Chapter 44

"The new Minister of Agriculture is to be served by Xiao He?"

Once the words were out, at that moment, everyone in the court was stunned.

Everyone was shocked to the point of scalp-tingling!

One must know, that was the Minister of Agriculture!

And what kind of official position was the Minister of Agriculture?

In charge of the country’s money, grain, and population!

Equivalent to the later Minister of Revenue!

Likewise, ranked as one of the Nine Ministers!

And because this position was of great importance, it was divided into left and right, with Yang Chun on the left and Sima Yan on the right!

In this Qin Dynasty where the right was considered superior, the right position represented supreme power.

But now, with one word from Ying Su, he was going to replace Sima Yan, who was in charge of the world’s money and grain?

Everyone was stunned.

Xiao He was also shocked!

For these days, Ying Su had not arranged anything for him.

But he didn't expect that as soon as he came up, he would give him such a big official position.

At this very moment, he was simply terrified!

Sima Yan was even more stunned!

He couldn't understand; he hadn't offended Ying Su in any way!

Although he wasn't there when he first held court, and everything was reported by Yang Chun!

But... afterward, he hadn't committed any major mistakes!

Every time he saw Ying Su, he called him Emperor, and likewise, he hadn't discussed any rebellion by Ying Su.

But now... with one word from Ying Su, he was going to be dismissed?

And the reason was that he was too old?

"Your Majesty... your servant... your servant is not old, only forty-three years old this year, in the prime of life, and for these years in charge of money and grain, I have been diligent and conscientious, without any impropriety, Your Majesty... please show mercy, Your Majesty!"

At that moment, Sima Yan kept bowing and shouting!

And Ying Su smiled: "Show mercy? Without any impropriety? Are you sure?"

He asked, coldness flickering in his eyes.

Sima Yan panicked; he felt afraid when he saw Ying Su, but at that moment, he still straightened his back and said to Ying Su: "I... I am sure!"

Ying Su sighed:

"I wanted to give you dignity, but you didn't want dignity. Come, Yu Yu Huatian!"

Ying Su called out, and instantly, Yu Yu Huatian brought people to carry up a basket of bamboo slips. He picked up a scroll and read directly:

"In the fifth year of the First Emperor, there was a mistake in the grain collected from various places, causing the national treasury to have an extra one thousand shi of grain. The Left Minister advised that this grain should be put into the treasury, but there was no record of this one thousand shi of grain being put into the treasury, and later, the one thousand shi of grain vanished into thin air!"

"In the third year of the First Emperor, there was a drought in Sanchuan Commandery. The First Emperor ordered the distribution of two hundred thousand shi of disaster relief grain. As a result, when the relief grain arrived, after counting, it was found that there were only one hundred ninety-five thousand shi. Afterward, the First Emperor held you accountable, and you explained it as spillage and loss during transport. The First Emperor believed it and did not investigate further, but... just a few days later, your family’s grain shop had an extra five thousand shi of grain!"

"In the fifteenth year of Qin Wang Zheng, Wang Wang Jian’s army was fighting the Chu army, and the imperial court issued four hundred thousand shi of military grain. As a result, when this batch of military grain arrived, there were only three hundred ninety-eight thousand shi, two thousand shi short. At that time, Wang Wang Jian’s army won and destroyed the Chu State, and the First Emperor was happy, so he did not hold you accountable, but... these two thousand shi of grain just vanished into thin air!"

"In the thirteenth year of Qin Wang Zheng..."

At that moment, Yu Yu Huatian grabbed bamboo slips again and again, reading and chanting again and again!

And as he recited, Sima Yan panicked, his whole body trembling and shivering, and the sweat on his head flowed down like a waterfall.

Ying Su waved his hand to interrupt Yu Yu Huatian, and finally, looked at the Minister of Agriculture Sima Yan:

"What? Do you want me to continue reading?"

"I... I..."

Sima Yan opened his mouth again and again, but couldn't say a word!

Ying Su ignored him and said to the court officials: "From today on, the position of Minister of Agriculture on the right will be held by Xiao He. Do any of you have any objections?"

At that moment, Ying Su asked.

Those eyes, like a falcon, scanned the civil and military officials of the court!

And under his gaze, not a single person in the court made a sound, not a single person spoke!

At that moment, the air was chillingly silent.

It was as if you could hear a pin drop!

And in the court, still no one spoke!

Ying Su’s gaze was cold: "What? Who wants to speak?"

He asked again!

And the air was still silent!

After a long while, someone finally stood out!

Wang Wan bowed and said: "Your servant has no objections!"

"The Emperor is wise, your servant has no objections!"

"The Emperor is wise, your servant has no objections!"

"The Emperor is wise, your servant has no objections!"

At that moment, the civil and military officials bowed, and everyone was shouting!

Ying Su’s gaze was cold; he looked at everyone present and finally called out: "Dismiss the court!"

"Dismiss the court!"

The eunuch shouted.

Conveying Ying Su’s edict!

In the blink of an eye, the court session dispersed!

And the people who had no objections earlier exploded the moment they left Xianyanggong!

One of the Three Dukes of Great Qin, Wei Wei Liaozi, grabbed Wang Wan by the collar the moment he walked out of Xianyanggong and roared at him:

"No objections?"

"Wang Wan, it’s a shame you are an old official of two dynasties; do you dare say you have no objections?"

"Although Sima Yan made a mistake, is it a major mistake? Tens of thousands of shi of grain, taking one or two thousand shi for himself—does this count as a matter?"

"Does this kind of skimming count as a mistake?"

"If it were like this, then everyone in this court should be torn apart by five horses!"

"And Xiao He, who is he?"

"A person of unknown origin can be our Great Qin’s Minister of Agriculture?"

"What does he count as?"

"What kind of thing is he?"

"Ying Su, that brat, he is clearly purging dissidents, wanting to replace such an important position as Minister of Agriculture with his own people!"

Wei Liao grabbed Wang Wan by the collar, gnashing his teeth, furious to the extreme!

And behind them, a group of people were also gnashing their teeth!

One person said angrily: "The Grand Marshal is right; Ying Su, that brat, where is this because Sima Yan made a mistake? It is clearly to purge dissidents!"

"Promoting Yu Yu Huatian to commander of the garrison troops was like this, and separating the Workshop Office from the Inner Treasury Department was also like this!"

"Zheng He going to sea is even more to find the elixir of immortality for him!"

"This child has wolfish ambition; after usurping the throne, he wants to firmly hold all power in his own hands!"

"This child is even more hateful and cruel than Ying Zheng!"

They said angrily, discussing it again and again!

And listening to their discussion, Wang Wan smiled: "Even so, what can you do?"

"Do you dare to rebel against him?"

"Can you deal with Li Li Yuanba?"

"Ah?"

Once the words were out, everyone was stunned!

Li Li Yuanba!

The events of the past had long been figured out by everyone!

Li Li Yuanba, he alone killed fifty thousand Qin troops!