The Ming Dynasty: The opening scene features Zhu Di angrily accusing him of illegitimate succession.

Chapter 104 The Ming Dynasty Also Needs to Sweep Away Organized Crime

Upon hearing this, Lin Yue raised an eyebrow.

As expected, they were all descendants of Zhu Yuanzhang. They were indeed ruthless when it came to killing. It's a pity that Zhu Jianshen didn't kill as ruthlessly or quickly as he did later. If he had gone deeper and killed more during the Chenghua era, the cannibalistic tribes wouldn't have had a chance.

Lin Yue continued, "But how do you know the new one is a true gentleman, and not just a corrupt official pretending to be one? You can't see into someone's heart; how can you read their mind?"

"Didn't you say I'm the emperor?!" Zhu Zhanji raised his chin and said arrogantly.

"The emperor is the supreme ruler, who dares to deceive him? If they dare to lie to me, I will issue an edict to kill them all!"

Lin Yue laughed, squatted down to look at him, and chuckled, "Well said! Theoretically, that's true. Deceiving the emperor is an unforgivable crime and should be punished by beheading."

But I ask you, His Majesty is your own grandfather, have you ever lied to him?

Zhu Zhanji's eyes flickered for a moment, then he immediately shook his head: "No! I have never lied to my Imperial Grandfather!"

"It seems you're quite honest," Lin Yue patted Zhu Zhanji's head. "Even someone as young as you would hide things from His Majesty, so what about the entire court?"

Zhu Zhanji frowned and pondered for a long time.

He asked, somewhat puzzled, "So, the emperor can't actually distinguish between a virtuous person and a villain? Then how should an emperor appoint people? He can't just let bad people hold office forever, can he?"

Lin Yue took two steps forward, bent down and replied, "Your Highness, look at the insects in this basin, how can there be any distinction between gentlemen and villains?"

Some insects are good at defending, crouching steadily at the edge of the pot like a mountain; others are good at attacking, charging and biting fiercely from the start. Using people is like fighting insects, and the same principle applies to governing the world.

He picked up a water chestnut and gently poked at the cricket in the basin: "You don't need to care whether this official is a virtuous gentleman who has studied the classics or a slick and worldly villain. As long as he is useful, you should make the most of him."

Putting the right person in the right position, as long as they can get things done, makes them a rare and excellent official.

For feudal bureaucrats in the Ming Dynasty, this was already a very high standard. Many of them, like politicians in Europe and America, demanded large sums of money, not only doing nothing but also blaming you, behaving like bandits with absolutely no credibility.

Officials in the late Ming Dynasty were perhaps even worse; many not only did nothing but also became traitors.

Lin Yue continued, "For example, when officials face the emperor, why would they need to deceive him?"

Officials have plenty of ways to cover up the truth. For example, during this locust plague in Henan, when there were clearly widespread starvation, they reported that "the autumn harvest was slightly poor, but the people could still afford to eat," turning the disaster into a minor crop failure.

For example, when a border general encountered a small group of Northern Yuan cavalry harassing him, he reported that the bandits had caused trouble and had been driven out, even though it was clearly due to poor defense. He described a defeat as a minor victory. In another example, when the Ministry of Revenue collected taxes, it was clearly due to local officials being corrupt and in arrears, but they claimed that it was a year of famine and many refugees, making it difficult to collect taxes. They described corruption as a natural disaster.

In my opinion, even the river repair work was done with shoddy workmanship and embezzlement, but the reports were presented with all sorts of nice things, portraying corruption as a difficult problem and bad things as good things.

Lin Yue looked at Zhu Zhanji and asked again, "Officials don't need to lie. They just need to selectively report, reporting good news but not bad news, reporting minor issues but not major ones, and using ambiguous words to cover things up."

If you were the emperor, sitting in your palace, how could you know the true state of affairs outside? How could you effectively govern the world?

This question was far too profound for the young Zhu Zhanji; he simply couldn't come up with an answer.

"Yes, if the emperor is deceived, how can he govern the country?"

Lin Yue said loudly, "Actually, it's quite simple. You just need to set the rules, abide by the rules, and not be negligent in your duties or indulge others."

