Zhu Houjin continued coldly,"
"A piece of board is not allowed to go into the sea. That was when this dynasty was first established. Back then, when Taizu formulated this system, there was a situation at that time. Even so, when the ban on the sea was at its strictest, the people who went out to fish still risked their lives.”
"Zhen will tell you! Most of the coastal people's fields were salty and could not grow crops. They watched the sea and ate the sea. If they did not fish, their entire family would starve to death!”
"Anyone who wants to ban the sea should be exiled to the seaside and not allowed to go out to fish. I'll give you the salty land by the seaside to see if you can survive!”
"I…I didn't think it through…"
After Zhou Jixing got up from the ground, his back arched even more. His back was covered in sweat, soaking his court clothes.
Zhu Houjin's words rendered all the civil and military officials speechless!
In fact, since Zhu Di's era, fishermen in the southeast coast had been making a semi-public living.
However, no emperor dared to abolish Zhu Yuanzhang's rule, including Zhu Di.
However, the successive emperors turned a blind eye to the fishermen going into the sea.
If the people could not survive, they would rebel!
Letting the fishermen go into the sea would instead allow the people to eat cheap seafood. The rarer the item, the more valuable it was. If seafood was scarce, the price would definitely soar…
As for maritime trade, the Ministry of Revenue's data was already clear. Foreign merchant ships came to the Ming Empire to purchase porcelain, tea leaves, and silk, which were in high demand. They sent a large amount of white silver to the Ming Empire's national treasury, which was dozens of times more than before.
In the past, the Ming Empire was responsible for foreign trade, and it was an official organization.
Such institutions were often the hotbeds of corruption for officials, and they were considered lucrative jobs.
However, after the maritime trade was untied, the Shibo Division was changed to a market supervision organization by Zhu Houyi.
They were only responsible for collecting trade taxes and supervising the market. They did not do business themselves.
As a result, the scale of corruption was no longer the same as before, and the civilian merchants who traveled the sea rose like mushrooms after a rain.
It directly brought tax revenue to the Great Ming's treasury and indirectly boosted the entire economy of the empire. It also opened up the horizons of the Great Ming's merchants.
Now, the merchants of the empire could be said to be like carps crossing the river.
The imperial censors were talking nonsense about the silver flowing out!
The Celestial Dynasty is a superior country, and the four seas are subject to it. Its military power is illustrious and its national strength is brilliant. How can it ban the sea?
How could the current Ming Empire navy allow pirates to invade the coast?
Today, the people of the Ming Empire had already straightened their backs and began to fish for the world and earn the money of the entire world because they had the prosperous motherland, the Ming Empire, behind them!
"Planet Zhou Ji, I will give you ten mu of saline-alkalized land by the sea. Take your entire family and scram to the sea. You are not allowed to fish. I have already shown you mercy. Take off his official robe!"
"Yes, sir!"
The warriors outside the palace had already finished their preparations. After hearing the Emperor's order, they immediately rushed in and stripped him of his court clothes in no time.
Zhou Jixing was already kneeling on the ground. Sweat was pouring down his body. A gust of wind blew into the hall, causing Zhou Jixing to tremble. He fell to the ground and knelt down to thank Zhu Houjiu."Your humble subject obeys."
He was already very clear that he would forever live a life of starvation, and even his entire family would starve to death. He thought that it would be better to just cut him with a knife…
After watching Zhou Ji Xing being dragged out of the main hall, Zhu Hou Xin walked to Censor Cao De and said,"
"Censor Cao, you said to stop the reform and return to the ancestral system. Business and the imperial examinations cannot be changed, right?”
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Cao De's words were tough, but he was already very afraid in his heart. The Emperor had killed two censors last night.
It was very likely that one of them would starve to death today. The outcome of these people would be the same as his!
If they were starved to death, then how ridiculous would their words be? Not to mention leaving a good reputation for hundreds of years, they would probably be notorious for thousands of years!
He wasn't afraid of his own death. He was prepared to remonstrate to the death today.
However, he was still worried about his family. Now, there was a trace of regret in his heart. He regretted not joining in the fun...
"Do you know why I want to reform some ancestral systems? Why do you want to reform the imperial examination?" Zhu Houjin asked again.
"I really don't know." Cao De's expression was extremely ugly, and he was extremely hesitant and regretful.
He realized that no imperial censor dared to support him. The other party allies all lowered their heads and avoided his pleading gaze.
If he were to follow in the footsteps of Planet Zhouji, then most of his life's efforts would be in vain. The emperor's willpower was so firm that the reform would definitely be pushed forward. The lives of the people would get better and better, and the empire would become stronger and stronger. Then, those who opposed the reform would really be notorious for thousands of years!
