Chu Fan stood in the court and continued, "Look, this is the Wei State you govern. This is what you always say about loyalty to the emperor and love for the people. When the country is in trouble, you flee the Wei State. When the country gets better, you think about returning to the Wei State to enjoy power. How can such a good thing happen in this world?
Look up, all of you, at this plaque in the Chengtian Hall, a plaque that has been hanging since the palace was built. And ask yourself, how many of you have done this?
Under Chu Fan's harsh rebuke, the ministers who were originally smiling suddenly became serious. The smiles on their faces disappeared, and were replaced by a deep awe and fear.
They had always thought that since Chu Fan had decentralized power, he would no longer interfere with their self-righteous and covert actions. However, Qin Hui's large-scale purge was like a sudden thunderclap, completely shattering their illusions and making them realize that Chu Fan still controlled everything and his power had not been truly weakened.
When the ministers saw the hanging plaque, they all knelt down and shouted in unison: "We are guilty, Your Majesty, please punish us."
Ministers began to realize that even though His Majesty was not present at court every day, his sharp eyes were always watching Wei's every move. From the decisive actions to rescue the victims to the swift restoration of order after the disaster, His Majesty's profound understanding and precise control of state affairs were revealed.
This made the ministers feel a chill in their hearts, because all their previous little calculations and tricks were exposed under His Majesty's insight.
What frightened them even more was that His Majesty not only had the ability to detect various problems in a timely manner, but even more incredible was that he could predict future crises in advance.
When the State of Wei suffered a devastating flood, resulting in food shortages and the entire country was in a critical juncture, His Majesty was able to prepare the so-called "immortal grain" in advance and supply it to the affected people as well as war horses and livestock in a timely manner. This ability to predict the future shocked and terrified the ministers.
They began to doubt whether they could really hide any secrets from this wise monarch. After all, His Majesty's wisdom and foresight seemed to be beyond the comprehension of ordinary people.
As for the disaster relief strategy, His Majesty's thoughtful consideration and thoroughness made the ministers feel ashamed. They had originally thought that by entrusting the important task of disaster relief to a military man like Changsun Dechong, His Majesty might just be going through the motions and not really intervene.
However, His Majesty not only personally formulated a comprehensive disaster relief plan, but also ensured its smooth implementation. This in-depth participation and efficient management of state affairs made the ministers feel deeply insignificant and powerless.
In the face of His Majesty's majesty and wisdom, the ministers began to re-examine their own behavior and attitudes. They realized that as nobles and officials of the Wei Kingdom, they must be loyal to the Wei Kingdom, otherwise they would not have a good end.
Qin Hui was ordered to purge those nobles and officials who had betrayed the State of Wei as a warning to himself and others. If he and others did not restrain themselves, they might follow in their footsteps next time.
At this time, all the officials in the court warned themselves that from now on they should work wholeheartedly for the State of Wei and not do anything harmful to the State of Wei.
Chu Fan gazed at the ministers kneeling on the ground and announced, "All ministers will be fined ten years' salary and all the money will be handed over to Minister Zhang Sun. This money will then be turned over to the inner treasury. As for your previous actions, I will not pursue them."
As soon as Chu Fan finished speaking, the ministers in the court suddenly felt relieved. They shouted in unison: "Your Majesty is wise."
In their hearts, they finally breathed a sigh of relief. Although ten years of salary was indeed a considerable sum, for them, being able to use this money to exchange for His Majesty's forgiveness and not hold them accountable for their past mistakes was undoubtedly a very worthwhile thing to do.
The court meeting that followed slowly drew to a close amid the cautious and meticulous reports of numerous ministers. One by one, they stepped forward to present their respective affairs in detail, covering everything from the war on the frontiers to internal affairs, leaving no detail untouched. The atmosphere in the court was exceptionally solemn, as if a tense atmosphere permeated the air.
Of course, Chu Fan had no idea what the ministers in the court were thinking.
When Chu Fan returned to his chambers, he was still wondering why he had become so angry after witnessing the evidence of the corrupt officials' crimes, and why those officials were so afraid of him. The officials who came to report later were so cautious when reporting, as if they were afraid he would eat them.
In Chu Fan's conception, as an emperor without real power, it would be obviously inappropriate for him to punish all officials by deducting their salaries for ten years and putting the fines into the inner treasury.
After all, there were undoubtedly some honest officials in the court who might not be able to afford such a heavy fine. Furthermore, these funds should have gone to the Ministry of Revenue, which was currently strapped for cash and needed to support the development of Wei. Furthermore, many officials had already dedicated their wealth to aiding the victims of the floods in the Hedong and Jiuzhou regions, so imposing a heavy fine at this time was clearly unreasonable.
However, his order, which was against the rules, was like that issued by a tyrant emperor. Surprisingly, not a single censor stepped forward to stop him.
He also imagined that if any censors opposed him, he would use his imperial power to suppress them, perhaps even giving them a beating. Then, unbearably insulted, one of them would stand up and shout, "The throne belongs to someone surnamed Chu, and so does mine." As the saying goes, "When a man's anger spreads blood, it spreads five steps." Why did these officials become so docile and submissive after being reprimanded? Weren't the censors supposed to be upright and incorruptible?
Wei Zheng of the Tang Dynasty dared to speak frankly and advise Li Shimin. Why is there no censor in the Wei State who dares to do so?
What Chu Fan didn't know, however, was that Wei Zheng of the Tang Dynasty, rather than admonishing Li Shimin, was more likely to report to other officials in the court. And Wei Zheng's admonitions to Li Shimin weren't mindless. There were many things Li Shimin had already decided on that Wei Zheng couldn't possibly advise against. Wei Zheng was a loyal minister, a minister of remonstration. He was also a wise man, with a clear understanding of what he should and shouldn't do.
With evidence of corrupt officials now before him, including some who had betrayed the State of Wei, how desperate must he be to come out and remonstrate with the Emperor? Afraid he wouldn't die soon enough?
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