Chapter 675 The Murderer Who Became a Benevolent Ruler!
On the fifth day after arriving in Jiangnan, a man covered in blood rushed to her lodgings and cried out for justice.
"Your Majesty, the person who cried out for justice was a salt smuggler. He sued the Salt Commissioner of Lianghuai, and in order to destroy the evidence, he killed his entire family, as well as more than eighty of his friends' and comrades' family members."
Shen Lanxi: "I have already lowered the price of salt to the lowest possible level so that the people can eat cheap salt. Why are there still people risking their lives to sell smuggled salt?"
The complainant immediately cried out in anguish: "Salt is indeed cheap in other places, but it is expensive in our Jiangnan region. It is all because the government and salt merchants collude to raise the price of salt, which forces the people to buy smuggled salt."
“The profits from smuggled salt do not need to be handed over to the imperial court. All of this money goes into the pockets of corrupt officials and salt merchants. I beg Your Majesty to investigate this matter thoroughly.”
Shen Lanxi said coldly, "Liu Yanhui, go and find out if the salt tax delivered from Jiangnan to the capital each quarter is different from previous years."
"Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Personnel, and Court of Judicial Review, you shall thoroughly investigate this matter."
"Yuanjing, keep an eye on those salt merchants, don't let them escape."
The group immediately accepted the order and went to carry it out.
Two days later, Shen Yuanjing followed the clues to a private residence of a salt merchant. Upon entering, he saw a woman with extraordinary beauty.
"My lord, I was forcibly abducted by the salt merchants. Please have mercy on me!" The woman swayed her slender waist, like a willow swaying in the wind, and fell at Shen Yuanjing's feet. Her captivating eyes looked at Shen Yuanjing pitifully.
...
"Your Majesty, it has now been ascertained that there are as many as one hundred officials and more than fifty salt merchants, both large and small, who colluded with the salt merchants. More than 20,000 catties of smuggled salt have been seized, equivalent to several million taels of dirty silver. Among them, some salt merchants have bullied men and women, abducting dozens of women from the common people. They have all been ruined by the salt merchants, and there is nowhere for them to be put down."
After Shen Yuanjing finished his report, he stood aside, awaiting the emperor's decision.
Shen Lanxi was dignified and aloof; even just sitting still, she exuded a menacing aura.
The accompanying officials knew that His Majesty was about to unleash another massacre.
"In order to correct unhealthy practices, I previously established the 'integrity allowance' to prevent honest officials from being unable to support their families, and to encourage officials to strive for improvement through this allowance."
"It seems some officials look down on this sum of money I've given them. They think that embezzlement is faster than earning money honestly through their salaries."
"Today I will show them that they can make money fast, but they can lose their heads even faster!"
The accompanying officials tensed up; they were all too familiar with His Majesty's tone.
"Anyone who tries to take dirty money will be eliminated!"
"Those who commit heinous crimes shall be executed by being cut into a thousand pieces. After their death, they shall be hung at the city gate as a public spectacle for the people to vent their anger!"
“His family members were all executed without exception in order to rectify the court.”
“Those under the age of fifteen shall be exiled to harsh and cold lands, and their families shall be enslaved for three generations.”
"Let all the officials in Jiangnan see what the consequences of exploiting the people are."
"Let the people of Jiangnan know that no matter how far away the emperor is, if they suffer injustice, I can seek justice for them no matter where I am!"
The accompanying officials knelt down: "Your Majesty is wise!"
Jiangnan remained quiet for fifteen days. Even two days after Shen Lanxi finished her southern tour and left, the lingering power of His Majesty could still be felt.
"People used to say that His Majesty was cold-blooded, ruthless, cruel, and murderous. But today, it seems that His Majesty killed only those who deserved to die."
"Your Majesty truly stands up for the people; those corrupt officials deserve to die!"
"Your Majesty is truly a wise and benevolent ruler for all time!"
Amid the outcry of the people of Jiangnan, the rumors of Emperor Chongwu's murder were completely replaced by the story of his benevolence towards his people.
This wave of support spread like wildfire throughout the entire Aolai Kingdom.