The censor was not afraid of death, but he was afraid of leaving a bad name for ten thousand years. This was because if it affected his descendants, their descendants would be stabbed in the back. This was even more unbearable than hell!
At this moment, Zhu Houjiu had already returned to his throne. After sweeping his gaze across the officials, he said,
"I'm here to tell you that only reform will bring wealth to the empire, and only reform will make the empire's strength flourish day by day. The ancestral system is not good, so I changed it for the prosperity of the Ming Empire.”
"The world! This is my world. You are just my people. I am your father. Whatever I want to change is the will of the heavens. If you oppose it, you are deceiving the emperor and betraying the heavens!”
Zhu Houjiu's words were like a sharp sword that was stabbing at Cao De and the other officials.
Those imperial censors who had originally tried to follow up with the death remonstrance had already given up. They could not get a clean reputation for a lifetime and even made themselves guilty of deceiving the emperor. That was asking for trouble and digging their own graves.
This was a fatal blow to those censors!
The Emperor was the Son of Heaven, the Son of Heaven. His words were the imperial edict. As an official, if he opposed the Emperor, he would be disrespectful and sentenced to death by a thousand cuts!
Cao De's face was pale as he struggled in his heart, calculating the gains and losses.
Seeing this, Zhu Houjin couldn't help but sneer in his heart."Fighting with me? What kind of strategy does a mere censor have? You were wrong from the beginning!"
In the end, Cao Desi could only admit defeat."This lowly subject deserves to die ten thousand times. Your Majesty, please punish me!”
"Minister of Justice, step forward!" Zhu Houjin shouted softly.
"Your humble subject is here!" The Minister of Justice, Mao Jinyu, bowed and walked out of the line, waiting for the decree.
"Minister Mao, I came to ask you, what crime should Cao De be punished for?”
The Minister of Justice, Mao Jinyu, thought for a moment and said,"Your Majesty, Censor Cao De disobeyed the decree and should be executed according to the law!”
Boom!
"Spare me, Your Majesty!" Cao De hurriedly begged. Your Majesty, please spare me! Your Majesty!"
Zhu Houjin pondered for a moment and said,""Cao De, I know that your Cao family is a loyal minister of the Ming Dynasty. Your ancestors once followed Taizu to war and made great contributions to the defense of the capital behind the Yingzong Dynasty's Tumu Fortress.”
"However, don't take on your position as an imperial censor. Go back and reflect on yourself and think about what to do in the future.”
"Zhen will see your performance before deciding whether you and your entire family live or die. I might as well tell you that Zhen will not care too much about the nobility when killing officials.”
"If your ancestors didn't have any military exploits against Wala, even if you Cao De had ten thousand people in your family, it wouldn't be enough for me to chop off your head!”
"Thank you for your grace, thank you for your grace!”Censor Cao De hurriedly thanked him.
Then, Zhu Houyi said to the officials,"
"Zhen has changed some ancestral systems, but from today onwards, Zhen will restore some ancestral systems, Huang Jin!”
"I'm here."
"How many people violated the court rules today?”
" Reporting to Your Majesty, the Ministry of Rites 'picket found that a total of fifty-eight people violated the court rules. They entered the Meridian Gate in an irregular manner. Rank-6 and 7 officials walked in front, while Rank-2 and Rank-3 court officials walked behind and whispered to each other. There was no discipline at all..." Huang Jin reported.
"Minister of Justice Mao Jinyu!"
"Your humble subject is here!" The Minister of Justice, Mao Jinyu, stepped forward again.
"I'm here to ask you, how should you be punished for violating the court etiquette?”
"Reporting to Your Majesty, generally, those who break the law will be punished with a salary ranging from one month to one year. Those who make a racket, talk to each other, and regardless of their rank, will be punished with a stick ranging from twenty to eighty.”Mao Jinyu said.
"Good! I have no intention of changing this ancestral system. Where are the warriors outside the hall?”
"Yes!"
Outside the Hall of Political Announcement, the warriors outside the hall poured in together.
"According to the ancestral system, whatever punishment is given, punish it now!”
"Your Majesty, dozens of people have to be beaten?”The Minister of Justice, Mao Jinyu, said in shock.
"Beat them all! Beat them up fiercely and wake them up. Don't embarrass themselves in front of me next time!”
Zhu Houjiu stood up from his throne and waved his hand. The sleeves of his wide dragon robe made a whooshing sound, announcing the supreme power of the Emperor!
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。