Those who conceal the extent of the disaster will be beheaded; those who embezzle taxes will have their property confiscated; those who commit engineering fraud will be exiled.

Establish clear rules for rewards and punishments: reward those who do well and punish those who make mistakes, so that they dare not overstep the boundaries.

If you do a good job, promote yourself; if you do a bad job, reprimand yourself according to the rules. In this way, you don't need to guess who is a gentleman and who is a villain. As long as the rules are strict and the system works effectively, even villains will have to do their jobs obediently. If the rules are soft and the atmosphere is corrupt, even gentlemen will slowly turn bad.

In fact, as long as one can clearly distinguish between rewards and punishments and act according to the established rules, one can already be considered a good emperor.

"Then how does one become a good emperor praised by everyone?" Zhu Zhanji pressed.

Lin Yue glanced at the little brat in front of him, his mind filled with a myriad of thoughts, and he sighed with rare emotion.

He softened his tone and said gently, "Being a good emperor is actually not difficult."

If you can't distinguish between the wicked and the good of officials, then you should try to tell the world your purpose and attract loyal and righteous people to your side.

First, set a clear goal, such as "ensuring that all people in the world have food to eat," "preventing the Northern Yuan from invading the south," and "ensuring unimpeded water transport." Then announce it to the world so that everyone knows what you are going to do.

Then you set about doing these things and tell them that if they succeed within five years, they will be promoted; if they fail, they will be severely punished. In this way, you will surely be able to select a group of officials with ideals and abilities.

Don't worry about their seniority; as long as they want to do things and are capable of doing things, gather them together to come up with solutions and formulate policies.

Once the policy is set, implement it steadfastly. If one year isn't enough, try two; if two years aren't enough, try five. Persist. If you can achieve even one or two of the goals, you'll be a great emperor who will be remembered in history.

"It's that simple?" Zhu Zhanji looked astonished, as if he couldn't believe it.

"Is it simple?" Lin Yue shook his head and smiled. "The last mile is the hardest; it's easier said than done."

Just like cricket fighting, if you have the upper hand but become complacent, your opponent may turn the tables and win. Governing the world is the same. If you want to control the floods today, launch a northern expedition tomorrow, and build palaces the day after, you'll end up accomplishing nothing by doing things haphazardly.

How many people in the world can dedicate their entire lives to one or two goals and persevere relentlessly?

Zhu Zhanji frowned and fell into deep thought.

Seeing this, Lin Yue quietly took two steps back. When he saw that Zhu Zhanji had not yet come to his senses, he decisively turned and ran.

Zhu Zhanji suddenly looked up and only saw Lin Yue's hurriedly departing figure. He was so angry that he shouted loudly.

What a joke! It's getting late. Instead of finding a magnanimous female doctor to learn health preservation techniques, who's going to talk nonsense with you, you little brat?

Lin Yue pretended not to hear and ran away without looking back.

The following day, at Fengtian Gate, civil and military officials, dressed in scarlet and purple robes, lined up on both sides of the steps according to their rank.

Zhu Di sat upright on his throne, his gaze sweeping over the assembled officials below, exuding an aura of authority.

Lin Yue mingled in the ranks of civil officials, staring blankly into space.

During the Ming Dynasty, there was a saying that "court officials would stand guard until the fifth watch of the night in the cold." The morning court session began at the fifth watch (3:00 AM to 5:00 AM). Officials had to get up at midnight, cross half the city to rush to the palace gate, and wait for the emperor outside the Meridian Gate at 3:00 AM. After the bell rang and the gate was opened, they would enter the palace in order to take their turn.

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During the Hongwu and Yongle reigns, the emperors were diligent in their duties, holding morning court sessions every day. This led many Ming Dynasty officials to develop the habit of taking a midday nap six hundred years in advance. They couldn't afford not to sleep, as Ming Dynasty officials worked long hours and left late, and without sleep, they would eventually die suddenly in office.

After a series of routine matters, including the transfer of officials from various departments and local disaster relief efforts, the court assembly discussed a few more routine matters.

