Chapter 326 Difficulties
In addition to paying attention to the movements of the Liao Kingdom and the Western Xia, Zhao Xing was also waiting for the reactions of officials in the court.
Although those officials retreated, Zhao Xing didn't think they would give up so easily.
But for several days, the court was calm, as if all officials had given up trying to stop him from killing Peng Qingzhong and others.
Zhao Xing always felt that things were not that simple, so he asked Yin Hanzhang to investigate it carefully.
However, we can only find out that officials in the court have been moving frequently recently, but we don’t know what their specific plans are.
However, it is enough to be sure that the officials in the court have not given up.
Zhao Xing naturally couldn't give them too much time to connect, so he directly asked Yan Kuan to speed up the execution of Peng Qingzhong and others.
During the morning court session that day, Yan Kuan stepped out and said, "Your Majesty, the cases of Peng Qingzhong and others have been thoroughly investigated, their homes have been searched, and the execution can now begin."
"Then let's execute them at noon tomorrow at the Caishikou in the south of the outer city of Bianjing." Zhao Xing said calmly.
"Yes!" Yan Kuan replied.
"Your Majesty, I have something to report!" An imperial censor from the Censorate stepped out and said.
"coming!"
Zhao Xing sneered in his heart, but said calmly: "Approved!"
"I impeach Zhu Shiquan, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, for corruption and abuse of power during his tenure at the Ministry of Revenue."
Zhao Xing looked at Zhu Shiquan, whose face was pale, and said coldly, "Minister Zhu, what do you have to say about the censor's impeachment of you for corruption and abuse of power?"
He didn't expect that these people would focus their attention on Zhu Shiquan alone.
After Zhao Xing gave Zhu Shiquan a warning, Zhu Shiquan became obedient.
However, after a few years, his old ways returned and he started making money again.
When Zhao Xing learned about this, he was very disappointed with him and could only ask his father to promote him to the position of Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue.
Because most of the powers of the Ministry of Revenue have been dispersed among the three departments, it has now become a government office with little functions.
Although it was a promotion, it was a demotion in reality.
Zhao Xing did this to prevent Zhu Shiquan from committing corruption.
After Zhu Shiquan became the Minister of Revenue, he did indeed behave himself.
Nothing unusual was found over the years, and Zhao Xing gradually stopped paying attention to it.
But now that the censors have impeached Zhu Shiquan, Zhao Xing doesn't think they dare to attack him without reason.
"Your Majesty, I am innocent." Zhu Shiquan stepped out and said, "I have worked diligently over the years and have never embezzled a single cent."
Zhao Xing looked at the censor and asked, "Do you have any evidence?"
"I have evidence!"
The censor took out a piece of paper, held it up with both hands and said, "Your Majesty, please take a look!"
Zhao Xing sarcastically said: "The Censorate heard the news and reported it, but you are very rigorous in your work!"
The man remained silent in the face of Zhao Xing's sarcasm. He waited for the eunuch to come and hand over the documents.
When the bundle was handed to Zhao Xing, he unfolded it and began to read it.
The note detailed how Zhu Shiquan had embezzled and how much money he had embezzled, with every detail recorded.
This trick was used by Zhao Xing before, and the evidence he asked someone to provide to Yan Kuan was the same.
You just need to have someone verify it to confirm its authenticity.
Although it has not been confirmed yet, Zhao Xing can already confirm that the above things should be true.
Zhao Xing angrily threw the stick at Zhu Shiquan and said coldly: "Look for yourself!"
He hated the officials for making things difficult for him and also hated Zhu Shiquan for his stupidity.
How could he not know the purpose of those officials? Didn't he want to kill corrupt officials? Now that his own uncle was corrupt, let's see if he could be cruel enough to kill him.
If he wasn't killed, it would be an unfair punishment, but Zhu Shiquan was his uncle. Even if Zhao Xing had no feelings for him, he had to consider his biological mother Zhu.
