Daming: Brother, there is no future for monks, let's rebel

Upon hearing this, the manager looked embarrassed and hesitated, "These expenses involved some special projects. The situation was urgent at the time, so I didn't have time to record them in detail."

Zhu Han's eyes shone, and he said in a deep voice: "No matter how urgent the situation is, it cannot be an excuse for unclear accounts. You must immediately gather the people involved in these expenses. I want to ask them personally."

The person in charge did not dare to neglect and quickly agreed to leave. Soon he returned to the Ministry of Revenue with several relevant officials. Zhu Han asked them one by one about the details of each expenditure and asked them to provide detailed vouchers and explanations. The officials looked at each other, some prevaricated, and some tried to prevaricate with various excuses.

Seeing this, Zhu Han's tone became even more severe: "Every penny of the court's money and grain is related to the national economy and people's livelihood. As officials of the Ministry of Revenue, you should be honest and upright. Why are you so careless about such an important matter? If you don't give me a clear explanation today, don't blame me for being rude!"

The officials were intimidated by Zhu Han's majesty. They lowered their heads and dared not look him in the eye.

Finally, under Zhu Han's severe questioning, they had to admit their negligence and dereliction of duty in management.

Zhu Han immediately ordered the suspension and investigation of all officials suspected of violating regulations, and ordered them to rectify their accounts within a specified period of time.

At the same time, Zhu Biao also launched an intensive investigation in the Ministry of Personnel. He personally reviewed the records of official selection and appointment in recent years and found that there were many problems. The promotion of some officials was obviously not based on their talents and achievements, but on a complex network of interests behind them.

One evening, Zhu Biao was in a secret room in the Ministry of Personnel, talking to several of his trusted aides. He said solemnly: "We must thoroughly investigate the interest chain behind these officials and catch them all in one fell swoop. But this must be done secretly and quickly to avoid alerting the enemy."

An aide nodded and said, "Your Highness is right. We can start with those minor officials who have low positions but bad influence, and then gradually trace them upwards, and finally find out those behind the scenes."

Zhu Biao nodded with satisfaction: "This is a great plan. You should act separately immediately and make sure that every step is foolproof. At the same time, strengthen communication and cooperation with other departments to form a joint force to jointly combat official corruption."

Zhu Biao sat in the dim candlelight, with a thick file of official appointments and dismissals spread out in front of him. His brows were furrowed, and his eyes revealed an unquestionable firmness. A trusted aide walked in quietly and bowed to report: "Your Highness, we have found new clues about the promotion of Minister Li."

When Zhu Biao heard this, his eyes lit up and he signaled his aide to continue.

"According to investigation, Minister Li's promotion was not based on his political achievements, but because he had bribed a senior official in the court many times. We have found several witnesses who are willing to come forward to testify."

Zhu Biao nodded and said in a deep voice: "Very good, continue to dig deeper and make sure the evidence is solid. At the same time, send someone to secretly monitor that important official to see if there are other officials involved."

Zhu Han also made a breakthrough in his investigation of the Ministry of Revenue. He stood in the middle of the hall, facing several officials who were suspended for investigation, and said sternly but impartially: "As officials appointed by the court, you should be honest and upright. Why did you take bribes and pervert the law to enrich yourself?"

An official defended himself with a trembling voice: "Your Highness, I was confused for a moment and was blinded by the interests."

Zhu Han snorted coldly: "A moment of confusion? Have you ever thought that every penny in your hands is the hard-earned money of the people? Are your actions worthy of the official uniforms you wear?"

The officials bowed their heads and said nothing, their faces showing shame. Seeing this, Zhu Han softened his tone and said, "I will give you a chance. If you can take the initiative to explain the problem and actively cooperate with the investigation, you may be given a lighter sentence. Otherwise, you will be severely punished by law."

The officials expressed their willingness to cooperate and took the initiative to explain their problems. Zhu Han ordered people to record the details as evidence for future investigations.

The moonlight was like water, sprinkling on the quiet palace road. Zhu Han and Zhu Biao walked side by side, talking in low voices about the progress of their respective investigations.

Zhu Han spoke first: "Biao'er, the problems I found in the Ministry of Revenue are far more serious than I imagined. Many officials took advantage of their power to embezzle and enrich themselves. I have obtained a lot of evidence, and I will catch them all when the time is right."

Zhu Biao nodded, his expression solemn: "Uncle Han, the situation here is not optimistic either. Corruption in the officialdom is deeply rooted, and the promotion of many officials is not based on their talents and achievements, but on the exchange of interests behind them. I have already locked on to several key figures and sent people to monitor them secretly."

