Chapter 503: One reserved seat in the Jieku Institute

"Building a big house" is a characteristic culture of Fujianese. Whenever a Fujianese achieves success, they must build a big mansion in their hometown to show off their achievements. It is a typical way of returning home in glory. This culture had already become a common custom in the Great Ming Dynasty, and even various styles of big mansions could be found in Fujian.

Earning big money, building a big house, marrying a beautiful wife—earning big money, building a big house, marrying a beautiful wife—these are the three major goals in life.

"Chen Jingbang's big house is mainly composed of three overlapping seven-room side houses, seven bays deep, with side houses added on the left and right, a big mansion of 120 rooms. Rather than calling it a big mansion, it is better to call it a village, because 72 households and over 300 people live in the whole mansion. Even so, it seems a bit empty. The main house alone has 40 mu of land, counting the left and right side houses, plus pavilions and terraces, the whole big house is nearly 800 mu of land." Liu Hanru looked at the ministers who didn't believe it and had to describe Chen Jingbang's big mansion.

"800 mu?" Wang Chonggu almost jumped off his stool. The Great Ming Imperial Palace is only 1,080 mu in total. He, a small third-rank Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, actually got an 800-mu mansion, and it's a garden!

It's simply turning the world upside down!

Liu Hanru actually sympathized with Wang Chonggu quite a bit. When Wang Chonggu was still a sycophant back then, he saved 2 million taels of silver but couldn't bear to spend it, and finally filled the holes in the Xuan-Da Great Wall. Later, when he entered the capital and became wealthy again, because he lived in the Imperial City and had no chance to go back, he didn't even have a chance to enjoy life. The 80-mu Jin Guild Hall was mostly for public use, rented out to Shanxi-born capital officials and scholars to relieve their living difficulties.

What can money do? Even with money, he wouldn't enjoy life. Look at Chen Jingbang, then look at Wang Chonggu. This is a world of difference.

Zhu Yijun was stunned in the back hall. The Imperial Palace is indeed 1,080 mu, but he doesn't live in the Imperial Palace; he lives in the Tonghe Palace. The Tonghe Palace is less than 100 mu in total. As the Emperor with so many people around him, living in less than 100 mu, Zhu Yijun felt it was quite spacious.

Of course, if you count all the royal buildings like the Royal Polytechnic Institute, the Lu Prince's Mansion, the De Prince's Mansion, the Lecture Hall, the Embroidered Uniform Guard station, the Great Buddha Pagoda, etc., then it is nearly 800 mu.

Since the Fujian Sandu'ao private market case broke out, Chen Jingbang and Chen Qingcong hadn't dared to move, because any movement would attract the attention of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. When Chen Qingcong was arrested, it was at his residence in the capital. Chen Jingbang was arrested together and taken to the Great Ming Northern Division of the Embroidered Uniform Guard office.

Zhu Yijun did not leave the Northern Division until Zhao Mengyou brought back Chen Jingbang, and only then did Zhu Yijun summon him.

But regardless of the Yan Dang or the "Clear Stream," after the Shuangyu private market was wiped out by Zhejiang Governor Zhu Wan, no one had ever set up a private market. What kind of business was in this private market? Trafficking Great Ming people, trafficking various prohibited items.

Zhu Yijun was very puzzled about this matter. If it were the Marquis of Wuqing, Li Wei, that is, the Emperor's own maternal grandfather, who did this, as the Emperor, he definitely could not be lenient. Even if Empress Dowager Li pleaded, it would be useless.

Private markets, during the Jiajing years when Japanese pirates were rampant, when the Yan Dang and the "Clear Stream" led by Xu Jie were fighting, never reached the point of private markets.

Chen Jingbang was neither of the Zhang Party nor the Chu Party. He was a Jinshi in the 44th year of Jiajing, appointed as a compiler in the Hanlin Academy. He was also one of the lecturers for the Great Ming Emperor when he was young. Later, after Zhang Juzheng monopolized the lectures, Chen Jingbang had always been in the capital and had never been sent out, rising step by step to the position of Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites.

But these places were not for the private use of Zhu Yijun, the Emperor. What belonged to him as a private person was the backyard of the Tonghe Palace. Even the Imperial Study before the Dragon Pool was a place for office work.

