I'm really not the carpenter emperor

"What do you guys think?"

When the words fell to the ground, everyone compared the two and felt very satisfied. This is why they all agreed. Although Zhou Jiamo frowned, he didn't say anything.

As the second assistant to the cabinet, Wei Guangwei is the official appointed to preside over the joint trial, completely ignoring other people's opinions and directly deciding how to conduct the joint trial.

At least on the bright side, Wei Guangwei has already made a concession.

The discussion didn't take long this time, and the news was quickly sent back to Dongchang. After hearing this, Fu Yingxing didn't understand, and asked:

"If they are asked to go to the first trial, will the trial come to a result?"

There was also a leader who was a little worried and asked: "If Zhou Jiamo is clear about the trial, won't Wei Guangwei take the lead and make His Majesty unhappy?"

Wei Zhongxian smiled coldly and asked back:

"Do you really think Wei Guangwei is a fool? This is exactly his genius!"

"This Wei Guangwei was like a bereaved dog when he first came to join the governor, but he quickly won His Majesty's favor."

"Donglin is judging Donglin, Wei Guangwei can just watch with cold eyes and listen carefully. At that time, we can also take a look at whether this Zhou Jiamo is loyal to His Majesty, or to his colleagues in Donglin!"

Hearing this, several people nodded, Fu Yingxing stretched out his thumb, and said with a smile: "Good idea, it seems that the next chief minister of the cabinet must be Wei Guangwei."

"At that time, the cabinet will be full of our people, and there will be no way for Dong Lin to survive!"

When Wei Zhongxian mentioned this, he seemed a little worried, and sighed: "I'm afraid this is not a good thing for me...!"

……

In the evening of the next day, Zhu Youjiao summoned Wang Zaijin in Xinuange.

After the southern tour, the six ministries and institutes in Nanjing were consolidated and reformed, and the Counselor and Mechanical Affairs Institute was added. Wang Zaijin, a scholar of Wuyingdian University and Minister of Military Aviation, was in charge, and he was in charge of the Privy Council.

The Privy Council was in charge of the government affairs of the southern provinces. Before leaving, Zhu Youxiao planned the regional division and personnel arrangement of the new South Zhili in detail.

Wang Zaijin first mentioned a happy event when he came to Beijing this time, that is, the sweet potato, which has been promoted since the first year of Tianqi, has finally formed a moderate scale.

From the introduction to the promotion of sweet potatoes, it was extremely laborious in Daming.

The folks have always had a natural resistance to planting such exotic varieties. Even with Zhu Youxiao's power down, it still took two years to complete the planting in Huangzhuang in various parts of Jifu.

After the planting was completed, many moths came out, and it was not until the third year of Tianqi that the first batch of sweet potatoes was received.

Of course, this is not bad. In history, sweet potatoes were introduced earlier than this, but the imperial court did not pay attention to them. When the people really formed a scale, it was already in the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty, which happened to be a big deal for the Tartars.

Wang Zaijin held the memorial in his hand, and Lang Lang said:

"Your Majesty, since the first year of Tianqi, the ministers and the Ministry of Household Affairs have established 67 granaries in Huangzhuang all over Jifu, and all of them have been sold out today."

"Supplied?" Zhu Youxiao sat up, beaming with joy, "Aiqing means that all the granaries in Jifu are full?"

Wang Zaijin nodded and said with a smile, "Even if there are none, they are almost there!"

"As of August this year, Jifu has harvested a total of 220 million shi of sweet potatoes for the first batch. The sweet potatoes are ripened three times a year. It is expected to receive another batch by the end of the year!"

"Based on the output of Jifu Huangzhuang alone, millions of shi of grain can be added to the imperial court every year!"

"Since I took charge of the Counselor's Institute, I have successively reclaimed wasteland in various prefectures in Nanzhili, recruited exiles to build manors, and specialized in planting sweet potatoes. There are already [-] places in and outside Nanjing."

"I estimate that next year my sweet potato production in Daming will reach more than 1000 million shi!"

Hearing this, Zhu Youxiao kept nodding, his excited expression gradually calmed down, and said:

"The sweet potatoes and stored grain in Jifu and Nanzhili are stored separately, and I personally send generals to guard them, and they must not be easily transferred unless they receive my order."

Sweet potatoes can satisfy hunger, and they are ripe three times a year. This is just the beginning. When the system is perfected in the future, the annual output of tens of millions or even hundreds of millions of stones can be achieved.

Saving sweet potatoes is for the more serious famine in various places in the future, and it is too late to grow enough food, but we can't just grow sweet potatoes.

Good things like potatoes and corn should also be pondered over. With sweet potatoes in the lead, the promotion of these will come naturally!

After Zhu Youxiao finished speaking, he got up and paced back and forth in the Nuan Pavilion, saying in a deep voice:

"In recent years, natural disasters have become more and more frequent in various places, and the southern provinces must not be left behind. The current primary responsibility of the Counselor's Mechanics Institute is to find out the real grain storage in the southern provinces as soon as possible!"

"Last year's earthquake in Shandong, although the government provided disaster relief and reconstruction in a timely manner, it still caused many casualties. In the future, we must be prepared in advance for such things, so that such things can't happen again..."

