Liu Huaiwen began his name-calling and fault-finding spree, and the assembled dignitaries, upon being singled out, immediately adopted a posture of serene detachment, as if the accusations were directed at someone else entirely.
After all, they would soon have to present their plans and budgets for the following year, and the approval of these budgets ultimately depended on the disposition of Liu Huai, the pillar of the Ministry of Revenue.
However, Liu Huaiwen did not let them off the hook simply because they feigned ignorance.
With his firepower fully unleashed, Liu Huaiwen directly turned his attention to the Imperial Academy and the Grand Secretariat of the Five Military Commissions. "If those few are somewhat manageable, then you, the Imperial Academy and the Grand Secretariat of the Five Military Commissions, are truly remarkable – last year, your approved budget was one hundred million taels, yet you managed to overspend to one hundred and fifty million taels!"
"And you, the Grand Secretariat of the Five Military Commissions, your approved budget was one hundred million taels, but you ended up exceeding it by one hundred and eighty million taels!"
"What's the matter? Is the national treasury managed by this old man some inexhaustible source of gold and silver, from which I can conjure any amount of money you desire?"
"I'm making it clear today: next year's budget is a mere four hundred and fifty million taels of silver, not a single copper more! Anyone who overspends will have to find the money themselves!"
The assembled dignitaries continued to play dumb. Some looked up at the palace roof, while others lowered their heads to count the patterns on their boots.
In short, no one dared to meet Liu Huaiwen's gaze directly.
Even Zhu Jinsong was amused by their antics. "Alright, while the treasury of our Great Ming has always adhered to the principle of 'spending according to income,' the treasury is still the treasury. It's best to avoid exceeding the budget as much as possible."
Hearing Zhu Jinsong's words, Song Yucheng, the pillar of the Ministry of Works, immediately became displeased. "Your Majesty, it's not that we intentionally overspend. It's just that Great Ming has so many areas that require expenditure."
"Take, for example, the reservoirs that the Ministry of Water Conservancy needs to construct. This is a matter of great importance to the livelihoods of the people. We cannot possibly excavate reservoirs in Shandong and not do so in Shanxi, can we?"
"Then there's the dredging of river channels – other river channels are manageable, but Your Majesty knows that the Yellow River is not as easy to deal with, and the Ministry of Water Conservancy has invested a considerable amount of money in this area."
Before Song Yucheng could finish lamenting, Chen Hongbo, the pillar of the Ministry of Communications, chimed in. "Your Majesty, my Ministry of Communications has been continuously building roads this year without any delay. Especially the roads leading to Ü-Tsang, which are of utmost importance."
"..."
Following Song Yucheng and Chen Hongbo's initial complaints, the pillars of the other ministries also began to voice their grievances. The core message was singular: the tasks were arduous, and the budgets were insufficient.
However, none of them noticed that Zhu Jinsong's expression grew increasingly somber as these dignitaries continued to lament their supposed hardships.
Naturally, those who had attained the positions of ministers in the various ministries of Great Ming were not fools. After waiting for a long time without hearing any commentary from Emperor Zhu, these dignitaries instinctively fell silent, intending to probe Emperor Zhu's attitude further.
To everyone's surprise, Zhu Jinsong merely rubbed his forehead lightly and waved to Ke Zhiming, who had remained silent, signaling him to distribute documents to the assembled dignitaries.
"Last year, out of Great Ming's over two thousand counties, there were more than two hundred county magistrates involved in corruption. The officials below the seventh rank were even more numerous; if not ten thousand, then at least eight thousand."
"Further up, whether it was prefectures or provinces, these officials were more discreet in their greed. At least they didn't steal as openly. If it weren't for the combined efforts of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Censorate, their tracks might not have been discovered."
"However, because of these officials, at least tens of millions of taels out of the hundreds of millions disbursed by the Ministry of Revenue were wasted and never used for their intended purposes."
Zhu Jinsong stated with a poker face, "So, are these officials truly not afraid of death?"
As he spoke, Zhu Jinsong felt a desire to laugh again.
According to the laws of Great Ming, those who committed corruption less than sixty taels were subject to execution by beheading or hanging, while those who exceeded sixty taels were liable for flaying and being fed to dogs.
Furthermore, corruption, like the crimes of 'collecting life and breaking limbs' or 'dealing in aphrodisiacs,' was considered a capital offense with no possibility of pardon. Although it didn't involve the entire family as directly as the latter two crimes, once it exceeded one hundred taels, corruption would also implicate one's immediate family.