Wang Chonggu finished speaking, and Zhao Mengyou flipped through the case file and pulled out a page. It was an official document drafted by the Ministry of Personnel, without a seal. If Pang Shangpeng's illness could not be cured, the position of Fujian Governor would be Liu Hanru's. On this page of the document, there was Zhang Juzheng's floating ticket and the Emperor's vermilion approval: "Hanru, Hanru, I hope his person is like his name."

This money cannot be touched. Regardless of the Yan Dang or the "Clear Stream," they were very clear that no matter how they fought, communicating with Japanese pirates could not be touched.

When crying very sadly, one cannot cry out a sound.

At that wine party, Liu Hanru fell for a beauty trap. The focus of the beauty trap was the trap, not the beauty. What turned Liu Hanru from an efficient Great Ming official into a corrupt giant worm was not a poem, not a lyric, but that natural tacit understanding.

"It's fine if you were greedy a little, but how could you communicate with Japanese pirates? How could you indulge sea pirates? How could you traffic opium? You have been in the capital for a long time, don't you know my temper?"

The time when the Yan Dang and the "Clear Stream" fought most fiercely over suppressing Japanese pirates was when Hu Zongxian falsely accused Nanjing Minister of War Zhang Jing and Zhejiang Governor Li Tianchong. That time, Zhang Jing and Li Tianchong were both beheaded, and Hu Zongxian became the Zhejiang Governor after the event, presiding over the overall situation of resisting Japanese pirates.

"Actually, Chen Jingbang had no ability to recommend you at all, or rather, no Great Ming court official had the qualification to guarantee you. He could recommend, but the governor, viceroy, and capital officials all had to be appointed by His Majesty after court discussion," Wang Chonggu told Liu Hanru at the end of the joint trial of the three halls that the appointment and removal of Great Ming governors were not something anyone could decide just by recommending.

But this Chen Jingbang was really disappointing.

"Chen Jingbang deceived you. You could have become Fujian Governor without his promise of recommendation."

Back then, at the Shuangyu private market, who was taking the money?

Chen Jingbang never expected Liu Hanru to be so capable, operating this private market to such a scale, with over 300 ships entering and leaving every day!

Zhu Yijun flicked his sleeves. He hated the phrase "deserve to die ten thousand deaths" the most, as if any sin could be ended with death.

Even since the implementation of the Method of Evaluation during the Wanli years, the promotion and transfer of officialdom had become fair, but the origin was still there. First-rank Jinshi naturally didn't need to be mentioned; they were at least Grand Secretaries. And second-rank Jinshi could serve in local areas while holding capital official positions. For example, Wang Xiyuan in Yunnan was a Censor-in-Chief inspecting Yunnan and in charge of coin casting, managing the Yunnan casting furnaces.

The ranking of merit determined the upper limit of future achievements.

They were all famous generals for resisting Japanese pirates, and all for resisting Japanese pirates, but the court was fighting, and the Yan Dang and "Clear Stream" below could only fight. This is the sorrow under the party ban. Zhang Jing, Li Tianchong, Hu Zongxian died in prison—who won and who lost, the Great Ming lost a mess.

One step wrong, every step wrong. For Chen Jingbang's promise, how many things did Liu Hanru do?

In the end, it was all empty.

The content of the court discussion was actually rarely announced to the public. Therefore, to outsiders, it was recommended by the teacher and party leader. The promotion of Shandong Governor Wang Yie was the result of His Majesty's insistence, while Liaodong Governor Hou Yuzhao was the result of the court officials' recommendation.

Soon Liu Hanru confessed the evidence. Sending money to Chen Jingbang was not directly delivered to Chen Jingbang's hands, but to Chen Jingbang's foster son, Chen Qingcong. And this foster son was not a real foster son, but Chen Jingbang's biological son. Because his mother was a concubine, he could only enter the house under the name of a foster son.

"Those golden nanmu pillars, tsk tsk, I didn't know our Great Ming still had such a big one. When the Imperial Palace was built, His Majesty said there was a shortage of golden nanmu, so he didn't use wooden pillars and changed to concrete pillars, which also saved the people and money from being transported from the Southern Capital," Liu Hanru talked about the golden nanmu pillars in the Chen family's big mansion, seven in total.

That was before, not now.

