Chapter 268: Fear of hindering the transport path, it is not a trivial matter

Outside Xinghua Temple, a thin layer of snow fell.

Sun Sun Dexiu, the eunuch who supervises the Guangyun Warehouse and manages the Yongfu Warehouse and transport, and Ke Yong, the eunuch who supervises the Middle River water conservancy and manages river transport, both put their hands on their hips, directing the little eunuchs and stickmen under them to smash the temple gate, their mouths spitting white mist, scolding endlessly.

These two titles, one listen to know that they are big eunuchs with faces.

Big eunuchs pretending to be crazy and stupid may be experts, but this physical work of scolding is still a bit too reluctant.

After scolding for only a cup of tea, the two felt dry and thirsty, silently handed over the task of scolding to the little eunuch, and turned to pace anxiously, their figures crossing back and forth.

The little eunuch next to him carried a fire cage, or called a baking cage, following closely behind, serving the two big eunuchs to keep warm.

"Godfather, saying without practicing is not a thing. The grandsons of the Censorate are hiding inside and refusing to show their faces. Let's rush in and give them a prestige!"

As soon as the little eunuch's voice fell.

Slap! A slap hit his head abruptly.

The little eunuch covered the back of his head, looking at his godfather blankly.

Ke Yong wiped his hands with an ugly face and snorted coldly: "Rush in? If you are so capable, why didn't you stand up this morning and block Vice Minister Fan outside the Guangyun Warehouse?"

When the little eunuch heard about the morning's incident, he couldn't help but shrink his neck.

He defended fearfully: "That's not that the scholar met the soldier, and the reason is unclear. The Embroidered Uniform Guard beside Vice Minister Fan doesn't understand human nature at all, and doesn't give the son a chance to intimidate!"

When Vice Minister Fan of the Household Department led people to raid the Guangyun Warehouse this morning, it was a thunder on the ground, scaring the warehouse field up and down.

Of course, there were loyal little eunuchs who stepped forward to block.

As for the outcome, when everyone arrived later, seeing the few corpses carried out by the Embroidered Uniform Guard, they immediately knew.

Of course, no one dared to say directly that they were beaten to death. They compiled a reason, although it was extremely perfunctory.

It is said that Vice Minister Fan stood there, and before he opened his mouth, several little eunuchs and clerks began to hint in a low voice about "someone above", what kind of character is the Embroidered Uniform Guard? As soon as they heard this, they climbed up to the roof, shouting what person, what person.

But the clerks and prison students who donated, plus the gangs and gentry behind them, are really different.

The little eunuch heard this strange reason, although he was angry, but seeing the Embroidered Uniform Guard lawless to this point, where did he dare to continue to entangle?

Ke Yong sneered when he heard this: "The Vice Minister of the Household Department dares to beat and kill you little eunuchs, does the Hai Yushi-in-Chief dare not?"

It's just a temple gate, not a copper wall and iron wall, and really think it can't be smashed?

It's just that I'm afraid of annoying Chen Chen Wude and losing the last chance to negotiate.

Sun Sun Dexiu became more and more irritable as he listened, and the pace of walking back and forth under his feet became more and more urgent: "Chen Chen Wude has been hiding from us, dragging on for another half a day, the yin and yang accounts of the Guangyun and Yongfu warehouses, I am afraid they will really be turned upside down!"

Anti-corruption and investigation of cases like this must be led by the Censorate and assisted by the Household Department. Chen Chen Wude's words are definitely more useful than Fan Xue Yingqi's.

So seeing Fan Xue Yingqi refusing people thousands of miles away, they ran to Mount Mount Yunlong to beg Chen Chen Wude for mercy.

But even so, once the matter is dragged on for a long time, the Household Department really clears out the accounts, even if the Censorate wants to stop, it can't stop anymore.

Ke Yong was anxious in his heart, but didn't lose his square inch, and still had the energy to appease his accomplices: "The accounts on the surface have thousands of volumes. It's not a matter of three or five days to check the yin accounts. There is still time."

The fake accounts made by the two warehouses year after year, dripping water through the stone, have a solid foundation. The fast-made accountants of the Household Department have a weak foundation. How can they easily see the problem?

Sun Sun Dexiu didn't know if it was fear or cold.

He pushed away his godson, reached out and brought the fire cage into his own hands, worried: "Alas, I'm afraid Chen Chen Wude doesn't care about the overall situation. Old Wang and the others have been in for a long time, and there is no movement. Most of them haven't asked for this face."

The tone was quite pessimistic.

This group of people in the Censorate, with political achievements in front, can do anything.

For the sake of the cold official rank, they don't even hesitate to send their colleagues to prison with their own hands.

Ke Yong gritted his teeth and replied: "If Old Wang's words he can't listen to, we will go and talk to him ourselves!"

"As long as Chen Chen Wude still understands a little bit of right and wrong, it should stop here!"

Even if they stop now, the fallen officials are enough for Chen Chen Wude to claim credit at the year-end meeting of the Ministry and Division.

If you check further, it's not necessarily the case.

Sun Sun Dexiu didn't have much confidence as he listened, but Ke Yong had already persuaded him to this point, and it was not appropriate to say discouraged words.

