Fearing being killed for his overwhelming merits, the empress decided to marry him.

"My lords, this is a population survey of the capital region that I have recently ordered to be conducted."

The survey results accurately recorded the population of merchants, farmers, artisans, scholars, and soldiers in Nanjing and the five surrounding prefectures of the capital, totaling over 3.37 million people.

However, after careful statistics and secret investigations, the Jingwei Division found that the actual population of the capital region was more than 2.79 million. May I ask where the extra 500,000 people went?

Can anyone give me a reasonable explanation?

Jiang Mengxuan held up an arithmetic book and coldly scanned the entire hall.

But all the officials from the six ministries bowed their heads and remained silent, as if they had not heard anything.

"Why are you all silent, Minister Lin!"

Lin Yu was taken aback. The moment Jiang Mengxuan called his name, he immediately stepped forward and bowed.

Jiang Mengxuan put down the arithmetic book in her hand, her clear and cold voice echoing in the hall: "As the Minister of Revenue, you are in charge of the nation's finances and household registrations..."

Explain to me why there is such a large discrepancy between the data from my investigation and the statistics compiled by your Ministry of Revenue.

A bead of cold sweat instantly dripped down Lin Yu's forehead.

How could he dare to say that?

"Your Majesty, please allow me to investigate this matter more carefully before I can give a reply."

After thinking for a long time, Lin Yu finally came up with a standard "officialdom tai chi" excuse, attempting to temporarily gloat over the matter.

However, Jiang Mengxuan was not buying it at all and threw the arithmetic book in her hand at Lin Yu's feet.

"Minister Lin, you'd better take a closer look at the statistics in there. I saw this book last night and didn't sleep a wink. It was truly shocking."

Jiang Mengxuan's words were cold and threatening, instantly making Lin Yu feel as if he had fallen into an ice cellar.

He picked up the arithmetic book with trembling body, cupped his hands and replied, "Your Majesty, we will certainly examine it carefully after the court session."

"No need to wait for the court session to end, you can see it now. After you've seen it, give me a reasonable explanation!"

"Yes."

Lin Yu felt almost completely exhausted. He silently returned to the official list and began to read the documents with trembling hands.

The officials in the Taiji Hall fell silent; you could hear a pin drop.

During this period, everyone has keenly felt the increasing pressure of attending court.

The imperial majesty emanating from the Empress made it impossible for anyone to be careless in the slightest.

People began to reminisce about the beautiful days when the Empress had just ascended the throne, when she was soft, vulnerable, and easily manipulated.

But this precious time just vanished so inexplicably?

When did it start?

Right, everything changed from that selection ceremony for a son-in-law, from the moment Shen Lang entered the Empress's sights, and from the moment Shen Lang suppressed the people of Jinling.

"Has the salt tax for last season arrived yet?"

Having just finished discussing one matter, Jiang Mengxuan brought up the salt tax issue again, giving the officials no time to react or catch their breath.

As soon as the Empress finished speaking, Yan Weiyong, the fourth-rank salt commissioner, immediately stepped forward and replied, "Your Majesty, the collection of salt taxes owed from the first quarter of this year, along with the second quarter of last year, has been completed."

The total amount of silver is approximately 8,360,000 taels. I delivered it to the Ministry of Revenue for verification and deposit into the national treasury three days ago. Please review it, Your Majesty.

As he spoke, Yan Weiyong took out an account book from his official sleeve, which was then handed to the Empress by a maid.

As a result, the Empress didn't even glance at the ledger, but simply asked a question.

"Salt Commissioner Hu, I ask you, how much salt tax did you collect last year?"

"Your Majesty, the total salt tax for the two quarters last year amounted to approximately 8.63 million taels of silver."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Mengxuan chuckled and asked, "May I ask how much salt tax was collected in a year when the late emperor was alive?"

Yan Weiyong immediately shut up and his face gradually turned ashen.

"Why did you stop talking? Didn't you hear me clearly when I asked you a question?"

Yan Weiyong swallowed hard and replied softly, "Your Majesty, during the late Emperor's reign, the highest salt tax revenue was 22.33 million taels."

Regular income also remained around 18 million taels…

As he spoke, sweat poured down his forehead.

Today, he's probably going to die here.

Jiang Mengxuan chuckled lightly: "That's strange. How come during my Xuan Yuan era, salt tax revenue has been declining year by year?"