That was in Zhejiang. When Liu Hanru was still the Zhejiang Surveillance Commissioner, the Xia family of Renhe played the host and introduced Chen Jingbang's foster son, Chen Qingcong, to Liu Hanru.

This was clearly a deliberate design. The beauty's understanding of Liu Hanru was probably more than he knew himself, but even knowing it was a trap, he was unwilling to wake up.

Liu Hanru changed, became a corrupt official, became a moth of the Great Ming. He began to protect the private market, how to make money from the private market, how to exchange money for various luxurious items and transport them to Putian, adding bricks and tiles to Chen Jingbang's big mansion.

"Ah?" Liu Hanru was confused for a moment, looking at Wang Chonggu with eyes full of incomprehension.

Governor, imperial envoy, frontier official—how could it be so simple? Could a Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites decide it?

Liu Hanru just wasn't in the capital and didn't understand the twists and turns inside, so he thought that with a capital official's recommendation, there would be a possibility of promotion.

Zhao Mengyou looked at Liu Hanru's appearance and didn't say much, continuing the interrogation. It wasn't that Liu Hanru biting Chen Jingbang would make Chen Jingbang guilty and imprisoned. Handling cases requires evidence. Liu Hanru was that breakthrough point. This was why it was necessary to open a breakthrough point on Liu Hanru. This was the fastest and most direct method.

What's the point of this?

Wang Chonggu looked at Liu Hanru and opened his mouth to say: "In the fifth month of the seventh year of Wanli, you were transferred to Fujian. It was Fujian Governor Pang Shangpeng who named you. Shu Yinglong was an addition. The Great Ming rarely has the Provincial Administration Commissioner and Surveillance Commissioner transferred together. In the seventh year of Wanli, Pang Shangpeng requested retirement due to illness and recommended you. At that time, the court was prepared. If Pang Shangpeng was unwell and unable to preside over Fujian affairs, you would act as governor. This was an extra promotion, as Vice Censor-in-Chief inspecting Fujian."

Liu Hanru was 59th in the third rank. The first rank is Jinshi, directly appointed to the Hanlin Academy, without the need for Ministry of Personnel selection; the second rank is Jinshi background, can take the Hanlin Academy Shujishi examination and sit in the capital; but the third rank is Jinshi background, can only take the path of local promotion and guard one side, spending a lifetime in local areas, unable to return to the capital.

"Why?" Zhu Yijun looked at Chen Jingbang and asked with some doubt: "Earning big money, building a big house, marrying a beautiful wife—is it that important?"

"I deserve to die ten thousand deaths. I didn't expect Liu Hanru to make such a big scene." By this step, Chen Jingbang had nothing to say. This kind of thing, he was not the first, nor would he be the last.

"Liu Hanru, have you ever thought about it?" Wang Chonggu looked at Liu Hanru and suddenly opened his mouth to say: "Your talent, the court had already noticed it long ago?"

"800 mu, why don't you call him and ask if his mansion is 800 mu?" Liu Hanru confessed, so he had no psychological burden. He poured out like beans, explaining clearly how he got connected with Chen Jingbang, bit by bit.

"Rebel! Tomorrow I will tear it down and transport it to the capital!" Wang Chonggu felt more and more angry as he listened, especially when mentioning the construction of the Imperial Palace. His Majesty thought it was a waste of money and was afraid of fire, so he simply used reinforced concrete pillars. That thing was skinned, looked quite atmospheric, but not noble enough.

Liu Hanru was that unfortunate third rank. What's the use of being capable? The upper limit was there. And the beauty in the beauty trap just happened to understand Liu Hanru's feeling of not being appreciated. One after another, chatting more and more congenially, sinking deeper and deeper.

This was before, not now.

They were all famous generals for resisting Japanese pirates, and all for resisting Japanese pirates, but the court was fighting, and the Yan Dang and "Clear Stream" below could only fight. This is the sorrow under the party ban. Zhang Jing, Li Tianchong, Hu Zongxian died in prison—who won and who lost, the Great Ming lost a mess.

The Great Ming navy had been running on the sea for two full months just to wipe out sea pirates. To resist Japanese pirates, the Great Ming had been tossed to such an exhausted point. Could this sentence "deserve to die ten thousand deaths," just like a universal formula, be lightly skipped over?