He had to turn his head to look at the little eunuchs who were smashing the door, and shouted in a sharp voice: "Smash louder! If you haven't eaten, go to the Censorate's prison and eat enough!"

He had no choice but to turn his head to look at his foster sons who were smashing the door, shouting in a shrill voice: "Smash it louder! If you haven't eaten, go to the prison of the Censorate and eat your fill!"

Just when everyone was preparing to continue consuming with Chen Chen Wude.

Creak.

The two tightly closed temple gates slowly opened.

The sound of smashing the door, scolding, and discussion stopped abruptly.

As someone walked out of the door, the little eunuchs looked at the person coming and their godfather, hesitated for a moment, and retreated behind Sun Sun Dexiu and Ke Yong.

Sun Sun Dexiu and Ke Yong didn't have time to think, and hurriedly greeted them side by side: "Little Scholar is very strange, I don't know where Chen Hai Yushi is?"

Almost directly asked where your adult is.

There have been many young people in the Forbidden City in these years, and the town eunuchs far away from the center basically don't recognize them.

Xiao Xiao Liangyou was silent, standing on the steps, looking down at the group of middle envoys outside the door.

The middle envoy's matter is very troublesome.

It's not that they don't dare to arrest. At this juncture, killing a few middle envoys is just a matter of raising a hand.

Unfortunately, killing this one and killing that one cannot solve everything.

Just because besides the Xuzhou case itself, the Emperor also asked to draw inferences from one instance and improve the system and mechanism.

But the official system problem of the warehouse supervisor eunuch has been lingering for two hundred years. A wrong definition will offend countless court officials and internal ministers.

The Household Department Water Warehouse Branch of Xuzhou was established in the 13th year of Yongle. It only set up a main director of the main division, with low position and heavy power, so corruption occurred frequently. Therefore, in February of the third year of Zhengtong, Emperor Yingzong sent a large group of eunuchs to the water warehouse to serve as supervisors to check and balance the Household Department.

The Household Department Branch only had one or two directors, but this group of middle envoys came in a group. In the words of Li Li Mengyang, it was "five or six generations of few, twenty or thirty generations of many, and the public court cannot accommodate them," "and one tiger and ten sheep, the situation is not a whole sheep, let alone ten tigers and one sheep?"

One person does things, twenty or thirty people supervise, this kind of official system is bound to have problems.

When one person does the work and twenty or thirty people supervise, this kind of official system is bound to have problems.

Of course, the civil officials were not easy to mess with.

In the fourth year of Jingtai, there was a famine in Shandong and Henan. Wang Hong, who patrolled Two Huai, Yang, and Lu, could not wait for the imperial court's reply to disaster relief, and directly "did not wait for the report, opened the warehouse to relieve the disaster," and announced that the disaster victims should come to eat quickly.

The disaster victims came, but the Two Huai, Yang, and Lu prefectures had no surplus grain themselves, only the Xuzhou Guangyun Warehouse had surplus accumulation, so Wang Gongshu Duan ordered to open the Guangyun Warehouse.

The Household Department Branch naturally obeyed, but the middle envoy said that he had to wait for the imperial court's reply. Wang Zhan said nothing, and came out with "the people are about to be thieves in the morning and evening, all relying on the middle envoy, should be beheaded first, and then die by himself."

Needless to say, although five or six leading eunuchs were killed without an edict, Wang Zhan certainly didn't have to die.

The imperial court only reprimanded a sentence, saying that in the future, if you encounter such things, just control the middle envoy, don't move and cut off the head.

Both sides fought from Emperor Xuande to Zhengde, and the war did not stop.

Until the 14th year of Emperor Jiajing, the eunuchs Wang Feng and Ji Shen who supervised the warehouse mutually exposed each other's crimes, and there was a dispute within the big eunuchs, which made it smoky.

This finally gave the Household Department Supervising Hai Yushi Shi Guan Huaili a chance to submit a memorial saying "the money and grain in the warehouse are all the duties of the Household Department. Adding eunuchs is only for greed, and it is of no benefit to the national plan. Please cut the eunuchs who supervise the internal and external warehouses."

The Household Department, the Censorate, and the Cabinet all agreed, and the World Temple followed the public opinion of the Ministry and Division.

But after the eunuchs were cut, the Household Department Branch opened a one-man hall in each warehouse, and was impeached several times by the patrolling Hai Yushi for corruption, bribery, and extortion of grain households.

The inner court took the opportunity to submit a memorial, requesting the restoration of eunuch supervision.

They fought until the 29th year of Emperor Jiajing, and both sides took a step back. They could add middle envoy supervision, but the official setting was consistent with the Household Department Branch Director, only one or two were set up to supervise and check each other.

The original intention was of course good, and it did promote temporary harmony.

But in the present day, which has been running smoothly for more than thirty years, the drawbacks have been exposed again.

If there are few people, there are few ideas, and it is easier to collude with each other.

Even after the two sides merged, they connected a wider force, and resisting the imperial court's review was even simpler than before!

Then how should we draw inferences from one instance this time? Should we attribute it to the eunuchs who are born bad, or pick the trouble that civil officials are always corrupt?

