My Portable Ming Dynasty

Chapter 307 Crackdown on Major Cases
When Huang Wenbin regained consciousness and learned from Zhu Juntang that he was on his way to the Japanese pirate leader's donkey cart, he wished he could faint again.

Is this the curse of the Office of Transmission? How did I end up in Japan after leaving the Office of Transmission?
In the first month of the fifth year of the Longqing reign, in the capital.

Su Ze was naturally unaware that his disciple had ended up in Japan. The probability of merchant ships encountering shipwrecks is inherently high. While going to sea can be extremely profitable, it is also an activity with a very high risk factor.

The Lantern Festival had become a fixed event, but after the military parade, the Longqing Emperor seemed to have lost interest in it.

No matter how skilled a craftsman is, can he match the ingenuity of a cannon?
No matter how dazzling the lantern festival is, can it compare to the brute force charging on the martial arts training ground?

The emperor's enthusiasm for the lantern festival waned, and with the arrival of another batch of beauties at the end of last year, he became even less interested in the event.

Taking this opportunity, Su Ze urgently submitted a memorial to the emperor, requesting that the emperor, under the pretext of "training the crown prince," entrust the organization of this year's Lantern Festival to the crown prince.

This time, Su Ze submitted a memorial without using the system, and Emperor Longqing quickly approved it, entrusting the lantern festival to Xiao Pangjun.

This can be considered as Su Ze fulfilling his previous promise.

Xiao Pangjun was very excited about this and pulled Su Ze to discuss the lantern festival. Su Ze had no choice but to sacrifice his annual leave and go to the East Palace to work overtime.

Fortunately, the Lantern Festival had been held for two years and already had a set of rules. For Zhu Yijun, organizing the Lantern Festival was just busywork; he only needed to nod his head, and most of the work could be done well.

Or perhaps for Xiao Pangjun, organizing the Lantern Festival was just a way to satisfy his craving.

Su Ze had essentially played a large-scale game of make-believe with his disciple.

However, due to the increasing prosperity of the capital and the growth of its population, coupled with favorable weather and abundant harvests last year, people had more money in their pockets. On the Lantern Festival, the capital lifted the ban and allowed vendors to set up stalls along the streets.

This made this year's Lantern Festival even more lively, with the number of visitors reaching a new high.

However, the biggest headache for the Lantern Festival is the officials who maintain order.

The five city patrol censors began preparations from the outset, mobilizing all joint defense team members inside and outside the city to enter the city to maintain order, while also ensuring fire prevention.

However, thanks to Su Ze's reforms to the police force, the quality of the police force has improved significantly this year, and they are finally able to perform their duties without causing any major problems.

On the night of the Lantern Festival, Su Ze also went out with his friends, including Shen Yiguan, to watch the lantern festival at Zhengyang Gate.

His wife, Zhao Lingxian, insisted on taking their son out, so Su Ze had no choice but to bring his servants and guards. He also opened a back door and used a special passage to get to Zhengyang Gate.

At Zhengyang Gate, Crown Prince Zhu Yijun led his nobles and relatives, gazing in rapt attention at the magnificent lantern festival.

Just then, Su Ze suddenly saw a commotion break out among the crowd admiring the lanterns.

"Protect the lady and the young master!"

Su Ze immediately gave the order, and the servants quickly protected Zhao Lingxian. Then they heard the police whistles. Su Ze looked at the panicked crowd with a solemn expression.

Now, no one was in the mood to admire the lanterns anymore, and they all headed home.

The next day, Shen Yiguan came to Su Ze’s residence and told him about what had happened the day before.

"Were there demons abducting children yesterday?"

Upon hearing the news brought by Shen Yiguan, Su Ze frowned.

People who have given birth are most sensitive to this kind of news.

Shen Yiguan sighed and said:
“Yesterday alone, more than fifty children went missing in the capital. This morning, the police station was besieged by the people who lost their children.”

Su Ze said angrily, "Didn't the five imperial censors who patrolled the city gates report last time that the security situation in the capital had improved?!"

Shen Yiguan sighed:
"The improved public security is due to a decrease in criminal cases, and bandits have disappeared in the capital region."

"But there are more cases of theft and fraud, and the number of child trafficking cases has doubled compared to last year."

“These thieves took advantage of the chaos during the Lantern Festival to commit their crimes, which is why so many children were lost at once.”

Su Ze asked, "What did the police say?"

Shen Yiguan said, "The police force can't do anything either. It was so chaotic last night, we don't even know if the thieves are still in the capital. What can we do?"

Su Ze clenched his fists; it seemed there really wasn't a good solution.

The security situation in the capital has always been bad, or rather, the security situation in this era has never been good.

During the Jiajing era, bandits kidnapped people in the suburbs of Beijing, and even a Hanlin scholar was killed by bandits while on official business outside the city.

It can be said that after the establishment of the police training class and the reform of the police camp, the security in the capital was better than ever before.

As the capital city prospered, the proportion of criminal cases decreased because everyone was busy making money.

