Chapter 0009: The Six-Word Official of a Thousand Cuts and Ten Thousand Slices

Sun Chengzong wiped away his tears, "Your Majesty, I shall certainly fight to the death against the enemy to repay Your Majesty's kindness in recognizing my talents! However, this move of Yours is exceedingly perilous! What if Huang Taiji takes advantage of the capital's weakened defenses to engage Your Majesty in a decisive battle?"

Sun Chengzong was immediately filled with tears! Indeed, he was a member of the eunuch faction, being among the first to establish a shrine for Wei Zhongxian! However, how many in the court were not clinging to Wei Zhongxian's thigh? In this era, if one wishes to serve the country, it requires great effort and cunning! Moreover, Sun Chengzong was not greedy, and this was something Zhu Youjian was well aware of. Sun Chengzong was a military genius, and Zhu Youjian also recognized this. Regardless of whether Sun Chengzong was part of the eunuch faction, Zhu Youjian would still promote him! Talent is the only criterion for selection! This was something Zhu Youjian had come to understand just after his rebirth yesterday!

The other five officials bowed repeatedly, pleading for mercy, "Your Majesty, spare my life! I have spoken out of turn, and I failed to distinguish right from wrong! I have wrongfully commented on state affairs; I am guilty. I earnestly hope for Your Majesty's forgiveness!"

The Ming Dynasty established the most comprehensive system of supervision and organizational structure in history, thereby forming a very unique group of censors. According to the Ming system, the total number of this group generally maintained around 200 individuals, the highest in all dynasties

The primary responsibility of the officials in the Ming Dynasty was to supervise and constrain the powerful ministers of the court. Historically, it is evident that almost no chief minister of the cabinet escaped impeachment and criticism from these officials. Most of these chief ministers fell from power or left their important positions under the onslaught of public opinion led by the officials. A particularly notable historical example occurred during the 20 years of Yan Song's authoritarian rule, during which the officials never ceased their struggle against Yan Song and his son. Although the officials paid a heavy price—some were killed, while others faced corporal punishment or exile—they continued to impeach relentlessly, ultimately ensuring that Yan Song and his son received their just deserts.

Your Majesty! Sun Chengzong did not expect that Emperor Chongzhen would still value him so highly! He immediately knelt down and wept bitterly

The awe in the hearts of the ministers is beyond measure; what thoughts could they possibly have? They are all terrified to death. Among these ministers, only a few military generals have truly witnessed bloody scenes, and those generals have spent so many years in the court that they have become almost like the civil officials. At this moment, everyone is eager to return home as soon as possible

However, Zhu Youjian must also acknowledge that this group of officials, entangled among various factions, constitutes a significant political force. The Donglin Party, the anti-Donglin Party, the eunuch faction, and the anti-eunuch faction, along with various small groups led by high-ranking court officials, all dare not easily offend this group of officials. A single thread pulled can affect the whole fabric. This is the essence of the matter.

It is precisely because the influence of the censors at m.hetushu.com is so significant that Zhu Youjian feels a deep sense of fear in his heart

Cheng Ji Ming did not expect that the emperor would send him, the prime minister of the court, to personally distribute grain. He was even more surprised that the emperor was so well aware of the corruption in the court. After a moment of astonishment, he immediately replied, "I shall obey your command"

Is it necessary to force all officials to resign collectively? Is it necessary to create chaos throughout the realm?

Zhu Youjian took a sip of tea and said, "This is the first matter. In the future, disaster relief must be personally handled by the high-ranking officials of the court in the disaster-stricken areas! What use is it to sit in the court all day? It is better to do some practical work! First of all, as a high-ranking official of the court, others can only bribe you; you do not need to curry favor with local officials. Furthermore, the relief grain is distributed personally by you, so if anyone dares to embezzle the relief grain, it will be your responsibility alone! Moreover, with the imperial decree in place, who would dare to touch even a grain of relief grain? Tie them up in the disaster area and let the common people tear them apart!"

In fact, Zhang Youde's sudden death in a collision left Zhu Youjian extremely alarmed! While this may seem like a trivial matter, there must certainly be a force orchestrating events behind the scenes! This is certain; if it truly drives all the officials in the realm to unite and resign, then it is indeed not a trivial matter at all

Zhu Youjian stood up with an imposing demeanor, though his heart was tumultuous at that moment. Yet, his expression remained as calm as water. Such a scene had appeared in his dreams countless times; it was his past self's persistent indecisiveness and repeated compromises that had led to his current state. He was an emperor lacking in responsibility, and today he showed no accountability in the court. This would inevitably lead to great calamity in the future. He was an emperor lacking in responsibility, and today he showed no accountability in the court. This would inevitably lead to great calamity in the future

The five officials pleading for mercy, upon seeing that the three who had insulted the emperor faced no consequences, thought to themselves, should they not also be dismissed from their positions? Although they were so frightened that they could not kneel steadily, there was still a glimmer of hope in their hearts! No matter what, they believed they would not be executed, right?