And how to improve the ritual system? Cutting internal officials won't work, adding internal officials won't work, and you can't send supervisors to supervise the supervisors, right?

The Ministry of Works was fine, and the River Transport Prefectural Yamen was fine. They were all internal problems of the Ministry and Division official system, which could be discussed behind closed doors, but involving internal and external disputes, it would not be so harmonious.

It is said that the reputation will be swept away, and it will be ridiculed by the scholars as a eunuch eagle dog, or it will be blown by the eunuchs to the Emperor that the scholar-bureaucrats are selfish and cannot uphold the public heart.

Before there is a clue to this problem, whether it is Chen Chen Wude or these people like Xu Xu Fuyuan, they don't want to define it easily, and even expressing their position is not willing.

But having said that.

Acting for others, cutting interests, isn't that the duty of the Prime Minister? The corrupt old ministers are timid about such things, and the new Tong Jinshi should regard it as capital!

Between thoughts, after a long while.

Xiao Xiao Liangyou set his eyes on the two leaders: "Compiler of the Hanlin Academy, Secretary of the Central Secretariat Xiao Xiao Liangyou, met the two middle envoys."

But then again.

He arched his hands and met the ceremony, his attitude was neither humble nor arrogant, and he didn't let people see his attitude on the surface.

Sun Sun Dexiu and Ke Yong looked at each other, and both showed hesitation.

Of course, they had heard the name. After all, it was the third-place winner of the imperial examination that passed through the world. The problem is—Chen Chen Wude avoided seeing them and sent such a small character to come forward. Is there any meaning in dialogue?

At this time, Wan Wan Xiangchun, Xu Xu Fuyuan, and others, who were half a step late, saw that Xiao Xiao Liangyou had already talked to the eunuchs, and also appeared late.

He cupped his hands in greeting, his attitude neither humble nor arrogant, making it impossible for anyone to discern his stance from his expression.

Sun Sun Dexiu and Ke Yong exchanged a glance, both revealing a look of hesitation.

Putting a high hat on Xiao Xiao Liangyou and pushing him out to face the eunuchs, it is logical to let Xiao Xiao Liangyou write a report on the loopholes in the warehouse official system afterwards.

Sun Sun Dexiu and Ke Yong have been away from the imperial court for a long time, and they don't understand these twists and turns in the New Deal.

The two only heard a few Supervising Censors put high hats on the secretary, and thought it was the Emperor's confidant, and their words were very important.

"Gentlemen, let's talk in a step."

The two grabbed Xiao Xiao Liangyou's arm and took him to the corner.

As soon as they reached the corner, Sun Sun Dexiu and Ke Yong went straight to the point, their expressions anxious: "Quickly call Vice Minister Fan back! Xuzhou's affairs should stop here!"

Chen Chen Xingjian, Wan Wan Xiangchun, and others followed behind, exchanging glances tacitly, not knowing what to think.

Xiao Xiao Liangyou looked at the two middle envoys with suspicion, surprised: "Stop here? Are the two middle envoys here to surrender, so that we can close the case quickly?"

Sun Sun Dexiu was angry when he heard this.

He raised his neck and said fiercely: "Surrender your port donkey! The big thing, I dare to recruit, do you dare to listen!"

, have been mixing in the officialdom for many years, who doesn't know that these people are both troublesome and afraid of trouble.

If you really force them, who knows who will be afraid!

Xiao Xiao Liangyou heard this, but smiled: "In the 18th year of During Hongwu, Vice Minister of the Household Department Guo Gu Huan stole 1.9 million shi of autumn grain and accepted 500,000 taels of bribes, and was executed."

"In June of the fourth year of Tianshun, Jizhou Warehouse encountered thunder fire, burned four, moldy rice 67,800 shi, warehouse big corvée, warehouse deputy envoy, and clerk, all executed 22 people."

"What kind of big case hasn't happened in the warehouse storage of this dynasty?"

"The salt administration case eight years ago involved countless nobles and relatives, and even the former Prime Minister and the current uncle of the country. Has the current Emperor ever cared about it?"

"As long as the two middle envoys are here to surrender, the official has nothing to dare to listen to."

Sun Sun Dexiu's face flushed red, and he opened his mouth to speak.

Ke Yong hurriedly pulled him, and apologized to Xiao Xiao Liangyou with his eyes, lowering the fire between the two sides: "Different, Compiler Xiao, Xuzhou is really different this time."

Of course it's different.

What salt administration, what grain, it's a fart! A few dozen shi of salt and grain, if you are corrupt, you are corrupt. In the past, the relatives and old acquaintances of Yan Song openly were corrupt for millions of shi of grain, and the World Temple tolerated it. Try to block the river transport?

The taxes of the world are all in the Su-Song prefectures. Beijing and those poor places in the Nine Borders, what do they rely on to eat?

It can be said that river transport is the only artery that connects the north and south and connects the people of the north and south!

During the reign of Emperor Xiaozong, the Yellow River changed its course, and hundreds of thousands of hectares of fields were lost, and hundreds of thousands of people on both sides were displaced.

Even so, between restoring the old course to control the river and borrowing the Yellow River to protect the river transport, Xiaozong still resolutely chose to protect the river transport—the ancients controlled the river only to remove the harm of the people, and today's river control is afraid of hindering the transport path, causing mistakes in the national plan.

