Da Ming: I told you to die for your cause, why are you actually going to die?

Chapter 223 "Imperial Ancestral Instructions of the Ming Dynasty" can be used like this?! [Requesting Monthly Tickets]

The lobby was deathly silent.

Commander Wang stared at the copy of "Imperial Ancestral Instructions of the Ming Dynasty" in Zhang Biao's hand, his facial muscles twitching as if he were seeing the most incomprehensible thing in the world.

He hesitated for a long time before finally squeezing out a sentence through gritted teeth:

“Zhang… Censor Zhang, are you… are you mocking me? What are you going to do with this ‘Imperial Ancestral Instructions of the Ming Dynasty’?”

"what?"

Zhang Biao raised an eyebrow, then picked up the "Imperial Ancestral Instructions of the Ming Dynasty" as if holding an imperial sword. He stepped in front of Commander Wang, the spine of the book almost touching his nose, and his voice was loud and clear, like the sound of a great bell, echoing throughout the hall:
"Commander Wang! And you soldiers! Listen up!"

"The First Chapter of the Imperial Ancestral Instructions of the Ming Dynasty! The ancestral emperor clearly instructed: 'All my descendants shall respectfully obey my commands, and shall not act cleverly or disrupt the laws I have established; not a single word shall be altered!'"

"The Ancestral Instructions, Chapter on Law! The Ancestral Emperor decreed: 'Anyone in later generations who speaks of changing the ancestral system shall be treated as a treacherous minister and severely punished!'"

With each sentence he recited, he took a step forward. Commander Wang was intimidated by his imposing manner and involuntarily retreated, his face trembling.

"His Majesty established the Anti-Corruption Bureau to cleanse officialdom and consolidate the foundation of the nation. This is in line with the ancestral rule of 'severe punishment of officials and pacification of the people'! It is the core essence of the 'Imperial Ancestral Instructions'!"

"You, a mere garrison commander, dare to spout such arrogant words, using so-called Ministry of War regulations and Governor's Office procedures to oppose my practice of the Ancestral Instructions?! To obstruct the fundamental laws of governance established by the founding emperor?!"

As he spoke, Zhang Biao slammed the "Imperial Ancestral Instructions of the Ming Dynasty" into Commander Wang's stiff chest, making a crisp 'smack' sound.

Seeing this, Song Zhong and several Imperial Guards standing to the side felt their eyelids twitch wildly.

Even Lao Sun, Lao Qian, and their subordinates were stunned by Zhang Biao's actions.

They seemed never to have imagined that the "Imperial Ancestral Instructions of the Ming Dynasty" could be used in this way.

It should be noted that the "Imperial Ancestral Instructions of the Ming Dynasty" was a set of ancestral laws established by Zhu Yuanzhang for the Ming imperial family and for subsequent emperors.

In their minds, the "Imperial Ancestral Instructions of the Ming Dynasty" had absolutely nothing to do with them.

Not to mention using the "Imperial Ancestral Instructions of the Ming Dynasty" to conduct business.

However, Zhang Biao's actions seemed to have refreshed their minds.

Strange knowledge has been added.

But Zhang Biao pressed his advantage, speaking with resounding conviction:
"Commander Wang! I ask you this: Is the ancestral emperor's 'Imperial Ancestral Instructions of the Ming Dynasty' more powerful, or are the articles of your Ministry of War and the Five Military Commissions more powerful?!"

"Ah? This"

Commander Wang felt his brain couldn't keep up; he thought to himself, "How the hell are we supposed to compete like this?!"

He's got a knives and guns up his sleeve, but when it comes to using his brain, how could he possibly outwit a civil official like Zhang Biao?!
So he stammered for a long time, unable to utter a single word.

Zhang Biao didn't intend to let him answer his question, and continued on his own:

"Your obstruction of anti-corruption efforts is an obstruction of my adherence to the ancestral precepts! It is an act of defiance against the laws established by our ancestral emperor!"

