Ming Dynasty: Ask Zhu Yuanzhang to abdicate at the beginning

Chapter 375 A Land of Civilization and Etiquette! His Majesty has decreed!
Within a single day, Ji Gang led the members of the Anti-Theft Division in a swift and decisive operation.

They were like a sharp blade, piercing straight to the heart of the Qingxi County government office, and quickly sealed it off.

Immediately afterwards, all the constables, yamen runners, clerks, and officials of all ranks in the yamen were gathered together for a surprise interrogation.

Meanwhile, wealthy households in Qingxi, at the "invitation" of the Anti-Theft Bureau, flocked to the yamen.

Behind the seemingly polite words lies an order that cannot be resisted.

Everything is progressing exceptionally smoothly.

These people were immediately plunged into a "prisoner's dilemma" after being isolated and interrogated.

Everyone felt uneasy, as if they had a rabbit in their heart.

They were all secretly wondering: Would someone else confess?

With so many people, how can we expect everyone to keep quiet?
After being separated, everyone was afraid of being betrayed by others.

Once someone gives in, you'll be in a passive position.

Rather than sit back and wait for death, it is better to take the initiative.

With this in mind, many people didn't even wait for Ji Gang to resort to torture before spilling all the "secrets" they knew.

However, those "wealthy households" were completely different; their mouths were sealed shut as if welded shut.

After all, the crimes they committed all happened in other places.

There are only some unsubstantiated "rumors" circulating locally, without any concrete "witnesses or evidence".

They were convinced that as long as they gritted their teeth and refused to confess, the authorities would be powerless to do anything to them and would not be able to convict them.

These people knew that even if the constables and officials confessed, they would at most be questioned about bribing the constables and officials, and would never be involved in serious crimes such as kidnapping, fraud, or human trafficking.

The charge of bribery is much less serious than these.

However, Ji Gang was no novice; he had extensive experience dealing with this type of person.

Ji Gang knew in his heart that those heinous human traffickers were all seasoned veterans who were very stubborn.

Without resorting to severe torture, it's very difficult to pry a single word out of them.

However, given the current lack of evidence, Ji Gang will naturally not resort to torture rashly.

He knew that abusing punishment would not only make it difficult to obtain a true confession, but could also put him in a passive position.

Ji Gang started by investigating the families of the "human traffickers".

The human traffickers are seasoned veterans and very tight-lipped, but their families are not so "tough."

Ji Gang ordered his constables to intimidate the family members slightly, using both threats and inducements.

as predicted.

Soon, these family members, like frightened quails, lost their will and tearfully confessed everything.

There is a key reason behind this.

That is why these human traffickers have always felt that Qingxi is their safe haven.

Once I return to my hometown, everything will be fine, and I can rest easy.

They not only did not hide the heinous crimes they committed outside, but instead used them as bragging rights during their daily conversations.

At first, only a few individuals were so audacious.

Others remained wary and acted with caution.

But as time went on, they realized that there were no consequences to speaking out.

In any case, the government offices in Qingxi turned a blind eye to this and did nothing about it.

Furthermore, if others dare to speak out, why shouldn't I?

Are we just supposed to stand by and watch others "show off" while we become "cowards"?

Everyone has a herd mentality.

When people see others boasting about the "bad things" they've done outside and getting away with it, naturally others will follow suit.

Over time, everyone got used to it and stopped taking these things seriously.

They talk casually and without any reservations.

When they get together for drinks, the conversation always revolves around the crimes they've committed outside.

Some people recounted with great enthusiasm how they had cruelly harmed a deceived "piglet," using methods so ruthless they were appalling.

Some people vividly described how they tortured those innocent victims, showing no remorse whatsoever, but rather great pride!
Some people even boasted about raping a beautiful woman, forcing her to do all sorts of things, and enjoying "perverted pleasure" by torturing her.

Looking back now, I still feel a sense of pride.

Some even boasted about how many "piglets" they sold at once and how much money they made, as if these heinous acts were achievements to be proud of.

They presented their numerous crimes as their own achievements and boasted about them to their relatives and friends.

The reason for this is that many of their relatives and friends were also involved in these heinous acts.

As the saying goes, "Birds of a feather flock together."

Qingxi County's reputation as a "hometown of fraudsters" gradually formed in this environment of mutual influence and promotion.

In this process, various boasts and displays of wealth naturally played a role in fueling the hype.

It unleashed the evil in human nature without reservation!

As a result, their relatives naturally heard about the heinous things these human traffickers did outside.

Ji Gang astutely grasped this point and ordered his men to record all these confessions in detail, and then have them sign and affix their fingerprints.

At that time, there were not many human traffickers in Qingxi, most of whom had gone out to "make money," so the people detained were mainly the family members of the human traffickers.

The testimonies of these family members, like keys to unlock the door to evil, provided a wealth of crucial evidence.

