A month later.
News came back from Pei County.
The Guardian Division sent someone back and reported all the information they had found to Zhu Yuanzhang.
"Your Majesty."
Zhu Yuanzhang put down the memorial in his hand and looked at the people kneeling on the ground.
His eyes were filled with anticipation.
"How is it? Have you investigated everything?"
"Yes, Your Majesty!" The person on the ground reported.
Zhu Yuanzhang nodded with satisfaction and said,"Get up."”
"Tell me everything about Meng Yin.”
The guards stood up. "Thank you, Your Majesty."
After that.
He continued," A month ago, the leader brought our Gongwei Division to Pei County. After investigation, we found out that the original Pei County Magistrate, Meng Yin, was just an ordinary person.”
"But, in the third year of Hongwu.”
"Meng Yin suddenly appeared like a god, and his entire body underwent a huge change.”
"From a poor boy who only knew how to sell straw mats, he actually seized the opportunity and happened to meet the servant of the county magistrate's family who came out to buy straw mats.”
"Later on, Meng Yin's extraordinary knowledge and all kinds of novel experiences made him the chief registrar of the county magistrate's family at that time.”
Hearing this.
Zhu Yuanzhang was also surprised.
He really did not expect that Meng Yin actually had such a past.
From a grassroots commoner to a counterattack.
If he didn't know that this person was real, he would have thought that he was making up a story.
"What happened after that?" Zhu Yuanzhang asked.
"Your Majesty," the guards replied,"then in the fifth year of Hongwu, Meng Yin became the county magistrate of Pei County.”
"Then where did the original county magistrate go?”Zhu Yuanzhang asked.
"Wang Yi, the original county magistrate of Pei County, had already been promoted and became the magistrate of Xu Prefecture.”
"And before Wang Yi took office, he directly elected Meng Yin, who he thought most highly of, to inherit the Pei County Magistrate position.”
Hearing this.
Zhu Yuanzhang also recalled that in the fifth year of Hongwu's reign, before the new magistrate of Xuzhou was appointed, he had submitted a petition to him, saying that he wanted to recommend a talented person to be the next magistrate.
At that time, Zhu Yuanzhang knew that Wang Yi was an upright person and had never had any bad history.
He did not investigate Meng Yin.
After all, he was just a county magistrate, so he agreed directly.
Immediately after.
Zhu Yuanzhang thought of something.
He muttered to himself,"Previously at Meng Yin's house, he righteously said in front of me that he sold his official position because he had someone above him."”
"He should be referring to this Wang Yi.”
After he finished speaking, the guards standing in front of him were so scared that they broke out in cold sweat.
He thought to himself," This Pei County Magistrate is really bold. He actually dared to sell his official position. Doesn't he know that the Emperor hates corrupt officials the most?"
However…
Why was Meng Yin still alive and well?
Logically speaking, shouldn't His Majesty chop off that Meng Yin with one slash?
Before he could figure this out, he heard Zhu Yuanzhang continue to ask,"What about Pei County's economic situation?"
"How does Pei County's annual tax revenue compare to the other counties?”
Zhu Yuanzhang was still looking forward to Pei County's tax revenue.
After all, he had personally seen the local scene.
Such a prosperous place should be the wealthiest county in the entire Ming Dynasty.
Zhu Yuanzhang thought to himself, Pei County's annual payment of silver is not several times more than other counties?
However…
The answer from the guards was unexpected.
"Your Majesty, this subordinate has found out from the Ministry of Revenue that Pei County's tax collection in the past few years is only slightly higher than other counties.”
"A little?" What are the details?"
"Every year, it's only a few dozen taels of silver more than other counties.”
"But the taxes Pei County pays every year are also increasing.”
"In the first year after Meng Yin took office, he had two taels of silver more than the neighboring counties. The second year was fifty taels, and the third year was seventy taels.”
"Last year's tax was 100 taels more than the neighboring county.”
After saying this, Zhu Yuanzhang was stunned.
His face fell.
It was as black as the bottom of a pot.
Based on the last visit, Pei County was such a wealthy place. How could it pay a little more tax than other counties?？
What about the taxes in between?
Where did they all go?
Zhu Yuanzhang was so angry that he paced back and forth in the study.
However, he was not in a hurry to make a conclusion. Instead, he continued to ask the people from the Guardian Division.
"What else did you find out?"
The guards shook their heads.”
Zhu Yuanzhang stopped in his tracks.
She turned around and looked at him in disbelief.
" That's it???"
"So many of you went to investigate, and that's all you found?”
The guards saw that something was wrong.
He quickly knelt down.
"Your Majesty, please forgive us, we are useless!”
How could Zhu Yuanzhang not be angry?
The result of the investigation by the guards he sent to Pei County was less than the number of days he had stayed in Pei County.
Zhu Yuanzhang was furious.
" A bunch of trash!!!"
"I know I was wrong!" The guards trembled. Please calm down, Your Majesty!"
"Other than saying these two sentences, what else can you tell me?”
Zhu Yuanzhang was furious.
He grabbed the memorial on the table and threw it at the head of the Guardian Division.
"What use do I have for you!"
"When I was in Pei County, I saw that the farmland there was full of crops. The people were well-fed and there were all kinds of workshops."
"I even know that a waiter in an inn gets six taels of salary a month!”
"What about you guys? After such a long time, this is all the information you've found?”
Hearing this, the people from the Guardian Division were already beginning to fear that their heads would be destroyed.
He was so frightened that he hurriedly kowtowed.
" Your Majesty, please spare my life!"
Zhu Yuanzhang was so angry that he kicked the person.
"Get out!" he cursed angrily.!”
The guards heard this.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Thank you, Your Majesty!"
He kowtowed and rolled out.
...
After a long time, Zhu Yuanzhang's anger subsided.
He sat back in his chair and began to think about what had just happened.
In the past, the job of the people of the Guardian Division was to protect the safety of the royal family.
They did not have much experience in investigating.
Therefore…
He realized a problem.
That was that the current ability of the Guardian Division was no longer enough to do things for him.
Zhu Yuanzhang rubbed his chin and said,"It seems that I have established a new spy organization that can inquire about everything I want to know.”
He thought about it.
The more he thought about it, the better his idea became.
Not only for the matter of Meng Yin, but it would also be much more convenient to investigate other ministers in the future.
He picked up the brush.
After thinking for a moment, he wrote three words on the paper.
Jinyiwei.
This book is provided by FunNovel Novel Book | Fan Fiction Novel [Beautiful Free Novel Book]