"Are you trying to say that the Emperor's words don't apply in your Jiujiang Guard?! Are you trying to 'change the ancestral rules'?! Are you trying to be the 'traitor' who should be 'severely punished'?!"

Rumble!
These heavy accusations, once imposed, are like Mount Tai pressing down on you!
What is the "Imperial Ancestral Instructions of the Ming Dynasty"?
According to Zhang Biao's thinking, it was not only the 'ancestral law' personally formulated by Zhu Yuanzhang, but also the highest guiding ideology of the Ming Dynasty!

The regulations of the Ministry of War and the rules of the Governor-General's Office are nothing compared to it!
Commander Wang and his gang of thugs, who were used to being tough and violent, had never seen anything like this before.
Try to reason with them about the law, and they'll just act like scoundrels!
But Zhang Biao directly invoked Zhu Yuanzhang's "ancestral laws," elevating the issue to the political level of "confronting the ancestral emperor"!

Who the hell can handle this?
Commander Wang's face turned deathly pale, and cold sweat instantly poured down his face.

He felt that if he dared to say "no" again, he would be accused of "treason" in the next second.

No trial is needed; it would be perfectly reasonable to just drag him out and behead him.

"No, I wouldn't dare! This humble official wouldn't dare!"

Commander Wang's legs went weak, and he almost knelt before Zhang Biao, his voice even trembling with tears.

The previous assertiveness seemed to vanish in an instant.

To defy the 'supreme directives' left by the founding emperor for future generations? This heavy political label is too much for even a prince or duke to bear, let alone a mere commander!
However, Zhang Biao not only framed Commander Wang, but also his own men.

He picked up the "Imperial Ancestral Instructions of the Ming Dynasty," flipped through a few pages, and then looked at Commander Wang's men, as if reciting a eulogy:

The Ancestral Instructions, in the section on Military Affairs, states: "All officers and soldiers of the garrisons and guards throughout the land must diligently perform their duties, care for the military households, strictly enforce the law, and must not bully the weak or embezzle military property."

After reading it, he raised his head, his gaze fixed intently on Commander Wang's men:
“You soldiers, haven’t you ever heard of the Anti-Corruption Bureau? Didn’t you tell me the rules? It’s all written clearly in black and white in the Imperial Ancestral Instructions!”

"Your Jiujiang Guard forcibly conscripts men and frame innocent civilians. Doesn't that count as 'bullying the weak'?"

"Your accounts are so clean they look like a mirror, but who knows how much filth is hidden underneath? Doesn't that count as 'embezzling military assets'?"

"I am holding the 'Imperial Ancestral Instructions of the Ming Dynasty' and, in accordance with the instructions of our ancestral emperor, I am here to examine whether your Jiujiang Guard has been dutifully performing your duties. Is there anything inappropriate about this?"

"Has your Jiujiang Guard stopped obeying the Emperor's instructions?!"

"Are they planning a rebellion?!"

Swish!
As soon as he finished speaking, Commander Wang's men's faces changed drastically, and they were terrified.

They all knelt down with a thud, crying out their grievances:

"We wouldn't dare! Your Excellency is wise, we wouldn't dare to rebel!"

"Lord Zhang! We are naturally... utterly loyal to our ancestral emperor and to the 'Imperial Ancestral Instructions of the Ming Dynasty,' and we remember them with utmost sincerity..."

"Yes, Imperial Censor Zhang! Grandpa Zhang, please spare us!"

They were incoherent and sweating profusely.

"Let you go? That depends on whether you know the rules!"

"Yes, yes, yes! We know the rules best!"

"That's good!"

Zhang Biao closed the book and pressed on relentlessly:
"Since you all know the rules, then act according to the ancestral precepts! Guards!"

Old Sun, Old Qian, and the others immediately stepped forward, their voices booming: "Here!"

"Hold fast to this 'Imperial Ancestral Instructions of the Ming Dynasty'!"