Zhu Han hesitated for a moment and said, "Biao'er, we must act carefully to avoid alerting the enemy. At the same time, we must strengthen communication and cooperation with other departments to form a joint force to fight corruption together."

Zhu Biao nodded in agreement: "Uncle Han is right. I have already sent people to contact the Censorate, the Dali Temple and other departments. They have expressed their willingness to fully cooperate with our investigation."

Zhu Han smiled slightly and patted Zhu Biao on the shoulder: "Very good, it is a blessing for the Ming Dynasty to have a crown prince like you. Remember, no matter how big the difficulties are, you must remain calm and firm, and never rush for quick success."

Zhu Biao nodded slightly, his eyes flashing with determination and faith, and he deeply agreed with Zhu Han's words. "Uncle Han taught me, and Biao will definitely keep it in mind. However, corruption in the officialdom did not happen overnight. Although we have obtained many clues, it will take time to truly eradicate it."

Zhu Han sighed softly upon hearing this, and looked into the distance with deep eyes. "Yes, the poison of corruption has penetrated every corner of the government and the country. But because of this, we can't slack off in the slightest. You and I, uncle and nephew, must work together to completely eliminate this evil trend."

The two were silent for a moment, each of them seemed to be thinking about their next strategy.

Suddenly, Zhu Biao broke the silence, with a hint of worry in his tone: "Uncle Han, I have always had a doubt in my heart. If the rectification of the court touches the interests of too many people, I am afraid it will cause considerable resistance. How should we deal with it?"

Zhu Han pondered for a moment and said slowly: "Biao'er's concerns are not unreasonable. But because of this, we need to be more cautious. We must not only obtain solid evidence, but also win the support of righteous people in the court. At the same time, we must not be lenient to those stubborn people."

Zhu Biao nodded in agreement, but his brows were still furrowed. "Uncle Han is right, but the situation in the court is complicated and people's hearts are hard to predict. How can we tell who is truly helping and who is pretending to obey but secretly disobeying?"

Zhu Han smiled slightly, with a glimmer of wisdom in his eyes. "Biao'er, although people's minds are hard to predict, their actions never lie. We can judge by observing their words and deeds, as well as their choices at critical moments. At the same time, we can also use spies and informants to conduct in-depth investigations on those suspicious people."

Zhu Biao's eyes flashed with relief when he heard this. "Uncle Han, what you said makes sense. I'm glad to hear your advice. But how can we ensure the loyalty and reliability of these spies and informants?" Zhu Han pondered for a moment and said slowly, "This is indeed a difficult problem. But we can start from two aspects. First, select those who have a clean background and are loyal to the court to serve as spies; second, strengthen monitoring and assessment of them to ensure that they will not betray the court."

Zhu Biao nodded in agreement, but there was still a trace of worry in his eyes. "Uncle Han is thoughtful, but these measures will take time to implement. In the meantime, how should we deal with possible emergencies?"

Zhu Han smiled and patted Zhu Biao on the shoulder. "Don't worry too much, Biao'er. Although we cannot predict the future, we can make adequate preparations. On the one hand, we must strengthen intelligence collection and analysis to ensure that we can grasp the dynamics of North Korea and China in a timely manner; on the other hand, we must also formulate emergency plans to ensure that we can respond quickly when emergencies occur."

Zhu Biao's worries seemed to be relieved when he heard this. "Uncle Han is right. Biao will definitely follow your instructions. But when will we be able to catch all these corrupt elements?"

Zhu Han shook his head, a hint of helplessness in his eyes. "Biao'er, this matter cannot be rushed. We need to wait patiently for the right time before taking action. At the same time, we must always be vigilant against the counterattack and retaliation of those corrupt elements."

Zhu Biao nodded to show his understanding, but there was still a hint of reluctance in his eyes. "Uncle Han, rest assured. Biao will stick to his beliefs and work with you to remove these corrupt elements from the court."

Zhu Han looked at Zhu Biao's determined eyes and felt relieved.

"Biao'er, your determination and courage make me deeply gratified. Remember, no matter how rugged the road ahead is, as long as you have the people in your heart and strategies in your hands, there will be no difficulties that cannot be overcome." Zhu Han said earnestly, his eyes flashing with expectations for Zhu Biao.

Zhu Biao nodded slightly, his tone more resolute: "Uncle Han's teachings will be remembered in my heart. I will definitely put the people first, govern the country diligently, and live up to the high expectations of my father and uncle Han."

