Ming: I am fake, walking on thin ice

Chapter 135 Queen Mother: I can only use myself as bait

The Queen Mother in the side hall was watching this scene in the yard.

The ministers knelt down and the young emperor was calm and composed, as if everything was under control. In fact, there were also undercurrents in this small courtyard.

The officials in Jiangnan obviously didn't know the emperor was coming, and they knelt hastily. Some of them were horrified, some were worried, some were expectant, and all kinds of complicated expressions were present.

"It's difficult." The Queen Mother whispered.

Shuangxi, who was standing behind her, pursed his lips and said, "They are all corrupt officials. What's so difficult about it?"

The Queen Mother turned around and smiled: "It's you, what are you going to do?"

"Bury them all!" Shuangxi waved his fist.

The Queen Mother sighed softly, with worry flashing in her eyes: "If it were that simple, it would be great. So many officials have taken bribes. If we don't arrest them, we won't be able to enforce discipline. But if we arrest them all, a big prison will be set up, and people in the court and the country will be in a panic. Moreover, if most of the Jiangnan officialdom collapses, how many personnel disputes will be triggered? If things go wrong, the court will be in turmoil. Just manipulating personnel will cause chaos, and how can we implement new policies?"

Shuangxi was stunned when she heard this. She had never thought that catching corrupt officials would involve so many things. She pursed her red lips and said, "Your Majesty, this is too difficult."

"Being an emperor is the most difficult job in the world." The Queen Mother's eyes narrowed slightly. "He still wants to be a good emperor, but in the end he will be alone."

Shuangxi gently took the Queen Mother's arm and said, "No, Your Majesty, we still have you, the Queen Mother."

The Queen Mother paused slightly.

Me? What on earth does he think of me? Forget it. No matter what, I will support him in implementing the new policy. As for the future, the worst that can happen is that we will die together.

……

In the courtyard, Zhu Qizhen sat down and looked at the kneeling officials. He smiled slightly:
"I went to Fengyang to worship my ancestors and visit Jiangnan. I didn't want to cause too much trouble, but when I arrived in Jiangnan, I happened to encounter a big case. The governor's office arrested the richest man in Jiangnan. A businessman actually caused trouble in Jiangnan. I was really surprised."

Governor Xu Youzhen bowed respectfully and said, "Your Majesty, this case involves a lot of people."

Some of the officials kneeling in the courtyard were sweating, and some were trembling. Zhu Qizhen glanced at them coldly and asked Xu Youzhen, "Do you have any real evidence?"

"I got it." Xu Youzhen bowed again.

"Very good, then just report the facts." Zhu Qizhen said coldly.

Xu Youzhen bowed and pointed to the boxes piled in the yard, saying, "After I searched Shen Yihuan's mansion, I got these secret accounts. The account books record the bribes Shen Yihuan has given over the years, including the names and accounts of the bribe recipients."

Zhu Qizhen stood up, glanced at the boxes, and asked, "How many people are there?"

Xu Youzhen pondered for a moment and bowed, "There are more than 300 people above the fifth rank."

The officials kneeling in the courtyard, some of whom were older, fainted. Zhu Qizhen looked cold and asked, "Are all these people among those you are impeaching?"

The kneeling officials all raised their heads and looked at Xu Youzhen.

Xu Youzhen knelt down, raised his head slowly, and said in a deep voice: "I will only complain about one person, and that is myself."

Everyone was shocked, wondering why Xu Youzhen only accused him. Xu Youzhen sighed:
"I was planning to report each one, but I remembered that there was an account book in the box, which was about me. It was a garden given to me by Shen Yihuan, and I accepted it in order to confuse him. I gave him 100 taels of silver as a purchase price, but in fact, the price of this garden was more than 100,000 taels."

"Shen Yihuan often uses bribery in the name of selling. I am the governor, and I am also included in his account book. It is really a great shame and humiliation. The crime is unforgivable."

Yang Guifang, who was standing behind the emperor, stepped forward and said, "Master Xu, you are doing this to investigate the case."

Xu Youzhen shook his head, turned to look at the kneeling officials, and smiled:
"It's true that we are handling cases, but when it comes to officials taking bribes, how many of them are open and aboveboard? How many of them are not doing deals under the table? Ask this kneeling gentleman, and they can all give you a plausible reason."

"Shen Yihuan gave it to me, and I accepted it, so don't even think about running away. I am the same as those on the list, I am corrupt and abuse the power, I am bullying the people, and I deserve to die."

