Ming Dynasty: Ask Zhu Yuanzhang to abdicate at the beginning

Chapter 534 Godfather, please accept my bow!
"You all made a mistake by being so self-righteous and daring to play such petty tricks in front of His Majesty's wisdom."

As he sipped his tea, Eunuch Zhao Rui spoke casually.

"His Majesty is such a wise and powerful man, how could you mere mortals deceive him?"

Zhao Rui sighed, "I have repeatedly reminded you that what His Majesty truly values ​​is your actual ability and effectiveness in governing Henan, not your clumsy skills of flattery and sycophancy!"

He changed the subject, his tone clearly showing disappointment: "And what was the result? You two did a 'brilliant' job, reporting the situation in Henan Province to His Majesty by downplaying the seriousness of the matter, whitewashing the truth, and deliberately concealing and exaggerating the real disaster."

"I really can't understand what benefit this will bring you?"

"The Yellow River breached its banks, causing such a great disaster to Henan. Who among the court officials and the people of the whole country does not know about it?"

"The fundamental purpose of His Majesty's imperial tour to the north is to personally inspect the disaster situation and solve the people's difficulties."

Zhao Rui's voice was filled with disappointment and regret: "Even if you were to meet His Majesty and weep bitterly before him, expressing your true feelings and deep compassion for the people suffering in Henan, and pleading with the court to allocate more money and grain to relieve their suffering, that would be far better than you talking eloquently before His Majesty and spouting nonsense!"

"That would at least show that you still care about the people, and His Majesty would feel some comfort because of it."

"How many people have been displaced, how many fertile fields have been swallowed by the flood, and how many people have died in the flood—all of these should be honestly reported to His Majesty so that the court can understand the true situation, prescribe the right medicine, and formulate the most effective disaster relief measures."

"This is truly relieving His Majesty's worries and solving the court's problems!"

"And your self-righteous behavior of only reporting good news and not bad news is clearly a deliberate attempt to upset His Majesty."

"So, how will His Majesty view you ministers who harbor ulterior motives?"

Zheng Hongjian and Zhao Qingzhi listened quietly, speechless, but simultaneously raised their sleeves to wipe the cold sweat from their foreheads.

“We know that you are afraid that His Majesty will hold you accountable for the Yellow River breach.”

Zhao Rui's tone softened slightly as he asked, "How exactly did the Yellow River dike collapse?"

"During the construction of the dike, were there any instances of shoddy workmanship, perfunctory work, or even embezzlement and bribery?"

“We are not entirely aware of these details.”

He said in a deep voice, "But since His Majesty has personally come to Henan, he will surely investigate this matter thoroughly."

"Don't even think about hiding anything anymore and trying to get away with it."

"Moreover, His Majesty even showed leniency to Li Jichuan, the prefect of Guide Prefecture, and issued a special decree not to execute him easily, but to first find out the reasons before determining responsibility."

"Don't you understand His Majesty's true intentions?"

"The Yellow River breach was a natural disaster, not a man-made one."

"His Majesty pioneered the lineage of 'science,' emphasizing thorough investigation and empirical evidence in all matters, and would never easily punish innocent people."

Zhao Rui pointed out, "Even if you want to shirk responsibility for the Yellow River's breach, you only need to absolve yourself of responsibility for the initial construction of the dike."

"As long as you have a clear conscience and have truly devoted all your efforts to the construction of the dike, even if the Yellow River were to breach its banks and submerge the entire Henan province, His Majesty will never punish you for it."

"If the hidden dangers were sown at the beginning of the dike construction, leading to the tragedy of the Yellow River breaching its banks today, then no matter who is involved, His Majesty will investigate thoroughly and hold them accountable."

"This is what you're trying to ignore."

"As for the disaster itself, although you are governors and imperial inspectors, natural disasters have nothing to do with you."

"Even if you report the disaster as small as possible, what practical use will it have?"

"If the imperial court reduces its disaster relief spending in Henan as a result, it will only increase your own burden."

"Isn't this just making things difficult for yourself?"

“And then there’s Li Jichuan,” Zhao Rui changed the subject, “Even if he really complains about you to His Majesty, it’s still much better than dying in prison without a clear explanation!”

"This morning, Minister Yang, who accompanied the emperor, has already gone to Kaifeng to conduct a thorough investigation as ordered."

