Ming: I am fake, walking on thin ice

Chapter 99 From this moment on, I will be the real emperor

Bang!

Zhu Qizhen suddenly threw the cup in his hand to the ground in anger, veins popping out on his forehead:
"I hate it! The Jinyiwei has already found out that when Wan'an was still a councilor in Henan, he joined forces with the councilors and the provincial governors to seize the people's land and property and embezzle and accept bribes."

"It is said that Henan is poor. The Queen Mother exempted Henan from taxes for several years. But when I came here, I found that Henan officials not only did not exempt the people from taxes, but also increased them every year."

"Millions of taels of silver were embezzled by them every year! They built mansions, kept concubines, and watched the victims starve to death. What a group of loyal officials who loved the emperor and the people."

He has seen a lot recently and knows more truths. But just now, he couldn't arrest Wan An. As an emperor, he became more and more angry:

"These provincial governors hold the power given by the emperor and claim to be serving the country and the people. But in private, they are black-hearted and shameless. They plunder the people's wealth and embezzle public funds."

"Fuck! Our great Ming Dynasty is almost being drained dry and hollowed out by these bastards. They all think they are noble men, but they are so immoral. Do they deserve to live in this world?"

Yang Guifang and Zhang Lun looked at each other in bewilderment. They had not expected His Majesty to be so angry. However, they also understood it, because they knew that Wan'an was a corrupt official, but they still had to use him at this time.

Suffocated!
"Your Majesty, calm down." Yang Guifang said, "Once the disaster relief is over, we will capture Wan'an immediately."

Zhu Qizhen picked up the teapot and gulped down several mouthfuls. This time his mood calmed down a little.

It is really because of the continuous accumulation of emotions during this period that it is difficult to control. Since some of the victims moved into the county government office, people have been dying almost every day.

But he didn't see any remorse or even pity in the eyes of those officials.

When Yu thought of people drowning in the world, he thought of them as if they were drowning himself; when Ji thought of people starving in the world, he thought of them as if they were starving himself. How many officials, big or small, in this world can do this?
……

Late at night, at Qian's house.

After Wan An came back, he went into the study alone. Qian Mao saw that he seemed to be worried, so he came to him with a pot of wine.

"Old Qian, how many years have we known each other?" Wan An asked.

"It's been thirteen years." Qian Mao smiled. "Back then, you were still a deputy official of the Criminal Investigation Department. We met when you were on patrol in Xiangfu. Over the years, thanks to you, my Qian family has become the most powerful family in Xiangfu. And you, your official position has also been rising."

Wan An took a sip of wine and frowned, "A high-ranking official? Haha, the official hat on your head will fall off if you are not careful. Even your life will be gone if you are not careful."

Qian Mao was horrified and asked, "Master Wan, aren't you fine? The imperial envoy didn't investigate you, and the new governor is even more of a family member, promoted by Duke Cheng."

"Hey, I've been feeling uneasy lately." Wan An rubbed his brows, "That person turned out to be His Majesty. This means His Majesty knows everything about me and Duke Chengguo."

"But His Majesty didn't arrest you." Qian Mao was puzzled.

Wan An hesitated to speak, and finally sighed. At this time, the housekeeper came to report that the governor Zhang Ding had arrived. Wan An and Qian Mao were shocked and were about to go out to greet him.

"I'm here." Zhang Ding strode in and waved to Qian Mao, "You go out, stay away, I want to talk to Master Wan alone."

Qian Mao bowed respectfully and left. Zhang Ding and Wan An were the only ones left in the room. Wan An was obviously uneasy and asked, "Master Zhang, what's the urgent matter that brings you here so late at night?"

Zhang Ding sighed, patted Wan'an on the shoulder, and said, "His Majesty already knows everything about you. So... you should know what to do, right?"

Wan An's face turned pale instantly and he took two steps back: "You...you want...to kill me?"

After so many years in the officialdom, he certainly understood what Zhang Ding meant. Only the dead were the safest. Only then would he feel at ease with Duke Chengguo.

"Sir Wan, you have sacrificed your life in exchange for the lives of more than a hundred colleagues in Henan." Zhang Dingchen said excitedly, "It is a worthy death for a man to die so heroically. Life is nothing more than living a glorious life and dying a miserable death. Apart from this, what else can a man ask for?"

After hearing this, Wan'an felt as if he had fallen into an icy cave.

In the past, he was the one who killed people to silence them. Today, it was his turn to be silenced.

Zhang Ding took a few steps forward and continued, "Master Wan, you can go to the underworld without any worries. I will treat your old parents as my own parents and take care of them until the end of their lives."

After that, he took out a bottle from his pocket, handed it to Wan'an, and said, "Just go on your way with peace of mind."

"No, I can't die like this." Wan'an shouted in horror.

Zhang Ding sneered, "You are a smart man. Don't force me. You should know the consequences of forcing me. If you die now, only you will die."