In order to protect the river transport, in the sixth year of Hongzhi, it cost 2 million gold, in the first ten years of Zhengde, it cost 3 million taels of silver, and in the beginning of the Emperor Jiajing reign, it was three or five times, small 500,000 gold, large 800,000 gold. How many millions of taels of white silver are there?

Compared with the river transport as the "national plan of the world," which successive Emperor didn't turn a blind eye to the small matter of being corrupt for 100,000 taels of white silver?

It just so happens that the three floods of Xuzhou are the most blocked places for river transport now. But if you slack off for half a month and transport fewer pieces of broken stones, this national lifeline will have a stroke in an instant.

And once something goes wrong with river transport, 4 million shi of autumn grain cannot be transfused to the Nine Borders as scheduled. Now the north-south dispute is in full swing, I am afraid it will not stop at verbal disputes.

Since the history of the Spring and Autumn period, how can there be a unified world where cargo transport is not smooth?

Ke Yong took a deep breath.

He lowered his voice, intending to clarify the pros and cons to these civil officials who didn't understand human nature: "Gentlemen scholars, the matter of river transport must not be calculated by the salt administration case in Nanzhili."

"In the final analysis, salt merchants are a plate of loose sand and cannot become a climate."

"But warehouse storage for river transport is the food and clothing of millions of river transport workers!"

"If you check further, it's not about how many officials are involved, but once it arouses the dissatisfaction of these gentry and people—"

"This canal that transports 4 million shi of autumn grain every year may not be able to pass next year!"

As soon as this was said, not only Xiao Xiao Liangyou, but also Wan Wan Xiangchun, Chen Chen Xingjian, Xu Xu Fuyuan, and others changed color and were furious.

Good courage!

Actually dare to threaten the imperial court with the lifeline of the country!

Ke Yong was frightened by the anger of several people, and explained with a shiver: "It's not that I am threatening you! I am also scared!"

"You think Wang and these people are innocent, why do they come forward to plead for mercy?"

Speaking of this, Xiao Xiao Liangyou and others also reacted.

This guy claims that other cases are a plate of loose sand. Could it be that the collusion of Xuzhou gentry in river transport is deeper than salt merchants in the salt administration case!?

Xiao Xiao Liangyou stabilized his mind and sneered: "The corruption of the prefecture officialdom has been checked by the Censorate, and the tofu-dreg project of the Water Conservancy Division has also been tried by the Ministry of Works. At most, I heard two calls."

"But when I turned to the accounts of your water warehouse, the gentry, gangs, and river transport workers in Xuzhou became bolder, and in order to protect Grand Huangmen Sun's accounts, they claimed to cut off the canal to threaten the imperial court."

"Do the two think we are three-year-old children?"

Ke Yong opened his mouth to speak, but some things could not be said clearly.

He stomped his feet in a hurry!

Everyone saw this appearance, and their hearts also realized that the involvement of the water warehouse was not small, and even the interests were so solidified that they dared to claim to shake the river transport.

It really made several people terrified.

Xuzhou river transport is related to the national economy and the people's livelihood, and it must not have problems—my country is established in Beiping, without 4 million shi, there is no way to rely on life, without floating the river and crossing the Two Huai River, pulling the river and crossing the Ji, there is no way to reach it.

The imperial court's demand for the tribute of Jiangnan is too urgent. If the anti-corruption shakes the river transport, even the capital of the country will have "no way to rely on life."

Wan Wan Xiangchun's face was ugly, constantly evaluating the possibility of anti-corruption shaking river transport, and guessed: "Could it be that the water warehouse supervised by Grand Huangmen Sun has become the backyard of the gentry, and anyone can take it?"

Ke Yong hadn't spoken yet.

Sun Sun Dexiu on the side jumped up: "Nonsense! Since I supervised the Xuzhou warehouse, I have been down-to-earth and focused on opening sources and storing grain. Not a single grain of rice has been sprinkled to others from the warehouse. How dare you frame people's innocence out of thin air!"

It is common for criminals to defend themselves, and everyone didn't find it strange.

Instead, the words immediately alerted Chen Chen Xingjian, the Supervising Hai Yushi of the Household Department: "Opening sources and storing grain? There are only four sources of the water warehouse, land tax, purchase, opening salt grain, and donation."

"How did Grand Huangmen Sun open the source?"

Sun Sun Dexiu's face changed, knowing he had said the wrong thing, and hurriedly turned his head away.

Ke Yong wished he had covered Sun Sun Dexiu's mouth just now, but it was too late.

However, since he had said this, Chen Chen Xingjian would not let him go: "Purchase is spending money to buy grain, which cannot be counted as opening the source; the source of opening salt grain is in the Salt Administration Prefectural Yamen; that is land tax and donation."

Chen Chen Xingjian's eyelids jumped.

Plus the condition that the gentry collectively opposed it, the answer was already ready to come out!

Sun Sun Dexiu made a slip of the tongue and was deduced to this point by Chen Chen Xingjian, only feeling that he was crying without tears.

