Chapter 453 Capture
West Garden.

Yan Shaoting sat on the armchair in the corridor, looking at the Nanjing officials in red and blue in front of him, who all lowered their heads and were extremely humble, and he couldn't help laughing in his heart.

These people have taken the snake and rat sides of the situation to the extreme.

Yan Shaoting had a somewhat cold expression on his face as he looked at Zhu Qi standing beside him.

Zhu Qi immediately understood and gave Qi Dazhu a look, and the latter immediately left quietly.

At this time, Yan Shaoting looked again at the group of spineless Jiangnan officials in front of him who were only concerned with profit.

"Everyone has come here today, and what you said is wrong. It was illegal in the past."

"But I am perhaps too young to understand. I wonder if anyone among you can explain a few things to me?"

Yan Shaoting began to scan the officials in red robes standing in the first few rows.

In front of the crowd.

He was an official in Nanjing, holding the titles of Minister of Six Ministries, Chief Minister of Five Temples, and other positions.

As Yan Shaoting started asking questions, these people started to move.

finally.

Yin Tai, the Minister of Rites of Nanjing, raised his head and stood up.

The current Nanjing Minister of Rites, who passed the imperial examination in the 14th year of Jiajing, had an ugly smile on his face.

"I am the Minister of Rites of Nanjing, Yin Tai. If Premier Yan has any questions, I may be able to help him understand them."

Seeing this person standing up to respond, Yan Shaoting smiled faintly.

If I remember correctly.

It is this Nanjing Minister of Rites Yin Tai who, when he passed the imperial examination in the 14th year of Jiajing, was known as "the two Junyuns" together with Zhao Zhenji, who was in the same exam.

But their later career paths were different.

Zhao Zhenji offended the old master because of his youthful vigor, and his career was difficult from then on. On the contrary, the other one of the "two Junyuns" was asked by the old Taoist priest to select two loyal and honest civil officials in the 34th year of Jiajing. So the old master recommended Yin Tai and made him the junior secretary and the head of the academy.

It is precisely because of this recommendation.

In the second year, Yin Tai was promoted to the right vice minister of the Nanjing Ministry of Personnel.

Count it up.

Strictly speaking, the Nanjing Minister of Rites in front of us can be considered an old friend and disciple of the Yan family.

Looking at Yin Tai who was holding a black hat and looking at him.

Yan Shaoting also understood in his heart that the reason why he stood up was probably because he hoped that he would be given a lighter sentence today because of his close relationship with the Yan family.

However, these people probably did not understand the Yan family’s current position in the court.

Yan Shaoting had no expression on his face, and just looked at Yin Tai coldly: "Mr. Yin, since you have come forward, I will ask you a question."

Yin Tai held the black gauze hat in his hand and immediately nodded and bowed when he heard the words.

His attitude was extremely humble.

Yan Shaoting said, "Just now you all claimed that you had committed some illegal acts while serving in Nanjing, and today you came here to repent. But how can you say that you are loyal to the court and to Your Majesty?"

He gently patted the armrest of the armchair with his palm, and the cold sound reached everyone's ears.

Yan Shaoting also said coldly: "I really don't understand. On the one hand, you admit that you have done something illegal, but on the other hand, how can you have the nerve to say that you are loyal to the court and the emperor? Is this how you are as an official?"

In front of the hall.

A silence.

There were only Yan Shaoting's cold and sharp questions, and the silent yet deafening silence of the Nanjing officials present.

Yin Tai's old face turned red, revealing a bit of anger.

Yan Shaoting snorted coldly: "You are all great sages who have read the Four Books and Five Classics, and you are veteran officials who have been in the officialdom for decades. In the past, I believe you all were powerful and in charge of your own affairs. I really don't understand. Is the way to be an official like you are today... shameless?"

The blatant sarcasm came out of Yan Shaoting's mouth without any hesitation.

The crowd whispered, and those present raised their heads.

But after seeing Liu Wan, Zhu Qi and the imperial guards and Jinyiwei officers and soldiers standing on Yan Shaoting's left and right, he didn't dare to say anything.

What a coward!

Yan Shaoting, who was sitting in the corridor, observed the reactions of these people, and felt even more sarcastic.

At this time, Nanjing Minister of Personnel Wang Yongbao sighed and had to stand up.

He clasped his hands together and bowed, his face showing difficulty: "Premier Yan, we also know that what you said today is to vent the anger you have suffered in Nanjing in recent days. We know that we are not perfect people, but the officialdom is not a military battle. In any case, we have now realized our mistakes and accepted the punishment. Whatever Premier Yan wants to do, just give us your orders, and we will obey. As for Premier Yan's intention to investigate further, can Premier Yan really clean up the officialdom in Nanjing?"

This was the purpose of their coming to the West Garden today.

Because everyone knows it.

Yan Shaoting couldn't kill them all or bring them to justice.

What is really laughable is...

It was this group of high-ranking officials in the past who staged a drama today where the law does not hold everyone responsible.