Invisibly, it would also involve nine degrees of kinship and three generations. According to the laws of Great Ming, if an official committed corruption, his kinsmen within nine degrees would be disqualified from holding official positions or serving in the military, and this impact would extend for three generations.
With such severe penalties, one would think it would deter officials, right?
After all, the salaries provided by the Great Ming court to officials were not low. A common ninth-rank official could easily support a family of five, with even some surplus, making corruption entirely unnecessary.
Yet, these officials of Great Ming still indulged in it.
Zhu Jinsong said expressionlessly, slowly tapping his desk, "Furthermore, the Imperial Academy is also showing signs of material waste and lax approval processes."
"As for the Imperial Manufactories, it's even worse. Certain master craftsmen, relying on their extensive experience, do not adhere to specific parameters in their work. Some even dare to arbitrarily alter the blueprints sent by the Imperial Academy."
"Across Great Ming's more than forty provincial administration divisions, including the imperial court, over one thousand eight hundred officials of the fifth rank and above have been caught by the Embroidered Uniform Guard."
"In addition to local officials, the Grand Secretariat of the Five Military Commissions was also found to be involved in numerous corruption cases this year. I initially believed that Great Ming would not experience phenomena like 'eating empty salaries' or 'drinking soldiers' blood,' but the Grand Secretariat of the Five Military Commissions has indeed encountered such situations."
"Moreover, some local garrisons have also engaged in commercial activities. What, has the military expenditure I approved been insufficient for you?"
"You all are, indeed, using your actions to slap my face relentlessly."
As Zhu Jinsong spoke expressionlessly, Zeng Cheng, Liu Hemming, and the other dignitaries dared not listen any further.
On the contrary, when Zhu Jinsong mentioned corruption among officials of the second rank and the Grand Secretariat of the Five Military Commissions, all the dignitaries had already knelt on the ground.
Zhu Jinsong glanced sideways at Zeng Cheng, Liu Hemming, and the others, then let out a cold laugh. He turned to Zhang Dequan and ordered, "Go sound the Jingyang Bell. Summon all officials to the palace. I will convene an extraordinary grand court today."
Upon hearing that the Jingyang Bell was to be rung, Zeng Cheng's heart was greatly alarmed, and his face was filled with terror. "Your Majesty, reconsider!"
The other dignitaries also raised their heads. Liu Hemming said decisively, "Your Majesty, I will rectify the corruption within the military upon my return. If Your Majesty cannot quell your anger, even if you demand my head, I will have no regrets. I implore Your Majesty to temporarily curb your wrath!"
Liu Huai also earnestly advised, "Your Majesty, even if there is corruption, does Great Ming not still have the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Censorate? This Jingyang Bell... Your Majesty, reconsider!"
Zhu Jinsong ignored Zeng Cheng, Liu Hemming, Liu Huai, and the other dignitaries. Instead, he turned his gaze to the hesitant Zhang Dequan. "What, I can't even command you anymore?"
Zhang Dequan trembled in his heart. Immediately, he bowed and confessed his fault, then led several young eunuchs towards the Jingyang Palace. Zeng Cheng and Liu Hemming, who were kneeling on the ground, turned ashen-faced and felt a sense of unease.
The Jingyang Bell was used to summon civil and military officials to court. It was not easily rung when it was not a grand court assembly.
The last emperor to ring the Jingyang Bell outside of a grand court assembly bore the reign title Chongzhen.
Zeng Cheng and the other dignitaries were not worried that Emperor Zhu of Great Ming would ring the Jingyang Bell and that no officials would arrive. In fact, as long as Emperor Zhu of Great Ming was alive, no civil or military official in Great Ming would dare to stand defiant before Emperor Zhu.
What Zeng Cheng and Liu Hemming and the other dignitaries were worried about were precisely the civil and military officials who would be summoned by the Jingyang Bell.
In previous years, Great Ming had not been without corruption cases. In fact, every year, hundreds of officials were sent to the execution ground, either by beheading, hanging, dismemberment, or flaying.
However, in any given year, Emperor Zhu had never rung the Jingyang Bell for this reason.
As Zeng Cheng and the other dignitaries were filled with trepidation, Zhu Jinsong suddenly let out a laugh and said, "It's rather amusing – when I first raised my banner against the Qing, I vowed to ensure that all the people of this land would live good lives, no longer oppressed by corrupt officials.
"But now, after only a few years? Hmm?"
"Alright, stop kneeling, all of you. Let's go to the platform and speak frankly."
After speaking, Zhu Jinsong no longer paid attention to Zeng Cheng, Liu Hemming, and the other dignitaries. Instead, he stood up and walked directly towards the platform.
