Ming Dynasty: Ask Zhu Yuanzhang to abdicate at the beginning

Chapter 553 Zhu Yunwen's Art of Using People!

Zhu Yunwen often felt puzzled when he recalled the time when he was still a commoner in later generations.

Why do many policies, whose huge drawbacks are obvious to ordinary people, never get corrected?
Only now, as the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, wielding supreme power to formulate national policies, has he truly come to understand the reasons behind this.

It's not just because changing national policies would affect the core interests of a segment of vested interest groups.

Another very important point is that making real changes requires tremendous determination and fearless courage.

This is true even for the supreme emperor.

If a reform is attempted several times but the feedback is unsatisfactory, or even causes significant negative effects, most emperors will choose to escape reality, remain hesitant, and ultimately abandon the reform.

This is simply human nature!
Those emperors who were truly willing to carry out sweeping reforms and bear all the consequences, facing the difficulties of reform head-on, were always extremely rare in the long river of history.

Especially as emperors enter their later years, their desire for stability will become even stronger, and they will be even less willing to make changes or take any reforms that might bring about changes.

What they desire is a stable and peaceful overall situation, not a sweeping and revolutionary change.

Zhu Yunwen had such ambition to promote reform because, as a time traveler, he clearly knew a bright and promising future.

To know how the world will develop, and how wonderful the future will be.

This was something no one else could have foreseen.

This single difference in perception is enough to cause a world of difference in the intrinsic motivation between the two.

After some deliberation and discussion with Xu Miaojin, two hours had passed without them realizing it.

No sooner had he finished speaking than Zhao Rui rushed in in a panic.

Upon seeing Zhu Yunwen, he immediately knelt down with a thud, his voice filled with joy and tears: "So Your Majesty is here! I've finally found you! I was so worried!"

Zhu Yunwen's plan to travel incognito was originally scheduled to depart that evening and return to the palace before sunset the following day.

However, because of Chen Guanlan's complaint, he interrogated those corrupt officials overnight, which delayed his trip and prevented him from returning that day.

In this way, the news that the emperor had secretly left the palace could no longer be concealed.

This greatly alarmed Zhao Rui, the chief eunuch accompanying the emperor. He immediately dispatched all available personnel to search everywhere.

The news of the Imperial Guards' appearance in the area was witnessed by countless disaster victims, who quickly used this clue to pinpoint the emperor's whereabouts.

"You've come at the right time." Zhu Yunwen glanced at Zhao Rui kneeling on the ground, his tone indifferent and devoid of any emotion: "Come, tell me properly, how much money did you receive from Zheng Hongjian, the governor of Henan, and Zhao Qingzhi, the imperial inspector?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Rui, who was kneeling on the ground, suddenly raised his head in astonishment and looked at Zhu Yunwen.

He saw His Majesty staring coldly at him, his eyes like icy blades. In an instant, Zhao Rui was drenched in sweat, his clothes soaked through.

He hurriedly kowtowed repeatedly, his voice trembling as he pleaded, "Your Majesty, spare my life! This servant knows his crime!"

"This servant received one million taels of silver from the two of them as a tribute, and has already distributed it all to the disaster victims in the name of Her Majesty the Empress!"

Zhao Rui then recounted in detail how Zheng Hongjian and Zhao Qingzhi cleverly bribed him by "accidentally" breaking the jade ornament bestowed upon them by the Empress; and how he, understanding their intentions, had given them guidance.

However, he falsely reported the actual amount of two million taels of silver offered by the two men as one million taels.

He claimed that he had not taken a single penny and that all the money had been donated to the disaster area to help the suffering people.

"This servant will always remember Your Majesty's teachings and would never dare to harbor any thoughts of embezzlement!"

With tears streaming down her face, Zhao Rui argued in a trembling voice, "Besides, I am but a eunuch. No matter how much money I have, it will ultimately be useless to me."

"Her Majesty the Empress has always been very kind to me, and she is especially concerned about the people in the disaster area."

"This servant thought that she wanted to share the Empress's burdens and help those suffering disaster victims, so she took it upon herself to do such an irregular thing."

"This servant deserves to die a thousand deaths! I shouldn't have been so clever as to do such an overstepping act! I beg Your Majesty to punish me!"

He wept uncontrollably and repeatedly kowtowed, begging for forgiveness.

After hearing his explanation, Zhu Yunwen stared intently at Zhao Rui.

