Sign a Lu Fengxian at the beginning

Chapter 146 Drag out and search the house

The Hall of Nourishing Heart.

After Zhou Chen listened to several suggestions from Du Ruhui, he looked at Liu Ye again.

Liu Ye also gave some suggestions of his own.

The two of them basically have the same idea, and neither of them recommends taking immediate and aggressive action against the Prime Minister, the Minister of Hubu, and the Minister of Punishment at the same time.

Instead, break one of them first and disintegrate them one by one.

This is also in line with Zhou Chen's thoughts.

Without sufficient preparation, if the Prime Minister, the Minister of Hubu and the Minister of Punishment are attacked together, a lot of officials will be involved at once.

And it is not easy to fill the positions of these officials all at once.

This would be extremely detrimental to the stability of the court.

After Zhou Chen pondered for a moment, he looked at Du Ruhui and Liu Ye again: "What about the King of Shu?"

"Do you have any good suggestions for King Shu?"

Zhou Chen looked at Du Ruhui and Liu Ye and asked.

The suggestions made by Du Ruhui and Liu Ye just now were directed at the three major aristocratic families and Prime Minister Yuan Bo.

There is no mention of the most important figure, the King of Shu.

Facing Zhou Chen's question, Du Ruhui and Liu Ye looked at each other.

I smiled bitterly in my heart.

The suggestions they just made did not involve the King of Shu, just to avoid this sensitive person as much as possible and not to get involved in royal affairs.

In the opinion of Du Ruhui and Liu Ye, as long as the Prime Minister and the three major aristocratic families are eliminated, the King of Shu will not be able to cause any big trouble.

How to deal with the King of Shu is a matter for the emperor Zhou Chen.

But now, Zhou Chen asked the two of them directly.

Then the two of them can't turn a blind eye.

"Your Majesty, the King of Shu is your Majesty's imperial brother. This is your Majesty's family matter, and it all depends on your Majesty's judgment."

Du Ruhui and Liu Ye said in unison.

The meaning of the two of them was very obvious, that is, this was a family matter for the emperor Zhou Chen, and their ministers had no suggestions, and it was all decided by Zhou Chen.

Zhou Chen didn't say anything more after hearing what the two said.

Zhou Chen understood what the two of them were thinking, and even a smart person would probably not intervene in such a matter.

Therefore, Zhou Chen stopped asking Du Ruhui and Liu Ye what they meant.

After Du Ruhui and Liu Ye left, Zhou Chen's eyes flickered in thought.

After a while.

"Cao Zhengchun."

"You heard what Du Ruhui and Liu Ye just said! Just do as they said."

"Also, I will send factory guards to Shu. I want to know all the situation of the King of Shu in Shu."

Zhou Chen glanced at Cao Zhengchun and said.

Since the King of Shu has hooked up with wealthy families such as the Yuan family and wants to change the world, Zhou Chen does not believe that King Zhou Zhi is unprepared in Shu.

The news from the Shu region that the factory guards had previously conveyed was only the most basic news.

This time, Zhou Chen asked the factory guards to find out everything about Zhou Zhi's situation in Shu.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Cao Zhengchun immediately bowed and said.

…

the next day.

Morning starts.

Zhou Chen climbed onto the dragon platform, turned around and sat on the dragon chair, looking down at the civil and military officials below.

"Long live your Majesty. Long live your Majesty."

All civil and military officials knelt down and shouted.

Zhou Chen looked down at the civil and military officials and said calmly, "Everyone is safe."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

After receiving Zhou Chen's permission, the civil and military officials stood up one after another.

"When there is something going on, we will start, and when there is nothing going on, we will retreat."

Cao Zhengchun's sharp voice sounded.

"Your Majesty, I have something to report."

As soon as Cao Zhengchun finished speaking, a minister stood up and spoke loudly.

…

An hour later, the ministers finished their duties and the morning court came to an end.

Zhou Chen raised his eyes and glanced at the civil and military officials: "Dear ladies, do you have anything else to report?"

The civil and military officials looked at each other, bowed and said, "I am gone."

"Since you have nothing to report, I have something to ask you," Zhou Chen said, looking down at the civil and military officials below.

"There was a severe drought in the four northern states, and the imperial court issued a decree to provide disaster relief. If I remember correctly, five million taels of silver were allocated to provide relief to the four northern states."

"One million taels of it are used for disaster relief in the four northwest prefectures."

"But as far as I know, the one million taels was short of 200,000 taels as soon as it left the Household Department. After arriving in the four northwest prefectures, the one million taels of disaster relief silver was left with only 500,000 taels."

"My dear friends, can anyone tell me where the five hundred thousand taels of disaster relief money went?"

Zhou Chen calmly looked down at the civil and military officials below.

When the civil and military officials below heard this, their expressions changed.

None of them expected that Zhou Chen would suddenly talk about the previous drought relief in the four northern states in the morning meeting.

Now, the rebels in the four northern states have been wiped out, disaster relief is in full swing, and the entire four northern states have gradually stabilized.

Is Your Majesty about to start settling scores?

The thought came up, and Bai Guan's heart sank.

