Climbing to the Top: A Reborn Queen's Journey-Chapter 676: Fat Rat (4)

The ministers were secretly alarmed, and some of them could no longer restrain themselves from wanting to kneel down and plead guilty as well.

Upon further thought, the Ministry of Revenue was involved in a corruption case, so it was only natural that Minister Ji would need to confess. It was also appropriate for Minister Dai to plead guilty. As for the rampant greed and corruption within the court, this should fall on the shoulders of the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel...

Thus, the ministers turned their heads to look at Minister Zhang.

Indeed, Minister Zhang was to blame. The promotion of high-ranking officials at or above the third rank was decided by the Emperor. The appointments of officials below the third rank were managed by the Ministry of Personnel. Since the one at fault was a fourth-rank Chief Doctor from the Ministry of Revenue, it was indeed the responsibility of the Ministry of Personnel.

More importantly, the one who had bought the field manor at a low price was a relative of Minister Zhang. There was no need to think much; everyone could guess what transpired!

With all eyes on him, the pressure was like a tidal wave. Minister Zhang, under immense pressure, cupped his hands and pleaded guilty: "Doctor Wan committed grave corruption, and I request that Your Majesty administer severe punishment."

Jiang Shaohua curled her lips slightly, her eyes devoid of any humor, and looked at Minister Zhang with an especially cold gaze: "Since Minister Zhang also agrees with harsh punishment, then today I shall make an example, eliminating this court’s giant rat and purging the corrupt practices within the court."

"Wang Zhongshu Ling, draft the decree. Doctor Wan has desecrated his duties and embezzled several thousand Silver Taels. According to Da Liang Law, Doctor Wan is to be beheaded in public, and all his property confiscated. His family is to be exiled to Lingnan."

Wang Jin accepted the command with a solemn expression.

Looking at the ministers again, each had a pale complexion.

During Emperor Taihe’s three-year reign, the heaviest punishment he administered to a minister was upon Wang Yi, stripping him of his position and exiling him to his hometown. The former Emperor Taikang, during his reign, also punished officials, often resorting to exile or imprisonment.

Empress Zhaoping’s methods were far more ruthless. When she acted, it led to executions and confiscations of property.

However, under such circumstances, no one dared to plead for Doctor Wan. Otherwise, wouldn’t they prove the Emperor’s words about being a "court giant rat" true?

Not only could they not plead, but they also had to express immediate support and distance themselves from Doctor Wan. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Minister Zhou and others spoke one by one, expressing with righteous indignation that Doctor Wan’s crimes were indeed deserving of death. Meanwhile, they quickly calculated in their minds what to do with the field manors and shops their relatives had purchased from Doctor Wan.

Jiang Shaohua did not overlook this aspect and first asked Minister Zhang: "The one who bought this field manor at a low price was a relative of Minister Zhang. Is Minister Zhang aware of this matter?"

Minister Zhang demonstrated his exceptional acting skills as a high-ranking court official. At first, he feigned shock, then became extremely angry: "I truly was not aware. I have not strictly supervised my relatives, leading to such events, and I ask Your Majesty to order severe punishment!"

This spark of trouble must not be allowed to land on him.

Jiang Shaohua’s eyes flashed with understanding sarcasm, and she said calmly: "So, Minister Zhang was unaware of his relatives’ actions. The Ministry of Personnel is busy with affairs, and Minister Zhang is preoccupied, unable to supervise his relatives, so we cannot entirely blame Minister Zhang."

Minister Zhang could no longer stand and knelt down: "I am incompetent and ask for Your Majesty’s punishment!"

Jiang Shaohua’s voice betrayed no emotions: "That day, in the Jinluan Palace, I mentioned observing mourning for my elder brother for three years. During these three years, there will be no major changes in the court. Minister Zhang is an important minister and the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. I will not vent my anger on Minister Zhang because of the mistakes of the Zhang family. There is no need for Minister Zhang to panic; rise."

Minister Zhang did not dare to rise and continued to kneel in confession.

"However, this relative of the Zhang family indeed deserves severe punishment." Jiang Shaohua said coldly: "Minister Dai, this person bribed court officials with a large sum. According to the criminal law, how should this be punished?"

Minister Dai replied: "He could be sentenced to strangulation or exile."

Jiang Shaohua said indifferently: "Then let it be strangulation! Execute him on the same day as Doctor Wan! Additionally, all his property should also be confiscated."

Even the fourth-rank Doctor Wan was to be beheaded; for a Zhang family member without official position, strangulation was appropriate. What truly alarmed the ministers was the confiscation of property clause.

All the ministers were high-ranking court officials and were not supposed to own too much property openly. Therefore, they would have trusted relatives secretly acquire estates and shops. Essentially, this put large sums of assets under the relative’s name.

Similar to this unfortunate Zhang relative, who usually privately handled matters for Minister Zhang, most of his family’s assets were actually Minister Zhang’s...

Once confiscated, it would devastate Minister Zhang personally.

However, such tacitly understood secrets should never be brought to the court. Her Majesty the Empress was enforcing Da Liang laws openly and uprightly, leaving no room for criticism.

Dealing with Doctor Wan required a decree. A minor role like the Zhang relative did not even warrant a decree. Jiang Shaohua directly instructed Minister Dai to handle it, then told Minister Ji: "The confiscation of Wan Family and the Zhang relative matters are all handed over to the Ministry of Revenue."

"Once the confiscations are completed, Minister Ji should present two lists for me to review."

Minister Ji accepted the command with a bowed hand.

Jiang Shaohua added indifferently: "Additionally, when Doctor Wan is executed, everyone from the Ministry of Revenue should watch at the execution ground. In the future, when handling large sums of assets and Silver, think about Doctor Wan’s fate."

...

The Empress’s decree reached the Ministry of Justice Prison that very day.

Doctor Wan, who had been waiting for Prime Minister Wang or Minister Zhang to save him, was dumbfounded at the time, then suddenly threw himself against the cell bars, desperately shouting: "Your Majesty, spare my life!"

"I still have many things to confess, I ask Your Majesty to give me a chance, spare my life."

The prison guard, finding him noisy, directly stuffed a foul-smelling rag into his mouth: "Shut your mouth! The decree has arrived; execution is in two days. In your next life, don’t become an official. Someone like you doesn’t deserve to be an official."

Doctor Wan continued to mumble frantically, banging his head against the bars.

The guard ignored him. That night, Doctor Wan hit his head so hard that it bled profusely, and he fainted.

Yet no one came to save him.

Prime Minister Wang remained silent.

Minister Zhang was like a clay Bodhisattva crossing the river, overwhelmed and unable to care about Doctor Wan’s fate.

Two days later, Doctor Wan was dragged to the execution ground. Crowds of onlookers formed layers upon layers.

Forty officers from the Ministry of Revenue, ordered by the Emperor, all gathered neatly at the execution ground to observe. Some other officials, daring enough, also came to watch.

Today, Minister Dai was responsible for overseeing the execution and loudly announced Doctor Wan’s crimes. When the citizens heard that Doctor Wan had embezzled thousands of Silver Taels, they were greatly shocked.

The officials from the Ministry of Revenue watching felt silently to themselves; it was merely a few thousand Silver Taels; how did it escalate to the point of beheading?

At the third quarter of the hour before noon, the sun blazed strong.

The executioner raised the gleaming tiger head knife and swiftly chopped it down. Amidst spurting blood, Doctor Wan’s head fell and rolled a few steps.

All the officials from the Ministry of Revenue felt a sharp jolt in their hearts. At that moment, it felt as if they, too, had been slashed by a knife.