However, cases involving money have increased. Cases of child trafficking are often related to money, and it may have even become an industry.

Thinking of this, Su Ze felt even more indignant.

There are scumbags in every era, and the fact that such a case happened right before his eyes filled Su Ze with lingering fear as he thought about his wife holding their son behind him last night.

Su Ze said, "No, I must report this to His Majesty and order a thorough investigation into last night's case!"

Shen Yiguan quickly said:
"Brother Zilin, please think it over!"

"You proposed the reform of the police force, and now this case has happened. If someone uses this to attack you, then it's a loss for you."

"Please put pressure on the police force and make them solve the case within a specified time."

Su Ze shook his head and said:
"It would be extremely difficult for the police force alone to solve such a major case. In the end, the case would probably be downplayed and forgotten, and these abducted children would never be found again."

Su Ze said:

“If villains succeed once, they will become even more rampant in the future. The capital is under the emperor’s nose. If the capital cannot be peaceful, where in the world can we live in peace?”

"How could I, Su, simply ignore this because of my own empty reputation?"

Shen Yiguan understood Su Ze's temperament and knew there was no point in trying to persuade him further, so he could only say:
"Before Brother Zilin submits his memorial, let me speak with the five city gate patrol censors and ask them to also submit a memorial to apologize."

Su Ze took out the memorial and began to draft it.

Memorial Requesting Orders to Improve Public Security in the Capital Region to Alleviate Public Suffering and Strengthen the Foundation of the Nation

Su Ze first explained the importance of public security:

"Public security is the foundation of people's livelihood and the basis of prosperity."

"The capital city is a hub of commerce and trade, a place where wealth from all over the country gathers. However, in recent years, thieves and robbers have become rampant, and kidnapping and fraud have become frequent occurrences. Even more than fifty children went missing in one night during the Lantern Festival!"

"The people are in a state of panic, and the streets are bustling with activity. If this continues, not only will the people's hearts be broken, but merchants will also be hesitant to enter the market, and the economy will decline, which will hinder the prosperity of this great era."

Su Ze proposed the idea of ​​"severe punishment to eliminate traitors".

"Your Majesty, I request three things:"

"First, 'severe punishment': all those who abduct women and children or rob property, regardless of whether they are the ringleaders or accomplices, shall be punished according to the 'harvesting and mutilation' law in the Great Ming Code, which is the same as death by a thousand cuts."

"Secondly, 'Special Investigation': Expand the number of patrol officers and increase the number of firearms and fast horses. The five city gate patrol censors are assigned to investigate major cases. Cunning habitual criminals are roaming the city, which is not conducive to their capture. I request that the Criminal Division of the Embroidered Uniform Guard conduct a special investigation into this case."

"Thirdly, a 'public notice with a reward' was issued, promising a reward of fifty taels of silver (to be paid in stolen silver) for anyone who could truthfully report a thief's hideout; those who knew of the thief but failed to report it would be punished with the same crime." Su Ze concluded by writing:
"In the past, I supervised the training of police officers, which resulted in a sharp decrease in criminal cases. This proves that the crackdown on criminals has truly benefited the city."

"Commercial taxes are increasing daily, but crimes and troubles have not been quelled. It is like rats in a granary; if we are not careful, the country will collapse! I humbly beseech Your Majesty to order the Ministry of Justice, the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and the Five City Garrison to work together to crack down on these crimes and eradicate these long-standing malpractices within two months."

"When the wicked are eliminated, the people will live in peace; when the people are at peace, all businesses will prosper. This is truly the key strategy for strengthening the foundation and nurturing the people!"

Simply put, the theme of Su Ze's memorial was "crackdown".

Regarding child trafficking, the Ming Dynasty Code included a crime called "child trafficking by cutting off the body," which was considered an unpardonable crime and could be punished with death by a thousand cuts.

Severe, swift, and strict measures are necessary to eliminate the security problems that plague this period of rapid development.

Historically, periods of rapid economic growth have often been turbulent and marked by the most chaotic periods of law and order, leading almost every country to implement similar crackdown measures.

Su Ze stuffed this memorial into the "Portable Ming Dynasty Court".

——[Simulation Start]——

Your memorial, entitled "Requesting Orders to Rectify Security in the Capital Region to Pacify the People and Strengthen the Foundation of the Nation," was submitted to the Cabinet, which approved it.

However, the Six Ministries, the Censorate, the Ministry of Justice, and the Shuntian Prefecture submitted a memorial stating that the capital was in good order and that the memorial impeaching you was alarmist.

The Longqing Emperor was unwilling to launch a major campaign so soon after the New Year, so he kept your memorial.

——[Simulation End]——

[Remaining Prestige: 1680.]

[To fully approve your memorial, you need to pay 800 prestige points. Do you wish to pay?]

800 prestige points. As expected, when it comes to local affairs, a lot of prestige points are needed.

Especially for matters that require the cooperation of multiple government departments, given the inertia of the bureaucratic system, there can be a lot of wrangling and bureaucratic infighting when it comes to getting things done.