……

A few days later.

Looking at the mountain of confessions, Wei Zhenxing smiled broadly, gave a thumbs-up, and spoke with obsequiousness:

"Lord Ji, you are truly all-powerful!"

"Such a thorny case would probably leave anyone else scratching their head for months."

"The magistrate has thoroughly investigated the matter in just a few days."

"I am truly impressed!"

Although he harbored a desire to curry favor, his admiration for Ji Gang was genuine.

This case is large in scale, involves a large number of people, and the crime scene is not even within Qingxi County.

If someone else were to investigate, they would likely spend months working on it and still have no clue.

But Ji Gang was different; he used swift and decisive measures to shut down the county government office and interrogate all the yamen runners and officials in isolation.

They quickly found a breakthrough.

Next, they "confiscated" the property of wealthy households in Qingxi.

In just a few days, the whole truth was revealed.

A large amount of money was found in the homes of those "human traffickers".

All of that money was "blood money" they obtained from human trafficking, and it was all confiscated by Ji Gang's men.

Some of the gold and silver treasures were
Some were hidden in secret cellars within their homes. Others were deposited in the Great Ming Bank, leaving only a passbook at home.

After all, Daming Bank has not yet implemented a real-name deposit system.

This is because without an electronic information verification system, real-name deposits are impossible.

Otherwise, you can only deposit and withdraw money at that one fixed branch in the local area.

It is impossible to deposit money in location A and withdraw it in location B.

Because location B lacks the account holder's identity information, it is impossible to verify their real-name identity!

To facilitate deposits and withdrawals, Daming Bank nowadays only accepts passbooks, not personal passbooks.

Banks have special anti-counterfeiting markings that can be used to verify authenticity.

Anyone with a bank draft and passbook can "redeem money" at any branch within the Ming Dynasty.

This greatly facilitated trade and commerce.

However, all sorts of "dirty money" were also unscrupulously deposited into the Daming Bank.

The reason why people don't covet money is because their mindset is relatively outdated and they still don't trust the Ming Bank. That's why they dug a hole and buried the silver.

But since human traffickers can travel all the way to Southeast Asia to do the "coolie" business, they are naturally more open to new ideas.

They deposited a large amount of money into the Ming Dynasty Bank.

These people are naturally emboldened to withdraw money simply by presenting their passbooks.

However, under the intimidating presence of the officers and soldiers, the "human trafficker's" family obediently revealed the location of the hidden money.

Wei Zhenxing's biggest worry was that the people of Qingxi would gather and cause trouble, but that did not happen.

While posting notices, Ji Gang also sent people to announce with gongs and drums that he was an imperial envoy of the court, ordered by the court to investigate the case of Ming Dynasty citizens being abducted and kidnapped to Siam, Pagan and other places to be enslaved.

Innocent citizens who have not been involved in the case will not be implicated.

Not only that, Ji Gang also took a small portion of the confiscated money and distributed it to the people of Qingxi.

As long as they were not involved in the "human traffickers'" evil deeds, were not their family members, and did not benefit from them, each person could receive a small sum of money.

Although the amount of money was not much, the official explanation was that they were being rewarded for their "remaining untainted by the mud" and for their noble character.

At the same time, they are encouraged to distance themselves from the "human traffickers" who have committed numerous crimes.

These people have committed numerous evil deeds and tarnished Qingxi's reputation; they must be severely punished.

Anyone who learns of their misdeeds and reports them to the authorities will receive a reward.

Whenever someone comes to collect the money, they hear this: "If you report it, you can get even more money."

Soon, someone took the lead in reporting it.

Don't be fooled by the seemingly benevolent facade these human traffickers present in their hometown. Their actions are utterly depraved, and many residents of Qingxi are ashamed to associate with them. They simply avoid contact with them to prevent trouble.

Now that the imperial court is investigating this case, it is only natural for them to step forward and expose it.

Furthermore, even ordinary people who have been lured away by the "human traffickers" with small favors are filled with envy for these people who have become rich overnight.

Now that the opportunity has presented itself, it's only natural to "kick someone when they're down."

Especially after someone took the lead, more and more people started to report it.

In the end, almost all the people of Qingxi, from eighty-year-old elders to seven- or eight-year-old children, including women, signed and affixed their fingerprints.

They either have to admit their "crimes" or report the misdeeds of their "neighbors and friends".

Of course, apart from the traffickers' immediate family members, most of the information about other people comes from hearsay, and some has even been passed around several times, rather than being obtained directly from the traffickers.

But that didn't matter. Ji Gang simply had someone record it, and after verifying that it was correct, he had someone sign and affix their fingerprint.

Whether these things can be used as evidence is another matter.

At least those human traffickers will never have the chance to hide back in their hometowns and eke out a living in familiar places again.

