Chapter 349: The Guo Huan Case

The eighteenth year of Hongwu, the fifteenth day of the eighth month.

Mid‑Autumn had just passed, and the moon‑cake stalls in Yingtian Prefecture city had not yet been cleared; the streets still carried the scent of osmanthus.

Zhu Yong entered the palace early in the morning, intending to go to Kunning Palace to pay his respects to Empress Ma.

Halfway there, he saw a eunuch hurrying over beside Zhu Biao, his complexion looking ill.

"Prince Wu, the Crown Prince asks you to go to Wenhua Hall."

Zhu Yong's steps halted.

At this hour, the Eldest Prince wasn't in the Eastern Palace reviewing memoranda, but ran to Wenhua Hall?

"What happened?" he asked.

The eunuch lowered his voice: "At this morning's court, Imperial Censors Yu Min and Ding Tingju jointly submitted a memorial exposing that the Ministry of Revenue Assistant Minister Guo Huan colluded with Beiping Provincial Administrator Li Yu, Inspector General Zhao Quande and others, embezzling taxes from Taiping and Zhenjiang prefectures, falsifying revenues in western Zhejiang, with corruption amounting to… reportedly several million shi of grain."

Zhu Yong frowned.

Guo Huan.

He knew that name all too well.

In the histories of his previous life, the Guo Huan case was one of the biggest corruption scandals of the Hongwu era, involving over twenty‑million shi of grain, implicating tens of thousands of people, and ultimately being eradicated by Zhu Yuanzhang, with heads rolling in the slaughter.

He had thought that many things had changed in this life: the Lu Clan was gone, Kai Ji had been cut down early, so Guo Huan should be more honest now.

But, as expected, what was to come still came.

"Did Father know?"

"The Emperor was enraged, smashed a cup on the spot, and declared he would have Guo Huan torn to pieces; the Crown Prince restrained him, saying they should investigate first. The Emperor then appointed the Crown Prince to oversee the case, named you, and ordered you to lead the Longxiang Army to arrest the culprits, as the Jinyiwei were overwhelmed."

Zhu Yong nodded, turned, and headed toward Wenhua Hall.

On the way he met Zhu Gang, dressed in court robes, his makeup not yet fully removed, evidently also just descending from the court session.

"Second Prince! Have you heard about the Guo Huan affair? Goodness, he dares to covet several million shi of grain?" Zhu Gang leaned in, lowering his voice.

Zhu Yong glanced at him: "Your information is indeed well‑connected."

"All civil and military officials in the court know; how could you not be informed? You didn't see Imperial Father's expression at this morning's court—it was as if he wanted to devour someone." Zhu Gang tucked his chin in.

Zhu Yong gave no reply and quickened his pace.

Inside Wenhua Hall, Zhu Biao was already present.

He sat behind a writing desk, a stack of documents spread before him, with a few officials standing nearby, speaking in low tones.

When Zhu Yong entered, Zhu Biao looked up, waved his hand, and told the officials to step aside.

"Second Brother, sit."

Zhu Yong sat opposite him.

Zhu Gang also came in and sat on the adjacent chair, unusually without a mischievous grin.

Zhu Biao pushed several documents toward Zhu Yong and said, "Take a look at this."

Zhu Yong took them and flipped through each.

The first was Imperial Censor Yu Min's impeachment memorandum, listing Guo Huan's major crimes: embezzling taxes from Taiping and Zhenjiang prefectures, colluding with Beiping Provincial Administrator Li Yu, falsifying revenues in western Zhejiang, with a massive amount of corruption.

The second was a summary of the Ministry of Revenue's Account Book, its figures shocking.

In just one location in western Zhejiang, the reported revenue exceeded the actual collection by nearly one million shi of grain, the surplus all funneled into Guo Huan's and a few accomplices' pockets.

The third was a Jinyiwei secret report, detailing the bribes Guo Huan had received over the years—from gold and silver jewelry to land and houses, even a few concubines, all given by others.

After reading, Zhu Yong set the documents down: "Is the evidence conclusive?"

Zhu Biao nodded: "The Jinyiwei investigated for three months; both testimonial and physical evidence are present. Guo Huan has been in the Ministry of Revenue these years, his hands never clean.

When Kai Ji was in front, he held back a bit; after Kai Ji fell, he thought no one was watching him, and his audacity grew."

Zhu Gang interjected: "Several million shi of grain—how many heads will fall?"

Zhu Biao ignored him, looked at Zhu Yong: "Imperial Father's intention is to punish severely, but as for the specifics, let us first draft a protocol."

Zhu Yong thought for a moment, then said: "First arrest the people, then audit the accounts; those who must die, die; those to be exiled, exile, but we must not involve too many."

Zhu Biao glanced at him: "You are indeed kind‑hearted."

"It's not kindness, it's fear of over‑extension; people's hearts are uneasy. Eldest Prince, this case involves many, but there must be limits. Those small fish and shrimp who just sip the broth—punish the guilty, beat the deserving, no need to kill everyone.

Now Great Ming's territory is vast, already short of population; those who shouldn't be killed can be sent to the lands we seized in Japan and Goryeo."

Zhu Yong said lightly.

Zhu Biao was silent for a moment, then nodded and replied: "You are right; I'll convey this to Imperial Father."

Zhu Gang, listening nearby, suddenly asked: "Second Prince, you are leading the Longxiang Army to arrest people—should I assist?"

