Ming Dynasty: pacifying the rebellion and defending the border, dominating the world

Chapter 432: The Opening of the Book - The Ming Dynasty's Ministers, Who Can Stop the Unstoppable Force?
Overnight, the atmosphere in the capital and the imperial court changed drastically.

When the envoys from various countries left the state guesthouse at dawn, they found that the yamen runners of the capital were spontaneously managing the city on the streets. From order to the false gods, their usual arrogance and domineering behavior had all disappeared.

They would even lend a helping hand when they saw people in trouble.

"This... I'm not seeing things, am I?"

"Were the yamen runners in the Ming Dynasty really this friendly to the common people?"

"Not only did they help carry the load, but they also helped hawk the goods?"

"Aren't those the Imperial Guards of the Ming Dynasty over there? Aren't they supposed to be cold-blooded killers, cursed by the martial arts world as ruthless executioners? Why are those commoners kowtowing and thanking them?"

Lei Mengsha had just gotten up and was looking out the window when she had a strange feeling that she might not be fully awake yet.

"You got up late and didn't see it."

Xiao Ruofeng gazed at the Imperial Guards on the distant street, who were barely leaving amidst the people's profuse thanks, his expression extremely complicated: "Those Imperial Guards were there because they helped those families find their children. They even dragged the traffickers in front of them, and the people whose children had been abducted almost beat them to death."

"Such kindness is comparable to the grace of being reborn."

"Moreover, it is said that the Northern Garrison issued a notice this morning stating that anyone whose children have gone missing can go directly to the Northern Garrison to report the case. As long as the person is still alive, even if they are at the ends of the earth, the Embroidered Uniform Guard can help them bring them back."

"If we can't find them... we'll bring back the human traffickers' skin and heads."

"Do you think those ordinary people should kowtow a few times?"

"Hiss? Really?"

Lei Mengsha gasped. Seeing Xiao Ruofeng's serious expression and that his master Li Changsheng and the others did not object, he immediately exclaimed, "That's only natural. The Embroidered Uniform Guard is the personal army of the Ming Emperor, holding the power of life and death."

"The fact that they took action themselves and posted such a notice clearly shows that no matter what power or background those kidnappers have behind them, the Embroidered Uniform Guard will investigate them without mercy."

"This could save so many innocent families from being torn apart and rescue so many abducted children!"

"That's exactly right."

"If it were us..."

Lei Meng stopped abruptly as soon as she uttered the words, gave an awkward laugh, turned her head away, and said no more.

They clearly knew that this was not very realistic.

Although Emperor Tai'an Xiao Chongjing was not particularly incompetent, it would be absurd to say that he cared about the people. An emperor who only had power in his eyes could not possibly think about the people.
"Speak up, why did you stop?" Li Changsheng laughed and scolded, "You good-for-nothing, Xiao Yi is here, what are you afraid of? Go back and have him issue an imperial edict, see if Emperor Tai'an dares to say no."

Xiao Yi, standing to the side, smiled and nodded: "The actions of the Ming Dynasty's Embroidered Uniform Guard are indeed worth emulating and promoting. I will talk to Chong Jing about this when I get back, and the Shadow Sect and the Hundred Knowledge Hall will work together to promote it."

"That would be great."

Lei Mengsha's face immediately broke into a bright smile.

There are many things he wants to manage, but he feels powerless to do so.

In this cannibalistic world, even adults struggle to survive, so if children from ordinary families are stolen or abducted, their fate and end are generally not good.

There is only one way to prevent this from happening.

kill!

Only by killing so many children that no one dares to touch them, making them realize how terrible the price is, and that even a small gain can lead to their deaths and the extermination of their entire families, can such things possibly be stopped.

"Overnight, the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty issued two imperial edicts."

"But it turned the social atmosphere of the Ming Dynasty upside down overnight."

"The Ministry of Justice posted notices early in the morning and sent people to inform the entire Ming Dynasty that all wrongful convictions and miscarriages of justice would be retried. They even dug up the third volume of the Great Edicts of Emperor Taizu Gao and prepared to re-implement them." "The Ministry of Personnel was even more ruthless, directly conducting a thorough investigation into the assessments and recommendations of all officials in recent years."

"The Ministry of Revenue must investigate itself internally and all its officials externally, and severely punish all forms of corruption."