The combined salt tax from the two seasons is less than ten million taels! Tell me, what is the reason for this?

"His Majesty……"

Yan Weiyong knelt down on the ground.

"This humble official truly has no idea."

"Is it ignorance, or deliberate concealment?"

Jiang Mengxuan spoke lightly, raising her voice slightly, and the echo reverberated throughout the entire hall.

It seemed as if he was questioning Yan Weiyong, or perhaps he was questioning the entire court of officials.

She exuded a kind of oppressive aura that I had never felt before.

Damn Shen Lang!

Inside the Taiji Hall, all the civil and military officials changed their expressions, not daring to even breathe loudly, and could only frantically rant in their hearts about Shen Lang's appearance.

Only Ye Mo remained unfazed, knowing that Jiang Mengxuan was using this opportunity to rectify the court.

"During the old lunar year, the war in the north was incessant, and the salt tax had never fluctuated so much."

"How come now that everything is at peace, this small salt tax is decreasing year by year?"

"Yan Weiyong, you also served as the Salt Commissioner for thirteen years. Was the reason for this truly unknown, or did you know but dare not speak out?"

Yan Weiyong was already sweating profusely. Faced with the Empress's interrogation, he could only bite the bullet and reply, "Your Majesty, this humble official really doesn't know."

As soon as she finished speaking, the Empress sent over another secret report.

"Yan Weiyong, explain to me why only three of the six official ships escorting salt and silver arrived at Jinling Port. Where did the other three go?"

"This……"

Yan Weiyong's pupils contracted, and he was immediately terrified and at a loss. He lay on the ground, staring at the three red characters "Jingwei Division" printed on the envelope, as if he had fallen into an abyss.

"Would you like to take a look for yourself?"

The empress's voice gradually changed from clear and cold to sinister.

"This humble official dares not."

Yan Weiyong felt his internal organs begin to stir, and his Adam's apple bobbed up and down.

Jiang Mengxuan: "If you dare not, then let me tell you. There are three salt ships that have not yet entered the official port of Jinling."

One ship was transported to Lianzhou, another to Ningzhou Port, and yet another to Shandong. From there, it was transported north via the Grand Canal, then entered the Suzhou region by merchant ships.

This time, you collected a total of 18.76 million taels of salt tax from both the North and South, of which 8.36 million taels were brought back to the national treasury, and the remaining 10.4 million taels...

You received 400,000 taels and deposited it into Changfeng Money Shop, and the remainder went into the private treasury of the local governor's office in the three prefectures. Do I have any objection to that?

Upon hearing this, Yan Weiyong immediately collapsed in the main hall, his face ashen, unable to utter another word.

Jiang Mengxuan sneered, "Impressive indeed! I never imagined that the ministers of my Great Chu would be so greedy. It's truly a huge joke."

As soon as he finished speaking, all the officials knelt down.

"Guards, remove Yan Weiyong from his post as Salt Commissioner and imprison him in the Imperial Prison for rigorous interrogation by the Jingwei Bureau."

Soon, two guards dressed in brocade robes and flying fish attire entered the hall and, without saying a word, immediately carried Yan Weiyong away from the hall.

At this moment, Yan Weiyong was ice cold all over, and he was so unaware that he had lost control of his bladder that he tried to shout but felt as if a stone was stuck in his throat, and he could not make a sound.

Jiang Mengxuan glanced around at the kneeling officials and then waved her phoenix sleeve.

"Get up, all of you. If you keep kneeling, how can the morning court session even begin?"

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

The ministers then rose tremblingly and stood in their positions again.

But just when they thought the matter was over and they could breathe a sigh of relief, the Empress's voice rang out again.

"Minister Lin, have you finished reading? Share your thoughts."

Why does such a pleasant sound give people a creepy feeling when they hear it?

Lin Yu quickly stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, I have already read the general outline."

"Tell me, what should we do?"

Lin Yu frowned and involuntarily glanced in Ye Mo's direction.

Seeing Ye Mo close his eyes in despair, he mustered his courage and said solemnly, "Your Majesty, this matter must be thoroughly investigated and there must be no leniency whatsoever!"

Heaven knows that when Lin Yu said those words, not only he, but all the officials in the court were sweating profusely.

Hearing his words, the Empress's expression finally softened somewhat: "Then who should be sent to investigate?"