Zhao Wentong was almost scared to death. Didn’t he want to punish himself? Why did he suddenly get promoted?

What the hell is this? Zhao Wentong, who has not recovered from the shock, stared blankly at the West Factory in front of him.

Yuhua Qian looked at him with a smile: "Mr. Zhao, why don't you get the order to thank him quickly."

Zhao Wentong then came to his senses and knelt down in a hurry: "My minister Zhao Wentong, thank you for your kindness. Long live Your Majesty, long live!"

In fact, Yuhuaqian never accepted bribes privately. All of this was just in accordance with Chongzhen's will. Unless he was mentally retarded, he had just taken the top seat in the West Factory and was in a hurry to make money before he could sit firmly.

Doing this is like seeking death. If you have so many political enemies, you will seize your handle and kill you at any time.

But the ministers didn't understand. They thought that another corrupt official with similar taste had come. So what about the emperor? He wanted to cure corruption but never wanted to find a corrupt official to take office. So, these corrupt officials gathered at the West Factory Office just like flies smelling feces.

However, all of this was in the strategy of Emperor Chongzhen. It has to be said that Emperor Chongzhen has learned to be smart and has learned to fight wits and courage with his ministers.

None of the officials who gave Yuhua money and gifts ended up well. The captured ministers were in a state of disintegration, and what awaited them would be the punishment they deserve.

And Zhao Wentong and others were actually under investigation. A fifth-rank official could not even take out a mere 200 taels of silver. This shows that Zhao Wentong was a clean official.

The most lacking thing the court now is the honest official. If Zhao Wentong had a stronger ability, Chongzhen would give him the Minister of Rites directly.

However, this person was really timid and cautious, and lacked strategy. Emperor Chongzhen could only settle for the second best and gave him a left assistant minister of the Ministry of Rites. In fact, this was equivalent to an promotion from the front line.

Zhao Wentong seemed to understand something, so he raised his head and quickly glanced at Yuhua Qian. The fact that he could have his current status was entirely due to the support of Eunuch Yu.

The ministers were completely frightened. They watched helplessly as the officials who gave Yuhua money and gifts were taken down one by one. At the same time, they were glad that they were cautious.

Any smarter officials will not rush to curry favor with Yu Bao. They will first watch and wait and see how the court moves before making a decision.

The Ming Dynasty has really changed, and all the officials after the scattered dynasty all seemed cautious. They knew clearly that today is different from the past.

Put away the arrogance of the past and get along with your tail. Corruption? I’m afraid I don’t think about it anymore. Thank you for being able to keep your official position and your salary.

The court really changed. In the following days, the East Factory and the West Factory were expanded. The capital was filled with the eyes and ears of factory guards. Under such a high pressure, many officials could be driven crazy.

Zhu Cixuan walked on the street, and he led the secret guards Meng Fanchao, Lai Fu Wangcai and others beside him. Looking at the patrolling teams of factory guards on the street, the people stayed away. Even the officials who went to court or went out quickly avoided them when they saw him.

The search for officials was performed almost every day. The factory guards acted collectively like a group of wolves rushing into the capital. Not only the officials were in danger, but the people were also in panic.

When will such a day end? Yesterday, a doctor from the Ministry of Revenue committed suicide by hanging himself at home because he could not stand such a rigorous investigation by the factory guards.

I don’t know whether this person is greedy or not, but he died like this anyway. Some people say he committed suicide because he was afraid of his crime, while others say he was scared to death. As for why he committed suicide, he did not leave any suicide note, and even his family was kept in the dark.

The factory guards also went to investigate, but the person was dead, so naturally there was no way to investigate. This case was left unresolved.

Zhu Cilang felt a little sad. This was abnormal. The capital was already shrouded in terror, and everyone was in danger. Such an imperial court was only maintaining its operation on the surface, but in fact it was already in chaos and collapsed at a touch.

The roads in the capital that had just rained were covered with mud and water. Zhu Cilang's deerskin boots stepped on the muddy ground, splashing water.

Zhu Cilang was in a heavy mood. Such an imperial court had no future. How far could the Ming Dynasty go? Is all this he did, really, right?

Zhu Cilang didn't know whether he was doing right or wrong. Should the court be like this?

But if he doesn't do this, what can he do? The corruption in the government is not an individual phenomenon, but the entire dynasty.

To cure corruption, you can’t kill all the officials.

"We can't continue, we can't do this anymore." Zhu Cixuan said.

Lai Fu, Wangcai and others looked at each other in the back. They didn't know what the prince said. Wangcai was curious and ran to the front: "Master, what, what can't be like this, what can't be done?"

Zhu Cixuan did not answer, but was still muttering to himself: "If you continue like this, you will sooner or later be fucked."

The people around him were still confused. Before everyone could react, Zhu Cilang stopped suddenly, so that the few people behind him stopped in a mess.

Suddenly, Zhu Cixuan opened his eyes wide excitedly: "Let's go, go back to the palace. Go back to the palace! Go back to the palace quickly!"

His voice was so loud that it alarmed the people around him. When he returned to the palace, was this the people in the palace? The people were a little afraid and dodged away, and Zhu Cilang's tone was so anxious that Lai Fu and others were shocked.

Meng Fanchao said nervously: "Little man, I'll go back with you now."

They were all nervous because from Zhu Cixuan's anxious tone, they seemed to think that something big was about to happen in the palace. So, everyone ignored it, Meng Fanchao rushed in front and pushed away the people who were standing in front.

Lai Fu and Wangcai escorted Zhu Cilang, and everyone rushed back to the palace gate.

Back at the palace, Zhu Cilang hurriedly walked towards the Qianqing Palace again. Meng Fanchao and Lai Fu Wangcai had to follow him in a hurry. Wangcai even used trotting steps to barely keep up.

If something big happens, it must have happened. Otherwise, the prince would not be so nervous.

After following Zhu Cilang for many years, Wangcai has never seen Zhu Cilang so nervous. Even when he was besieged by Jiannu or even when he was pursued by bandits, he had never been so nervous.

No one knows what happened. Until he rushed to the gate of the Qianqing Palace, Zhu Cilang was stopped by the eunuch who was on duty in the Qianqing Palace.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince forgives your sins. Long live the official duties. You, you cannot go in."

Zhu Cilang was furious and pushed the little eunuch away: "Do not go!"

The prince came in full force, and no one of the eunuchs in the Qianqing Palace dared to come forward to stop him. In this way, he watched Zhu Cilang break in.
Chapter completed!