Ming Dynasty: Is a mere unruly commoner rebelling against heaven?

“Your Majesty, General Gao Shun has led the陷阵营 (Xiàn Zhèn Yíng, meaning 'Camp Breaking Through the Enemy Lines') and annihilated the forces of the Tatar Little Prince.”

“This is a secret letter from General Gao Shun, which I have been ordered to deliver.”

Xu Chang took out the secret letter from his bosom and presented it respectfully.

“Oh? Bring it to me quickly.”

Zhu You樘's face broke into a smile upon hearing that the Tatar threat had been resolved.

Huai En quickly walked up to Xu Chang, took the secret letter, and carefully presented it to Zhu You樘.

Zhu You樘 casually took the letter, tore open the seal, and began to read.

After quickly reading the letter, Zhu You樘's previous gloom was swept away, and his heart felt lighter.

“Hahaha, the 陷阵营 has indeed not disappointed me!”

“Huai En, read it aloud!”

Zhu You樘 threw the letter to Huai En, picked up a wolf-hair brush, and began to write calligraphy on the rice paper.

Huai En took the secret letter and read it aloud.

“The 陷阵营, at Tumubao, annihilated the Tatar army led by the Tatar Little Prince.”

“A total of 38,642 enemies were killed!”

“26,827 people were captured.”

“32,139 horses were seized.”

“340,000 taels of silver were seized.”

“……”

With each sentence that Huai En read, both Wang Zhi and Mou Bin were shocked.

They were secretly astonished by the terrifying combat power of the 陷阵营.

Huai En was also listening with a pounding heart.

With such a large army, it would probably be able to sweep across the grasslands in a short time and completely incorporate Northern Yuan into the territory of Great Ming.

After Huai En finished reading, Zhu You樘 also stopped the wolf-hair brush in his hand.

Zhu You樘 looked at it with satisfaction and waved to the little eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial behind him.

“Frame it and send it to the 陷阵营.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Two little eunuchs stepped forward, carefully absorbed the excess ink, and stood the rice paper upright.

Four vigorous and forceful characters came into the eyes of the four people.

“勇冠三军 (Yǒng Guàn Sān Jūn) - 'Courage Surpassing the Three Armies'!”

Upon seeing this, Xu Chang was overjoyed!

He immediately knelt on the ground, kowtowing three times, his voice trembling with excitement.

“The 100,000 soldiers of the 陷阵营 thank Your Majesty for the great reward!”

“Thanks to Your Majesty's favor, the 100,000 soldiers of the 陷阵营 are willing to die for Your Majesty!”

Wang Zhi, Huai En, and Mou Bin were all green with envy upon seeing this.

His Majesty actually rewarded the 陷阵营 with a calligraphy work personally written by him, coupled with the incomparably glorious four characters “勇冠三军”...

The three of them gritted their teeth silently, clenched their fists secretly, and vowed to work harder to strive to obtain a calligraphy work personally written by Zhu You樘.

Zhu You樘 shook his head with a light smile: “What kind of reward is this? It's just a random piece of calligraphy written when I was in the mood.”

“Go back and order Gao Shun to detain the Tatar prisoners in Changtong for a few days first.”

“When the time is right, I will order him to lead all the soldiers of the 陷阵营 into the capital for rewards.”

“That will be my real reward.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty!”

“Alright, take this calligraphy work and go back.”

“Yes, Your Majesty, this humble servant takes his leave!”

After Xu Chang respectfully withdrew from the Imperial Study, he followed the two little eunuchs to wait outside the Directorate of Ceremonial.

The eunuchs of the Directorate of Ceremonial were seizing the time to frame this “勇冠三军”.

After Xu Chang left, Zhu You樘 sat back on the dragon throne and looked at Wang Zhi and the other two.

“You three, speak as well, what news do you have?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Huai En reported first: “Reporting to Your Majesty, the Eastern Depot has confiscated the properties of the Liu Xu and Liu Ji families.”

“A total of 123,000 taels of silver, 3,700 mu of land deeds, and 46 boxes of other properties were confiscated, all of which have been sent to the Imperial Treasury.”

“76 family members have been押往 (yā wǎng, escorted to) the Eastern Depot prison and are still being severely tortured.”

Zhu You樘 nodded and said nothing.

Mou Bin continued to report: “Reporting to Your Majesty, the Embroidered Uniform Guard has arrested Qiu Yue and imprisoned him. Qiu Yue's residence in the capital has also been confiscated.”

