Ming Dynasty: Is a mere unruly commoner rebelling against heaven?

Chapter 101: Skinning, Stuffing, Dismemberment, Immediate Execution! (Part 1)

The next day.

Zhu You樘 changed into his court attire and headed to Fengtian Gate to attend the morning court.

Since the last assassination attempt on the late emperor, Zhu You樘 had changed the original court sessions from once every three days to once every ten days.

This move was celebrated by the officials. Seeing Zhu You樘 less often, the civil and military officials in the capital felt they could live a few more days.

Zhu You樘 arrived at Fengtian Gate, and immediately a eunuch from the Directorate of Ceremonial announced his arrival.

"The Emperor has arrived!"

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

Zhu You樘 sat on the dragon throne, looking down at the officials with an icy, emotionless tone.

"Rise."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

After the officials stood up, Zhu You樘 did not announce that the civil officials could present their matters, but directly named the Grand Secretary of the Inner Cabinet, Xu Pu.

"Grand Secretary Xu, tell me, what has the Inner Cabinet been busy with recently?"

Xu Pu was caught off guard by the sudden naming.

However, years of experience as an official allowed him to quickly calm down. Holding his court tablet, he stepped forward and respectfully bowed to Zhu You樘.

"Your Majesty, the Inner Cabinet believes that the current 'Great Ming Code' has been in effect for a long time, and there are increasingly many regulations. Many of the regulations and judgments have deviated from reality."

"Therefore, we request to revise a 'Great Ming Compendium' of laws to replace the 'Great Ming Code'."

The matter of the Inner Cabinet revising the constitution was temporarily known only to Zhu You樘, the Grand Secretaries of the Inner Cabinet, and the ministers of the Six Ministries.

The civil and military officials were still unaware of this explosive news.

Xu Pu had originally planned to announce it to the world after the Inner Cabinet, together with the Hanlin Academy, had revised the 'Great Ming Compendium'.

However, Zhu You樘 suddenly mentioned it in court, and Xu Pu knew that Zhu You樘 was officially announcing the revision of the constitution to the civil and military officials.

Therefore, Xu Pu took the opportunity to speak about it.

As expected, this immediately caused a stir in the court, with many officials talking among themselves, whispering and discussing the matter.

Since the matter had already been brought up, Xu Pu did not hide it and continued to say.

"Your Majesty, the revision of the law will take a lot of time, so before the new law is officially compiled, I request the issuance of a 'Questioning and Sentencing Ordinance' to serve as a temporary transitional law."

"The Inner Cabinet already has a temporary draft, which can be submitted to Your Majesty for review in the near future."

"Excellent!"

Zhu You樘 nodded with a smile.

Immediately, the gazes of the officials in the court towards Xu Pu became fervent.

"Grand Secretary Xu is… is risking his life to petition for us!"

"Grand Secretary Xu wants to emulate the Four Gentlemen of the Jianwen Era and benefit the officials of the world!"

"It is our good fortune to have Grand Secretary Xu as our chief minister! Grand Secretary Xu is truly a great talent with the ability to manage the world!"

"Grand Secretary Xu is a man of high moral standing, with pure and loyal intentions. He will be remembered throughout the ages as a capable minister, an important minister, and a loyal minister!"

"…"

The so-called Four Gentlemen of the Jianwen Era were the four civil officials who fully supported Zhu Yunwen when he became emperor, namely Fang Xiaoru, Huang Zicheng, Qi Tai, and Lian Zining.

The edict for Zhu Yunwen's ascension to the throne was written by Fang Xiaoru.

The abolition of the 'Imperial Grand Pronouncements' was also the intention of these civil officials.

The officials in the court quickly understood after hearing these words.

They sincerely thanked Xu Pu, and at this moment, Xu Pu's image in their hearts was comparable to Yu Qian!

Zhu You樘 glanced at Wang Zhi beside him, and Wang Zhi immediately understood, stepping forward and respectfully bowing.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, I have important matters to report."

"Granted."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Earl of Ruian, Wang Yuan, Earl of Chongshan, Wang Qing, and Right Vice Commander-in-chief of the Right Military Commandery, Wang Jun, have seized 300,000 mu of farmland from the people."

"Zhang Hai, the Governor of Shuntian Prefecture, has engaged in bribery and perverted the course of justice, involving thousands of taels of silver."