The platform was neither the name of a palace nor the name of a building in the Forbidden City.
Unlike the grand court assemblies depicted in television dramas, grand court assemblies were not held in the Hall of Supreme Harmony but rather on the platform outside the Hall of Supreme Harmony. The dragon throne would also be brought out by specialized Great Han generals and taken back into the Hall of Supreme Harmony after the grand court assembly concluded.
As for holding meetings inside the Hall of Supreme Harmony, it wasn't unheard of, but it was rare, so rare that it might not happen more than a few times a year.
Zeng Cheng and the other dignitaries exchanged glances helplessly. In the end, they could only rise from the ground and obediently follow Zhu Jinsong towards the platform.
...
Just as Zeng Cheng and the other dignitaries had anticipated, when they followed Zhu Jinsong to the platform, all the officials of Great Ming from the fifth rank and above had already arrived. The Great Han generals had also prepared the dragon throne early.
After the cleansing street whip sounded, Zhang Dequan loudly proclaimed, "Ascend the court!"
Zhu Jinsong remained seated on the dragon throne with a blank expression, as if he hadn't noticed the ceremony of salutation from the civil and military officials. Only when the officials' knees began to ache from kneeling did Zhu Jinsong seem to suddenly snap back to awareness and slowly rise from the dragon throne.
However, Zhu Jinsong did not instruct the civil and military officials to rise. Instead, he slowly paced among them, step by step. "Our Great Ming has over two thousand counties, with two thousand three hundred and thirty-six county magistrates of the seventh rank. Today, I shall execute more than two hundred and seventy of them."
"Our Great Ming has over forty provincial administration divisions, and I shall execute over one thousand eight hundred officials of the fifth rank and above today."
"The Grand Secretariat of the Five Military Commissions, many of whom are old brothers who followed me from Ningyang County when I raised my banner to conquer the empire, I shall also execute over one hundred of them today."
Li Bai, with a single utterance, could describe half the Tang Dynasty. Emperor Zhu, with a single opening of his mouth, could refer to over two thousand heads.
Zhu Jinsong continued to pace slowly, saying expressionlessly, "Look at these people. Are they not all meritorious officials? Have they not all shed blood and sweat for Great Ming?"
"But today, I am compelled to order their execution. My heart is breaking."
"And you."
"Although you all stand on the shore with your imposing appearances, are you truly cleaner than them?"
"I know that among you, some might be more corrupt than them! Some may wish to be corrupt but have not dared to be so yet."
"I advise you all to take your crooked thoughts out and wash them, air them, and tidy them up when you have the time!"
"For every official rotten in the court, a piece of Great Ming's empire will rot. If you all rot, Great Ming's empire will rot entirely!"
"If that day comes, the people of Great Ming will rise up against us, just as we overthrew the rule of the Jurchens!"
"It's only been a few years since the Chongzhen Emperor hanged himself on Coal Mountain, hasn't it? Oh, it's been over a hundred and fifty years."
"And Qianlong, that deaf old dog, how long has it been since he died? He's still watching you from the Jingguan outside Shun Tian Prefecture!"
Having said this, Zhu Jinsong suddenly stopped pacing, returned to the dragon throne, and instructed Zhang Dequan, "Draft an imperial edict."
Zhang Dequan's heart tightened. Immediately, he bowed slightly and said, "Yes, please instruct me, Your Majesty?"
Zhu Jinsong said, "All officials involved in this case who deserve Lingchi shall be Lingchi'd, those who deserve to be fed to dogs shall be fed to dogs. Their families who deserve to be killed shall be killed, and those who deserve to be exiled shall be exiled. They shall not be pardoned."
"Furthermore, all officials who are flayed and fed to dogs shall be carefully treated with lime and then sent to the local government offices, so that the officials in all regions can see them properly, and thus have a clearer understanding!"
"Additionally, I hereby solemnly reaffirm that citizens are permitted to bind those scoundrels and report them to the capital. I wish to see if I, alone, cannot keep an eye on you all, then can the entire populace of the realm, watching together, not keep an eye on you?"
Having said this, Zhu Jinsong suddenly had an idea and added, "If any citizens wish to come to the capital to report, or to bring those corrupt officials to the capital to report, no government office at any level shall obstruct them. The Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Censorate shall dispatch personnel to accompany and escort them."
"Anyone who dares to stop the citizens along the way, regardless of whether they are guilty or innocent, shall be treated as obstructing a report. Those found guilty shall have their sentences doubled, and even the innocent shall be exiled for a thousand miles!"