Yan Shaoting could see through Wang Yongbao's intentions. He laughed and looked at him deeply, "What does Wang Bu Tang mean... do you think that you are the Nanjing Minister of Personnel and I can't find anything about you? Or do you think that you, the Nanjing Minister of Personnel, have never done anything illegal in the past?"

Wang Yongbao hasn't spoken yet.

That end.

Qi Dazhu, who had left earlier, had returned from a side door with his men.

Everyone turned around immediately after hearing the voice.

Impressively.

Qi Dazhu had actually arrested Yang Zongqi, the Nanjing Governor and Minister of Grain Storage, who had not appeared in public for several days.

Yang Zongqi now no longer had the majesty of the red-robed high official in the past. His face was pale, his hair was disheveled, and his eyes were red.

After being brought here by Qi Dazhu.

Yang Zongqi raised his head and looked at the crowd in front of him with a ferocious smile on his face.

He laughed slowly, and finally the sound became louder and louder, as if he was crazy.

After a good while of laughter.

Yang Zongqi suddenly calmed down, staring at Wang Yongbao with a ferocious look and wide eyes: "Wang Butang! You are here too! Are you going to beg for mercy for your good-for-nothing nephew? But I finally remembered that your family, Wang Butang, has taken tens of thousands of taels of silver from me and occupied tens of thousands of acres of land in my hometown in the name of your nephew over the years? Are you here to beg for mercy? Hahahahaha..."

Seeing Yang Zong getting angry and spouting evidence, Wang Yongbao, who had originally been confident, immediately changed his expression, looked terrified, and looked at Yan Shaoting above with uneasy eyes.

However, Yang Zongqi, who looked like a madman, did not stop cursing and confessing.

He broke free from the Jinyiwei behind him and jumped to stand in the corridor, but for some reason he was vaguely afraid of Yan Shaoting who was sitting on the armchair in the corridor not far away. There was a pillar between them.

The Minister of Personnel Wang Yongbao, who was named first, already had a face as dark as ink.

But Yang Zongqi has already set his sights on the Minister of Revenue Zhang Shunchen.

Zhang Shunchen's heart tightened instantly.

But soon.

Yang Zongqi looked at Xu Yangzheng, the right assistant minister of the Nanjing Ministry of Revenue, who was standing behind Zhang Shunchen.

The moment when Yang Zongqi stared at him.

Xu Yangzheng trembled all over and his legs subconsciously went limp.

The Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue in Nanjing actually knelt on the ground in public.

Yang Zongqi sneered and said proudly, "Xu Yangzheng, it's probably too late for you to kneel down now. Since you and I were officials in Nanjing, you and I have relied on the Ministry of Revenue and the Governor's Office of Grain Storage over the years. How much benefit have we given? I'm afraid you can't count it. Over the years, how much new grain has been exchanged for old grain by you and me in the Governor's Office of Grain Storage and the warehouses under your Ministry of Revenue? How much old grain was directly transported to the nine borders? Not to mention your Xu family, it's also like that... your Xu Yangzheng family is also half a county Xu!"

Listening to Yang Zongqi listing off his crimes day by day, Xu Yangzheng shuddered all over.

He dodged Yang Zongqi's accusation with horror on his face and turned to look at Yan Shaoting who was sitting on the armchair in the corridor.

In full view.

Xu Yangzheng knelt on the ground in panic and crawled to the corridor.

"Prime Minister Yan!"

"Little Lord Yan!"

"I... sin... offend the officials..."

"I confess! I confess! I only ask that Lord Yan can let the criminal go..."

After finishing speaking, Xu Yangzheng stood up angrily and turned to look at the Nanjing officials who had already changed color. "Minister Lin, you have been in charge of the Nanjing Military Department for many years. How much food and military pay have you handled? I don't need to tell you, right?"

When Nanjing War Minister Lin Tingji's name was called by Xu Yangzheng, his face changed drastically.

He also knelt down immediately.

"Prime Minister Yan, I know I am guilty! I know that Prime Minister Yan came to the south to increase tax revenue and revenue for the court. I only ask that Prime Minister Yan give me a lighter sentence. From now on, I will follow Prime Minister Yan's lead!"

Yan Shaoting didn't say anything.

On the contrary, Xu Yangzheng sneered: "Admit your guilt? Can Minister Lin really get away with it if he admits his guilt?"

"you!"

Lin Tingji looked at Xu Yangzheng angrily.

But Xu Yangzheng had already looked at someone else.

"And Censor Sun!"

"And you!"

Xu Yangzheng was even more crazy than Yang Zongqi at this moment, and he looked at them one by one.

The officials from various departments in Nanjing, who had originally been standing in front of the hall with their black hats in their hands, now knelt on the ground one by one.

Not long after.

Yan Shaoting looked over again, and there was no one standing in front of him.

At this time, Xu Yangzheng knelt down again and crawled to the corridor, only three steps away from Yan Shaoting.