After saying that, Zhu Youxiao turned around and looked at Wang Zaijin, saying:

"You have a heavy burden on your shoulders. I know that the current situation in the southern provinces is not easy to count. I have decreed that the Southern Governor's Office in Nanjing City will assist you."

"We must use the fastest time to find out the real situation of the provinces in the south. I plan to put all the grain storage in Suzhou, Hangzhou, Kinmen and other places. If there is another catastrophe, the sweet potatoes and grain storage can be connected to the canal and the Order, timely relief."

"I remember it!" Wang Zaijin nodded like a chicken pecking rice, remembering every sentence Zhu Youxiao said in his heart, feeling that he had a heavy responsibility.

While Zhu Youxiao was discussing with Wang Zaijin, Wei Zhongxian walked in and gently put a copy of the memorial presented by the official department on the imperial case.

"Master, the memorandum from the Ministry of Officials has arrived."

Wang Zaijin tactfully said nothing, Zhu Youxiao picked up the playbook and glanced at it after nodding, but he snorted coldly and said to Wei Zhongxian:

"Reject it and ask Wei Guangwei to preside over the second trial!"

It turned out that the result of the discussion was that Zhou Jiamo presided over the first trial of the Ministry of Officials. During the first trial, Wei Guangwei watched the whole process from the sidelines and did not say a word, which gave them enough face.

However, the first trial presided over by Zhou Jiamo, Minister of the Ministry of Officials, still failed to find anything useful.

It is said that during the first trial, Zhou Jiamo asked some clichés, such as whether you did it or not, whether you did it, oh no, that’s all right, the trial is over.

Those officials are not fools for such an old-fashioned interrogation, so naturally they don't admit it.

Gu Dazhang, the chief examiner of the general examination, Zhang Han, Jiang Wenzhuo, Li Yuanyin, a dozen of the same examiners, and Yuan Huazhong related to this, and some of the candidates in the pilot examination, none of them pleaded guilty.

Chapter 419 Second trial, retraction of confession

Zhu Youxiao was very happy. What Wang Zaijin brought this time was indeed good news!

With a stable and growing source of food, and with some stored food, we will have a solid foundation in our hearts. We must try our best to avoid the occurrence of peasant uprisings in the future!

It would be best to feed all the leaders of these peasant uprisings and recruit them into the Ming army to serve themselves. You must know that among these people there are many brave generals and civil servants who can fight well!

After Wei Zhongxian left, Zhu Youxiao looked at Wang Zaijin and said:

"I am very concerned about the affairs of the provinces in the south. You must always report to me. I promise you the right to report directly. From now on, your reports can go directly to the Forbidden City."

After saying this, Zhu Youxiao had a long talk with Wang Zaijin who had returned to Beijing to report on his duties for more than an hour.

In addition to asking about the situation in the southern provinces, the main thing is to talk about the follow-up promotion of sweet potatoes and the introduction of corn and potatoes.

Zhu Youxiao designated more than a dozen cities as the main food storage places in the south.

Large-scale granaries must be built in these grain storage places, and the emperor's personal army from the Jiangnan camp will be sent to guard them, and the superintendent will patrol day and night to prevent accidents.

For Daming, which was gradually entering the Little Ice Age, food was the lifeblood of the entire country.

Only when they are full, the people will not rebel, and only when they are full, can the local area start to recover, such as people's livelihood construction, water conservancy measures, and city defense and military equipment, these can be put into practice.

……

Early the next morning, the second trial began under the auspices of Wei Guangwei.

Wei Guangwei bypassed those rules, and directly brought all the twenty-odd officials to the lobby, and started the interrogation in front of them.

The first session of the second trial was the confrontation between Li Zhiling and Qian Han, a supervisor in Sichuan.

Wei Guangwei was sitting in the middle of the hall, Zhou Jiamo and Li Yang were sitting on the left and right of him.

Further to the side, there are jury officials from the Ministry of Officials and the Ministry of Punishment, as well as the position of the secretary. This joint trial should be recorded as a history.

On the left and right sides of the lobby, various instruments of torture were placed side by side.Staff, sticks, jigs, leather whips, iron chains, etc. are all available, and there are many reddish-brown blood stains on them, creating an eerie atmosphere.

There was no instrument of torture in the lobby of the Ministry of Officials, this was a special arrangement by Wei Guangwei, to use these things to kill the majesty of these former high officials!

Li Zhiling was escorted into the lobby, and seeing Qian Han already waiting in the middle, he looked around and felt a completely different atmosphere from the first trial.

Looking up, the presiding judge was no longer the familiar Zhou Jiamo, but Wei Guangwei, the godson of Wei Zhongxian, whom people gnashed their teeth and hated. He trembled with fear.

He knew in his heart that today's second trial might not pass so easily.

Qian Han was one of the supervisors in the teahouse that day. At that time, he felt that he couldn't be offended, but the more he thought about it afterward, the more angry he became.

Unexpectedly, this matter really became a big issue, and it was still brought up in front of the emperor. It reached Tian Ting and became the biggest case of this dynasty!