Especially the Minister of Hubu and other officials of the Hubu had a bad premonition in their hearts.

Your Majesty directly named one million disaster relief funds and the household department was short of 200,000 taels. What does this imply?

Doesn't this mean that we are going to attack their household department?

Just as Baiguan's mind was spinning with thoughts, Zhou Chen's voice rang out again.

"The other four million taels of disaster relief money, as far as I know, the actual amount used for disaster relief and relief is less than two million taels."

"My dear friends, who can tell me where the other two million taels have gone?"

Zhou Chen looked down at the civil and military officials below, his face gradually turning cold.

"The disaster relief silver is a tael of silver used to help the people of Zhou Dynasty. It is life-saving money. One tael of disaster relief silver can save several lives."

"I have never thought that our officials in the Great Zhou Dynasty are so dark-hearted that they would even dare to take such life-saving money."

"I have always believed that my officials in the Great Zhou Dynasty are honest and upright. Even if they are selfish, they will put the country and the country of the Great Zhou Dynasty first and will not disregard the life and death of the people."

Zhou Chen's voice was low and depressing, like a volcano before an eruption, the tranquility of a storm.

"But now, I find that I was wrong."

"My Great Zhou Dynasty certainly has honest and upright ministers, but it also does not lack those corrupt worms who ignore the country and the country of our Great Zhou Dynasty, regard the life and death of the people as if they are nothing."

Zhou Chen's voice shook the hall and echoed in the ears of the civil and military officials.

"These corrupt worms who have no regard for the country and the country of the Great Zhou Dynasty and have no regard for the life and death of the people are ruining my country and the country of the Great Zhou Dynasty. I cannot tolerate it."

"I can't tolerate it either."

Zhou Chen's sharp eyes glanced at the civil and military officials below, and the power of the emperor burst out in an instant: "Are you going to stand up and admit your crimes on your own, or will you let me pick you out one by one?"

"I give you a chance to choose."

"If you don't choose, I will let Dongchang choose for you."

Zhou Chen's voice was calm, but his tone was cold.

All the civil and military officials in the hall couldn't help but shiver all over their bodies.

At this moment, the atmosphere in the hall was extremely depressing.

Cold sweat broke out on the foreheads of some officials.

Especially, when they heard the words Zhou Chen said, "Let Dongchang help you choose," it made some officials' legs tremble.

"Plop."

An official lost his balance and fell to the ground.

The dense beads of sweat on his forehead already showed the official's inner struggle and tension.

"Drag it out."

"Searching the house."

Zhou Chen glanced at the official coldly and waved directly.

Two factory guards came in, picked up the official and dragged him outside.

"Your Majesty, I am wronged!"

"I just feel numb in my legs. I don't have any money for corruption relief."

No matter how much the official shouted, he was dragged directly out of the Jinluan Hall by the factory guards.

Only the official's shouts were left echoing in the Jinluan Hall.

Seeing this official being dragged out and his house ransacked, the atmosphere in the hall suddenly became aroused.

The ministers were somewhat silent and lowered their heads, not daring to make the slightest move.

After a while.

Zhou Chen's cold voice sounded in the ears of the ministers again.

"It seems that some of my dear friends are not going to stand up and plead guilty."

"He wanted me to let Dongchang choose for him."

Zhou Chen said and looked at the Minister of the Ministry of Finance: "Shang Shu of the Ministry of Finance, don't you have anything to say to me?"

"As the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, you are in charge of the treasury of the Ministry of Household Affairs. As a result, one million disaster relief funds were lost by 200,000 taels as soon as you left the door of the Ministry of Household Affairs."

"Do the rats in your household even eat money?"

Zhou Chen looked at the Secretary of the Ministry of Finance with an expressionless face and said.

When the Minister of Hubu heard Zhou Chen's words and saw Zhou Chen pointing directly at him, his heart suddenly sank to the bottom.

"Your Majesty, I am guilty."

"I am the Minister of the Ministry of Hubu, and something like this happened in the Ministry of Hubu, but I know nothing about it."

"I have committed a crime of negligence. Please forgive me, Your Majesty."

"But I can guarantee that I have never embezzled one tael of disaster relief money."

"Your Majesty, please investigate clearly."

The Minister of Household Affairs knelt on the ground with a bang and said.

The Minister of Hubu didn't know why the emperor Zhou Chen suddenly pointed his finger at him, the Minister of Hubu.

It stands to reason that the affairs of the Ministry of Finance have been dealt with by the Minister of the Ministry of Finance, so it is impossible to involve him.

But now, Zhou Chen, the emperor's posture, clearly seemed to have found out that he, the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, was on the head.

This made Shangshu Hube's heart tighten and raise his throat.

Yeah?

Zhou Chen sneered.

"Cao Zhengchun, read out what you found in the East Factory to my Lord Shangshu."

Zhou Chen glanced at Cao Zhengchun who was standing beside him and said.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Cao Zhengchun took a step forward, glanced at the ministers, and said loudly, "After investigation by Dongchang, it was found that Fan Yongdou, the Secretary of the Ministry of Revenue, embezzled 2.58 million taels of disaster relief money from the four northern states."

