《明史·志·卷六十九》
于是太祖下令改定七十三绦，又传谕太孙： 我是治理乱世，所以刑法不得不重。
乃命改定七十三条，复谕之曰： 吾治乱世，刑不得不重。
So Taizu ordered for the modification of 73 of the regulations, and then passed down an imperial rescript to the Crown Prince: I was in control during the time of turmoil, so the criminal laws could not be made lenient.