Qian Han sneered viciously and said, "Li Zhiling, you have today too!"

Li Zhiling didn't answer, and spit thick phlegm into Qian Han's face with a "bah", Qian Han was about to jump up and beat him up, but was held down by the yamen servant.

After Qian Han calmed down a bit, the interrogation continued.

These two people, one is a Jinshi and a tribute student, and the other is a supervisor student who failed the ranking. They actually disregarded the gentleness and performed an old woman cursing in the hall.

It can be seen how much those scholars who failed the rankings hated these fraudulent tribute students and the officials who defended them!

Wei Guangwei has been watching from above, and asked solemnly:

"Is the two of you an old grudge or a new grudge? The grudge is so deep, did you know each other before?"

Wei Guangwei asked this question on purpose, just to stir up conflict between the two.

Only then did Qian Han come back to his senses, straightened his clothes, bowed and said, "Return to the presiding judge, I have never met this guy in my life, and only met once in the teahouse before the exam."

"The students heard this fellow bragging about himself at the time, saying that he is the son of the same examiner family, and how easy it is to win the championship and win the first prize!"

"At that time, the student didn't believe it, but I found out afterwards that he had already had the joints to read the test questions in advance!"

As he said that, Qian Han knelt down and shouted: "This exam will be held today. The students are disregarding their face to expose the abuse and make a big fuss. It's really hard to tell. I just want to feel proud of the frustrated people in the world!"

"Oh, it's understandable!" Wei Guangwei praised, and turned to the side, "Li Zhiling, do you know this Sichuan supervisor?"

"Return to the presiding judge, this is an ungrateful and vicious villain. He is not knowledgeable enough, and he suspects that there are disadvantages in failing the ranking. It is better to go home and farm as soon as possible!"

Li Zhiling had already said something, and he said in a mournful voice: "It's a pity that my two Jinshi scholars can't see through his femme fatale, and still treat him in a teahouse. It's really a lowly one!"

Qian Han was furious again when he heard this, and was about to come up while waving his fists, but was held down again by the yamen servant.

"It's true that the teahouse treats guests, but it wasn't him who treated them at the time. It was a businessman who paid for all the expenses of this guy, and even negotiated with him to sell test questions!"

"My lord, he is talking nonsense!!"

Qian Han looked at Li Zhiling talking, and was completely irritated by his indifference. If he hadn't been held down by the yamen guard, he might have punched Li Zhiling in the face by now.

The yamen servant wanted to keep pressing it, but seeing Li Yangzheng, Minister of the Ministry of Punishments, winked, he let go and took two steps back.

At this time, Qian Han also realized that this was a joint trial in the lobby, so he didn't do any more drastic actions, but he still got angry after thinking about it, so he pointed at Li Zhiling's nose, stomped his feet and cursed:

"What the student said is true. If the presiding judge doesn't believe it, the shopkeeper of the teahouse and the businessman who supervised the birth can all be called to testify!"

Hearing this, Wei Guangwei showed a smug smile on his face, and glanced at Zhou Jiamo and Li Yangzheng from time to time, the former was already stunned.

When Li Zhiling heard this, he was already a little bit impatient.

But when he thought that the shopkeeper of the teahouse was being rewarded with huge profits, the businessman Huang Huatang didn't know where he was now, and there was no real evidence for what Qian Han said, so he felt relieved.

As soon as Qian Han finished speaking, he sneered and argued:

"It's all nonsense, deliberately framed!"

"My lords, can't you understand that all the Gongsheng students who can testify are walking with him, and all of them failed the rankings. Naturally, they are jealous of me and the other two Jinshis. How can their words be used as evidence."

"Whether the rest of the merchants or the shopkeeper's servants are just one-sided words! Besides, the ones who will compete in the test are real talents, and if he is full of knowledge, how can he fail the ranking?"

Wei Guangwei patted the gavel and yelled, "Tell the manager of the teahouse and the servants!"

Soon, two plainly dressed men, one middle-aged and the other only about [-] years old, were both brought to the court by the officials of the Ministry of Punishment.

After the two paid their respects, Wei Guangwei asked solemnly:

"I would like to ask you, was Li Zhiling's expenses that day paid by the businessman Huang Huatang, or did Li Zhiling invite guests for the supervisors?"

The two looked at each other, and the boy dodged his eyes, and said first: "Hui, Hui, Mr. Li, Mr. Li, Mr. Li will treat you that day."

Wei Guangwei looked at the shopkeeper again, but the latter subconsciously avoided his gaze, then immediately lowered his eyebrows and said with a pleasing smile: "My lord, it is indeed the case."

"Mr. Li was very generous that day, and gave over twenty taels of silver to the supervisors!"

4 Chapter Twenty

"You are talking nonsense!"

When Qian Han heard this, he became even more anxious, and said one after another: "My lord, they made a false confession! It wasn't like that that day!"

Hearing this, Wei Guangwei probably knew in his heart that these people had done enough work before they were arrested, unifying the caliber was second, and all important certifications were coerced and lured by them to retract their confessions, or they simply made false confessions.

This kind of trial will not yield any results.