"All of them have been imprisoned and are awaiting Your Majesty's judgment."

"Bring them up!"

"Yes!"

With a wave of Wang Zhi's hand, several West Depot guards escorted two officials forward.

No one dared to wonder why, even though four people had been arrested, only two were being brought to court.

Moreover, although these two looked disheveled, they had no obvious wounds on their bodies, indicating that they had been treated relatively well after being imprisoned in the West Depot prison.

The two knelt tremblingly before Zhu You樘, their bodies shaking. Knowing that their deaths were inevitable, they could not even utter words of begging for mercy.

Wang Zhi unfolded the secret letter and read out the complete list of crimes committed by Wang Yuan and Zhang Hai.

"Earl of Ruian, Wang Yuan, has seized more than 300,000 mu of farmland, beaten to death and injured seventy-six farmers in Jinghai, forcibly taken sixteen women, and privately accepted bribes…"

"Zhang Hai, the Governor of Shuntian Prefecture, has accepted bribes of 13,000 taels of silver, five concubines, thirteen houses, and has also bribed court officials to pervert the course of justice…"

The West Depot listed many crimes for the two, but compared to the officials Zhu You樘 had dealt with before, these were considered relatively light.

However, Zhu You樘 still patiently listened to the crimes listed by the West Depot.

Finally, Zhu You樘 looked at the officials in the court, his tone indifferent.

"Listen, everyone, a Governor of Shuntian Prefecture, an Earl of Ruian."

"They dared to commit these heinous crimes right under my nose."

"Then, in places where I cannot see, how many more such officials are there? How many more such nobles are there?"

"Since I ascended the throne, I have dealt with a batch of corrupt officials and royal relatives."

"I thought that the deaths of these officials and nobles would deter those who came after."

"And completely eliminate corruption, bribery, and oppression of the people!"

"But I still underestimated the courage of you officials!"

"Since I ascended the throne, I have been killing every time, killing every time, but I cannot stop this corruption."

"Corruption and bending the law have been repeatedly prohibited but cannot be stopped!"

"I deeply feel that the habit of corruption has been deeply ingrained in the bones of the Ming officials."

"Without the determination to undergo bone-scraping poison removal, this already terminally ill Great Ming court cannot be saved!"

"After much deliberation,朕 (Zhen, referring to the emperor) believe it is because the laws in this 'Great Ming Code' are too lenient to serve as an effective deterrent."

"Therefore,朕 intend to revise the constitution. At the same time, 朕 am pleased that Grand Secretary Xu's ideas coincide with朕's, and he should be commended."

"But how to revise the statutes has caused 朕 to ponder deeply."

"Fortunately, 朕 have now found a solution."

Zhu Youcheng took out the "Imperial Grand Pronouncements" and looked at Peng Shao, the Minister of Justice.

"Peng Shao, come forward and read this law."

Peng Shao's heart tightened, and he hurriedly stepped forward to salute.

"Your subject obeys the decree."

Peng Shao walked up the steps and came to Zhu Youcheng.

When he saw that Zhu Youcheng was holding the "Imperial Grand Pronouncements," his face changed.

And when he discovered that the postscript of this yellowed "Imperial Grand Pronouncements" was actually the Heavenly Mandate Emperor, he was horrified and took two steps back, kneeling down to perform a grand salute.

"Your subject Peng Shao kowtows to the Imperial Pen of Emperor Gao, the Taizu!"

What?!

When the civil and military officials of the court heard Peng Shao's loud cry of Emperor Gao, the Taizu's name, their hearts shrank in fear, feeling a sense of weightlessness as if falling into an abyss.

Zhu Yuanzhang killed officials too ruthlessly when he was in power!

So ruthless that even after more than a hundred years, the officials of the Ming Dynasty were still pale and weak-legged when they heard Zhu Yuanzhang's name.

And what Peng Shao meant was that the book in Zhu Youcheng's hand was written by Zhu Yuanzhang himself?

In the next moment, all the civil and military officials of the court knelt down to perform a grand salute, shouting, "Your subjects kowtow to the Imperial Pen of Emperor Gao, the Taizu!"

After performing the three kneelings and nine kowtows, the officials of the court dared to rise.

Peng Shao stepped forward and respectfully took the "Imperial Grand Pronouncements" from Zhu Youcheng's hand.