At this time, the situation in the court is chaotic, with various factions intermingling, and the group of censors serves as the largest troublemaker. Most of the time, they criticize for the sake of criticism, opposing merely for the sake of opposition, lacking any clear stance, simply seeking a sense of existence. This group has neither clear political propositions nor distinct political aspirations. Under the banner of justice, they have become the chief judges for the emperor and the officials.

Zhu Youjian stood up confidently! "That would be even better! I shall fight him to the death! I want to see if this Huang Taiji dares to attack my capital! As long as we can hold the capital for a month, you can mobilize all the troops from Jilin and the interior! Our Great Ming will confront the Jianzhou bandits in advance. I believe that the one million five hundred thousand citizens of the capital will not stand by and watch me die!"

Zhu Youjian had no objections to Cheng Ji's appointment, and then he said the second point, "Has Sun Chengzong arrived?"

Sun Chengzong has today experienced the might of the Emperor; he did not expect that this young sovereign would be such a decisive ruler! Sensing the prospects for the revitalization of the Ming Dynasty, he gleaned some insight into the Emperor's mindset from the fact that the Emperor did not summon the inland officials and troops to make a long journey to the capital for reinforcements. Therefore, he spoke without hesitation, saying, "Your Majesty, the northwestern border stretches for thousands of miles, yet the defending troops number only over thirty thousand. It is impossible to withstand the assault from Huang Taiji in the northwest. I humbly suggest that we rely on our fortifications and resist step by step!" Sensing the prospects for the revitalization of the Ming Dynasty, he gleaned some insight into the Emperor's mindset from the fact that the Emperor did not summon the inland officials and troops to make a long journey to the capital for reinforcements. Therefore, he spoke without hesitation, saying, "Your Majesty, the northwestern border stretches for thousands of miles, yet the defending troops number only over thirty thousand. It is impossible to withstand the assault from Huang Taiji in the northwest. I humbly suggest that we rely on our fortifications and resist step by step!"

Zhu Youjian immediately discerned the thoughts of these individuals, "You five good-for-nothings, how dare you claim the court's salary? Damn! How dare you! Whatever others say, you just echo it! The moment you see me angry, you cower like dogs; you are even inferior to these three beasts! Not only are you as foolish as dogs, but you also lack integrity. Execute them all! Do not allow them to die until they have been stabbed 3,600 times! The flesh of their corpses should be thrown into the deep mountains to feed the dogs!"

The five kneeling officials suddenly felt a darkness before their eyes, so frightened that they lacked even the strength to plead for mercy, collectively fainting away. They were truly dragged out of the court by the Imperial Guard as if they were dead dogs.

The ministers looked at the emperor in fear; how could this be the emperor? He was nothing but a rogue and a scoundrel

Zhu Youjian looked disdainfully at the three officials who were shouting but whose curses lacked strength. "Curse! Shout louder! Bring forth some substance in your words. All you can repeat is 'great tyrant.' Can you say anything else? You are examining candidates for the imperial examination! Have you studied so little that your vocabulary for cursing is so impoverished? I shall teach you!"

Zhu Youjian immediately adopted a stern expression, "Sun Chengzong, do you not know that I have said, anyone who cries in front of me is committing the crime of deceiving the sovereign? I want to see my ministers all happy and cheerful! Crying does not solve problems!"

The officials looked at each other in disbelief, not expecting that Emperor Chongzhen would actually spare the lives of these three officials who had openly criticized him

Zhu Youjian himself was quite satisfied with this decision, allowing the chief minister of the court to personally oversee disaster relief. Even if it was merely symbolic, the disaster victims should be able to see the changes in the court, right? They should also be able to appreciate the intentions of their emperor, shouldn't they?

The eight officials quickly divided into two factions, and three of them shouted angrily: "Great tyrant! Bah! This world will eventually perish at the hands of you, the great tyrant!"