"Prime Minister Yan!"

"I am a villain, and I know I have no chance of survival. I also understand that Premier Yan wants to kill a chicken to scare the monkeys today, and I am willing to be the chicken in Premier Yan's hand."

He just finished speaking.

Yang Zongqi, who was hiding from Yan Shaoting behind a pillar, was unhappy.

Yang Zongqi jumped down immediately, rushed to Xu Yangzheng in three or two steps, stretched out his leg and kicked the latter to the ground.

Then Yang Zongqi knelt heavily on the ground.

"Prime Minister Yan!"

"Prime Minister Yan!"

"It was the villain! It was the villain who said it first!"

"Xu Yangzheng is not a good person. His family has been bullying the local people for many years. The local people are already overwhelmed. He has a large number of slaves. His sons have even raped women and treated the people like meat on a chopping board."

"Premier Yan, I have said everything. I am willing to die. Please spare my family."

Yang Zongqi, who had been left in the West Garden for many days, knew very well that his life was over.

Even though he was the Governor-General of Nanjing and Minister of Grain Reserves, he was detained for many days by Yan Shaoting. This shows that he was not worried about being held accountable by the capital afterwards.

This also shows that Yan Shaoting has the confidence to kill himself.

Yang Zongqi also understood that his fate was doomed when he walked into the West Garden that day. But what he wanted then and now was to save his family with his own death.

Now Xu Yangzheng actually jumped out and wanted to protect his family. How could he tolerate this?

And that end.

Xu Yangzheng, who was kicked to the ground by Yang Zongqi, has also climbed up.

"Damn that guy named Yang!"

With a roar, Xu Yangzheng pounced on Yang Zongqi, and punched him hard like sandbags.

"What have I done all these years, you son of a bitch, and you haven't done anything?"

"If you hadn't dragged me into this, would I be where I am today?"

Xu Yangzheng was full of curses.

Yang Zongqi was not willing to be outdone, so he turned over and started wrestling with him.

There was chaos in front of the hall.

The officials from various departments in Nanjing who were kneeling on the ground could only lower their heads and tremble all over.

Only at this moment did they understand.

Although this is Nanjing, it is just a temporary capital.

Even if they were all convicted and thrown into prison, the court would not suffer much.

Even as they are questioned, the positions of countless people will become available.

Corridor.

Zhu Qi glanced sideways at Yan Shaoting who was sitting on the armchair, his brows furrowed.

Yan Shaoting also seemed to sense something and looked over at him.

The two looked at each other.

Zhu Qi stepped forward lightly, bent over, and whispered: "It is the guest's duty to intimidate Nanjing. We have already known a lot about the illegal acts of these people, but if the guest wants to kill someone, I am afraid that there will still be some criticism from the capital afterwards."

Yan Shaoting nodded.

Zhu Qi added: "You are a guest who wants to do great things. You can't let these filthy people hinder your career. It would be better to..."

Yan Shaoting glanced at the other party: "What do you mean?"

"Since there is evidence of guilt and confessions, why not leave this matter to me? Once these people are in the Imperial Prison..."

Zhu Qi's eyes were filled with ferocity.

"Depending on the crimes they committed, some of them will have to rot in the imperial prison..."

Yan Shaoting's eyes darkened and he instantly understood Zhu Qi's thoughts.

He wanted to get rid of the matter, and let them, the Jinyiwei, investigate these people, and then kill the most serious offenders in the Jinyiwei prison in Nanjing.

in this way.

Even though there was some criticism in the capital afterwards, it was the Jinyiwei who did it.

And what about the Jinyiwei?
This is a place to investigate and punish corrupt officials. How could there not be a few deaths?
But Yan Shaoting still turned his head and looked at Liu Wan on the other side.

He didn't ask any questions, just looked at her.

A trace of embarrassment appeared on Liu Wan's face, but he still walked forward like Zhu Qi and bent down.

"Guests, please be informed."

"When I was ordered to leave the capital to accompany the guests, Eunuch Lu did tell me that it didn't matter if a few people died in Nanjing, but we still had to follow some rules when dealing with things on stage..."

rule.

That is, you cannot kill people yourself.

Yan Shaoting hummed and nodded.

But this was exactly as he expected. Liu Wan had received instructions from the old Taoist priest through Lu Fang.

then.

Yan Shaoting waved his hand.

This end.

Liu Wan also glanced at Zhu Qi and nodded.

Zhu Qi immediately turned around and looked at the Nanjing officials present, his face darkening.

"The Jinyiwei acted on orders to investigate and punish corrupt officials, which was started by Emperor Taizu."

"I have heard that the officials in Nanjing are in collusion with each other. Our department has no choice but to take action. We are following the emperor's order to arrest all of you."

"All evidence of your crimes will be presented to His Majesty in the capital for his personal review. You will confess your unfinished business in Nanjing Prison!"

After some formal words, Zhu Qi waved his hand.

"Take it!"

…………

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(End of this chapter)