At this moment, there was no need for cover-up, he was discouraged and turned his head away: "The donated rice and grain were also accounted for in the water warehouse!"

Xu Xu Fuyuan, a Director of the Ministry of Personnel, didn't understand it just now, but as soon as this word came out, he immediately reacted.

He grabbed Sun Sun Dexiu's collar and lost his voice in horror: "You made a move on the donation, and privately sold official positions!"

Xiao Xiao Liangyou and Wan Wan Xiangchun were late to realize, and changed color in unison.

Donation!

The ancestors set up warehouses to store grain. Those who are willing to pay grain are either rewarded as righteous people, or filled as officials, or given crown belts and scattered officials.

In other words, it is donating money to buy an official position.

For example, Wu Wu Zhipeng's grandfather was a Yin-Yang official who donated—in October of the 23rd year of Emperor Jiajing, the imperial court issued an order that Yin-Yang officials who donated 200 shi of rice were given the regular ninth rank, 300 shi for the regular eighth rank, and 400 shi for the regular seventh rank, all scattered officials.

Monks who donate can be monk officials. In March of the 14th year of Jingtai, the original monk official of Yanzhou Prefecture died of illness, and the monk Juexing donated 700

shi of rice to fill the position.

Military positions in the guard station can also be donated. In the third year of Jingtai, it was stipulated that those above the regular Battalion Commander, including the commander and deputy, donated 800 shi, those above the deputy Battalion Commander donated 600 shi, all promoted; total flags donated 600 shi, small flags and secretaries donated 700 shi, and military surplus donated 800 shi, all can be promoted to trial Company Commander.

Small officials don't have to say, donating 150 shi to be a clerk, donating 200 shi to be a seal-knowing official, donating 100 shi to be a clerk of the three divisions, donating 70

shi to be a clerk of each prefecture and transport division, donating 50 shi to be a clerk of the Prefectural Yamen of miscellaneous positions, donating 30 shi to be a clerk of the Prefectural Yamen of miscellaneous positions.

Even local prefecture and county schools can donate to supplement the prison students.

But there are restrictions on selling official positions like this. First, most of them are scattered officials without power, and small officials without rank; second, it often requires the local area to be unable to open the pot, and it will be specially permitted by the imperial court.

For example, the donation in Hubei and Jiangxi in the 11th year of Chenghua was because of the famine that year, with starving people everywhere, and the local patrol requested the imperial court to donate 200 scattered officials.

Another example is the donation in Zhejiang in August of the 12th year of Chenghua, which was also because the local area suffered from Japanese disasters, and in order to relieve the people, 1,000 prison students were allowed to donate.

Of course, Xuzhou, a place that has been flooded and famined for many years, is a regular customer of requesting to donate scattered officials and prison students.

If the donation matter is violated, and the big hands and feet are moved—no wonder the gentry and people of Xuzhou are so loving and loving!

Sun Sun Dexiu thought about letting these people be afraid of throwing the rat and stop quickly, and at this moment, he broke the jar and broke it: "Yellow River flooded for many years, countless corvée, the few scattered official virtual positions permitted by the imperial court, where is it enough?"

"Falsely reporting the disaster to request donations, changing the number and items of donations, one position for many people, rotating into the prison, and even donating to become an official first, and then changing the file to transfer to the regular position, these tricks have long been the practice before I came to Xuzhou."

"Up and down in Xuzhou, who doesn't want to buy an official body for themselves and buy a prison student for the younger generation?"

"After the Prefectural Yamen opened the door, 1,000 taels for a meeting, 2,000 taels for a meal, 3,000 taels for archery, the Xuzhou gentry can be said to be rushing!"

"Up to now, thousands of people in the river transport, Yin-Yang monks and Taoists, gentry and people, prison students and scholars, embankment clerks, and Prefectural Yamen inspectors, have counted countless people who have taken the crooked path of donation!"

"Once this is broken, connecting to resist the decree and cutting off the river transport, there is nothing that cannot be done!"

"The road is one foot high, the devil is one foot high. Several Grand Secretaries, do good deeds, stop, the national lifeline is involved, the ancestral tomb is above, anti-corruption will destroy the country!"

What a road is one foot high, what a devil is one foot high, it is really bold!

The so-called ancestral tomb is above, which is almost a naked threat to the ancestral tomb. If the gentry's interests are damaged, they would rather let the river transport silt up than infringe on the ancestral tomb and shake the national fortune and king's spirit.

Xiao Xiao Liangyou took a deep breath and looked at Sun Sun Dexiu as if looking at a dead man: "Even so, the donation itself also paid grain, and it shouldn't have left a flaw in the accounts of the water warehouse."

【Blank line】

He paused and asked: "Where is the grain donated?"

Sun Sun Dexiu hesitated for a long time and couldn't speak clearly.

Ke Yong turned his head and met Xiao Xiao Liangyou's gaze: "At that time, the warehouse storage was damaged and it was not convenient to store. The prefecture Prefectural Yamen and the Household Department Branch discussed it and changed the donated grain and grass into silver into the warehouse."

"This matter—has not yet been presented to the center."

Chen Chen Xingjian, as the Supervising Hai Yushi of the Household Department, laughed angrily: "Where is the silver converted into color?"

