the officials. How could this be done?

In the past, of course, there might be cases of people suing officials, but they can only complain to higher-level officials. Generally speaking, such things are easy to deal with. But now they complain to the yamen that are in charge of officials. That is professional. People make a living by this, so why are they arrested and investigated?

Naturally, many people are not happy about this kind of thing. So Xue Guoguan started to steal the show again and took the lead in provoking: "Your Majesty, who can control the local censorship with such great power? If you do something freely, it will have a great impact on the local officialdom. What should you do?"

What he said once again attracted the support of other officials. One by one, he questioned the Censorate, and some even called the people to sue the officials, which was inappropriate.

In response to this, Emperor Chongzhen said with a serious face: "In the past, when Taizu, people could sue officials, and this was the ancestral system. I thought it was okay! As for the excessive power of the local censorate, it was not a big deal. Isn't there any factory guards? In the future, I will send them more to the local area to investigate the people's situation. If the local censor abuses its power, I can know."

"In addition, the local prisoner only has the power to supervise. Trials under the seventh rank will be tried by the provincial first-level three departments, and the provincial prisoner will be judging. If necessary, the factory guards will also be present to the scene to listen. As for the seventh rank, they will be escorted to Beijing and will be tried by the three courts in the capital. In this way, it can also be prevented from being too powerful in the local prisoner."

Speaking of this, Emperor Chongzhen suddenly raised his voice and said, "From now on, all corruption of officials will be handled in this way, can it be done?"

Before, these officials were still thinking about the series of things the emperor said, but when they heard this, they were stunned. The emperor meant that the corrupt officials arrested now would also deal with this? Didn’t follow the plot? That means that the emperor would not be labeled as a traitor, so everyone can rest assured?

When they thought about this, Xue Guoguan came out and said, "Your Majesty, will the corrupt officials who have been arrested now also follow this law?"

When they heard Xue Guoguan ask the questions in their minds, they all paid great attention to each other, staring at Emperor Chongzhen to see how he answered?

Emperor Chongzhen nodded and agreed to Xue Guoguan's statement. Everyone couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. So the ministers had no objection and decided on this matter.

Emperor Chongzhen's face also relaxed a little and said to everyone below: "Okay, there is a conclusion about corruption, Cao Qing, Li Qing?"

"I am here!" Cao Huachun immediately bowed and waited for the order.

"The last one is here!" Li Ruolian also ordered at the same time.

Emperor Chongzhen looked at them and said, "The corrupt officials were all transferred to the Ministry of Justice and handed over the files to the Censorate. You and others sent someone to the audience."

"Abide by the order!"

When the civil and military officials heard this, they thought the matter was over and they were all happy. They should be able to disperse the court. However, when they heard Emperor Chongzhen suddenly shouted coldly: "Now, let's talk about the case of rebellion again!"

"..." Hearing this, all the officials couldn't help but be stunned: Emperor, you are unreasonable!

Didn’t you just say that you didn’t follow the plan? Why did you come again?

Lin Yuji, Minister of Rites, immediately stepped out and reported to Emperor Chongzhen: "Your Majesty, hasn't it been concluded just now? Is corruption transferred from the Censorate to the Third Court to the Tribunal for Tribunal's Tribunal?"

"That's right!" Emperor Chongzhen nodded, "But those related to Shanxi merchants are plotting rebellion. Please listen!"

Hearing this, the civil and military officials were a little relieved. After all, they were only related to Shanxi merchants. But this is not appropriate. No matter what, Yang Sichang and others should not be rebellious, right?

Just looking at this, it seems that the emperor has no evidence to be released. Moreover, the emperor seems to be very confident in this way.

Thinking that the emperor said things just now were organized and did not feel like he was messing around. So they were a little curious and wanted to see what evidence the emperor had to prove that they were treasonists!

Calling God Say

Recommended votes start from the opening of the book, be kind!
Chapter completed!