The mountains are high and the emperor is far away, and Yuanshan Prefecture and Daze Prefecture are the British prince's hometowns. Therefore, the prefects of the two prefectures turned a blind eye to this matter based on the principle that more things are worse than less things.
The underground gambling house acted unscrupulously, not only defrauding gamblers of their money, but also lending money at high interest rates. In more than ten years, many families were separated, their families were destroyed, and even hundreds of lives were lost.
This year, because the British government's gambling house in Shengjing was robbed of business, and the duck shop could not make much money, the underground gambling houses in Yuanshan Prefecture and Daze Prefecture became the pillar industry of the British government. .
The British government needed money, so the nephew of the British government intensified his efforts to collect money. Originally, the British government was still concerned about the law and only opened an underground gambling house in the government city. After all, Sheng Hong and his son are investigating this area strictly, and if they are discovered, they will be beheaded.
But lack of money makes people crazy. Within four months from the Chinese New Year to now, he instructed his nephew to open underground gambling rooms in Yuanshan Prefecture and Daze Prefecture counties.
There were more gambling dens, and their attacks were ruthless. For example, people were maliciously addicted to gambling, and loan shark interest rates were increased. As a result, hundreds of lives were lost in four months.
The magistrate of a county below Daze Prefecture did not want to see the people suffer such a disaster, and specifically advised the British nephew to restrain himself.
Instead, he was beaten up by the British nephew, and the magistrate's youngest son mysteriously fell into the river and drowned.
As soon as this incident came out, the magistrate was too honest and did not dare to say anything.
But when the news reached Sheng Hong, Sheng Hong couldn't bear it anymore.
Even if he had made great achievements, he couldn't abuse his people like this.
So yesterday, Sheng Hong went to the longevity palace to discuss the matter with Sheng Jun.
After Sheng Jun read the memorial, he did not hesitate and immediately asked someone to summarize the crimes committed by the British government over the years.
In addition to those sinful underground gambling houses, the British government officials were completely local bullies in Yuanshan Prefecture and Daze Prefecture. The prefects of the two prefectures did not dare to provoke the Lu family, and allowed the Lu family to run rampant in the two prefectures and cause countless troubles. .
In addition to the bad things in his hometown, the British government also caused a lot of trouble in Shengjing.
For example, take the case of British men raping civilian girls. How shameless is it for an eighty-year-old man to seize a teenage girl? !
There is also the British Duke's gambling house. On the surface, it still abides by the rules set by him, but secretly, the British Duke has already asked people to open a small gambling house outside the city.
This small underground gambling house has only been open for more than two years, and no one has been killed so far. However, Dasheng Law clearly prohibits private gambling houses. Once discovered, it will be a serious crime of beheading.
There are also things like occupying merchants' fields, taking advantage of the fifth prince's relationship in the household department, and interfering with the promotion of officials.
Every one of them is a severely punishable crime.
But Sheng Jun endured it before.
Sheng Jun is a grateful person. He always remembers how he was about to die under the enemy's sword when the city was breached.
If the British troops had not appeared in time, there would have been no great success.
Therefore, even though he had known the crimes of the British government for a long time, he tolerated it, his benefactor.
But today, he can no longer endure it. If he doesn't come forward, the British government will become even more unscrupulous.
The father and son worked hard to maintain Dasheng, and those innocent people should not be abused by the British government.
Therefore, the British government deserves to be punished.
But for the sake of his meritorious service and military exploits, he did not kill anyone from the British government, nor did he touch the British government's properties in Shengjing except for the gambling house.
The British Duke was old. Although he was full of sins, he gave the British Duke a chance to enjoy his old age.
However, the British government's properties in Yuanshan Prefecture and Daze Prefecture were filled into the national treasury. The Lu family in Yuanshan Prefecture were punished if they were guilty, and found their own way out if they were not guilty.
Sheng Hong's imperial edict came without warning, but it was like thunder on a clear day, ringing violently in everyone's ears.
When Qian San finished reading the long imperial edict, all the civil and military officials in the court were stunned.
This this……
too suddenly.
It was so sudden.
No one expected that there would be such an imperial edict today.
Especially the fifth prince. His eyes were so wide that they almost fell out of his head. He looked at Sheng Hong who was sitting on the dragon chair in disbelief.
what's going on?
What's going on?
Why didn't he get any information beforehand?
Didn't his father deal with the British Duke without first communicating with him?
The British Duke and the Dong family were his right-hand men, and now his father cut off one of his arms without notifying him first?
Without any warning, the final result was read out in front of all the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty, without giving him a chance to plead for mercy, nor giving the British Duke a chance to repent.
Does his father hate him so much? !
Do you have to trample his face under your feet? !
