Tibet

In the afternoon, Li Ye summoned Li Lin, the minister of Zongzheng Temple, and told him about Li Shi.

Li Lin pondered for a moment and said: "It is not a secret that the emperor's eldest grandson went crazy. Basically everyone in the clan knows about it. Only Li Fuguo did not allow the matter to be investigated, and Zongzheng Temple did not respond at all."

"Does Zongzheng Temple know about Li Shi's death? I heard from the Shen family that they notified the court."

Li Lin nodded, "I informed the court, but was suppressed by Li Fuguo. In fact, the situation was very chaotic at the time, and after the three kings rebelled, no one took care of this matter at all."

"What did the Shen family say?"

"The Shen family said that the emperor's grandson raped the maid, and the maid pulled out the hairpin in an attempt to commit suicide. When the emperor's grandson was fighting for the hairpin, he was accidentally stabbed in the heart by the hairpin and died. They also said that at that time, he completely lost his mind, was as crazy as a demon, and had no idea. People dare to stop it.”

Li Ye nodded. Although the Shen family's statement was vague, it was considered to be true.

Li Ye pondered for a moment and said: "I will send the inner guards to investigate this matter. If it is true, there is no need to pursue it anymore. I will directly ask the inner guards to transport Li Shi's body back to Chang'an. Zongzheng Temple will rebury him together with the remains of Shu King Li Tan." Burial."

"I fully support His Highness's decision!"

"That's it! I'll arrange the inner guards later. If necessary, Zongzheng Temple can also arrange for an official to follow the inner guards to Huzhou."

Li Lin smiled bitterly and said: "Your Highness, please arrange internal guards! Zongzheng Temple will not go to Zongzheng Temple. This matter will cause great harm to the royal family's face."

"That's fine! That's the end of the matter."

Li Lin left, and Li Ye thought for a moment. Just as he was about to send someone to notify Li Chenghua, Du You said at the door: "Your Highness, the inner guard Li Dutong wants to see you!"

Arriving just in time, Li Ye smiled and said, "Invite her in!"

After a moment, Li Chenghua walked in quickly, cupped his fists and saluted, "See you, Your Highness!"

"What a coincidence. I was about to send someone to find you."

"His Highness, is he looking for a humble position?"

Li Ye nodded, "Let's talk about your business first! I'll talk to you later."

"I am here to report to His Highness the Bashu private salt case. The mastermind behind the private salt case has been found out by the internal guards."

"who is it?"

"Reporting to Your Highness, this is Cui Wei, son of Cui Yuan, governor of Chengdu."

Li Ye's face immediately darkened. No wonder there was a proliferation of illegal salt on Jiannan Road and Shannan West Road. It turned out that Cui Yuan's son was behind it.

"Does Cui Yuan know about this?"

"The humble position thinks he knows!"

Li Ye took a few steps with his hands behind his back and asked again: "Is the evidence conclusive?"

"Reporting to Your Highness, the evidence is conclusive."

Li Chenghua put a report on the table, "This is the internal security investigation report. It lasted for half a year and completely investigated various relationships."

Li Ye picked up the report and flipped through a few pages. Judging from the facts in the report, even if Cui Yuan did not participate, he must have known about it.

But Cui Yuan is not an ordinary person! He has very deep connections in various parts of Jiannan. If he knew that the imperial court was going to deal with him, he would probably cause a huge commotion.

We must first think of a strategy to transfer him out of Chengdu, and then secretly bring him back to Chang'an. Only then can we attack his son.

Thinking of this, Li Ye nodded, "I know about this. I will transfer Cui Yuan out of Bashu first, and then I will notify you before taking action. Before that, the internal guards cannot make any moves to prevent alerting the enemy!"

"I humbly obey my orders!"

Li Ye waved his hand and said: "Let's talk about what I'm looking for you. Send someone to the Shen family in Huzhou to investigate the cause of death of the emperor's grandson Li Shi. I know how he died, and I don't want to hold anyone responsible. I just want a copy. Just report, and then take his bones back to Chang'an."

"Your Highness just wants an investigation report?"

"Yes! I'm not asking you to solve the case, nor am I asking you to arrest people, but I'm asking you to investigate the cause of death. In addition, by the way, I'm asking you to investigate the situation of the Qiantang River thief Song Guangchun."

"I understand, I will go back and arrange for people to go to Huzhou."

Li Chenghua bowed and left.

