Chapter 36: Lord Wang, please say something!
quiet!
It's so quiet!
Many neutral onlookers took a deep breath. This Chu Zifeng is really fierce!
Many Han officials looked at each other quietly, feeling inexplicably at ease. Having such a party leader in the future would at least be enough to maintain the glory of the Han faction, and their words would not be ineffective even if they retired.
The court was silent, and Wang Qinruo was also silent!
He had prepared for this attack on the Han faction for a long time, just to get rid of Han Zhang's right-hand men. The topic he chose was also problematic, but it happened so long ago that it was impossible to investigate in detail.
By then, if Chang Heng could not clarify the matter clearly, it would be basically a foregone conclusion that Chang Heng would be demoted.
As a result, he now feels as if he had chosen the wrong topic.
Yes, it is difficult to clarify those things after a long time.
However, after a long time, it is still difficult to say that it really has a problem, and this has become a debate.
Actually, there is nothing wrong with debating, but my side has never done it!
Wang Qinruo remained silent, and naturally everyone in his faction also remained silent.
After a few breaths of silence, Wang Qinruo looked at Chu Hong, "If the six ministries all exceed their advance payments like the Ministry of Works, then the people's taxes will definitely have to increase for the development of the court. What should we do?"
"Some projects naturally require a fixed amount of expenditure, which is also for the stability of the world. But sometimes we can't be too nervous. The situation changes, and no one can predict how much money will be spent.
All officials can do is to reduce expenditures as much as possible while ensuring both quality and quantity. Sometimes they accidentally spend too much and there is nothing they can do about it. There are overspending and there are surpluses. If the surpluses make up for the deficits, the world will be at peace. Isn’t this also the purpose of quantitative expenditures? "
Chu Hong was full of righteousness and not afraid at all.
Wang Qinruo fell silent again, but he could still make some arguments.
but……
Wang Qinruo glanced at the throne and saw Zhao Zhen's tendency. He knew that forcing it would only disgust the emperor.
Chu Hong quietly looked towards the throne, knowing that the two projects should be finished, and immediately softened his tone: "Minister Chang is in charge of the Ministry of Works. Does he want to repair the floods in Jiangsu and Zhejiang and build a dam that is a hundred miles long?"
Chang Heng said respectfully at the right time: "Your Majesty, natural disasters are not something that humans can control. The Ministry of Works built the dam to ensure the safety of the people in Jiangsu and Zhejiang!"
Zhao Zhen opened his narrowed eyes and defined the matter. "Now that the account has been settled, it is no big deal. Do you have anything else to report, my dear ministers?"
Chu Hong's eyes narrowed, and he immediately exchanged a glance with his mentor. Since Wang Qinruo wouldn't be here for long, he might as well add fuel to the fire and try to prevent him from attending court from today onwards!
Han Zhang was greatly encouraged and nodded slightly.
"Your Majesty, I have something to report."
The Wang family will take an unconventional approach and seek wealth and honor by taking risks, and the Han family will do the same!
Chu Hong stopped hesitating and submitted his report decisively.
"You can tell me what you want, my dear."
Zhao Zhen gathered his sleeves, knowing that today's morning court session might last a little longer.
“I have seen the financial expenditures of the Privy Council published last year, and I really don’t understand why a brush used in border areas costs a hundred taels of silver?
Nearly three hundred of these expensive pens were used in the border area. However, such an expenditure of thirty thousand taels of silver was actually spent in an inconspicuous corner of the "daily maintenance of the army".
This account was examined by General Yinggong at that time. I would like to ask Minister Chen and General Yinggong where the pen worth 100 taels of silver is, and can you take it out for everyone to see?
Is there anything wrong with this account? Who got the money? Is this embezzlement of military funds? Is this a crime of deceiving the emperor that carries a penalty of execution and confiscation of property?"
Chu Hong shouted loudly to Wang Qinruo and Duke Yingguo, and his sonorous and powerful voice echoed throughout the hall.
"Huh? I remember that this account is not included in the cabinet's public accounts?"
"Nonsense, I've already said that this account is in the Privy Council!"
"The Ministry of War consumes several million taels of silver every year, and thirty thousand taels of silver is indeed not very noticeable among them."
"What a treacherous minister!"
"The Duke of England has a great reputation throughout his life. If this matter is not explained clearly, his old age will be ruined!"
Generally speaking, accounts are sent to the cabinet for handling, and the one last year was clearly an accident.
Many censors shook their heads and asked the Privy Council to sign, and then submitted it internally, thus bypassing the Censorate and the Censorate that were responsible for supervising all officials, and quietly put the account into a corner of [Daily Maintenance of the Army] that no one cared about. It would be strange if it was found and discovered.
The so-called internal reference refers to some top-secret memorials submitted directly to the emperor, bypassing the review of the Secretariat and the Cabinet.
Generally speaking, internal reference materials will not be made public.
As a result, the Censorate and the Imperial Censorate didn't even know the content of the internal report, so they naturally couldn't impeach.
Of course, it is said that it is possible to bypass the cabinet, but in reality such memorials would appear in large numbers at the end of the year, and each one would be difficult to handle. In order to save trouble, the emperor would usually ask the cabinet ministers to review them together.
Even Chu Hong had to admit that the Ministry of Revenue handled this matter with great courage.
Of course, there is also a bit of gambling involved.
The people in the Ministry of Revenue were betting that there were a total of six cabinet ministers in the Great Zhou Dynasty, and they were betting that this internal reference would be handled by cabinet minister Wang Qinruo.
As it turned out, the Ministry of Revenue made the right bet, and this internal reference document did fall into Wang Qinruo's hands.