Ke Yong pursed his lips and stopped talking.

Sun Sun Dexiu looked at the hateful appearance of these civil officials, and felt more and more terrified in his heart.

He was extremely discouraged and muttered: "Disaster relief, all issued for disaster relief, the people's appetite is too big."

Sun Sun Dexiu couldn't understand why these scholars were like this. He was so miserable, why did they have no empathy and understanding?

Since he entered the palace, his ability was outstanding, and he was praised by big eunuchs and concubines many times.

However, his pride in work could not hide his disappointment in spiritual and material life—the incompleteness of his body, the meager salary, the coldness of the palace, and the departure from his hometown to Xuzhou made his life always covered with a layer of gray.

It was also under such circumstances that he was quickly discovered by local officials and gentry, and surrounded and corrupted.

The emotional value that the imperial court couldn't give was actually obtained in the Xuzhou officialdom. If it weren't for this, how could he walk with these people?

Isn't this encounter worthy of sympathy?

Thinking of these, Sun Sun Dexiu's eyes turned red, and he actually cried on the spot.

Xiao Xiao Liangyou saw this scene and was so disgusted that he almost vomited.

At this time, Wan Wan Xiangchun pressed Xiao Xiao Liangyou's hand and pulled him aside: "Xiao Tanhua!"

Xiao Xiao Liangyou looked back in doubt.

After several people gathered aside alone.

Wan Wan Xiangchun opened his mouth with a solemn face: "The treacherous eunuch is hateful, but this matter is related to the national lifeline, and it really needs to be cautious."

Letting the small seniority take the pot is fine.

But shaking the river transport and splitting the north and south, no one can carry the pot.

Xiao Xiao Liangyou frowned and interrupted directly: "The thief is in front, does Wan Supervising Hai Yushi want to raise his hand high?"

Wan Wan Xiangchun hadn't finished speaking when he was interrupted, and the dissatisfaction in his eyes flashed.

Let the person with less seniority take the blame; it won't matter.

Xiao Xiao Liangyou knew that he had said something wrong in a hurry, and immediately arched his hands to apologize, signaling Wan Wan Xiangchun to continue.

Wan Wan Xiangchun snorted coldly and continued: "Draw a bottom line for this case, and it must not affect the river transport and shake the national lifeline. Do you have any objections?"

Chen Chen Xingjian and Xu Xu Fuyuan nodded immediately.

Xiao Xiao Liangyou thought for a moment and nodded.

The south connects to the nine lands of Two Huai-Chu, the east guides the circulation of the Qi-Lu groups, and the trade of merchants and the abundance of goods—it is not just the economy, but also highlights the status of the canal in maintaining the foundation of this dynasty.

Wan Wan Xiangchun breathed a sigh of relief: "The case should be handled, but the 'involvement' matter is pressed and not discussed, and a clear line is drawn."

Slaughtering the officialdom can't ruin things. It's easy to kill one batch and fill another.

Xiao Xiao Liangyou pondered for a moment and also nodded.

Collecting taxes depends on these people, conscripting corvée laborers depends on these people, and supervising the gates depends on these people. If you want to ruin the river transport, it is really not a bluff.

Then, it was precisely this kind of old-fashioned words, but Xiao Xiao Liangyou shook his head: "Wan Supervising Hai Yushi, what cutting off river transport, anti-corruption destroying the country, is nothing more than intimidation by the generation."

"Is it possible that there are no good officials in the Xuzhou officialdom? Is it possible that there are no good people in the Xuzhou people who rely on river transport to eat?"

"On the premise of not shaking the river transport, this matter should be cautious, but there is no step to be tied up."

What cutting off river transport, it is nothing more than saying that there are no good officials in Xuzhou, no good people in Xuzhou, it seems that once anti-corruption continues, the officialdom will be empty, and the gentry and people will rebel.

This is looking at the leopard and not seeing Mount Tai.

Wan Wan Xiangchun only saw that the corrupt officials held power and possessed a group of "supporters," so he was confused by the illusion, worried that if anti-corruption was too fierce, he might encounter some people's desperate counterattack, causing the destruction of Confucianism and the country, and even planned to avoid it slightly.

This kind of thinking puts the good people and good merchants in Xuzhou who want to live a good life in what position?

Xiao Xiao Liangyou paused and added: "You and I, how can we overestimate the ambition of corrupt officials and underestimate the imperial court's ability to govern? Wan Supervising Hai Yushi, you are only thirty miles away from the soft-clique error."

1

Wan Wan Xiangchun heard this and finally couldn't help it.

His blood surged and he said angrily: "You younger generation is blindly optimistic and ignores the reality!"

"Change to land transport? Do you know how the 4 million shi of autumn grain needs to be transported by land? Use dry boats! Pour water on the official road in winter to freeze, and drag the boats to slide! Daily travel is no more than a few li!"

"Do you know why the annual transport of sea transport is limited to 500,000 shi? Because sea ships have dangers and there are winds on the sea! Once overturned, it is a total loss. Who dares to take all the 4 million shi of autumn grain by sea?"

