My uncle is Zhu Di

Chapter 175 Zhu Di's Reprimand

In Yingtian Prefecture, most people had heard that Xu Qin's workshop had made a mirror that was said to be as white as silver and as bright as sunlight, but no one had seen it and had only heard about it. The news was also deliberately released by Mu Feng.

Of course Mu Feng and Shi Yue also had mirrors, but they lacked the biggest one compared to Li's group. The rest were the same.

It was already noon when Xu Qin returned to the mansion. He had lunch there and then went to the workshop. One reason was to monitor the production of mirrors and the other was to hope to make some glass products as soon as possible.

"Young Master, we have spread the news outside. I guess people in the capital are also very curious about your mirror." Mu Feng stood there and said to Xu Qin with a smile.

"Well, do you like it? Is it useful?" Xu Qin asked with a smile.

"It's very useful. When we get up in the morning and put on makeup, this mirror is much clearer than a bronze mirror. Moreover, we can hold it in our hands and use it to look at it. During the day, if our hair is messy, we can use the small mirror to look at it. Everything the young master makes is good. I like it." Mu Feng stood there and nodded.

"Well, keep spreading the news. Tomorrow you can let your servants take the mirror out to show off. Let people know that we in the Xu Mansion have such mirrors. Slowly, they will buy them." Xu Qin said with a smile.

"Yes, young master, young master, there have been people looking for you at home these days. They are all military generals. They probably want to arrange for their children to join the army. Some of them come to see the master, but the master doesn't see them. I guess he's in a difficult situation. Young master, you can go find the master." Mu Feng stood behind and said to Xu Qin.

Xu Qin heard it and turned to look at Mu Feng.

"The master is not convenient to show up, but those people are all his old subordinates. Now that the master has restored his title, although they still cannot leave the house, you, young master, will definitely be needed to lead troops into battle in the future." Mu Feng said simply, not daring to go into too much detail.

Xu Qin naturally understood what she meant and nodded to show that he understood.

After dinner, Xu Qin went to the front yard, but did not find his father in the study. After asking around, he learned that his father had gone to the construction site. Xu Qin walked towards his own construction site and saw his father standing under a big tree, watching the craftsmen building a house.

Nowadays, many houses have been built to a height of one person, and a large number of carpenters are working on them.

When building houses in ancient times, carpenters had a lot of work to do, including building roofs, placing beams, carving various window grilles, and making furniture, etc.

"Dad!" Xu Qin walked over, bowed and said.

"Bao'er, why are you here? Did you go to Duke Dingguo's mansion?" Xu Huizu said with a little surprise when he saw Xu Qin coming.

Xu Qin smiled and nodded, then continued, "Dad, I heard that some people are looking for you now, but you don't want to see them. Many of them are your old subordinates? Dad, if you need me to arrange something, just tell me. It's okay not to meet them, but I can still take care of your old subordinates. With so many military meritorious sons, I can still arrange some people for them."

After hearing this, Xu Huizu took out a piece of paper from his bosom, handed it to Xu Qin and said, "After reading it, find a place to burn it. These are your father's generals. They come to our house every year to pay tribute. They are also loyal and brave. Their children are not young anymore. If you have a chance, please make some arrangements. Try your best to arrange it. In recent years, their careers have not been smooth because of me."

"I understand, Dad!" Xu Qin took the paper and looked at it carefully. After reading it, he put it in his arms. Now is not the time to burn this.

"Go and do your own thing. Dad will stay here for a while." Xu Huizu waved his hand and said to Xu Qin. Xu Qin saluted to Xu Huizu and went out.

After leaving the house, Xu Qin went straight to his workshop outside the city.

Zhu Di felt very strange. From yesterday afternoon till now, the number of memorials impeaching Xu Qin had obviously decreased. Moreover, Xia Yuanji also submitted a memorial to plead for leniency for those arrested officials, hoping that he could be let off.

Zhu Di had no intention of letting those arrested officials go. According to the information provided by the third prince Zhao, the lowest amount of corruption among those arrested was 30,000 taels. The county magistrates were even more ruthless, with some of them embezzling more than 100,000 taels. Although only five county magistrates were arrested, the lowest amount was 50,000 taels.'

Zhu Di sat there stroking his beard. In front of him was the confession report from the interrogation by the Embroidered Uniform Guards. Zhu Gaosui was standing opposite him. He was quite happy because he helped his father make a lot of money this time. If he sold all the land, shops and houses, he would probably get at least four or five million taels.

Zhu Gaosui looked up at Zhu Di and found that Zhu Di was sitting there with a serious face. Zhu Gaosui immediately realized that something was wrong, but he couldn't figure out what exactly was wrong.

So he called out to Zhu Gaochi who was reviewing memorials next to him. Zhu Gaochi looked up at Zhu Gaosui. Zhu Gaosui gestured to Zhu Di, who immediately turned to look at Zhu Di, then looked at Zhu Gaosui and shook his head, indicating that he didn't understand either.

Zhu Gaosui immediately made a small gesture with his hands, signaling Zhu Gaochi to stand with him. Zhu Gaochi quickly waved his hands, saying he was joking, he didn't even have time to hide.