"You must never think that what you've done can really go unnoticed and leave no trace."

At this point, Zhao Rui deliberately drew out his words, staring intently at the two of them, and said, "In my opinion, if Lord Yang can really find some problems, then it will be fine."

"But if you investigate and investigate but find nothing, then that's a big problem!"

Zheng Hongjian and Zhao Qingzhi looked at each other, their eyes filled with undisguised doubt.

"What is the deeper meaning behind Eunuch Zhao's words?" Zheng Hongjian asked in a deep voice, unable to suppress his confusion.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Rui let out a cold sneer, tinged with mockery and disdain: "If problems can be found, then at least it means that there is still hope for the officialdom in Henan, there is still a glimmer of hope."

His tone shifted, becoming increasingly menacing: "At that time, we will simply rectify wherever problems arise; any official who is corrupt, accepts bribes, or abuses their power will be directly apprehended and brought to justice."

"But if the Henan officialdom is truly a monolithic entity, impenetrable and corrupt, with everyone from top to bottom working in cahoots, then no matter what, you won't be able to find the slightest problem..."

At this point, Zhao Rui suddenly raised his voice, his gaze sharp as lightning, staring directly at the two men, his words carrying an undeniable authority: "Then I would like to ask, does Henan intend to become an independent kingdom and fight against the Ming Dynasty to the very end?"

boom!
It was like a thunderclap.

Zheng Hongjian and Zhao Qingzhi's expressions changed drastically; their previous doubts were instantly replaced by immense fear.

This principle is not profound or difficult to understand; they should have thought of it.

But as the saying goes, those involved are often confused, while bystanders see things clearly.

As people involved in the situation, they were blinded by their own limited perspective, only thinking about how to deceive everyone, and even forgot this crucial point.

If Zhao Rui hadn't reminded him, he probably wouldn't even know how he died in the end.

This time, it was Zhao Qingzhi who couldn't hold back any longer and asked urgently, "In your wise opinion, Eunuch Zhao, what should we do now to find a way to survive?"

Zhao Rui did not answer immediately. Instead, he calmly picked up his teacup and took another sip of tea. He slowly put the teacup down before leisurely speaking:

"The Yellow River breached its banks in Henan Province. As the Governor and Inspector of Henan, you two are both responsible to some extent, and cannot escape blame." He sighed and continued, "The wisest thing you should have done was to bow down and apologize to His Majesty when you met him, and confess your mistakes."

"Then, report the true situation of the disaster to His Majesty in a factual manner, and elaborate on the disaster relief plan you have formulated, as well as the detailed strategies for managing the Yellow River."

Zhao Rui's tone was tinged with regret: "In this way, even if you had some minor faults before, His Majesty would take into account your achievements in governing Henan, and would also consider that such talents are rare and that the country's regional officials should not be easily dealt with. Therefore, His Majesty would show leniency and punish you lightly."

"But you insist on doing the opposite, instead trying to show off your self-righteous cleverness and petty tricks in front of His Majesty. This is clearly courting death!"

The two stood there, stunned and speechless.

Zhao Rui slowly said, "The reason His Majesty did not punish you immediately is because he weighed the current situation."

"The Yellow River breached its banks, leaving millions of people in Henan displaced and eagerly awaiting relief from the imperial court."

"You two are in charge of the government affairs of the entire Henan province. If you are dismissed and questioned at this moment, and a thorough purge of the Henan officialdom is carried out from top to bottom, even if the court can quickly send new officials, they will need time to familiarize themselves with local affairs, which will inevitably delay the timing and progress of disaster relief."

"Therefore, His Majesty has temporarily retained you and allowed you to continue your duties."

"Otherwise, at this very moment, you would not be standing here talking to us, but would already be stripped of your official robes, imprisoned, and awaiting punishment."

Zhao Rui changed the subject, his tone becoming stern again: "However, even so, your fate will not be much better."

"Once the disaster relief work in Henan is completed and the victims are all resettled, that will be the day you are imprisoned and questioned."

Upon hearing this, Zheng Hongjian and Zhao Qingzhi were both terrified, their faces turning deathly pale.

Although they had long sensed His Majesty's dissatisfaction with them, they never expected the situation to have deteriorated to such an extent, bordering on a desperate situation.