“A total of 35,000 taels of silver, 1,600 mu of land deeds, and 17 boxes of other properties were confiscated, all of which have been sent to the Imperial Treasury.”

“11 family members have been imprisoned in the Embroidered Uniform Guard's prison.”

“It's just that Qiu Yue's hometown is in Pingliang Prefecture, and it will still take some time for Qiu Yue's relatives to arrive in the capital.”

Zhu You樘 nodded slightly and looked at Wang Zhi.

Wang Zhi cupped his hands: “Reporting to Your Majesty, Ma Wensheng has been arrested and imprisoned in the Western Depot prison, and Ma Wensheng's residence in the capital has also been confiscated.”

“Wan An's family property in the capital has also been confiscated by the Western Depot.”

“A total of 374,000 taels of silver, 15,400 mu of land deeds, and 174 boxes of other properties were confiscated, all of which have been sent to the Imperial Treasury.”

“64 family members have been imprisoned in the Western Depot prison.”

“As for Ma Wensheng's clansmen in Junzhou, it will also take a few days for them to arrive in the capital.”

“In addition, the investigation of 179 retired officials in the capital has also made breakthrough progress.”

“All 179 people have been verified to have embezzled silver, sold official positions, privately occupied fertile land, abused their power, used their power for personal gain, and sheltered their families.”

“None of the 179 officials are wronged and can be arrested and investigated at any time!”

“Then do it!”

Zhu You樘's originally happy face sank again, and his tone was stern.

Wang Zhi lowered his head and cupped his hands: “Yes, Your Majesty!”

Zhu You樘 closed his eyes and pondered, his right hand slowly tapping on the dragon desk.

Thousands of thoughts flowed into his mind, and he needed to sort out his thoughts before making a decision.

Now that the threat of the Tatar Little Prince has been eliminated, the most important thing has been resolved, and the next step is to settle the scores.

Qiu Yue and Ma Wensheng, these two scourges, have been押入 (yā rù, escorted to) prison, just waiting for their family members to arrive in the capital before killing them together.

Wan An, Liu Xu, and Liu Ji have all had their homes confiscated and imprisoned, waiting to be beheaded.

Of the 179 retired officials, after removing Wan An and the other three, there are still 176.

They are also all top-notch corrupt officials, and the Western Depot needs to confiscate their homes and investigate them.

After pondering for a while, Zhu You樘 began to issue orders.

“Wang Zhi, Mou Bin, I will only give you five days.”

“Five days later, I want to see the family members of Qiu Yue and Ma Wensheng.”

Wang Zhi and Mou Bin's bodies shook, and they quickly cupped their hands to receive the order.

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

“Wang Zhi, I will also only give you five days to confiscate the homes of 176 retired officials.”

“Five days later, the retired officials and their family members must appear in the Western Depot prison.”

“The silver and property they embezzled must appear in my Imperial Treasury.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

“Withdraw.”

“Yes, Your Majesty, this humble official takes his leave!”

After the three commanders of the Eastern and Western Depots and Embroidered Uniform Guard left, Zhu You樘 sat on the dragon throne and let out a long sigh of relief.

After the threat of the Tatar Little Prince was lifted, he was finally relieved.

The Directorate of Imperial Cuisine sent over a snack, which was a bowl of bird's nest cooked extremely deliciously.

After Zhu You樘 ate the bird's nest, he drank a pot of fine West Lake Dragon Well tea and strolled around the Imperial Garden.

The only thing that Zhu You樘 felt a little regretful about was that the Imperial Garden was too small, with only less than 20 mu of land, and he couldn't stroll around for long at all.

It wasn't until his body and mind were sufficiently relaxed and the fatigue of handling official duties for days was relieved that Zhu You樘 returned to the Imperial Study.

“治大国犹如烹小鲜 (Zhì dà guó yóu rú pēng xiǎo xiān) - 'Governing a large country is like cooking a small fish'.”

“After the harem, the relatives of the emperor, the inner officials, and the foreign enemies are all resolved, the currency system reform should be put on the agenda.”

“But how to reform, how to change, and where to start... all need to be carefully discussed.”

“There's no hurry.”

Zhu You樘 picked up his pen and continued to write down his general plan for currency system reform on the unfinished memorial.

As for the specific implementation and how to implement it, it will have to be formally implemented after further discussions with the ministers of the Grand Secretariat.

But the only certainty is that the currency system reform of the Great Ming is imminent.

It has to be changed!