Chongzhen's domineering

Chapter 60: The Feudal Lords Seize Grain, Duke Wei Goes Mad (Part 2)

How dare the imperial family of the Dai princes rob the imperial court of its tax grain?
This is not surprising.

The royal family of Chu even robbed tribute silver.

These princes and royal family members were truly lawless in their own vassal states.

However, this was the first time they had ever robbed the imperial court of its tax grain.

This is because the princes and royal families all had plenty of land and grain, so much that they couldn't possibly eat it all.

Historically, both Li Zicheng and Zhang Xianzhong looted many princely residences. They discovered that the grain stored in these residences was over ten years old, and even grain older than nine years would grow mold. The princes and their families couldn't even finish the grain from ten years ago, so they just left it there to rot. This shows how much grain they had.

They have more food than they can eat, so there's no need for them to risk their lives for a little bit of food.

This is clearly not normal.

Even if the princes and royal family members were truly starving, if they swallowed their pride and begged those princes and dukes who had more grain than they could eat, wouldn't they be willing to give them some? After all, they were all family, direct blood relatives. There probably weren't many princes and dukes who would be so ruthless.

Moreover, there aren't many princes and members of the royal family who are so poor that they have nothing to eat. If they used their brains and made some contributions, they could live a life of luxury. At the very least, they could rob ordinary people or the imperial court of its taxes. Are they out of their minds?

It's true that many princes and their families robbed ordinary people, local tyrants, and wealthy merchants. There wasn't a single prince whose family hadn't robbed them, but none of the princes' families had ever robbed the imperial taxes.

The Dai prince happened to be in Shanxi, so it's impossible that this matter wasn't related to the three powerful clans or the eight imperial merchants of Puzhou.

These guys probably just want to incite the vassal kings to cause trouble, so that he'll be overwhelmed with their demands.

This matter must be suppressed. The princes and their relatives must be severely punished. Otherwise, other princes and their relatives will follow suit, and the country will be in chaos. The stipends he suspended for the princes and their relatives will be snatched back by those princes and their relatives!
Zhu Jue thought about it carefully, then stuffed the memorial into Wang Chengen's hand.

Upon closer inspection, Wang Chengen's face grew solemn.

The imperial family of the Dai princes actually gathered a crowd to rob the imperial court of tax grain!
Now we're in big trouble.

Seeing that he was holding the memorial without saying a word, Zhu Jue urged him, "Read it."

Oh, it's meant to be read to Wei Zhongxian.

I haven't done this kind of thing for many days, I've forgotten about it.

Wang Chengen quickly coughed, cleared his throat, and then began to read aloud.

Wei Zhongxian's heart skipped a beat at that cough.

His Majesty's expression was clearly unpleasant. Who is impeaching him?
Did he offend anyone in Datong Prefecture?

It's really hard to say. He's offended a lot of people, and who knows if any of them are from Datong Prefecture.

As a result, Wang Chengen was a little stunned when he read it out.

Uh, it wasn't a memorial impeaching him!

Why are these members of the imperial clan gathering to rob the imperial court of its taxes and reading them to me?

Seeing his bewildered expression, Zhu Jue couldn't help but remind him, "Zhongxian, you ordered the cessation of the imperial stipends, and now that something has gone wrong, you have to take full responsibility."

what?
I'll take full responsibility!
You're the one who told me to stop the stipends for the imperial princes, aren't you?

I'm just taking the blame for you.

Oh, so you mean I have to take the blame for this?
Wei Zhongxian's eyes darted around, and he quickly nodded, saying, "Yes, Your Majesty, this matter was caused by this servant, and this servant will definitely take full responsibility and will not shirk responsibility to anyone else."

Yes, Not Bad.

You took the blame very seriously.

Zhu Jue nodded slightly, then carefully instructed, "We cannot let this matter go unpunished. If we do, other princes and members of the royal family will surely follow suit. Therefore, the members of the royal family of Dai must be severely punished as a warning to others."

Oh, so this means making an example of someone to scare others, right?
Wei Zhongxian nodded repeatedly, saying, "Your Majesty, I will do as you say." Very well.