He knew perfectly well that Zhao Rui's words just now did not fully reveal the truth; at the very least, they contained a considerable degree of concealment and embellishment.

However, those in positions of power sometimes have to turn a blind eye to certain things.

"If the water is too clear, there will be no fish." If you want to get these people to do things for you, you can't be too demanding or expect them to be perfect.

Of course, when it's time to give a good talking-to, we must not be lenient.

Upon thinking of this, Zhu Yunwen abruptly changed his tone, becoming colder than before: "Alright, I know you are loyal."

“What truly angers me is not that you accepted one million taels of silver to help the disaster victims.”

"What chills me is that you knew perfectly well that Zheng Hongjian and Zhao Qingzhi were corrupt officials, yet not only did you not report the truth to me, you also spoke in my ear indirectly, praising them! What are your true intentions?"

These words were like a sharp sword drawn from its sheath, pointing directly to Zhao Rui's hidden secrets and completely revealing his actions.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Rui's body trembled uncontrollably. He did not defend himself, but instead kowtowed repeatedly, pleading intermittently, "Your Majesty, this servant knows his mistake, this servant will never dare to do it again... never dare to do it again..."

Zhu Yunwen angrily said, "Zhao Rui, Zhao Rui! I have treated you well. I have never cared about your background or past. I have kept you by my side and promoted you to the position of Grand Eunuch, giving you power and dignity."

"If you dare to be disloyal to me and harbor any disloyal thoughts, don't blame me for turning ruthless and making sure you die without a burial place."

Taking a breath, he warned again: "The most important thing for those who serve by my side is to always keep the word 'loyalty' firmly engraved in their hearts!"

"Whatever is discovered, you must report it to me immediately and not conceal anything."

"To deliberately conceal this is a grave act of disloyalty to me!"

"Do you understand?"

Zhao Rui, tears streaming down her face, said, "Your Majesty, this servant will never dare to do it again!"

Zhu Yunwen waved his hand, his tone softening slightly: "Get up."

"Considering this is your first offense, I will spare you this time."

"But if there is a next time, I will not let it go lightly and will punish it severely without mercy!"

Zhao Rui felt as if he had been granted a pardon. He kowtowed frantically, repeatedly expressing his gratitude: "Thank you, Your Majesty! Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Then, he cautiously got up from the ground.

By this time, a large patch of skin on his forehead had been broken open, the bright red blood a stark reminder of the fear and pleading he had just endured. Zhu Yunwen's expression suddenly turned cold, and he said, "Governor Zheng Hongjian of Henan and Inspector Zhao Qingzhi, as high-ranking officials of the court, should have been loyal to the country and diligent in their duties, but instead they have been corrupt and lawless, wantonly oppressing the people!"

"During the major disaster in Henan, they showed no remorse and continued to embezzle disaster relief funds. Such behavior is intolerable!"

"These two men have caused rampant corruption in the Henan officialdom, and they are powerless to control their subordinates. They are utterly incompetent and unworthy of being appointed officials of the court. They are no different from those rebellious bandits!"

"By imperial decree, Zheng Hongjian and Zhao Qingzhi shall be immediately dismissed from their posts, arrested and imprisoned, and handed over to the relevant officials for rigorous interrogation and sentencing."

"His entire estate was confiscated and put to the public good, as a warning to others!"

"You will lead the men to search for it."

After dealing with Zheng Hongjian and Zhao Qingzhi, Zhu Yunwen announced the follow-up investigation measures: "All officials, large and small, in Henan Province who have had dealings with these two traitors must report to the court and truthfully explain the reasons, without any concealment."

"Any official or citizen within the territory of Henan who knows of the illegal acts committed by these two thieves may report them to the relevant authorities. Once the allegations are verified, a substantial reward will be given!"

A cold glint flashed in Zhu Yunwen's eyes: "Those who bribed these two traitors are given a deadline to come forward and confess their crimes, and they may be treated leniently."

"If you remain obstinate and refuse to confess, once the imperial court investigates, your crime will be punished three times more severely, without any leniency!"

"The pernicious influence caused by Zheng Hongjian and Zhao Qingzhi must be thoroughly eradicated, leaving no remnants!"

These thunderous words, like a bolt of lightning from the heavens, not only determined the ultimate fate of the corrupt officials Zheng Hongjian and Zhao Qingzhi, but also ushered in a comprehensive overhaul of the Henan officialdom.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Rui dared not be negligent in the slightest and immediately accepted the order, hurrying out to convey the decree.

