The Revolt of the Three Feudatories: All-in at the start in Beijing

Chapter 206 Liu Mu: I have zero tolerance for corrupt officials.

With a loud shout from Liu Mu, three men dressed in prison clothes, with disheveled hair and wearing shackles, were escorted in through Chongde Gate by the Imperial Guards.

The lower-ranking officials behind them all stood on tiptoe, wanting to see who was so bold as to cause such a big commotion so early in the new dynasty, bringing it all the way to the emperor's attention.

A prefect of the Western rank, who was closest to the three men, looked surprised after seeing their faces clearly.

"These three were all promoted to the highest level of the imperial examinations two years ago. His Majesty just said they were guilty of embezzlement. They've only been in office for a short time and they dared to embezzle. They deserve it!"

The surrounding officials, all of whom were of the third rank, nodded in agreement upon hearing this. However, Li Guangdi, who was standing to the side, pretended to cough twice.

"You mean, if you hold an official position for a long time, you can become corrupt?"

"Should we inform His Majesty?"

Upon hearing these sarcastic remarks, the prefect rolled up his sleeves, ready to unleash a tirade, but then saw Li Guangdi looking at him with a half-smile. He immediately covered his mouth, then put on a fawning smile and stepped forward to bow respectfully.

"Your Excellency, I am Liu Deren, a newly promoted official. I spoke carelessly just now, please forgive me!"

Li Guangdi nodded upon hearing this and then fell silent. He knew that this man was only a scholar who had served as a county magistrate in Hebei. He had finally managed to become a prefect of the western region, but now he was going to the harsh and cold northern lands. He was a pitiful man.

However, that's how the officialdom of the Han Dynasty was. The emperor liked to send capable people to the provinces to benefit the people, while those who were all talk and no action stayed in the Hanlin Academy to compile the history of the Ming Dynasty.

"quiet!!!"

With a loud shout from Zhao Fengnian's dantian, the previously noisy square instantly fell silent.

Seeing that everyone had recovered, Liu Mu pulled a flintlock pistol from Liu Dingbian's waist and walked step by step to one of the prisoners.

Knowing they were doomed, the three men were surprisingly defiant. One of them shook violently, but finding he couldn't break free, he glared angrily at Liu Mu.

"You dog of an emperor! In the entire Han Dynasty, am I, Wu Yijing, the only one who is greedy? Why are you targeting us scholars who passed the imperial examinations? Besides, it's just a mere thousand acres of land!"

Liu Mu did not get angry upon hearing this. He simply watched the three of them quietly until he saw them looking uneasy. Then he squatted down and met Wu Yijing's eyes.

"Wu Yijing, a native of Heze, Shandong, ranked eighteenth in the imperial examination two years ago. After studying at the Ministry of Revenue last year, he became the prefect of Taiyuan. In collusion with local gentry, he seized nearly a thousand acres of fertile land from the people!"

The land in Taiyuan, even with the current land prices in the Han Dynasty, is only worth three taels and eight qian of silver. A thousand mu of land would be worth three thousand eight hundred taels.

This is indeed not much, which is the opinion of most of the officials present. After all, they can earn hundreds of taels of silver just by writing a few words to do something convenient for wealthy people.

Liu Mu is now considered a man who can see through people's hearts. With just a glance, he knew what these officials were thinking, so he looked at them with a gloomy expression.

"I know you don't care at all, because a mere few thousand taels of silver is worthless in your eyes, but it is the people's life-saving money!"

"In the Han Dynasty, there were only honest officials and corrupt officials, and corrupt officials only had one end: death!"

boom! ! !

With a thud, Liu Mu pulled the trigger, and a lead bullet the size of a little finger struck Wu Yijing in the forehead, leaving her with an unseeing expression.

Upon seeing this, the historian's eyes lit up, and he quickly used exquisite words to describe the scene of Liu Mu killing the corrupt official, wishing he could paint it on the spot.

