Today's cabinet meeting did not have much to discuss, so it ended quickly. However, after the cabinet meeting, Jiajing called Yan Song to the Yangxin Hall for questioning.
"Master Yan Ge is here? Sit down!" As soon as Jiajing finished speaking, the eunuch on the side prepared a seat for Yan Song.
"Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty." Yan Song bowed slightly and then sat on the chair.
"Do you know why I came to you this time?" Jiajing said, turned his eyes to Yan Song, and said.
"Your Majesty, I don't know this, so please tell me clearly!" After Yan Song noticed the emperor's gaze, he silently lowered his head and said respectfully.
"Well, in recent days, I received a memorial, and the memorial mentioned that salt merchants colluded with officials to sell illegal salt. As the chief minister of the cabinet, are you aware of it?"
Jiajing's tone was very calm, but Yan Song felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar.
"How did your Majesty know these things? Who wrote the memorandum to Your Majesty? Seeing that His Majesty is like this, he wants to take action against those salt merchants!"
Yan Song suppressed the messy thoughts in his heart, and then he suddenly remembered the letter Yan Shifan handed him in the morning. His eyes immediately lit up and he organized his words.
"Your Majesty, Wei Chen has heard about this matter for a long time! Before that, Wei Chen had sent Zhejiang Chief Envoy Zheng Mi Chang to investigate."
"Oh, did you find out anything?"
Seeing that Yan Song was so confident, Jiajing couldn't help but become somewhat interested in the matter.
"Your Majesty, Zheng Michang has found out something! There is a Wen family in Hangzhou City. Their family made their fortune by selling private salt. Not only that, they also used the money to buy and bribe officials."
"In Zhejiang, many officials have accepted money from them. Even the youngest son of the Wen family killed someone in the street, and the officials did not dare to go and arrest him for fear of offending them!"
After Yan Song finished speaking, he added another sentence.
"Humph, it's really unreasonable. He, a small private salt dealer, actually dares to do such a treasonous thing!" After listening to Yan Song's description, Jiajing slammed the table and said in a deep voice.
"Your Majesty, I have an idea. Why not use this case to eradicate this cancer? The Wen family started by selling private salt, and their family's wealth is more than tens of millions?"
"Right now, the imperial court has just built a second navy, which is quite expensive! Therefore, Wei Chen suggested that their house be confiscated and all the money gained be put into the national treasury, so as to make up for the money spent by the imperial court."
After listening to Jiajing's words, Yan Song immediately gave suggestions.
"Well, Mr. Yan Ge's idea really resonates with me. It's not bad!"
Jiajing stroked the carved dragon head on the dragon chair and praised softly.
"I'll leave this matter to you and ask the chief envoy to make more noise for me! I'll have a suitable reason then."
After Jiajing finished speaking, he picked up the teacup on the side, took a sip, and ordered.
"Your Majesty is wise, I will tell you this now!"
After Yan Song finished speaking, he knelt on the ground with great respect.
"Well, get up, old man Yan Ge needs to worry more about this matter."
Jiajing waved his hand, signaling Yan Song to get up.
"Thank you, Your Majesty. I will definitely die for Your Majesty!"
Yan Song said it and bowed again.
After Yan Song left, Jiajing stood up from the dragon chair and whispered to Lu Fang beside him: "Send a few royal guards to Zhejiang. I will know how much money has been confiscated."
"Yes, Your Majesty." Lu Fang responded softly from the side.
"Huh, salt merchant? Stay with me and I will send officials over right away to bring your whole family to heaven!"
…
In the evening, Yan Mansion.
After their duty in the cabinet ended, Yan Song and Yan Shifan returned to Yan's Mansion one after another.
At this time, at the entrance of Yan's Mansion, as usual, there were many officials, large and small, who came to greet him, as well as depressed scholars.
"Huh, these guys are really annoying!" Yan Shifan got off the sedan and complained.
After Yan Shifan complained, he came to his father Yan Song's sedan and helped him out of the sedan.
"What do you know? Only the presence of these people can highlight the prominence of our Yan family. If one day our Yan family loses power, these people will immediately disperse and look for new masters." With the support of Yan Shifan, Yan Song from He got down from the sedan chair and said slowly.
"That's what my father taught me."
"So, even though these people are disgusting, they do have their uses."
After Yan Song finished speaking, he walked to the study with the help of his servant.
"Why are you still standing there? Come with me, I have something to discuss with you."
Yan Song stopped, turned his gaze to Yan Shifan, and said calmly.
"Oh, father, I'll be right away."
Yan Shifan suddenly came to his senses, followed Yan Song's pace, took over the servant's work, and helped Yan Song to the study very respectfully.
Entering the study, Yan Shifan pushed the servant aside, and after Yan Song sat on the bed, he respectfully asked: "Father, what do you want from me?"
"Do you still remember the letter you gave me before, written by your subordinate Zheng Michang?"
"Remember, father, didn't you say that this plan is not feasible?" Seeing Yan Song mention this matter again, Yan Shifan scratched his head, quite puzzled by this.
"I don't know who sent a memorial to His Majesty. The memorial mentioned the issue of salt merchants colluding with officials to sell private salt!"
"Then His Majesty called me to the Yangxin Hall and asked for my opinion. So I followed the trend and told His Majesty exactly what Zheng Michang had said in the letter! Who knew that His Majesty was quite concerned about this matter? Out of interest, I was asked to take charge of this matter.”
After Yan Song finished speaking, he picked up the teapot on the side and poured himself a cup of tea.
"Oh, father, I understand what you mean. In other words, His Majesty also has a crush on the properties of those salt merchants."
After listening to Yan Song's description, Yan Shifan nodded, with an expression of sudden realization on his face.
"Idiot, are you allowed to say this nonsense? Your Majesty is clearly thinking about the treasury! Get out of here!"
After Yan Song heard what his son Yan Shifan said, he couldn't help but became furious and refuted.
"Yes, father, I know I was wrong!" Upon seeing this, Yan Shifan quickly knelt on the ground and admitted his mistake to Yan Song.
"Write a letter to that Zheng Michang, saying that we have agreed to this plan and let him go ahead with it. It is best to make the noise bigger!"
Seeing Yan Shifan admit his mistake, Yan Song was still angry and ordered to Yan Shifan.
"Yes, father, let's take care of the child right away." After Yan Shifan finished speaking, he was about to bow and leave.
"Also, next time I hear you say something like this, I will never forgive you. Do you understand?" Yan Song stopped Yan Shifan and added immediately.
"I understand, father." Yan Shifan responded and quickly left the study.
…
Zhejiang, Zhejiang Governor's Mansion.
"Master Chief Envoy, what do you want from me?" Hai Rui looked at Zheng Mi Chang sitting at the top and couldn't help but feel doubtful.
"Here, take a look for yourself." After Zheng Michang finished speaking, he handed over the envelope in his hand.
Hai Rui took the envelope from Zheng Michang and after opening it, he suddenly discovered that it was full of content to impeach him.
"You don't have to worry. I have already informed the elders and others in the capital about this matter. I think they will get a reply soon!" After Zheng Michang finished speaking, he picked up the teacup beside him and took a sip.
"Elder Ge? Could it be that..." Hai Rui was shocked by what Zheng Michang said. This matter could actually involve the elders of the capital.
"Well, that's right! In this case, you just have to do what you want. There are many people supporting you behind the scenes."
Zheng Michang looked at the uncertain look on Hai Rui's face and added another sentence.
"Yes, Chief Envoy! I will definitely handle this case well."
Hai Rui suppressed his inner thoughts and responded in a deep voice.
(End of chapter)
