PFC Chapter 329 Planting the Nail!
Chapter 329 Planting the Nail!
"Gu Qing, who issued this decree?"
"Your Majesty! We haven't yet identified the specific culprit, but this decree has been in effect for seven or eight years. I suspect officials from the Ministry of Revenue at the time were involved. Furthermore... I don't know whether this matter was reported to the Secretariat!"
Gu Jingzhi answered with a submissive look on his face, but everyone knew that this was directed at Song Pu!
"Song Qing..."
Emperor Xia looked at Song Pu with a gloomy look: "Shouldn't you give me an explanation?"
It was just a casual remark, but all the officials felt a chill all over their bodies when they heard it.
Song Pu opened his mouth, but in the end he could only utter one sentence.
"My lord is guilty!"
If what Gu Jingzhi said was about embezzlement of taxes or something else, he could refute it and deny it to death, but he issued local decrees without any public announcement, and that was his problem.
After all, any government decree sent to the local area required official documents approved by him or Emperor Xia, especially those involving taxes.
However, the court did not issue any official documents, but asked the local governments to implement a certain government order, which was the responsibility of the prime minister.
Emperor Xia looked at him deeply, then turned to Gu Jingzhi and asked, "Mr. Gu, since you have been investigating this case for some time, have you found any problems?"
"Your Majesty, if you want to talk about problems, there are indeed some!"
Gu Jingzhi took out another memorial, and all the officials felt a sharp pain in their teeth when they saw it.
Emperor Xia had long known that Gu Jingzhi was prepared. When the memorial in Gu Jingzhi's hand was handed to Emperor Xia, he just glanced at it. However, even though he was mentally prepared, he was still very angry.
He looked at the ministers with a gloomy gaze. The ministers avoided him like snakes and scorpions when they met his gaze. The court was silent as a cicada!
Emperor Xia also said nothing. I don’t know whether he was angry or had become autistic because of the content of this memorial!
After a while, he looked at Gu Jingzhi and asked, "Gu Qing, do you have any evidence to support what you wrote in the memorial?"
"Your Majesty, we have already uncovered key evidence. As for some details, we still need the court to send more personnel and intensify our efforts to verify them thoroughly!"
"Then continue investigating!"
Emperor Xia angrily declared, "They receive salaries from the imperial court, yet they commit such acts that undermine the foundation of Great Xia. How despicable! If these corrupt officials are not brought to justice, Great Xia will perish at their hands sooner or later!"
"Feel free to investigate this case with all your might. There are no upper or lower limits. Whoever you find will be convicted of the crime. I will make these corrupt officials know what it means to be ruined and what it means to uphold the law of the land!"
The Xia Emperor was furious, and his ministers were frightened.
Only Gu Jingzhi said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, for such a serious case, I beg Your Majesty to grant your permission to appoint the Crown Prince as the chief judge, with the three court officials assisting... This will convince the people and give an explanation to the people of the world!"
Upon hearing this, Emperor Xia looked at Gu Jingzhi with great satisfaction, then said in a deep voice, "Gu Qing, what you said makes sense! In that case, Crown Prince..."
The prince stepped out immediately!
Emperor Xia said, "Since Mr. Gu has made this proposal, then this matter will be handled entirely by you. You can choose anyone from the Ministry of Justice, the Supreme Court, and the Censorate. If you are short of manpower, you can also call upon the Internal Guards!"
The prince bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I have a request for you. Please grant it!"
"Say!"
"The Minister of Revenue, Marquis of Xiling, Gu Jingzhi... is very familiar with this case. I would like to appoint Marquis Gu as his deputy to thoroughly investigate this case!"
"Hmm! Speaking of which, Mr. Gu did make a contribution by noticing it. Well, I..."
"His Majesty!"
Emperor Xia was about to agree when Gu Jingzhi said, "I don't think this is the right thing for me!"
"Ok?"
Everyone looked at Gu Jingzhi in confusion.
Emperor Xia asked, "Gu Qing, are you unwilling?"
"Your Majesty, although I submitted this report, the first person to discover the case was Minister Wei of the Ministry of Revenue. He has been secretly investigating and collecting evidence, but the person in charge of the investigation is Liu Shaoqing of the Dali Temple! I am merely the one who is in charge of sorting out the key points of this case!"
"If I were to be involved in this case, I'm afraid I wouldn't be as direct as Minister Wei!"
"Besides, I am in charge of the Ministry of Revenue's taxation department. I believe that while investigating the case is important, what is more important is what kind of system should be used to restore order to the imperial court's taxation system as quickly as possible after the case is investigated, so as not to delay the collection of taxes next year!"
"I believe that Minister Wei is the right person!"
After hearing this, Emperor Xia frowned at first, then he thought of the conversation between the emperor and his ministers in the imperial study when Gu Jingzhi just came back, and he understood in his heart that Gu Jingzhi was preparing to issue a new currency to completely solve the problem of the aristocratic families!
As these thoughts passed through his mind, Emperor Xia became particularly eager!
As for Wei Zhen...
He knew Wei Zhen's background, but he didn't know why Gu Jingzhi wanted to drag Wei Zhen into it. He suddenly realized that it seemed that... Gu Jingzhi's signature on the letter was actually a joint signature with Wei Zhen.
Did the two of them reach some agreement in secret?
He thought for a moment and said, "Well! The imperial taxes are indeed more important than the case itself. Let Minister Wei of the Ministry of Revenue help the Crown Prince handle this matter!"
Emperor Xia announced the decision directly in an unquestionable tone.
The prince looked slightly surprised.
He didn't understand why Gu Jingzhi wanted to throw someone from the enemy camp in. Wouldn't that just cause trouble?
The third prince's face changed slightly. He was not worried about Wei Zhen himself, but in this case, he didn't know whether the second prince would think that he and the prince were working together to deal with him.
If that's the case, future cooperation will be in trouble!
He looked at Gu Jingzhi calmly, and sighed in his heart, this Gu Jingzhi is really powerful!
……
After Emperor Xia announced his decision, the court meeting naturally dispersed. After all, today's meeting had already lasted long enough.
As soon as Gu Jingzhi walked out of the main hall gate, the prince caught up with him.
"Marquis Xiling, please wait for me!"
"Uh!"
Gu Jingzhi turned around and saw the prince coming over. He asked, "Your Highness, is there something important?"
"Hey! It's nothing else, it's just about this case! I'm still completely confused, and I'd like to ask Marquis Xiling to clear up my confusion!"
Uh……
I'm confused. Do you think I believe it?
This case was originally a decision made by him, Emperor Xia and the prince together. Now you come to me and say that you are confused. I am afraid there is something else going on?
Gu Jingzhi smiled and said, "The Ministry of Revenue has a lot of files on this case. I'd like to hand them over to Your Highness today, which will make it easier for Your Highness to handle this case!"
"In that case, thank you very much, Lord Gu!"
The prince smiled slightly: "However, this case involves too many things. Although I have the files, Marquis Gu is the master of this field. I hope to discuss it with Marquis Gu in detail!"
"It's already past noon, and no one has eaten yet. You and I haven't been together since we parted in Ningzhou. Why don't you have a simple meal at my house today?"
"..."
The corner of Gu Jingzhi's mouth twitched!
This is really aboveboard! However, he no longer worried about other people's opinions. He said, "Your Highness has invited me, and I can only decline with disrespect!"
Gee!
I wonder what kind of expression Qiao Shuwan would have when she saw him appear in the East Palace!