Zhu Di issued an imperial edict: "Dispatch Zhou Shu and Liu Sanwu, compilers of the Hanlin Academy, to Qufu to offer sacrifices to the revered teacher Confucius. The ceremony should be conducted with the highest level of offerings, and the ceremony must be performed with utmost respect and solemnity."

The edict further stated: "One official, of the ninth rank, shall be appointed to govern the Western Barbarians of Guizhou and to oversee tax collection. He shall be under the jurisdiction of the Guizhou Provincial Administration Commission."

Finally, it was agreed that the grand sacrificial ceremony for the Taishe and Taiji would be held three days later, and all civil and military officials would be required to fast and participate in the ceremony.

With everything settled, the master of ceremonies announced loudly, "Court is adjourned!"

Zhu Di rose from his seat.

The tedious court assembly finally came to an end, and Lin Yue headed straight for the Yingtian Prefecture government office, ready to find a few more criminals and corrupt officials and give them a good beating.

As soon as I stepped into the criminal investigation office, Judge Shi Jin greeted me with a scroll of case files.

"My lord, today we received a report from Jiangning Prefecture about a strange case. The case is complicated and I dare not make a judgment on my own. I would like to ask you to take a look."

Lin Yue took the case file, unfolded it and looked at it carefully. The more he read, the more his brows furrowed. In the end, he couldn't help but rub his forehead and mutter to himself, "Does the Ming Dynasty really have such an outrageous case?"

According to the case file, Wang, a woman from Yingtian Prefecture, married Li. She served her parents-in-law with utmost respect. Her mother-in-law, Zhang, was suspicious by nature. Seeing that her father-in-law, Li, often discussed family matters with his daughter-in-law, Wang, she secretly became suspicious and concluded that the two were having an affair. She even plotted to frame Wang.

On the night of the fifteenth of last month, Li went out to visit a friend and did not return. Taking advantage of the quiet of the night, Zhang secretly sneaked into Wang's room, took her husband's old clothes that he usually wore, and deliberately framed him (revised).

Unable to defend herself, Wang felt she had no face to live in the world. She ran back to her parents' home in tears that very night and hanged herself that night to prove her innocence.

It wasn't until the government conducted an autopsy and interrogated her that Zhang, under pressure, revealed the truth: she had actually done everything herself, and the so-called adultery was completely fabricated.

"This..." Lin Yue closed the case file, his brows furrowed, unable to hide his surprise.

He looked up at Judge Shi Jin beside him and said in a deep voice, "Judge Shi, this matter is truly appalling. Zhang framed her daughter-in-law, ultimately leading to Wang's suicide. According to the laws of our Great Ming Dynasty, how should this be punished?"

Shi Jin bowed respectfully and replied solemnly, "My lord, although this case is bizarre, there is a law to follow. Wang committed suicide because she was insulted by Zhang. According to the laws of the Ming Dynasty, she should be punished instead."

Lin Yue nodded and pressed further, "But Zhang and Wang are mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, related by blood at least as close as the second rank. Such kinship..."

Are there any additional aggravating clauses?

"Your Honor is wise," Shi Jin continued, "Wang is the wife of Zhang's son and grandson, a close relative. Zhang, driven by personal resentment, violated moral principles and broke the law. Those who commit crimes against relatives are punished more severely than ordinary people; she should be punished without leniency."

"Ordinary crimes that result in death are punishable by death. Now, Zhang has violated moral principles, and both crimes are considered. According to the law, he should be beheaded immediately. If such behavior is not severely punished, it will be difficult to rectify social customs, protect reputation, and comfort the spirit of the deceased in heaven."

Lin Yue raised an eyebrow upon hearing this: "So, Zhang Shi is doomed to die?"

But she didn't intend to kill; she was just momentarily confused and became suspicious. Although her behavior was absurd, her motive wasn't malicious. Isn't there anything commendable about her?

Shi Jin remained silent for a long time before deciding to tell the truth: "...This humble official is also unsure whether to pardon him."

After hearing the story, Lin Yue also found the case outrageous and remained silent for a long time.

After a long silence, he said, "Why not sentence him to death by hanging first, and then report it to the Ministry of Justice to see what they say?"

It's always good to send unresolved cases up the chain of command.