Three officials continued to curse without restraint, yet their voices lacked strength, resembling a bass attempting to sing as a tenor, the pitch becoming somewhat alarming. The listeners were filled with a tinge of pity, wondering if they themselves would meet a similar fate tomorrow

The Hall of Culture is stained with blood

Zhu Youjian agreed, "The defense of the Northwest will be entrusted to you, my minister! Sun Chengzong will hold the title of Minister of War! Remember! The capital does not need your assistance! You are to defend the Northwest for me! Make it easy for Huang Taiji to come, but difficult for him to leave! Use the troops at your disposal to create the greatest inconvenience for Huang Taiji; that is your mission! Do not allow them to easily plunder the cities and the people. While we may not be able to confront them directly, we can always harass them from the sides!" Use the troops at your disposal to create the greatest inconvenience for Huang Taiji; that is your mission! Do not allow them to easily plunder the cities and the people. While we may not be able to confront them directly, we can always harass them from the sides!

This ... ...

During the Ming Dynasty, the officials responsible for speech primarily consisted of the Censorate's censors and the six departments' officials. Most of them held relatively low ranks, yet their political status was exceptionally prominent. This was because, starting from Zhu Yuanzhang, the rulers of the Ming Dynasty institutionally granted these officials extensive and significant powers, such as advising the emperor, managing the channels of communication, impeaching officials, and overseeing local governance. Generally, the supervision and advisory scope of these officials encompassed all levels of government from central to local, from the emperor to the officials, and from national affairs to social life.

Zhu Youjian raised his teacup and took a sip to clear his throat. He unbuttoned one of the buttons on his collar and said, "I know why you are banding together. Today he has died, and if you do not unite, when you have matters of your own in the future, who will stand up for you? Is that not right? You three have been cursing for a long time, yet there is not a shred of substantive content! I just said that the matter of Lu Xiangsheng will be handed over to the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Justice for investigation; I did not say I would ignore it! Immediately, a group of people collectively attacked, and when I did not yield, they threatened me with death! I just said that the matter of Lu Xiangsheng will be handed over to the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Justice for investigation; I did not say I would ignore it! Immediately, a group of people collectively attacked, and when I did not yield, they threatened me with death! Those who die are worse than pigs and dogs; when pigs and dogs die, they can still be slaughtered for food, but when such people die, they only stink up the land! Tear Zhang Youde's corpse into a thousand pieces! And you three, lacking ability yet possessing some spirit, cursing me is not a big deal; I will not kill you, but I will punish you by stripping you of your official positions! Spread the events of today far and wide! You are good at cursing, are you not? I will let you curse me in front of the whole world! As for you three, lacking ability yet possessing some spirit, cursing me is not a big deal; I will not kill you, but I will punish you by stripping you of your official positions! Spread the events of today far and wide! You are good at cursing, are you not? I will let you curse me in front of the whole world! Write a report on today's events, and it must be truthful, so that the world can judge!"

Zhu Youjian nodded and said, "Regarding the defense against Hong Taiji's entry into the pass, Sun Chengzong, please share your thoughts."

With the emperor's words, Zhang Youde's corpse was dragged away, and the three censors who had insulted the emperor were stripped of their official hats and robes, pressed to the ground, and narrowly escaped death, losing all semblance of dignity. They trembled on the ground like three sickly chickens.

Zhu Youjian snorted, "Cursing me is not a big deal. However, it must be done with substance and meaning! Those who curse indiscriminately shall be executed without mercy! This is the first time I have tolerated it, as you are still unaware of my rules. Next time, it will not be the same! As for the five of you!"

Thus, the censors of the Ming Dynasty held a unique status and possessed special powers, exerting a significant deterrent effect on the political operations of the era. The censors were indeed renowned on the political stage, having made impactful moves on numerous critical issues, particularly in their admonitions to the emperor. For instance, when Emperor Jiajing indulged in Daoist rituals and neglected state affairs, Censor Yang Jue, deeply pained, submitted a memorial urging him to take heed. He was subsequently imprisoned and subjected to severe torture, fainting multiple times, yet remained composed. Upon learning of this, other censors risked their lives to offer support, paying a heavy price. The censors were highly concerned with the emperor's moral conduct, and emperors who were negligent in governance, indulgent in luxury, and long-term derelict in duty frequently faced sharp criticism from the censors, leading to a palpable fear of them among the emperors. For example, one day while Emperor Wanli was enjoying a performance in the palace, he suddenly heard the censors patrolling the city calling out, prompting him to immediately order the cessation of the singing. When asked why, he replied, "I fear the censors."