"Imperial Grand Pronouncements..."

Peng Shao's voice trembled slightly. When he said these four words, the faces of the civil and military officials turned as white as paper in an instant, their bodies turned cold, as if falling into an ice cellar!

"Those who release official goods and sell the rich to subsidize the poor shall be exterminated!"

"Those who are greedy for bribes and sell official positions shall be flayed and stuffed with straw!"

"Those who seize people's fields and demand money for settling matters shall be executed by dismemberment!"

Peng Shao felt that his mouth weighed a thousand pounds at this moment, and he had to work up a sweat every time he read a sentence.

The officials in the court felt even more uncomfortable.

Their heart rates began to accelerate, and all the blood in their bodies seemed to be flowing to their brains.

Making them feel dizzy and faint.

"Those who distribute grain and steal and sell warehouse grain shall have their faces tattooed, tendons severed, and kneecaps removed!"

"Those who collect grain and hide it for themselves, falsely buying and actually receiving, shall be beheaded and their families confiscated!"

"Dong!"

In the court, one official could not withstand the enormous pressure and fainted.

The other officials were not much better off, some trembling constantly, some trying hard to hold back their urine, and some secretly wiping sweat.

By the time Peng Shao finished reading the entire "Imperial Grand Pronouncements," the sweat on his body had already soaked his official uniform.

At this time, Zhu Youcheng made a final decision: "From now on, restart the 'Imperial Grand Pronouncements.'"

"The penal articles in the 'Great Ming Compendium' to be revised later will also directly use the penal articles in the 'Imperial Grand Pronouncements.'"

"Liu Jian!"

"Your subject is here."

Zhu Youcheng ordered: "You are the Minister of Rites. This 'Imperial Grand Pronouncements' is ordered to be reprinted and registered in all local government offices throughout the Great Ming and sent to all the people of the Great Ming."

"Local education officials will go to the homes of illiterate people of the Great Ming to explain the contents."

"At the same time, tell them that those who possess the 'Imperial Grand Pronouncements' can have their crimes reduced by one degree for crimes less than exile!"

"Conversely, the crime will be increased by one degree!"

"At the same time, announce to the officials of the world that they must be conscientious in their duties and not challenge朕's patience."

"When Emperor Gao, the Taizu, founded the country, there was an extreme shortage of officials, and more than 100,000 officials could be killed."

"Since 朕 ascended the throne, the Great Ming has supported scholars for more than 120 years, and 朕 have no reason to kill fewer than Emperor Taizu!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Liu Jian wiped the sweat from his forehead and bowed to accept the order.

"Peng Shao!"

Zhu Youcheng looked at Peng Shao, the Minister of Justice, again, and Peng Shao hurriedly saluted to listen to the order.

"Your subject is here."

"In the case of the Earl of Ruian's encroachment on people's fields, Wang Yuan, the Earl of Ruian, shall be executed by dismemberment, and his three clans shall be exterminated!"

"Zhang Hai, the Governor of Shuntian Prefecture, shall have his family confiscated, flayed, and stuffed with straw!"

"The corpse will be hung at the gate of the Shuntian Prefecture Yamen for public display for a month!"

"Execute immediately!"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Peng Xiao sucked in a breath of cold air. How long has it been since the punishment of flaying and stuffing with straw was used?

Do those executioners in the Ministry of Justice still know this skill?

And the dismemberment, which was originally only used for top-level crimes such as treason, was also used on Wang Yuan, who encroached on people's fields and oppressed the people, after the restart of the "Imperial Grand Pronouncements."

Hearing that he was to suffer such a severe punishment, Zhang Hai and Wang Yuan, who were originally prepared to face death calmly, collapsed at this moment.

"Don't, Your Majesty! Please, Your Majesty, give me a quick death!"

"Your Majesty, spare me! Please, Your Majesty, just kill me!"

"Your Majesty! Please, Your Majesty, give me a quick death for the sake of the Empress Dowager Wang!"

"..."

Zhu Youcheng glanced at the officials, slammed the dragon case, and stood up.

"Retreat!"

Zhu Youcheng had achieved his goal of coming to court today, and he got up and left Fengtian Gate without hesitation.

On the way back to the harem, Wang Zhi followed up: "Your Majesty, what should be done with this person, Liu Zong?"

"Beat to death."

"Yes, Your Majesty."