Hearing this, Sun Chengdu quickly raised his head and looked at Guo An expectantly.
"Guo Changshi, can this villain really be exiled?"
"It's natural!"
Guo An nodded slightly, "But you have to explain clearly how much corruption you have committed, and who are your accomplices?
Finally, His Highness King Yan will also set up an inspection office in the palace to strictly inspect these officials.
If it is found that you dare to deceive His Highness King Yan, not only will your punishment be increased, but your parents, wives and daughters will also be implicated! "
Sun Chengdu couldn't help but fell into silence.
Guo An looked solemn and said coldly: "Why, you are enjoying such a high salary from the Prince of Yan's Palace and benefits that are envied by the officials of the Chief Envoy and the Inspector's Department, and you still want to embezzle the Prince of Yan's Palace?" money.
You are such an ungrateful, ungrateful person, and you still want to protect me? "
Sun Chengdu's face stiffened, and he quickly explained: "Guo Changshi misunderstood, and I'm not sure, because these caravan managers and I are responsible for different areas, and we don't encounter them on weekdays.
Even if they meet, they won't talk about that. At most, they will compare, who has collected more and better goods? "
Guo An said casually: "It doesn't matter, you and other officials who want to be greedy will always have similarities. Moreover, in a place as big as a palm, Beiping Mansion can find out anything."
"For example, in Wanping County, we only need to go down to a few villages and chat with the farmers.
Do you think we can't find out what these caravan stewards are doing down there? "
When he heard this, Sun Chengdu's pupils shrank and his psychological defense collapsed.
Yes, among all the officials in Beiping Prefecture, Guo Changshi is the most unusual and the most loved and trusted by farmers.
But for these stewards, this Guo Changshi is also the most terrifying.
However, they never expected it.
Nowadays, this Guo Changshi is no longer the magistrate of Wanping County. He even spends most of the year with His Royal Highness King Yan on expeditions, and he still has time to go to the countryside to inspect.
"Reporting to His Royal Highness King Yan, Guo Changshi, I will explain..."
Then, Sun Chengdu continued to name several stewards.
Hearing this, Zhu Di gritted his teeth and said, "There are so many idiots who want to take advantage of our money and ruin our reputation!"
Guo An stared at Sun Chengdu and continued to ask in a deep voice: "When did you start buying at low prices and selling to the government at high prices?
How much money has been embezzled in the past two years? "
Sun Chengdu replied slowly: "Back to Guo Changshi, the villain started buying cotton last year! Such a greedy money, he has about three hundred dollars!"
"Three hundred strings?"
Hearing this, everyone in the palace was shocked.
Then he was furious again.
"You thief, how much pain and sweat do those farmers have to endure to grow cotton and weave cotton cloth? You actually want to suck their blood like those corrupt officials?"
"Also, do the guys with you know about this?"
"Go back to Guo Changshi, they know it!"
"Have you divided the money yet?"
"separated!"
"How many?"
"About twenty guans per person!"
"Hmph, a group of black-hearted thieves, black-hearted thieves..."
Following Sun Chengdu's very 'honest' answer, Zhu Di's eyes turned red with anger.
"Guo Qing, we are going to cut this thief into pieces!"
Sun Chengdu's face was filled with panic, and he collapsed to the ground in fear.
Guo An quickly said: "Your Highness, if you chop them up, you will have to kill their entire clan, which will bring more losses to Your Highness.
Moreover, this person was only greedy for a small amount of money and did not harm anyone's life.
If not, it would be better to exile him and let him make money for the family and repay the family's losses. "
Zhu Di glared at Sun Chengdu fiercely and said coldly: "In this case, just follow what Guo Qing said.
His house was ransacked, and he was fined twice as much as he had for greedy money.
If he is registered as a bad person, his descendants will not be allowed to enjoy any benefits from Prince Yan's Mansion for three generations! "
"Your Highness is wise!"
Guo An, He Zhong and others responded quickly.
Immediately, Li Wang led a group of scribes and a group of guards from the Yan Palace, escorted Sun Chengdu, and ransacked his home.
Since becoming the steward of Prince Yan's caravan, Sun Chengdu's house has been expanded once a year, and in the past two years, he has also taken in two concubines.
Naturally, Sun Chengdu's family's expenses are increasing year by year.
Even there are two more children.
In the past two years, Sun Chengdu's family has been the envy of the neighbors.
It's a pity that this time, the house was confiscated directly by Prince Yan's Mansion, and even the house had to be paid off to Prince Yan's Mansion.
Immediately, the entire surrounding neighborhood started talking with excitement.
However, before the discussions among the neighbors could be understood, they heard that the houses of several of the guys who followed Sun Chengdu not far away had also been ransacked.
then.
Another two days later.
There were eight or nine more stewards of the caravan under Prince Yan's residence, plus the entire caravan's crew, all of whom had their homes confiscated.
Only then did the news come out.
It was these caravan stewards who took the money from Prince Yan's Mansion to buy goods from farmers in various prefectures and counties at low prices, and then handed them over to Prince Yan's Mansion at normal prices.
Not only did he harm the people, but he also coveted the property of Prince Mo Yan.
Suddenly, all the farmers in Beiping Prefecture began to curse Sun Chengdu's managers day and night, and the eighteen generations of ancestors also greeted them one by one.
Even when going to the latrine or doing errands, you have to say a few words of greeting.
Sun Chengdu and other managers, including the family members of the caravan crew, also began to be looked down upon every day.
