It was night, and the Daming Palace became more and more majestic.

Chunhe Palace, the main hall.

In the past, it was time to turn off the lights, but now the lights are still in hand.

When Zhao Mian came in, he saw Zhu Xiongying reading a book there, hurriedly stepped forward, and fell directly to the ground: "Minister, Zhao Mian, I have seen His Royal Highness Taisun!" ”

Zhu Xiongying didn't seem to hear it, still reading the book.

Zhao Mian was prostrate on the cold ground, not daring to move.

Before coming, he had heard some rumors, so at this moment he was extremely worried, he began to follow Zhu Xiongying when he was still in the people, but all along, Zhu Xiongying has been busy with national affairs, from the tea and horse market in Annan, to the development of coal, and then to today's post station, there are few things like dealing with officials.

Yes, I just knocked the blue jade.

Therefore, Zhao Mian didn't know what Zhu Xiongying thought about him and Hubu this time.

Seeing that Zhu Xiongying didn't move, Zhao Mian couldn't help but raise his head slightly and peeked at it.

I saw that Zhu Xiongying's face was still behind the book, and he didn't know what the situation was.

The hall was quiet, and the air was getting more and more solid.

Although it is not long after the New Year's Pass, the weather is still very cold, but Zhao Mian's forehead is full of beads of sweat.

Long.

Zhao Mian felt that his knees were already sore, and there seemed to be ants crawling on his body, he finally couldn't help it, raised his voice, and said, "Minister, Zhao Mian, I have seen His Royal Highness Taisun!" ”

Zhu Xiongying slowly put down the book and said, "Anthracene, Lord Zhao is here?" Hurry up. ”

Zhao Mianru was amnesty, and then he got up from the ground with some difficulty, and before he could wipe the sweat beads on his forehead, he said: "When the minister heard His Highness's call, he rushed over immediately!" ”

Zhu Xiongying nodded: "Are you okay these days?" ”

Zhao Mian secretly breathed a sigh of relief when he heard this: "It's okay, it's just that the matter of the post station has been dragging on, and I am very anxious, so I want to come back quickly and implement His Highness's policy!" ”

Zhu Xiongying smiled when he heard this, and said, "Lord Zhao has bothered, but I have already arranged for others to do the affairs of the post station, so I won't worry about Lord Zhao." ”

Zhao Mian was stunned for a moment, and his face twitched slightly.

Once again, there was silence in the hall.

After a while, Zhu Xiongying spoke: "Do you know, Lone could have not spent so much time with you, Lone has been waiting for you, but it's a pity...... Lone didn't wait. ”

As soon as these words came out, Zhao Mian began to fidget a little, and a struggling look appeared on his face.

Zhu Xiongying continued: "Zhao Mian, Hongwu eighteen years of Jinshi, Hongwu twenty-three years, the position of the secretary of the relocation department, from Jinshi to the second grade, it only took six years, and he rose fast enough!" ”

Zhao Mian's frozen face squeezed out a smile: "Your Highness smiled, compared with His Highness's talents, Weichen's ability is not worth mentioning." ”

Zhu Xiongying said: "To be honest, Lone admires you very much, you are smart, and pragmatic and diligent, and you are a competent household secretary." ”

Zhao Mian hurriedly arched his hand: "Your Highness Xie praises!" ”

Zhu Xiongying sighed lightly and said, "It's a pity...... You're one less responsible. ”

Zhao Mian's face twitched slightly, and he smiled reluctantly: "Hehe, thank Your Highness for mentioning something, Weichen will pay attention to improvement in the future"

Zhu Xiongying shook his head: "Gu has mentioned it now, but you still haven't taken responsibility." ”

Zhao Mian froze suddenly.

"You still have to force Gu to speak!"

Zhu Xiongying sighed and said, "According to the results of these days of investigating the accounts of the household department, during your reign, you have made a total of fifty-six false accounts, and you have embezzled two hundred and twenty-eight thousand seven hundred and forty-three taels of silver. ”

Hearing this, Zhao Mian was struck by lightning.

After being stunned for a while, Zhao Mian still struggled and said: "No, it's not like this, Wechen has been following His Highness for this time, he must have offended people, or he was jealous, and Weichen was wronged!" Your Highness is discerning! ”

Obviously, Zhao Mian didn't believe that Zhu Xiongying would be able to check the accounts of the household department so quickly.

Because he knows the number of accounts in the household, and those fake accounts are all done by him very carefully, he is extremely careful with every amount, that is, let him find it by himself, and he may not be able to find it for a while.

He believed that Zhu Xiongying and the others would definitely not be able to find it, and even if they did, it would be a very small part, so he insisted on it.

"Wronged?"

Zhu Xiongying sneered: "See for yourself!" ”

With that, Zhu Xiongying pushed all the stacks of things on the desk to the ground.

Zhao Mian was stunned, and after glancing at Zhu Xiongying, he slowly bent down and picked up a copy, opened it and looked at it, his expression gradually solidified......

Soon, Zhao Mian picked up another copy, and cold sweat began to break out.

Another ......

Zhao Mian was completely panicked, looking at Zhu Xiongying in the upper position, his face finally changed completely.

Plop.

Zhao Mian finally knelt down, he couldn't hold on any longer, his expression began to distort, and tears flowed.

"Your Highness!"

Zhao Mian burst into tears: "The minister is confused, the minister is wrong, the minister should die!" Please also read that the minister has done a lot of things for His Royal Highness, and surround the minister's life! ”

"Hey—"

Zhu Xiongying let out a long sigh: "I knew now, why bother in the beginning?" ”

Zhao Mian kowtowed like pounding garlic, and then raised his tear-stained face: "Your Highness, the minister is from a poor background, and the minister also hates corrupt officials, but ...... But my wife, she has a very good family background since she was a child, and after following the minister, the minister's little money can't support her at all, and she still needs her mother's help! ”

"The minister is a man, and the minister also has dignity, when those businessmen took the money and put it in front of me, the minister repeatedly refused, but once, the minister finally couldn't help it and took three hundred taels of silver......"

"You don't know, the minister took that money, and he couldn't sleep for three nights, but it's strange, after the first time, the second time the minister was not so panicked, and later...... Later, the ministers took it for granted......"

"Until I met His Royal Highness, the minister wanted to stop, but it was too late......"

As he spoke, Zhao Mian's tears flowed down.

In fact, Zhu Xiongying can also understand this kind of psychology.

The income of the Ming Dynasty is not high, and sometimes a second-class official is not even as good as the income of a businessman, which will definitely cause an imbalance in the hearts of some officials.

If you have power, there will be people who want to seek personal gain.

It is indeed difficult to resist the temptation of materialism, but this is not a reason for officials to be greedy for ink.

The old man has no mercy on corrupt officials, and it can be said that he is the most severe in all dynasties, even extremely cruel.

However, Zhu Xiongying agreed with the old man's approach.

If you are an official, you just can't get rich!

Zhu Xiongying said solemnly: "Grandpa Huang often said that my Zhu family was born in poverty, and I can't look down on corrupt officials. As a second-class member of the imperial court, you know the law and break the law, and you will not be protected by yourself. ”

"Lone gives you a night's time, if you have anything to say or things to do, hurry up and do it."

With that, Zhu Xiongying waved his hand, stood up, and walked out of the hall.

Zhao Mian bowed to Zhu Xiongying's back: "Thank you, Your Royal Highness!" ”

……

The next morning, the weather was a little drowsy.

Zhu Xiongying, who had just gotten up, received a message from Jinyiwei that Zhao Mian had committed suicide with his family at home......

(End of chapter)