"What underestimate and overestimate, it's all paper talk. If you haven't seen some people jump over the wall, don't say burning the dragon warehouse, cutting off the river transport, even if they are resentful, they will pay out of their own pockets to pass military intelligence to the Tatars!"

"In my opinion, it is Compiler Xiao who has half a foot into the rigid error!"

Really think anti-corruption is the first priority of the country?

Throughout history, interfering with river transport, which time is not the Emperor the first to be anxious?

Once the river transport is shaken, the Zhu family Emperor even has to explicitly state that the punishment of corruption should be postponed—"If there is anything that can pacify the country, save the people, and smooth the river channel, all things that benefit and remove harm should be listened to."

Reversing the primary and secondary and ruining the big things, they are the first to be unlucky!

The two looked at each other angrily, and actually quarreled in public like this.

The two big eunuchs were driven from the water warehouse to Mount Mount Yunlong by Fan Xue Yingqi. In order to seek a glimmer of life, they revealed part of the bottom to Xiao Xiao Liangyou and others, and had long been tense, paying attention to the reaction of these people at all times.

Seeing that there seemed to be a dispute here, where could they not understand the truth of striking while the iron is hot.

Ke Yong stepped forward to several people and took the initiative to say: "Sun Supervising Hai Yushi asked about the silver money for donation

If the grain transport is truly shaken, the Zhu family Emperor might even have to indicate that the matter of punishing corruption should be put on the back burner—"If there is anything that can pacify the state, save the people, and clear the river channels, all matters that promote benefit and eliminate harm shall be heard."

If they invert the primary and secondary and ruin the big picture, they will be the first of this group to suffer!

The two glared at each other, and to everyone's surprise, they began to argue right there in public.

The two great eunuchs had been driven from the Water Storage Warehouse to Mount Mount Yunlong by Fan Xue Yingqi. In order to seek a glimmer of survival, they had already disclosed part of the truth to Xiao Xiao Liangyou and the others. They had long been on edge, constantly monitoring the reactions of these few men.

Seeing that a dispute seemed to have broken out here, how could they not understand the principle of striking while the iron is hot?

Ke Yong took small steps to approach the men and took the initiative to say: "Just now, Supervising Secretary Sun asked about the donated silver. I just remembered that a few years ago, taking advantage of Prince Lu's establishment of his mansion, I respectfully offered one hundred thousand taels to the Marquis of Marquis Wuqing through the Earl of Pingjiang."

"As for who knows about these things and who doesn't, it's not for me to say."

"I hope you all will think carefully!"

Chen Chen Xingjian rolled his eyes, and Xu Xu Fuyuan supported his forehead with his hand.

It's the Marquis of Marquis Wuqing again; every time there's an anti-corruption drive, this guy is involved!

Wan Wan Xiangchun heard the insidiousness in Ke Yong's words even more clearly. This guy bribed the Marquis of Marquis Wuqing, so he bribed the Marquis of Marquis Wuqing—why mention Prince Lu's establishment of his mansion?

Is this implying that the Empress Dowager demanded it for her son? Could it even be that the rewards back then came from the inner court's accounts, and perhaps even had His Majesty's tacit approval?

Wan Wan Xiangchun opened his mouth to speak, but in the end, he didn't dare to ask.

"Are you implying that you, this treacherous eunuch, were collecting wealth in Xuzhou with the tacit approval of the two Empress Dowagers and His Majesty, and that we shouldn't meddle in other people's business?"

The men were stunned and speechless, turning their heads in unison to look at Xiao Xiao Liangyou, who had spoken without thinking.

Even Ke Yong was struck dumb by the remark, standing frozen on the spot.

Xiao Xiao Liangyou frowned: "What are you using the tiger's skin for? I'm asking you a question!"

Ke Yong shivered.

He had originally intended to use vague wording to lead these men to think of the Emperor and the Empress Dowager, not daring to ask more, but he hadn't expected Xiao Xiao Liangyou to ask it directly.

Now it's over; even if he hadn't been corrupt, he would have his legs broken by the staff.

Not to mention that he really had been corrupt—

Seeing that he was slow to answer, Xiao Xiao Liangyou lost his patience, turned his head to consult Xu Xu Fuyuan and the others: "As for how to try the case, there is still room for discussion among us."

"But in any case, the crimes of these two treacherous eunuchs are already clear; it wouldn't hurt to take them into custody first."

Ke Yong backed away a few steps abruptly, his tone fierce but his spirit weak: "Xu Xu Fuyuan, Xiao Xiao Liangyou! I am kindly advising you not to ruin yourselves!

"—"

Chen Chen Xingjian hesitated for a moment: "Our ministry has no authority to arrest him."

It is as they say, there is a distinction between inside and outside.

If they had had this authority, Fan Xue Yingqi would have arrested these two while he was inspecting the warehouses, and it wouldn't have come to diverting the trouble and sending them to Mount Mount Yunlong.

Ke Yong let out a long sigh of relief and retreated to the corner: "That's just it. I am the Imperial Commissioner supervising the Guangyun warehouse, concurrently managing the affairs of the Yongfu warehouse and the transport; I am an Imperial Commissioner!"

"Except for His Majesty's decree, no one can touch me!"

Xiao Xiao Liangyou's expression was impatient.