Is there such a thing?
Have you ever considered his feelings?
He has become a laughing stock, and now that his father is doing this again, how can he have the dignity to stand in this court from now on?
He had an arm cut off and lost face twice in succession. Who among the officials would support him and turn to him in the future? !
How much does his father hate him?
His father treated him unfairly!
Li Qiao stood at the entrance of the palace, his head slightly lowered, staring at the bluestone slab under his feet. At this time, he was naturally happy.
He hadn't grown up enough to bring down the British government, but the British government fell first.
However, when he thought about the innocent people who were being tortured by the British government, he couldn't laugh at all.
If a little bit of spit from these big shots falls on ordinary people, it will be a landslide and tsunami.
Chapter 148 The fifth prince continues to go crazy and Li Qiao’s worries
It was the third prince who came to his senses first, and he immediately shouted: "Father, Holy Ming!"
This wise statement brought the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty back to their senses from their daze.
In other words, many people have long since come to their senses, but dare not say a word.
Sheng Hong was obviously in a bad mood, and the fifth prince was holding his breath. Therefore, no one was willing to stand out and take the lead.
Now that the third prince has stepped forward, everyone except the fifth prince will naturally follow him.
Very satisfying.
Regarding the crimes listed in the imperial edict, every one of them is shocking. The British male dog is so courageous that he deserves this end.
But when the fifth prince listened to the uniform words "The Emperor's Holy Ming", his anger grew stronger and stronger. However, he was not stupid enough to question this imperial edict in the hall.
After the court was over and the officials dispersed, he immediately went to the back hall of Tai Chi Hall.
The back hall of Taiji Hall was his father's bedroom. He was really dissatisfied with this matter and wanted to talk to his father about it.
Sheng Hong sat on the couch, resting his hand on his forehead on a long table with a tired look on his face.
Yesterday, in order to block the news, even though he had a lot of anger in his chest, after leaving the Longevity Palace, he didn't let out a single spark. He did whatever he was supposed to do.
The so-called anger is harmful to the body. He didn't sleep well last night. At this moment, he just felt dizzy and just wanted to lie down and catch up on his sleep.
But his mind was in a mess. Obviously, even if he really lay in bed, he would definitely not be able to meet Duke Zhou.
Moreover, if the British public is finished, it will inevitably trigger a chain reaction, and he is not qualified to rest at this time.
Sure enough, before he could take a sip of the tea the palace maid poured for him, a young eunuch came outside to report: The fifth prince wants to see him.
"Let him in."
Putting the teacup in the air back on the table, he raised his eyes and looked at the door.
The fifth prince entered the door, saluted first, and then spoke with great anger: "Father, my son knows that British public crimes deserve punishment, and you and the emperor's grandfather have already been merciful in their punishment. But there is something unclear about my son, please clarify my doubts. "
"Say it." Sheng Hong took a breath and raised his hand to rub his face.
But the fifth prince was so filled with anger that he had no intention of paying attention to his fatigue.
"Father, before you and Grandpa Huang dealt with the British Duke, why didn't you inform your son in advance?"
"Moreover, why did you and Grandpa Huang directly take away his title instead of beating up the British Duke?"
"He made so many contributions back then. My son thinks you can give him one more chance. If you give him a beating in advance, he will definitely correct himself."
The fifth prince raised his hand and said, "Really, he will definitely change. My son can swear it."
"But now you have demoted him to a commoner without any warning...Have you and Grandpa Huang already disliked him?"
Sheng Hong: "..."
He looked at the doubts on the faces of the fifth son and the dissatisfaction that still leaked out even though he tried his best to suppress it. He felt as if a big stone was weighing on his heart.
Breathing softly, he raised his hand to pick up the tea cup on the small table and asked: "Then do you know about the incident in the underground gambling house in the British public house that caused people to die?"
Fifth Prince: "?"
It was better to question him first.
"My son doesn't know." He shook his head immediately.
"You really don't know, or you don't know?" Sheng Hong asked.
"I really don't know." The fifth prince answered firmly to these four words.
He really didn't know about the deaths in the underground gambling house.
But he knew about the British public underground gambling houses.
Although this matter was illegal, the British father also helped him. It would cost him a lot of money to fight with his third brother.
The British Duke gave him the money on time, and that was enough. He didn't care where the money came from, since there hadn't been any big trouble before.
"Okay, I believe what you said. You said that I didn't beat the British Duke. Lu Wenrong and Li Qiao had conflicts before, and I promoted Li Qiao. Doesn't this count as beating? Even if you came to plead for mercy, I didn't let go. Doesn’t it count as beating?”
Fifth Prince: "..."
His mouth opened and closed again.
