Zhu Jinsong sneered, "What's wrong? This whole damn thing is wrong. Haven't you noticed anything, you blockhead?"
From the case files retrieved along the way, it could be seen that when it came to corruption and harming the people, Xu Yaozong was hardly a contender. This scoundrel hadn't even violated any laws of the Great Ming.
This guy was simply a brainless idiot, played like a monkey by Gao Dajin.
The key was that this monkey hadn't realized how he was being played, and even thought he was a good official advocating for the people.
Zhu Jinsong said, "I told you the story of the oil seller when I was at Yuhuang Mountain. You should know that the more skilled a worker is, the more proficient and faster they are at producing things."
"The essence of overtime is to use fewer workers to complete production tasks that originally required more people, thereby saving on labor costs."
"Let me ask you again, when everyone is used to overtime, what should happen to those who, for various reasons, don't want to or can't work overtime?"
"Also, can't you, you idiot, think why I originally set the working hours to four shichen?"
Xu Yaozong was stunned for a long time. After pondering these questions, he was furious: "He's playing me? Damn it, I'll kill him!"
But as soon as he finished cursing, Xu Yaozong was kicked to the ground again. The one who made the move was still Zhu Jinsong: "You scoundrel, are you going to kill your father-in-law?"
"Let me tell you, your father-in-law's matters will be handled by someone else."
"As for you..."
Zhu Jinsong snorted coldly again: "You took Gao Dajin's money, and it's true that it can't be considered corruption. But you were used as a pawn and almost caused great trouble for the court. Ultimately, you are too foolish."
Xu Yaozong didn't argue, but replied dejectedly, "Yes, I am too foolish."
Zhu Jinsong glanced at Xu Yaozong. He still remembered their past at Yuhuang Mountain and Menglianggu. He couldn't help but sigh, "You need to use your brain more in the future and think before you act. This time, I happened to encounter it. If I hadn't encountered it this time, and you caused such a big mess, what would you have done?"
Xu Yaozong said without hesitation: "Then I'll resign. Anyway, I'm stupid. I'd rather follow the boss closely from now on."
Zhang Dequan narrowed his eyes, looking at Xu Yaozong with a hint of hostility – someone wants to snatch the position of attendant eunuch!
Zhu Jinsong was also amused to death by Xu Yaozong: "Get out of here, you bother me."
After Xu Yaozong rolled aside, Zhu Jinsong instructed Ke Zhiming: "Invite Mister Gao Dajin over. Some accounts must be settled properly."
With Zhu Jinsong's order, Ke Zhiming immediately turned and left the hall of Yongcheng County Yamen, leading his men straight to the Gao family mansion. Not long after, Gao Dajin was brought to Yongcheng County Yamen.
Since Ke Zhiming did not reveal his identity, the short and stout Gao Dajin was still barking wildly when he was brought to Yongcheng County Yamen: "Rebellion! Rebellion! Let me tell you, my son-in-law is the magistrate of Yongcheng, a meritorious official who followed His Majesty to conquer the empire! You dare to arrest me and confiscate my property, you are rebelling!"
As soon as Zhu Jinsong saw Gao Dajin's appearance, he got angry – even though he was arrested by the锦衣卫 (Jinyiwei, Imperial Guards), this scoundrel still remembered to tuck his folding fan behind his collar!
What Zhu Jinsong didn't expect was that as soon as he entered the hall of Yongcheng County Yamen, even though his son-in-law Xu Yaozong was standing obediently on one side of the hall, this scoundrel Gao Dajin still dared to shout: "Son-in-law! You followed His Majesty to conquer the empire. His Majesty is there for everything!"
Xu Yaozong was furious. He was about to rush over and kill his scoundrel father-in-law Gao Dajin, but Zhu Jinsong, sitting in the hall, coughed. Xu Yaozong immediately stopped obediently.
The reason Xu Yaozong didn't put the Censorate or even the Henan Prefectural Yamen in his eyes was partly because he wasn't greedy and therefore not afraid, and partly because he had too many connections in the army. All five commanders of the Five Military Commissions might have been his former superiors. Whoever dared to lay a hand on him, this guy would dare to go to the capital and make a scene.
But in front of Zhu Jinsong, Xu Yaozong was as meek as a quail.
Similar to Zhu Lao Er and Zhu Lao San, these battle-hardened veterans who had defected to Menglianggu early on knew better than anyone how terrifying Zhu Jinsong was. Although Zhu Jinsong rarely led troops in battle, and generally didn't manage military affairs, how many of those who went to Yuhuang Mountain early to join the rebellion weren't personally trained by Zhu Jinsong, and who hadn't been beaten by Zhu Jinsong?
To the thirty-two legions under the Great Ming's Five Military Commissions, Zhu Jinsong was a god! Even his strongest backer, the five commanders of the Five Military Commissions, had all been beaten by Zhu Jinsong. None of them dared to raise their heads in front of Zhu Jinsong.
Xu Yaozong dared even less.
Seeing Xu Yaozong suddenly become so cowardly just because of a cough, Gao Dajin's gaze towards Zhu Jinsong also became a little strange.
Gao Dajin knew his son-in-law's nature. Let alone ordinary censors or prefects, even if the Henan Provincial Governor came, his son-in-law wouldn't be so nervous.
The only possibility was that the young man sitting in the hall could intimidate his son-in-law.
Those who could intimidate his son-in-law were likely only the big shots of the Five Military Commissions, and they had to be his son-in-law's former superiors.
