The emperor wanted to hold up upright, incorruptible officials as examples, and Zhang Tu was appointed to lead the effort. But once he got started, things took a very different turn.
Zhu Yuanzhang: “Liu Wen is a good official.”
Zhang Tu: “He embezzled a hundred thousand taels of silver. Your Majesty, have his head chopped off.”
Zhu Yuanzhang: “And the hundred thousand taels?”
Zhang Tu: “A group of disaster refugees arrived in Yingtian Prefecture, so I spent it all on grain to help them.”
Zhu Yuanzhang: “…”
Empress Ma: “…”
