Especially the Ministers of the Six Ministries, who held high positions and great power, were the heads of all officials. Who wouldn't show them some respect?

In normal times, it was common for them to give someone the cold shoulder, let alone directly tell a censor to get lost.

Who would have thought that His Majesty would suddenly seize on this point today?

It was truly an unwarranted disaster!

Most of the ministers thought so, but a few realized that this was their transgression, even a provocation to imperial power, and they were terrified.

Jiang Chen saw the reactions of the officials and knew what was what.

Jiang Chen had already crossed out those who didn't take it seriously.

But now he still needed these people to do something, so Jiang Chen didn't pursue the matter further.

Jiang Chen looked at Censor-in-chief Sun Wencheng, "Sun Wencheng, do you know what your crime is now?"

"I...I know."

Sun Wencheng's voice was trembling. He knew he had committed a great taboo.

"Minister Sun, are you feeling unwell?" Jiang Chen's voice suddenly became kind.

Sun Wencheng was startled and quickly shook his head, "No...no."

"Look, you're trembling when you speak, you're clearly not feeling well."

Jiang Chen gave Sun Wencheng a diagnosis without any doubt, and then said, "I am a benevolent ruler and cannot bear to see my minister attend court while ill."

"Minister Sun, you should go and see a doctor quickly. As for the position of Censor-in-chief..."

Jiang Chen pondered for a moment, then pointed to Ma Ren, "Ma Ren will temporarily take over. When Minister Sun recovers, he can return to court."

Sun Wencheng was shocked and quickly said, "Your Majesty, I'm not sick, I'm very well!"

Jiang Chen waved his hand, "Someone, quickly take Minister Sun down. Look, he's already talking nonsense."

Two guards immediately walked in, flanked Sun Wencheng on both sides, and dragged him out.

"I'm not sick, I'm not sick..."

In Sun Wencheng's struggling cries, his voice grew smaller and smaller until it disappeared.

Inside the hall, it was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

The ministers all held their breath, for fear of making the slightest noise and drawing Jiang Chen's attention to themselves.

Everyone could see that Sun Wencheng would not be coming back.

The several ministers were even more uncomfortable.

Sun Wencheng was the Censor-in-chief they had jointly recommended, and the censors all listened to their orders.

Now that Ma Ren, a troublemaker, was managing the Imperial Censorate, they were going to be in trouble.

No matter how unhappy or uncomfortable they were, they still had to squeeze out a smile and shout, "Your Majesty is wise!"

The other ministers could only follow and shout, "Your Majesty is wise!"

Jiang Chen sneered in his heart, not dwelling on this matter, but instead bringing the topic back to the beginning.

"Gentlemen, let's discuss Minister Yuan's proposal again."

With Sun Wencheng's example before them, Cui Hao, who had been the first to stand up and object, was now silent.

Who knew if he would also "be" sick after he stood up?

Jiang Chen waited for a while, then chuckled, "It seems that you all think Minister Yuan's proposal is good. In that case, let's promote it to the world!"

Seeing that this matter could no longer be stopped, the ministers exchanged glances and knelt down together, shouting, "Your Majesty is wise."

Jiang Chen unceremoniously accepted this flattery.

"I also think that I am indeed very wise in this matter."

The ministers rolled their eyes in their hearts, but dared not show it on their faces, sneering at the same time.

So what if this decree is passed?

Did you really think the local gentry and wealthy would cooperate?

If you don't force them, then everyone will just drag their feet.

If you force them too much, then don't blame the local gentry and wealthy for causing trouble!

After all, these gentry and wealthy families don't have a breakthrough like the Su family of Jinling!

Just as they were pondering these things, they heard Jiang Chen suddenly say again, "Gentlemen, you just said you were guilty, didn't you?"

The ministers' hearts instantly rose again.

Jiang Chen's unpredictable actions completely baffled them.

Could it be that he wanted to use this as an excuse to make them all retire due to illness?

But thinking of Jiang Chen's unconventional methods, the ministers were very uneasy.

As a result, for a moment, none of the ministers dared to answer Jiang Chen's question.

"Is that so?" Jiang Chen raised his voice and asked again.

Left with no choice, the ministers had to bite the bullet and say, "Yes, we are guilty."

Jiang Chen nodded with a smile, "The laws of our Great Wei state that those who are guilty must be punished. Although you are all pillars of our Great Wei, we cannot bend the law for personal gain!"

The ministers' nerves immediately tensed up.

What bad idea does His Majesty have this time?

He couldn't really be planning to make them all retire due to illness, could he?

They only heard Jiang Chen say, "Except for the Ministers and Vice Ministers of the Six Ministries, all other ministers shall, within three days, according to their respective regions, each choose an area and be responsible for collecting the land of the local gentry and wealthy."

"You will return to court when you have finished collecting."

What?

The ministers simply couldn't believe what they were hearing.

Was this a forced assignment?

Wasn't this a common method they usually used on the people?

How did it end up on them?

Although they were very resistant, none of the ministers dared to stand up and object.

The example of what happened earlier was right in front of them!

The ministers felt bitter in their hearts. In this way, their so-called delaying tactics would be useless.

After all, the sooner they finished collecting, the sooner they could return to their posts in the capital.

Some ministers were also determined to stir up some trouble after they arrived at their assigned locations.

Once a major incident occurred, they refused to believe that Jiang Chen could still persist.

Just as they had made up their minds, they heard Jiang Chen say again, "Oh, I almost forgot, all of you are well-read scholars, so you must use emotion and reason to persuade the gentry and wealthy."

"If there is any trouble in the area you are responsible for, then don't blame me for being ruthless."

Although Jiang Chen said these words with a smile, all the ministers felt a chill in their hearts.

If they didn't handle it well, it could cost them their lives!

"Gentlemen, is there anything else to report?"

Jiang Chen waited for a while, and when no minister came forward, he gave Feng Jin a look.

"Dismiss court!"

"Long live Your Majesty!"

Amid the cheers, Jiang Chen left the hall with a smile.

The ministers stood up with gloomy faces and walked out.

Ma Ren, who had just been promoted to Censor-in-chief, only received congratulations from Yuan Buyi.

Ma Ren was in high spirits and was about to invite Yuan Buyi for a drink when Feng Jin came over and said, "Lord Ma, His Majesty summons you."

In the Hall of Diligent Governance, Ma Ren stood solemnly.

Jiang Chen looked at Ma Ren and was very satisfied with the vigor he showed.

"Ma Ren, what are your thoughts on the position of Censor-in-chief?" Jiang Chen asked.

Ma Ren said, "Your Majesty, if the upper beam is not straight, the lower beams will be crooked. The lords are above our Great Wei, and they must be upright in order to secure the country!"

"As a censor, I will lead the censors to perform their duties of supervising all officials and restore the integrity of the court of our Great Wei!"