Red Mansion: After being expelled from the family, I was granted the title of Marquis of Mobei

Chapter 96 Emperor Yongping's Plan

After hearing the system prompt, Jia Jue also showed emotion.

Unconsciously, the system has been with me for such a long time.

I still remember that when I signed in for the first time, Jia Jue had just left Beijing in a panic. Although he had strategies in mind, he was also full of confusion about the future.

Today, Jia Jue has reached the highest position among the officials, second only to the emperor and above everyone else.

I have to say that the help provided by the system is really invaluable.

Full of anticipation, Jia Jue started operating the system in his mind.

"Sign in immediately."

"Ding, congratulations to the host for completing the sign-in. The rewards are as follows."

"Reward one: 10,000 Beiwei Army souls inherited. (PS: Can be used on soldiers under your command. After fusion, the soldiers will possess the military qualities of a top-tier Beiwei Army soldier and will be 100% loyal to the host.)"

"Reward 10: Rejuvenating Pills. (PS: After taking this, you will retain your youth and beauty forever.)"

"Reward three: Luowang Six Sword Slaves Summoning Card. (PS: Only for the host to use. After summoning the Six Sword Slaves, they will be 100% loyal to the host.)"

"The rewards have been distributed. Please continue to work hard."

After receiving the sign-in reward, Jia Jue felt relieved.

There is no need to say much about the inheritance of the Beiwei Army's military spirit. Jia Jue was able to pacify Mobei by relying on his battle-hardened army that had integrated the Beiwei Army's military spirit.

With the support of these 10,000 Beiwei Army soldiers, Jia Jue's control over the Beijing Camp and the Imperial Guards became even more solid and unbreakable after returning to Beijing.

The anti-aging pill is also very good. After all, youth is fleeting and beauty fades easily.

Although Jia Jue is confident that the relationship between him and his wife will not change even if his wife's beauty fades, who doesn't want their wife to always be beautiful?

The last reward is the Luowang Six Sword Slaves Summoning Card, which is simply born to do dirty work.

The Six Sword Slaves of Luowang are the most elite assassin team under Luowang, and they greatly make up for the high-end military force in Jia Jue's hands.

Although Jia Jue has a secret guard under his command, the secret guard is good at gathering intelligence, and assassination is not their specialty.

The soldiers under Jia Jue's command are all good at fighting and attacking. They can't be said to know nothing about assassination, but they can be said to have only a superficial understanding of it.

The existence of the Six Sword Slaves of Luowang fills the last gap in Jia Jue's intelligence agency, which is very practical.

However, there is no place for the Six Sword Slaves of Luowang at the moment, so Jia Jue also stored the summoning card in the system warehouse.

In the next few days, Jia Jue stayed in Yuhang and waited quietly for the arrangements of Emperor Yongping of Shendu.

Three days later in the evening, in the Qianqing Palace in Shendu, Emperor Yongping was reviewing the memorial that Jia Jue had urgently sent.

After understanding the cause and effect of the matter, Emperor Yongping couldn't help but feel tired.

Just as the Queen, the eldest prince, the Grand Tutor and others had cooked up a cheating case in the imperial examination, Concubine Yue's brother, Marquis Xiao Yue, and Xiao Qinyan came up with a customs smuggling case.

Fortunately, Guanjun Hou was efficient and blocked the news in time.

If this case were really exposed, Emperor Yongping would be in great trouble.

Now that the news is blocked, Emperor Yongping has a lot more room to maneuver.

After thinking for a while, Emperor Yongping had an idea in his mind, and then Emperor Yongping said calmly.

"Xia Shouzhong."

"I am here, what do you want, Your Majesty?"

"The Qiantang County Magistrate is still imprisoned in the Imperial Prison, right?"

Xia Shouzhong nodded and said.

"Your Majesty, Zheng Qingtian is still in prison. According to your Majesty's orders, no one is allowed to see him."

Emperor Yongping said calmly.

"Let Zheng Qingtian commit suicide, and exile his entire family to Lingnan."

"By the way, order the Right Prime Minister to supervise the execution."

Xia Shouzhong said with a little surprise.

"Your Majesty, what is this?"

Emperor Yongping waved his hand and said.

"I have my own rules. By the way, this secret decree should be sent to Yuhang immediately, eight hundred miles away, and the Marquis of Guanjun should be ordered to act accordingly."

"promise."

After arranging things, Emperor Yongping couldn't help feeling a little disappointed.

He only has two princes, and their maternal families are all like this. Does he have to force himself to follow the history books and kill the mother and keep the son?

After all, they have been married for many years, and Emperor Yongping is not a plant, so how could he be heartless?

After sighing for a while, Emperor Yongping adjusted his mood and continued to review memorials.

Late at night, in the Jinyiwei prison in Shendu, Xiao Qinyan looked at the execution list in his hand, and his horror could no longer be concealed.

Not long ago, the Jinyiwei came to Xiao Qinyan's residence and conveyed the oral order of Emperor Yongping, ordering Xiao Qinyan to go to the imperial prison to supervise the execution.