Zhu Jue coldly said, "You must gather the Imperial Guards and go to Datong Prefecture to arrest all the members of the Prince of Dai's clan who participated in the grain robbery. Then confiscate their homes. Do a good job of confiscating their property and see if they have no money to eat."

After you finish looting, take all the confiscated goods and captured princes and nobles back to the capital, and then behead all the princes and nobles who participated in the grain robbery as a warning to others.

what?
You want me to execute all the princes and royal family members who participated in the grain robbery!

This is a huge scapegoat.

Can I carry it?

The problem is, if I don't take the blame, I'm afraid I'll fall out of favor, and if I do, the consequences will be unimaginable!

Wei Zhongxian's eyes darted around for a moment, then he gritted his teeth and nodded, saying, "This servant obeys the decree."

Yes, Not Bad.

Zhu Jue nodded slightly, then reminded him, "Be careful. Those princes and members of the royal family are truly lawless. Do you know about the Chu Kingdom's robbery of tribute in the thirty-second year of the Wanli reign?"

At that time, several princes and members of the imperial clan who had robbed tribute had already been arrested. When Governor Zhao Kehuai was questioning them, Zhu Yunqian and Zhu Yunhong, members of the Chu princely clan, suddenly broke free of their shackles and smashed them against Zhao Kehuai's head, causing his immediate death. You must be careful when you are questioning people.”

what?
So you mean I'll personally go to Datong Prefecture to arrest people and confiscate their property!

Upon hearing this, Wei Zhongxian was horrified and said, "Your Majesty, that is the territory of the three powerful clans of Puzhou. Moreover, the Embroidered Uniform Guard only has five thousand-household units with less than six thousand men in total."

You were terrified by Feng Quan.

It's true that the three powerful clans of Puzhou were all-powerful in Shanxi, but they could only keep a few hundred servants and guards at most, not thousands of private soldiers.

They just take advantage of the border troops and garrisons to bully people.

The border troops and garrison guards were also using them to make money. Would the border troops and garrison guards help them with something as simple as killing the imperial envoy?

Besides, the border garrisons and outposts in Shanxi were all in disarray, unable to even defeat the peasant armies. The combined forces of the more than 100,000 men in the three border towns were no match for the few thousand men under Zhou Yuji's command.

Enough, enough. I really can't do without you, my scapegoat. I have to protect you.

Zhu Jue thought for a moment, then decisively said, "Jian Dou, order General Zhou to lead 5,000 cavalry from the capital garrison to accompany and protect Zhongxian."

Lu Xiang-sheng bowed without hesitation and said, "Your humble servant obeys the decree."

Wei Zhongxian, still somewhat fearful, said, "Your Majesty, if I leave, what will happen to the silver in the Ministry of Revenue's treasury?"

You need to prioritize tasks, you know?
Zhu Jue shook his head slightly and said, "The silver in the Ministry of Revenue's treasury is not urgent. There is still some silver in the Imperial Treasury, which can last for one or two months. Datong Prefecture is only about 600 li away from the capital. It only takes three days to get there by horse. Even if we arrest people and confiscate their property, it will not take more than a month."

I!
Wei Zhongxian could only grit his teeth and nod, "Yes, this servant will set off with men this afternoon and try to return as soon as possible."

Don't be afraid.

If you're afraid, how can you go all out and do it?
Zhu Jue comforted him, "Zhongxian, don't worry. I'm reminding you because I'm afraid you don't know how lawless those princes and royal family members are, and that you might fall into their trap."

"Just be careful, everything will be alright. You're an imperial envoy sent by me; they won't dare do anything to you. You can order your men to shout all the way there, 'We are acting on imperial orders to investigate this case, and anyone who obstructs or resists will be killed without mercy.'"

Upon hearing this, Wei Zhongxian cautiously asked, "Your Majesty, are you really going to kill them?"

Your ruthlessness has returned, hasn't it?
Zhu Jue nodded without hesitation and said, "Then of course it's a real killing."

Fine, then I'll kill them!

I'd like to see who isn't afraid of death.

Upon hearing this, Wei Zhongxian's eyes flashed with a fierce light, and a look of madness appeared on his face.

(End of this chapter)