"It is said that the Ministry of War will also thoroughly investigate the embezzlement of military funds, the exploitation of soldiers, and the practice of receiving salaries without working. Together with the Five Military Commissions, they are preparing to vigorously reorganize the entire Ming army. The Eastern Depot and the Western Depot have also launched a thunderous operation."

"Tsk tsk, it seems the allure of the Investiture of the Gods is quite considerable!"

As Li Changsheng finished speaking, he couldn't help but marvel. The Investiture of the Gods had cleansed the atmosphere of the Ming Dynasty court, initiating a frenzied internal competition. While not all officials were honest, at least during this period, 99% of the officials would genuinely serve the people.

"Investiture of the Gods?" Lei Mengsha scratched his head, and after Xiao Ruofeng's explanation, he suddenly shouted, "Master, has His Majesty the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty issued an imperial edict to recruit talented people?"

Li Changsheng rolled his eyes at Lei Mengsha: "What, you want to be on the Investiture of the Gods list too?"

"Yes, I really want to!"

Lei Mengsha made no attempt to hide anything from Xiao Yi and Xiao Ruofeng, excitedly saying, "Master, you don't know, the Investiture of the Gods is simply heaven-defying. A first-grade fortune can increase cultivation speed by a thousand times, grant lifespan equal to the nation, and even allow for a complete transformation, among countless other benefits."

“Yesterday, I witnessed a civil official from the Ming Dynasty being granted the title of Earl, who, due to a stroke of good fortune, rose to become a Grand Master of Celestial Phenomena. Another Earl was even halfway to becoming a terrestrial immortal.”

“A commander-in-chief transformed from a master of profound mysteries into a terrestrial immortal.”

"If it were me..."

Lei Mengsha spoke with a look of longing on his face. Although he valued loyalty above all else, he was also a man with the world in his heart. Having witnessed the terrifying power of the Ming Dynasty, which was capable of sweeping away the entire world when they joined forces, he had no hope that Beili could withstand the Ming cavalry.

Instead, he came up with the idea of ​​taking a roundabout approach to achieve his goal.

If he could serve the Ming Dynasty and be given an important position, he might be able to save more people when the Ming Dynasty attacks Beili in the future.

Lei Mengsha didn't hide her inner thoughts. While expressing her envy of those on the Investiture of the Gods list, she also shared her considerations, causing everyone else in the room to fall silent.

Finally, Xiao Yi broke the silence.

He nodded to Li Changsheng and said, "The Thunder Dream Killer is indeed a desperate measure."

Li Changsheng remained silent, which clearly indicated his agreement.

Immediately, Xiao Yi cast an appreciative glance at Lei Mengsha, and seeing Xiao Ruofeng's complicated expression, he also gave him a reassuring smile: "Your understanding is still shallow, and your view of things is superficial. It is hard to imagine how powerful the Great Ming Dynasty is at this moment."

"The benefits that Cangyun and Tiance received yesterday are ten, a hundred, or even a thousand times more terrifying than you can imagine."

As Xiao Yi spoke, he flicked his hand, and the window swung open without any wind. He gazed at the bright sunlight outside and the figures of the Cangyun Army and Tiance soldiers patrolling everywhere. His voice was more solemn than ever before: "The Zhixuan Army, a thousand of them are comparable to hundreds of thousands of soldiers. The Tianxiang Army, only the legendary Qin Dynasty, dating back to the Shang-Zhou War, or even earlier, the Battle of Zhuolu, has ever existed. Even a thousand of them would be difficult for a million soldiers to withstand."

"But... what if land-based immortals formed an army?"

"Ruofeng, I know you have Beili in your heart and lofty ambitions, but the trend of history is like the rolling wheels of history, and there is no room for you, me, Beili, or even the world to resist."

"Otherwise, there will only be one outcome: being crushed into dust."

After speaking, Xiao Yi stared blankly into the distance, lost in thought.

That place is beyond the reach of ordinary people's eyes. It is where hundreds of celestial beings' auras on land form a vast net, threatening to obscure all the wonders of the entire martial arts world.

A terrestrial celestial being unleashing unrestrained slaughter could overthrow an entire dynasty.

What about the hundreds of terrestrial celestial beings?

Xiao Yi dared not think about it, knowing that if such a thought arose in his mind, it could very well become a demon in his heart.

Li Changsheng patted his old friend Xiao Yi on the shoulder, silently revealing a helpless, bitter smile.

(End of this chapter)