Xiao Qinyan was completely confused at the time.

The imperial prison has always been where the Jinyiwei do their dirty work. Xiao Qinyan is the right prime minister. How could His Majesty arrange it this way?

If the three judicial departments ordered Xiao Qinyan to supervise the trial, this would be understandable.

Asking Xiao Qinyan to go to the imperial prison to execute criminals is strange no matter how you look at it.

Although he was confused, Xiao Qinyan naturally did not dare to disobey the order and followed the Jinyiwei to the imperial prison.

However, after seeing the list of prisoners to be executed, Xiao Qinyan was instantly frightened and broke out in a cold sweat.

Zheng Qingtian, his henchman, was sent to the capital without his knowledge and was executed for customs smuggling.

Even though Xiao Qinyan usually doesn't show his emotions, he can't hide it now.

At this moment, Xiao Qinyan was extremely nervous. After all, he knew best what he had done.

Xiao Qinyan himself was a person who took unconventional approaches. He saw that Emperor Yongping had not appointed a crown prince for a long time, and he was probably dissatisfied with the eldest prince's temperament.

In this case, the second prince must be the future crown prince.

After all, Emperor Yongping only has two princes, so this multiple-choice question is very easy to answer.

So Xiao Qinyan secretly took refuge with Concubine Yue and the Second Prince, and together with the young Marquis Yue, he planned a case of customs smuggling.

Most of the huge profits made were used to help the second prince consolidate his power.

Now His Majesty actually asked me to supervise the execution of Zheng Qingtian. Needless to say, His Majesty must know everything I have done.

When he thought of this, Xiao Qinyan couldn't help but feel his legs trembling and his heart was in turmoil.

After forcing himself to stay awake, Xiao Qinyan arrived in front of the cell.

In the cell, Zheng Qingtian's eyes became complicated after seeing Xiao Qinyan, and then he lowered his head.

Looking at Zheng Qingtian's reaction, Xiao Qinyan understood that he must have sold himself out.

However, now that things have come to this, Xiao Qinyan could only pretend to be calm and speak.

"Criminal Zheng Qingtian colluded with overseas merchant ships, illegally opened the port, and allowed merchant ships to enter, making huge profits, causing the court to lose a huge amount of customs duties of 20 million taels."

"Your Majesty has decreed that the criminal Zheng Qingtian be sentenced to commit suicide, and his entire family be exiled to Lingnan."

"Zheng Qingtian, let's go."

After hearing that his family members were able to save their lives, Zheng Qingtian breathed a sigh of relief, then bowed and said.

"My crimes are grave. I am grateful for your Majesty's forgiveness and my family's grace. I am now free."

After Zheng Qingtian finished speaking, he picked up the poisoned wine and drank it all. Soon, a corpse with blood coming out of all seven orifices appeared in the cell.

After executing Zheng Qingtian, Xiao Qinyan went straight to the palace in great fear and trepidation.

Not long after, in the Qianqing Palace, Xia Shouzhong came before Emperor Yongping, bowed and said.

"Your Majesty, Right Prime Minister Xiao Qinyan requests an audience."

Emperor Yongping said calmly.

"I'm a little tired, go to sleep."

"Yes." After that, Emperor Yongping finished reviewing the last memorial in his hand and returned to his bedroom to sleep.

As for Xiao Qinyan, he knelt outside the Qianqing Palace for a whole night in the cold.

It was not until the next day, after Emperor Yongping finished his breakfast, that he asked Xia Shouzhong to summon Xiao Qinyan to the palace.

At this time, Xiao Qinyan was cold and hungry, and his face was pale with fear.

After arriving at the hall, Xiao Qinyan knelt down in the hall without saying a word.

"Your Majesty, I am guilty and deserve death. Please punish me."

Last night, Xiao Qinyan thought all night long, wondering what the deep meaning of Emperor Yongping's actions was.

After pondering it for a night, Xiao Qinyan finally had some answers.

Just like the imperial examination cheating case ended up with only one person, the Guanglu Temple Minister Wang Wenzhen, being killed, the mastermind behind the case, Taifu Lou, was forced to commit suicide after the case was concluded.

The purpose of doing this is to avoid the queen and the eldest prince being involved and causing a royal scandal.

I'm afraid the same is true for this tariff smuggling case today.

If Your Majesty does not settle accounts with himself now, he will definitely find a suitable opportunity to settle accounts with himself later.

By that time, I’m afraid that the lives of all my family members will be in danger.

Faced with such a dilemma, Xiao Qinyan really couldn't think of any other solution except begging.

This is what the ministers are like when facing a powerful king. They have no power to resist.

Looking at Xiao Qinyan in the palace who seemed to have aged ten years overnight, Emperor Yongping said calmly.

"It is said that Prime Minister Xiao has a far-sighted vision and thinks three steps ahead."

"Seeing it today, it really lives up to its reputation."