Li Ye thought for a long time, then got up and went to Zhongshu Province to find his father Li Dai.

Li Ye and his son, one was the regent of the country and the other was the right minister Zhongshu Ling. They seemed to control the military and political power of the entire Tang Dynasty, but in fact all the officials did not think so. On the contrary, it was Li Dai who was the right minister. The Prime Minister truly achieved the separation of powers between the monarch and the prime minister, and the political hall had unprecedented power.

Li Dai's fairness, generosity and incorruptibility won him the respect of the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty, especially when the imperial court was in the most difficult financial situation. Hundreds of officials in the imperial court had not been paid their salaries for several months. Many low-level officials were unable to take the blame at home and were about to be evicted by their landlords. At home, Li Dai stepped forward resolutely, spent all his family wealth, used his own money to subsidize the most needy officials, and helped low-level officials survive the most difficult years.

It is for this reason that many officials even hoped that Li Dai would ascend the throne and create a true civil dynasty. However, Li Dai's resolute refusal to ascend the throne made everyone give up on this idea.

When Li Ye came to his father's palace, he happened to meet his father Li Dai discussing something with Li Xian.

"Your Highness is here!" Li Xian quickly stood up and said with a smile.

"Otherwise, I'll take my leave now and talk to Jingwen later."

Li Ye smiled and waved his hand, "Li Shangshu happens to be here. My affairs are related to the Ministry of Industry. Let's get together!"

Li Xian nodded and sat down. Li Ye also sat down and handed the inner guard report to his father Li Dai, "Let's take a look at this first!"

Li Dai took a brief look at the report, and was suddenly shocked and angry. He handed the report to Li Xian, and then said to Li Ye: "This Cui Yuan is simply audacious. No wonder starting from the second half of last year, the salt tax in Bashu and Shu has been reduced sharply. It turns out that his son Something is happening!"

Jiannan Road and Shannan West Road are pilot projects for tax reform. They use monopoly indirect taxes to replace household taxes. Li Ye considered using salt, iron, sugar and wine to implement monopoly, and then abolished household taxes and commercial taxes, otherwise the people would not be willing to separate their families. , to avoid household tax, which is not conducive to population growth.

Once the household tax is abolished and the government forces family separation, the people's resistance will not be so great. Otherwise, if one household is divided into three households, the people will have to pay an extra five guan in taxes every year, and no one will want to divide the family.

After Li Xian read the report, he said to Li Ye: "Judging from the report, Cui Yuan's son is selling salt so unscrupulously, and Cui Yuan must be aware of it."

Li Ye nodded, "I think he knows about it, but Cui Yuan has deep roots in Bashu. If he arrests people in a hurry, I'm afraid it will trigger civil strife in Bashu."

"Then what do you plan to do?" Li Dai asked.

Li Ye smiled slightly and said: "Deceive him out of Chengdu and arrest him secretly in a remote place."

"Is there a plan?"

Li Ye nodded, "If I remember correctly, Cui Yuan also serves as the transfer envoy to Jiannan, right?"

Li Dai thought for a moment and said, "It seems so!"

Li Ye said slowly: "I suggest that the Zhengshitang take the lead in convening the transfer envoys of Jiannan Road and Shannan West Road, as well as officials from various states along the way, to gather in Miangu County, Lizhou to discuss the Jialing River water transport dredging. Cui Yuan is the transfer envoy of Jiannan Road." It is also related to the transportation of materials to Jiannan Road. Cui Yuan will definitely go. The internal guards secretly arrested Cui Yuan in Miangu County, Lizhou. Without Cui Yuan in charge of Chengdu, his son and other officials would not be able to escape. "

Li Xian gave a thumbs up and praised: "This is a brilliant idea. The dredging of the Jialing River has been underway for a long time. Officials from the Ministry of Industry have also gone to the field for exploration. Seeing that the Danba Waterway is about to be completed, it is urgent to implement the dredging of the Jialing River. "

Li Dai smiled and said: "Then please ask Li Shangshu to go to Lizhou!"

Li Xian is the Minister of Industry, and this matter happens to be within his jurisdiction.

Li Xian thought for a while and said: "Of course there is no problem for me to go, but it is best to hold a meeting in the Political Affairs Hall, make a resolution, summon relevant officials in the name of the Political Affairs Hall, and then I will go to Lizhou with the Governor of the City of Water."

Li Dai nodded, "It makes sense, just treat it as a serious matter!"