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"Old man Zhang Gui! Do you really think that I don't dare to kill him? It's too much to bully others, it's really too much to bully others!"
In the Hall of Yangxin, Honglin recalled what Zhang Gui said in the court hall, and suddenly became angry.
This Zhang Gui really can't see the situation clearly!
As a father, he just wants to make his daughter's wedding more glamorous. What's wrong with that? He actually uses the people of the world to suppress him. He is really becoming more and more lawless!
Are you not treating the people well? Since he ascended the throne at the age of twenty-five, he has made five trips to the south of the Yangtze River in order to care for the people's livelihood. Although he has had hundreds of millions of pleasures on the way, as an emperor, he still has these powers, right?
What's more, since he ascended the throne, he has reduced and exempted a large number of private taxes. The agricultural tax has been reduced from 15% during the late emperor's time to 3% now. How can he still say that he doesn't care about people's lives?
It’s simply unreasonable!
Honglin thought that he had done a good job. Even if the three ancient sages in the book were compared with him, they might not be as caring and loving to the people as he is.
But you, Zhang Gui, turned a blind eye to everything I did and insisted on embarrassing yourself on such a festive holiday. It is really unreasonable.
However, Hong Lin is not really going to kill Zhang Gui to vent his anger. After all, he is a general of the dynasty and a first-class duke with military exploits. The key is not to form cliques for personal gain and to be an honest and upright official. If he kills him , then you will really become a foolish king.
But he couldn't swallow this breath. The princess's marriage is his own family matter. Why would you interfere in it?
Therefore, Honglin could only sulk in the Yangxin Hall.
"Your Majesty, don't be angry..."
A eunuch came to him with a plate of tea and served it carefully.
As a result, Honglin picked up the tea cup and took a sip. He immediately spit out the tea and threw the tea cup to the ground.
"You bastard! You, a dog slave, are here to make me angry!"
"Your Majesty, please calm down. Your Majesty, please calm down..."
The eunuch was so frightened that he immediately knelt on the ground and kowtowed repeatedly. His forehead hit the broken porcelain, and blood immediately dripped from it.
Hong Lin, who was furious, ignored the eunuch's pleading and immediately roared: "Come here, drag this slave dog out and beat him with fifty royal sticks!"
Soon two guards entered the palace and dragged the eunuch outside.
"Your Majesty, spare your life, spare your life, Your Majesty, I know I was wrong!"
However, no matter how much the eunuch begged, Honglin didn't change his mind.
After a while, another eunuch entered the Yangxin Hall carrying a stack of Bazhen cakes and freshly brewed salt tea.
This eunuch's name is Yang Chunsheng. He is Honglin's personal eunuch and has served him for most of his life.
Honglin was about to get angry when he saw Yang Chunsheng, but Yang Chunsheng said: "Your Majesty, Master Li and Master Zhang have been waiting outside the palace for a long time."
After hearing this, Honglin calmed down some of his anger, pointed at the mess on the ground and said, "Let people clean it up and announce Li Shen's entry into the palace."
"This slave obeys your orders."
After the palace was tidied up, Li Shen slowly entered the palace.
"My slave wishes you long live the Lord."
When Li Shen saw Hong Lin, he immediately knelt down and worshiped.
Honglin stopped and said, "Without courtesy, get up and talk."
"I thank you, Lord Long Live."
After Li Shen got up, Honglin motioned for him to sit next to him, then picked up a piece of Bazhen cake and put it on his plate, which made Li Shen feel flattered.
"Li Shen, why are you looking for me?"
"Reporting to Lord Long Live, this servant is here for the seventeenth princess's marriage."
When Honglin heard this, he immediately raised his voice and said: "What kind of marriage? Let's not do it! Otherwise there will be people talking behind my back, saying that I am a foolish king who only cares about his own daughter and does not care about the lives of the people in the world!"
Ah! I can't afford to be embarrassed like this! I don’t want to discredit our ancestors! "
Of course, these words were not meant for Li Shen, but for Zhang Gui who was kneeling outside the hall.