"Your humble servant obeys." Shi Jinru, feeling pardoned, bowed and accepted the order, then withdrew with the case file in her hands.

There was no other reason than that Shi Jin was actually hoping to pass the case up the chain of command. No matter how the case was ultimately judged, he just wanted to avoid being implicated.

Just as the abstract verdict in the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law case was being drafted, a series of urgent cries for justice came from outside the Yingtian Prefecture court. The cries were one after another, and the sound was extremely sorrowful.

Lin Yue raised an eyebrow and ordered the yamen runners, "Whoever is seeking justice, summon them to court immediately."

A moment later, it wasn't one person who arrived, but a group of people.

The people filed in, about seven or eight in total, some old and some young. The one in the lead was an elderly man who was nearly sixty years old, with half-white hair and beard. His knees buckled and he knelt down on the ground.

Lin Yue had no choice but to step forward and help him up: "Old man, there's no need for such formalities. Tell me your grievances in detail, and I will do my best to help you."

In ancient China, kneeling was always a grand ceremony and was not used in ordinary times. From the pre-Qin period to the Tang and Song dynasties, kneeling was only used for grand ceremonies such as sacrifices and court assemblies. In daily interactions, the bow and the crossed-hands salute were more common. When Song dynasty officials saw the emperor on a daily basis, they only bowed.

However, after the Yuan Dynasty took control, the kneeling ceremony became widespread. The Ming Dynasty was more or less influenced by the Yuan Dynasty. Even though Zhu Yuanzhang repeatedly emphasized that one should only kneel to Heaven, Earth, the Emperor, and one's parents, kneeling was still very common. Towards the end of the Ming Dynasty, there were even instances of lower-ranking officials kneeling to higher-ranking officials.

During the Qing Dynasty, the kneeling and bowing system was formalized. From the imperial court to the common people, anyone who met a superior would first kowtow three times and bow nine times.

The old man choked up as he spoke: "Sir, I live in Waxiang Lane in the south of the city."

Last month, my ten-year-old grandson was playing at the alley entrance when he disappeared in the blink of an eye. I searched everywhere for him and later heard from a beggar that he had seen several men in black drag a child into a well.

The term "wellhead" actually refers to the entrance to a sewer, a common name used by ordinary people in the Ming Dynasty for sewers.

The woman standing nearby also hurriedly began to cry and complain, and everyone chimed in with similar stories.

That was Nanjing's sewers, which had become a breeding ground for filth and grime.

Lin Yue listened quietly, and gradually formed a clear judgment in her mind.

This is basically a Ming Dynasty version of the "Ghost Fanlou" of the Song Dynasty. However, although Nanjing's sewers are also crisscrossed, they are connected to natural waterways such as the Qinhuai River and Xuanwu Lake, making it difficult for them to occupy a large area. Therefore, the scale of crime is far less than that of Bianliang in those days.

The "Ghost Fanlou" of the Song Dynasty was an underground cancer in Bianliang, the capital of the Northern Song Dynasty.

Lu You once wrote that the sewers of Bianliang City were "extremely deep and wide," and interconnected in all directions. Desperados hid in them, calling it "Worry-Free Cave." Even more villains abducted women and children and hid them there, calling this filthy place "Ghost Fanlou," in contrast to "Fanlou," the most prosperous entertainment venue in Tokyo on the surface.

In fact, the problem with Guifanlou in the Song Dynasty was not only the sewer system, but also the fact that Bianliang City was a "city on top of a city". Not only was there a huge drainage system underground, but it was also superimposed with the ancient city of the previous dynasty, making the underground passage extremely complicated.

The most outrageous thing is that these people even dared to abduct the daughters of Song Dynasty princes, which shocked the Song Dynasty so much that it sent the imperial guards to crack down on them, but they were still helpless against this underground cancer.

Lin Yue thought to himself that this gang of Green Gang bandits in Nanjing was obviously imitating the Ghost Fanlou of the Song Dynasty, using the sewers as a cover to commit evil deeds.

This group poses a serious threat to the security of Beijing and is no longer an ordinary criminal; we must take strong measures against them!

Lin Yue has made up his mind; he will launch a campaign to eliminate evil in the Ming Dynasty!