"I abolished the base slave status, otherwise your children and grandchildren would have to taste the taste of being slaves for generations. But it doesn't matter, I will exile your family to Ceylon. Don't you like private markets? Don't you like sea pirates? Don't you like earning big money, building big houses, and marrying beautiful wives?" Zhu Yijun's smile was a bit chilling.

If it were Java, it would be within the Malacca Strait, which is a stable place. But exiling to Ceylon means throwing a ship wherever it goes, regardless of anything. Whether they live or die depends entirely on whether Heaven rewards them with food.

Zhu Yijun originally wanted to throw them to Mombasa, which is South Africa, but considering the journey was too far, and if the navy soldiers responsible for the exile were folded on the road, it would be bad. It's better to throw them to Ceylon.

"Those who rise by this will surely perish by this!" Zhu Yijun's voice had no emotion. He hated Japanese pirates. Any civil or military official who killed Japanese pirates was a person in Zhu Yijun's eyes and could be looked at with extra respect. Wang Yie and Wang Chonggu were both like this.

Zhu Yijun changed the subject and asked: "Do you have anything else to say? Besides you taking money, who else took money? You know the consequences of biting people indiscriminately."

He suddenly gave Chen Jingbang a chance to make up for his crimes.

"Wang Chonggu, and Wang Chonggu and his son Wang Qian also took money!" Chen Jingbang shouted loudly as if grabbing a straw.

"Speaking requires evidence. Do you have evidence?" Zhu Yijun looked at Wang Chonggu when Chen Jingbang opened his mouth.

Wang Chonggu was still in that calm and composed appearance, looking at Chen Jingbang's expression with a bit of mockery. Does his family lack your little bit?

And then his face became more and more heavy and sluggish. This was His Majesty's questioning, almost equivalent to a verdict. Chen Jingbang, before the Emperor, biting people indiscriminately like this, falsely accusing and being punished in return—it was impossible for Chen Jingbang not to understand the seriousness of the consequences!

Then the only possibility was Wang Qian!

This rebellious son!

Wang Chonggu instantly felt like falling into an ice cellar, and his whole person was a bit numb. After a lifetime, he finally didn't have a good end. His Majesty gave him two chances, but he didn't grasp either. He was full of confidence, and it reached the point of the joint trial of the three halls, but he still fell in!

"I sent Wang Qian 50,000 taels of silver, he took it, and even wrote me a receipt!" Chen Jingbang hurriedly said: "Absolutely no falsehood, I hope His Majesty will see clearly!"

Zhu Yijun was furious. He said coldly to Zhao Mengyou: "Go and call Wang Qian!"

Wang Chonggu collapsed on the chair. In a flash, Wang Chonggu had already thought of his last words.

"Your Majesty, I have some family assets. If I scrape this silver together, there are still 4.32 million taels. I will take out 80%, which is 3.45 million taels, and invest it in the opening of the sea. Counting the previous investments, all dividends will be used as rewards for technological progress. I hope His Majesty will fulfill the old minister's last wish," Wang Chonggu stood up tremblingly.

Taking out 80% of the silver and donating it to His Majesty, letting His Majesty use the dividends every year to reward inventors of technological progress—this was the last afterglow he had planned for a long time, illuminating the road for the Industrial Party to move forward.

Wang Chonggu had even planned his property after death, but it ended in a bad end because of his rebellious son.

Most things in the world are not for profit. If they can receive his generous rewards, they can also gain fame, and the great craftsmen will continuously promote technological progress.

Alas, alas, all beautiful visions and plans fell through because of his rebellious son.

"See Your Majesty, long live Your Majesty," Wang Qian was still in a giggling appearance, looking at his old father's ashen face, and said in surprise: "Dad, what's wrong with you? Do you want to call the physician?"

"Wang Qian, did you receive 50,000 taels of silver from Chen Jingbang?" Zhu Yijun still felt something was wrong and asked calmly.

"Yes, just last month," Wang Qian nodded and said with a strange look: "What's wrong?"

"What's wrong, you still ask what's wrong?!" Wang Chonggu's eyes widened, feeling that one of his feet had already stepped into the gate of the Jieku Institute. The thing he regretted most in his life was probably giving birth to such a son.

Zhu Yijun asked again: "What name?"