Zhang Biao held the book high, as if it were an imperial sword: "Follow me to the garrison's warehouse to verify the actual quantity of military equipment and provisions, to see if it matches the accounts, and to see if it violates the ancestral emperor's instruction to 'strictly enforce the law'!"

"Yes!"

Old Sun and the others responded with a resounding roar, their momentum unstoppable.

"Wait! Lord Zhang! You mustn't!"

Commander Wang was almost in tears. He rushed forward to stop him, but Zhang Biao blocked him with the "Imperial Ancestral Instructions of the Ming Dynasty".

"Commander Wang, are you trying to obstruct my implementation of the 'Imperial Ancestral Instructions'?"

Zhang Biao narrowed his eyes dangerously: "Or do you harbor rebellious intentions and want to rebel?"

"No no no!"

Commander Wang was so frightened he almost wet himself. He hurriedly shook his head and explained, "This humble official is utterly loyal to the Ming Dynasty and swore allegiance to the Emperor. I would never dare to disobey, let alone disobey the 'Imperial Ancestral Instructions of the Ming Dynasty'."

"If that's the case, why are you obstructing me?"

"My lord, please understand. It's not that I'm trying to stop you, but this warehouse is a very important place, and it requires... a key to open!"

Zhang Biao frowned: "Then why don't you hurry up and get the key?"

"Report to your lord"

Commander Wang, quick-witted as ever, came up with a delaying tactic: "The key is... on the warehouse manager, who has taken leave today!"

"A request for leave?"

Zhang Biao sneered inwardly, then nodded as if suddenly realizing something:
"Oh, you took leave... I understand, I understand, everyone gets sick sometimes."

Commander Wang had just breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Zhang Biao turn to Old Sun and say:
"Old Sun, I remember when you were in the army, besides learning to read, you also learned lock picking from an old craftsman for a few days, didn't you?"

Old Sun paused for a moment, then, seeing Zhang Biao's meaningful look, immediately understood. He puffed out his chest and said in a tone tinged with pride:

"Your Excellency! I'm not bragging, but back in the northern desert, when the locks on the supply wagons broke, I was the one who pried them open with a wire!"

"The locks on this garrison's storeroom are probably... a little easier to open than the locks on the locks of the Northern Tartars!"

Commander Wang: "!!!"

Song Zhong and several Imperial Guards watched from the sidelines, their scalps tingling and their lips twitching.

They were completely convinced by Zhang Biao's reckless and unruly nature.

Using the "Imperial Ancestral Instructions of the Ming Dynasty" as a sword of Damocles, leaving a group of ruffians speechless, this operation... is truly a genius!
I wonder what the Emperor will think and how he will react when he learns of this?
"See, the problem is solved!"

Zhang Biao spread his hands and smiled at Commander Wang, whose face was ashen:
"Commander Wang, don't worry, we're just taking a look and counting. We promise we won't damage your lock, and we'll put it back to its original state after we're done! Old Sun's craftsmanship is excellent!"

Having said that, he ignored the almost petrified Commander Wang and waved his hand dismissively:
"Let's go! Our target is the warehouse! Let's see if the brilliance of the 'Imperial Ancestral Instructions' can illuminate every corner of Jiujiang Guard."

As they spoke, the group, in a grand procession, headed straight for the warehouse under the 'guidance' of the "Imperial Ancestral Instructions of the Ming Dynasty".

Upon seeing this, Commander Wang felt as if his soul had been ripped out, and he suddenly collapsed to the ground.

"Boss!"

Two of his men immediately stepped forward and helped him up.

He struggled to push his men away, staggering behind Zhang Biao and the others, muttering unconsciously:

“They’ve gone mad… absolutely mad… using the Imperial Ancestral Instructions of the Ming Dynasty as a formality…”

Before long, they arrived at the Jiujiang Guard warehouse, where the huge warehouse door was indeed tightly closed with a copper lock.

"Old Sun, go!" Zhang Biao ordered.

"Yes!"

Old Sun responded and, under everyone's gaze, immediately took out a thin wire from his pocket and pretended to fiddle with it in the keyhole.

