Censor Wang had also been knocked to death. Two cold corpses lay in the main hall. Blood was still flowing out, and the entire hall was filled with the smell of blood.
Everyone was silent out of fear!
"These two people lied to the emperor and did not distinguish right from wrong. They reversed black and white and committed a heinous crime. If you have anything to say, feel free to say it.”Zhu Houzhao said indifferently.
Although Zhu Houzhao's tone was calm, who would dare to speak nonsense at this time? Imperial Censor Wang and Imperial Messenger Li's corpses were not cold yet. Were they courting death by talking now?
Even Zhu Bujue didn't say a word!
However, he was sneering in his heart. Zhu Houzhao's actions would cause the ministers to fall apart sooner or later. At that time, his chance would come.
The civil officials of the Ming Dynasty were like this. They were righteous and fearless when they knew that they would not die. When they were about to die, they were all more afraid of death than anyone else.
"Hmph, since you guys are not talking, then fine, zhen will speak.”Zhu Houzhao walked down from the throne and walked in front of the officials.
"Zhen has a secret document here that records all of Wang Ao's crimes. Let me take a good look. This is what you call a clean official, what you call a good official!”As Zhu Houzhao spoke, he threw the secret letter to the cabinet chief, Liu Jian!
"Grand Secretary Liu, you're the chief assistant of the cabinet. Read it to me and the officials!" Zhu Houzhao said expressionlessly.
"Yes!"
Liu Jian had already understood the Emperor's intentions. Moreover, he had already decided to stand on the Emperor's side, so he did not hesitate at all!
"In the seventh year of Emperor Xiaozong, Wang Ao's father seized 100 mu of land and killed the original owner, Wang Liuzi's family of five. In the 11th year of Emperor Xiaozong's reign, Wang Ao's father and brothers had relied on Wang Ao's power to occupy as much as 2000 mu of land, killing and injuring more than 20 people.
" In the fifth year of Emperor Xiaozong's reign, Wang Ao's younger brother forcefully kidnapped a commoner's daughter. He refused to comply, so he raped, killed, and dumped her corpse. Then, he killed her parents…" In the entire process, Wang Ao's family had forcefully kidnapped more than ten commoner's daughters, killing more than ten of them.
" From the thirteenth year of Emperor Xiaozong to now, Wang Ao's father and brother bought and sold seven official titles, from county magistrate to Zhizhou, earning a profit of 150,000 taels…"
"In June of the third year of Emperor Xiaozong, Wang Ao accepted a bribe of 1800 taels of silver. In the seventh month of the third year of Xiaozong, Wang Ao accepted bribes of 2,300 strings of cash…"The total amount was more than 300,000 taels!
Liu Jian read out the crimes of Wang Ao's father and brother. Instantly, everyone fell silent. Because the evidence was conclusive, they had nothing to say even if they wanted to.
However, they sighed inwardly. Wang Ao was really unlucky to have been found out by the Emperor.
"Now, who still has doubts about Wang Ao's crime?”Zhu Houzhao asked after Liu Jian finished reading.
This time, no one dared to speak.
"Your Majesty is wise. Everyone has the right to kill these traitors. The Emperor killed Wang Ao, he deserved it.”Liu Jian spoke first.
"Your Majesty is wise!" The others, whether they were sincere or not, had no choice but to follow suit.
"Since you all think that he deserves to die, then pass down the imperial decree: Wang Ao has occupied land, embezzled and accepted bribes, disregarded human lives, and traded official titles. Kill ten clans!" Zhu Houzhao snorted coldly.
The Ten Clans Execution was to kill anyone who had anything to do with Wang Ao.
Perhaps this was indeed a little ruthless, but Zhu Houzhao wanted to use this to intimidate the officials!
"In addition, I have a memorial here. Minister of Justice, read it!"
"Yes!"
The Minister of Justice, Min Gui, picked up the memorial, but just as he opened it, his eyes suddenly constricted.
" This…" Min Gui felt that this memorial weighed a thousand pounds.
"Read!" Zhu Houzhao said expressionlessly.
"The second assistant of the cabinet, Ma Wendong, embezzled thirty thousand taels of silver. "Zhan Shi House's Young Zhan, Yang Tinghe, embezzled eighty thousand taels of silver…" The names of everyone who was dismissed by Zhu Houzhao were all on it.
The one who embezzled the least was Ma Wendong-30,000 taels. In fact, it was really not much to be able to corrupt 30,000 taels of silver when he was the assistant minister of the cabinet.
The so-called three years clean magistrate, 100,000 snowflake silver. It wasn't just for show. Embezzling 30,000 taels of silver could be said to be incorruptible.
Other than Yang Tinghe, the others had embezzled more than 100,000 taels!
These had already been dismissed, so there was no need to talk about them. Next, it was time for the main point!
"Minister of Works, Zeng Jian, embezzled and accepted bribes, a total of 2.12 million taels of silver. The Minister of Rites, Zhang Sheng, embezzled and accepted bribes equivalent to 210,000 taels of silver…"
Only the Minister of Justice, Min Gui, was better. He could be considered a clean official. That was why Zhu Houzhao asked him to read it.
"How is it? Aren't you shocked? I actually investigated it clearly. Actually, I'm also very surprised. You guys are really rich. My national treasury only receives a few million taels of tax a year. All of you are really capable. I took a look. The total amount of money you embezzled was close to 20 million taels. You guys are really clean and upright. Is this how clean you are?”
"Men, pull out all those with names on it and kill them!”Zhu Houzhao snatched the secret seal and threw it to the ground.
"Emperor, the laws of our ancestors cannot be changed! The late emperor personally decreed that corruption is not a capital offense, so the emperor cannot kill us.”
"That's right, we'll resign!"
In an instant, except for a few people, everyone knelt on the ground. As he spoke of the ancestral method, he asked to leave.
"Resign? Do you want to leave? Dream on! Since all of you are talking about the methods of the ancestors, then I will tell you about the methods of the ancestors. If you say that the ancestral laws cannot be changed, then fine!”
"Emperor Taizu Gao had once set a law. If you embezzled sixty taels of silver, you would be sentenced to death. If you took a bribe, you would be banished to the army. If you embezzled more than one hundred taels of silver, you would be skinned alive! Who allowed you to deceive the late emperor and get rid of the death penalty for corruption? Who told you to change the laws of your ancestors?"
"Oh, you can change, the late emperor can change, but can't I change? A reform that benefits you is good governance. Reforms that are disadvantageous to you are the laws of your ancestors, and they are torture.”
"I finally understand. All of you have long been laying the foundation for your corruption and escaping punishment for your corruption.”
"Since all of you are talking about the ancestral method, then from now on, we will restore the ancestral method. Furthermore, I have ordered that this is the law of our ancestors. No one in the future emperors can change it. Men, peel off the skin of all those who have embezzled more than a hundred taels!”
As soon as Zhu Houzhao said this, more than ten people fainted on the spot. Skinning the skin and harvesting the grass was even more terrifying than beheading.
Skinning was alive.
"Spare me, Your Majesty, spare me…Your Majesty!”In an instant, all the officials began to beg for mercy and cry bitterly.
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