Water Margin: The opening scene involves assassinating Emperor Huizong of Song and forcibly taking L

One Commissioner of the Court of Judicial Review, one Minister, two Left Vice Ministers, and three Right Vice Ministers are still under investigation.

Zhao Yuan called out again, "Li Hanzhang, Qian Chen!"

"Your subject is here." The two stepped forward together.

Zhao Yuan said, "You two, strip your three titles and demote yourselves to Junior Tutors."

"Go back and properly discipline your cronies!"

"Of course, there are some people you don't need to worry about; the Three Judicial Offices will handle them themselves."

"According to the order."

When Li Hanzhang and Qian Chen returned to their seats, their vests were soaked with sweat. They didn't even dare to deny that they had accomplices.

Zhao Yuan scanned the assembled officials: "Wei Yingshi!"

Wei Yingshi stepped forward and said, "Your subject is here."

Zhao Yuan said, "Remove your promotion and deduct three months' salary. From now on, work diligently in the Ministry of War and don't get involved with any messy old friends or acquaintances."

“Mi Fu’s son-in-law is one, Wang Yucheng’s grandson is another, and Qian Weiyan’s grand-nephew is yet another. Where did your family get so many old acquaintances?”

"Should the imperial court grant official positions to all of your Wei family's former associates?"

"Why did Qian Weiyan's grand-nephew not seek help from his clansman Qian Chen, but instead came to you? What's the reason for this?"

"I am guilty!" Wei Yingshi exclaimed, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

His crime was not serious, because the old friends and acquaintances he promoted were all officials.

Wei Yingshi did not accept any lavish gifts; he simply relied on his influence to get the Ministry of Personnel to arrange good positions for those old acquaintances who had asked for favors, without violating any regulations.

Throughout the entire process, he only helped three family friends to secure official positions, neglecting even his own younger brother.

But two of the three family friends he helped are now involved in the case!

Zhao Yuan continued, "Your son is granted permission."

"The minister is here."

"Meng Zhao has retired; you will be appointed as a cabinet minister."

"Your subject will do his utmost to serve the country and share its burdens!" Linghu Xu shouted loudly.

Zhao Yuan called out again: "He Su."

"The minister is here."

"You are being transferred to the position of Commissioner of the Court of State Affairs."

"According to the order."

Zhao Yuan was also personally appointing officials:

"Hu Anguo has been transferred to the position of Minister of Personnel."

"Pan Lianggui is hereby transferred to the position of Minister of Revenue. You will remain in the Ministry of Justice to continue handling cases, while the affairs of the Ministry of Revenue will be temporarily handled by the Vice Minister of the Left."

"Li Gang has been transferred to the position of Minister of Justice to participate in the trial of cases."

Zhao Fengji was promoted to Minister of Works.

"Zhang Jun was promoted to Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works."

"Li Guang was promoted to Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel."

"..."

A large number of officials were transferred or promoted. Even Liu Shiren, the first prefect of the Ming Dynasty who had been implicated and demoted earlier, was transferred back from Guangxi to serve as the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue.

Xu Ying, the son of former Minister Xu Fuyan, who was also implicated, was transferred back to serve as the Prefect of Luoyang.

Zhao Yuan addressed his ministers, saying, "The cabinet and the Ministry of Personnel will discuss the candidates for the remaining official positions and submit a list as soon as possible. Court adjourned!"

"Congratulations to Your Majesty!"

Everyone bowed in unison, and the oppressive atmosphere in the hall finally dissipated somewhat.

The ministers left one after another, without whispering among themselves, and all went back to their duties.

……

The official residence of the cabinet minister.

Yu Shanwei looked at her husband in surprise: "Why are you back so early?"

Meng Zhao didn't bother to ask what his wife had done, and simply said, "Pack your belongings and get ready to move out. This residence needs to be made available for the new cabinet minister."

Upon hearing this, Yu Shanwei was struck dumb and cautiously inquired, "Were you dismissed from your post, or was it a temporary demotion?"

Chapter 3916 Methods of Bribery

“Our official positions and titles remain unchanged, we can retire early and still receive half a salary for the rest of our lives,” Meng Zhao said. “His Majesty is showing us some respect by remembering our past relationship.”

Yu Shanwei sat down silently, her expression one of regret and remorse.

After a long silence, she finally said, "Aren't you going to ask why?"

Meng Zhao replied, "With my abilities, becoming a prefect is already the limit. My promotion to cabinet minister was entirely due to your help in planning behind the scenes."

"What's the use of asking more questions now? We should be grateful if we can stay in office and retire."

"I'm sorry," Yu Shanwei said.

Meng Zhao waved his hand and said, "Pack your things and move out of the Grand Secretary's residence as soon as possible."

"The residence bestowed upon us in Luoyang was also sold through official brokers, and we moved to Wangchuan Valley."

"The happiest time of my life was when I was teaching in the countryside."

"You don't need to think about anything, you don't need to care about anything, you just need to teach the children in the village well."

"Let's both become teachers for the rest of our lives."

Yu Shanwei smiled wryly: "Okay, I'll go teach."