The logic is sound, but there is absolutely no reason to let the man go.

He took the initiative to volunteer to the few senior officials: "Execute first, report later! I will go find Judge Chen to sign and seal the papers myself."

Hearing this, the men were moved and fell into hesitation.

Seeing that these men were caught in a dilemma, Ke Yong hurriedly pulled out the tiger's skin again, saying loudly: "I am the Warehouse Commissioner nominated by the Directorate of Ceremonial, personally appointed by the Empress Dowager, and approved by His Majesty!"

"Do you really think the palace knows nothing about what I've done in Xuzhou these years, the hundreds of thousands of taels of silver?"

"I advise you all: this is the lifeline of the dynasty. Do not let the people of Xuzhou go hungry, and do not make things difficult for His Majesty!

"—"

"If you raise your hands high and let this end here, you will be protecting the grain transport below and reporting the imperial grace above; in terms of both reason and emotion, there is nothing to criticize."

"If not, never mind you mere Directors and Secretaries—even if the Heavenly King himself came!"

Halfway through the sentence, his words came to an abrupt halt.

Sun Sun Dexiu, who was standing to the side, would occasionally nod in agreement and occasionally lower his head and sob. Hearing this sentence that was only half-spoken, he felt truly uncomfortable and couldn't help but burst into laughter through his tears: "Is this introducing someone?"

He made a joke, intending to ease the atmosphere, but no one answered.

Sun Sun Dexiu looked up in confusion.

He saw Ke Yong with a look of disbelief and bitterness, staring blankly at the stone steps of the mountain path where they had arrived.

The young eunuchs who had come with them were also looking down, their legs trembling in twos and threes, shaking the sticks from their hands.

Xu Xu Fuyuan, Xiao Xiao Liangyou, and the others not far away simply abandoned them and walked toward the mountain path to greet the arrivals.

Sun Sun Dexiu followed their gaze and saw a group of people walking up the mountain in a dense crowd, coming straight toward them.

Vice Minister of Works Wan Gong, Grand Coordinator of River Works Pan Pan Jixun, former Vice Minister of Works and Grand Coordinator of River Works Fu Fu Xizhi, and Director of the Waterways Office of the Ministry of Works Liu Liu Dongxing—they were all familiar faces.

Of course, there was also the person they least wanted to see.

Sun Sun Dexiu felt his shoulder being pressed and realized that Ke Yong beside him was standing unsteadily and was leaning on him.

The two looked at each other, finally came to their senses, and helped each other forward in terror, all falling to their knees miserably: "Your servant kowtows to the Heavenly King, the Ten Thousand Year Emperor."

Zhu Zhu Yijun walked up the steps, listening to this form of address in confusion.

He glanced at the sticks scattered all over the ground outside the temple and the chaotic scene, pondering for a while before he understood.

However, he had been traveling through dust and wind on this journey and was truly exhausted; he had no heart to answer.

"Call everyone; organize a meeting." Zhu Zhu Yijun waved his hand, left behind this arrangement, and plunged into Xinghua Temple.

The group of people around him didn't even look at the eunuchs; they surrounded the Emperor like stars around the moon and ushered him into the temple gate.

Only Wei Chao of the Directorate of Ceremonial deliberately lagged half a step behind to clean up the mess in the inner palace.

He summoned the young eunuchs to question them before he understood what had happened.

Wei Chao turned his head to look at the two great eunuchs who had been clamoring just a moment ago, his expression one of disgust.

Sun Sun Dexiu and Ke Yong had originally been kneeling on the ground awaiting the fate of being beaten to death, but hearing that the Emperor had not called for them to be beaten or killed, and had instead ignored them and entered the temple directly, hope ignited in their eyes once more.

The two were covered in tears and snot, scrambling to hug Wei Chao's legs, asking urgently: "Old Ancestor, His Majesty has the Nine Provinces and Ten Thousand Directions in his heart; he will surely not be confined to one prefecture or one county."

"Is the matter of Xuzhou going to be glossed over?"

These were words passed down by the Old Ancestor after he had fathomed the Imperial will; they must have their logic.

A little corruption in the Xuzhou officialdom is nothing compared to the lifeline of the state like the grain transport; it is simply not worth mentioning.

The two looked up at Wei Chao with great expectation, waiting for Wei Chao's reply to let them off the hook.

Wei Chao was stunned when he heard this, couldn't help but laugh, and then nodded solemnly, saying with genuine feeling: "The Ten Thousand Year Emperor has the Nine Provinces and Ten Thousand Directions in his heart; naturally, he considers the big picture."

The two were overjoyed, feeling that they had survived a catastrophe, and were about to take advantage of the situation to stand up and say a few celebratory words while clinging to him.

However, different people have different understandings of the "big picture."

The next moment, Wei Chao's expression changed; he immediately restrained the smile on his face, looked down at the two with a stern expression, and scolded from above: "Sun Sun Dexiu, Ke Yong!"

"You have consistently ignored the advice of the central government, conspired to seize state property, and extorted the people's wealth. Now, by His Majesty's decree, you are dismissed from office for investigation, to be punished with two hundred strokes of the heavy staff, and transferred to the Censorate at the temporary capital!"

"Take them away!"