The neighbors and villagers who reported them are now determined not to let these villains go unpunished, even for their own safety.

Ji Gang's move, seemingly without the use of weapons, had the ruthless effect of "cutting off the roots."

From then on, the deeply entrenched "fraud culture" in Qingxi County was uprooted and swept away completely.

As the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner, Wei Zhenxing had been involved in criminal cases for twenty years, and his experience in handling cases was undeniably extensive.

But he knew in his heart that if the case had fallen on his shoulders, he would never have been able to handle it as cleanly and efficiently as Ji Gang.

They might have already reached a stalemate and been at a loss for what to do.

After all, the crime scene was not in Qingxi, and the government had no clue whatsoever. They couldn't even determine who the "human traffickers" were, so the investigation was impossible to begin.

But Ji Gang's series of smooth and skillful actions left Wei Zhenxing speechless and forced to admit defeat.

No wonder His Majesty took a liking to him at first glance and promoted him exceptionally!
Such a complex case was handled swiftly and easily.

These methods and abilities are truly first-rate.

However, where in the world are there any "saints"?

While sorting through the confiscated money and goods, Wei Zhenxing keenly noticed Ji Gang's little trick—he had secretly kept a small portion, about one-tenth of the total.

Although this percentage may seem small, given the enormous amount of money involved in this case, even one-tenth is a substantial sum.

Half of the money was given by Ji Gang as a reward to the constables from the Anti-Theft Division who had come with him on the mission.

The other half went silently into his own pocket.

Ji Gang was extremely secretive in his actions, but Wei Zhenxing had been immersed in officialdom for many years, so how could he be easily deceived?

He had a clear understanding of Ji Gang's actions.

Looking back on Ji Gang's journey from Fuzhou, the provincial capital, to Qingxi, he was decisive and conscientious in fulfilling his duties.

Officials in Fuzhou invited him to a banquet, offering him gold, silver, treasures, beautiful women, and jade, but he remained indifferent and refused them all.

Incorruptible and impartial!

But who could have imagined that in the end, he still couldn't resist the temptation and succumbed to greed.

However, Wei Zhenxing said nothing, as if he hadn't seen anything.

Confiscating property has always been a lucrative task.

Unlike taxes, no one knows exactly how much wealth a person has when their property is confiscated; the truth is only known after the property is confiscated.

In such a situation, the officers and soldiers who raided the house could easily pocket some benefits without anyone noticing, and there was no way to investigate.

This is why there has always been a saying in official circles: "30% split" or "50% split".

That is, 30% goes to the individual, and 70% is turned over to the national treasury.

Or each can take half.

The more unscrupulous ones dare to keep 70% for themselves, leaving only 30% for the national treasury.

In this corrupt officialdom, someone like Ji Gang, who keeps half for himself, gives half to his subordinates, and puts ninety percent into the national treasury, can be considered a model of "honesty and integrity."

However, this incident also shows that Ji Gang was not the kind of truly incorruptible official.

But what makes him so remarkable is that he knows everything perfectly well.

What money can you take, and what money you absolutely cannot touch?

There are limits to how much one should take.

Officials who can strike the right balance often rise rapidly in their careers, gaining both fame and fortune.

Those who cannot distinguish the boundaries will eventually end up in jail.

As the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner, Wei Zhenxing was naturally well aware of the intricacies of the matter.

But when it comes to actually doing things yourself, you realize that you still need to carefully consider and practice the art of timing.

The Qingxi County Magistrate Qian Motan, the County Lieutenant Wu Suning, and others who are now imprisoned for their crimes, didn't they think that the "human traffickers" hadn't committed any crimes within Qingxi's borders, that their money was easy to take, and that there wouldn't be any problems after taking it? That's why they were caught.

Being a "corrupt official" isn't so easy.

Being a good "corrupt" official is a skill.

Should we be greedy for this money?
How does one become "greedy"?
How much "greed"?
Seize the opportunity, assess the trend, and employ effective techniques...

These are all profound subjects!
If you don't understand anything, don't ask about time, don't ask about the people and things involved, and are greedy for any kind of money regardless of the consequences, then you really have a death wish.

Such officials will inevitably lose their posts and even their heads within one or two months, or at most two or three years.

Only by knowing when to take a bribe and resolutely refraining from taking a bribe when it's inappropriate can one survive in officialdom for a long time!
They could even earn the reputation of an "upright official" and be praised by the literati!

Ji Gang's initial firm refusal to accept money from Fujian officials now seems like a signal.

A major upheaval is likely about to occur in Fujian's officialdom.

Thinking of this, Wei Zhenxing's desire to curry favor with others grew even stronger.

