Southern Ming Rebel Army

Chapter 618 Cleaning up Songjiang Prefecture

When one person enters the officialdom, the whole family will benefit. Even if Yang En did not take any action to protect Yang Zhongliang, Yang Zhongliang could do whatever he wanted in Songjiang just by relying on the title of Yang En's uncle, and this could not be changed by Meng Jun's will.

The same situation would happen no matter which dynasty it was. Even if Meng Jun killed one Yang Zhongliang, another one or ten would pop up later.

At this time, Meng Jun said to Zhou Wentong: "Go on, what do you want to report Yang Zhongliang?"

Zhou Wentong kowtowed repeatedly and said, "Your Majesty, Yang Zhongliang relied on the title of Yang Gechen to do evil things in Songjiang. I was afraid of the Yang family, so I granted the land on both sides of the Huangpu River to Yang Zhongliang, and I also covered up some of Yang Zhongliang's illegal activities."

Meng Jun asked again: "Did Yang Zhongliang also take advantage of the warehouse of the Maritime Customs?"

Hearing this, Zhou Wentong broke out in a cold sweat, he never expected that the emperor even knew this. Yang Zhongliang made the most money from the Maritime Customs, but officials from the Maritime Customs, officials from Songjiang Prefecture, and even the supervisory Qingluan Guards were all involved.

Zhou Wentong's mind was spinning. He was wondering how he could explain so that the emperor would spare his life.

Zhou Wentong was wondering whether the current emperor would be like Emperor Hongwu, who would punish all those involved in a case regardless of the number of people involved. The longer he thought about it, the more depressing the atmosphere in the hall became.

Zhou Wentong felt that although the current emperor was the founding monarch who soon gained the world, his life experience was not as difficult as Zhu Yuanzhang's. In theory, as long as he told everything, saving his life should not be a problem.

Just as Meng Jun was becoming more and more impatient, Zhou Wentong seemed to be deflated and dumped everything out.

Zhou Wentong said dejectedly: "Nearly 20% of the total commercial taxes collected by the Maritime Customs are not included in the court. From Wu Xiao, the director of the Maritime Customs, to the minor clerks under the Maritime Customs, to Qin Yunwei, the captain of the Qingluan Guard stationed in Songjiang Prefecture, everyone has a share of it."

After listening to Zhou Wentong's words, Meng Jun fell into deep thought. Dealing with Yang Zhongliang and giving Yang En a warning would definitely scare some people, but after a few years, he was afraid that this situation would happen again.

What made Meng Jun a little angry was that Yang Zhongliang, who took the court's money and used his own connections, was like a termite. No matter how solid a fortress was, it would be corroded sooner or later.

After a long while, Meng Jun looked at Zhou Wentong lying on the ground and sighed, "You are an official of the imperial court, holding the power. How can you protect a mere merchant?"

Zhou Wentong burst into tears and said, "Your Majesty's teachings are engraved in my heart. I hope Your Majesty will spare my life for the sake of my not daring to deceive Your Majesty!"

The problem in Songjiang was serious. Zhou Wentong was afraid of the power of the Yang family, so he turned a blind eye to Yang Zhongliang's violations of law and discipline. The laws of the court were fair and just, but the court officials who held power were also made up of people, and people were bound to have selfish motives, which gave merchants and gentry the opportunity to influence the court.

Meng Jun asked in a bad tone: "How did the former governor of Songjiang die?"

Zhou Wentong's face turned pale. How come more and more things were leaked? As for the former governor falling into the water, it was Zhou Wentong who made the final decision and made it into an accidental death. Although the coroner said there were signs of a blow to the back of the head, Zhou Wentong still hastily closed the case on the grounds of insufficient evidence.

Zhou Wentong hesitated for a while, and under Meng Jun's gaze, he murmured: "I, the guilty minister, will close the case due to insufficient evidence."

Upon hearing this, Meng Jun ordered his men to seal up all the case files in the government office. He hoped that the case would be investigated again as there must be something fishy going on.

Meng Jun then signaled the soldiers to escort Zhou Wentong away. As Zhou Wentong walked out dejectedly, Meng Jun suddenly remembered and asked, "What's the matter with the opium in Songjiang Prefecture?"

Hearing this, Zhou Wentong turned his head to look at Meng Jun in confusion, then immediately lowered his head and replied: "Opium? I don't know."

Meng Jun waved his hand somewhat listlessly, indicating that he should be taken away. It had only been a few years, and the officials in Songjiang had become so corrupt.

Conquering the world is difficult, but ruling the world is not easy either. Fighting on the battlefield and warriors fighting for life and death is cruel, but also simple.

In governing the world, if officials from top to bottom intentionally conceal the truth, Meng Jun can still rely on the Qingluan Guards to investigate the world now, but what if in the future even the Qingluan Guards become rotten?

Meng Jun now understands Zhu Yuanzhang more and more, but Meng Jun also knows that Zhu Yuanzhang's cruel killing of officials and restrictions on officials only lasted for too short a time. When people died, the politics also disappeared. In the late Ming Dynasty, Ming court officials were like retaliatory corruption.

During the Ming Dynasty, when officials retired and returned to their hometowns, they had to transport their wealth back home at night, for fear that their fellow villagers would accuse them of corruption. In the late Ming Dynasty, retired officials would parade through the streets when they returned to their hometowns, which showed how corrupt people were.

………………

When the army took action, the small wall and corner tower of the Yang family were of no use at all. When Yang Zhongliang was captured, he was dragged out by the soldiers while he was smoking.

When Yang Zhongliang was arrested, he was confused. He never thought that one day he would be arrested by the soldiers he looked down upon, and he didn't know why.

When Yang Zhongliang was tied up and brought before Meng Jun, he still looked innocent, until Zhang Youcai, who was standing by, angrily said, "Your Majesty is here, and you still dare not kneel."

Yang Zhongliang was so frightened that he immediately knelt on the ground and said, "Your Majesty, I was ignorant of the seriousness of the matter. I hope Your Majesty will forgive me."

Meng Jun looked at Yang Zhongliang. This man was indeed good-looking and somewhat similar to Yang En.

Meng Jun asked calmly, "Yang Zhongliang, do you admit your guilt?"

Yang Zhongliang was shocked. He thought someone had reported him in private, so he quickly said, "Your Majesty, my nephew is a cabinet minister. I know the laws of the country very well. I have always been cautious and would not dare to do anything that violates the laws of the country."

At this point, Yang Zhongliang quietly raised his head and glanced at Meng Jun, then said, "Your Majesty, there must be a villain who is trying to frame my nephew. I hope Your Majesty will not listen to the villain's words."

In Meng Jun's eyes, Yang Zhongliang is already a dead man. Whether he pleads guilty or not will not change the overall situation. Although Yang Zhongliang is hateful, the umbrella that protects him from wind and rain in the bureaucratic system is equally hateful.

After hearing what Yang Zhongliang said, Meng Jun had no intention of saying anything more. He then had him put in the cell and kept under strict surveillance.

Yang En was a meritorious official who served Emperor Qian and had made great contributions to the Qian Dynasty. Meng Jun wanted to know whether Yang En would plead for mercy, and whether anyone else would come to plead for mercy!