There was a soft 'click' sound.

As it turns out, the lock... couldn't be opened?

"Uh"

Old Sun looked troubled: "Sir...it's a bit tight..."

Zhang Biao waved his hand impatiently: "If it's tight, then use more force! The Emperor is watching you!"

Old Sun suddenly realized what was going on, and immediately "borrowed" a brocade spring knife from the waist of a Jinyiwei guard next to him, and smashed it against the lock with the scabbard.

"Clang-!"

The lock fell off with a click.

Zhang Biao gave Old Sun an appreciative look, then turned around, respectfully bowed to the copy of "Imperial Ancestral Instructions of the Ming Dynasty," and muttered something under his breath:

"Our ancestral emperor was wise! Look, it's open now! This shows the immense power of your teachings!" Everyone: (⊙⊙)?!
Commander Wang looked at the violently damaged lock and listened to Zhang Biao's 'prayer'. He finally broke down completely, sat down on the ground, his eyes vacant, and began to question the meaning of life.

"Crench!"

The warehouse door was flung open, and Zhang Biao immediately led his men inside.

Dust particles danced in the slanting beam of light.

In stark contrast to the 'cleanliness' of the government offices outside, this place was filled with a mixture of rust, stale grain, and musty smells.

"Old Qian, take two men to inventory the weapons!"

"Old Sun, take two men to check the food and supplies!"

"Everyone else, go and check all the original documents and inbound/outbound records kept in the warehouse. Don't miss a single one!"

Zhang Biao issued a series of orders, his voice echoing in the empty warehouse.

Old Sun led the two men directly to the wooden box where the original receipts for grain and fodder income and expenditure were stored.

His subordinate grabbed a handful of receipts and quickly flipped through them, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper.

"grown ups!"

One of Lao Sun's men came over with several receipts:
"Look, this is the approval document and warehouse record of the garrison applying to the court for 'relief grain losses' after last autumn's harvest. It totals five thousand shi."

After saying that, he took out another stack of crumpled notes, clearly made privately by the warehouse manager:

"This is the secret ledger secretly kept by the old warehouse clerk. In reality, only three thousand shi were put into the warehouse. The difference of two thousand shi was directly recorded in the official ledger as 'transportation loss' and 'rat and sparrow loss'."

Zhang Biao took the stack of private accounts and sneered:
"What a 'rat-sparrow-eater'! These rats in Jiujiang must be some kind of spirit, able to eat two thousand shi of grain in one meal?"

Commander Wang collapsed to the ground, weakly explaining, "The canal transport... the canal transport route is long, so the losses are indeed greater..."

"fart!"

Old Sun glared with his one eye:
"From the canal wharf to your Jiujiang garrison, the waterway is smooth sailing. Where did the loss of two thousand shi come from? Your loss is even higher than that of fighting on the front lines!"

"Do you really think I've never been in a war before?!"

Although Lao Sun and Lao Qian didn't know how to audit accounts, they still knew basic common sense.

Especially those things related to the army and the Grand Canal. They had been fighting on the battlefield and around Yingtian Prefecture for so many years. Even if they hadn't seen them with their own eyes, they had heard a lot about them.

On the other side, Lao Qian led the two men to inventory the military equipment stored in the warehouse.

"Standard waist knives, the ledger records 1,200 in stock, actual count... 900, a shortage of 300!"

One of the subordinates called out the number loudly:
"Bows and crossbows, 500 ledgers, 320 actually counted, 180 short!"

"Armor, 800 sets of account books, actual count... 500 sets, 300 short!"

Old Qian's face grew increasingly grim as he listened. He walked to a pile of items covered with tarpaulin, lifted it up, and found rusty spears, some even with broken tips—clearly scrap materials used to make up the numbers.

"Commander Wang, is this what your 'intact' weapons and armories are supposed to be?"

Old Qian picked up a rusty, nearly falling-off spear, his tone icy: "Is this the kind of weapon our brothers are supposed to use in battle?! You guys are treating our lives like dirt!"