As the two continued to walk side by side into the night, the topic turned to the greater challenges they were about to face.

"Uncle Prince Han, this time when we rectify the government, we must not only eliminate corrupt elements, but also establish an effective supervision mechanism to prevent similar problems from happening again in the future." Zhu Biao put forward his thoughts.

Zhu Han nodded slightly, with a hint of approval in his eyes: "Biao'er is right. Establishing a supervision mechanism to ensure the integrity of officials is the way to long-term peace and stability. We can consider setting up an independent supervisory agency that is directly responsible to the emperor and is not subject to interference from other departments."

"This is a very good proposal." Zhu Biao's eyes sparkled with excitement. "We can learn from the experience of the previous dynasty and combine it with the actual situation of our Ming Dynasty to develop an effective supervision system."

The two walked and talked, and before they knew it, they had come to a pavilion. They stopped, sat down in the pavilion, and continued to discuss their future plans in depth.

"Uncle Han, in addition to establishing a supervisory body, I think we should also strengthen the education and training of officials." Zhu Biao continued, "Only by improving the moral quality and administrative ability of officials can we fundamentally reduce the occurrence of corruption."

"In addition, we can encourage officials to supervise each other," Zhu added. "We can also set up a reporting mechanism to let officials know that their behavior is always monitored by their colleagues and the public."

Zhu Han heard this and a hint of approval flashed in his eyes: "Biao'er, this is a great idea. The reporting mechanism can not only deter those who are lucky enough to take advantage of the situation, but also inspire the self-discipline of officials."

The two discussed more and more deeply, and the night became darker and darker. But their hearts were filled with longing and hope for the future.

"Uncle Han, with our joint efforts, the Ming Dynasty will surely usher in a more clear and prosperous era." Zhu Biao said confidently.

Zhu Han smiled slightly, his eyes flashing with approval for Zhu Biao: "Biao'er has such confidence, which is a blessing for the Ming Dynasty. However, the road ahead is long and arduous, and we still need to work hard."

Zhu Biao's expression became more determined after hearing this: "Uncle Han is right. I will keep it in mind and never slack off. However, in addition to rectifying the government and eradicating corruption, I also want to do something for the people's livelihood. I wonder what Uncle Han thinks?"

Zhu Han pondered for a moment and said slowly: "People's livelihood is the foundation of the country and cannot be ignored. Does Biaoer have any specific ideas?"

Zhu Biao thought for a moment and replied, "Biaoer thinks that we can start by reducing the taxes on the people so that they can rest and recuperate. At the same time, building water conservancy projects to ensure irrigation of farmland is also a long-term plan."

Zhu Han nodded in agreement: "Biao'er's proposal is very much in line with my heart. Reducing taxes can give the people more food and improve their lives; building water conservancy projects is the basis for protecting agriculture, and both cannot be neglected. However, it may not be easy to implement, and it requires careful planning and gradual progress."

Zhu Biao nodded to show that he understood: "Uncle Han is right. This matter needs to be considered carefully. Biaoer would also like to ask Uncle Han how to select more knowledgeable people in the court to discuss state affairs together?"

Zhu Han smiled slightly, his eyes deep: "In selecting talents, the most important thing is to have both moral integrity and ability. In addition to the imperial examination, we can add a system of recommending special talents, which is not limited to a certain type and opens up a wide range of talents. At the same time, we should also conduct regular assessments of officials in office, so that the fittest will survive and ensure that all the people in the court are capable."

Zhu Biao heard this and a hint of excitement flashed in his eyes: "Uncle Han, this is a great idea! In this way, the court will surely be able to gather more talents to join in the great cause."

The two talked for a long time, from government affairs to people's livelihood, from selecting talents to rectifying the administration of officials. As the night deepened, the palace lanterns swayed, and the shadows of the two people were stretched out in the dim light.

"Uncle Han, I have benefited a lot from today's long talk. If I have any questions in the future, I hope Uncle Han will give me some advice." Zhu Biao said sincerely.

Zhu Han patted Zhu Biao on the shoulder and said earnestly: "Biao'er, why should we be so polite to each other as uncle and nephew? As long as you care about the people and have a plan in hand, your uncle will fully support you."

Zhu Biao nodded heavily, his eyes gleaming with determination and confidence: "Uncle Han, rest assured, Biao will live up to your expectations and work hard for the Ming Dynasty until his death." The two smiled at each other, and their trust and support for each other reached an unprecedented height at this moment. (End of this chapter)