"One month ago, the silver taels obtained from the destruction of the Wujin Party were transferred to the treasury of the Ministry of Household Affairs. Fan Yongdou, the Minister of Household Affairs, embezzled 1.42 million taels."

"Accepted a bribe of two million three hundred and forty thousand taels."

…

"Fan Yongdou, the Minister of Household Affairs, has a total of twenty-eight mansions, hundreds of properties in each place, and several farms and fields..."

As Cao Zhengchun read out one sentence after another, Fan Yongdou, the Minister of Revenue, changed his expression.

Every time Cao Zhengchun read one sentence, Fan Yongdou, the Minister of Household Affairs, turned pale.

Because every crime that Cao Zhengchun read out, Fan Yongdou, the Minister of Household Affairs, knew it best.

After Cao Zhengchun finished reciting, Fan Yongdou, the Minister of Household Affairs, had no color on his face.

Fan Yongdou, the Minister of Household Affairs, never expected that Dongchang would find out these crimes against him.

How can this be?

He has already dealt with it very cleanly, how could Dongchang still find out?

What Fan Yongdou, the Minister of Household Affairs, did not expect the most was that Dongchang not only found out these crimes against him, but also found out about his family property.

Although these properties are not all of him, but only a part of him, they are enough to shock people.

When the officials in the main hall heard the charges read out by Cao Zhengchun, they looked at the pale face of Fan Yongdou, the Minister of Household Affairs. They didn't understand that the charges read out by Cao Zhengchun were probably correct.

Most officials suddenly became worried.

This Dongchang can find out so many things from the Minister of Household Affairs, can't they be found out?

Prime Minister Yuan Bo's expression also changed slightly, and he secretly cursed Fan Yongdou, the Minister of Household Affairs, "Idiot."

He had already reminded Fan Yongdou, the transfer minister, that the emperor Zhou Chen might start from this aspect.

Let Fan Yongdou, the Secretary of the Ministry of Revenue, clean up everything that needs to be cleaned up. Don't leave any traces, don't touch any money in a short period of time, and be safe.

But Fan Yongdou, the Minister of Household Affairs, succeeded more than he failed, and actually turned a deaf ear to his words.

Now that I'm fine, I've been found out by Dongchang. Is there any room for escape?

After Cao Zhengchun finished reading these charges, Zhou Chen looked at Fan Yongdou, the Minister of Household Affairs again.

"My Lord, is this what you just told me that you didn't embezzle one tael of disaster relief money?"

"Those properties of yours, Dongchang only investigated a part of them, and they have already covered my tax for two years."

"You can't tell me that your family property is the salary I gave you, right?"

Zhou Chen looked at Fan Yongdou, the Minister of Household Affairs, and said sarcastically.

I really don’t know if I don’t check. I’ll be shocked if I check.

Part of the property of a Minister of the Ministry of Households can already bear the tax for the first two years of the Great Zhou Dynasty. If the entire property is not known how much it is!

Zhou Chen knew that these officials were greedy, but he didn't expect how greedy they would be.

The family property of this Minister of the Ministry of Revenue is estimated to be able to cover the tax revenue for five years, which is even richer than the family property of the previous general Wu Jin.

"Your Majesty, I am wronged!"

"I come from the Jiexiu Fan family, and all the family property is divided among the family. None of it was embezzled by me."

"As for the disaster relief money and the money in the household treasury, I am not even greedy. This is definitely framed by someone!"

"Please give your Majesty a clear warning."

Fan Yongdou, the Secretary of the Ministry of Revenue, trembled for a moment, reacted immediately, regained his composure, and defended loudly.

Unjustly accused?

"It's already come to this point, and you're still complaining to me that you're wronged?"

"Drag it out."

"Put him in Dongchang Prison and give me a good trial. I want to see how unjust he is."

Zhou Chen's cold voice fell.

Two factory guards walked in, stepped forward and grabbed Fan Yongdou, the Minister of Revenue.

"boom……"

Fan Yongdou's momentum changed and he knocked away two factory guards.

"Hunjun."

"You first killed the Taifu and the general for various reasons, and then destroyed the Minister of Works, the Minister of Personnel and other important officials of the court."

"Now, you want to beat me to a trick and unjustly accuse me, the Minister of the Ministry of Finance."

"You are unworthy of all previous emperors of the Zhou Dynasty for killing Zhongliang like this."

"For the sake of the country and the country of Zhou, I will kill you, this foolish king, first."

After Fan Yongdou, the Secretary of the Ministry of Revenue, knocked away two factory guards, he flew directly towards Zhou Chen who was sitting on the dragon chair.

Because Fan Yongdou has already seen the situation in front of him, that is, no matter what, he is doomed.

In this case, Fan Yongdou has nothing to worry about.

Anyway, there is no way to escape death, so it is better to use some residual heat before death.

The most important thing is that Fan Yongdou doesn't want to go to Dongchang's prison.

He was afraid that he would not be able to withstand the torture of Dongchang and said something that he should not say.

(End of chapter)