Big shots of the Five Military Commissions, former superiors of his son-in-law, and young enough – with these three conditions combined, Gao Dajin directly concluded that the young man in the hall was either the Prince of Qin or the Prince of Jin!
As for whether the person sitting in the hall was Zhu Jinsong himself... Gao Dajin had never considered that possibility.
Firstly, Zhu Jinsong's trip to Jiangnan was not a high-profile action, and he didn't even bring imperial banners.
Secondly, as the Emperor, why would Zhu Jinsong suddenly come to an obscure small county like Yongcheng?
The more Gao Dajin thought about it, the more he felt he was right. After pondering again, Gao Dajin suddenly smiled and said loudly, "May I ask if it is Your Highness the Prince of Qin or Your Highness the Prince of Jin? This humble subject Gao Dajin pays his respects to Your Highness. If Your Highness wishes to see this humble subject, you only need to send someone to summon me. Why go to such great lengths?"
Zhu Jinsong chuckled, looking at Gao Dajin with a hint of appreciation.
This scoundrel was indeed remarkable. Although he guessed the wrong identity, he could still be considered calm in the face of danger and even put on an air of open-mindedness.
If it were someone else, they would most likely think this guy was talented and feel a sense of cherishing talent.
Next, as long as Gao Dajin used his eloquent tongue to twist black and white, this matter would likely be smoothed over.
Unfortunately, today, neither Zhu Erdan nor Zhu Sanshun, those two fools, had come, but Zhu Jinsong.
Zhu Jinsong ignored Gao Dajin. Only when several锦衣卫 (Jinyiwei, Imperial Guards) school students carrying boxes hurried from outside the hall did Zhu Jinsong speak: "Let the people from the Ministry of Revenue, the Censorate, and the巡查御史衙门 (Xun Cha Yu Shi Ya Men, Circuit Censorate) come and investigate."
When Gao Dajin saw the two boxes being carried into the hall, his composure disappeared. His legs trembled slightly – both boxes were sealed, one with a separate seal labeled "Gao," and the other labeled "Workshop."
Moreover, Zhu Jinsong had just mentioned "investigate."
Investigate what?
When "investigate" is used in a phrase, it usually forms words like "investigate a case," "look for," "audit accounts," etc. However, considering the current situation, the only possibility is auditing accounts.
After forcibly calming himself, Gao Dajin looked at Zhu Jinsong again and said, "If Your Superior wants to audit my Gao family's accounts, you only need to say the word. This humble subject will bring the account books directly. Why trouble Your Superior?"
Zhu Jinsong waved his hand and said, "Tell him to shut up."
Ke Zhiming immediately cupped his hands in response. However, after searching for a long time and not finding any rags or anything, Ke Zhiming simply asked Xu Yaozong to take off his shoes and socks and stuffed Xu Yaozong's smelly socks into Gao Dajin's mouth.
The hall returned to silence, with only the clatter of abacuses sounding continuously. A group of clerks from the Ministry of Revenue, the Censorate, and the巡查御史衙门 (Xun Cha Yu Shi Ya Men, Circuit Censorate) were frantically moving their beads, beginning to audit all the account books of Gao Dajin's home and workshop.
"In the twelfth lunar month of the first year of Qianlong, Zhang San borrowed five hundred wen, acknowledging fifty in interest, paying out four hundred fifty wen. The amount due is eight hundred wen..."
When he heard a clerk sing these words, Gao Dajin's legs went weak, as if all his strength had drained away.
Gao Dajin's family had two sets of account books: one for public view and one for private use.
The public set of account books had various records that leaned towards normalcy, with some minor oversights. However, those oversights were intentionally made by Gao Dajin to cope with public inspections. No matter how they were inspected, there were only insignificant minor oversights. Judging solely from the account books, Gao Dajin's family was practically Bodhisattvas and Buddhas reborn.
But the private set of account books was the actual record of all the Gao family's calculations.
"Nine comes out and thirteen returns"?
Sorry, "nine comes out and thirteen returns" could only earn a little money. It was embarrassing to even speak of it.
The truly remarkable aspect of the Gao family was that after lending out the money, they unknowingly trapped these commoners, making them repeatedly roll interest, repeatedly borrow, and repeatedly repay. When they could no longer repay, they would directly seize the land.
But no one could say anything.
When borrowing money, the Gao family lent it out. But if you couldn't repay it, could you blame the Gao family for lending you money?
And what these clerks were reading out now was precisely the private account books of the Gao family.
In despair, Gao Dajin couldn't help but struggle frantically, emitting muffled groans from his mouth. Zhu Jinsong, however, seemed oblivious and continued to wait for the clerks to finalize the results, idly flipping through some letters brought by Ke Zhiming.
However, what Zhu Jinsong hadn't expected was that the Gao family's account books were too incredible. Even though dozens of clerks were working in pairs to process these account books, they couldn't finish in a short time. The Ministry of Revenue and the Censorate, and the巡查御史衙门 (Xun Cha Yu Shi Ya Men, Circuit Censorate) even had to transfer more clerks to assist in the clearing.
As the sun moved from east to south and then from south to west, and was about to set, the Gao family's account books were finally processed.
"Reporting to Your Majesty, from the first year to the forty-ninth year of Qianlong, the Gao family, through trickery and extortion, seized over nine hundred qing of fertile land from the common people. Over a thousand households, because they fell into the Gao family's usurious interest, were forced to sell their houses and land, becoming tenant farmers."
"Please Your Majesty review."