Commander Wang's face was ashen, his lips trembled, and he could not utter a word.

Zhang Biao sneered, but did not immediately settle accounts with him. Instead, he picked up the military household register and the roster of soldiers.

He flipped to the most recent 'supplementary' record, his sharp eyes scanning each name.

“Wu Dagen…Li Laoshuan…”

He read out the names of the people and their relatives who were seeking justice outside, and sure enough, he found them on the roster, marked as 'already enlisted in the army'.

But when he had his men call out names from the roster, he discovered that at least a hundred of the people corresponding to those names did not exist at all.

They are either ordinary citizens who were forcibly brought here and whose household registrations had already been cancelled, like Wu Dagen, or they are complete 'ghosts'.

“Commander Wang, you’ve gone this far with your embezzlement, you’ve got quite the appetite.”

Zhang Biao closed the roster, his voice revealing neither joy nor anger.

Just as the audit was about to end with the discovery of massive corruption, one of Lao Qian's subordinates reported a new finding.

"Sir! Look at this!"

One of Lao Qian's men found a rough-looking ledger without a cover in a broken wooden box in the southwest corner. It seemed to contain records of some unconventional allocations of supplies.

Zhang Biao strode over, took the ledger, and began to peruse it.

Inside, there are scattered records of supplies coming and going in messy handwriting, spanning a long period of time, involving bowstrings, arrowheads, gunpowder, and even standard-issue waist knives.

One of the records caught Zhang Biao's attention:
[On the seventh day of the third month of the twenty-fourth year of the Hongwu reign (1389), 150 standard-issue waist knives and 30 crossbows were taken away by a man with a scarred face, using a "beast-patterned" seal. No official permission was issued; this was recorded in an unofficial account.]

"A beast card? Scarface?!"

Zhang Biao's heart skipped a beat.

This description is strikingly similar to the 'scarred man' that Lao Zhou and his friends saw at the Shuiximen Wharf!
He quickly scrolled back and found several more similar records:

[On the ninth day of the eleventh month in the winter of the twenty-third year of Hongwu (1380), 300 catties of refined iron and 50 catties of saltpeter were taken away by presenting the 'beast-shaped token'.]

[On the 21st day of the fifth month in the summer of the 25th year of Hongwu (1380), the item was taken away upon presentation of the 'beast token'.]

These records are fragmented, but the points are clear.

Some people, carrying mysterious "beast tokens," have been taking away military equipment and supplies from Jiujiangwei, a place that is neither a front line nor an important military town, in small batches over a long period of time.

Moreover, the recipient repeatedly mentioned the 'scarred man'.

"Commander Wang!"

Zhang Biao held up the ledger, walked up to the limp Commander Wang, and spoke in a voice as cold as ice:
"What is this 'beast token'? Who is this 'scarred man'? Where are these military supplies being transported to? What are they for?!"

When Commander Wang saw the secret ledger, he trembled violently as if he had seen a ghost.
"No...I don't know...This humble official doesn't know!"

"This is all... all according to orders from above... pick up the goods with the token, don't ask where they go... I'm just following orders..."

"Above? Which above?!" Zhang Biao pressed.

Commander Wang's eyes flickered with terror, as if he had encountered some great fear, and he suddenly kowtowed:

"Imperial Censor Zhang! This humble official truly has no idea!"

"We can't afford to offend those who only possess 'beast tokens'! Once the goods are shipped out, most...most likely they end up on cargo ships..."

Zhang Biao, Lao Sun, and Lao Qian exchanged glances, all seeing the shock in each other's eyes.

They originally intended to seek justice for Old Zhou's nephew and Old Li's village, but unexpectedly, they discovered a clue about "raising bandits to enhance their own power" in Jiujiangwei, a seemingly insignificant place.

Moreover, it was even linked to a corruption case involving the Grand Canal.

Good guy!
What a great guy!
"Song Zhong!"

Zhang Biao suddenly shouted.