"I'm not even old yet, but Prime Minister Xiao has already decided to support the next monarch for our Great Zhou. Very good, very good."

Xiao Qinyan was so frightened when he heard this that he trembled all over and hurriedly explained.

"Your Majesty, I would never dare to have such intentions even if I die."

"I just, just..."

Seeing Xiao Qinyan in a panic, Emperor Yongping waved his hand and said.

"Just what? Just admit it openly."

"Isn't it just the hope that I can be a successful follower of the emperor, have a wife and children ennobled, and enjoy a life of wealth and honor?"

"I just find it strange that you are already the Right Prime Minister, yet you are still not satisfied."

"If I let you become the Prime Minister of the Cabinet, would you be satisfied?"

"But if we move up a level, do you still want to emulate Huo Guang and hold the power to depose and enthrone?"

"I dare not. Even if I die, I will never dare to have such a rebellious heart."

After Xiao Qinyan finished speaking, he kowtowed like crazy, and soon blood gushed out.

It’s no wonder that Xiao Qinyan was so scared. Huo Guang was a powerful official in the Western Han Dynasty and had deposed and enthroned emperors.

The final outcome for the Huo family was that the entire clan was exterminated, leaving no one alive.

Looking at Xiao Qinyan's expression, Emperor Yongping said calmly.

"Stop! Don't pollute my palace."

"Prime Minister Xiao, tell me, how should I deal with you?"

Xiao Qinyan said tremblingly.

"My crime is unforgivable. I only ask for a quick death."

"But my family is not involved in this matter, nor has they committed any crime. I hope Your Majesty will show mercy and forgive my family."

Emperor Yongping said after leisurely drinking a sip of tea.

"Your crime is unforgivable, and killing you is justified."

"But you are still quite capable, and you haven't profited from natural disasters or man-made disasters."

"I, in gratitude to Heaven for its mercy, will allow you to keep your head on your neck for now."

"But if you can't redeem yourself from your crimes, then I can only allow your family to be reunited."

Xiao Qinyan hurriedly said respectfully.

"Your Majesty has shown such great kindness. I shall serve you loyally and have no other thoughts."

Emperor Yongping said after a moment of thought.

"According to the Ministry of Revenue, the court lost 24 million taels of silver in customs duties in Jiangnan. This silver must be compensated."

After hearing this, Xiao Qinyan looked confused.

"Your Majesty, even if I were to sell all my wealth, I still wouldn't be able to come up with this much."

Emperor Yongping said calmly.

"If you can't get it together, find someone to help you."

"If you can't gather them all, you will be cutting yourself off from the court and from me."

Xiao Qinyan understood as soon as he heard it. Concubine Yue, the Second Prince, and the young Marquis Yue would all have to bleed together. If this hole was not filled, they would all be finished.

"I understand. I will do my best."

Then Emperor Yongping continued.

"Our Great Zhou has been established for a hundred years, and the trend of land annexation has intensified."

"Ultimately, it's because the imperial court favors the gentry, officials, and noble princes."

"These privileged classes pay no taxes and refuse to perform any corvee labor."

"If this continues, people's livelihood will suffer greatly."

"Prime Minister Xiao is an experienced and wise man, and I think he will help me share my worries."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Qinyan's face turned pale with fright.

He finally understood why His Majesty didn't kill him.

He originally thought that Emperor Yongping intended to keep him for the time being and deal with him after the storm had passed.

But only now did Emperor Yongping's words reveal his true purpose.

Land annexation has a long history, and all officials, gentry, nobles and princes in the world are vested interests.

It's a very simple logic. Ordinary people have to pay land taxes and perform labor service when they farm.

The privileged class did not need to pay taxes or perform labor service.

Taxes are okay, but corvee labor, if not handled properly, could even cost lives.

In ancient times, the imperial court recruited farmers from the public to build water conservancy projects and other infrastructure.

Because there were no large machines in ancient times, people could only carry things by hand or on their shoulders.

Even with all kinds of machinery and strict management systems in modern times, there are still a large number of accidents, and injuries and deaths are commonplace.

Not to mention ancient times, there were many people who risked their lives doing labor service.

Coupled with natural disasters and man-made disasters, the ability of the lower-class people to resist risks is extremely poor.

In order to avoid having to perform corvee labor, many people sold themselves directly into the homes of officials, gentry and nobles as slaves.

Whenever a natural disaster occurs, the privileged class will have a carnival feast, and land annexation is particularly severe.

Xiao Qinyan was not from a noble family, but came from a poor family and worked his way up from the grassroots level.

Therefore, the harm of land annexation is well known.

In fact, it is not just Xiao Qinyan. There are many dignitaries in the court of all dynasties, and so many wise and capable emperors. Don’t they know the harm of land annexation? Of course they know.

But they also know that this matter is a hornet's nest. Anyone who dares to touch it will be going against all the privileged classes in the world.

Therefore, when Xiao Qinyan heard that Emperor Yongping actually had this idea, he was so scared that his face turned pale.

(End of this chapter)