Zhu Yong glanced at him: "Why are you still here in Yingtian instead of staying in Japan?"

"I just came back for the Mid‑Autumn Festival. Besides, how could I miss such a huge anti‑corruption task?" Zhu Gang chuckled.

Zhu Biao waved his hand and said: "Fourth Brother, don't cause trouble; my Second Brother will go capture the culprits, you stay at home."

Zhu Gang pursed his lips and fell silent.

That afternoon, Zhu Yong led five hundred Longxiang troops straight to the Ministry of Revenue office.

The Ministry of Revenue lay on the south side of the Imperial City, not far from the Ancestral Temple, a courtyard with three gates.

The stone lions at the entrance were polished to a shine, and the gilded characters "Ministry of Revenue" on the lintel glittered in the sun.

Zhu Yong rode his horse at the front, followed by five hundred Longxiang troops, their iron armor flashing coldly in the sunlight.

Pedestrians on the street, seeing the formation, stepped aside en masse.

The gate guards at the Ministry, seeing the scene, went weak in the legs, scrambling inside to report.

Zhu Yong dismounted with a swift turn, and strode inside.

In the main hall, Guo Huan was discussing matters with several officials.

Seeing Zhu Yong enter, he was momentarily stunned, then stood up, smiling as he greeted: "Prince Wu, what wind brings you here?"

Guo Huan was about fifty, white and plump, with three long strands of beard, dressed in a fourth‑rank civil official's robe, looking rather like a gentle old gentleman.

Zhu Yong did not answer him, took a document from his chest, unfolded it, and read: "By the Heaven's mandate, the Emperor decrees: Ministry of Revenue Assistant Minister Guo Huan, in collusion with Beiping Provincial Administrator Office officials Li Yu, Zhao Quande and others, embezzled taxes, falsified revenue reports, the amount of corruption is huge, hence immediate removal from office and interrogation. So it is."

Guo Huan's complexion turned white at once.

He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but before he could speak, two Longxiang Army soldiers held him down.

"Prince, Prince, I'm innocent!" Guo Huan shouted while struggling.

Zhu Yong gave him a glance, said nothing, and turned to look at the other officials in the main hall.

Those people each had ashen faces, their legs trembling.

"Everyone stay still, wait for questioning," Zhu Yong said calmly.

The officials nodded repeatedly, daring not to breathe.

As Guo Huan was led away, he kept shouting his innocence: "Prince, I am innocent, those people framed me…"

Zhu Yong ignored him.

In the following days, Zhu Yong led the Longxiang Army to arrest Guo Huan's co‑conspirators one by one.

When Li Yu of the Beiping Provincial Administrator Office was seized at home, he was drinking wine with several concubines.

Seeing the Longxiang Army burst in, he was so frightened that he fell from his chair, rolling and crawling while kowtowing.

Zhao Quande of the Inspector General Office hid in a temple outside the city, thinking he could escape.

Instead, he was pulled out by the Jinyiwei from behind a Buddha statue, trembling all over, unable to speak clearly.

There were also several Ministry of Revenue physicians and clerks, several Beiping Prefecture officials, a magistrate, and a bunch of criminals; in total more than twenty were arrested.

While the arrests were happening, the citizens of Yingtian Prefecture stood on the street watching the spectacle.

Some cheered, some cursed that the corrupt officials should be killed, and others whispered, saying they didn't know how many would die this time.

Zhu Yong rode his horse through the street, listening to the murmurs, his expression calm.

He knew this case had only just begun.

By the end of August, all implicated officials were turned in.

Zhu Biao held a trial in Wenhua Hall, and Zhu Yong led troops to guard.

On the day of the interrogation, the outside of Wenhua Hall was filled with Longxiang Army soldiers, and the atmosphere inside the hall was grim.

Zhu Biao sat on the Main Seat, his expression calm.

Zhu Yong sat beside him, holding a cup of tea.

When Guo Huan was brought up, he had already lost a circle of weight, his clothes wrinkled, hair disheveled, completely lacking the former grandeur.

Zhu Biao looked at him and said calmly, "Guo Huan, do you know your crime?"

Guo Huan knelt on the ground, head lowered, voice trembling: "I… I know my crime…"

"Speak, how much did you embezzle."

Guo Huan remained silent for a long time before speaking slowly.

What he said was roughly the same as what the Jinyiwei had uncovered.

The taxes from Taiping Prefecture, Zhenjiang Prefecture and other places were mostly embezzled by him.

In the Western Zhejiang region, he falsified tax reports, and the shortfall all went into his and his co‑conspirators' pockets.

He also received bribes over the years—gold and silver, jewels, land and property—countless in number.

As he spoke, he began to cry: "Prince, I was momentarily foolish, I beg your mercy…"

Zhu Biao ignored him, looked at the scribe beside him: "Recorded?"

The scribe nodded and replied: "All recorded."

Zhu Biao then looked at Guo Huan: "Who else is among your co‑conspirators?"

Guo Huan hesitated briefly, then recited a string of names.

Apart from Li Yu, Zhao Quande and the others already captured, there were also several Ministry of Revenue physicians and clerks, several Beiping Prefecture officials, and even a few local prefects and county magistrates.

Zhu Biao, after listening, stood up and walked to Guo Huan's side.

"Guo Huan, you have served in the Ministry of Revenue for these years, the court has treated you well, and this is how you repay the court?"

Guo Huan lowered his head, not daring to speak.