Wan'an was trembling all over. Of course he knew the consequences, as he had forced people to die in this way before.

With shaking hands, he took the bottle.

The door was pushed open with a bang, and Qian Mao rushed in. He bowed and said, "Master Zhang, can you allow me to see Master Wan off for the last time? Don't worry, your soldiers are all around this mansion, and I won't do anything stupid."

"Good!" Zhang Ding smiled, "Master Wan, it is your blessing to have an old friend to see you off."

After saying that, he walked out and stood waiting at the door.

Qian Maosheng came to Wan'an and smiled bitterly: "Master Wan, please, the lives of my family are in your hands."

Wan An seemed to suddenly come to his senses and laughed helplessly:

"It's good this way. The word 'death' can be exchanged for the word 'liberation'. In my life, Wan'an studied hard when I was young, passed the imperial examination when I was young, and by the time I was middle-aged, I had a successful career in the officialdom and made a name for myself. I think I have done enough to bring honor to my family and have lived up to my life's ambitions."

"But who knows that since I took on the third-rank official hat, I have never had a peaceful day. First, I was worried about the promotion, and then I was worried about being discovered by the court and couldn't sleep all night. Being a second-rank governor, it seems glorious on the surface, but who knows how miserable I am inside."

"It's okay to live in fear all day long. I might as well just leave!"

He picked up the bottle, uncapped it, and drank it all.

……

The next day.

After Zhu Qizhen got up and had just finished drinking his porridge, Zhang Ding came to pay him a visit.

"Your Majesty." Zhang Ding knelt in front of Zhu Qizhen, "Last night, Wan'an committed suicide out of fear of punishment."

Zhu Qizhen was shocked: "What? Wan'an is dead?"

Zhang Ding nodded and bowed again: "Yes, he left a suicide note, admitting his numerous crimes in Henan over the years. I...I really didn't expect that he did so many evil things. Even if he doesn't commit suicide, he must be executed immediately and his entire clan must be exterminated."

Zhu Qizhen's eyes were as sharp as knives.

This is murder to silence the witness, using a dead person to bear all the sins.

"Your Majesty, since Wan'an and his family committed suicide, it would be a loss of national dignity to hurt the three clans." Zhang Ding continued, "I ask Your Majesty to spare his family."

He was the only one who said all the words. Zhu Qizhen's eyes flashed with murderous intent, and he snorted coldly: "Since you, the governor, have investigated everything, Wan'an's crime is unforgivable. I will not show mercy to his family, and will exterminate all three clans."

Zhang Ding was horrified, obviously not expecting that His Majesty would really exterminate the three clans.

Zhu Qizhen looked coldly, "Why? Do you think I am ungrateful? Humph, I am not showing him any favor, not because of the illegal things he did, but because he committed suicide. Where did he put me? Did he think that he could just die lightly and throw all the blame and this mess onto me?"

"Your Majesty... Your Majesty is wise." Zhang Ding kowtowed in panic and changed the subject, "Your Majesty, the relief grain from the court will arrive in Xiangfu the day after tomorrow. The victims will finally be saved."

Zhu Qizhen nodded calmly and said in a cold voice: "Once the relief grain arrives, start distributing it immediately, and then persuade the victims to return home. With the grain, they can save as much crops as they can when they return home. As for the resettlement of the victims after they return home, your governor's office must come up with specific measures."

"I obey your command." Zhang Ding bowed and walked out.

After he left, Zhu Qizhen slammed the table angrily, his eyes blazing with fire: "You killed someone in front of me to silence him, do you think I'm a fool?"

Yang Guifang quickly tried to comfort him: "Your Majesty, please calm down. We still need them to work."

Zhu Qizhen frowned.

It was only after he came to the local area that he realized how serious the law-breaking situation of the officials below was.

……

Two days later, the relief food arrived.

Xu Youzhen raised two million taels of silver in Jiangnan, and the grain he bought was barely enough to deal with the flood. The governor's office issued a notice to persuade the victims to return home and provide welfare to those who returned.

Zhu Qizhen woke up in the morning with a groggy head. He had not slept well in the past few days. Only when the relief grain arrived did he sleep a little more peacefully.

"Your Majesty, please come out for a moment." Zhang Lun came to the backyard and shouted.

"What's the matter?" Zhu Qizhen splashed cold water on his face.

"The villagers want to say goodbye to you." Zhang Lun said, "They are going back home today."

Zhu Qizhen quickly washed his face and went outside the county government office. The moment he walked out of the gate, he was shocked. He saw that the gate was full of disaster victims kneeling along the street, and it seemed that there was no end.

"Your Majesty, long live your Majesty." Everyone bowed to him.