"So, I will report myself first. Your Majesty, please punish me first. It would be better to kill one person as a warning to the rest. Your Majesty, please do not be lenient."

……

All the officials in Jiangnan were dumbfounded. What was Xu Youzhen's plan? In order to bring us down, he even sacrificed himself?
The Queen Mother in the side hall seemed to have noticed something. Shuangxi beside her was anxious: "Isn't this Xu Youzhen a trusted minister of Your Majesty? Isn't he embarrassing Your Majesty?"

"Hmph, how can it be a problem?" The Queen Mother snorted, "He is passing a ladder to Your Majesty. The emperor and his minister are playing a double game here. I have probably guessed what he wants to do."

Shuangxi didn't understand at all and stared at the yard with wide eyes.

Emperor Zhu Qizhen walked up to Xu Youzhen, patted him on the shoulder, and then turned and went into the inner hall. Everyone knelt there, not knowing what was going on, waiting for the emperor's final order.

After a while, Yang Guifang came out with the imperial edict in her hand: "There is an order!"

All the officials knelt there, waiting for the emperor's final decision. Yang Guifang's voice fell:

"I have received your order. The culprit in this case is Shen Yihuan. He will be dealt with according to the law. You have been diligent in guarding Jiangnan. The market is prosperous and the taxes are sufficient. You are one of the pillars of the prosperity of our Ming Dynasty. Regarding the secret accounts, I have asked the Ministry of Revenue to open an account. You can count and pay the bribes by yourselves. I will not ask any more questions. Just follow your conscience. The secret account box in the yard will be destroyed immediately."

"Appreciate this!"

The kneeling official was overjoyed when he heard this and kowtowed repeatedly: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace! Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace!"

Yang Guifang put away the imperial edict, glanced at it, and sighed: "You should thank Lord Xu. He sacrificed himself to save you."

The officials stood up and surrounded Xu Youzhen, some even burst into tears: "Master Xu, if you say anything in the future, we will die for you."

Xu Youzhen clasped his fists towards them and said, "Don't thank me. We all have to be loyal to His Majesty together. This is all due to His Majesty's kindness."

The officials agreed one after another, saying that this was all due to the grace of His Majesty.

……

Xu Youzhen saw that the fire was almost ready, and shouted, "Come here, bring a torch."

Dozens of soldiers came up holding torches, and at Xu Youzhen's command, they used the torches to set fire to the pile of boxes, and the account books inside caught fire.

Thick smoke billowed up, and Shen Yihuan's hard work of more than ten years was destroyed in the blink of an eye. The officials all smiled, while Shen Yihuan, who was shackled on the side, looked pale.

"Impossible, absolutely impossible!" he suddenly shouted.

He didn't expect that the current emperor didn't even look at these account books and destroyed them directly. Xu Youzhen didn't use these account books to make a fuss. If he had these things, he could control most of the Jiangnan officialdom.

"Shen Yihuan, His Majesty's mind is not what you can imagine." Xu Youzhen said coldly, "You, just wait for the beheading."

The governor Ren Chang'an came out and bowed to Xu Youzhen: "Sir, Shen Yihuan is guilty of a heinous crime. He should be executed along with his entire clan."

"Ren Changan! You are shameless!" Shen Yihan shouted angrily.

"You're just a businessman, but you think you're a hero. Bah!" Ren Changan looked at Shen Yihan with contempt and spat.

Shen Yihuan, who was always conceited, had never suffered such humiliation before. His eyes were about to burst. He thought he could compete with the current emperor, but when the emperor appeared, he didn't even look at him.

"I want to see your Majesty, I have something to say," he shouted.

"What are you thinking about? Can you see His Majesty whenever you want?" Xu Youzhen snorted coldly.

Shen Yihuan's eyes flashed with ferocity, and he shouted, "I still have the Records of Officials. When His Majesty sees me, I will tell him where it is."

Xu Youzhen's eyes were full of sarcasm: "What a wishful thinking! His Majesty doesn't care about the so-called records of officials. His Majesty said that such a petty trick is not worth mentioning. You, wait for your execution."

Veins popped out on Shen Yihuan's forehead and his teeth were about to break.

He thought he was the emperor's rival, but the emperor never cared about him.

……

In the side hall, the Queen Mother witnessed all this with a complicated expression.