With a muffled thud, Zheng Hongjian could no longer hold on, his knees buckled, and he knelt down.

He disregarded all decorum, repeatedly kowtowing, his voice trembling with sobs as he pleaded, "Eunuch Zhao, save me! Please save my life!"

Upon seeing this, Zhao Qingzhi also knelt down and kowtowed repeatedly.

Zhao Rui, however, remained calm and composed, his expression unchanged.

He simply waved his hand dismissively and said, "You don't need to panic too much. As long as you haven't been thrown into jail, there's still room for maneuver."

He paused, then said, "As the saying goes, it's never too late to mend the fence after the sheep are lost."

"Next, you only need to do two things to perhaps give yourselves a chance to survive."

“The first thing,” Zhao Rui said, holding up a finger, his tone solemn and serious, “is to immediately write a memorial to His Majesty, pleading guilty and accepting punishment.”

"Once the memorial is written, I will personally submit it for you."

"Remember, all memorials must be truthful and factual. Say what you mean and what you say, and never deceive His Majesty in any way, or you will be cutting off your own path to survival!"

"His Majesty is intolerant of any imperfections, so you must not show off your cleverness."

He withdrew his finger, then extended a second one, and continued, "As for the second matter, as the top officials of Henan Province, flood control and disaster relief are your inescapable duties."

"Although you are currently following His Majesty and your movements are somewhat inconvenient, His Majesty has not restricted your contact with officials of all ranks in Henan Province."

"You must direct all officials in Henan Province to devote themselves to flood control and disaster relief day and night, sparing no effort, and do everything possible to mitigate the disaster and resettle the victims as quickly as possible."

"This matter must be handled flawlessly so that His Majesty can see your competence."

"Let His Majesty understand that you are not merely flatterers, but truly capable ministers and officials who can govern Henan and uphold the nation's interests."

"Only in this way might His Majesty show leniency and give you a chance to redeem yourselves."

He looked at the two men kneeling on the ground and said, "Have you both heard what I said clearly and understand the implications?"

Upon hearing this, Zheng Hongjian and Zhao Qingzhi both kowtowed loudly to the ground, saying in unison, "Your humble servants understand. Your humble servants will forever remember your great kindness and virtue, Eunuch Zhao!"

After saying that, Zhao Qingzhi added, "If I am fortunate enough to escape this calamity and survive, I would like to become your godfather!"

"I only beg that Eunuch Zhao will not abandon me and will accept this unworthy son. I will serve Eunuch Zhao faithfully for the rest of my life and follow your lead without question!"

Zheng Hongjian, standing nearby, listened in stunned silence.

He pondered to himself that although Zhao Rui was the chief eunuch, he was not very old, while Zhao Qingzhi was already quite old.

In terms of age, Zhao Qingzhi is more than old enough to be Zhao Rui's father.

I never expected that Zhao Qingzhi would be so shameless. In order to curry favor with Zhao Rui, a favorite of the emperor, he would even do such an absurd thing as "becoming a godfather"!
"Shameless! Utterly shameless!" Zheng Hongjian roared inwardly, overwhelmed with extreme contempt and shock.

How come I never saw through his despicable nature before, when I was serving in the same place as such a scoundrel?
Normally, this kid always acts aloof and arrogant, and he doesn't give anyone the time of day. Who would have thought that he is such a sycophant at heart?

Upon further reflection, Zheng Hongjian felt relieved.

Right.

Within Henan Province, Zhao Qingzhi held the position of Imperial Inspector, which placed him on equal footing with the Governor, and his rank was higher than that of all other officials.

He naturally had the right to be arrogant and put on a haughty attitude.

It was only in front of someone like Zhao Rui that he finally revealed the ugliness of his true nature.

This sycophantic fellow is someone I, Zheng Hongjian, am ashamed to associate with or work alongside!
Zheng Hongjian cursed inwardly.

However, the body reacts faster than the mind.

Not wanting to fall behind, he acted decisively, immediately going a step further than Zhao Qingzhi, kowtowing loudly and passionately proclaiming, "Eunuch Zhao saved my life, which is a life-saving grace! Just like my own parents!"

"I will definitely serve Eunuch Zhao well in the future, take care of him in his old age and see him off in his final days, and never let him have a single day of worry!"

……

(End of this chapter)