"What?"
"When did you come?"
"How can this be?"
Wang Chengyin, Guo Zhicong, and Ma Luosheng exclaimed, attracting the attention of the officials and generals behind them.
Guo Zhicong and Wang Chengyin's expressions were a little uncertain. They never expected that the emperor's chariot would come in person, and he was already in the city.
Then everything that happened in the city before has been seen?
Ma Luosheng's eyes were full of solemnity. If the emperor was coming in person, then the purpose of the army coming to Xuan Mansion would be somewhat interesting.
The people behind him and the people watching the excitement in the distance were a little confused. They couldn't figure out why the two groups of people who were so peaceful just now suddenly became at war with each other.
"Commander Wang, Governor Guo, I don't have time to wait here. Do you want to get out of the way, or should I let the imperial army attack the city directly?"
"It is related to His Majesty's safety. You must think carefully about the serious crime of punishing the nine tribes."
Guo Zhicong and the other two looked at the more than 20,000 troops outside the city with gloomy expressions, and then at the empress Zhongzhen in front of them, and they could only get out of the way.
"You three, please come together, His Majesty is already waiting at the governor's office!"
"Officials and generals of the fourth rank and above will also come to the governor's Yamen and wait for dispatch!"
After Qin Liangyu finished speaking, he got on his horse and slowly headed towards the city.
The three of them looked at each other and had no choice but to follow Zhou Yuji's sharp gaze.
Chongzhen was already sitting in the lobby of the governor's office. After revealing his identity, the governor's office showed no resistance at all.
They all stayed in the same courtyard, and both inside and outside the yamen were controlled by Chongzhen's guards.
A quarter of an hour later, Qin Liangyu took Wang Chengyin and three others to the governor's Yamen. The three of them immediately knelt down and saluted, but Chongzhen did not let the three of them get up.
Chongzhen said lightly: "Wang Chengyin, do you know why I came to Xuanfu Town?"
"I don't know!"
"I don't know?"
Chongzhen's face darkened, and he threw a booklet on the public case table at Wang Chengyin's feet: "Since you don't know, I'll help you recall it!"
Wang Chengyin picked up the folder, glanced at it and said immediately: "Your Majesty, I am wronged."
"You haven't even finished watching it, so you're calling it unfair?"
"Being corrupt and perverting the law, colluding with business gentry, privately raising business taxes, and indulging servants in bullying men and women, tell me which one of them is unjust?
Is Jin Yiwei blind, or am I confused? "
"Your Majesty, the servants bully men and women. I admit that it is because of lax discipline. It is my crime."
Wang Chengyin said with an aggrieved look, and then said in a deep voice: "However, by colluding with the merchant gentry and privately increasing business taxes, I do it for the sake of Xuanfu Town and the Ming Dynasty!"
As soon as these words came out, not only Chongzhen was stunned, but also Guo Zhicong and Ma Luosheng.
"Your Majesty, the Xuanfu has a total of 90,000 troops, with a total of 1,180,000 taels of silver per year.
However, since the third year of the Apocalypse, the imperial court has been seriously in payment arrears. The annual military salary paid is less than 70%, and deserters and rebels have continued.
In the forty-seventh year of Wanli, a mutiny occurred, all because of food and salary issues.
The minister had no choice but to cooperate with the officials and gentry in the city to privately increase part of the commercial tax in order to fill the gap in payment arrears.
I can guarantee that, except for Liaodong, Xuanfu has the least number of deserters.
Xuanfu is the head of the nine towns, and it defends the Mongolian Monan tribes. If Xuanfu is unstable, the Monan tribes are likely to invade Xuanfu, and the consequences will be disastrous.
I have no choice but to do this. I hope your Majesty will understand my painstaking efforts! "
Quiet, extremely quiet!
Everyone in the lobby was stunned by Wang Chengyin's explanation.
Guo Zhicong was stunned and stared at Wang Chengyin with a ghostly expression. Is this man in front of him still the commander-in-chief who usually gets angry when quarreling with him?