A storm is brewing, and to weather this crisis safely, we have no choice but to cling tightly to Ji Gang, our powerful ally!
"You don't need to flatter me like this!" Ji Gang, unusually, did not refer to himself as "Laozi" (a respectful term for a powerful figure), but instead respectfully bowed upwards: "All of this is thanks to Your Majesty's wisdom!"

He tilted his head slightly, a hint of pride flashing in his eyes, as if the glory of the emperor was also reflected upon him.

"Before I set off for Fujian, His Majesty summoned me alone and gave me detailed instructions on how to conduct myself after arriving in Fujian."

"I was merely following His Majesty's instructions, copying what he said."

Wei Zhenxing's heart skipped a beat, and a "I knew it" expression instantly appeared on his face.

Ji Gang was merely a minor physician, yet he was granted a private audience by His Majesty and received personal guidance from Him. This demonstrates His Majesty's favor towards him and shows the importance His Majesty attaches to this case.

"Your Majesty is exceptionally gifted and possesses divine martial prowess. Even from the depths of the palace thousands of miles away, you can perceive all things in the world. Such extraordinary abilities can only be possessed by a true dragon emperor. How could we mortals possibly attain them!"

As Wei Zhenxing spoke, he bowed slightly, his face full of fawning smiles, and then launched into a new round of flattery: "It is precisely because Lord Ji is deeply favored by His Majesty that he has been able to receive His Majesty's personal guidance."

"Moreover, His Majesty will only feel at ease if Lord Ji comes in person."

"Otherwise, why not send an imperial censor to investigate the case, instead of sending you, Lord Ji?"

"In the end, isn't it all because of your outstanding abilities and unwavering loyalty, Lord Ji, that His Majesty trusts you implicitly?"

These words really struck a chord with Ji Gang.

He made no attempt to hide his smugness, readily accepting the compliment and even boasting, "Of course, I was personally promoted by His Majesty and bear His Majesty's high expectations."

After saying that, Ji Gang put away his smile and became serious. He stopped being polite with Wei Zhenxing and turned to his subordinates, decisively ordering, "Make two copies of everyone's statement here."

“Sort one of the documents, pack it up and seal it, and immediately send it by fast horse to the Jinling government office to request the court to make a decision.”

"The other one was sent directly to Citong Port in Fujian."

"Our Ming Dynasty's navy, which is on its expedition to Siam and Bagan, is on its way south. Their fleet will stop at Quanzhou Port to rest and replenish food and fresh water."

"If we calculate the time, we can send it by fast horse now and it will arrive in time."

"At that time, just hand over the confession to the envoy who is going on the expedition with the navy."

Wei Zhenxing looked puzzled and couldn't help but ask, "Why are copies of these confessions given to the envoys who went abroad?"

Ji Gang glanced at him, his eyes showing a hint of disdain for his limited knowledge, and slowly said, "Our Great Ming Dynasty is a celestial empire, and a land of civilization and etiquette."

"The Heavenly Army's expedition must have a just cause."

"Since the military campaign is launched because of crimes committed by criminals, the facts and evidence should be presented."

"These testimonies are irrefutable evidence."

“Show the confession to the kings of Siam and Bagan so they can see it clearly and know that our Great Ming is not making baseless accusations or bullying the weak.”

"This is the principle of 'courtesy before force'."

"When the news reaches other overseas tribes, they will understand that our Great Ming is a reasonable nation."

"If the kings of Siam and Bagan, after reading the confessions, are willing to eliminate those villains and save the people of our Great Ming Dynasty in the face of irrefutable evidence, that would be the best outcome."

"It can also spare our Ming soldiers from the suffering of bloody battles, and further prevent damage to the harmony between the Ming Dynasty and foreign countries."

"If they are unwilling, then it is only natural for our Ming army to launch another campaign."

"Such reasoned arguments are not only in keeping with the dignity of our civilized and courteous nation, but will also win the respect of other foreign countries."

"His Majesty said that the Ming Dynasty aims to conquer all the nations under heaven, and military force is only a small part of that."

"More importantly, the fact that our Great Ming Dynasty is prosperous and civilized naturally has a strong attraction for them."

"We must always occupy the moral high ground and have a righteous cause!"

"I rushed here and handled the case with lightning speed, precisely for this reason."

"We need to quickly obtain evidence of these criminals' crimes to facilitate the actions of our Great Ming army."

Wei Zhenxing suddenly realized what was going on, and quickly gave a thumbs up, sincerely praising, "Your Majesty is far-sighted and has everything under control. I am truly in awe of you."

Ji Gang looked at him, a meaningful smile playing on his lips, and suddenly said, "Now that this matter is settled, it's time to deal with the affairs of the Fujian officialdom."

Just as Wei Zhenxing was still in shock and hadn't recovered, Ji Gang's expression hardened, and he announced loudly, "His Majesty has decreed that Wei Zhenxing, the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner of Fujian, receive the decree!"

……

(End of this chapter)