Zhu Shiquan hurriedly went forward to pick up the bundle, but when he saw the contents on it, he collapsed in the hall.
"Come here, take off his official hat and put him in the Ministry of Justice prison!" Zhao Xing said coldly.
Upon hearing this, the Palace Guards walked into the hall.
"Your Majesty, I am innocent!" Zhu Shiquan came to his senses and hurriedly cried out for justice. "Whether it is innocent or not, we will know after the investigation." Zhao Xing waved his hand and said, "Take him away!"
Upon hearing this, the imperial guards dragged Zhu Shiquan out regardless of his struggles and shouts.
"Minister of Justice, this case is under your strict review!" Zhao Xing said.
"Yes!" Yan Kuan replied.
"Are you satisfied with my handling of the matter?" Zhao Xing said to the censor who had made the report.
"Your Majesty, you are too polite. I am only a censor. Impeachment and investigation are my duties. How to deal with the case is not my business." After saying this, the censor saluted and returned to the queue.
Zhao Xing snorted coldly and was about to announce the end of the court session when another censor stepped out and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, I have something to report!"
"Accurate!" Zhao Xing said coldly.
He wanted to see how many tricks these people had prepared.
"I impeach the Ling County Magistrate Zhu Jingyuan. Not only did he embezzle and accept bribes in Ling County, he also covered up the crimes of a local wealthy businessman, causing the people to have no way to seek redress, and a family of five was forced to death!"
"Is this true?" Zhao Xing sat up straight when he heard that.
Zhu Jingyuan was Zhu Shiquan's illegitimate son, and was granted an official position a few years ago.
Zhao Xing didn't pay much attention to this cousin. He only knew that he was a county magistrate in another place.
Although he was angry at these officials for causing trouble for him, if this was true, he would never forgive them.
"Your Majesty, I have only heard about it. I don't know the exact situation," said the censor.
Zhao Xing pondered for a while after hearing this and sneered in his heart.
These people had a really good plan. They produced concrete evidence to impeach Zhu Shiquan, but said they had only heard about it when they impeached Zhu Jingyuan.
Zhao Xing didn't think he had no evidence, it was just that Zhu Jingyuan had forced the people to death, which was even more serious.
They didn't want to break up with him, their purpose was to stop him from killing people.
If Zhao Xing insisted on executing Peng Qingzhong and others, and was partial to Zhu Shiquan and Zhu Jingyuan, I'm afraid these people would be able to produce evidence.
"Yan Kuan!"
"Chen is here!"
"Send people to Ling County to investigate the matter and escort the Ling County magistrate back to Bian Jing!" Zhao Xing said indifferently.
"Yes!" Yan Kuan replied.
Seeing that no one spoke, Zhao Xing waved his sleeves and said, "Dismiss the court!"
After saying that, he stood up, left the hall, and came to Longtu Pavilion.
Sitting on the dragon throne, Zhao Xing frowned and thought hard.
These people posed a difficult problem for him.
Regardless of whether Zhu Jingyuan's story was true or not, the amount of money Zhu Shiquan embezzled was enough to punish him with the death penalty.
If Peng Qingzhong and others were executed, Zhu Shiquan would also die.
But how do I explain this to my mother?
Zhu Shiquan is her biological brother, how could she accept this?
"Your Majesty, Minister Yan requests to see you!" Sanshui interrupted Zhao Xing's thoughts.
"Let him in!" Zhao Xing said after he came to his senses.
After a while, Yan Kuan came in and saluted, "Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you!"
"No need for formality!" Zhao Xing waved his hand.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Yan Kuan stood up and asked, "Your Majesty, shall the execution continue tomorrow?"
"Your Majesty, don't joke. I have already said this in the morning court. Please continue with the execution."
Zhao Xing looked at Yan Kuan and said, "I know what you are thinking. You can investigate as you wish. As for what to do, that is my concern. You don't need to worry about it!"
"Yes!" Yan Kuan breathed a sigh of relief when he heard that.
(End of this chapter)