With the fake emperor's actions, officials in Jiangnan would certainly support him wholeheartedly and try their best to implement the new policy. Xu Youzhen would also be able to completely control the officialdom in Jiangnan.

The new policy will no longer cause any obstacles in Jiangnan.

"Your Majesty, His Majesty just let those corrupt officials go?" Shuangxi asked in confusion.

"How is that possible!" The Queen Mother snorted, "Your Majesty wants to settle the score later, and use these people to implement the new policy."

Shuangxi was instantly delighted and praised: "Your Majesty is really cunning." However, the Queen Mother sighed in her heart.

The fake emperor's methods are getting more and more sophisticated, and more and more people are supporting him. What is fake will eventually become real. Is there no way to stop him?
He seemed to me... seemed to me...

There is really no other way, I can only use myself as bait.

"How is it? How is it?" Zhu Qizhen strode in, like a child seeking credit, and said to the empress dowager, "How was my performance?"

The Queen Mother glanced at him and said, "Not bad! Jiangnan's affairs have finally been settled, and the new policy will surely be implemented. You have really made a fortune this time. Not only did you confiscate Shen Yihuan's property, but also hundreds of corrupt officials voluntarily handed over their stolen money. The most important thing is that if the new policy is implemented, the taxes and grain paid by Jiangnan will double."

"Hahaha, I'm rich!" Zhu Qizhen waved his hand, "Let's go back to Beijing. Buy whatever you want. I'll pay for everything."

The Queen Mother rolled her eyes in annoyance: "Look at the upstart behavior of you."

Zhu Qizhen spread his hands and said, "I still have some things to deal with, so I will probably have to stay in Yangzhou for a few days. Queen Mother, you can go shopping around. Now that you have money, don't save money for me."

"Great! Everyone says Yangzhou is great. I was just about to go take a look." Shuangxi on the side was excited.

"Shuangxi, you will also be rewarded." Zhu Qizhen said, "Taking good care of the Queen Mother is your greatest achievement."

The Queen Mother smiled slightly, feeling proud.

……

Zhu Qizhen took Yang Guifang with him and went incognito to understand the people's sentiments.

Yangzhou is indeed prosperous. He had only read about it in ancient poems before, but today he finally saw it.

The streets were bustling with people, vendors were shouting, and there were all kinds of shops, including silk shops, teahouses, pharmacies, and bookstores. Zhu Qizhen and Yang Guifang walked through them, stopping from time to time to observe or taste some street snacks, feeling the unique charm of this ancient city.

They came to a stone bridge and overlooked the river flowing slowly under the bridge. There were endless ships coming and going on the river, including cargo ships loaded with goods and cruising pleasure boats. The boatmen's calls and the sound of rippling water were intertwined.

"Seeing is believing. The prosperity of Yangzhou is even more moving than what is described in poetry," Zhu Qizhen exclaimed.

Yang Guifang nodded slightly, with admiration in her eyes: "Yes, Your Majesty, the people here live a stable life, with plenty of food and clothing, which is a blessing for our Ming Dynasty."

Zhu Qizhen bought some small items and did not return home until night fell.

As soon as he stepped over the threshold, he saw the empress dowager busy packing things. Today she was dressed like a Jiangnan woman, with fair and tight skin. Even without makeup, her face looked extremely delicate, with long and thin eyebrows, and a gentle temperament that exuded nobility.

The dress she wore was modest yet graceful, but it could not completely conceal her curvaceous figure and the bulge in her breasts.

"Did you buy all these today?" Zhu Qizhen asked.

"Yes, Yangzhou does have many exquisite objects." The Queen Mother smiled brightly.

Women, no matter which dynasty they live in, love shopping. Today, the Queen Mother went out shopping with Shuangxi for a whole day. At this moment, she was smiling with her eyebrows curved, looking very satisfied.

Zhu Qizhen's eyes involuntarily fell on her fair neck. She instinctively reached out to cover her chest, her beautiful eyes looked at him warily, and she slightly turned sideways, as if offended, and asked while biting her red lips, "What are you looking at?"

"Ah? Well, the jade you bought is very good." Zhu Qizhen responded quickly.

He was actually looking at the jade pendant hanging around her neck. The Queen Mother was slightly startled, and she reached out to touch the jade pendant on her neck, then realized that she had misunderstood him, and immediately looked at him apologetically, and the hand on her chest brushed the hair on her shoulders, resolving the embarrassment.

"I bought this today." She smiled, "I bought one for you, too."