At this moment, Zhu Qizhen's eyes were a little moist, and the corners of his mouth twitched. He wanted to speak, but found that his voice was choked. Kneeling in the front was a row of white-haired old men. They held a long cloth scroll and bowed in tears:
"I am deeply grateful to the Emperor for His great grace, which has benefited the whole world, and has provided relief to the suffering and loved the people like his own children. I, the ministers and the people, are grateful for His great grace, and I cannot express it in words.

In the past, natural disasters occurred frequently, and epidemics raged. The people suffered and had a hard time making a living. When the emperor heard about it, he was extremely worried and ordered his ministers to help. He distributed grain from the granaries to help the victims and sent good doctors to eliminate the epidemic. Wherever the emperor's grace reached, it was like spring returning to the earth, all things revived, and the people were able to live in peace, and everyone was happy and excited.

The emperor's love for the people is as high as the sky and as deep as the sea. All the ministers and the people are bathed in the emperor's grace and know that the emperor's virtue is higher than the mountains and deeper than the ocean. May our emperor live forever and keep the people healthy.

We, the officials and the people, respectfully submit this memorial to the heavens to praise the emperor for his great achievements in disaster relief and his benevolent love for the people. We sincerely hope that the emperor's grace will last forever and benefit the world for generations to come. We, the officials and the people, will never give up. "

Although the first thought that came to Zhu Qizhen’s mind was, damn, which scholar is writing this for me?

However, he saw sincere gratitude on the faces of the victims. They might not understand what he was saying, but they knew they should thank the emperor this time.

Zhu Qizhen had mixed feelings.

The hearts of the people are so easily satisfied; they just want to have enough food to eat.

"Your Majesty, we are going back home today." The white-haired old man in the lead had tears in his eyes, "Your Majesty, you must live long."

Zhu Qizhen stepped forward to help him up, glanced at the people, and raised his hand: "Everyone, get up, go back home with peace of mind, and get through this year first. I promised you, and I will definitely do it."

The victims bowed again, then turned around and slowly left. Zhu Qizhen looked at their backs, holding back tears, and complained in his heart: "I really want to be a tyrant, aren't you forcing me?"

……

Yang Guifang and Zhang Lun came up behind him and watched the victims leave. Yang Guifang looked at Zhu Qizhen and smiled: "Your Majesty, if you want to cry, just cry. It's not shameful."

Zhu Qizhen wiped his eyes and waved his hands: "Why would I cry? I am happy, as if I have found my goal. You bring this Wanmin Watch to me. I will take it back and hang it in the Qianqing Palace to remind me forever."

Indeed, he seemed to have vaguely grasped the meaning of being an emperor. Although, before, he just wanted to live a carefree life, but after experiencing so much, his mentality changed unconsciously.

"Your Majesty, I just received the news." Zhang Lun bowed, "The dragon boat will arrive in Xiangfu tomorrow."

"Well, it's time for us to return to the team and take the dragon boat to Kaifeng." Zhu Qizhen waved his hand, "Go and call Zhang Ding. I want to give him a warning before I leave."

"Yes." Zhang Lun nodded in acceptance.

Zhu Qizhen returned to the county government office and looked at the Wanmin Biao in the lobby, feeling a surge of emotion. This was a kind of affirmation for him.

Not long after, Zhang Ding came up to the hall and knelt respectfully: "Your Majesty, I am Zhang Ding, and I pay my respects to you."

Zhu Qizhen collected his thoughts, cast a cold gaze on Zhang Ding, and said indifferently: "Zhang Ding, you are very smart, but don't treat me as a fool. Remember this, the smarter a person is, the more annoying he is!"

"I...I know my crime." Zhang Ding felt a chill down his spine and dared not argue.

"The relief grain and relief funds have arrived, you must spend them on the victims." Zhu Qizhen said coldly, "If you play tricks in front of me again, you don't have to commit suicide, my sword will kill you faster."

Zhang Ding's forehead was sweating. It was obvious that the emperor knew that he had forced Wan An to death. He kowtowed and said, "I will obey your order and spend all the money on the victims."

Zhu Qizhen snorted: "Get out of here!"

Zhang Ding retreated tremblingly, and when he got outside, he realized that his back was soaked. He felt like he had walked through the gates of hell.

"This matter must be reported to Duke Chengguo. The emperor can no longer be fooled." He said to himself.

……

The next day.

The dragon boat arrived at Xiangfu Wharf, and Zhu Qizhen took Yang Guifang and Zhang Lun back to the dragon boat. As expected, many memorials were sent from the capital, most of which were from the cabinet.

Wang Zhi, the chief minister of the cabinet, was very sensible and reported all the important matters. Zhu Qizhen was very satisfied after reading the memorial.

"Your Majesty, this is a secret report from Shi Biao, the commander of the Imperial Guard." Yang Guifang handed over a memorial and said, "It has been many days. I think there is something big going on."

Zhu Qizhen quickly took it and opened it.

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(End of this chapter)