Chongzhen was so angry: "Wang Chengyin, I have seen many shameless people, but this is the first time I have seen someone as shameless as you!"
"You have been in the army for seventeen years, and with the salary of the Ming Dynasty, tell me where did the more than one million taels of silver you hidden in the cellar of Jimingyi come from?
Are you doing it for the sergeants of Xuanfu Town, or for yourself? Can you be any more shameless? "
"Okay, I think your starting point is good, then I ask you again, how should you explain that the personal guards pretended to be thieves, hijacked passing caravans, killed people and took credit?
Do you want me to bring you witnesses? "
Facing Chongzhen's angry shouts, although Wang Chengyin's face was gloomy, there was no trace of panic on his face.
"Your Majesty, the caravans I intercepted were all those caravans that were rich and unkind, and most of them were Mongolian caravans.
They are all enemies anyway. Killing some can not only obtain property to supplement military expenditure, but also reduce the flow of scarce materials to Mongolia and reduce their strength.
As for the caravans in the Ming Dynasty, I have investigated them and found that they are all domineering and profiteers in the fish and meat countryside. I also eliminate harm for the people. "
Damn it, Chongzhen was really convinced by Wang Chengyin.
What does it mean to confuse right and wrong, be eloquent, call a deer a horse, and be shameless... Wang Chengyin will have already taught them a vivid lesson.
"So, I still want to thank you?"
"I don't dare, I do everything for the sake of Ming Dynasty!"
"Wang Chengyin, in fact, I can forgive you for all of the above crimes."
As soon as Chongzhen finished speaking, everyone's eyes were full of horror.
"Your Majesty, no!"
Hou Lian on one side immediately spoke out: "Your Majesty, all the crimes committed by Wang Chengyin are all crimes of beheading.
If this hole is opened, where is the court's law? Where is the dignity? What are the interests of soldiers and civilians? "
"Your Majesty, what Mr. Han said is absolutely true. If such crimes are not punished, will others follow suit in the future and do similar things in the name of serving the country and the people? Then the etiquette and music of the Ming Dynasty will collapse."
Han Huang also spoke out, his words full of murderous intent.
"You two dear ladies, get up first!"
"Your Majesty, if I hadn't killed Wang Chengyin, I would never be able to kneel down!"
"Your Majesty, if Wang Chengyin is not killed, I will resign from my official position and retire to the mountains and forests!"
"Are you threatening me?"
Chongzhen snorted coldly: "Kneel down if you want!"
Looking at the two people who were kneeling and begging to kill Wang Chengyin, Chongzhen secretly smiled in his heart. If he hadn't agreed to perform the double act, he would have believed it.
Looking at the kneeling Wang Chengyin, Chongzhen said: "Wang Chengyin, one of these two is a cabinet minister and the other is the Minister of War. They want to kill you.
But I promise you, as long as you reveal the smugglers you protected, the people who handed over the slaves, and the people behind you, I will let you go and let you remain anonymous and become a rich man. How about it? "
As soon as he said this, the hall became quiet again.
Even the eyes of Han Huang and Hou Yu who were acting were full of horror, while the eyes of Zhongzhen Hou showed murderous intent instantly.
This time, they finally knew why the emperor had to personally visit the Xuan Mansion.
It turned out to be smuggling of prohibited materials.
"Your Majesty, I have confessed to colluding with the merchant gentry and privately raising business taxes. These are crimes for the sake of the Ming Dynasty. However, for the crime of smuggling, I will not admit it even if I am cut into pieces with a thousand swords!"
Looking at Wang Chengyin, who looked sad and upright, Chongzhen also had some doubts about whether there was something wrong with his guess.
Wang Chengyin was not involved in the smuggling of the eight major Shanxi merchants. There was someone else who protected the eight major Shanxi merchants.
After all, the time was too short and Jin Yiwei had not yet found any real evidence.
Just when he was doubtful, Du Yinxi, who had been silent since entering the door, spoke up.
"Your Majesty, Wang Chengyin is lying!"