Song Zhong shuddered and quickly stepped forward, saying, "Your humble servant is here!"

Zhang Biao looked at Song Zhong with a solemn expression and said calmly and indifferently:
"Commander Song, you must have seen it too? Jiujiang Garrison embezzled military equipment and falsified accounts; this is a serious crime!"

"Even more shocking is that military funds were being diverted to unknown locations through the garrison system!"

"This case is no longer just about corruption; it may involve a major case of colluding with the enemy, funding bandits, and harboring traitors for personal gain!"

Song Zhong's expression was extremely solemn. He had witnessed the discovery of the evidence firsthand and could not refute it.

He said in a deep voice, "This matter...is of great importance and must be reported to the Emperor immediately!"

"It's natural!"

Zhang Biao's gaze swept over the mountain of evidence piled up in the warehouse, his tone resolute:
"But Jiujiang Guard alone is probably just the tip of the iceberg! I suspect that similar situations are not isolated cases in guard posts across the country!"

"Sir, would you like me to notify the Embroidered Uniform Guard for assistance?"

"Need not!"

Zhang Biao directly rejected Song Zhong's suggestion, then took out the book "Imperial Ancestral Instructions of the Ming Dynasty" from his pocket and said with a smile:
"As the saying goes, 'One for all, and all for one,' now that I, as an official, have sought justice for the people and uncovered this shocking case!"

"Of course we must give back to the people!"

After saying this, he turned to look at Lao Qian and Lao Sun, and said decisively:
"Old Qian, Old Sun, I hereby order you to distribute the hundreds of copies of the 'Imperial Ancestral Instructions of the Ming Dynasty' on my carriage to those with aspirations!"

“For example, Wu Dagen and Li Laoshuan, we should let them uphold the ‘ancestral precepts’ and use this case as a model to expand the scope of the audit!”

"Lord Zhang, you mustn't!"

Song Zhong was startled by these words, but Zhang Biao immediately picked up the "Imperial Ancestral Instructions of the Ming Dynasty," shoved it in his face, and coldly said:
"Does Vice Commissioner Song also intend to obstruct me from following the ancestral precepts?! Or is it that Vice Commissioner Song also intends to rebel?!"

"you!"

Song Zhong was rendered speechless by the rebuttal.

Old Sun, Old Qian, and the others were deeply moved.

With Zhang Biao's actions, they could now legitimately serve the country.

Even Wu Dagen and Li Laoshuan, who had been arrested, were able to be transferred back under the pretext of assisting with official duties.

But Zhang Biao said in an unquestionable tone:
"Old Sun, Old Qian! Remember, use these 'non-standard' shipping documents we found as a reference to focus on checking the garrisons in areas where rebellions have frequently occurred in recent years! See if there are any similar cases of abnormal outflow of military funds!"

"Yes!"

Old Sun and Old Qian immediately accepted the order.

"besides!"

Zhang Biao added another sentence:
"Have your men investigate along the trail of those 'wearing tags' who came to pick up the goods, based on the testimonies of Commander Wang and his men! Uncover the culprits along this line!"

"As for us..."

Zhang Biao looked at Song Zhong again, a smile on his face that Song Zhong knew best—a smile that was a mixture of madness and excitement.

"Commissioner Song, it seems our trip to Wuchang will have to be postponed for the time being."

Looking at Zhang Biao, who was full of fighting spirit and seemed to have discovered a new continent, and then at the dossier containing the evidence in his hand, Song Zhong felt a surge of emotions.

"This humble official... will truthfully report what I have seen here to His Majesty."

He had a premonition that the entire military system of the Ming Dynasty would be turned upside down by this madman who didn't play by the rules.

Zhang Biao, looking at the "Imperial Ancestral Instructions of the Ming Dynasty" in his hand, which he had used with unparalleled skill, revealed a meaningful smile.

[Old Zhu, oh Old Zhu, no wonder the civil service group treasured the "Ancestral Instructions." It must be said, they really are quite useful.]

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(End of this chapter)