"Your Majesty, I have recently received a report that the county magistrate of Fengyang County, Liu Bai, has been bullying the villagers in order to seek political achievements. He has forcefully raised the tax quota of Fengyang County, causing the people to live in misery. Please punish these corrupt officials as a warning to others!”
During the Hongwu period, in the main hall of Yingtian Prefecture's Imperial City.
Just as the court session began, a stern accusation echoed in the hall.
Originally, it was a small matter for a mere seventh-grade county magistrate to bully the villagers.
There was no need to impeach him in court.
However, this county magistrate was different.
Everyone in Fengyang County and the entire Ming Dynasty knew about it.
This was the hometown of His Majesty.
As the hometown of the emperor, Fengyang County was destined to be an extraordinary place.
As for Fengyang County Magistrate Liu Bai, he was no ordinary person.
The Great Ming Dynasty could be said to be a dynasty built on the ruins of a land trampled by the Yuan people.
After the establishment of the Ming Dynasty, there were many things to be done.
As for the imperial examination, which was used to select talented people from all over the world,
This was the most important thing.
Liu Bai was the legendary person selected by the Ming Dynasty during the first imperial examination.
Due to the difference between the north and south, thirty-five of the top thirty-six people in the first imperial examination were from the south.
However, even so, the top scorer of the first imperial examination fell to the north.
The person who had single-handedly suppressed all the students in the south and won the top scorer position was the Fengyang County Magistrate, Liu Bai, who had been impeached.
Moreover, the person who took the lead to impeach him.
He was also the prime minister of the Ming Dynasty, Hu Weiyong.
A prime minister impeached a county magistrate in court.
Such a scene was probably unprecedented.
"Liu Bai from Fengyang County?"
After listening to Hu Weiyong's impeachment,
On the 95th seat in the hall.
Dressed in a yellow dragon medallion with golden patterns, the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang, who always had a dignified expression on his face, frowned slightly.
He still had some impression of Liu Bai.
After all, he was the first imperial examination champion who had suppressed all the others back then.
Zhu Yuanzhang had some impression of it.
However, facing Hu Weiyong's impeachment.
Zhu Yuanzhang's expression became complicated.
"Do you have any concrete evidence?"
"Your Majesty, Fengyang County is a small county. The taxes paid every year were more than double the previous year! Especially this year's taxes, it was three times more than the surrounding thirteen counties combined! With such high taxes, it was hard to guarantee that there was something fishy going on!”
When he was asked for evidence, Hu Weiyong, who was dressed in a prime minister's court uniform, was very wise not to directly say this matter.
Instead, he directly displayed the tax data of Fengyang County over the years.
Fengyang County wasn't a tax-paying county, and there wasn't much land.
However, the taxes paid by a small county exceeded the combined taxes of the surrounding counties.
Was this reasonable?
Moreover, Hu Weiyong was well aware of the Emperor's temper.
He would never tolerate corrupt officials.
It was enough to make His Majesty suspect Liu Bai.
His Majesty was very suspicious.
"We will arrange for someone to investigate this matter thoroughly. If this is really the case…"
Zhu Yuanzhang, who was sitting on the throne, narrowed his eyes slightly when he heard Hu Weiyong's words.
An invisible killing intent immediately spread throughout the hall.
The aura of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood instantly made all the officials in the hall lower their heads.
For the person above, when the emperor was angry, millions of corpses would fall to him.
It was definitely not just for show.
After sensing the monstrous killing intent of the higher-ups,
Hu Weiyong, who had achieved his goal, silently returned to his seat.
" Liu Bai, a junior of the Humble Class, was only a lucky high school back then. How dare he reject my offer. I will let you know the price of looking down on me, Hu Weiyong!'
...
"Boss,"
"Hey, what instructions does Imperial Father have?"
After the court session ended.
After Zhu Yuanzhang returned to the harem with a somewhat unhappy expression, he looked at Crown Prince Zhu Biao, who always had a slight smile on his face.
His originally somewhat pedantic mood improved a little.
"Go and bring me all the taxes that Fengyang County has paid in the past few years. I want to see what kind of person this Fengyang County Magistrate is.”
Although the anger in his heart had subsided a little.
However, Hu Weiyong's words in the morning were like a thorn in Zhu Yuanzhang's heart.
Fengyang was his hometown.
Back then, many of his parents and brothers had starved to death there.
Now, he had already become the emperor. If his blind dates were still living the same life as before, or even worse than before, then…
Then, as the emperor…
When Zhu Yuanzhang thought of this, his brows furrowed even more.
The killing intent on his body also became more and more intense.
"Chongba? What's wrong with you today? You're so murderous. Who made you angry again?”
Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't help but want to kill Liu Bai.
A crisp and gentle voice suddenly sounded in his ears.
After hearing this voice.
Zhu Yuanzhang's killing intent and majesty dissipated in an instant.
At this moment, he did not look like an emperor at all. Instead, he looked more like an old child.
He looked at the figure who walked in with a stack of dishes.
Her eyes were filled with tenderness.
"Hehe, sister, didn't I suddenly miss my hometown? After leaving his hometown all these years, he had never returned. I wonder how the villagers are doing now?”
Empress Ma, who was carrying a small dish, heard her man say this.
She rolled her eyes at him.
After putting down the side dishes in his hand, he kindly scooped a bowl of rice for Zhu Yuanzhang.
"If you miss your hometown, go back and take a look yourself. Anyway, Biao Er can take charge of his own affairs now. As a father, there's nothing wrong with you relaxing a little. Don't push yourself so hard all day long."
...
Empress Ma's words made Zhu Yuanzhang, who was holding a bowl and preparing to eat, slightly stunned.
Then, he seemed to have thought of something.
"Hahaha... Sister, you're right! We can go and see for ourselves! Sister, you're really my good sister!”
Zhu Yuanzhang said as he reached out to grab Empress Ma's hand.
However, in the next second, a slap landed on the back of his hand.
"You disrespectful old man, Biao Er is still here. Hurry up and eat your food."
"Hehehe…"
Zhu Yuanzhang, who had been slapped, was not angry. Instead, he looked at Empress Ma and smiled foolishly.
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