Facts have proved that the Ministry of Revenue made a wrong bet. Han Zhang secretly looked through the internal reference handled by his political enemy Wang Qinruo and discovered problems with it.
Now that this matter has come out, the nature of the matter is different.
Before the accounts can be submitted to the Privy Council, the officials of the Ministry of Revenue must sign them, otherwise the elite people in the Privy Council will not accept them.
Since there were problems with the account and it was an internal reference submitted to the emperor, the matter became deceptive in nature.
In other words, the Ministry of Revenue and the Privy Council joined forces to deceive the emperor.
This crime
Duke Ying and Chen Duan looked at each other. Someone must bear the blame for the death of their friend rather than the poor one! "What did Duke Ying say?"
Zhao Zhen's blood inexplicably boiled and his breathing unconsciously became heavier. He looked heavily at the military general and nobleman he valued most, the Shangzhuguo whom he had cultivated personally. He was the minister he trusted most, no one else so far.
"Your Majesty, there is absolutely no such memorial. I have absolutely not signed anything regarding these three hundred pens."
The Duke of England stood out calmly, his slightly white hair and beard steady. He had thought about the arrival of this day.
These 300 pens are real. Well, they are the fees given to the Ministry of Revenue. In order to make them approve funds faster, there is basically such a special account every one or two years.
The Duke of England was not panicked, as he had long thought that this matter might be used to make a fuss.
Fortunately, he kept a lot of eyes on
"I ask for the draft from the Privy Council."
"allow!"
Zhao Zhen looked into the distance with a gloomy face. He had received too many surprises and quite a few frights today.
If even Duke Zhang Fu of England deceived the emperor, he would probably have to copy the noble family's secrets as he did in his early years.
After a while, the things were brought.
In the accounts of the Ministry of Revenue, Shangshu Chen Duan's handwriting is just like his name, it looks very neat and the writing is also very beautiful.
As for the Privy Council, there were circles, just circles, not a single word.
Upon seeing this, the court was in an uproar. Using circles instead of words?
Compared to the uproar among the ministers, Zhao Zhen was slightly relieved.
Zhao Zhen's gloomy expression immediately eased a little. Since circles were used to represent characters, it meant that the Duke of England was not deceiving the king. At most, he had some guesses about the king's psychology.
Thirty thousand taels of silver, is it important?
It doesn’t matter. At least in Zhao Zhen’s heart, it is far inferior to the attitude of the Duke of England.
What is important is whether the Privy Council colluded with the Ministry of Revenue to deceive the emperor. Since circles are used to represent characters, then it is not the case.
After all, as long as the emperor took a careful look at the accounts, he would definitely know that there was something wrong with the account. The one who used circles instead of words was dealing with the Ministry of Revenue who was also involved in the account manipulation, not the emperor!
The Duke of England had some problems, but they were not big. At least he did not touch Zhao Zhen’s bottom line taboo.
Zhao Zhen breathed a sigh of relief, his eyes cold, like a aging but still brave tiger looking at the Minister of Revenue Chen Duan: "My dear minister, do you have anything to say?"
Chen Duan's face turned pale. This crime was too serious for him to bear alone.
"Your Majesty, minister."
Chen Duan subconsciously looked at Wang Qinruo, hoping that he could turn the tide and save him.
This is not something that a Shangshu can do. He can't be the only one to be punished, right?
"Your Majesty."
Wang Qinruo shook his head and sighed silently, which made Chen Duan stutter instantly.
"Demoted to Lingnan, exiled three thousand miles away, never to return to Beijing!"
Zhao Zhen sighed slightly and looked at Wang Qinruo deeply, causing Wang Qinruo to lower his head quickly.
"No, no, no!"
"No, no, no, we can't do this!"
"Lord Wang, please say something!"
"I didn't do this alone. Wang Qinruo also had a hand in it!"
"This internal document was approved by Elder Wang. He is the mastermind!"
"Wang Qinruo, Chu Zifeng both knew to save Chang Heng, but you didn't save me!"
As Chen Duan was being dragged away by the imperial guards, he tried to ask Wang Qinruo to rescue him. But when he was dragged to the door, Wang Qinruo did not come out. He was so desperate that he started to bite.
Many people looked at Chen Duan who was being dragged away, and then looked at Wang Qinruo, knowing that Chen Duan, who was taking the blame, would never be able to turn things around.
This matter may seem insignificant, but in fact it has touched the emperor's reverse scale, even more serious than the matter with the little prince.
Chang Heng looked at Chen Duan being dragged away, breathed a sigh of relief, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, and looked at Chu Hong with gratitude.
"Mr. Ying, fined for three years."
The Duke of England immediately breathed a sigh of relief. There was a big difference in the attitude towards things and this incident basically had no significant impact.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Chu Hong glanced sideways, but didn't find it strange. Duke Yingguo Zhang Fu was really different. He was trained by the emperor himself. The emperor ascended the throne when he was in his twenties, and he had been trained since he was a youth. The trust between the two sides was not comparable to that of ordinary monarchs and ministers.
This can be seen from the fact that the British Duke controls an army of nearly 100,000.
Of course, when the new king ascends the throne in the future, he will gain more trust from the new king than Zhang Fu does now, not less.
Something like blood is enough to block everything.
If you have the ability, double this trust!
Thank you very much
100 Qidian coins can be rewarded every day,
100 Qidian coins rewarded by Suiyue Fenghua.
9139 Qidian coins rewarded by 1500
100 Qidian coins rewarded by your brother Daqiang
Tingfeng Juanyu gave a reward
100 Starting Coins
I am also very grateful for the monthly tickets from the big guys. I will find time to list the names separately in two days.
(End of this chapter)