Of course, Li Shen heard that this was an angry remark, and immediately whispered: "Long live Lord, please calm down. Mr. Zhang is an upright person. Although these words conflict with Long live Lord, he is also worried about the insufficient treasury."
Honglin rolled her eyes at him: "You mean, I was wrong? He, Zhang Gui, was right?"
Li Shen said hurriedly: "Long live Lord, I have misunderstood. As the right minister of the current government, it is human nature for Mr. Zhang to pay attention to the expenditure of the treasury.
What's more, during this period, the income from Macao and Hong Kong has decreased, and disasters have continued in various places. He also thought about the people of the world and the Lord Long Live, so he violated the Lord Long Live.
In fact, he definitely didn't think so in his heart. "
Honglin calmed down a little and continued: "You just said you were looking for me for the marriage of the seventeenth princess?"
Hearing this, Li Shen immediately got to the point: "Long live Lord Qi, I carefully checked the treasury account books before coming.
Indeed, as Mr. Zhang said, the national treasury does not have much silver at the moment. It would be really stressful to spend millions of taels of silver directly from the treasury to build a garden. "
Honglin frowned: "According to your opinion, this garden will not be repaired?"
The tone was extremely cold, and his eyes were fixed on Li Shen, as if Li Shen would immediately run away if he said yes.
Li Shen didn't want to, but he lowered his head and said calmly: "No, the seventeenth princess's wedding is not only a family matter for the Long Live Lord, but also a royal honor. It is also a grand event for the people of the world, how can it be shabby?
If it doesn't work well, wouldn't it be laughed at by everyone in the world? Therefore, the garden must be repaired, and the wedding specifications of the princess must be in accordance with the court agreement.
And it must be done well and in a beautiful way, showing the courage of Long live the Lord! "
When Honglin heard this, he was immediately elated, but there was still a worried look on his face: "But didn't you just say that the treasury was short of money? Where did you get the money to build the garden?"
Li Shen smiled when he heard this: "Long live my Lord, I don't spend money from the treasury."
Honglin was shocked: "What are you talking about? Not spending money from the treasury? Then whose money are you going to spend?"
Li Shen said: "Long live my lord, before I came here, I checked the accounts of all the officials and localities, and found that many people had a lot of money in their hands.
The servant planned to raise the money for the princess's marriage and the garden from these people. "
Honglin suddenly became more energetic: "Li Shen, are you telling the truth? Are those people really willing to take out the money?"
Li Shen said: "I promise that they will donate the money willingly, and I will do it in an upright manner. It's just that this errand requires the nod of Long live the Lord."
Honglin did not reply immediately, but asked: "What method are you going to use to get them to take out the money? This is several million taels."
Li Shen smiled slightly: "Long live my lord, I think that as long as you are an official in the government or local government, you will be guilty to some extent in your life.
The slave planned to set up a self-redemption certificate, allowing officials to review their own crimes, and then pay a sum of money to the inner treasury, so that they could be exempted from the crimes they committed while serving as officials.
Of course, heinous people cannot redeem themselves! What do you think, Long Live the Lord? "
Honglin was startled when he heard this. After thinking for a moment, he suddenly smiled and said, "Li Shen, how did you come up with such a method? This is a very good idea!
I also know that there were many illegal acts among the officials of the current dynasty, but there are some crimes that are really not appropriate to be dealt with according to the Golden Rule.
This move can make hundreds of officials understand the heavy responsibilities of being an official. After paying a crime settlement fee, they will be able to walk on thin ice in the future and serve the court wholeheartedly without making any mistakes again.
It is really a blessing to the common people, a blessing to all the people in the world, hahaha..."
Li Shen said hurriedly: "Long Live Lord is far-sighted and can think of something so far-reaching. I will never be as good as Long Live Lord!"
This flattering shot was so comfortable that it made Honglin feel happy.
Then he said: "I'll leave this matter to you. Don't miss the seventeenth princess's wedding. Go ahead."
"Thank you, Lord Long Live. I will take my leave."
After Li Shen left, Honglin was in a good mood and said to Yang Chunsheng: "Why are you still standing here, you little slave? Mr. Zhang is still kneeling outside the hall at his age? Why don't you let him come in to talk to me?"