Because it is extremely disgraceful for an emperor to personally execute a corrupt official. Throughout the entire history books, only Zhu Yuanzhang has ever publicly whipped Zhu Liangzu to death!

"Your Majesty, I was blinded by greed!"

"Spare us!"

Seeing Liu Mu's decisive action, the older of the two remaining corrupt officials were so frightened that they prostrated themselves on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly until they bled.

Liu Mu ignored the man, took the lead bullet and the fixed gunpowder tube from Liu Dingbian, and after loading them, he looked indifferently at the second corrupt official.

"Su Dingwei, a native of Datong, Shanxi, ranked twenty-eighth in last year's imperial examination. After studying at the Ministry of Works, he was appointed Prefect of Dengzhou Prefecture, where he colluded with pirates to smuggle grain!"

"I have explicitly forbidden trading with the Japanese, Su Dingwei, you have truly audacious!"

Su Dingwei fell silent upon hearing this.

Liu Mu knew that this guy was exceptionally capable, and that the local people in Dengzhou were recovering quickly. It was only because he couldn't withstand the pressure from his family that he ended up in this situation.

When Korea was conquered and placed under military rule, coupled with the fact that the Han Dynasty refused to trade with Japan, the coastal daimyo were driven to the brink of despair. That's why they came to the Han Dynasty and offered to entice officials at any cost.

Those scholars who gradually rose through the ranks based on their personal abilities, without family connections, didn't care about such things. After all, the salaries in the Han Dynasty were high, so there was no need to take the risk.

Su Dingwei, being from Datong, has the entire Su family behind him. His education and literacy are all thanks to his family, so he cannot fail to repay them!

Liu Mu shook his head and pulled the trigger again!

With a gunshot, Su Dingwei died with his eyes closed, leaving without a trace of regret. It's hard to say whether he was a good or bad official.

"Stinky, so stinky!"

"Who the hell is so immoral!"

Suddenly, Zhou Peigong cursed and covered his mouth and nose.

As everyone's attention focused on Su Dingwei, it turned out that he was the only one left, and the older one had actually urinated, most likely to defecate!

Liu Mu looked disgusted. No wonder emperors throughout history were reluctant to kill people themselves; it was indeed unseemly to do such a thing!

boom! ! !

Without a second thought, Liu Mu pulled the trigger!

There was no intention to interrogate this guy in the first place; he was just brought in to make up the numbers, because the crime he committed was lust!

After taking office as the prefect of Yangzhou, he took thirteen concubines in just ten months, which was eventually discovered by the Imperial City Guards.

After returning the flintlock pistol to Liu Dingbian, Liu Mu flicked his sleeves and looked at the officials who were still in shock.

"This man is named Zong Renqing. I won't go into details of what he did, as it was quite disgraceful. Today, I only have one thing to say to you all!"

"From now on, anyone who embezzles ten taels of silver will be exiled, and their descendants will be barred from taking the imperial examinations; anyone who embezzles one hundred taels will have their property confiscated and their entire clan exterminated. This will be recorded in the Imperial Han Ancestral Instructions!"

Faced with Liu Mu's announcement, most officials felt that this punishment was too severe. During the reign of Emperor Taizu of Ming, embezzling a hundred taels of silver would only result in the individual being executed or skinned alive.

However, Li Guangdi and Ouyang Jing, among other ministers, didn't care. They had already reached the pinnacle of power, and they themselves were the future clan leaders.

Based on the treatment they receive, including their salary and allowance for maintaining integrity, they will definitely be a large and powerful family in ten years.

Liu Mu turned back to his throne, picked up his wine cup, and was about to announce the end of the banquet when Zhao Fengnian stepped forward.

"Your Majesty, the Portuguese envoy has just arrived and has immediately come to the palace to pay his respects!"

The Portuguese have arrived?

Could it be that they are willing to submit and become a vassal state?

Liu Mu's face lit up with joy!

"Summon Xuan, receive him at this banquet!"

Turn the page, and you'll find yourself in another world.