Zhu Qizhen was stunned for a moment, then he took out an exquisite box from his pocket and said, "What a coincidence, I bought one for you too."

Their eyes met, but they quickly avoided each other's gaze.

"For you!" they both said in unison.

The two seemed to be exchanging gifts. Zhu Qizhen took it and opened it. Inside was also an exquisite jade pendant. He immediately picked it up and hung it around his neck.

The Empress Dowager took off the jade pendant from her neck and prepared to wear the one given to her by Zhu Qizhen.

"I'll help you." Zhu Qizhen walked behind her.

He took the string of the jade pendant and gently put it on her. Smelling the fragrance in her hair, he unconsciously reached out and held the empress dowager's slender waist. She trembled instantly and fell limply in his arms. She panicked and quickly stood up again.

Zhu Qizhen also let go of his hand appropriately, turned to the front, spread his hands and smiled: "It's really beautiful."

The queen mother's pretty face flushed instantly, her beautiful eyes blinked slightly, and she looked at him, then lowered her head quickly, not daring to look at him, because his eyes were too scorching, making it difficult for her to control herself, her voice trembling a little: "This palace knows what you mean."

At this time, Shuangxi came in: "Okay, it's time to eat."

The Queen Mother secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately Shuangxi came, otherwise she wouldn’t know what to do.

……

Zhu Qizhen didn't want to stay in Yangzhou for too long. With him here, Xu Youzhen couldn't do anything.

At dusk that day, he summoned Xu Youzhen alone. Under the pavilion in the backyard of the governor's office, Zhu Qizhen sat on the railing and Xu Youzhen stood in front of him.

"It's been almost three years." Zhu Qizhen smiled, "You are the first minister to pledge allegiance to me after I returned from Tumu Fort. I even changed your name at that time."

Xu Youzhen recalled the scene at that time, his eyes moistened: "Without Your Majesty, I would have been buried in the Censorate for the rest of my life."

"It's hard to follow me." Zhu Qizhen said sincerely, "I've only been in Jiangnan for a few months, and I've become so thin that my eyes are bulging out."

Xu Youzhen suddenly knelt down again and bowed, "Before, I was also thinking about how to climb up. Since I followed Your Majesty, I know more and I also want to follow Your Majesty and do more practical things for the people."

Zhu Qizhen nodded and said, "We can't take Jiangnan's new policies lightly. You have to take drastic measures against those stubborn gentry. As I said before, no matter what happens, I will support you from behind. The people are poor and the country is weak, but they are getting rich. Don't be soft on these people."

"Don't worry, Your Majesty!" Xu Youzhen's eyes were moist and his tone was firm. "I have always had two minds. Your Majesty is above me and the people are below me. I will not let go of those heartless people who harm the people."

Zhu Qizhen reached out his hand to help him up, praising him: "Very good, I feel relieved to have you in Jiangnan. When Jiangnan is stable, I will transfer you back to my side. In the future, I will still need you to support the cabinet."

"Your Majesty!" Xu Youzhen was so moved that he almost cried.

Zhu Qizhen patted him on the shoulder and said, "I will leave Yangzhou tomorrow. Please submit more memorials to me and be more diligent."

Bang!

Xu Youzhen knelt down again: "Your Majesty, you should take care of yourself as well."

He knew in his heart that there were undercurrents in the capital, but he couldn't be by the emperor's side.

……

The next day, the emperor's fleet left Yangzhou.

Zhu Qizhen stood at the bow, looking at the ministers kneeling on the shore to see him off, and felt a little uncomfortable.

There is definitely no real friendship between a ruler and his subjects, but he really wants to have a few close friends. After all, who would be willing to endure being alone?
The Queen Mother came up to him and said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, the Emperor cannot have friends."

"I know. Besides, who is so bold as to make friends with the emperor?" Zhu Qizhen smiled bitterly. "So, I can only be alone."

"Emperors since ancient times have all been like this." The Queen Mother's voice became softer.

Zhu Qizhen turned around and looked at the Queen Mother, smiling with a hint of request: "So, Queen Mother, you have to be well. If you are gone one day, I will be truly alone."

"You want me to quarrel with you?" The Queen Mother lowered her eyes.

Zhu Qizhen smiled slightly, and said with a melancholy tone: "Two lonely souls meet and warm each other."

"Who knows what will happen in the future?" The Queen Mother turned her head away, not daring to look him in the eye.

……

ps: I am just asking for votes.

(End of this chapter)