Sigh, we still need a cheat code!
Public security is an urgent issue, and the loss of a child can shatter a family.

Su Ze selected "Yes," and now it was up to the system.

[Prestige points have been deducted, remaining prestige points: 880. Please complete the petition in real life as soon as possible.]
-
After the Lantern Festival, most government offices in the capital resumed normal operations.

Yang Sizhong, the Commissioner of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, is going through the backlog of memorials that have been accumulating over the past few days.

Before the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, except for a few urgent memorials, most memorials were left to be dealt with after the new year.

"Da Yintai, this is the memorial that has been delivered today."

The official Xu Shuli brought in a stack of memorials. After enduring the Spring Festival, the officials were already eager for more, so on the first day that the Office of Transmission officially opened, a large number of memorials were received.

"Is there any important memorial to the throne?"

Xu Shuli said nervously, "Da Yintai, I haven't had time to sort them yet. I was afraid you would be eager to see them, so I sent them over first."

"Hey."

Yang Sizhong sighed deeply. Compared to his predecessor, Xu Shuli's professional skills were only average.

Yang Sizhong began to miss Huang Wenbin, regretting that he hadn't let him leave the Ministry of Justice.

I heard that Huang Wenbin went to teach at the Imperial College. He should still be on holiday now, right?

Seeing his nervous subordinates, Yang Sizhong had no choice but to say:
"Then put it on the table, and I will see it myself."

Without the help of the officials to sort the documents, Yang Sizhong could only flip through the memorials one by one.

But Xu Shuli showed no sign of leaving, so Yang Sizhong looked up at him and asked:

"Is there anything else?"

"Reporting to the Grand Secretary, several officials came today to inquire whether the memorials they submitted today can be submitted today."

Yang Sizhong said with a cold face:
“Tell them that delivering memorials is an internal matter of the Office of General Affairs and Postal Service. If they want to know, they should apply to be transferred to the Office of General Affairs.”

Even with his low emotional intelligence, Xu Shuli knew he had offended the Commissioner of the Court of Judicial Review. He quickly wrote down Yang Sizhong's words, took his leave, and went outside.

As I was leaving, I tripped over the threshold and almost fell flat on my face.

Yang Sizhong was speechless when he saw his subordinate's clumsy behavior.

Should we request personnel from the Ministry of Personnel to bolster the Office of Transmission?
This administration of the Ministry of Justice is truly the worst one I've ever led!
After grumbling inwardly, Yang Sizhong began to review the memorials again.

The Commissioner of the Court of State Affairs could decide the order in which memorials were delivered, when to send them, and how to send them—all of which were matters of great importance.

Unless one is among the high-ranking officials, such memorials are usually selected separately by the Grand Secretariat and the Directorate of Ceremonial. Whether a memorial from an ordinary official can be delivered to the emperor depends entirely on the arrangements of the Office of Transmission.

Sometimes, the Office of Transmission could even manipulate public opinion.

For example, if memorials discussing the same issue are put together and submitted in one go, it will create the impression of a concentrated submission of memorials and form the illusion that a consensus has been reached in the court.

You can also submit memorials with different viewpoints on the same matter, thus creating the illusion that there are great disagreements in the court.

Yang Sizhong quickly turned to Su Ze's memorial.

It turned out to be a memorial concerning the security of the capital.

Yang Sizhong singled out Su Ze's memorial, which, like those submitted by high-ranking officials, required special attention.

After all the memorials were displayed, Yang Sizhong called Xu Shuli over, took the waist token, and walked into the palace.
-
As the system predicted, this memorial to the throne, aimed at cracking down on the security of the capital, encountered no resistance from the cabinet.

The Grand Secretaries were well aware of the importance of maintaining order in the capital.

However, they did not expect that Su Ze would deny his own contributions to reforming the patrol camp and take the initiative to propose strengthening the security of the capital.

Su Ze could have easily pretended not to know anything, sang praises of the improved security in the capital, and taken all the credit for himself.

These days, the Ministry of Justice and Shuntian Prefecture have been doing just that. They reported the results of the decrease in serious crimes to the emperor and received the emperor's commendation.

When the Longqing Emperor first saw Su Ze's memorial, he was naturally furious and ordered a copy of Su Ze's memorial to be sent to the relevant authorities for detailed investigation.

As the system predicted, after the memorial was submitted, Su Ze was targeted by the Shuntian Prefecture, the Ministry of Justice, and the Censorate.

Their attacks on Su Ze are alarmist; the security situation in the capital is improving, and the missing child case is just an isolated incident that is not worth making a big fuss about.

The officials were still arguing even on the seventeenth day of the first lunar month.

Just then, the emperor suddenly issued an edict, ordering the Embroidered Uniform Guard's Major Crimes Division to take special charge of the case and to crack down on the gang that was abducting children.

Once the emperor issued his decree, the entire security apparatus of the capital began to operate at high speed.

Su Ze finally breathed a sigh of relief. The system had finally worked its magic, but he was also curious about how the system had made the emperor make such a quick decision.

(End of this chapter)