...
In the deep mountains beside the river, a group of people watched the official boat depart.
"Master, isn't His Majesty being too heartless towards our Ghost Valley?"
Xu Qingshan said quietly, "She did not eliminate those who threatened her throne; she merely transferred them far away."
Just like Liu Mingxin and the Grand Tutor.
Like him.
Even so, he still couldn't bring himself to say anything that showed womanly compassion.
"Our Emperor is already a qualified emperor!"
Xu Qingshan turned around with a smile, his voice echoing through the mountains and forests.
"When the birds are all gone, the good bow is put away; when the world is at peace, the strategist goes into seclusion..."
To leave safely is the best outcome for a strategist!
...
Along the way, people sought redress, but this time Shen Lanxi did not order the ship to stop.
"Accept the complaint and send someone to handle it!"
"yes!"
One by one, the accompanying officials were taken off the ship to handle the case.
When they returned to the capital, only Shen Yuanjing remained by her side. Even Liu Yanhui was left behind near the capital.
"Welcome back to the capital, Your Majesty!"
After being away for almost a year, returning to Beijing fills me with mixed emotions.
"My beloved subjects, rise!"
All the civil and military officials rose at the command.
Shen Lanxi looked at the officials she had promoted and the court had appointed, strode into the Golden Palace, and sat on the dragon throne.
The pale-faced eunuch raised his voice: "Speak if you have something to say, otherwise the court may adjourn..."
The daily court affairs begin with the morning court session.
...
After returning to the capital, he continued with the sixty-stroke cleaving.
Shen Lanxi lifted the bed frame and frowned upon hearing a faint cough behind her.
"Have you seen the imperial physician?"
Cheng Zheng nodded and tried to get up.
Shen Lanxi raised her hand to touch it, and her hand was burning hot.
"You should rest well today and don't get up early with me."
Cheng Zheng shook his head; he wanted to stay with him.
He had been feeling unwell these past few days and had taken medication, but his condition had not improved. He was filled with anxiety and had a vague feeling that he wouldn't be able to stay with her for much longer.
He must rise, he must rise.
Every extra day I can spend with her is a day I'll earn.
Seeing the person stubbornly struggling to get up, Shen Lanxi had no choice but to lift them up by the waist and carry them out.
"Prepare a warm sedan chair, wrap it up thickly."
"yes."
Shen Lanxi looked down at Cheng Zheng's snow-white hair. Back in Tianjin, he had damaged his foundation. He had also been assassinated several times in the palace.
She knew Cheng Zheng had no intention of dying, and she also knew that Cheng Zheng was trying hard to live.
Inside the sedan chair, Cheng Zheng listened to the sound of swords chopping outside and forcefully suppressed the urge to pull open the curtain to look.
He can't be exposed to the wind, as it might worsen his condition. Listening to his voice like this is good enough.
The Shen family heard from Shen Yuanjing and Shen Yuanxu that Cheng Zheng was seriously ill and had not recovered for a long time.
"Father, should we go to the palace to see Consort Cheng?" Shen Emei asked her father earnestly.
Shen Yuanjing was also thinking about this. The last time he saw Cheng Zheng, he looked very unwell.
"I'll go and talk to your uncle to see when we can go over."
Shen Emei frowned when she heard that she still needed to discuss it with her uncle.
"Father, can't we just not discuss this with Uncle?"
Shen Yuanjing shook his head and explained the situation to his daughter.
“Our Shen family has not split up. Even if we had split up, when we went to the palace to visit the sick, all of us Shen family members would still have to gather together to visit the sick.”
"Furthermore, His Majesty probably wants to see our family in harmony and unity. If even something as simple as visiting someone in the sick involves dividing things up as 'yours' and 'mine,' it might displease His Majesty."
After Shen Yuanjing finished speaking, a worried look appeared on his face.
"You are well past the age to get married, but no matchmaker has come to your door yet. It was delayed by the southern tour, and now Cheng Zheng is ill. I hope Cheng Zheng recovers soon so that I can mention the matter of bestowing a marriage upon His Majesty!"
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