A swift and sweeping purge of Henan's officialdom was thus launched.

After Zhao Rui left, Xu Miaojin asked in confusion, "Zhao Rui clearly accepted bribes from Zheng Hongjian and Zhao Qingzhi, and it was definitely not just the one million taels of silver given to the disaster victims. He must have pocketed some money in private. Why did Brother Tong... let him go like this?"

A bitter smile appeared on Zhu Yunwen's face, and he sighed softly.

His thoughts drifted back to his past life, recalling how many family businesses or startups had their owners placing their relatives in high positions, giving them enviable roles.

However, the way these relatives repay the favor is often just to say "thank you" and express their gratitude to the boss on the surface, but in their hearts they think that since you have such a huge fortune, it is only right and proper for you to share some with me!
Even worse, some felt that the boss was not giving them enough, so they embezzled large sums of money within the company and lined their own pockets.

Similar things happened countless times in my past life.

This is human nature, a deep-seated flaw that is difficult to eradicate.

If the Ming Dynasty were a company, then I would be the boss of that company.

Zhao Rui, the chief eunuch, undoubtedly played a role similar to that of an "assistant".

Although the imperial court explicitly stipulated that the inner court should not interfere in government affairs, no matter how strict the rules and regulations were, as the emperor's close associates, they always held a pivotal position and influence in the eyes of the court officials.

In modern terms, it means "a leader's family members are also leaders, and the people around a leader are even more so leaders."

This ecosystem of power dependence is difficult to fundamentally change no matter how many people are replaced or how many systems are modified.

“I know he was greedy, but at least he knew how to weigh the pros and cons and knew to use one million taels of silver to help the disaster victims instead of putting all the money into his own pocket.”

Zhu Yunwen's words revealed a helpless insight: "Since he still has a shred of propriety and a sense of awe, then I can continue to use him by giving him a warning and a reprimand."

"If someone else were to come, could you really guarantee that they would be more capable than Zhao Rui and would not be greedy for a single penny?"

Xu Miaojin was stunned.

That's just human nature.

Looking at the whole world, people who can hold high positions without being greedy or taking bribes, and who are honest and upright, are probably as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns.

Throughout history, countless people have traveled thousands of miles to seek official positions, all for the sake of a fortune!

Many people hate corrupt officials to the bone and grit their teeth, but if they were put in office, could they honestly say that they themselves could remain completely untainted and take not a single penny?

The answer is no in the vast majority of cases.

Many people who once deeply resented corrupt officials become even more greedy once they hold positions of power and wield authority.

This is true human nature, naked and complex.

Throughout the ages, there has only been one official as incorruptible and upright as Hai Rui.

Perhaps there are also those who "lie flat," those who have long since seen through the vanities of the world and are indifferent to fame and fortune, who can remain completely ungreedy.

However, why would someone like that want to become an official?
Those who truly take fame and fortune lightly will not be bound by officialdom.

Being an official is inherently a very risky job; one can easily be convicted, imprisoned, and disgraced.

Even in later generations, officials are a hundred times more likely to end up in prison than ordinary people, especially those officials who hold real power.

There are countless examples of officials who, after taking charge of the administration of a county or city, end up in prison.

There are even frequent examples of several consecutive officials in charge of a county or city being sentenced to prison.

Since he has already taken a detached view of fame and fortune, why bother to invite trouble by stepping into the treacherous world of officialdom?

Being an ordinary citizen is much safer than being an official!

Besides being honest and upright, another key point is that those who "don't take bribes" may not necessarily have the necessary competence.

It is better to appoint a capable and corrupt official who can serve the country than to appoint a mediocre "honest official".

The premise is that this "corrupt official" cannot be too greedy, still has a sense of fear of imperial power, and knows when to restrain himself.

"Zhao Rui's abilities still have some merit."

"More importantly, he understands the rules, knows he shouldn't take more than he should, and dares not take things arbitrarily. Based on this alone, he is already far superior to countless others."

"I will eventually need to use people."

"As long as his actions are not particularly excessive and do not cross my bottom line, I can tolerate him."

"But if one day he dares to cross the line, then I will have no choice but to kill him!"

"This time, I ordered him to search the homes of Zheng Hongjian and Zhao Qingzhi as a test for him."

……

(End of this chapter)