Yu Shanwei was actually a little reluctant to leave, because she was too glamorous in the capital. Countless noblewomen and young ladies centered around her, forming a popular social circle in Kaifeng and Luoyang.

They set the trend for fashionable women's clothing, leisure activities, and entertainment, frequently inviting celebrities to literary gatherings and occasionally holding scientific seminars.

Poetry, painting, music, science... all kinds of writers, artists, and scientists are their guests.

Yu Shanwei, on the other hand, is the fashion queen, literary queen, art queen, and science queen of the capital!

She roughly knew in what way she had offended the emperor.

First, the small circle she leads has become a platform for communication among women of high social standing.

In this case, many of the wives of convicted officials used her network to form cliques and factions. This included Qin Hui's wife, Lady Wang!

Secondly, her younger brother opened a calligraphy and painting shop in Luoyang, where he helped members of the circle consign various artworks.

Many calligraphy and painting works are sold at prices far exceeding the market value, yet many people still come to buy them, which is actually a form of bribery.

Works by the husband-and-wife team of Meng Zhao and Yu Shanwei are also sold at high prices in this store.

Yu Shanwei was initially a little worried, but gradually he felt it was nothing out of the ordinary, and even thought that his work was worth that price.

When people are exposed to unreasonable things for a long time, they get used to them and start to think that they are reasonable!

In ancient times, the methods of corruption could be summarized into four categories: refined, commercial, theft, and tyranny.

【elegant--

This refers to selling officials' literary works at high prices, including charging exorbitant fees for writing inscriptions or articles for others.

Or, they might sell artwork to officials, with the bribe-giver buying it at a high price and the bribe-taker buying it at a low price.

【business--

Those at a higher level would use their position to have their cronies handle related business.

On a lower level, one could open a pawnshop or a casino.

The briber took his new robe, worth a thousand strings of cash, to a pawnshop and pawned it as if it were a tattered cotton-padded jacket.

Or they might go to casinos run by officials and lose large sums of money.

[Theft]

This is corruption in the conventional sense, including embezzling funds and grain, withholding military pay, and imposing exorbitant taxes.

[Overlord]

This refers to using one's power to bully men and women, seize property through trickery and coercion, and plunder the assets of wealthy merchants, gentry, and ordinary people.

Chapter 3917 Blinded by Fame and Fortune

Yu Shanwei belongs to the category of "elegance," and she truly believes it is an elegant matter.

The surge in the price of Zhao Kai's paintings is partly due to Yu Shanwei's speculation.

She owns more than thirty paintings by Zhao Kai, all of which she purchased at relatively low prices in the early days.

They would bring the paintings out for everyone to appreciate at every art event, and over time, the price of the paintings continued to rise.

Fortunately, the wealthy ladies brought their artworks to consign, and Yu Shanwei only charged a small fixed consignment fee, without profiting wildly from the sale price.

Otherwise, Meng Zhao's situation wouldn't be as simple as early retirement!

For Yu Shanwei, making money was just a side benefit; she enjoyed the glory of being the center of attention.

Yu Shanwei directed the servants to pack up their belongings and then took a carriage to his younger brother's calligraphy and painting shop.

She told her brother, "All consigned calligraphy and paintings should be returned to their rightful owners."

“Make a list including my and your brother-in-law’s calligraphy and paintings, with names and prices listed, and I will personally present it to His Majesty in the palace.”

Yu Shanwei was very fond of this place; to put it in terms of several hundred years later: it was the number one salon in the capital!

The clothes that become popular here will soon become a hit in Luoyang, and even gradually spread throughout the country.

The prices of artworks that are sought after here immediately skyrocket.

Poems that gain fame here can become household names overnight.

Even scientists come here to publish their research findings.

Although most of the noblewomen couldn't understand it, the retired emperor and the emperor liked it.

So they warmly welcomed the scientists and even introduced them to their husbands.

Countless impoverished scholars, eager to make a name for themselves, racked their brains to obtain an invitation, just to make an appearance at Yu Shanwei's events.

All of this will cease to exist!

At this very moment, Meng Zhao was hiding in his study, drunk and falling asleep with tears in his eyes.

……

Chui Gong Hall.

Yu Shanwei knelt prostrate in the hall, while Zhao Yuan casually browsed the list of artworks.

After a long silence, Zhao Yuan finally spoke: "You used to be very clever and cautious, but now you're only clever and have lost all your caution?"

Yu Shanwei replied, "The five colors dazzle the eyes and erode the mind."

Zhao Yuan said, "I actually warned you, but you still didn't know how to restrain yourself."

Yu Shanwei's eyes widened in confusion; she genuinely hadn't noticed. When had the emperor reminded her?

Zhao Yuan said, "Your business in Luoyang has been growing bigger and bigger over the past two years."

"From now on, will Shishi and the others never go there again?"

Yu Shanwei suddenly realized.

The concubines rarely left the palace, and it was even rarer for them to attend her events; they would only appear once a year at most.

Li Shishi and Hu Sanniang didn't go for two consecutive years, and of course they each had their own excuses. Yu Shanwei really didn't think that it was the emperor who was preventing them.

If it were ten years ago, she would definitely have noticed!