During the Ming Dynasty, eunuchs, who were a significant source of turmoil in the political arena, were also primary targets of scrutiny and criticism from the censors. Those eunuchs who gradually gained immense power and influence by relying on the emperor or empress often faced public opinion constraints and backlash from the censors. For instance, during the Wanli period, Emperor Shenzong amassed wealth from across the realm and dispatched a large number of eunuchs to serve as tax supervisors in mining, exploiting local resources. This led to widespread protests from the censors, who submitted memorials of impeachment with direct and vehement language, continuously applying pressure on Emperor Shenzong. It was through the efforts of the censors that the emperor's and eunuchs' misconduct was ultimately curtailed. Furthermore, during the Ming Dynasty, the censors played a significant role in clarifying official conduct, eliminating violence, ensuring public safety, developing the economy, and maintaining border defense. It can be said that the proactive and vigorous presence of the censors was evident in various fields of national and social development during the Ming Dynasty

More than thirty Imperial Guards entered in a disorderly manner, marching in a synchronized formation!

A scholar-general in his sixties stepped forward, "Sun Chengzong pays his respects to the Emperor"

The officials were greatly alarmed, unsure of what this tyrannical ruler intended to do. Could it be that he truly meant to kill all eight censors on the spot? Everyone was in shock! This young emperor, who just yesterday appeared courteous and refined, how could he suddenly transform into the second Emperor of Qin today?

Zhu Youjian is also in a rage today, "Crash! What are you babbling about! Whoever does not crash to death is guilty of treason! Did you not hear my words? Where are the Imperial Forest Army? Help them crash to death!"

Zhu Youjian seemed as if nothing had ever happened with the books and images. "There must be laws to follow, and laws must be strictly enforced; violations must be investigated! We do not seek to rule the world as monarchs, but to govern it by law! Even when I act, I must adhere to the principles of heaven and uphold moral integrity! Now, let us discuss the three most urgent matters facing the court."

Thus, among the thirteen officials who could enter the court, nine were dealt with on the spot! The remaining four officials were so frightened that they nearly lost control of their bladders and bowels, desperately clenching their buttocks, fearing to utter even a single word!

Zhu Youjian noticed that no one was speaking, and nodded slightly, "No one is talking, which is quite good; the entire court is filled with eloquent birds! When a major issue arises, everyone turns into a wooden figure! First, regarding the three borders, the decree is established; you must personally deliver the disaster relief grain! Do not distribute it step by step; by the time it reaches the hands of the disaster victims, the two hundred thousand stones of grain may not even amount to five thousand stones! Originally, two hundred thousand stones of grain is merely a drop in the bucket for the common people! I command you, every single grain must be delivered to the hands of the disaster victims!" Originally, two hundred thousand stones of grain is merely a drop in the bucket for the common people! I command you, every single grain must be delivered to the hands of the disaster victims!

Sun Chengzong listened to the emperor's allocation analysis with great admiration. Although, as a marshal, he could have thought of these strategies himself, hearing the young emperor articulate and assign them in person was truly astonishing. Looking up at the young emperor on the imperial throne, he seemed particularly grand.

Sun Chengzong was taken aback and said, "Your Majesty, what if Huang Taiji sends his hundred thousand troops to besiege the capital! I would certainly abandon everything to come to the rescue!"

Several officials stood there, momentarily at a loss for words, feeling awkward. Zhang Youde had been killed in an accident, and they certainly did not wish to meet the same fate. However, the emperor's words were imperial edicts! The emperor was now ordering them to die immediately as well

Cheng Jiming had no objections; in fact, as a high-ranking official in the court, he was more aware than anyone of the entrenched practices in the bureaucracy. The emperor's strategies could indeed reduce exploitation, but to ensure that not a single grain of disaster relief food was taken by various levels of officials was an idealistic notion. However, he naturally would not voice this. Even if there were instances of disaster relief food being misappropriated, it should not exceed a certain level. Cheng Jiming still held a great admiration for the emperor's initiative.

Zhu Youjian smiled and said, "My loyal minister, you have so few troops! You can manage one front but not the other. The city walls of the capital are strong! Moreover, I will issue an edict today to requisition over ten thousand laborers to construct the outer city of the capital! The defense of the capital will be managed solely by me; you need not concern yourself with it. Remember! You must fight to the death against Huang Taiji! It would be best if all your thirty thousand men were to perish in battle! Whether you die in the northwest or in the capital, it is essentially the same! You must fight to the death against Huang Taiji! It would be best if all your thirty thousand men were to perish in battle! Whether you die in the northwest or in the capital, it is essentially the same! Engaging in fierce battles on three fronts is advantageous for me; if Huang Taiji besieges the capital and cuts off reinforcements, it will be beneficial for the enemy!"