Under the order of Emperor Li Shimin, Jingwen and Liu Qing began to continue to check the accounts, obviously to continue to catch some rats. And in the next few days, various problems in the accounts were constantly discovered.

"Niece Xian, I was an old friend with your father, so let me go!" A director of the Ministry of Engineering said.

But Liu Qing was very disgusted, and obviously wanted those guards to take this guy away, because Liu Qinghe didn't want to have any friendship with those big rats from the Ministry of Industry.

"Liu Qing, how many have you caught?" Jingwen asked.

Liu Qing said: "In the past three days, more than 20 people, large and small, have been dismissed. The highest is a four-grade squire, and the lowest is a petty official who does not enter the stream. The Ministry of Engineering is simply rotten to the roots, so it has to be replaced. ”

"Normal, in the absence of supervision, it would be strange if no one was corrupt." Jingwen said.

And Jingwen took this report and gave it to Li Shimin, and after Li Shimin read it, he didn't say a word. There are already more than 20 of them in the Ministry of Industry alone, and if you continue to investigate, I'm afraid who knows how many rats there are. Originally, Li Shimin thought that he could control the world, but now there are so many rats, this is a slap in the face to Li Shimin. Who can be blamed for this? can't blame Jingwen, it was Li Shimin who wanted to check it himself. But if you don't investigate, let these rats continue to embezzle, then I'm afraid the amount of money will not be enough!

"Bastard, that's it! The Ministry of Industry alone is like this, how many more will there be in the world! Li Shimin said angrily.

Li Shimin's anger made the surrounding eunuch palace maids shudder, but Jingwen stepped forward instead.

"Your Majesty, in fact, the world may not be as bad as you imagined!" Jingwen said.

"Oh? There are so many ministries alone, are other yamen clean? Li Shimin asked.

"Your Majesty, in fact, the Ministry of Industry has been a high-incidence yamen of corruption since ancient times. The people who manage the project have too much money contaminated, which is why corruption is caused. And this also depends on what is in charge, if the management is in some places without money, then I am afraid that they will not be able to be corrupt if they want to, such as the household department. Wechen believes that the nominal management of money is the cleanest place. Jingwen said.

And Li Shimin thought for a while, and immediately said to the eunuch: "Go and call Duan Lun, the secretary of the Ministry of Industry!" ”

Soon, Duan Lun, the secretary of the Ministry of Industry, immediately came to see Li Shimin. This time, Duan Lun was nervous, because the household department under his management had investigated and punished more than 20 corrupt officials, so he, the secretary of the Ministry of Industry, had an unshirkable leadership responsibility. And now, I'm afraid Li Shimin doesn't trust Duan Lun very much, your subordinates are all a nest case, how much clean can you be as a leader? If it is said that the Ministry of Industry Shangshu has great power and there is no corruption, this is for the ghost letter!

"Duan Lun, what else do you have to say?" Li Shimin asked.

"The minister is guilty!" Duan Lun immediately pleaded guilty.

However, when Li Shimin was about to say something, a voice suddenly came from the door.

"Your Majesty, there are officials outside who want to see you." The eunuch said.

"Let them in!" Li Shimin said.

When the officials came in, they immediately said, "Your Majesty, please hurry up and punish those merchants!" Your Majesty, you asked them to check the accounts of the imperial court, what is the system of this? ”

"Your Majesty, the accounts of the imperial court have been checked by the merchants, so what secrets does the imperial court have?" "Your Majesty, if it goes on like this, what majesty will the court have to rule the people!" "Your Majesty, in the future, I am afraid that the court will be swept away in the hearts of the people!" ……

Jingwen looked at these officials shouting here, and sneered in his heart. These guys were afraid to continue the investigation, and pulled out the turnips and brought out the mud, and involved them as well. They took advantage of the fact that they had not been involved yet, so they hurriedly came to get Li Shimin to retract this order to check the accounts. Because if it goes on like this, their heads will not be safe.

"What do you mean? Corrupt officials insult the prestige of the imperial court, so if corrupt officials are allowed to be in their positions, won't it be an insult to the prestige of the imperial court? Jingwen asked.

But the officials said; "Your Majesty, if you want to check the accounts, you should also check the people in the court, how can you check the accounts by outside businessmen? Therefore, the emperor was also asked to let the imperial history platform check the accounts, so as to ensure the system of the imperial court. ”

But Jingwen immediately said: "Your Majesty, the Lord of Yushitai is also an official!" ”

Li Shimin listened to Jingwen's words and immediately knew what these people were thinking. In ancient times, although there was a supervisory body called the Imperial Historical Tower, it was not very effective. Because although the Imperial Historical Observatory is called a place of supervision, they are also officials and are also concerned about their own future. And the officials of the Imperial History Observatory cannot be the imperial historian all their lives, and they will always be transferred to other places. If they often smashed other people's official hats when they were the imperial historians, but once they entered other yamen in the future, then others wouldn't give you small shoes to wear? Therefore, the monitoring effect of the Imperial Historical Observatory is relatively weak, and it will only take the initiative to monitor when needed. At other times, the Imperial Observatory is passively monitored. This is the so-called principle of protecting officials and officials.

But businessmen don't have this problem, Liu Qing specializes in eating the bowl of rice of auditing, of course, it is necessary to audit the accounts fairly to be able to establish a reputation. And businessmen can no longer be officials, so they naturally don't have any idea of protecting each other. And as long as Li Shimin supports it, the businessman will definitely be able to audit the accounts fairly, and there will be no favoritism. It is true that some businessmen are afraid of corrupt officials, but as long as the emperor supports them, where do they care about the meaning of those corrupt officials?

"Looking for outsiders from the outside to check the accounts is unshakable. However, the trial case was still handed over to the Yushitai, and the Dali Temple and the three divisions of the Criminal Department were tried, and the outside auditors could not interfere. Li Shimin said.

When those officials heard this, they felt helpless. However, those who audit the accounts cannot affect their own lives, and the key is to see the three yamen who manage the law to interrogate, which gives them a glimmer of hope for survival. Li Shimin has made up his mind to fight corruption this time, so what can they do? Will they still be able to stop the emperor from fighting corruption? The fight against corruption is a rare just thing in the world, and anyone who prevents the fight against corruption must be corrupt officials.

"Duan Lun, if you go back this time, take the initiative to resign!" Li Shimin suddenly said to Duan Lun, the secretary of the Ministry of Industry.

"Command!" Duan Lun said.

Jingwen looked at this Duan Lun and immediately knew Li Shimin's intentions. This Duan Lun is not Li Shimin's cronies, but a courtier in Li Yuan's era. Now, Li Shimin wants to find some excuse to clean up those courtiers of Li Yuan's era. This Duan Lun was forced to resign by Li Shimin under the pretext of the Ministry of Industry's immediate anti-corruption. And the reason why he resigned for himself was to give him, the founding father, some face. Anyway, if he has the title of duke, he will not starve to death. Li Shimin found an excuse to successfully clean up the old and young people at the level of a scholar, and then he had to arrange his own people.