Wang Qian saw this posture and knew the problem was not small. He also tasted something wrong and hurriedly said: "He said he wanted to buy tickets for the Suiyuan Road. I sold them to him at a price of 8 taels per ticket. But the tickets hadn't risen yet, so I made a contract and even wrote him a receipt. Within three months, if it rises, I will sell it to him at the price, and if it doesn't rise, this 50,000 taels of silver will be returned in full, and I will pay him another 500 taels of silver. This is a gambling contract."

"Besides this?" Zhu Yijun continued to ask.

Wang Qian recalled carefully and said: "Nothing else."

"Nothing else?" Wang Chonggu seemed to come alive again, stunned and said: "Really nothing else?"

"Nothing else, the contract is in the Yanxing Building Trading House. This is official business," Wang Qian said with a confused look: "Did something happen?"

"Nothing, you go and get busy. You scared your father," Zhu Yijun waved his hand, letting Wang Qian go and get busy. It had nothing to do with him here.

"I take my leave." Wang Qian saw his father's face turn rosy and knew that the matter had not affected their family. Wang Qian looked at Chen Jingbang, who was kneeling on the ground with shackles and cangues, shook his head, and left strolling, incidentally inquiring about what had happened. He had a clear conscience and was not afraid of investigation.

Zhu Yijun looked at Chen Jingbang, who was kneeling on the ground, bowing his head.

"After the trial, send him directly to the Jieku Institute. Take him down," Zhu Yijun waved his hand and had no interest in talking to Chen Jingbang anymore. He had already started biting people indiscriminately, which proved that there was really no one behind him. Dying and still pulling others into the water, he really deserved to go to hell.

Since he dared to shake the Emperor, he couldn't blame Zhu Yijun for being ruthless. One reserved seat in the Jieku Institute.

Zhu Yijun actually suspected that Marquis of Wuqing Li Wei had business in it. Li Wei was not very honest before. Now it seems that Zhu Yijun really wronged the Marquis of Wuqing. Of course, it is also possible that the Marquis of Wuqing didn't have this channel.

Zhu Yijun looked at Wang Chonggu and said with a smile: "Second Grand Secretary Wang, I think this technological progress award is very good. How about this? 5 million taels of principal, half from you, half from me. We take out the dividends as rewards. The evaluation will be determined by the Five Classics Doctors of the Royal Polytechnic Institute. If there is no evaluation, it will be injected into the investment and become principal. How about naming this award the Great Ming Technological Progress Award?"

"Your Majesty, I will contribute 3.45 million taels alone. How about the Chonggu Technological Progress Award?" Wang Chonggu looked out the window, his eyes dodging. His Majesty is really too greedy, even taking away the old man's inheritance! This is a means he thought about for a long time to gain fame for himself!

Zhu Yijun thought for a while and said: "Second Grand Secretary Wang, how about engraving 'Presented by Wang Chonggu to those who are knowledgeable' on this medal?"

"Hmm?" Wang Chonggu's interest greatly increased. He nodded repeatedly and said: "This is good, this is good."

Telling a story requires a bit of mystery. When others see it, "Presented by Wang Chonggu," they will ask, who is this Wang Chonggu, why should he be the one to present it on the national award medal? This curiosity will arise, and they will understand the story behind it. This is a heavy value added.

Wang Chonggu is a businessman and understands the methods inside very well.

"Then it's settled? The medal will be set to the first-rank extraordinary merit of the five-rank merit award of Hou Yuzhao." Zhu Yijun explained the rules of the award with a smile. Dividing subjects and governing studies naturally requires dividing subjects and setting awards. If there is one, it will be issued; if not, it will not be issued.

"I thank Your Majesty for your great grace." Wang Chonggu thanked him again. His Majesty also spared no effort for his posthumous name.

When Wang Chonggu left, even his steps seemed very happy. It is naturally worth celebrating that his rebellious son didn't send his own father to the grave.

Zhu Yijun returned to the Tonghe Palace and went to see Consort Liu and Consort Li first. At this look, both of them had swollen eyes from crying. Knowing the Emperor was coming, they wanted to cover it up, but they were worried that rouge and powder would be bad for the children, and their faces were full of urgency.

Zhu Yijun comforted the two of them well. It was typical prenatal anxiety. Wang Yaozhuo also had this symptom before, worrying about gains and losses, and even insomnia.