Regarding this, the remaining caravan stewards and guys who had not yet found any problems were feeling uneasy all day long.
As for the scribes in Prince Yan's Mansion, as well as the officials of the newly-established School Inspection Department, they were still running around the villages in various prefectures and counties all day long.
This went on for half a month.
This matter slowly came to an end.
Yanwang Palace, Chengyun Hall.
A scribe from the Changshi Department took out a memorial and reported it respectfully.
"Your Highness, this time we found out that Sun Chengdu, Qi Baoliang and other caravan stewards and clerks who were corrupt and oppressed farmers, a total of forty-three people, embezzling more than 3,600 yuan in total."
"hiss……"
In the hall, all the officials and generals could not help but take a deep breath, with shock and regret on their faces.
"Hmph, a few small caravan stewards have embezzled so much money in just two years?
These are all the blessings of the people in their hometown! "
On the throne, Zhu Di's face was gloomy.
"According to the laws of the Ming Dynasty, these thieves should be stripped of their skins and made of straw! However, they still had some use, so they confiscated their property and fined them twice as much dirty money and twenty sticks.
And he was exiled to Goryeo. When will he pay off all the money he owes to our house, can he be freed from his status as a pariah. "
"Your Highness' kindness is an honor for these black-hearted thieves."
Hearing this, Zhu Fu and all the officials could not help but breathe a sigh of relief.
Although they wanted to cut Sun Chengdu, Qi Baoliang and others into pieces, they were their own family members after all.
But now, they can still save one life, and they can't help but feel a little joy in their hearts.
His Royal Highness King Yan is not as cruel as His Majesty, which is lucky for them!
Zhu Di continued: “However, we will never allow such evil-minded managers to bully and exploit farmers to appear again.
In the future, the school inspection office will also secretly monitor.
In addition, in the same caravan, whoever dares to embezzle money and oppress the people, including you and other officials, will be punished with imprisonment. "
"I will obey His Highness's order!"
At this moment, all the officials could not help but feel the desire to cut Sun Chengdu, Qi Baoliang and others into pieces with a thousand knives.
"Very good!"
Zhu Di nodded with satisfaction.
Soon, all the officials dispersed.
Since Zhu Di never wanted to hide anything from the outside world, Prince Yan's palace punished him in the morning.
By noon, everyone in the entire Beiping Mansion knew who should know.
The second day.
Even those who shouldn't know know it.
Of course, the people who are happiest are the people of Prince Yan's Mansion.
As for the officials in Beiping Mansion, they all had miserable faces.
With the sudden arrival of King Yan, how can these officials survive?
Zhu Di just didn't know about this and wouldn't pay any attention to it.
…
A few days later.
The fleet of Prince Yan's Mansion and Goryeo trading fleet returned again.
"I am a humble minister, but I can still meet with Your Highness!"
"How is Korea nowadays?"
Zhu Di asked with a gentle expression.
Shang Kezhou replied: "Reporting to your highness, according to Wei Chen's observation, the goods and money that the nobles of Goryeo can bring out during these few trades seem to be much less."
Zhu Di frowned slightly, "What about this caravan?"
Shang Kezhou quickly replied: "Your Highness, this caravan needs more goods."
"Um?"
Zhu Di couldn't help but be a little surprised, "Why is this?"
Shang Ke Zhou said: "Reporting to Your Highness, several Goryeo dignitaries actually found gold and silver mines."
Zhu Di was overjoyed and asked hurriedly: "Have you really found a gold mine and a silver mine? How much gold and silver can be extracted every year?"
Shang Kezhou said: "Your Highness, please forgive me. This matter is only judged by the ministers through the gold and silver they paid.
As for how big the gold and silver mines those Goryeo dignitaries found and how much gold and silver they could calcine, Wei Chen could not find out. "
"We must find out!"
Zhu Di said.
"Yes, Your Highness!"
Shang Kezhou responded quickly.
On the side, Guo An could only hurriedly dissuade him: "Your Highness, don't be anxious."
"How can we not be in a hurry?"
Zhu Di had already opened his eyes anxiously, "If we hadn't returned to the capital in a few days to meet my father, we would have personally led the troops to go to Goryeo to capture the gold and silver mines!"
Shang Kezhou looked surprised.
As for Guo An, he could only smile helplessly and said, "Your Highness is so brave. With my soldiers from Prince Yan's Mansion, we will definitely be able to conquer the gold and silver mines of Goryeo all the way."
"It's natural."
Zhu Di looked confident.
Guo Andao said: "But I really don't know how far away the gold and silver mines are from the King of Goryeo.
After Your Highness attacks, how many soldiers of Prince Yan's Mansion will be injured? How many soldiers are needed to defend those gold and silver mines?
Then, how many labors does His Highness need to mine calcined gold and silver ores? "
Hearing this, Zhu Di couldn't help but be stunned, and then he looked depressed again.
"Damn it, there are gold and silver mines in a small and barren country like Goryeo."
Guo An said: "Your Highness, the richer Goryeo becomes, the more beneficial it will be to our Prince Yan's palace!
Our Prince Yan's Mansion only needs to transport some goods to them, and then they can send the calcined gold and silver to our Prince Yan's Mansion's ship.
With such a hugely profitable deal, why would His Highness use weapons? "
"well!"
Zhu Di nodded helplessly, "Let's listen to Guo Qing for now."
Guo An continued to ask: "Kezhou, how did those Korean dignitaries react to the peppers that were shipped to Goryeo last time?"
…
(End of chapter)