At this time, Zhu Di said, "Boss!"

"Hey, Dad!" When Zhu Gaochi heard Zhu Di calling him, he immediately stood up and walked towards the study. Zhu Gaosui held back his laughter. "Look at these memorials. They were made by the third brother. A total of 38 officials were arrested. After the property was confiscated, it is estimated that there are 4 to 5 million taels of debt." Zhu Di took the memorials and threw them on the table in front of him. Zhu Gaochi immediately went to take them.

Xie Jin and others in the Imperial Study were all staring at Zhu Di.

Zhu Gaochi picked up the memorial, opened it quickly, and after reading it, he put it down honestly and returned to the third brother.

"Tell me, why are they so bold? Huh? They have only been a county magistrate for a few years, but they have embezzled so much money. This money belongs to the people. Tell me, what will the local people think of us? Also, why is there no movement from the Censorate?" Zhu Di sat there, looking at Zhu Gaochi and asked.

"Dad, this, the Censorate will only investigate if someone impeaches. What's more, the people in the Censorate, as well as the Chief Censors in various places, are not aware of the integrity of every official, so it is normal for some to slip through the net." Zhu Gaochi immediately bowed and replied.

Zhu Di stroked his beard, looked at Zhu Gaochi and asked, "There are fish that slip through the net in the Censorate, and there are fish that slip through the net in the Jinyiwei? Are there so many fish that slip through the net? How do you let the people live? Huh?"

"Well, Father, I apologize. I will urge the Censorate to pay more attention to officials from all over the country." Zhu Gaochi immediately knelt down and said, and then he pulled Zhu Gaosui's trouser leg. Zhu Gaosui looked down at Zhu Gaochi, thought about it, and knelt down as well.

"Third brother, what should the Jinyiwei do?" Zhu Di asked Zhu Gaosui.

"Ah, Dad, don't worry, our Jinyiwei will definitely conduct a thorough investigation." Zhu Gaosui immediately expressed his opinion.

Zhu Di took the memorial on the table and asked Zhu Gaosui to throw it at him. Zhu Gaosui immediately dodged it, then lay down in fear and dared not move. All the people in the imperial study also stood up and knelt down.

"There are so many corrupt officials, and a county magistrate embezzled 100,000 taels? The Jinyiwei didn't notice it, and the Censorate didn't notice it either. Has the system of supervising officials in my Ming Dynasty been abolished? If so, what are you for? Why do I spend so much money every year to support you?" Zhu Di sat there and said lightly.

But the tone was very majestic and murderous.

"Dad, I have failed in my duty. When I go back, I will ask my subordinates to secretly investigate officials from all over the country." Zhu Gaosui lay there, saying anxiously.

"Also, are the provincial inspectors in various places just decorations? Are the prefects, the left and right councilors, the left and right councillors, and the left and right provincial governors all decorations? How come there are still officials with such serious corruption, and they didn't notice it? Huh?" Zhu Di said, staring at Zhu Gaochi.

Zhu Di asked Zhu Gaochi about government affairs.

"Dad, I will send a letter of inquiry to these officials and ask the local governors and provincial judges to reflect on themselves." Zhu Gaochi knelt there and spoke.

"With just these few officials, they have accumulated five million taels of wealth. Five million taels of wealth is enough for the people under their rule to eat and drink for two years. They took this money into their hands. How bold they are. The laws of our Ming Dynasty are strict, but in their eyes, they are not as attractive as money. In order to get money, they take such a risk? The supervisory agencies everywhere are useless.

Let the Ministry of Personnel, the Censorate, the provincial governors, and the Left Provincial Government officials write memorials to investigate the reasons and discuss what to do next. Zhu Di reprimanded Zhu Gaochi.

"Yes, Dad!" Zhu Gaochi immediately replied with a bow. Zhu Di waved his hand, and Zhu Gaochi stood up immediately.

"Third brother, you can have fun, but you have to get things done. Why didn't you think of such a simple thing at the beginning? Now, so many officials are corrupt, what exactly have you, the Jinyiwei, done? Have you ever thought about it carefully?" Zhu Di stared at Zhu Gaosui and questioned.

"Dad, I was wrong. I will investigate this thoroughly when I return." Zhu Gaosui said while kneeling there.

"Get up! Go out!" Zhu Di said to Zhu Gaosui. Zhu Gaosui immediately stood up, bowed to Zhu Di, then bowed to Zhu Gaochi, and left the imperial study.

"Everyone get up!" Zhu Di said.

The people in the Imperial Study also stood up. Everyone felt bad. Was Zhu Di going to start a massacre? Like Taizu? Targeting civil officials and killing them ruthlessly? This was not acceptable. They needed to tell their mentors and friends about this news.

Zhu Gaochi didn't care. He knew better than anyone why his father was like this. Zhu Gaochi basically had a good grasp of Zhu Di's situation.

Zhu Di suddenly said, "By the way, Boss, Shakyabao sent you a gift from the East Palace. It's the mirror produced by your workshop? Is it useful?"

(End of this chapter)