"My lady maintaining the peace of this harem is truly not easy." When Zhu Yijun came out of the Consort Liu and Consort Li's Huage Building, he wiped the sweat from his forehead. He was not very good at coaxing women. The move he was best at was not very convenient, so this time, he rewarded the two consorts with the two jade duck eggs he had last time—that pair of jade gourds carved with chi dragon patterns—which was considered coaxing them.

The osmanthus flowers in the Imperial Garden were blooming brightly. Zhu Yijun told Wang Yaozhuo about the affairs of the previous dynasty in a rambling way.

"That Chen Jingbang looked like a human being, but I didn't expect him to be this kind of person. I also misjudged him, thinking he could manage the state and benefit the nation," Zhu Yijun leaned on the back of the chair and said with great emotion: "Knowing people and knowing faces, but not knowing hearts. I sent him to the Jieku Institute, and Chen Jingbang's family was exiled to Ceylon."

"It's a pity for that Liu Hanru. He is indeed very capable, but it is also a fate of being beheaded. This time, heads rolled again, and I started a big prison again."

Wang Yaozhuo looked at the osmanthus flowers in the courtyard and said: "I don't understand the affairs of the previous dynasty. If Your Majesty feels that a big prison should be started, then start it. I just feel that the child is born."

When Emperor Taizu and Emperor Taizong started big prisons, Empress Ma and Empress Xu were persuading them. Persuading benevolence can also be considered one of the duties of the Great Ming Empress.

But listening to His Majesty, communicating with Japanese pirates, opium, trafficking Great Ming people, indulging sea pirates to loot the Great Ming coastline—as long as there is one, they should all enter the Jieku Institute. Sometimes, this big prison must be started if it should be started.

Zhu Yijun smiled and said: "It was the Second Grand Secretary who was trembling with fear, thinking that his rebellious son was causing trouble outside again. Alas, that expression, pale with earthy yellow, his hands started to shake, and he even started to explain his last words."

"The son in the Second Grand Secretary's family is indeed not reassuring." Wang Yaozhuo often heard her husband mention the affairs of the previous dynasty, and she was very clear about the father-son relationship between Wang Chonggu and Wang Qian. After all, it was one of the two major joys in the Great Ming capital.

Zhu Yijun sat up straight and said: "Zhi'er is already very amazing. Now he speaks fluently and clearly. He is only so young, and you let him learn arithmetic. Isn't it too early?"

Hoping for one's child to become a dragon is probably the wish of every parent, but at this age, being able to speak clearly is already very amazing.

"He is two years old. It's just recognizing numbers and counting. I didn't let him do anything else," Wang Yaozhuo refused to give in at all. She said quite affirmatively: "He still has to learn."

"One year and eight months," Zhu Yijun corrected Wang Yaozhuo's statement and breathed a sigh of relief: "He is still four months away from two years old. The child is not afraid of me, but now he is afraid of you. Every time he sees me, he hides behind me. If he counts wrong, he just counts again. You have a cold face, and the child is afraid."

"Understood, understood." Wang Yaozhuo looked at Zhu Changzhi who was digging soil, opened her mouth, and finally didn't say it. This is the legitimate eldest son. According to the Great Ming succession law, he is the absolute Crown Prince. It is a mistake if he is not excellent.

Born in the imperial family, how can it be so simple.

"You still say I am perfunctory. You are also perfunctory to me. What age does what thing? He hasn't started school yet, so there is no need to manage it so strictly." As soon as Zhu Yijun saw Wang Yaozhuo's appearance, he knew that Wang Yaozhuo hadn't listened.

Zhu Yijun took a look and stood up immediately, hugged Zhu Changzhi, threw the soil clod in his hand aside, and pretended to reprimand: "Not allowed to eat soil!"

Without seeing it, Zhu Changzhi stuffed the dug-out soil into his mouth, intending to taste what it tasted like.

"Daddy, big flower face, paint a big flower face for Daddy!" Zhu Changzhi stretched his dirty hands and wiped on Zhu Yijun's face. While wiping, he laughed. Zhu Yijun hugged him and couldn't hide, so he could only let him graffiti.

Wang Yaozhuo was watching from the side, watching and laughing, which could be considered harmonious.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 504 =====